After listening to James Gavin and Adrian Lever on the 13th, my enthusiasm for our 15th September session began to wane. Also, the usual fears crept in; who and how many would come? It turned out to be a brilliant afternoon – more socially than musically, I hasten to add! Nobody (myself included) had practised... Continue Reading →
24/013 Greek Word γέφυρα – a bridge
You might well ask why I have chosen a common word that has remained more or less unaltered through the millennia. It is a false friend (faux ami) that can confuse the English speaker in one particular circumstance. Between French and English there are dozens of false friends. For example, déception and délai translate as... Continue Reading →
24/008 Life in Northern Greece
Autumn has come early. Today (18th September) is what the Scots would describe as ‘dreich’ – wet and miserable. My wife and I escaped the heat of late summer as we were on the road in Europe on a mission: Operation Odin. We delivered our son’s dog to him in London. Here is the dog's... Continue Reading →
24/008 Irish Music in Northern Greece – Visitors
The summer is over. The sessions resume tomorrow, but it has been a busy week. On Saturday (7th September) Kathleen hosted the session stalwarts and a delightful guest from Malta. Anne Poulhies plays a low D whistle. She’s a Frenchwoman who is based in Malta. Lawrence and Jaqui Porter set up Zoom sessions during Lockdown.... Continue Reading →
24/012 Greek Word απεργάζομαι – to be up to something (bad)
Whenever I see anything with the root εργ (work) in the same sentence with ex-Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, I have a little giggle to myself. On the few occasions I have been asked to give my opinion on Tsipras, I have replied, “Είναι ένας άεργος, άνεργος ακάματης.” A workshy, unemployed lazy fuck. His whole life... Continue Reading →