Living in Greece, Part 16

Friday, 08 October

It’s so difficult for us hard-core summer worshippers, but I think I finally have to admit it: summer is over. (I usually manage to maintain deep denial until the first snowflake falls.) It’s rained for two whole days and today is gloomy and cold. I put on a cardigan and Demetrios even turned on a radiator. The leaves on the trees don’t look too healthy and the brilliant sunshine no longer wakes you up early.

There’s one good thing about this weather, at least. The patrons of the Drunken Duck are sitting inside now, and with the door shut. The neighborhood is much quieter.

Happy thought: summer is only over in the Northern Hemisphere!!

Anybody want to form a partnership and buy a little place in Australia?


Saturday, 09 October

Glorious sunshine, but still cold enough for a jacket or sweater.

Demetrios and our dear friend Leonidas went to a political talk downtown. Not because they were so very interested in the talk itself, although they said it was good, but because Leonidas expected several people from their old gang to be there.

And sure enough, they were, three men, I think, and a woman. So they all had fun being reunited after all these decades. One of them took charge of arranging a get-together soon.

Afterwards, we went to Leonidas’ and Ianna’s house for the midday meal. They both speak fluent German, having majored in it in university; so it’s easier for me to converse with them than with most Greeks. We have the choice of two languages, and often use words from both in the same sentence.

* * *

I’ve been thinking about the son of the Widow of Nain and others who were raised from the dead, Lazarus and Tabitha, for example. How many times would you say they each died? Only once, the first time?

In any case, their first and second departures were two entirely different experiences, weren’t they?