Sanders Blog

13th September, 2015

Things are moving quite quickly at the moment – for us as well as Jeremy Corbin. We have to ‘Exchange Contracts’ in the next couple of days and ‘Complete’ in the first week of October. From that point on, we are homeless. We don’t yet know whether our buyers are buying all our furniture, some of it or none of it. We don’t know if we will need a furniture removal firm, a white van man or we will just use our car. We were going to stay with Pauline’s sister but she has guests in October so we are desperately casting around for somewhere to stay. Jeremy is desperately casting around for experienced politicians who are prepared to serve in his shadow cabinet.

What we have done this morning is book a month on the south west coast of Tenerife in Los Gigantes which has nothing to do with big beans as the Greeks might think but is the name derived from big cliffs on the shoreline.

One thing it is not is understated. It’s got a Health Club with Spa & Gym plus indoor and outdoor pools. It will help us pass the month of November!

14th September, 2015

We contacted the solicitor acting for us on our apartment sale. We told her what the estate agent had reported but she said she had heard absolutely nothing. She will find out and get back to us. All morning we heard nothing. We went out for a long session at the Health Club. We did an hour in the Gym and another in the pool, etc.. Absolutely shattered, we drove home. If you know Surrey you will know that it is heavily wooded. It is a paradise for Tree Surgeons. Our route to the Health Club is lined with huge trees and mainly Oak and Horse Chestnut. As we speed under them, the trees bomb us with acorns and conkers which are in abundance this year.

Just as we were preparing our meal – grilled chicken and Greek Salad – the solicitor rang to say the exchange of contracts had gone through. The 10% deposit had been lodged and the sale was now irrevocable. We agreed a completion date of October 7th so we can now make all our arrangements.

To add to the pleasure and simplify the move, our buyers have agreed to buy every single stick of furniture at exactly the prices that we requested. This will mean that we will move the small, personal items that were not for sale by ourselves in our car. We will rent a little extra amount of storage to keep them until our move in February/March next year. When our new house is built, we will furnish it completely anew. What fun!

15th September, 2015

Things are running at full tilt. Informing two sets of solicitors, reading contracts and lots of small print, moving money between accounts to pay deposit on the new house, filling stacking, plastic storage boxes is all going on with urgency. We have fifteen of them from the last English move.

We’ve been to the Storage Pod to rent additional space. Our car, with the seats down, will take 8 storage boxes. I can just lift one full of books and files or full of crockery and glassware. They will be stored for up to 6 months. We leave the apartment three weeks tomorrow.

16th September, 2015

Warm – 24C/75F but very wet today. We managed to get to the storage pod with 8 boxes of books, etc. before the rain came down and then home to do more packing and paperwork. This will be the second day without gym work but we’ll go tomorrow.

Cancelling services should be easy. It’s certainly easy starting them with Sky – TV/Phone line/Broadband – answer within a minute if you want to open a new contract. If you want to end an existing one, it takes 20 mins.. Electricity, Council Tax, Water all have to be cancelled. Our Service agreement in our property must be ended and our pre-paid charges returned. We have to notify the TV Licensing Authority, The DVLA for our driver’s Licences, the Banks, and the Post Office for re-addressing of mail. These are all niggly things which take up time but have to be addressed.

We have bought and sold many properties and moved many times but it doesn’t get any easier. We wonder how we found the time when we were working. Still the goal at the end makes it all worthwhile.

17th September, 2015

Lovely, warm and sunny morning spent indoors packing boxes. A trip to the storage this afternoon will see the Study and Kitchen cleared of everything bar essentials for the maintenance of life – computer, scanner colour laser and an electric griddle, coffee maker and kettle.

Eight more boxes taken to the Storage Pod. About eight more to go before we can relax and feel as if we can be ready to leave. Just three weeks to go before we have to be out. We can’t really believe it has gone so quickly but we have to adjust immediately to our new environment.

Talking about adjusting to new environments, the new Labour Party leader is doing just that. Almost every national newspaper is doing its best to rubbish him. After all, he’s just not playing the ‘game’ by their rules.

While all that’s happening, the Greek electorate look like moving back to the centre leaving left and right precariously balanced. In some ways, this is far more dangerous. What Greece needs now is clarity, determination and strength. It needs the programme it has agreed to be pushed through immediately or even sooner.

18th September, 2015

Glorious early Autumn morning but we are still dominated by boxes, packing, boxes, packing. We have 18 or 19 days left to do it but we have always been like this. Things have to be done now. In Greece last year, I was making daily, early morning trips down to the communal bins dumping things that just wouldn’t be suitable for anyone else before our sale went through and we handed over the house to someone else. I find/found it quite cathartic leaving the old behind and moving on – starting afresh. It is so liberating. I wonder how the goldfish are doing in their little world. It seems so far away now.

In between wrapping and packing, I’ve been doing the financial accounts in order to keep a tight grip on the moving costs. It’s good fun and keeps me sane to know things are under control. We will take another 8 boxes to the storage pod this afternoon and the property will heave a huge sigh of relief as space appears.

This evening I am continuing to prepare the Welcome Pack & Guide to living here, using the services, seeking help, managing the electric gates, burglar alarm and identifying all the keys. We are also writing guides to easy use of the white goods, televisions and satellite systems. Our buyer has been living in Australia for years and will find many of these things a little stressful at first. We want her to be happy in her new home.

19th September, 2015

Another lovely, lovely day with warm sunshine. Shopping at Sainsbury’s by 9.30 am and then home to continue the packing. The Welcome Pack & Guide is now complete and accompanied by all the user booklets that came with the washing machine, dishwasher, oven & hob, fridge-freezer, televisions, burglar alarm, heating system and much more.

6th September, 2015

The Blog will catch up with itself in a few days when we are in a position to update. Currently, we are travelling.

7th September, 2015

Early start. Up at 3.00 am and in the car by 4.00 am. At Heathrow – Terminal 5 Long Stay Car Park by 4.30 am and dropped our bags at British Airways desk by 5.00 am. We went through Passport Control and into Departures immediately. We have membership of all the private Lounges through our Bank. We went down to the Aspire Lounge & Spa and had breakfast – bacon and scrambled egg with coffee. The wi-fi there is excellent.

Our flight took off on time at 6.45 am and we arrived in Athens 10 mins early at 12.10 pm. Pauline had bought new, lime green cases which were easy to spot on the carousel when they came from the aircraft and we were soon walking across the concourse to the train for Syndagma. The temperature was 35C/95F. Five minutes later we were in our Hotel – The Electra Palace – and our suite. It was 2.30 pm by the time we took our suitcases up in the lift and put the kettle on for a cup of tea.

When we were settled, we went for a swim in the pool and a jacuzzi relax. We spent the best part of a hour there before returning for a shower and another relax. We went shopping for peanuts, bottles of wine and water. At 7.00 pm, we went to our favourite, street corner taverna. Pauline had grilled sea bass and I had grilled, large squid.

We shared a Greek Salad, garlic dip and bottle of white wine. It was delicious.

8th September, 2015

Up late today – 8.00 am (which is 6.00 am in UK). Went down for breakfast at 9.00 am. It was a struggle to eat. Returned to our room to read the paper but,  by 11.00 am, we walked down to Monastiraki train station and took the train to Piraeus. Athens and the train were very quiet. Few tourist around anywhere. We got off at Piraeus Port station and walked the full arc of ferry docks. We ended up at the Zante Ferries boat for Sifnos – the Andreas Kalvos. That’s where we met up with our Sifnos friends.

Piraeus was different to any other time we have seen it in the past thirty five years. It was dead – the roads, pavements, docks were dead. The cafes which once thrived were all closed. The ticket offices largely gone. The trains were mainly empty. Suddenly, as if from nowhere, crowds of migrants appeared near the train station. They were affluent, controlled and business like. They were led by group leaders who handed out ‘stamped’ travel/identity documents. Everyone carried smartphones which were glued to their ears. Everyone was being directed to ‘Express to Germany’ coaches. Prices were being negotiated – calmly and quietly. These were not desperate people without money but confident, Middle Class people who had money to buy their freedom.

9th September, 2015

Wonderful day. Warm and sunny reaching 32C/90F. After a late breakfast, we set off on a walk to Kolonaki.

It was hot and sweaty by the time we arrived. Shops, restaurants and coffee shops followed by Embassies and more shops and then back to Syndagma. Coffee and newspapers in our hotel suite and then out to Monastiraki and the fruit sellers outside the station entrance. A bag full of big, fat, sweet figs and a kilo of green, seedless grapes cost under 3 Euros. We walked back to our hotel and feasted on fruit.

At 3.00 pm, we went down to the Spa Centre and spent an hour or more in the jacuzzi, pool and sauna. At 7.00 pm we went out to our favourite street corner taverna for Greek Salad, Skordalia (garlic sauce) and grilled salmon. The whole thing with a litre (kilo) of white wine cost 38 euros. This, in a capital city, is amazing.

10th September, 2015

Before breakfast, Pauline made a cup of tea and I tested my INR. It was a near perfect 2.7 which I immediately emailed to Woking Anticoagulation Department. It was 8.15 am in Greece so only 6.15 am in Woking but I got dosage advice by return email. Breakfast at 8.30 am today and then back to our room for coffee and newspapers. At 10.30 am, Pauline went to the Hairdressing Salon across the road –

http://michalisanousakis.com/about.html

She has been using it for the past 15 years and has her hair cut by the owner. Every time she books, an assistant rather gingerly whispers the price – this year it was €57.00/£41.00 – which is actually nearly half what she would pay at Sasson’s in London.

By mid day, we were walking down the shopping street which is Ermou and then through the Plaka, via the meat and fish market, where everything was so cheap but few were buying, to Omonia Square where the pavements and doorways were crowded with immigrants.

More than ever, Athens looked down-at-heel, impoverished and ill at ease with itself. So many shops and restaurants that we have frequented over the years have just disappeared and many remaining are quiet and desperate to draw tourists in. We walked back up Stadiou Street to Syndagma and back to our hotel for a cup of tea.

Mid afternoon, we had a good swim, jacuzzi and sauna. We fly back to London tomorrow afternoon. I’m a B.A. Club member and I use an app on my phone & iPad to manage our bookings. Using the app, I selected our seats – emergency exit/extra legroom, window and centre. Now, 24hrs before, we are ‘checking-in’ on-line and collecting our boarding passes on our mobile phones.

Just as we were about to go out Dinner, we received a phone call to say that our buyers had signed the contract for our apartment and will be paying the 10% deposit tomorrow. We were elated. Tonight we ate Greek Salad, Garlic Sauce and griddled Sea Bass all washed down with dry and ice-cold white wine. It was delicious. Our sweet was sweet, green grapes and a glass of ouzo. Heaven. When we got back to our hotel room, as usual, a chocolate in a small box was placed by either side of our bed.

11th September, 2015

A lovely morning – especially for retired teachers. Greek schools restart this morning. Across the block from our hotel, a local school has its windows flung open and the small school yard which is marked out as a basketball court, has been set up with a sound system. Trailing electrical leads snake down from an upstairs window to the microphone which will relay the speeches of a local dignitary, the Headteacher and the ubiquitous member of the Orthodox Church.

The television morning news programmes – and I favour the Skai channel’s Proti Grammi (First Programme), are playing heavily on shortages of teachers in Greece and the inability of some schools to reopen because of it.

Of course, we are playing heavily on the fact that we no longer need to teach. After breakfast, we finished packing, paid our bill and walked up to the Metro station at Syndagma. We took a clean and empty train to the airport for the extravagant (not) sum of Euros 14 for the two of us instead of a cramped and hairy journey by taxi for a minimum of Euros 40. At the airport, we immediately dropped our bags at the BA desk and went to the airside lounge – the Melina Mecouri Lounge – where we had comfortable seats, lovely free coffee and good wi-fi courtesy of our card membership.

We often complain about our monthly bank account charges but these Lounge facilities are worth it on their own. The charge would be £35.00 each – £70.00 – for every time we used them on this trip alone, we used three Lounges – potentially £210.00 – which is almost total, annual charge. The peace and quiet and free flowing red wine would make me want to pay it anyway.

We boarded our flight on time and without fuss. It always takes longer leaving Greece than arriving – something to do with prevailing winds. We set off at 2.45 pm (G.T.) and will land at 4.45 pm (B.T.).

We landed five minutes early, soon collected our bags. The Long Stay car park bus arrived and we were soon in our car. That is when we had our first hiccup. Our sat.nav. Proposed routing us on the M4 whereas we would have expected M5. Immediately, our screen flashed up 6 mile queues ahead. We returned to Terminal 5 and started again but this time forcing it to follow the M5. It was Friday night and rush hour so traffic was heavy and slow but we were home in half an hour.

12th September, 2015

Tired this morning but shopping called. We were in Sainsbury’s by 9.30 am. We have a trip to France next week but, now the legal process on the sale of our property has been accelerated, the timing is all wrong so we have to change our travel dates. I use Booking.com for the hotel bookings (naturally!). They make life so easy. We’ve managed to defer our hotel and channel tunnel crossing by three or four weeks which means we will have moved out by then. The proposed ‘Completion’ date on our property is Pauline’s birthday – October 5th. We will probably negotiate a couple of extra days and then bank the money and go away.

We are looking at taking an extended ‘sun’ holiday in November – three or four weeks – where we can be warm, swim outside, use a Health Club and walk along the beach. We are currently considering West coast Teneriffe in a hotel that bans children and has good quality internet provision. They don’t come cheap but at least that tends to ensure peace and quiet. Our neighbour near to us has an apartment out their and has been advising us on areas. We did go to Fuerteventura many years ago so a different Canary Island might be interesting while we are homeless.

30th August, 2015

The penultimate day of Summer 2015 has been pleasant but quiet. We had quite a lot to do so we didn’t go out to exercise. We will go tomorrow – Bank Holiday Monday or so we are led to believe. It means so little to us. – when the Health Club will be like a ghost town.

Received an email from our builder this afternoon with an illustration of current development of our new house.

If the weather is kind, we will be in it for mid February. If not, it might be Easter – March 27th, 2016. We will be going down soon to discuss kitchen units, floor tiles, wooden floors in the hall and study, fitted Study furniture, bathroom/en suite tiles, wardrobes, garden paving/landscaping, etc., etc.. Pauline is on the case.

31st August, 2015

A soggy end to August and the Health Club was packed with workers punishing themselves on their day off. We did our hour and marvelled at the ‘free car wash’ provided by the weather. What disappoints me is that I don’t get noticeably fitter. I am just as tired and my shirt is just as heavy with sweat today as it was when I first started this madness. I’ll never catch Jane BG at this rate.

She won a silver medal in the World Masters Athletic Championships, August 2015Lyon.

A Sifnos friend contacted us yesterday and we are looking forward to going back to Greece in a few days time. Kathimerini has a Leader Article which echoes exactly my thoughts:

Greek election may reopen can of worms

The upcoming Greek election may reopen the can of worms that the country’s recent 86 billion euro bailout deal with its creditors was supposed to close. Given that no party is likely to emerge from the Sept. 20 vote with a majority, it may be hard to form a strong government that can implement the program. There’s even a risk that there will be yet more elections, tipping Greece back into crisis.

I’m looking forward to hearing the word on the street or the talk in the café. It is so much better than reading about it.

1st September, 2015

The Summer has gone and the Autumn begins. The weather remains the same. Actually, the day opened with torrential rain which recently gave way to blue skies and sunshine but the ark is close to floating.

À propos of absolutely nothing, I came across this amusing picture on the web this morning:

and this excellent one-liner from the Edinburgh Fringe:

I lost my virginity very late. When it finally happened, I wasn’t so much deflowered as deadheaded.

Can you tell I’m having a quiet day? Well, I’ve done another hour’s exercise and the rain has returned. The ark has edged further off the patio and the cats are getting their life jackets on.

2nd September, 2015

The day has opened quietly. Some schools in England go back today. In Surrey, they go back tomorrow. In our house, they never go back. We received an update from our Estate Agents which suggested that our buyers wanted to ‘Complete’ quickly on the purchase of our property. We may only have 4 – 6 weeks left here.

We also received an invitation from our builder to go down and view the development of our new house.  We won’t be doing that for a while because we will be abroad but we have been to visit flooring specialists. We will need tiling throughout the ground floor – Hall, Study, Cloakroom, Toilet, Kitchen-Family Room, Laundry. With such a big expanse, it is important to get it right. We drove over to a stockist/supplier to look at examples and came back with ideas. We think that half will be wood and half tiled. We’ve got a few months to think about it.

3rd September, 2015

A mild but overcast day. We had a trip out to Camberley which took about an hour as a round trip. It never ceases to amaze me how rural everywhere in Surrey is. We went on to the Health Club for an hour’s exercise and then came home to griddle chicken and vegetables outside in the garden.

Will the Greeks give Tsipras ‘one last chance’? Will they vote with the left wing breakaway, Popular Unity, for a return to the Drachma and reject ‘Austerity’? Will they turn back to the corruption of the past and choose New Democracy? Between a rock, a hard place and a very hard place is where the Greeks are. Why would anyone seek asylum there?

4th September, 2015

All the kids went back to school yesterday leaving us behind in our dotage. It still feels strange yet wonderful. As we wave goodbye to our neighbours’ children and cheer when they’ve gone, we fill our days with keeping fit and healthy and planning the interiors of our new house. We are currently projected to move in at the end of February – beginning of March which will mean we can return to our drive across Europe about April time. Before then we and the builders have to make decisions about

• tiles (and, possibly, underfloor heating),
• kitchen units,
• fitted wardrobes,
• Study furniture,
• white goods,
• outdoor paving and garden landscaping,
• the garage door automated, etc..

We will have to arrange for

• a new phone line to be installed,
• a satellite or cable supplier to connect to our media distribution panel,
• a broadband supplier,
• a doctor and a dentist.

In the meantime, we are off to Greece for a jaunt followed by some time in France and some time in Yorkshire. We haven’t got time to work!

I started my teaching career in a Victorian school in Derker, Oldham. I lived in a flat in Acre Lane three streets away. This afternoon, I watched a programme on television in which the Texan model and former husband of Mick Jagger, Jerry Hall, explored her ancestry.

How funny to find her grandfather was born three streets away in Waverley Street, Oldham. To add to the irony, it emerged that Mick Jagger’s father, Joe Jagger, lived in Greenfield and taught at Hulme Grammar School in Oldham.

5th September, 2015

I am a creature of habit – to the point that it drives my wife mad. In my retired reincarnation, I start the day shortly after 7.00 am with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, a cup of Yorkshire tea followed shortly afterwards by a large cup of freshly brewed coffee. I love my bean-to-cup coffee maker.

It grinds the beans, forces pressurised hot water through the newly made grounds and produces a lovely head on the coffee. The Italians would probably call me a philistine because I needed frothed milk on the top. Over the frothed head, I sprinkle cinnamon and then chocolate powder.

Now I am ready to read the Politics Section in my digital newspaper followed by my favourite section – The Obituaries. You have to keep up with the dead!

23rd August, 2015

Another humid day which featured half an hour of light rain that helped me avoid plant watering and temporarily held the inevitable Test match result up for an hour or so. We had intended to go the gym but events took over – watching the Test match, the FI Motor Racing from Belgium (something interesting has to come from Belgium) and two Premier League football matches.

Booked a crossing through the Tunnel for our forthcoming journey. The return cost was about £112.00/€155.00 which I paid with my Private Banking Charge Card. I don’t know why but my Bank chose this morning to do a random check on payments, stopped the card account for fifteen minutes and texted me to confirm it was me using the card and not a thief. I should be reassured by this but it irritated me today. I had booked a crossing and a hotel plus another transaction in Surrey and all three had been blocked. I had to contact each company in turn to explain why I needed to resubmit payment. It made a bit of a nonsense of on-line, rapid payment.

Before we go away, we are hoping for the first time in many years to find Pick Your Own Victoria Plums. We both love them and Pauline would also like to make some jam.

They should be ready now but they’re not even in the shops yet.

24th August, 2015

Woke up to warm, torrential rain which alternated with sun most of the day. Why couldn’t England have held on until the final day?

We completed all our Buyer/Seller paperwork and I can assure you that is a lot of work. Off to the Post Office to despatch it to Woking and Worthing and then out to the health Club for some much needed exercise. I really enjoyed it and felt fitter than I have done for a long time – in fact, since the early 1970s when I stopped playing competitive sport. I can’t believe that’s more than 40 years ago. Even Ruth was young then!

Our meal today was a delightful Greek Salad with cold roast chicken and duck. It feels so privileged to have such delightful food. This feeling is accentuated when I read of the residents of Symi trying to help the immigrants arriving on their shores from nearby Turkey.

These pictures are featured on the Symi Dream Blog today and feature islanders collecting basic necessities for the burgeoning migrant population.

25th August, 2015

A second, consecutive day of heavy rain interspersed with a bit of sun. It’s certainly helping the gardens if not the inhabitants. We have had a quiet day. We visited The Storage Pod to check that increased space will be available when we move out and did another hour’s exercise on the treadmill. Our meal was a seafood salad – tomato and cucumber with a dressing of olive oil and capers to accompany smoked salmon, king prawns and small prawns.

I think this is my favourite meal at the moment. Particularly, we have found a producer of the most wonderful smoked salmon, badged by Pru Leith and sold by Asda. We go out of our way to buy it. It sounds rather ‘precious’ but it is materially better than any other easily bought product. You should try it!

The Greeks don’t appear totally confident in Tsipras as he seeks re-election. This is summed up in this morning’s cartoon in Kathimerini newspaper.

As a sign of the continuing woes, Greece’s state insurance funds are resorting to external loans to cover their needs as fears grow that the measures of the third bailout will not be enough to cover the rest of 2015’s liquidity needs.

The deficit of IKA is expected to grow due to the dramatic increase in unemployment, political and economic uncertainty, capital controls, the measures of the third bailout and the early elections, which are expected to impact on the revenues of insurance funds this autumn.

26th August, 2015

We are experiencing rain in biblical proportions for the third, consecutive day. I knew that Jeremy Corbyn was up to no good. We are considering building an ark. There are two cats live near here. My dilemma is how much to charge them. Should I consider them as refugees or economic migrants?

All the contractual documents had arrived by the time we got back from the Health Club. Lots of signatures for us and 10% deposit from our buyers which will lock them in and give us additional peace of mind. We just want it to stop raining now so the builders can get on with our new house. Pauline is already planning all the flooring, the kitchen type and layout. Which washing machine and which tumble dryer is concentrating minds as we prepare to go in to an English house with a Laundry for the first time in five years. I’m allowed to have a view about how to kit out the Study although Pauline will probably decide. It’s nice to see her enjoying it.

27th August, 2015

Got up at 6.00 am and went out at 6.30 am to the Walk-in Hospital for an official INR test. I usually do it myself at home but like to do an ‘official’ check once in a while. Within about 4 hrs, I received an email confirming my INR at 2.5 which couldn’t be more perfect.

I don’t know what’s happened. We start to build the ark and they turn the water off. A pleasant, late Summer’s day. We are going down to see the progress on our new house tomorrow so we did our weekly shop today. First we delivered signed contracts to our solicitor so that the selling process is not held up and then drove on to Sainsbury’s. We checked in to a shop that supplies fitted bedroom furniture to decide what we wanted putting in our new bedrooms and then came home for coffee and newspapers.

Eventually, we chickened out of exercise today and got through jobs that needed to be completed. Our neighbour is about to put her Duplex on the market and a property just across from us will go up for sale in September. People are beginning to realise that the market has moved so far and so fast in the four years since we bought that it is an attractive proposition to cash in and move on. If one’s free to go where one wants like us, it is even more profitable.

28th August, 2015

Up at 6.00 am on a beautiful morning. We drove down to the South Coast to see the work of our builders on our new home. It was an enjoyable couple of hours and, even though the roof isn’t on yet, we are already planning the kitchen/Garden Room, Laundry, Garden and planting, Study, Lounge and built-in wardrobes in the four bedrooms. Flooring is already a major topic for discussion plus tiles in the bathrooms. Should they be full or half height? Such questions will be at the centre of Pauline’s internet searches for weeks.

Went to the Health Club this afternoon but I stopped 10mins early because I felt really tired. Strangely, I felt dissatisfied with myself for the rest of the evening – felt as if I’d let myself down. Our meal cheered me up. We had dressed Cornish crab with tomato & cucumber salad, taramasalata and humous. Lovely.

29th August, 2015

Up early on a lovely morning. Everywhere is quiet and fresh. The hydrangeas we bought for the gardener to put in have flowered delightfully.

Did a full hour’s exercise at lunchtime to salve my conscience and then came home to a couple of football matches and ate roast tarragon chicken with roast vegetables – shallots, fennel and mushrooms.

Opinion polls indicating that the September 20 elections will be very close which is not good news for a country that needs firm, decisive leadership in the face of uncomfortable decisions.

Only Forward says the Syriza slogan but, if New Democracy get back, it could become ‘only backward’.

16th August, 2015

Quiet Sunday – quite delightful – worshipping at the altar of newspapers and Premier League football. The exciting Labour Leadership election is hotting up

while Manchester City, a team I’ve never favoured in my life, got my full support today as they thrashed Chelsea 3-0.

17th August, 2015

Amazing how quickly things move on when you want them to slow down a bit. A huge ‘Sellers Pack’ of documents arrived from our law firm today. We have had a hard day finding documents, phoning people like our Management Company, Estate Agent and Solicitor to complete our Homework. Actually, it will dominate tomorrow morning as well. We managed to fit in an hour on the treadmill and will do our best to fit one in tomorrow although we have to visit the Law Firm which we, wisely, chose locally. We are going down to see the progress on the new house on Wednesday and that will take up our day. The final Ashes Test starts on Thursday so I’m hoping to catch that.

Kathimerini reports today that a quarter of a million less people travelled through the country’s ports in the last six weeks.

Specifically in July, passenger traffic fell by 12.38 % compared to last year, with the number of routes served reduced by 4.6 %.  Car transportation dropped 18.09 percent while trucks were down 15.26 %.

18th August, 2015

We are exhausted after a long day of paperwork, form filling, file finding, copying followed by a legal meeting. Whose idea was it to sell and buy a house? The day was prefaced by our Estate Agent ringing to say our builders wanted to ‘exchange contracts’ on the new house in three weeks. The Estate Agent was sceptical. We spent the entire morning filling in the ‘Sellers’ forms, looking out Lease Documents, Service Charge Accounts, Energy Certificates, creating a Fixtures & Fittings list. The morning was only broken up by the arrival of ten, huge, plastic Storage Boxes.

We already have ten stacked in storage from our last move. Unfortunately, these ten – contrary to sellers description don’t fit into each other. Ten is a lot of big boxes to stack. A bonus, however, is that each box came packed in an industrial strength, cardboard box. This means that, ultimately, we will have an extra twenty boxes for packing and storage or removal.

19th August, 2015

We drove down to Sussex this morning to see the property we have just agreed to buy. Angmering is a lovely village. The property will be ready in March next year and is fine for what we require. This is the floor plan of the two levels:

Within two miles of the new house, there is a huge Garden Centre, three, megastore-sized supermarkets – Sainsburys, Waitrose and Asda and two Health Cubs – Virgin Active and David Lloyd’s.

On the edge of the South Downs, the coast is about ten minutes away.

We are already looking forward to getting to know the area. We just have to settle on a Doctors’ and Dentists’ surgeries. The drive back took just one hour.

20th August, 2015

We woke at 5.00 am, thinking about yesterday’s events. It was still half dark which is indicative of the season’s progress. We had a swathe of documents from the property developers, from the legal firm who are selling the property and the legal firm involved in our purchase of the new house. How people manage to cope with this while they are in full time work although I suppose we did a number of times.

We went to the Health Club for an hour and I then relaxed with a few hours of the Fifth Ashes Test Match. Our Nuffield Health Club looked so small after visiting the massive David Lloyd place in Angmering.

It has been a sweaty, humid day and we are forecast to reach 30C/86F over the weekend. It will be good re-acclimatisation for impending trip to Greece.

21st August, 2015

A hot and humid day which reached 26C/79F. We had to scramble around to find someone who would do the Identity Certification process for us. It’s for an anti-Money Laundering check that moving, spending large amounts of money now requires. Eventually, we found a Post Office branch big enough to certify copies of our Passports and Driving Licence Photo Cards so we can get them off to our solicitor who is dealing with the purchase of the new house.

We did so much charging around in town and then did a full Sainsbury’s shop so we decided to give the Health Club a miss. I was able to watch the Test Match, grill lamb steaks and mixed vegetables outside in the garden and generally chill out. It gave me chance to read through my Blog list and the Greek newspapers. As predicted, of course, a breakaway of 25 Syriza MPs has formed a new party under the leadership of former Energy Minister Panayiotis Lafazanis.

It is to be known as Popular Unity, and will campaign on an anti-austerity platform. As the third largest party, it has to be given the chance to form a government before Elections (εκλογές) are called – probably on September 20th or 27th. The economy is on autopilot again thanks to political developments. Ironically, thunder storms and strong winds are forecast over Greece this weekend.

22nd August, 2015

A hot and sunny day – forecast to reach somewhere between 29C-32C/84F-90F. It is a day when Mum would have been red-faced as she complained about the heat. Even so, it would have been her 92nd birthday today so Happy Birthday, Mum.

This is her, aged 13 in 1936, on holiday in Brighton with her father – the dandy – Grandad Coghlan.

We’ve got a busy few weeks ahead – just as we like it. We have to do as much as we can in preparation for our sale/purchase and removal from our current property. We will shortly be going back to Greece. Almost immediately after our return, we will leave for France and, in the latter half of October, spend some time in Yorkshire. It is possible that we will have moved out by then but we would rather stall that until the end of October. After we’ve moved out, we would like to rent somewhere in Europe for a month or so. I have a feeling we’re going to be tired by Christmas!

9th August, 2015

Gorgeous, gorgeous morning of High Summer. Sitting in the sun, drinking freshly made cappuccino and reading The Sunday Times on my iPad. What more can you ask for?

Read a couple of lovely jokes in the papers over the past, two days:

What do you call an Australian who is good with a bat? …….. a vet!

Hedgehogs…………Why can’t they share the hedge?

In spite of the lovely day, I must go for a workout. I feel lethargic after my day off yesterday.

The gym was totally empty. I had the equipment completely to myself at 11.30 on a Sunday morning. What’s wrong with everyone? They can’t be still in bed, surely! I did my hour and then drove home in 26C/79F of delicious sunshine. As soon as I walked out of the garage, I saw a couple standing in the gardens, looking at our property. When we approached them, they apologised profusely and said they had booked a viewing for Tuesday evening because that was the only time they could get out of work to view together. We took them round the property immediately. It turns out that they were buying for her mother who has sold a property in Sydney, Australia and was looking to relocate nearer to them in Guilford/Woking area. Nice people who liked the property, We will see what happens.

10th August, 2015

A hot and sweaty day. In the morning, Pauline made a lovely, Lemon Cake for Phyllis and Colin who are coming round for coffee tomorrow.

We were just preparing to leave for the Health Club when the Estate Agent phoned to say the couple who dropped by on spec. yesterday with a prospect of viewing ‘officially’ on Tuesday, had rung this morning and offered the full asking price which, not surprisingly, we have accepted. It is £40,000 more than it was valued at last Autumn and almost double what we paid for it four years ago. To add to our joy, the buyer is a cash buyer – lady returning from Australia who has no furniture. She is interested in buying ours. For the second time in five years, we may be having a clean and light move where we can start afresh with everything new – lovely! They are coming round tomorrow to talk about the furniture and its cost.

We are going back to Greece soon but expect to be moving out of here by the end of November. We don’t expect to be moving in to our new house until February/March at the earliest so we may take a long term let abroad – France or Italy or maybe even Canary Islands. Could be fun.

We were just settling down for the evening when, about 9.30 pm, a knock came on the door. A young man – mid 20s or so – was standing there in running gear. He explained that he had bought one of the flats here and moved in recently. He was a banker and worked in the centre of London. He runs to the station in the morning, showers and changes at work and then runs back to the train station after work and back to his flat when getting off the train. He’d just completed this activity tonight when he realised that he had left his key at work.

He was stuck outside his flat sweating in his running gear with nowhere to shower or sleep. To add to his plight, his mobile phone was flat. To make it worse, the only person he knew living within reach was his ex-girlfriend who he was reluctant to call on. He suddenly thought of someone about five miles away. We drove him round and everything was resolved.

11th August, 2015

Another day of high humidity. We tidied the apartment prior to visitors coming for coffee but didn’t go to the Health Club because, when our visitors had left, we set about listing all the furniture, etc that we were happy to include in the sale. We searched out and haggled over prices and then I typed it all up.

Our buyers returned with the estate agent and confirmed that they wanted the whole process to go through as quickly as possible. The husband didn’t want his Mother-in-Law returning from Australia and living with him any longer than need be. He has the cash and wants the property as soon as possible.

Now, we are pleased to have sold so quickly but we also have to sign a deal on a new and much bigger property. This apartment was fine for when we were spending our summers in Greece but now we want a substantial, new-build house with real space.

12th August, 2015

The day after our property sale was confirmed, we have gone into hyperdrive:

• The first job was to select, check out and engage legal services for Property Conveyancing. It is possible for this job to be done by legal firms from Landsend to John O’Groats and we were offered by legal teams across the country with guaranteed fees ranging from £600.00 – £2000.00 (€840 – €2800). I felt slightly guilty about being timid but we chose a Woking firm with a fee of around £1000.00 / €1400.
• The next job was to inform our Management Company of our impending activity. They will have to provide solicitors with documentation and us with returned, pre-paid Service Charge for about five months. We will also have a large part of our Heating charges returned.
• We then had to hook our Estate Agent up with the legal firm and the Management Company.
• Pauline returned to searching new-build properties, identifying and researching geographical areas and then contacting Developers about timescales. She’s been doing this for some time but her efforts are now recharged with purpose.
• I had the lovely job of emailing people to let them know our news and then to begin researching potential European rentals for when we move out and are waiting for our new house to be completed.

13th August, 2015

A hot, steamy day of high humidity. We are progressing our situation by phoning Developers in the southern Counties to find out about availability and timing of properties we would consider buying. My job is to consider the finances and arrangements for it when we’ve sold. In January, the Bank Guarantee Scheme only covers us for £75,000 (€106,000) instead of the current £85,000 per person per Bank. This is because it is roughly the equivalent of €100,000. So, any one Bank will guarantee our Joint Account for just £150,000 (€212,000). In October/November, I will have to find six, separate institutions in which to deposit money if I want our deposit to be completely safe before we purchase our new house.

We went to the Health Club for the first time since Monday. Because of the break, it felt quite hard. I felt better about myself afterwards though. We ate a very simple meal of cold fish and salad which felt good in the heat of the day. ‘A’ Level results are out today. One of Pauline’s family is mid-6th Form course and struggling a bit. Lots of us are late developers. I did a quick search and found a wonderful course at the University of Greenwich with a low entry requirement and, as I wrote to him about it, I found myself thinking – I’d like to do that. It was a sandwich course over 4 years –

BA (Hons) Public Relations & Communications

You never know. I might apply.  Unfortunately, I will be 68 when I graduate. Will I still be employable?

14th August, 2015

Mild but moist day today. We did our supermarket shopping and then Pauline stayed at home to receive a parcel delivery while I went to the Health Club. Pauline had ordered a set of suitcases which, I must admit, I took a little persuading with the colour. It is called Chartreuse in the marketing blurb. I was persuaded with the argument that, not only would it stand out at the airport but was the ‘in colour’ for this winter. To prove this, my wife took me in to a number of dress shops where clothes featuring this colour were coming on to the rails. Nice try but I can’t afford new clothes as well!

Of course, by the time I had got home from my exercise, no parcel had been delivered and wasn’t until 7.00 pm. We will use these cases for our trip to Greece, a trip to Yorkshire and a trip to France. We will probably go away for two or three months after leaving our property and before  any new build is ready to move in to. We can’t decide whether to rent a property in the South of France or in Tuscany/Umbria in Italy for three months or to get guaranteed sun and relaxation with a couple of months or so in a hotel in the Canary Islands.

The Greek Parliament may have agreed the new austerity policies forced on them by Europe although it may be at the cost of the Government with the strong possibility of a General Election in September. Kathimerini features a cartoon today which appealed to me:

Images of floods of migrants washing up on the shores of Aegean islands are playing even less well across Europe than the earlier economic instability. There is a hint of lawlessness subtly  underplaying the implied atmosphere. The Daily Express has run and article warning of the dangers of holidaying in Greece. Under a headline of

The most dangerous holiday destinations

they say that  Holiday makers travelling to Greece were warned of moped and car accidents, sexual assault and violence on the streets. 

15th August, 2015

Interesting day. We bought a house. It is on the south coast in Angmering. A four bed property with two bathrooms, study and garage and south west facing garden, it will suit us well for a year or two.

Unfortunately, it won’t be available to move in to until February/March. I feel a long trip abroad coming on.

2nd August, 2015

All the roads are closed for miles around us for the Prudential Ride London-Surrey Cycle Event.

It is an absolutely beautiful day for it – warm and sunny – but it is still annoying if you suffer the tyranny of cyclists clogging up the roads all week and then find them taking over completely on Sunday. I wouldn’t mind if they paid road fund licence fees, took safety tests and carried insurance but they don’t. They think they are a law unto themselves, undertaking traffic, jumping the lights and, in Surrey, riding on the pavements. Most other places in the country, riding on the pavements can be punished with an on-the-spot fine but, in Surrey, it seems to be encouraged. We are trying to get to a barbecue less than five miles away and hoping the cycling stasi have reached nirvana. I’ll let you know. ….. ….

…. Fortunately, a plague of cyclists, as they are known, had gone home for their teas by the time we ventured out for a lovely barbecue in the garden with ten family members. They cooked wonderful steaks and salmon kebabs, chicken kebabs and pork & chorizo sausages. Pauline had made lemon meringue and lemon cheese cake to go with a huge, Eton Mess. The weather was hot and sunny right up until the time we left at 9.00 pm. A lovely day.

3rd August, 2015

Woke up feeling tired and it has remained with me all day. We decided not to go to the Health Club. Had to take Pauline in to town for a eye test and a couple of pairs of new reading glasses. Age comes to us all and so does tiredness. I did some sedate research for Paulines nephew who is considering taking a Degree in Journalism next year. Just reading the courses made me want to start all over again!

Reported in The Times today is the story of Cristiano Ronaldo who was best man for Jorge Mendes, his agent, at his wedding on Sunday. Ronaldo gave him a wedding present of – a Greek island. We don’t know which one yet but it is rumoured to be Sifnos.

4th August, 2015

Overcast day reaching 23C/71F which feels disappointing for August. We have spent an hour on exercise in the gym and the rest just pottering today. Feels lazy but we are retired. In Britain, the government starts to return the Royal Bank of Scotland and, apart for quibbles at its price, there is little opposition. In Greece, a plan to privatize €50 billion worth of Greek state-owned assets is not so popular. In fact, Greeks have an historical aversion to selling off State-owned assets. However, this is how the world looks when you are in hock to the Germans.

5th August, 2015

An overcast day of 24C/75F. We went on a wild goose chase to antique shops in the area looking for a replacement glass shade after one was broken by a house viewer who was trying to open a window.

We had owned the lamp for the whole of our married life – it even featured in our wedding photographs back in 1978. The Estate Agent’s insurance will fund a replacement but we can’t find one. Pauline researched on the net and lined up a number of local antique shops to visit. This morning we drove to three and found that none were still trading. So much for the internet’s currency. Ironically, as soon as we got home, the estate agent phoned through to book another viewing of our property tomorrow.

Articles in Kathimerini and Ta Nea today sound like Greece returning to bad, old ways although they come, in part, from Syriza’s need to address the problems:

• A 53-year-old woman is accused by the Financial Police of illegally drawing her dead mother’s two pensions and disability benefits for eight years, costing the IKA Social Security Foundation at least 140,000 euros, according to investigators.
• Tax evasion is most prevalent among businesses that operate at night in tourism destinations, and mostly concerns the failure to issue receipts, according to data from the latest inspections.
• Greek farmers gear up for protests.
• Several Greek domestic and international flights were cancelled on Wednesday as air traffic controllers went on strike.

The whole thing does sound rather like déjà vu all over again.

6th August, 2015

An interesting day that started with a Windows 10 upgrade. Yes, I know, I’m a geek. I love to learn new skills, try out new computer platforms, trial new gadgets. Many people, particularly as the get older, don’t want things to change. I am the exact opposite. I constantly want to move forward and leave the past behind. I know I’m only talking about a new, computer platform but it is a test to crack.

Although I’m enjoying navigating my way through the new platform but one unfortunate corollary of the upgrade is that a now defunct version of Ms Excel badged Ms Money – an Accounts software package – will run on the new platform and there will be no upgrade. Pauline has been maintaining our household accounts using this software for 30 years. One of my jobs will be to research and plug that gap. I’m looking at one called BankTree.

We had to leave our property by 12.15 pm to allow a viewing. We combined it with our fourth trip to the Health Club this week. We are trying hard on our eating plan which isn’t difficult with so much lovely fish and bountiful mountains of fresh fruit. We are maxing out on strawberries, raspberries, cherries and peaches. Our meal was smoked salmon, king prawns, small prawns, Greek Salad and Avocado salad. It was accompanied by sparkling water because we are in the first week of an alcohol-free-August. It was delightful for a day that reached 26C/79F.

Of course the day was topped off by Englands demolition of Australia in the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge. Australia were skittled out for a record breaking 60 all out. Stuart Broad was the hero of the day with 8 wickets.

7th August, 2015

A lovely, warm day which brought England within a breath of winning the Test Match and the Ashes. Tomorrow is said to be an even nicer day and England should wrap it up by lunchtime even though we don’t eat lunch.

We have had 2 – 3000 potential migrants knocking on the Channel Tunnel door for the past few months and one or two have managed to get in. UNHCR has bitterly criticised Greece for failing to address its immigrant influx. Tsipras described it as a crisis within a crisis. EU border agency Frontex said that almost 50,000 migrants arrived in the EU in July via Greece, compared to 41,700 in all of 2014. The UNHCR said that the total figure for the year so far stands at around 124,000, which is more than 750 % up on the same period in 2014. How on earth Greece is able to deal with the flood of migrants washing up on its island I don’t know.

Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR director for Europe, said:

The level of suffering we have seen on the islands is unbearable. People arrive thinking they are in the European Union. What we have seen was not anything acceptable in terms of standards of treatment.

The UNHCR director had been visiting the Greek islands of Lesvos, Kos and Chios.

8th August, 2015

A really enjoyable day which reached 26C/79F with strong sunshine. For us, it was a day off work. After five, consecutive days of work out in the gym, we still got up at 7.00 am but read the paper, drank fresh coffee, sat in the sunshine, watched the Test match completed with a comprehensive win by England of the match and the Ashes series.

Phyllis and Colin wanted some help with booking a hotel on Booking.com. I use it all the time – so much so that I now get 10% reductions on all prices. We booked it, printed all the paperwork and nipped to their house with the results. The crucial thing was that I was home in time to watch Man. Utd. win the opening match of the new Premier League season against Spurs.

It was nice to have a day off but I will be back at the Health Club tomorrow. The only problem is that Parliament is in recess so I won’t have a political programme to to distract me from the effort.

26th July, 2015

Another day of rain. The arid, yellowing lawns are already greening up and gardeners’ watering duties suspended. We were just preparing to go out to exercise when Amazon texted me to say they were about to deliver a parcel so enforced rest was observed. In Greece, Varoufakis has claimed that he was authorized by Alexis Tsipras last December to look into a parallel payment system that would operate using wiretapped tax registration numbers (AFMs) and could eventually work as a parallel banking system.

He was assisted by an international hedge fund led by Norman Lamont to plan a payment system that could operate in euros but which could be changed into drachmas “overnight” if necessary. Interesting and illuminating stuff!

27th July, 2015

Love Mondays – now in retirement. It has been an enjoyable and a sultry day. Morning cleaning and tidying the flat. Afternoon working out at the Health Club. Early evening saw a tenth visitor viewing the property. We left ten minutes before the estate agent brought the prospective buyers round. We had organised it so we could do a bit of shopping. We are gorging on boxes of black cherries from Kent, raspberries from Scotland, blackberries and strawberries from Kent. They make a wonderful sweet. We are also enjoying donut-shaped peaches from Spain which we first bought a couple of years ago in Mario’s Supermarket on Sifnos.

The Greeks have already started to attempt to resile from the agreement Tsipras signed. They have attempted to float the hope that they need not sell off power generation. The European taskmasters have come back quite strongly. Kathimerini reports:

the next issue to create friction is whether Greece will have to pass a third bill containing prior actions before completing the agreement with the institutions. European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva suggested that Athens would have to do more in the coming weeks.

“More reforms are expected from the Greek authorities to allow for a swift disbursement under the ESM,” she said at a briefing yesterday.

This will make Tsipras’ job in rallying his rag-tag coalition to face the inevitable. Meanwhile, the ECB is keeping its foot on the neck of the Greek economy and refusing to allow Greece to re-open the Athens Stock Exchange because of fears of capital flight through stock transactions. Kathimerini reports:

Over the weekend Frankfurt reportedly rejected at least three times proposals submitted by the Greek regulating authorities (the Bank of Greece and the Capital Market Commission) asking for the reopening of the bourse, which has now entered its second month of inactivity.

This just increases the Greek humiliation and underlines where the true power lies.

28th July, 2015

We live our lives on fairly calm, tranquil emotions of love and responsibility. We rarely see peaks and troughs but try to maintain a steady equilibrium. I am aware that there are those who prefer to indulge in the highs and lows of emotional experience but that is not me. Today, we were just getting in to our car after an hour’s hard exercise when I noticed a new, estate car reversing rather erratically out of its parking space and going dangerously close to another vehicle parked there. I had to look twice when the estate car hit the other vehicle at some pace. As it pulled away, I could see considerable damage to both vehicles. It looked as if the estate was going to leave without acknowledging the accident.

I didn’t quite take it in when the estate reversed at speed for a second time and hit the same car again. That’s a sign of panic, I thought in an attempt to rationalise what I’d just seen. A man came out of the Health Club and started to remonstrate with the estate driver as they reversed for a third time in to the same parked vehicle. My slow brain suddenly twigged that the actions were deliberate. I was watching, dumbstruck when a woman got out of the estate and started shouting at the man from the Health Club about him cheating on her with a woman down the road even though she, his partner, was suffering from cancer. The drama was all too much for me. We drove home in a daze.

Talking about being in a daze reminds me of what is happening or about to happen to Greek islanders. Not only is VAT being raised on their central earning power in tourism but that wonderful, left wing government is going to make sure they really pay all their taxes – VAT, (Real) Income Tax, (Accurate) Property Tax and all the other taxes that they’ve been trying to avoid for as many years as we’ve been going there. This is the way modern states get their inhabitants to pay for their infrastructure services. Currently, Greece has thousands of unfilled teacher places in its schools. I wonder why?

Ta Nea – the Greek News – is running a report of sweeping inspections and controls in the Aegean and Ionian islands which have thrown up massive incidents of tax evasion. They should have talked to me. I could have pointed them in the right direction. I have written extensively to Trifon Alexiadis, the new deputy finance minister, with some suggested targets to inspect. As I understand it, those caught deliberately evading tax payment will not be fined or blackmailed as before. They will be hauled before the courts with imprisonment at the end of it. This is what is required if the government want to get themselves out of this hole.

29th July, 2015

Quite a cool morning although very sunny. We were warned that temperatures would drop last night. I must wish Happy Birthday to my sister, Jane BG, who is 63 today – a figure that is greater than her weight by any measure!

She’s been on the run for as long as I can remember. They’ll catch up with her one day. Heard from an old, Sifnos friend today which was nice. I’m feeling a bit nervous because I’m taking Pauline to hospital at St Peter’s for an endoscopy examination. Fortunately, Pauline seems quite calm. I’ll be leaving her there for two or three hours and coming home to try and take my mind off it by watching the Test Match. Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Of course, I should have predicted it but the Estate Agent has phoned twice in the last hour. The lady who came to view last night wants to come back for a second viewing on Friday afternoon. Suddenly the phone goes again and someone else wants to come and view this afternoon. I can’t refuse so I’ve got an hour to straighten up before I go to collect Pauline. Just when the Test Match was going so well as England have Australia 93 for 6. Happy Days!

Three hours later, I have collected Pauline from the hospital – a little groggy because of the sedation. We took a slow drive home and just managed to miss the viewing but, half an hour later as we were preparing our meal, the potential buyer wanted an instant second viewing and rather surprised us.

30th July, 2015

Took Pauline in to town to have her hair cut and to perk her up after her ordeal yesterday. I sat in a coffee shop with Wi-Fi and read my paper. As soon as we got home, I enjoyed England turning the screw on the Australians and then went to the Health Club while Pauline prepared Duck and salad for our meal. At lunchtime (a misnomer in our case) tomorrow, we have another ‘second viewing’ of our property which means our morning activities are largely prescribed. We are going to a family barbecue on Sunday so Pauline is busily planning sweet treats to take with us.

In Greece it never rains but it heatwaves – to coin a phrase:

• Two high-speed ferry boats collided today while setting sail from the Port of Piraeus. The Jet-1 catamaran, headed to Sifnos, Milos, Ios and Santorini with 307 passengers on board, and the Athina flying dolphin, en route for Angistri and Aegina with 60 people on board, collided as they started to sail out of the port.
• Not content with the economic disaster of recent weeks, the union representing Greece’s air traffic controllers today announced a four-hour walkout on Wednesday, August 5, and warned of further action
• The government will not only continue to impose the Single Property Tax (ENFIA) on owners but it will also use existing objective values – property rates used for tax purposes that are typically above market prices – to determine the level of the tax payable by owners. The Government intend to front load the tax so that those with properties valued at €300,000+ will pay an extra charge – and only rightly!

The temperature at 10.30 am (Greek Time) was 35C/95F and now, at 11.15 pm (Greek Time), it is 30C/85F. As a number of bloggers wrote today – UNCOMFORTABLE!

31st July, 2015

The last day of July, 2015. It is twelve months since we last clapped eyes on the Poison Dwarf. What Joy! Today was a lovely one for weather and activity. Warm and sunny, we did an early Sainsbury’s shop, watched England win the Test Match by annihilating Australia and then did an hour in the gym. We returned home to find the lady who had come for a second viewing of our property was just leaving. We stopped to have a chat with her. She is delightful and loves the flat. She wants it but hasn’t sold hers yet.

1st August, 2015

Enjoy August, 2015. It’s the only one you’ll ever see.

Do you know what Chuggers are? Apparently, it is the sobriquet allocated to those considered Charity Muggers. It is a concept featured on the front of this morning’s copy of The Times. Charities, it reports, are to face criminal sanctions unless they stop bullying the public for money, the regulator has warned them. Readers, it argues, are no longer willing to support globalised commercial charities which are ruthless in their marketing for new donations.

It may shock some readers to learn but I made a decision early in my university life never to contribute to formal charitable organisations. Originally, I made the decision on, what I considered marxist principles that argued charities were the cover or sticking plaster that allowed government to abnegate its responsibilities. If charities funded a social need, governments were able to walk away from funding it from taxation. I still think that but my original principle has been deepened by the experience of ‘big charity’.

The current controversy centres around an elderly and impoverished charity worker who was constantly bombarded with demands to sign up to contracts to commit all her meagre income to their cause. It is accompanied by background research which shows charity staff being trained in hard – take no prisoners – demand campaigns irrespective of the victims ability to pay. It is accompanied by the huge salaries of those directing the charities and the small proportions of the charities’ income that goes to their stated ’cause’. There is a sense that the charities are not being run for the sake of the headline cause but to support and enrich the structures leading those organisations.

As this research is taken further, dubious practices are uncovered. It is reported that the chairman of the Charity Commission has accused the RSPCA of grotesque conduct and zealotry, warning that Britain’s largest animal welfare charity was inadequately run and governed. He has also claimed that charity money was being diverted to Islamist terrorist-related causes and warned against the danger of a “victim culture” among some Muslims.

Then there is the case of the charity, Kids Company, hailed by politicians and celebrities for its work with some of Britain’s most troubled youngsters, which has been placed under investigation by Scotland Yard’s child abuse command. Former, senior members of Kids Company, claim that there are ‘exaggerations’ in the numbers of people it says it helps.

Instead of claiming to help a few troubled kids, it also lumps in all the other children in their schools plus all the staff and parents – a ruse which grossly inflates the numbers in its ambit and, therefore, more easily justifies its income and expenditure.

I’m not opposed to individual acts of charitable help to other individuals. I have and will continue to do it myself. However, I am opposed to the charitable status given to large organisations and I particularly include religious institutions. People, however deluded, join them of their own volition. Indeed, they are the body of that institution and should finance it with no aid of the state. I am also vehemently opposed to the charitable status of schools. If people must be allowed to buy privilege through education – and I would deny that as well – there is absolutely no justification for those who can’t afford to buy it being forced to subsidise this structured inequality through the sanction of charitable status.

Phew! I feel better after that.

19th July, 2015

This day last year we were  shopping in Reims and preparing for the last leg of our European journey from Greece to Surrey. So much has happened in that year – not least in the decline of Greece. Fascinating article in The Sunday Times today about the whole debacle which will leave Greece in austerity limbo and lead to the end of Merkel.

Forcing the Greeks to submit to a diktat already feels like a pyrrhic victory for the Germans. Indeed, she might echo Pyrrhus himself: “One more such victory over the Romans and we are lost.” The deal she struck with Alexis Tsipras has been greeted with derision and dismay on all sides: from Athens to Berlin, from the mandarins of the International Monetary Fund to the middle-class taxpayers of small towns in Germany, to whom Merkel owes her power. “Merkel saves Greece with our money!” howled the front page of Bild.

They are predicting Merkel’s resignation within the next twelve months and Greece’s enslavement for the next twenty years. German newspapers are currently talking about ‘the state formerly known as Greece’ a la FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).

Merkel celebrates her victory.

20th July, 2015

A young lady who worked with us, retired from teaching yesterday and made us feel absolutely ancient. We suspect that, after the elation of Friday afternoon on the last day of term, she will just be beginning to feel a hint of anti-climax. We certainly did. In fact, we are into our seventh year of retirement and, this time next year, I will be receiving my pension.

On this day six years ago, we were aboard Superfast V sailing down the Adriatic to Patras on another adventure. A lot has happened between then and now but there is still a lot more to go. Certainly, we are looking forward to setting off for Greece shortly.

21st July, 2015

We have done an hour or so of gym exercise for the past nine out of ten days. Today, we decided to have a holiday. We had lots of bitty jobs to complete:

• Collecting Pauline’s repaired mobile phone from EE in town.
• Reinstalling all the apps on her reset phone, synching the email accounts and the on-line calendars, etc. with my phone and both of our iPads and three computers.
• Collecting post from a relative who is away,
• Planning the route for our day out tomorrow.
• Preparing food for the picnic. We leave at 6.00 am.
• Checking the tyres and oil in the car.
• Catching up on emails to friends.
• Reading the newspapers – English and Greek.
• reading about twenty English and Greek Blogs.

When you’re retired, a bunch of small things can fill a day quite easily and leave one wondering how they got done when we were working.

It’s 8.30 in the evening of a wonderful day that has reached a sticky 26C/79F and I am beginning to regret not exercising. Never mind, there will be other days although it was a bit of a shock to read that David Frost’s 31 year old son died jogging yesterday. Gives one pause for thought.

22nd July, 2015

One of those really enjoyable days. The weather has been fine, dry, sunny and warm reaching 25C/77F. Having lived on the island of Sifnos between April and October for fifteen years, I know that July was the month when we felt trapped, confined and limited. It was the month that we went to Athens just to feel alive and ‘normal’ again. Well, today was a wonderfully expansive day when we travelled to Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and Surrey in less than 12 hrs.

Up at 5.00 am and out an hour later, we were in Lowestoft by 10.30 am at a wet fish shop on the sea front. Dressed crabs, sole, plaice, skate we loaded into the fridges in our car and then on to Great Yarmouth where we visited Pauline’s relatives who were on holiday there.

We were back on the road at mid day and back home by 3.30 pm., tired but happy.

23rd July, 2015

A warm – 24C/75F – but not terribly sunny day today. It didn’t matter. We were too knackered to care. After 7 hours driving yesterday, I was still exhausted this morning when I woke. We did go the Health Club but, after 40 minutes in the gym, I gave up. I just couldn’t do it. We came home. After our trip to the fishing port of Lowestoft yesterday, we had a wonderful fresh crab and smoked salmon salad for our meal today.

An economic section of Euro News Blog headlines:

Domestic tourism in Greece suffers dramatic downturn as debt crisis deepens

Domestic tourism in Greece has suffered a dramatic downturn as a result of the debt crisis with many Greeks unable to afford to take a holiday. The once busy ferry terminals are a clear indication that all is not well. Comparing ferry traffic data with the same period last year, we see that this year passenger numbers are 40 percent down.

Lissandros Tsilidis from the Hellenic Association of Travel Agencies reported:

Consumers are scared. Scared and terrified. They had to decide whether to go on holiday or to stay home and save money. They have chosen to stay at home. I fear that we will be forced to cut staff, as our main revenue of the high season has gone.

One tourist is getting his money’s worth but then he has it for free!

24th July, 2015

We woke to rain like manna from heaven – if you believe in heaven and that manna could come from it, which I don’t – light becoming heavy. the gardens were groaning with delight – if you believe gardens can groan, which is marginally more plausible than concepts of heaven. We did the main, weekly shop at Sainsbury’s – only £100.00 but free to us because we still have vouchers from our Nat.West Points.

Pauline made a lovely meal of Roast Hake with Skordallia (if you don’t know what that is, ask the Poison Dwarf – although she probably won’t know either – and Greek Salad. We spent the rest of the day on correspondence and financial activities.

It never rains but it pours in Greece as well. Last night an earthquake struck around Nisyros island. It was circa 5 on the Richter Scale so significant and was felt in Rhodes and Kos. We spent three weeks on Nisyros in 1991 and enjoyed this volcanic island. We walked across the hot, smoking, volcanic crater and still have two chunks of rock that we brought back. I listened to my short wave radio, enthralled by reports of the kidnap of Gorbachev which led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

If you want peace and tranquillity, I would recommend Nysiros and Tilos. Also today, Kathimerini features an article headed:

Hotels risk food shortages

 The Greek market may experience food shortages in August if applications to facilitate imports continue to be processed at the current slow rate, the Association of Hellenic Food Enterprises (SEET) warned on Thursday. SEET argued that the first victims will be hotels and tourism in general, as most hotel units do not have the necessary infrastructure to store large quantities of food.

No wonder late bookers are switching to Spain and Turkey.

25th July, 2015

After twelve hours of rain yesterday, the world looked washed and clean and smelling wonderful. Rain in July! It’s years since we’ve seen it. It was still warm today although I’m pleased to say that we are not expecting the 40C/104F+ heat wave that Greece is forecast to be experiencing in the coming week. Four years ago we suffered 43C/109F on a trip to Athens and just walking from the ferry to a taxi was almost beyond me. I had never known such heat and I hope never to again. We did an hour in the Gym today and really enjoyed it. When I suffered in the heat four years ago, I weighed 10.5 st/66Kgs heavier than I do now. It is a great feeling to be so much fitter.

It’s lucky that we hadn’t decided to start our drive across Europe this weekend because the tunnel is blockaded again. I just hope it’s sorted out before we set off. Pauline is having an investigative endoscopy this week. We’ve also go a tenth viewing of our property and a family barbecue later in the week.

The upside of the collapsed Greek economy is its effect on the illegal immigrant problem in Patras Port. So few lorries can afford to make the crossing that they are averaging a woeful 50 per day over three ferries. There is such reduced opportunity to sneak on to a truck and get to Italy that the migrants have all but vanished. The downside is that Syriza is badly split about the agreement Tsipras was forced to sign. Now he is busily trying to wriggle out of selling off ADMIE, the National Electricity Company to appease his far, far left wingers.

Good luck with that!

12th July, 2015

Warm rain falleth this morning. it is quite delightful and soon replaced by light sunshine and dry conditions. We did an hour’s exercise and then watched the Wimbledon Men’s Final. You’ll never believe who won it!

Europe is determined to rub Greeks’ faces in the dust for daring to vote against austerity. Reuters reports this evening:

The Eurogroup … came to the conclusion that there is not yet the basis to start the negotiations on a new program. Greece must pass laws to change its value added tax and pension systems, reform bankruptcy rules and strengthen the independence of its statistics office before bailout talks can even begin.

What is certain is that Greek banks will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

13th July, 2015

Well the Greeks will be slaves to the Germans for the next twenty years – at least. How can they allow that to happen? Where is their pride?

How can the people who voted with such strength to reject austerity, just roll over in abject subjugation? Personally, I would rather be poverty stricken but free!

Varoufakis has revealed in an interview today what many of us had suspected all along – that he favoured Grexit from the outset but that Tsipras stood in the way. Varoufakis wanted to issue euro-denominated IOUs; apply a “haircut” to the bonds Greece issued to the ECB in 2012, reducing Greece’s debt; and seize control of the Bank of Greece from the ECB. Personally, I think this was the best way forward. It would have meant severe pain for 3 – 5 years instead of moderate-severe pain for 15 – 20 years or more. When the Germans take control of tax collection, the Greeks will wonder what’s hit them. The #ThisIsACoup has been trending ever since. Watch this space but it really is appropriate on #poisondwarfnameday.

14th July, 2015

A pleasant but overcast summer’s day. The night was muggy again. In fact, I have slept on top of the sheets for more than a month now. It is quite a joy to see English gardens in bloom for the first time for years.

The ‘Greek negotiation’ has been described as the political and economic waterboarding of a once proud nation. The European Union in general and Germany in particular may come to regret its savagery. It is being characterised as the return of the Junta.

It really is seen as total humiliation as Greek mythology abounds across the media. Caught between Scylla (Germans) and Charybdis (GREXIT) is a favourite but Icarus crashing and burning is another and this is the over riding sentiment:

15th July, 2015

St Swithin’s day opened with warm, light rain. Like all Saints, Swithin will be proved wrong again. There is no chance of 40 days and 40 nights of rain. Just a bit will be welcome. It’s still, warm and muggy. It makes exercise in the gym less comfortable but it has to be done especially because it is the last Prime Minister’s Questions of the Summer. Got to make the most of it.

16th July, 2015

Mid-July and a warm – 24C/75F – and muggy day. We’ve done an hour’s exercise in air conditioned splendour while watching the opening overs of the Second Ashes Test from Lords and keeping an eye on the Greek developments. The Euro has fallen to the unprecedented £1.00 = €1.44 and it’s almost time to buy a few thousand for future use. We have a French trip soon and then a trip to Greece to finance in hard, euro notes. Later in the Winter, we are intending to make an extended stay in Italy/Spain/France and we’ll spend the rest there.

The British government are busy insisting that they will pay no contribution to the Greek Sinking Fund but Mario Drahgi announced an increase in Emergency Liquidity Assistance for Greek banks. They will probably re-open on Monday after three weeks of closure but the withdrawal limit will remain at €60.00 for a while. It is already agreed that this situation with Greek European membership cannot hold for much longer whatever the settlement and the anti-European cause in UK has been vastly strengthened by this debacle.

17th July, 2015

The gardeners are here today, mowing lawns, trimming bushes, watering plants and generally making the place look trim and beautiful. One of our specimen trees is an echo of our Greek garden. Here we have a thirty foot Eucalyptus and it is growing just as well as the one we had in the front of our garden on Sifnos but something which I never saw growing there is currently looking beautiful here – and that is hydrangeas.

They are looking wonderful around here at the moment.

The Greeks are about to be welcomed to the normal world of VAT. The islands were said to keep variable rates but that rumour has been scotched with the announcement of no exemptions. As commentators have pointed out, the imposition has lots of anomalies. In Britain, it was a different rate on hot pasties compared with cold ones. In Greece the VAT changes that came into force on Thursday saw spaghetti placed in the 13 percent value-added tax bracket while its stuffed-pasta sibling tortellini incurred a 23 percent rate. Cereal grains stay in the 13 percent bracket, but boxed breakfast cereals climb to 23 percent. Salmon remains at 13 percent, but beef shifts to 23 percent. These and other unpleasant surprises await shoppers once all enterprises have managed to change the VAT rates on merchandise according to the government’s decisions.

18th July, 2015

The day is glorious with clear blue, Mediterranean skies  but a moderated temperature of 24C/75F. Even though it’s Saturday, we’ve decided to go to the Health Club before sitting down to a lovely meal of mixed shellfish – crayfish, crevettes, prawns and crab with Greek Salad.

This photo illustrates perfectly the subjugation of Greece – – tired, beaten and depressed.

I trawl lots of Greek Blogs and so many islanders talk of the urgent need to regenerate the tourist industry quickly in order to salvage this season. In UK, the pound is doing its bit by rising to its highest against the euro for seven years and, this weekend, sits at a really cheap £1.00 = €1.44. We are receiving contradictory information in the media with travel firms desperately trying to market holiday packages at 50% reduction to make up for all the cancellations while the media chit-chat continues to warn of travel to Greece because of shortages and likelihood of political protests.