Chatter

 - Today was 'pay the monthly bills day'. All online nowadays. It sure is easier than standing for an hour in the bank.  Usually it's  a smooth procedure but often there are hiccups. Mostly our fault but the computer and the internet connection are also problematic.

Our phone bill has suddenly increased by 30 euros for no apparent reason. K phoned to politely demand the reason why.  Seems we have been receiving messages from 5 digit numbers which we have to pay for, all unnoticed  by us. One of those messages was from overseas and cost us almost all of that 30 euros. WT hell. 

We haven't been warned of these at all. No messages from the phone company. No reports on tv.

We have now blocked all messages from 5 digit senders.

- I'm finished with Christmas. If I could I would hide it away in boxes till next year. I have been quietly removing little extras. Remaining are our boats with lights, the Christmas tree and strings of lights along the fence. Someone else is in charge of lights.

- All my downunder family are in NZ this Christmas. Thank goodness for Whatsap, photos and instant communication .

I got a phone call from them at Christmas and met all the younger generation via the video phone, exchanged greetings with nieces and nephews, talked of this  and that with my brother . Modern communication is amazing. When I first came to Greece I had to go to the telephone company to make an overseas call. I stood in line waiting for a free booth and many was the time I woke my parents at 4am because I had no idea of the time difference .

Now I have the current time for Auckland, Perth and London just by clicking onto the google clock. And phone calls are free no matter how long I talk. Once upon a time I would watch the seconds tick by and hear the drachma mounting up. 

Photos of families, eating, drinking and playing back in the colonies are giving me much joy.

- K has a new toy. A treadmill. We had one for many years. He bought it after his heart attack and for a few months walked enthusiastically every day, noting his kilometres and his heart rate. Then the novelty wore off. As it does. I walked on it on and off over the ensuing years till it finally expired a year or so ago.  A friend of his, another heart attack survivor, was getting rid of his treadmill. Or the wife was. Treadmills take up too much space in these small Greek houses.  Now it is taking up space in our house. He has used it twice.

I continue walking outside. Hey ho.

- I got some very nice presents this Christmas. My Secret Santa gave me a bottle of 0% alcohol gin. Many would say, why drink gin, or wine, or anything alcoholic if there's no alcohol involved ? Well, since I've lost a lot of weight I've had to virtually stop drinking. One glass of wine and I'm tottering even more than normal. 

The gin tastes exactly the same to me. All the taste without the totter. 

I received a bottle of Prosecco rosé too. That is not alcohol free. I shall wait to share it with a daughter or a friend. Or better still, with both. Good wine and good company we all know makes for memorable moments.

I also received packets of seeds. One of the packets is for all year round lettuce. I see in England it is recommended to plant from March to August, their summer. I shall start them in February I think and plant before the 'big heat' here.

 Another present was a purple cauliflower which is being turned into cauliflower-cheese soup.

Elli was told, when buying the cauliflower that if you put lemon juice on it the purple would turn red.

I sacrificed a corner of my cauliflower.

She was right.

The corner turned pink. No doubt if I had squeezed more lemon it would have turned to a darker red.

Greeks love oil and lemon juice on their vegetables. I prefer plain salt and pepper.