HPBD2ME
It's my birthday! I'm usually pretty chary about sharing that
on the Internet, but I think it might be safe enough to mention
here at the bottom of the Smolnet. I can always change the date
later. 

Yesterday we were in Porto and, predictably, our one short afternoon
there was ended early by a migraine. When we get back from this trip
I'm going to line up a doctor, but everything I'm reading says "keep
a migraine diary." That's probably all a doctor will tell me to do.

We did find a pharmacy open on Sunday, and the woman working there
very seriously doled out 12 400-mg Ibuprofein capsules with the
admonition to take no more than two a day. She also made me
read her my NIF number in Portuguese, which, okay, I can do it, but
did I NOT tell you when I walked up that I'm having a migraine?

Today we bussed up to Braganca, then took an Uber to the Sixt car 
rental place, where I got a birthday upgrade to a Mercedes-Benz 
sedan. Sure! I'll take it! 

Now we're in Casa do Azibo, which was simply the closest place to 
Braganca that showed any availability. It's very nicely done up, and has
A/C which, given the 100-plus forecast for the next few days we are
grateful to have.

It's a weird little birthday to have, but I'm super grateful. To be 
retired in Portugal with Joy is an absolutely ridiculous lifestyle 
that I never would have imagined during my darkest days. 

Tomorrow we scout places from which to shoot the eclipse the next day.
We've been told that we won't be able to drive out to Rio de Onor or
any of the little towns on the northern border that get the full 100%
eclipse, so we'll just have to see what we can manage.