And #TuesdayTwirl
Dear friends. Another busy month which included art exhibitions, our holiday in Greece, the start of my Medieval Exeter study tour, and another heatwave.
Monday June 1
Weather a bit unsettled after the first heatwave of the summer in May. Sorted car insurance for my new car. Went to dentist for bone implant. Quite unpleasant. "Real" stitches (as opposed to dissolvable) and antibiotics. Stitches will come out day before we go to Greece. My next appointment, in Oct, will involve a CT scan to check if enough bone has grown for my tooth implant to go ahead.
This is the garden today, main border at the back. It's been replanted from scratch and is starting to take shape.
Tuesday June 2
Woke up to rain. Went for bike ride, very wet to start with and fortunately cut short at 18 miles. Fire service were in the rapids so the cafe entrance was closed. Had to take bikes to the cafe in the lift. Resubscribed to Disney for a few new programmes. Started Ethan Hawke drama The Lowdown.
Wednesday June 3
Showers. Did forest walk. No coos on Plains, just 2 loos, left forlornly after the funfair departed. Spent afternoon ironing and cleaning. Started watching War Chief, Apple, and return of Clarkson's Farm, Prime.
Thursday June 4
Very windy with showers. As J had to do a house viewing at 12 with his son-in-law, we decided to do a walk instead of a bike ride. Sign suggested coos were in Yates Meadow but they were in a different area. I did 6 miles. Did admin and book blog work.
Friday June 5
Bright start. Went to garden centre again. Bought plants for the other 2 borders in the back garden Took ages to get home, problems on M25 which impacted all other local roads.
Had a delivery of shorts and dresses from Next. Did a try on. Keeping 2 pairs of shorts and sending back 2 dresses and a pair of shorts. A KW top came that I had to order in a smaller size as it's already sold out twice. Fortunately it fits.
Saturday June 6
Squally showers and brief glimpses of sun. Gina restaurant had their first pop up bakery. Rachel had asked if I could get some cakes. Was fairly high up in the queue. Then we did a bike ride, 22 miles, Lee Valley via hills. J had a puncture, first time on one of our rides. Able to fix it outside the cafe.
Sunday June 7
Busy day. We did walk, back by 12. Started the roast chicken. Spoke to brother. Then planted 6 of the plants bought on Fri.
Monday June 8
Showers. Bike ride to LV via Epping and Nazeing. Haven't done this route so far this year. 28 miles. Rained heavily at one point. Gloves, leggings and overshoes sodden. Olive came round while they looked at a house. Started Alice and Steve, Disney
Tuesday June 9
Squally showers. Sorted our travel insurance and taxis for our upcoming Greek holiday. Put more plants in, in between showers. Went to a House Beautiful event about summer table scaping with Annemarie. Very good.
 |
Weds June 10
Went for walk after annual boiler check. Hadn't got a great sleep or energy score after alcohol last night and late dinner. Did some ironing and steaming and started packing. Unusual for me. I usually leave it to the last minute.
Thursday June 11
Cloudy, showers. Did solo walk. Finished packing. Realised in the evening I hadn't checked in online. Hastily did so!
Friday June 12
Off to Skiathos! Up at 6. Taxi on time and got to Gatwick by 9.50. Usual coffee and stroll round shops. Bought a hat with cherry motif and my lunch for the flight. Left on time. Extremely cloudy as we began descent. Turbulence and lightning. Pilot had to abort because of a storm and divert to Athens. After an hour on the plane we set off again, but after 3 mins of taxiing we came back to the stand. Apparently a fault on the plane.
Long wait, pilot came out to talk to us. Didn't know if TUI have staff in Athens. Eventually taken off the plane, Expected EES rigmarole at passports. They started doing it but then shift changed and they stopped.
Two TUI reps materialised. We were to stay overnight in Athens. A long wait for buses. J and I decided to share a taxi with 2 others. The hotel was a 5 star business venue. We got there before midnight. The others, on buses, at 1am followed by lengthy check in. Below: our room in Athens.
Sat June 13
Woke at 8.30 (6.30 UK time). Had a message from TUI saying our flight was at 1.30 and we would leave the hotel at 11. Had a good breakfast, which made up for no dinner. Everyone cheerful as 3 coaches turned up and off we went.
Different story at Athens. Long wait to check in. Another long queue at the gate. Bussed to plane, at most northerly end. The pilot and crew had only just arrived themselves and weren't expecting us, so after 20 mins wait the buses were sent back to the terminal.
Another 30 mins passed on the bus. Finally let into the terminal and told it would be another hour. I went off in search of coffee. Then we were back on the buses, boarding this time.
Swift flight, beautiful weather now. Had great views of Skiathos on descent. Everyone clapped and cheered when we landed, at 4.30. Didn't have to show passports. Arrived to welcome at Kassandra at 6pm. Dinner in hotel. Had garlic bread, salad caprese, sesame noodles with tuna, and tiramisu. We have 2 bedrooms and bathrooms. I'm thrilled to have my own room! J was fed up earlier and saying he was done with Skiathos. Hopefully he has now changed his mind.
Sunday June 14
Sunny, 25 degrees. Pleasant on sunbed. Did one swim. Lunch was a Mediterranean salad (a Greek salad but with olive crumb instead of actual olives). Not too busy at Kassandra. Saw several flights arriving but departing planes were going in the other direction where you don't see them. Not many ferries yet. Possibly too early in the season. Daily: two Flying Dolphins, 1 Superstar, 1 smaller Sea Jets. Not like it used to be.
Had dinner at Mouria in town, one of the oldest buildings in Skiathos. Never been there. Didn't choose well, had hummus then a vegetarian haloumi on a pitta bread with cream, a tomato sauce and chips.
Monday June 15
As my carefully organised schedule of restaurant bookings has fallen apart, we had dinner at Kassandra. Shared garlic and feta bread as a starter. I had mushroom tartuffo. Found a good book via an IG recommendation, Mary Jane. Nack home, our drive refurbishment was finished yesterday.
Tuesday June 16
A bit windy. Swam once, early, while the sea was relatively flat. Forgot I had a blog post going live.
For lunch had a panini which was huge and came with chips. Went to beach cafe Sorokos for dinner. Very pleasant. Had dips, bread and olives followed by chicken in a cream and mushroom sauce. Finished The Murderess audio book by Skiathos author Alexandros Papadiamantis. He is described as the Greek Dostoyevsky.
Weds June 17
Mum would have been 94 today. Cloudy start but sun came out eventually. I went into town. Bought some jewellery, visited the Papadiamantis House, three floors with their original furnishings, quite simple. His father was a priest.
Had a lovely coffee and got the water taxi back to Kassandra.
Sea was flat so had a good swim. Went to my favourite restaurant Marmita. Had feta pastry parcels and slow cooked lamb, sublime. Followed by chocolate ganache with olive oil ice cream. England playing Croatia but at 11 so too late for us.
Thurs June 18
Woke up in the night and checked the football result. A nice win!
Cloudy until about 10.30. Did a couple of swims. Forgot another blog post had gone live! Clearly too relaxed.
Not very pleased with some of the clothes I brought. A new pair of wide leg shorts make me look er wide....and my cream skirt has a couple of marks. I think I've made them less noticeable. Also didn't bring a hair styling product or a proper brush.
Greek music evening at Sorokos. Very pleasant.
Friday June 19
Hot but windy so the sea was a bit too rough for my pathetic strokes. Enjoying a new Fiona Valpy book, historical fiction.
Dinner at Windmill. J was pleased with where we sat, enough shade and excellent views. Had beef carpaccio, chicken risotto. A cocktail and glass of wine kept me awake. Alcohol makes such a difference. Got the bus home instead of a taxi.
Saturday June 20
Sunny, 27, and a bit breezy. I went in town again to get sun cream and water. I looked in a few clothes shops but nothing that would suit me. Not much sunbathing done by me today.
Went to Paraxenos. We were first to arrive...after the most crammed water taxi we've ever been on. I had vine leaves and chicken souvlaki. Very nice.
Sunday June 21
Our last day. I attempted to video most of what we do. Two swans were unexpected guests in the sea, gliding by and stopping for photos. Saw a new ferry, SLF, and also the Flying Dolphin going to Volos for the first time this stay.
Went to Marmita again for dinner. Had Greek salad and moussaka. Moussaka is my favourite and theirs is the best. Picture also shows J's dessert.
Monday June 22
Paid our bill, took bags to loading area and had breakfast, then went sat in shady Pelagos until it was time to get TUI coach to airport.
Able to switch seats again on plane but didn't see the "singed hair people," who gather at the perimeter fence separating the runway from the beach. I was on the wrong side of the plane.
Arrived on time but baggage took an hour to arrive. Not good, as it was the 3rd year running this has happened.
Tuesday June 23
Had bike ride in calendar but we did walk instead. Very hot. Lots of washing but it was drying very fast. Did weeding between 8 and 9. Couldn't face England game, which was 0-0.
Weds June 24
Very hot - 36 reached, UK record. J did early bike ride. I did some blog admin and then went to meet Brenda at the National Portrait Gallery. Temperature felt quite pleasant on the way but it hit 32 degrees in the afternoon.
Saw the Tudor paintings seeing as I was early. Then the Marilyn Monroe exhibition. The video showing excerpts of some of her films was charming. Most of the pictures have been seen before, but I was surprised to see she did upper body weights in the early 1950s.
Had coffee. Walked to Green Park M&S to get "picky bits". Victoria Line was operating with delays.
Thurs June 25
Another scorcher, 34. We were out on bikes early. LV. Back at 11.20. Rested in my chill palace (my bedroom + air con unit). Vacuumed, finally got rid of suitcases. Received the daily itinerary for Lejog, Land's End to John O'Groats, our upcoming holiday. Booked a massage for the rest day. My brother did a lot of gardening at Mum's and the estate agent is redoing the photos now the flowers are out.
Friday June 26
Very hot. Still a good number of people at Pilates (non air conditioned!).
Saturday June 27
35 today, was supposed to be getting cooler today. Went to the National Gallery to see the Zurbarán exhibition. He was a very well known artist in 17th century Spain. My favourite was this painting, The Holy Family. It was very rare to see a woman breastfeeding at this time.
I met up with Oxana at the NPG cafe. A nervous moment when she thought she had lost her bag. It had been handed in, phew. Got bus, stifling, to the Royal Albert Hall. We were very close to the stage to see English National Ballet in The Sleeping Beauty. Arrived just in time. Enjoyed it, great to see dancers in character, on the stairs near to us.
An offer was made on Mum's house which we accepted.
Sunday June 28
Cooler at last with a wind. Did bike ride to LV. Did some ironing while watching Madonna and Graham Norton. It was great to see her with Kylie! And how luminous and wrinkle free Madonna is.
We went to a BBQ at Christopher and Katie's, a belated Father's Day event. It was still quite hot, probably about 27 degrees.
Monday June 29
Off to Exeter by train. I'm doing my first Study Tour with The Courtauld Institute. It's called Medieval Exeter, and we will be taking a close look at the city in ancient times. The Romans came to Exeter because of tin. They didn't go beyond it into what's now the rest of Devon, and Cornwall. Unfortunately a lot of the Roman buildings were demolished in World War 2.
Arrived in Exeter on time. Did a lot of walking to reacquaint myself with the streets. The BBC Radio Devon studios, where I worked for a time, have long since been demolished and replaced with student accommodation, albeit with the same name, Walnut Gardens. In the evening I went to the cinema.
Tuesday June 30
Had my coffee fix before meeting the group at the Gatehouse, Rougemont Castle (below). There are 13 of us, most of whom have done Courtauld study tours before. We meandered our way to a priory where we had a seminar, followed by a trip to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
After lunch we had a tour of Exeter Cathedral. Tom, our lecturer, is very knowledgeable and passionate about cathdral architecture. As I write this I'm now back in my hotel. Will meet up this evening at a restaurant. For the rest of the study tour you'll need to come back this time next month.
Time for Tuesday Twirl
This will be the last twirl until 6 August. Let's make it a good one! Please comment on a couple of other blogs, whether you're posts to the link-up or looking for interesting posts to read. Your comments make our day.
No comments
Post a Comment