5th September 2018 - Birthday Celebrations

Thought for the day: "Cartoonist found dead at home. Details are sketchy"

And a lovely birthday we had yesterday - a trip down the poolside at the Blue River followed by a party at Patriko's

We stayed a little later at the pool so that the party table could be set out...

and then we had a little party

With Presents and stuff..

Toys from Aunty Shazbat and family..

and a big yellow parcel ...

which was opened with gusto..

though possibly a small confusion as to whether it was for Oma or From Oma ..

But then there were more presents..

 and more

 but there seemed to be  favourite

And a new friend at the table 

 Not sure if she was allowed cake or not

Possibly not..

And there was cake ..

Yum...

Yamas !!

4th September 2018 - Of Post and Deliveries

Thought for the day :"The path to inner peace begins with three words... Not My Problem"
Another day in paradise - and have I mentioned the heat lately? 
But today is a special day and Bunnie has managed to get the day off for Scarlett's birthday.
Susie and I are just munching upon some cream cheese and apricot jam - a favourite for our breakfast - though due to the heat my bread has gone stale and I am having to manage with ryvita !!

Meanwhile - someone else has gone for a special breakfast..

We are off to the swimming pool then for birthday swims then back to Patriko for birthday tea ...

Meanwhile - embargoed for so long - there is something waiting for her later. It is her 4th Birthday and that means a hand made doll from Susie...

Of course, we nearly had a disaster !!
We considered bringing her out with us on the plane - but were unsure whether we would be charged a seat for her - and though my body warmer proves capable of carrying a kitchen sink as well as acting as the Bat Pouch  - indeed carrying the 4 gang socket here as it would not go into the hand luggage...  the decision was taken to send it by insured and signed for Royal Mail..

And so we were able to track the parcel - which took its own sweet time to get there - but finally showed as being in Elounda just before we left....

But when we got here, though the Post Office had been checked every day for almost a week - 
It was no-where to be found...

And when we got here - of course the tracking number was still in Llanelli, by the Computer - Why would we bring it when we know that it is already in Elounda? 

But no! nothing here. Luckily Vicky has a key to the house and did not mind popping in and finding the tracking number for us - and sent it - so we were able to track it and find that it had been waiting in Elounda all week - and now was marked as refused by addressee !!!!   and returned to sender !!!

This led to a period of disappointment and consternation - so I found the number for the Royal Mail as I wondered if they sent vis local courier rather than the Post Office here ...

I have no idea how much the 23 minute wait for the call centre cost in my Euro Minutes- but having pressed so many buttons that I could have typed another blog - and finding that "the service you want does not exist - please visit our website"  I hung on on the off chance and found an operator....

After explaining the urgency of the request - a 4 year old birthday present a few thousand miles away and the disappointment of everyone....   It was established that a local delivery company did indeed act as agent - and it was showing as still in the depot that morning .... 

Well - delivery firms do not close at 2pm like the local post office - and the firm is known to deliver to Europlan - so a trip to the depot and lo and behold - a box !!!

So all well that ends well and the "box" will be taken to Patricko this afternoon - and I shall take my camera...
 
So - breakfast finished - we had better go for a splash and a birthday party

Yamas!

3rd September 2018 - Renewal Photos up

Thought for the day:"In a competition between great lakes – only one would be Superior"

Yes it is still hot....

I decided that I would look at the Photos from renewal and see about posting some..
So here we are...

Vollsanger's View of Renewal 2018 - a stroll around the War Host - avoiding the Fae. Sadly - my 50ml lens was broken and so I had to use the zoom which means that some of the photos were not quite in focus as I would have liked... but I have manged to rescue some of them...  

Face Book Galleries here - Flickr to Follow


Yamas

2nd September 2018 - More Crete - More Heat

Thought for the day:"Keep away from dangerous cults by practicing safe sects."

Well surprise surprise - it is still hot here in Crete. A restless night would have been had but we managed another trip to Friends and a few bottle of Mythos and a few glasses of wine while I sorted some photos and discovered that Sky Go works in Greece and watched the news at 10 - not much happening in the world - no change there.

Seems we are about to have pancakes for breakfast - apparently with ham and cheese - sounds like a meal for the day - Scarlett is "helping" with the cooking as I sit at the laptop.
Seems it is to be a Cretan Hamalaya. We created the original Hamalaya in the UK - with crumpets, a crumpet followed by some ham - followed by a crumpet and then a fried egg and a crumpet on top.
I have yet to see what the Cretan version is to be - I shall report back later ....

So - off to the beach then .....

And it was hot !!  But the sea was warm so it was dip and lounge - dip and lounge - and I brought a book - and am on Chapter 24 now !!!

Also then to a lovely little restaurant for souvlaki and salad and chips and beer !
It is a life style that could catch on!!!

Evening now - and still warm...
Best go to the Galley Bar - game of Gin Rummy is calling ....

Yamas !!

1st September 2018 - Crete continues

Thought for the day:" My diving business is going under !"
Saturday in Crete, which means that we were not the first up. In fact I think that we managed almost a 3 hour lie in by which time Scarlett was so anxious to go to the swimming pool that I went form half asleep to shaved and ready in the car in a very short time..

Breakfast was good in Malia - Charlie's Bar I think - it was a fine full English breakfast and that set us up for the day.

It is still hot - I think maybe 29 degrees today - but seemed hotter. The swimming complex was excellent and also free which was great - with many safe swimming areas and fountains and good fun for all. I mainly hid from the sun after my first half hour in the water, dodging the creeping sun and moving my beach bench around under the umbrella.

After swimming it was up to Friends again but we once more managed to miss Dimitri for the most time as he was out shopping having spent all night up doing his second job as Cocktail Staff in another bar in Elounda...  He was clearly tired but still managed to make us a Cretan Lamb in Red Wine Sauce with garlic potatoes....   and chips !

Sitting in this evening having a well needed chill - literally with the AC on full blast trying to cool the house down. Babysitting tonight - will be nice to have an evening in ...

So, a couple of photos from the day.....

 Scarlett with Mini Mouse...

 View from Friends - Not a lot to see

 Susie sampling a Mythos or Three and some Meze

 An Ice Cream for Scarlett

 Yumm! Nostimo!

 Plant Pots - Cretan Style

 Random Cat Shot

 Playing "Slides"

  Who Me ?

Yamas !!

31st August 2018 - And Back Again

Thought for the day :"I thought if I took the shell off my racing snail it would make it faster – but it just made it sluggish"

So, finally back at a machine after almost a month away. And here I am in Crete...  

We have had Mythodea, then the Brotherhood of the Black and a wedding, and then a week in a field followed by Renewal - a broke Bothy (no clutch) and a limp back to Llanelli and then straight off to Luton and Agios Nikolais....

I have a few photos to process I can tell you....

But in the meantime, an old friend appeared at Renewal - by the name of Justin, the person who first taught me how to work my Canon Camera... and he was set up for a studio session in the Trader's on the first day ... but due to the rain he set up in the Tavern on the second day.....

These are but a few of them - well at least the three that he sent me....

must say I am rather impressed

And so we are baby sitting for Scarlett... And a day trip up to Dimitri's at FREINDS...

A deserted village near Dories - which was encircled by about 25 vultures. We tried to get near but scared them all away bar one ...

The wing span had to be at least 6 feet

And then on to Dimitri's and a beer or three - and traditional meze that comes with the beer...
and orange juice and sprites and a final bill of only 10 euros - I love the place ....

 

And so - I can say Yamas!!!

and tomorrow starts another month ....

22nd August 2018 - Back for a day

Thought for the day: "He looked like a deceased Campanologist ? He was a dead ringer!!"

Been to Germany 

Been to Pirates

Been in a field

Off to Curious Pastimes tomorrow 

then off to Crete 

Ho Hum !