Post by artisans on Nov 9, 2008 19:33:04 GMT 2
It's a calm & peaceful evening in Roda and, as Greek dogs do, Zak, Lola & Petra are snoozing on the balcony, waiting for something to eat, when BANG!!! - a firework explodes in the sky just behind Nino's. Complete pandemonium breaks loose and even though Lola wanders off unconcerned, Zak tries to break in upstairs and Petra leaps at the windows before disappearing altogether. A few minutes later and the fireworks are over - Zak emerges from his hidey-hole under the stairs, but Petra is nowhere to be found.
Petra is not our dog, but we sort of look after her as her owners, Sofia & Yiannis, have gone back to Athens. She is the most lovely English Setter who was found as a stray at Barbati. It is fair to say that we have grown fond of each other. After an hour or so, we set off to see if she had run back to Sofia's house beyond the village. 'Don't forget to switch off the cooker', shouts Sofia's mum from upstairs. Unfortunately, she's not there and, after a quick trip around Roda, there's no sign of her. Another check at midnight and we have to admit there is nothing more we can do until the morning. Reluctantly, we go to bed each with an ear c0cked for any sound.
At 06:30, I hear the munching of biscuits, but it's only Zak on a dawn raid. Not able to sleep, and fearing the worst, I set off to look for her in the hope that she will hear me in the quietness of those early hours. Around the village I go, WHISTLE, WHISTLE - nothing. Creeping around deserted accommodation - WHISTLE, WHISTLE, not a sound. I reach the crossroads and decide to walk back along the main road towards Acharavi in case she cut through the trees away from the noise. Nothing!
Turning left past the scene of last night's crime, I reached the sea by Nino's. I'd better check out the seafront as far as Acharavi, I thought - Petra likes to go into the drainage pipes and chase birds along the shore. Nothing in the first set of pipes, so I carried on. I couldn't check the second set, because the early morning Minoan ferry from Ancona had set up a few waves - I'll check those on the way back WHISTLE, WHISTLE. As I reached Roda Garden Village, whistling away, I looked up and there, in the distance, was a light coloured dog walking towards me. It wasn't there a minute ago, could it be Petra? The tail looks too big! Of course, at 8:00 in the morning the brilliant sunshine is right in my eyes and the dog is backlit with orange & gold. Even though we are 200 metres apart, we both stop and stare at each other. WHISTLE, WHISTLE - PETRA! She starts to run, and this bedraggled specimen is with me in two seconds flat, leaping & dancing and glad to be found.
As we got home, Eli is on the road in her nightdress, which I guess now needs a good wash - and then it's Julie, where is she, back to leaping at the door - but this time she stays, glad that her adventure is over.
This is Petra:
Petra is not our dog, but we sort of look after her as her owners, Sofia & Yiannis, have gone back to Athens. She is the most lovely English Setter who was found as a stray at Barbati. It is fair to say that we have grown fond of each other. After an hour or so, we set off to see if she had run back to Sofia's house beyond the village. 'Don't forget to switch off the cooker', shouts Sofia's mum from upstairs. Unfortunately, she's not there and, after a quick trip around Roda, there's no sign of her. Another check at midnight and we have to admit there is nothing more we can do until the morning. Reluctantly, we go to bed each with an ear c0cked for any sound.
At 06:30, I hear the munching of biscuits, but it's only Zak on a dawn raid. Not able to sleep, and fearing the worst, I set off to look for her in the hope that she will hear me in the quietness of those early hours. Around the village I go, WHISTLE, WHISTLE - nothing. Creeping around deserted accommodation - WHISTLE, WHISTLE, not a sound. I reach the crossroads and decide to walk back along the main road towards Acharavi in case she cut through the trees away from the noise. Nothing!
Turning left past the scene of last night's crime, I reached the sea by Nino's. I'd better check out the seafront as far as Acharavi, I thought - Petra likes to go into the drainage pipes and chase birds along the shore. Nothing in the first set of pipes, so I carried on. I couldn't check the second set, because the early morning Minoan ferry from Ancona had set up a few waves - I'll check those on the way back WHISTLE, WHISTLE. As I reached Roda Garden Village, whistling away, I looked up and there, in the distance, was a light coloured dog walking towards me. It wasn't there a minute ago, could it be Petra? The tail looks too big! Of course, at 8:00 in the morning the brilliant sunshine is right in my eyes and the dog is backlit with orange & gold. Even though we are 200 metres apart, we both stop and stare at each other. WHISTLE, WHISTLE - PETRA! She starts to run, and this bedraggled specimen is with me in two seconds flat, leaping & dancing and glad to be found.
As we got home, Eli is on the road in her nightdress, which I guess now needs a good wash - and then it's Julie, where is she, back to leaping at the door - but this time she stays, glad that her adventure is over.
This is Petra: