More garden musings..

 Thursday 14th December 



So far no bad reaction to the covid booster. After the big meal yesterday lunchtime I popped into Livadi for a Zabonontyropita for dinner as I wasn’t very hungry. It’s a really exciting time for me. It’s just the number of people who I am getting to know and they me. I keep pinching myself, is this one of my dreams and I am going to snap out of it and be back waking in my bed one day? I truly hope not! Here is a cheery greeting on the side of the passenger terminal building in the port. The above photo is of the Christmas train outside the Infant School.


In the port area it’s not dark, it’s floodlit and it’s not cold. The sound of the waves lapping against the wave breaker rocks is very peaceful. The Zante Ferries has left Kithnos and it will be passing by the East coast of the island and coming here soon. There are people waiting for it now and a couple of haulage lorries that take trailers off the ferry and drive them to the distribution centre in the industrial area. The sea is at peace with itself tonight, which is why it was so nice yesterday lunchtime. 

This morning I have made a decision which was influenced by the friend I was with yesterday. I tend to do something every day. This usually involves a walk to Livadi or something that involves physical activity. This is a good thing to do, but I don’t have a rest day to catch up on things. Like a spending a bit more time on the Greek or Guitar. So I should just drive to Livadi and have a gentle stroll along the beach, or sit on one of the benches and watch the world go by. So that’s what I am going to do today. I have to feed the cats, also check up, on a friends house who is away. The letter to the person I provided a pet taxi service for in the UK is sent to the person who provides that service now, they have printed it for me and included some photos on it as well. It will be delivered today. I have also written an email to two friends who are going to South Africa for a long break, I have also cancelled the eye appointment for my eye cyst as it’s all but gone away, for now, I have also made myself a list of things I need to take to Sifnos for Christmas.


 So before driving to Livadi, I had a coffee in Marinos’s coffee house. I got a little biscuit as usual but  a chocolate too. Later on he beckoned me to come to the bar, and I got some more of that aniseed bread. He crossed his chest before he gave it to me. I don’t know what was going on here, I am not aware if it’s another special day. He really makes the best Fredo Cappuccino on the island, it’s a close call between his and Grans, maybe in a glass theirs would be as good. As I paid I got a satsuma! But after doing a couple of jobs down in the port, I went to Grans and I bought a Danish pastry with ham in, and the kind lady chucked in several mini sausage rolls in for free. I think they are closing for Christmas on Saturday. I went in a supermarket and they might be closed for the whole of January! I bumped into the guy who runs the taverna next door, he had someone with him who translated for us, he was asking what I was doing for Christmas and I explained. We did the Greek handshake and that was great.


So not much more to report except I have another idea about a plot of land. My friend whose stray cats I am feeding has this scratch land with a collapsed outbuilding on it, near them, it gets the sun and although on the mountain  it might be not be exposed  after all. The soil has stones in it, but it’s not too bad and looks quite good. It is supporting a good crop of clover and what looks like huge examples of ground elder! I will contact my friend to see what they think about this idea. The good news is that they would be there in the summer and would be able to water the plants, and get crops off them when I am not there. They are keen about organic food I know. The only problem might be goats, their neighbour has a troop of them who come to the house for water! Protection might be needed. There is a bit of rubbish on the land as you get here unfortunately, but it won’t take much clearing. A final show of a sunset over our mountain. Good night!





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