We have now been in Marina di Ragusa for just over a month. The boat jobs are beginning to be attacked and the inside of the boat is a mess with books piled high on the V berth and the main cabin stinking of varnish after the book shelf gradually drooped over the summer meaning we have had to take it apart and therefore re varnish when mending it.
The weather has been amazing, who else can say that in early November they are in shorts and Tee shirt and swimming in an amazingly calm sea. Mind you the last 2 days has been breezy and definitely chilly at night, we have been complaining of the cold and it is still 14+ degrees at night!!

We have been on a couple of trips, one to Ragusa where we wandered the streets to Ibla and the old town walking through the narrow cobbled streets and down the winding stone steps from Ragusa to Ibla and one in the car to Catania where we ageing wandered old streets with beautiful architecture..

We also went olive picking. This was arranged through another sailor who has contacts with a Sicilian family up in the mountains. We joined another couple who drove us to the farm. We met the young farmer and his wife who have just returned to take over the farm following his fathers ill health. We were made to feel very welcome and set too picking the olives in the fields. It was not hard to do, you just run your hand down the branches to sweep the olives from the stems. They then fall to the ground where a net has been strategically placed to catch them. The net is carefully gathered together and the olives poured into a crate before setting off on the next tree. We worked steadily in what was an amazingly hot day, so hot that at some points we sought shade from the trees. Some branches required the use of ladders, well that's what they were supposed to be, a few bits of wood nailed together was more like it. We had a short stop for lunch, provided by the family of bread, pasta, pesto and fruit all home made or gathered from around the farm and then set too again. The end of the day saw 150kg of olives picked!!! In comparison to others from the marina whose groups were 10 we actually picked more per person than all other groups, so were chuffed at our efforts.
We then visited the olive press, actually an automated system that sorts, washes, grinds, mixes and separates the olives to end up with a pure virgin olive oil. For every 6 kg 1litre is made so we would have made about 25litres of oil, it seems such a small amount for the arm breaking work we put in. however it was a great experience and made me feel like I had been useful for a change.

Other than this we have been just getting on with daily life. I have to say the social life is busy and we have settled into a regular pattern of meeting others for drinks, tea, chats and I even tried Tai Chi but found it too tough on my knee.
I have however joined a guitar group and play twice a week, I have not played for a few years and my fingers are sore but I really enjoy the chance to sing and play. I hope to arrange a Christmas Eve sing song and nibbles for those left at the Marin so that even if we are away from home we can have some semblance of traditional Christmas celebrations.

Well that is all for now. Will update soon.