Sanders Blog

Sunday, July 24th, 2016

After another hot and sweaty night, we have woken to an overcast but humid start to the day.  Orange juice and tea followed by the Marr Show and an interview with the superficially affable but ultimately sinister and threatening John McDonnell.

As one reads the Sunday newspapers encompassing international terrorism, European disintegration and British political turmoil, WB Yates’ lines from The Second Coming spring quickly to mind:

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
…………….
The darkness drops again but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

What is important, to my mind, is not to run away or turn one’s back on this turmoil and to pretend as one so often hears from older people that it won’t affect them. These issues have to be addressed by all of us. Perhaps we will have to send for Cadet D Pritchard!

On a lighter note (Get it?), we received two more table lamps for our Lounge yesterday. We are very pleased with them. We only have one still to be delivered with one more side table.

Lounge in Progress

The Lounge is still work in progress. We have decided to ditch – after 30 years – our collection of mid to late 19th Century pictures – PreRapaelite, Waterhouse, Whistler, Frederick Lord Leighton, Perugini, etc.. It is time to move on and radically. We are rather taken with the recent work of Hockney since he returned to his Yorkshire roots. Things produced in panel form and, often, using his iPad, like this:

Kerby after Hogarth – David Hockney

A Bigger Picture – David Hockney

Unfortunately, they are so new, they have not arrived in print form yet and we can’t afford the originals. I do have a colour laser but, if Hockney is reading this, we are happy to borrow them.

Monday, July 25th, 2016

I have always thought that it was dangerous for Greece to rely on one, main income stream. Whenever one talked to those in the tourist industry on Sifnos – which just about included everybody – they displayed extreme complacency based on generations of success. The belief was always that although they would have good and bad years, ultimately, tourist income would continue to be their mainstay.

I began to believe that this was complacent for a number of reasons. One was generational. Generations before me – for all sorts of different economic and developmental reasons – looked not much further than Britain’s coastlines. The air travel revolution that began in the 1960s and developed strongly in the 1970s, made European shores easily within reach and those of my generation and just before have not, generally, been as tempted by the Long Haul as the current band of 20 – 40 year olds. Ironically, even those on Greek islands in that age band dream of trips to Thailand, etc.

Another reason was cultural. Many of the generations born since we joined the EU, saw themselves as European and the ‘simple pleasures’ of Greek Island ‘Hopping’ appealed to the 60s/70s ‘Hippy’ Generation much more than to those who feel the need to explore very different cultures than their own. The Far East has long been a favourite destination to sample more exotic cultures and, gradually, the European tourist base is coming and will become eroded. Add into that mix, European instability, wild currency fluctuation and terrorist threats and the trend is accentuated. Tonight, Kathimerini reports this:

Germany and Britain are Greece’s biggest tourist markets, but tourist spending patterns might be worrying. Bank of Greece data for May showed tourism earnings down 10.4 percent year-on-year as visitors reined in spending.

That tightening of the purse strings was most pronounced with a 29.2 percent drop in spending by Britons, where a see-sawing sterling, weakened by the referendum to leave the European Union, made holidays in Greece more expensive.

This may only be a short term manifestation but it will feed in to a long term societal trend which will be underlined by Brexit.

Tuesday, July 26th, 2016

I mused over my freshly squeezed orange juice, cup of tea followed by freshly ground cup of coffee that, throughout my working life and even up to three years ago or so my diet was completely wrong for me. I somehow half knew it intuitively without ever focussing down on it. I ate too much of everything but, particularly, lots and lots of bulk carbohydrates which raised my blood sugar only to see it crash as I burnt it off. This made me crave more carbohydrate immediately.

I must be honest with you. I don’t know what I’m talking about. Only girls did Biology in my Grammar School days and they were banished to another school entirely. As a consequence, I never got to understand girls but, more importantly, I never learned how my own body worked. I was basically walking around in a body which I had never been licensed to own.

Shreddies – for years my Breakfast Cereal of choice.

After a huge bowl of Shreddies followed by toast and marmalade for Breakfast, we would drive to school, charge round for about 3 hours and I would sneak a bacon sandwich from the Canteen at Breaktime. An hour and a half later I was shattered and ready for lunch which would often be pasta or just a sandwich. At home, 4 or 5 hours later and, maybe after sneaking a few biscuits during a meeting, we would reward ourselves with a big meal. We only ever bought ready-made food on a Friday (which was ‘Chinese Night’) and we both enjoyed cooking for relaxation. I would open a bottle of wine while I cooked, kidding myself that I would use some in the cooking and then open another with the meal which invariably contained potatoes, pasta or rice and lots and lots of meat. Even as I write this, it seems like another world away.

Today, I have a constant battle with my consumption but usually I win. Only liquids for breakfast. If I get hungry during the morning, I resort to fruit – mainly bananas – and then we go to the gym. When we get back at around 3.00 pm, I am hungry but tired and thirsty so I drink bottled water which fills me and then we eat a meal which usually centres on protein (so I’m told) and, almost always fish or chicken. I’m not allowed green vegetables because of my INR so I have fennel, mushrooms, onions/shallots, peppers roasted or griddled or I have Greek Salad/Tomato & Basil Salad. There are always lots of tomatoes in our meal. This is invariably followed by fresh fruit salad with a topping of yoghurt.

That is my meal for the day but, if and when I am desperate for food, I turn to my other ‘new’ failsafe which is nuts. I buy packets of walnuts, cashew nuts but my favourite is a Fruit & Nut selection. What I had never realised, because I knew nothing about the science, was that protein takes longer to digest and sits in the stomach longer keeping one feeling fuller for longer. It’s a brilliant invention and works wonderfully for me. If you’d offered me these products three or four years ago, I would have told you that you were, well, nuts.

Wednesday, July 27th, 2016

The Last Lamp Arrives.

We decided not to go to the gym today. We were both feeling a bit tired after 4 consecutive hard workouts and we were expecting a delivery. It came at about 1.30 pm which would leave us time for a trip to David Lloyd but we decided to slack for one day. The delivery today was the final lamp for our Lounge and the final table arrives on Wednesday. Barring some art work on the walls, we are done. We bought two of these lamps illustrated here from a company called Lights on Lights off. They came in enough boxes to fill a recycling skip. Good company though – reasonable prices and quick despatch. These two only cost £200.00.

We’ve had a little light rain this morning on a hot and muggy day. The recent hot sunshine has really brought the peppers and, particularly, the tomatoes on and we will be picking towards the end of this week. Today, we are having a treat – Calamari and Greek Salad.

Thursday, July 28th, 2016

A philosopher (whose name I have forgotten) once said that Life is not so much about Beginnings or Endings but just muddling through the middle. That’s what we’ve been doing today. It was quite an active day. By 9.00 am we were out shopping at Tesco. After half an hour of charging round the store, we came back and I proceeded to mow the lawns. A short rest at 12.00 mid day with a cup of coffee and then off to the gym. We did a couple of hours in a delightfully quiet gym and then drove home.

My turn to cook today. Roast boned chicken breasts on a bed of home-grown tarragon accompanied by roasted peppers and tomatoes plus fennel braised in white wine with tarragon. It was delightful to prepare, cook and to eat. After that, we allowed ourselves relaxation time with our iPad newspapers.

Three years ago this week, we had finished clearing the land around our Greek house. Pauline had just finished painting our big, iron gate with black, anti-rust paint and I had taken delivery of a ‘For Sale’ sign which I attached to the newly painted gate. The very next day, I received a phone call to tell me that a buyer wanted to come and discuss the property. It took almost twelve months to clinch the deal. Three years on, that sign is on the wall above my head while I type this Blog. It all feels a world away.

Friday, July 29th, 2016

Champion!

Happy 64th Birthday to Jane BG. We wish her another great year of winning.

A Prize Winning Tomato

I picked my first cherry tomato this morning and I was going to send it her as a present but, before I had packaged and labelled it, ….. I ate it. Well I cut it in half and shared it with my wife. She pronounced it under ripe and in need of a few more days on the vine. Story of my life – just too eager.

We are in the dying days of July 2016. We celebrated by going to the local tip to get rid of more packaging than I could comfortably fit into the car. I had been storing it up in the garage as we unpacked five lamps and four tables. I had two types of waste – cardboard which goes in the cardboard and paper skip and polystyrene and bubble wrap plus plastic which all goes into the ‘General Waste’ skip. Strangely, having dumped the waste and driven away, there is a pleasant sense of achievement and relief. Maybe it’s just me.

An on-line journal – Keep Talking Greece – features a CitiGroup Bank analysis which

insists that Grexit is a real possibility in the next 1 to 3 years. Taking into consideration factors like deeper recession and new political instability, the Citigroup analysts see increase of the Grexit risk……………………The report is pessimistic about the country’s prospects, claiming the predictions of both the Greek government and its lenders on the course of the Greek economy will be proven wrong. The Citigroup believes the economy of Greece will continue in recession, predicting a 7.1% contraction of GDP in 2018 and a spike in inflation of 47%, based on its evaluation that Greece will have a new national currency by then.

Certainly, the Greek governments propensity to talk the economy up could well turn out to be counter productive.

Satuday, July 30th, 2016

Sony Experia M2

Sony Experia XA

Strangely nothing day for the penultimate of July. We went out early to the EE Shop in Worthing to look at possible upgrades for our smart phones which are on contract and coming towards the end of their term. We have two Sony Experia M2s at the moment but I am going to receive two Sony Experia XAs in replacement. I will be able to trade our old ones in for about £70.00 which will be fine after two years use.

Fascinating report referred to in this morning’s Daily Telegraph headlined:

IMF admits disastrous love affair with the euro and apologises for the immolation of Greece

It is well worth a read in the original here.

Sunday, 17th July

A hot and sticky day that was 22C/70F at 9.00 am. If you follow the Blog, you will know that I am glued to political programmes on Sunday. The Marr Show had the two, Labour Party challengers. As so many have said, they both look distinctly second division. There is also a thread being spun by the media to the effect that a large proportion of the PLP will move off into a body called ‘The Continuity Labour Party’ if Corbyn wins the Leadership election. With such recent echoes of the SDP, one’s heart sinks but fails to see an alternative. There are no participants with the stature of David Owens, Shirley Williams or Roy Jenkins to lead this break away.

Andrew Neil presented the last Sunday Politics before the summer recess and I will need to find alternative forms of intellectual stimulation for the next few weeks. Failing that, I will have to mow the lawns more regularly as I did this morning. It was so humid that this simple act left me sweating so profusely that I needed a shower before settling down to the Sunday Times.

Talk about sweating profusely, the Greek Hoteliers have a solution to that. In these times of austerity, they are providing air conditioning but asking guests to share. This hotel is on the island of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea:

It gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘air con.’.

Monday, 18th July

Tarragon & Basil

An even hotter and more humid morning after an uncomfortable night. By 9.30 am we were reading 24C/75F and, as the day progressed, we saw 27C/81F. It’s actually quite a moderate temperature but the context exaggerates the effect. In Greece, we could have been experiencing 36C/97F but, in the context of a Greek summer, that feels much more acceptable. Tonight our house is hot and uncomfortable. It is 29C/84F in the Study at 10.00 pm as I write. There is a glorious and silver full moon gleaming as it rises above the roof tops.

Cherry Toms.

We went to the Leisure Club to do a sweaty hour’s work. I had a shower and then we drove the five miles home. By the time we had got back, I needed another shower and now I need another. Before we went out, I cleaned our new car for the first time. We’ve already done 600 miles which seems to have gone very quickly.

The tomatoes and peppers are really appreciating the strong sunshine although watering is crucial. The herbs – Sweet Basil and Tarragon – are really doing well and we have stopped buying any from the supermarket at all. We only have six cherry tomato plants but we hope they will give us a few salads when they ripen. At least they will be ‘organic’.

Tuesday, 19th July

At 8.30 am – 22C/70F. By 10.30 am – 26F/79F and by 1.00 pm – 37C/99F. It was uncomfortable but bearable. I spent the morning making sure that plants were well watered and then cleaning the drive after some landscaping over the past few days. My pressure washer came with a patio cleaner attachment which I’ve never tried before. It worked perfectly. I was also provided with a product to put into the dispenser chamber which really seemed to work well, dispersing the grime extremely effectively.

Unexpectedly, two of the five side table lamps arrived for the lounge. They are absolutely delightful. They really add to the room’s atmosphere.

They are both about 61Cm/24″ high and fit really well with the furniture.

In the incredible heat of the afternoon, we went down to Worthing Beach area but only to pick up some orders of Pauline’s from M&S. The beach was very busy with holiday makers which felt strange and the cafes were packed. They even have a Harry Ramsden’s Chip Shop. We remember the original in Yorkshire. Tonight, we have spent sitting outside in the slightly cooler air. Even now – at 11.15 pm – the house is registering 34C/93F. It’s going to be an interesting night.

Wednesday, 20th July

The day started dull but warm and just got hotter. My job today was to cut the lawns and then clean the patio. We went out to Tesco to buy 8 Sea Bream fillets for a lunch party tomorrow. The sun was strong and hot by 11.00 am and hit 33C/91F, leaving us tired and listless. Pauline was stripping beds, washing bedding and remaking. Rather her than me.

Watched Theresa May’s first Prime Minister’s Questions from Parliament. She is a distinctly unappealing woman. I once went 10 years without visiting a doctor – aged 18 – 28. The UK is now issuing Medical Practices with instructions to remove patients they haven’t see for five years. It won’t happen, of course, because it will cost practices £100.00/ €120.00 per patient per year. I did like this cartoon in The Telegraph this morning, however.

Thursday, 21st July

A hot and humid, sticky morning. We have front and back doors open to produce a through draft of air. Unfortunately, the air rushing through is very warm. We have guests for lunch so it is all hands to the pump tidying up and finishing off the cleaning.

Worthing A&E

After all our jobs have been completed, we have turned our minds to a subject we’ve been meaning to address ever since we arrived. Where would we go if we urgently needed an A&E? Where would we go if we urgently needed a dentist? Very quickly, it became apparent that our A&E would be at Worthing Hospital which our sat.nav. says would take 16 minutes to drive to. In emergency, I’m sure that will feel like an age but, in retrospect, it is fairly average for the other places we have lived in Surrey and in Yorkshire. As to dentists, it is a much less certain service. We would like to have an NHS Dentist and lots advertise the possibility but, we know from experience, those possibilities seem to evaporate when they are approached. We will see.

Had an enjoyable visit from P&M who stayed about 4 hours. Fortunately, the temperature abated a little and we sat round the dining table, ‘catching up’ and eating Sea Bass and salad followed by Summer Fruits and whipped cream. That was a treat and beautifully cooked by my lovely wife.

Friday, 22nd July

I’m not a great believer in biblical allusions but, when I think about those who voted for ‘Brexit’, the words – Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. – immediately come to mind. This was a case of the short sighted leading the blind and would have been funny if it wasn’t so serious.

Yesterday, on the last day before parliamentary recess – a great day for burying bad news – the government released this information which I source from the BBC and The Daily Telegraph.

Warning of cuts as NHS told to save extra £1.6bn

Patients face “brutal” cuts and longer waits as the NHS is told to make an extra £1.6 billion of savings this year. Waiting time targets for A&E, routine operations and cancer treatment have been relaxed for many hospitals, in an admission that restoring “financial discipline” is more important than prompt treatment. Regulators have told dozens of hospitals they do not have to meet official targets over the next nine months, at the same time as a crackdown on costs, which has seen bosses warned of fines and takeovers by regulators if they do not meet stiff financial controls.

No one is blaming it on Brexit directly but it is symptomatic of a declining economy. Of course, readers of the Daily Mail and The Daily Express are inclined to believe what they are told and don’t have access to the more serious reporting of the ‘broadsheets’.

This morning the following economic data results were reported and I evidence The Times and the BBC.

Brexit causes dramatic drop in economy, data suggests

Britain’s decision to leave the EU has led to a “dramatic deterioration” in economic activity, not seen since the aftermath of the financial crisis. Data from IHS Markit’s Purchasing Manager’s Index, or PMI, shows a fall to 47.7 in July, the lowest level since April in 2009. A reading below 50 indicates contraction. Both manufacturing and service sectors saw a decline in output and orders.

As both the Financial Times and The Independent point out, Brexit has already led to Businesses freezing hiring and investment plans.

The ‘Get Our Country Back’ brigade are unlikely to even consider things like this. They vote on heart not head. Maybe, they will be interested when their immediate pleasures are threatened. Interestingly, a report in The Times this morning suggests that:

‘Staycation’ boost to UK economy as millions of families shun foreign holidays

Millions of British holiday makers are abandoning plans for foreign travel and embarking on “staycations”, figures show, as economists predict the trend will provide a major boost to the UK economy. Tourism boards across the UK are reporting record-breaking numbers of bookings and inquiries over the past few weeks, suggesting workers will pump billions of pounds back into the UK instead of spending their cash abroad.

Brighton Beach is popular!

and it will be the value of their currency, the closing of duty-free services and the increased difficulty to cross European borders which will make them, possibly, think again.

Of course, as in the Irish case, I think the question should be continued to be put before the electorate until they come up with the right answer. The Labour Leadership challenger to Corbyn has been hinting at something similar  – maybe to catch the coat tails of those suffering ‘Buyer’s Remorse’ and, who knows, we may see a realignment on the progressive Left with a ‘Continuity Labour’ breakaway party joining forces with the Liberal Democrats. Stranger things have happened.

Saturday, 23rd July

David & Allison’s Wedding 23 July, 1966

Hot and sunny morning down here in Sussex but my mind is turned back 50 years. It was 50 years ago today that I was in County Donegal, Southern Ireland on my first trip ‘abroad’ while a number of members of my family were assembling for a wedding between Alison and my cousin, David Pritchard. David is, of course, about 40 (or so) years older than me. Maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration but he is very, very old.

So many of the family were represented there that I like this photo and will treasure it. Particularly, it features Mum just 2 years after being widowed. It is nice to see dad’s sisters, Marjorie (David’s Mum), Kath (Peter’s Mum) and Edwina (Sue & Gill’s Mum). A young Robert and Peter and Malcolm are standing on the left along with what I think is Aunty Daisy, Grandad Sanders’ Housekeeper. I think it is Gill standing on the left next to Mum and Sue standing on the right next to Colin?? and near Edwina. The husbands – Eric Pritchard (David’s Dad who worked as an accountant for Reynold’s Chains and chain smoked, if I remember correctly), Arthur Stimpson (Peter & Colin’s Dad who was a Science Teacher) and Ron Wilson (Sue & Gill’s Dad who, I think, worked for the Gas Board). I’m ashamed to say that I don’t know Alison’s family at all.

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As I said, David preceded me at Burton Grammar School where he was particularly known for his musical acumen. I thought I would find a picture of him from Grammar School days. I spent hours searching for music prize pupils called Pritchard to no avail. I waded through and dismissed Rugby, Cricket and Athletics teams but was pretty sure he wasn’t particularly sporty. After about 2 or 3 hours and just about to give up, a page popped on to my screen featuring the CCF of 1958 with this little chap on the 2nd Left of the middle row.

While I was there, I couldn’t resist these photos of Dad  85 years ago and me almost 50 years ago.

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Sunday, 10th July

A day at home. Political programmes until they came out of my ears followed by a surfeit of sport with Hamilton winning the British Grand Prix and Murray winning Wimbledon. To top it all, the French failed to win the football and, as everyone knows, we all hate the French!

Monday, 11th July

Britain is doing its level best to emulate Greece in being the most ridiculous state in (or out of) Europe. Until lunchtime, we didn’t have a Prime Minister and then we got an unelected one who will have to negotiate our leaving of Europe even though she wanted to (just about) remain. Of course, ‘lunatic behaviour’ is measured against the ‘norm’ and the Labour Party should be providing that yard stick in Opposition but are managing to look even more lunatic than the Tories, which isn’t easy.

As The Times says this morning, families are asking, Is it Umbria or Cumbria for holiday this year? in the light of the rapid depreciation of sterling. Soon the ‘Got to get our country back’ brigade will realise how stupid they have been as prices rise, companies leave the UK, jobs disappear and the prospects for Britain decline. They won’t even be able to give ‘their country’ away! Plebiscites are ripe country for the electorate to be sold a pup. What makes this one worse is that those dodgy traders of knee-jerk emotions have melted away, deserting their responsibilities and leaving the naive or foolish electorate to rue the day.

Tuesday, 12th July

From the ridiculous to the sublime. We know that we are going to have trouble when we buy a house within a mile of a huge garden centre. We have been gardening addicts throughout our married lives and have deliberately tried to reign in our instincts here. Today, we cracked.

We have noticed how some plants do particularly well in gardens in our area. Wisteria is not for us on the brick face of a new build property but hydrangeas are a different matter. They seem to love the terroir in Sussex. We went out on a mission and the garden centre didn’t make it easy. They stocked about 20 different species of hydrangea and we will have room for only 3 or 4. What to choose? These three are the ones we managed to narrow it down to so far.

• Hydrangea Macrophylla – Lady in Red.
• Hydrangea Macrophylla – Hot Red Violet.
• Hydrangea Macrophylla – Hanabi Pink.

Might squeeze one or two more in later. Because we gave all our gardening equipment away before we vacated our last property, I’ve even had to go out and buy a spade.

Wednesday, 13th July

A day largely at home today. We did go out and buy another Hydrangea – Macrophylla – Cotton Candy. We then went on to plant out the four hydrangeas that we’d bought over the past couple of days at the front of the house – around the front door. We had just finished gardening when the sunny sky went dark and threw a heavy bout of rain down on us removing the need to water our new plants in. They looked at home immediately.

Interesting to see that the normally over optimistic National Tourist Office of Greece which talks up arrival numbers all year until the final figures come out and reveal the truth has produced a dose of realism early in the season. Kathimerini reports that: There are signs of fatigue in Greek tourism with hotel occupancy levels in Athens at very low levels. They explain it by referring to the migrant crisis discouraging potential tourists and the American government warning their citizens against travelling to Europe because of potential ‘security problems’.

Thursday, 14th July

Bye!

A warm and sunny day with no breeze. We were tied to the house by the imminent delivery of four side tables for the Lounge. We had been given the expressly un-user friendly delivery slot of 7.00 am – 6.00 pm. Actually, they were delivered at 11.00 am. Until then, we were glued to the government (night of the long knives) re-shuffle. Great to see Gobsbourne, Gove and Organ Morgan dumped. What about Bambi at Health? Surely he should have been lobotomised.

It was all so gripping that I had to fight with my conscience over whether to watch some of the Test Match. Largely, the politics won although I caught a little cricket at times.  We also did our weekly shop at Tesco. One of the thing about being retired is that one is free when all the grey, wrinkly people are free. One tends to shop while the home-for-the-bewildered releases its residents to shop, urging them to shuffle slowly, bent over a shopping trolley while blocking whole yards/metres of shelving with the help of their friends. Today, because we didn’t get out until mid afternoon, the supermarket was quiet, nearly empty and a delight for energetic shoppers. We have taken note.

Friday, 15th July

Lovely warm – humid even – and sunny day. I told you that the fight against a desire to buy plants and design gardens was one we were always likely to loose. Today, we went out and spent another £200.00/€240.00 or so at the garden centre. Today we bought feature plants like Phormium Maori Queen and broad leaved, mauve flowering Hebe and three more hydrangeas. We spent two or three hours preparing the ground and planting out.

I now have an established routine in the garden. Each morning I water my tomatoes and peppers which are all heavy with fruit. The sweet basil and tarragon are romping away. We’ve been cutting and cooking with them for two or three weeks.  Twice each week – at least – I mow the front and back lawns and strim the edges. I treat the grass which is lush and healthy recently laid turf, with a green up feed. It grows fast and stays very green. It is completely weed-free and appears to be without the dreaded moss because its drainage is so good. The plants we have added are in beds at the front and side of the house and have been chosen to be self-sustaining so that we can go abroad for a couple of months without worrying.

Saturday, 16th July

Went to bed last night on the feverish reporting of a Turkish military coup. Erdogan, who has been gradually tightening his grip on power by forcing the secular state to submit to a form of Islamic rule, denying basic rights to some citizens and controlling or shutting down the press, has been provoking this for some time.

By the time we woke at 6.00 am, the coup was all but over. Thousands of military were being rounded up and some being lynched by the mob. Erdogan, from his iPhone ‘facetime’ address to a television station managed to rally citizens to come out and demonstrate support for him. Interestingly, they all seemed to be male. Women, of course, have no political part to play in an Islamic country. They stay at home.

British Airways promptly cancelled all flights in and out of Turkey while EasyJet and Thomson went ahead as normal although they did tell their customers to Turkey to ‘stay indoors’. Great holiday – fly to a war zone and hunker down!

However, you must admit that it’s been a strangely unsettling month. At home, after the sheer madness of UK having voted to leave the E.U., the two, major parties are imploding. Only the Tories innate lust for power has kept them slightly on track. The Labour Party appears to, be in its death throws with no real chance of providing effective opposition. Abroad, a madman (aka sexually confused Asian male) slaughtered 50 people in a US ‘gay’ nightclub and then a criminally deviant Asian male runs a truck over 200 people who are celebrating a national holiday out with their families on the French Riviera. The Turkish army attempt to depose an autocratic but elected State  President of the most strategically important country to the continent of Europe. One is left grasping for stability and certainties however flawed.

Hardy Fuschia ‘Janey’

We went out and bought yet more plants. Three Weigelas with variegated leaves edged with mauve, which we didn’t intend to buy, were added to a gorgeous Hebe which we didn’t intend to buy. We told each other that we must leave but, like some addicted gamblers, we spotted hardy fuschia ‘Janey’ and we could not resist. Anyone who knows us will also know that Janey was the name of Pauline’s mum. We bought two and she looks great in our garden. Of course, we also needed some compost to help the planting and some bags of bark to top dress the bed. Fortunately, we have no more space and will not be returning to that garden centre – unless something drastic happens like the Labour Party surviving or Erdogan publicly outing himself.

Sunday, 3rd July

A lovely, sunny day – as it should be in July. We are at home with the Sunday papers, consecutive expositions (Marr Show, Peston on Sunday & The Sunday Politics) of the current shambles of the British political scene and a delivery of a new piece of furniture all the way from Madrid. Pauline is feeling a little under the weather and has been for a day or two. It seems to be a touch of ‘flu but it is lingering.

It is nice to have a restful day today because the week ahead is busy. France at the beginning of the week followed by Surrey at the end of the week will mean we are away from home for quite a few days although that may be a blessing in disguise. A ‘snagging’ problem has arisen with one or two of the floor tiles in one of the bathrooms. The builders will be in for about three days and we will just leave them to it.

Our new sideboard/lounge cupboard was delivered today by two delightful, Polish lads who had been on a terrible journey from Wolverhampton to Southampton and then on to us, arriving at 2.30 pm. They looked shattered and said they had another five deliveries before they could head of back to the Midlands. The M25 had been a nightmare coming down and they were dreading the return.

Now we can look for sidetables and lamps to finish of the room. After that, spending will be complete on the new house until Pauline thinks of something else. I get my own way on technology and she gets her’s on furniture. Reciprocity in all things is a recipe for success.

Monday, 4th July

A lovely, sunny day. My tomatoes, peppers and herbs are rejoicing in sympathy with the Americans on their Independence Day. The only difference is that, unlike the Americans, the vegetables will only be liberated when we eat them.

Theresa May, the runaway Tory Leadership candidate, has said over the weekend, as The Times reports today, that expats could lose right to live abroad:

Millions of EU citizens living in the UK and Britons settled in Europe face an uncertain future after Theresa May warned that their status would be part of the Brexit negotiations.

An innocent, young 15 yr old tours Southern Ireland in July, 1966

Exactly 50 years ago this month, I went abroad for the first time – to the Republic of Ireland. With others from my home village, Repton, I stood on the station in Burton upon Trent in brilliant sunshine listening to the latest N0.1 Hit Single – Out of Time by Chris Farlowe and then the England win in the World Cup Final. Who chose that day to travel?  We took a train to Holyhead and then a ferry to Dun Laoghaire. I have no idea how much the ferry cost but a return exactly 50 years later only costs £75.00. It takes less than two hours. I’m sure our journey 50 years ago was over night- at least eight hours. I remember that it was a very rough crossing and there were drunken Irishmen being sick everywhere.

When we arrived in Dublin, it was just three months since a bomb exploded on Dublin’s main thoroughfare and Nelson’s Pillar in O’Connell Street was blown up by the IRA. From there we went down to Loch Derg in Co. Donegal where this photo was taken. Dave Beasley (75 this year) is holding the horse. I am sitting – left of picture – and Jimmy ??? is sitting next to me. My boyhood friend, Jonathan Kelly, is in blue standing at the side of the horse. I’ve no idea who was sitting on the horse.

Today, I am still in touch with Jonathan who has lived in Boston, Massachusetts for 40 years and Dave who has lived in Wales for just as long. Jonathan emailed me last week and Dave phoned my two days ago. Even so, I find it impossible to reach back over those 50 years and really reclaim a sense of the times.

Tuesday, 5th July

Early at the Tunnel

Our wines are 50% of the UK price.

A lovely morning began with early mist presaging a hot and sunny  day. We were up at 6.00 am and out by 7.00 am and on the road to the Channel Tunnel. One and a half hours later, we were in checking in to the Tunnel in Folkestone. By 10.30 am (CET), we were driving towards our regular hotel – the Holiday Inn Coquelles. We’ve been going there for nearly 30m years when it was a Millenium CopthorneHotel.

It’s still good but this will be one of our last visits because of the  Referendum vote which will make our trip uneconomical. We drove on to the Calais Wine Superstore, once owned by Tesco, which has already told us that the referendum vote will mean it will have to close in the next couple of years when we no longer are able to buy goods ‘tax free’ abroad. This accompanying photograph may mark the end of the UK in Europe.

Wednesday, 6th July

End of the UK in Europe

Lovely, hot and sunny morning as we rose late at 6.30 am. Down to breakfast at 8.00 am and then out shopping at 10.00 am. Auchan in Coquelles was our shopping centre and we loaded our trolley with duck joints, huge peppers, garlic, shallots, salad vegetables, cold meats, olive oil, and a few cases of wine. The was car loaded up and the we were off to the Tunnel where we got an earlier train at 12.30 am.

All the infrastructure that we have enjoyed for 20 years or more will be deemed effectively useless over the next three years because of a group of career driven chancers. The UK has been cast adrift and left to fend alone. The lunatics truly have control of the asylum.

We arrived in UK at 12.00 am (GMT) and began our drive to West Sussex. We were home by 1.30 pm after a lovely drive in hot sunshine with little traffic. Retirement travel can be delightful!

Thursday, 7th July

This will get Pauline through the weekend!

A warm and muggy but rather overcast day. We were up at 6.00 am and had a visitor at 7.00 am. The tiler called to complete a ‘snagging’ issue in the Family Bathroom.

I had unpacked the boot of the car and racked up the wine I bought yesterday – just 150 bottles – to see us through the weekend. We also bought 48 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc for P&C. I bought a Chilean one which I know the like for £2.49 per bottle. In the UK, the same wine sells for £5.99 per bottle. I also chose them a Loire Sauvignon Blanc which sells in UK for £7.99 per bottle and we got it for £2.99 per bottle. All in all, we saved P&C £204.00 on 48 bottles of wine. Of course, all this will disappear soon as import duties have to be paid on leaving the EU.

We are in position to complete the Lounge furnishings now that the sideboard has arrived. This morning, Pauline ordered four side tables with a fifth having to wait until it comes back into stock. Some nice table lamps will complete the room.

Jimmy Frizzel at Boundary Park

When I first moved to Oldham, in 1972, to begin my teaching career, I was a Derby County supporter. A young man teaching History in the same school tried to convert me to support Oldham Athletic (Latics). Actually, they were playing quite well at the time. Peter Corser (who became a curator of museum in Durham and must be retired now) and I spent some enjoyable afternoons and evenings at Boundary Park although our seats were just in front of a ‘pillock’ who took and played his trumpet when he got excited virtually deafening us for hours and, sometimes, days afterwards.

The manager was Jimmy Frizzell who lasted an amazing 12 years in the job. The local ‘rag’ – The Oldham Chronicle – featured him regularly. He has featured for the last time. Yesterday he died aged 79. The conveyor belt of life rumbles on and his final trumpet has sounded.

Friday, 8th July

Up early after a warm and humid night. We set off for Surrey to collect a prescription from our doctor  whose services we have not ‘dispensed’ with yet. We drove on to P&C’s house to deliver their wine we bought from our recent trip to France. In pounds sterling, their 72 bottles only cost £135.00 which is a saving on UK prices of £204.00. Soon, it will no longer be worth making this trip. Those who voted Brexit clearly believe this is a sacrifice worth making. I disagree and so will they as they see their standard of living fall and the cost of their existence rise.

Fruits of the Summer

The trip to Surrey was delightful and took just an hour. As we drove back to Sussex, we spotted a huge tailback as a result of an ‘incident’ on the M25. Fortunately, Pauline managed to navigate us around this to join the motorway one junction later and missing the miles of stationary traffic completely. Sat. Navs. are wonderful but not as wonderful as wives!

We were back in our Sussex home in good time to make our meal – griddled chicken with Greek Salad followed by fresh strawberries and raspberries with a little, vanilla ice cream. It is amazing. I love going off and travelling – near and far – but returning home is really delightful however recently we established it.

Saturday, 9th July

A little piece of Greece.

Two years ago this weekend, we sold our Greek property and left Sifnos. It would be wrong to pretend that we don’t miss it at times because we do but developments in Greece, in UK and in Europe since then have completely justified our decision.

Not only did Greece totally surrender to the Germans but they are still struggling under credit controls, increasing taxation allied to decreasing salaries and pensions. Having successfully repatriated our house sale to our UK banks (no mean feat in itself), it has provided us with an upsized property in Sussex and comforting liquidity going forward. All of this now has to be viewed through the prism of Brexit which would have really put us in a difficult position and will continue to make life difficult for expatriates. I don’t believe in God/Fate/Luck but we definitely benefitted from something which brought us a good buyer at the right moment. With one leap, we escaped the goldfish bowl and left the minnows gaping for air.

That is not to say that we will desert Greece. We will be going back soon but without the responsibility of ownership or citizenship. We will not be subject to the wilfulness of Greek politicians, the obstinacy of Greek workers or the duplicity of Greek ‘friends’. A traveller rather than a dweller suits us just fine and allows us to dip in and out as we feel like it. A lot has happened in that two years and all (with the exception of Brexit) for the better.

Sunday, 26th June

I managed to get through 391 weeks of The Blog as a European but, before I could start Week 392, I found myself flailing around and unsure where I belonged. The country has voted to leave. I didn’t. Those who had nothing, had nothing to lose and went for it. The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid. The terrible thing about Democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid. And they took that chance. It will change life in so many ways and many for the worse.

Spare a thought for the expats at this time. Call-me-Dave ‘reassured’ them on Friday that for

British nationals living in European countries and European citizens living in the UK there will be no immediate changes in their circumstances.

Note that the key word is  immediate and the value it carries. It implies that there will be one but not yet. He went on to say that

There will be no initial change in the way British people can travel, in the way our goods can move or the way our services can be sold.

We are the Greeks biggest trading partners and their second biggest source of tourists. Already at a weak ebb, the Greeks are worried about the impact of Brexit on their economy and rightly. Just the effect on the Sterling-Euro relationship is enough to put many off buying Greek products and booking Greek holidays. They would only need a reduction of 2-3% to make a major difference.

Monday, 27th June

I have always been a gadget enthusiast and an I.T. enthusiast. For years I’ve loved new cars and the rolling technological developments that they have embodied. Many won’t even know what it is like to be driving with one hand and trying to wind down the window with a plastic handle on the door with the other. I longed for electronically controlled windows. When I got them, I also got air conditioning at the same time.

Web access in our new car.

When I took delivery of that car in 1984, it was rumoured that something called ALB was available on higher end models. Anti-Lock Brakes became standard on our Honda cars by 1992. We started to replace tape decks and separate radios with Digital units combining CD players with radios. we got charging points around our car that allowed us to run an electric cool bag and USB points to charge phones and iPads. We got satellite navigation integrated with entertainment.

For the past seven years, we have had reversing cameras and surround parking sensors. I would find it hard to operate without. We have had electronic, memory seating. Now we have internet access and, therefore, the ability to search vital information on our journey although not, I hasten to add, while we are driving. With every new car, I take a few days exploring its potential. It has taken just five days to get this up and running. I am delighted but will soon take it for granted. Can you imagine driving without air conditioning now?

Tuesday, 28th June

Since selling in Greece, we have had an account with a foreign exchange company. I haven’t needed their services very much for a couple of years but, ironically, I needed them today. I only bought £1000.00 worth of Euros to be delivered to my home but I managed to buy them at 1.18€ = £1.00. This includes the cost of having them delivered to my door. It’s not terrible but it is a sign of things to come. Brits are cancelling European holidays in their thousands and not just because of the football. We’ve booked a shopping trip to France next week and we think currency fixed at our rate will be better than credit cards fixed at their rate. Who knows how a volatile commodity like the £Sterling will fluctuate.

Wednesday, 29th June

As the Brexit caravan rumbles on, two groups are becoming increasingly nervous. Those immigrants, both EU and otherwise, who are working and residing in Britain and are feeling unloved and unwanted – how ever mistakenly -and vulnerable to abuse and opprobrium. Those emigrant ex-pats across the EU who now have to consider the consequences for the domicile. As reported in national press, British expatriates may have to stop living abroad in European countries like France and Spain when Britain leaves the European Union, the Government has suggested.

Although we had the unedifying sight of Farage rebuking the European Parliament, the Euro Bureaucracy didn’t help itself with a kneejerk closing of ranks and excluding others at different levels. The 6 original members met alone, excluding the other 22 members. Then Britain was excluded as the other 27 members met. They never learn. Lack of democratic accountability was one of the key planks of the ‘Leave’ campaign. The Times reports this morning:

A continental split has opened up over the response to the Brexit vote, with Poland and Hungary leading calls for a new-style European Union amid claims that the founding member states are trying to call the shots….Austria and Spain were among nine countries which joined a meeting in the Polish capital on Monday for those that had not been invited to the founder members’ ministerial summit at the weekend.

Carrefour-Marinopoulos

We already know that the Greek economy is susceptible to the Brexit fallout and today we learn that Greece’s primary supermarket chain, the Carrefour-badged Marinopoulos, has filed for protection from its creditors. The firm is thought to owe more than 720 million euros to some 2,000 suppliers and could face closure if a court on Friday decides not to accept its request for protection. The company’s total debts, including what it owes to the state, reach 1.3 billion euros. Marinopoulos employs around 12,500, whose jobs are now in doubt unless a solution, which could include a buyout, is found.

Thursday, 30th June

Had to buy Euros from our Foreign Exchange dealer – Moneycorp – which I used for repatriating the sale of our Greek house. It was delivered by courier to our house this morning. The rate was €1.18 = £1.00. In the circumstances, it wasn’t bad but I predict that continental shopping is going to nosedive. We are shopping in France next week but I bet we will not have many others around us. It doesn’t take much to change sentiment and everything will now become more expensive.

Friday, 1st July

Happy new month. Happy July if we ever see the sun again! My tomatoes and peppers demand it. The fruits are set but they need sun to grow and ripen and they need it urgently. We are cutting and cooking with our Basil and Tarragon plants. This day last year was the hottest British day on record. Surrey reached the lower 30Cs/upper 90Fs. Today, in Sussex, we have struggled to reach 20C/68F.

Saturday, 2nd July

Goring Fisherman

Goring Fishing Boats

A free morning with pleasant sunshine and high clouds moving quite quickly in a gentle breeze, It meant that the landscape was alternately bathed in strong sunshine and dark shade in quick succession. We thought that would continue in our quest to explore the area by driving to Goring-on-Sea, down the coastal road to Worthing and then on to Lancing and Shoreham-on-Sea. We turned around there rather than go on to Brighton which would have been heaving at this time of year. The coastal road was busy enough as it is. There seem to be plenty of people who are just happy to holiday by the English coast. They probably voted BREXIT as well! It certainly wouldn’t do for me. There is a distinct whiff of seedy decay in all of these places.

Goring Beach

What they do have is daily, fresh fish catches on sail. In Goring we found fishermen’s boats up on the beach being mobbed by seagulls hungry for bits discarded as the catch was being prepared for the shop. We bought shellfish – two crab for our meal today and Huss to serve as goujons tomorrow. We walked on Goring beach and I took some photos with my phone which explains the poor quality. I must start taking my camera with me again.

Sunday, 19th June

As yesterday went on, a terrible pain developed in the outer section of my left upper thigh. It began to feel like a dead-leg or the early season consequence of a heavy rugby tackle. I had no idea where it originated having had no incident during the day to bring it on. By the time I had to walk up the stairs to bed, I was in agony and, in bed, I couldn’t get comfortable. I sleep on my left side and I couldn’t bear the pain when I tried that. I tried the right side but it was just as painful. I spent the night fitfully on my back and got up at 7.00 am still very tired.

Worthing Promenade

As soon as I started walking, this morning, the leg freed up and I was barely aware of it. After half an hour sitting down, I was reduced to the gait of an old and infirm man once again.

We chose to go out for a walk. The weather was beautiful and my leg demanded it. We drove to Worthing Promenade – about 15 mins away – and Pauline picked up an order from M&S. That shop really does have an air of the past about it! The walking definitely helped and I will go to the gym tomorrow to continue my exercise.

When we got home at about 3.00 pm, we griddled Hake fillets and courgette slices out in the garden and Pauline cooked garlic, button mushrooms but, by the time we had eaten our meal, the clouds were beginning to edge in. It got increasingly murky throughout the afternoon but we only got a light shower of rain at about 8.00 in the evening.

Monday, 20th June

Woodhenge on Worthing Beach

The joke of the day, which opened with torrential rain, is that it is Mid-Summer’s Day or summer solstice. By 11.00 am, the sun was out from blue, blue skies but mid-summer? Worthing Beach marked the day with this structure featured in The Times this morning.

Part of the process of buying a new car has been, for us over the past 20 years, transferring our ‘cherished number plate’ from the old car to the new. Today, the DVLA documents arrived and we took them in to our new Dealership. They removed our ‘cherished plates’, replaced them with those required by the DVLA and told us our new car would be available in a couple of weeks. It is all a very smooth, if bureaucratic, operation in contrast with procedures we experienced in Greece and which Bloggers in Greece bemoan on a daily basis. There, Bureaucracy rules.

Tuesday, 21st June

Summer solstice evening on the Pennines

Lovely bright and sunny morning. My sister, Mary-Jane, once told me she was ‘too busy for weather’. I have been amused to notice that, like me and particularly since retirement, she has been tweeting pictures of her environment and weather around her Yorkshire Pennine home. It comes to us all with age.

From the right: Tarragon, Sweet Basil, Tumbler Tomato (red), Tumbler Tomato (yellow).

I have been cutting the lawns, weeding the beds and mulching with chipped bark and feeding the patio plants. the tomatoes and peppers are covered in flowers although there does appear to be a worrying lack of pollinators flying around. The tarragon and sweet basil are romping away.

A phone call from our new Honda Dealer says our new car will be available for collection on Thursday and we need to go in and complete documentation today. We agree to visit en route to the gym. Outside, the road is being tarmacked so our current car is parked off-site. Things are certainly coming together. As soon as we get the referendum out of the way and see how the land lies, we can get on and book our winter holidays.

Wednesday, 22nd June

A grey and misty but warm and sultry morning. The contractors have been finishing the tarmacked road outside. I have been stripping the car of all our personal possessions in readiness for taking it in to the Honda garage tomorrow morning and driving away with a new one. Pauline, meanwhile, has been changing over the insurance. Our insurance company have made a complete mess of the process. It hasn’t been helped by transferring on the ‘cherished’ number plate but, for car insurers, it shouldn’t be rocket science.

In Greece, Bank restrictions are still in place after almost two years. Yesterday, the President of Greek Banks Association, Louka Katseli, said that the Capital Controls would be lifted by end of the year. Today, Fitch, the Ratings Agency, said Greece’s four main banks would default if Capital Controls are lifted. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose or what ever the Greek is for that.

Thursday, 23rd June

London’s Sound & Light Show

Over night everywhere was pressured washed cleaned by torrential rain and flood-lit by extensive and prolonged lightning displays. In London, it was quite damaging with trains cancelled and roads flooded this morning. Here, we were lucky and everything was refreshed.

We went out to deliver our car and collect the new one at 10.00 am. It was ready and waiting. Dealers always feel that have to make it a special occasion. We’ve had so many now, it felt no more special than a trip to Sainsbury’s but it is nice to be driving a new smell in a younger body with a tighter construction. The front end has changed and become a bit more American and macho which doesn’t really do it for me. I’m macho enough already. Otherwise, nothing much has changed about the construction of the car.

The media centre will take some getting used to. The previous model had retained its built in sat. nav. system over 15 years with only a few, minor alterations. This new one is also built in but is Garmin-derived and very different.

When you’re used to something for fifteen years, it becomes part of the fabric of one’s automatic thought patterns. Over the years, moving from one Ms. Windows platform to another always aggravates the smooth completion of work activities until the user ceases to notice by which time, they have to cope with yet another  Ms Windows platform. So it is with this satellite navigation system. Fifteen years with one has made its operation automatic. One has to keep the mind open and embrace the new while fighting the inclination to compare it with the previous regime.

I see it as an exciting challenge which may well move me forward in thinking and activity. In the past, one just had to grapple with the idea of linking a mobile phone by bluetooth with the car’s media centre. Now I’m trying to work out how to run the car’s internet system from my 4G mobile phone.

Friday, 24th June

The Lunatics have taken over the Asylum!

The world has changed. It will never be the same for Britain again in my lifetime. The lunatics have truly taken over the asylum. Forgive them for they know not what they do. Instability, danger, not only lurks around every corner but comes up and stares us directly in the face. It is hard to find light relief in such gloom. I did read a tweet at 5.00 am today when Sunderland declared a ‘Leave’ vote. One wag retorted – The people thought they were voting to leave Sunderland.

Expats across the continent will be nervously examining their options. Cosy, dual-nationality options will be seriously up in the air. Reciprocal agreements on Healthcare and Pensions, Travel and Security will be up in the air. Great Britain will almost certainly collapse because the Scots will seek referendum negotiations to get back in to Europe but that presupposes there will be a Europe to get back in to. Already other countries are demanding their own referendums – notably Holland immediately but also Italy and France.

‘Call Me Dave’ has called it a day and announced his resignation. Gobsborne will not be far behind. I don’t think he will enter the leadership race because he has no chance of winning. They will have to appoint a Brexiteer to lead the negotiations. The nightmare scenario of a Prime Minister Boris and President Trump summit meeting is lurching sickeningly towards us.

Back in the real world, we were up at 4.30 am listening to the nightmare unfold. Out on shaky legs to Tesco at 9.00 am and now, back home, we are trying to assume some semblance of normality by contacting Honda Finance to pay off our twelve hour borrowing which provided us with an extra £3000.00 discount from the on-the-road price. Then we can move on to book our Winter holiday in a collapsing world.

Saturday, 25th June

Yesterday finished with us successfully ending our twelve-hour finance agreement with Honda. The result was that we now own the car outright and the £34,300.00 vehicle has cost us £13,170.00. After 4 years of driving and almost 30,000 miles, we think that is very acceptable.We spent the savings on a month in a 5* hotel in Tenerife. We are going for the month of November to Costa Adeje and have booked a double room with sea view and half board in the Adrián Hoteles Roca Nivaria.

Blue Sky Babe!

Here it is warm with blue sky/clouds/blue sky/clouds, etc.. We drove down to Littlehampton Pier where there is a good fresh fish shop. It’s more like a cabin or shed, actually, but it sells the day’s catch which is nice. Particularly, they sell fresh and dressed crabs, lobsters, John Dory, Turbot – things that are not always available in the supermarkets. It turned out that we were a bit late for the best choice and we didn’t buy but we did go for a walk down one of the piers.

At the seaside 1 – Littlehampton

At the seaside 2 – Littlehampton

It is a working and a pleasure port. On one side there is a golf course and on the other a marina. Boats tug in from the sea and up and down the estuary which takes up the excess high tide.

Sunday, 12th June

The morning started very warm but rather damp with light rain. Fortunately, for our next door neighbours, who were holding a garden party out on their lawn, the day soon turned to hot and sunny blue skies thus rescuing the day for everyone. Our neighbours have just returned from their honeymoon (They are in their late 50s.) and were holding a get-together for friends. They had invited us, out of civility, but we already had plans. We just called in to wish them a happy day and went about our planned day.

West Quay – Southampton

Actually, we are still tired from going to bed at 2.00 am on Friday Night/Saturday morning. Old people like us really don’t cope with late nights so well. Ridiculously, we were having a delivery of some mirrors this morning and the delivery slot was 7.00 am – 11.00 am. We were to get a call one hour before. The radio went off at 6.00 am as usual but I didn’t jump out of bed until my mobile rang to say they would be arriving in 10 minutes. I can shave very quickly at times.

Southampton

After the Marr Show and The Sunday Politics, we left to drive to Southampton. It is 47 miles away and takes about an hour to drive. Like so many drives around here, the scenery in the warm sunshine is delightful. Neither of us has ever been to Southampton and we were going to the West Quay area.  It was easy to find. We were looking for a last bit of bedroom furniture – including mirrors and came away with exactly what we wanted. The last bit will be delivered on Tuesday.

Monday, 13th June

The day has started damp but warm again and, once again, it all soon dried up. We were supposed to be going to the gym but an expected delivery came late and then we had an unexpected visit from the Builders who are addressing some, minor, ‘snagging’ issues we had raised. Consequently, we stayed at home.

We used the time at home to have a ‘family conference’ about buying a new car. We had a vote and the motion – This house believes a new car purchase would be beneficial to our welfare. – was carried unanimously 2 – 0. I used the discount new car site – CARWOW – to get quotes from all the Honda Dealers within reasonable travelling distance. The best quote came from a dealership only 2 miles away. We tried it on with our regular dealership in Yorkshire and it still looked very good. We made an appointment to visit on Thursday.

The Brexit debate seems to be drifting inexorably to ‘Leave’. The Germans want us to stay which is rather counterproductive merely provoking the question: What are they after? The magazine – Der Spiegel – has an amusing front cover and it contrasts even more amusingly with an earlier front cover about the Greeks.

The Greeks are going to get a complex at this rate…… Oh, they already have!

Tuesday, 14th June

The day is grey again and is set to stay that way in a lot of the country for most of the week although we can expect quite a bit of sunshine. We are going to the gym so we don’t care although my tomatoes and pepper plants do.

Four Referendum polls published today have the Leave campaign well in the lead. The Times features a poll by YouGov which has the Leaves ahead by 7%. An ICM poll shows Leave with a six point advantage. The Sun newspaper has come out strongly in favour of ‘Leave’.

The Sun newspaper with echoes of the 1990s headline ‘Up Your Delors’.

Call-me-Dave has produced the perfect storm with

• Tories fighting Tories – never confidence inspiring.
• The Government taking what they see as the high ground and hectoring the common man at his garden gate about impending economic implosion. This is like a red rag to a bull and a real chance to give the Establishment a good kicking and to hell with the consequences. Even I, who will vote a resounding Remain, are sorely tempted to do the opposite just to ditch the Tories.
• Failure to address the big concern of the Great Unwashed – Immigration.
• Reliance on Labour and the Unions and their members has proved unwise and illustrates the yawning gap between the political elite and the electorate. They are likely to drive Labour voters into the arms of UKIP.
• You know it’s bad, when they start threatening pensioners.
• You know it’s really bad when they wheel out Gordon Brown.
• If the vote is (just) won either way, there is a strong chance of a rising up of the Far Right or the Far Left or both.

Wednesday, 15th June

A lovely, sunny morning. Woke up to some interesting pieces of news. Newspapers and the broadcasting media are trailing the information that the deceased comedian and broadcaster, Clement Freud, grandson of Sigmund Freud was a paedophile and that two, fairly elderly ladies were testifying to their abuse by him. More interesting to me was the news that Gobsborne, our current Chancellor, whose own brother was struck off from his post in psychiatry for inappropriate sexual relationships with a vulnerable patient, was threatening everyone in the country with an emergency budget if they voted for Brexit. Amusingly, 57 of his own MPs immediately issued a letter pledging to vote it down if he tried it.

Had a phone call this morning from our Yorkshire, Honda Dealer who is making a bid for us to buy our new car from him. What it has done is give me a baseline upon which to negotiate with my potential, new Dealer in Worthing. We are visiting him tomorrow. Meanwhile, there will not much travel to Greece next week. because OSYPA, the union representing Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority staff, called a five-day walkout, starting on June 20. The protracted strike action is expected to affect both domestic and international flights. At the same time, OSE Rail workers are to continue with rolling work stoppages that are to culminate in a 24-hour strike on June 22 while workers of the ports of Piraeus and Thessaloniki are continuing their strike action.

Thursday, 16th June

Interesting day – 16/6/16. We received a phone call from our local, Honda Dealer offering the top of the range car for nearly £4000.00 / €5050.00 less than our regular, Yorkshire Dealer. Both were already offering nearly £3,000.00/€3,800.00 discount initially but our new dealer’s offer meant we had no choice but to accept. I feel incredibly unfaithful to our dealer of 30 years but  £4000.00 / €5050.00 is  £4000.00 / €5050.00. He offered us an extra £1000.00/€1262.00 for our car – £15,000.00/€19,000.00 instead of £14000.00/€17,680.00 for a 4 year old car with 28,000 miles on the clock. He also offered a brilliant wheeze for saving an extra £3,000.00/€3,800.00.

Jo Cox M.P. – Murdered in Leeds

For customers who take out Honda Finance, the company contribute an extra  £3,000.00/€3,800.00 towards the cost of the car. Honda get that back through the interest rate. The Consumer Credit Act allows a 14 day ‘cooling off period’ in which you can change your mind, cancel and pay back the loan. Our salesman says we can cancel in that time and still keep the £3,000.00/€3,800.00 manufacturer contribution. So, our £34,000.00/€43,000.00 new car will actually cost us, with trade-in, £13,239.00/€16,740.00. Can’t say fairer than that. We should have it in a couple of weeks!

Terrible and shocking news about Labour MP, Jo Cox being gunned down and stabbed to death in Birstal, Leeds. On all accounts, she was a talented and caring woman with two, young kids. The man arrested for her murder is described as a ‘loner’ with ‘history of mental health problems’. While mad men are free to walk the streets under the money-saving guise of ‘care in the community’, these acts of irrational violence will never be far away.

Friday, 17th June

On this day, 36 years ago, Pauline and I came as close to dying as we ever will without actually being dead. We were driving our first brand new car, a ‘pageant blue’ mini as British Leyland described it, to school at the end of school exams. A man driving the opposite way in a works, Ford Cortina, went out of control on a bend and cut our car in two. The ambulance men thought I was dead and I was in hospital for two weeks after not being aware of my surroundings at all. The recuperation took another year. The only upside of the event was that I never got to mark the exam papers. I apologise if this is repetitive for regular readers but when we reflect on all the life we have enjoyed in the past 36 years, we realise how lucky we have been and need to reflect it. I only hope the Skiathan and his wife have such a reprieve.

Had to write a ‘Dear John Letter’ to our old friend and Honda dealer in Yorkshire – although his name is Chris and it was an email – telling him of our infidelity in buying a new car from someone else. I found it difficult and am genuinely uncomfortable after a 30 year relationship. I am on his jokey email list. We were invited to his 60th Birthday celebration. He is a big wildlife fan and sponsors an elephant at Chester Zoo. I regularly send him funny pictures of elephants from the web. He took it well and by email reply declared undying love!

Although the European Stability Mechanism approved the disbursement of 7.5 billion euros in bailout funds for Greece on Friday ensuring that the country will meet debt repayments that come due next month, the IMF made sure the appreciation was muted by pouring cold water on Greek hopes for debt relief. Effectively, this is European ‘kicking the can down the road’ policy. It really tells the Greeks to Remain in Jail and don’t collect €2billion. However, they are still being fools to themselves.

There is an early heatwave hitting Greece at the moment with temperatures upwards of 40C/104F. The ports are being privatised and port workers are unhappy about it so are on long-term, rolling strikes. Unfortunately, a significant element of the tourist industry caters for cruise ships. Not for much longer. The striking port workers are refusing to allow coaches to collect or deliver cruise passengers anywhere near their ships. Much of the cruise demographic is elderly and they are being forced to walk long distances between their transfer transport and their ship carrying all their luggage in 40C/104F. Elderly, often overweight and carrying heavy weights mixed with heatwave and walking = heart attacks. Cruise ship operators are already starting to question the wisdom of calling at Piraeus.

Saturday, 18th June

A dry day but rather overcast for much of it and only reaching about 19C/66F. We have spent it quite quietly. I’ve actually had time to read The Times completely for the first time in the last six months. We have been doing a lot of forward planning in the spare time between reading and watching football matches. We have started to select destinations for a month in the sun in winter but won’t book anything until we’ve seen the effect of the referendum on currencies. There’s no rush and we will be off to Greece before that anyway.

 Sunday, 5th June

Apparently, today is Sunday and a day of rest although you wouldn’t know it if you visited any major supermarket. I marked the day by getting up early and mowing the lawns followed by cleaning the car inside and out. Didn’t you just want to know that? The day was blue sky and bright sun from the moment we got up at about 6.30 am until we came in from playing outside at 7.00 pm. As forecast, the temperature reached a warm 24C/75F but felt hotter because of the humidity.

The iPad Pro with integrated keyboard cover

Now there’s nothing much more to buy for the house, we can now look to indulge ourselves with GADGETS. I love GADGETS! In March 2013, I bought my first iPad and it revolutionised my life. Instead of going out every morning for a copy of The Times and paying £1.00/€1.28 for each copy. Now, by the time we wake up, we both have a full copy of the newspaper delivered to our iPads and those copies are updated throughout the day. The cost is £26.00/€33.00 per month for both our copies plus full access on the web to all ‘Times’ web material. Before the iPad, I would access our bank account on my desktop machine once a week or so. Now, I have accounts in four different Banks all of which I can access from my iPad or my phone and I do every morning. Before the iPad, if I couldn’t think of something as I go about my daily life, I would shrug and put it down to senility. Now, wherever I am, I can and do immediately consult my iPad, interrogate the web and pretend I remembered it all along.

Today I ordered my third iPad. I bought the first in March 2012 for £482.00/€617.00 and my second in August 2014 for £499.00/€639.00. Today, I ordered an iPad pro – 12.9″. It has a considerably larger screen and a much quicker Wi-Fi service. It also takes a keyboard which is integrated in to its cover. This will allow me to leave my old laptop at home when we travel abroad and to Blog, etc. on my iPad. Mind you, it is much more expensive. The iPad costs £679.00/€868.00 and the keyboard cover is £111.00/€142.00 so the total cost is a considerable £790.00/€1011.00.

Monday, 6th June

Up early on a hot and sunny morning. The sky was pure blue and, by 9.30 am, the temperature had reached 22C/70F. We were at Roundstone Pick-Your-Own Farm at that time (about 3 mins from our house) and in the middle of a huge field of first-flush strawberries. We spent about 20 mins there and another 20 in the rhubarb field. In this weather, it is a delightful activity.

Back for coffee and then out to Littlehampton beach – on Sea Road. It was amazingly busy as the sun brought out  visitors. We walked along the beach road. past the colourful beach huts that seem to be privately owned and down to the East Beach café which is actually a highly acclaimed restaurant. Just a mile and half walk with the same back was lovely in the sunshine and the sea air.

Pauline went down to the sea’s edge to test whether it was warm enough for her to force me to swim. As I didn’t do it in Greece until the end of June, there is little chance here although she did declare it warm. I was taking photos on my phone and asked Pauline to re-stoop to the water so I could photograph it. Unfortunately, at that very moment, she was hit by a breaking wave and got her shoes and feet soaking. She took a while to calm down.

Actually, she took it very well and liked the photos which is very unusual. Having dried her off, we took a slow drive home and drank tea in the garden sunshine. I don’t know if I mentioned but I am three weeks into a no-alcohol spell.

Tuesday, 7th June

Gorgeous day. We were out at 9.30 am in brilliant sunshine and 22C/70F. Humidity was already rising. Off to Currys in Littlehampton to collect my new 12.9-inch iPad Pro and two radio alarms for the bedrooms. On to Worthing sea front and to M&S to pick up some garments that Pauline had ordered. We were home by 11.30 am – just in time to receive delivery of an interesting chair that Pauline had ordered for her Sewing Room. It was ordered from Wayfair – an American concern at a cost of £150.00/€192.00 and has an interesting ‘bentwood’ construction.

I know the Blog has degenerated in to a catalogue of unfettered consumption over the past couple of months. I tried to resist it but that is was what life has been for us over that time. After six months homelessness and a previous six months divesting ourselves of our possessions, we arrived here with virtually nothing apart from sentimental objects and our clothes. Everything, everything from furniture for every room to cooking pots and pans, bathroom furniture, bedroom furniture, lightshades, everything had to be sourced anew. We arrived cash-rich but effects-poor. To some that may seem an exciting challenge but it is not all fun, I can tell you. I for one, am heartily pleased that it is nearly over.

It seems rather obscene to switch from that to the Greek economy (although that is one of the sources of our cash) but Kathimerini reports that the value of Greek supermarket sales posts record decline of 8.8% in March. The first three months of this year proved to be one of the worst quarters ever for the supermarket sector in Greece. Sales value fell 6 percent in January year-on-year, followed by an 8.3 percent drop in February and topped by an 8.8 percent slump in March. Consumers are cutting down on even the most basic of commodities, ranging from milk to washing powder.

If that isn’t a sign of serious decline, Greek cruise ship operators are worried of a lasting impact on the sector from an ongoing strike by port workers protesting the sale of the country’s biggest port Piraeus to the Chinese shipping giant, Cosco, while much needed Chinese tourists will not be arriving in Greece this year as China Airlines cancelled planned scheduled flights to Athens because the Greeks failed to agree to their landing rights.

Wedesday, 8th June

Honda Accord 1984

Hot and humid night in which we heard some rumbles of thunder but saw no rain. This morning, at 9.30 am, the temperature is 24C/75F and sticky. It is a big day for me. I’m having my haircut in the garden. It has to be done before Prime Minister’s Questions at 11.30 am. We are also going to address the issues of (Beware Obscene Consumption) a new car and a winter holiday.

Honda Prelude 1988

I have always bought Honda cars since buying the first in 1984. We took delivery of a brand new Honda Accord and I immediately became addicted to the smell and feel of new cars. The Accord was our first car with power steering and air conditioning and Anti-Lock Brakes. I was hooked. We had just bought a big and expensive new house and we kept the Accord for almost four years. Looking back, I can’t believe how ‘boxy’ those cars were. We traded it in for a Honda Prelude which looks incredibly dated now although I remember being so proud of it at the time.

Honda Prelude 1994

We were feeling richer and we changed the car virtually every year with about 12000 miles on the clock. We always used the same dealer and the same salesman who remains a friend today. I think we had six, new Preludes, gradually moving on to automatics and then Chris phoned us to say that Honda had brought out their first 4-Wheel Drive, utility vehicle and asked us to come and look at it. This was 1995/6. We were in our mid-40s and looking to ‘break out’. We bought the first CRV to arrive in Huddersfield. It was bright, metallic orange. Once again, we replaced it every year and our second was metallic yellow. We drove it to Greece for the six week holidays and that was it. We’ve driven CRVs ever since. We changed them virtually every year until 2009 when we retired. We’ve only had two since then but this one is ready for a swap. It’s really getting dirty.

Honda CRV 1995

Honda CRV 2007

Honda CRV 2012

I intend to keep the new one for another four years so I want as many gizmos as I can. I love gizmos! This one will include on its media screen/sat nav.:

1. Traffic Sign Recognition
2. Lane Departure Warning
3. Blind spot Monitor
4. Forward collision warning
5. Collision Mitigation braking System
6. Lane Keeping Assist
7. Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control

The whole package will be about £34,600/€44,300.00 and our current car with 27,000 miles on the clock will knock about £14,500.00/€18,600.00 off that.

My driving style has changed immensely since retiring. While working, I drove everywhere at top speed. Have to get there now! I didn’t worry too much about speed limits including on my long drives across Europe. I collected a couple of speeding tickets over thirty years in UK and paid one, on-the-spot fine on the French-Swiss border for driving  at 120mph/193 kph on a 80 mph/130 kph motorway. It cost me €70.00 and a wagged finger. In retirement, I don’t have to get anywhere soon. I actually want to slow my arrival at destinations down – particularly the grave. I use sat. nav. for almost every journey which involves leaving my garage and set Cruise Control or Speed Limiter immediately when I can. To have Cruise Control automatically keep my distance from the car in front would be good. May be it will provide me with a taste of driverless cars in preparation for my ‘gaga days’ in 2050.

Thursday, 9th June

Pottering in the Office

Another beautiful day, warm and sunny, reaching 22C/70F. Pauline has been busy cooking and perfecting lovely dishes. I’ve been pottering. I spent the morning in the sun bringing my new iPad Pro up to speed with my app. requirements and reading the paper.

This afternoon, I’ve weeded the front garden and cut the lawn as well as sharpening the edges with a half-moon tool. I mowed the back lawn  and watered my extensive plant collection. It is so extensive, I need three photos to illustrate it. This is gardening on a grand scale!

Sweet Basil

French Tarragon

Sweet Bell Peppers & Tumbling Tom Cherry Tomatoes

They are loving this sunny, warm weather and both peppers and tomatoes are just beginning to flower.

In the really ‘big’ world, things are distinctly precarious. The three most recent opinion polls in UK are showing an increasing desire to leave the EU. Not only that but a poll by Pew Research Centre in Washington DC and reported in The Times today says that the French are second most hostile nation to the EU, beaten only by the Greeks. The French want us to leave Europe and the Dutch are pushing for a referendum after we go.

Kathimerini reports:

Fears are rising about the possible breakdown of a deal between the European Union and Turkey for the return of migrants after legal committees in Greece upheld dozens of appeals by refugees against their deportation…..Meanwhile there are also concerns about a pickup in arrivals from neighbouring Turkey.

With thousands of migrants already camped out on Greek islands, in Piraeus and the old Athens airport, bookings are inevitably suffering.

….The total number of refugees in Greece is 57,458, according to government figures made public on Tuesday….migrants are living in makeshift camps or state-run facilities on the Aegean islands or mainland Greece….. tensions have been rising. On Tuesday suspected far-right protesters attacked a group of migrants near a state-run camp on Chios…. On Lesvos and Samos, brawls between groups of migrants have escalated in recent days, with protesters setting fire to bedding and tents in camps.

It is a parlous state from which there is little view of an early resolution.

Friday, 10th June

Slightly cooler and more cloudy morning. Just the weather to get jobs done in. First up, we must wish Pauline’s brother-in-law, Colin, happy 80th birthday. This year he’s sharing it with the queen.

European Health Insurance Card

First job this morning is to renew our EHIC cards which ran out in January and which we had forgotten about. In fact, our second month in Tenerife in Jan./Feb. wouldn’t have been covered by it. Fortunately, we have comprehensive health cover any way but it is better to be safe. We rather forget the European Health Insurance Card because it was useless in Greece. There was little healthcare on the island and, what there was, we had to pay for. It is different in more developed countries like Spain, France and Italy, although the whole thing may become a moot point in a couple of weeks if the vote is to leave the EU. Optimistically, I’ve set up a reminder in our on-line diaries in 5 years time to tell us to renew our cards.

Drove back to Surrey this afternoon to help Pauline’s Brother-in-Law, Colin, celebrate his 80th birthday. Pauline’s niece, Mandy, had set up a surprise party with lots of his old friends attending and his favourite artist, Rod Stewart, performing in the garden. Well, actually, Rod was otherwise engaged so a tribute act from Grimsby had been booked. He turned out to be amazingly good and the older people there really enjoyed it.

Mandy had supplied more food than could be needed for feeding the 5000 and Pauline spent two days making sweets for the buffet. Strawberry Tart, Lemon Meringue Pie, Chocolate Torte with Raspberries and whipped cream, Blackcurrant Cheesecake, Coffee and Hazelnut Meringue Cake. They looked delicious. It was a warm evening and the party went on until nearly midnight in the garden. We drove back to Sussex, watched a Brexit Referendum Interview with Farage and got to bed about 2.00 pm.

Saturday, 11th June

We were tired this morning but the radio didn’t know that and came on at 6.00 am as usual. Weekend shopping is not usually great and we try to do it on Friday before the Great Unwashed are out but we were busy yesterday and it had to be done. It is an incredibly hot (26C/79F) and humid morning. It was so noticeable as we walked out of  air-conditioned Tesco and into the atmosphere. It was like walking down the plane steps into the Mediterranean climate.

This place that we have chosen to live in is reputed to be the sunniest in Britain and we are beginning to believe it. Two miles from our house is the Highdown Vineyard which describes its climactic advantages:

The open site enjoys free draining chalk soil and gentle westerly breezes, which ensure a good airflow through the vineyard. Its proximity to the sea means it doesn’t usually suffer from the late frosts which beset so many English vineyards. The site also benefits from being in an area with some of the lowest rainfall and highest sunshine in the country.

Highdown Vineyard Shop

The Vines and their Owners

Maybe I could get in to a new career! They’re bound to need a taster. I’m experienced.

 29th May, 2016

The sun is out. The sky is blue. It’s beautiful and … we are beginning to feel, once again, like we’re permanently on holiday. The tarragon and sweet basil are loving it and so are we.

If you read the saga of the television aerial installer last week, you will be as surprised as I was when I recall this event. I searched out another, suitable firm in my vicinity and printed out their details so I could call them on Tuesday after the Bank Holiday weekend. I told Pauline and gave her the details to read and approve. (I am nothing if not democratic.) Just as she was saying that she thought they looked a good possibility, the phone rang and it was the original installer phoning – on Bank Holiday Sunday afternoon – to apologise and arrange to come on Tuesday. Taking the least line of resistance, we agreed.

We thought we might drive the three or so miles to the beach in this lovely weather but it soon became apparent that it was a stupid idea for retired people to vie with everyone who was enjoying a long weekend away from work. We came home and sat in the garden which is bathed in sun from early morning to late evening. While we were relaxing, the latest Angmering magazine – a monthly, free, 70 page colour booklet advertising a multitude of local events, clubs and services – arrived through the door. This place is an amazingly energetic and interactive community in the sun.

30th May, 2016

A little more overcast this morning. It was 18C/65F with weak sunshine and a light breeze at 8.00 am. I wanted to mow the lawn but was mindful that people living around us are workers and would be enjoying a Bank Holiday lie-in I refrained until 9.30 am. Nobody should waste the day and stay in bed after that should they? I am cutting the newly laid turf little and often and it certainly appears to be appreciating it. It is luscious, thick, green and growing strongly. Just as a lawn should be.

I know I have some hobby-horses and opposition to formal charities is one which I have written about before but I can’t resist drawing your attention to this article in The Sunday Times yesterday. It shouldn’t come as any surprise but many will be shocked to read it.

The gist of the article reports that major charities ‘cost’ more to administrate than they provide for their advertised ’causes’. Read the full article here –  Charities’ Gravy Train. Successive governments fail to fund what I believe they should. With a Tory government, things are even worse.

They are failing to adequately fund the National Health Service with a shortage of Doctors and Nurses, the emergency services – Ambulance and Fire, Flood Defences, the Education Service with a shortage of Teachers, the Immigration Service with a lack of air, sea and land border surveillance, the Legal Aid Fund which means the cost of going to law is prohibitive for the majority of citizens, Local Authorities which are having to cut Library services, swimming baths, Community Waste tips, etc. All of this is done surreptitiously, blamed on others or the need for ‘austerity cuts’. All the time, George Gobsborn tells us how well he is doing although he doesn’t make explicit that he is referring to the long term strategic plan of reducing the size and role of the State.  Happy Bank Holiday – to the Bankers!

31st May, 2016

‘Same Day Express Service’ which took a week.

A damp and cool, grey morning for the last day of May which only brightened in the late afternoon. At last, the television aerial installer arrived from Actionaerials. He turned out to be a lovely chap – an ex-publican from Brighton. We have Sky in three rooms downstairs and wanted Freeview on the four, bedroom sets. Seven connectors in the loft – three feeding downstairs and used for Sky and four ‘free’ already feeding the upstairs rooms have been left by the builder. I expected ladders, drills clambering across the loft space, etc.. He took one look and pronounced an aerial in the loft would be all I would need and a power supply with signal booster. The total price would be £200.00/€260.00 for the aerial and power unit + booster + labour would be £144.00/€188.00 making a total of £344.00/€448.00 + VAT. I couldn’t do it because of the pain so Pauline wrote a cheque for £412.80/€537.00 and ‘thanked’ the installer.

We are going to Greece this summer but I’ve already started to look for a month or so in Tenerife in the winter. We are thinking of spending the month of November in Costa Adeje. Having gone out for the first time last year and done two months straddling the turn of the year, we are looking to move a little upmarket this time and are considering the Costa Adeje Gran Hotel.

It has a Health Centre and two pools just for adults, free Wi-Fi (now obligatory) and three different restaurants. A month will cost us about £4,500.00/€5850.00 which is not bad for four weeks of warm relaxation – after the gym work! Kids will be in school so at least we shouldn’t have to contend with them and it will be closer to areas of interest like  Los Cristianos, Teide National Park, La Gomera and La Palma. I wonder if we will still be European citizens by the time we go. I am seriously beginning to wonder and panic a bit!

1st June, 2016

Happy June

Goodbye to May and Hello to June 2016. Actually, the white rabbit doesn’t look too thrilled and it is rather cool and grey outside although exceptionally hot weather is forecast for our region at the end of this week.

Good weather at home maybe just what we need if American warnings are heeded. The Times leads with this in today’s edition:

Tens of thousands of American tourists were warned yesterday that they are at risk of terrorist attacks across Europe this summer, leading to fears that holidays will be cancelled en masse. The US State Department issued an unusually broad travel alert that applies to the whole continent for this month, next month and August. It warns American citizens that they could be in danger at major events, tourist sites, city centres, restaurants and on public transport.

Americans take real notice of their government’s advice because they usually give it on sound evidence like finding ‘weapons of mass destruction’. However, the European Football Championships could be a honeypot for ISIS who will exploit lax security in airports but the Americans also tell their citizens to avoid tourist locations such as Mediterranean beach resorts.

Talking about the Mediterranean, the people of Greece are waking up this morning to instant price hikes in all their favourite things – sales tax rate went up from 23% to 24%, while taxes were also raised on services used heavily by Greeks forced to cut back on leisure activities due to the financial crisis. Charges increased on internet, fixed telephone and pay-TV subscriptions. Meanwhile, a huge, 5* hotel – The Athens Ledra (Ledra Marriott) on Syngrou Avenue has gone into administration turfing out guests and closing its doors. Their staff haven’t been paid for 3 months and its debts to banks and the Social Security Foundation (IKA) are said to top 40 million euros.

In UK, the Pound Sterling is falling again as aggregated opinion polls show Vote Leave pulling away to a worryingly significant lead. This is exacerbated by migrants being picked up from small boat crossings in quiet coastline settings around the UK and stories of increased migration through Libya to Italy and a return of the Greek island migrant problem as Turkey realise they may not get what they hoped for from the EU and  start to relax their grip on the smugglers.

2nd June, 2016

Starting to take June for granted already even though it’s grey and a little cool outside. The best we’ve reached is 16F/61C – a  palindromic temperature conversion as I’m sure you’ll recognise. We got up this morning thinking that we had to do nothing other than make our trip to the Leisure Club. After a couple of really hard sessions over the past couple of days, I am aching. We only have to do Friday and then we can rest over the weekend.

As we were moving to our new home in Sussex, we were determined to bring items from our joint history and mix them with fairly modern things which challenge our taste and view of the ‘appropriate’. We have a pendant light shade which we bought for Pauline’s Mum’s new home in 1980.

We have a silver cigarette box that belonged to my father. He kept his Players Cigarettes in it. Mum gave it to me in 1984. I had my initials engraved on the top, bought myself an expensive, new lighter and filled the box with cigarettes. Within a week, I went from smoking 4o a day to giving up completely and I have never even considered touching one ever again. The box is a lovely memory conflating Dad’s, Mum’s and my life. I have my Grandfather’s ‘apprentice piece’ – a yew, smoker’s chair – know in the family as ‘The Richard Chair’. As I wrote on the Blog recently, I have the huge, House for Sale sign from the gate of our Greek house.

I wrote about buying our Dining Table & Chairs from a supplier in Oldham where we worked for 40 years and then getting a bedroom furniture company to fit our bedrooms. They turned out to be made in Oldham and the project manager we liaised with told us that Pauline & I used to teach her mother.

Since the bedrooms have been completed, we have been looking for white stools to slip under the kneehole of each dressing table.Thinking modern and slightly wacky, I found this white, leather topped, gas-strut stool and we both thought it would be fun. I found it being sold on a number of websites, one of which, bizarrely, turned out to be Tesco Direct. They weren’t expensive and I ordered three. When the confirmation email arrived it said they were being supplied by Lakeland Furniture.

I can’t avoid curiosity and I immediately Googled Lakeland Furniture. Guess where they are based? Oldham! They are housed in one of the old cotton mills that was once housing Littlewoods Mail Order. I blame Pauline, of course, because she is Oldham born and bred. Let’s hope the chairs are just as beautiful and just as reliable.

3rd June, 2016

To say this morning was freezing would be an exaggeration but it is the sort of term one would use for it in June. It was bloody freezing! We were on a major shopping mission this morning. First to Asda for bananas. I live on bananas. I was a monkey in a former life. Asda bananas are streets (or plantations) ahead of the other, major supermarkets in terms of quality and flavour. Listen to a dedicated consumer. They use Fyffes – an Irish company – who import them from Costa Rica.

Monkey satisfied, we moved on to Sainsbury’s to buy power block/USB charger units for the bedrooms allowing us and guests to charge iPads/Kindles, etc. over night. On to Currys to pick up the final television for the last bedroom. Lastly to Tesco for our major shop of the week. After getting home, I watched a re-run of the ‘Call me Dave’ interview from last night while Pauline was completing the re-spraying of three, big mirrors that we have dragged around with us from house to house for thirty years. We love them and they cost us £50.00/€64.00 a piece all that time ago but they are in a rather dated, varnished pine frame which doesn’t suit our modern style. The one illustrated here in our Hall will stay as it is. Pauline has masked off the other mirrors and is spraying undercoat and matt white top coats before they are hung in the bedrooms. She loves doing that sort of thing.

I am actually doing practical things as well today because there is no Daily Politics. I’m hanging pictures in Pauline’s Ironing & Sewing Room. The pictures are an eclectic mix of framed opera posters which I love; a picture of Jemima – a much loved cat of Pauline’s which died in 1980; a picture of our shadows on the Kali Strata of the Greek island of Symi in 1989 and a shot of the Hora on Folegandros that we stayed in a couple of times in the early ’90s. Although we physically shopped all morning, we did a bit more on the net this afternoon. Pauline needs an easy chair in which to contemplate her sewing. We’ve ordered this from Wayfair. I don’t know what you think. A mixture of modern and retro? It cost £150.00/€193.00 but we had a 10% discount from them because of previous purchases.

4th June, 2016

The week has concluded with quite a few things in the house coming together. The wacky, white stools arrived this morning, looked perfect and went straight into the main, three bedrooms. This is bedroom 1 now.

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2 is virtually complete with a re-cycled mirror, painted white by Pauline and the ubiquitous television looks like this:

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3 is in the front of the house, is the same size as Bedroom 2 but needs a bit of work yet and currently looks like this:

Bedroom 3

Bedroom 4 is the smallest of the four and we don’t really need it. Buying good quality, new-build properties with two or three bedrooms is not as easy as one might think. Ours is given over to Pauline for Ironing & Sewing and her cookery book collection. Currently it looks like this:

Bedroom 4

Bedroom 4

I don’t know if you notice an overwhelming ‘whiteness’. This will be counterpointed with pictures which will be put up next.

We had a huge pile of cardboard from recent deliveries bunging up the garage. We took it to the local tip and then drove on to the beach at Ferring which was almost deserted. It was absolutely delightful.

Ferring Beach

22nd May, 2016

A warm and relaxing day of newspapers and little else. The new week will see us restart our exercise program now we are not tied to the house. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday at the Leisure Centre and then Thursday visiting Surrey. We are still waiting for confirmation of the delivery of the new sideboard and that is it.

23rd May, 2016

Happy 67th Birthday to my sister, Ruth. It looks like she’s spending it in the Lake District with rather nice weather. Hope she’s having a lovely day.

We are certainly enjoying a very warm and sunny day down here. We reached 76F/24C in the shade as we cooked and ate our meal out in the garden. Griddled Pacific Salmon with Greek Salad was just delightful. Earlier, I had considered negotiating a new trade deal with Brazil or setting up a trading business in India but, in the end, I settled for sweeping out the garage and taking a final box of rubbish to the local tip. Actually, I’m sure it was more rewarding.

Tomorrow, we will go to the Leisure Centre and relaunch our health campaign with renewed vigour. In Greece, meanwhile, the newspapers are reporting Fears of protracted strike at Piraeus and Thessaloniki ports. Port Authorities are due to go on strike to protest privatisation plans on Thursday, prompting fears of a prolonged period of inactivity at the ports. Potential tourists be warned!

24th May, 2016

The gorgeous days keep coming. Hot and sunny from 6.00 am right through until now as I write at 6.30 pm. The thermometer in the shade hit 23C/72F. I was so excited, I cleaned the car. We went out to Curry’s to buy three, smallish TVs for three of the bedrooms. They are only 24″ screens with white surrounds and Freeview receivers built in. They cost £420.00/€550.00 in total. Now I have to get a terrestrial aerial installed to supply the signal.

Our meal was cooked out in the garden again. We so enjoyed the griddled salmon yesterday that we repeated it today. Wild, Pacific salmon is such a wonderful flavour (at £13.30 per Kg.) compared with farmed, Scottish salmon (at £12.00 per Kg.). Griddled, the oil-rich skin goes charred and crunchy. Absolutely wonderful.

25th May, 2016

We have really rediscovered tarragon in a big way. Years ago I wasn’t keen but now we use it to flavour chicken and salmon regularly. We probably overuse it but it’s our choice. Living in Yorkshire, I failed miserably to grow it in the garden but down here is a different matter and today I bought three plants for growing on in pots. We have a nursery that specialises in herb and vegetable plants just 400 metres from our house and it is there we went today. Culberry Nursery is fairly homespun but all the more interesting for that. In addition to Tarragon, I bought Sweet Basil plants and Sweet Bell Pepper plants. I will grow them in pots this year just for a bit of fun. I’ll probably add some cherry tomatoes as well.

A local firm is coming to install an aerial so I can receive Freeview in each of the bedrooms. The televisions arrive on Saturday and we will have moved another step on. Meanwhile, we are going back to Surrey tomorrow to pick up my repeat prescription from the Surgery which we have nor resigned from yet. We haven’t had time to choose a surgery down here yet and we will do that over the next month. It will have to be done before we go away. We will go out for lunch with Pauline’s sister and niece. I’m on a no alcohol phase – hopefully lasting three months – so I am driving. However, typically, Pauline says she won’t drink either to show solidarity.

26th May, 2016

Woke up early to a beautiful, sunny morning. At 9.30 am, we set off for Surrey. It should take us almost exactly one hour according to our experience and our sat.nav.. We didn’t calculate in an accident on the M25 which virtually doubled our journey time as we sat and crawled nose to bumper. I knew I should have gone to the loo again before I left home. By the time we reached our doctors’ surgery in Woking, it was all I could do to control my walk to the door.

With my repeat prescription in hand and my relieved state in mind, I felt able to look around my old stomping ground. Unlike where we are in Sussex which seems to have an abundance of wisteria, where we were in Surrey is now dominated by vast and brashly colourful rhododendrons. The traffic and the driving style is aggressive and selfish. Drivers approaching a roundabout dive, kamikaze-style for the advantage.

We survived the traffic and called at P&C’s house before leaving for a gastro pub where were going for lunch together. It was called the Hand & Spear in Weybridge. We went to the restaurant and were seated in the conservatory. Pauline & I ordered roast pigeon with beetroot and beetroot jus for our starter followed by slow roasted lamb with celeriac fondant. It was very well cooked and very enjoyable although I feel bound to say that Pauline would have cooked it better. We didn’t have a sweet or coffee. We had two bottles of sparkling water and a bottle of white wine. The bill came to £175.00/€230.00 which was not unreasonable and we really enjoyed the conviviality of the event but neither of us would leap to eat there again.

Our drive back to our Surrey home took 55 minutes and was a delight. The sun was shining all the way and the temperature was 22C/70F. The traffic and driving was almost polite and the world spread out in good order.

27th May, 2016

Warm and sunny day that was 20C/68F at 8.30 am and reached 22C/70F by mid day but felt a great deal hotter because of the high humidity. We were out at the huge garden centre about a mile away from our house to buy some new pots for the patio and some extra plants. To add to the herbs – Tarragon, Sweet Basil and the Green Bell Pepper plants – I bought yesterday, I picked up some ‘trailing’ cherry tomatoes – yellow and red – especially developed for growing in tubs or hanging baskets. If I get them looking like the illustration, I’ll show you. Otherwise, you’ll never hear of them again.

We went on to a local industrial park to a GPO office to collect a parcel we missed yesterday. While we were there, we spotted a builders’ merchants which we knew stocked the liquid wax Pauline has used on our dining table. It was so good, we bought enough for two more years’ treatments. If you’re a regular to this Blog, you will know my proclivity for ‘forward buying’.

28th May, 2016

About 3.00 am we were woken by the sound of torrential rain. Although it only lasted about five minutes, we went downstairs and made a cup of tea. Back to bed at 4.00 am on an uncomfortably warm night. We weren’t surprised to learn this morning that other places near us had experienced thunder and lightning. We must have been just on the edge. Story of my life!

Tired when we woke, as usual, at 6.00 am. Still, the day was fine and sunny and waiting to be started. We are tied to the house today. Curry’s are delivering televisions for the bedrooms and the aerial installer may just turn up at the third time of asking – if he can be bothered. Pauline and I are finally getting around to contacting friends and family to confirm our new address and keep them up to speed with our lives. It is a mixture of emails (where we can) and letters where necessary.  Fortunately, a computer makes it all a lot easier. In total, we had more than sixty people/families to contact. A stock letter slightly tweaked for each contact is fairly quick. A stock email with multiple addressees is similarly economical with time. I really like my address label printer that churns out multiple, transparent, adhesive address labels in short time.

As I write this Blog at 6.00 pm in sultry heat and with one eye on the Championship Play Off final between Hull and Sheffield Wednesday, the TVs have arrived and been set up but the aerial installer has not and is now sacked. I will choose another company after the Bank Holiday weekend.