We’re back (though we were never really gone)!

It’s hard to believe that my last post dates back to October 2023. Oops. Let’s hope the adage “better late than never” holds, and that you’ll forgive me for being silent, not to say absent, for quite so long. The good news is that we’ve been busy, so let me share a few updates and plans for 2026.

What has been going on at Casa Beatrix?

We’ve been a bit distracted by – among other things – the birth of our second daughter in April 2024, but we’ve never stopped navigating the bureaucratic waters to keep the project moving forward.

Here are some things that have happened in the past two years:

We realized that our vision of making Bergerie into a two bedroom house was based on misinformation received from our first architect (yep, the one we had to fire), so we finally decided to pivot and make it into a studio space. As such, it now has a full (and gorgeous, if I do say so myself) bathroom, and we’ve added a gas water heater.

We set up a dipping pool – not a swimming pool per se, but a steel tank that’s big enough to sit in and enjoy cool water on a sweltering summer day. As a bonus, it’s not too deep so little kids can play relatively safely (though still always supervised by an adult).

The renovations on the third ruin have FINALLY begun. They are inching along, at a bit of a snail’s pace, but at least something is happening. I cannot even begin to explain what a relief this is.

On a much sadder note, our beloved cat Murdoch, who was without a doubt the best cat this side of the multiverse, is no longer with us. We never knew his exact age but estimated that he was around 11 or 12 years old – so although he went peacefully and we’re grateful for that, we’re also heartbroken because we had hoped to have him around for many more years.

A potent reminder that you just never know what life has in store.

Which is also why we’ve been putting our energy in Casa Beatrix, but not only. For example…

• Francois completed a drone piloting course and is developing a portfolio of work ranging from project documentation to tourism videos (once he starts sharing his content anywhere, I’ll be sure to link to it).
• With friends, we organized a trial “Creative Cafe” in Famalicao da Serra, where people could come and play creatively for a few hours. The pilot included painting, decorating ceramic pots and planting seeds, creating greeting cards, and making art with elements of nature (i.e., decorating pine cones or stones). This will likely be a quarterly offering, with crochet, ceramics, origami, and so much more to come.
• I’m co-hosting my first writing retreat in two weeks in Porto, with a potential second one later this year (eventually, they will be hosted at Casa Beatrix, of course!).
• We’re part of the association Vida Aos Montes that runs a pre-school (that’s where A goes), and as part of my role as a board member, I’m organizing a Open Mic night in Guarda early February

Plans for 2026 and beyond

In many ways, this project has been one of life’s ways to teach me how to let go and go with the flow rather than plan plan plan. Or better said, to know which approach to take when! When it comes to renovations and opening Casa Beatrix for business, there’s no timeline. We’ll just shout it from the rooftops, again and again, when the time comes.

However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have plans for 2026 and beyond! They are just fluid plans rather than “SMART” (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) objectives.

For example…

• Getting back into publishing articles here and being a bit more active on Instagram again – about the farm and also the region, because there’s a lot happening around us, too!
• Continuing the renovations and infrastructure improvements, with the goal of moving into this last house once it’s ready
• Leveling-up the fence around the donkey field so it’s horse-proof, and building an additional hay-storage area, to eventually move my horse to our property (and get another one so I can go for rides with family and friends)
• Revisiting the vegetable garden-jungle, as the past two years have been so-so (I’ve been distracted, I admit, by being a mom and becoming an author)
• Planting more trees

I know, it sounds a bit vague. Part of that is because we’ve yet to sit down with Francois and revisit our priorities for the year, and part of it is because I’m learning to slow down a little bit with what I share because (as the “Opening summer 2021” note at the top of the homepage shows) here, the life we’re building isn’t corporate. We might use Gant charts and project management tools on occasion, but mostly we’re enjoying life, working hard, and making sure we keep this project moving forward even though it looks more like a tcha-tcha-tcha itinerary than a straight line.

Thank you for being here and reading this far. If you want to come visit, please reach out! We’re not open, but if we can host you, we’d be happy to (with a few caveats because Casa Beatrix is still in the making and more rustic than not)!

And if there’s anything you want me to write about, don’t hesitate to ask! You can leave a comment below, message me on Instagram, or reach out to thecramooz[at]gmail.com.

Here’s wishing you a wonderful 2026 full of good health, joy, some adventure, and delightful meals in the best of company.

Our three cuddly donkeys, Julius, Cleo(patra) & Estrela, are doing well and helping out with maintenance around the property.