A special meal

On our last night in Pelion this last time (I know it was over a month ago but hey, I'm busy) we went to a highly recommended little taverna in the square of our nearest 'big' village. We had been told several times that if we wanted brilliant food to go there and our German neighbours appeared to be eating there almost every night.

We had sussed it our earlier in the week and realised it was a former 'greasy spoon' where we had eaten before and had eaten (or rather left) a terrible meal. This time however it had had a clean-up, was newly painted, had a new menu and fancy tables and vases of flowers were set up under soft lighting outside under a plane tree. It seemed to have a new sign too so we reasoned it must have changed hands although the waiter was obviously the same one we had seen before. We decided to give it a go.

When we arrived for our farewell dinner, one other couple were already eating and drinking with gusto. We realised they were a local English builder and his wife whom we had been told about and who ate there very regularly. It all looked very promising. Deciding to forego starters in favour of the delicious local deserts for once, we asked what the specials of the day were expecting to be asked to inspect them in the kitchen. The surly waiter (well you can't have everything) reeled off a list in broken English. So no kitchen inspection tonight then. I asked him to repeat it in Greek. WH then decided on grilled lamb cutlets with lemon potatoes and vegetables. I plumped for the fish soup Kakavia which is more like a stew and which I had been dying to try. The thought of fragrant mixed fish in a broth of garlic, tomatoes, herbs and onions with a few potatoes and other veggies was very tempting in the still 30 degree heat. As usual the bread came first with our cutlery and I resisted the temptation to eat it immediately and kept it to go with my soup.

WH's cutlets arrived and the warnning bells began to ring. The portion was generous, perhaps 5 or 6 slim lamb chops were heaped up over a pile of roast potatoes. The problem was that the meat was absolutely black, the edges turning to cinder, 'overcooked' didn't even begin to describe it. That sight had just begun to sink in when the fish soup was announced.

I looked down to the bowl placed in front of me and immediately had to look away. An absolutely horrendous sight met my eyes. A whole dogfish head was looking up at me, mouth agape and teeth bared menacingly, eyes protruding. It was swimming in a lake of what looked like oily water. A lone boiled potato joined the fish head along with a couple of branches of the local wild greens. WH looked hesitant then asked if I was OK. "Yes " I said stoically dipping my spoon into the tepid liquid, "It must be a different sort of soup, maybe lemony judging by the colour".

It was not to be lemon either. I tasted it and Oh My God what a taste, dish water topped with rapidly congealing fish oil. There was no taste of anything at all other than rancid, fishy water. No seasoning, no herbs and no savoury garlic or onion. Zilch. WH said later he thought I was about to throw up over the table. How I managed not to I'll never know. I must be stronger than I give myself credit for.

Somehow I ate the potato and some of the fish which was on the bone behind the head. The liquid stayed in the bowl. WH ate his veg and left most of the charcoal pile of meat. The waiter came and took our plates away and asked what we would like next.

"The bill," said WH rather forcefully. We paid up and scarpered quickly; into a bar around the corner for some strong drink to take away the taste. An hour later I still had the taste of fish oil and really I was quite hungry having eaten very little in the heat during the day so I bought a very sickly pre-packed cake from the supermarket, stupidly I didn't think whilst the bakery was still open, and ate the lot. At least the sugar hit took away the taste for a while. Then I went back on the Metaxa.

Next morning I could still taste fish and later it started to repeat on me. Ugh. Later still that day I began to suffer from an upset stomach which carried on for a couple more days after that. Even dinner the next evening in Thessaloniki's hottest shopping mall's Delicertessen,which was a feast for the eyes and all the other senses too, failed to get rid of that fishy feeling.

We've made one decision already about our next visit to the area, probably in September, we will not be dining there again whatever anyone tells us.

And now there's so much

OK, I've now got so much to say I'll have to list it:

1. My tenants were a pain, they have caused all sorts of problems in the house and it needs a total redecoration. It was decorated throughout last August. The tenants will shortly be histiry for afresaid reasons. The house is now For Sale.

2. This hosue is a hive activity, as I write the utility is being plastered, we have a new cloakroom, the porch is being built and the last 3 'extra' kitchen cupboards are in place.

3. Because of note 2 I am daily running out of milk, sugar and tea.

4. Also because of note 2 I have retreated to various county records offices and to meeting with geanealogy friends in coffee shops in order to avoid the noise and dust.

5. I now provide a daily meals on wheels service for Mother in Law. I am rapidly running out of ideas for old fashioned home cooked stodge. Already WH is craving curries and stir fries, if I give in then I have to cook 2 separate meals a day.

6. Our grandkids suddenly want to sleep over, come for meals and spend even more time here. It's no big deal but it requires even more cooking, supervising school projects and keeping tabs on the numerous friends who come to call.

7. I can hardly believe I am writing this but the weather has been gorgeous. Sitting out on the south facing patio has become a must. It's sheltered, sunny and you could almost believe you were by the Med if you didn't have to open your eyes and survey the building site which STILL occupies the back garden. The fig tree is growing leaves though.

8. The majority of my plants are still in pots and tubs so daily watering is imperative in the month long dry spell we ahve had. I have to fight the builders for use of the hosepipe though and I don't always win.

9. An elderly friend is in hospital in the midlands. We have been visiting and it looks like he is in for the long haul. The car is getting used to the weekly treck up the M5 once again.

10. It's only 5 weeks until we go back to Kalamos. The work here should be finished then, just the garden left for our return. It will be wonderful, almost 3 weeks of utter peace. Can't wait.

A chink of light

Two years ago this week my Mother died, the end of 15 hard years of worry and aggravation when I knew that she would rather have had my sister as her main carer than have to make do with me, whom she always regarded as second best. As sister lives on another continent it wasn't to be. After the death came the relief and the calm of a certain knowledge that I was no longer on permanent call-out, albeit 140 miles away, and the luxury of being able to spend whole weeks at home without having to check my messages every 20 minutes and worrying that if I went out anywhere I would have to leave again in a hurry.

The effects, over the final seven to eight years of having to drive to her home in the middle of the night at short notice, go rushing up on a Monday morning because she needed a loaf of bread and she refused to ask anyone else, living in a 'guest room' for 4 weeks whilst hospital visiting a patient who complained the whole time and having almost daily phone calls from carers who were denied entrance, carers who had been shouted at, carers who had been accused of stealing and a doctor who thought I was a waste of space (after all I was ill with Lyme Disease too) can scarcely be over estimated. They took a toll on me that I had hardly noticed until the weight lifted. I took time to recover. I also spent the best part of the following 12 months sorting out her affairs, will, probate etc as I was the only person able to do it. I remember attending a probate interview at court being hardly able to walk. My step-daughter had dropped me off outside as there was no public parking but I then had to wait for her return outside the opposite side of the road in freezing temperatures, barely able to stand. Daughter was stuck in the midday traffic and the whole interview had taken less than 10 minutes and not the 30 I had envisioned.

I didn't expect much relief that first twelve months but I did get a little more than I bargained for. We decided to buy this house and that decision more than anything else has coloured the last twelve months along with WH being diagnosed with depression, the awful result of his appearance as a prosecution witness at a murder trail, a particularly nasty and vindictive customer and his general sadness at the effects of aging.

Today the house project is on its way to being finished. We had planned to have it finished 9 months ago but the downturn in the building trade coupled with the fact that every single outside contractor we have employed has let us down at some stage or other, lead us to decide that outside 'paying' work would come first, WH being in the enviable position, even now, of having so much work offered to him that he can pick and choose at whim. He may as well earn whilst there is still work there to earn from. Other local tradesmen without exception are not so lucky.

This weekend I unpacked the last of the 60-odd boxes which had been stored for up to 2 years in the garage at the other house, a truly momentous occasion. Now all we have remaining in there is stuff that should be in a garage and which can be brought here when this one reverts to it's proper use and stops being the builder's workshop and tool store. We now have just the two bathrooms, a cloakroom and the gardens still to do. The gardens are my job anyway and will occupy me over the summer whilst we are still here.

If we had been able to take our original course (which was get the keys in April 07, build in May to Oct 07 and move-in in Nov 07) we would have had tenants in by now. Instead we didn't get the keys until July 07, started building in November 07, due to planning delays, then lost most of the winter to rain and floods and a bricklayer who only worked 2 days a week at most so we didn't move in until July 08, the time we had planned to be moving out to somewhere warmer than here. Which brings me neatly round to my little chink of light at the end of the tunnel. Greek light, that is.

Last week I booked to go to our beloved Kalamos for the fourth time, this time for almost 3 weeks in May. It will give us a chance to look around again and make some decisions regarding our eventual move. By then the garden here should be well under way and the majority of the inside work completed. WH is seeing a new consultant soon so his depression should be getting some proper treatment too. My project managing duties are now almost over and I have time to spend on other pursuits; at present I am literally getting my office in order, unpacking and sorting the mountain of paperwork brought in haste from the old house. I now have time to read for pleasure again, I had almost stopped for those 2 years as I concentrated on planning applications, orders, insurances and probate. I get time to go off with friends window shopping, garden visiting or even better plant buying. Recently I've been trawing the web for apartments to rent and places to go and visit.

I can finally see that little chink of light and it's getting brighter by the second.

Blue is the colour

This is the colour of my new worktop. Looks much better in real life. Already I love it. The kitchen is finally taking shape, all those ideas which have been swirling round in my head for the last 18 months are finally coming to life. The depressed painter has almost done and we now have an alcove the exact colour of the worktop with the painting hanging on it from which the whole room took inspiration. It's a gouache of a Greek courtyard with blue and white walls, some steps and a vibrant fuchsia coloured bougainvillea, against a brilliant blue sky. When the sun shines and the whole room fills with light and warmth you can almost smell the thyme. Even in this extremely cold and frosty weather, this south-facing space fills with sun and is going to be a great place to sit.

Most of the cupboards are now in and on Monday the floor-layers come to finally put down the proper flooring after months of walking about on a mix of wood concrete and offcuts of carpet. After that we get the peninsular units in and then it's on to the last lap, tiling and a few decorative bits and pieces. I do hope it all goes smoothly, we have about ten people coming for Christmas day and I need a proper working kitchen, not the building site I've been living in until now!

The start of a love affair

Coming to the end of yet another horrid, wet, English summer which in my book is the second which has beenmruined by all the problems we have had with this house move, I have to face that it's highly unlikely that I will be going to Greece again this year. The downturn in the building trade here means that WH has to work while he still has work and so has been unable to finish our new place. Having given up over 5 months last winter to the build, which with hindsight was a total waste of time given the vagaries of the weather (again) and his fellow workers who let us down in droves, his customers won't wait any longer. I don't mind this, after all he is earning when other local builders are not. What I do mind is having had no real taste of warm weather other then during Grandad's Holiday in late May. I am also missing Greece itself and our usual leisurely stays in the back of beyond places we both love.

My love affair with Greece began as a teenager. My required O' Level English reading, along with a million other kids, was My Family and Other Animals, Gerald Durrell's account of his family's sojourn in Corfu in the 1920's. I was instantly drawn to this strange sounding country where interesting wildlife abounded, the people were strange, views were magical and you were never more than a few miles from the sea. The descriptions of exotic plants which my father had planted in our garden and which we fussed over to keep alive in the English Midlands but which grew wild in Corfu fascinated me. In those days I didn't like the heat so wasn't really bothered on that score. I read and re-read that book a hundred times in my late teens and twenties.

It was not until I took up with WH that I actually got to go there. In 1994, the girls were whisked off by their mother to Ibiza for a fortnight giving only 2 hours notice to WH. He freaked as he had done the previous year when a similar thing had happened and so, like the previous year when he was advised by his GP, we decided to go away ourselves. His house would not seem so empty if we ourselves were not there either. In those days, pre-internet (for us anyway), we abandoned looking for cheap deals on Teletext and called the agent direct. We stood in WH's porch listening to the phone between us, WH did the talking. By then of course, I was sick and not able to walk far, the first holiday he was offered was in Paxos, a villa in the Olive groves up a steep hill. He declined. Further unsuitable offers were also turned down. Finally he was agreeing to one, from Birmingham later that week. By then I had tired of standing and was sitting on the bottom of the stairs unable to hear the 'other end'. Having given all his credit card details the call abruptly came to an end. WH was not over impressed but it was a holiday after all and a cheap one at that. "I don't know what the accommodation will be but they assure me it will be on the flat. Allocation on arrival or some such name, they tell you all the details when you land. Oh it's Corfu, don't know what that will be like". My heart leapt, I was finally going.

We went in late May in a heatwave. Our accommodation proved to be a 2 bedroom apartment in a block of 6 overlooking a meadow of wild flowers just off the centre of Roda. We also had a full sized kitchen, two bathrooms and a shower with a curtain, unheard of in those days. It was on the ground floor, had a terrace giving onto the field and which was planted with bright flowers amongst which lived a whole army of little lizards. In two minutes you could be on the beach; round the corner, down the main street of the old village, past the church, on past the old ladies sitting in a row of hard chairs along their house walls, past the kafenion with it's whiff of ouzo, strong coffee and cigarette smoke and the old men arguing outside and walk through a gap between two cafes, the sparkling water visible through the little alleyway. I loved it. We had a bakery on 'our' corner and we went every morning for bread and pastries, sugary, vanilla-ey and cinnamonney scents teasing our taste buds. In those days a loaf was 270 drachma, about 54 pence, a yardstick I still measure the prices with today, only now the currency is the Euro (Evro) and bread is more than 60 cents (lepta).

We didn't do much on that first trip, we were too much in awe of the place and money was tight. We did hire a car for a couple of days and WH began to hone his skills as a Greek driver. 14 years later he slots in effortlessly. We drove around and everywhere we went Cistus sunroses abounded along with fields of myriad wild flowers. Little churches sat on hillsides, old cottages with tumbledown roofs had yards full of geraniums planted in blue painted feta tins, old ladies in black followed herds of goats for miles on the roads in the hills, men carried bundles of sticks whilst riding side-saddle on dusty, sad looking donkeys, chickens flapped out of hedges. Taking a picture in Sinies village one mid morning the whole school of 14 children fell out in to the street and posed for camera unbidden, along with a tiny sandy puppy clutched by a waif like 6 year old with dark eyes and a coy smile, "Hello" they chanted, "English? Thank you" as if by rote. One of the most brilliant sights was on the road along the the sea front in Roda itself, a piece of waste ground next to a moped rental lot. There were a couple of scrubby trees and chickens pecked amongst the dirt and greenery underneath them, taking to the branches in the heat of the day. One day the place was transformed, the greenery had flowered to become a vibrant square of brilliant red poppies.

That was the week which really kindled the fire. We have returned to Corfu 6 times since together and WH even took the girls on an 18 to 30's holiday in Kavos on another occasion, just Dad and 3 teenage girls. Together we have always stayed in the north and love the quieter more laid back spots. We've also been all over Greece since some years going 3 times. We want to live there eventually but sadly probably not in Corfu. We love the quieter, totally Greek places now and somewhere sleepy on the mainland beckons, maybe somewhere in Pelion although that is getting quite touristy now, maybe on the Amvrakikos gulf, Amphilochia perhaps, where we once had a wonderful Sunday lunch and not a Brit in sight (or sound), maybe near Volos airport at Nea Anchialos, the centre of a growing wine region. Wherever we end up it will always be that first holiday to Corfu we will remember the most, the week that sowed the seeds of a dream.

More snippets from last week

"I'm singing you my butterfly sitting in the car song" - Grandaughter aged 4.

We found a dormouse living in an olive tree in the garden.

In a restaurant the waiter insisted in calling me Momma. Was it my size or my organisation skills which prompted that? Or maybe because I paid the bill, for 11.

Grandaughter managed to turn upside down in her inflatable in the pool. "I forgot my arm bands wasn't I silly?" Dad jumped in fully clothed and hauled her out whilst the assembled group breathed a huge sigh of relief. Daughter 3 remarked he had managed to preserve his cigarette which was still between his lips. "Well you try and relight that then".

Asking for a 'Greek' breakfast in San Stephanos we were offered 'Full English' full stop. What on earth is going on?

Two cats spent the night on a chair outside my window. They hung around for breakfast and shared a lizard. After that we never saw them again.

Collecting the hire cars we were given the keys in order of the driver's name. 4 days later we discovered we were all driving the wrong cars! Note to self: In future check the documents as well, even if they are in Greek.

One whole watermelon is just about big enough for 11 people for a whole week. The pips get everywhere though.

In 30 degree heat I can walk and walk and walk. And swim and swim and swim. Am I better than I was? You bet.

What I did on my holidays

Went on a glass bottomed boat.

Watched the sun rise, twice.

Listened to scops owls.

Ate chicken souvlaki at a restaurant I hadn't been to for 8 years and it still tasted the same.

Swam at Sidari beach and it really is the warmest water in Greece.

Went lizard hunting with the Grandkids.

Watched a young jay drink from our pool.

Taught some of the Grandkids how to hold a crab.

Ate hot cheese dip and crackers.

Sat 2 hours in a restaurant waiting for a power cut to end. Dinner never tasted so good.

Watched my 3 stepdaughters giggling and laughing together like they hadn't for years and years.

Went to Mouse Island and Pontikonisi.

Sat on the Liston with a frappe and people watched.

Saw a Grandad with the biggest smile ever.

Fell asleep to the sound of waves on pebbles.

Snatches of conversations

"Nanny, can I have a oghurt and semonade to drink?"

"All the little houses are getting bigger and bigger through this window"

"Is that a shark or a sardine?"

"I've turned some stones over there, I looked under some here as well, and do you know what Nanny? There aren't ANY pigging crabs"

" Ugh, it's all antsies and they're carrying their Magnix all over"....."Yes I know they look like eggs, I just said, they've got their Magnix"

"Well he can just put that big lobster down and show someone else, I don't want to see it."

"Of course I tried some new food, I had 4 sorts of hotdogs and funny bread, so that's five."

"Do you know, Denmark and Germany get all their electricity from windchimes."

"I'm so brave I'm going to jump in that stream and catch a turtle right now. Oh no I don't think I will, it's all slimy"

"I'm going to live here for ever, well if I can bring my own bed and a tv"

"Aunty, you can just get straight back in that pool and come out the proper way. BY THE STEPS, right."

The holiday is over, now the memories start.

Playing catch up

The last week has been a whirlwind, a funeral, a flower show, a lot of hammering and banging and I seem to have been shopping almost every day, either for birthday presents (6 birthdays THIS week) or electrical stuff for the new house. Oh and I bought the living room curtains TWICE. I didn't realise I had the first pair until I put the second pair away. DUH.

Anyway life should get a little more calm now, before the storm of a trip to Denmark, Hayseed Dixie AND Status Quo on the same bill at Dudley Castle, a trip to Cornwall, a possible trip to Greece and moving house. All before the end of September. Whew.

No more time to type tonight, but I have some interesting news tomorrow, it's connected with Diane Shipley. Can you guess?

Heroes

Whilst Britain sinks under a deluge of water, my thoughts are still in Greece and warmer, actually hotter, weather and it's attendant problems.

I was looking at my pics of the waterbomber planes that we watched most days we were away, continuously scooping water out of the sea then flying over the forest fires and spraying the water from the air. Those guys were relentless and really caught our imagination and sympathy for what they were going through.

I looked up the Canadian designed plane (Canadair CL 415 or waterbomber) on the net as I had never seen one before and reading about it I discovered this amazing video of the Helenic Air Force in action fire fighting.

Sadly 7 Greek pilots have been killed in firefighting already this year and the summer's heatwave is not yet over. The worst bit is that the guy who made the youtube video above, died only yesterday.

As they say in other circles, respect. I truly mean it.

Greek by numbers

Ena 1 .........Number of Delta Nirvana pralines and cream ice-creams I ate, strangely I only want savoury stuff now but I thought that may have changed when I had another of these, my absolute favourite for so long, sadly it didn't.

Dio 2..........Number of swims before breakfast, well most days anyhow

Tria 3.........Number of oranges to make a glassful of freshly squeezed juice in my 10 euro new juicer

Tessera 4.....Number of cars parallel parked in Argalasti crossroads before the policeman blew his whistle and got them all moved

Pende 5.......Number of moths a gecko can eat in a minute if the going is really good

Eckse 6........Number of waterplanes in view at one time from Affisos beach when they were filling up in the Pagasitic Gulf

Efta 7.........Number of bottles of wine a week we drank on the terrace, yes I know we're both tea-total here but at less than 31 a bottle you have to really!

Octo 8.........Number of kilos of oranges bought for juicing in 2 weeks, not all at the same time, we'd got no where to store them all.

Enea 9.........Number of boats in front of the window in the morning

Deka 10...... Number of frappes two of you can drink in one day. They just don't taste the same here.

Back from the brink

Whew, it was hot out there, 42 degrees when we got to Greece and into a region of severe forest fires. Earlier in the week it had been 47 degrees so we escaped the worst. We spent one night in a hotel as the road was closed at Afites where the fire crossed over and so we couldn't get to Kalamos for 24 hours.

It was worth the wait though. I spent hours and hours in the sea, the locals recognised us from previous visits and we adapted perfectly to life in a small village at the water's edge.

Waterplane just about to scoop from the sea.

Gone away

Just a note to say we are off to Kalamos again tomorrow so I won't be around for a while.

I know I owe people emails but I have had so little time the last couple of weeks I am all behind.

The weather is set to be very hot so we'll be making the most of the sea at the end of the patio.

See you in two and a half weeks.