Time

Greek time.....  I've just read somewhere on the web

'Greek time is just english time but delayed by an hour'. 

We have found, to Kosta's huge annoyance, this is the norm.   He keeps 'english' time and gets very annoyed if he's kept waiting, whether it be be 5 minutes, an hour or a week.  We have walked away on occasions when one of his friends or acquaintances has failed to show up on time.

Woe betide tradesmen who are late.  Although anyone dealing with him knows by now that either you come, at least on the day you said you would, or you ignore his phone calls and go into hiding.  

We all have our own rhythm.  Some live a more relaxed life and having to be punctual just causes extra stress.

This 'maniana' philosophy however causes everyone else a lot of stress, especially if you urgently need a plumber or an electrician. 

  Some people are always unreliable.  They just can't help it.  They don't even realise they're late and causing exasperation in others.  When they eventually turn up all is rosy and they'll have every excuse under the sun, if pushed to account for themselves.

Every year around this time we're invited to celebrate with extended family and every year we arrive at the appointed time and every year, including this one, we wait and wait, drinking water and dragging on a cigarette till someone else arrives.

We know the scenario but we hope, against hope, that maybe this year things will be different.

They weren't.  They were worse.  We sat by ourselves, watching every passing car, eyeing every pedestrian and expecting a miracle.

The table was set.  We weren't in the wrong place and I hadn't got the time wrong (hallelujah.  I would have been in deep s***)

Almost an hour later everyone started turning up in dribs and drabs. 

We finally ordered, got the food and left an hour later to catch the last car ferry back to Poros.  

Lovely food, loving family but not at all a relaxed rendevous for us.

Watching the sun go down

As usual we said nothing.  No complaints.  They were nice enough to invite us and feed us.  But next year I'm going to catch some nasty lurgy and pass it on to K.   

Why don't we say anything?  They're family.  It's our own damn fault for always turning up on time.

And the next day I got a phone call to say how wonderful it was to see us and thank you so much for the freshly made sticky cakes and liqueur I brought as a gift.

It was all very genuine joy that we could be together, even if it was for a short time.

As the say here

Tin na kanoume

What can we do

 and 

shrug the shoulders.

But

next year........