Living on a Greek island

On our journey to the Dog Palace today, after we turned off the tarmac road onto the windy track, we passed a white van that had stopped. My eagle eyed driver and owner of the Palace had spotted the driver had waved his arms, to indicate he was not going anywhere fast. So we turned around to investigate. The conversation between my friend and the driver, I almost understood, well my friends side of it. I knew the guy who helped my friend build the Palace was going to come back this way after we arrived there, so the driver just had to wait. He basically wanted a tow to the highest point of the track, then he would freewheel down to his destination! Good luck with that and no servo brakes! After my friends cobuilder reappeared after his towing role, a mist started to appear from the sea. This comes in when the wind  is from the South West, the direction where moisture rich air comes from, hence the mist. I started my walking of the dogs. During the few two walks, the mist really rol...

Thursday 30th March 2023  Todays post is late because I have been at the Dog Palace today, as I will tomorrow. I don’t have much time at the Coffee Shop, because of this. Todays post is about House Hunting, in respect to finding places for all year rent, or ten months, as my current lease runs. I am not unhappy in my current abode, but I made the mistake of not negotiating after deciding I liked it. So I am paying to higher price, plus the extra of electric and internet bills. I will be disappointed if the landlord decides he wants even more. I found this place using an estate agent, most rental properties are found using AirBnb, and are only available in the summer months. While I am away, I imagine my landlord will get good money per day on this property, given it can easily house a family of four. There is a serious lack  of rental accommodation on the island, so supply and demand, means high prices. Seasonal workers expect to have accommodation thrown in their employee con...

 Wednesday 29th March 2023 I had a bit of a disturbed sleep last night, so when I finally woke it was seven forty five in the morning. The small bedroom I sleep in is completely dark, so it’s not obvious when it’s light outside. When I walked down to feed the cats, I tried to cook up a bit of Greek to explain my late arrival at the Coffee Shop, but I decided to just use what Google Translate  came up with, I knew some of the words but the combination I had, might not have made sense! In any case Google’s effort worked, it was chilly out there which Marinos commented on. I showed him a photo of this Apple Pie given to me by the friend who runs the Dog Palace, I got it yesterday. It was very nice. The friend ran a hotel and a restaurant so is a very good cook. I knew the words for Apple pie and what to say about it coming from my friend who is known to Marinos. The other thing I have resolved to do is try and say more at the Coffee Shop and elsewhere. This means having a few mor...

 Tuesday 28th March 2023 It was super windy later on yesterday but has calmed down a bit. The lovely flowers that are out have taken a bit of a beating, they might appreciate the small amount of rain, we are due to get at the end of today. My friend rang the person who has the place to rent up here, they asked me to see if Marinos could show me where it is, and then they can get the key. I got two sentences ready to tell Marinos that my friend had rung the number he gave me, and also if I could meet him at two today, when he closes for the afternoon, and if he can then show me the house. The trouble with google translate is it translates into Greek but depending on what you type in, in English that might not translate into Greek that makes any sense. I think I t’s probably best to avoid long sentences and keep the English simple too. I did ask him if the two children I saw yesterday were his grandchildren and they are. The two older guys who I mixed up both came in later on, and th...

Monday 27th March 2023 When Marinos brought my coffee over today, he told me to wait, the cinnamon had to be put on before it was truly ready. I showed him the rubbish I took off Agios Sostis yesterday, it was piled up in bags by my hire car. He said “Bravo”. One of the guys who goes to this Coffee Shop, was at the beach briefly, and gave me some more bags, which were needed unfortunately. Marinos asked me if I had a swim, he made the swimming strokes with his arms, I tried to say I can’t swim, which I can’t. I have been promised swimming lessons in September, when one of my friends daughter returns.  I have been talking to the cats, which sounds odd, but I am trying to use my Greek to anyone who is prepared to listen! I said todays day to Marinos as well.  Photo Interlude - Morning clouds I was a bit worried about the fact that I only had a fifty Euro note and I had some words on Google Translate to say I could pay later, if Marinos did not want to change it for a coffee pric...

 Sunday 26th March 2023 This morning, it’s a bit windier so I put my coat and long trousers on. The cats got fed a bit late today, a bit of the clocks going forward I think. I told Marinos this a bit later on. There was a new black cat, which I fed on its own as otherwise it’s going to get pushed out I think. On my way to the Coffee Shop, I saw a guy, I said the word cold to him, I am not known for wearing a coat in the sunshine. I have resolved, to try and learn new words that I need to know or hear on a regular basis on my own. To start with, I am doing the days or the week, so I told Marinos it was Sunday, and he made the sign of the cross and pointed to the church that has todays service. After he made my coffee he tried to tell me something, I knew it was about a house, if I thought about it, it would have been obvious! I got this peach sweet as well as my biscuit today. He told me the name for Peach in Greek, I know the word for Apple, and  as I eat Pears too, I should r...

 Saturday 25th March 2023 I had a bit of a late night yesterday, I met two friends for dinner and in true Greek style, two  more showed up and the conversation flowed. They were really good as they tried to keep to English but they did slip into Greek and then apologised. No apology needed I said. I think I hit the sack at one am. I would not normally stay up that late, but I would not have missed that experience. Photo Interlude - My free glass of.. Today at the coffee shop I was armed with the Happy Birthday for Greece and I think my efforts were appreciated. On the television they were showing places where marches and other events are going to be held at eleven am to celebrate the day  I recognised one place Samos, from its name in Greek, easy to spot actually. There was another piece about tourism numbers going up I think, or something like that. A guy came in to the shop, unseen he had brought a bottle of a drink of some description, home made. We were all given a sh...

 Friday 24th March 2023 Lunch is served. Gnocchi with fennel and a local Saffron sauce. This was the second portion, the fennel had all gone by then. My reward for walking eleven dogs in groups of two, plus one of three,  a total is eleven kilometres. I would come even if a daily gastronomic delight wasn’t on offer to be honest. After lunch everyone sleeps, hopefully in the sun, we relax and enjoy each others company. Rita who did not walk yesterday came out today.  My friend who runs the place met me today, but I had not fed the cats. The friend  was early. While I fed them, they took my reusable mug to Marinos and got my coffee. When I walked in, the locals all pointed to their watches and I told them in Greek my friend was early, then we got a biscuit each. The last walk where I walk my friends dogs, we went up to the base of a local radio tower which provides my phone with the best signal on the island. While I type this in Mavro, who is thirteen is next to ...

Thursday 23rd March 2023   I have just eaten this wonderful meal in one of my favourite tavernas in Livadi, Marina. With its new glass enclosed outer area so the wind can’t spoil my evening out. I have been to the dog rescue place today and it’s amazing how the dogs continue to warm to me. When I had walked them all, I had a rest on the mattress outside the old farmhouse, and it’s fair to say there is a well behaved scuffle of dogs all trying to get close or lay on me. The biggest, Rita refused an offer of a walk and a few of the other walks were shorted by the dogs, were they spooked by the wind or wanted to get the walks out of the way to cuddle up? Either way I was pinned to the mattress. One of the dogs, who looks sad, I was told her life was very hard before she came to the dog palace. She loves being close and she is enjoying my company I think. On the walk there is a profusion of these flowers, some even growing through the tough bushes on the hills.  I had my usual cof...

 Wednesday 22nd March 2023 Avrio, that’s their word for tomorrow and thankfully it’s one I know. It’s  what Marinos said when I tried to buy my coffee today. I could not pay yesterday either. I bought him a small bottle of Whisky liqueur when I was in the UK, labelled Stag’s Breath or something like that. It went down very well. I was in the Coffee Shop a bit late, as I was out helping my friend catch cats earlier, as the volunteer cat Neutering team are on the island, their last day today. Today was my first day of helping trapping cats, well trying to as it’s a very delicate process, as I have learnt. You have your target cat, that you are trying to entice into a trap, while trying to make sure the others around don’t end up in it.  We were out early to try and avoid other people wandering around and scaring skittish cats, I was armed with wet cat food, making sure the other cats, were kept out of the way, while my friend was feeding the target cat, getting it into the ...

 Tuesday 21st March 2023 Just had a good nights sleep, much needed after two long days to get back to Serifos. The one am arrival in Athens airport, wasn’t quite as bad as I feared, as it was only eleven pm in my mind. A easy morning in Piraeus, a nice lunch in the hotel, while we waited to get on the Solomos, leaving late as usual. There was a series of agitated tannoy messages on the ferry’s tannoy about a van while we on our way to Kithnos, which was obstructing other vehicles. This was quite amusing and I feared more delays when we stopped at Kithnos, but all was sorted. Photo Interlude - Kithnos  The final part of my journey, was not long, I had met my friend on the ferry, who set up the dog rescue palace on Serifos, which was nice. The ferry was full, with people travelling, not for their Mother’s Day, that’s in May. There was a lovely sunset, to observe before we got to Kithnos: I got off at Serifos, I saw the donkey guy get off too, he shook my hand. I was home. 

 Saturday 18th March 2023 Photo - One  of the dogs, I knew, now sadly no longer with us So nearing the end of our fortnight in the UK, meeting many friends and checking up on things. It’s been busy, wet and cold. But lovely. I have now seen many friends who can’t talk to me in English, but the joy of being reunited, albeit for a short period of time, can be seen by what they do when they see me.  I think dogs don’t have the same sense of missing people like we do, they know someone is wrong, but they continue to live for the moment, but when we reappear,  this triggers memories inside them and they react accordingly. That’s my theory anyway. A lot of the dogs, I have taken for walks, familiar to them. All the things they used to on the walk, they do, like the Black Labrador has a run for the few few hundred yards of the walk, the Chocolate one, looked for bits of carrot she always got on the start of the walk. The Cocker Spaniel gave me the craziest welcome, which la...

 Sunday 5th March 2023 After a quick run through the rain to the Coffee Shop, I sat down ready for my usual drink. It was quite busy, a few people ready to go to church at eight am. I saw a couple of people, I know  that I have not seen for a few days, so I told them I was off to the UK, today that is. I also used Google Translate to tell them and Marinos that  the weather was like the UK, not as cold though. Of course the joke came out about what I should be bringing back, nope I am not doing that! When my coffee arrived, Marino had done a little clever design on the top, meant to look like a chap with a moustache he said.  The rain really tipped down, I am glad I did not put my washing out. I did put another message on my phone, saying one day “I will understand all you say”, not sure that will happen, but let’s hope I keep making progress. Marinos did ask me, and miraculously I understood, who was going to feed the cats, while I was away, well that’s what I though...

 Saturday 4th March 2023 I went to feed the cats later today, as it was raining and cats won’t eat wet dry food, so it goes to waste. After feeding them I went to the Coffee Shop, armed with some Greek to explain why I was late. It worked, as I was told I should have an umbrella. I said I would buy one. Another thing to add to my bring back list! Photo Interlude - Plant growing in manhole cover After I got my coffee, I tried speaking the words to explain my upcoming absence, and I showed them on my phone to assist with the understanding. I then mistakenly suggested I bring back something from the UK. What would they like? A English Woman. I understood that. That’s not very PC and Marinos’s wife is lovely. The priest who drinks his coffee up at the bar was there, and he speaks good English, which is a pity, because everyone else looses out. I told him about Ronnie, who he saw last time, and our outside seating area that we had to use! He has a dog, a Rottweiler, it looks a lovely do...

 Friday 3rd March 2023 I suspect these posts are going to centre around my daily visit to the local coffee shop. It was very busy this morning. There are two guys, same age, height and I knew the name of one of them but which one? Both of them were there today, and I got their names sorted. One of them poked me with his walking stick not long after I arrived and I clearly had not done a good enough job of saying hello to him. I heard him say the name for eight, he was waiting for a lift, he kept going outside to check.  I get a lot of stick about what I wear. I had long trousers on, but a T shirt and my fleece off. I showed them how cold it is in in the UK, it’s much colder than here! There was some conversation about people working on the land, Marinos showed me a photo of people working on his phone. I then decided to order a Greek coffee. It comes in a tiny cup and what is best described as sludge at the bottom. More jokes about the fact I did not want sugar. It’s not somet...

 Introducing Shorts I have decided to try a different type of blog. It’s only to be one paragraph, and I have ten minutes to write it. I will post it any time of the day, only one per day, and I will link it on Facebook. I imagine a lot of these will come from things that happen when I go to the coffee bar in the morning. Here goes.. When I walked in the coffee bar today, there were two sets of juggling balls on the counter. I was told to take one set away. I imagine someone just brought them in or had them left over from the recent carnival that I missed, as I was at the dog rescue place. Let’s see how I get on! Secondly, the worker from Sifnos came in and he looked in pain. I asked him if he had pain in Greek and he pointed to his back. I said sorry back to him Greek. He sat next to me. Turns out he has a good command of English! So he was going to the Medical Centre, to see what they could do, it’s an old problem he has had before. He told me he had tried the Volterol cream, he ...