I’m home, and I’m not. In fact I’ve been home for over a week now but at this very moment I’m house sitting/dog sitting with a couple of cuties I groom.

This is Lily, a Biewer Yorkshire Terrier who lost her sight when she was a pup and got her first vaccinations. My opinion: never do 4 or 5 in ones!!! She’s the sweetest, cuddly girl.

This is Amy, a Bichon x Poodle and a real character. Would you believe these girls LOVE cabbage? Raw cabbage is their favourite treat!

And this of course is a very furry Lainee enjoying her time dog sitting as well.

I’ve barely done anything creative since I’ve been back on Paros. First it was the need to rest and recouperate from the ordeal. Then it was just lack of motivation brought upon by a pain in my side due to the tube I still have sticking out of my abdomen to collect any bile still leaking from the site.

Thankfully the leak has reduced to only enough to dirty the bag… I change it every 2nd day as per the instructions… I could do it once a day if I wanted, but the guy said once every second was fine and to be honest, its not a pleasant task so I tend to put it off.

I’m trying to get in touch with the doctor in Athens but doctors are notoriously hard to get a hold of. Last week I sent him and email then left a voicemail alerting him to the email. That worked. Hopefully it will work this time too. I basically need to know when I should fly to Athens to get the tube removed. I could go to Syros on the ferry, its closer and cheaper, but either place necessitates at least one night away from home. In Athens I can stay with a cousin, on Syros I’d need a hotel. But if I go to Athens its a better hospital so my first choice is Athens.

Naturally its a public holiday this coming Thursday so flights are expensive and seats are scarce… and this despite ‘strict restrictions’ on travel outside your own council!!!! People are still travelling for a quick holiday!

Oh the idiocy of these restrictions. The greek government has been playing fast and loose with the whole thing. One minute everything is closed, curfews in place etc. Next minute junior schools are open but not universities or high schools. Next some retail is allowed to open with restrictions on customers allowed inside a shop, then a local coffee shop and customers get fined cause 2 people bought coffee and stood outside to drink it. Then they tighten restrictions: you can only shop within 2klms of your house, ie within your council… but Zefi and I flew to Paros and not a single person asked us where we going, why we were travelling and did we have paperwork to show we had an acceptable reason to travel or even if we had a current clear COVID test. We had all the necessary paperwork, but it didn’t matter. hmph. Greece is open for business in May, an early start to tourism we’re told, islanders are being given vaccines as a priority to keep the islands safe, yet there isn’t enough time to vaccinate the residents of the islands, nor the available vaccinations as far as anyone knows, so… again… its all bull—-.

Ridiculous.

So, here I am. Back home, with two trips to Athens (or Syros) in my future to remove the tube then the stent. I want to be creative again but that’s sort of playing on my mind and not allowing me to really get on with it. I’m even finding it hard to blog… but I’m going to make an effort to do post regularly and get back into the rhythm I had before. It gives me a purpose and inspires me to be more creative. I hope it inspires others too.

Meanwhile I’ve started grooming again, slowly, getting others to do the heavy lifting where possible. Learned that the hard way: had to lift a naughty dog back onto the table 3 times the first time I groomed and was sore the next day. Rested a few days and back at it, more carefully now…

I’ve also done what I told myself I must do while in hospital hating Greece and the health system here: I’m sticking to a healthy eating plan, starting meditation and will start yoga soon as I’m able to do that, then also pilates soon as I’m strong enough to start that.

The new improved Zefi.

Gotta see it to believe it!

z

Today has been an interesting day. Another friend’s dog to groom. Artist friend so I got to see her studio and her work. Wonderful.

I also took Lainee to the vet for a quick check up. Her heart meds seem to be making her coughing worse but she’s fine in herself, still happy and playful as she’s been since the weather cooled down. Today I picked up another medication for her, something that has the possible effect of shrinking mammary tumours. Next week she’ll have them removed… Good but scary. I’ve never been nervous about one of my dogs undergoing surgery before but for some reason this time people are making me wary…

I also took Selina (below) and Eric to the vet. Eric needed his second vaccination but I have to wait another two months to get him neutered. He’s growing so fast! He’s already bigger than Selina.

Selina is fine. Her lungs are pretty much cactus due to her having had a respiratory infection as a kitten. She will apparently always breath short and shallow breaths and not be a very active cat. The vet said this is a sort of instinct, knowing she will have a meltdown if she expends too much energy. Poor girl. She always is so quiet and looks so sad. So different from the kitten who first appeared in the neighbourhood last summer who was too fast to catch. I bought her an insulated kennel where she sleeps at night to keep her warm. I will begin allowing her in the house, but she’s a bit nervous inside. And Eric is being a monster to her. She really needs a quiet life.

I visited a hardware store that has the Dulux colour charts and can mix up any Dulux colour I want. Only problem is, I can’t find Antique White USA anywhere on their colour swatches. It seems to be they only use codes here, not names… Its been my go-to white forever. I googled the code so I will call them and ask if they can mix it up for me…

I also wanted to buy some sanding paper for my belt sander, but of course I can’t get it here. They have to order them in, IF they are standard size. My sander is an Ozito, a brand made for Bunnings in Australia. If it was a universal brand I may have been able to order the paper in easily… so now I await news from the hardware store.

I did buy some pieces of sanding paper for my finishing sander, the one you clip the paper into. Its not a sander I use much, prefering the orbital sander for most jobs.

I also got some timber strips to make some display boxes. I should have gotten more, wider ones too for doll display boxes. I need to make some for my barbies.

I can’t get over how expensive things are here. I paid 2e each for some plain unfinished pine knobs for the kitchen cabinet I’m painting. That’s almost AU$4 each . And these are the cheapest knobs you can get. I thought I’d try custom painting them instead of buying fancy (expensive) ones.

The timber cost me almost $AU30 for 9 metres of skinny pine.

And some liquid nails. The cheapest ‘type’ of liquid nails (cause of course they don’t have ‘LIQUID NAILS’ here, was 5e a tube. Thats almost AU$10. For a tube of liquid nails/glue anything style glue. Unbelievable.

Man I miss Australia…

z

Exercising with a cat is possible, in fact it increases the intensity level of some of the exercises. Just remember to move slowly and with control when reaching down to scoop a cat out of the way in the middle of a stretch, to pluck him off your legs when doing squats, and to not jump up suddenly when you return a body part to the groud and hear a yowling sound from beneath it.

I’ve tried putting him outside for the duration of exerise (or breakfast which is like ‘sip coffee, put cat on floor, bite of toast, put cat on floor, repeat’) but the racket he makes interferes with keeping a clear mind.

I left him outside for most of the day today. Not intentionally. Well, sort of intentionally. I was getting ready to go out and he slipped out the door and evaded being caught like a egg white in an egg separator.

So, I drove off and left him outside. After all, he goes out for short periods all the time… and he needs to learn to be out for longer periods… and the weather was fine. So I left.

When I got home I remembered I’d left him outside and had been gone for hours. Yikes. He was nowhere to be seen so I had to go looking for him, calling his name and picturing a squashed kitten on the main road below us. Thankfully he was up the top of the hill where we walk daily and came running at the sound of my voice. He was so worn out that he cuddled and slept like a baby for the rest of the day.

(Note to self: put Eric outside most of the day every day…)

My day was derailed yesterday but I did achieve something. I didn’t realise it was a public holiday so even the ‘partly opened’ shops were closed. Even supermarkets. I did find a few things I wanted in a deli however. And I did go see my aunts to drop off and pick up stuff for mom (naturally).

Then I went to my uncle’s garage to find him and his pet Albanian working in there so I left. I went down to my aunts place and worked out a deal. I’ll use the tiny unit I lived in for a couple of months when I arrived on Paros 2 years ago, with its outdoor area, to work. The unit is undergoing renovation so its not all pretty and precious right now. The outdoor area is not waterproof but I can store my stuff inside, paint furniture inside and work outside when the weather is good. There is an outdoor table I can use as a work table and a built in bench I can put my drop saw on. Yipee. I’ve got a place to work! FOr a while at least.

In return I’m also painting a few things for my aunt. Good swap.

I’ve taken the tools I had at my uncle’s down to the unit and need to begin sorting and collecting stuff from around the house that I’ll need in order to set up a proper work space down there.

I’m so excited!

z

I’ve had a busy few days and its not over yet. This week I begin painting some furniture for my cousin so that means I’ll spend mornings over at her house working. That will cut into my ‘at home’ productive time, but thats ok. I’ll still be doing something creative.

Plus it’ll give me a chance to see what I’ve left up at my uncle’s house in terms of wood scraps and see what I can make of them…

I’m still trying to sort out some kind of work space somewhere…

Meanwhile Lainee had a playdate with Morty yesterday and Eric discovered the washing machine…

I read an article yesterday which has got me thinking the big questions again, so beware… another big question post is coming soon.

I’ve got two more dog sculptures on the way and one almost finished. I made myself a new batch of paper pulp clay that didn’t turn out as good as the first but I think I fixed it.

I also received the new clay I bought so I can get on with things again.

There is talk that lockdown will be lifted on January 7 for a week, then back to lockdown. To be honest I’m not really sure and not even sure I see the point of it.

However, I’ve been trying to evict my aunt 1’s tenant for months now and can’t do it due to lockdown. I want it over with. The guy has been living in that house for 30 years and paying the same rent the entire time. When my aunt increased it for a few months years ago, the economic crisis struck and he talked her back down to the original rent. He also got my poor aunt to sign a new contract for 10 years at the same rent!!!!

My aunt always had to chase him for the rent and his share of fuel costs, which he apparently always paid eventually, but never on time. He made demands of her and mom but never let anyone in to fix the flat when there was a leak or something so the house has not been maintained since he moved in. He never opens a window, only one window of the 4 gets opened at all, and even then, only a crack. How do people live like that?

The law is on my side. We have a court order to evict him but of course with lockdown no one is enforcing it. Soon as lockdown is over he is out on his ear. He’s had plenty of warning but uses COVID as the excuse for why he can’t move out. At this point he again owes us 6 months rent and is using fuel to heat the place that mom paid for and isn’t paying for it. So he’s costing us every day he’s in there.

I have half a mind to shut off the fuel to his flat.

I want the place for mom. She needs it. She’s 89 next month and with her dizzy spells and mini strokes I do not want her going up and down flights of stairs to her house. I want her on the ground floor. So the tenant from hell MUST GO.

Sigh. I’m not the kind of person who puts people on the street, but he looks like he’s making no effort at all to move out and it will force me to do it. I was always prepared to fight this with him in court, but the court has decided in our favour. Now I just have to enforce it. As it is, mom wont be able to move in for ages since the house is probably a mould-fest right now and everything will need knocking down and rebuilding and replacing. Sheesh.

It will be a huge and expensive job to fix that place…

Anyone have any friends with violin cases who can make him an offer he can’t refuse?

I really hope he leaves voluntarily.

z

This morning Eric joined Lainee and I on our morning walk: the short walk up the hill Lately Eric has been going out on the porch the minute I open the door (he loves it out there) and hangs around with the other cats till we get back. This morning he followed us all the way up and back. At least he knows the way home from there now I guess.

When we got back Cheeky was sitting on the window sill looking pretty.

Today I started a new dog and, as you can see, I have myself a new assistant.

I wonder what will happen when he’s twice the size and wants to sit in my lap or on my chest while I work…

I’ve decided to go a different way with Lainee’s issues for now by putting her on medication for her heart for 2 weeks to start with and see how that goes, then putting her on meds for her growths as well. Vet 2 said that a medication meant for drying milk has been shown to reduce the size of mammary lumps so we’ll try that. We’ll treat her and monitor the situation and hopefully her heart will be better and her lumps will be smaller and easier to remove when the time comes.

Other than that, not much to post about today. And I’m tired…. Its still early but I’ve had it. I’m going to bed!

z

I had a pretty non-productive day.

I spent a couple of hours taking mom in to see her cardiologist and then picking up some shopping (cat food, dog food…) and got home in plenty of time to actually DO something, but didn’t.

I spent most of the afternoon and evening doing beached whale immitations on the couch.

However, I did manage to get inspired to do a few things. I sorted out the sewing table which had become a hold-all for all kinds of crap. I can see the surface of it again which is nice. I’m looking at a couple of sewing projects I have on there now, including all the sea rope I have waiting, and I might actually feel inspired enough to do something.

I sanded and smoothed my latest clay projects. I tackled my underwear drawer. I baked shortbread cookies. I listened to 80s music. I watched Netflix shows on tiny houses, re-decorating and organising.

But mainly what was on my mind was Lainee…

Since the day I got her, Lainee has had growths in her teats all down one side. One of them was quite big and hard. When I questioned the vet as to why they weren’t removed when she was spayed (I thought that would have made sense) he said it was too much to put her through at the time most likely… I don’t know. Maybe it was.

Anyway, the vet said they had to be removed but her teeth were the first thing I opted to have done as she looked like she had a sore mouth and had really bad breath. At the time she had 6 or 8 teeth removed. The growths weren’t bothering her, they weren’t growing and there’s a 50-50% chance of them being benign, so no rush to remove them…

Last weekend I noticed the biggest of the growths had changed shape and seemed a bit bigger. Its now become quite important to remove them. So I took her to the vet quickly.

The vet said, yes, the whole line of mammary glands need to be removed on that side as there are growths all along. I knew that. I googled it. She took blood to check on her overall health before going under so I’m waiting on results of that. And she said she needed an xray of her chest to make sure nothing has spread (!). And she said Lainee has a heart murmur.

I’m sure she told me that last time, but maybe it was ‘no big deal’ as they didn’t bring that up as a reason to not do surgery on her so I must have forgotten it. Maybe the murmur has gotten worse?

Apparently that on its own isn’t a reason to not do surgery, but its something that concerns her and she recommends that after we do the tests, I may have to take Lainee to a specialist in Athens for the surgery.

Now, obviously I want the best for Lainee. For sure. But I also don’t really want to take her to Athens. Its a bad time with Christmas for one thing. There’s the lockdown for another… I’d have to wait till they lift lockdown mid to late January…

Lainee is 11.5 years old now. So doing the surgery sooner than later is the way to go.

I’ve booked her in to another vet next week, the only one that has an xray machine on Paros, and asked that I see both vets in that practice for a second opinion. If they’re happy to do the surgery, then I will have her done there as soon as possible. I want my girl to live a long and healthy life.

Fingers crossed.

Meanwhile I took Eric with me to the vet and got more worming treatements and his first vaccination against cat flu and whatever else it is… I’ve never had a cat before so I’m not up on that stuff.

Eric is still sweet but he’s also crazy. He plays like mad in his cat ‘play station’, then runs like he’s being chased around the house, bouncing off walls almost. Then suddenly he’ll collapse and want cuddles. That’s my favourite part.

I ordered him some acrylic nail caps but by the time they arrive Eric will probably be an old man as I could only find them from China. Till then I have to trim his nails often. Ugh. Guess its good for him to learn to put up with stuff like that.

He and Lainee are getting along fine. Lainee is happy to see him when we get home though she’s still not thrilled if he wants to play with her. Eric has learned not to try and eat her food. She’s pretty strict about that!

That’s our life.

z

Today was a busy day. Very busy. I had a ton of things to do… none of them creative.

But after visiting to supermarket I went through their bins and got a few small cardboard boxes to make Eric a kitty playland.

I used 5 small boxes and an extra large coffee cup to create this monstrosity, now sitting in the middle of my living room.

Lainee was a bit envious. I never made her a playland… (its ok Lainee, Eric doesn’t get to sleep on my bed!)

Ok, so its not pretty, and its small, got small doors and crawl spaces, plus slots for little nails to poke out of. The boxes interconnect with little doors leading through one to the other, side to side and up and down. I hope he likes it.

It still needs a few things. I could only find one bit of crinkly stiff plastic that I hung off one side. Eric approves of that. I plan to add more. I need some small toys attached with string or ribbon, plus something bouncy and dangly on wire. That ought to get his attention. For now he’s only barely explored it.

Like I said, not very creative today, but at least I got this done.

I’ve been giving thought to my next dog sculpture though and have some ideas. Who knows, I might start tomorrow. I have some air dry clay bowls to finish before I make more, so plan to work on them tomorrow too.

I PLAN to…

z