Day No. 97 - It's getting tight ... - Clearances on the beaches of the Algarve?

"The most pious cannot live in peace, 

if the bad neighbor doesn't like it."

Friedrich von Schiller

When I open my first eye this morning, I hear our sliding door. Marc is putting up the solar panel. He comes back grumbling. Overnight, two cars further on, a new one has crept so far forward that we are standing in the shade. Stupid, because the cable of our solar panel is unfortunately not long enough to place it in the sun. But it doesn't help, it can't be helped now. As the good old Schiller once said ... 

It certainly wasn't intentional. Just as some people have to stand at the front of the luggage conveyor belt at the airport so that nobody can see anything. We'll have to get a longer cable at the next opportunity. Even though our SpaceCamper will have two 200Wp solar modules permanently installed on the roof, we will also take our current solar bag with us for the winter when the sun is low.

We drink our coffee first and are almost happy again. We are really happy when the sun has moved so far that our solar panel is in the sun and has already generated 20Wh. This could power a 40W bulb* for half an hour, or a 20W bulb for a whole hour. Our new SpaceCamper will be equipped with LED lamps, which consume x times less energy. The math is beyond me right now. I'm an engineer, and they all say they can't do the math. I can still remember how we were given the recruitment test for surveying technicians at the office with 4 engineers and almost broke our ears. I must have passed this test only 20 years earlier, otherwise I probably wouldn't have been hired.

At the end of the day, it's the little things that make you happy. Like a good cup of coffee. Or a ray of sunshine that tickles your nose. And, of course, more and more sea.

After coffee, we head out into the sunshine, I do a bit of work on the blog and Marc goes for a swim. When he comes back, our new neighbor shows up and Marc goes for a chat. It's slowly becoming clearer to me why Marc has spent his whole life talking for a living. It's what makes him happy and what he's really good at. When I'm unbalanced, I go to the seaside or for a jog. When Marc is unbalanced, I send him for a chat. That works wonders for both of us.

Later, our garden gnome neighbor comes by and tells us that the GNR has cleared the beach on the other side of the river today. Actually, both sides are always cleared on the same day. Since that didn't happen today, they'll probably come tomorrow. Marc and I look at each other. What should we do? Believe the garden gnome and leave? Or play poker and stay put? We decide to stay.

*Editor's note: Pears? - If it's up to Torgit, my best friend is surely a bulb salesman, but he's in the light bulb business. - Thinking about the good old light bulb is like thinking about the good old Deutschmark. It made you feel better. But feelings can be deceptive. And one thing should be clear: Generation Y and Z have no idea what we're talking about. And that's a good thing.

Insight of the day: Talking, talking alone does not help to be happy. - Today was not my day.