I’m talking about water. At least, I will be in a minute. First, some parish announcements. To conclude yesterday’s tale of Sunday: our power came back on later in the afternoon, but we weren’t there at the time. We were having lunch with the family, finally trapping both godboys under one roof for the first time in months – and, sadly, probably for the last time until at least November, due to college and work. Lovely afternoon, and home to a lit house.
We had some rain the other day. The kind that turns the Kali Strata into an ISRD Class VI rapid, rarely attempted in competitions. The kind of rain that washes the topsoil down from the mountain and into the sea, turning it to the colour of the Red Sea, if the Red Sea were actually red. This was going on and off for days, and wasn’t much more than an extended but usual rainy spell for this time of year. Symi TV filmed some of the runoff as it washed down past the town square to the bridge (and you can see all Panormitis’ excellent videos by clicking that link and subscribing).
Irony #1. They’ve been doing works to the harbour road, and due to a variety of causes, the part along past Trawler Square and the corner is or has been flooded.
That’s irony #1 because of irony #2. While all this was going on, a local newspaper decided to announce the news that Symi was a disaster area, because of water (and we were not the only island mentioned). Odd timing. On first glance, it looked like the rain had made us victims of an horrendous natural disaster area, and I expect people were receiving messages of ‘stay safe’ (as if one wouldn’t), and ‘thoughts and prayers’ as if we were sinking.
Turns out, we aren’t a disaster area because of too much rain, but because of a lack of it. Our ‘disaster’ is that the island doesn’t have enough water, something I reckon most people have known since year dot. We’ve certainly known it with our current water rationing: no showers at the weekend, no washing machine unless the water main is on and the tank is filling, that kind of usual. I just thought it was unfortunate timing to suggest we were being washed away by a natural disaster, when in fact, we’re probably seeing a worsening of the ‘disaster’ of water shortage that the island’s had for years.
Anyway, that’s my thought for today. I am off to have others now, and spend a quiet day in reading and writing.
