Fido wanted a wee at 03:00 but it was too early to be getting up and he took his time! I called him back in and he returned promptly so I had a couple more hours in my pit.
Our Early Walk was moonlit but a little watery as there was humidity so a hazy sky. Venus was twinkling brightly. The dogs managed to turn up at all the right places so we were soon down to where the river crosses the beach. An island divides the streams of which one is shallow and fordable however the other side is wide and fast. There was something of interest at the top of the beach as there was a congregation of flashing doggy lights which eventually dispersed and caught up.
The sky was much lighter on the second time around even though it was only 06:50 when most of us made it back to the van. Charlie had gone on a little wander so required encouragement to join the others inside the van. Isabella was fussing around outside the van as I prepared washing for the machine – my turn to use the machine today!
I performed my brain exercises then took Isabella out with her ball whilst I listened to an interesting podcast about the people of the Chagos Islands who were forcibly removed during the 60’s and dumped in Mauritius and left to get on with it. The British Public were unaware of this act which was perpetrated by government departments. Some of the islanders committed suicide or became victims of alcohol or drugs. It is only recently that there is talk of sensible compensation but now that the facts have become known there may be many more questions. The whole operation was an appalling event.
I hung up my washing, fed the dogs then went to see the French as I knew they were leaving. During the course of our conversation I learned that Alain had Hodgkins Lymphoma for which he’d received treatment and was declared cured after twenty years. Shortly after, the couple were on a skiing trip where his wife started to fit which lead up to the tumour diagnosis. Between them, they’ve not had a lot of luck but they try not to let things get on top of them and travel whilst leading as normal a life as possible. The fit a couple of days ago was the first in over eighteen months and it was hoped that the cancer was in remission which appears not not to be the case despite the previous chemotherapy and the drugs. They left to catch the ferry from Souda back to the mainland and then to Italy via Igoumenitsa.
I went back to the dogs where I met Kirsti with the finished new wooly hat to replace the one I recently lost. This one has a generous turn-up and I’m wearing it as I write. I had some breakfast and may have fallen asleep in the warm sunshine…
I received a call from Sigi to arrange for cat neutering over the weekend. Apparently, the vets are willing to terminate the pregnancy of any cat and carry out the sterilisation. Getting Anke to agree to this has been delegated to the persuasiveness of Sandra and Sonja. I will hear from Sandra later.
The couple are leaving tomorrow to explore the island but will return in March to spend a little more time at Grammeno and recover their Ebike which I said I would look after. The Schmidt family will also be leaving to spend time at Elafonissi and visit a little more of the island. Niclas says they may return to Grammeno before leaving Crete and then Greece.
I spent time talking to Sonja and Sandra on the beach where Kirsti appeared in search of Isabella who she took for a walk and brought back to me. Isabella was extremely well behaved. She greeted IZO nicely and took no notice when he went into soppy mode as I was petting him. She was a model of patience when approached by Niclas’ young daughter.
I brought her back to the others and got on with preparing food, making my bed and putting the laundry away.
Tomorrow is dentist day where I hope he will fix this annoying tooth!
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