We met over 50 years ago

We met over 50 years ago at our workplace in 1975, exchanged a brief "Nice to meet you" and carried on with our lives. We were both happily married at that time...or so we thought. Our lives were very different. John had a family life with his wife and two daughters in Surrey. I was still living in an East Vancouver apartment with my husband while he completed his education.

Five years later everything had changed. Both of our marriages had collapsed.We seemed to bump into each other more often at work, stop to chat, share a coffee in the cafeteria. There was a mutual attraction. Then there were games of tennis and dinners on the beach. Before long we were living together, sharing custody of his daughters and  pregnant with our son.

It wasn't until December 6, 1992 that we were officially married. Tonight I will have dinner at our favorite little restaurant in Langley where we shared our anniversary dinners since moving to this community. I will sip a glass of red wine and savor the flavors of their special steak & prawn dinner while reflecting on our many adventures.

On December 8, 2020 John left on a solo adventure. Every now and then he sends a message by knocking a painting off the wall or turning on a bedroom light. I hope he is enjoying these little mischievous pranks.

New series

This summer I have been working on a new series of paintings. 

The title for the series is still a mystery.

More in the next post.

Porter's in Langley

Cozy Bean, my favorite Cafe/Bakery was closed last week so I visited my second choice which is located in Murrayville. Porter's Bistro, Coffee and Tea House was built in 1888 and operated as a General Store. As an official Heritage building it still features original fixtures, floors and cabinetry. In 1997 it became Porter's Coffee and Tea House. The onsite bakery produces delicious baked goods every day as well as many other meal options. This place has everything!

Live music performances are featured every Thursday evening. The back corner, where the stage is set up, is lined with black & white photos of all the musicians who have performed here. Guitars and banjos hang from the walls along with an exhibition of local artists' paintings. The original Post Office door leads to a tiny office. 

There are glass art pieces, mugs, dishcloths, lotions, scarves, teapots for sale. Fans spin from the ceiling. No AC in this old building. A wide variety of coffees and teas keep customers happy. Tables and chairs are from another era, some are decorated with tablecloths. Old glass paned doors provide privacy.

Most of the customers are from the local community. The young servers know them by name and greet everyone with a smile. I meet with a group of friends here every Saturday morning. We discuss politics, movies, music and life events. Sometimes I like to visit alone mid-week to sit and soak in the history, appreciate the artwork, do some writing or drawing. It is definitely a place that inspires.

Leaving the island and, possibly, my last visit to Greece

All good things must come to an end.. At 6:00am on departure day I drove my friend's car to the other end of the island, gave the keys to another friend and boarded the Blue Star ferry for the voyage back to Athens. Sadness filled me as I realized that this would probably be my last visit to this rocky island in the Aegean Sea. An island that has pulled me back with its magic for 25 years.

Of course the ferry schedule did not allow me to leave on the day that coincided with my Athens hotel reservation, so, I spent another night in Piraeus. The next day I met Kalliroi again for more Athens explorations.

Kalliroi has been a special friend for 24 years. She suggested that we share a meal

in the Athens market, a huge place under an aging glass roof.

The servers describe each choice of dish that is made fresh every day.

We thought that this was a produce market but the doors slid open

to reveal the lobby of the Athens Center Square Hotel.

On our walk we discovered the Underground Taverna 

where we have shared meals in the past.

It has become a Tourist destination now and lost some of its charm.

On my final evening in Athens I met with Niovi and Anna for a glass of wine and reminiscing of adventures on Amorgos. Anna used to live on the island but has moved back to Athens. Niovi travelled from Leonidio just to spend some time with me. It was another special evening.

Ups and downs

 My visit didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped. The weather was very cold for the first 9-10 days and I had not packed warm clothing. Fortunately the AC in my room helped to warm the air in the morning and the eiderdown on my bed provided cozy sleeps.

The constant daily climbing of pathways and uneven surfaces in Chora took its toll on my new hip. The aggravation and pain forced me to limit my excursions to daily breakfast at Jazzmin and nightly visits to Fotodotis for dinner. 

Then a friend offered me her car while she was away in Athens.

That gave me freedom to travel to other spots on the island for visits with friends 

and to enjoy swims as the weather finally warmed up.

Fotula's lovely taverna in Langada.

81st birthday and friends

 Last year I had hoped to share my 80th birthday with friends on Amorgos. A scheduled hip replacement surgery cancelled those plans. So, in 2025 I celebrated my 81st birthday and 25 years of visits to Amorgos.

It was wonderful to share time and laughter with friends from Greece, Turkey, Italy and Germany. 

Special 1/2 serving of Greek salad with a mizithra funny face!

Drawings and paintings of Amorgos

 This trip marked 25 years since our first visit to Amorgos. 

I decided to look through my drawing books from 2000.

This was the second time that I have exhibited paintings at Jazzmin Cafe.

The concept for the paintings originated from my drawings.

Before leaving the island I gifted them to friends, 

happy to think of them displayed in my friends' homes.