Washing day

 Wednesday 5th December

(Last night)

As the ferry entered Livadi, Hora wasn’t visible. But as we started our turn, so we would berth the ferry with its stern to the concrete apron, Hora revealed itself in its glory. I had forgotten how lovely it looks. The photo really doesn’t do it justice! After getting off,  I popped into a supermarket for more pegs, I want to try and get the backlog of washing done asap, so I will use the line on the roof, as it’s not going to be too windy. I watered the plants when I got home, they were a bit dry, the house has survived, the humidity was only mid seventies, I thought it would be really bad. There is a little bit of mould, I need to get some spray for that. I am all unpacked, heated blanket installed. I am missing all of my friends! But I will soon get into the swing of things here.

Photo Interlude - Photo of mountains during walk Thursday 

I tried some guitar, I did play my friends guitar a bit, I was surprised that I have managed to do the three finger “G” for the first time, without any ringing. The changes between chords weren’t too shabby either.  I did try on Sifnos to use the words I knew in Greek, I bought a muffin on the ferry, I thought I only had a twenty Euro note, but when I found a five, having  handed the twenty over, I apologised in Greek, as he had started to count the change. That’s really easy actually.it’s one word!

(Thursday morning)

I did use the heated blanket last night just to take that slight damp feeling off the sheets, I did not want it hot, I don’t like that at all. I slept fairly well, there is a bit of wind this morning. I did one load of washing last night, and hung it out, it’s starting to get dry already. I decided I would do the reservoir walk, the one that has you walk down to the dam wall. I hoped to see some narcissus as they were budding nicely when I left.  I went shopping in Hora, but fed the two stray cats first, they weren’t there unfortunately, a imposter was, so I scared him off. I will go and see if they appear  tonight. There was a small bunch of narcissus in the ground, so I decided to photograph them.

I went to Markela’s but someone else was there, I said “Good Year” in Greek, that seems to be the way of saying Happy New Year to them. She told me when I asked in Greek, Markela and her husband were in Athens. I could not get all I wanted, so I went to the other store in Hora. I did remember that Marinos was going to Athens over Christmas, he is not back yet, so his coffee shop is all shut up. I bought even more pegs from Markela’s as I have used all the extra ones I bought last night, to peg the socks around my laundry basket, which is now outside in the sun. 

Photo Interlude -  Another pretty flower on todays walk

 After washing all my dirty T shirts, these are now hanging on the roof line drying nicely.  I started my walk down to the reservoir. The Clover is still out, but given how thickly that it is  covering the ground, it’s amazing how few flowers there are, which is a pity.  As I walked down, I realised I should have done this walk, just before I left, the narcissus were there but they were over, they were all dried up. Good job I took a photo of the ones by the cats. There were other flowers to see however.

When I got a bit further down there was a field with goats and chickens together. As usual the goats ran off to the other end of the field to me, the hens, they did not seem to care. There looked like a goat had just given birth, but I am no animal vet, there were lots of pretty young goat kids in this field. There is certainly plenty for them to munch on at the moment, which I guess is why the kids are appearing now. I carried on down to the reservoir. Even though we have not had any more rain, it does look fuller than it did when I was last here. 

Down at the dam wall, there also seemed a bit more water on my side of the wall, this area is really lush. I carried on walking along the river bed. To start with there was a stream beside me, but it did eventually dry up. I really hope to see it flow all the way to the beach one day soon. I wasn’t particularly going to pick up litter, but there was a big bag, left on the ground, and where there is a bag, it needs filling, and that is never a problem. But a bit further on, I saw this huge herd of goats, being moved on with a guy on a motorcycle. 

I stood still, so not to scare the goats, so they would go they way he wanted, they were heading to the river bed, where all that lush vegetation and water is.  I said good year to him, and he replied the same. I carried on to the beach. Before I got there, I met the metal recycling man, another Good Year, I told him where my huge collection of metal is. He said thank you. I imagine, it’s going to take a long time for it to get taken away. Let’s see, it doesn’t matter, it’s hidden away from sight. 

Photo Interlude - Pretty flower on the Hora road

When I got to the end of the beach, I met my friend who lives here, and is coming for lunch tomorrow. We had a quick chat and I went into a different cafe as Grans is still closed. I sat outside in the sun, looking at Hora, with a cat fancying a bit of my pie. The biggest supermarket in Livadi, is closed. I was warned they would be closed all January. I then walked back towards Hora, along the road. Fairly soon, I spotted this lady talking to the birds in their cage. She was getting them to get out of it, maybe she was cleaning it out, or after the eggs. They were like doves, which they used to have in Dovecots, that you still see in the fields in Greece.

There was a bit of litter on the fields, which I removed into my handy bag. The dried river bed, I cleared some time ago, I jumped in and there was one of those one ton bags thrown into it. There is an area where there was a big pile of litter that I knew about, the bag would be good to remove it all. So I filled it up and dragged it to the nearest dumpster. I then carried on up the Donkey path up to the house. A short section of the path, goes by way of the road, and as I traversed this, Vasileas came along in his Jeep. I wished him Happy Year, I got the Greek handshake and he asked if I wanted a lift. The temptation was big, but I declined and I showed him my bag. I told him I would see him at his bar soon. Eventually I got back to the house, and am now having a rest. The washing and myself are doing nicely in the sun.