Sanders Blog

5th August, 2012

We are heading for another heatwave. After a quiet day reading the Sunday newspapers, we went for a swim. The water was like nectar, cool and clear. I could have drunk it. As we walked back to the car at 5.00 pm, the temperature showed 35C/95 F. Had an enjoyable evening watching the Athletics at the Olympics.

Received an email from Rizwan – one of the last teachers I appointed before I retired. He is now married and teaching in a British School in Riyadh. He seems very happy and enjoying his job. He tells me that his third child is due any day. How time flies. I haven’t seem him since I retired in April  2009.

6th August, 2012

We are definitely heading for another heatwave. The forecasts are for 37C/99F on the island by Tuesday and 42C/107F in Athens at that time. We washed down our drive of all the soil and dust that was displaced by the first phase of landscaping work we had done. We used the pump water rather than the pressure washer. We also flushed out the storm culvert we drive over to get on to the road. We have taken widespread advice and we and others will be closely monitoring any attempt to open up old wells above us if it puts our own in jeopardy. Apparently, the Community Office has to be notified and has recently denied many applications particularly to those who have tried to do it quietly and secretly. We have three separate people on alert to monitor it for us if we are away and they will contact the Community. It makes us feel quite humble how people have rallied round to help us without concern for the consequences. We are expecting the stone man back shortly.

New ferry timetable this week:

7th August, 2012

Hot, hot day today. The car read 34C/93F in the garage at 8.30 this morning. We went down to collect the post and download the paper and then back for toast. Our amenuensis phoned at 10.00 am and was still on the phone at 11.00 am.. We had toast and fresh coffee and read the paper on the terrace. We knew the temperature was going up  but even in the shade under the pergola, the heat was oppressive. We were intending to leave the painting and drive down to Hersonissos to swim and have lunch but decided it was just too hot. Heat can make one apathetic. We put together a lovely snack lunch of tomatoes straight from our own garden with cucumber, Danish Blue cheese, wonderful slices of salami and some iced, white wine and soda. It was delightful.

Our next door neighbour in Surrey, General Victoria Wellington, contacted us today. She had just retired from the army when we first met her. She is a very nice woman but we haven’t really got to know each other well yet because either we are in Greece or she is abroad playing golf. Already, she is thinking of selling her property. It won’t be difficult. She’ll probably have to fight buyers off or hold an auction. She hopes to move to be closer to her elderly Mum in Nottinghamshire, I think. Pity because she is an interesting person that we would like to get to know better.

Glorious swim at about 5.00 pm in Kamares Bay with the temperature touching 36C/97F. The sea was cooling and crystal clear. As we walked back over the sand dunes to the car, all the benefit of the sea was dissipated by the stifling heat. Showers, a glass of icy white wine and Pauline’s chicken stir-fry followed by a bit of Olympic athletics before we retreated to our lovely, air-conditioned bedroom.

8th August, 2012

INR check this morning after downloading the newspaper. Still not on an even keel. Back next week. Met an interesting old Greek-American who had arrived from Serifos. Quite a trip for a blood test. Aren’t I lucky? In a bored moment, I was looking around the walls of the tiny testing centre that can seat six people and I suddenly realised English holiday resorts were staring at me:

Lovely half hours with friends in Prego Cafe sipping frappe and then back home to escape the heat.  Came home and made our own, delicious frappe for about a tenth of the price. The thing about drinking them at home is that you can make rude noises draining your glass with a straw without half the island staring disapprovingly at you.

Swimming was just wonderful again. It is so much improved by the absence of the Poison Dwarf on the beach these evenings.

9th August, 2012

There is little or no movement of air. I don’t think the night temperature fell much below 30C/88F. We are desperate to jump in the shower as soon as we get up. Thank goodness we have one each. A cup of tea and out for the post and to download the newspaper. The narrow road through the back street which leads down on to the beach road is getting more and more congested. We are lucky to get through without some careful manoeuvring.  The heat dictates another restful day of swimming and drinking liquid. I’m having to make sure all the trees get extra water today as well.

10th August, 2012

Thought it was going to feel cooler today but no such luck. Pauline did a bit of painting – the whole of the front of the house is now complete – while I watered all the trees. I also picked a large bowl of peppers from the garden.

Inspite of the Poison Dwarf’s machinations, Moshca & Apostolis have continued to be lovely as has Margarita. Today, George, who was delivering for the supermarket, went out of his way to park up and come up for a chat. He is such a pleasant, intelligent lad (man). I still think of him as a lad because I’ve known him since he was in short trousers but, in truth, he has grown in to a fine man.

The heat is really affecting our appetite. Apart from toast for breakfast, we lived on a huge bowl of fresh fruit today. We picked more figs and ate them with wonderful peaches, apricots, plums and grapes. I’m in danger of losing weight.

11th August, 2012

At last the oppressive, sticky weather has lifted. It is still 30C/88F but feels so much more comfortable. As I walked into Kamares to download my newspaper, Papa Boulis stopped his van, got out with his brother, Kiki’s husband, and shook my hand and wished me “Good Morning”. We remember him as a youngish man in the early 1980s working so hard in his restaurant by the sea. He was probably early forties and we were late twenties. It was definitely the place to go and eat in those days. It was packed out every night. Boulis would charge around like a sweating bull, losing his temper with impatient customers. That restaurant became a cafe. The Boulis restaurant re-opened away from the sea and was never the same again.

Did a big supermarket shop today but when Pauline came to pay, her credit card was refused by the terminal which just said, “Phone Bank”. We paid cash and when we got home. I phoned the card company and was immediately put through to the Fraud Department. The fraudster started at 1.30 am (UK time) by spending two lots of 11p. Then they bought something on an American website for £350.00 and followed that by another purchase on the same site for £1,400.00. After that they topped up their mobile phone and, when they did that for a second time in four hours, the credit card company realised fraud and stopped the card. Fortunately, we are not liable for what amounts to nearly £2000.00 of charges but we are having to have new cards rushed out to us. Luckily, we have other credit card accounts as well.

29th July, 2012

It is lovely to find I have so many readers. For years, I thought my Blog was only read by my wife and our families. Suddenly, I realise I have readers on Rhodes, Symi, Skiathos, Skopelos, Paros, in Australia and England but, particularly, in Sifnos. Sifniots are proud people and they value their reputations. When they read of one of their own deliberately trying to do down a foreigner, it is amazing how quick they are to condemn and to offer support. Pauline & I have certainly experienced that in the past three or four months.

In the past few weeks, I have written about not believing in God and I am always writing about food, being on the ‘cuddly’ side and married to a ‘cordon-bleu’ chef. So how pleasing was it to find that our local readership was keen for interaction. I think we’re getting to the Poison Dwarf! Tucked in the gate were Greek ‘Jehova’s Witness’ offerings yesterday. One was a magazine based on biblical texts and the other one pupported to know about ‘healthy eating’. I’m really enjoying them. I remember, once, when my friend, Kevin, invited Jehova’s Witnesses in when they knocked. He talked them to the point where they were almost begging to leave.

True to his word, ‘The Iron Man’ appeared at 7.15 pm with a beautifully constructed casing and door in steel  to permanently secure our water pump switch. It took him half an hour or so to fit. It is perfect and the whole thing was done in three days from ordering, construction to fitting. This sort of attitude would put Greece back on its feet.

30th July, 2012

Two diggers and three men arrived at 7.45 am. It is forecast to be a hot day so they need an early start. They are filling in trenches, removing old, electricity columns, scrapping away debris and, generally, removing the detritus of previous ‘helpers’. They worked until 3.00 pm in a temperature of 34C/93F with little breeze. We supplied umpteen glasses of ice-cold water and slices of watermelon. They will be back tomorrow to finish off the intial landscaping.

31st July, 2012

Wonderful Day. Five men and two JCBs worked on our land from 7.30 am – 4.00 pm almost without stopping. In those nine or so hours, they transformed our garden by moving soil, finding, picking up and placing massive rocks, levelling, scraping clean and just generally improving the overall appearance.  The overall result of just three days of work has been massive. Every single workman who came could not believe the situation in which we’d been left other than one or two had already heard on the grapevine before they arrived. There wasn’t one man who came to us who didn’t work like a trojan.

It has been a very hot and windy day today. The scraped bare soil is blown into clouds of dust by the strong winds. Workers have constantly been damping the soil down with hosepipes of water and this has proved quite effective. We will continue doing that for a day or two. We are now working out a planting scheme for next year. Maybe some could be started this Autumn. Notice how I am beginning to sound quite positive about the project again. It just takes the support of a few good friends.

We were so full of dust by the end of the day that we went straight down to the sea for a swim and later shared a single, vegetarian pizza as a take away at home. We fell in to bed and snored.

1st August, 2012

Happy August. After three full days of work going on around the house, we are both exhausted. We both found it quite stressful although the results are exhilarating. Today was more restful. After breakfast of toast and marmalade with a big pot of Yorkshire Tea. Of course, it’s not grown in sunny Yorkshire but blended and boxed there by Taylors of Harrogate. We went down to Panos & Rania’s to download the newspaper and gave the chef a box of 240 teabags. We have found that it produces the best cup of tea with our water.

2nd August, 2012

Still fairly hot and sticky today but with a little breeze which is making it more bearable. I didn’t do a stroke of the work around our grounds over the past few days. It was done by four electricians, two wallers, four groundworkers and digger operators but it has left me exhausted. The most we will do over the next few days is clean the car, go swimming and go and have coffee with Olga in Exambla.

I am an avid listener to BBC Radio 4. In Greece, I have to listen to it over the internet but I pipe it round the house by use of wireless speakers. It has transformed life. Recently, it has been blocked to people abroad by being transmitted from the Olympic Broadcasting Unit. I wrote to the BBC expressing my disgust and got a reply saying they were trying to resolve ‘legal issues’. In the past couple of days, normal broadcasts have been resumed in the Sanders household. As a news junkie, I can only say, THANK GOODNESS!

It is fig time. My earliest memories were of Mum giving us ‘syrup of figs’ as a laxative. It was horrible. Later I read about Stephen Daedelus, James Joyce alter ego eating figs as a student in Dublin and spitting out the seeds. It sounded rather exotic. Over the years in Greece we have ‘scrumped’ figs from roadside trees and had them given to us by people. For a few years, Pauline made fig jam for people on the island. At last, our own fig trees are beginning to fruit in a significant way. We have two trees planted about five or six years ago. Today I picked a large colander of pale yellow skinned figs from the first of our trees. Pauline insisted on washing the dust from them but as we gourged on them after our meal, they were still warm from the sun with a wonderful, delicate sweetness.Fortunately, we have lots more to come.

3rd August, 2012

Yesterday we filled the car up. I know go on about this but it helps me to understand where my life is at the moment. As you will all remember in The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, TS Eliot said, “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;”.  Well, I do mine with petrol tanks. Our car can hold about 300 miles in its tank. I only get 27 miles to the gallon with permanent 4-wheel drive, automatic gearing and ‘climate control’ on all the time. Plus it is driven by an ageing maniac who is finding it hard to learn to slow down. When we drove to work over the Pennines every day, we did 240 miles per week at least and had to fill up, ritually, with the weekend shopping at Sainsburys. In the latter stages, our bill was at least £50.00 per week. Now, in retirement and even allowing for us driving to Greece and back each year, our mileage is much reduced. People greet the news that we drive to Greece with astonishment as if we are off to Mars and yet think nothing of driving to Scotland for their holidays in Britain. From Surrey in England to the Scottish Highlands is a journey of some 700 miles.

From our apartment in Surrey to the tunnel is 90 miles. From Calais in France to Ancona in Italy is a journey of 915 miles.  Later the journey from Patras to Pireas in Greece is about 130 miles. That makes a total of 1135 miles to get here. In the four months we have been here so far, we have driven 900 miles. Where can you go on a small island? We go shopping, drive out to restaurants and that is about it. Actually, I’m surprised to have done as many as 900. In that time, we have visited Elinoil, our favourite petrol station, five times instead of 20. The Elinoil station is run by a lovely family who have been very kind to us. Next year, the head of the family is going to help me learn some more about growing tomatoes and melons outside. Actually, my tomatoes are doing quite well this year for a first attempt.

4th August, 2012

Went up to see Olga this morning and took her a jar of home made orange marmalade to remind her of her years working in central London.

22nd July, 2012

Winds down – Temperature up. Hard to know which is best/worst by now. Recovering from a long week and preparing for the next round. We are expecting a registered mail from Syros on Monday/Tuesday. It goes to Podotas and we collect it from him.

Read The Sunday Times and had a lovely swim today. We dropped off a large bag of basil leaves for Panos to use for making pesto. Plus, Pauline had made a Beetroot, Apple & Onion Chutney so we took down a jar of it and a print of a picture from Martin. These are just ‘thank-yous’ for their help, advice and friendship.

Now the wind is down, it is cooler to dispense with the air conditioning and open windows with mosquito nets down. It gave us one of our best night’s sleep for a couple of weeks.

23rd July, 2012

A very strange day. We went to the Electricity Company who said we had to pay €930.00 which wasn’t a problem but it had to be done electronically. We have internet banking but for a Savings Account which doesn’t allow us to pay bills just monitor our account. We could, of course, go to a branch of The ATE Agricultural Bank of Greece. There isn’t one on the island. In the end, we had to ask a friend to pay it for us and we transferred the funds into their account. What a nonsense that just sums Greek infrastructure up. After this, we had to drive with our amanuensis up to Artemonas to look at interesting things.

Today the sea was warm on the surface and icy cold underneath. The tide had turned and I think replenished the sun-warmed water with fresh. Still, it was 34C/93F at 5.00 pm as we headed home. Have to be up early tomorrow. The next contingent of workmen are coming. We are expecting stone wallers to arrive about 7.00 am.

24th July, 2012

We were up at 6.00 am to find the stone wallers were on the job already. It was only just light but wonderfully cool which is why they were so early. They were blocking up a gateway to stop trespassers coming on to our land. Two very nice lads were doing the work. We are expecting about six or eight tomorrow.

It has been so enlightening. Since our so-called-friend severed ties, we have been forced to go out and fend for ourselves, getting to know so many new people, making so many new friends. So many of them cannot believe how badly we had been left in the lurch. Of course, most of them are looking for employment and payment but why shouldn’t they. They have skills that we require. But they are basically decent people and are ashamed of fellow Greeks who haven’t lived up to that standard. It is nice to set the record straight.

Had to go up to the Medical Testing Centre again. It was packed. Full of pregnant women on serial diabetes tests. We went off to the coffee shop, Prego for an hour to drink Frappes and read the newspaper. Going back an hour later, it was still packed. My INR is up again to 4.3 which is as high as it has ever been in the past three years. It should be circa 2.5. Eating less because of the hot weather and drinking more wine are the principal reasons.

25th July, 2012

Up at 5.30 am in readiness for a big day. Showers, breakfast, check emails, listen to news and then progressively start to turn off and unplug all electrics. By 7.00 am the electrician and son, assistant, had arrived and started to lay the new conduits for the new mains cable. By 8.00 am, two men from the Electricity Company arrive and the power went off. One fitted the new meters while the other shinned up the pole like a monkey to connect the new cable. By 9.00 am, the wallers had arrived to do the concreting of the ducts, The whole thing was brilliantly integrated, slick and professional – in fact, so un-Greek. By 11.00 am, the electricians had gone, the wallers were finishing off and the Iron Man was summoned. He arrived and measured up the stone casing which houses the electrical switches for the pump. He promises to return on Sunday to fit the door so we can lock the thieves out. Somehow, I really do believe that he will be back on Sunday.

What is interesting is how many of these workmen – skilled craftsmen – had already heard on the grapevine about how we had been so badly treated by our ‘friendly Greek’. They think it is scandalous and are only too keen to help us out. It is really lovely and life-affirming.

Went down to Podotas office to collect the legal papers that were delivered on Aqua Jewel from Syros by Courier. I will spend this afternoon translating them. First a wonderful swim. The air temperature is only 32C/90F but the wind is low and the humidity is high which makes it feel uncomfortable. After a swim of about an hour, we feel fresh and cool. After the day’s events, it is extremely relaxing.

26th July, 2012

Up early again because we are back to painting again today. By tomorrow we will have completed the whole of the front of the house. We’ve got work going on next week so that will hold us up for a while but the back of the house gets so hot in the morning that we either have to be up at 5.00 am when I’m not at my best or we need to snatch twilight hours when the sun goes down which it does by 7.00 pm.  We use an expensive, plastic paint for the outside of the house and it really works well. We are pleased with the way our house is now looking. Today some people came round and were extremely complimentary about it and the way it is furnished. They said it was ‘footballers’ which quite surprised us.

Another hot day with the temperature reaching 33C/91F with little breeze but less humidity. Around the patio pergola we have two bougainvillea which are not of the common, stark magenta which ones sees everywhere in Greece. One is white crossed with red and produces beautifully blush coloured racmes of petals. The other, featured below, seems to be a cross between orange and pink and creates a lovely, peachy effect.

Went out to eat at Panos & Rania’s restaurant. It was very hot and humid-sweaty. The restaurant was busy but our meal was wonderful. They don’t compromise on quality.

27th July, 2012

Almost the end of July already. Pauline did some more painting today but I couldn’t face it. It is extremely hot again and rather humid. We went down to the cafe for a frappe and a chat. Then we walked back to see Panos & Rania. They are such lovely people. Particularly, they are intelligent and when one is on a Greek island for some length of time, one craves intelligent conversation not small minded tittle tattle that seems to dominate island life. Rania is a philosopher. She has a degree in philosophy and reads advidly. Panos is incredibly fast thinking, well read, has a huge love of History but is able to ally that to immense practical skills for furniture making and house design.

Their greatest strength is that they are people people. If you sit in the restaurant for one evening, you will see the numbers of returning customers being greeted like long lost brothers. They come back for the food, of course, which is excellent but just as much for the humanity of the hosts. They have been extremely kind to us – inviting us for meals at their home, accompanying us to meetings as translators, advising us in the ways of Greek and island life. They are just good people.

I use Cosmote for my internet connection. I have done for the past few years. We don’t have a fixed telephone line because the OTE say we are too far away from the exchange. It is nonsense but we have easily learned to live with it. At least we don’t have to pay charges for the months we are in England. When we first started, four years ago, the dongle signal strength was weak and connection was hit and miss. Now the whole thing is fantastic and I never have a problem even uploading huge graphics. I have a 10Gb per month contract which allows me to have BBC radio 4 on all day without a problem. I relay it from my Study to the rest of the house and outside with wireless speakers. I love it. The one downside is, of course, I can’t create a wireless network which I need for my iPad. Each morning, I need this to download my newspaper. Panos & Rania very generously allow me to go down to their restaurant to use their wireless connection. It is perfect and so are they. Below is an old photo of them outside their restaurant that I was sent by a friend.

28th July, 2012

Hard getting up this morning after staying up until 3.00 am watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony. It was a performance I had a mixed reaction to. Danny Boyle’s Left Wing credentials came through and Working Class culture certainly figured highly. I appreciated the History but I found it hard to identify with all the Rock/Pop, with Mr Bean and with James Bond and the Queen leaping from an aircraft.  It was good to see Sir Tim Berners-Lee featured and Shami Chakrabarti but I could have done without the Arctic Monkeys.

Weekly shop at two supermarkets after downloading the Saturday Times and then a trip to the butchers in Apollonia for lots of meat.

Hot and sticky again although there is a bit more breeze today. We are having a relaxing day – reading, swimming, cooking, writing – because we have another week of workers invading our peace coming up. The Iron Man is coming tomorrow. You thought it was a work of fiction by Ted Hughes. Actually, it is a Greek who has made and will come to fit a lockable security door on to our water pump and well to keep the burglars at bay. The wallers are coming back to do some paving and other things. The earth mover will come and do some landscaping  and one or two tidying up jobs. If you can believe it, a ‘previous friend’  – although you can judge for yourself how friendly he was – dumped all the rubbish from his hotel on our garden during the winter and burned it but failed to remove the debris. We found the springs from burned down mattresses and all sorts of stuff. He didn’t care but we’ve saved the evidence and he may pay for it soon.

15th July, 2012

A reader contacted me the other day, touchingly concerned about my state of mind. One of the things about my sort of Blog is its stream of consciousness character. In a limited sense, I am living my life in full view. I try to be honest. If I am angry, happy, sad, I write about it. If I cry, I report it. I hope I am big enough to expose myself in that way. In the quietude of Greek island life, reports of these passing emotions can appear dramatic in cold print. In some respects, the backdrop and calm disposition of island life sets human emotions into sharp relief, exaggerating them and their importance.

We started this project in Greece in 2000 as part of our ten year plan towards retirement. I was quite determined not to fall into the lean and slippered pantaloon, with spectacles on nose and pouch on side syndrome. Actually, there is no danger of me falling into the lean anything but you get the point. I wanted us to have something to stretch us, to fully challenge us, to occupy us as we entered retirement. We have not been disappointed. Having said that, there are highs and lows to every project. Sometimes we sail along on the wind of success and more to come. Sometimes we bemoan the difficulties that life throws at us. Last week some people came past and told us they were interested in buying our house and we will consider their offer fully but, if no sale takes place in the next ten years, we will enjoy our Greek home hugely.

Anyway, if we are offered €500,000.00, we will seriously consider it.

16th July, 2012

Incredible temperature today as we had men from the electricity company, an independent electrician, two stonemasons and our amanuensis. We were discussing walling, re-laying electrical cable, re-connecting our mains supply to new meters with the water pump control locked away behind a metal door so that our neighbour can’t steal water while we are away.

By 2.30 pm, everyone had gone and we were able to have a bit of lunch. Some bruschetta soaked in garlic olive oil with Parma ham, Greek tomato and Parmigiano shavings all washed down with ice-cold white wine & soda spritzer. After a pensioner’s snooze, we got ready for swimming. As we stepped outside at 5.00 pm, the temperature showed as 37C/99F. It certainly felt warm and made the sea even more inviting. We spent an hour bobbing and swimming in crystal clear water at a sea temperature of 26C/79F which made it feel deliciously cooling.

The latest Ferry Timetable looks positively busy.

17th July, 2012

Downloded The Times on my iPad to accompany toasted homemade bread and liberally spread with homemade marmalade. What a lucky man I am! Pauline spoke to her sister in Surrey. The weather isn’t good. We did learn that our neighbour in a similar Duplex Apartment has put her’s up for sale at something like 13% above her purchase price only a year ago. We won’t be at all surprised if she gets it. We are constantly being bombarded with requests to purchase our property and sales go through at lightening speed. Everyone, it seems, wants to live within a few minutes of the centre of London which is why we saw the purchase as very safe at the outset.

We had a good, long chat about legal matters with our new and wonderful Notary. The advice is absolutely clear and invaluable. Went on to the DIY shop to buy more paint. The owner had sold out and was saying he wouldn’t get any more until next year. As soon as we said we wanted 3, 10 ltr.tubs at about €80.00 each, he thought he’d be able to order some. Off to the supermarket and home.

The day is a little cooler because there is some breeze. Only 33C/91F today at 4.00 pm as we walked on to the beach for a swim. The breeze had brought in cooler water and the large fish had disappeared. Got in to conversation with a Greek Grandfather obviously enjoying throwing his grandchildren – two young boys – over his shoulders in to the sea. He had been a marine sea captain and had visited most ports around Britain’s coastline at sometime. He was now retired because he had done twenty years at sea. Must be hard.

My turn to cook today because Pauline has to make bread. I have prepared a beef casserole for tomorrow with celery tops to flavour it. Large chunks of beef are slow cooking in beer, onion, tomato, pepper and mushroom. As it develops, I stir in a large dessertspoonful of Dijon mustard. It will be left to go cold, develop flavour overnight and then be eaten tomorrow. Tonight, I am cooking a risotto of Arborio rice with prosciutto ham, garden peas and fresh mint leaves. It is making me hungry just thinking about it.

18th July, 2012

Just as we consider selling the house, the pound strengthens considerably against the euro. For months it has been hovering around £1.00 = €1.21 and suddenly it has leapt to €1.27.  For every €100,000.00 we get, we currently will lose €4000.00. What am I going to do? Spare a cup of soup, Gov’. When we started our Greek project, my abiding principal was that it should not in any way compromise our finances back in England. To a large extent that has beeen true. For the first five or so years when we just used it as a holiday home, we completely forgot about it as we threw ourselves back in to the hurly burly of work. That is how I wanted it to be. Now, in retirement, our view is rather different and, as we think of selling, thought of maximising profit begins to surface. We are not needy or greedy but we intend to enjoy our last thirty or so years in comfort.

19th July, 2012

The meltemi winds battered the house and gave us a fitful sleep. I awoke tired. It reminded me of the Ted Hughes line: This house has been out at sea all night… The amazing thing is that everything survives – the olive trees, the satellite dish, the patio furniture.

Because of the wind, it is a little cooler. Top temperature today – 29C/85F. It feels delightful after the heatwave. Tomorrow, a group of men will arrive at our house at 7.00 am and disconnect our electricity. They will build a new meter box out of stone on the boundary wall of our land and redirect the supply to it. In order to do that, they will dig and create new ducts in the land.

They will then remove all the concrete pillars that you can see in the picture and which have been used for electricity in the past and they will, they promise, reconnect us to the power before they leave. Everything we do in the house from pumping water, refrigeration, cooking, air-conditioning, computing and watching the golf all depend on electricity. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

20th July, 2012

When I told my friend, Panos, about the electricity work going on today, he laughed at my optimistic view of its completion in one day. Of course, he was right. The electrician arrived at 7.00 am with his son. The stonemason arrived at 7.05 am with his two mates. Our amanuensis was brought over by a man from the Electricity Shop. The only person who didn’t get here on time was the digger owner/driver. He arrived in mid-morning minus digger. The work went on relentlessly from 7.00 am till 3.00 pm. It finished with the digger owner promising to bring it by 9.00 am on Saturday. The people working for us, good, down to earth, honest Greeks, were so enjoyable to be with that we couldn’t feel disappointed.

We were filthy from the dust of the day and went off for an afternoon swim which left us feeling wonderful. We came home and watched the Open Championship from a rather dull and damp Lytham St. Anne’s and Pauline roasted chicken breasts wrapped in prosciutto ham with oven cooked potatoes and onions. This was accompanied by a lovely, chilled bottle of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. (Oh, my store of French and Italian wines is rapidly running down. If we stay on after September, I will be forced to drink Greek.)

21st July, 2012

I was brought up as a Roman Catholic but, from the age of 11/12 knew that I couldn’t believe in any God. I am a staunch atheist even in moments of crisis. As a school teacher, I was absolutely clear with kids that I could not pretend about something as important as that. It was a source of tension, debate, even conflict with my Mother right up to her death but I have always subscribed to James Joyce’s alter ego, Stephen Daedelus’ quotation of Lucifer: Non Serviam!

I have to say that after six years of asking and trying, after countless attempts to get the person I had thought was my friend to facilitate this process, after the past twelve months of pushing various parties, the pictures below depict as near as one can get to a ‘God’ experience.

Can you see the celestial light? Is it not heaven on earth?

Today, by the appointed time, the electrician had arrived and so had the digger along with three additional workers. By the time they had finished, everything had been done prior to the Electricity Shop disconnecting and reconnecting our mains power. It has already been agreed that we won’t be without power for more than a couple of hours. We are almost there. Our nice neighbour who owns the land across the road in from of us called round to celebrate with us the end of our sojourn.

We went out for a lovely lunch at Captain’s restaurant. We had fish and garlic sauce. It was delicious. We met the Sifnos Mayor there and he was telling us he had been on a trip to Syros on island business. Last time we met him – a month or so ago on a ferry back from Athens – he was returning from island business in the capital. He is obviously really enjoying his job and it is lovely to see. We first met him when he was 12 or 13 years old more than 25 years ago, still in stretch pants, serving at table.

Today we solved a riddle that has been puzzling us for a year or two. We may be slow and thick but we have got there in the end. Click on the picture below to enlarge it and then say what are all the little black dots?

The photo is of small leaved basil plants growing in a clay basket at out front door. By now, Sarah, one of our more recent readers will have guessed exactly what it is. She is adept at stirring this stuff. We have recently removed all these marks, thinking they were bird droppings. We even repainted in brilliant white. Back they have come just as they have for the past three years. Suddenly, two days ago Pauline saw a huge, bright green grasshopper living inside the basil bush. We had seen it before and laughed about it. This time, we realised the basil was being eaten from underneath. I took the grasshopper out and threw it towards the field. It landed on a small, white wall and proceeded to pass out of its rear end a measured dollop of dark, green excrement which dried black just like the others. Hands up if you got it.

8th July, 2012

It was the heat, the sun, the blistering temperatures that first hooked us in Greece. We both loved it. Pauline was a slim, lithe, 29 year old when we spent our first three weeks in Greece in 1980. We were in Zakynthos island and Pauline’s skin turned olive golden brown. Against everything that had gone before when I had appeared a beetroot in the sun, three weeks under the Greek sky turned my skin into a wonderful, deep, dark brown that has never really left me. Since that first occasion, a few minutes in the sun is all it takes to top me up. However, as we’ve got older, we have found our tolerance to sun and to heat decrease quite markedly. We sit in the shade more and avoid the direct sun as much as possible. In those Zakynthos days, we carefree young things lay out in the sun for hours on end with real determination to ‘get a good tan’. Of course, we could be just becoming more Greek. They avoid the sun like the plague.

The only reason I mention this is that we are into heatwave season. One is hitting us just now. Temperatures of 38C – 41C (100F – 106F) are forecast for Athens over the next few days. Of course, sea breezes mitigate these highs for us but it is still uncomfortable and energy sapping.

9th July, 2012

The new and much improved ferry timetable was issued today.

Today, we drove up to the Accountants to show them our new electricity permit which they were very pleased about. We then went to the Electricity Company to arrange for our new meters to be installed. Our friend, Esmerelda, helped us through the arcane, Greek rule book. Two hours she negotiated for us this morning. We have to get an electrician to re-authorise our electrical circuit diagram which has lapsed by six months or so. Officially, they should reinspect but they won’t. We then have to co-ordinate an electrician, a stone mason to build the electricity meter housing and an official of the Electricity Company to come to our property on Monday morning next week to survey and agree the job in hand. When this has been done, the stone mason will come first. Then the Company will fit the new meters and, finally, the electrician re-connects everything. Of course, it all costs money – about €2000.00. All of this really grinds you down. It is not the money, although that is infuriating, but the sheer pettiness of it. We have been waiting six years for this to happen.

10th July, 2012

The heat just continues. It is very tiring. It saps one’s energy and ambition. We had intended to do a lot of painting today but, instead, we went up to see the Notary with Esmerelda. The Notary is the Government agent who deals with property purchases and sales. Just walking was an effort today. We hear that Britain is cool and experiencing some rain. We live in GU22 in Surrey and I checked this week’s forecast on the BBC contrasted with our island:

A wonderful swim this afternoon in sea temperature of 25C was delicious. The atmosphere was so hot that we didn’t even go down to swim until 4.30 pm.

11th July, 2012

The temperature is back as soon as I get up. The sheets are soaking wet with sweat and our skins are clammy. As you can see from the weather chart, the temperature never falls below 22C/70F and the bedroom often reaches an uncomfortable 29C/85F.

Yesterday, we made the momentous decision to sell the house. We had talked about it on and off last year as the European crises worsened. Last Winter in Woking we agonised over it without coming to any conclusion. Yesterday, in conversation with the Notary, we decided the time was right. Our decision was pushed on quite by accident. Two English women looking for land to build on came past our house. I invited them in and learned that they had been coming to our island for a number of years and had always said that our house was the ideal one. Pauline and I hadn’t actually formally agreed but I heard myself saying that our house was available.

They may buy it or they may not but we have definitely decided that we are going to sell if someone offers us the right price. We are about to put the word around to people who previously said they were interested.

12th July, 2012

Another reason we have decided to sell is that a neighbour and previous ‘friend’ is causing us increasing problems. He is failing to control his livestock adequately and they are coming on to our property inspite of our frequent complaints. Recently, when we were away, he came on to our land or paid someone to do it and stole some of our water pipe attached to the pump we use to water our trees. I had already written to him a formal letter refusing him rights to enter our land and he has clearly ignored that and trespassed. It means we have to take action. This will be a discussion at the police station where we will submit a written report and then we will ask our new lawyer to build a harrassment case against this man who clearly thinks he can do what he wants. We have photographic evidence, written communication records over a number of months and we think we can build a strong case for persistent harrassment as well as criminal trespass and theft. It will cost us money but we refuse to be bullied. Fortunately, we have some wonderful, intelligent, resourceful and well-connected friends who are very keen to help us. I’m rather looking forward to it.

Today feels incredibly hot and oppressive. The temperature didn’t drop below 30C/86F last night and was 34C/93F by 9.00 am. The temperature seems to be hotting up in all sorts of ways. At this moment of writing, the temperature outside is 37C/99F.

Another lovely swim today. The beach is looking a bit more like a holiday one although still not as busy as one might hope if one was in the tourism business. Decided we must go up to have coffee with Olga in Exambla soon. We met again yesterday and asked us.

On Monday we have a meeting at our house of all the professionals involved in our current case. It will be very interesting. We are trying to freshen up the outside paintwork. We did a full re-paint two years ago. Unfortunately, it is so hot at the moment all activity is difficult.

13th July, 2012

I have contacted Superfast and changed our return ticket to an ‘Open’ one. They seemed only too happy to do it. At least now it allows us to stay in the house through October and, maybe, even in to November if a sale is going through and/or we are involved in legal proceedings. It gives us the flexibility. On Monday, everyone is coming to our house for 12.00 mid-day. We are hoping to hear more about two wealthy Athenians who are interested in buying well built property here.

In the mean time, we are busily sprucing up the property with a coat of ‘Brilliant White’. We were up at 6.00 this morning to take advantage of the cool early morning before the sun destroys us. I must admit I personally hate painting but Pauline loves it so I have to support her.

1st July, 2012

Happy July, everybody.

Still hot but windy here. Plenty of tourists starting to arrive. The boat this morning disgourged lots of them. There was also a huge wedding party staying at the hotel down the road. We heard rifles being fired late in to the night as they celebrated the nuptials.

I’m ashamed to say that Pauline is still outside painting the pergola while I am preparing stuffed peppers for our meal.  A total role reversal, I know, but she won’t let me anywhere near the paint. Very sensible, really but I do feel embarrassed.

Found this picture this morning which fairly summed up Pauline & I. Inseparable.

Apart from when there’s painting to do:

2nd & 3rd July, 2012

Wind, wind, wind. When will it abate. The painting has continued in the teeth of a howling meltemi. Swimming, on the other hand has been cast aside for fear of losing too many layers of skin in the sand storms. The afternoons have been watching Wimbledon.

Off to Athens for a few days tomorrow. Looking forward to hearing the roar of traffic and the smell of diesel, bright lights and crowds of people.

Went out for dinner tonight and sat next to a couple from Leeds and Wakefield.

4th July, 2012

Supplied our local restaurant friends with a big bag of basil from our garden so they can make pesto. Their’s has been eaten by chickens – their basil not pesto.

Leaving on Speed Runner at 13.50. Arrive Piraeus around 17.00. Fortunately, after about three weeks, the wind has gone down considerably.

Arrived early. Taxi to Syndagma = 20 euros. Shower and out for dinner. We were on our way to a restaurant we know and use when we stumbled upon a new, Mediterranean one. We went Athenian and sat out on the pavement to eat rather than go upstairs to their air conditioned room. It was a lovely meal and delightful staff. The food was prepared by Vera who was a Greek who had lived in Portsmouth for ten years. We were served by Eleni who was a young Athenian with perfect English. Her mother is Smeragda and her father works in Piraeus. You can see. I make these people work for their money!

We ate a shredded lettuce with pine nuts and currants and mustard and honey with olive oil dressing as a starter. It was served with hard baked rye bread. The main course was griddled salmon with citrus sauce and chunky chips. We don’t usually have a sweet but this evening we had chocolate souffle and vanilla ice cream. A half litre of white and a half litre of red wine helped it all down. The price was 60 euros which is double what we’d pay on the island but it was a lovely meal.

When we got back, we watched the BBC News and saw Bob Diamond lying through his very false teeth. The Murray match wasn’t finished when we went to bed, exhausted.

5th July, 2012

Up at 7.00 am. Pauline makes tea and we have a leisurely shower. Down to buffet breakfast – fresh orange juice, bacon,sausage, scrambled egg. Toast and coffee. Croissants and more coffee. While we are eating breakfast, my iPad is downloading The Times.

By 9.30 am, it is time for Pauline to set off for the hairdressers while I have time to write up my Blog and to read some of the paper. I don’t want to go out anyway. The temperature is expected to near 40C. Pauline returns hot but looking lovely. We decide to go for a shade-side-of-the-street saunter to a nearby cafe and have a cooling drink – a beer and a soda. Later, we do a little shopping buying some perfume for Esmerelda because she has helped us so much.

Back to the hotel for a wash and brush up. We watch the television news about a Greek throwing himself off a balcony in Athens and landing on another Greek below, killing him also. Esmerelda phoned from Sifnos worrying that we had been fallen on and crushed. We then had a couple of phone calls from the architect to say that the electricity certificate, after six years of chasing it, should be on the island that afternoon. It was in a registered post sent to a local agent. Fortunately, Esmerelda offered to collect it for us.  We can hardly believe it has finally come. We are still in our hotel room when our new Notary phones to make an appointment for Monday morning. It always seems to happen when you’re away.

About 8.00 pm we went out to eat at an old favourite of ours – Karyatis Restaurant in the Plaka. It opened twenty years ago and we have been going there on and off since then.

 
The hardest part was walking back to the hotel, full and through thick heat. We had left the airconditioning on in our room and it was an oasis of cool when we got back.

6th July, 2012

Our ferry leaves at 5.00 pm. Normally, we would window shop or even actually shop. The heat was so oppressive that such activities could have been fatal so we chilled in the hotel – watching television and reading the newspaper. We had eaten another, huge, buffet restaurant breakfast – bacon, eggs, sausage, bread, fruit, croissants, orange juice and coffee so we only needed a sandwich for lunch.

At 3.00 pm, we asked for a taxi to take us down to Piraeus where we boarded Speedrunner 4 an hour early just to get out of the heat. Unfortunately, Friday night is travelling night and the ferry was packed with noisy, excited holidaymakers. We were surrounded by a huge party of French people. It is certainly noticeable that the weather in Northern Europe is affecting bookings and the islands are definitely benefiting.

We were back on Sifnos by 8.00 am, just in time to see highlights of the two Men’s semi-finals.

7th July, 2012

Very hot and we are very tired. The island seems very busy. We decide to stay at home and relax after doing a bit of shopping for food. A bit sick to find Serena Williams winning again.

8th July, 2012

So hot I can’t persuade myself to do anything. We are told this heatwave will last all week. Read the Sunday papers and relaxed. Quite a few meetings tomorrow so scanned in a number of documents in preparation.

24th June, 2012

Busy week this week. We have to check with the Notary, Accountant, Architect, Woodman plus visit the Blood Testing Clinic.

Today is Sunday and we can do none of these things. It is hot but still very windy. It looks like it will be for another week. Even if the wind hasn’t gone down tomorrow, we will go swimming. We have been missing it.

Let’s hope the technology stands up to the strain. Well, better than England did this evening. They were rubbish. I wonder why they bothered to turn up. It was as if they didn’t want to win. I don’t think Rooney, Terry and Gerrard actually turned up. I just didn’t see them. The Greek team tried harder than this.

We’ve been on the island for eleven weeks and have thirteen left before be start our journey back through Europe’s Autumn.

25th June, 2012

Went up to the Clinic for my blood test. Saw the architect en route. Coffee and sweet pie in the cafe. It is so hot. It feels rather humid. We are going swimming in spite of the wind. Pauline will probably be blown out to sea if she wears her hat which will act like a sail.

My blood result turned out to be poor again. The nurse in Woking who I phoned said that I must be drinking too much wine. How she could know from that distance, I have no idea but she was right.

Dropped in on the woodman who, it turns out, fears he has kidney stones and is off to Athens for investigations. His wife thinks it is the hard water on the island that encourages it. Going off to Athens will be an expensive business in itself. The blood testing man’s daughter was going to the orthodontist in Athens on Monday because there isn’t one on the island and she has a brace. She is just going for a regular check up. This will take two days and will cost €100.00 for the ferry cost alone. It is expensive living on an island.

The new ferry timetable was released today:

26th June, 2012

Today it is blisteringly hot because the wind has gone down for the first time for at least a week. We were outside early, cleaning the car before the sun got up. It was lucky we did because the architect came by and gave us the second tranche of the fine we have to pay to legalise our garage and pergola. He told us our electricity paper was in Milos and would be with us in a week to ten days. We will believe it when we see it after six years of waiting. John Humphreys, writing in The Sunday Times last week talked about his son’s Greek wife inheriting a small piece of land on which to build a house. They applied for permission but haven’t heard anything yet. It has been nine years! This is the fine for our illegal pergola:

27th June, 2012

Went up to the Bank to pay our pergola fine this morning. On to the supermarket where I found an oregano plant for sale. Somebody in the queue questioned whether it was oregano and pieces were handed round the shop for customers to smell. It was decided on a 3-1 vote, excluding me, that it was oregano so I brought it home.

28th June, 2012

Got up extra early and went out for the post. Came back for breakfast and then Pauline finished sanding down the pergola while I watered all the olive trees. After days of extremely hot sun and very drying winds, the trees must have been loving it.

Wonderful swim this afternoon and then meal on our knee while we watched Wimbledon. Later on – much too late on – watched Italy destroy the Germans. Why can’t we do that? We could.

29th June, 2012

Cleaned the stripped pergola this morning and pressure washed all around. It will all be repainted tomorrow. Everything will be gleaming white. Going out tonight for a bite to eat.

Got a phone call this afternoon from our Dentist changing our appointment for October. Seemed rather strange. Forgotten our connection with Surrey.

Finding the early, Wimbledon rounds a bit boring. Missed the Nadal upset unfortunately.

30th June, 2012

It doesn’t matter where one spends one’s time, heaven or hell or somewhere in between, sometimes one longs for a change. Small, idyllic island, small number of small minded neighbours. Give us a rest! After three months on the island and with three months to go, we look forward to a change of scene, a change of people and a change of style. From quiet, slow paced rural we would like a few days of loud, brash city life. As they say, “You can have too much of a good thing.”. It will be nice to get away for a few days and to appreciate what we have even more when we return.

Watched Murray until 9.00 pm (11.00 pm here) and they closed the roof. Couldn’t take any more. Pleased to find he’d won on Sunday morning.

17th June, 2012

The temperature is around 31/32C but the winds are blustery strong. I always find this condition tiring and rather stressful. We have stopped swimming because of the unpleasant sand storm attacks and we have postponed painting the pergola.

Of course, it is the storm before the storm. Election day. I was sitting outside the house on a bench when a van drew up on the road at the front gate. It turned out to be the woodman and his teenage son along with another man I didn’t know. He was introduced as a Doctor. I invited them up to the house and offered them a beer. I took an instant like to the doctor. He wants radical change. He doesn’t care about Europe. He just wants to sweep away all the old, corrupt political families.

The Doctor certainly gave me a genuine understanding of why so many younger Greeks are desperate to reject the bailout terms. As the evening wore on, the Pro Europeans just nudged themselves ahead and will probably form a coalition government but the seething opposition will continue.

18th June, 2012

The new ferry timetable has been published and the service has been cranked up again. It is almost looking helpful.

The hot winds continue. We have rather put life on hold. I am reading The Times and Pauline is turning up a pair of trousers. In our spare time, we are flitting between Athens & Brussels to negotiate new bailout terms. I have signed up to a new deal for my news paper. If I bought it as a hard copy on the island, it would be at least a day late and would cost about  €100.00 per month. Electronically, direct from The Times, I can buy it for about €20.00 per month and on the right day and first thing in the morning. It is fantastic.

23rd June, 2012

Well, the whatsit really hit the whirly thing this week. What a nightmare, my laptop has been in intensive care. I have a desktop but not connected to the internet and my iPad needs a wireless connection.

I apologise to all those (well that person) who were worried about me. I am in better health than my technical equipment suggests.

10th June, 2012

I have learned over the years things about myself, as most of us do, some of which I like and some I don’t. Whatever, I have learned it is sensible to be honest with myself and with others about them. I have known, for many years, that I have an addictive personality. I remember, in my early 20s, becoming addicted to Coca Cola & Pepsi. Goodness knows how because I couldn’t drink it at all now. In a similar way, I can be hideously hidebound by routines and traditions.  I have to constantly fight against this to avoid being narrow in my thoughts and actions. Of course, it can also be a force for good. I am seriously becoming addicted to fresh fruit. Few would consider that a bad thing. I am also absolutely hooked on Blogging and quite determined to never miss a week. Occasionally, I go a few days without posting but I always ensure it is put up by the end of the week. Good or Bad? Who knows. Maybe Kevin will tell me. We started swimming on June 1st and it is now almost a badge of honour not to miss a day. Today is hot – 27/28C – and a swim is essential.

11th June, 2012

Our house looks down upon the port. One of the reasons we chose to build in Kamares rather than further in to the island was the movement. Everyone who comes to Sifnos arrives by ferry in Kamares. All commodities that are brought to Sifnos from the mainland enter by ferry through Kamares. There is no airport here nor will there likely be because of the mountainous terrain. There is a heliport which is used almost exclusively used for emergencies. There are other, smaller, fishing ports but all that happens on Sifnos starts in Kamares. Comings and goings of the port fuel the cafes, restaurants, hoteliers, taxis, buses and observers.

For years we’ve had to go on to the internet each day to know what boats to expect. There is a particularly good site which is the digital equivalent of the Greek travel agent’s gazette – Greek Travel Pages – but it is not terribly user-friendly. The weekly timetable is also published in the display cabinet of the most prominent travel agency – Aegean Thesaurus. We must walk past this notice most days and try to memorise the ins and outs of traffic but, by the time we get back to the house, it is gone. Now, with the iPad, I go down on a Monday morning and take a photo and it is there with me throughout the week.

Thirty years ago, when we first started coming here, there were days in mid-June when there was no ferry at all. Worse still, of course, that meant no newspaper either. The economic crisis here has seen a return to poor service but not that poor. Certainly, in the past couple of weeks, the traffic has increased but if you look at today, there is only one boat and that is to Piraeus.

We considered Paros to be a hub of the Cyclades and we used to have a small vessel which we called ‘Every day to Paros’ because that was the sign on the side of the boat but that has gone now so we feel even more isolated (or exclusive).

12th June, 2012

Because we knew in advance that we would have quite a lot of administrative things to get through this year, we decided not to take vegetable gardening too seriously. One thing we have done, however, is to persist with our herbs. We are growing three different types of Basil this year in the ground we are growing the large leaf Sweet Basil. In pots we are growing two different sorts of small leaf Basil. We also have Sage, Mint, Rosemary and, of course, Thyme.

13th June, 2012

I don’t know if you’ve been watching the football but I’ve been surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed it so far. The first match – which the Greeks really should have won – was absorbing. The Polish comeback against Russia was great and gives Greece a sniff of a chance to stay in. I enjoyed Denmark’s fight against Portugal but the performance of Holland against Germany was abject.

14th June, 2012

The temperature is rather warm today – 33/34C. We have abandoned jobs. I’ve chosen to update my Blog having got badly behind. Pauline is cleaning and making fresh pasta. We are having Lasagne for our evening meal. It doesn’t take long and we have our pasta machine with us to roll it out.

Tonight, I will open a bottle of Italian red and watch their national team beaten by Croatia, hopefully. Unless they’ve fixed the result already.

If you have ever been involved in Education Management, you will know that professional duties are accompanied by professional rights. For example, Management can’t just decide, at the drop of a hat, to change the working hours, the holiday dates, the after school requirements, etc.. In other words, all teachers – just as all pupils – are entitled to a personal life which is not compromised by the demands of their job. Usually in UK schools, the calendar of activities is published twelve months ahead so that staff can make arrangements, book holidays, etc.. Parents’ Evenings , etc,. are calendared so teachers can reasonably order their own lives in advance.

This morning we met the plumber, Giannis and his wife, Poppi and their three little children all going off to school for the last day Assembly. Greek schools were supposed to finish on Friday but, because of the second election, the smaller children finish today and the older ones go on until Wednesday. This is because, the school is used for voting on Sunday and, traditionally, it is closed on the Friday before for setting up and the Monday after for tidying up. So staff who booked their holidays for Saturday have to cancel their arrangements and turn up for work on Tuesday and Wednesday. To make matters worse, some young teachers desperate for a job have been sent to teach in Sifnos, away from their own area. In order to vote, they have to return to their own area. Then they have to come back to Sifnos for two days. The final twist is that travel for the purposes of voting used to be subsidised by the Government. Now it is not. Teachers who have had their pay cut now have to pay hundreds of Euros and lots of their spare time travelling home to vote and then the same again in three days time. May be the election turn out will be lower this time.

At 5.00 pm tonight, we ventured out for a swim. The temperature outside was 35C. The water was gorgeous.

15th June, 2012

The temperatures have been moderated a little by freshening breezes which have been forecast to strengthen over the next few days. Force 8 Beaufort, which can threaten ferry travel, has been forecast for Saturday – Tuesday. This, in itself, could affect election travel services. Already Kathimerini is warning of transport disruption because of essential workers having to go back to their home areas to vote.

It feels as if the election is on a knife edge. I believe that it could be one of the defining moments in Greek History. There again, it could all have been decided already and the election could just be the rubber stamp on Greece leaving Europe. What I don’t think many people here understand is that the effect of the loss of the Euro will be absolutely catastrophic. Just one example would suffice to illustrate this. Petrol.

We take it for granted but the moment it is threatened, we realise its essential nature. A few months ago in Surrey, Tanker drivers were threatening strike. The whole country went on panic buy and petrol stations ran out. Suddenly we were faced with not being able to get to shops for food; shops running out of food because of no deliveries; essential services like fire and ambulance not having fuel; power generating services not having fuel. Modern life as we know it was likely to grind to a halt. Petrol on our island is selling at a ridiculous €1.92 per litre. It is shipped in and tankered up to the three petrol stations on the island. As I understand it, Greece currently has one month’s supply of petrol. Leaving the Euro will have two effects: firstly, the petrol which Greece buys in will more than double in price over night. Secondly, the country will have no credit standing and no country will supply without up front payment which Greece cannot afford. The immediate knock on of no petrol will be fighting, looting, rioting, starvation, complete societal break down. Greeks vote to leave the Euro at their peril!

16th June, 2012

I joked last week about my sister, Jane, being inducted into the CBeebies. It was a version of the truth because it wasn’t for official publication until today. Jane has been awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her role as Chief Executive of  the Independent Police Complaints Commission and services to Justice & Policing. Below are two photos of Jane. The first is taken from the IPCC website and the second is taken from a video clip on the BBC website of her giving evidence to the Leveson Enquiry.

3rd June, 2012

It as if the button had been pushed on June 1st. Islanders finished painting and tidying and opened their doors for tourists. And tourists came. Not as many as usual but some came and the island began to feel like a tourist destination again. The ferry timetable has suddenly improved and the weather is getting increasingly warm. Last week, the beach was totally deserted. Now there are a few swimmers and a few more sun bathers. This is where the Greeks get their optimism. They know the sun will always shine and believe that the tourists will continue to arrive.

It is Orthodox Whit Weekend and many here will be Greeks returning to their homes for the celebration. Beacons are burned on the tops of the mountains and a flotilla of boats sail round the island carrying flares and torches. I have to admit, we didn’t go out to watch. It’s all a bit messianic for us. We did have a lovely swim, though. Temperature hovering around 27C.

4th June, 2012

Hotter again – 28C and swimming was delicious particularly because I spent an hour or so out in the heat with my brushcutter, cutting back the tall grass and dying weeds.

Watched a bit of the soggy flotilla down (up) the Thames. I am no monarchist but I admire anyone of that age who can stand for so long in such cold. In Huddersfield, I read, Jubilee parties were dampened by heavy rain, strong winds and ‘the coldest June day for twenty years’. Shame. They should be Republicans and then the sun would shine.

5th June, 2012

A good day that went bad today. It turned out to be incredibly hot and windless and we were brush cutting. We were just finishing when our cutter, which has been troublesome since we bought it, stopped. It had picked up some electrical cable lying in long grass since the house-build and that was wrapped tightly around the blade. Not only that, one of the blade sections was badly chewed and probably won’t last a lot longer. We bought the machine in Piraeus a couple of years ago. It is a Nakayama XH1000 – no, I’ve never heard of it either – but it was cheap at about €85.00.

I have found three retailers in Athens who sell this model and emailed them about supplying spare parts but I’m not holding my breath.

A bit fed up with the way things had gone, I put the cast iron griddle on the new, outside cooker on the patio. One of the rings on top shorted and tripped the power. I will have to take that back as well. That will not be easy. The shop owner speaks no English. We will almost certainly end up buying new of both items.

6th June, 2012

The thermometer is rising and 35C is forecast by Monday. Today is hot but pleasant, with a little breeze. Decided to ignore the brushcutter for a while. We went to the cafe for coffee and chat. Christos is really depressed about the state of the country and the effect it is having on his business and may have on his future life. We met a couple of Danes who came in for a bag of ice. They said that they lived in Piraeus because they were involved in the Zea Harbour Project which, as their website says, combines land and underwater archaeology to obtain a full picture of the ancient Zea and Mounichia Harbours in the Piraeus. The man we met seems to central to the project. His name is Bjorn Loven and he has written: The Ancient Harbours of the Piraeus, Volume I.1 – The Zea Shipsheds and Slipways: Architecture and Topography which most of you will have read, of course.

7th June, 2012

For quite a long time, we have wondered about the value of our Greek property. It is about six years old now. Everyone who visits says it is wonderful but are they just being polite. The last couple who visited did say this is how they imagined a Greek footballer’s house to be and someone did say to us recently that he wanted to know if we ever thought of selling. There are no formal outlets for property valuation or sale particularly not on the island. We know that one main way of house valuation is by square meterage but didn’t know what multiple to apply. Then there is the land around the house. Ours is extensive. Today I found a company selling a house of 95 sq. m. at €3000.00 per sq. m. for €285,000.00. It has little or no extra land, only two bedrooms and no garage. It also has a lot of neighbours whereas we have none. Our house was originally 153 sq. m. but we subsequently added a garage of 35 sq. m.. We have three bedrooms, a study and a laundry plus a lot of surrounding land. Our house would have to be valued around the €500,000.00 mark but I really don’t want to leave it. If Greece leaves the E.U., I may find I have to.

8th June, 2012

The saga of our legal electricity really illustrates the clash between old and modern Greece. Today, we took a another step forward. We went up to the Electricity Comany – DEDDHE – to find out about developments. The news was excellent although it took us a little while to realise. The man in the office, Mr Giamakis, gave us a piece of paper. I recognised my name but nothing else. Effectively, Mr Giamakis was confirming that we had never been granted legal electricity before and should be done so immediately for our house in Kamares. This letter will be taken by our architect to the island of Milos to get the final stamp which will lead to Mr Giamakis arranging for some workers to come and give us a new electricity meter. This is the paper on which I have pasted a translation which took me a little time to do:

After this, we went on to the Accountants because we had been told everyone had to complete their tax form. Last year, unexpectedly, we had to pay a €700.00 house tax. We expected the same again this year. We were surprised, therefore, to find we didn’t have to pay anything at all this year. In fact, the Greek Government are giving it back to us. Apparently, so many ex-pats complained about the tax that we are being given half of it back. Could be worse.

9th June, 2012

Today, the temperature is reaching 30C and we are looking forward to swimming. First, we have quite a lot of shopping. We have decided to cut our losses and buy a new oven for outside on the patio. We went up to see Flora and she had the perfect thing for €120.00 in white.

We do quite a lot of open-air griddling of meat by laying a cast iron griddle over the rings. It means the house isn’t full of fumes. The oven has a grill and large, two tier oven capacity as well.

We also went up to the DIY shop which is nearby and bought paint for re-painting the pergola, a rake for the garden, some new secateurs and some water connectors for the hosepipes. Back to the supermarkets. All the fresh supplies come in on Friday night boats from Athens so Saturday morning sees plenty of stock. Pauline bought a huge piece of Salt Cod or Stock Fish or Bakaliaros as the Greeks call it. Home for coffee by 11.30 am. The day has almost gone.

Fresh coffee, newspaper, water the vegetables, write up my Blog and then it’s time for swimming. It’s certainly hot out there. Well the water was freezing refreshing. Apart from toast for breakfast, we only eat one other meal now that it is getting so hot. That meal comes about 5.30 pm after swimming. Today, I am cooking a one pan meal of potatoes, onions, peppers and chicken pieces marinated in oil and oregano. It’s making me hungry writing about it!

Football tonight. I enjoyed the games last night – particularly the Poland v Greece game which Greece should definitely have won.

Netherlands v Denmark and then Germay v Portugal tonight. The Dutch will just win but the Germans will bully the little Portugese off the park.

Just heard the good news about my sister, Jane, who has just been accepted in to the latest club. Congratulations.