Cretan Diary - Chapter 44

Friday 29th - Rubbish

January 29th, 2010

The weather is sunny and warm so we took a walk around the village - the birds were chirping and the bees were buzzing - and called at the shop. We chatted with Jill for some time before buying provisions and walking home.

Work on the new house is progressing. The concrete appears to be clad in blue polystyrene. I'm interested to see how they render on top of that.

Since the last power cut, our Sky Digibox has forgotten its settings so there's another little job for me.

Jenny told me to get rid of the remains of the shower and the drainpipe. I "Skyped" Eleni to ask whether Christos could use any of the stuff. He could, so I drove down to the valley and dropped it off. Eleni had some computer questions so I answered them before returning home and making a sandwich. Then I drove to the rubbish tip at the other side of Drapanos to get rid of the rest. It's only a few km but it seems a long way because the road is so narrow and twisting.

Tonight is "quiz Night".

Saturday 30th - Under the Weather

January 30th, 2010

Jenny wasn't feeling well after last night's indulgences, so I took her a pot of tea while she remained in bed and listened to UK TV via the Sky Digibox (now working).

I finished my monthly newsletter and uploaded it.

We had breakfast then went for a walk around the village, calling at the shop on the way back. Aspaseea didn't seem to be in a very receptive mood so we didn't hang about. Last night there was a local village "do" but the committee had decided that it would take place at a remote hotel instead of at Aspaseea's restaurant. I think she's a bit "miffed". It seems like an odd decision because many of the villagers have no transport and were unable to attend the event.

Jenny went outside to read a book in the sunshine while I remained indoors and worked.

7pm. It has remained dry and sunny all day but rain is forecast for tomorrow. We have arranged to meet friends at the "Naos" for breakfast at 10am tomorrow.

Now I'm going to have a glass of wine and watch yesterday's recorded news!

Sunday 31st - Over the Weather

January 31st, 2010

We were awoken at 7:30am by a flash of lightning and a roll of thunder, followed by rain. I jumped out of bed to disconnect TV aerial cables then went downstairs to check my email. I wanted to finish quickly in case the power went off. It didn't and the rain had cleared to blue sky and sunshine by 9am.

Breakfast at the "Naos" with four English friends, was followed by a walk along the sea front.

Ken was somewhat limited by his dancing injury but managed to walk there and back without too much pain.

Hard to believe we'd had a thunderstorm!

Snow on the mountains, however.

We called at Eleni's house to drop off her weekly TV programme recording on a memory stick. She and Christos were eating lunch so we didn't linger. We decided to drive towards Hora Sfakion to see if we could find snow.

We saw very little so, on the way back, we made a detour up into the mountains and found snow there. While Jenny was photographing a larger patch, she fell onto a thorn bush and returned to the car with her hand looking like a hedgehog.

I drove quickly to the Health Centre at Vamos and the nurses fixed her up without charge. She is not having a good week! Yesterday she was "under the weather" having had a little too much nectar at the quiz night. And she broke a tooth!

7pm. We've had dinner so now I have to do the washing up. Eleven degrees outside and 19 degrees indoors.

Monday 1st -

February 1st, 2010

We needed cash and the nearest cash machine that belongs to "our" bank (and therefore doesn't charge a percentage) is in Almyreetha. So Jenny dropped the car seats and piled thorny cuttings inside while I checked my emails. Then we drove to the rubbish tip near Drapanos, dumped the cuttings, and continued to Almyreetha, where the ATM was not functioning (again). We called at the book exchange, nearby. This is a charity shop which is run in aid of the "Sara's Hope Foundation". The aim is to buy land, build a house with facilities for children, and bring a different family, with a child suffering from cancer, for a holiday in the sun each week.

See http://www.sarashopefoundation.co.uk

We chatted for a while then drove to Kaleeves to register our mobile phones. The girl called "Atheena" in the Cosmote shop said that she was waiting for the Vodafone software but would be able to register our phones the next day. We went next door to the Vodafone shop and Jenny registered hers while I didn't, because I'd forgotten my passport! Registration took a long time as the shop assistant filled in the details on her computer then printed three sheets of paper and asked Jenny to sign these in four places (at least one of which was labelled "surname" in Greek). The girl seemed somewhat surly until I thanked her (in Greek) for speaking to us in English, "because, although we speak a little Greek, it is not very good". She beamed a smile at me.

I spent the entire afternoon and evening learning how to use the new web page creation software that I had downloaded for Eleni. It was free, and distinctly "buggy", but I couldn't find anything more suitable that wasn't horrendously expensive.

Tuesday 2nd - Windy Weather

February 2nd, 2010

Jenny had intended to go on a walk with a friend but the weather was windy, chilly and it had started to rain. The friend phoned and suggested that the walk be cancelled.

I had arranged to visit Eleni to help set up her new web site but Jenny decided it would be an ideal time to go to Xaniá, so I "Skyped" Eleni to explain the change of plan.

On the way to Vamos we were stopped for a few minutes by large earth-moving vehicles blocking the road. Eventually they moved and let us through but it was like driving over a freshly riddled field. All traces of tarmac had gone!

We drove to Xaniá and saw beautiful rainbows over Souda Bay. It rained heavily as we approached the town but stopped just as we walked out of the car park. We walked to our bank and withdrew enough money to pay the plumber and to buy more heating oil (and food). Jenny bought a large plastic washing basket for Sue, to replace one that had split.

We returned via Kaleeves to avoid the roadworks on the Vamos road. I had remembered my passport so we called at the Cosmote shop to see if "Atheena" had received the Vodafone software. She had, and was able to register my phone. She printed the three sheets and asked me to sign in two places. "You are my firrst Vodafone regeestration," she told me, proudly. I asked if she got paid for the five minutes it had taken and she confirmed that she would receive 30 cents. We continued home on the twisty road through Drapanos. It was sunny but very windy indeed.

In the evening we had been invited to the house of friends in the village to join them, and their neighbours, for a buffet-style meal and a chat. Jenny contributed a salad and the friend made a cake and soufflée. A good time was had by all.

Wednesday 3rd - Chilly Weather

February 3rd, 2010

We arose at 8am, showered and had breakfast, cooked by Jenny. I drove to Eleni's house and put the temporary web page files, that I'd created, on her computer. However, because she has an "Intel Inside" Apple Mac, it turned out that the only version of the software it could run is in "beta" version right now. And it is very "buggy".

I tried Macromedia "Dreamweaver" but it's a horrendous application to get to grips with in ten minutes. In the end I screwed the page layout up so much that I reverted to the "beta" version of "KompoZer" and told Eleni simply to create her web pages and I would return to upload them later.

I drove to Vamos to order heating oil from old "Harrees" at the garage.

A Dark cloud hung over the mountains and the temperature, in the shade, was only 6 degrees C. It was strange to see the distant snow-covered peaks illuminated by bright sunshine.

Of course I'd forgotten to take a copy of my previous bill and had to phone Jenny to get the details. Garages are not allowed to sell heating oil without having a tax number and Electricity bill reference! Harrees doesn't speak English but we managed to communicate with my broken Greek.

Anyway, the oil will be delivered "avrio" or maybe "metavrio" because Harrees' son in law has to make a delivery in the mountains, today.

Then I went to see Vagileea and Spiros, at the Plumbing shop near Vamos, to get the final total for our bath installation. I spoke mostly in Greek because I need the practice and they are happy to oblige. Spiros doesn't speak English anyway. I promised to return with the money "avrio". They let me take an oil-filled electric radiator with a promise to pay "avrio", too. Must remember to take them a jar of Jenny's delicious home-made marmalade.

I drove home through the roadworks. It's even worse today. It's difficult to tell where the road used to be.

The temperature didn't rise above 8 degrees today and now, at 11pm, it's just 3 degrees C. outside! Gosh, I'm so glad that I got the oil-filled radiator. I have it close to my left leg and I'm feeling quite cosy. The central heating managed to get the indoor office temperature up to only 17 degrees.

Greek lesson.

The Greek word for behind is "peeso" which you might relate to something rude. If you want to say that something is behind something, you say "behind from". (From is "apo".) So "behind the house" would be "peeso apo to speetee". The underline indicates the stressed vowels.

Thursday 4th - Chilly Weather

February 4th, 2010

When we awoke, the bedroom temperature was only 12 degrees C. I had been fairly cosy in bed with a hot water bottle, but I was aware of breathing cold air. We had breakfast then Jenny went for a walk - heading for Xirosterni - and I drove to Vamos to pay the plumber and hand over a jar of Jenny's marmalade.

I parked in the car park to dump some cardboard and paper into the recycling bin, then headed back towards Apokoronas. On the way out of Vamos I saw a white-haired man whom I recognised. He was often to be seen in Apokoronas, with a transistor radio clamped to his ear. I gave a friendly wave then realised that he was probably heading home and had no transport. I stopped the car and looked in my mirror. He was shouting, waving, and running towards me. As he climbed into the passenger seat he was greeting me and thanking me enthusiastically in Greek. "Are you going to the village?" he asked, in Greek. I told him that I was and we set off. I invited him to fasten his seat belt but he declined. "OK," I said, in Greek. "I'll drive slowly!" He clutched his shopping and started to talk. He told me his name is Kostas. To be honest, I didn't understand more than a few words but I gathered that he'd been shopping in Vamos and was extremely pleased to get a lift back; so much so that he was apparently inviting me to call at the caffeineeo for a drink some time. He also mentioned an electrician, but I don't know what he had to do with anything. (Later discovered that the village electrician is his brother.) I suggested he tell Aspaseea and she would translate for me. At the roadworks, he confirmed that they were widening the road.

In Apokoronas he asked to be dropped off in the square, next to the taverna.

Back home, I answered some customer enquiries and did some work on the web site. Jenny arrived home from her walk and played a computer game. (She may have done some house work but I was too busy to notice.) Then we drove to Georgioupolis and each had a cheese burger for lunch at the Naos. (There isn't much choice of lunch in winter.)

On the way home, we called at Eleni's house, where we had tea and a chat.

It was such a clear, sunny day that we could see Mount Ida, the highest mountain on Crete. You can see grey clouds passing in front of it.

Here's a close-up view that Jenny took from our bedroom window.

I stopped the car at the top of our road and got out while Jenny drove the car home. I walked to the shop and bought provisions then headed home. The sun, behind me, was bright and low in a clear blue sky.

However, despite the sun, the temperature was only 9 degrees C. so, after a brief stop to take a photo, I headed briskly down the steep hill.

Hard to believe that it's winter. It has been a pleasant, if slightly chilly, day.