Glorious morning. Sitting outside in our courtyard in the sunshine with the temperature hitting 80F/27C. The gardeners mowed the lawns on Friday and they still smelled sweet and fresh. No sign of the squirrels yet but Autumn is only creeping in slowly.
7th October, 2013
Another lovely day. One has to remind oneself that it is October. The temperature reached 25C/77F – short sleeved shirt weather. The big job of the ealy morning was visiting Phyllis & Colin and discussing the upcoming holiday requirements. Then I went on-line and booked it for the. A week in Tenerife for them to walk in the sunshine.
Later, we went to the Health Club for an hour to swim. Tomorrow it will be an hour in the gym. Our meal this evening was cooked by me – Moules marinières but without the cream. After six months without shell fish in Greece, this was wonderful.
8th October, 2013
We are told that colder weather is on the way so we are really enjoying this delightfully warm early October. Today has been sunny and 25C/77F. We printed out Phyllis & Colin’s travel documents which we booked on-line for them yesterday and delivered them to their house with an itinerary. Later, we spent an hour in the Health Club. No swimming today. We went in one of the exercise rooms. Pauline used the Jogger while I used a rowing machine then we sat together and pedalled like mad on bikes. I was a little distraught to calculate that, after 45 mins exertion, I had only burned 165 caloriesand I was absolutely shattered. Pauline was worried because my pulse hit 194 while on workout.
I have spent a lovely evening watching a production of Verdi’s Nabucco from the Arena di Verona on Sky Arts channel. What a delight!
9th October, 2013
Busy morning in Woking. Pauline had a hair appointment at Headmasters while I was going in to the EE (TMobile/Orange) shop to renew our contracts and upgrade our mobiles. I have two, monthly mobile contracts and had identified new, Samsung smart phones to upgrade to. I had decided that I didn’t use my phone enough to justify almost £75.00 per month to move them both on to a 4G network but, when I arrived at the shop, a notice offered a discounted, ‘sim-only’ contract for £21.00 per month per phone. It gives unlimited calls, unlimited texts and 1Gb of internet data per month. I couldn’t resist it. This will disappoint Skiathan Man who I had promised one of the mobiles to and will now have to wait at least 12 months for. I just couldn’t turn down such a 4G offering.
10th October, 2013
Today was dominated by preparing for an evening meeting of our Apartment Development’s Management Company meeting. We had lots of paperwork and particularly accounts to wade through. The meeting is held in a Victorian school building which takes me back to the Secondary School building where I was Headteacher -huge, floor to ceiling arched windows, all the pipework exposed as it snakes round the inside of the rooms, the old gas lamp pipes still showing after having been converted to electricity, parquet flooring, etc.. Oh, those were the days!
11th October, 2013
Early morning trip to the Surgery for a blood test prior to my Annual Diabetic Review in a couple of weeks. We then went off to find a new dentist because we are rather dissatisfied with our current one. It is nigh on impossible to find an NHS Dentist around here and, because we are only in the country for six months each year, we have decided not to take out a payment plan. We will just pay for treatment as we need it. Unfortunately, that will be £1000.00 for two, new veneers for Pauline immediately. She went in to check out a new surgery she had found on the internet but it is so difficult to tell from the waiting room appearance what sort of clinical treatment one can expect. We haven’t chosen yet.
Angus Beef Steak for Dinner tonight before suffering another England football match.
12th October, 2013
It is, unbelievably, two weeks since we got back to Surrey and three since we left our island home. We have so much to fit in before Christmas. We’re in Yorkshire/Lancashire next week to visit friends and family. We have at least one and, hopefully, two visits to France plus a trip to Bologna in Italy to do yet. I’m looking forward to all of them. Life could be worse!
The penultimate day of September. It is 22C/70F and there is little sign of Autumn yet. We were awake at 5.00 am (Still in Greek time) and up for fresh orange juice and Yorkshire tea. Last night felt quite fresh. Skiathan Man would have slept under the bed never mind under the sheet. I, of course, braved it and woke up freezing at 3.00 am..
After our drive yesterday, the car was running on empty. Went to Tesco petrol to fill up and paid £1.25 /€1.47 per litre which compares with €1.88 on the island. Filling the car cost just over £60.00 which feels ridiculous.
Spent the rest of the day watching football and opening six months backlog of post. A huge box took me three hours to open and file in three piles – ‘Interesting’ / ‘Worth Saving’ / ‘To be acted on urgently.’ Everything else was thrown back in the box to be taken up to the recycling bin.
30th September, 2013
Pleasant morning reaching 20C/68F but rather overcast. We took 40 Litres of Sauvignon Blanc which we bought in France round to Phyllis & Colin to get them through the next week.
We went on to our Health Club – Nuffield Health – to reactivate our membership.
We start tomorrow!
We went to have our car cleaned after 1000 miles drive back across Europe. It was covered in encrusted bodies of flies – Death on the road! It took three men ten minutes to bring it back to gleaming condition for just £10.00.
1st October, 2013
Happy October! October? I don’t believe it. Actually, it is very grey and overcast outside so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. My body clock is still in Greek mode and will be for a few more days. It is 8.30 am here but feels so much later. I am listening to a BBC Radio 4 interview with Greek MPs about the round up of these balmy people who support Golden Dawn. They are even madder than our National Front and believe that Hitler or the old Greek Junta would put manage their country better than the democratic process. You have to be pretty thick to believe that – but then they are!
We are arranging servicing of the car in a couple of weeks, our bodies at the surgery and our teeth at the dentist over the next few weeks. Today is the first appointment for Pauline. Later, I have to sort out new mobiles for the next couple of years from Tmobile/EE and then explore switching my Broadband service which I currently take from Sky with 6 Mb/s to BT Fibre Optic which will give me 76 Mb/s.
2nd October, 2013
My first trip to the Health Club yesterday left me more unhealthy than before I went in. After a wonderful swim and a spell in the sauna, we entered the jacuzzi. Well, Pauline walked in but I decided to slip and fall in. I lost my footing in the swirling foam and ended up on my back. I thought nothing of it until we started to climb out and I found that my ankle was extremely painful and wouldn’t support my weight. Well, who would?
I struggled to shower and dress and then to get to the car but, once home with a slave to bring me drinks as I sat with my foot raised, I watched a brilliant Arsenal display against Napoli and forgot my injury.
This morning, I could barely get out of bed and, with Pauline’s help, went down to Woking walk-in (in my case hobble) hospital to have my ankle checked. I was seen within 5 minutes of arriving. Fortunately, I was told I haven’t broken it but torn the ligaments – something I was regularly doing in my youth as a rugby player. I have to sit down for a few days and have things brought to me – so no change there then. Actually, this is the ideal day for it. I sat and watched (jeered at) the Tory Party Conference from Manchester and then we sat outside in delicious warm sunshine for an hour.
Tonight, after a Dinner of roast cod loin with asparagus, I will sit and watch Man. City lose (hopefully) before struggling up to bed. Why is life so hard?
3rd October, 2013
My ankle isn’t anywhere near as bad as I feared. I think I’ll be walking properly by Monday. Thank goodness for that! Sitting down all day is really boring. Spent the day doing correspondence at my computer.
Autumn suddenly seems to have arrived according to the trees outside our front door.
It is as warm as Athens today but we were warned that heavy rain was due. It hasn’t arrived yet.
4th October, 2013
In June 1980, Pauline and I were driving to school in our first brand new car. It was exam week and we were carrying exam papers in our pageant blue mini. As we approached the school, some chap going the opposite way lost control on the bend in his works Ford Cortina and crossed the road, ploughing into our new car, virtually cutting it in half. As a result, Pauline had horrible bruising and some minor cuts but the ambulance men thought I was dead.
After a couple of weeks in hospital with a serious head injury, I started to become aware that something had happened to me. I went with Pauline to stay with her sister so that I could be looked after. After a week or two, I started to become aware of the concept of ‘time’ because Pauline had bought me a new watch to replace the one broken in the accident. I have worn it for 33 years and I have loved it. Unfortunately, it has been showing signs of wear for a number of years and, finally and reluctantly, I have had to replace it. This is the original watch will I will always treasure:
I have returned to my youth by replacing it with a digital one. I used to have a black, plastic one as a student in the 60s/70s.
5th October, 2013
Happy Birthday to my wonderful wife. Pauline is 62 today. I find it hard to believe.
Pauline has been able to spend some time indulging herself with a favourite hobby. She has been buying clothes on-line. Neither of us have clothes to fit us. Pauline has dropped two dress sizes over the past six months and I have lost 12″ from my waistline. Even my shoes feel big. At least my ties still fit.
Had a celebratory lunch of ….Salad?…with a little Coulommiers cheese and a bottle of champagne.
Duck and vegetables for Dinner. Celebration meals will never be the same.
Packed our bags, fed the cat and drove down to the port. Went to Meropi Restaurant for lunch. Chick pea soup and fried squid. Drove on to the F/b Aqua Jewel bound for Syros. We went via Serifos and Paros which I haven’t seen for years. It could be 25 years since we were there. Have been on Syros before although only for a few hours on a day trip. This time we are staying until Tuesday.
Journey was quite interesting although these trips always seem too long for me. I like to be in control and under my own steam. We drove off reasonably on time at 9.00 pm and to our 4*, neo-classical hotel which turned out to be just disappointingly dated. Well we are on a mission and only here for two nights. It will do.
23rd September, 2013
Nice day. We spent the first half of it in the Town Hall. It houses the Law Court and Land Registry. The Urban Planner met us there. He was very helpful and it was really worth the trouble.
Unfortunately, while we were in the meeting, we learnt that a general strike is planned for Tuesday – Wednesday. No one knew if it involves transport and ferries. We may have over reacted but, after spending hours on the phone to our amanuensis, we decided to radically change our plans. There is a Blue Star ferry leaving at 4.00 pm from Syros bound for Piraeus. We have decided to take it. Our friend will sort the house out. We will drive on through Patras to Kaminia.
24th September, 2013
We were meant to dock in Piraeus at 8.00 pm. For some reason, it was nearer 9.00pm. We had phoned Poseidon Palace Hotel to check they had a spare room. Fortunately, it was sparsely populated and we got our favourite room. The late docking means it was 11.30 pm before we checked in – too late for a meal. We had pistachio nuts and a bottle of champagne, a shower and bed.
We woke early to a glorious morning with sun shining through the Rio Bridge and across fields and fields of citrus trees. Immediately after Breakfast at 6.00 am, we have driven down to the new port checking offices and, although they are not open yet, we have already been told that an Anek will leave at 5.00 pm tonight for Ancona. We hope to get a cabin.
It is 10.00 am and not only do we have a cabin but we have a Luxury one. We are going on Helenic Spirit.
We sail at 5.00 pm and dock in Ancona at 4.00 pm on Wednesday. We have come back to our hotel for a swim and coffee. We check out at lunchtime but won’t go down to the port until 3.00 pm. Our amanuensis has already phoned to say that everything has been sorted out at the Sifnos end so we can relax
I have to book a night in Parma for Wednesday. Next Blog will be from there I suspect.
25thSeptember, 2013
A delightful crossing although we arrived an hour late. Drove to the local supermarket to buy 60 bottles of wine and then drove like a bat out of hell down the autostrada to reach Parma in two and a half hours. We arrived in time for Dinner – Fish & Salad.
Fell into bed. Early start tomorrow because we’ve got six hours to Strasbourg.
26thSeptember, 2013
Early Breakfast and off by 7.30 am. Just as well because the 6 hours soon became 7 when we had an hour’s hold-up as a huge lorry took the motorway exit bend too fast and shed its entire load of shampoo across the carriageway causing local chaos and kilometres of queues.
We still arrived about 2.30 pm. The hotel, which looked so good on the web with a pool and fine dining, was rather disappointing. We ate early, slept early and planned to leave early.
27thSeptember, 2013
Actually, the bed turned out to be delightful and we woke rather late. We had a cup opf tea and left at 8.00 pm. Our last leg of the Continental journey was a 6 hour drive to Coquelles where we had booked an old, favourite hotel.
We ate an early Dinner and luxuriated in English television channels for our last evening in France. Tomorrow we will do our weekly supermarket shop before taking the tunnel train to UK.
28thSeptember, 2013
By 11.00 am we were loaded with vegetables, salad things, meat – duck, rabbit, pork and chicken – and fish – salmon, cod and hake – plus half the European wine lake. We staggered off to the Tunnel. Our tickets were for 2.00 pm but we arrived at 11.30 am and were put on the next train at 12.20 pm.
Rolling off the train in UK 30 minutes later at 11.50 am (It’s always nice to arrive before you leave.), we set off up the motorway ….. and that’s where our trouble started. Our sat. nav. told us that ahead on the M25 we would run in to 6 miles of queuing traffic with very long delays. It offered us a detour and we pressed ‘yes’ to take it. We were re-routed …. right through central London. The las 34 miles took us two and a half hours as we toured the delights of Peckham and Balham High Street.
No matter. We were back in sunny Surrey having completed our 28th journey across Europe by car and all without any real mishap. My digital odometer in the car told me that I had only driven 3700 miles from our garage in Surrey and back. That includes the two drives and all island driving. The car will be 12 months old on November 1st and will only have done 6000 miles – less than half our normal total for the working year.
Of course, Sifnos is so small. Nowhere is far away. It is only when you have gone – given oneself the chance to stand back and look in – that you realise the actors are minnows in a goldfish bowl believing they are sharks.
Lovely day to start the week. Interesting mackerel cloud formation over the port at 7.00 am had disappeared by 10.00 am and the rain forecast for Monday seems to be written out of the story now as well. We were looking forward to that.
Normal Sunday start – down to the café for coffee and news gathering. Back home to read the papers. Out for a lovely swim in crystal clear and virtually deserted waters and then home for late lunch – about 3.30 pm – of pork, onions and peppers and a bottle of champagne. Lovely!
A football match between West ham and Southampton was interesting but no more. It certainly didn’t set the world alight with a 0-0 draw.
16th September, 2013
Very useful meeting with the Notary this morning. We agreed to meet for fifteen minutes and stayed an hour and a half. We have agreed to meet again for coffee on Friday.
For a few days we have been promised rain. Gradually, promises softened. As we prepared to go for a swim, light cloud gathered. We forced ourselves on and enjoyed the sea but didn’t linger. Pauline cooked a delightful meal of chicken in garlic and tarragon sauce with mushrooms and onions. Suddenly, as it went dark, the rain came. It wasn’t heavy but it was welcome. I don’t think it will be significant.
17th September, 2013
It wasn’t – the rain significant. Just enough to stain all the outside areas. Never mind. One can’t complain. The weather generally is wonderful. Unfortunately, the weeks are running out. Just two left after this.
Went out to eat at Kamaron Restaurant because we couldn’t be bothered cooking tonight. We only had chicken souvlakia with griddled vegetables. I got into an argument with them about paying taxes. Rania said it wasn’t worth running the restaurant any more because they paid more in taxes than they earned. I couldn’t let it pass because it was so patently untrue. One minute she was telling us about the wonderful time she and her daughter had just had in Athens and the plays they had been to see and the hotel they had stayed in and the next she was telling us that they earned absolutely no money at all. She wasn’t pleased to be contradicted and it is definitely the Greek psyche at the moment but it will change and they will gradually accept the change.
18th September, 2013
The day started off well with warm sunshine. We did lots of jobs around the house and garden. On-line banking – paying a window cleaner for cleaning windows of our Surrey Duplex while in Greece feels strange but useful. Moving money out of Current Accounts and in to Investment Accounts although we still fail to achieve the CPI of 2.7%. We have more or less resolved to move out of cash ISA’s and into Equities when we get back in the Winter.
Watered all the trees and shrubs as the rain was so dismal. Washed the patio down and, at 1.00 pm, looked up to see where the sun had gone. A cast of cloud had crept up on us and blanketed the sun. The temperature is still warm at 28C/83F but it definitely feels cooler. We have decided against swimming.
Pauline is cooking Chicken & Sage casserole with onions, peppers & peas. I’m looking forward to that. Pauline will be allowed bread with hers.
Almost looks like a winter dish doesn’t it.
We were just finishing our meal when the plumber turned up. He had been summoned to replace two leaking, outside taps. They were only replaced two years ago. Is there something substandard about Greek taps? They are certainly cheap. Anyway, a ten minute job was completed satisfactorily and everything is back under control.
19th September, 2013
We have English friends coming out to Greece this weekend. Sunday officially marks the first day of Autumn but many Britains have already turned the central heating on because temperatures dipped to an average of 14C/57F this September. Autumn has made an early appearance in Nature.
Forecasters expect a gradual return to average temperatures for this time of year, with a high of 20C on Sunday and possibly 24C early next week.
The summary for policymakers of the most recent report from the IPCC – Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change, states that the world is warming at a rate of 0.12C per decade since 1951, compared to a prediction of 0.13C per decade in their last assessment published in 2007. Another admission in the latest document includes the suggestion that forecast computers may not have taken enough notice of natural variability in the climate, therefore exaggerating the effect of increased carbon emissions on world temperatures.
One of the central issues is believed to be why the IPCC failed to account for the “pause” in global warming, which they admit that they did not predict in their computer models. Since 1997, world average temperatures have not shown any statistically significant increase. The summary also shows that scientist have now discovered that between 950 and 1250 AD, before the Industrial Revolution, parts of the world were as warm for decades at a time as they are now.
The proportion of people who do not believe in climate change has more than quadrupled since 2005, according to a government-funded survey. Public support for wind and solar power as an alternative to fossil fuels has fallen sharply over the same period, with gas the only form of electricity production now perceived more favourably.
20th September, 2013
Beautiful, cool – 20C/68F – morning at 7.00 am. The sky has a pinky orange hue and a silver moon still shines through the thin cloud.
Looks like some illegal work is going on on the community path at the side of our land today. Thought we’d go up and invite an official – maybe the Mayor – to witness it.
It may be his fever but Skiathan Man seems to have become obsessed with IKEA bags and crushed boxes. Never mind, I’m obsessed with Pinot Grigio bottles and crushed ice. The only difference is, I don’t bother to count them!
As Skiathan Manwill recall, the 19th century, romantic poet, William Wordsworth, wrote in his celebrated poem, Ode: Intimations of Immortality:
…trailing clouds of glory do we come From God….
Well, these clouds came from Milos but where is the rain?
21st September, 2013
An overcast early morning with a hint of rain was soon replaced by dry, hot sun.
Coffee at the café and then jobs around the garden. We meet our friend the proprietor of Absynthe Pauline finished cleaning the bathrooms. They look as if they were newly tiled yesterday. I have been uprooting leaky pipe from mature trees that don’t need it any longer. I will use it in the vegetable garden next year.
Early and wonderful swim in beautifully clear but quite crisp water. Hardly anyone there at 1.30 pm on a Sunday. Home for shower and then out to Vathi for lunch to our favourite restaurant on the beach. We had salad and grilled fish in idyllic surroundings. We were amazed to find little, secluded Vathi really busy with lots of older, well-heeled tourists who were lingering over expensive meals.
9th September, 2013
Reasonably warm – about 27C/81F – but rather breezy day. September wind has an edge to it and can be particularly felt first thing in the morning and when the sun goes down. As a result, we decided swimming wouldn’t be the most pleasurable experience and gave it a miss.
Spent some time in the garden grubbing up kilometres of leaky pipe which have been down since the trees and bushes were planted. They have largely outgrown the system’s capabilities. I will recycle it in the vegetable garden next year.
I have certainly written before that my daily drug prescription is enough to increase my weight in itself and would certainly require a pension of its own if it were not entirely free. Diabetics get free prescriptions. Over-60s get free prescriptions . Being an over-60 diabetic, I am considering charging the Health Service for the right to supply me. I get pills for my diabetes, for my blood pressure, statins like every other person in the world and warfarin for my atrial fibrillation. I am not proud of it, I can tell you, and I’d much rather not take them but, if they give me a better life, so be it.
Eyebrows were raised in the new surgery in Surrey when I asked for a six month’s supply of my prescription. I told them, quite innocently, that we were going to our Greek house. They told me that they could only write prescriptions for two months duration and, if we were out of the country for more than three months, we would be taken off our surgery’s books. Apparently, new rules about health tourism mean that people cheat the system so regularly that they had to tighten up the rules. As soon as they realised that we were genuine, a doctor took us aside and told us how to build up a increasing supply of our prescription drugs by reordering early so that, by the time we come away, I have more than a six month supply with me. Originally, they said I should buy my own drugs in Greece. That was never going to happen. For one thing, I probably couldn’t source half the items and, for another, after 40 years of paying in to the system, there was no way we were going to be disadvantaged because of those not entitled cheating the system. I have just put in a repeat prescription and will return to 6 months drugs when I get back.
10th September, 2013
Magical, magical day. Wonderful weather – calm and reaching 31C/88F – and very quiet island. This is the quietest September we can remember. The beach and sea were almost deserted when we had a wonderful swim at around 4.00 pm..
This morning we went down for the Postal ritual. Then back home to read the paper before I did watering while Pauline threw the strongest weed-killer known to man at every plant that has had the temerity to grow where we didn’t invite it. I did a bit more ground clearance and then collapsed exhausted. After that, the swim was so refreshing.
The cat has gone beserk. Our local supermarket has an Italian brand of catfood for the discerning cat. Mother Cat loves – with a passion – a mix of salmon and beef with gravy. She can’t get enough of it. Well, I’m quite tempted myself. Today, however, Pauline had some Lamb which she has had in the freezer since Easter. We have just under a month until we leave and her judgement is that we won’t eat this lamb after all this time. She decided to give it to the cat. It was enough for two, big, cat meals.
After the first meal at 6.00 pm which was bolted down, Mother Cat sat at the back door until Pauline relented and gave her half of the other portion. Ten minutes later, Mother Cat broke all known conventions and walked all round the outside of the house to where we were sitting under the pergola to demand more lamb. She has never done anything like that before. We couldn’t refuse her. Pauline gave her the rest of the lamb. Goodness knows how she ate it. This really is a feral cat with style.
Apostolis, our neighbour who works at the Electricity Company called round to discuss recent developments. I’m glad we’ve got to know him. Going round to our amanuensis and husband for lunch in the next couple of weeks. Should be fun.
11th September, 2013
The Community path alongside our road has been attacked again. Fortunately, I’ve been photo-cataloguing it. This time, on the pretext of sorting out the drainage, what was once a donkey track is being turned into a motorway. The photos taken today show that digging out yesterday went far into the rock beyond what was needed for drainage pipes and the preparation work is clearly for concrete to build improved access. As you can clearly see, the gable of our wall has been badly damaged in the process.
Our neighbour came by this evening to see what had been done and then brought others to look at it. The police have been round a few times recently. I expect them again tomorrow. Fortunately, I have plenty of ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos to illustrate the enormous changes taking place.
12th September, 2013
The unauthorised desecration of this Community path continues along its author’s ‘slowly slowly’ plan. Locals have checked with Syros and Milos in the last couple of days and no authorisation has been given for this activity. There was no need for the drainage work. The gully was good enough as it was. We know a number of locals who are furious about the cavalier behaviour. We will hand stage by stage photographs to them from pre-digging to now so they can illustrate their complaints to the police and we are off to Syros in just over a week to make our own case.
As you can see, the one thing this is not about is drainage.
13th September, 2013
A hot, muggy, sticky day. This sort of weather rather saps one’s energy. However, we had a good swim in a pleasantly deserted sea.
Our amanuensis phoned to invite us to lunch tomorrow. That will be nice. The Notary has invited us for Monday. It is good to talk.
14th September, 2013
A really enjoyable day. Simple pleasures like shopping started the day. Later, we read the newspapers and relaxed. A sharp swim across the bay and back and then off to Lunch at the home of our amanuensis. We had a delicious salad with spinach pie
followed by a wonderful dish of chicken and celery and finishing with bitter chocolate ice cream. The food was wonderful but the conversation was even better. We stayed for at least three hours and arranged for them to come up to us next week.
Drove home to watch the football. Really enjoyed Man. City held to a draw by Stoke and then Chelsea being beaten by Everton. Both were good matches.
A new week, a new month, a new season. Same old world. Happy September everyone.
Last night, the road outside our house was like a motorway for a couple of hours as all the world drove through the darkness up to the monastery – Agios Simeon. Cars, taxis, bikes – they all roared up the mountain and, soon afterwards, roared back down. We are thinking of turning it into a toll road – a small fee of, perhaps, €10.00 each way would suffice and make us a bit of pocket money.
2nd September, 2013
Spent the entire day preparing a legal submission. I am absolutely exhausted. Must be a sign of age. This depth of research, analysis and argument presentation I could usually knock up between meetings. I’m just completely out of practice. I’m told it has been a lovely day. I’ve seen none of it.
Booked a couple of days in Syros soon to speak to officials in Ermoupolis. Also, must go up to the Community Office this week.
3rd September, 2013
Going up to Apollonia after the Post this morning. Spoke to our amanuensis for advice. Will speak on the phone later. Called in at Germanos to enquire about our OTE TV bill. We haven’t had one yet. When we speak to them, we are told our first few months are free on special introductory offer. Our mobile internet is still free also. We just can’t get them to take our money.
4th September, 2013
Just one of those magic days. September is delightful. The temperature has reached 29C/85F but it was a cool night and a delightfully cool start to the day.
The vegetable patch has been running out of steam for a week now and, although I could feed it to keep it going, we only have four and a half week left so I decided to give up on it. Today we cleared the vegetable garden with the exception of the Rocket plants which are going strong and should get through the winter. I then dug it and limed it in readiness for the winter rains. Let’s hope they come.
Later, we had a lovely, long swim although the water wasn’t as warm as we would have liked. We felt better for having put in the effort. We ate roast pork for Dinner outside. The temperature was decidedly cool. It isn’t hard to believe it’s September and we’ll soon be in long sleeves.
5th September, 2013
Another wonderful day. The temperature was just 23C/73F when we left the house at 8.00 am and, although it did climb to 29C/85F by mid-afternoon, it never really felt terribly hot. There was always a slight, Autumn-ish edge on the breeze. In spite of this, we did some more garden clearing and then went down for a lovely, long swim. Went to Captain Andreas tavern for a late lunch – very simple but delicious. We had a huge Greek Salad to start and followed that with large platefuls of small silver fishes dusted in flour and then deep fried with garlic sauce and a gallon of crisp white wine plus a bottle of water. A sign of the times – the whole lot came to €29.00 or less than £25.00.
Each year at this time, Sifnos hosts a three-day festival of traditional Greek cooking. The festival is entitled Nikolaos Tselementes, who was the most famous Greek cook from Sifnos and was the first who wrote a Greek recipe book, describing the entire traditional Greek kitchen.
Representatives of 10 Cycladic islands have stalls to advertise their wares and there is music and socialising.
We usually go on one of the evenings but this year, especially, we went to support our friend and amanuensis who had a stall there. We met lots of friends. We saw Sophia who retired from the restaurant business last year. She was looking very brown and relaxed. She said she now had time for sun bathing. We met Apostelos, our neighbour, carrying a huge bag of cheeses which we know he loves. We met our butcher without blood on his hands for once and we met Dinos who fitted our OTE TV box. All lovely people who it is a delight to talk to.
The one person who we had hoped to meet because we need to speak to him was the Mayor. We know him well and have done since he was a shy teenager but he is now very much man about town doing an important job. We didn’t see him there. We will probably have to make an appointment.
6th September, 2013
The glorious days keep coming. Little breeze, a pleasant temperature of 26C/79F after a night time temperature of 22C/70F. Last year at the Food Festival where we were last night we remember being uncomfortably sweaty. Not last night. It was perfect.
Catching up with British and American correspondence this morning. later, I am contracted by my wife to clean the patio. Those pesky grasshoppers keep messing up all round the plants.
7th September, 2013
Another lovely day as we have just four weeks left in our house for this year. We have reached 31C/88F at mid-afternoon.
Our bedside alarm goes off at 6.30 am come rain or shine. Pauline leaps out of bed as if she’s been shot at 7.00 am on the dot where ever we are. Now, we also have a natural alarm clock. Right outside our bedroom patio doors we have a Bottlebrush bush or Callistemon to give it its correct name. Ours is flowering again and providing September food for clouds of small bees. I woke at five this morning to the loud and distinctive hum of the swarm as they fed outside our bedroom.
I’ve been pruning bushes and watering while Pauline’s been cleaning bathrooms. Going swimming to relax after the One o’clock News on BBC Radio 4. ….Been swimming. It was delightful. Hardly anyone on the beach or in the sea. And this is a Saturday. It means the Season is over. Kids go back to school on Wednesday. Go kids!
Talking about crickets, which we were doing yesterday, there is a report in The Times of a chap who loved the sound of crickets in the Mediterranean buying a thousand over the internet and releasing them in his English garden. Not only will they almost certainly die during the winter but he is being severely censured for running the risk of importing diseases to the UK.
It feels strange to get August weather in…August. Warm today 29-30C/85-86F but not ‘cracking the flags’ as they say in Lancashire. Little or no breeze made it feel warmer than it was. We went down to the café for a ‘Happy Sunday’ coffee and then returned to read the papers. Around midday, we spent an hour or so cleaning the patio tiles together. In that time, twelve cars stopped outside our gate to take down details of the House Sale.
Went for a swim. The sea was a little warmer but we both remarked that on no occasion this year has the sand been too hot to stand on in bare feet. Most unusual!
Spent some time listening to the final, Ashes Test match which I assumed would be a draw. It was but only after England were denied a fourth win by bad light with 21 runs needed. Ian Bell was justifiably named Man of the Series.
You can see how fit I am getting. I went on to watch Cardiff City beat Manchester City 3-2 after a disgraceful six minutes of extra time. Pleasing result for the underdogs.
26th August, 2013
Calm and warm today. Pauline’s outside finishing window and shutter treatment. I’m inside worrying about tonight’s match: Man. Utd. v Chelsea.
Thought I’d share this with you. A little bird with a lot to say for itself and featured in The Times.
Weighed myself today and found that I have lost 6 stones or 38 kilos in weight since 1/1/13. To celebrate, we went out to Dinner. I had salad with grilled chicken and grilled vegetables.
Watched an excellent football match – Man. Utd. v Chelsea which ended 0-0 because Chelsea came to basically defend and United could quite break them down.
27th August, 2013
It would have been Pauline’s Mum’s 99th Birthday today. We were willing her on to the Century but she retired three years ago at 96. We miss her very much and we would have loved to have bought her a 99.
After a trip to the post this morning, we got back and were revisited by the paediatric surgeon from Leeds who came to view the house. Today, he brought his wife and children. Lovely people. Let’s hope they’ve got lots of lovely money!
Our burglar alarm in Surrey has developed a fault and, we have been told, has been out of action for a week. When the service company, we pay £250.00 per year to for rapid response, were called, they said they couldn’t come out because it was Bank Holiday. Burglars take note! This morning we have had to phone them. In addition, Frangiskus, the electrician, is coming to see us today to repair a noisy ceiling fan. It’s all happening here.
28th August, 2013
We predicted that there would be an equal and opposite reaction of the weather and it seems to be happening. Windless – almost airless – hot days tinged with a sticky, misty feel to them. The sea is like a sheet of glass, reflecting all the surrounding colour. Bring back July. That’s what I say.
Frangiskus, the electrician who lives at the bottom of our road, came back around 10.30 am today to realign the ceiling fan in our Study. It had been making a noise on anything other than slow speed for the best part of a year. We finally got round to asking for help. It took him about half an hour to fix and it works brilliantly now. What we suddenly realised as he was leaving was that his car was packed to the gunnels for his holidays. An hour or so after leaving us, he was due on a ferry to Milos for his vacation but he wasn’t prepared to let us down. While he was working, he remarked how many olives our trees were carrying this year. I told him that he has my permission to come and collect them in November when they are ready and we are away.
29th August, 2013
Another humid day which reached 33F/92F. There is almost no movement of air. It feels sticky. My wife is wood treating the pine dining table and chairs. It is the last thing she has been allowed to work on and she has made a fantastic job of it. I have been planning our Yorkshire/Lancashire trip towards the end of October. We have just over five weeks left on the island and six until we get back to Surrey. Within a week of our return, we are off to the North of England.
It is an annual pilgrimage now to coincide with Pauline’s Mum’s funeral but to maintain old friendships.
30th August, 2013
Don’t shout about this but I’m struggling to keep my clothes on. If that is too much information, I’m sorry, but it is becoming a bit of an issue. Every time I go swimming, I struggle to keep my shorts on. I said a few days ago that I have lost 6 stones or 38 kilos in weight since 1/1/13. Well, the corollary of that is my dropping waist size. Since 1/1/13, I have lost 10″ from my waist. I refused to let Pauline buy new clothes for me in anticipation of the loss because I thought it was tempting fate. Well, now, I have to face the inevitable and I hate buying clothes.
Today is delicious – quite hot but with a light breeze. It is a relaxing day with swimming and reading involved. Could be a lot worse.
We have a desktop computer here from 2006, two laptops bought over the last three years and an iPad. I suddenly remembered, I had an old laptop from school that we used to use over in Villa Margerita and, when I dug it out, found it went back to 2013. My ‘medical’ spreadsheet for 2013 shows that I am currently two stones lighter now than ten years ago. If I follow the same regime for the next six months, I will be back to 1980 weights. It will be done.
31st August, 2013
Officially, this is the last day of Summer. Of course, for we retirees, the summer lasts for ever. I’ve just realised, in fifteen weeks, I will have maintained this Blog/Diary for five years. I’m rather pleased with that! Even if you’re not!
Wonderful day again. Makes one glad to be alive. Warm (maybe 30C/86F), still and sharply clear. It is the light that artists from earlier centuries flocked to the Mediterranean for. Shopping done by 9.30 am. Cup of fresh coffee on the balcony with the Saturday Times. Swim at 1.00 pm and then Premier league football. Today & tomorrow the timetable is:
Saturday
14.45
Man. City
V
Hull
17.00
Newcastle
V
Fulham
19.30
Crystal Palace
V
Sunderland
21.30
Cardiff
V
Everton
Sunday
15.15
Liverpool
V
Man. Utd.
17.45
Arsenal
V
Spurs
After all these games, I will have lost so much weight that no one will recognise me.
One week of the Greek tourism bulge left here. It will be nice to get back to normal. Since we put the ‘For Sale’ sign on the gate, we have become a tourist attraction. All the world and his wife cruise very slowly past with a smartphone sticking out of the car window. Late last night we received a phone call from Poros. It was the Notary to tell us a Greek-American family wanted to view the house. We phoned them and agreed 11.30 this morning. After a trip to the café for coffee, we are heading back for the viewing when the phone goes from Poros. The family have had to cancel because of problems with their ferry – the F/b Agios Georgios which has lost its anchor and is confined to port in Milos. The family have had to leave on an earlier boat. Rather disappointing but unavoidable.
We mooched around for the rest of the day – unable to settle – reading the papers and watching the football. Pauline spoke to our amanuensis who was up a mountain.
19th August, 2013
Woke up cold. Mid-August? The wind was blowing. Where am I?
Just settling down to my morning orange juice when the phone went. The Greek-American family hadn’t gone after all and would like, if it was possible, to come in the next hour to see the house before they leave on Speedrunner at 12.30 p.m.. Why not. Quick tidy up and I am opening the gate to a Greek who is married to an American and lives in Boston where my old friend, Jonathan, has lived for forty years and an Athenian member of the family which, apparently, extends to thirteen members all of whom want to share the house at different times. They say they love the house, take pictures and the web address to share with the family and leave, agreeing to negotiate with the Notary.
Pauline speaks to the Notary who is on a ferry somewhere off Athens. She then speaks to our amanuensis who is up another mountain. Then we take a pause and life gets back to normal. Going to clean the car and tidy the garage today. What fun!
20th August, 2013
Wonderfully cool night again gave us another excellent sleep although I’m not sure I will tonight. I am worrying about a distinct lack of teak oil.
In her constant and restless quest to maintain anything that stays still and many others that don’t, my wife’s eyes have turned to the outdoor furniture and restoring it with teak oil. This morning we spent a fruitless hour or so searching all known sources without success. We’ve been promised some on Friday but which Friday, I don’t know.
My internet supply through Cosmote continues to be free. Last year, because I drop my contract in mid-year and restart the next, Cosmote asked me to pay a deposit of €100.00 – I suppose in case I scarpered to foreigner-land without settling my bill. This year, they’ve not only substantially reduced my monthly cost but deducted it from last year’s €100.00 deposit. As a result, my service has been free so far. You just can’t give it away nowadays.
With the wind substantially down, swimming is inescapable. I bet the sea will be cold after all that wind. ………….It was although the sand was hot under foot. Sat around and read The Times. It featured the joke that won funniest of the Edinburgh Fringe:
I heard a rumour that Cadbury is bringing out an oriental chocolate bar. Could be a Chinese Wispa.
And then I read Tim Vine’s joke which is substantially funnier:
My friend told me he was going to a fancy dress party as an Italian island. I said to him ‘Don’t be Sicily’.
That only came fourth. The number two gag was:
I used to work in a shoe-recycling shop. It was sole-destroying.
21st August, 2013
The Times newspaper have been featuring a running article about names (in)appropriate to the job or profession. Yesterday there was a surgeon called Mr Gelder who performed a vasectomy and a barber called Herr Kutz. I’m pretty sure that many are fabricated but I’ve sent in the former Repton butcher who had over his shop: I.C. Blood. You see how busy I am.
Another strange weather day. The gauge said we reached 29C/85F but it felt cooler in a gentle breeze. We went down for a swim today although the water wasn’t particularly comfortable. The beach was noticeably quieter as are the car parks. When we got back, we made our meal of chicken and peppers and listened to the Test Match Special broadcast. We also had to have a very serious discussion that we’ve both been putting off for days. I think we’ve both been reluctant to raise the issue: Is Mother Cat pregnant again? We think she might be. She isn’t coming to us in the middle of the night for sausage sandwiches or demanding lumps of coal for breakfast but she is looking decidedly fatter and eating more. We don’t know if we can cope with it all again this year.
22nd August, 2013
I’m ashamed to admit that I had forgotten until Jane reminded me that it would have been Mum’s 90th birthday today. She died 5 years ago. All the same – Happy Birthday, Mum.
I bet she wouldn’t thank me for the photo which I believe was taken in 1966 when she was 39 and I was sweet 15.
The island is noticeably quieter today and this weekend should see the bulk of Greek tourists gone. A simple drive up to the shops in Apollonia attests to that. A cool night and, this morning at 10.000 am the temperature was only 24C/75F. Took two, huge bags of Basil leaves down to the local Pizzeria this morning. They urgently need to make pesto and have run out in their own garden. We threw in a bag of Rosemary and a bag of Sage for good measure.
After coffee, my wife has resumed her hobby of house maintenance. She is giving the windows and shutters their annual wood treatment. I am much busier with the Test Match on.
23rd August, 2013
It doesn’t get much more September than this. Weather cool, beach quiet, sea cold. What will happen when it’s really September?
In the last week, we’ve been concerned that Mother Cat is feeding too well and putting on weight. In the last few days, we’ve have come to the awful conclusion that she is pregnant again and, today, she has disappeared to, presumably, shell another brood. No doubt she will bring them round when she’s ready.
24th August, 2013
The newspapers and radio reports were full of declining exam results being declared this week, on the one hand, contrasted with schools and LEAs boasting that they have bucked the trend and increased their successes on the other. We are so familiar with this process and we are also so far away from it now. Now, for five summers, we have had no reason to even think about exam results and the further away it recedes, the better it feels and more pointless it seems.
The Test match was rained off in England just as Greece finally begins to embrace August with some warm, calm weather. I’m deep in my newspaper this morning when we receive an unannounced visit from a paediatric surgeon from Leeds of all places. He has seen the house advert and would like to look around. What a nice man he turned out to be. Intelligent people so often do seem pleasant. He loved the house and wants to bring his wife back to view it.
The September weather continues. Nice temperature – 29C/84F – and pleasant breeze. Quite a few tourists but not enough according to our island friends. After an hour in the café this morning, we were made clear that tourist numbers are disappointing by Vangelis & Christos. We sat next to Giannis, the plumber, and his friend this morning. When we went to pay, we were told that Giannis had already paid for us. We left with warm glow.
Back home, I put the Test Match on and that dominated the afternoon although our swim was really pleasant. Bell got a good century and England are beginning to look well placed.
12th August, 2013
More people have stopped at our gate to write down the sales details than I could have imagined. It may not turn in to anything but 750 have now viewed the web details and 50 in the last week. At least it will cut out time-wasters.
Lovely swim today. The water was actually warm-ish.
Wonderful afternoon/evening with a huge, griddled beef steak and a green salad from our garden. This was accompanied by a fantastic Test Match commentary. England beat Australia a day early in the 4th Ashes Test as Stuart Broad took six wickets. Wonderful! As we drank coffee, the sun went down and, in the darkening sky, a dying star fell slowly into the sea. There was a beautifully cool breeze – so un-August like. It means that we will sleep comfortably again.
13th August, 2013
We have adopted a feral cat of distinction. She prefers meat to dried food. She prefers chicken to beef. She is especially pleased when there is a lot of gravy to lap. She prefers a particular, Italian brand and she will not touch ‘Best Price’ tinned food no matter how hungry she is. We think she takes after us.
It is still a little breezy today but quite delightful after a lovely, cool night. Eventually, the day has reached 31C / 89F. After picking up our post, we have spent the morning going through an analysis of the accounts of our Development in Surrey. Another couple who spend half the year in Austria have been doing the same thing. It felt a very strange activity as we drank coffee out on our patio. The disconnect was slightly uncomfortable.
Tonight, out of the darkness and the sound of our gate being opened, Apostelos, our neighbour who works for the Electricity Company, called with a huge jar of honey from his father’s bees. Such kindness from people who hardly know us!
14th August, 2013
I love communication. I love the instant contact electronic communication has given us. Web Design gives me real pleasure. Email makes life a joy. What I can’t get on with is Faceache, sorry, Facebook. I only ever use it to reach one or two friends who use nothing else but email is the most empowering medium I know. Often, cards or letters I’ve sent from Greece have taken weeks or failed to reach UK (although it is getting much better) but, with email, speed and certainty win out every time. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve emailed people on Sifnos, Syros, Patras, Saudi Arabia, Austria, UK and, within seconds, been sure of its arrival.
Of course, I am not a media God like Skiathan Man but I do my best. I only ever intended this Blog for my own amusement and to keep interested members of my family in contact with our earth shattering activities.
Today has been spent zipping emails across the ether to members of the Steering Group of our Surrey Development who are currently exercised about new-build, ‘snagging’ problems. We are spread around the Globe, with many on holiday, and email is the only affordable and practical way we could possibly liaise.
15th August, 2013
Well, talking about Media Gods, Skiathan Man writes today about this mid-August day, a Bank Holiday in Greece, marking the end of Greek Summer. His thoughts are already turning towards Autumn preparations and Winter activities. I must admit, I tend to work that way myself but it is not good. I always anticipate my next birthday. I am 62 but I talk about being in my 63rd year. I plan all the activities of next April while we are still in August. It is a bad habit but I just cannot live for the day. Skiathan Man is preparing for the big Exodus of Greeks on Sunday with film of huge traffic jams on Monday’s TV News. He also says that the predicted tourist boom did not happen and, I suspect, Sifnians would agree with that. It is amazing, though, to think we only have just over seven weeks left and then we are off for another year.
16th August, 2013
Ever since I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and prescribed warfarin in perpetuity, I have had to have my INR tested regularly. Rarely have I gone longer than two or three weeks in between tests. Fortunately, Sifnos has a testing centre and a lovely man who does the stabbing with a needle. I actually look forward to going to be stabbed because we have such enjoyable conversations. This year, unfortunately, my INR has been so stable that I will only have visited him twice throughout the year. I went in early June and again this week. Yesterday, Woking Hospital advised me that I won’t need another test until November by which time I will be in Woking.
Watering trees and bushes this morning. Our olives are having a bumper year. I don’t know why – maybe it is the watering routines.
Each year, Pauline takes a couple of huge jars of our olives back to Surrey and cures them in salt, vinegar and oil. We eat some with salads and make tapenade from others. This year, we could open a factory.
17th August, 2013
Well, this has certainly been a strange stretch of weather. This morning opened cloudy, overcast and cool and then the heavens opened. We were out shopping. The car, we thought, was getting a much deserved wash but was, actually, being doused in Saharan sand. The temperature built up during the day and the sun broke through a strange haze but it felt, heady and rather oppressive.
I am exhausted after all my vigorous efforts watching wall to wall premier League football. Liverpool beat Stoke but only just; Arsenal lost to Aston Villa and then Man. Utd. thrashed Swansea with great goals from van Persie. I could have gone on but I was too exhausted.
Went down to the Café for coffee this morning. Christos was kind, friendly and welcoming. The filter coffee was delicious. The view,on one side at least, was delightful. Unfortunately, wireless internet was off-line today. I can’t live without my Sunday Times so, half an hour later, we returned to Restaurant Kamaron where the internet feed was strong and every section of the paper was downloaded in under ten minutes. While we were there, the newspaper van went down to the dock to await the ferry with Saturday’s hard copy of The Times. So last century! We settled down to read the paper, listen to the test match and drink coffee at home when a car drew up at the gate. We’re getting used to that now because so many have stopped, got out and written the details down. We already know another Sifnos family is looking to come and view the property but I didn’t recognise these people. Far from reading the ‘For Sale’ sign, they shouted up and I invited them in to look round the house. Although, we didn’t know them, they made it clear they knew us. The viewing went well and they will liaise (negotiate) with the Notary now. I am absolutely amazed how many people on the island know us and our situation. This struck me yesterday when our neighbour, Apostolos, was with us. I was talking about the difficulty in getting a fixed-line telephone service where we are. He immediately phoned his friend at the OTE and referred to me as ‘Κυριε John’ and didn’t need to add anything extra. While we were chatting, his mobile went and it was his wife asking where he was. He just said, ‘I’m with Κυριε John‘ and she didn’t need further qualification. It was quite a shock.
I hope Ruth is reading this. It looks as if we’ve retained The Ashes in Test 3. Yeeeessss!!!
5th August, 2013
Only warm – 26C/79F – cool for August in the Cyclades and very windy as it has been for more than two weeks now. It is not ideal weather to welcome tourists. My barometer is the car park. Often in August it is hard to find a parking space. Over the weekend and this morning I could have parked almost anywhere it was so empty.
Far too windy to swim comfortably today so I had to do jobs. Watering trees, cleaning the patio, re-varnishing garden furniture, all the fun jobs of life. Didn’t even have the Test Match to listen to. Rain stopped play which was finally abandoned and England were declared Ashes winners.
6th August, 2013
There is no discussion about which mobile phone company to choose our service from. EE (TMobile + Orange) is the only network with reasonable reception on our development. Often one sees visitors with other Network phones speaking urgently outside in the rain and cold, running out on to the street waving their mobiles in the air to see if they can get better reception. We are coming to the end of our contracts and, as always, they will entice us to stay with better, upgraded handsets not knowing that we would have stayed anyway. We get shiny, new mobiles and another two year contract. I wouldn’t mind but I don’t even like using phones. I like to look people in the eye when I’m talking to them. Nowadays, Pauline and I are rarely apart long enough to phone each other and then it’s from the room next door. Still, a modern man cannot be without his mobile to go with his Desktop computer, laptop and iPad.
Pauline and I have minimal contracts for our phones. We have free landline through Sky and each pay the huge, monthly price of £15.00 for 100 minutes talk + 100 texts which I never use + unlimited internet which I can hardly see on our, now, outdated smart phones. This afternoon, encouraged by gale-force winds outside, I have been checking out the next models that TMobile can offer us ‘for free’. I’m not going to pay for it even though I will sell our current phones on for £50.00 each. Looks like it’s going to be an ugrade of our current Samsung Galaxy Ace.
7th August, 2013
The winds persist and look like continuing for some time to come. Pauline did a little work outside varnishing one of the many benches we have around the outside of the house – we have so many, it looks like a minor Public School. I had a much more pressing problem to deal with. I was an early adopter for the internet (1994: 1440 baud dial-up & text-only presentation) and Broadband (1999/2000: 2Mbs download). I have been an early adopter for any technology I could get my hands on. I was in the pilot group for Internet Banking. I pioneered intranets and on-line Learning Platforms in my Local Authority. I’ve designed and built websites from the earliest days. Today, British Telecom, who were one of our earliest ISDN/Broadband providers, wrote to me to say Pauline & I were about to lose our email addresses because we hadn’t been their customers for the past three years.
While this would seem eminently reasonable, it would be a nightmare for us. The only way of avoiding it would be to migrate back to BT Broadband by September 16th. Impossible because we will still be in Greece. Actually, my current Broadband speed is only 8Mb download. I am going back to BT at the end of October when we get back. Their fibre optic service will give me 76 Mb download – almost 10 times as fast. Until then, I have to phone their customer service desk and pay a small fee to retain our email addresses. And that’s where the trouble starts – Call Centre/ many operators’ voices mixing with horrible music / Asian operative who is unfamiliar with UK address system and a lack of workers on duty. Half an hour on hold and half an hour to go through multiple security & fact gathering exercises. An hour on the phone to keep two email addresses. Thank goodness for Skype.
8th August, 2013
From out of the darkness of the road came the call again last night: Kyrios John, Kyrios John. It was the Apostelos who I always address as Apostoli (Nikos!) with another huge bag of massive tomatoes from his garden. I certainly know what’s for lunch. Our amanuensis and her husband, who phoned this morning, eat cheese salad for breakfast when they are not eating toast with our marmalade. That is one Mediterranean tradition I couldn’t embrace – cheese salad for breakfast would be sacrilege!
The wind is down a bit today and, after a bit of actual work outside, we intend to go swimming. I’m keen to see the tourist state of the beach after the car park test again today suggests visitor numbers down. Kathimerini reports Government statistics of a 9% rise in arrivals at regional/island airports but a 0.5% fall in arrivals at Athens airport this year. Maybe the bigger islands with airports are doing better. They are also forecasting a 60% fall in olive oil production this year, blaming it on dry Spring weather. Pauline usually buys lots of bottles of specialist olive oil in Italy on our way home but, this year, she’s bought 15 ltrs of Greek oil because we really like it and it is so cheap at €19.50 for 5 Ltrs.
They sell this exact product in China at €58.00 and €33.00 on Amazon. I’m persuading Pauline to buy it all and corner the market!
9th August, 2013
It almost feels like September weather. Mornings and evenings are cool – almost very cool – and the day time temperature has not really risen above 29C/84F. This is comparatively Arctic. This same week over the past three years has brought heatwaves of 36C/97F – 40C/104F. I’m really enjoying this weather.
My appetite is disappearing again. Orange juice for breakfast, a banana mid-morning, a sliced tomato with basil leaves and half a can of tuna and I am stuffed. I can’t eat for the rest of the day. It must be nerves on the first day of the Durham Test that are killing my hunger.
Today, after a bit of shopping, Pauline painted the verandah railings while I did some gardening. It was hot enough to make us sweat but not too hot to work in. We went swimming at 2.00 pm and the water was freezing. Blackpool couldn’t have been colder although, I must admit, I have never swum there.
Sat outside this evening in beautiful, cool breeze as the natural light faded and the electric lights of Kamares came up:
10th August, 2013
August weather is thinking of arriving but not whole heartedly. The wind is down and we are left with a pleasant, light cooling breeze. The temperature only reached 29C/84F which is lovely but somewhat less than we normally expect at this time. We love it. We have air conditioning all around the house but haven’t felt the need for it once this year. When we were having our power supply normalised with two, new meters installed outside last year, the man at the electricity shop laughed and said we were heavy power users. We don’t think we are and our bills are very low compared to those in Surrey but we do use a tumble dryer which few Greeks would even consider. We bought it in England for £90.00. The same machine was in Kotsovolos (owned by Dixons) in Athens for €500.00.
Every Sunday, instead of going to church, Pauline reads and I record on my spreadsheet our meter readings. I’m not sure why but I love having my life tabulated and recorded. It seems to give me a little more control over it and understanding of it. We’ve been in the house about five months now and paid out €182.84 (£157.62). It is peanuts. Our next bill, probably while we are away, will be even smaller. It is paid automatically through the Greek Bank. I have internet banking so I can see and record the payment.
Pauline & I are inveterate planners. We hate leaving things to chance or until the last minute. We booked everything for our return journey weeks ago. This evening, We sat out in the cool air planning out a four day trip to Yorkshire in November when we get back. We pencilled in another four day break to Bologna in November. We will have at least two and, possibly, three shopping trips to France and then we worked on the dates for returning to Greece next year. We more or less know where we will be and when over the next fourteen months. Exciting or what?
