Happy Holidays...

Bet you thought I'd be frolicking on an Australian beach and preparing to throw another shrimp on the barbie, mate. Well, so did I, but here on the south coast of New South Wales, the weather's a little patchy. Cloudy. I did go for an extremely swift swim in a very cold ocean, but I thought we'd all prefer to see some sunshine from around this time last year back in Tilos...

 My heartfelt thanks to all of you for continuing to support the Octopus in my Ouzo and Falling in Honey this year. I've been using my time away to write a lot. I've also been having plenty of fun with pet-sitting adventures off the beaten track in New South Wales. I'll leave you with photos of some of the new friends I've made in the last few months. 

Warm wishes for the holidays, wherever you are!

 

  

 
 

Tilos: The Mending of the Nets

For the last couple of days, a mastoras or craftsman has been on the island helping the fishermen to mend their nets. Early this morning, I went down to Livadia to watch him at work.

It was likely to take all day, so Lisa the pup and I went for a walk around the harbour.

In the small harbour on the other side of the bay, they were rubbing bundles of freshly-caught octopus on the ground, to ready them for eating.

 

We continued up the hill and found lots of kiklamena, wild cyclamen.

 

 When we got back to the main harbour, the cats had gathered around the fishing boat as Stelios was cleaning dog fish, or small sharks. Where there are dog fish being cleaned, there are cats, and where there are cats there are dogs...

The mending of the nets continued...

 

... but we had to say goodbye

Dogs and Cats and a Tiny Greek Island

If anyone has a dog EXACTLY like this one that they don't want any more, please could you let me know?

This is the new friend I made on arriving back in Tilos on Sunday lunchtime, after an overnight ferry from Athens.

He likes the sea (well, just look at that clear water)...



Isn't sure if he likes cats...

Well, maybe...

Butter wouldn't melt... This was just before he ran in circles around the cat, which eventually decided to run for it and only just got away...

But hang on, what's this...

...staying RIGHT HERE out of reach

...aha!

There must be a way down! 

When all the cats have been chased, a stick is the answer. OK, this might not be the biggest stick...

...but still, a stick's a stick...

...and this one's mine.

And so I chased a dog around the harbour for a while. Welcome back to Tilos!

While I was away, people kept asking me, 'Why did you end up in Tilos?' It's a hard question to answer. But on Sunday, arriving back here, it dawned on me that it's simple: it's just the most beautiful place I've ever been.

Late October on a Tiny Greek Island

Fishing boat in Livadia on Monday

Cat on the steps

Donkey on the walk down to Eristos

Someone is making charcoal

Football on Tuesday

Finally, got the beach to myself again (yesterday, mid-afternoon)

Yep, definitely empty...

Benefits of having a boyfriend who's a fisherman, #162.

Old fishing nets available to cover up the new plants.

Other benefits include eating fish practically every day. What else am I eating? Most days it starts with some combination of muesli, milk, yoghurt, tahini and honey (food of the gods, I assure you); an orange; half a pomegranate; and maybe an onion, a tomato, a zucchini and a green pepper fried or roasted in olive oil with some fresh herbs, and some fresh fish. Oh, plus some dark chocolate. I've been editing a book this week called 50 Things You Can Do Today to Manage Stress. My diet is a textbook example of the anti-stress diet.

It is very exciting to see oranges ripening on the trees! I admit i raised my eyebrows a little when I handed over 17 euros last week for spinach, rocket and oranges. But I couldn't help it: the rocket (well, roka, which is a bit like watercress) was still growing in the garden when he picked it. The oranges were still on the tree. Zero food miles except the mile I walked home. And with mounds of spinach, that's pretty much all I needed all week.

And if that wasn't enough to make me healthy, I've walked to and/or from Livadia (four miles) three times this week. Twice to teach my English classes, once to celebrate Dimitris' Name Day. It was beautiful walking home late at night under the stars (I saw maybe three cars the whole way). But am not sure I'm being a very good teacher; it didn't feel like I handled the little ones very well on Friday.

Feeling full of doubt as to whether it is possible to work four days a week as an editor, revise my book, do blogging for Korea and teach English six hours a week, not to mention all the prep time and the bits of online journalism I do, and look after my garden, I relaxed totally yesterday with a very good book, a walk and a swim, followed by good food and a glass of wine with a tired but smiling man who'd just spent twelve or more hours on a fishing boat.

And guess what? As I sit here in the kitchen writing, my ankles are getting a sun tan. Life is sweet when you live next to the honey factory.