End of winter....

Brian and Jez on their birthdays.

 Once again I'm plagiarising other peoples work and using photo's that owe absolutely nothing us.  Thanks Jules, Linda and Karen for the images.

Sunday saw the mutual birthdays of Brian and Jez, and an off Island meal out was duly organised at Ag.Nikolaos, near the airport turning.  About fifty or so people turned out and we all had a fine evening of banter, laughter and food, not to mention the drink....  I said NOT to mention the drink.  Some people didn't get back to their boats until three in the morning and many a thick head was very obvious the next day!

Superb rainbox captured by Jules.

 On Monday Sandra and I decamped to Sivota to reside at Ray and Linda's house while they are on tour back to the UK.  It's always a pleasure to stay there with the stupendous views over to Kefalonia and Ithaka.  It's great sat out on the terrace watching the ferries negotiate between the islands on their way to and from Patras all lit up like Christmas trees in the night time.  Thanks for the loan of the bed guys!

We do need to spend some of our time back at Lefkada however with the boat being up for sale so we came back last night and went across to Palairos to have an Indian meal with Deb and Jez.

Ray, en-route (Photo Linda) 

Debs and Sanny (Photo Karen)

With the clocks having moved forward the sunset here doesn't happen until eight o'clock time so it doesn't actually get dark while about half past and the daytime temperatures are now well established in the lower to mid twenties.  This and the fact that many people's winter mooring fees expire at the end of the month seems to have prompted a radical exodus from the marina.  Our pontoon now looks desolate, Bagpuss with Ricky and Andrea have gone up to Paxos, Deb and Jez in Nita, are doing a our of the inland sea which is a bit of a sea trial for their new yacht.  Several other people are beavering away ready to make a swift exit into the wild blue yonder and get their sailing season under way.

Us?  We're just waiting for someone to turn up with a bag full of cash, well you know what they say? you can wish in one hand....

to review the review...

 We went down to Vasiliki the other day just for a look around and was astounded that work on the new ferry terminal and marina is still ongoing but nothing seems to be really happening as a result of months and months of hard work.  Yes it has altered a little but you get the feeling that it could take several millennia before anything concrete (pun intended) happens.

The big event of the week was of the NIVADS production "1940's Review" took place at Vlicho Yacht club.  As always it was an excellent nights entertainment with some outstanding performances and even those who needed a little more polish deserved their plaudits for their bravery and hard work.

We had a great time and enjoyed the fine fare which was laid on by Vicky and Ruairi so the whole event was sustenance for body and mind.

Well done all the NIVADS team front and back stage for yet another memorable event.

We have had several viewings for Lesanda this week including a guy who has been out from Paris just to have a look at her.  He does seem to be making the right sort of noises and seemed quite excited but this is perhaps a little early in the proceedings.  So we now have some confidence that there are people out there who are looking to buy.  Converting interest to hard cask may yet prove to be more of a problem though, we shall see.


We had a farewell pontoon party and jumble sale yesterday.  Farewell to the people who will be leaving the marina at the end of this month after overwintering we hope you have had a great winter here and hopefully you'll return at some point in the future.  Also Vicky organised a performance by White Beach at Porto Bar for the evening, thanks to her for that, a great time was had with great music, shame about the miserable weather.

Hope you like all the pictures from the review, I've got to admit I'm not responsible for them, they're way to good for me.  Lilias Morgan posted them on Facebook and it is to her that I'm indebted.  Well that's about all for now, hopefully more to say next week.

hectic normality returns...

Suits you sir.

 Sandra's welcome return was just in time for this years carnival which happens all over Greece to mark the start of lent 40 days before Easter (1st of May is Easter Sunday in Greece).

Got the big boy on his back.

All this weeks pictures are by courtesy of Jules, our great and talented antipodean friend who used her womanly wiles to get up close and personal with the many and varied floats and performers taking place in the Mardi-Gras.

YMCS time?

He's even got bigger feet then me!

 I'm afraid tat my efforts were somewhat thwarted by the crowds of people not wanting to forfeit their prime locations for a foreigner sporting a mobile phone.  Equally I did not want to force my way through and perhaps spoil something of a rare happy party atmosphere for these people who really don't have that much going for them at the moment.

Exo-pants not for the fainthearted.

Before colour we had black and white.

 The weather stayed fine and despite the fact that a couple of days before the forecast was for thunder storms with up to force eleven winds, it remained dry and mostly calm.  Good to know that the forecasters get it wrong in the right direction from time to time.

The day before Shrove Tuesday here is Clean Monday and the traditional thing to do is go down to the beach and fly kites.  The weather was this time against them as it rained and their was very little wind but some people did brave the cold and manage to get their brightly coloured kites souring across the leaden skies.

In case of rain this new number has brolly built in.

 At the weekend Pete and Lou, had someone to look at their boat which is up for sale.  The people thought that it was too big for them so Lou rang us to ask if they could come and inspect ours along with a couple of others which are for sale on our pontoon.  As it happens this couple came from Chester-le-Street very close to some good friends or our (Andy and Janice) we spent a good hour or so not only looking over Lesanda but also talking of people and places we all knew very well indeed.  They seemed quite taken by the boat and have gone back to the UK with at least a better idea of what they want, even if it's not our boat.  But you never know.

Not all Greeks are vertically challenged.

Some just don't have the looks.

Rainy day kite flying

 We've had a good engine run this morning to make sure that all is well as we are expecting someone from France coming to loo at Lesanda next week so there is a least some interest in her, I just hope that they are not all "tyre kickers".  I guess to come out from France shows a certain amount of commitment though.

Or the Irish use it as a brolly.

Is it a bird?

Tonight it's down to Vlicho Yacht Club, to watch this years NIVADS presentation "1940's Review" from early reports it sounds like it's gonna be a real treat.

Happy Saint Patrick's day to all my Irish Friends, don't fall over too hard!

The wanderer returning...

Excuse the mess it won't be like that tomorrow!

 It doesn't seem like two weeks ago this morning that San departed for Athens en-route to the UK and today she has started her return leg.  She's having an overnight stay in a hotel at Manchester airport as she needs to be there at six in the morning which would have meant leaving home at silly o'clock and having a taxi.  This way she is more rested and relaxed and it won't be costing a whole lot more.  By tomorrow evening, strikes permitting, she should be back home.

Shiny top sides again. 

I have been working for the full time like a man possessed with cleaning, polishing and small repair jobs which needed doing.  These little jobs are best done when San is not here because she has a tendency to follow me around with the vacuum cleaner only for me to promptly make some more mess where she has just cleaned.  I, on the other hand can live with the muck as long as it takes to do the work.

and she looks all right from the front too.

 The difficulty has been getting a break in the weather to do the outside stuff like polishing Lesanda's hull.  I finally got the opportunity on Tuesday and was rewarded in the evening with a trip to the Indian restaurant at Palairos with Debbie and Jez.  Of course being on my own I also brought home a take-away to have on Wednesday.  I am not the greatest cook in the world, I manage but Sanny is a hard act to follow.  Anyway that'll soon be a thing of the past.

just a quicky to let folks know I'm not dead (yet)!

Sanny set off for the UK last Thursday from here and after an overnight stop in Athens flew to Manchester.  I on the other hand had a stack of jobs as long as my arm to complete.  It's much better doing some of the work whilst Sandra isn't about to see the muck and the upheaval, she would just follow me about with mop and duster in hand!

The love of life distracted as usual.

She has made it to her dads house safely and found him to be very hail and hearty but unfortunately as is often the case when you travel by plane, she has picked up a myriad germs and has now succumbed to a cold or flu type thing and sounds proper poorly on the phone.

On Friday I went out to Kevan's Birthday bash at Festino's, a good time was had by all and as luck would have it the rugby was on after later so we all had an excuse to come home early and sober.  I have not been out since but have been managing to feed myself not that it  would matter I could do to shed a stone or three.

I have got on fairly well with the work until yesterday when the weather has somewhat closed in on us and today also it is wet and quite cold, at least by Greek standards, says he before he is reminded of the Artic conditions back in the frozen north.

Anyway, with luck and a fair wind Sanny will be home next Friday to muck me out and general nag as only a good woman can.