I’ve been pondering the word “sweet spot.” The word reminds me of my softball days. For all you non-sporty people (mainly you Jessica) the sweet spot is the optimal part of the bat where you want the ball to hit. If you hit the ball directly on the sweet spot, you’re more likely to have really great results. You will have hit the ball solidly, connected perfectly…. it’s a pretty great feeling. The same term can be used when catching a ball. Failing to hit the sweet spot often has varying results…usually it just means the ball doesn’t go as far, but sometimes it could result in a decent amount of pain…catching a line drive in the middle of the glove, or hitting the ball off the end of the bat really hurts.

I’ve come up with my own meaning for the word “sweet spot” today.

As you may already know, Jessica and I have spent a fair amount of time on this trip in the sun. We’ve gone swimming, we’ve hiked, we’ve snorkeled, and of course, we’ve “laid out.” A rather funny term I guess, that really just means we’ve spent hours in a horizontal position reading, sleeping, working a crossword, listening to music, talking, or just watching the steady motion of the waves. One would think that this “laying out” doesn’t require much thought or skill, but there is a bit of a science to it. First there’s the application of sunscreen. How much is too much? Using a higher SPF may be the healthy choice, but if you’re going for that great tan you really need to stick with the lower numbers. Where is the best place to lay out? Back at home my options are pretty basic. Backyard on a towel, backyard in a chair, or on the roof, which to be honest I’ve never tried given the fact that I value my life, and the roof easily lends itself to a fatal fall, or more likely, a fatal heat stroke…although I’ve come close to the latter with both backyard options. Greece is different. There are beach options, boat options (see previous blog J), and rock options. Jessica and I prefer the rocks. I know, I thought I would pick the sandy beach too. But we have found that rocks are a lot less messy, they tend to be way more secluded than the beach, and they offer easy access to the water. (The best rocks are those actually in the middle of the water, but they require just a little more work).
The only negative with using a rock is sometimes the comfort level. You really need to find just the right rock…flat and smooth…You also need to position your body in just the right way, so as to become one with your rock, fitting perfectly with the indentions of the rock. This is a rare thing. Usually at least one leg or arm is in pain, and you have to tough it out, but every once in a while, it will happen, that special moment, the moment when you forget that you are laying on a hard, bumpy, piece of nature, and instead, think that you’ve just sunken into the softest bed….that’s when you’ve found it… your sweet spot.

Even as I write this entry, I can’t help but think of “sweet spot” in yet another way. I’d have to say I’m in a bit of a “sweet spot” right now. I’m sitting on my front porch outside my cottage in Azalas, Naxos, watching the clouds slowly change color as the sun is thinking about setting. Listening to the waves of the Aegean, just a few steps away, hitting the rocky cliffs that jut out into the water (tempting the adventuristic side of me- I see another cliff climb in my future). All is beautiful, all is peaceful. My entertainment though has been the sweetest of all. Four adorable German/Greek blond headed blue eyed children…just being kids. Singing, screaming, laughing. The youngest, dressed in shorts and a bright blue puffy winter coat. A sight to see in the heat of summer. He’s dragging a very large red rubber ball that I believe to be filled with rocks. A Sparta hat with red plume is on his head, and a sword is tucked into his shorts. He’s chanting something in German, and has just stopped to flail his ball into a tree and whip out his sword to attack his pretend enemy. He sees me then, and gives the most heart-melting smile. So that makes three boys I’m in love with on this trip…The cute slightly sarcastic waiter from Folegandros, the sexy from afar surfer dude who also plays paddleball from today, and the four year old little boy who reminds me of JJ.

When it comes to Sweet spots, this Greece trip has not disappointed me. On a daily basis I find myself exclaiming… “this is amazing, or awesome, or I can’t believe how beautiful this is.” Some of the highlights, which may show up in a future blogs, but I’ll just mention them here now to keep with my sweet spot theme, have been:

- The balcony in Athens on the first night
- Sitting on the deck of our first ferry boat waiting to blast off to Crete, reading and talking with Jessica and Susan
- The café in Hania with the sweet old man
- The other café in Hania with strawberry crepes and the high top table
- The middle of the Sameria Gorge
- Standing in the middle of the crystal clear waters of Elafonisi
- Our first dinner in Crete, Tanam, where I ordered shark
- Our last dinner in Crete, the one with the most amazing ambiance, the one where we meant to order something small and split it, but instead, ordered half the menu J
- Sitting on the steps of the Hania lighthouse at night, looking at the moon, the stars, and the city lights
- The view from the top of Skaros on Santorini
- My own personal bedroom…the loft at our place in Santorini
- The restaurant with the Caldera view in Santorini (before they overcharged us for water)
- The café in Folegandros with the cute waiter and the warm Nutella covered donuts
- The view of Katergo beach after the long hike
- The top of the Mountain Jess and I free climbed and then claimed by writing our names with rocks
- The giant rocks we laid out on after the free climb…the ones with the crashing waves, like fireworks
- Watching the sunset on top of the church at one of the highest points in Folegandros
- The first 5 minutes of our mule ride to Ambeli beach
- The bus ride to our current place in Naxos. The winding road…each turn giving better views of our newest island.

Jessica and I like to think of this trip as more than just a vacation, but really just living life in a different location (a pretty awesome location, free from most everyday stress, but still just regular life- it’s ok if you don’t buy this J) With life though, sometimes you hit the sweet spot and sometimes, well, you just hit the end of the bat. I won’t share with you the painful “mis hits”, but I will say that one involved not being able to pop some much needed popcorn. I know, such problems…..I’m happy that those days are very rare, and I’m excited to add to my sweet list…as we continue our time here in Greece.