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'A fortnight ago things changed...'
A summer meet of the Friends of Black Patch Park outside the Soho Foundry Tavern .... for Black Patch Park and its friends. It was not as if The Friends haven't left a lobbying trail since we founded...
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Πάσχα στην Άνω Κορακιάνα - Good Friday
Pietro Lorenzetti Christ's entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday It’s Good Friday. What a waste it would be, if people like me, without faith in resurrection, miracles or virgin birth, might be tempted...
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Their last day here
Between Nymfes and Episkepsi I have been in charge of the children – 3 and 5 - for the first hour of each morning of the stay. It gives Amy and Guy – on holiday – longer to sleep, and even Lin. If a...
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'Restored to Life'
"So perhaps there's a small part of the past here, that won't pass away". Two years after I terminated Delta Leisure's licence to retail my stepfather's Out of Town DVDs, on grounds of 'breach of...
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Waging peace Η κοινοτοπία του καλόυ
A fact unknown to all but the most acute children - perhaps refugees - because they're wrapped in love, and haven't been around long enough, is that houses, like dogs, furniture, people and, even...
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Black Patch Park at the end of summer 2017
The Friends in Black Patch Park - 7th Sept In the last 18 months things have changed for the Black Patch – not only for the park but for its surrounding streets and small edging areas of land. In...
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'...co-operation between the gardener and the cook...'
The top of Soho Hill, three miles north west of Birmingham city centre, is concealed by the terraced streets that run north-south across Handsworth to Soho Road, where the gentle topography of the old...
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Reducing the ravages of old age?
Mitochondrion - 'powerhouse of my cells' Though 5 years past my ‘sell by’ date at 75, I am perfectly healthy. I think. The various researchers – contacting me (via my blood donating) for the UK Biobank...
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A walk
From our house... There’s a walk that goes westward from our house in the centre of Ano KorakianaΆνω Κορακιάνα– an area called Αρκούδενα - theBear, (no-one's told us the origin of the name), 250 metres...
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Papa Kosta has died. Αντίο παπα-Κώστα Φαϊτά
Priest blessing a child 1981 a marble relief by Aristeidis Metallinos, sculptor of Ano Korakiana Single tolls of church bells these last two days have sounded in the village, from postern gate to...
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«Ὁδὸς ἄνω κάτω μία καὶ ὡυτή»
1943 - 'So was it when my life began' In my childhood, lines were planted by their case officers – teachers, parents – introduced as suitable friends, even mentors to be trusted, but in truth, secret...
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First world problems
Arthur Rackham - an illustration from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens Magpies leap around inside the frieze of black branches at the bottom of the garden. Unruly wind stirs a medley of orphan leaves;...
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Snow
I’d almost forgotten about snow; proper snow with sledging, snowballing, and inconvenience for people who want to go to work. The children rejoice. So far as I know, so does Oscar dog, even when, in...
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Christmas in the Village
Ano Korakiana - Άνω Κορακιάνα (photo: Γιάννη Ματθεοφίλου - Yiannis Mattheophile) In Ano Korakiana, Christmas is a celebration of the anniversary of the birth of Jesus, in fulfillment of the divine will...
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One window
“Wouldn't it be simpler, even economical in the long run, to remove the whole window, frame and all, and have a metal opening window installed?”"Yes and no" says Linda Our dining room window is a...
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Up to date on Black Patch Park
I am hoping that these are significant dates in the restoration of Black Patch Park - useful to us, The Friends of Black Patch Park (FoBPP), and to anyone new to our campaign, begun 14 years ago, to...
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A paper on Aristeidis Metallinos
Aristeidis Metallinos, laic sculptor of Ano Korakiana (1908-1987) Aristeidis Metallinos - Αριστείδης Μεταλληνός - is known to few. Villagers of Ano Korakiana older than 30 remember talking to him as...
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Hannah's afternoon
I spent a Good Sunday with our grand-daughter. Hannah stayed overnight with us, because our grandson was poorly. I've got to know Oliver quite well. We’ve been on expeditions. We talk. My stepfather...
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Respite
“I’m going to get a jug of cold custard and pour it down the front of those ridiculous trousers!” Lin, who usually handles our travel documents, gave me my passport and boarding card at the departure...
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Tasks
I’ve clambered through the kitchen window to weed the small gulley between our house and the neighbour’s wall, lopping their overhanging fig branches to give light to WC and kitchen windows. I’ve...
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