Monday, 21 May, 2012
Another lazy day today. Since we have no plans, I take a long soak in the great bathtub in my bathroom—the rest of the bathrooms have showers. I come back downstairs to two rousing games of bridge in progress. It seems that Joanne, Dana and Bryony are getting all the great cards, and are duly dubbed “The Red Hot Mamas.” I just settle down with my journal and try some catching up.
Lunch is tabooli, salad, bread, cheese, olives, spinach and feta pies, sausage pies, ham and turkey sandwiches, and all the usual good stuff. Crilly and Audrey do more snorkeling down by the beach, and a couple of loads of wash are done and hung out to dry.
For dinner Mick makes calamari and prawns with white wine and garlic. We finish up the leftovers and the last of the brownies disappear. The Red Hot Mamas are still going strong, and Mick finally poops out as the fourth, so I’m enlisted to continue the bridge game. I don’t have enough practice to play well, but it doesn’t matter—my cards are all low ones and the only thing I am able to do is prevent Dana’s grand slam in diamonds.
Mick tells us that the Greeks spread black netting under the olive trees and at harvest time comb the branches with a huge fork-like machine. All the olives drop onto the netting, and it’s easier to collect them, although it’s still a lot of work. The old olive trees resemble huge pieces of driftwood, and sometimes are drastically trimmed to allow them to grow back stronger.
Lemon trees are everywhere, and they are continually blooming, even when they have fruit ready for harvest. I love the smell of lemon blossoms—very sweet!
