Month: August 2012

26th August, 2012

Worrying signs in the Greek coalition of fracture. If they can’t hang together in summer holiday time, they surely willl hang separately when the brigands are fire bombing Syndagma. Worrying signs in the British Labour Party where the two Eds – Balls & Miliband appear to be aping Brown & Blair. I’m going to have to stop reading The Sunday Papers.

 

The motoring section was full of new cars, shiny cars, cars that smell of wax and new leather. Almost every year for the best part of thirty years we took delivery of a new car. I loved the smell of them, the tight feel of the steering with no ageing squeaks in the body. I loved the perfect, showroom gloss, the whole feel of a new car. Honda Accord, a number of Preludes, more than a dozen CRVs. I have one now but retirement has changed my view completely. This current car is coming up to two years old already. It’s been to Greece with me twice and I’m considering keeping it one more year. There is a new model out – only just over £30,000.00 but I’m resisting it.  I’m trying to cut down on self-indulgence – a bit.

 

27th August, 2012

Happy Birthday to Mum-in-Law who would have been 98 today. She died almost two years ago.We were so hoping she’d make the 100 but it wasn’t to be.

It’s been an exceptionally hot period so I spent the morning watering all the trees. Pauline was indulging herself – painting the house. It is really looking great and, together, we will have it finished in three or four more days. The tomatoes are continuing to produce and are delicious and the peppers have been quite a revelation this year. I can’t stop them fruiting.

We’ve decided that next year we will line our top boundary wall with tall growing, thick trees with an automatic watering system. We will seek expert advice on this and professional support in planting and maintenance for a year or two until they are fully established. These tree will be particularly useful as a windbreak as well as other things.

We went up to the Post Office in the hope of collecting our new credit cards. We have been tracking them and know they reached Athens airport three days ago but they haven’t appeared here yet.

We have a Panini press and we had a Prosciutto & Mozzarella Panini with white wine spritzer outside where there was a little breeze. By the time we went swimming at 4.30 pm, the car showed 35C outside. The suggestion is that it will go down tomorrow. Using this evening to do some writing. In times gone past, we would have left for Patras today in order to be in France by Friday and England on Saturday with a staff day on Monday and school opening on Tuesday. Now we have an open return ticket and can leave when we feel ready.

28th August, 2012

Up at 6.30 am to a much cooler day and, can you believe it, some clouds. The weather has clearly miscalculated the start of September. We are up early to get the end of the house painted before the sun is up and shining strongly. I am not a practical person by nature. My skills are in words and thoughts, concepts and arguments, communication through digital design not slopping white paint on to concrete walls. However, Pauline has taught me the pleasure one can draw from completing such projects and not relying on others all the time do such things.

The paint we use produces a wonderful, plastic skin across the wall. I know because the residue of paint from the roller tray is not washed out at the end of the session but peeled off in one, white, durable, plastic skin the next day. I suspect that, given the perfect weather – not too hot & not too windy – we could complete the entire house outside in five or six days but we have let it drag out over weeks because we can afford to. We will need another,three, solid days before it is completely finished but we’ve got plenty of time. I have to say, it is incredibly ‘white’. A Persil ad. would not be out of place here.

After a good morning’s work, a light lunch of Bruschetta and red wine and a brief siesta (seems to make it much more socially acceptable than a pensioner’s snooze), we went down for a swim. As we did, there seemed just a hint of cooler air and we didn’t stay in long. The numbers on the beach screamed SEPTEMBER.

We went down to see Panos & Rania for all the latest gossip. Rania is worried about the E in Greek being changed in its usage. She asked if there was anything in the Papers about it. I told her thousands were being massacred in Syria but she insisted I didn’t understand. Anyway, had a lovely meal and then drove home for coffee. We went to bed early and, just as the Skiathan wrote this morning, I woke up thinking the time was coming when I would need to sleep under a sheet again for the first time since May.

29th August, 2012

A temperature of 26C/79F is lovely but quite disorientating. We decided it was far too cold and windy for swimming. I was reminded that I am a new  man and asked to clean the bathrooms. Did I do it, Kevin? Well, not quite but it was a good try and it did lead to me offering to cook today. I am making a pasta sauce of small green peppers from the garden, red onion, mushrooms, home grown tomatoes, some diced parma ham, chiffons of fresh sage all reduced in a white wine sauce. It will be served with Fussilli pasta shapes and will be glorious with a bottle of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo slightly chilled. Now that’s Man’s work!

30th August, 2012

Autumnal weather – strong breeze and only 27C/81F. After collecting post and our credit cards have arrived, off to the blood testing centre which was absolutely packed out. My INR has shot back up again. On the plus side: my Warfarin dosage is reduced. On the negative: the Woking nurse has confirmed my wife’s view that I am drinking too much wine. This just strengthens her argument. I may be forced to take note. Had a chat with our architect and then our new Notary. She is keen to have another meeting next month and to come down to our house. We discussed the current political situation and, unlike in June, she was remarkably bullish about Greece remaining in Europe long term. I hope she’s right. Coffee in Prago and a chat. A bit of shopping and home to read the paper outside in this rather more comfortable weather. This is the delicious view looking out through the bourgainvillea over the sea to Anti-Paros and Paros:

Because of the chilly breeze, we decided not to go swimming but to do jobs around the house. My job is to phone all those who automatically charge our credit card whether in Greece or in UK and give them them the new numbers. If any one is interested, they are: *********17.

• Mobile Phone contracts in both countries
• Satellite TV payments in both countries
• Broadband
• Digital version of the newspaper

All are charged monthly to our credit card account. In UK we rarely use money at all. We always pay our account off in full each month so it costs us nothing and helps with  our accounting system. Our credit card account accrues points which buys air miles. It is amazing how quickly the total builds up. We’ve got enough for return flights to Athens  collected in a very short time. We have thought that, even though we are leaving much later this year, we might fly back for a quick visit in January/February time to to check on things.

Pauline is cooking tonight. It is roast chicken with garlic, lemon and thyme and sauteed potatoes with onions. I have promised not to open more than one bottle of wine – well, actually, it is a 5ltr box but we won’t say that too loudly.

31st August, 2012

In times gone by we would have been driving on to the Zeebrugge – Hull ferry at 4.00 pm after filling the back of the car with wine, cheese, vegetables and anything else we fancied from some French Hypermarket. For us, this would have marked the last day of our Summer holidays.

Today we are in our Greek house for quite some time to come. We have lots of jobs to get through over the next couple of months but today is full moon day and will mark the end of the summer and start of autumn. In Athens, I read, they start winter timetables on some public transport on Monday. The moon comes up from the mountain behind our house. It is astonishing how quickly it moves. The line between perceptible and imperceptible seems to be defined by the movement of the globes.

There is a perceptible change in the temperature at the moment with day time only in the upper 20sC/ low 80sF. I heard on the ‘Today’ programme this morning, that parts of England had grass frost last night. Apparently, last night in England was the coldest Autumn night on record and the Summer was the wettest for 100 years. All in all, I’m glad I’m here.

We spent the morning cutting back the bourgainvilleas and generally clearing areas where building work will be done next year. The cooler weather made it much more possible. This afternoon we have had a lovely, long swim in a sea which is now almost deserted. Absolute bliss.

1st September, 2012

Happy September.

A lovely day – warm but not excessively so. Started the day with a phone call to the architect, downloading the newspaper and then going shopping.

Thought about doing work but decided it is Saturday and there was newspaper reading, lunch and football on television. Today the early match starts at 2.45 pm -West Ham v Fulham. Fulham were woeful and West Ham won 3-0.

Went down for a quick swim. The air temperature was showing 29C/84F but the sea was decidedly chilly. Still, we felt better for the swim. Another match to come – Man. City v QPR – which feels like a known result already.

19th August, 2012

The Sunday Times took two hours to download to the iPad this morning which rather destroyed the work we were going to do. Strong winds made it gritty and unpleasant sitting outside but at least the temperature was down a bit – only 28C/82F. The day turned in to a real ‘slobs’ day. Fresh coffee, newspapers, Premier League Football, catching up with correspondence on the web.

I always try to read my fellow Bloggers at some stage in the day. I start with The Skiathan and miss it if he’s not written. Actually today he left a message to say he was on holiday. I hope he doesn’t get blown away.

20th August, 2012

Got up this morning and the air felt almost Autumnal. There is a strong breeze which will hold temperatures down but there is an edge to the early morning which I associate with late September. At least the tourists will soon be gone and we can get back to ‘normal’ life.

Unfortunately heatwave is forecast to return from Thursday for five days. The Skiathan has drawn my attention to a report in Athens News saying June and July have been the hottest months in Athens since 1897 (Athens News) http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/13/57762

21st August, 2012

The wind is down earlier than forecast. We went to collect the post. Our credit cards weren’t in it. We went home and phoned the bank. I did this ten days ago and had an additional address (our Greek one) added to our file. Yes of course they would send replacement cards and not charge us for the £2500.00 that had been defrauded from it. The new cards would arrive on Sifnos within ten days. That is today. When I phoned using Skype, I was passed from pillar to post and suddenly became aware our Skype credit was running down. It is automatically renewed and charged to our credit card which had been cancelled. We have a £10,000.00 facility on that card but I couldn’t get £11.50 for the phone. Just in time, an answer came: I’m sorry, Sir. We Couriered your new cards to your home in Surrey. Thank goodness Pauline’s sister was able to nip round and get them into airmail tonight for Athens. They will be in our hands by Thursday or Friday.

Went out to Captain Andrea’s for a wonderful lunch and then our amanuensis brought tradesmen round to discuss work to be done in the Winter. We also needed to discuss developments going on around us for a submission to the Community.

22nd August, 2012

Mum’s birthday today.  She would have been 89.

The morning was still and reasonably cool so Pauline took the opportunity to repaint the balcony railings while I cleared some correspondence and then watered all the trees and cleared a bit of land. Pauline finished by 11.00 am and, by the time I finished at 12.30 am, the sun was very hot and the temperature was 32C/90F.

The lady at the Elinoil petrol station that we use gave us some cheese which her Mother had just made. It is delicious and we had it for lunch along with home grown tomatoes and basil and Pauline’s home made bread. It went well with an ice-cold bottle of Pinot Grigio. Pauline delivered a lecture on drinking too much wine and I hummed the Italian National Anthem – Il Canto degli Italiani  – or the chant of the Italians.

After a snooze, we went down for a swim. It was wonderful, clear, cool water. The beach was decidedly quiet for the middle of August. It feels like the Season is winding down already.

23rd August, 2012

Pleasant temperature over night but the morning indicated that temperatures are rising again. As we drive out at 8.45 am, the thermometer shows 30C/86F. Collected post, downloaded the newspaper and then went up to the bank (because our new cards haven’t arrived yet) to get some money. We had coffee at Prego and looked out over Anti-Paros and Paros. How close they are. You feel you can almost reach out and touch them and yet the ferry takes so long.

Called in at the Community Offices and then off to the butcher for some wonderful beef steaks. Supermarket and home. Later, as we walked on to the beach at 4.00 pm, the temperature had reached, locally, 34C/92F but in Athens was reading 37C/98F. They are expecting 40-41C over the next few days and we will feel the knock-on effect.

Mother Cat has been missing for three days but was back this morning loudly demanding breakfast at 7.00 am.. She has slept under the rosemary bush most of the day. She asked for food again at 6.00 pm and then flaked out under the dining table on the patio. When I opened the window to speak to her, a baby kitten shot off a dining chair and out into the garden. Now we know what she’s been up to!

24th August, 2012

Mother Cat proudly paraded her new off-spring late last night but this morning appeared to have lost him/her. At 7.00 am she was fast asleep on the patio but by 7.30, she was anxiously and unsuccessfully calling for her off-spring.

Lovely day although you can tell it is going to be hot. A bit of painting today before the sun gets round to the front.

As Greek Prime Minister, Samaras, prostitutes himself around Europe begging for time and leniency, the Greeks themselves refuse to help. The Athens News has reported that businesses are stealing VAT by keeping it for themselves and not passing it on to the Government:

They quote certain islands but, to be frank, it could go anywhere in Greece and find this. The ordinary Greeks just don’t seem to have cottoned on that these businesses are stealing their money, the money that would pay for their health service and their pensions. It’s not that these hoteliers and restaurateurs don’t charge VAT. They do but then put it straight into their own pockets. On Hydra, when the tax inspectors arrested a restaurant owner for not issuing receipts, the islanders rose up against the tax inspectors. Absolutely bonkers.

As Europe absorbs Greece into its economy, they must send their own tax inspectors and house/land inspectors. Just as in the UK where property was checked individually and assessed for house tax, so Greeks must have theirs individually assessed and accurate with individual tax assessments issued. Greece is small. It wouldn’t take long. If Greeks want to survive in the modern world, they have to obey the modern law.

25th August, 2012

Up at 6.00 am and after tea but no toast we went down to a very quiet port by 7.30 am to download the newspaper. By 8.00 am we were parked outside the periptero waiting for our friend. Chatted to the Street Cleaner who, by this time in the day, had finished his job and was going for coffee. What he does do is put two, so-called intellectuals to shame. Our Greek is minimal and he is fluent in three languages having hardly gone to school. He speaks fluent English and Italian as well as his native Greek. Took a few photos as we waited. We rarely go down in to the port in peak season.

   

We drove back up to the house to meet the waller and the plumber. They are close friends and were coming back to complete some security work at the top of our land today but also to discuss a job they are both going to do for us next year. An hour or so and it was all done. We were free to go shopping. Ironically, we met three or four people in the supermarket who we were intending to contact about jobs. Very useful!

Back home to read the newspaper, drink fresh coffee and relax. The first football match today was the early kick-off for Swansea v West Ham.. Of course, we all hate West Ham. and Swansea played them off the park.

12th August, 2012

I’m ashamed to say that I spent the day reading The Sunday Times while Pauline was painting the side of the house. My excuse was that I was in atrial fibrillation for a couple of hours which made me feel rather shaky.

We watched the men’s marathon with incredible admiration, had a swim but I only ‘bobbed’ and then after a delicious beef stir fry which my wonderful wife conjured up, we settled down for the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. I have to say I was rather disappointed. Maybe being forty years younger would have helped but The Who? I couldn’t stand The Who when they were alive. I certainly didn’t appreciate them at 2.00 am, as it was in Greece at the end of the show.

 

13th August, 2012

We spent the morning pruning bushes. By the time it got too hot to go on, I could hardly feel my arms. Quite oppressively hot by 1.00 pm. Long swim and then cooked sweet & sour pork spare ribs with rice pilaf.

Did some writing before going to bed early and sleeping really well. Trying to catch up from Sunday night. I don’t cope with late nights as well nowadays. When I was younger, I used to revel in them.

14th August, 2012

Up early again and down for the post and to download the newspaper. Spent the morning in Apollonia with our amenuensis meeting various people to pay bills, check on water drill developments, legal matters, etc.. Really enjoyed the morning. Left our friend up there at the Medical Centre. Came home for coffee. 33C/92F.

The day got hotter and the movement of air became less. When we finished an hour in the sea at 5.45 pm, the temperature was 33F/92C. We had chicken and chips with lemon sauce for our meal. Coffee on the patio whilst star gazing and discussing how we’d use the £148,000,000.00 that one English couple have won on the Euro Lottery. All those lovely people who have gone out of their way to help us would get a share.

Wake up! Wake up!

15th August, 2012

On the 15th of August, The Virgin Mary is celebrated with large festivals all over Greece. While I have absolutely no interest in that, it does mean that the blood testing centre is closed and I will have to put mine off for a day.

16th August, 2012

Bugger the Virgin Mary, I’m off for my blood test today after collecting the post and downloading the newspaper. Quite a busy morning. Got the new electricity bills – we have two, one for the house and one for the pump. From the latter, we manage to work out what our House Tax will be. In England we pay about £1750.00 + £1750.00 service charge = £3500.00 0r  €4100.00. In Greece our House Tax will be €240.00 per year. Now you can’t argue with that although so many Greeks do!

The Medical Testing Centre is privately funded and run by the most delightful chap who used to work in Brussels as a chemist. Currently, he sells bread in his spare time. He speaks excellent English but is always keen to learn new words. To pump up the vein for the extraction of blood, it is necessary to squeeze and release, squeeze and release one’s fist. What do you call this action, he asked a few weeks ago? Clench, I said. Clench? What is this Clench? In my automatic teacher way to help him remember it I said, In England we say, Clench your buttocks. What is this Buttocks? When I explained, he laughed but didn’t forget. Now, when I go behind the curtain which is the only thing separating us from all the other patients in the waiting room, as he is about to plunge the needle into my arm, he says very loudly, CLENCH YOUR BUTTOCKS! Fortunately, the only other English speaker on the other side of the curtain is usually my wife who is in on the joke.

Today, on the other side of the curtain sat a portly lady who, it turns out, speaks perfect English and who teaches modern Greek at Cambridge University. When I did my standard joke of coming into the waiting room from behind the curtain having been stabbed by the baker’s needle, screaming and with my arm dangling lifelessly at my side, the portly lady looked a little concerned. She kept getting calls on her mobile from her teenage children. Suddenly, she turns to me and asks, What time is it in England? I’m sure she knew really and I was very tempted to reply, Clench your buttocks, but I resisted it. We established that it was ‘A Levels’ day in UK and two of her children were waiting results which she announced very loudly as 3 A*s and, tut,tut, 2As + B. We didn’t stay for her to give blood or her buttocks to be clenched or as the baker is now learning, UNCLENCHED.

We went to the Cafe Prego for frappes and a meeting with our architect. It’s funny but so many Greek friends say we shouldn’t have so many lights on at night. The architect’s first observation was that we should put all our lights on because it’s dark where we live. I love that cafe. Today, after all these years, I got into conversation with the waitress who, it turned out, had been born and lived in America for the first few years of her life. We went in to the Bank to talk to Piggi about the automatic payment of our second electricity bill.

Later we phoned the testing centre to see if the baker was still obsessed with clenching. My INR was back in to perfect territory at 2.3 and I was looking forward to reporting that to Woking Hospital. I tried for hours to Skype them but only got a recorded message. In Huddersfield, the patient group was so small, the testers called us by our first names and discussed their families with us. In Woking, they are so under pressure, they won’t even notice that I haven’t reported my test. I’m just grateful that I have more than a six month supply of drugs and it is all free.

17th August, 2012

The past few days have been so glorious that one could imagine living here for ever – well, until one dies as Kevin reminded me. I must find a burial place. Now I wonder who could help me with that?

Looking forward to the start of the Premier League on Saturday particularly now we’ve bought Van Persie. On Nova TV I will see:

• Newcastle v Spurs
• West Ham v Aston Villa
• Fulham v Norwich
• QPR v Swansea
• West Brom. v Liverpool
• Wigan v Chelsea
• Man. City v Southampton
• Everton v Man. Utd.

They are replayed over the week so I always have a football match to watch when I’m bored.

18th August, 2012

Cooler day today – 29C/84F with blustery winds. Did the major weekly shop and then returned to read The Saturday Times. We went swimming although the water was on the chilly side and then came home to cook a meal before the football started. Newcastle v Spurs today. I was delighted to watch Newcastle win and amused to see their manager sent to the stands for a minor push on the linesman or fourth official. Watched the last third of a boring, 0-0 draw between Arsenal and Sunderland. Man. City being beaten 6-0 by Southampton tomorrow.

5th August, 2012

We are heading for another heatwave. After a quiet day reading the Sunday newspapers, we went for a swim. The water was like nectar, cool and clear. I could have drunk it. As we walked back to the car at 5.00 pm, the temperature showed 35C/95 F. Had an enjoyable evening watching the Athletics at the Olympics.

Received an email from Rizwan – one of the last teachers I appointed before I retired. He is now married and teaching in a British School in Riyadh. He seems very happy and enjoying his job. He tells me that his third child is due any day. How time flies. I haven’t seem him since I retired in April  2009.

6th August, 2012

We are definitely heading for another heatwave. The forecasts are for 37C/99F on the island by Tuesday and 42C/107F in Athens at that time. We washed down our drive of all the soil and dust that was displaced by the first phase of landscaping work we had done. We used the pump water rather than the pressure washer. We also flushed out the storm culvert we drive over to get on to the road. We have taken widespread advice and we and others will be closely monitoring any attempt to open up old wells above us if it puts our own in jeopardy. Apparently, the Community Office has to be notified and has recently denied many applications particularly to those who have tried to do it quietly and secretly. We have three separate people on alert to monitor it for us if we are away and they will contact the Community. It makes us feel quite humble how people have rallied round to help us without concern for the consequences. We are expecting the stone man back shortly.

New ferry timetable this week:

7th August, 2012

Hot, hot day today. The car read 34C/93F in the garage at 8.30 this morning. We went down to collect the post and download the paper and then back for toast. Our amenuensis phoned at 10.00 am and was still on the phone at 11.00 am.. We had toast and fresh coffee and read the paper on the terrace. We knew the temperature was going up  but even in the shade under the pergola, the heat was oppressive. We were intending to leave the painting and drive down to Hersonissos to swim and have lunch but decided it was just too hot. Heat can make one apathetic. We put together a lovely snack lunch of tomatoes straight from our own garden with cucumber, Danish Blue cheese, wonderful slices of salami and some iced, white wine and soda. It was delightful.

Our next door neighbour in Surrey, General Victoria Wellington, contacted us today. She had just retired from the army when we first met her. She is a very nice woman but we haven’t really got to know each other well yet because either we are in Greece or she is abroad playing golf. Already, she is thinking of selling her property. It won’t be difficult. She’ll probably have to fight buyers off or hold an auction. She hopes to move to be closer to her elderly Mum in Nottinghamshire, I think. Pity because she is an interesting person that we would like to get to know better.

Glorious swim at about 5.00 pm in Kamares Bay with the temperature touching 36C/97F. The sea was cooling and crystal clear. As we walked back over the sand dunes to the car, all the benefit of the sea was dissipated by the stifling heat. Showers, a glass of icy white wine and Pauline’s chicken stir-fry followed by a bit of Olympic athletics before we retreated to our lovely, air-conditioned bedroom.

8th August, 2012

INR check this morning after downloading the newspaper. Still not on an even keel. Back next week. Met an interesting old Greek-American who had arrived from Serifos. Quite a trip for a blood test. Aren’t I lucky? In a bored moment, I was looking around the walls of the tiny testing centre that can seat six people and I suddenly realised English holiday resorts were staring at me:

Lovely half hours with friends in Prego Cafe sipping frappe and then back home to escape the heat.  Came home and made our own, delicious frappe for about a tenth of the price. The thing about drinking them at home is that you can make rude noises draining your glass with a straw without half the island staring disapprovingly at you.

Swimming was just wonderful again. It is so much improved by the absence of the Poison Dwarf on the beach these evenings.

9th August, 2012

There is little or no movement of air. I don’t think the night temperature fell much below 30C/88F. We are desperate to jump in the shower as soon as we get up. Thank goodness we have one each. A cup of tea and out for the post and to download the newspaper. The narrow road through the back street which leads down on to the beach road is getting more and more congested. We are lucky to get through without some careful manoeuvring.  The heat dictates another restful day of swimming and drinking liquid. I’m having to make sure all the trees get extra water today as well.

10th August, 2012

Thought it was going to feel cooler today but no such luck. Pauline did a bit of painting – the whole of the front of the house is now complete – while I watered all the trees. I also picked a large bowl of peppers from the garden.

Inspite of the Poison Dwarf’s machinations, Moshca & Apostolis have continued to be lovely as has Margarita. Today, George, who was delivering for the supermarket, went out of his way to park up and come up for a chat. He is such a pleasant, intelligent lad (man). I still think of him as a lad because I’ve known him since he was in short trousers but, in truth, he has grown in to a fine man.

The heat is really affecting our appetite. Apart from toast for breakfast, we lived on a huge bowl of fresh fruit today. We picked more figs and ate them with wonderful peaches, apricots, plums and grapes. I’m in danger of losing weight.

11th August, 2012

At last the oppressive, sticky weather has lifted. It is still 30C/88F but feels so much more comfortable. As I walked into Kamares to download my newspaper, Papa Boulis stopped his van, got out with his brother, Kiki’s husband, and shook my hand and wished me “Good Morning”. We remember him as a youngish man in the early 1980s working so hard in his restaurant by the sea. He was probably early forties and we were late twenties. It was definitely the place to go and eat in those days. It was packed out every night. Boulis would charge around like a sweating bull, losing his temper with impatient customers. That restaurant became a cafe. The Boulis restaurant re-opened away from the sea and was never the same again.

Did a big supermarket shop today but when Pauline came to pay, her credit card was refused by the terminal which just said, “Phone Bank”. We paid cash and when we got home. I phoned the card company and was immediately put through to the Fraud Department. The fraudster started at 1.30 am (UK time) by spending two lots of 11p. Then they bought something on an American website for £350.00 and followed that by another purchase on the same site for £1,400.00. After that they topped up their mobile phone and, when they did that for a second time in four hours, the credit card company realised fraud and stopped the card. Fortunately, we are not liable for what amounts to nearly £2000.00 of charges but we are having to have new cards rushed out to us. Luckily, we have other credit card accounts as well.