A very early walk...

We were up and out early this morning - before 6.000am!!!  We had said last night if we were awake we would get up and go for a walk and that is what we did.  We were out to see the sun rise and it was amazing and in places where they have harvested the fields and left hay bales it could almost pass for the UK - especially today when it may well have been hotter there than here! 

So we walked out of our house and down the hill towards Kelly's house and then along the main road and turned up to the cemetery to check on Dad and then up to the middle of the village, down towards the amphitheatre then across the back of the church and headed towards the community office and theb past Lordos 2.

It was relatively cool when we set off (thankfully) so we stepped it out and once past Lordos 2 heading towards the old bin man's house (he is not old he just used to be our bin man) we took a left which takes you on a track which comes out by the cemetery in Inea which looks like it is being extended - the cemetery not the track.  From here we turned left and headed back towards Droushia but then dropped down slightly so we could walk through the village and up past Eleni's taverna and back into Droushia that way.

It was a beautiful way to start the day.  We passed several people with the same idea as us and several people walking to open up their businesses - all giving us a cheery wave or welcoming greeting.  We were pleased to see the horses still in situ and with plenty of water to drink although the land around them looks a bit barren but we know that someone does go regularly to check on them and there is someone staying in the bungalow next door who are also keeping an eye on them.

Once home and way before I am normally up I was making a sticky toffee pudding because I had some dates in the freezer which we had been given by our neighbour Galatia last year I think.  I hadn't checked the fridge properly and didn't have enough butter for the sticky toffee sauce so had to use a completely different and labour intensive recipe to make the sauce using just sugar and milk.  It wasn't a complete success but the cake is a bit like parkin and tastes nice.  I took some over to Lakis and Argy because they had Savvas the Electrician there this morning and I thought they could share it.

We had an extremely lazy day at home dipping in and out of the pool until it was time to get our supper ready.  We had earmarked the duck breasts we got from Shuks the other week.  They are such good value - at just over €6 for two.  I was doing them crispy in a pan and served on a bed of Hoisin noodles with stir fry vegetables.  The baby sweetcorn have returned to the shelves in Paps and are reasonably priced - the mange-tout haven't increased in price either and although over €3 a pack do several meals and last.

The duck breasts are a bit messy to cook because you need to have them cooked open if the skin is not to go soggy so it spits everywhere but boy are they delicious and I have just about mastered getting them to the right amount of pink for our liking.

We sat outside to eat - it was a very warm evening with no humidity so we actually decided to stay outside rather than retire to the lounge to watch some TV.  We are lucky to have the outside space and lots of choice as to where to sit and sometimes we just don't take advantage of it.

John caught up with him Mum who has been away for a few days with Janice and Mick and Mick's mum.  She said they had a lovely time but the journey from Devon to Yorkshire in all that heat was a bit of an unpleasant experience particularly when Mick's car air-con gave up the ghost.  

We are so looking forward to her visit which is fast approaching and is going to be so different because she, Jacky and Stan will be in walking distance which is fabulous.  We are also super thrilled that Laura and Mark are able to come for a week and will be here to be able to look after the cats when John and I have our long awaited overnight stay in a posh hotel!!!

Relatively early night because I am up at the crack of sparrows to get my 4th jab.