Oddly enough, the taxi driver didn't know where it was, despite it being a huge behemoth of a building right next to the casino. So we just had him take us to the casino and told him where to stop.

I've never been in the Congress Center before. It's very modern, and today it was filled with cars. Opels, to be precise-- apparently next year's models. Pretty ugly and focused heavily on mini-vans, to be even more precise. I wasn't impressed.

We, on the other hand, were shoved into a too-small room. A friend and I had volunteered to help out, and ended up doing membership renewals at a table right in the thick of things. It was right next to the mother-toddler groups table, so things got a bit loud. Not that they weren't loud elsewhere. That room was heaving with active women.

IW is focused pretty heavily on lots of small group activities: conversation in a variety of languages and levels, keep-fit activities, mother and children related activities, arts and crafts, card games, reading groups, bible study, cooking, and I forget what else.

Except I'd better start remembering, hadn't I, since I agreed to be next year's Activities Coordinater. Well, I did tell the Divine Miss M that I would be willing to accept a Board position, so be careful what you wish for, I suppose.

And it's not a bad job to volunteer for, at least on first glance. I'm even looking forward to it, although I'm under no illusion that I've been told everything, whether or not they've forgotten or "forgotten" whatever it is I'm sure to find out later. I'm not actually in charge of any of the activities themselves-- I'm in charge of the group leaders. Oh, and I get to handle disputes and in-fighting, scheduling, liaising, and writing stuff up for the magazine-- although someone else will do the layout. Apparently, she's a co-coordinator who got promoted at work or something and no longer has time to do all that other crap.

And what about her Co-co-coordinater? Bit of a problem, there. She's moved to Madeira, although she gets back to Lisbon once a month or so. So I've agreed to be yet another co-coordinator until her term is up at the end of December, going to meetings and liasing and so forth, although she can handle a lot of stuff via telephone and email. Which is kind of nice for me, because it will allow me to get to know who's who and what's what.

She has lots of ideas as well, she said. In fact, as she headed for the parking garage, she told me that she'll be emailing me right away about some ideas for Christmas. Seeing as Christmas is approaching quicker than you'd think and there's stuff that really should have already been done.

Which is just Great.

Something they forgot to tell me about.

I wonder what the IW do at Christmas? I really have no idea. With my luck, it will be a ball or something. Oh, say, an intimate little soiree for 500 women and their spouses that will require a space that should have been reserved last May.

I wonder if I can turn it into a Happy Hour?

I'm good at Happy Hours.

There's a dinner tonight for the people on Elvis' project. There will probably be general merriment and carousing around Lisbon afterwards.

The spouses are not invited.

Which is OK, because us spouses decided to do a bit of carousing on our own. But in Cascais, which is better because we can stumble home afterwards and not have to worry about when the Metro stops or falling asleep on half-hour train rides.

Did I ever mention that that very thing happened to Elvis and I? By the time we woke up, we were half-way back to Lisbon. By the time we figured that out, we were three-quarters of the way there.

Oops.

Sadly, we had been woken up by an old guy the last time we'd been out in Cascais for the evening (we were still in the Lisbon hotel at the time), which should have served as a warning, don't you think?

We almost did it again the next night, too, despite the fact that I'd set the alarm on my mobile. Really, we're lucky nothing got stolen. It's not the safest line in the world at that time of night.

Anyway, tonight is Ladies' Night and the men (and women) of the project should be envious.

Although, based on our last Ladies' Night (in Lisbon), I could be wrong about that.

And, as it turns out, Elvis isn't going. He came home early from work, and is currently tucked away in bed because he is not feeling well. Although that probably won't stop him from getting up after I've left and watching TV until 4 am.

Not that I plan to be out until 4 am.

I never plan to be out until 4 am.