Yes!!

I figured it out!
It's the little victories, really.

Something Great

Some of you may be aware of Teri's penchant for all things Blue Grass-- blame it on growing up in Bakersfield or going to school in Texas, but this girl is a sucker for a banjo and steel guitar. Ahh, Patty Griffin, Emmylou, Alison Krauss (Thanks Mama G), ... but yesterday she happened upon this beautiful ensemble and discovered Gillian Welch. How had I not heard of her before?

Anecdote

Last night at a restaurant in our neighborhood that we frequent maybe once-a-week:

Owner: Yasas! 

T&M: Yasas, how are you?

Owner: Good. How are you?

T&M: Good. It was hot today! We're hungry!

Owner: Yeah.. (looks at Teri), You don't cook?

Almost forgot about gender roles here.

Happy Birthday Matt

For Matt's 37th we took a ferry to nearby island of Syros. It was amazing! Definitely, one of the best things about living on this side of the world is being so close to places like this. We decided to make a real effort to get out of Athens more often. Matt usually has to work on Saturdays which makes it hard to go anywhere on the weekends, but, hopefully, we can make it work somehow.

Here are pictures of our Syros sojourn:
Ubiquitous stand of fried and seseame'd goodies at the port of Piraeus

Our "fast boat" to Syros

Matt amongst fishing boats in Syros

One of many swimming slabs around the island

Our Neo-Classical Mansion Hotel (Our room is top, left window)

Syros shoreline

Street views

Teri didn't plan on swimming in her clothes, but a rogue wave soaked her on way to lunch!

Nun on way to Saturday mass

Lazy lunch on a quiet beach opposite the port town

Island taverna

Hotel lobby with gracious host Yannis

From bedroom window

Someday

We were talking the other day about how this time in our lives is sort of like retirement--we have the time to do many of the things we save for "someday." Well, we certainly have been doing all sorts of "someday" activities including: writing poetry (Teri is taking classes online and Matt collaborates with her), learning the guitar, learning to cook and bake (even trying our hands at homemade pizza and pasta), and learning the ebb and flow of everyday life in Greece. We know that this time won't last forever, but it's nice to be able to enjoy it right now.