Hello from Crete, Greece

I know, I know. It's been forever since one of us posted. Mea culpa. Okay, that's out of the way.

First and foremost, your posts and emails with words of comfort about our Panda meant the world to me. They helped both of us through a trying time and mere words of thanks don't do justice to how much we appreciate your warm friendship. Thank you.

We were going to take SweetPea and BullyBoy with us, went through the time consuming challenge of getting both dogs vaccinated to European standards, new microchips, health papers, etc. Then we lost Panda and I didn't want Tank to be alone so we left them at home.

Currently, all the critters remain at David's house on the beach. Bull is taking care of them. Next week he'll be moving back to the mainland to our home and taking all the critters with him. I think all will be more comfortable there. David's housekeeper will come by periodically to make sure the man isn't starving to death. Both my freezers are full which should last the behemoth about a week and a half.

Greece: The Navy base here is actually in Crete - a beautiful island just south of the Greek mainland and bordering Souda Bay - to be exact. The U.S. Navy rents base space from the U.S. Air Force so naturally I had to ask the giant squid if the flyboys and the flying squids ever mixed it up. I got a "look" and a swat...

We left for Greece a week later than planned, then made an unplanned stopover in St. Louis, MO. My family - Max and Glory and Vi - were visiting friends there when Max was rushed to the hospital. He had a minor stroke, had temporary paralysis on one side and recovered fairly quickly. Cowboy and I got them back to their home in Chicago and stayed long enough to make sure Max was on the mend. By the time we got to Crete, I was a little worn out. We stayed in visiting officers' quarters for a couple of nights and now we're in a really lovely villa with a glorious view of the water.

The mainland isn't too far away and there are several shuttles - air as well as boat - that go back and forth daily. I've made the trip only once so far - the island here is just begging to be explored and I want to do that first. All over, there are food stands... need I say more? Sweet treats and olives! Cooking oils and bits of meats that are just soooooo delicious. (I haven't asked what kind of meat; sometimes it's best not to know all the details.)

Everywhere, the food is all "mom and pop" which is the best of course. No chain food restaurants here. The homemade feta is out of this world! The tzatziki sauce wunderbar! The pastries are impossibly delicious. I've been eating almost nonstop. Cowboy and I have sampled the fare at several family-run eateries and everyone has been most generous with sharing their recipes. We'll be eating "Greek" quite a bit when we get home so I can try out all those delicious dishes in my own kitchen.

The Navy wives billeted here are a friendly bunch and some of them invited me to lunch on the beach. I put a "decent" 2-piece swimsuit in my shoulder bag in case swimming was an option - weather in the high 60s-low 70s during the day - but no one was game. Tsk. Cowboy said that was a good thing; swimming in unfamiliar waters was never a good idea. Honestly... the man is talking like he's o-l-d.

SWAT!

Tsk! It's not like I packed a string bikini!

Err... yes I did but we don't need to discuss that.

There are numerous islands between Crete and Greece and all need to be visited, food sampled, et al. And then there's all those wonderful Greek cityscapes that are waiting. I want to visit the main tourist sites and see if I can get to the not-so-touristy sites. Cowboy was going to pay an off-duty squid to escort me here and there but he's worried I'll corrupt the young man and get him to take me places he doesn't think I should visit.

What? Me? Corrupt a young sailor? Where? When?

So he hired a 40-ish sailor...

I met the 40-ish squid... no problem. He's happy to show me all the sites; I'm happy to let him. Then... we'll see what happens next.

"You better behave, imp!" Cowboy declared.

"I'll just be my natural self," I agreed.

"That's what worries me!"

SWAT!

Laughing... plotting...

~Sar~