It was a bright and warm start to the day here in Droushia. It didn't last unfortunately but that was fine because Jane, John and Mike were coming up this afternoon and we had planned a walk down at Latchi where it was considerably brighter and warmer.
I pottered this morning and finally I can begin to see the green shoots of recovery in places but some things seem to be very late springing into life but at last there are some welcome splashes of colour. In the front garden I have some lovely tulips coming up in a pale cream colour and out the back of the kitchen door the Vinca is putting on quite a show with its purple flowers. Around by the outside shower the Crocosmia has long spikes ending in vibrant orange flowers and the good old Osteospurmum is beginning to bloom. It makes me feel so much happier after the long and wet winter.
Normally the cats like to accompany me on a recce of the garden but they were conspicuous by their absence save for Minnie who hides herself on a chair under the table in the garden. Here she can remain unseen and safe from any torment meted out by the boys. The down side is that the cushions are covered with little muddy paw prints so will have to have a good wash soon before we start eating outside. I found the boys - they were snuggled up on the bed - good job I had made it in advance - I can manage to make the bed fairly well if just one of them is sleeping on it but the three of them would make it impossible. Harmony reigned in the Wiseman household at least for a little while.
I decided I had enough time to catch up on the second episode of the latest Gareth Malone "Choir" programme which was about the school which was located next to the Grenfell Tower and which had to be closed afterwards. The story was about the children of the school and putting on a performance to celebrate returning to that school after being housed in temporary portakabins in the interim. Sadly some of the victims of that terrible fire had been pupils at the school. I am not a great lover of children as anyone who knows me will know but I was so impressed by the maturity of these kids from very diverse backgrounds. They were all so articulate when spoken to. It made me realise that not all teenagers are little shits.
Jane, John and Mike arrived around 2.00pm and we started our afternoon in the Hotel having coffee. Jane and John had not seen the new renovations and I don't think Mike had ever been in there before. He found it hard to believe that this was still Droushia but I explained that the boundaries of Droushia stretch far and wide and showed him on the way to Prodromi exactly where Droushia ends. It is a big area although the majority of the housing is centred around the church.
We walked from La Plage. It was warmer down by the coast with some hazy sunshine and it was good to be out in the fresh air. We walked along the marina checking out the boats - I particularly like this one from Latchi Watersports which I think must be new and possibly subject to one of their naming competitions!
I had only been down to Latchi last Tuesday with Dip where all was peace and quiet but now they are dredging the basin right at the end which is a massive undertaking and somewhat noisy and smelly as they are moving tonnes of silt from the bottom. Mike and John were fascinated so we stood and watched as a little tug brought in a big vessel which was to hold the excavated silt and presumably dump it out to sea. We watched as the bucket manoeuvred the big old vessel alongside and began to fill it with silt. No health and safety here - we watched as the bucket hovered perilously close the to bare head of a worker. It was nice and warm where we stood and watched and actually quite interesting - no idea how long this project is going to take but this basin which is normally full of fishing boats and pleasure boats is now more or less empty so I guess they have had to be found berths elsewhere.
On the way back towards La Plage we stopped at the old boat which has become something of a landmark and I noticed that there was a Hoopoo sitting above us. I only had my phone and on maximum zoom the photograph is not overly clear but you can see the bird with its prison issue black and white striped plumage and funny peak on its head. It flew off but never very far in front of us before returning to the boat.
We decided to walk on to the camp site as it was still reasonably warm and bright. At La Plage there is a field (normally bereft of any weeds in the Summer) full of rape or mustard which is being enjoyed by two donkeys. The prettier grey one had wandered off out of photo range but the other was busy munching a crop circle in front of us.
We carried on to the camp site and were pleased to see that the bar was open because it gave us an opportunity to sit and enjoy the last of the sunshine and have a welcome cold drink. Mike said it was the sort of place that if he and Sheila were there they would have sat and relaxed and had a few drinks until it got too dark to see. He certainly would have stayed for another cold Leon but realising we had quite a little walk back to the car and the sun was about to slip down behind the mountains at Neo Chorio we reluctantly headed back.
Our evening meal tonight was taken at To Steki (Maria's) in Kathikas which was Jane's choice because the last time Mike had come up to Droushia - which was several years ago now we had been there and he had had a pork chop which he had been dreaming about ever since.
One the sun goes down it gets chilly and there was a rolling mist in Droushia and Kathikas so we dressed up warmly but needn't have worried as the wood burner in Maria's was doing a grand job of keeping the whole place a really nice temperature.
The boys had their pork chops, Jane and I had fish and I think everyone enjoyed their meal. It had been a very nice afternoon and evening. Mike returns home tomorrow but Jane and John are coming up next week to stay for a couple of nights. We have a few things planned which hopefully will be new to them but that is quite hard as they have been coming here for 30 years so seen and done most things!
I pottered this morning and finally I can begin to see the green shoots of recovery in places but some things seem to be very late springing into life but at last there are some welcome splashes of colour. In the front garden I have some lovely tulips coming up in a pale cream colour and out the back of the kitchen door the Vinca is putting on quite a show with its purple flowers. Around by the outside shower the Crocosmia has long spikes ending in vibrant orange flowers and the good old Osteospurmum is beginning to bloom. It makes me feel so much happier after the long and wet winter.
Normally the cats like to accompany me on a recce of the garden but they were conspicuous by their absence save for Minnie who hides herself on a chair under the table in the garden. Here she can remain unseen and safe from any torment meted out by the boys. The down side is that the cushions are covered with little muddy paw prints so will have to have a good wash soon before we start eating outside. I found the boys - they were snuggled up on the bed - good job I had made it in advance - I can manage to make the bed fairly well if just one of them is sleeping on it but the three of them would make it impossible. Harmony reigned in the Wiseman household at least for a little while.
I decided I had enough time to catch up on the second episode of the latest Gareth Malone "Choir" programme which was about the school which was located next to the Grenfell Tower and which had to be closed afterwards. The story was about the children of the school and putting on a performance to celebrate returning to that school after being housed in temporary portakabins in the interim. Sadly some of the victims of that terrible fire had been pupils at the school. I am not a great lover of children as anyone who knows me will know but I was so impressed by the maturity of these kids from very diverse backgrounds. They were all so articulate when spoken to. It made me realise that not all teenagers are little shits.
Jane, John and Mike arrived around 2.00pm and we started our afternoon in the Hotel having coffee. Jane and John had not seen the new renovations and I don't think Mike had ever been in there before. He found it hard to believe that this was still Droushia but I explained that the boundaries of Droushia stretch far and wide and showed him on the way to Prodromi exactly where Droushia ends. It is a big area although the majority of the housing is centred around the church.
We walked from La Plage. It was warmer down by the coast with some hazy sunshine and it was good to be out in the fresh air. We walked along the marina checking out the boats - I particularly like this one from Latchi Watersports which I think must be new and possibly subject to one of their naming competitions!
I had only been down to Latchi last Tuesday with Dip where all was peace and quiet but now they are dredging the basin right at the end which is a massive undertaking and somewhat noisy and smelly as they are moving tonnes of silt from the bottom. Mike and John were fascinated so we stood and watched as a little tug brought in a big vessel which was to hold the excavated silt and presumably dump it out to sea. We watched as the bucket manoeuvred the big old vessel alongside and began to fill it with silt. No health and safety here - we watched as the bucket hovered perilously close the to bare head of a worker. It was nice and warm where we stood and watched and actually quite interesting - no idea how long this project is going to take but this basin which is normally full of fishing boats and pleasure boats is now more or less empty so I guess they have had to be found berths elsewhere.
On the way back towards La Plage we stopped at the old boat which has become something of a landmark and I noticed that there was a Hoopoo sitting above us. I only had my phone and on maximum zoom the photograph is not overly clear but you can see the bird with its prison issue black and white striped plumage and funny peak on its head. It flew off but never very far in front of us before returning to the boat.
We decided to walk on to the camp site as it was still reasonably warm and bright. At La Plage there is a field (normally bereft of any weeds in the Summer) full of rape or mustard which is being enjoyed by two donkeys. The prettier grey one had wandered off out of photo range but the other was busy munching a crop circle in front of us.
We carried on to the camp site and were pleased to see that the bar was open because it gave us an opportunity to sit and enjoy the last of the sunshine and have a welcome cold drink. Mike said it was the sort of place that if he and Sheila were there they would have sat and relaxed and had a few drinks until it got too dark to see. He certainly would have stayed for another cold Leon but realising we had quite a little walk back to the car and the sun was about to slip down behind the mountains at Neo Chorio we reluctantly headed back.
Our evening meal tonight was taken at To Steki (Maria's) in Kathikas which was Jane's choice because the last time Mike had come up to Droushia - which was several years ago now we had been there and he had had a pork chop which he had been dreaming about ever since.
One the sun goes down it gets chilly and there was a rolling mist in Droushia and Kathikas so we dressed up warmly but needn't have worried as the wood burner in Maria's was doing a grand job of keeping the whole place a really nice temperature.
The boys had their pork chops, Jane and I had fish and I think everyone enjoyed their meal. It had been a very nice afternoon and evening. Mike returns home tomorrow but Jane and John are coming up next week to stay for a couple of nights. We have a few things planned which hopefully will be new to them but that is quite hard as they have been coming here for 30 years so seen and done most things!
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