Walking in Yorkshire: Preparation and getting there

It has always been my dream to do a walking holiday in the Yorkshire dales, so when I found myself with 2 weeks of vacation and no hard and fast plans I decided now was the right time. I have loved the Herriot books since I was a child, and this spring I discovered the tv series. It also turns out that the ship from Denmark to England is to stop running in September. Taking my own car over on the ferry seemed, after a good bit of research, to be the best way to make the trip, if I wanted to take my dog - which I did. Flying her to England is way to expensive and the train in England is very expensive as well.

There was a good bit of preparation involved. I ordered the holiday through a company that booked me into B&Bs at suitable walking distances, choosing accommodation that allowed dogs. They will transport my bag from place to place so that I don't have to carry everything on my back. They also arranged for a taxi to take me from where I park the car to where my journey starts, and sent me maps, a guide book and lists of pubs, shops and caffes along the way where I can buy dinner, lunch etc. I have spent a good number of hours studying the maps, and finding and printing driving directions. Yesterday I had to take Lucy to the vet to get worm and tick medicine.

According to Google maps it is an eight and a half hour drive to the ferry in Esbjerg, Denmark. I figured to be on the safe side I'd give it 12 hours and so I drove out of the driveway at 6 am this morning. As usual on the night before a journey, I didn't get to bed until midnight, and was wide awake at 4:30. It was cold this morning, only 5 C, and cloudy as I drove down through Østfold, singing to an Abba cd. Crossed over into Sweden at 7 am and an hour later I stopped for breakfast and to walk Lucy. It was still cool, but I sat in the sun at a picnic table to have my yogurt with honey and smoothie. The drive through Sweden was a bit tedious, though it was a gorgeous day. I stopped again at 10:30 to get an ice coffee and walk Lucy again.

The bridge over to Denmark is spectacular! You kind of feel suspended between the dark blue of the sea, with a bank of windmills to the left, and here and there a sailboat; and the paler blues of the sky, with its feathery clouds and seagulls floating on the wind.

When we arrived at the ferry port at 4:40 pm, they were already checking in. I handed my ticket, passport and pet passport to the lady and she gave me the gizmo to read off the chip. Once I was parked in lane 1, the lane reserved for motorcycles and people with dogs, I had half an hour to walk Lucy around the port area, and give her food and water before boarding commenced at 5:30 pm.

While all the folks with motorcycles got busy strapping them down, Lucy curled right up on the back seat of the car. She's exhausted after all the driving, I think. At 7:30 they'll take those of us who have dogs down to the deck to us to exercise them. There's a sand box that they're supposed to pee and poop in. It looks more appropriate for cats. Lucy willingly got into it, but had no idea what I wanted her to do there. I understand it's okay if they go on the car deck as long as we pick up after them. As for me, I'm about ready to hit the sack, and look forward to being rocked to sleep by the waves.

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I got up early and spent some time standing on the deck watching the sea and the sky, before seeing to Lucy who had slept like a log in the car. After breakfast I went back to my cabin. I did some yoga, which was quite a challenge with the movement of the ship. The rocking of the ship also made me really sleepy, I found it hard to stay awake to meditate or read.

First glimpse of England at Harwich: families of Swans and ducks :)

At noon we arrived in Harwich, and customs took no time at all. Getting used to driving on the left was not very difficult, though it worried me that there were no speed limit signs. There had been some signs about the speed limits with conversions to km, but they were partially hidden behind bushes, and it's not like you could pull off onto the shoulder to study them. British roads don't have shoulders. Most of the drive was through flat landscape on the motorway. Stopped at Petersborough, just north of Cambridge for lunch at 2:30 pm, then continued on. The last hour was in the North York Moors National Park, and it was spectacular!  Especially when the sea suddenly materialized before me.

Arrived at Robin Hoods bay at 7:40 pm. The post office which sells tickets for several days parking was closed, and the machine only sells parking for 24 hrs, but the taxi driver showed me where I could park for free near the church. He then took me to Osmotherly.

No one is at home here at Vane House. I stood in front of the door for a while until one of the guests came and let me in. But, since the pubs all close at 9 I will likely not be getting any dinner tonight.

Nobody home at the B&B :(

Oh ye of little faith...

6 weeks ago, when I was in California, I lost my wallet. It was a major inconvenience, but I was able to keep my calm and look for the lessons in this experience.

For many years I have been scattered, unconcentrated, constantly losing things, forgetting appointments, where I put things, what I was going to do; somehow only just able to cope with the realities of day to day living. I like to say it started when my first child was born. “Ammetåke” they call it in Norwegian. It means something like “nursing fog”. Only it didn't go away, when I stopped nursing, and has been a bone of contention throughout my second marriage, though, I must say, not so much since I started working with mindfulness and meditation. In fact I've been noticing lately how much more grounded I seem to be. I haven't forgotten something when going to work (key card, cell phone, wallet, water bottle etc) for weeks, and I've had no difficulty remembering appointments or organizing my day...

Then, yesterday I thought I had lost my wallet again. I couldn't find it anywhere, I just remembered having had it at the gas station when I filled the car with diesel. A feeling of black hopelessness came over me. It all seemed for nothing, all this spiritual work, all this practice of mindfulness, living in the here and now, of meditation and affirmations, of trying to change my paradigm from one of separation and each man for himself, to one of oneness with the universe, as it taught in the Course in Miracles. I felt endlessly alone and disillusioned. I just wanted to sit down and give up. The thought that I would continue to sabotage my own wellbeing, and that there was no way to avoid it filled me with dread. Then my wallet showed up again.

But I am shaken. I am shaken by how quickly I was ready to believe that it is all a hoax, and that there is nothing to be learned by indulging in spiritual practices, other than self delusion. I realize that I have a long way still to go before I can stand fast in the face of adversity, and not lose my faith in the fundamental goodness and meaningfulness of Life and the Universe.

Detachment

After working with mindfullness and meditation for nearly a year, I have found that deep peace that Eckhart Tolle talks about. In Stillness Speaks he says: 

"Your acceptance of what is takes you to a deeper level. When you can accept this moment as it is, you can feel a sense of spaciousness within you that is deeply peacefull. On the surface you may still be happy when it's sunny, and not so happy when it's rainy. You may be happy at winning a million dollars and unhappy at losing all your possessions. Neither happiness nor unhappiness go all that deep anymore. They are ripples on the surface of your being. The background peace within you remains undisturbed regardless of the nature of the outside condition.

I experienced this peace and detachment when I crashed a car in january, and again when I left my ipad (with all my books, my cookbook, adress book, journal and notes on it), as well as my wallet with credit cards and drivers licence on a train while travelling in California in March. At first it was: "wow, mindfulness and meditation are working!", I mean even when the insurance company decided that the crash was my fault and I recieved a hefty repair bill, and even though my ipad and cards never showed up again, my inner peace was not shaken.

But I've been wondering. Even though I have achieved that deep seated peace and detachment from the roller coaster of life, I have not experienced bliss. I do not experience certainty of purpose. By that I mean, that I do not feel certain of the purpose of my life, or any life. 

And so now I am wondering. Is it really peace? or is it indifference?
Is all this spiritual practice making me a more effective human being in the world? 
Or am I losing touch with reality, and just sort of coasting along until one day I find myself in a nursing home, having been no good to anyone, and no closer to knowing what this life was all about?

Lost

Today nothing went as planned. I had packed and planned ahead. I knew which train I had to take to San Jose, and how to get to the greyhound station to take the bus north to McKinnleyville, where I was planning to visit my friend, Sally for a couple of days. I had bought stamps so that I could spend the 4 hr layover in Oakland writing postcards to people back home. I was planning to study "a return to love" by Marianne Williamsen on the 6.5 hr bus ride to Arcata. But that's not how the day went. 

I left my purse containing my iPad and wallet on the train when I got off at San Jose. The train had already left the platform when I discovered what had happened. I ended up spending the rest of the day trying to locate my bag, to no avail. I called customer service from from San Jose, I took a train to the lost and found in Santa Clara, before finally admitting my stupidity to Roland and making my way back to his house feeling like a total idiot and a complete imposition. Roland was very nice about it and was totally on board with having me for a couple more days, but when I called Sally, she said she wanted to come and get me. She's leaving tonight, and arriving early tomorrow morning to pick me up.

For the past few days I've been thinking about the things that make me feel safe and whole. Things with which I tend to identify: my career, my relationships, being a mother, living in the country, having a dog, being able to travel. Now I am suddenly discovering how attached I am to a piece of electronic equipment - my iPad. It has my diary, my books, my address book, my cookbook, my calendar, a meditation, all kinds of notes, and my connection to the Internet with email, blogs, Facebook, Carcassonne, yoga etc. and then there's my wallet containing my credit cards, drivers license, Norwegian Imigration card, stamps etc. without my iPad, I feel naked. Without my wallet, I feel paralyzed. 

The lack of those two items makes me feel so helpless. And it was still a beautiful, warm, sunshiny day, with the scent of flowers and friendly people and a train where they didn't check my tickets, because though I had accidentally bought 4 tickets instead of one, they were in the missing bag. And I have clothes to wear and a couple of good books in my suitcase.  I still have my phone and my passport and my bus and plane tickets, because they were in my backpack. I have a brother and sister-in-law with whom I can stay and who could lend me money. He even let me use his iPad this evening. His orange tree is still providing oranges and his lemon tree, lemonade. And I know my meditation by heart. So really, I am fine. 

Belinda Davidsen's School of the Modern Mystic

It is no secret that I was raised in an anthroposophical family. Indeed, I am a third generation anthroposophist. Many of my family members have devoted their lives to anthroposophy: my grandfather as an anthroposophical doctor, my aunt as a eurythmist, married to a priest of the Christian Community, my mother as a Waldorf kindergarden teacher, my father tried his hand both as a Waldorf teacher and as a biodynamic farmer. My sister is a Waldorf teacher. My mother, at 80+ has a biodynamic CSA garden. 

I attended waldorf school myself from 2nd grade to graduation from high school, and I was christened, confirmed and married in the Christian Community. I have felt connected to anthroposophy throughout my adult life as well: At 18 I became a member of the anthroposophical society and at 33 I became a member of the school for spiritual developement within the anthroposophic society  known as the First Class. I have continued my connection to the Christian Community, sent my children to waldorf school, and, since my father's death 4 years ago, my study and practice of anthroposophy intensified.

Now my father was a searching soul: he was simultaneously both buddhist, christian and anthroposophist. I think I can thank him for providing me with the example that allows me to have an open mind regarding spirituality. 

So how did I find my way to Belinda Davidsen and the School of the Modern Mystic?  It was when I experienced my personal crisis of last spring, when I lost my joy, confidence and energy for work, that  I began exploring modern spirituality. The problem that I have had with Anthroposophy is that, though the content is largely of timeless value,  Rudolf Steiner's books and lectures are given in the context of where the world was 100 years ago.

 My older daughter had given me a book by Eckhart Tolle called "The Power of Now" and I began reading it and practicing mindfulness. What I discovered was that while Rudolf Steiner gives many mantras and other content for meditation, he doesn't really teach you to meditate. Mindfulness, as taught by Eckhart Tolle gave me the HOW of meditation. 

Around the same time as I started reading "The Power of Now", I was reading a health  blog, also recommended by my oldest daughter. There I discovered a guest post by Belinda Davidsen on how to become psychic. The thing is, I have always been religious, and I basically believe that Rudolf Steiner describes the spiritual world as he experienced it, it's just that I have never been completely happy to just take it all on faith. In fact it is just Steiner's assertion that EVERYONE has within them the possibility to develope the ability to experience spiritual truths first hand that has kept me going. 

So Belinda's post sparked my interest, and  it  led me to her website where I downloaded her free 7 day chakra course, and began reading her blog and signing up for her free white light healings every Monday. What appealed to me about Belinda was how down to earth and completely grounded she is. She tells about what it's like to be psychic in such a matter of fact manner, her approach to chakra work is not theoretical, or philosophical but completely practical and refreshingly original. It also turns out that she is a big fan of Eckhart Tolle. 

Taking level 1 from mid-July to mid-January has taken me much more deeply into chakra work. Initially the White Light seemed a bit diffuse and new-agey to me and  I thought I would work with the chakras and just ignore this strange thing with White Light. But it turns out that level one has a whole module devoted to White Light, and as I learned more about it, and how to use it actively in my own life, I have warmed to it. In addition to learning how to harmonise and balance my chakras, which, whether you believe in them or not, is a truly fascinating approach to self developement, I learned to channel the White Light for myself to resolve particular issues, and also to start to become the creator of my own reality. Directly and indirectly the work in Level I has opened me up to exploring other spiritual modalities such as working with angels, and manifesting.  I haven't become psychic (yet), but am learning a different perspective on self-love, and abundance. If you want to learn more you can use the following link. And if you decide to enroll and you use this link to do so, I will even get a commission (which would do wonders for my strained financial situation).  http://schoolofthemodernmystic.com/level1?ap_id=gudrunvl

Below are a couple of links to interviews with Belinda by Jess, the Wellness Warrior.  

 http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2014/03/wellness-warrior-tv-belinda-davidson-talk-soul-medicine/

http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2013/07/wellness-warrior-tv-belinda-davidson-spiritual-health-2/

There are also several free videos offering some insight into what The School of the Modern Mystic is all about on the school website. Also, DO explore Belinda's blogg - it is life altering all on it's own. 

The art of extreme self-care

I am so used to playing the role of caretaker that it has become a normal way of life. It has also become my identity and how I define my self worth. As mother, wife, nurse, co-worker, sister, daughter and neighbor. I have few friends and I ask myself why? I believe it is because I don't have the energy to take care of any more people. Always taking care of everyone else was sucking the life out of me, and in the last year or so I have lost a lot of my joy and motivation regarding work, dog training, exercising etc.

In the end this physical and mental exhaustion led me to decide to separate from my husband of 14 years. It is time, I feel, to focus on myself, my own needs and desires, my own self-care. It feels unfair from his point of view. He has shown great willingness to make changes and to accomodate my wishes, and yet I just don't have any more to give, I need to be alone.

My reaction when he drove down the driveway for the last time surprised me. I felt bereft...I  mean I was expecting to feel lonely in a few weeks or months, but not on the first day! What does this mean? Besides the obvious: that I still care about him and feel sad about the good things I am giving up, as well as guilty for the heartache this is causing him, it is also an indication that I am "addicted" to being a caretaker, and that what I'm experiencing now is withdrawal symptoms. Well, from now on I'm going to be the caretaker of myself. I am going to learn the art of extreme self-care.

The concept of extreme self-care can seem arrogant and selfish, involving an inappropriate sense of entitlement.It is quite possible that I will meet resistance and criticism.  By commiting to extreme self-care I am challenging a legacy passed down through generations of women in my family.  My Grandmother was a nurse and she worked as nurse and "keeper" of her husbands medical practice. My mother taught me that taking care of your husband is of primary importance. She moved and changed jobs as his career moves seemed to require. She also stayed home with the children when we were small, and that is a value I have adopted as well. Don't get me wrong, I am utterly convinced that being a full-time mother while my children were small gave them a foundation of security which held during the years I went to college and thus was pretty much preoccupied most of the time for 3 years when they were school age. Before the children were grown, self-care was something I did in order to be a better mother and care-taker (for example getting enough sleep), not something I did for myself. It is the same with nursing. I tend to let my need for nourishment and rest be secondary to my patient's needs. (perhaps part of the reason I feel burned out?)

Now that I have decided to care for myself in a more attentive, proactive and soul-nourishing way, I'm forced to confront the cultural view that "selfish" is a dirty word. 

However as Anita Moorjana, the author of "Dying to be me." said in an interview that I heard this fall: "People cringe at the thought of loving themselves. They think it's egotistical, or narsissistic. However those who appear to be the most egotistical are the ones who lack self love. The ones who love themselves are the happiest, most joyful, most secure people to be around. And they are the most giving and the most generous. Because you cannot give love to others if you don't have it for yourself.  Our love is conditional when we don't have enough to give away. If we give ourselves love we become so full of love, that it overflows. And when we give love to others we don't need to get any back, because we are full to the brim already. And thus we are able to give love unconditionally. And the love we give can fill people up until they too are able to give."

That is my goal. When I start to care for myself deeply and deliberately, I believe that I naturally will  begin to care for others in a healthier and more effective way. I will become a conscious and conscientious person. I will tell the truth. I will make choices from a place of love and compassion instead of guilt and obligation. 

Extreme self-care can involve:

- making my home my sacred space in which my soul can find nourishment in solitude. 

- eliminating clutter from my life for good.

- getting my financial act together so that I always have choices how to live my life.

- not making any commitments whatsoever out of guilt or obligation.

- making pleasure a priority.

-allowing myself to have fun.

-  making my work environment soul-nourishing instead of soul depleting, through the practice of mindfulness.

- maintaining a healthy lifestyle by means of a healthy diet, regular exercise, enough sleep, and daily meditation.

The ideas in this post were inspired by a book by Cheryl Richardsen : The Art of Extreme Self-Care"

Epiphany

I'm a little nervous about putting this post "out there". I haven't written or talked much about my spiritual activities except to people who I know are positive, and then only about the parts that are positive. With this post you could say I come out of the closet. 

Yesterday evening I gave a so-called "free rendering" of the 15th First Class lesson. We are a group of about a dozen members of the anthroposophical "First Class" who meet on the first sunday of every month to share our work with the "First Class" meditations, either through a discussion, or by listening to a free rendering of the month's lesson by the Reader. Back before the First Class was published and thus made generally available to the public, members used to gather and listen to the Reader read the lesson as it was given by Rudolf Steiner back in 1924. After the publication of the First Class it has become more common that the Reader gives a free rendering, a kind of personal interpretation of the lesson. Some groups are also experimenting with group discussions on the lesson, with or without an introduction by one of the members. The group to which I belong alternates between a free rendering and a discussion every other month. However when our Reader turned to me after the group discussion in December and asked if I would like to give a free rendering in January, I felt surprised, honored, disbelieving, frightened, unworthy, unqualified... but I said yes, thinking that at least I had the 11 days in Crete to prepare. 

I have spent a long time on the preparation: studying Steiner's text, meditating on the mantras, writing down my thoughts as a result of the study and the meditation. Then gradually narrowing it down to one theme and focusing on that. I was guided to do most of the actual meditation outdoors, either sitting under a tree or (once) on the edge of a cliff, or walking through woods and fields in the rain. After a few days of meditation, I would spend a couple of hours on the computer trying to give some form to my thoughts. Usually with a picture of Rudolf Steiner propped up nearby. I tried to call on his spirit to guide me in my work, knowing that he too had struggled to find words to express experiences and conditions that are beyond words. 

In the School of the Modern Mystic, of which I have nearly completed level 1,  I have learned that undeveloped spirits try to influence the egoic mind through feelings either of fear (Ahriman) or self aggrandizement (Lucifer). I tried to be aware that the thoughts and feelings of fear, and of being unqualified and unworthy were an Ahrimanic influence; that thoughts of wanting to impress and so on were a Luciferic temptation. And I made my focus that I wanted my interpretation be useful to the audience. And also that I wanted it to be a true expression of the spiritual purpose of the School, which exists in the spiritual world as the School of the Archangel Michael. And so before getting up onto the podium I channeled White Light through my energy field, and then called on the Archangel Michael to guide and inspire me, and prayed for my presentation to bless the lives of the audience. And while giving the lesson I tried to feel him standing behind me, his wings shadowing me, his hands on my shoulders. I tried to ground into my feet, and into my hands. I managed to be very present most of the time. A bit of worry that my presentation was too short kept creeping in. A bit of worry that people would judge me for drinking water from a camel back flask (how stupid!). 

During the speech, I felt totally (almost) present. Afterward I was drained and my legs shook. How did people receive it? One person expressed that he wished we had time for discussion. One person asked if I teach often. They remarked on the form of the presentation (which I think was thanks to the Archangel Michaels presence). The fact that there was a desire for discussion is confirmation that I was able to raise questions and present my interpretations in a way that gave people something to take hold of and aroused a desire to work with it further. The woman with cancer was there - I had included some of Anita Moorjana's insights specifically because I hoped that they would be significant to her in her situation. 

Intentions and Wishes for 2014

A blog I read said that when we want something, when we set goals or make resolutions it is because we want to feel better. And that instead of making resolutions, setting goals etc we should just figure out how we want to feel and focus on that.  

Actually I wasn't going to make a whole bunch of resolutions but I thought the exercise interesting and so I decided to go through all my intentions and try to identify in what way they were aimed at making me feel better. 

So here they are, my intentions:

I intend to go to the gym regularly (twice a week) once for cycling, once for swimming, and eat lots of fruit and veg, while avoiding refined sugar because I want to feel energetic, vibrant and beautiful.

I intend to continue learning Greek so that I can communicate with the locals when I am in Crete because I want to feel connected, confident and independent.

I am frustrated about Lucy. That she doesn't come when called, that she isn't focused on the game when we do agility, that she is often aggressive to other dogs and afraid of people who try to pet her. I therefore intend to work on my dog training with the help of Susan Garret's online training courses, because I want to enjoy my dog, and feel relaxed, confident, proud and joyful when I am with her.

I intend to continue doing yoga and meditating daily, because I want to feel inner peace and balance in my life.

I intend to connect more with friends and family through phone calls, e-mails, skype, facebook, and blogs etc, because I want to feel loved, connected, understood and have a sense of belonging.

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This past year has been challenging on many fronts. In the course of the spring I lost my joy, confidence and energy for work. By May I was on total sick leave for 3 weeks. Most of the summer I worked reduced hours. In the fall I tried working my full position again but after only a few weeks I had to reduce my hours again. Finally decided to reduce them permanently, which is a good thing, as it didn't take more than a couple of weeks of my full position in December before I was on the brink of exhaustion for the third time. 

The other major challenge this year was coming to the realization that I am not cut out for marriage and that if I'm honest with myself, what I really want is to be alone. This feeling has been brewing on and off for several years. I haven't felt properly happy with life, and yet I'd tell myself: what makes me think I deserve happiness. Also there was all the uncertainty that making a major change in my life would bring: would I manage economically on my own? And the hassle of dividing up our stuff. Would everyone judge me? It seemed so egocentric. And what about husband? What would become of him? It was an extremely long, and hard decision to make but in the end I just couldn't go on as before. Husband bent over backwards to try to accommodate my needs and desires. In the end it didn't seem fair to him, and really, no matter what he did it didn't change my desire to be alone. I think what finally decided me was two things. I read a blog post about the importance of having a sacred space, a haven to which you can go to do the work, and gather strength in order to be able to go out and  work in the world. That without that haven, life becomes maddening and you lose yourself to chaos. And I realized that I need my home to be that haven. A place where I can focus on my own needs and prepare for my work in the world. The other was an interview I listened to by the Anita Moorjana, the author of "Dying to be Me", which finally explained the concept of loving yourself in a way that I could relate to. 

"People cringe at the thought of loving themselves. They think it's egotistical, or narcissistic. Those who appear to be the most egotistical are the ones who lack self love. The ones who love themselves are the happiest, most joyful, most secure people to be around. And they are the most giving and the most generous. Because you cannot give love to others if you don't have it for yourself. Our love is conditional when we don't have enough to give away. If we give ourselves love we become so full of love, that it overflows. And when we give love to others we don't need to get any back, because we are full to the brim already. And thus we are able to give love unconditionally. And the love we give can fill people up until they too are able to give."

The bible says: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself", and people have always said to me that "as thyself" means that I have to love myself first. But it wasn't until I listened to the way Anita put it, that I understood, yes! I need to be able to love myself first, in order to be able to love others, instead of being exhausted by them. 

So I have decided to live alone because I want to to feel free, independent, accepted, to feel spaciousness (to be myself), and finally the feeling of being loveable, beloved and loving.  

My actual New Years resolution is to study "A Course in Miracles". This is a book that I keep hearing about and since it consists of 365 lessons, I thought it made an appropriate New Years Resolution. Ever since the spring when I lost my joy, confidence and energy for work I have been exploring the world of modern spirituality. I have read books on mindfulness (The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle made the biggest impression) and on the the power of the mind to create our reality (E-squared by Pam Grout, is my favorite here), and taken an online course in spiritual developement in Belinda Davidsens School of the Modern Mystic, level 1. The Lightworkers Way by Doreen Virtue also made a deep impression.  At the same time I have continued to study anthroposophy. I intend to continue my spiritual studies and practices because I want to feel self aware, connected with my life purpose and with the spiritual world / the spiritual energy force that underlies the material world.

My main wish for change in 2014 is to have joy and energy for my work, and still have the time and money to travel often. I want to feel free, abundant and relaxed with regard to money, and with regard to my work I want to feel competent and compassionate. 

Christmas in Kritsa

The Christmas tree at the entrance to Kritsa

This was a bit of an unusual Christmas for me, firstly because I celebrated it in Crete, and second because I celebrated alone (except for the dog). Being in Crete, and alone there just wasn't all the stress involved that usually precedes Christmas. Yes, I did clean the house on the 23rd, just like in Norway. But for the past 10 days I have done no baking, and no christmas shopping. I didn't even write any cards though I had wanted to. However last wednesday, I couldn't find a store that sold christmas cards in Agios Nicolaos. Yesterday I actually did find a store that sold christmas cards but felt that it was too late - they probably wouldn't arrive before February now.  

The corn husk creche

I don't have a tree, either. The only Christmas decorations I brought were a corn husk creche that Ilian gave me for Christmas over 30 years ago, and an incense burner with Norwegian Christmas incense. I bought some traditional Christmas bread and Greek Christmas cookies from the women's cooperative. 

A decorated tree in the lower village square

In the morning on Christmas eve I sat down and wrote some Christmas e-mails and bought some gift cards from amazon for various family members. I had fun choosing different animations, hoping the recipients who are gathered at Ilian's house for Christmas will share them with each other. 

On my walk to Panagia Kera: a garden

On my walk to Panagia Kera: an orchard of olives and oranges

On my walk to Panagia Kera: a family of goats

In the afternoon I walked through the village and took the back roads/tracks down to Panagia Kera, one of the best preserved byzantine churches in Crete. We've been there 2 or 3 times before and it was always closed. This time though I knew to go to the ticket office by the road,and after buying a ticket, the lady took me to the church and opened it up. It does have some very nice 13th and 14th century frescoes!

Panagia Kera

Fresco of Saint George

In the evening then, I put on Norwegian Christmas music and sang along while cooking my Christmas dinner of chicken, stuffing, broccoli and salad. The stuffing was made from some old walnut bread, wild sage which I'd picked on my walk, chopped mushrooms, onions and red pepper and melted butter. It turned out delicious! So was the chicken seasoned with salt, pepper and Greek saffron. So was the broccoli steamed in butter with toasted sesame seeds, and the almost Greek salad made from wild greens (bought at market), spinach, onion, cucumber, pepper, cherry tomatoes and olives.

Nativity scene in the upper village square

During Dinner I skyped with Ingvild, and after that with Irene, Tormod and Roland and touching base with Ilian and Sharon as well. Don't know where Beren and Crystal were. Then I watched the Hunger Games before going to bed. All in all, a great Christmas Eve!

Last Days before Christmas

This morning I took Lucy to the vet in Agios Nicolaos to get her worm and flea treatment which are necessary to be readmitted to Norway. The waiting room was much like any other vets waiting room with a corner devoted to quality dog food, and a place to for people to sit with their pooches and cats. There was one other little dog that desperately wanted to say hello to Lucy, but I made her sit quietly next to me and ignore him. 

Beach at Kalo Horio

When we got called into the consulting room, all likeness with Norwegian or American veterinarys offices ended. Lucy practically tripped over a cat on the way in. The cat didn't mind at all, and so Lucy didn't mind her. There was also a teeny, tiny puppy - 4 weeks old - that came waddling up to see who the newcomer was, and Lucy sniffed it's nose in a very civilized manner, which was surprising since she usually doesn't like puppies. The puppy seemed to belong to the dread-locked assistant, because he spent most of the time holding and cuddling it. The cat obviously belonged to the lady vet or visa versa, because when the vet lady sat down to stamp Lucy's passport and write out the bill before we left, she immediately the cat  jumped onto the desk to "help" with the paperwork. The vet pushed her down onto her lap where she stayed through the whole office part of the visit. 

Beach at Kalo Horio

Anyway, after saying "hello" to the puppy,  I had Lucy jump onto the table which then rose to working height. Here she had her temperature taken, her lungs and heart listened to, teeth inspected and ears cleaned by a strange lady who hugged and kissed her face as well (but didn't give cookies like Norwegian vets do) Still, though she looked uncomfortable, she took it all in stride, with no attempts at barking or snapping. Good girl! Though when the vet stuffed a large worm pill down her throat she refused to swallow it, though she didn't try to actively spit it out either. Neither holding her mouth shut, nor pinching her nose shut made her swallow. However when the vet just went a head with the flea treatment  which was some sort of drops at the back of her neck and on her back, Lucy forgot about being stubborn and swallowed the pill.

Too many waves to make Lucy swim, pluss the pebbles were uncomfortable to walk on.

Until today, I had been noticing that Christmas is a much more low key affair than in Norway. However today the Christmas frenzy seemed to have hit Agios Nicolaos. The traffic was outrageous, much worse than last week's market day (I learned later that they had the market today since Wednesday is Christmas Day. There were people all over: shopping, sitting at the sidewalk cafes. Groups of teenagers wearing Santa hats could be seen here and there. Obviously their Christmas vacation must have begun. And there was Christmas music blaring from loudspeakers all over the town! 

But there was this tree with a branch leaning out over the water...

When I got back to Kritsa it was just as quiet and laid back as ever. People were tending their gardens, their chickens, goats, sheep and working in their workshops etc. The only indication of Christmas coming up is the Christmas lights which have become more plentiful in the last few days. 

So I had Lucy walk out to the end and lie down over the waves.

This evening Hilary introduced me to some of her English friends. An couple in their 60's that live here permanently and their son and daughter-in-law who, like me, are here for Christmas. We had drinks and snacks at the son's house first, before going down to the taverna at the entrance to the village for meze. This is a whole new eating experience for me: lots of small dishes to share: there were really only a couple of mouthfuls of each dish for everyone, but we were full by the time we were done. I especially liked the garlic mash that came with salted cod. I wouldn't mind learning how to make that.

The Peninsula of Kolokytha

Looking back on Agios Nicolaos as I take the road to Elounda

Ahead you can see the peninsula of Kolokytha

Shallows near the causeway

The first thing you come to are these old windmills

First the road follows the beach

Fishermen along the road that skirts the edge of the peninsula

Then I took off toward the hill, following this sign

Looking down on the beach below

I reach the top of the hill and there before me is the sea again and the island of Spinalonga

A paved path to the left leads to a little church. I go to explore.

View of Spinalonga from the church

You can see the top of the hill just beyond the church

Here's the bell tower.

Rested in the church yard and had my picnic

Here is the sea again on the way back

The road winds along. You can see Elounda in the distance.

Back at the windmills

Dog Walk

Morning and evening I take Lucy for a 15 minute round trip out the door, up an alley, then left and keep going straight until you (in no time at all) are out of the village and among vegetable gardens, enclosures with chickens, goats and sheep and the ever watchful barking dogs. Just follow the cement track – even in the dark

it is lit from 2 houses that you pass and take a left where that is possible. Cross the flood canal, then follow the road back to Kritsa, cross the bridge again at the water fountain and we are home.

Kritsa bright in early morning sunlight!

The first house we pass has 2 hounds that make a huge spectacle of barking. In the second house there is a little white hairball, who usually manages to get away from his mistress, not once but twice, to come barking after Lucy, his leash dangling behind. His mistress follows, yelling for him to come back, which he totally ignores. I end up catching him and either lead or carry him home.

These guys take their guard duty seriously!

In one of the enclosures there is a tiny lamb, no bigger than the chickens with which it is penned. It comes running bleating to be petted and Lucy sniffs it's nose in a very civilized manner.

The little lamb