The cats were at war so I needed to get out of bed around 01:50 to get a collar to keep Luis quiet. The remainder of the night was warm yet quiet.
There was not a breath of air as I went over to feed the cats at 04:40. I didn’t even bother to put on a T-shirt, merely stuffed it into the back of the waistband of my shorts. There were plenty of stars in the sky for a change, since tomorrow is New Moon it didn’t get up until much later.
The first part of the morning exercise was uneventful so we were once again off down the road walking briskly towards the end of the Alonáki Beach road. I glanced over to the east and could see an unfamiliar light above one of the mountains. It was then that I realised it was the moon rising from behind the peak. I could make out the entire disk until the very thin crescent appeared from behind the mountain. It only took moments so we stopped to admire the event. It was still dark when I released the dogs however I think we’ve been doing this long enough now for them to know what to do.
VGD came to the fence to see Isabella then sat down to watch the remainder of the crew passing. There is no barking or unpleasantness, they simply file by in a disorderly fashion. We made reasonable time up the track and then back down again towards the sea. I thought I may have heard an approaching vehicle so we veered off into the dry river bed just in case. We were near the road bridge when Isabella climbed out onto the track above. It was only when I head ” Good morning Isabella” from the lady with the dog I realised someone was there and brought Isabella back down to me. Initially reluctant, so required a little persuasion to do as asked.
We continued to the sea then along the shoreline back to the camping. I dropped the dogs off and took my bike to Krios.
Gregor and his dogs hadn’t quite made it there when I arrived so I went ahead to park my bike. I knew the dog had gone but later, Gregor told me it had been taken by the owner who came back from Chania to pick him up. I don’t know the full story behind how the dog came to me left. I’d passed Erica on the way. She’d power-walked from Grammeno but had left before me. She joined us for a few moments then set off back to Grammeno.
Gregor and I chatted a while, a group of French arrived in a taxi then set off, presumably for Elafonissi. I rode back to the camping and the remaining morning programme unfolded.
I had little to do, the day was sultry and overcast so I seemed to have trouble keeping my eyes open! We were to be at Anydri at 16:00 and Janne and Erica were out so I went for a swim off Alonáki. I was in the water for around thirty-five minutes and swam 1 metre (less than three feet) according to the Apple Watch fitness app. I walked the distance when I got out and it was nearly 400m which is a little more believable. The sound of barking dogs met me as I walked back toward the camping but they were soon quiet until I came back through the field gate and got mobbed.
It was soon time to leave for Anydri so I got showered and changed into something more presentable. It’s been a while since I ate in a restaurant and even longer since I was at Anydri. As it turned out, we got to the restaurant first despite being held up by the roadworks on the way up the gorge. Several pipes were being laid presumably to connect to the system being installed in Paleochora.
Steffi and Sascha brought Zora into the restaurant so that she could spend the meal being teased by the resident cats who took it in turn to walk up and down in front of her. The rest of us enjoyed Ursula’s birthday lunch in absentia. I think there was one small potato left over which Zora received for her patience.
We said our goodbyes to Sascha and Steffi who were parked behind us. On the way back to Grammeno, Janne wanted to check out the building projects behind the camping so we parked the car on Alonáki Beach and walked in across the field to the corner of the CBV plot. I pointed out where I understood the new plot with five additional villas and pools would be constructed. The silence from Grammeno was broken by the sound of barking dogs so I knew the game was up and they’d heard my voice. I left the others to ponder the situation and make their way back to the car while I walked across the field to the gate. I was coming up to 19:00 so the rabble was starving to death.
I quickly put together their food and fed them. Luis had finished his by the time I’d managed to serve the others. He was unhappy with the idea there was now none for him, forgetting he’d been guzzling his down earlier. I had to rescue Obi’s bowl which Luis had commandeered.
I’m surrounded by gathering darkness and the dogs are quiet now Luis is locked in the van, I think with his brother. Erica is in charge of pussy medication so is persuading the cats to take their parasite meds. She reports that Hop-along has had his quota so will now see how it goes with the young female. Both have made themselves at home on Janne & Erica’s decking and in their van. They will probably be well in there by the time five weeks are up.
Sascha and Steffi leave on Thursday but say they may come back at Christmas. But who knows in these turbulent times?
The weather forecast for Friday and Sunday predicts some 40mm rain.
On that note, I shall call it a day.
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