Sanders Blog

Week 278

20^TH April,2014

Last night we went to bed around 11.30 pm and heard the beach being blown up at about midnight. It was only a small explosion by previous years’ standards but it was audible.

We are not remotely religious. Easter used to mean holidays. Now it means the shops are closed and television schedules are more dire than usual. Nowhere could this be more true than Greece. We had a few visitors today with Easter presents but, otherwise, it was an ordinary gardening day. Actually, we went out to download the Sunday newspaper and we cooked a leg of lamb for Dinner but in all other aspects we didn’t acknowledge the calendar at all. We certainly felt better for it. How confining it must be to be tied in to those ancient rituals. Even so, some still need them and they have our pity.

21st April,2014

A noticeably warmer, gardening day. We are getting on quite well with the work. We have been here a week and away from England for two. It feels like a lifetime already. All this fresh and garden labour is driving my weight down again. I was hoping to keep these clothes for the duration but I may have to order new before October.

22^nd April,2014

Warmer even at 7.00 am today. 23C/71F registers first thing. The wind is coming from Africa and the temperatures are set to rise. We may actually turn the underfloor heating off today.

A busy morning will start with downloading the newspaper to the iPad, visiting the Post Office to collect a parcel. I must say, they have become very efficient now. Our 60 Kgs in three parcels that we posted the day before we left England was reasonably cheap to send and arrived days before we did. I hear my friend, Giannis, has gone back there temporarily so I’m hoping to see him. He contacted me a couple of times in Surrey over the mum winter. We will go on to see the Notary in her ‘new’ premises. They have a lovely view. We met there before Easter. We will go to the café to upload this Blog. I am going to speak to Cosmote too, hopefully, organise Internet on the Go and top up Pauline’s phone. A bit of shoping and then back to garden clearance in the afternoon.

The newspapers are full of David Moyes’ impending doom. Personally, I would still like to see him given more time but it’s a cut-throat business. If Ferguson hadn’t been given time, the long era of triumph would have been stillborn!

23^rd April, 2014

Out early but our parcel has not arrived yet. The reason is probably Easter delays. Working temporarily at the Post Office again, Giannis is sorting me out with a new (5^th) mobile internet, USB stick. The new one is much improved and includes wi-fi reception. I know most wi-fi passwords in the locality so that will be helpful. I might opt for 20Gb instead of 10Gb this year although it may be a bit of an indulgence. We have quite a bit of news from and for the Notary at the moment so we are going to be seeing plenty of each other over the next few weeks. She tells us that her children loved our Easter presents and have declared us their favourite English people.

It was almost mid day by the time we got back to the house. It already felt like quite a full day. We decided to go out for Lunch. We drove down to Miropi restaurant. We had already had a nice chat with Apostolis (who also looked like he’d lost weight over the Winter) and now we were warmly greeted by Moshka who has always been a friendly favourite of ours. We met Nikos’ fiancé. She looked a nice girl. Her father, an electrician, helped us last year. We also had a lovely, long chat with Christos and his brother at the cafe. They were warm and spent some time trying to persuade us not to sell our house and hoping we will commit to the island for years to come. There are so many, lovely people on this island.

We hadn’t been home long when there was a light, respectful tapping on the front door. It was a courier delivering our parcel from Surrey.

24^th April, 2014

Pauline gets her State Pension today. It comes round so quickly and always makes us laugh. She gets £451.04 every four weeks not every month. It is a small amount but better that a poke in the eye with a sharp stick as the saying goes. It almost pays our Grocery Bill which is helpful. When I get my State Pension in just under two year’s time, I will receive £640.00 (at today’s value) per four week period which will boost our income to around £1100.00 every four weeks on top of our Teachers’ Pensions. We have Greek island friends who would be very happy to have £1100.00 (€1300.00) as their full pension for a month. It would be nice to help them.

It is thirty years since I completed a research M.A. in the History of Ideas. It was research into late nineteenth century left wing thought. I did it while I was working full time. Now I’m retired, I’ve decided to challenge myself to some research in political thought through history. I am going to discipline myself to review the timeline of political thought development from Confucius, Plato and Aristotle to the current day. I will review things in my Blog as I deal with them intellectually so, be warned. When I get back to England, I will continue with my book about life on a small and very parochial Greek Island and the fascinating characters who people it.

25^th April, 2014

Had two lots of potential buyers round the house yesterday, both for second viewings. They came with the Notary who we are getting to know very well. We are back to see her again this morning to sort out the required Energy Efficiency Report for the house and fill out the Well Registration forms. Paper, paper, paper – just what ex-teachers love!

It’s a beautiful day and I would rather be spending time in the garden but these are important matters to resolve. Maybe there will be time this afternoon. Did my INR test yesterday and it was at its optimum of 2.5 which is wonderful. Nowadays, I email the UK hospital and they reply within an hour with Dosage Advice. It’s a fantastic service.

I came out in a shirt and sweater this morning and, already, it is too hot. Met Giannis outside Prago Café this morning and he said my Mobile Internet stick and contract is ordered, payed for and on its way. He will phone us in on Monday to collect it. Wonderful. Thank goodness for that. The Notary has offered us free use of her wi-fi whenever we want. We are almost living with the Notary at the moment. She has been wonderful. We spent two hours with her this morning. We’ve set up the Energy Efficiency survey, completed the Well Registration, taken it to Nik in the Community Office and had it accepted. The process involved half a dozen phone calls including two to the plumber. Nik did a search on Google Earth for the co-ordinates and everything was filed probably never to be seen again. As he pointed out, this is as much to stop people opening new wells/bores or re-opening old ones without permission as it is about licensing working ones.

I’ve uploaded this on Pragonet which is lovely. They make good coffee and Pauline has a huge cheese pie which makes me feel sanctimoniously good. We ate out last night after a stressful/exciting day. We had chicken souvlaki and grilled vegetables. Pauline had bread. We did drink a little wine. Today will be a light one with fish and salad.

26th April, 2014

Up at 6.30 am today. It is a delicious, warm morning. It will be spent in the garden. Later, there are two football matches to watch and three more tomorrow. I’m going to get so fit.

Week 277

6th April, 2014

Happy Birthday to me…….Got a nice birthday card from Ruth which gave me pleasure. It was the only physical one. Pauline wished me Happy Birthday at midnight and again at 5.00 am when a house alarm went off somewhere in the neighbourhood.

Of course, at 63, I am becoming an Old Thing although my mind is still fairly young.

8^TH April,2014

We were up at 5.00 am and out of the house by 6.00 am. We were setting out on our fifteenth consecutive drive to Greece or our twenty ninth crossing of the Continent of Europe. We drove to the Tunnel – just over an hour – caught an early train and drove on. Always, when we get to this point, we are both thinking about what we’ve forgotten. Six months is a long time to be without something we need.

We drove off in Calais at 9.00 am after having put our watches forward one hour. This is the second hour we have lost in a week have put the clocks forward in UK last Sunday. We have a lovely, two and a half hour journey to the Cathedral and Champagne city of Reims. We are staying at the Hotel de la Paix in the city centre. We find it easily with our sat. nav. and drive into their underground carpark. It is only about 1.30 pm and we haven’t pushed it. We had two stops for petrol and coffee.

The hotel is lovely and we are soon swimming in their indoor pool and trying out their sauna and steam rooms. Much refreshed, we have some wine and and some nibbles and wait for Dinner. While we wait, we watch their only British TV channel – BBC1. Dinner is excellent. We had a salad and roast loin of cod (cabillaud). It fills us and we are soon in bed to prepare for the next leg.

9^TH April,2014

We don’t usually eat breakfast but we have a cup of tea in our room and are ready for leaving before 9.00 am. We are driving to Mulhouse (Muloose) in Alsace. We have stayed there many times and like it. A four hour drive with stops got us there for around 2.30 pm. Same routine in this Holiday Inn. We checked in, unpacked, booked a table for Dinner and then went down to the deserted indoor pool and gym. We swam for the best part of an hour and then went back to our room.

At 7.30 pm we went for Dinner in their excellent restaurant. Salad and Knucke of Pork roasted in beer and honey. It was really high quality cooking. We don’t have Sweet but go back to our room for coffee and watch the remorseless questioning of Pistorious. It is such a determined, step by step questioning that I am beginning to believe I might have killed myself. I don’t know why he doesn’t just throw his hands up and plead guilty andput us all out of our misery.

10^TH April,2014

From our bedroom window in Mulhouse, we could see the French Alps. There was snow on them. This was the first time we’ve seen snow in the 2013-14 season. In fact, this is the first year out of the 36 we’ve been married that we have seen no snow in England.

As we set off on our five hour drive, we are soon at the Swiss Border. We don’t really like Switzerland although the scenery is quite pleasant. The roads are awful and have been for the past fifteen years. Lane closures without warning, narrow lanes, multicoloured road markings, terrible drivers who never move over. It really isn’t pleasant. To cap it all, they stop us at the Border and grumpily charge us €40.00 for a vignette giving us the privilege of driving on their terrible tarmac.

The weather is hot and sunny as we approach the 17 km Ghottardo Tunnel. We are amazed to see, however, for the first ever time in our fifteen year’s experience, the mountains are thick with snow right down to the roads. We are amazed. It isn’t as if we are earlier this year. We go round the lakes – Lake Luzern is the first major after Basel and then Lake Maggiore on one side and Lake Como on the other. Then we hit the Milan ring road just at the end of rush hour. That’s fun. On past Piacenza and, after just about five hours we arrive at another of our favourite stopovers – Holiday Inn Express Parma.

No pool here but the Desk Clerk is called Elvis. Really, no one looks less like Elvis than Elvis Montiano but his parents decreed it. We unpack, log on to the internet and check our emails, watch BBC News and then go out for a walk in the sunshine. Dinner tonight was a sinful cheese and spinach pancake followed by veal which was just a little rare for Pauline.

11^TH April,2014

The last leg of Western Europe is a three hour drive past Modena, Bologna, Forli, Cesena, Rimini (skirting San Marino) and to the port of Ancona. We are there well in time. Our drive has been relaxing and without incident. The weather has been good throughout since we left Surrey on Tuesday and the traffic has been relatively light. This is the beauty of travelling out of Peak Season. Even our ferry tickets are half price what they would be in July.

We check in at what looks like a Bus Station. Superfast ferries are our line of choice. They used to boast Italy –Greece in 18hrs. Now, because of the financial crisis, they cut their speed to save fuel and do it in 23hrs although, when we get on board, they use Greek time so our watches go forward for a third hour in two weeks. We are trying to avoid ferry-lag. To reward ourselves for having made it in one piece, we have a Luxury Cabin which is huge and contains a table, large sofa, arm chairs, a fridge stocked with goodies, a flat screen TV which receives BBC News throughout the whole trip down the Adriatic and a huge and very comfortable double bed. It also, of course, has a toilet and shower room.

We are taken to our cabin by a steward who explains the air conditioning controls and that we must close the curtains at dark. We are at the top and front of the ship with a large porthole window to see what is mainly just Adriatic sea. We go and buy a 24hr wireless internet pass for my i-Pad to receive emails and download the paper. It costs €5.00. In all the hotels en route, wi-fi has been free. At least, the satellite internet on board is strong and good quality. I can use it happily in the comfort of our cabin. One of the benefits of paying a large amount of money for a luxury cabin is to be served Breakfast free of charge in the A La Carte Restaurant. I would have thought free wi-fi would be a good addition. I wrote it in the suggestions box.

12^TH April,2014

The Superfast XII had already called at Igoumenitsa by the time we were breakfasting in the State Room on Fresh Orange Juice, Bacon & Eggs and Pauline had croissants. We turned into Patras harbour about 2.30 pm. When we got down to the ship’s garage, we found it almost deserted like the ship itself. We were soon off and driving out of the new, Patras Port towards Kaminia a bit further up the Peloponnese coast where we were staying at the Poseidon Palace Hotel. It’s a nice hotel in a lovely, quiet spot. We’ve stayed there four or five times since the Old Port closed. It has a wonderful pool and access to the sea. The restaurant is pleasant and the room is large and incredibly cheap off peak. It also has strong and free wi-fi which is an essential.

13^TH April,2014

Up early and settle the bill. Breakfast is huge buffet of bacon, sausage & eggs with lots of fresh coffee (could have had toast, doughnuts, chocolate croissants, fruit salad, etc..) although we were still full from the night before. By 7.30 am, we are on the road to Piraeus. We feel we own it. We are certainly paying a lot for its development through European Finance Initiatives. It was started four or five years ago but regularly ran out of money. A new tranche has been released and work is going on apace. It is beginning to resemble Switzerland because there are so many tunnels. At least it’s better than the death trap it is replacing. We know the route so well now that we are at Piraeus Docks well before 11.00 am. Collecting our tickets for Speed Runner, we are soon driving on board and in our seats.

I downloaded my newspaper in the hotel room and used the journey to Sifnos to read the main section of the Sunday Times. We snoozed a bit, watched TV a bit and had to fend off a beggar asking for money. It turned out to be Makis from the camping site on Sifnos. He gets me with practical jokes wherever I go. He is desperate for me to go round for coffee. I must do it soon.

We docked right on time just after 3.00 pm and drove to the house. It looked great and certainly was inside. Our friends had made sure of that. We later learned that two or three viewings by potential buyers had gone on in the last month before we arrived and they couldn’t believe that a house locked up for six months could stay so well maintained.

After unpacking the car which took about an hour, we showered, changed and went out to see Panos & Rania to eat at their restaurant. I had grilled chicken and grilled vegetables. It was lovely and felt as if we hadn’t been away.

14^TH April,2014

Woke up to two shocks. Friends phoned to say they would accompany us to the Community Offices because we have to register our well – our water source. Actually, it turns out not to be a major problem and will be completed before the May deadline. The next and most important thing was to go to see our friend at the Germanos technology shop. He contacted me a few times over the winter in Surrey and I was looking forward to seeing him again. I have known him for years from when he worked in the Post Office. What a shock, then, to find that just a week before we arrived Germanos had forced the closure of the shop on the grounds that it wasn’t generating enough business.

I usually purchase a six month contract for 10Gb per month mobile internet on a USB stick from Cosmote. My Germanos friend copes with any bills while I am away and I settle up with him. Now I have to phone Cosmote direct and get someone to speak English to deal with me direct or we go to Germanos on Milos which is a bit of a hike.

15^TH April,2014

Another problem that arose yesterday was the washing machine. It was the cheapest model in the shop when we bought it eight years ago because we only used it for six or so weeks a year. Now it is doing six months washing at a stretch and seemed to have failed didn’t really surprise us. The programmes worked although there was one, small problem. It would take in water which can be a problem for a washer. I had turned the water supply on. I unscrewed the connecting pipe but could see no problem. We agreed to buy a new machine tomorrow. I tried to reattach the supply pipe so there were no leaks over night, pushed the washer back into its place in the Laundry and forgot it. An hour or so later, Pauline thought she would give it one more try and, unbelievably, it worked perfectly. Our activities had dislodged a blockage of dried and crusted soap powder from the water inlet valve and our eight year old, very cheap washing machine jumped into action. Two full wash programmes later, it was working as if it was new. They don’t make them like that anymore – at least not in Greece!

16^TH April,2014

Woke up early after a weird dream this morning. I never dream – or at least I am never aware of any of them. I get to sleep very easily and am dead to the world until the alarm goes at 6.00 am. Tis dream was bizarre because I was back in school, walking down corridors I had walked many times but not for the past five years. I was pushing a trolley. I’ve no idea why. Suddenly, I was outside in the street still pushing my trolley – a book trolley I think – I couldn’t find my way back into the school. Is there some deep meaning hidden there?

Did our second, big supermarket shop this morning so we now have all we need to get through the Easter weekend. Our lovely friend, Flora, took the trouble to contact us in Surrey and we looked forward to seeing her again. We get wonderful oranges from her father’s garden for my morning juice. We had coffee at the cafe and used their wi-fi to collect and send emails. A friend contacted Cosmote in Athens and we look like ordering a 20GB mobile internet stick to get us through the year. Things are gradually sorting themselves out.

We drove home and, after coffee, set about cleaning the patio with a real will. All this effort is already driving my weight down. I have now lost 54 Kgs and it is really beginning to show. All the clothes I left here last Summer look like huge sacks on me. Don’t say anything. I know they did anyway.

For our meal today, Pauline cooked Tarragon Roast Chicken with peppers and onions and a wonderful sauce. We had yoghurt and a plum sauce she had cooked. A lovely meal to grace a lovely day.

17^TH April,2014

Woke up early today to the sound of torrential rain on the roof. There was a heavy, low cloud falling over the mountain opposite our house and water spouting from the rooftops. Fresh orange juice and tea for breakfast and we put the underfloor heating on because it felt a little chilly. It certainly feels colder than we did in Surrey. We are still struggling to sort an internet connection out even with help from friends.

Today, at Café Prago, we trawl through the Cosmote site and realise it can all be done on line. I will phone them tomorrow to iron out the details and then buy a 20Gb USB stick and contract and soon, we will be cooking with gas. (or surfing with electricity.

18^TH April,2014

Had the underfloor heating on again this morning. A bit of a nip in the air outside. The only reason to mention it is that we are in danger of using the heating more in Greece than in Surrrey this yyear. Spoke to Cosmote this morning on the phone. We will be up and running with mobile internet soon and we will top up our Greek mobile at the same time. That done, we went up to the Butcher’s shop in Apollonia and bought 8 x large Pork Chops, 4 x Beef Steaks, a Fresh Chicken and a whole, fresh Mounara cheese. Everything is so cheap. Large Pork Chops cost less than £4.00 for two. Wonderful Beef Steaks cost £6.70 for four. These are prices that people dream of in Surrey.

We went on to Mario’s supermarket to buy staples – 8 x bags of dried, skinless chickpeas. We know from experience that they go missing during the Summer and are not replaced. Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, mushrooms, oranges for Breakfast juice. We gave Flora Easter presents for her children. We have them for the children of about ten of our friends & helpers.

This afternoon, we will complete the cleaning of our windows, shutters and patio and then start on clearing weeds from the garden. Let’s hope it stays dry.

19^TH April,2014

We were woken up by a huge clap of thunder at 3.30 a.m. followed by a massive lightning flash. There was very little subsequent rain. Pauline struggled to get back to sleep but I went out like a light as usual.

Today we began garden clearing of annual (flowers) weeds depending on how you view them. It will do us good and keep us occupied for a couple of weeks.

Week 276

30th March, 2014

Despite losing an hour, we were up early and out to do the week’s shop at the supermarket. It’s still very busy – probably with people planning barbecues in this lovely weather. It was 19C/66F at 8.00 am and forecast to be the warmest day so far this year.

Back home, we are still unpacking from our Yorkshire trip. I’ve got letters to write to people we met and we’ve still to prepare for our trip to France a week after next. We are going to Reims hopefully via Arras. I’m really looking forward to it.

Reims embodies the Champagne Region and I’m looking forward to visiting a Champagne House like the one below. It’s also where the Germans signed their acceptance of surrender terms in 1945.

There is also the famous cathedral, of course, where they took the trouble to carve images of Pauline and I in stone. We still look quite good!

31st March, 2014

Lovely, mild day to say ‘Goodbye to March, 2014. We will never see it again other than in our dreams. Did a quick trip to Tesco’s and then called in on Phyllis & Colin to deliver the pies. Colin didn’t look well. I think he is suffering at the moment. Let’s hope the pies perk him up. Pauline has set me a whole string of ‘office’ tasks today including scanning in and cataloguing a pile of documents. She obviously is embracing the idea of a ‘paperless office’.

Pauline is washing and ironing with a view to our French trip in ten days or so. We might meet sometime today if she lets me out of the Study.

1st April, 2014

Happy New Month and Welcome to April.

Right on cue for April Fools, the boiler had broken down in the Energy Centre and it was cold showers all round. We had to be out by 9.00 am for Pauline’s haircut so there was no time to prevaricate. Someone else contacted the Management Company to get it fixed.

2nd April, 2014

Had to go to the dentist to have my temporary cap replaced. My dentist is in Westminster (Pimlico actually!). When I was about 13, I read a short story called The Pimlico Kid. It was a thriller type plot set in smog-bound central London. Ironically, someone published a ‘first’ novel with exactly that title last year. Equally ironically, central London was forecast to be smog bound today with Saharan dust. Actually, it wasn’t bad and the temperature was a balmy 21C/70F. Men were walking round in shorts. I was in shirt sleeves and without a coat.

The trip to the dentist is a little longer than we would prefer – a 30 minute train journey from West Byfleet to Waterloo and then two tube journeys each of two stops to Pimlico. It’s very easy really and today’s journey saved me about £400.00. In Woking the Dentist offered a cap on private Dentistry for £650.00 but at her NHS practice in Pimlico, she would do it for £250.00. We’ve really enjoyed going there and, today, it took three and a half hours door to door return including the treatment. I’m not a great fan of trains but this was excellent.

3rd April, 2014

Today is the fifth anniversary of our leaving work in Education and joining the What shall we do today? group. Although the time has flown by, we still don’t feel completely adjusted to idleness. Never mind! Someone’s got to do it so it might as well be us. Just heard that the bloke who succeeded us at the replacement Academy has just been sacked (moved on) for inappropriate treatment of a pupil. It’s not a world for old men or even for me.

Had the burglar alarm system serviced this morning. Life doesn’t get much more exciting than that. The service engineers employed by our firm all seem to be chosen for their stature – tall enough to do the work without needing a ladder. We pay £250.00 per year for a response alarm system which is serviced twice a year by Custom Security Services.

4th April, 2014

Today, as we walked out into warm, early Summer sunshine, we looked at the gardens around our house. The flowering cherry trees were just coming into flower bud at this time last year. This year, the trees have flowered wonderfully and dropped and are now getting on with growing. Everywhere, Spring is finished at least a month earlier than last year. For at least two weeks, the fields have been decorated with May Blossom from the end of March.

Birds around here have already nested are getting on with the job of egg production.

5th April, 2014

We are on a short trip to visit our French friends in a week and Pauline is busy washing, ironing and preparing. I’m taking my computer for its annual service on Tuesday so I’m spending the weekend cleaning it up. I have Bank Account logins, Investment Account logins, ISA Logins, etc. which I wouldn’t like anyone else getting access to so I have to back them up and clear them from my machine.

Our near neighbour, a lad in his early 30s, went out in a suit yesterday and came back with a bouquet of flowers.

We couldn’t believe it. We met his Mum. She was younger than us. It has shaken us both.

It is only the first week of April but so warm outside this evening that we sat outside around 9.00 pm and shared a glass of red wine to usher out my 62 year. It was delightful and every moment like that must be savoured.

Week 275

23rd March, 2014

A bright, sunny, warm day which we spent indoors working on cleaning, tidying and research. We did receive a lovely card from Sifnos friends which had been delivered to the wrong apartment and was brought round this morning.

The weather is forecast to turn colder soon, particularly in the North where we will be venturing. I think there was some snow in Lancashire/Yorkshire this evening.

24th March, 2014

The travelator of time is hurtling the future towards us. It will soon be April and I will soon be 63. What fun!

A relatively chilly 11C/51F outside. Only going out to the Health Club today. Greece is in the low 20sC/69F.

25th March, 2014

We’ve got two trips in the offing. This week we are going to Yorkshire and, in two weeks we are visiting Reims in France. I’m looking forward to them both. We’ll need some Euros for France and they’re currently being sold at £1.00 = €1.165. Must buy some soon. Will it go up or down? Who knows?

Been out this morning to underscore some research – to get it straight from the horse’s mouth. Well, actually, we discussed the family relations with Pauline’s sister, Phyllis. It was brilliant. She not only remembered some, long dead characters but produced photos of some as well. You can always rely on very old people!

Here is a photograph from the first year of World War 1 showing Pauline’s Grandfather, John William and her Father, Philip.

What a tale it tells and what a changing world they were about to experience.

26th March, 2014

Up at 5.00 am and out at 6.00 am. The M25 was quiet and the M1 was fine. We arrived in Oldham via Holmfirth and Meltham, by 10.00 am. The weather was fine but cold. Just one stop for coffee and a banana. First stop was Joyce & Harry for a discussion about our research on the Farrow-Houldsworth family lines. Joyce & Harry were delightfully welcoming but chaotic on memory as usual.

Drove back across the Pennines and stopped on the tops to have a snack of tomatoes, celery and cold sausages before going to our hotel in Brighouse and checking in.

27th March, 2014

Yesterday we were up at 5.00 am and on the road by 6.00 am but that was planned. Today we were up at 7.15 am and in the car park by 7.20 am but that was totally unplanned. After a long day and still in the deep sleep of recovery, we were woken in our hotel bed by an almighty siren. We hadn’t ordered a wake-up call and, waking drowsily and slowly, I first thought it was the alarm on my iPad.

Of course, it wasn’t. The sound was shaking the walls of the whole hotel. We got dressed. Pauline was complaining loudly. I ventured out into the corridor to find the Fire Door open and a cold blast blowing towards me. We walked out of the hotel and into the car park as other guests joined us. Two fire engines were roaring up the drive and hotel staff with clipboards were ticking guests off their lists.

Fortunately, it was dry and not too cold and we soon walked back in through the front entrance with a strong smell of burnt toast lingering. Pauline, looking like she had been dragged through a hedge backwards but gorgeous, soon showered and dried her hair in case it happened again. Talk about shutting the stable door!

28th March, 2014

We didn’t get our early wake-up call today so no fire. Even so, we were up by 7.30 am and out on a meat pie hunt by 9.000 am. The pies are not for us but for Colin who pines for Lancashire grub. After a tour round Asda, and Sainsbury’s, we found just six in Tesco’s which will have to do for him.

We are going to see a new born baby this afternoon – first Granddaughter to one of our friends. Pauline took us into Next to buy baby clothes. I found it a remarkably enjoyable activity. We bought two outfits and this is one of them:

I meant to say Happy Birthday to Jane. I sent her an email saying:

After 60 there is no way back. Enjoy your day.
Love from sunny Yorkshire.

She mailed back:

I certainly will – as we’re in St Lucia where it’s glorious. Both the Times and Guardian apparently have my name in their birthday lists – think I’ll have to be dead for that to happen again!

29th March, 2014

Had a wonderful meal out with friends at the Olive Branch restaurant in Marsden.

Still feel full this morning. Up at 7.00 am and we will set off soon after 8.00 am.

The weather is warm and sunny – almost like early, English Summer. The drive back is delightful. The temperature outside has reached 21C/69F. The traffic is conspicuous by its absence and all is well with the world. We have done the drive in three and a half hours although the last ten miles on the M25 were difficult and frustrating. The first thing we say to each other as we leave the motorway and approach our home – Yorkshire, Surrey, they’re like two different worlds.

Week 274

16th March, 2014

It can’t last much longer but today has been glorious again with clear, blue skies and strong sunshine. The temperature has reached 20C/68F and the windows have been open all day. Pauline has been outside doing some garden tidying. In this weather, everybody has been outside somewhere.

Today we ordered a new Kindle E-Book Reader from Amazon. Pauline loves hers which is entering its fourth year and this is a newer, lighter and more powerful edition. She has literally hundreds of books on it. The real beauty of it is the free, 3G wireless internet connection which allows her to buy and download books and magazines but also to get email and even browse the web.

The Tablet, a leather cover and superfast charger all delivered in two days only cost £200.00. A Bargain! Pauline will get hours, days and years of happy reading from it. She can have one in the Lounge and one in the bedroom and they will both synchronise to open at the right page for her reading automatically.

17th March, 2014

The beautiful weather has gone! It was still here at 7.00 am but, as predicted, clouded over by 10.30 am. Fortunately, I stumbled across this infallible weather forecasting kit on Twitter.

We’ve reached 17C/62F this afternoon and it feels pleasant. The countryside surrounding our drive to the Health Club is a riot of optimistic colour.

18th March, 2014

A day of sun and cloud. The little cherry sapling planted outside our home is starting to come in to its own.

We haven’t seen snow or even cold weather this year. We are hoping that spell won’t be broken when we go up to Yorkshire in a week or so.

Our grounds were those of a Nineteenth Century Convent. All the planting is from the brooding, peaceful past. Deep in our wooded surrounds, huge Camellia trees are blossoming profusely but out of sight. Ever the intrepid explorer, I waded in with secateurs and brought back a bounty of pink and white blooms. Pauline trimmed them up and arranged them beautifully.

We touched 17C/63F this afternoon with pleasant, intermittent sunshine and one, brief, light shower. It has rained on five of the past ten March 18ths.

19th March, 2014

An overcast morning which is forecast to reach 17C/63F. We are leaving for a holiday in Yorkshire in a week or so and Pauline is organising our requirements while I am contacting friends to make arrangements to meet up. We’ve booked hotels and restaurants for reunion meals already. It is Budget Day in Britain so I will be glued to the Broadcast of the speeches at midday. With a election only just over a year away, we can expect some (bribes) giveaways.

As we drove away from the Health Centre this afternoon, the gauge on the dashboard reported 21C/69F outside. It certainly felt like Summer although are told there are cooler times ahead.

Certainly, the Budget warmed things up a little. The tax we pay doesn’t kick in until each person has earned £10,000.00 and that will increase by another £500.00 next year. The ISA, tax-free cash savings allowance is going up from £5,760.00 per year to £15,000.00 per person. Pauline & I can stash away £30,000.00 jointly per annum without paying tax. The Help to Buy Scheme which appears to be fuelling house prices down here is being extended to 2020. A new (4.0%) National Savings Bond will come in by 2015 to help savers. We will take this help and then vote Labour in next year. Ironically, Santander wrote to us today to say that our £24,000.00 at 4.0%, two year ISA would mature in May and be transferred into a 1.00% alternative which will be less than half the inflation rate.

20th March, 2014

Out early to the local hospital for an INR check to assure myself that my own machine is working accurately. This will be the third and last time this year. I agreed with my GP that I would have it serviced and recalibrated after 12 months. We were there at 6.40 am but only third in the queue. Home by 7.10 am.

I’ve got into a bad habit of watching a programme called Heir Hunters which is shown at 9.15 am each weekday. I could easily save it to watch later but it doesn’t seem to have the same enjoyment so Pauline had to wait until 10.00 am before we did they weekly trip to the supermarket. It was chaos – old people everywhere – and impossible to navigate the aisles without being mown down by a mad Granny!

The Camellias I scrumped a couple of days ago are really opening up to show their true glory.

21st March, 2014

A nice, sunny morning but not too warm at 10C/50F. My INR result has come back by email today and, pleasingly, is just within parameters. The Doctor has written asking me to contact him about the results of my 24hr ECG.

Today and for the rest of this weekend I will be researching the Farrow/Houldsworth side of Pauline’s family because we will be visiting relatives in Oldham when we stay in Yorkshire. Some are Primary Sources for our research and the time with them will be valuable. It’s going to be a busy few days.

Week 273

9th March, 2014

Summer has arrived. We are told that we will be warmer than Greece today and that everyone in the South is heading down to the beach. Can’t think of a better reason not to go there. The record High for this day is 15C/59F. At 10.00 am this morning, we have already exceeded it.

Happy Birthday to Catherine. I’ve made and sent her an e-card.

I was shocked to work out that, with all the age upgrades, she isn’t entitled to her State Pension until 2021 when she will be 66. However, looking as she does, it shouldn’t be a problem.

10th March, 2014

The media told us that we reached 20C/68F yesterday and it was certainly a warm night here. This morning opened a warm and sunny 15C/59F but clouded over by mid day as we were going out. We had an appointment at the Halifax to discuss moving ISA Funds in from Santander but they left us waiting for 20 minutes without explanation so we left giving them a flea in their ear as old people are inclined to do.

The Doctor’s Surgery phone me to say that my Blood results were back and fantastic. They are completely removing Pioglitazone and reducing my Metformin by 25%. There is actually a belief forming that, if I can lose four or five more stones in weight I could cease to be Diabetic. This will be fantastic although I’ll probably be dead from a heart attack. The results of the ECG will not be back for a while.

As we drove to the Health Club today, it was striking how a warm weekend has brought everything out. It was just waiting to display itself.

11th March, 2014

A rather overcast and cool morning for our trip to London. On this day last year, snow was falling in Surrey. Half an hour by train from West Byfleet to Waterloo followed by a couple of Tube journeys to Pimlico. I was visiting the Dentist in Chapter Street, Westminster. It looks innocuous enough but it cost us £8.00 for two coffees nearby.

Jane lives just across the river and, unbelievably, the Dentist lives just down the road from her and her Uncle lives in an Apartment in Imperial Court.

We left home at 10.00 and were home by 4.00 pm. We go back at the beginning of April to have the crown fitted.

12th March, 2014

A grey, chill start gave way to sun and 20C/68F by the afternoon. On this day last year, cars within twenty miles of here were stuck in thick snow. I know which I prefer.

We had a couple of trips out in the car to do shopping but sharp chest pains deterred me from visiting the Health Club today.

13th March, 2014

Beautiful, sunny day reaching 17C/63F. It seems to have shot past. Why does time do this to one’s life? After a series of fairly innocuous and mundane activities like shopping and walking in the sunshine, it’s suddenly tea time. There is something suspiciously wrong with the chronology of this world!

The evenings are staying lighter and lighter as March marches on. As I write, at 9.00 pm, the temperature outside is 16C/61F whereas Skiathos is only 14C/57 and Athens is a cold 9C/48F. All around us the gardens are full of heady Springtime. Blood red Camelias and pink tinged Magnolia jostle for the eye with Flowering Cherry and the carpets of daffodils. Mum would have loved it.

14th March, 2014

The day started off chilly and with fairly thick fog at 7.00 am but has soon given way to blue skies and beautiful sun. It is forecast to reach 16C/61F. This day in 2011, it was -5C/23F.

However, today is a sad one. It was announced this morning that one of my life’s heroes had left the world over night. Anthony Wedgewood Benn (Tony Benn) has died aged 88 years.

I suppose one shouldn’t be sad. He led a wonderful life and lived to a good age but it is always sad when a character of real influence departs. I was born in to an essentially middle class, Tory voting family, did an arts degree in English Literature and joined a middle class profession in Teaching. Hearing Tony Benn speak, I was galvanised by left wing analysis – essentially, Marxist Dialectic. I needed to understand it better and had to go back to its origins, its history. I found a young man at Huddersfield University – Dr Bill Stafford, who was looking for people who were interested in the History of Ideas, had an initial Graduate qualification and were prepared to research part time in the evenings. The overt prize was a Higher Research Degree, a Masters in the History of Ideas. The immediate prize for me was the introduction to a world I could otherwise only have dreamt of.

I read Marx’ seminal work, Das Kapital, I read Tonnies’ Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft (Community & Association), Max Weber’s Community & Society and this led me, ultimately, to the life and works of R.H.Tawney. Having been brought up a Roman Catholic and having rejected it completely in my teenage years, I was particularly interested in the relationship between Religion and Politics. R.H.Tawney addressed this. I read Religion and the Rise of Capitalism: A Historical Study on a beach in Greece. It was riveting! I began to consume Tawney:

The Agrarian Problem in the Sixteenth Century
The Acquisitive Society
Education: The Socialist Policy
The British Labor Movement
Equality
Land and Labour in China

All of this time, I was teaching a full day, going home and reading and thinking. It rather got on top of me. I hadn’t been looking for another qualification just some understanding. It was Pauline who pushed me on and past the winning post. She sat and typed and printed out my whole dissertation – R.H.Tawney & the Medieval Tradition on our trusty Amstrad PCW. It was a labour of love and I was awarded my Master of Arts in 1988 when I was 27. It really should have been awarded jointly.

I’ve just done The Skiathan’s Greek God Test and I’ve, worryingly turned into Athena!

15th March, 2014

A delicious Summer’s day in Surrey. Everything looks so much more alive in the sun. Freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly poured Yorkshire Tea, freshly brewed coffee and newly downloaded copies of The Times …. these are a few of my favourite things and then I don’t feel so bad. Still got three 6 Nations Rugby Matches and two Premier League football matches to watch. It is too much for one man. By mid-afternoon, we have reached 20C/68F which is not bad for mid-March.

The other job on my list for today is to continue my research into the Farrow/Houldsworth family lines from which Pauline was derived. I’ve got it back to the 1840s and one more Generation should be possible before we hit the difficult stage of few, available records. I haven’t been helped by a Census Recorder or a subsequent transposer listing Farrow as Farraw and Houldsworth being occasionally recorded as Holdsworth. I have been helped by the families’ propensity to remain centred in Oldham something which was still noticeable of our pupils in Oldham Education during our teaching days.

Week 272

2nd March, 2014

Can you believe it? Almost April already! It has been another pleasant day of Spring weather until darkness when heavy rain set in. That’s the way the world should be organised.

Interesting week coming up. Pauline is having a fasting blood test tomorrow. I’m then driving her in to town to buy the new coat she hasn’t stopped talking about for months. She insists she needs it desperately. Why shouldn’t she? She can have as many coats as she wants. You only live once. And, on that theme, I will be 63 in one month and we will have been retired for exactly 5 years. Why does it advance so swiftly and so silently? Later in the week, I’m going in to have a 24hr ECG monitor fitted. I’m hoping it will illustrate the extent of my heart problem.

3rd March, 2014

Out early today to take Pauline for her blood test. The morning is quite chilly but dry. I think the daffs may regretting emerging.

Heard from a Sifnos friend which reminded me that I must contact Martin.

For some reason, I felt lethargic and lacklustre and ducked going to the gym which was lazy and foolish and I regretted shortly after making the decision. We are going to have a busy day tomorrow to make up.

We have to plan our trains and underground to get to the dentist in Westminster on Monday of next week. Watched an interesting analysis of the ‘London Economic Pull’ which clearly explains why property around us has increased by 30+% in the 3 years we’ve been here and why properties sell within days of going on sale. No one who works in the city can afford to live there. It only takes 20-30 minutes to get there by train from Woking where prices are relatively high but much more affordable. In fact, many are prepared to commute 2 hours each way each day to buy property they like.

4th March, 2014

Chilly start to a beautifully sunny day. Just 2C/39F although it is forecast to reach 10C/50F. We are off to the Peacock Centre in Woking to give Pauline a spot of ‘retail therapy’ as if she didn’t get enough on-line!

The strangest thing happened when we went shopping. Pauline took me in to look at the £80.00 coat she had viewed last Saturday and had decided she wanted my opinion on before buying it. Just as she was trying the coat on in the Principles section of Debenhams, an announcement was made across the store that all coats were ‘Half Price’ just for today. My considered opinion saved us £40.00 and Pauline got her coat!

Amazingly, the temperature reached 16C/61F this afternoon. The warmest this Spring. Chris, our Honda salesman/friend from Huddersfield phoned just to touch base. We look forward to seeing him in about a month.

5th March, 2014

Apart from going for a blood test. I hardly have any blood left in my arm now. It is five years since I started taking warfarin and statins.

The rest of the day was taken up with research, photography plus editing and presenting material for the Management Committee to present to Woking Council.

Pauline & I will have to attend a Planning Hearing in mid – late April. Ironically, we received a lovely letter from our Sifnos friends this afternoon.

6th March, 2014

Chilly start to a wonderful, Spring day. Had to attend the local hospital to have an ambulatory ECG monitor fitted. Straight off to the Supermarket to do the weekly shop and then home to finish of the research and email it off. I have a Diary to keep for the 24hrs to allow the analysis to be tied in with the readings. There was some suggestion this morning that I may have to have a pacemaker fitted. Certainly, my heart was originally in intermittent atrial fibrillation but in recent times it is in that state every time it is checked. May be they will be able to shock it back in to regularity.

Pauline’s friend, Margaret, phoned to say her daughter had had a baby daughter after a particularly long and difficult delivery which spread over three days. Unimaginable! We’re going to visit Margaret in Yorkshire in a month.

I’m determined to do a standard day so, after coffee and reading the paper, we go to the Health Club for an hour. Thirty minutes on the jogging machine followed by fifteen minutes on a cycle. We left the rowing machine out today to avoid dislodging the chest sensors. Even so, I was sweating as we left. Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to shower because of the sensors. Pauline had to sponge me down. Too much information? Sorry!

7th March, 2014

Wonderful day which reached 21C/69F in mid-afternoon. Lovely sunshine. We went out reasonably early to return the ECG monitor. By the time we returned, the gardeners had arrived and were hard at it. The grounds are tended every Friday. We’ve recently appointed a new team of gardeners at a cost of £12,000.00 per year. They are excellent and very hard working.

It is wonderful to see the Spring signs on trees and bushes, plants and bulbs and the abundance of birdlife. It was a planning stipulation of Woking Borough Council that bird boxes were put up on the trees throughout the property. We wake up to a concerto of thrushes advertising their wares.

8th March, 2014

Another Wonderful Spring Day. Sunny and 16C/61F. It makes one celebrate being alive! I got so carried away, I had my hair cut. Around here they charge £35.00 to cut men’s hair. Mine is done for free. Working on the principle that my hair is cut 6 times per year, in the past 36 years at today’s prices, I’ve saved 6 x £35.00 = £210.00 x 36 = £7,560.00. Could have had a really good meal out and a bottle of fine wine for that price.

Week 271

23rd February, 2014

A quiet but very mild day which reached 14C/57F which is well above the seasonal average which is 8C/46F on this day. We’ve had a quiet day but Pauline’s sister and her husband had some bad news.

Colin’s younger brother died in hospital this morning of a heart attack. Pauline & I both know from experience that the death of someone closely related jolts one’s system and forces one to confront one’s own mortality.

24th February, 2014

Glorious, glorious day in Surrey with clear blue skies, strong sun and relatively mild temperatures predicted to reach 14C/57F today. I’ve spent the morning sorting out the next batch of ISAs which mature in a week’s time. We have some more to do in early April although we’ve decided not to buy new ones until the end of the year this time giving us time to get more clarity about interest rates. We can shelter £11,880.00 from tax for the new financial year but the amount earnable on that is small. If we both put in our maximum cash allowance we would earn £178.00. One has to wonder if it’s worth the bother. The only upside caveat to that is the CPI has dropped to 1.9%.

25th February, 2014

The day started with sun but soon moved in to torrential rain. It feels mild although it is only 12C/54F. We have been finalising visits for our trip to Yorkshire/Lancashire at the beginning of April. It centres around our information seeking visit to Pauline’s relatives to check out our research on the Family Tree and then to have Dinner with two, old school colleagues. We are staying in a Holiday Inn at Brighouse as we did last winter and we will have our car serviced while we are there.

I’m really looking forward to the moorland between Lancashire and Yorkshire. I don’t think you can beat it for emotional contact with the world.

Today, we are free to do what we like so we are off to the Health Centre to work on our fitness. We are expecting Jane Bennett to appear at the Centre one day soon – probably as a Trainer.

26th February, 2014

Another delicious day of warm sunshine in Surrey. We went out early for Pauline’s appointment with a ‘hearing test’. For ages now I’ve been telling her she’s going deaf and she’s been replying that I mumble. Today we got the definitive answer. I am going for elocution lessons!

The next task today is to sort out my wardrobe and bag up all the clothes to go to the charity shop. For the last ten years, I have been spending £30.00 – £40.00 per shirt from CTShirts (Charles Tyrrwhitt). I notice that the price has come down since the recession and they probably wouldn’t set the world of fashion alight particularly if you shop at Boden but I loved them.

They are now far too big and I rarely wear a shirt & tie now anyway. They are going for someone else to enjoy. Pauline is happily disposing of them as well as many other items some of which were bought as transitional garments last year.

I had a bit of a heart/blood pressure blip at the gym yesterday so we are giving it a miss today.

27th February, 2014

I’ve had a postal relationship with my friend, Caroline, for the past twenty years. I employed her as an Attendance Officer at my school all those years ago. She had attended the school as a pupil from the first day it opened in 1951 – the year I was born – and had come back to serve as a representative of the Local Authority until I bought her in as a privatised service when the LEA retreated under financial stress. Since she retired, she has travelled to almost all points of the Globe and sent me cards, hundreds of them, when she wanted to share her experiences with a friend. I have tried to reciprocate.

Not so long ago, Caroline was writing to me from South America and, yesterday, I received a card from Goathland. I had to check the map to see where it was and suddenly realised that I had once been near it when I did the Lyke Wake Walk with College friends one inebriated night. It is in North Yorkshire near Robin Hood’s Bay. It is a beautiful spot.

28th February, 2014

Farewell to February and officially welcome Spring tomorrow. Actually, Spring arrived in Surrey some time ago. Mild and sunny, the weather has been one of the nine warmest winters on record along with the wettest. The trees are in blossom and the daffodils are blooming. The trees are bursting with the weight of new buds.

We were visited last night, in the South, by the Northern Lights or as we learned in school is called the Aurora Borealis. How wonderful is this?

On a more mundane level, I had to see the dentist today to be delivered the wonderful news that I require a crown at the cost of £650.00. It will be done in the next couple of weeks at the practice in Westminster near Pimlico.

1st March, 2014

Welcome March and welcome Spring. The sun is out. It’s warm and bright and daffodils are opening. Happy new month to you all.

The Skiathan is a bit downbeat as he records: It’s another dreary start to the day. Skopelos News is anticipating: dreary weekend with a big chance of rain. Symi Dream says: Let’s hope the rain holds off. It can only get better!

Week 270

16th February, 2014

Spring has arrived. That’s what he meant by Valentine’s Day!

We sat outside in the Quad. at lunchtime today and it was delightful to enjoy the birds, the trees and the air in the sunshine. We must remember, however, that two people died in the storms yesterday, many places remain flooded and storms are predicted to return on Thursday so we are making the most of it.

17th February, 2014

Been a really interesting day today and what more can one ask for than that? Pauline & I were doing some research because the Woking Council has objected to the fencing around our development. We have been taking photos, measuring fence heights and pacing out distances.

After all that fresh air, we went to the Health Club. We had cholesterol tests. Mine was 4.3 but Pauline’s was 7.1. Of course mine is the result of five years of Statins. Pauline, who has been careful about her health all her life, may now have to join me.

18th February, 2014

Quite heavy rain today coming across the trees in swathes of water. Can’t be a pretty sight for the flooded. Pauline went to a Pilates class with her sister at the Health Club while I continued to research her family. Already, I’ve got it back to 1802 with her Great Great Grandfather, John Barnes. This type of research can be really frustrating but this line has allowed me top zip through it.

I don’t know if you have moved to this yet but I have persuaded Pauline to join me in the cloud. Everything we do on our computers, laptops and IPads is saved to Ms Live.com where we share about 10 Gigabytes of on-line space which is perfectly adequate for our needs. We also back that up again on portable drives but it means we will never be dependent on our computer drives again. The SkyDrive suite combines file storage with on-line mail, address book and calendar.

Early night tonight. We’re off to France on a shopping trip tomorrow.

19th February, 2014

Out of the house at 6.00 am. Arrived at the Tunnel just after 7.00 am. In France by (8.00+1) 9.00 am. Off to the wine store and then to Auchan in Coquelles. Before I could draw breath, Pauline had bought three pairs of shoes and a new bag. We went on to buy Rabbit, Duck, Pork, Fish, Mustard, Lettuces the size of dinner plates, wonderful radishes. From the charcuterie counter, we had smoked pork, cold, pressed belly pork, smoked sausage, galantine of ham.

We had a cup of coffee and Pauline had a sandwich then we drove back to the Tunnel and caught the first train. We were back in our home at exactly 2.00 pm. It was a really enjoyable morning.

For our meal this evening, we feasted on goods from the Charcuterie Counter and a really good bottle of claret.

Sent an email to Bob who has joined me on the age of 62. Happy Birthday, Bob.

20th February, 2014

A really pleasant day with Spring weather and a temperature of 13C/55F. We were tired after yesterday’s excursion so gave the gym a miss. I had to be at the Medical Centre anyway because I had the first of my ECGs. This one was done by a nurse in the surgery and my heartbeat registered at 61 bpm. This is excellent but my heart was in atrial fibrillation at the time of the test which made it more guess work than anything else.

I spent some time this morning on my research into Pauline’s ancestors. I am still working on her father’s line of the Barnes/Fish strands. I’ve got back to her Great, Great Grandfathers – John Barnes (B. 1802 in Doncaster) and Matthew Fish (B. 1794 in Norwich). It’s proving a really rewarding quest and very quickly productive.

Pauline cooked a lovely meal of confit of duck legs, shallots, mushrooms and peas. It was wonderful.

21st February, 2014

Relied on my own INR reading for the first time today. It came in at 2.2 just within my 2.0 – 3.0 acceptable range. I emailed St Peter’s Hospital with my result and they emailed me back by return with dosage advice. It was exactly what I predicted but it is a fantastic service. We went on to town to do some shopping and visit the Halifax to discuss ISAs which are about to mature. We’ll be moving from 4.0% to 1.5% but at least inflation is coming down (1.9%) to meet us.

It has been another relatively warm and very sunny day with temperatures once again reaching 13C/55F.

22nd February, 2014

Pauline went to Zumba class at the Health Centre with her sister. I stayed at home and went on with my research. I’m really enjoying it. We knew that Pauline’s paternal Grandfather, John William Barnes, was a Coal Merchant in Oldham at the start of the last century but Pauline had searched in vain for any mention of it in the records. I subscribe to the Ancestry website

and, after a few hours of searching, managed to find his listing in a 1935 telephone directory. It was very rewarding to confirm that fact.

While Pauline was out, I prepared and cooked rabbit casserole. I used some pork belly to keep the rabbit moist and included celery and thyme to accentuate the flavour. We will eat it tomorrow.

Week 269

9th February, 2014

While the world around us appears to beset by floods and we have news today that it has been the wettest winter for 245 years, we are tucked up and our patio is bathed in Surrey sun. The temperature reached 13C/55F in the sunshine but wind and light rain did sweep in later in the day.

Cousin David appears to have worked our Sanders Family Tree back to 1770 which is impressive. I have set myself the next month or so to research Pauline’s Family by tracing back the Barnes and Farrow lines. Having lived and worked in the vicinity of Oldham for the last forty years, it will be interesting to explore the history of the Nineteenth Century Cotton Mills through Pauline’s ancestors. The town is still dominated by the architecture of the mills which were long since abandoned by their primary function – even their secondary trade of mail-order service has largely now gone and many mills rot.

This mill, built in the immediate pre-First World War years was almost redundant after the 1929-21 cotton price crash. Think of the investment someone put into this:

Pauline Grandfather Barnes worked as a Cotton Carder but eventually began his own business as a Coal Supplier.

10th February, 2014

Someone’s posted a 40 year old picture of me on Faceache.

I’m the one in the blue jumper aged 20-21 on a tour round the Masham Brewery famous now for Black Sheep beer or Theakston’s Brewery famous for Old Peculiar. I would like to say Those were the days. but they weren’t really. Anyway, 42 years on, I haven’t changed a bit!

11th February, 2014

The Tories are really getting ‘flooding’ in the neck. Cameron is panicking and, tonight, promised ‘unlimited funds’ to solve the problem. I predict that it will come back to haunt him. Harold Macmillan, when asked what a prime minister most feared, said: ‘Events, dear boy, events’.” Well poor old Cameron has got his event.

I weighed myself today and saw a figure that I haven’t visited for about twenty five years. Pauline is still skipping around the Lounge.

12th February, 2014

A day that started off well but soon degenerated into pestilence and flood. The television news is only about flooding in the South. They seem to have forgotten that the North is flooded as well. What it must be like for anyone who has flooding affecting their home, one can only imagine but we are told that there is much worse to come. You can guarantee that the Summer will be dominated by hosepipe bans.

13th February, 2014

Drove to collect our beautifully repaired alloy wheel this morning. It has been re-edged, polished, lacquered, kiln-dried, rebalanced and fitted back on the car for the cost of £145.00. It is lovely to have it back. We’ve spent three days running on a ‘space saver tyre’ and restricting ourselves to 50 mph.

Our other commitments today were an hour in the gym and, later, two hours in a Residents’ Meeting. They are usually boring but, on this occasion, was expertly run by our Management Company, Chamonix. Just a run-of-the-mill day for us but only a few miles away poor souls are drowning in floodwater or diluted sewage as it is becoming known.

14th February, 2014

Torrential rain today and quite strong winds although nothing like those down on the coast. Reasonably mild, though, at 12C/54F.

The Skiathan tells me it is something called Valentine’s Day. I don’t know what that means but, apparently, this day holds some significance. Youngsters eh!

Had a visit to the Doctor this morning. I have to have two ECGs. The first is at the surgery and is done on the spot. The second is a 24hr ECG which involves me attending hospital early in the morning, being fitted with sensor pads wired up to a monitor and then being sent out to do a ‘normal’ 24hrs before returning the monitor which will be analysed by a private company who will report back to my GP. On the basis of those findings, they will decide how proceed. Say what you like about the NHS, my treatment is absolutely wonderful.

15th February, 2014

When you’re not working, Saturdays mean very little. And so it is with us. Pauline is making marmalade and I’m drinking fresh coffee and reading the papers. We are both rather tired because the wind was roaring through the trees last night and, although the morning started off dry and bright, heavy rain is constantly moving across in organised attacks.