What a Difference a Week Makes
By Helen Grubner. Filed in Uncategorized |
Lunch at Ray and Heather’s
Following an early night by Greek standards, this morning I was up at 0700 hours and off on my first 5km walk since arriving 11 days’ ago. Taking the route of the annual Spetses Mini Marathon 5km Run/Walk, that early in the day, the streets are relatively quiet and the air cool. On reaching the road heading towards Agia Marina beach, I picked up a fledgling sparrow … alive, however, quite happy to rest in my hand as I continued on towards the Old Harbour and the seafront road. Only when birdsong could be heard did he make any effort to escape me, I held on to him all the way home where he died soon after and is now resting in our garden.
After closing the Bar last Saturday at 0530 hours, by 0600 hours Costas was on his way to Athens by taxi, returning that afternoon on the 1400 hours hydrofoil. I took the opportunity to begin what is a massive clean up of the garden, having put in several hours that day, I have been back out there this morning, now beginning to see some reward for my efforts. Came in around 1200 hours for a shower then off to meet Costas at Roumani in the Dapia for coffee and a read of The Times … not a daily ritual, however, a fairly regular occurence. Then it was home for lunch … when Costas went for his siesta, for the first time this visit, I headed off to Agios Mammas beach. For now things are very quiet on the island, all that will change in around one month’s time. An hour in the sun, then came the moment … could I brave the cold sea or would I be like Costas last week who managed no more than a dipping of his toes! 1, 2, 3 and in … cold, yes, however, amazingly refreshing once I got used to it.
So, today has been a far cry from how I was feeling less than a week ago. Everything came to a head on Wednesday when Costas called Dr Demetrios who came by the house to see me. I already knew the root cause of my ill feeling, however, I just needed some reassurance that there was nothing else sinister underlying my problems. Thursday morning I went for blood tests, picking up the results Friday evening, before Demetrios came visiting once again … all good, apparently I am as healthy as a 20 year old! Then I know, of course, that a chemical poisoning would not have shown up in the bloods.
Through all of this, my social life has not suffered a great deal. Wednesday evening I went to the Bar … met John and Norma from Ireland, back home after a couple of drinks. Thursday afternoon, Ray and Heather had invited me and another seven people for lunch … delicious food, including wonderfully tender and tasty New Zealand lamb. A great afternoon, after Ray dropped me home, I went into the Bar and stayed until closing. On Saturday Ray picked me up around 1800 hours and took me to Gerald’s … it had been arranged that the same ten people from Thursday would meet there for drinks before going on to Nektarios for dinner. Gerald’s home is an absolutely stunning property … he lived for 3 years in the garden cottage whilst the house was being renovated and other than a few small things, all is now completed. No gold stars for guessing where we all ended up that night … in Bar Spetsa, other than Kevin and Kerry who said their farewells at Nektarios as they were on the 0615 hours hydrofoil the next morning beginning their journey home to England.
Tonight I am staying in, hopeful of another walk, more gardening, lunch out and a spell at the beach tomorrow afternoon if the weather holds out. Apparently we could get some rain tomorrow then the weather is turning hot, hot, hot!