Can you feel the crunch?
With all this talk of the global credit crunch and the continuing stories of doom and gloom, it’s got me thinking about the possible effects on our life in Skopelos. We’ve noticed food prices rising but whether that is because of the tourist season or a general increase I don’t know. We don’t have investments so I don’t think we need to worry about the market crashing and we don’t have lots of money in the bank so the prospect of our local Agricultural bank getting into difficulties doesn’t overly concern us. We don’t own a property and I can’t see the slump in the property market affecting Skopelos as it appears to be a real estate bubble all on its own! Most of the people selling properties don’t seem to mind waiting a few years’ for a purchaser to come along and if that’s their attitude then they’re not going to lower their asking price just because the market has slowed. Some of our work is tourism related so if people decide not to holiday then that may affect us but I think in times like these, people still want to escape to foreign climes for their one or two weeks’ of sunshine. So all in all I think the credit crunch only makes me thankful that we left the UK when we did!
The season has now drawn to a close in Skopelos and the bars and tavernas are packing up, disappearing until May or June next year. There are significantly less people around and of course the beaches have become deserted, which is just how I like it. Saturday found us at Agnondas where the sun was lovely and bright and just right for sitting on the pebbles in your jumper! Junior enjoyed herself as per usual.
The weather has become increasingly windy the past couple of days and the boats have not been coming in to Skopelos Town since Friday or Saturday. Sean had to drive to Loutraki this morning to catch the Flying Cat to Volos where he is working for a few days a week. Apparently the sea at Loutraki and around Skiathos was as still as a mill pond, whereas Junior and I had to walk to school down by the sea dodging the waves!
Other recent developments, apart from Sean working away in Volos, include the need to now find another place to live. Whilst we’ve always been looking for somewhere bigger with more privacy, it has now become more pressing because the landlords wish to increase the rent. Obviously we are unable and unwilling to pay any more so it has to be full steam ahead in the search for a new home.
Another very recent development was the arrival last night of a little tabby kitten on the doorstep. I won’t go into detail as to how it arrived on our doorstep but needless to say it didn’t get there all on its own! It is a dear little thing who is currently sitting on my lap fast asleep. Junior was already in bed when the kitten came in but on getting up this morning she made no comment about the presence of another cat in the house. I asked her if she’d noticed a strange kitten in the living room to which she replied “Yes, it was waiting outside my bedroom door for me, it’s so cute, I think it loves me, what’s its name?” Apparently 5 year olds take everything in their stride! The kitten has no name yet until we can ascertain whether it already has a home somewhere as it is extremely friendly, knows how to use a cat litter tray and is very used to being inside a house. Junior will just have to keep her kitty name ideas to herself for now.
