Christmas in the Village

Ano Korakiana - Άνω Κορακιάνα (photo: Γιάννη Ματθεοφίλου - Yiannis Mattheophile)

In Ano Korakiana, Christmas is a celebration of the anniversary of the birth of Jesus, in fulfillment of the divine will of God, to save us from sin....Γιατί ο Θεός αγάπησε τόσο πολύ τον κόσμο που έδωσε τον μόνο γιο του... John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son...

12/12/17 Ολονύχτιο Βράδυ, παραμονή της εορτής του Αγίου στο χωριό, οι «επιτελούντες» της Λειτουργίας (πατέρας Ευδόκιμος, παπα-Βασίλης, ψάλτες και λοιποί ενορίτες) αποχωρούν από την οικία της Έμμης και της Κατερίνας Σαββανή μετά το καθιερωμένο λιτό δείπνο, επιστρέφοντας στη μικρή  εκκλησία για το Ολονύχτιο και αφήνοντας πίσω τους το σαββανάτικο «κοκκινέλι» συνοδευόμενο από μήλο και κουμ-κουάτ.

12/12/17 In the village, on the eve of the feast of the Saint, the 'performers' of the night-long service (Papa Evdokimos, Papa Vasilis, chanters and other parishioners) had a simple supper at the home of Emmi and Katerina Savvani, before leaving the warmth of the Savvani home with its apples and kumquats, returning to the small church for the 'Overnight' service, το Ολονύχτιο'.

Με το πέρασμα της ώρας η μικρή εκκλησία γεμίζει από κόσμο που παρακολουθεί με προσήλωση την ανάγνωση από το Συναξάρι του Αγίου με τα αποδιδόμενα θαύματα, ενώ οι ψάλτες στα αριστερά και στα δεξιά του ναού δίνουν το δικό τους τόνο, συνοδεύοντας τους ιερείς.

Over the night, the small church fills with people joining in reverence to hear the recital of the Holy Story, while the chanters - left and right of the church - play their part accompanying the priests.

Τις πρώτες πρωινές ώρες η Ολονυχτία θα λήξει με άρτους και σπερνά που μοιράζονται στους παρευρισκομένους και ανταλλαγή ευχών για την εορτή της ημέρας.

Early in the morning, the 'Overnight' ends with bread and collyva, shared with the congregation, and the exchange of good wishes for the day.

Εορταστικό κλίμα...21/12/17 Festive atmosphere

Γιορταστική ατμόσφαιρα στο χωριό καθώς πλησιάζουμε στα Χριστούγεννα...
Η Χορωδία πραγματοποίησε την τελευταία πρόβα της πριν από τη χριστουγεννιάτικη εκδήλωση που θα πραγματοποιηθεί με τη συμμετοχή και της Μπαντίνας στην εκκλησία του Αγίου Γεωργίου την Παρασκευή 22 Δεκεμβρίου 2017 το βράδυ.
Στον Άη-Νικολόπουλο, η ενορία του Καμπουλιώτη τοποθέτησε φωταγωγημένο καράβι με επιμελημένη πινακίδα, ενώ αναμένεται από στιγμή σε στιγμή η «απάντηση» από την ενορία του Αγίου Γεωργίου.
Και στο πλαίσιο των εορτών διοργανώνεται από τη Δημοτική Κοινότητα το Σάββατο 23 Δεκεμβρίου στις 5.30 το απόγευμα στο «Luna D’Argento» χριστουγεννιάτικο πάρτυ για μικρούς, αλλά ...και για τους κάπως μεγαλύτερους και μάλιστα με μπουφέ από σπιτικές φαγώσιμες δημιουργίες...

A festive atmosphere in the village as we approach Christmas ... The Choir had its last rehearsal before the Christmas event that will take place with the participation of the Bandina in the church of St. George on Friday evening, December 22, 2017.
At St Nicholas, the parish of Kambouliotis displayed a floodlit boat with an elaborate sign. A 'reply' from the parish of Saint George is expected in due course.
And as part of the celebrations, the Municipal Community is organising a Christmas party for young people on Saturday 23rd December at 5.30pm at Luna D'Argento, and, for the slightly older ones, a buffet of homemade creations ...

**** ****
                                                       ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ
Σας γνωρίζουμε ότι την Παρασκευή  22.12.2017 και ΩΡΑ 19:30 θα πραγματοποιηθεί στον Ιερό Ναό του Αγίου Γεωργίου  η καθιερωμένη Χριστουγεννιάτικη συναυλία των τμημάτων της Φιλαρμονικής μας. Διευθύνει ο Αρχιμουσικός κος Κώστας Ζερβόπουλος και ο μαέστρος Γιώργος Άνθης.
Επίσης οι μαθητές της Φιλαρμονικής μας θα παιανίσουν τα κάλαντα  στις γειτονιές του χωριού μας το πρωί της ημέρας των Χριστουγέννων μετά τη θεία λειτουργία. Τους μαθητές θα συνοδεύουν και τα μέλη του Δ.Σ. για την καθιερωμένη οικονομική ενίσχυση.
Ο Πρόεδρος και τα μέλη του Δ.Σ. εύχονται ολόψυχα σε όλους τους κατοίκους του χωριού μας Χρόνια Πολλά, Καλές Γιορτές και Ευτυχισμένος ο Καινούργιος Χρόνος.

                                                       NOTICE  21.12.17
Our Philharmonic students will also play carols around the neighbourhoods of our village on Christmas morning after the divine service. The students will accompany members of the Board for the traditional collection. The Chairman and Board of Directors extend their wholehearted good wishes to all inhabitants of our village. Happy Nativity, Good Celebrations and Happy New Year. We know that on Friday,  22 December 2017 at 19.30,  the traditional Christmas concert of our Philharmonic departments will take place in the church of St. George, led by Archbishop Kostas Zervopoulos, conducted by Giorgos Anthis.

*** ***
Προεόρτια Χριστουγέννων 25.12.17
Παρασκευή προπαραμονή των Χριστουγέννων πραγματοποιήθηκε στην εκκλησία του Άη-Γιώργη η χριστουγεννιάτικη εκδήλωση του Μουσικού Συλλόγου, με τη συμμετοχή της Μπαντίνας και της Χορωδίας.

The Musical Society's Christmas Eve event took place on Christmas Eve at the church of Agios Georgios with the participation of the Bandina and the Choir.

Ο Πρόεδρος του Συλλόγου που προλόγισε την εκδήλωση εξέφρασε τις ευχές της Διοίκησης και στη συνέχει τα δύο σώματα παρουσίασαν ένα ωριαίο πρόγραμμα με χριστουγεννιάτικες μελωδίες. υπό τη διεύθυνση του Κώστα Ζερβόπουλου και του Γιώργου Άνθη αντίστοιχα.Ειδικότερα, όσον αφορά στο χορωδιακό μέρος, η Δώρα Μεταλληνού προλόγισε κάθε κομμάτι της Χορωδίας με γνωστούς ποιητικούς στίχους. The President of the Association expressed the good wishes of the Administration after which the two groups presented an hourly programme of Christmas melodies. under the direction of Kostas Zervopoulos and Giorgos Andreas, the music and singing interspersed with familiar poems recited by Dora Metallinou. Το απόγευμα της ίδια ημέρας, στο Νηπιαγωγείο έλαβε χώρα η χριστουγεννιάτικη γιορτή των μικρών μαθητών με την επιμέλεια των νηπιαγωγών τους, ενώ το Σάββατο το βράδυ, παραμονή των Χριστουγέννων πραγματοποιήθηκε το χριστουγεννιάτικο πάρτι για μικρούς και μεγάλους στο Luna d’Argento. On the afternoon of the same day, after a Christmas Eve celebration for Kindergarten pupils in the care of their nursery nurses, there was a Christmas party, for all ages, at Luna d'Argento. Υ.Γ. Το τελευταίο κομμάτι της Χορωδίας, τα «Κάλαντα» αφιερώθηκαν στο Γεράσιμο Μαρκορά (επτανήσιο ποιητή και δημοτικιστή), η εγγονή του οποίου είναι μέλος της Χορωδίας Κορακιάνας.Y.K. The carols in the last part of the concert were dedicated to the poet Gerasimos Markaras (a Corfiot folk poet), whose granddaughter is a member of the Korakiana Choir.  Christmas in Thessaloniki - until I see a photo of Ano Korakiana's boat *** *** *** Πρωτοχρονιά 2018 Το βράδυ, για μια ακόμη χρόνιά, η γνώριμη φιγούρα του Άη-Βασίλη θα κάνει τη γύρα της στα σπίτια, προκειμένου οι μικροί φίλοι του Αγίου να λάβουν τα δώρα τους και να ακουστούν για μια ακόμη φορά τα Κάλαντα «εν χορδαίς και οργάνοις». New Year Day 2018....In the evening, for one more year, the familiar figure of Santa will make his round of the houses, so that the little ones receive their gifts from the Saint, and once again hear the 'tunes and songs' of Carols. Note: The words in Greek are copied from the Ano Korakiana website administered by Thanassis Spingos who also took all photos, except of the boat. It is a privilege to be able to copy them to 'Democracy Street'. The English translation is entirely my responsibility.  *** *** *** We had Christmas in Birmingham. When the grandchildren came round they extracted small felt velcro'd toys from a sequence of 25 pockets and stuck them on the tree. We've had this Advent Calendar for over 30 years - a present from the Greek side of the family, that we can use over and over.

On Christmas night I strolled up Hamstead Road to St Mary's. Bells were pealing for midnight mass; candle flames glowing through ogive windows; inside was warmth and light. On the way home I heard a few fireworks...

...a fox, sat in the grass beside my path. She turned around and around and strolled ahead and disappeared up Wellesbourne Road, sweetening the temper of the moment...John who'd swung the censer during mass had given me his key.
"I've got to put away my kit. Come and have a drink. Ask Lin too. I've got a bottle of Jack Daniels to open"
He went into the vestry. I went on up Beaudesert and opened his house. He soon followed. Lin, from our home, three houses up, joined us, and later John's wife, Gill, who dug out the bourbon.
"I liked the service" I said "but even Father Bob's quite conservative liturgy is a little remote...in words and tunes from what I know. What's engrained. I was glad to be there...I struggled to follow...except the carols. The church was beautiful, and so warm. I liked Father Bob's sermon...the defacing of the celebrities nativity at Madame Tussauds. He understood. Almost approved."
On Christmas day we drove across town to Amy and Guy and the grandchildren, with presents and some dishes Lin had cooked overnight, stopping on the way to collect Dorothy from her care home - rehearsal for more continuous care when she comes to live with us on a day not yet fixed. How incredibly disabling it is to be unable to walk, or indeed to have any traction in your legs. Moving Dot from place to place, especially in and out of a car, entails playing push-pull with a beloved being who, against every inclination of conscience, evokes in me the frustration of manipulating a sack of potatoes. I’ve become uncomfortably aware of my bounded charity. I suppose this is why love delivered as ‘professional care’ is expensive. I’m better at dealing with small children - my grandchildren I mean. I can wipe bums, clean off dribble, sweep up scattered food and take careless spillage in my stride, but messy vulnerability in old age repels me. I was fine taking my aged mum out shopping and for walks in her wheelchair. We talked and talked, and gazed at the landscape with such shared pleasure, but my mum’s intimate husbandry was in the hands of professional carers, behind curtains and doors; woman’s work, though of course there are men as good. I strive to choose words to protect my conscience.

Christmas lunch 2018

A greenhouse

Every morning. Rain. Grey clouds and rain and gusting wind. This grisly weather has been going on since we came back to England seven weeks ago. Our plane took us away from daily blue skies, blue seas, gentle breezes; warmth that had lasted longer than usual, even in Greece.

November dawn in Corfu

A few nights before we left we'd walked down to Sally's stables below Ano Korakiana to stand around a fierce fire, sparks spiralling into the dark.

We sat with friends around a large grilling rack  - 5 feet across - on which we'd brought meat to cook - chicken, village sausages, liver, pork, souvlaki; beside the grill, trestle tables of bread, salads and drink. Well fed, we gathered round the fire. When its first fierce heat dispersed. Some of us gathered more wood from a loose heap some yards away, braving the heat to push large palm logs to smoulder further into the fire. Lin and I walked home along the Ano-Kato road, climbing steeper alleyways and steps to home on Democracy Street.
*** *** ***
To stop having to grow seedlings from retailers and to extend the growing season and perhaps grow what will not survive wholly out of doors I'd like a greenhouse - a good one, wood not plastic or metal.

Preloved ~ Details 

Description: one eight foot x eight foot Canadian western red cedarwood green house, with one eight foot shelf and one eight foot staging, having concrete plinths.
in reasonable condition one roof panel needs repairing. all dismantled awaiting collection.
I have the original erection details and parts list. buyer to collect and pay cash price of two hundred and seventy five pounds, to buy new approx. twenty eight hundred pounds.

Before I can put up a greenhouse on Plot 14 I need four tanalised rail sleepers on which it can sit. My after-Christmas sally to a vast builder's yard in Wolverhampton, Carvers, using Lin's sat-nav I ended up in a cul-de-sac - a fragment of narrow Littler Street severed by city centre redevelopment - gazing through the drizzle at my destination beyond a dual carriageway that took 15 minutes to get across, via successive traffic lights and roundabouts. Through check-points, two lads in yellow wet suits lifted a 3 metre x 120mm X 240mm beam onto the roof of the HHH* van after struggling to get more than three inside. The rain sweeps across the yard - still part cobbled, old Littler Street. I pay at the timber office and head back by wet windy motorway to Birmingham...

...to unload the heavy wood on plot 14, beside to the greenhouse pieces Winnie and I had collected from a seller in Halesowen who'd advertised a 20 year old 8' x 8' Alton Amateur Greenhouse for £275 (including spare parts, concrete base, instructions, disassembled ready to collect) on Preloved. New it would have cost over £2000.

John Buckley, vendor, sees Winnie securing the largest greenhouse panel for transport to plot 14

Feeling the wind as it hurled itself across the allotments, having wrecked structures all over the site I changed my mind about siting the greenhouse at the top of the plot.

"Behind the fruit cage" I said to Winnie "It'll be protected from a lot of wind there"
"No. That'll get over shaded in summer. Why not where you've had the Jerusalem Artichoke forest front and right of the shed?"

Fixings

Now it's a matter of studying instructions, getting any extra spare parts needed, solving a complicated puzzle, laying firm level foundations; getting the greenhouse put together and used.

*used for personal work with HHH committee permission, fuel paid for.
*** *** ***
Notwithstanding Andrew's and Judy's Christmas card...

...my memory of this Christmas? Amy's best friend, Liz and her baby son, Henry and four generations of us at table on Boxing Day, the oldest, Arthur, saved from a 'pie' in the face - a game brought to the table by my son, Richard - followed by me, who gets a squirty cream splat, to the laughter of all - loudest from my three and a half year old grandson, Oliver. Dorothy, his great grandma, my mother-in-law, more interested in a photo album of her grand-daughter's wedding to Guy.

...and seeing this Alex, who lives with her family in France near the border with Spain, shared this with the message "Simon! Where you lead the dog world follows"

...and another memory of Christmas, just before Amy, Richard, Oliver, Hannah and I went to Lichfield - Richard and I by train from the new New Street Station embedded in the new Grand Central Development of Birmingham, which I like, not least for our new reflections...

Path from The Bull Ring to  Stephenson Street via the facade of  New Street Station under construction ~ 4th July 2015

... in the once pebble-dashed cliff that fronted the ugliest concrete warren of a rail station in Europe, which pleases Oliver gazing up at an big selfie in the stainless steel reflections of Alejandro Zaera-Polo's and Maider Llaguno's construction.

Lichfield offered us a small town with easy enough ways to get about and know where we were, but few finds when it came to buying Christmas presents - even from charity shops. Best places were pound shops filled from China.
I said to Richard "I wish we could have a drama series about life in Yiwu or any of the thousand and one Chinese factory estates producing all this stuff for every corner of the rest of the world!"
It was good to be in company with family, with Liz and her new son Henry James joining us for afternoon tea in the Tudor of Lichfield.

Richard, Hannah, Oliver and Amy in Bore Street, Lichfield

A lull in the weather ended. From mid-afternoon rain and wind advanced from the west.
"You take Oliver home?" asked Amy "Guy'll collect him tonight"
I knew she wanted time to chat with Liz.
"Gladly"
Richard and I walked back through wet streets to what must once have been an attractive railway station for the city. Despite the wet and the chill the waiting room was closed. I enquired at the ticket office.
"It's been urinated all over" grumbled the man behind the glass, almost resenting us for asking.
"Might have helped if the station toilets hadn't been closed" muttered Richard as we stood on the windy platform.
In 45 minutes we're back in Birmingham. During the journey Ollie had asked to go to the lavatory which was not only available but surprisingly clean. Thank goodness. Richard headed home on foot. I and Oliver walked to a bus stop on Station Street; the 16 bus pleasingly re-routed in only the last few months to a stop opposite the Old Repertory Theatre, a matter of hardly 50 yards from lifts into the new concourse. Oliver, holding tight, climbs to the top deck to sit at the very front where, as the bus stutters stop-start, through packed traffic moving below walking pace until at last we're past the St Chads Queensway lights heading out of the city centre down Old Snow Hill Street. He entertains himself and me drawing a mural in the condensation of the bus window...

Ollie top deck front on the 16 bus

...giving commentary as he draws. A sweeping curve on the right with small dots is "Corfu - a beach" I take it "the dots are people?"
"Yes" he says
I'm unsure how much we are inventing in his tracing.
**** ****
In Ano Korakiana...Η Χριστουγεννιάτικη Συναυλία της Φιλαρμονικής μας πραγματοποιήθηκε την Τετάρτη 30 Δεκεμβρίου 2015 στην εκκλησία του Άη-Γιώργη.Πολύ καλή η εμφάνιση των μικρών «συνόλων», της μπαντίνας με τη συμμετοχή αρκετών μικρών μουσικών και φυσικά της μπάντας, υπό τη διεύθυνση του Κώστα Ζερβόπουλου, ο οποίος μαζί με τον Πρόεδρο της Φιλαρμονικής Γιώργο Μεταλληνό προλόγισαν την εκδήλωση με αναφορές στο μήνυμα των εορτών και την προσπάθεια των (ιδιαίτερα των μικρών) μουσικών.

The Philharmonia's Christmas Concert in St.George's Church, Ano Korakiana

Happy Christmas

Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Ευτυχισμένος ο Νέος Χρόνος

A lovely day with family and friends mixed with skype to Val and Lawrence in Dunedin, calls to Sally in Ano Korakiana, to our Greek teacher across town, to my mum in London for Christmas; also a nice email from Trish and family having Christmas at our house on Democracy Street:

Merry Christmas Day from bright and Sunny Ano. The meat is cooked the sprouts have been on since wednesday and all is right with the world. Would like to thank you so much for the use of the house. Its perfect. The village band has just passed by and everyone seems in good spirit. Just waiting for Kate and her friend to arrive, maybe they have the Christmas eve hand overs to contend with. All the best have a lovely day. Trish and Dave xx

And another from Stavros in America, who's blog, My Greek Odyssey, I follow:

Dear Simon. Best wishes to you on and your family during this blessed season and may you have a healthy and happy new year. I hope your Greek lessons continue to go well. You are a better Greek than more than a few I know. Να ειστε ολοι καλα παντοτε. Stavros

        Should we have said "Stavro" rather than "Stavros"?

And from Danica in Serbia who's sent me a present of more writing by Ivo Andrić and from John and Annie in Victoria:

Merry Christmas Simon and Lin, Cloudy but warm day here. Annie's family are here (nine of us) and tonight we have a big seafood Christmas dinner. Tomorrow my brother in law insists we watch the Boxing Day test cricket, so I will have to get up early for my cycle. Have a great Christmas day with your family and friends, best wishes john&annie

and from Basil Hylton in the Caribbean:

Dear Simon. Thank you very much. Hope you and family have a wonderful time. Still see u on Skype occasionally. Speak in 2011? Best wishes. Basil (& Barbara)

and Jim Potts posted, on his blog Corfu Blues, an invitation to my favourite carol - both the music and the words, In the Bleak Midwinter. Lin dislikes it; finds it depressing. Before Christmas lunch prepared by Lin and my mother-in-law, Dorothy, later in the-afternoon I walked with Amy and Guy and Matt and Liz and our three dogs to Handsworth Park. It was officially closed but we went through the one gate that was open and had the place almost to ourselves under a clear blue sky, walking over the railway and beyond the bandstand to a smooth sled run next to Hinstock Road.

...and carols in the church of St.Nicholas of Kampoulioti, Ano Korakiana - Κορακιανίτικα κάλαντα στην εκκλησία του Άη Νικόλα του Καμπουλιώτη

Odd jobs before Christmas

Πολλά δε θέλει ο άνθρωπος

να 'ν' ήμερος να 'ναι άκακος

λίγο φαΐ, λίγο κρασί

Χριστούγεννα κι Ανάσταση

The Sovereign Sun ~ Οδυσσέας Ελύτης

Our ponds are thick with ice you can't break with your hands and which mustn't be struck for fear of disturbing the fish; so water boiled to make a small hole so the Koi and Goldfish can breath. Birds peck nuts, from regularly filled dispensers that fool the grey squirrels. News filters in of disrupted travel on the roads of the prosperous south. Distantly reported troubles of others who you don't know adds warm schadenfreude, to mistletoe, holly, hot chestnuts, sunny frost rimed trees and a log fire, and it's nice to view cycling chic in Copenhagen.

I phoned Ian in Corfu. He's picked up the chimney pieces from Kommeno and will have a go at mending our stove pipe after Christmas.

While I pootle, Lin's shopping for Christmas, tidying and stacking things. Tomorrow she'll drive to Cannock to collect Dot and Arthur. I've sent few cards, received more; hung them round the kitchen. I've put a wreath on our front door, dug out the artificial Christmas tree, found a space for it in the sitting room, and gathered coal and wood for an open fire. There are fragments of chat on BBC Radio 4 about the platform ecology of broadcasting as different experts explore the complex shifting grammar of our electronic umbilical - new ways to maintain civil discourse in cyberspace, make or lose a lot of money and refine the delivery of pap to those unenthusiastic about political responsibility:

... the people who once handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself hoping fervently for just two things: bread and circuses.(Juvenal, Satire 10.77–81)

This morning after a request from SEEMP I put together a one-day seminar for a council south of London. There's a feel of election in the air already and people want their staff prepared.

MANAGING WITH POLITICAL AWARENESS

Seminar for xxx Council: 0900-1600, x January 2010

A seminar on the skills and values needed for working competently in a politically led organisation, that aims:

- to improve understanding of the skills and values involved in creating and maintaining political-management working relationships in xx

- to develop and fine-tune feelings for the boundaries between political, managerial and professional work in delivering high performing services

- to enrich managers’ vocabulary of political concepts and offer models of competence and integrity in politically charged situations

- to assist managers resolve dilemmas that can arise in giving impartial professional support to politically led agendas

Simon Baddeley, inlogov, will present general principles based on research and experience in local government across the country, to stimulate interest, as well as entertaining and encouraging those who need no converting, on the importance of managing with political awareness. Of course political awareness among managers should be matched by ‘managerial awareness’ among members – so xxx can combine the best of politics and management in pursuit of good government.

As well as short talks, handouts and points of reference on the web, Simon draws on a unique archive of film clips showing senior officers and councillors describing the way their work overlaps, while respecting the separation that marks good political-management leadership. While being entertaining, these films serve the practical purpose of enabling participants to explore the subtler elements of verbal and non verbal communication vital to constructing trust at the interface between politics and management.

PROGRAMME

Brief introduction - overview of the day

Reading the political environment of the Council

Constructing trust: negotiating the overlap

Discussion of film clips of member-officer conversations

Defining political awareness: skills and values

Work on ‘critical incidents’: facilitated by tutor

Summary and feedback: Q & A

Tutor: As an Hon. Lecturer at Birmingham University where he has worked since 1973, Simon Baddeley’s fascination is with the construction of trust between politicians and managers in making good government. He’s taught in Australia, Sweden, Japan, and Canada. He has invented many training approaches to this sensitive subject, including the ‘owl/fox/donkey/sheep’ model (co-author Kim James), and created a film collection of interviews with politicians and managers working across political-managerial boundaries. He does events for local councils across the UK on ‘political-management leadership’ and ‘political sensitivity’ for members and officers and carries out film research on political-management working relationships, and has just returned from a seven cities tour across Australia (an example) where he’s been co-tutoring seminars on political-management leadership for councillors and managers. He was a member of the 2005 SOLACE Commission, convened by Cheryl Miller CBE, examining the challenges of working in a political environment. Contact: s.j.baddeley@bham.ac.uk

* * *

And a Christmas email from Mark and Sally in Ano Korakiana:

Morning Simon and Linda. All well over here in Corfu, the weather has been mixed now for several weeks one day its like spring and the next it has changed straight back into winter mode.

I have been over to the marsh only on a few occasions because of the weather factor often it being too windy to cross over, with limited success but then every trip is worth it regardless of the bag at the end of the day. We are here for Xmas this year and had hoped to go away for new years but unfortunately not able to get into our favourite guest house. Spoke to Nick and Nancy just the other night...Missy their dog will soon be going over to them. That's all really , looking forward to seeing you both in the new year. Picture taken last year boxing day. Love to you both. Mark. oh nearly forgot. MERRY XMAS

Sally, snowman and Teal in Greece

* * * On the subject of schadenfreude, I take no pleasure in Hellenic economic woe as explored in the FT and the NYT:

The Socialist prime minister, George A. Papandreou, has promised to fix the economy even in the face of resistance from his own supporters. But he has not completely convinced investors that he can shrink the government sector, which employs one of every four working Greeks (NYT 22 Dec '09)

[Back to the future: FT 6 Jan 2010: 'Commission officials grew infuriated with the Greek practice of sending misleading statistics to Brussels. Last year’s deficit was almost double the estimate made last July by the previous government.'

** ** ** ...and a clever and bitterly satirical viral of Jack Bauer interviewing Santa via TeacherDude Craig Wherlock. *** ***

Danica took this picture of me in Handsworth Park at Christmas

Christmas eve

My parent's in law have come for Christmas. Dot brings her brandy butter and a trifle drenched with sherry full of maraschino cherries. She takes over the kitchen helping Lin with cooking. Now is the time for the rendering of account with the untidy parts of our home; for mess to be sorted, decorations recovered, a tree assembled - somewhere we can find space for it. Now's the gathering of food and crackers and Christmas wrapping and bickering between phone chats about our news. It's the nicest of times and the most vexatious, the sweetest and the most saccharine. I swing between contentment and grumpiness.