16. A Winter Wonder(?)land.

For once, I face sitting down down to pen this episode of life in Greece with trepidation.

As regular readers will know, we went back to England for Christmas.

However, the trip was ruined by the untimely and unexpected passing of my Mum early on Christmas morning. She had been in hospital for some weeks and had been very ill; but was sent home a few days before Christmas, and we had hopes of something like normal festivities. Sadly, she had a relapse from which she was not strong enough to recover.

Coming back to Greece and our new life brought a profound feeling of how lucky we are to have made the move; and although it was hard to say goodbye to family all over again; there was a strange sense of relief when we came home.

You don't need much imagination to appreciate how quiet it is here in the winter. Life in the village seems to have come to a standstill.
Some of the locals have jobs, and there is a small olive harvest this year, but in the main everyone is having a good rest. The main benefit for us is that we get to meet and spend more time getting to know local people.

Weather wise, it has continued to be wet and quite chilly at times; but when the sun does make an appearance it is warm enough to sit outside a taverna with your coffee, which isn't bad for the middle of February. The TV is on behind me and the national weather bulletin has just forecast SNOW for tomorrow???? I can't wait to see the Anthoussa equivalent of a UK snowplough. Several itinerant Albanian workers holding shovels, tied to the front of a pickup, springs to mind!

The turkeys opposite SURVIVED the Xmas holiday and are even more of a temptation now!! (Estimated at 16lbs, still feeding and growing, and big enough for ten place settings!).
Perhaps they will meet their demise at Easter, which isn't that far off; but as the traditional fare here is slow roasted lamb, there may be a reprieve even then.

As I didn't look forward to spending all winter with nothing to do, I asked around for any part time work that may have been going. I managed to find employment with a local builder who promised me 2-3 days a week, which suited me fine. However, the size of the job grew like Pinnochio's nose, and I have ended up working 5+ days a week! I enjoy it though, and the money has come in handy, after the fall of the Pound against the Euro. So I am now in part time retirement as well.

As we came out here to take things easy being back in temporary full time work carries a certain irony, which would have made my Mum smile. Margaret's coffee mornings with the girls have become coffee days, but at least I can afford the bill!

A typical working day is as follows..........

8.00am. Picked up and driven to work. ( No rush hour or traffic queues here!).

8.15am. Arrive on the job and sit down for a coffee to discuss last nights news and the day ahead.

8.45am. Start work. ( Only quiet jobs as most of the Greeks are still asleep.).

10.30am. Coffee break. (Customer now awake and wants to chat about the job, over coffee, of
course!).

11.30am. Customers brother entices us with even more coffee! Not polite to refuse!

12.30pm. Lunch. (Cheese and ham toasties, with yet more coffee and occasionally, cake; which
is again, supplied by our customer.).

2.00pm. Another COFFEE BREAK!

3.00pm. Stop work. Yes the Greeks still have their "siesta" in the winter!! The final coffee of
the day is served!

Which is where the "wonder" in the title of this piece comes in.

You wonder how anything ever gets done here??????????

Dedicated to Lilian Hartwell, my Mum, to whom I owe, (along with a great many other things), at least half my sense of humour and appreciation of the ironies of life; and quite simply the best cake maker I have ever come across.