Stargazer4moon's blog: "It depends on what occurs on the way."

Well, what is there to grot about?  The leaf man has left so cannot really grumble about him. 

I am not sure the toad would be happy to be written about today, nor his granddad.  Firstly he was exposed when someone lifted the wet mat off his back.  Poor thing was just minding his own business in the cracks of the patio.  He decided to hop it rather than croak it so did not have his photo taken.

An after dinner walk led us to a pond which had the biggest granddaddy frog perching on the edge.  He too was disturbed by a nosing person and had to make an unceremonious leap into the pond for cover.

I had a massage this morning which was uplifting and only the third one of the whole holiday.  It was a Chinese massage, back and head.  Worth every rupee too because he sorted my spinal twist and relieved the shoulder knots.

We were supposed to be going to the lagoon but the taxi driver had a job on so somehow it could be the lagoona tomorrow and that is our last day here.  The rain has not been kind but it has mostly been over night and is much needed.  It certainly saved the leaf man watering the garden over the last three days.  However, it has not really stopped him raking and there is so much to rake with such a small brush/rake that it takes him ages.  It is one of those long bristled brooms like the witches use and he does the lawn, the paths and the sand with it.  Consequently, the swoosh - swoosh noise no sooner has it gone it comes around again on a different medium.

He seems to be busy elsewhere at the moment pushing wheelbarrow loads of soil and trolleys of plants around the grounds so heaven knows.  It is a nice day for it though because the sun is hiding and it is quite pleasant to be in.

The man who walks the dog has just gone for a lonesome walk and it will not be long before he is back in routine again.  We fly home on Saturday and I think it is soon enough because there are getting to be more children around now.  Fortunately the ones next door only stayed for one night and that was long enough.  OMG, I think they were Chinese or very oriental Sri Lankan’s.  Whatever they were, they were not well behaved and the poor room boy had his work cut out trying to clean the wall up after the young boy tipped muddy sandy water all over it.  That was not my problem but what did affect us was the morning caterwaul from the children waking up.  It went on four ten minutes and not one word of silencing was heard.  We did not look into the in's and outs just heaved a sigh of relief when they were not there this morning waking us up at 7.30.

We went out for an Italian meal last night (Wednesday) which was unplanned.  The hotel was having an Italian evening but it was a Puy moon day so no alcohol and we decided to try another restraint that was recommended earlier.  We walked passed the dining area here to reception then caught a tuk tuk to the restraint.  Trouble was, the man who walks the dog missed the Asda sign, so we got out of the tuk tuk and after paying the driver we walked back towards the hotel. 

Quite a long way back we came across the restraint which was of course shut.  Next door there was a welcoming Italian restraint so we went in and enjoyed a meal there.  The guests were few, nine including us, so it was quiet.  Then two more people, probably from our hotel, came and sat down and were soon followed by a very tempestuous couple.

The latter stormed into the room complaining bitterly to one of those sat at a big table about having a flat battery on the mobile and about his birthday.  After a while they found a table next to their five friends and began an affable conversation.  We carried on with our starters and listened to them idly.  The original young couple left which left us with nine people again. 

The table of five were all gay and quite open about it.  The man of the group was very interesting in his topics of conversation from the English language and accents to the Royal Household habits and the rankings in heraldry and how the government is run.  The two tempestuous ones were also gay and quite open with it too.   We did eventually have a conversation with them and the tempestuous one, whose birthday it was, came from the four corners of the earth.  His features were interesting and he was the most polite person considering his original outburst.

The food was good and I enjoyed the fish.  Chameleon was miffed because his fish was ok but he did not eat much of it because he gave it to his partner who was a very good looking young Sri Lankan or swarthy Asian if you understand.  Anyway, when the bill came there was a rumpus because they were charged what they considered to be too much.  This was due to the hooch from Italy, I just forget what it is called for the moment but in Crete it is called Raki, which is not the same as Turkish Raki which is actually aniseed based as opposed to AH Grappa that is what is called.  Also Cretan Raki is derived from the wine making process.  It turned out that the Grappa was correctly priced on the menus they just did not check perhaps thinking that it was on the house. 

So the man who walked without a dog for the holiday paid our bill and I talked to Chameleon who explained about their bill being too much then complained bitterly, as I mentioned, about not eating his fish and I pointed out that it was his fault and not the owner of the restraint.  OK Restaurant.  OH boy I just spelled that correctly but probably mis-chose spelled instead of spelt.   I think the latter is a cereal actually.

OK, we left together shook hands and went on our ways, they went right and we went left back to our hotel.  Whilst walking along in the rain and puddles we had to cross the road then back again.  A young boy on a bicycle came charging along singing and as he came close he swerved in.  I don’t like bikes at all and turned at an angle to avoid him.  Just as well I did because he made a grab for my handbag.  It is the first time in Asia that my bag has been grabbed at and it was quite unnerving. 

We arrived back at the hotel and went to the room as the place looked pretty deserted due to the bars not serving alcohol.  There were new people in the neighbouring rooms.  One side was a lone Chinese man, no kids, and the other side there was a couple from England.  After a quick introduction we chatted about holidays etc and it grew blacker as we spoke.  Finally it went pitch black, the sky was filled with lightening and it poured.  We went into our respective rooms grabbing the soft furnishings from the seats before going in. 

It had not stopped raining by dinner time so we donned raincoats and shoes then made our way to be fed.  The couple next door joined us and we had a pleasant meal showing them where things were and explaining about the best ways to go about things to save time.  They went off to bed early and I don’t really remember what we did except we went for a drink then back to the room in the rain wearing macs again. 

The following day was just as bad and that was the Laguna trip out of the window.  We began the chore of packing and went back in time one year to our last departure from Sri Lanka.  That was in September 2009 and at a hotel which was sole destroying when it rained due to watching the guards sitting in their guardroom which was right opposite our balcony on the first floor.  We also looked over to the beach where the ladies waved their wares and the beach mafia hung about.  Very similar to our current dwelling!  Our last day there was spent packing on a dull and rainy day which seems to have occurred due to the climate changes.

When we were in Sri Lanka in 2008 for our 20^th wedding anniversary the weather was glorious, the sun shone all the time and consequently the group on the bus touring with us were so uncomfortable that they had the air-conditioning on full blast during our journeys.  It was a misery for me due to the cold air freezing my skull on the scars from surgery.  Why go to a hot climate if you cannot stand the heat.  Ah well, being a minority does not count for much and I was glad when the tour finished and we had a few more days on our own which we also had at the beginning of that holiday.  I enjoyed those days away from fellow travellers because you always get one person that you cannot get on with and generally they cannot get on with you.  That occurred but you grin and bear it just like when the cold air blew. 

That was then and in December we went to Mexico for the first time.  The following April 2009 we were in Sri Lanka again, this time the weather was perfect.  After that we were back in Sri Lanka in the September 2009 then in Mexico for the December, which was freezing due to America being under snow coast to coast.  We had the longest winter here in the UK for 20 odd years and went to Mexico in April 2010.  This brings us to now and it is almost the end of September and on Thursday we go to Liverpool for a wedding.  We have only just taken Hector back from my grumpy friend who fell during our holiday and no doubt was rather sore due to landing on her back.  Hector probably did not get the walks he usually has we he stays with her so he was probably more than glad to get back to us. 

He was like a sheep or bear because his coat was so long.  It needed a clip before we went away and due to his injury they could not clip him.  Imagine the shock after 18 days seeing a very hairy dog.  Luckily he was booked in for a cut and he now looks beautiful and sleek again.  Goodness me he looked obese with the thick coat.  It has turned cold here and yesterday, Monday, when he went for his clip, he looked cold.  In fact, this morning he was snuggled up to the radiator and this is a dog that comes from Tibet.  All this good living then has made him soft because we bought him for a stud kennels where he had no indoor heating and no soft carpeting to sleep on.  He was out in all weathers too so why he has turned into such a baby I do not know.

Whilst in town yesterday we had time to kill whilst Hector was being clipped and consequently did a little shopping.  This was maybe not what the man who walks the dog intended but I bought a pair of trendy lace-up boots, a new handbag, one pair of trousers and am going to the opticians tomorrow, Wednesday, for an eye test and new specs.  We could have bought them in Sri Lanka but it has worked out cheaper, according to their quote, to have then done here.

This brings us up to date and fortunately we had a good flight home from Sri Lanka to Dubai then Dubai to Birmingham where we were greeted with temperatures of 5 deg C.  Considering it had been 30 deg C. in Sri Lanka that was quite a drop.  Even the flight home was quite warm in comparison to other flights, namely those to Mexico and previous ones to Sri Lanka.  I don’t remember having problems before surgery and think the cold bothers me more now because I notice it more.

Talking of surgery.  After going to Sheffield for the EEG to see if there was any abnormal electrical activity in the brain which could point to further seizures occurring, we were told that they could not see any problems when they had a quick look at the tests that day.  In confirmation I had a letter from my Neurologist with the official results and they are that there was a slight blimp on one part of the test but that was on the other side of the brain so there was no sign of further activity to cause seizures.  This means that I can consider reducing medication again but not for another year because I have only just reduced it. 

It is wonderful news and an early birthday present.  Yes, we celebrated our wedding anniversary in Sri Lanka and unless we go away for three weeks it means that I celebrate my birthday at home.  It will be spent on the train travelling to Liverpool because we will go on Thursday for the wedding on Friday and stay over rather than making an early dart from here to Liverpool on Friday morning.  Not advisable really due to the travelling distance and the reliability of the trains here.

That seems to be us up to date and all I need to do now is have my lunch and I will be replete.  Oh, I lost weight whilst we were away and that is probably due to eating off small plates rather than being tempted to fill a large one.  Also it could have been due to the slimming tea we bought whilst over there.  It was a lucky find in a tiny shop which we went in to find some mosquito killer in the form of a spray because the room was full of them.  We bought that and spotted the teas.  I needed some green tea and next to that was the slimming tea made by the most famous tea producer in Sri Lanka so it was a good make. 

As there was no gym at the hotel I lost a lot of muscle tone so I suppose having not put weight on was a consolation.  However, I am told that muscle has memory and it will soon build up.  I was told late last night by an aeroplane mechanic who works for Lufthansa in India, Bangalore to be precise.  Nice young man really and had I not been so tired from the travelling and the day out shopping I would have talked longer and more coherently with him.  There was another aeroplane engineer staying at the hotel in Sri Lanka along with a pilot.  I was dubious at first but he seemed genuine and the pilot looked genuine too.  This turned out to be true as they stay there in case of emergencies, on call if you like.  That engineer lived in America but came from Peru and he had a lovely accent.  He also looked Italian but I suppose it would be Portuguese influences in Peru.

Well, I had better check to see if there is anything other than SPAM and horrorscopes in my INBOX then get some more washing in.  Not that there is much hope of getting it out on the line today due to the rain.  Oh boy, I hope it is nice for the wedding but at least I have boots to wear with my long flouncy skirt, posh jacket and smart hat.  Why even the handbag will go so all in all I am pretty wedding prepared and ready.