SCORCHIO!

A couple of nights this week have cooled down with breezes through the open windows and we unearthed thin woollen blankets for the early hours when a single sheet is just not quite warm enough. Although the days are lovely, the hillsides are now the colour of burnt earth. What a relief that it will be getting cool enough to get some exterior painting on the go without the poor person on the ladder burning to a crisp and the paint drying on the brush.

Yianni the painter just dropped by the house and asked; did we want to have the roof painted on Sunday (his day off!). A resounding reply, “Yes, please!” from us came back without hesitation as the Autumn rains can't be far off, the swallows have already left and we noted long lines of geese flying in formation this week from East to West on their migration. We have the paint supplies all ready and Yianni has helped us this year paint both upstairs and downstairs so that we look half way respectable at last. Yianni has been taught, by my earstwhile husband, a few words in English which he greets us with every time he sees us. “Hello baby, are you with anybody, do you drink red wine?” This greeting is always followed by a quick smack from me in the direction of earstwhile husband and the query, “why on earth couldn't you teach him something a bit more useful?” Anyway, we have been made over a bit; disposed of some clutter and the walls look good – albeit temporarily – until the coatings catch a load of winter dampness and slide off the walls again. It all makes work for the working man to do! K is negotiating already (even while the daytime temperatures are scorching) for the winter wood supply. We're well in the groove now!

All in all it has been a bit of a week. Our feet haven't touched the ground and long, lazy days on the beach are almost a distant memory back to our first summer here. Last weekend, our friends Mike and Felicity celebrated their Ruby Wedding with a huge barbecue and instead of gifts requested donations to the Red Cross. Their village priest is a Red Cross volunteer and initiated a great round of Greek dancing and with many of their friends over from England, we had a wonderful evening.

Unbelievably, sister in law Anna fell down at home for the second time and having just recovered from a broken knee and gaining a bit of confidence to get out and about again broke her other ankle in two places. She has been in hospital for 12 days, bolted and plated and the hospital has been good, but its terribly boring. Thank heavens Rik the Builder was working nearby and able to come to her rescue when it happened.

There must be an EU Plum Mountain somewhere which landed in the middle of our village last week. An overwhelming supply of dessert plums arrived in crates and were stacked outside the taverna in the Square. Apostoli, the Mayor, urged everyone to take one or two crates and we have all been bottling plums and devising (in my case) some DELICIOUS plum sauce. Bring on the crispy duck! We still haven't finished all the bottled peaches from last summer, but it has reminded me to get them out of the cupboard and use them before it is too late.

Then we have a new arrival in the village, Liz's sister Steph, who can turn her hand to anything and is trying to earn a bit here and there by decorating, tiling and furniture construction. We have been trying to help her settle in a bit and find her way about. By some miracle, she has two decent jobs already - painting the school and helping paint another large house. Quite an achievement for a newcomer in this village.

If this wasn't enough excitement (for a small, sleepy village) a new car for us turned up unexpectedly as some people we know are returning to the UK and need to sell their motor. The bureaucracy will take us most of the day on Monday with photocopies of all our ID and car documents which are entered into the system and then getting each other back to their respective homes once it is all complete. Steph is very interested in our old runabout, which would be a very practical motor for her and solve quite a number of problems in sourcing and getting supplies for work. RESULT!

K and I had just realised that it had been AGES since we had spent a day on the beach and were tentatively making plans when a phone call came to scotch that idea and I had to jump in the car and drive to Rethymnon. However, I stopped off on the way back at Panormo and K took his trusty quad bike down the steep slopes to the Limni beach. Kostas who runs the taverna there was so glad to see us after months of absence that he sent over an extra bottle of Retsina as a free gift. So nice of him, but we really had had enough already and it made getting home a bit worrisome. It meant spilling some accidentally on purpose to drive home in one piece.

Near Georgopolis - not Panormo!

The beaches are still full, mostly retired tourists at this time of year. I was mightily amused by Grigoris, our taxi driver, when he said that the elderly folk who came early and late in the season were easily the best customers as they usually gave generous tips! Basking in such appreciation and September sunshine, we leave you to your September pursuits and wish you a very Happy Autumn!