Now it’s all about Weddings!

I’m sitting on my windswept balcony, on the sofa while I write this. It’s the best spot on the balcony, giving more shelter in the corner from the wind. It’s really only the gusts that are sometimes a little scary but they can disappear as quickly as they arrived and now and again you get a little lull and all is calm for a time… before it returns in earnest and you never know what’s coming next!

I was so excited whilst I was driving to the airport. I have looked forward to this special week with my wonderful daughters, Zoe and Emma and my adorable Grandson, Ralph – for three months at least! When they passed through arrivals I was itching to hug them all. I couldn’t believe how cute Ralph is now that he is five months old. I am amazed at how much he has advanced in everything. He is so alert and interested in all the things going on around him and over the course of the week I watched him figure out how to get from flat on his back – to roll onto his tummy, leaning on his cute little elbows! Ralph is such a happy and contented baby and such fun to play with! If I hadn’t been so engrossed in the playtimes, I might actually have taken some great photos for this Blog!  Both Zoe and I are just besotted!

Playing in the sand in Almyrida

Playing on the sand – Zoe, Emma and Ralph (much better pics of Ralph to come!)

The weather was warm and sunny for most of the week and we had some lovely beach and poolside days at the Almyrida Beach Hotel. We so wanted to see Ralph in the sea or the pool but the water in both was still too cold for him. Not for Zoe though! Zoe loves the sea and swam in it several times during the week. It was still so lovely to lie in the warm sand and play with Ralph. I could simply watch him for hours on end! The sunny weather gave the four of us several days of real quality time together, enjoying picnics on the beach and an occasional lunch in Almyrida or Plaka. Now the time is passing so fast that we don’t have to wait long before everyone returns. Emma , Ash and Ralph will be back in Crete on 17th May, which is less than two weeks away! Let’s hope the sea has warmed up some more by then!

Emma and Ralph on Almyrida Beach

His first steps in the sand! Emma with Ralph

It wasn’t all about beach or pool days. We had to fit in lots of Wedding planning too. This was the main reason for Emma’s visit and Zoe just didn’t want to miss out! We had meetings on the Almyrida Residence Roof Garden with the wedding planner, Neisha, Father Philip and the photographer, Phil. We shopped around for the finer details and finishing touches and Emma was so pleased that we got such a lot organised. It meant she could go home having peace of mind. Weddings can be stressful times but Zoe, Emma and I remain constantly happy, positive and enthusiastic, as it is in our natures to be! This Wedding will be such an important and memorable occasion for everyone involved. Especially Emma and Ash, especially for me because my heart fills with pride when I see the lovely young woman Emma has become. As the person with the privilege of giving Emma away – I will be so proud to walk her down the aisle. So I have started to work on my speech and I am now worried that I have left it too late. There is more to writing this important speech than I could have imagined! Just thinking about delivering it fills me with butterflies!

At Almyrida Beach Hotel

Zoe with Ralph – how cute he does look in that little blue cap!

We ate out in Almyrida a couple of evenings but the rest were spent eating and chilling at mine. Zoe and Emma both agreed that my new home is the nicest place I have lived in since I moved to Crete seven years ago. There was easily plenty of room for all of us and this bodes well for all the guests who will be staying with me during the course of the Wedding. During our evenings in we talked for ages, planned for the Wedding and crammed in plenty of laughs – especially while practicing our walks down the aisle! It was a brilliant and happy week and I loved every minute of it!

Straight after Zoe, Emma and Ralph had returned to the UK I had my first selling day of the season by the beach in Almyrida. As is usual for this time of year, it is not so easy to pick a day that has no strong winds and I thought I had picked such a day until I was told by several friends who stopped to chat, that a strong south wind sand storm was on its way for the middle of that afternoon! It certainly didn’t look like that was going to happen until at 4.30 a huge gust of wind came out of nowhere suddenly and blew all my display panels apart – pictures flying everywhere! OMG how I dread those gusts and I had no choice – being so exposed to the elements there on the edge of the centre beach – but to pack up as fast as I could and go home!

Emma with Ralph on my balcony sofa

Emma with Ralph on my balcony sofa

This past week the weather has been unsettled with more strong winds and an odd rain shower, thereby being too risky to set up my stall. However I was selling again yesterday and conditions were much better, I am relieved to say. With all the money I’ve been spending lately – I need to earn some now – and fast!

We’ve had The Easter celebrations here on Crete last weekend too. I walked into Plaka square to observe and join in all the traditions of the Saturday night burning of Judas, drank far too much Proseco and had a bad head all day Sunday as a result!

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One of the bays where we looked for shells in beautiful Bali

I have not done any beachcombing this year, would you believe?! What with the house move, the wedding and trying to catch up with work commitments, it just hasn’t been a priority. Luckily, Nick got an unexpected day off from his work schedule last week and so we took ourselves off to Bali, to collect the much needed shells I need in order to finish some of my designs. We spent a few hours collecting the shells before having a big lunch and a few drinks in one of the local tavernas.

I wish I had more time but I know there is going to be less and less of it in the coming few weeks. From the 17th May my home is going to be filled with guests and visitors. I will have to be super organised by then as I will still have some selling days to do and I must have plenty of artworks prepped up for me to work on whilst I am sitting at my stall. Also, much later than is usual, David and I must go to Chania at the crack of dawn next week, to book our exhibition for this year. I also have meetings with my accountant to fit in (concerning matters that I will explain in another post), as well as a couple of trips to the dentist. So I presume that I will not get another chance to put up a post on this blog until after the Wedding! More wonderful happy days to come!

Gorgeous little Ralph

Gorgeous little Ralph!

2 thoughts on “Now it’s all about Weddings!

  1. Hi

    Just caught up with all your news, Ralp look gorgeous. I’m sure you are nervous about your speech, but all you need to do is say what you say on here, how much you love her, how proud you are of all her achievements, including the little man, plus your lovely new son in law Ash, etc. You can do it. May I ask we see your lovely outfit as well as pictures of the lovely bride. We are in the Uk having really weird weather too, hit in places and freezing cold with sea fog here in the frozen north. Best regards really enjoy reading your blog.

    • Oh thank you Margaret, for your lovely comments! Many thanks also for your words of encouragement and sound advice for my speech. It is heartwarming to know that you find pleasure in reading about my life. It makes writing this blog all the more worthwhile. Living and working here on Crete, I just always feel so happy that I want to share it with everyone!

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