Enjoy a pretty picture of my cousin’s pink corner.
I love it. In fact I want it.
But that’s not what I planned to post about today. Today I wanted to post about being brain dead.
Seriously. My brain is stuffed. Or its leaking like a sieve… I’m not sure which. I’ve had to make calls today and I keep making mistakes. I mean, I’m not dialling wrong. I’m dialling one place and asking something unrelated to where I called. For instance I called the accountant and asked about travel to Australia. I called the council and asked details about my unemployment status. Next I’ll ask the Australian embassy about cutting down a dead tree on the road outside my place…
Brain dead. As I said.
So, having established that, here is a photo of the next two dogs I’m working on next to the rag dog I’ve already finished.
I think I’ll end it here for now. There are just too many things going on in my mind to actually make sense. And I have a few more calls to make. Hopefully the right info to the right people this time…
I’ve been promising to share my yogurt ice cream recipe for a while now and thought it was about time…
Before I get into specifics let me explain that I found this recipe in a magazine many years ago and made it, loved it, and have since been trying to make it less fattening and guilty making. So, basically, its not the original recipe any more!
So… originally the recipe called for 750g yogurt, 400g cream, whipped, 1 cup fruit, 1 cup icing sugar. You blend the fruit with the yogurt, add the whipped cream, freeze for 3 hours, then chop it up and blend it again. I can’t remember if it was supposed to be repeated, but I know that it was always rock hard when it was ready.
First time I made it I used raspberries. I had more than one cup, more like two and a bit, so thinking ‘more is better’ I added them all. Wrong. More is not better when dealing with fruit that has pips… The ice cream was amazing but I was constantly spitting out pips .Lesson learned.
The next few times I made it I experimented with using flavoured yogurts, my favourite being a fig yogurt I could get in Australia. For fruit I’ve tried tinned peaches, banana, figs, strawberries, rockmelon. I even tried coffee but don’t recommend it. Yuck.
By far the best flavour I found is banana and strawberry. Together,
On to the cream… when I first made it, in Australia, the cream was so rich and gorgeous it would coat the inside of your mouth. Okay, sounds gross, but I loved the richness of it. Here in Greece cream leaves a lot to be desired. Its like the thinnest of thin whipping creams in Australia and doesn’t have the substance or flavour. Whatever. The point of my experimentation is that I was trying to find a way to make the ice cream better suited to someone (me) who has no will power and is addicted to the stuff. I’ve tried just not making it, but then I crave ice cream… so better to make my own healthier stuff.
In the process of experimenting the first thing I did was use 1kg of yogurt instead of 750g cause I just buy the large tub. I’ve used 5% fat yogurt and 2%, and actually prefer the 2%. Having said that, let me just say that while cream might suck in Greece, the yogurt is out of this world. Better than the greek style yogurt can get in Australia.
Next thing I did was cut down on the sugar. In fact I’d cut down to 1/2 a cup sugar right from the start. Now I use honey.
So, I used more yogurt to cream… then I began cutting down the cream. To be honest, I’m now using no cream at all and it seems fine, even when using 2% yogurt. I can’t really tell the difference. The ice cream is no softer, I still have to cut it into slices and either wait for it to soften so I can eat it, or suck on it like its a popsicle. It really is hard as a rock.
Right. This is my recipe for frozen yogurt/ice cream.
Ingredients:
1kg natural yogurt (no sugar added)
2-3 ripe bananas
1-2 cups strawberries (I use frozen when I can’t get fresh)
1/2 cup honey (you can add more if you need or if the fruit isnt sweet enough)
Put the fruit in the blender and blend till smooth. Add in yogurt, top with honey. Blend till well mixed. Pour into a cake loaf tin and place in freezer. Remove in 4-5 hours and slice. Put in a freezer proof container and return to freezer. Serve slices as required. Eat without feeling guilty cause, like, yogurt is good for you!
How easy is that? You just use the fruit you have and mix it all up in one go, come back 4-5 hours later to slice up and its done!
Firstly I did some baking. I made a cake and some apple crumble. The cake was something I just felt like making. I hadn’t made a cake for ages. It was a plain butter cake but I’m thinking maybe it had a bit too much butter… I used the pure butter made here on Paros cause I was told it was the best for baking. Maybe it was too strong? Who knows.
The apple crumble is something I enjoy making in cold weather usually cause I love to have it as breakfast with yogurt. Yum. I made some more of my yogurt and fruit ice cream as well, cause I’m addicted to it. I promise I’ll share that recipe soon.
I did some washing (well, I just put it in the washing machine and hung it out to dry in the sun). Today was a lovely day, windy but sunny. I took Lainee for a short run on the beach and continued working on my cat project.
This is how the cat began – I started it at the same time as I started the rag dog. I made the body out of cardboard from a weetbix box, the legs and tail out of wire.
I’d been slowly building up the cat body using scrunched up paper, aluminium foil and masking tape, then layes of papier mache. Today I added the head and continued layering paper to give it strength. With papier mache I found that I build up as I need to, even trimming bits off when necessary as I did with the bulldog. I will most likely begin working with papier mache pulp for the next steps.
I had good company while working… I was watching country music videos on YouTube and there was a lot of Alan Jackson in there. I love Alan Jackson. Nothing better than good music and singing out loud while you work.
The cat begins to take shape. Its a slow process as it needs to dry between layers. In between I did other things – its always good to have more than one project on the go.
And, cause Lainee won’t leave me alone, here are some pics of her on the beach. She really is quite demanding… she thinks she’s the only thing I should post about…
She was so happy on the beach today. Its funny how Lainee has been coming out of her shell slowly. I’ve had her for 1.5 years now and it seems like every day she shows me a little more of her character. The first thing she began doing was playing on the bed after I’d had her for a few months, but would stop the minute I tried to join in. Now she wakes up and wants to cuddle and then plays with me. Its our special time.
Since the weather cooled down she’s begun jumping around and even running when we go on our walks. Today she ran up and down the beach. It fills my heart with joy to see her like that.
We’re in full lockdown again as of today. Alert messages that scare the crap out of you. Having to send an SMS every time we leave the house – only allowed to leave home for specific reasons. The codes that got the most use for me last lockdown were shopping (2) and exercise/walking the dog (6). This time i can add ‘assisting an elderly person/relative of the first degree’ to my list. In fact I’ll be using that in a few minutes to go see mom.
This time we added a curfew: no one out after midnight. Well, that was in force up to last night… maybe its earlier now? I don’t know cause I’m usually in bed by then anyway! I sure do live the life!
Lockdown comes as no surprise. We could see it coming a mile away. We went into preventative lockdown in March and we had amazing results with very few cases of COVID 19 and very few deaths. Our cases have reached about 3,000 per day now and the capacity of hospitals to cope with critically ill patients is being stretched. Decisions were made that people over 80 with other health issues would not be treated… Is it any surprise its come to this? Open borders with a pandemic in full swing and what did you expect would happen? Whatever…
I envisage my life will be the same as last time: Adding in one elderly mother I’ll need to shop for cause she’s still on Paros, not in Athens this time. I’ll post something every day, even if its nothing much, just to keep doing something positive. I’d already begun working on some stuff, but this is a great reason to kickstart creativity again.
Lets start with something I finished a couple of days ago, ie pre – lockdown… Sorry about the poor quality of the photos… this phone just doesn’t have as good a camera as my last one.
This little patchwork rag dog is a textile sculpture. His frame is wire and papier mache, then fabric in layers ending with the patchwork layer on top using the tiny scraps I can’t bring myself to throw away when I make something. I have a whole suitcase of small scraps…
I love his cute little face…
A closeup of the stitching. I’m not neat. But I like it that way! The entire outer layer is handstiched pieces and his feet are slightly padded to create toes.
Please excuse the bad photos. I really need to set up the camera and a ‘lightbox’ again. Somehow in this little box of a living room/kitchen/dining room/office/studio…
And here is a photo of the ‘real’ dog.
This is 8 month old Morty. He’s not the real model for the rag dog, but he’s pretty close. He’s gorgeous and doesn’t seem to realise he’s a 25 kilo lump of a dog so I got some GREAT cuddles. I miss my big dog cuddles…I adore Lainee, but a whole body hug is just something else.
Partly cause I had a minor existential meltdown. Partly cause the weather was still so good I had to continue swimming while working and attempting to create in my spare time. Partly cause I got lazy.
Mostly cause of the existential crisis.
I won’t bore you.
Let me just say that I have been creating, just very very slowly. I started a couple of sculptures a while back and one is standing still while I work on the other one. And its slow progress. Mainly cause I chose to finish it in fabric, so I have to sew every little bit on by hand. It takes a while.
I think I’ll stick to clay and glue next time. A mix of paper mache and whatever else I decide to add to each piece. I have ideas. Its time and energy I seem to be lacking…
Mind you. I have done a few things in the last couple of silent weeks.
I’ve socialized and been out to dinner and lunch a few times with friends and cousins.
I packed away most of my summer clothes and am still washing to put away the rest. Its funny to think that 2 days ago I was swimming and today I had to carry Lainee to work cause she wasn’t wearing her life vest!
I took down all the winter clothes and boots: hello Blundstones! I’ve missed you!
I cleaned Lainee’s teeth with the tooth scraper I ordered on ebay.
I found a rug I fell in love with, ordered it, was told it was no longer available (twice, from different stores) and called around till I found a store which had it in stock and ordered it again. I should have it next week.
I ordered a rice cooker. I miss my rice cooker. It just didn’t seem worth bringing it to Greece with me for some reason, yet its something I use a LOT.
I’ve been making (and eating) yogurt ice cream. I’m on the last batch before I share my recipe. Cause I’ve been experimenting to make it low fat and non sugar… while still maintaining taste.
I’ve cooked a couple of meals… its something I don’t do in summer and am still not doing as mom is always cooking and giving me food. In fact so much food I often don’t have time to eat it… Today I bought dill so tomorrow I’m making spinach pie. I told mom not to cook for me! I still have beets, fried red peppers and salad in the fridge from yesterday and today!
Moms are great, aren’t they?
I’ve been busy trying to organise some doctor appointments for mom and giving her things she needs now the weather is turning cool. I’ve loaned her my dehumidifier as the damp is bad for her arthritis. My small heater. A wool blanket. Some warm tops. Some warm socks. Some warm legging pants which will hopefully fit her – she’s so tiny now.
I’m still working thankfully. No idea how long for, but still going strong for now. Work while there’s work to do! I’ll be without work till next season soon enough.
Anyway, here is some island colour to brighten up your day since I don’t have much to say. Enjoy.
What can I say? I love the bright flowers and the old doors best!
It’s been the best October ever. Like September used to be. Warm weather, not too hot, no wind at all most days. The sea is still warm and the beaches are no longer crowded. We still have more people on the island than is usual for this time of year, partly cause a lot of people who have houses here and no jobs to rush back to are chosing to remain rather than return to a big city rife with COVID 19 risks. There are also still tourists on the island, though not tons.
My routine continues much as it has all summer. I wake up, walk Lainee, take her to work with me, come home, change into my swim suit and go for a swim. Spend the afternoon doing something while watching Netflix or else doing nothing and watching Netflix.
Twice a week I bring mom up to my place for a visit. Twice a week or so I have lunch or dinner at mom’s. Every now and then I meet friends for a coffee somewhere. This last week Lainee and I had breakfast at an outdoor cafe and on Sunday I went to Alyki with mom for a swim and lunch. Its a little custom mom and I started a few years ago: lunch, just the two of us, at Alyki. A taverna right on the water. Just the way I like to eat: tzatziki, taramosalata, fried potatoes and fried zucchini. Yum.
There is so much uncertainty about almost everything right now. I have work till the end of October for sure, but if we get another big order maybe longer. I just keep turning up till I’m told there’s no more work for me. Then I wait till they’re ready for me to start work again some time next year…
Mom and my aunts are all still here, thinking of staying at least till the end of October. Why go back to Athens and lock themselves up in houses or apartments? Looks like at least half of them will winter on Paros this year. Puts a bit of a crimp on my workshop at my uncle’s place if he’s using his garage…
I’m really hanging out to use my power tools again. I’ve missed them all these months. I have some pallets I want to pull apart and make my shoe storage and the cupboard to keep linen in. Itching to get to work on the antique wooden couch too… at least paint it so its ready whenever I am to finish it off.
Travel is also iffy… my plans to visit my friends in Denmark and Norway keep getting put off to some vague date in the future. First it was to be March, then October, now… Christmas? Christmas in Germany for the markets with my dutch friend was cancelled for this year. Maybe next year… Who knows? If we get hit with another lockdown (entirely possible) I doubt I’ll be going anywhere. I mean, I might be willing to risk myself, taking all precautions while travelling etc, but what about mom and the others once I return? It really sucks.
Anyway, you know I love being on Paros and in my own home, surrounded by my own work, projects and hobbies. The problem isn’t there. Its that I have no idea what the future holds – with things the way they are its impossible to make plans in advance. Everthing is up in the air. And I really don’t like so much lack of direction in my life.
So I’ve made one goal for myself: soon as I stop working for someone else I will start working on my own projects full time. I’ll go back to painting on marble, making mixed media art, making art from trash, sculpture, and whatever else takes my fancy. I might even make a few new dolls. I’ll find a place to work and I’ll start working on projects which require space and power tools.
I might even start cooking for myself on a regular basis again! I made thai green curry last night. Its been so long!
And next summer I’ll plan an exhibition of my work, all the different kinds of things I like to do.
But first I need to find out if I need a registered business to exhibit.
The other day I finally got around to making up some labels for the little boxes and cubblies I store odds and ends in. You may remember the hotel key box I made little drawers for, and the little boxes I bought from a bargain store in Athens. The idea being that I’d get my bits and pieces out of the suitcases in my bedroom and into spots that I could get at them easily (without having to lug suitcases out and dig through tons of stuff).
I basically wanted something similar to the cheap little cubby drawers I had in Australia. They were SO handy, so cute. Its one of the things I regret not keeping, but at the time I thought “they’re just chipboard and cardboard… why ship them to Greece?” … Well… cause you can’t get them here, that’s why! sigh…
The idea was great, till I realised I now have too many little drawers to memorise where things were. Its pretty time consuming to open every single little drawer to find what I’m looking for.
So I made up labels in an old typewriter font on my computer, printed them on plain white paper… glued the paper onto a thin sheet of cardboard, stained them with a used tea bag, then cut them into small tags. I then used a single hole punch to enable me to hang them off the drawers. I needed to be able to change tags when/if I changed contents of a drawer, but also didn’t want to hide the old magazines glued on the little cubby drawers.
I’m liking my little dangly tags. I put them on everything. Well, ok, not everything, there are still some drawers with nothing in them and some without tags cause I forgot to make a tag for that particular drawer…
But I’m getting there. That’s the take away I’m holding onto for this. I did something constructive.
Cause lord knows I needed to feel I achieved something some days. Every time I try to do something most of the time I get knocked back to square one. For instance:
I went to get money out of the bank for mom and discovered I hadn’t activated the card I got for her. Back to the start on that. A visit to the bank is necessary.
I went to pay my rates and found I need to change my PIN. All very well and thankyouverymuch greek bank for forcing people to change their pins every month… but when you can’t get it done easily on your phone using the app cause you need to go into a bank, log onto web banking (but haven’t set it up) or whatever… yep. Back to the drawing board on that too. A visit to the bank necessary.
I went to apply for a new greek passport. I need stuff I haven’t got. Still waiting on getting all that sorted.
I went to book a new ticket to Denmark (the trip that seems will never happen) cause they cancelled my flight, only to discover I needed to apply for a voucher. Did that. Got it. Now I’m not sure I’m going, or if I am, when…
This time I decided to tackle something a little bigger, more practical in size. I began with a piece of rope which was longer than the 5-6 inch pieces I normally find on the beach. I was lucky a couple of months ago to find two longer lengths of grey, so I began this one with one of those pieces to create the bottom of the basket.
By doing a little every night while watching Netflix I continued to build up the basket, adding in my small pieces as I went, adding colour as each piece was different.
The predominant colours are usually blues and greens, but you never know what you’ll find buried in the sand.
This time I’d been lucky enough to find some netting as well, which I decided to add to the top of the basket to add that whimsical feel.
Its not a huge basket. about 22cm diameter, but its about the same size as the first basket I ever made out of new cotton rope… (which I can’t seem to find on the blog, which means I probably never shared it… hm… must fix that.)
Its a handy size, I’ve used my first one to hold sunnies, makeup, all kinds of odds and ends. Only difference is this one is stiffer as this rope is harder than the cotton rope. Holds its shape better.
I’m actually very pleased with it. This little fella will be going into the art exhibition I’m planning/hoping to have next summer. A mix of art from trash, recycling and mixed media art. I’m excited by the idea of it and actually very eager to start working on ideas that keep me awake at night.
(If only my buzzing mind translated into more action…)
So. Other than this little creation, what have I been doing lately?
Well some small artworks on stone and marble by commission. Day to day living. Working. Swimming. Attempting to keep my home neat and tidy for when mom visits and failing miserably.
And Netflix.
I’m currently watching Salvation – just started last night. I like end of the world type stuff, call me crazy…
I watched The Glitch (wierd and sort of unsatisfying in its conclusion), The Code (which I enjoyed) and The Let Down (loved it). These three are Australian series and maybe part of the reason I loved them so much was that they’re Australian and I got to wallow in aussie accents and sense of humour again for a while. The Let Down is hilarious and SO Australian!
I watched Away (enjoyed), Snowpiercer (yep, end of the world stuff) and…
I know there were more since I last blogged about my Netflix habit… but right now my mind is blank. Aren’t you glad?
Its been seriously wonderful here for the last two weeks.
The weather has been perfect. A bit hot some days, a bit humid on the odd occasion, but generally its been just perfect.
When there’s been any wind its been from the south which means the sea on this side of the island is flat as a pancake, though most days we have no wind at all.
Swimming in the sea is like swimming in a pool… still, warm, and clear.
Its the kind of weather where you really can’t justify NOT going for a swim. It feels like a sin against life to stay home and watch Netflix or have a nap. In fact, I think it should be made illegal. Its October and the beaches are lovelier than they were in summer.
I continue to work at the ceramic workshop and every day I think I’m so lucky to have a job where I can paint all day. I love the atmosphere of the place, I enjoy being there even when I have days where time drags, my back hurts and I feel uninspired. Its more me than any other job I’ve ever had. Well, except for dog grooming, cause I just adore dogs and love meeting new dogs all day.
Generally, I love being on Paros even if things can be hard financially here – partly cause of COVID 19 and partly cause its Greece with all its strange enterprise-strangling ways.
I have been working on another sea rope basket, just needs a couple of finishing touches and it will be ready to share. Tomorrow I hope.
Surely the weather will change soon and I will feel more like staying in and doing something!
That doesn’t mean I don’t like, or even love cats. It just means I don’t want to actually OWN a cat. I don’t want one in my house, leaving hair on my couch or pillow or walking on my table and benchtops.
It apparently means that I’ll have cats living all around me, feed cats, look after sick kittens, take cats to be neutered etc…
This is what I see when I come home from work every day:
My neighour’s cats enjoying some sun or shade on my porch wall. Yes, I put the little rugs out there for them. I mean, I want them to be comfortable… I put them on my director chairs, and on the wall… I even provide a box for them to sleep in…
That tricolour cat has managed to sneak into my house and hide a couple of times. I come home to be greeted by her coming out of my bedroom stretching, saying “Thanks. That was a great nap.”
One of them, Gringia (which means Whiney), also enjoys my lemongrass.
So, for a non-cat person, I sure have a lot of cats around…
Anyway, we’ve had the most wonderful weather for the last two weeks. Amazing. Its now October and we’re still swimming!! Glorious weather, no wind, swimming pool calm beaches…
Obviously, with weather like that projects and housework take a back seat. This weather won’t last long… I’m gonna enjoy the quiet beaches for a long as I can.
junk4joy 