Living on a Greek island

 Saturday 18th February 2023 I have been thinking about the kind comments I got after I posting the last time. I have decided that I will write occasional items on subjects that stand out to me, in this case a Dog Rescue place on the island. I had never been to one, but I suppose the images of lots of dogs barking, urine smells and dogs  in cages springs to mind. I am not going to talk  about the things that might have happened to these animals, that’s negativity and not helpful at all.  I don’t know how this shelter is funded, I think it gets donations, gifts and peoples time. I am pleased to report that I have undertaken the first and last of these acts of kindness. The owner does get some indirect help from the local government, for instance free water. So let’s start with the basics. The place is an old farmhouse, on land, which is rented. The whole plot, which is large, is fenced off against intruders and inmates escaping! The farmhouse acts as a place for the s...

 Saturday 11th February 2023 I have been thinking about this blog for a while now, even after changing the time recently, that I send each post out there. The main problem is the amount of time it takes to produce each post. It’s not just the time it takes to write it, but during each day, as I have a bad memory, I am constantly having to make little memos of things that are happening, what I see, do, what experiences I share with the people on this island.  Other problems or effects on writing these blogs are many and I don’t want to list them one by one, because that’s a negative thing to do and not useful at all. The main thing I do want to say, is I don’t want people to read anything into this, I would, if I was the reader of this post, but that’s just the way I mind works! I am fine, all is well out here and I look forward to seeing many of my friends when I come back to the UK for two weeks in March and more of you in July and August, when o I will be pet sitting. I do w...

Friday 10th February 2023 This morning when I went to feed the cats, it was drizzling. I got a bit wet, there were not many cats, I put most of the food in the covered hoppers, instead of spreading it around, I don’t want it to get wet and be wasted. I suppose why would you like soggy cat food, if you were a cat? As I was a bit wet, I decided to miss Marinos this morning. I had been looking at my map and thinking about where to go. I might do a couple of walks soon, to see what they might be like for my guest dog. Meanwhile today I decided to go East and visit a few more beaches above Agios Sostis. I have been to a couple of them before but one was to be a new adventure. I suspect I might have been better off in the sheltered South. I had my early lunch in Grans as usual, with the fun banter that I enjoy so much. I have been thinking when I go to the UK in March, I might bring them something back, that they can’t get here. Photo Interlude - View from the first track I went down today I...

Thursday 9th February 2023 After I fed the cats, it suddenly started tipping down. I ran towards the Marinos coffee bar, when I got in he gave me a couple of bits of paper towel to dry my head off. It wasn’t so busy, but quite a few more came in after me. Several of them I know the names of, some not so yet. I got my coffee and two biscuits, as the guy sitting next to me was not eating his. He smokes and he went to go out to have his cigarette, but the customers all told him to have it inside, as it wasn’t nice. I  know the word for cigarette, it’s on Duolingo for some reason. He was good, he sort of smoked it by the opened door. One of the guys whose name I know, had just got his coffee and the guy he works with was spotted outside in his truck, so he had to pop out having quickly drunk his Greek coffee. He had brought bread, I know the word for that, Marinos had inspected it, I said the word for bread, and Marinos said it was made in Markela’s. I tend to stay at the coffee bar, u...

 Wednesday 8th February 2023 When I made my Spaghetti Carbonara last night, I realised that these eggs are really yellow. They are not battery hens, they are outside,  possibly in pens that have them pecking about in the ground and are probably fed food waste like leaves and bits. So the eggs  are all different sizes and shell colours. It was cold again today, when I fed the car park cats, there were half the numbers that I saw yesterday.  Photo Interlude - cat in rusting truck by car park For some reason I thought there would be the same number or even more given how inclement it is. After feeding them, I went to Marinos bar. It was super full today, maybe it’s a day off for workers? I asked one of the guys I know and he said maybe. I think the schools are closed, I heard that, as the word for schools, and closed I understood and are guessable I think. Interestingly I saw the bus today, with the driver, I now know. The mountains had a sprinkle of snow, which is love...

Tuesday 7th February 2023 It’s going to be another cold day and limited activity for me I think. I fed the cats, see them  below, I managed to make sure each animal had its own pile of food. I feel very sorry for them, they eat like they haven’t eaten for weeks, but I know they have. After this I went to have a coffee. I tried again to listen to what the other customers  were saying. One of the builders, that I now know,  motioned with his arm to have me sit next to him. I heard things that made me think they were talking about the floor in the Plakes Taverna, but I have not seen my friend up there. No they were talking about Marina, the Taverna by the port. He is working there. Photo Interlude - The Car Park cats I have taken the key off the electric off/on key ring, so temporarily I can have the electric on when I am out of the house. So when I left to feed the cats and have my coffee, I left the air conditioner on to warm the place up a bit. There were pictures of the ...

 Monday 7th February 2023  So todays post might be even briefer than yesterdays. It’s very windy, but it’s going to ease slowly, it’s certainly not as windy as last night. As I did not feed the  cats last night, I did that today and the car park ones. They recognise me now and come towards me like sheep to a farmer. After the cat feeding I went into Marinos, I did my Good Week for him, he replied with the same. It was quite busy in there. The pigeon came in, there was a big crumb on the floor, I broke it up and fed the bird. After he made me my coffee, I drunk a bit of the frothy top and he topped it up from the jug. The frothy milk is made cold, in a sort of metal cup that has a spinning thing dipped in it. I think I have a hand held version in the kitchen. The coffee is made, ice cubes popped in then topped off with the frothy milk. Even in this cold weather, that’s what I drink. I want something more special than my usual instant coffee at home, although I can make pro...

Sunday 5th February 2023 We had a lot of rain late last night, but more is expected today. I am going out for lunch with a friend today, so my lost lunch is not a show stopper now! I decided that, I don’t want to get wet walking to the car park, so after feeding the cats, I drove to Marinos. I  then drove to this house, and left the car on the track, something I don’t normally do. There was only one guy in Marinos, whose name I know. I sat by him. Marinos now wants me to wear a hat. I think my hair is a bit thicker on top, than his, so no need I said. I had to use Google Translate to ask the guy by me if he was working today and he said the word for church, which I did not know, but he gesticulated, with his hands, so I understood. Marinos indicated the church was the one the priest who goes in his coffee shop preaches in. The Greek Morning TV program, I knew one bit of its name which means “Now”, the other word was only four letters, but it means “Together”. I was looking at the s...

 Saturday 4th February 2023 After feeding the car park cats, I walked to Marinos, and had my coffee. On the television, there were pictures of snow, somewhere in Greece. It is certainly going to get colder in the next few days, after a lot of rain tomorrow. I pointed to the television when my coffee came over, and Marinos said skiing tomorrow. I understood that. ( he actually said the Greek for tomorrow and pretended he was skiing ) I noticed when the younger donkey man left, his jacket has his name, a cartoon of a donkey and his telephone numbers on the back. I got a mandarin from Marinos, he said the Greek word for small, which it was, but very tasty.  I then went for a wander around Hora to check the cat food I put out last night and met my friend who I am helping to feed the various cats, the food I put out  has been eaten.  I put more out this morning then I went to Markelas. I got five apples and pears and said the word for five but I have been doing my pronun...

Friday 3rd February 2023 After feeding the cats, in the car park, I went to Marinos. It’s interesting listening to them talk, I wonder sometimes if I am reading too much into what I think I hear. I did ask Marinos the other day about a pile of rubble by my friends house, I have seen him mention their name gesticulating towards where it is. So the name of my friend cropped up again today. I got to know another guys name in the cafe, I think he is retired. I showed Marinos on Google maps, where I went yesterday, he said it’s name, he knew it, it’s  not on the map, and I showed him my photos and my wonky video. It was quiet in there today, again I am sure I heard him say so. He mentioned Vasileas, maybe he thought some of his customers were there? . I am also trying to remember my numbers, and listen out for them when people talk. I heard the word for three I am sure. When I left I told him I was going to Passagios with another of my friend today.  Before I left to walk down, I s...

 Thursday 2nd February 2023 It’s a lovely day today, no wind and sunny. I fed the cats, changed the water. I have spread the food about so everyone should get a fair share. I am looking around to see how I might build a shelter for them. There is one cat with a bit of fur missing from its head, I need to keep an eye on that. I saw Marinos outside his coffee bar, he said the word for late, yes I was later than normal. I told him later by google translate that I was practising my Greek. I did do my numbers one to ten to him, the trouble is the Greeks want to help, so if I stumble, they  have said the next number before I can remember it.  Marinos, saw the water bottles outside that I use for carrying water to the cats, I again used google translate, to tell him I am feeding the cats down there. The pigeon was in the bar, some of the guys were feeding it crumbs from the biscuits they get. One of the guys used a serviette to clean up the mess it made. I wanted to know a coupl...