Introducing “Living in the UK again”

 

So a decision has been made, that I won’t be returning to the Greek island, full time after I get better. Lots of reasons, I would be a liar if I claimed the accident did not have its part in the decision, but it wasn’t the only reason. But I will be going back to the island, to see my friends there, and to Sifnos where my special three friends live.



I might when I feel it’s interesting, document part of my daily life in the UK, we are having a Ukrainian gentleman living in this house as part of the refugee program, in a few days time. Our kind neighbours opposite, they have had a Ukrainian family in their house for a long time now, two young children, a teenager and the mother and father. It’s an extended family unit now, with our neighbours  grown up children and grandchildren, and I am so proud of my them all. If anyone deserves a MBE they do, they have done so much to help the family feel at home in their house. It’s going to be strange for me and my lodger to start with, he doesn’t know much English but he will get there. I have already had two visits to my neighbours and eaten Ukrainian food. It’s very good!

Having him stay here, is a sort of direction of travel for my return to the UK. I plan to do some of the things that  I did when I lived here before I went to Greece. Like helping at the local Horticultural Society, Litter picking, when I can get out and about, in fact that will be a good way of walking again and getting fit again. I also want to do something for the village Health care, by doing volunteer driving folks to hospital, the doctors etc, those folks who can’t get to these places. As my neighbours get older, I can see myself helping them, visiting them shopping and so on. I also want to do Dog Sitting as I love doing that, I won’t do regular walking of dogs. 

I plan to try and grow vegetables in the garden, as I don’t plan getting an allotment, and write up my efforts for the local Horticultural Newsletter. I am taking inspiration from the daughter of a neighbour whose lives in London and uses her small terrace to grow things. Our garden is still nice, but a year without being looked after properly, means it needs a bit of TLC. Finally our front pond has a leak, and I have a new liner that our Ukrainian friends and my neighbour are going to install.

I borrowed a mobility scooter from a neighbour today, I went convoy style with a friend to a local coffee shop run by a Nepalese couple, and met another friend with her dog. He was pleased to see me, especially when I gave him a treat!

So there is lots to look forward to, I have to get to the time whenever that is, when the cage comes off. I have an appointment Thursday, when I hope a better idea of when it might come off will be made known to me. Best case is Christmas, but it could be the Spring. That’s a lot of jigsaws, Agatha Christie books, episodes of ER, crosswords, Wordles and so on..



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