Fifteen To One

Monday, 21st July

Fifteen to one, not so much a score, as a quiz show. The call from Dynamo Square came through late last night. That makes them league champions, even without the benefit of ‘The Cat’ in goal. This was a cause for celebration, and abandoning the stagnant game of Scrabble. Troy was way in the lead, as usual. I had promised never to play him again at Scrabble either, or backgammon, or tennis.

Xanthe’s head seems to have become magnetic to balls, whatever pool game we play, she gets clonked between the eyes with unfailing regularity, much to everyone else’s amusement. I had never realized how a thirteen year old boy, and ten year (oh, and seven months precisely, today) girl, could turn Piggy In The Middle into such a violent contact sport. But it was much more fun than the asinine version one plays with a toddler.

We were down to our last thirty euros as we went into Chania tonight. Or Xania as the Greeks spell it, with the result that almost every local number plate is personalized for Xanthe. This was a bit worrying, as the Almyrida ATM had not worked with any of our cards. We had enough money for a taxi there, and could put supper on the Switch, but no cash to get home again. Fortunately, the first machine we came to in Kalyves came up with the goods.

Chania is delightfully pretty, real jigsaw puzzle material. We had a pre-dinner drink at a bar in the harbor, and watched the glass bottomed boats go in and out. We had the best meal we have ever had in Crete, at a restaurant called Safran in the old harbour. Mind you, best meal isn’t saying a lot, but mashed potato and risotto made a welcome change from olive oil chips. Someone needs to teach the chef how to use a piping bag though. The last time I used one I got a very middle class injury, puréed celeriac burns.

Tuesday, 22nd July

Been here a week, week to go.