Taking Off

Leaving Paros is always a little much, as there are so many things to do and to get ready. I've learned it takes a week at least to plan everything out and tidy up all loose ends.

In surprising fashion, I had everything painted, the dishes done, the beds and towels ready, the pillows and rugs shaken, swept and mopped everything thoroughly... all a day ahead of time! I was taken aback at my minor accomplishment and my growing maturity of not leaving everything to the last minute and frantically rushing to get it all done.

I was so ready, I even unpacked all my clothes and repacked it in a more organized fashion!

I didn't know what to do with myself, but my buddy Glynn had purchased a substantial amount of meat the other day and we were going to polish it off. So a few friends came over and we had a little BBQ and then followed with a few drinking games (I had just taught a few people to play beer pong and now they can't get enough of it). That ended up in a night out to see a friend celebrating her birthday, which ended up with me playing all night with Louloudi at the bar (who was in the hands of our dogsitter Eric). I tried to leave around 1ish and then the boys and I realized that this was one of the last times we will all see each other before next summer which called for celebratory shots and "man hugs" and hours later and "Dude, you're the best" "No way malaka, you're the best!" and then the sun was starting to peak out just a little...

So this morning, it was nice to at least have everything done and ready while I managed a brisk run with my backpack all the way from the house to my boat; arriving with less than a minute to spare and the passenger walkway already pulled up. And now I have to deal with the little old Greek ladies wondering why this poor young man is so very sweaty and breathing hard.

Mature or not, I think I'm just a sucker for a little suspense.

Off to see my lovely lady in Tunisia in about 12 hours. Will certainly have much more to report soon enough, so stay tuned!

Ketchup: Mimi

Having a sister in Paros is always nice and I especially love my sisters, Julie and Michelle. While having two here is spectacular, having Michelle to myself is equally fantastic. We just get along well. It's that simple. It's like looking at your female counterpart and vice versa, except she is a lot cooler.
Whether it's games, cooking, reading, conversations, etc. its all just easy and relaxing.

We are just taking it easy, loving the house with a little work, loving the water with some midnight hour long swims on the float, loving some food with lots of salads, cheese sandwiches and grilling, in short, just loving some life with some very close family.

 

Just hanging in there

 

 

 Painting some doors with more patience and care than I can usually muster.

Towel tug-o-war with Louloudi

Before and After Update

We have been taking it easy lately and are getting some work done on the house.

In more exciting news, Mimi (Michelle), my dear sister is here for two weeks. She came to get a little R&R and that is exactly what we have been doing. Just relaxing in the house, sharing meals and chatting outside with a glass of wine. It is great to have her here and we can just pass the hours seamlessly.

Michelle Before the tan

In puppy news, little Louloudi is feeling 100x better and has been bouncing around all over the place. She still has to take antibiotics and get her scar cleaned a few times a day to prevent infection, which she hates.

Louloudi After operation

In house news, I have been slaving away to get the house exterior done. Walls have been scraped, patched and painted. Shutters have been de-hinged, plastered, sanded and painted. Soon it should all be done and then it is on to the next big project, but this one way a biggie, so its worth noting.

 

After patching and painting

 

After and Before shutters

Saddest puppy in the world

Little Louloudi was neutered yesterday. We had an 8 AM call with the vet and were done by 8:30 with the entire procedure.

While short in time, it was harrowing to say the least. Once the anesthetic was injected, Loulou went limp and she was quickly tied to the operating table with foam tape and resembled a high school frog on the plate ready for dissection. It was quick work by the vet, but there was cutting, scooping and then some burning from a surgical torch. It was painful to watch, and when I say watch, you are literally two feet away. There is no waiting in the other room, you are right there if you want to be.

When she was stitched up and ready to go, she began to wake and her eyes just killed us both. She looked at us as if we had betrayed her and were slowly killing her. She couldn't walk, she didn't want to eat, she could barely lift her head. When she finally did walk, it was with a slow, limping gait and the saddest little face you have ever seen. She simply curled up in places where we couldn't reach her and slept the day away. If we could have taken her pain and bestowed it on ourselves, we would have gladly done so tenfold. We both tried to comfort her as much as we could, but it seemed she just wanted to be alone. It was painful to watch and certainly made me reconsider the whole process.

Today, she is looking healthier after some pain medicine and has managed to eat a little. Soon, she should be back to her normal, playful self, but it will be a long time before we forget the look of the saddest puppy in the world.

Big Apple comes to Paros

Some very dear friends of mine came for a short, short trip to Paros. Scott, my former roommate of two years from Brooklyn. Sara, his fantastic girlfriend and traveling buddy. Alexei and Katie, dear friends from Manhattan who made the foursome complete. I'm always appreciative of the friends who can make it to Paros, because I know the journey can be hell, and the destination can feel mysterious. While Greece sounds tantalizing, it can sometimes be hard to see the value from 2000 miles away. Gladly, my worldly friends committed way back in February, shortly after I had booked my own tickets! 

The 4 days in Paros of their 10 day trip to Greece went by faster than we could keep up with all the activities. My guests were inspired by some of the previous blog posts and facebook pictures they had seen, so they had a good idea of what to ask for in the short itinerary. The first night, we had a great dinner of home made gyros, followed up with exploring the town's nightlife. The next day we had a splendid breakfast setup by Jen and then made our way to the cliff jumps near the lighthouse behind Monastiri. I have taken many guests to this area and they were eager to try it as well.

Katie was the third lady to ever jump the cliffs and did it perfectly.

After plenty of back and forth, they all made it down in one piece. We then went over to Spiros beach for some lunch and a relaxing swim. We followed that up with a quick trip to Kolymbithres and then a wonderful dinner at Yemeni in Noussa.

Spiros Taverna

The next day we decided to take Captain Ben's daily cruise that sails around Antiparos and the nearby unmanned island, Despotiko. I took this trip a few weeks earlier and loved it, so was eager to try it again. While the wind was a bit heavier this time around, it was just as fun and we took a slightly different trip on the southside of Antiparos to stay out of the wind.

Captain Ben's Boat

Snorkeling by Despotiko

A night out for dinner of proper Greek gyros and then up again for a fun day at Farangas, Magaya, a farewell dinner at Bakalis and White Russians at the Pirate Bar.

 Scott, Sara, Stu, Katie, Alexei

Thus ended a wonderful trip where we packed about two weeks worth of activities into 72 hours. Our farewells included my promise to return to NYC for a visit soon and the couples to venture their way back to Paros again one year in the near future. I think there was a one week guarantee written in the verbal contract. I am already looking forward to it!