Getting ready to go back to England

The day of our return to Birmingham draws closer and I feel the anticipatory home-sickness that accompanies many of my departures - equalled by the pleasure of arrivals. I gaze over the Kerkyra Sea towards Epirus from our balcony imagining October weather in England; cycling contentedly in my raincoat through wet city streets, catching busy intercity trains, my Ionian tan fading, thinking about government and allotments, watching Greece from afar.

The Victoria Jubilee Allotments in 2004 (Photo: Luke Unsworth)

Email from Rachel Chiu on September 25 re the new Victoria Jubilee Allotments progress report by Alan Orr at Ward Committee on 23 Sept:

Hi Simon. …it is as we thought. Alan Orr still says he has assurances from the developer that they will finish in December - and that following that the land will be formally transferred. The developer has made an offer that if site, buildings and infrastructure is ready then the allotments could be used under license by the council until the legals of the land transfer is completed. Alan Orr said that would be up to Leisure Services (Martin Mullaney?) to decide.

Things are happening in that the developer has transferred the Section 106 money - I think it was £120 or £190K to the council for park improvements and contribution to play area. Alan will be coming back to the ward meeting in January to update - hopefully we will already have our allotment by then! Rachel

Dear Rachel… I think we both remain hopefully sceptical - but it does seem that the issue is on a few influential people's agendas, so fingers crossed for our plot (:))

We have produced with the help of watering by the neighbours in the village here over a dozen vast squashes. What one can do with water and sun!

Back in Brum on Thursday night. Thanks for being at the meeting despite your voluntary workload. Our kindest regards to your family. Best Simon

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Saturday night George’s group – Dirty Water – played Rock + R & B at the O2 club in Gouvia working together. “My new career” says George who’s assembled the band – drummer, versatile lead and bass guitarists - after long time chartering and skippering his catamaran Symphony first in the Caribbean then out of Ipsos. More than entertaining to see this craggy faced bear leading on a programme of increasing energy concentrated - start to finish - on an end of season audience enjoying themselves in the cooler night. “See you in January” we said.