July and August 2006
Unbelievably, things have got better.
Our septic tank arrived in Leros around July 7th and there it stayed for four weeks. The architect claimed that the only way to get it up to the house, having been craned to the road below, was either over the roof of our downstairs neighbour (with whom we are not having a happy relationship) - or over the enormous rock in the garden directly below our house (belonging to the same happy family).
In the meantime of course, we were using the portapotty. This involved me having dug a hole (Richard being the engineer "deeper, deeper"), Richard dismantling it every evening either before we allowed ourselves a drink or just after but before we got to the "don't care" stage - which was a really bad idea. Then I carried the "box" up the slope behind the house, helping Rich up said slope and turning my back while he did the necessary amid cursing and sounds of spade putting in a bit of topsoil. Then back down the slope, Richard cleaning the portapotty and connecting it to the seat bit while I poured the drinks.
Finally, in a temper and accompanied by Anne (speaks Greek really well), I went to see Valandis, the bloke who does most of the actual building at his evening job, making souvlakis in Lakki harbour. He couldn't understand what the problem was and said he'd be there with 4 mates the following day and get the (400kg) septic tank up the stairs - see pic.
So having got it up the stairs, it lay on its side for another four days. We were expecting John (Rich's brother) and Barbara on 7th August. The electrician came the 3rd August and connected bits and pieces, said the plumber needed to do his bit next. The plumber arrived, did bits and pieces and... said the electrician needed to do some other things. I phoned the electrician and he said he'd be at the house the following day together with the plumber. Plumber duly arrived, no electrician. On Monday morning, 7th August, both the electrician and the plumber had done as much as they could (apparently, despite a huge plastic tank sitting on the flat bit above the septic tank, a leak somewhere (water on the ground around the septic tank), the main sewage pipe balancing on some bricks and tape around the electrical conduit that goes across the steps. Hey - at least we had a loo 3 hours before John and Barbara arrived!
