Living not at home

O último post celebrou a Joana Estrela e o diálogo vivo que ela escreve.  The last post celebrated Joana Estrela and the vivid dialogue she writes (scroll down for the rest of this post in English). Numa das minhas visitas à Livraria Velhotes, falei com o Pedro Carvalho (sócio da empresa e amante de livros) sobre isso. Eu já tinha lido três livros dela - cada um ótimo e cada um diferente. Para além de vender os seus livros, Pedro conhecia a Joana e tinha feito uma exposição dos seus desenhos. Ele apresentou-me a ela por e-mail. De seguida, a Joana concordou em fazer uma entrevista por e-mail. Ela respondeu generosamente às minhas perguntas sobre a sua forma de trabalhar: Lawrence: Adoro a forma como as pessoas falam nos seus livros. Sei que tem uma prática de desenho. Também tem uma prática de escuta? Joana: Acho que a escuta faz parte da escrita. Gosto de prestar atenção ao que as pessoas dizem (e como o dizem) e por vezes tiro notas. Às vezes quando isolamos algumas dessas conve...

Often we don't know what's going on.  We're foreign and we miss things that other people know without even trying: information that they absorb, we have to scurry after. We're not isolated: we speak to our neighbours, to other parents at the school, to the stall-holders at the outdoor market, but still we miss things. Like knowing the pervading season.  The local glazing supplier helps with this.  Vidraria Sto. Ovídio - glass - mirrors - glass blocks - double glazing - tempered glass - x-ray glass - morolux Some of the time the window display has double-glazing, wavy-edged mirrors and glass blocks. At other times, a diorama appears amongst the glass products to show the prevailing season.  We never the see the creator of these scenes but we know something of their working methods: they're happy to mix sizes and scales. They're pragmatic and impartial. They make use of what they have to hand: a selection of dollies, toys, knick-knacks, tourist tat and memorabilia...

Sporting Club de Portugal is based in Lisbon. In May 2021 we were living in a town near the Serra do Açor, more than three hours drive from Lisbon. We weren't aware of how much support there was for Sporting in the town so we were surprised by celebrations when they won the Campeão Nacional:  English text Tuesday night: banging, cheering and car horns from the small square close by, then from Avenida dos Bombeiros, then from the square again. A joyful row that carries on for hours.  It’s triggered by the football, we can tell that from the strenuous style of singing. Which team? We didn’t know, but we do now: Spooorting! Campeões! Someone less immersed in the celebration gives us the context: nineteen years since Sporting won the Liga .   This exuberant public joy surprises us. It goes on so long, at such a pitch. It builds and blows and froths, like the fountain, which someone, carried along by the mood, has dosed with washing up liquid. Long after we’re in bed som...