Wasps cause problems

This was the sunrise today.  Admittedly it is getting later as we have passed the longest day but the days themselves are not getting any cooler.  There are amber weather warnings out again today (quite apt when  you look at this photograph) but alongside there are warnings that this weekend the island is at ultra high risk of fires.  As we travel around we still see huge swathes of land which have been ravaged by fire and which are slowly, slowly beginning to regenerate but in some cases this can take years even tens of years.

We didn't have much by way of plans for today, save for the fact that we were going to Steni with Lakis and Argy for a meal.  We had had a call from Isabel to see if John could put down the back seats of her car.  She is mid preparations for returning to Scotland.  I have put her in touch with Peter Moreton who seem to be offering a better service than the company which shipped her and David's belongings out originally.  She seems pleased with what they have quoted for so far however for her personally it has been yet another bad week.  She learned this week that her great friend (who was storing some of Isobel's furniture whilst she was way) had passed away very suddenly.  Isabel was understandably shocked and saddened as they had been planning what they would do together on Isabel's return.  I said to Isabel that this highlighted the fact that she needs to return to her home, friends and family as soon as she is able and she agreed.  Her time here has been punctuated by such sadness and she is so isolated.  As I say I will miss her but this is most certainly not the right place for her and she is always welcome to return on holiday.

After a quiet afternoon in and out of the pool we wandered off to Steni with Lakis and Argy for an early meal.  They had not eaten here before - as the day they had gone for a coffee it was closed (Wednesdays).  We had a table outside in the shade under a tree.  The taverna was fully booked today so they actually had our table rebooked at 9.30pm which was fine by us as we are rarely out that late preferring to return home either to 10b or 2b for a nightcap.

As food started to be served the tables around us suddenly got inundated with a swarm of wasps and worse massive hornets.  It was so bad that one table had to move indoors but the wasps followed them and another table next to us got up and left leaving their food.  I had in my bag a deodorant spray which I had purchased the other week which was ylang ylang and coconut oil and after a quick shufty on tintyweb it would appear that both ingredients deter wasps so we sprayed that on us and on some serviettes which we placed at the end of the table and as a result were able to enjoy our meal with very little difficulty.

We all had the ribs - far too much but very nice and Argy and I took half of ours home.  Wasp and hornet-gate was a bit of a distraction but didn't really impact on us too much.  We finished our meal and sat chatting before setting off back home.  All in time for the table to be turned round if they needed to.  We then had a steady drive back before our nightcap.  I love that run to and from Steni and tonight on the way back we had a fabulous sunset to make it even nicer.

Because Argy always puts me to shame by being immaculately turned out and fully coordinated when we go out I had put on a frock and some high heels in her honour.  The only trouble is my feet swell in the heat and the heels were strappy and therefore cutting off circulation by the time we got home.  I took them off to have my cuppa and then couldn't get them back on again so Argy kindly gave me a pair of hotel slippers to negotiate my way home.  To say they were a little large was an understatement but they may come in handy in the Winter if we have snow!!!