Kalo Mina
June slips swelteringly into July as a warm wind sweeps dead vine leaves across the courtyard and into the house where every door and window is open. I am greeted in the porch by a gecko scurrying up the wall, caught investigating a pair of trainers left there after a long walk two days ago. I say hello and pass by to the study where, when I turn on the light as it’s still dark outside, I remember the electricity bill is waiting to be paid. Last month, the meter was read for the first time in a year, making this a catch-up bill which is going to make a dent in the holiday fund, but at least the readings are back on track. I’m expecting the next water bill to be similar as that meter hadn’t been read for some time either, but I supplied the reading a couple of weeks ago and know roughly what needs to be paid when it comes in.
The water meters, by the way, are supposed to be out in the street where they can be read even when people aren’t at home. Although our landlord knows this, ours remains behind the gate and has only been read two or three times in the past four years. What with all the other water disruption we’ve been having of late, I think it’s safer not to remind him to have it moved, not just now.
June is a busy month for northern-European visitors, and we have had several returning friends here for a week or two or longer, so it has been a busy social time. This tends to calm during the hotter months of July and August when we traditionally see more southern-European visitors escaping the cities like Rome, Paris, Athens for a holiday where sea and open space are abundant. For me, it’s a case of putting the fan up a notch, working topless and moving around very slowly until the temperature cools. It was 38 the other day, a temperature more often felt in August, so it will be interesting to see what that month brings when it gets here. Before then we have July to wade through and the month already promises an evening boat party and a visit from Neil’s brother to look forward to. That’s once I’ve plucked up the courage to pay this electricity bill…
