Preparedness for when

2tonsils

Hello everyone, thanks for the messages asking if we are safe and well. We are both fine, fortunately when the trouble kicked off we were in the UK getting our visas sorted out. When we arrived back we saw the demonstration about the tv station in town but the taxi driver just carried on driving past the crowds.

Just to bring my news up to date, we were given the choice of getting the visas done in Athens or London. Given that the flights to Athens were more expensive than to London we chose the one with least time to wait for the visa. Athens wanted three weeks to process them and London wanted just one day! The staff at the Embassy were very organised and polite and it was done with the minimum of fuss. We spent a total of five days in the Uk and got all our business completed so were able to spend two days in Brighton enjoying ourselves. Have now got most of the packing done and I gave all my food stores, clothes and bedding to families who needed them. It was a great feeling!

We fly to Thailand next Friday! I am really looking forward to it as we have realised how much stress we have been under trying to make ends meet here in Greece. We have no chance of selling the house so we have secured it and are keeping it as a holiday home. We can't rent as they then make you start a business and you are subjected to yet more taxes, more than the rent someone would pay.

I hate to say this but I think the writing is on the wall for Greece. The closure of the tv station is just the latest dirty trick. Pensioners were not paid for this month and have been told to re register in the hope they may get a pension in the future. Meanwhile they have no money to live on this month and none for medicines they need. The people who are currently working in tourism and building will not receive unemployment this winter even if they pay contributions all summer. None of it makes sense and I think the government are clutching at straws. There is no sign of the money they keep borrowing and the health service and other things are in dire straits.
We are leaving before it is too late for us to leave. I honestly don't see how this country, or the people, are going to survive this winter. I do hope to keep up with this thread when I move to Thailand. Just as a matter of interest on the SHTF theme....the area I am moving to is on a monsoon flood alert LOL. After the waterlogged winter here in Corfu I have just suffered I feel well able to cope with it! Love to all, thank you for your concern xxxxx

GreyQueen

Great to "see" you, 2tonsils, and I am glad that you and OH are both OK.

It's so grim for the Greek people but you have helped some of your neighbours by gifting them your belongings and good on you for doing so.

It's truly scary to see what a failed state looks like and it will not end well, I am sure of that. Take care of yourselves and please do keep posting from Thailand if you have the time. I love reading your posts.

GQ xx

[Deleted User]

HI 2T glad all is OK with you both, exciting times in more than one sense eh? Hope that your move is smooth and problemless and wish you both a wonderful new life in Thailand. Keep in touch if you can, we''d love to know how you get on, Cheers Lyn xxx.

spanishlivinginUK

Thank you MrsLurcherwalker for the recipe.
There two elder trees right behind my house with flowers about to bloom, one is infested with black fly like things but the other one is completely clear, the clear one is huge! So I think I'll be making a couple of batches!
How long does it keep for? Few weeks??

wondercollie

Memory_Girl wrote: »

For mardatha



Got no sweeties but made some of this today

MG

I'd sell my soul for that!

Tablet... never works for me. I've spooned it up semi-set and eaten it.

My son tells me I should just eat the condensed milk straight from the can and save the energy .

nuatha

wondercollie wrote: »

I'd sell my soul for that!

Tablet... never works for me. I've spooned it up semi-set and eaten it.

My son tells me I should just eat the condensed milk straight from the can and save the energy .

When I was a serious backpacker, my emergency kit used to contain a tube of condensed milk. I'd have to replace it before every trip (never opened until I was back home) I was buying it so regularly that I was offered a deal on a case - I didn't dare take advantage of the better price

greenbee

wondercollie wrote: »

I'd sell my soul for that!

Tablet... never works for me. I've spooned it up semi-set and eaten it.

My son tells me I should just eat the condensed milk straight from the can and save the energy .

I use MG's recipe and it seems to work. http://mortgagefreeinthree.com/2012/12/a-sugary-treat/#more-997 (actually, it has been pointed out that it's her mum's recipe, so I guess I should give her the credit... :cool:)

[Deleted User]

Morning all SPANISH the champagne will keep for about 3 months according to all I've heard, but I found a couple of missed bottles at the beginning of this summer and although I didn't drink them when I opened them tpo dispose of them they were still as bubbly as at the beginning of thier lives, and still smelled fine. I think they get a bit more alcoholic as time goes on as they continue to ferment in the bottle. My normal problem is keeping them for 3 months as the champagne is so nice!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

Memory_Girl

greenbee wrote: »

I use MG's recipe and it seems to work. http://mortgagefreeinthree.com/2012/12/a-sugary-treat/#more-997 (actually, it has been pointed out that it's her mum's recipe, so I guess I should give her the credit... :cool:)

Oh yes - its Mums recipe ........................ you should read her comment about the Bobby who came up to speak to me at the local Highland Games HERE

Would never claim it as my recipe - would be out of the will.

The recipe is a follow along with the pictures one - so loads of people have had success with it - don't give up!!! One last try maybe?

MG

Perplexed_Pineapple

Well the elderflowers are out at last and we have a big batch of cordial on the go, might try some champagne after that. The salad veg are coming on nicely and will help us out through the summer. If things got bad we could dig up the lawn and plant tatties but for now it's about building up and maintaining skills, and passing them on to the next generation.

2tonsils wrote: »

I hate to say this but I think the writing is on the wall for Greece. The closure of the tv station is just the latest dirty trick. Pensioners were not paid for this month and have been told to re register in the hope they may get a pension in the future. Meanwhile they have no money to live on this month and none for medicines they need. The people who are currently working in tourism and building will not receive unemployment this winter even if they pay contributions all summer. None of it makes sense and I think the government are clutching at straws. There is no sign of the money they keep borrowing and the health service and other things are in dire straits.

It makes you think, how vulnerable modern economies really are. The mechanism of the Eurozone gave the Greeks cheap credit so they could buy imported cars and technology from the Germans, and from us I daresay, but with an intrinsic economy based on agriculture, olive oil and tourism it was never going to be sustainable. At least the eurozone means that Greeks can leave and I'm already coming across more Greeks working here that you saw a few years ago. That's going to put more pressure on the jobs market here so wages are going to remain static or fall further (the main reason we haven't seen massive unemployment in the recession is that employers have cut hours and wages rather than jobs). That in turn reduces tax returns (from income tax, VAT and fuel tax) as people reduce expenditure so the state will have to cut costs - it's all likely to get very messy.