Schools out for Winter?

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 earthquake and I could hear a few words when the guys talked about it. Their word for Syria could be easily seen on the screen, a few of the letters are different but I could work it out. There were interviews, and I heard the Greek words for “nothing” and “now” and a few others. Marinos popped out with some things he had bought for home, he was wrapped up against the cold. I got a second biscuit, that someone did not want! I have also got two new names, one of the guys is a standby bus driver, I imagine he does other jobs too. As I walked back to the house, there was something very similar to snow falling, but it’s not settled and finished soon after. I am sure I heard rain last night. I should know the Greek words for start/finish and leave/arrive now, I am nearing the end of the Part 5 now. 

On my way down to Livadi there are two roadside rock formations that I like. Unfortunately both are both electric poles so that sort of ruins the shots but you get the idea.



I did get an offer of another lift on the way down but I was nearly in Livadi. There is still a bit of water in the dry river bed, but it’s going down now. We don’t seem to have any serious  rain predicted for the next few days. As I walked down, I could hear and see running water, so the mountains are still giving up water. I think a trip to the reservoir is called for soon. In Livadi, I had lunch with my friend, it’s interesting to share cold house stories. They like me are involved in stray cat feeding, and we compare ideas and help each other out when we can. Grans unusually had my favourite pie, so I enjoyed one of those instead of one of their excellent baguettes. I even had a hot coffee!  

Before I left Livadi, I wanted to have another look at a church called Taxi Arches, I saw it before but I could not get to it. I had another look, and apart from a sprint over tall prickly perennial plants, which I don’t fancy there does not seem a way to it. It’s probably in someone’s garden.


After seeing my way is blocked, I noted that I had enough time to get to the bus stop for the two fifteen bus. When I got there I knew I had not missed the bus, I could see. But it did not move. Eventually I gave up and walked up the track. Turns out, I think the schools have been closed today, because of the suspect weather, I think snow and ice have been predicted. But as I am typing this, I noticed the sky got appreciably dark and when I looked outside there were loads of pea sized bits of hail on the ground.

My landlord has popped around and given me another key fob so I can leave the house with the electric on. I think he realised how cold it was, when he popped in for a maintenance visit! He also gave me the electric bill, which came to sixty five Euros, I now need to decider it. I have also paid my Car Hire guy another instalment. It looks like I am going to be looking after my friends dog, who live on Sifnos when they go away for a few days holiday on an island close to the mainland. That’s a nice way to end this short blog.

Photo Interlude - The Hail



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