Why do you only appreciate things when you about to lose them?

We fell asleep on deck last night after watching our regular dose of gritty, English drama reminding us that real life isn't actually like this - on this occasion Ken Loach's Raining Stones.

Woke up around 2am, NOT being bitten by mozzies for once, but maybe so I could catch the spooky moonset. As the near full moon slipped behind the mountains, bit by bit the silvery light that had drenched the decks all evening retreated, leaving true darkness. One of those purest of natural moments that takes your breath away.

It's coming to the end of the season - this is the last full on week - and, sadly, yes I am glad. But I'm also trying to make the most of every day of this most perfect of Augusts (temps in low 30's, cool breeze at night, cloudless sunny days, no storms, sea breezes). Our plan to keep some free time for ourselves this summer still didn't really work in terms of socialising as attempts to meet up with mates have been thwarted by an inability to communicate (and that's not just the rum). Talking to strangers all day, every day, kind of does that to you in your spare time.

But can't complain - everything has gone amazingly well. Plus we have something else in the pipeline which is in the process of being finalised - more of when it's official.

23 August 2010
After dropping off our guests tonight, we motored across the bay with the graduated orange/red/purple light of sunset fading in the west and anchored in near darkness. We've found a particularly lovely spot off the uninhabited shoreline of Sveti Marko island in Tivat Bay which is only 30 mins from the marina but remote enough to be tranquil, sheltered from northerlies, open to sea breezes from mid-morning to late evening so naturally air-conditioned and the water is clean. Plus it is a 30 second jaunt to the shore with the dogs, who run along the pebbled beach with gay abandon (until the Furminator arrives - more of later).

Anyway, we dropped anchor as a full moon of jaw-dropping size and brightness rose over the mountains of Lovcen, then stripped off and dived into the sea which glistened and shuddered under the moon's rays. It was warm enough to dry out on deck which we did so accompanied by a winter stew that I'd made in the pressure cooker. It doesn't get much better than this.

26 August 2010
No work yesterday so spent the day at Sv Marko and just bummed around. I have forgotten what it is like to simply get up and have "nothing to do". Bloody great. Read my new book, fiddled with things, snorkelled the crappy reef and took an afternoon snooze. Oh, and made the mistake (yet again) of reading online newspapers from the UK and got very angry. I am keeping my daily rants to the verbal, and not committing them to posts.

Woke up this morning early, watched the mist and perfect reflections of mountains and cyprus trees on the water. Then Tony arrived in the Porto RIB with Schoona the dog who we are dog-sitting so with three dogs for company, the usual mayhem commenced.

Work today. Yesterday was a temporary and much enjoyed blip.