I am quite obsessed with weather, I am English after all. The south coast is on red alert for 80mph winds starting at around midnight tonight and ending sometime on Tuesday morning. I do hope we're not in for another 1987!! We've got spring tides at the moment so it should be fun down at the beach tomorrow.

Other news, I've bought a car. I know it's not environmentally friendly, but I really need my independance and the public transport network is next to useless in my part of town. Everyday I go to work on Penelope Pitstop (my bike, it's pink), I feel lucky to have arrived in one piece. Most drivers have no consideration for bike riders. Anyway, I bought a Golf, it's purple and it's at the mechanics getting a once over. I am expecting to spend a fair bit of money on it because it's old, but the body's OK (I know very little about cars, not a bonus when buying one really is it?). It drives better than the Panda, so I'm very happy.

One of my sisters made me a birthday cake!! My birthday isn't until Tuesday, but we did it today because everyone will be at work/in different parts of the country. It was lovely, I can't believe she made it herself, she says she's not great in the kitchen (I can't bake to save my life) but it was quite possibly the best chocolate cake I've eaten. I'm out with friends on the day itself so I think this year my birthday might be quite nice, I've got a few to make up for. I can't believe I will be 32, I've lived in Greece since I was 24 (looking back I really was just a kid, even though I didn't like to think so at the time).

Other news, I've got a bike. I put an ad on freecycle and someone replied saying they had one to give away. I am so pleased with it! The back wheel is little bit wonky and needs fixing but it will get me to the hospital in 10 mins rather than 40 mins, it's even got dynamo lights. Freecycle is fantastic, I just hope one day I'll be able to contribute and give something back.

I've just read that one of my old gymnastic's teachers haas been arrested and charged with rape, indecent assualt and exposure. The crimes happened between 1976 and 1986, and I belonged to the school in '85-'86. They had a lot of pupils and were well respected, him and his wife were both Olympians. I am shocked and really feel for the girls involved. I left because they were bullies and I was only little!! I know he hasn't been tried, but my instinct tells me there is something in it.

I went to one of my town's libraries today.  I last went 8 years ago.  It really was like I had arrived from another planet.  No-one stamps your books!! It's all self-service.  I can't get over this!! I had to take my books to a little computer with a special glowing shelf.  I put my card in and then put the books on the shelf, it was all over in 5 seconds.  I am gobsmacked!   The only thing was that afterwards, every shop I went in I set the burglar alarm off with the bloody books!

Tomorrow at 11.30,  meeting with the owner of an English Language school.  They are desperate for a new teacher, and I have both an English degree and speak Greek.  I haven't ever taught before so I'm a bit worried about that.  I've decided that if I am offered the job and it pays €500+ per month, I won't go to England to work . 

Panos got a phone call from a friend he hadn't seen in a while. He had heard that Panos is looking for work and that we are having a bit of a tough time financially. He said to Panos that he had a business idea that he thought he'd be really interested in and that he would come round to see us that evening. Panos phones me, "make sure the house is tidy, somebody's coming round to talk to us about a job in his new business!!" This guy is an area manager for BP and Panos thought they might be opening a new petrol station and that there could be a job for him.

When I was in England recently I watched a bit of telly, including a nationwide search for Britain's best dish. Brits aren't really renowned for their cuisine, but there was a recipe for something called Apple Crump. I made it for my Dad and now I have another addiction to go with the chocolate one.


( Recipe this way........ )

Arrggghhhh, some patterns arrived from sewingpatterns.com today, but the one I needed for the outfit I was going to make for my niece's christening has been delayed, it won't be here before I go to England and the do is the day after I get back. I don't know what to do now, I'm stuck!!! The pattern was this one http://www.voguepatterns.com/item/V8319.htm?tab=very_easy_vogue_dresses_br_includes_koko_beall_designer&page=3 and I've got cream wool stretch crepe and a greenish sort of tweed for the jacket and about 10 sewing hours. Bollocks

Browsing the internet looking for some info on womens' marriage rights in Greece, I stumbled upon this article relating to Lesbian women's right (or lack of) here

I find it unbelievable (but at the same time believable).  Homosexuality is still such a taboo here, normally when a Greek does well abroad, it's  all over the media for days, weeks, even years!  In the last Big Brother aired in the UK, there was an gay Athenian contestant called Gerry who managed to stay in the house until quite close to the finish.  A Greek outside Greece receiving considerable exposure to the media, should have been front page news. Not a whisper!!! Only some slating in the practically pornographic down market rags stating that his family had disowned him.  Interestingly, on his escape from the house, he " revealed" that he isn't 100% gay, but is bisexual and only revealed his gay side so that the girls would let him touch their boobs.  I don't think so!! I think it was to appease his family with the hope that one day there may be grandchildren!

Right, well, I've decided I'm pretty crap at this journal business!! I aimed to write every Sunday and it's now Wednesday....better late than never.

Right, embarassed by my lack of diary keeping  and the fact that people do sometimes look at the entries I'm going to have another go at this thing.

Today is a terrible day for Greece, she is on fire.  About half of the country has been affected by the uncontrollable forest fires  and minutes ago they were trying to save Ancient Olympia.  Hundreds of villagers are trapped in their villages, there isn't enough fire service support for something of this magnitude.  Many of the fires have been started deliberately, the bastards should strung up. 

The death toll has risen to over 50 now and several people have been arrested already for manslaughter.  We will not know the true human cost of this tragedy until the fire crews can go into the destroyd villages.  Some of the fires have been started by people wanting to clear their land (olive groves are protected by law) so that can either develop it or sell it to someone who wants to.  How can these people live with themselves knowing that they have heaped so much misery on so many.

Although we are unaffected here,  we have seen scenes on TV that are without precident in this country , burnt out cars on a road as people have tried to escape the flames and met with  a wall of fire.  Families mourning their dead. We are helpless.

So, I don't really know how I'm supposed to start off a journal, I've never kept one!! Why now? Probably to bring some order to my thoughts and work.

I am venturing into the areas of corsetry and lingerie and it's really hard trying to get supplies, it isn't as if I can just pop into town and get what I want. Choice is really limited, so I'm trying to plan to make things to sell at the weekly summer bazaar in Kassiopi and it will cost me a fortune to get my ingredients. The joys of living in Greece!

I think I will aim to update my journal every Sunday, it's perhaps a bit optimistic to try for more frequently! At the moment I'm a bit slow on the work front, and that should be affording me ample opportunity for getting on with my other projects but I keep getting distracted by other stuff (namely family problems). I have got a few things to get on with, and which indeed I must pop along and do now.

Underbust progress : trawling the internet for inspiration fot the embroidery. My inspiration is under the sea, so I'm looking for images that will translate to swarovski embroidery. I think I'm going to go with seahorses and weed. I have still got the base garment to make. I have so many ideas for corsets,, I don't know where to start.