All good things must end - says who?

Well, we've been here since 5th Oct and now have to return! albeit briefly. It's going to be a shock! from 29^o today to 2^o !!! brrrrrrr! (see the sea monster testing the temperature!)

We get the 7am flight from Chania to Athens then pick up the London flight at 9am getting in - with the time difference - at 11pm at LHR then RailAir to Reading. I expected it to be more expensive being schedule flights, but it was only £226 incl. taxes for us both! Whether we'll do as well getting back, nearer Christmas, remains to be seen.

Thankfully it's only for a few days - I've got a scan booked for Monday (29th) and I'm seeing the Consultant on Wednesday (1st) for the results - a bit watch this space!! if I'm clear I hope it will be "See you next year!" - if not!! - don't start any serials!

The house is progressing - s l o w l y - so we'll have to return when we complete - would packing now be bad luck? surely a bit of chucking out can't hurt?!

We're booked for Christmas day lunch at 'Spirit in the Sky' an English eatery at Drapanos, up in the hills, so we're committed to returning - we've even got the crackers!

We've met some nice people here - there's a big ex-pat Brit community where we are. Had a meal in one of the local tavernas on Wednesday evening - which was full, not bad for mid-week! - ALL Brits!

We won't get to see you on this trip - flying visit - but will see you in the new year - by the way - has anyone experience of driving in southern France / northern Italy in Jan/Feb - is it viable?

I'm just going to put out another 10 layers to put on in the morning before going to the airport!!!

Funny ol' place, Crete!

It's such a funny ol' place, this! It can be soooo frustrating to get the least little thing done. For instance the phone 'went up the creek' the other week, so our landlord phones OTE the phone company to come out and fix it........simples! or so you might think.

They can't tell him when they're coming, but agree to ring him when they're on the way here, so he can come and let them in. Avrio means tomorrow in Greek, but in reality it's rarely the same week. Anyway they come, they don't phone him, so he doesn't come, and so they can't gain entry. We arrive back to find a note pinned to the gate from OTE, but of course it's all Greek to me. And another thing.......every night there's a power cut, which starts off every alarm in the house and causes the printer to break into a tap dance. usually in the middle of the night. The next morning you have to reset the cooker clocks etc. etc. Drives you crazy! Then, just when you are getting really hacked off, something happens that makes you think Isn't this a great place!

We went to the beginning of the mountainous region today; to the botanical gardens. For lunch I packed half a round of tuna sandwich each on lovely freshly baked bread (we're trying not to eat too much) and we planned to get some fruit on the way. It's the beginning of the orange harvesting at the moment, and sometimes people leave bags of oranges outside their houses and you just help yourself and put money in the tin provided. We were nearly there, when we saw a place with a hopper full of these delicious, local oranges, so I asked Roger to stop. There was a Greek man outside and I asked him if I could buy a couple of oranges, but realised almost immediately that it was some sort of wholesale set up and they weren't about to let me buy two oranges. Then the man smiled and invited me inside. There were women sorting and packing the produce. The man, said something to the foreman, who I think was his son. The foreman proceeded to load up a carrier bag with no less than fourteen of these wonderful local oranges. When I reached for my purse, he smiled, gave me a wink and wouldn't take anything for them. I came out thinking It's good here, isn't it! The man from Delmonte...he say yes! Then........when we arrived at the botanical gardens, we were very sweetly told that there would be no admission charge as it's end of season but "there's still plenty to see, so go slowly and enjoy!" The place was full of surprises, not least when we arrived at the lake, there were these adorable wild piglets rootling and snuffling about.
I'll try and put a picture of them for you to see.

We left having spent a really pleasant and memorable day at the botanical gardens, and got home just in time to cook and eat dinner before...........yes! you've guessed..... the inevitable power cut!!