Summer Journal 2012, September 4

Although we've paid Cosmote for the summer use of the Internet, it appears we haven't been cut off yet, so I'll share my photos from today - a day of errands.  We first went by the police department so Stell and Stellios Foras could get papers notarized that shows that Foras has legal authority to be on the property and care for it while we aren't here.  There is a terrific little house with a lot of flowers directly across the street from the police department, so while I sat on the bench awaiting their transaction, I took this picture:

 

Next stop was Toula's so I could award her a Kalosyne Award.  Stell cried and she cried.  She said that Stell and I were the only people who ever acknowledged the hard work that she does:  running the hardware store, raising all of her five or six grandchildren, doing their laundry, cooking their meals, etc.  She didn't get to finish high school although she was a very good student, because her mother said she would only get mixed up with boys.  It turned out she was married at sixteen without a high school diploma.  Nonetheless she is an avid reader, a very competent businesswoman, and a tremendous grandmother.  She is exactly the kind of person I want to honor with this award.   Here's toula at her place receiving the Kalosyne Award:

 

One of her grandsons standing over her shoulder

 

Toula and Margaret

 

Next we went by Panyiotis to pick up the marble slab that reads Parents' Temple in Greek and English.  He did a nice job, and now Foras will install it and oversee the installation of the window and doors. 

 

 

We split a final ouzo at Sultana's bought some rat poisoning to put around the house, picked up "tears" for Stell at the pharmacy, and paid Cosmote.  When all of this was done we went to Takis and Sia's for a huge barbecue.  They had invited their neighbors and a Serbian couple, Zoran and Emile, with their two little boys Nicolas and Mihalis.  The photo below is Zoran with Mihalis:

 





 



Zoran works in construction in Belgrade with his brother.  He said business was slow like everywhere.  He and Emile spoke very good English.  He said he studied English in school, but he learned most of what he knows from watching movies.  When we left, Takis gave me three yellow roses.  He has 42 rose bushes in his garden.

Tonight we will say goodbye to my sister-in-law Anna and probably take one last stroll along the sea saying goodbye to people at Christos and Mitakos restaurants, and Maria and Aggelos at the Pizzaria.
Stell promised we would be home by 11 a.m., because Georgios will be here in his taxi at 6 a.m. to take us to Thessaloniki.

Kalanichta.