FESTIVE FORAYS

Festive greetings from the Croziers. The long intermission is because life has been hectic for the last few weeks and each day has given us a new challenge. Ma Crozier also had a lovely time in the UK to start some Christmas shopping and check on progress to the new house.

Back in Skepasti, the Mayor of the village turned up with a truck load of kiwi fruit and one crate per househould was distributed (whether you really wanted them or not). The fruit, which otherwise would have gone to landfill was on the small size, very hard and I had two or three marmalising sessions and still have to nip out each morning to see if any more of the bullets have softened a little in the porch. I managed to contrive some orange, cranberry and kiwi sauce which MIGHT be OK for Christmas lunch … I will let you know the verdict. Meanwhile, kiwi jam (looking dispiritingly like frogspawn) is now residing in the store cupboard for when we feel brave enough. The following week, a large consignment of oranges by the crate and more, larger kiwis by the crate arrived. I had a total of 3 crates of kiwis on the front porch and everyone we knew was trying to give away kiwis. Eventually I found a seasoned jam maker from a distant village to take one crate for her kitchen. I suspect that a lot of the smaller, less palatable fruit may well end up in the ground but more widely dispersed! I wonder what Archaeologists of the future would make of that!

Kiwis Galore!

Christmas Lunch will be at our house this year and local expats from UK and France have been invited. I'm feeling a little nervous about cooking a Cretan turkey on Cretan power for that number of people, but hopefully all the light and power will hang together long enough to put a meal together … Watch this space. I was slightly peeved that my ready-to-roll icing was allowed by security at Manchester airport but confiscated at Athens (where to be honest it had softened a lot) and I wished that it had been taken from me at first so I didn't carry it around all day until 40 minutes away from my destination! Such is life and the plus side is that I have found a store on the outskirts of Rethymnon which stocks everything needed to ice cakes and decorate them.

We have been to quite a number of Christmas parties already and have a few more in the diary. Last weekend was the Christmas do for “the Friends of Animals” - mostly ex-pats who have to raise money to veterinary care for all the lost and stray animals hereabouts. There is also lots happening to feed and clothe refugees and many organisations are collecting warm woollies and winter clothing so that those coming out of the sea by raft have some dry clothing available. Who would embark on such a journey unless they were absolutely desperate? I can hardly bear to contemplate why many, many small children do not make it alive - so many parents are totally traumatised on their arrival on many counts.

We have been reading about horrendous flooding in the North of the UK and hoping that things are better and warm homes have been found for all the flood victims before Christmas. I can't imagine anything worse inside your home than flood water, especially if this is not the first time it has happened. By some reverse trick of weather patterns, Kriti has been wallowing in sunshine and warmish day temperatures for longer than usual. Then after a week of overcast skies, the dark brooding clouds over Mount Psiloritis parted at last and revealed the gleaming white snowy slopes glistening in the sunshine. The nights are cold though and I need pyjamas, dressing gown, hat, gloves and socks to keep warm. Somebody please tell David Cameron that it gets very cold in Mediterranean countries too and our log pile is diminishing fast. We paid National Insurance for as long as everyone else and are every bit in need of cold weather fuel allowance!

Cute donkeys knitted at Makers to raise funds for the Donkey Sanctuary

Tomorrow is the last Makers gathering, apart from a Christmas meal, before the holidays. We are all taking bags of warm things to contribute to a school collection in Rethymnon. I have also to find some wrapping paper because this is the most difficult item to track down in Greece. Much of the contents of our turkey dinner will have been brought over from England or bought in the UK store which is a bit of a distance away. Our local village shop (jokingly referred to as Sainsburys) is looking a bit short of rations these days and Kostas, the proprietor, has stopped stocking cigarettes and many other items since times are so hard for the villagers and the shop is suffering. All these good souls are trying to exist on what they can grow on their veggie patches, bread and eggs. They all look cheerful, though and keep busy.

Panormo - outside the Post Office

I hear sounds of step ladders and struggling outside while K contemplates putting Christmas lights in the tree outside. Fare thee well for now – I think I am needed!