Hello everyone!  It’s 7:30 pm, Greek time, and we just woke up from a nap not long ago.  Our schedule in Greece is so different from our typical schedule in the US!  We wake up around 7:30-8:00, eat breakfast, end up getting to the beach by around 10:30, make it home for a big lunch (the big meal of the day) around 2:30 or so, then take a long nap (today it was 2 1/2 hours!), and then we don’t eat dinner until 10:30!  And that’s a fairly normal schedule for the Greeks.  It makes sense really – you get to take a nap during the heat of the day and then enjoy the long evening hours when it’s cooling down.  Anyway, we’re having a great time here.  Nik’s uncle’s name day is tomorrow so we had a big party today.  Salomi cooked more food than I’ve seen in a long time – including about 5 kinds of meat.  That’s why we needed a nap, to sleep off all the food!  Today we went snorkeling at a beach where Nik’s other uncle and aunt took us yesterday.  At first, it was pretty boring but all of a sudden, we were over rocks with tons of little black fish!  We have fun following them around for a pretty long time!

Last night, we had dinner with Tina’s cousin and her family.  The husband of the family is 78 and he is still farming.  They have grapes (and make their own wine), olives, and wheat.  His daughter told us that they try to get him to stop farming but he doesn’t want to.  He says that when he dies, he will stop working.  That’s a good job!  He also does NOT look 78!  His face is fairly lined but his body looks really young.

Everyone is so kind to me here.  They are all so glad that we’ve come from America and if anyone speaks even a little bit of English, they try to talk to me.  I’ve learned a few words and phrases, including, “What, are you kidding me” Especially useful with Theo Kiriakos and Thea Salomi who do a lot of teasing!

Sorry about no pictures – we can only get on the Internet at an internet cafe here so pictures will have to wait until we’re back in the US.  Tomorrow, we’re going to the Sithonia Peninsula – it’s close to here and very beautiful.  And then from Tuesday to Thursday, we’re taking a little trip towards Turkey, to see Nik’s dad’s hometown and also to go the island of Thassos.  And then, soon it will be time to fly home.  It’s hard to believe that we’ve already been in Greece for two weeks.  I’ve met all of Nik’s family now and it’s fun to have all the pieces of his family puzzle in place.  It’s funny that I’ve met all of his family, who live in Greece but he hasn’t met all of mine!  I guess the Stumps/Judges are both numerous and far-flung.  Hopefully, we’ll have a big reunion one of these days.

Love to all of you!