27th April, 2014
Mum died six years ago today. I find it almost impossible to believe. It has gone so fast. So much has happened in the time. And yet the pain is still there. I weep for her.
My natural instinct to phone her and discuss the day’s events has, naturally, lessened over the years but is still there regularly. I know I will carry it until the day I die.
Went to the Cafe this morning and were warmly greeted by Christos and his Mother and Father. Had coffee and a chat to the practical joker – Makis – who keeps asking us to go for coffee. We must do it soon.
28th April, 2014
Out to the Accountant first thing this morning. Call in for coffee at Prago and post the Blog. I am expecting Giannis to call in the next few days to give me a mobile internet dongle. We have a number of things To do at the Accountant’s including requesting an E9 Form for the Notary. Don’t ask!
The day will be dominated by gardening. Fortunately, it is a cool 17C this morning which is conducive to physical work. Yet another football match tonight although I was saddened to watch Liverpool lose to Chelsea last night and for Gerrard’s mistake to be the cause of it. Maybe they can still do it.
29th April, 2014
My friend, Giannis, called this afternoon to tell me he had my internet connection ready. It is a new Cosmote wi-fi hub which will allow us to connect our two laptops, the Desktop and iPad.
What a wonderful man! He ordered it from his friend who runs Germanos on Leros. He was down in Kamares because the football team he coaches is playing here tonight. Internet in the Study. Life can start again.
30th April, 2014
Well, the last day of April has opened cold (15C) and wet. Now we have a wi-fi hub, Breakfast was improved with the radio – BBC Today programme with John Humphreys – which made my fresh orange juice even better.
Off to Apollonia this morning. Coffee at Prago but spied some very interesting people at another coffee shop. Mario’s Supermarket have offered me a job packing customers’ bags. I have yet to decide. I don’t know if I’m cut out for it.
1st May, 2014
May already. Happy new month to you all.
It’s a beautiful day here on Sifnos – just right for gardening. For the first time in this house I’ve downloaded my newspaper through wi-fi thanks to Cosmote Leros and Giannis. It will make life much more enjoyable. Happy May.
Pauline is booking a three night break in Athens to have her hair cut and generally swan about the shops to take advantage of Greek deflation. Electra Palace Hotel will be our choice.
All day cats have been howling in the olive grove. Occasionally, we would catch sight of a face in the long grasses. Tonight, to make our day, Mother Cat returned for the fourth consecutive year and brought two, huge children with her. They are much bigger than her so, wherever they’ve been during the Winter, they haven’t been starving. Pauline had saved two tins of Mother’s favourite Salmon and put one out in three separate bowls which were quickly cleaned. Children eh! Who’d have them?
More pictures to follow when I can catch them.
2nd May, 2014
Nice, quiet day gardening and reading the newspaper. We haven’t been out at all. Pauline cooked a meal of chicken, peppers and onions. Hold the Front Page!
Actually, one remarkable occurrence today involved our on-line Banking. You may find this strange but we have so many different things going on that I check our Bank accounts each morning normally and provide updates to Pauline who transfers them to her computerised accounts. She has been keeping them since shortly after we got married. With the re-introduction of our internet connection here, my normal routine has been resumed. Until today.
Today I was locked out of our accounts at 8.00 a.m.. I phoned the bank in UK and was told we were suspiciously attempting to access data. What was suspicious? We are in Greece! This is the first time in years they have found it necessary to question our actions. Apparently, it is a sign of heightened security because of increasing fraud from abroad. We don’t complain. Indeed, we have to be thankful they are protecting our assets so assiduously.
3rd May, 2014
A lovely day although only 19C. We drove up to Apolonia where it was like a different climate – three degrees cooler, cloudy and threatening rain. Tried to blow it down to Kamares to help with the gardening but without luck.
Pauline booked her hair apartment with Michalis Anousakis at his salon across the road from our hotel. She has been using him for quite a number of years now and, despite being a city centre salon, the charges are a quarter of her Vidal Sassoon stylist.