The Distancing Diaries - Day 166 & 167

I awoke to bright skies on Wednesday (day 166), I did my Wii Fit workout and after our breakfast we took our coffee outside and sat in the sunshine with Frank. Once dressed we cracked on with the border clearance by cutting down the bamboo.

As usual we were too keen to get stuck in to take a photo but this was how it looked last month....

Trying to dig the bamboo out by the roots proved nigh-on impossible. We managed to lift enough to fill the border I'd cleared on Monday but by now the weather had taken a turn for the worst and the predicted rain had started to hammer down so we packed our tools away and sought refuge in the house.

We're planning on building a couple of raised beds to go into in the cleared border and with the polytunnel I bought from the clearance charity shop a fortnight ago (as well as our cheapo greenhouse) this year we'll be growing some winter crops. I drew up a list of what we'll be planting - don't suggest cabbage, both of us detest the stuff.

After our lunch (the rest of the apple crumble I'd made on Monday) I set to work making Kev's masks, in black, as requested. I'm waiting for a delivery of elastic which is due on Friday. (I took the photo today, Wednesday's rain was relentless).

WEARING: Block printed, organic cotton maxi skirt (Cotton Cottage, Goa, 2017), flared sleeve top (charity shop), 1960s suede waistcoat (present from Liz, 2013)

'Scuse the selfie (I loathe that word), Jon decided to have a long soak in the bath to ease his aching muscles. This was Wednesday's outfit.

Sponge coral beads (vintage fair), Afghan earrings (eBay), close-up of my skirt

After grilled halloumi with roasted vegetables we opened the rum and watched the excellent When Bob Marley Came to Britain on the BBC i player. 

Source

I was never a fan of Elvis so the news of his death didn't make much of an impact but hearing about Bob's untimely demise remains with me to this day. I was 14 and about to go into Mrs Jackson's maths class. From Brazil, India, Lombok, Bali, the Gilli Islands, Italy, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Turkey, Spain, the USA, Malaysia, Portugal, France, The Canaries, Tunisia, Morocco.... I don't think I've travelled anywhere in the world and not heard Bob Marley playing.

On Thursday (day 167) the rain had been bucketing it down since the early hours and I needed the light on while I did my Wii Fit workout. After breakfast the lads settled in for the duration.

As its less than a fortnight before we're suppose to fly, we're being even more cautious than usual as Greece (unlike the UK) randomly tests visitors on arrival. Rather than Morrisons, where Jon's shopped for the last couple of months, he's back at the much quieter Johal's and popped down the road for a few supplies.

 

It had been a few weeks since I'd cleaned the lounge so I got stuck in. Scrubbing the hearth and brushing beneath the settee and chair (who needs a vacuum cleaner? An old school dustpan and brush is much better for toning your arms!)

Once Jon returned he staked the cheese plant birthday girl, T (of G&T fame) had grown for me from a cutting. Considering two years ago it was a solitary leaf it's doing remarkably well.

I even got an old toothbrush on The Boy David, my Victorian bronze.

 I mopped the floorboards and continued into the hall as it bore the imprint of yesterday's muddy boots.

The scabs are healing, the broken toenail will take a lot longer.

Oh dear, I don't think this plant liked the bathroom! As the rain had stopped I cut it down, poked it into a pot of cacti compost and did the same with a few of the leaves. 

After our lunchtime noodles the postman arrived bearing parcels. I'd spotted these vintage Indian matchbox covers on eBay on Sunday morning for £1.50 and thought they'd look good framed.

Even when its not vintage, I'm obsessed with packaging design. I can spend ages in foreign supermarkets admiring how ordinary household goods are wrapped. 

My other treat was this Anokhi print dressing gown. My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw it listed with a Buy It Now price of £15. I'm imaging myself wrapped in it post shower, sitting on the balcony with a rum & cola watching the sun sink into the Libyan Sea although I'm tempted to wear it over a dress.

Shirley, our glamorous 80-something Porsche driving neighbour, popped round with some windfall apples for us. Until she discovered TK Maxx she used to fly to New York to stock up on Liz Claiborne, pre-Covid she was there so often she was awarded a staff discount card. 

WEARING: Vintage Alpnani kaftan (eBay), tooled leather belt & 1970s Greek souvenir tote bag (charity shopped), vintage Polaroid sunglasses (car boot sale), African brass breast plate (inherited from Mum)

It turned out to be a rather lovely afternoon so we had a walk around the block, picking up a few more conkers on the way.  

In an unprecedented move, on our return we cracked open a bottle of Marston's Pedigree and sat in The Egg drinking beer at 3pm. Daytime drinking? Anyone would think we were on holiday!

WEARING: Denim shirt, printed cotton skinny shorts, Spanish-made desert boots (all charity shopped)

After pottering around the garden for a bit, we harvested some crystal lemon cucumbers and mixed leaves to go with our tea, vegeburgers on a slice of toasted wholemeal bread and sweet potato oven chips. 

I didn't think I'd done much over the last couple of days other than obsess as to whether our flights will be going ahead but I must have as I've fallen ridiculously behind with blog reading & replying to comments. Normal service will be resumed shortly.

Stay safe & see you soon!