Still want to live on a Greek island?

Tuesday 17th January 2023

It looks very peaceful doesn’t it, but last night and today we have winds at thirty mph, with gusts at forty. I think this is the longest windiest time I have had here so far. But everyone is saying last year was so much worse. But bear a thought for the UK, in the village where our house is, was minus six this morning, and the local river Loddon, has flooded, on the flood plain nearly cutting off the pub by the ford, which is closed thank goodness. ( the road that is )  Thanks to our neighbour who provided me with the dramatic photos! I walked down to feed the cats and it was very windy, but when I got in the shelter of Hora it was much calmer. I fed the cats, had a cuddle with Souvlaki, he is the only one who lets me touch him at the moment. ( he is the one with a bit of his face missing! )

As I walked back up the hill to the house, the dark clouds let loose a hail storm… I got home, a little wet and changed quickly! But the rain quickly passed, as it does here with a strong wind behind it. After a bit of Greek, and guitar, I decided to walk down to Livadi. I took a fleece and wore trousers, but halfway down I decided I had made a mistake. I was boiling. I could see the Artemis roll into the port, despite the weather, and they berthed at the sea side of the port, normally they use the other side in this weather, but I think the Artemis crew are brave, they go to sea when others do not!

Anyway I carried on down to the town. I have decided as the bakery I have used when Grans was closed always seems to have my favourite pie, I will split my business and get my pie there and then use Grans for a coffee and if I want a desert like a muffin. At the other bakery, there was a new young girl there, so I asked  for her  name and we had a chat. On my way out, I met the Estate Agent manager where I found this place, he wished me Happy Year, and said I knew the island better than him ( a tribute to my Facebook posts no doubt ) I went to sit down and ate my pie and a friend then turned up. I had tried to get into the Post Office today, and my friend explained what was going on, they are down to one person again. My friend left me to my pie, which I enjoyed, I  wasn’t super hot at the port, but I did not need my fleece! 

Photo Interlude - one of those bulbs flowering beside the road

I also discovered that today is the name day for Andonis which is the Greek name for Anthony, I told my friend who has that name. I walked to Grans and ordered my coffee. I tried another bit of Greek, “I go to Grans every day”, which they understood but corrected the first bit.  I have checked Google Translate and my notes from the course I am doing, I used one wrong word, but my course notes disagree with Google Translate, which agrees with the staff in Grans! It’s all very confusing! I then went to have a chat with the delivery guy, we had agreed to swap phone numbers. He was also interested in my work that I did, the dog care and things on the TV. He has watched Vera and Midsomer Murders which is interesting. He has also seen Strike. I think he liked the latter best. I must ask him where he watches this stuff.

I then went down to the little beach where I got a soaking when the SuperJet came in last year. I have noticed my naming of it has been taken off Google Maps. I don’t know why. ( I know the Greek for that btw) It was quite sheltered on the beach, so I decided to listen to the next chapter of the Greek course as in the morning the two pesky words, seem to be almost stuck in my mind.  There are words for reading, a book,  newspaper and magazine. Some of these words are a bit of a mouthful, I can understand they are part of the modern Greek language but I imagine I won’t be using these much! I had a quick look at the next chapter and it has a word that has the same English spelling as a word I already know which means when. This new word has the accent on a different letter, the word means never! Oh my! 

I had a small bag with me and there were a few plastic bottles and tins on the small beach, I picked them all up, and deposed in the dumpster and put the tins in the recycle bank. I also got a small flower pot I can use for growing my friends plants for Sifnos. I then walked back to Hora, there was a brooding clump of clouds above Hora.

I saw a couple of bits of rubbish in a field by the road. But there was also one of those small lidded plastic boxes, like I use for my frozen food. Obviously I won’t put food in this one, although it looks brand new, but I will use it for my seeds, which need a damp proof environment. 

I got quite hot going up to Hora, but I have cooled down now. I have the cats to feed later on and a dinner to cook. I never have any prescribed expectations on who I might meet and have a chat to, when I go on my travels, but today, like most days have been brilliant, so the answer to the question above,  is YES!