Popular Cats

The two cats have become extremely popular and have had a lot of interest FROM THE LOCAL TOMS. We have spent many nights shooing away the whaling tomcats all of them waiting for a turn to woo our innocent little girls. Well we don’t think they are quiet as innocent as they were. We inquired at a vet in Kalamata how much it would be to have them spayed and were told it would be 100 euros each, we thought this was outrageous. Wouldn’t you think with the cat population, as it is here the charge would be a lower so as to encourage people to have their pets neutered? However, we were walking the other day when we met a lady with a donkey. She told us the donkey had very over grown front hooves and she had contacted The Kalamata Animal Welfare Society known as KAWS, who were able to help. They arranged for someone to come and cut back the poor little donkeys’ feet. They also found it a new home, however the donkey has now wandered off. Anyway the point is she thought they might be able to help us. We got in touch and have spoken to a very nice English gentleman who is doing his best to find us a vet who will perform the operations for a lower price. We hope he hurries or he might have to help find homes for lots of kittens.

The roof has finally been started, we were so excited, the roof is such a big step and totally changes everything; the building will now become a house. Wednesday, last week the roofers came and made the timber construction. Thursday they were nowhere to be seen. We have been told they will be back next week to finish it. The plasterers are still off and on site. When we were first told the plasterers were coming to plaster the house we thought great, a few days and it will be finished. No chance! Don’t forget this is not England and what we didn’t realise was that plastering isn’t the same out here and takes a lot longer. Now, several weeks on and they are still off and on site. Same with the plumbers they come do a bit and then just when you think things are running smoothly they disappear. Contractors may show up maybe they wont. Other jobs, the weather, holidays are some of the reasons not everything goes to plan. Well, We have decided we must be Greek! As we seem un-phased by it all and take it in our stride. It will all come together in the end and we are sure we will be very happy with the result.

Earlier last week we had a lovely walk from Agios Nikolaos up to Pigi. Nearly this entire walk was on a kaldrimi, the steps of which were carpeted with wild flowers. We went on a little higher to Platsa, where we sat and had some lunch, then walked back through Kotroni and finally Agios Dimitris. The views were quite stunning looking down across to Agios Nikolaos and we took the opportunity of taking a few pictures of our house from high up.

This is a very good time to visit the area! Spring is very beautiful and as you walk the number of different birds you see makes it even more so. One bird in particular was extremely striking. It sat about ten or so metres in front of us for some time and at first we thought it might be a woodpecker because of its size. When we looked through the binoculars and saw it in more detail it obviously wasn’t. It stood about seven inches high, was a pinkie beige colour with black lines on its head and on the back of its wings and a long, slender beak about two inches in length.

Ashley’s toes were hurting by the time we got back and my calf muscle were a bit tight we suspect it was from all the steps up as it was quite steep in places.