Saturday, December 27, 2014

The End Is Near.


I can’t believe 2014 is over in four days.  Where did all the time go?  And why do I have only four days left in my self-imposed deadline to have Kaldis #7 finished by December 31?

The good news about this time of the year is that the Greek Parliament is busily giving me new material for Kaldis #8. I mean, how can one not be appreciative of a government body that gives we writers so much grist for our tales of societal intrigues, self-interest, and threatened revolutionary shakeups.  For example, in two days a vote requiring 180 of the 300 Members of Parliament to elect a new, but totally ceremonial, President of Greece, threatens to bring down the sitting government, force immediate new Parliamentary elections, and fracture Greece’s ties to the European Union. 


It’s a situation that has the world (and local) financial markets betting that the country is headed toward modern day economic oblivion.  Personally, I think short-term personal interests on the part of Greece’s MPs will keep things together for as long as possible; if only so the MPs don’t lose their 6000 euros a month paychecks (plus perqs) when many are booted out of Parliament in the next election and thrown back into the ranks of their 28% unemployed constituency—where 800 euros per month is considered a solid wage. 

As for the country’s long term prospects…

Well, I don’t want to talk about any of that. We’re into the festive Holiday Season. Let’s rejoice, dance, sing, and carry on.


I want to do all the things on New Years Eve that Yrsa will be doing in Reykjavik, Stan and Michael in South Africa, Annamaria in NYC (sorry, EvKa, maybe Portland for her next year), Cara in Paris, Caro in Glasgow, Lisa who knows where, and Zoe anywhere she wants.


I want to be thankful for all the very good things that happened in 2014—at the top of the list being that my children, grandchildren, Barbara and all our extended family are healthy and doing well (puh, puh, puh)—and pray that our world will somehow find its way back to sanity in 2015.


Yes, I’m in a prayerful mood. Perhaps because I’ve retreated to the refuge of my farm, a place for thinking, planning, rebooting, and writing. Here I’m surrounded by nature most basic, not man most basic—unless, of course, I turn on the television, read a newspaper, listen to the radio, or scan the Internet. So why do that?  Except if the Steelers are playing.

Normally the ground around here is covered with snow by now, but rains and a (relatively) warm stretch have chased every bit of white off the landscape.  The sky is wintry gray and plots of green persist of course, but much of the ground lay in naked shades of chocolate, beige and tan.

Not my barn, Or horses, A neighbor's.

My barn remains red, though, and its repairs are almost finished (after a year and a half). Fences around the pasture are falling down. I normally replace posts and rails as soon as they fail, but I’ve decided not to this year. I’m decided to open up the land.  Give it more of a park-like feel, one where the bears, deer, turkeys, coyotes, bobcats, and foxes can wander free…not that any of them respect the fences anyway. But it’s a change.  And change is good.


My barn.

Changes of seasons are good.  Changes of clothes are good.  Changes of governments are good…or so one can hope.


Happy New Year, one and all, and may each of you find true happiness and great joy in 2015 and far, far beyond.


Jeff—Saturday

18 comments:

  1. I was just thinking of your farm, strangely enough! Thinking how wonderful it must be to have such a lovely refuge, however fleeting, from what seems to be an ever increasingly insane world. I hope you find it so. See you in 2015!

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    1. Thank you, Donis. It certainly is. I remember once many years ago as I was driving back through the Holland Tunnel into Manhattan from the farm, one of my children pointed out how stress seemed to be returning to my being. Out of the mouths of babes. Looking forward to seeing you in 2015 too!

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  2. And may 2015 be a healthy, happy, and successful one for you and Barbara. We look forward to our next rendezvous.

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    1. Our next rendezvous is the only reason I'm willing to go forward with 2015, Stan. All the best to you and M.

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  3. And a happy and healthy 2015 to you and yours. Your farm looks lovely. And I know what you mean about what it offers spiritually. Sometimes I think it is crazy for us to drive 6 hours round trip to sit down at our computers and do the writing we would do in N.J. But for Peter in particular, there is a peace here he does not get anywhere else. Come visit us, you and your MIE friends. Not all at once, although our son used to bring about 30 friends from Cambridge and I would wake up in the morning and stumble over the sleeping bags as I went to the kitchen to make coffee.
    . We'd love to have you.

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    1. I know precisely how Peter feels, Barbara. I'd also be careful about how generously you offer visits to friends of those who write so freely of murder and mayhem. Not to mention what they'd do to your liquor cabinet. :) Much love to you both!

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  4. I'm simply amazed, Jeff, not that Barbara would take the photo of you dressed (sort of) as Santa Claus, but rather that you'd actually post it. Bravo, my man, bravo!

    2015 will definitely be a better year... I'll get to meet several of you atoms to atoms in not too many months. However, given your predilections, I'll be careful not to turn my back on you (for fear of what you might tape to it...)

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    1. I always knew you were a wise man, EvKA, traipsing along as you do following a star in the East--Annamaria.

      Yes, I can't wait to see if Portland can handle the critical mass assembling there in March.

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  5. And continued good fortune for and your loved ones. Happy New Year!

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    1. Thank you, Lil, for making every day for so many of us one of good fortune.

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  6. Barbara and Jeff--beware of carelessly offering room and board to your fellow bloggers. Any kind of isolation sounds wonderful right now.

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    1. I wouldn't dare make such a careless error of judgment, Charlotte, especially with GITMO offering far more competitive vroooom and bored rates for the same experience.

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  7. With the 'change is good' approach to life, we have taken up part-time residence (at least as much as tourist permits will allow) in The Mani. . .in 'that' stone house on the hill; now 'our' stone house on the hill. We hope that sometime in the next year our travel schedules mesh and you can come to visit when we are 'en residence' here. . perhaps a reading at a local gathering place from "Sons of Sparta"? Or research for another book set here? Happy New Year to you and Barbara ~

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    1. So, you finally went and did it! Congratulations. Here’s hoping our schedules do overlap. I suppose you know that Greece is giving residency permits to non-EU citizens who purchase real estate in excess of 250,000 euros. Happiest of 2015 to you you both!

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    2. We'll keep you posted on our time - at this point we will be staying on our tourist visas. We hadn't heard about the residency permits. . .thanks for the update!

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  8. With the way things are going in Greece--new Parliamentary elections will take place on January 25--I'd suggest looking into the five-year residency opportunity sooner rather than later. No telling how the new government may act on that. As you also undoubtedly know, the 90-day tourist stay is technically within one 180-day period. Things are getting interesting Greece...thank God the Mani is a refuge. :)

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  9. Nice words Jeff! Happy 2015 to you and your family!

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    1. Thanks, Mark, and the same good wishes back to you and your family.

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