Day 57

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Day 57

Today was the first dig day in a while, so I got up at 6:35am, changed, washed up, got lunch together and Isabelle came over to steal some breakfast since she just got back last night. We left just before 7:30 and met the group at the docks. Everyone but one guy showed up and we were almost a complete group (for once)! The dig went smoothly; it was mostly cloudy all day with bits of sun popping in. I wore shorts because my bug bites are still itchy, but it wasn’t the warmest day. We got bits of sunshine and almost hot weather as we dug, but Ada and I were digging deep bulks in a big space so we had a lot of soil to move and got warmed up really fast. Sarah worked on unveiling the pithos we had started to cover, and Esther left to do light work in Lisa’s burial. It was a workout for me and Ada and lunch was well-awaited.

After the dig, Isabelle and I quickly dropped off our stuff at the apartments then headed down to the grocery store and bakery to pick up bread, veggies and eggs for lunch at Neil’s and fried rice dinner we were planning on making for the group tonight at the ‘PP’ (Neil and Gioria live there, above our classroom, and they refer to it as their perfect prison). But Gioria had to catch the ferry to go to Athens at 2:15pm, so we agreed to meet at 2pm. Only Isabelle and I got there on time, AND we bought all the groceries. Lisa has a tendency of always being late and having to smoke, so she came late and missed Gioria, but luckily I bought us some baklava for dessert so we gave Gioria a piece before she had to leave. Jenn arrived just before Gioria left, then Lisa came by about 15 minutes later. She made a tuna salad mix that we spread on top of the bread I sliced. We ate with Neil since he was alone at the PP now and then went back to our places to rest, change and go for a run before Greek with Stella tonight.

The run was rough because we ate too much at Neil’s and it was too early to be running after sandwiches and baklava. But we ran a light one today, stretched, took showers then got ready for Stella. Isabelle was over when I got out of my shower and Jerry had come by with Lisa. He left when we did, back to work after siesta, and we walked to class. There was only about half of us, as usual, but her class was pretty useful. I was super hungry so ate a carrot before we left, then scarfed down an apple in class.

Right after, we went up to Neil’s to start cooking dinner. We brought over the leftover chicken I bought for the chicken pot pie, frozen peas and scotch Isabelle bought for Geoffrey in Athens, on her way back from Paris. Everyone helped to dice and prep the veggies as I manned the giant pot of rice over the element. I’ve never made SO much rice in my life! And I just prayed I didn’t ruin it for everyone. And it was either luck, or that I’m getting better at cooking, but the rice cooked perfectly as I added cups of water as I saw fit. Then I washed 2 frying pans, and we cooked the chicken with some garlic and onions; then split the mix into 2 pans and fried them with the rest of the veggies (red onion, carrots, green pepper, peas, corn and broccoli). After that was all cooked, we added it into the giant vat of rice and fried it all up in the rice pot. Isabelle and I took turns mixing the rice and veggies, as the other added soy sauce, sesame oil that Neil had around, and all 6 eggs we bought. It was all done cooking pretty fast and then we tried waiting until Geoffrey arrived, but Neil kept coming by grabbing handfuls of rice and we knew he was hungry. Odysseus dropped by in the afternoon and hungout with me in the kitchen as the others chopped in the ‘living room’/office area. So just before he left, I wanted to give him a bit to eat before his soccer practice, but he refused and so we just wound up serving everyone. A girl in our program skipped Stella’s class and was over at Neil’s to get some computer virus help, and she mooched the bread and oil with vinegar I mixed for the group as they prepped dinner, then she stayed for our dinner AND huka afterwards. Also Jerry had work until 9 or so, so Lisa made sure we saved him a massive plate, but even with the extra mouths to feed, we had more than enough food to go around (almost everyone had second helpings and Isabelle, Jenn and I all had leftovers for the dig tomorrow!). I grabbed a plate for Geoffrey when he arrived, but he wasn’t that late since we had just sat down and I was boiling more water for the tea (we were drinking Chamomile tea with a hint of mint leaves in it, it was really yummy!), and he bought a chocolate bar for both Isabelle and me as a thanks for dinner I guess. Regardless, it was really nice of him and I told him he didn’t have to. After dinner Isabelle and I headed back to the apartment to grab the aluminum foil I found in my kitchen since Neil’s supply was all used up and needed for the huka.

When we got back, we gave Geoffrey his scotch present (Talisker scotch) and Neil started up the huka. I tried a bit of the scotch, but I know for sure it’s not for me! The first sip was nice, then after that it just tasted like poison and made me want to vomit, but luckily Lisa’s Scottish and she offered to finish mine off since she’s used to drinking it. So I ended the night munching on a piece of Isabelle’s chocolate, some berry candies she also brought over and tea Neil made. We left close to 10:30pm, and then Isabelle and I talked till about 12midnight about her issues and mine. I’ve been living in such close quarters with people I wouldn’t normally get along with or choose to be friends with, that it’s getting rougher to deal with them, and it helps to have a complaint fest with another girl who understands and knows the people. Jerry and Lisa drove off somewhere after dinner, and so just Jenn and the 2 of us walked back, and Jenn was super tired and just went to bed, so we were free to complain about whatever and whoever we wanted. I love that I have at least one outlet and ear to listen to my little complaints and that she understands exactly what I mean and how I feel. Not that I can’t talk to my boyfriend, he’s great at listening, but she’s great because she knows how hormonal girls can be and she is in my exact same situation. So once all our worries were aired and covered, we got tired, she left for bed and I drifted off to a really relaxing sleep; just dreaming about being back home soon! Yay!

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