SEPTEMBER
WEATHER ...
Very, very changeable in September. Beautiful sunny days (and nights)
varying erratically with severe storms - which have the ability to spoil
holidays, although the good days should have offset this for all but avid
sun-seekers during the month.
Latest
Crete Weather Link.
_____________________________
Recent Lightening storm
Cretan
Lightening
©
C.Turvey@Cretanvista
This
recent storm over the Rodopos and Gramvousa peninsulas lasted for several
Hours. Click to Enlarge.
Astratigos
Village Life...
....of road works and refrigerators!
Getting
on for 13 years ago we met 'Lorenz' - a shiny new Italian super-
everything refrigerator,
and oh, what a boon it has been. All these years and never a murmur of
complaint.. Until an unknown arrived in the village square driving a tractor
pushing a huge brush. Dust storms to order.... He was of course a
forerunner, which should have warned me!
Shortly before the arrival of Lorenz, all those years ago, another unknown man
arrived in the same square and proceeded to spray paint lines on the road -
which runs at right angles to our lane. Shortly after that arrived the workmen
- with JCB's.. They dug a metre wide channel about a metre deep along the white
lines - effectively blockading our lane and all within it. Which includes us,
our neighbours and the dog... Shortly after that our new fridge arrived.....
Which is how it came about that the men from OTE, the telephone company, delivered
and fitted 'Lorenz' - our first fridge. But that's another story. This one starts with the second
stranger and his tractor/brush...
Dressed
like some sort of early space explorer, including gas mask, he proceeded
to brush the road into the village, the square, and the road out of the village - creating
huge dust storms which then settled so that he could brush them up again! Really.
It was just about then that our fridge failed (no connection - other than an
about to happen co-incidence).
We promptly searched Kastelli and Chania for a replacement. 'Lorenz' was no
longer around. Now 'Eskimo' was everywhere, including Seios store in Chania, where the
salesman responded to my every query - Reliability? Economy? Greeness? Cost? -
with a beaming smile and immediate "Don't wooorry!'..... When I said that
was precisely what I was beginning to do he just lost interest and wandered
away - presumably he wasn't worried. We wandered away too...
A few shops away we found 'Nordton' as tall as me and looking very, very smart
and functional. The sales lady - I presumed the shops owner, showed us
everything on both floors, offered us coffee and the clincher - allowed me to
use the toilet! Greek toilets are often hidden, even from Greeks! Draw your
own conclusions. This one was superb! Including the washing in the sink...
Well, it was Monday...
We bought, all questions being fully answered, the lady's husband assigned to
deliver and introductions made to every other customer who entered! This, we
realised, was a family business. We were becoming family! I was beginning to
wonder if the family was Italian and the family name began with an M....
Trying to complete the formalities (getting a receipt), took nearly an hour. But
the entertainment was unbeatable! Meeting every newcomer and listening to the
family news was amazing.... As was Yiorgos..
Yiorgos (a customer) was not amused. His wife, he informed us all solemnly, was pregnant.
His serious expression and clear grey eyes made me sympathize - all
Greeks celebrate children, so what was the problem? Twins, replied
Yiorgos, Twins!... 'Oh, I see..' I responded - wondering whether two could not
live as cheaply as one.. Isn't that good'? 'Good?' he repeated,
'Good?' The clear grey eyes held mine in a steady gaze, as if pondering
whether I was genuine or making mirth. 'No', he replied.. 'it is not good - especially
at her age'...
If Ignorance is bliss then stupidity has to be something better. Either
way (either/or) I qualified 110%.... No question...
'How
old is she'? I queried politely. 'Sixty nine', he replied, locking
eyes and daring me to laugh! 'Sixty-nine'...
'Ummm, I see. Could be a problem'.. Yiorgo's gaze did not waver. I felt
that I was playing Russian Roulette, Master Class style, and that Yiorgos was
an unbeaten master!
Stepping
mentally sideways, I said 'I am a 27 years old 63 myself'... The gaze
remained.. Maybe, I thought uncomfortably, either number, probably the latter,
could be my shoe size.. 'Ah - 90' said Yiorgos, face creasing into a
grin. 'A good man'... 'This is a good shop.. good.. your fridge will last'...
And with that he departed home.
How old is Yiorgos, I asked our sales lady. 'A grand 88' she replied, 'and
very good at numbers'.. I began to wonder about mine - he had said that
I was 90 and that the fridge would last. Just how long, I wondered, would
it last?
There was an obvious way to find out - check the guarantee! 5 years on
most parts, 2 years on others was the conclusion... That would make me 95 at
least on departure - with maybe some bits falling off a little earlier! Not
bad, I mean, since I am only 27 (maybe 63) then the fridge should
last...
It arrived next morning, as arranged, at 11 am. The stranger with the
tractor arrived back at 9am - complete with tarmac and the road surfacing
gang! I telephoned OTE....
