Susie sets sail

New year resolutions!!!

I'm not making any instead I'm making a new 'life resolution' and I’ve already started, why wait till January 1st WOW that sounds determined.

My 'life resolution' is ‘self improvement’, the inner and outer self. I’ve started with the outer as I think the inner may follow as my outer self gets fitter.

The outer will take determination and willpower, over procrastination self doubt and sheer lazyness will be a thing of the past...well it's work in progress.

A healthier lifestyle with a better diet of healthy food at regualr times (that's important) and regular exercise i will make this year the year of 'fullfilled determination' or the chinese equivilent of the Bull, well i am a Taurean.

I’ve started by cycling again not that I did much before in fact, I shied away from it. Since getting fanny last winter in Lagos she spent more time in the locker than pounding the roads and dirt tracks, fanny by the way is my bike, a De Blasi fold up. I did introduce you to her last year.

She has small wheels  but i don't hold that against her, about six gears and a gel seat that’s seen better days hence the name 'Fanny'. Carol tells me that after a while the nether regions become numb and hurt less, I'm not sure if that’s a good thing but needs must.

I’ve set myself a novice’s goal of around five miles a day for the next few weeks however, we did a seven mile stint the other day. Of course with no car the bike becomes a welcome mule when shopping. I’ve used cable ties to fix a veg basket on the back to carry my camera when out on joy rides, and for carrying home food on the shopping trips. She is more a Ford pop rather than the Audi TT ;0). She's even opentopped.

The start of my ride around the lagoon goes over a bridge and I cycle past a small fish farm. Herons, pelicans, little egrets and greater egrets either sit on the wooden fences or float about waiting for an opportunity to make a meal from one of the delicacies being reared in the wooden tanks. This Heron didn't seem bothered about being photographed.

 

These guys however get spooked so this is as close as i could get.

Fishermen are dotted here and there along the banks. The other day I saw a fisherman catch what looked like a calamari, he whipped it out of the water on a line and slammed it onto the stony path only it flew off the hook and into the path of a car, he gave a loud what I could only guess was OH NO... in Greek and tried to get it before it was squashed.

I’ve not been very successful with fishing in Greek waters; the only fish I’ve seen have been either mullet or those pretty tropical ones I wouldn’t want to catch anyway.

I'm not sure I could kill a calamari should I catch one. I'm not good at killing things however, I have found what I feel is a more humane way to put to sleep any fish I catch. A capful of cheap Rum or Gin poured into the gills does the job and a feel much better knowing they passed away pissed. Not a bad way to go some would say.

My ride around the lagoon today gave me the opportunity to stop and take some pics. These pit stops are to give my bits time to come back to life.

Miniature blue Irises sit in clumps along the edge of the sandy beach, this topped off with the turquoise sea and snow capped mountains in the distance make for a pretty picture.

I’ve not really done it justice and you'll have to take my word for it about the sea and mountains but here's one a took earlier.

My  halfway marker are three windmills that sit facing out to sea, one has the remains of the sails.

These rusting arms that once supported the wooden sails sit beautifully against the rustic stone work. The sound of the sea crashing against the shoreline just in front of their majestic structure is spell binding. I can almost imagine Don Quixote of La Mancha  riding in on his trusty steed, sword in hand challenging them to a combat. Yeah I know, I'm in Greece not Spain but I have a vivid imagination.

To make my bike ride less of a chore I need these photographic stops to spur me on. The next one is about half a mile from home and a lovely scenic pose of small local fishing boats moored at the lagoons edge. Today the lagoon was really calm and the reflections of the boats almost a mirror image.

One of the bains of my life is internet connections, having sat here for almost an hour trying to download pics i'd almost given up but with some re re resizing it's worked, quality has suffered, sorry folks....

Christmas without snow......

 

Merry Christmas family and friends.

Reading emails, looking at all the pics submitted on my online photography club and reading the news I see most of you have had a white Christmas. 

Although we all moan about the white stuff you have to admit, there’s nothing as uplifting as waking up on Christmas morning to a landscape of crisp white snow and to top that off, large fluffy snowflakes helping to keep it topped up, blue skies, warm sun just aint natural.

Actually, it was cloudy here in Lefkas and we had some showers however, we did have a wood burner in the yacht club where we spent our Christmas.

The unwrapping of pressies started our day followed by scrambled eggs and salmon, and some of my favourite, pain aux chocolate. With that over we did our damndest to get tarted up for the Christmas lunch, not easy on a limited wardrobe, still we scrubbed up well.

Around sixty of us sat down to a traditional Christmas dinner with sprouts and parsnips sent over from the UK. Crackers pulled and hats donned we tucked into a lovely meal.

Of course the best thing is you didn’t have to peel a sprout, stuff a bird or do the dishes, I highly recommend it.

Although we had a great time I did miss the family and thought back to last Christmas with John and Lynda in Lagos. That was a good Christmas and although away from loved ones we had a cracking time.

During courses we entertained ourselves with the jokes and games from our crackers.

One game of challenge kept us amused for ages, ‘Marathon spinner’. Spin the top inside an ashtray and see whose remains spinning the longest. Tim did pretty well with 1 minute 21 however although Lynne had a good steady flick in her twist she just couldn’t keep it up.

Having not had much to drink for some time I found after only two rum and cokes i  was feeling rather squiffy and as I often do when under when under the influence I couldn’t stop chatting so I went onto ginger beer’s just in case i made a fool of myself, i don't know this lot well enough for that yet.

Lunch over and tables cleared we made way for the band. Unfortunately the guitar player/singer and joke teller had already consumed a bottle of port and was well into another. At one point he asked us what songs he knew the words to!!!!! The other band member, the box player gave him a few hints and with the help of his audience he came up with a few we all knew the words to. Wild rover, Little eyes and a few more up to date ones kept us on the dance floor.

Yeah i know, they wouldn't win the X Factor but then I'm no Cheryl Cole either and needs must. Despite their appearance the singer had a good voice and the box player was rather good at drumming out a beat. Carol was impressed at how he tapped a rhythm.....

There had been talk over lunch of doing a swim on Boxing day, of course those who had consumed the most alcohol were dead keen, I just kept quiet.

Boxing day....

Carol had decided we would have our own boat Christmas dinner and had bought half a turkey. Carol did all the prep and cooking while i tidied up and faffed about.  We sat down to our second traditional lunch but without the sprouts, parsnips and crackers. I’d brought over a homemade Christmas pud and Carol made brandy butter to set it off. The swim was postponed to New Years day due to rain......Phew.

It’s now the day after Boxing day or as Ben used to call it ‘thumping day’ and it’s back onto the healthy eating and exercise regime, so far I’ve washed my smalls. I'm now procrastinating and mustering up the courage to go for a bike ride after lunch.

Hear's hoping the New Year brings us all new experiences, the meeting up with old friends, the making of new friends and a wealth of health.

I missed most of the snow...

Photographs, videos and reports of snow back home make me wish I’d waited a few more weeks before coming out to Lefkas. The vision of England under a blanket of white snow conjures up those childhood feelings of excitement. Snowball fights, building snowmen, sledging and the crisp newness of it all. Of course Christmas with snow just adds to the seasonal joy i feel at this time of year.

I think I’ll try and time my visit back next year to coincide with an encounter with the white stuff.

We do have snow here but it’s high up on the mountains and as it’s warmed up over the last few days so that’s receding. Apparently January and February are the coldest months here.

I’ve been slowly getting back into the live aboard life, meeting the gang and joining in a few social events. My cold held me back the first week but with just a cough left I’ve started my 'getting fit regime' albeit slowly.

My day starts with a breakfast fit for a bear, porrige topped with a banana, cup of hot arange and a vitimin c tablet. Lunch is usually  homemade soup or fish and the evening meal is again healthy. Chicken here is expencive, about 7 euros each however, beef is cheap, a rib of beef being about 8 euros a kilo. Vegatables are whatever is in season but reasonably priced. So we are not starving ourselves just being sensible.

Yesterday we went for a seven mile bike ride, a few hills on the way meant I did the odd bit of pushing but the downhill bits gave me time to get my breath back.

Carol had seen a weedy bush that she wanted to use as a Christmas tree and we went in search of it. Cycling around the countryside past Villas and farms gave me the opportunity to see the real Lefkas. 

Jasmine is in flower here and giving off a delicate scent as you ride by. Along with bright red flowering bushes I don’t know the name of it's all quite colourfull.

Delicate irises in small clumps along the edge of the lanes and dirt tracks along with tiny cyclamen  have me wobbling about as i try and peer at them as i speed past.

Large dogs tied, thankfully bark aggressively as we pass them, those who were fenced in ran alongside us, only the high fences stopped them from chewing at our heels.

Sheep with their lambs grazed on small holdings and chickens scratched around looking for a morsel or two, it's so relaxed here.

I'm not too good on a bike,  not being able to take my hand off the handle bars to indicate to traffic my intentions, I  stay close to Carol and hope for the best.

As we cycled along one track we came across olive groves and orange orchards with flocks of Turkey’s. This was a photo opportunity not to miss. As we draw up I gave a cough and all in unison they lowered their heads and gave a choir like gobble. Carol and I broke into laughter and they echoed our laughs, of course this became a game and like kids we kept saying “hello” and they would reply “goooooobble” . Yes I know it’s childish but it was just one of those things you have to do.

 
All dressed up and knowhere to go, well....that's untill a few days before Christmas.

Good job they don't know they're in for a good stuffing.....

We were making our way towards the lagoon and Carol wanted to show me a little well kept church near the beach. Hidden down a steep slope it overlooked the lagoon. It was a real pilgrimage for those who visited it and it looked like it had a regular flock who frequented it's little chapel.

I’d given myself a carrot to keep me focused on not falling off my bike and collapsing in a heap, my carrot was a cup of hot chocolate in a cafe close to the marina. When we reached my goal I sat in the window clutching my hot mug of sweet thick chocolate and looked out over the boats across the lagoon at the mountains in the distance.

A flock of flamingos huddled together a long way out, we weren’t sure they were flamingos until we zoomed in at Carols pics later but you could see a pinkness as they huddled together.

Friends Pam and Keith have returned to the UK today and we are dog sitting Ellie. Ellie was a stray and in her short six months of life has been pushed from pillar to post however she’s hit the jackpot with Pan and Keith who have become doting owners.

Today I'm slobbing it, yesterdays bike ride done I feel like I deserve a day of reading, writing and just naval contemplation. Tomorrow I’ll go for another bike ride, bottom willing; I'm a tad saddle sore.

It's been a while....

 

You should see the dust here, i've spent all morning packing things away and flitting my feather duster around to wipe away the cobwebs. While I’ve been away I’ve not been idle.

Last summer was spent in the Greek Islands. From Athens i skirted my way around numerous history drenched islands down to Crete then back up towards Italy stopping in Raggio. From Raggio we sailed through the Mesena straights where i watched the tuna boats fishing, the pilot sits on top of the mast and steers the boat towards the shoals of tuna.

We passed Stromboli who gave us a passing display of erupting lava, spurting it out into the night sky like an arranged firework display and then depositing the river of red fiery lava down its side towards the waiting sea.

We pressed on in sometimes becalmed waters towards Sardinia.

It wasn't one of the best experiences I’ve had mainly due to my basic transport but as my daughter pointed out to me 'it was character building'.

The coastline of Sardinia was wonderful and we stopped in a bay for the day where i met some of the local marine l;ife while snorkeling.  I flew out of Olbia an a most glorious day headed for family and home.

While back in the UK i spent time freshening up the house for new tenants and helping my son Ben install a new kitchen.

Emma also had the pleasure of my company where i kept her and Jamie plied with cup cakes, i was practising different recipes in anticipation of her wedding in 2012.

I've now returned to Greece and i'm installed in my cabin on Wild bird in     Lefkas.

Outside it's a bit blowy and has been raining but life is good again. I was thrown right into the thick of things.

I arrived late on Thursday and at 10.30 am Friday morning i found myself on my back thrusting my pelvis towards the ceiling, it was the local stretch and tone group, this was followed by an hour of step clas' then a bike ride back to the boat for poached egg on spinach.

That evening i was introduced to the group of live aboards in the marina and a nice bunch they seem to be.

Carol had hired a car for a few days so we went off to explore a Ghost town up in the hills. After climbing for what seemed ages we eventually came across it. These derelict housed have the most amazing view over Lefkas' in the distance at approximately nine miles away we could see. Corfu.

Carol has been on a health drive while i was away and her aim is to complete a half marathon when she returns to the Uk early next year. So not to feel like a real couch potato i’ve joined in the get fit regime.

Yesterday was a six mile cycle ride  around the lagoon  followed by a brisk walk around the marina in the afternoon doing a treasure hunt organised by some of the Yachties.

We didn’t win but enjoyed the searching for clues.

Today it was unpack some moreof my stuff  put it away and a bike ride into town and look around the shops.

Lefkas is a lovely town and although it has a modern feel it’s very much a traditional Greek working town everyone is so friendly and welcoming. I

I'd found it hard to find good fresh produce in the summer but here the food is local and fresh.

Bread shops stuffed to the gunnels and producing a wonderful freshly baked bread smell as you go by.

Fish mongers selling the usual Greek delicacies and fruit and veg stalls well laid out, no sausages and rice diet for me from now on.