Monday 10 August 2020

Goings On

We have become the lepers of the Saronic Gulf.  30 positive cases of covid-19 and another 130 people awaiting the results of their tests. 400 cars left on Saturday filled with holiday makers.The Mayor of the next door island, Aegina, announced he doesn't want ships that stop at Poros docking on his island.   

We had all the TV cameras down here interviewing the natives and asking if tourists were going to cut their stay short.  Of course they all said yes.  We will probably be front page news again once the test results come out though very bad flooding on the island of Evia and turkish leader Erdogan's latest antics did kick us into 3rd place yesterday.  


Last week we had a hawk circling our house, and the immediate area, for days on end.  A beautiful bird, lovely to watch but he screeched non-stop.   I can't see his screeching would be the ideal thing to do when hunting small creatures hiding in long grass unless he was trying to flush them out.  I have heard that hawks bring bad news.  I'm inclined to believe it.


Two days ago there were strange grey clouds behind the hills, billowing ominously up from the horizon.  Cars began coming up from the beach below and 2 fire engines screamed past on the upper road, sirens blaring.  It looked like smoke.  No, said K who is never wrong.  He rang our local councillor .  Of course it wasn't smoke.  He was right.  But obviously many thought it was a fire at the back of the island.  It was soon very clear it was fog which slowly came over from the back of the hills and crept down into the valley.

False alarm there. 


Our little cul de sac has filled to more than its capacity, by my measurement!  Our foreign neighbours have arrived, the house below us has been rented out, the navy officer at the end of the road has deserted ship to spend his leave here.  Across the valley we have the woman who shrieks (instead of talking) with her brood at the family summer vacation house and the inheritors of the old house on the hillside are also here, for the long term it seems.  I wonder if they are under house 'arrest' after a covid test.  I used to be asked how I could live up in the hills with so few neighbours, out in the wilds.  Ha, come and see us now.


I have to remind myself each time I back out that we have traffic.  It is no longer my private road.


The corona-virus it seems was spread after a corona-pool-party.  A rave up attended by the younger generation.  I'm glad my tall grandson was away on the island of Paros.  I hope he isn't going to any wild pool parties down there.  Paros too has a couple of corona cases as do many of the islands.  From zero daily cases at the end of June we went up yesterday to 250.  Mostly the virus has been spread through wedding and baptism parties.  Poros is not the only area in partial lockdown.  A lawsuit has been taken out against 'parties unknown' who are responsible for the spread of the virus on the island.


We had rain.  Two days of short showers and one nice long thunderstorm yesterday which watered the trees and revived the garden. It got rid of the hawk as well.   It is still nice and cool today.

Most unusual for August and much appreciated.  The sun is out today and the cicadas are in full chorus but there is a north wind bringing us relief.  No unbearable heat or humidity.


I have been handsewing masks.  I have cramp in my thumb and a hole in my finger.  K wanted a couple which were longer than the commercial ones.  


It's wearable


And again, I need a haircut.  


On the news now.  40 more corona virus cases on Poros


20 comments:

  1. Oh that's not good to hear. Hopefully you have good leaders (medical and otherwise) and good listeners who do as they are told/advised.
    The slogans are still current - stay home/stay safe/stay well/ wear a mask/ keep your distance/ wash your hands
    Take care
    Cathy

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    1. Stay home, stay away from me, wear a mask and wash hands. That's it. That's all we can do.

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  2. I hope life is o.k. for you in your metropolis. That's too bad it went backwards for you. Hang in there! -Jenn

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  3. Our wee metropolis. Am I one of those city slickers now? I'll be yelling at the cars passing and and telling them to slow down and start psssss pssssing when the cicadas don't shut up on time. There seem to be a lot more dogs too. It's like having a rooster. When one starts they all let go. At night that is a bit spooky because 'why are they barking'???

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  4. A good old New Zealand saying for your situation "bugger". Your gorgeous paradise now with Covid 19. Keep safe. It just keeps on this damn virus. Every day here I'm glad we don't have it but you just never know what tomorrow will bring. We are still allowing people here with quarantine and it seems only a matter of time before someone slips up.

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    1. Good word Lynda. My nephew and neice have just arrived back from Britain and are quite happy to stay in quarantine. They had a negative test before leaving but you never know.

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  5. What is wrong with people having corona parties? I just don't understand that. SO many people out there think it's a bit hoax, it's sad and I don't think somehow I could handle a constantly shrieking neighbour, I'd have to shut my windows.

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    1. Corona dickheads!!
      We wonder how that woman's neighbours can stand her in Athens. I presume she lives in an apartment block. Must drive everyone crazy. Actually since I wrote that she has quietened down. She used to spend long hours quarrelling with her brother. I think he must have gone back to Athens.
      Hallejullah

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  6. I agree with Lynda "BUGGER". I hope they all decide to go home soon. Keep safe. Here on the news someone broke INTO an Isolation unit. He was seen and chased but got in a car and sped away and drove to Whangarei. Not good. He is now in isolation. I just hope it doesn't break out again here.

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    1. Bugger is the word of the day. It expresses exactly how I feel. Damn them.
      I read your news with interest. NZ has a great policy for returners and the infected. It's the idiots that you can't foresee that are the problem. My neice and nephew are back in NZ and are in a quarantine hotel. They say it is fine, good food and they manage to pass the time ok. They re are allowed home next week.

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  7. We are worried about all the visitors here too. We have no idea where they come from, or if any of them have had the virus. We have to hope that they stay at their holiday homes, and go home as soon as possible. We feel quite vulnerable.

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    1. The virus is an invisible enemy. Many don't know they've got it and have few symptoms but they're out there spreading it around and you or us or anyone else may end up in hospital or worse.
      GO home, stay home!!!

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  8. We here in Victoria are the leper’s of Australia right now
    So I know exactly how you feel
    Unfortunately it’s going to happen to all. Second and third waves
    No on is immune. There are idiots all over the world that will always put everyone at risk so they can have their party

    Stay safe
    One day this will all be a bad memory
    I hope

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    1. All the party islands have restrictions on them now. No private or public parties allowed and everything closes at midnight. They think this will be enough. I hope so.
      The elderly won't wear masks and probably think it's all a hoax, the young just don't think that they could be giving it to their parents and grandparents and carry on regardless.
      One day it will disappear, like a miracle lol but not in April and not in August and not for a long time

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  9. I am very sorry to hear the virus has returned, but sadly it had to happen with people moving about again and gathering in large numbers. As Angela said, we in Victoria are the lepers of Australia, but I am happy with that if it keeps everyone else away!! A 30 year old died here a couple of days ago,sadly, goes to show it is not an old persons problem. Keep safe.

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    1. Yes, you know all about it. If it was brought in by a foreign tourist we would have just shrugged our shoulders and said 'it was going to happen'. But when the infection has been spread by stupid locals then the blood starts boiling. We shouldn't complain actually. It's only 10 days and half those are almost over. Maybe, maybe the tourists will return. You've got 6 weeks. Keep safe down there!!

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  10. We have been reading your blog in the office in Piraeus and there is an indignant lynch mob working themselves up to come and deal to your case No1. Buggar the legal proceedings; case No1 will wish the law had got to him or her first…. Corona might be a brand of lager but that doesn’t make a corona party a good idea.

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    1. Bugger corona whatever form it comes in. I don't know why Poros people haven't already lynched a few of those damn arrogant party goers. I hope there is a court case and we get the truth and someones' names are blackened.

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  11. Oh, bugger! Sorry to hear about all that, including the sudden influx of neighbours. Stay home and stay safe.

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    1. Bugger bugger bugger. Summer was just beginning. We had even eaten out once and been for coffee. Now it's back into our shells.

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