IT WAS a simple question to the local priest: “ Do you still own the small house just around the corner from us?” Yes he replied with a puzzled look on his face.“There is a family from Romania living there’
He was crestfallen when we told him that was no longer the case, they had disappeared, five children, a pregnant again wife and work-shy father. We are sure he muttered bad thoughts under his breath, especially when he revealed that they had not paid him rent or money for the electric. He was even more unhappy when he found that they had left behind a great looking dog, plus it turned out six large pick-up trucks full of rubbish.
That was the fairly simple task, he had to pay somebody to do the clearing up, plus build a gate to the outside stairs so that the dog, who was living there could
no longer gain access, as well as a special box fitted over the electric meter. That just left the puppy, an Alsatian type, less than four month old, with no water and no food. It stayed around our house, and of course we fed it. If we went out it would follow us, sitting under the table when we went out for a coffee, and was very good natured, sat when told to sit, and never worried for food. We asked around for somebody to take him from being a street dog. We tried the animal shelters, all overflowing with dogs of all shapes and ages. A friend runs a small shelter, but had 25 dogs. We had a man from Rethymnon in the end who wanted him, but, before he could finally come to collect, our Russian neighbour, whose daughter also gave the dog food, took him to a friend just on the edge of the village, where we were assured he was well treated.
THERE are times when we despair at some of the things we hear tourists say. Is the water safe? Is there food in the supermarkets, do the banks have any money etc. This week we heard a first - for us at least. We were sitting having a drink in the square on the local Dance Night, on the table next to us were two young females. When they went to place their order they said: “Do you have anything that is not Greek?
