Sanders Blog

21^st July, 2013

We won the UK Lottery last week. We had an email from The National Lottery to tell us. Because we are abroad, we are not allowed to buy tickets. We just had a forward-bought one for six months. We asked for our winnings to be sent to our UK bank account. I don’t which new car I will choose but the extra £10.00 will help.

Of course, the real win was England over Australia.

22^nd July, 2013

Painting the gate. I hate it. Why didn’t I hire someone to do this for me? Pauline loves painting. It is her hobby. I don’t know why I don’t just hire her out now Flavio has left the island. Anyway, my wife says we are painting the gate so we are. Actually, the weather is almost perfect for painting – overcast and cool but it is a bit blustery. Apostolis comes down from the farm on his bike and declares our painting ‘Spezziaale’ with his characteristic laugh. Papa Boulis toots his appreciation so loudly I almost drop my paint and two American tourist girls who must be identical twins and, taking advantage of the weather, on a walk up to Agios Simeon politely declined to help with the painting until they returned from their walk.

After two hours, I had had enough and, fortunately, the paint had run out. It means a trip up to the hardware shop. I need a new pressure washer as well. We may fit in coffee at Café Prego.

Got my pressure washer. They had three models to choose from. I only use it to clean the car and the patio so I didn’t go mad. €135.00 for a Michelin pressure washer. It will do exactly what I want.

Apropos of absolutely nothing, I meant to tell you, in The Daily Telegraph I saw this excellent feature on the resurgence of saucy postcards – like the seminal ones that originated from Bamforth of Holmfirth. This was my favourite:

We were eating lunch – which was a cheese salad – when we suddenly realised that everything we had on our table was locally sourced. Salad leaves and tomatoes from our garden, cucumbers from Apostelos’ garden, tomato relish made from Spiros’ tomatoes and onions, beetroot chutney made from beetroot and onion from a farmer near Exambela. Everything was delicious.

23^rd July, 2013

A lovely, lovely day. We were supposed to be painting the gate but it was too windy. Hallelujah! (What am I saying?) We went out to collect the post. I was expecting a bill from Cosmote and a parcel from Nova. Surprise, surprise, the bill arrived but the parcel didn’t. We then went back with our amanuensis to spend the day at her house with her and her husband. It was absolutely delightful. We had ouzo and mezedes in the shade of the pine trees and talked and planned late into the afternoon. It was really useful.  We are invited to Lunch soon and we will respond by taking them out to Dinner. We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends.

We stayed so long that we didn’t get in to the sea for our swim until after 5.00 pm and then it was cold. We did 20 mins swimming and got straight out. Back at the house, I did my watering and then got ready for an early Dinner out. I hadn’t eaten all day apart from a little piece of Mezedes. We went down to talk to Panos & Rania and to eat salad with chicken souvlakia. As usual, it was wonderful.

My Nova box stopped working completely today. I can only get BBC World and nothing else. I have made up my mind to go up to Germanos and organise OTE TV tomorrow. It will mean I get the new season Premier League matches.

24^th July, 2013

A busy day. Up at 6.00 am to get the cool of the morning. By 8.30 the front of the gate was painted – black gloss. By 9.30 am, we had driven up to Apollonia and visited the PostOffice to see if our new Nova satellite TV decoder box had arrived. It hadn’t. We went to Prego Café for coffee and contributed to the Samaras Collection. We have been hearing amazing stories about Golden Dawn (Χρυσή Αυγή) membership on Sifnos. It is a Right Wing, Extremist (Fascistic) Mob which, when the economic crisis is over, will slip back into the slime.

After coffee and gentle banter with the locals, we drive to Germanos to pay our Cosmote bill. Actually, we find that the cost of our service is being cut so rapidly that they owe us €70.00 so there is nothing to pay. I love this shop. I ask about OTE TV – the new alternative satellite TV service to Nova. It is incredibly cheap – half that of Nova – and has Premier League football for the next three years and free HD service. I bought it on the spot. Dinos has been booked to come and install it. Dinos set our satellite dish up more years ago than I care to remember now.

We drove home and had been there only an hour when a courier came to the door. He was wiping black paint from his hands as he opened the gate. He had our new, ‘free’ Nova box. Pauline gave him a tissue soaked in turps to clean his hands. I fitted up the new box. At least we will have a full service until Dinos turns up. The Premier League starts on August 17^th so everything will be up and running long before then. We’ve bought the ‘full’ package which is so cheap compared to our Sky package at home.

Wonderful swim today. Clean again!

25^th July, 2013

As was forecast, the Jetstream has moved south across Europe, bringing cooler weather to UK and hotter to Greece. Actually, we have been rather enjoying the cooler than normal weather here although swimming hasn’t been so pleasant for sensitive souls like me. This morning feels hot and the car in the garage reports 32C/90F. When we return from swimming at 4.30 pm, it reports 34C/93C.

At 6.00 am, I sent my wife out to finish painting the gate while it was cool. I watered all the vegetables at the back of the house and then all the trees and shrubs at the front of the house. Coffee and the newspaper followed and we listened to the 1.00 pm News on the BBC before setting off to swim. The water was still quite cold for the end of July but the wind was finally down.

Never ceases to amaze me who reads my Blog. I started it to keep in touch with my immediate family who are stretched far and wide but today I heard from Nikos in Porto Rafti. He is interested and amused to read the blunderings of an Englishman through his Greek culture in general and the island of Sifnos in particular. It is somewhere he knows well. He has been desperate to correct me about the name of my favourite café – Πραγκό (Prago) which I have been driving him mad by calling it Prego. He has taught me, I am ashamed to admit, that it is not named after the Italian for ‘please’ as so many are in UK but after a Cycladic, three-pronged fish hook. Of course, I knew that all the time but was just trying to provoke someone like Nikos to write in and correct me.

26^th July, 2013

Another early start for my wife as she struggled to finish a huge, cast-iron gate which was resisting one coat of Hammerite ‘Direct to Rust’ black gloss. Rust seems to absorb two or three coats – poor, old girl.

I was forced to drink my coffee and read The Times alone. A shocking report I had to read too. What do you think of this?

A majority of GPs now back charging patients for appointments to reduce the  burden on the NHS, a poll suggests. Asking patients to pay to see a doctor would overturn one of the founding  principles of the health service, but 51 per cent of family doctors now say  it is necessary.

I predict that it won’t happen in my lifetime but to think that a majority of doctors think it would be acceptable to charge for our ‘free-at-the-point Health Service. Scandalous!

The temperature is up but only a little – 32-33C/90-91F- and the sea was still quite cold in the afternoon. I must be going soft. The sea didn’t used to be like this when I was young.

27^th July, 2013

Fifth consecutive day of early starts. Pauline put the finishing touches to the gate. I had wanted gold tips like Buckingham Palace but, after Pauline had done the first three, it was obvious that it didn’t work and she repainted them black. The ‘For Sale’ sign at last came out of the garage and was attached to the gate at 7.15 am. We stood and waited for queues to form but, at 7.20 am, gave up and made coffee.

Well,  you couldn’t make it up. By 10.00 pm we were driving up to the supermarkets in Exambela (Ok, Nikos?) and the phone went.

A Greek family want to buy your house. I will get back to you for a meeting. No, they hadn’t seen the advert. They were talking yesterday.

Of course, it may mean very little but one never knows. Discussions with our Notary friend will take place this evening and arrangements will be made. Now, back to ordinary life.

14^th July, 2013

Don’t say nothing ever happens on a sleepy, Greek island. Routines are important in island living. We visit Christos to wish him, Happy Sunday. He makes me a wonderful cup of fresh coffee and Pauline has a pot of tea with a huge cake to build her weight up. It is falling again. This morning, she has already had three huge slices of toast and marmalade and then, down at the café, managed a large, sticky Kadaifi cake. Poor girl! It is an effort for her.

While we were there, Christos put a glass down on our table with a knife & fork in it for Pauline to eat the cake. Seconds later, the glass spontaneously imploded rebounding shards of glass everywhere. Our initial response was amusement but, as we were driving away some time later, I reflected on the potentially fatal consequences that could have resulted from such an incident. Pauline was not wearing glasses and could have lost an eye. Shards of glass went everywhere. People sitting near could easily have had an artery pierced. Fortunately, everything was fine.

Not so fine up in Exambelar, however, where we drove up to the supermarket. One of these increasing numbers of weddings was being celebrated and cars lined the road going down towards Faros. The road was completely blocked when we got there by police cars and smashed cars. One car had been dealt a glancing blow but another had turned over. Let’s hope they got out alive.

Well it was closer than I expected and harder to listen to than I imagined but we won. England won the First Ashes Test and that is all that matters.

 15^th July, 2013

Half way through July already. A strange day of strong, blustery winds and hot sun. We got up early and cleaned the car for the first time for weeks. We made an early decision not to go swimming today because of the wind. Pauline made some tomato & onion preserve and then we set off to visit Kostas & Maria at the wood shop. We need to do the annual treatment of our windows. We use an interesting bottle of fluid that was supplied by the company who manufactured the windows. It has been hard to come by for a year or two but Kostas has always managed to find bottles for us and always refuses to accept payment.

It is manufactured in Italy by a company called Industria Chimica Adriatica which is based near Ancona. If we can, we will build an extra night in Italy on the way back next year and buy supplies from the factory to replenish Kostas’ stocks.

We have both felt strangely flat today – lacklustre. We had jobs to do but couldn’t be bothered. We watched a film last night which reminded us both of the deaths of our Mothers. We talked quite late and went to sleep on sadness. Although, after five years it is happening to me less now, I reflect on what I have lost quite a lot still. It has recently been reinforced by the experiences of Greek Bloggers that I follow. The author of Democracy Street lost his Mother recently and is currently clearing her house for sale. His sadness is sharply defined in his writing. The author of Ramblings from Rhodes has just lost his 85 year old Mother and is returning to UK for the funeral. He will almost certainly be suffering self-recrimination about not being there as we did for Pauline’s Mum who died three years ago in October at the age of 96.

Must get some work done tomorrow as well as fit a meeting in with our amanuensis and, possibly, a conversation with the Notary. General Strike tomorrow so, probably, no Postal Service. We had our own delivery this evening. Once again, out of the darkness, came the cry, Κυριε John, Κυριε John. We dashed down to the gate and there again was the taxi driver Apostolos, who lives at the bottom of our road with a huge pile of cucumbers. I know what my meal will be tomorrow.

16^th July, 2013

A different day entirely today. The wind has largely gone. We are finding it very difficult to rely on a weather forecast since ET3 was abolished. We watch ANTenna and Mega and the BBC website but they differ so wildly that it is rather pot luck.

My wife is outside wire-brushing the gate prior to repainting. She loves it but I do get the occasional pang of embarrassment as I sit reading my paper in the shade and she slogs away in full sun. I do offer her water and coffee at various intervals.

I did Man’s work – watering the trees & shrubs while sitting on the wall contemplating the wonders of the world. I also picked our first crop of figs this season. I filled my hat with them. Warm from the sun, soft and sweet, we gorged on them instantly. This is what was left when we were podged.

17^th July, 2013

Well, the figs are working!

Overcast and humid day. Off to Apollonia early for a mixture of business and pleasure. Coffee at Prego and a chat with the regulars. A visit to the Post Office to check for an urgent letter. A trip to the butchers for six, wonderful and huge beef steaks or 3Kg of prime beef for €29.00 – wonderful value. (Tesco take note. Currently selling 1Kg of sirloin steak for €22.00.) Apologies to vegetarians and to Jane Bennett.

A quick meeting and then back home. Dropped off a return present for Apostelos en route and then home to do some office work. We have some urgent letters and emails to write.

It is 2.00 pm.. The office work has taken for ever but I think it will ‘bear fruit’. A little bit of Moshka’s cheese with Pauline’s tomato relish for lunch and then we will do some work in the garden. It is not a swimming day today nor, I suspect, will it be tomorrow.

Why do the BBC have such a down on Greece. A couple of days ago they were expressing mock amazement at the prospect of a General Strike. Another General Strike when their Economy’s in such a mess! When the General Strike turned out to be something of a damp squib, the BBC reported that not as many people supported the protest but this is only a lull before the storm. There will be far worse to come.

If you’re interested, the steak was chargrilled with onions and garlic mushrooms and it was sensational. Good job we bought six.

18^th July, 2013

It was nice to wave goodbye to our favourite, English tourists this morning.

Well, I’m really beginning to feel eclipsed by the girls. No sooner has sister Jane retired as Chief Exec. of the Independent Police Complaints Commision with a CBE for her pains than little sister Liz is headhunted from her post as Strategic Director of Families, Health & Wellbeing at Manchester City Council and appointed to the UK’s top job in Social Services to three Boroughs across London.

I’m very pleased for her. She has done brilliantly. Soon it will be Lady Liz. and the whole family will have drifted South.

19^th July, 2013

Received an email from Bart Simpson of the Parianos Blog asking about connections to Paros in August. When I looked, I was amazed to find that there isn’t one. There are two connections currently although one is in the middle of the night. By August, they are dropped completely. Whatever happened to Everyday to Paros? The best solution I could find for him was as follows:

It would mean an overnight on Folegandros but it is a wonderful island. We stayed at Folegandros Apartments for three weeks in the late 90s and had a wonderful time.

Lovely swim this afternoon. Come back in for shower and the news that Australia are 96 for 7 at Tea at Lords. More than 250 behind, they are in serious trouble. It would be lovely to watch this rather than listen on the radio. Nova don’t buy it unfortunately.

20^th July, 2013

Talking about my satellite service from Nova; yesterday I lost three channels – Mega, Sports2 & Sports3. I did all the normal things of switching the decoder box off, wiping the card for static, etc. but to no avail. I dread phoning the company because I not only get all the annoying telecoms, pre-recorded messages but the are also in fast Greek. You can switch to English on one stem of the message tree but they soon lapse back into Greek. I used Skype to call them and it was just as well because I was holding for about 25 minutes. Eventually, they tell me without any surprise that channel repositioning by them means I need a new decoder box. They tell me it is free and I can get it from my local Nova service engineer. There used to be one in Apollonia but no longer. In fact, there isn’t one on the island. Nova will mail me one immediately.

This experience has made me reappraise my decision to stick with Nova. Lots of friends told me to move to OTE TV but I wouldn’t have been able to watch MU win the Premier League in May. Now, OTE TV take on the Premier League contract which may well destroy Nova – well for me anyway.

7th July, 2013

A little overcast, which is welcome, and a little blustery. Drove down to the café for a Sunday chat with Christos. On the way, we saw the most extraordinary thing. In the dusty soil across the road from Hotel Aphrodite a young cat was going beserk, leaping, writhing, twisting, turning, throwing up dust. We watched it in amazement for 20 or 30 seconds and then it, just as suddenly, died. We thought it must have been having a fit but Christos said he thought it had been bitten by a snake of a scorpion. Whatever, it wasn’t a good introduction to the morning.

After coffee and a chat, we drove home to read The Sunday Times. Each Sunday, we read and record our electricity meters. I have an on-going spreadsheet of readings, units used and bills paid. It is just one of those ‘geeky’ things I do. This year – from January to July – we have been charged €180.00 / £155.00 which is incredibly cheap for our sole source of power. Sunday is also the day we address our Investment and Savings Accounts like all good atheists. It is wonderful to be able to do it all on-line and instantly.

We drove down to the beach for a swim. Spiros was just coming away after a lone swim. I shook his hand and it was freezing. Actually, the sea was delightful after we had been in for a few minutes. We din 40 minutes strong swimming and then home. By the time we’d showered, it was time for the Murray Final. We watched enthralled and grateful he managed to do it in three, straight sets. To say we ‘enjoyed’ it would not be completely honest but the result certainly gave us a lift.

8th July, 2013

A lovely day reaching 28C/82F (almost as hot as UK) with blustery winds. We had a lovely, 40 minute swim but the water was quite cool at first and took some getting used to.

We’ve had a busy day of correspondence related to the Steering Committee and Management Company of our apartment development in Surrey today. Thank goodness for modern technology – internet, email, Skype and mobile phone – because we couldn’t do any of this without it. I have written before but I will bore you again. When we first came to Sifnos in 1984, there were two, fixed lines available at the telephone company and, after queuing for a long time, the message would say, All lines out of Greece are busy. Please try later. Of course, if we did get through, everyone would be able to hear the whole conversation so nothing private could really be discussed. Now, everything is done from the Study in our house in real time and privacy. I notice that Cosmote are even marketing 4G(LTE) whatever that is.

9th July, 2013

A blustery night has given way to a beautiful and warm morning. I suspect that the wind last night will mean swimming will remain chilly. A busy day today. First off to collect the Post. Later we are meeting our amanuensis who phoned last night to check on our progress.

Something has happened to the kitten. We haven’t seen it for two days and, after Mother Cat has eaten half her food, she begins to call for the kitten to eat or share the rest. The kitten has failed to arrive and she goes off searching and calling all over the garden. Exactly the same thing happened last year. We are struggling to understand how you can lose two kittens in as many years.

Off to Athens this morning so that Pauline can have her hair cut.  Our Taxi arrived at our gate exactly on time and took us down to the port. SpeedRunner was a few minutes late but we were soon sitting in the cool of the VIP Lounge with a drink and our iPad Newspapers. A pleasant and fairly swift journey – the last half hour of any journey seems to drag – brought us to the Piraeus dock and the taxi rank. Why do we always get the down-at-heal taxi with the driver who doesn’t know one of the most well-known hotels in his capital city? The Electra Palace, Nikodimou Street. Pauline guided him round Syndagma and through the Plaka to the front door. Anyway, the fare was only €15.00 and it took about 35 minutes. The doorman took our bags across the vast, marble floor to the check-in desk and then someone led us up to our delightful room on the 4^th floor. We were there by 4.30 pm.

The hotel has an outdoor pool on the roof and an indoor pool along with fitness centre and beauty treatment clinic in the basement. We went up to the roof but it was too hot and the pool was so busy. The basement pool was perfectly cool and deserted. We swam for a solid 40 minutes exercise. It was exactly what we needed.

After a cup of tea in our room and updating on news from tv, we went out to eat. It was a delicious contrast stepping out from the 5* Hotel lobby to our favourite pavement taverna just minutes away. It is usually busy and, today, absolutely packed. We were lucky to get a table. A salad starter to share followed by stockfish (salt-cod) and garlic sauce with a wonderful side dish of artichokes & peas left us absolutely stuffed. The bill was €35.00. We needed the short walk back to our hotel where we had coffee and watched the Greek news before an early night.

10^th July, 2013

This morning, we rose at 7.00 am as normal, made a cup of tea in our room and then, for the first time in 24 hrs., thought about Mother Cat. She will be at the back door, wondering where we are. We did leave extra dried food and water in the garage but we have her in a different routine and she will find it a little difficult to adjust. We take the lift down to the colonial style breakfast room where one can sit inside or out in the green and shady gardens to eat anything or everything from the breakfast buffet. It is a short suspension of the diet and we have fresh orange juice, bacon and scrambled eggs, croissants and jam with a large pot of wonderful coffee.

Feeling uncomfortable from unusual fullness, we waddle off into the sunshine of the Plaka. Pauline needs a new hand bag. No really, she does. Her current bag is really looking worse for wear. The Plaka used to be full of leather shops with bag displays piled high at every turn. Today, we had to walk quite a long way to find one such shop. We spent quite a while being shown lots of different bags in lots of different styles, sizes and colours by a young woman who was clearly Albanian. Her large, Greek, male employer sat languidly outside. Pauline found a bag she really liked and was told it was €58.00. Just to stop myself getting bored, I teased the girl that it was summer sale time in Athens and, perhaps, €50.00 would be more appropriate. The girl looked uncomfortable and said she was only a worker. She went outside to ask her employer and came back with a price of €52.00.

We bought the bag and returned to our Hotel for coffee and because Pauline was desperate to listen to the start of first Ashes Test match. Well one of us was. Later, we had another wonderful swim and lazed around in the garden.

In the evening, we had booked what the hotel referred to as ‘Fine Dining’ in the rooftop restaurant overlooking the Acropolis and the sunset. The contrast between the two evening’s meals was complete – street view to rooftop.

Crusty bread & Tapanades followed by Nouvelle Cuisine Greek Salad. The main course was grilled salmon with steamed vegetables. It was a joy to get asparagus which we can’t on the island. Homemade (proper) ice cream in three natural flavours – real chocolate, real strawberry, real vanilla – to close the meal as the orange globe fell behind the mountains. Fresh coffee was served as the lights came up on the Acropolis and tourist all around got out their cameras and mobile phones. We signed for the bill of exactly double the night before – €70.00. Neither was expensive but was one worth double the other? Not really. Both were delightful in their own right.

11^th July, 2013

This morning provides the ostensible reason for our trip. Pauline is having her hair cut at the hairdressers opposite the hotel – Michalis Anousakis Hair Design. She left for her appointment at 10.00 am and was back just after 11.00 am looking beautiful. We leave our home on the island in 12 weeks and get home in 13. Pauline will just about survive  until she gets another cut in Surrey in October or at Sassoons in Leeds or Manchester when we return to Yorkshire in late October.

We drank frappes in the hotel and listened to the Test match commentary while reading the newspapers. The concierge called us a taxi for 3.00 pm and we were in Piraeus in no time. SpeedRunner came in right on time and we went up to the VIP Lounge and had a sandwich. I used the dreadfully slow wireless connection to follow the Test match and then snoozed. I awoke to find us docking at Serifos with little time left before we arrived home. When we did dock, our taxi driver was waiting for us and within a couple of minutes we were home. Unlocking the gate, we found a huge bag of tomatoes and onions left by Spiros Gerontopoulos. His name was on a post-it on the bag.

Mother Cat was no where to be seen but she’d eaten every drop of food we left. Pauline called for a few moments and up she popped like a bad penny. Pauline fed her while I watered the plants. No sooner had we settled down to watch the weather forecast than a car pulled up outside and a voice was calling out of the darkness, Κυριε John, Κυριε John. We dashed down to the gate and there was our friend, the taxi driver Apostolos, who lives at the bottom of our road and who always has a friendly word for us. He had a big bag of cucumbers and green peppers for us from his land. I don’t know if we look needy but we are desperately grateful for such kindness.

We finished the day with chicken and green peppers with a bottle of champagne. Life could be so much worse.

12^th July, 2013

Well, it feels hotter and stickier this morning on Sifnos than it ever did in central Athens this year. Strange but true. The taxi driver said they had experienced strong winds on Wednesday. We had none of that either.

As every day, we set ourselves targets of jobs to get through this morning but, when it came to it, we couldn’t quite be bothered. Travelling had taken it out of us. So the car will remain uncleaned for another day and the gate painting and weed killing will be done over the weekend. Instead, we drank coffee; after speaking to our amanuensis for half an hour, Pauline talked to her sister for about 40 mins and I researched some trips we intend to make during the winter to Italian cities. We will going swimming soon because the temperature has reached 30F/86C outside and then Pauline will listen to the Test Match while I cook – or vice versa.

13^th July, 2013

Feels a hot day although the thermometer has not really got any higher than previous days. 26C/79F at 10.00 am and 30C/86F at 2.00 pm. I think it is a little increase in humidity which is changing the feel.

We went up to do our shopping and fill up with petrol for only the fourth time in as many months. I told you we can’t stop people giving us things. Our friends at Ellinoil insisted on us taking a bag of cheese, tomatoes and eggs. I’m sure we look desperate. They are lovely people. Pauline bought beetroot for more chutney, tomatoes for a new relish she is making and Flora brought us special oranges from her father’s garden because they are so much sweeter.

Our amanuensis and her husband came over this morning to collect some photographs her relative in Athens delivered to our hotel. She also was able to advise us on what steps to take next about the boundaries of our land. We have a lot to do. Swimming first though.

Swimming was decidedly chilly. We only stayed in 20 minutes. Spent the afternoon listening to Test Match Special on BBC 5 Live and quite a close finish it was looking until England took three more wickets in 18 balls at the end of Day 4.

30th June, 2013

It was the 40-day memorial for Evangelia, the lady we always knew as Mrs. Simos. We were down at the café opposite the church as many, many people from across the island came to pay their respects. Virtually every one we know on the island was there and many that we don’t. We were able to chat to quite a few which was nice.

After our outing to the café, we came back to continue work on clearing debris from our storm drain. There is something quite attractive about working outside in full sun clad in the most ridiculous gear and soaked in sweat. All the world and his wife wants to stop and chat. To each person we explain our position and how we arrived at it. They are always interested and express an opinion. Spiros who came with two JCBs and a team of men last year to transform our land and dig out for electricity cables made a special visit with his wife and brought us bags of freshly picked tomatoes from his garden. It was lovely to see him again. The couple who came and expressed keen interest in buying our property came back this morning for a quick chat. In all, at least ten people came past and acknowledged, in one way or another, what we were doing.

We worked for about two and a half hours and are now preparing for as swim – if only to get clean. Had a lovely, long talk to our amanuensis after we got home. Lots of interesting information about meetings that we need to address.

1st July, 2013

Happy July to all our readers.

In UK, the last day of June was the hottest of the year so far and a lot more is predicted to continue through the month of July. I’m afraid here the news just gets worse. Went up to the Hardware shop for a yard brush and they had nothing good enough to do the job. I filed a complaint. We bought black Hammerite paint for the gate and some brushes.

I have to admit. it’s not a job I enjoy at all. However, my wife says it has to be done, so it does!

2nd July, 2013

Decided to go out for the morning after reading the book by CRISTINAS TELEBANTOU, Acropolis at Aghios Andreas. It was lent to me by Rania. A fortification from Mycenaean period – almost 4000 years ago – has been gradually uncovered and highlighted with the aid of much E.U. money. Many locals have been involved in the work. We noticed that our friend, Spiros Gerontopoulos, worked on the project, for example. In the very nature of things and just like Kastro, this acropolis is on high ground and surrounded by huge stone walls. When Spiros helped to move stone over the last ten years, he used a JCB. How on earth did those men of 2000BC move them into position?

Of course, all that’s left is ancient stone but the views are just spectacular. Unfortunately, my skill with a camera is really not good enough to convey the beauty of the place.

A lot of work and money has gone into this development. It is manned six days per week by two people which seemed excessive because we were 50% of the visitors this morning and we were only asked to pay €4.00 between us. This can’t be cost effective. Already, parts are beginning to look shabby. Beautiful stone seats have been created for tired walkers on the approach from the car park but they are unusable because they are surrounded by waist-high thistles as is the car park. A couple of hours with a mattock and all that could be changed. Instead, I notice that a worker has had time to cultivate a spectacular vegetable garden.

The paths and sign posting are well done and informative. The views are refreshing and spectacular.

3rd July, 2013

This spectacular weather continues – Warm but not uncomfortably hot with light breeze not high winds and moderately cool in the evening/night. It is absolutely perfect.

Mother Cat was sleeping on one of our outdoor dining chairs this morning when we got up at 7.00 am and then she managed, for the first time to our knowledge, to get the kitten to breakfast on solid food with her. It was dried food pellets (Economy Loose) from the supermarket. They seemed to go down alright but the kitten did sit in the water bowl by accident. I will try to get a photograph when I have gained its confidence.

The British Government have announced that they will charge people for medical treatment – in fact to see a GP – if they’ve been living out of UK for more than 6 months, in other words, if they are not paying their taxes in Britain. If the EU really did provide reciprocal Health treatment, it would be different but I have no confidence that Greece will give me the treatment I expect in UK free at the point of delivery. This is why we make sure we are not out of UK for more than 6 months in any one year. We pay lots of taxes to the Greek Government but I still cannot get ‘free’ health care. I have to pay for insurance for health care.

4th July, 2013

Well, you couldn’t make it up. Yesterday turned out to be a strange one. When we got up, the world was normal. We had simple things on our agenda for the day. A nice chat with our amanuensis, a swim, some plant watering, some tennis. Suddenly, serenity was shattered. The phone went and the Notary said that another couple urgently wanted to come and view the house. They would telephone and make an appointment themselves because they could speak some English.

Better tidy the house! Pauline walked straight in to the Laundry to put the dirty clothes into the washing machine and suddenly realised that the floor was wet. One of the water boilers had sprung a leak. At that very moment, the phone went. It was the couple wanting to visit. Could they come today. No! Tomorrow morning at the earliest. That was agreed.

A quick phone call to the Plumber. When could he come? 1.00 pm.  From previous experience, we were going to have to source a new boiler and then the plumber would have to fit it. This is a job of around a couple of hours. Could it be done today before the couple come tomorrow? The plumber came right on time, looked at the boiler, smiled and said, No Problem. We thought, Yes there is. It’s leaking. He said he would be back in the evening. When he returned, he took out the heating element which was accompanied by huge amounts of calcified deposits – probably half a bucketful – zipped in a new element, mopped the Laundry floor, smiled and said, OK.

Crisis over. The couple arrived this morning. They were looking for a ‘big’ house and said our house was just the right size. They asked the price (although I suspect they knew in advance) and didn’t balk when I told them. They had been to see a cheaper one yesterday but found the build quality terrible. They were impressed with ours. They have gone to think and contact the Notary. We can do no more than that.

The sea was quite chilly for our swim today. We only managed 40 mins.. Wimbledon was quite enjoyable on Women’s semi-final day. Mother Cat’s kitten was the star of the evening. After being painstakingly coaxed out of her bush to share a meal of tinned meat, she proceeded to sit in the water bowl. Children! Who’d have them?

5th July, 2013

A blustery but warm day is following a lovely, cool night. We set ourselves jobs to do and then cancelled them and relaxed instead. That’s why retirement is so much fun. Pauline shopped at Moshka’s supermarket for oranges and cheese and chatted to Margarita for the first time for a while. Because she’s trying hard to maintain her weight, she bought fresh bread and a sweet pie. We drove home and had fresh, Arabica coffee and read the paper while we listened to the Today programme outside under the pergola. Today is ‘Payday’. Teachers pensions are quaintly paid the day before the date of one’s birth. Pauline was born on the 5th and I was born on the 6th. Our pensions are paid on the 4th and the 5th. Pauline also gets her State pension on the 28th of each month. What fun!

Once again the sea was a little chilly but we managed 40 minutes solid swimming and then home for showers and our meal. Today, we had the most delightful salad of mixed leaves picked from the garden.

I think I read someone on a Greek Blog writing that it was impossible to grow salad in the summer. Well, our leaves seem to be thriving. Our gardeners sited them under the shade of a large, conifer tree and they seem to appreciate it.

Exciting Wimbledon Semi-Finals this afternoon. Murray is 2-1 sets up as I write this at 11.00 pm. In the first, brilliant match, Djokovic beat Del Potro in the fifth set.

6th July, 2013

Supermarket shopping this morning. Flora has promised to bring a bag of oranges from her father’s trees in Apollonia for us to collect next Saturday. Her supermarket has switched to selling commercial fruit and the sweetness is distinctly missing. We are eating so little that our shopping is very small and extremely cheap each week now.

When we got home, Olga phoned to check we were alright. She is working hard now that the season is getting going. I must admit that, in spite of newspaper reports of tourism in Greece about to reach record levels, the island still looks fairly quiet. The beach here is not very busy. The campsite is virtually empty and the restaurants are distinctly underwhelming. Maybe it will pick up soon.

We’ve got a busy day of reading The Times, watching the Wimbledon Women’s Final, Pauline cooking biscuits (for herself) and me catching up with correspondence.

The wind is quite blustery today so we may give swimming a miss.

23rd June, 2013

Up reasonably early this morning and out to the café for coffee. As we went down to the garage, we noticed some documents in a plastic wallet tucked under the rear windscreen wiper of our car. They were some important documents relating to our land which were being prepared by the architect. He must have come past after we had gone to bed last night. We were shattered and went to bed around 11.00 pm. We certainly didn’t hear him.

At the café, I downloaded The Sunday Times while chatting to Christos about the world of Greek Island politics. He works very hard and long hours. He looks very tired at 9.00 am. He has asked if he can come over to our house for coffee. We have told him that he is very welcome at any time.

The temperature reached 31C/89F this afternoon. Note to Skiathan Man – not only sleeping on top of the sheets but shutters now closed in the afternoon to keep the house cool. We won’t need the outside lights on tonight. It will be naturally illuminated by the midsummer solstice super full moon. For young lovers a time to dream. We ‘oldies’ just enjoy the view.

24th June, 2013

A hot, almost sultry, still day. The strong winds that came have just as suddenly disappeared. My job is patio cleaning this morning. Later, we will go swimming. I am ashamed to admit, this will be our first swim in the sea this year. In fact, our last swim was on March 31st at the Health Club in Surrey. We are looking forward to it. Let’s hope the sea is refreshing after a morning’s work.

One of the noticeable differences this year has been the absence of little birds all around the property, leaving droppings on the walls and patio tiles. We don’t think it is the cat because she is getting to well fed to be bothered chasing them. It could be the owl that constantly guards our property. The one thing I have actually seen it catch is a small bird. It had the tail feathers sticking out of its mouth as it flew off to devour it on some post. In the last few days, however, we have had a family of pied wagtails pecking for seeds on the dry earth and enjoying dust baths in loose soil. They seem a little bigger than pied wagtails in England but just as quick.

We have ordered a sign for the sale of our property. It will be delivered soon.

25th June, 2013

Pure, Greek Summer day today. Blue, cloudless skies. Hot and still. Cicadas singing in the pomegranate trees. I’m immersed in emails from Surrey from the Steering Committee of our apartment development. Major matters like the electric gates, the codes for them. Getting the gardeners and cleaners to do their jobs properly, etc.. It all seems so far away. Mind you, I wouldn’t mind a walk through the rain and a trip round Waitrose but that’s a minor whim.

As we drove down to the beach, the car showed 32C/90F in the garage. The beach was nicely quiet with not too many tourists yet. The sea was delicious. We watched Speedrunner3 dock and then did half an hour of non-stop swimming.

Drove home and cooked our meal for the day – Griddled chicken & griddled vegetables (courgettes & peppers from the garden).

26th June, 2013

Can the days get any more beautiful. Up at 7.00 am. for fresh orange and Yorkshire tea. Mother Cat had obviously slept under a bush nearby, heard us get up and was still stretching outside the back door as we walked past. She got fresh water and dried food. She and I had a long talk and then she went off a-catting.

Our day will be split between reading the paper (Pauline’s doing a bit of ironing.), gardening and swimming followed by watching a bit of tennis.

The sea in Kamares Bay was wonderfully refreshing. We swam for an hour. Haven’t felt so clean for years. Closed the shutters at the front this afternoon to shut out the afternoon heat while we watched matches from Wimbledon. Now, as I water my plants at 8.00 pm, the temperature is at a sticky 33C/92F.

27th June, 2013

Mother Cat never ceases to surprise us. She has given no physical signs until now that anything untoward was happening. Today, as we drive back into the garage, she pops out and begins to call in a strange, rather strangled way. As we drink coffee on the patio, out sneaks a (quite mature) kitten. As soon as it sees us looking, it shoots back in to hide and no amount of calling and coaxing from Mother will get it back out. Minutes later, an e-card arrives from Viv & Richard announcing the birth of their latest Grandson.  Grandparenthood is catching!

28th June, 2013

What fun you can have when you’ve nothing better to do. Today we were taking advantage of a slightly overcast morning for clearing out the storm drain that goes in front of our drive gate. Every winter, the rains bring silt down and clog it up. Every year, we grudgingly put aside an hour or two to clear it out. This year, we are combining that annual delight with the joy of repainting the gate. We haven’t done it since 2007. I know you all now feel terribly jealous. No need. If you pop over with a brush, you can join in.

29th June, 2013

Talking about brushes. Could you pop over with one because ours has completely lost all its bristles sweeping out the storm drain.

By the time it gave out, it was 1.30 pm.. The Hardware shops close at 2.00 pm on Saturdays and, as we drove up to Apollonia, we got caught up with a ‘large load’ Electricity Company convoy led by our friend, Apostelos in his huge pickup. By the time we got to the Hardware shop, it had closed. We have had to make do with a supermarket brush until Monday. All World Headlines here. You heard them here first!

This morning we collected the For sale sign for our house. Three hours later, a couple dropped in because they heard we were selling and, after a quick tour round, a glass of wine and a chat, told us immediately they wanted to buy it. How strange life is. We will see what unfolds.

16th June, 2013

Every morning I drink a full glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. In England, it is two, Spanish oranges from Tesco. In Greece, it is Cretan oranges from Mario’s. The differences are stark. Firstly, Tesco’s finest are all the same size. We know it will take exactly two oranges to fill a glass. They will be beautiful, perfectly formed, identical fruits. They will cost around 30p/€0.35 each depending on special offers.. For a week, I know I will need exactly 14 at a cost of £4.20. Mario’s come in a crate and are different sizes and of variable appearance. The are covered in creases and bruises and blemishes. A British supermarket would just reject them for imperfection and lack of uniformity. It is impossible to predict how many are needed to fill my glass because some are small and some are huge. This week, I bought 17 to make sure I had enough. The total price was €3.30/£2.80 or 30% less than England. The real difference is that Cretan oranges are absolutely fabulous. The flavour is incredible compared with Spanish ones that have been stored in Tesco’s warehouse. And the blemishes on the outside are irrelevant!

17th June, 2013

Lovely start to the week. Meeting with the Notary, struggling with the first day of the school holidays, and coffee at Prego. Both were really enjoyable. The Notary is a lovely, kind and thoughtful person. It is so pleasant to deal with an intelligent human being. At the café, Pauline had soda and a Bougatsa while I just had a coffee.

We have been losing weight since January 1st. In that time, I have lost 5 stones or 32Kilos. Pauline has lost just over a stone or 7 – 8 Kilos. She has been doing it to support me but has now got dangerously thin. I am having to force-feed to keep her weight up. She is not allowed out in the morning without having eaten two slices of bread. She is not allowed to go to a café without ordering a cake. She has to integrate a little bit of pasta with her food during the day. Even so, she is fighting to maintain her weight. My medication ensures that I am still fighting to lose mine. I have another year of no carbohydrates in front of me.

18th June, 2013

Normal service is resumed for the weather if not for ERT (NERIT). Today is hot – 30C/86F with blustery winds. We had almost forgotten that such weather existed in the Greek Islands. As for the national broadcasting company, the courts have ruled that it was not illegal to close it down but that it should broadcast transitionally until a replacement can be put in place. This seems to save face for all concerned in the Coalition.

Going out to eat at Olga’s tonight. We haven’t seen her for a week or two. Looking forward to it. Not only are we sleeping on top of the bed sheets but the ceiling fans are suddenly remembering why they are here. We only use air conditioning in extremis.

We got to their restaurant about 8.00 pm. it looked closed. We had deliberately chosen a quiet time so we could talk.

Manolis was lurking in the kitchen. He phoned Olga and she shot down from their house in her car. She was nursing a huge bruise to her arm from an earlier fall. She is a lovely woman with a great sense of humour. She brought out a jug of wine and Manolis cooked huge mounds of mezedes. I wasn’t supposed to be eating it all but it seemed rude to refuse. We were then served with the most delicious Pork Loin garnished with an onion & grape chutney. Just when we thought we wouldn’t be able to walk to the car, Olga brought out a wonderful sweet. Olga talked about her daughter of whom she is so proud. We talked about London where they had lived for so many years – Manolis for twenty years. They often did the drive to Greece and back to London years before we ever thought of it. I can’t imagine what it was like driving across Europe in a 1970s car with no air conditioning, automatic gears, anti-lock brakes and, particularly, no satellite navigation. I remember the plastic covers on the thin seats in those days. How lucky are we.

Around 11.00 pm we left and they wouldn’t let us pay for our meal. We felt very bad about that but we will go back when they are busier and pay extra. The drive home through the darkness of a Sifnos night was delightful. We don’t often do it. It was especially nice to arrive at our house with all the lights on.

We had coffee and talked about our plans for tomorrow. I was still up at 2.30 am and really quite shocked to see how many vehicles are still moving in Kamares at that time. How do they manage work in the morning? Not my problem!

19th June, 2013

Up at 7.00 am, tired and still feeling full from last night. Still hot but blustery. (Not me, the weather!) We are spending some time doing accounts this morning, checking our English and Greek bank accounts, our credit card account and Euro Currency Funds. We like to keep on top of it. Fortunately, all the news is good news.

Tree/bush/plant watering is the order of the morning plus a little bit of reading/writing. Pauline is doing some cooking although neither of us can really think about food.

20th June, 2013

Hot and blustery. Not pleasant working outside. Wrote letters and emails. Talked through future planning with Pauline.

Got a call to say our burglar alarm was going off in Surrey. It turned out to be nothing. Phyllis & Colin had been round to check the post and had a problem resetting the alarm on leaving. Reassuringly, two neighbours took action and contacted us.

Looks like the ERT problem could be growing in to a full blown crisis by tearing the Coalition apart. Samaras will have to be especially careful now.

21st June, 2013

The wind continues and probably won’t abate until Sunday. I, for one, will be glad of some respite. I do find this constant meltemi-type wind disturbing/tiring.

Drove up to Apollonia to have some letters weighed for posting and then coffee at Prego café, a quick word with the Notary and back home for 11.00 am. After the alarm alert yesterday, Pauline spoke to her (very old) sister who had, kindly, collected our post. We were expecting a bill for our Surrey property from the Management Company, Chamonix. Because we live in a Duplex Apartment, all our heating and hot water is supplied centrally. We are supplied with an energy-efficient, heat exchange system. This means very low bills. The year just gone included one of the coldest winters on record. Our bill for all our hot water and our central heating amounted £110.00. Regular readers of this Blog know that I’m a bit of an ‘anorak’ about such things but, you’ll have to agree, it is impressive.

Our amanuensis phoned this morning to ask if we were alright. She has been talking Italian for a week so we’ve left her to it. We’ll meet up next week to renew our plan of campaign. Roast pork from Nikos for Dinner with our first, home-grown peppers of the season and fresh sage from the garden. Delicious!

22nd June, 2013

Pleasant morning. Looking forward to a happy Saturday. Shopping, reading the newspaper, sitting around and chatting with my wife but there is a problem with a blockage in the sewer pipe leading from the en suite bathroom. Who to blame? Certainly, we will both have to sort it out. Hope you’re not eating your breakfast while reading this. I’ll keep you informed.

Well, I got my tool boxes out – What’s a man without an 18″ tool box? –

and then got my wife to do it. Well, she’s smaller than me and can get into tighter spaces.

Actually, the ‘blockage’ had gone before she attempted anything but we did find some insidious weed roots starting to fill one of the five pipes. A trowel and a wife are all the tools one needs, dear Reader. Job done (if you’ll pardon the expression).

9th June, 2013

Out this morning at 8.30 am and down to the Café for coffee. Ordered some pork joints and fresh cheese from Moshka to be picked up tomorrow. Back to read the Sunday Times and then cleaning. Every year the windows and doors get treated with a special solution to maintain the paintwork and stop the wood drying out. Usually we do it at the end of the summer and they are at their best when we leave. This year we have done it early so we actually get the best of gleaming, rejuvenated woodwork. We’re getting a bit worried about Mother Cat. She came and ate three, huge meals today and yet she is really skinny. She appeared so hungry that she began to take an interest in my tomatoes. We are eating our first, ‘cherry’ tomatoes already and very sweet they are too.

We should be picking courgettes in another week. The green, bell peppers won’t be long either.

10th June, 2013

If there is a cleaner, tidier house than ours in Greece, I’d like to see it. The grounds have been cleared and raked rubbish removed. The patio, walls, windows and doors have been washed and treated and polished. The inside has been relentlessly mopped and dusted. I think we’ll give it a rest for a while. We were supposed to start swimming today but, after four solid hours of cleaning, we both felt shattered and collapsed with our newspaper and book.

11th June, 2013

Down to the post this morning. Two letters – Cosmote (Internet Bill) and Nova (Satellite Bill). Both were completely in Greek. I knew what both said almost immediately. The first told me that my monthly bill for 10Gbs was €30.00 which is excellent. The speed is so good that I don’t notice the difference from my Broadband service in Surrey. The Nova wasn’t a bill at all but an enticement to take a new, HD box. I have an HD Television and I have HD in Surrey but it really doesn’t seem worth it here. Although I got the general drift of the letter, I put some bits into Google Translate to find that they were offering the inducement of 6 months free service. Even that didn’t do it for me.

I can’t believe I’m writing this especially as we approach the middle of June but rain is forecast for the next three days. Last night, there was some lightning over the port. Even though Sakis (ET3) and the BBC (Met. Office) are in agreement, ever the sceptic, I am starting my next round of plant garden watering this morning.

It is 8.00 pm and I’m beginning to doubt my own scepticism. This is the view from our patio looking out over Kamares harbour.

12th June, 2013

Oh, Sakis. Just as we were getting to know each other, just as we were becoming nightly friends, they abolish you. They say you were too extravagant and far too expensive. Maybe it is true but it was nice while it lasted. May be I am in the minority but I mourn the passing of Et3 and its meteorologist, Sakis Arnaoutoglou. Last night the state broadcasting company was summarily closed, ending the life of Net, ET1 & ET3 television channels and a number of radio channels including ERA, Voice of Greece & Kosmos. Where now will I go for detailed and thoughtful weather forecasts? The BBC?

13th June, 2013

I’m going absolutely ‘BATS’. I suddenly realised I was once again trying to revert to 2012. Whatever the year, it really isn’t looking like any rain will bless us. Still, we should be careful what we wish for. Skiathos & Skopelos seem to be getting everybody’s rain. My garden would welcome a bit but not a streetful and, particularly, not all at once.

It is hard to believe that Samaras didn’t consider the effects of his actions in closing down the entire Public Broadcasting Network – ERT – but is he surprised at the international condemnation of it this morning? Even the employees admit it was over-bloated and corrupt and the government had been negotiating with unions for a year unsuccessfully. However, they will have to get on with a replacement quickly or the accusation of censorship of the press will stick.

All day the dark clouds bubbled and passed, bubbled and passed. Rain? – No rain. By 5.00 pm, we decide to do some watering. An hour later, watering finished, the sun comes out and ………. it begins to rain. Not heavy, earth wetting, Skiathan rain. Just light and gentle moistening. Well it is mid-June in the Cyclades.

14th June, 2013

The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed-
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.

Mercy visited us in buckets over night. The middle of June. I don’t remember such a merciful visitation in June for a long time.

The Greek Union of News Journalists (ESIEA) has, wrongly in my opinion, decided to extend the total news blackout until next Tuesday. By then a week will have elapsed without proper national discussion of the closure of ERT. This is a mistake. They should be out there, making the case not muttering behind their hands. The Coalition meet on Monday to hammer out a compromise. It is being stressed that this issue is not a Coalition breaker. There will be no early elections. Things in the economy are too serious for that.

15th June, 2013

Hold the front page: Weather Returns to Normal. The garden continues to show the benefit of the recent rain but the day has opened with clear blue skies and sunshine. The temperature is 25C/77F and rising and there is a light breeze. What more could one want?

Well, if you were living in Surrey on this fine Saturday, you could look forward to 13C/55C for your barbecue. On the bright side, however, you’re living in the right area because the recession since 2008 has exacerbated existing inequalities because the divide between the North and the South and it is growing faster than at any point since the Second World War, according to The Times.

We are becoming egg-bound. Pauline returned Kiki’s basket which she had, so kindly, given to us filled to the brim with fresh eggs. Kiki asked if we liked them and when we confirmed that we did, she immediately promised another basketful. We are not complaining. They are absolutely wonderful and she is so kind. It’s just that, an hour later, we were up at Elinoil buying petrol and we weren’t allowed to leave until we had taken another gift of fresh eggs. What lovely people! We are going to Olga’s for Dinner but it will be omelette for lunch.

2nd June, 2013

Woken at 2.30 am by the drumbeat of rain on the roof. It lasted less than five minutes and again at 3.30 am for an even shorter time. The effect was worse than useless. The garden this morning was bone dry but the windows, patio and outdoor furniture were covered in Saharan sand as the weatherman had forecast. When we got up at 6.30 am, the power was off and, unusually, stayed off for about three hours. Tea had to wait. Mother Cat, obviously in ‘the know’, didn’t turn up for breakfast.

We were told to expect Giorgos with his truck at 9.00 am. In fact, it was nearer 10.30 by the time he arrived. When he did, it was obvious that it would take three trips to clear everything. Nowadays, it is not a simple trip up to the Rubbish Tip. New rules dictate that our rubbish had to be taken to the old quarry on the Heronisos Road. By 11.30 am, it had all gone although Giorgos was eyeing up an old patio table and three remaining chairs and I suspect they never made it to the quarry.

In the afternoon, we went down to the café for a Frappé and a chat with Christos. He had plenty of interesting gossip. Back home for our one meal of the day. Pauline cooked Calamari and we ate it with salad. We watered and fed the vegetable plants which are growing at an incredible rate and then settled down to the Greek News. Actually, it was about the unrest in Turkey. Protests about the curbing of free speech and the creeping islamisation of the state is clearly and rightly angering much of the population, particularly the young. They are revolting as all young people are.

3rd June, 2013

Up early – quite a chilly morning although it soon heated up and reached 27C/81F. We were out first thing at the Garden shop. Lime for the tomatoes & peppers. No, they don’t sell it. Of course, you must go to the Agricultural Store which is open tomorrow. Back home for coffee and then watering all the trees and bushes. This took two hours. I have been flooding them once a week. Now I will up that to twice. All my cuttings are now well rooted – geranium and an evergreen climbing plant we spotted and liked – and ready for potting up. My pepper and salad seedlings are ready for planting out.

We spent the afternoon setting in a structure of canes to support the tomatoes through strong wind. We will do the same for the peppers tomorrow. Throughout the day the owl has been with us. From talking to friends, we now know it is a species common to Greece

It’s particular trait is that it sits on posts and wires in broad daylight. Plus it is absolutely delightful.

4th June, 2013

Up early again – a quite magically beautiful morning. Still, bright and warm. Off and out to collect the post. Nothing for us today but we collected it for friends. After that, we set off for the agricultural store in Apollonia. A bit early, we had coffee at Prego and then went down to buy our potion. Friends had told us to dust tomato plants with Sulphur or θειάφι using a sock. At the store, a couple of kilos cost €0.50. While we were there, we were amazed to see so many people flowing through who we already knew. Olga’s husband arrived to buy chicken feed. Giannis and his wife (ex of Boomerang News Agency) were there buying plant food. Huge bags of material were being humped on to wagons. Our little bag looked pathetic. Let’s hope it does the trick. It is said to add flavour to tomatoes and peppers.

5th June, 2013

Oh the joys of Retirement. Unbelievably, we have entered our fifth year of lazing around and being paid to do it. Today has been a gardening one. One of my greatest hopes about spending half the year in Greece was that I would learn to grow vegetables outside that I couldn’t in England. This year, after struggling and only partly succeeding in previous years, I have cheated and employed two gardeners. The Pensioners did all the heavy work. I bought some plants from the garden shop – tomatoes, peppers and basils. I grew some plants from seed – courgettes, mixed peppers and more basils plus parsley. The Pensioners planted the tomatoes, the peppers and the courgettes and all are doing well. Pauline and I spent the day planting out what we had grown from seed. For the first time, everything seems to be doing well. We will pick our first Cherry Tomatoes at the end of this week.

We are using just a small patch at the back of the house at the moment, hoping to use some of the shade from the edging trees. Those Pensioners will have to come back next year. Every tree and bush has been ‘lifted’ to let in light and cleared around but my favourite is this Yukatan Palm at the front gate. It is quite common, I know, but is becoming a real feature.

6th June, 2013

Why is Skiathan Man so lucky? Rain threatens and he gets rain. Here promises go unfulfilled. We’d love a thunder storm, lightning, half an hour of strong rain. All we get is promises. For quite some time now, we have been avid followers of Sakis Arnaoutoglou, the ET3 weather forecaster but he has been off the boil recently.

Even the trolley dollies of Mega have beaten him in short term accuracy. Sakis has a chance to redeem himself this weekend. He is forecasting rain for Sifnos. A lot is riding on this, Sakis. You’re not the most beautiful you know!

Anyway, car and patio cleaning day today in spite of a Saharan sand storm prediction again over the next few days. Before that, my first blood test of the Greek residency. The last one was a perfect 2.5 INR in Surrey on April 11th. I am looking for another good one today. If it’s good today, my next one won’t be until August 1st.

Actually, the test turned out so well, I don’t need another until August 15th. Seems a long time off to me but that is the collective wisdom of the Woking Haematology Centre. My concern is that it is a cost-saving long term. I might have an earlier one for my own peace of mind. It was lovely to see our friend, the blood tester, this morning. He had deliberately displayed our Christmas card above his desk. A robin in thick snow looked rather incongruous this morning.

Sakis brought the Saturday rain forward to tonight and tomorrow morning. We’ll see, Sakis!

7th June, 2013

No rain over night. This morning the clouds are grey but high overhead. I think he’s going to be wrong again. I’m going to do my usual watering round.

Do ten big spots make him right? NO THEY DON’T! I’ve spent four hours watering everything in sight.

8th June, 2013

Out early this morning. Rania had somebody else painting white lines on her restaurant floor this morning. It was a member of that infamous crew – The Ladies of Artemon. She obviously wasn’t satisfied with her own efforts last year. We will have dinner there tonight – if the paint is dry. Off up to what we call the Windmill Supermarket in Exambela. It is really called Arades but old names stick. This is what it used to look like until today.

This is old, Greek-style supermarket (corner shop) as we have known it for quite some years. We remember an even older style, all-purpose shop that these emporiums replaced about 30 years ago but, now, the change is taking place once again. I don’t have photos yet but Arades has transmogrified into a modern supermarket like Sainsburys – well perhaps that’s going a little far – with built-in chiller cabinets, fresh veg. picture splashbacks, swipe/blip barcode reading and proper carparking with white lines. Apparently, they had been up all night moving things from one building to another. Life will never be the same again.

26th May, 2013

Where is May going? It feels like we only just arrived and yet we have been here for five weeks and away from Surrey for six. That is the crucial thing for tax purposes. We are only allowed to be out of UK for 180 days per year. This means, we have to be back in Surrey for Friday, October 11th. This will mean leaving Sifnos somewhere around October 4th this year. We have an open ticket with Superfast so we can plan ahead.

Went out early into a wonderful morning taking the rubbish to the bin store and then on to the Cafe for coffee annd a chat with Christos. We talked about his Uncle Nikolaos who did our garden and about his Aunt who makes jam. We will go up to see her next week. The Economist magazine in Britain has a distinctly optimistic article about the turning Greek economy this week. This article says:

This summer should see a record 17m tourists crowding Greek beaches. Bookings from Germany and Russia are soaring, say travel agents. A projected rise of €1.5 billion-2 billion in tourist revenues will give the budget a boost.

I quoted it to Christos but he is extremely pessimistic and says the ferry situation will mean that these tourists will never make it to Sifnos. I told him that I had read of a plan for the Wester Cycladic islands to access European money to finance their own ferry build and deployment. Once again he was pessimistic. This is Greece, you know, he said. It will never happen.

27th May, 2013

I’ve got to stop writing this but it is THE MOST WONDERFUL DAY. Where else could one want to be on a day like to day but in Sifnos countryside? We worked hard today raking up all the final rubbish that the gardeners grubbbed up last week. Someone will appear with a lorry to take it all away in the next few days. The local farmers have had their fill.

Working outside is a joy. It is so far removed from what we both did in our professional life that it doesn’t feel like working at all. When we first bought this land in 2000, it only had an unmade track running by. It was one of our concerns in the purchase. We returned the next summer to find a metalled road instead of a dusty track. The surfacing only went just past our house (as if it was just for us) but now goes right across the island. What that means is that quite a bit more traffic drives up and down the mountain each day. Every day, the lovely Kiki drives up taking her shepherd husband to his farm. She toots and waves enthusiastically. Giannis and,  even his father wave numerous times a day as they drive  up and down. Apostolis and his son, Nikos toot and wave as they trundle past with lorry loads of hay or freewheel down on their bikes to save petrol. ‘Smiler’ waves five times a day particularly as he rides down in the evening with his dog on the back. Water carriers, dustbin lorries, soil lorries, taxi drivers – all the Sifnos world goes past our house and acknowledges two mad English people out in the midday sun, working in their garden.

In Surrey where we have lived for two years, apart from family, we know two people on speaking terms. It is a different world.

28th May, 2013

My Best Man sent me a photo of how I used to look forty years ago. Actually, it flatters me but that’s why he is my best man.

If you think I look similar to Jeff Lynne of ELO, you could be right.

The Post Office and Parcelforce are about to be privatised in Britain. We’ve been using the latter extensively to move ‘stuff’ to Greece for years. It is remarkably economical way to do it compared to with alternative carriers. As we drive to Greece, our 4×4 is stuffed to the roof with ‘stuff’ including wine and cheese bought en route in France and Italy. There are bulky but light things – for example, six month’s supply of Italia ESE coffee pods that go in boxes to be posted. In all, we post about 80 – 90 Kgs of ‘stuff’ a couple of days before we set off and they are usually in our small, island post office by the time we arrive. This year we sent four boxes but only three arrived. It turned out that two, small bottles of after shave were accidently packed but are prohibited. For that reason, the parcel was returned to our home in Surrey after being scanned.

The full consignment of four boxes was charged at £190.00. The fourth box was picked up by Pauline’s sister who removed the offending bottles and reposted the box. We heard this morning that Parcelforce have returned the sum of £155.00 in compensation for our trouble even though it was of our own making. After costs, one wonders how much profit Parcelforce made on that procedure. Certainly, their customers are happy here. Surely privatisation will change this!

Went out to collect the post at 9.00 am and returned without mail but with a huge cheese and a dozen farm-fresh eggs in a basket courtesy of the lovely Kiki. Later, after finishing off a little work, we went out for a late lunch at 3.00 pm. Kalamari and salad was delightful down by the lapping waves and the darting fish. A lovely conversation with our amanuensis about footpaths and things finished off the afternoon. We drove back up to the house to coffee and a short snooze. Bliss.

29th May, 2013

Don’t want you to get too excited but I am having my haircut this morning out on the patio. There is quite a strong breeze so I probably won’t have to sweep up afterwards. Half my head will be floating across the valley by the afternoon. The weather forecaster is predicting new clouds of Saharan dust falling over the next few days. If my hair arrives first, it could prove puzzling to local farmers.

Discussions with the Notary about our house sale this morning. I always find that unsettling. Here we are, sailing blissfully along and reality keeps trying to intrude. Never mind. All will be as it will be!

30th May, 2013

Glorious morning. Kamares is sleepy and quiet. Kiki drove her husband up the mountain to his farm in the third different car this week. Still waving and tooting. Got a second viewing of the house this morning. I’m enjoying so much, I’m inclined not to sell it although I know I will if the acceptable opportunity arises.

Simon Baddeley has returned from his Greek home on Democracy Street in Corfu to his English home in Handsworth, Birmingham. He contrasts the experience in two, simple photographs.

These photos are snatched from his interesting Blog, Democracy Street, illustrating the blue seas on the West Coast of Corfu as he left and the cold, wet walk around Handsworth, Birmingham as he walked the dog. Where would you rather be?

It has turned out to be one of the best days we have ever spent on Sifnos. Two wonderful pieces of news came our way this morning which have lifted us and could change our lives. Tantalisingly, I can reveal neither of them to you today but I will in the fullness of time. So good was the news that we went out for lunch at Captain Andreas Fish Restaurant.

Salad and platefuls of small, fried fish with a glass or two of cold, white wine completed the day.

31st May, 2013

Early out this morning. Meeting with Notary in the Prego Coffee Shop in Apollonia. If you’re going to have a meeting, there is no better place. Lots of interesting matters raised.

We went on to the Accountants. It was lovely. The girls (women) there are so friendly and good fun. It is not often one visits an accountant’s office for a good laugh but we did. This year, our visit was quick, easy and cheap compared with the frenzy of last year. This was followed with a strangely delightful and productive discussion by phone with the architect. Back home, I read up the Agenda & minutes of the Sifnos Council Meeting from earlier in the week. Thank goodness for Google Translate.

1st June, 2013

An especially Happy June to you all.

We have a lorry coming tomorrow to take all our garden rubbish away plus ‘stuff’ that has cluttered the back of the garage for years. The cane mat topping that was replaced three years ago with a solid, waterproof roof can now be got rid of along with old, outdoor chairs that are falling apart, etc., you get the idea. The grounds will breathe a sigh of relief when it all goes.

Rain is forecast for today and, perhaps, overnight. It looks like it will be too light to make much difference to the garden. It is lovely to see even a prospect of rain in June. As we drove up to the supermarket in Exambella this morning, one or two drops fell on the windscreen. I stopped and took this photo en route. The clouds are promising but not much.

Spent the afternoon staking the tomatoes and peppers. We hope it will be enough support against the inevitable winds. I have been told to get some sulphur to dust the leaves with. That is a job for Monday. I’ve grown about twenty mixed pepper plants. The gardeners (Pensioners) put some in for me. I have been left to do the rest. Everything is growing so quickly. I’m quite astonished.