Lovin' the Little Things...

There are so many small things that I love here...


At Pantelis'... They always have flowers on the table that they've cut from their own garden. They bring out fresh ones every day. Today, there were roses.

Pantelis (yes, the name of the owner is also the name of the restaurant) calls me "Sa-ron" because he tried about 6 times to pronounce "Shannon" the first time I told him my name (focusing on the "sh" part -- they don't have that sound in Greek) and the closest he got was "Sa-ron" and I didn't have the heart to correct him again for the "nn" part in the middle.


At the first grocery store, they always give me a free candy (or two, or three) before I leave.

They give out candy at the frozen foods store too -- today, the candy switched from a gummy kind, to the most incredible chocolate... In hindsight, I'm wishing that I'd gone once today for fish and then again tomorrow for frozen corn instead of buying it all at once. Sigh.

I love the way English words are spelled. Almost always wrong... but always sounded out correctly. Yesterday we passed a store on our way back from Pylos to Kefalonia that sold "casoual" clothes. Leesa's favourite dish at Pantelis' is the "Spesial in Oven" (spaghetti).


I love seeing goats being herded around the top of the mountain we dig on almost every morning just after 9am.

I think it's cute that I've been asked a bunch of times if I'm from England. And when people outside of Kefalonia find out we're from Vancouver, they always remind us that the Olympic torch will be lit here soon and on its way there for the 2010 Games! On Kefalonia (especially in Poros and the towns nearby), everyone who finds out we're from Vancouver immediately goes, "Ah! Study! Archaeology!" or something along those lines. They know who we are in any case.


In other news...

Pantelis asked me a week or two ago if I could help him buy something on eBay. Today he told me that he was ready -- he knows what he wants now: a "Citizen" watch for scuba diving! I had no idea that he was a diver!

I got all excited and explained that I like to dive as well and he immediately offered to give me (which I think means lend, not so much give) his wetsuit and equipment if I'd like to use it here. Apparently he's got everything you need! Sweet!!!!! Here's hoping that works out sometime... I brought my snorkeling stuff but diving would be more spectacular than I can express with words right now.


It's been rainy again today...

We didn't excavate today and probably won't tomorrow either because we can't work when its stormy outside (too dangerous at the top of a totally exposed mountain with a bunch of metallic equipment).

Michelle, Leesa and I went for lunch at Pantelis (hence the conversation re: diving watch and diving...) where his mother brought her parrot (Loreeto) down to whistle and kiss and laugh and cry and sing for us. So cute!

We then went and bought some groceries hoping to wrap it up before the rain really started. Didn't happen. So I took off my birkenstocks (it'd been dry and only a little cloudy when I left the apartments!) and walked the rest of the way home (through streets that had become like rivers and rain that came down in sheets) in bare feet. Lovin' the smooth marble. Definitely easier (less slippery) to walk on without shoes.


Then we watched some TV (Michelle has "Angel" dvds) and now... we're Interneting before dinner.

Whataday.

It was nice though. Relaxing. I feel refreshed. Though... Michelle has a pasta recipe book and I was flipping through it until I came upon a page with a recipe for homemade mac n cheese. I don't need a recipe -- I already know how to make it. Now, however, I don't think I'll be able to sleep until I do. At least now I don't have to waste time deciding what to make for dinner. Good thing I bought cheese today...

Oh! Another good thing. I keep trying different kinds (it's so cheap here -- much cheaper to buy deli-style cheese in chunks or slices that the pre-packaged stuff) but none of it has been especially wonderful as just regular cheese-cheese. Today, I told the guy that I missed my Canadian cheddar and/or mozzarella and he gave me some Gouda. Ah. Perfect. JUST what I've been looking for. And cheap too!!

All this talk of food is making me hungry. Time to go make dinner...

Much love friends! (πολύ αγάπη φίλους μου - pronounced "paul-y a-gap-y fil-ous moo")