Piccadilly Circus

The consensus was that 04:30 was the new alarm time which got us out good and early. There were no maggots immediately visible on Alonaki but a few cars scattered around the beach car park alerted me to the possibility of FreeLoaders. It was very warm and airless so pace was slow for me and for the dogs. We encountered no one on the walk to the rocks but found maggots on The Big Beach as well as the two dome tents from the day before. The dogs seemed to ignore everything and go about their business.

On Alonaki, we found more maggots on their own low loungers close to the shoreline. I detoured considerately behind them but most of the dogs passed between the punters and the sea. The dogs made no fuss, simply walked by. Shortly afternoon the maggots, like Lazarus, picked up their beds and carted them up the beach so it was easier on the return.

I brought the dogs back to The Big Beach via an extended route so as not to have to tramp past them as well. Further on, past the Small Beach was another couple with their Shepherd. This was the first encounter with a dog. My lot rushed forward, the couple restrained the Shepherd, I zapped Isabella, who’d just been swimming so she made so much fuss they all retreated and we were on our way. I suspect the couple arrived yesterday as I recognised their car.

Kostas was collecting salt so we sat high up and surveyed the surroundings for a while. I was killing time as I didn’t want to get back before 07:00 as it is Sunday after all.

We wandered back spending time around the Ammos Beach sunbeds and thence to the van. I immediately went for a swim as I was hot. I ended up swimming out to the Small Island off the Small Beach and back. I think that registered 25m on my workout.

I changed shorts and went for a bike ride to the pass and then down the east side passing through Paleochora and back for another swim. I left the bike behind the caravan which has been adorning the dumping ground for some while. That way, Luis might not know I was back.

Another shorter swim and back to the dogs to deal with food for them and bread for later. The dough had risen during the night but needed to be decanted into a tin so it’s taken all day to rise again to something halfway sensible. All night in this heat is too long as it rose too soon. Never mind, potatoes tonight.

As for the rest of the day, there was little resting. I rearranged my outdoor space putting the floor fan under the table and moving everything further back now that the sides are down. Mindful of a difficult event in the past, I screwed a batten to the floor to stop the chair or the table from accidentally falling off the decking and into the abyss between the decking and the sail shade. Not as serious as before the sail shade as then I fell over backwards onto the ground 1m below in the gap between the decking and the fence. An unpleasant experience I’d definitely not wish to repeat if possible.

With the the PV panels above, there should be no direct sun where the chair is currently located until the sun moves further south in the autumn. By that time, it won’t be very strong and I hope to have arranged new sides by then.

I’ve taken down the tent sides and put up the sun blockers west and south. The southern one was already in position as well as the tent front. All of that is now packed away in the valise.

Some clutter has been relocated, some binned but there is more to do. At least I can sit down in the morning without the sun shining on my head anymore. The PV panels also provide protection from the rain to a certain extent unless it’s blowing from the east or north. Hopefully, there’ll be no more rain until October.

I’d like to sort my external living space for the summer as one never knows when there might be visitors or even a soirée! Not that many people are invited to my domain…

It’s been hot all day and yesterday was hotter than reported as there was a new high in the evening (!) to bring the temperature to 37.4C. Nevertheless, the 24th still retains this year’s high of 38.6C.