I know some parts of Europe are experiencing very cold weather right now, so you may not want to hear that it was so warm on Saturday evening, I was able to sit outside Rainbow for a few hours watching no world go by. I had my jacket ready if needed. It wasn’t. Cloudy? Yes. Cold? No.

I have no idea what’s going on in Vienna and Bratislava because Neil has ‘gone dark’ for the weekend. The last I heard, on Friday, he and his brother were off to Bratislava with a party of mates and were expected back in Vienna on Sunday night. It’s only Sunday morning as I write, so I may have heard of James’ 60th birthday shenanigans by now. That’s my bother-in-law, James, not me. I am here on Symi with the windows and doors open to air the house before things become too damp. As for the other half of Symi Dream, the last image I saw was this:

I was in a similar mood as I tripped down to Yialos on Friday to collect two packages, check the post office, take out some cash, and contemplate buying paint. I didn’t, but I must do so during this week, so I can paint the bathroom’s flat roof before the real rain starts, try and fix the leaking porch, and maybe even scrape and treat the outside bathroom walls before repainting. All things I planned to do while Neil was away, and haven’t got around to yet, mainly because I was writing a long article, finishing a book to be published in a week or so, shopping, cooking, looking after the house, and generally procrastinating.

So, I will be heading to town again during the week, probably not until later in the week though, unless another delivery of ordered goods arrives. The painting can wait until next weekend, when, hopefully, it will be too wet to do it. Okay, so the porch will get wet, and the bathroom might spring a leak, but we have more towels to mop up with than I have the inclination to paint things. Still, it was a pleasant walk ‘downtown’, and I bumped into a few people I’d not seen for a while, before catching the bus back up the hill. The timetable has reverted to winter times now, and the times are on the board. I’m still looking out for the Blue Star sailings for January. So far, they have only a Sunday/Monday sailing on offer, and I need the one that leaves Piraeus on a Thursday to arrive here early on the Friday. The schedule must be announced soon, as the first week of January is only five weeks away. Gulp.

Which reminds me to remind you again about the Symi Dream Calendar for 2024 (click that link to get to it). A couple of people have had trouble paying for theirs, and I don’t understand why, because I haven’t, and nor have others. Maybe it depends on how you want to pay. I don’t know. I used PayPal and that worked fine, but I have also used a standard credit/debit card. If you have any hassle, the site’s support team are usually pretty quick to help out, and the support link is at the bottom of each page on the website. Anyway, if you’ve not got yours yet, follow this link and knock yourself out. Metaphorically speaking.

You’re also welcome to indulge in my first ‘fan’ calendar. The Clearwater Calendar holds all 11 book covers from my Clearwater series of Victorian mysteries, plus their blurbs, and a surprise page for December.

That’s all I’m saying for now. I must get to the shop before the after-church rush.

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I have one planned. Or semi-planned, as I’ve not planned to do anything except to do very little. Happy first of the month, by the way! I’ve turned over the last page in this year’s Symi Dream calendar, and noted the big days for this month; Christmas, of course, and the day we leave to go to Athens between Christmas and New Year, and next Friday, which is when Neil returns from his trip to Austria. Today, he, his brother and some friends are heading to Bratislava for the weekend to celebrate the brother’s 60th in the manner in which they celebrated his 50th; with beer.

That’s their big ‘quiet’ weekend, mine will start when I finish work this morning and run down to Yialos to collect two packages, check the post office, and get some cash (yes, it’s still used here). After that, I have an afternoon of writing, which is what I intend to do over the whole weekend unless anything else comes in. Meanwhile, I’ll refer you back to the Symi Dream calendar, and remind you that, as they can take a couple of weeks to arrive, now’s the time to order yours and a few extra for presents, so you can share the unique images of Symi with friends and family.

I’m a dreadful salesman, so I won’t go on, but I’ll share the link. Just click it to find the page where you can also run a preview of the calendar: Symi Dream, Calendar 2024.

There you go. That’s me set for a couple of days of typing, some wandering aimlessly about the village taking photos if I remember, and maybe working on that Mozart sonata that has lain long neglected on the piano for a few weeks now. The air is slightly chillier today, but no sign of clouds or high wind. The Blue Star came through yesterday at some unusual time, and that could only have been due to bad weather somewhere. Now, apparently, it’s running late but will catch up on its usual schedule after the weekend. At least, that was the last I heard, and that was my last word until Monday. Here’s wishing you a good month ahead.

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Another quiet day mostly spent at home yesterday. I got some work done, I’ve almost finished my last draft of ‘1892’ my cosy Christmas collection of short stories within the Clearwater world, so today, I should be able to send it off to have the internal files put into order ahead of uploading and sale. I have some typing to do before that, and a visit to the courier after that, which will mean a walk down and up the steps. Then, after lunch, a piano lesson followed by… An evening in, I think. I was out last night having a drink with Miss DJ down at Rainbow which gave a good opportunity for a catch-up, and it was nice to have someone to speak to other than the fridge.

I must also seek out some roof paint and a nozzle for my tube of mastic so I can have another look at the porch roof and see if I can stop the leaks. I could also do with new kitchen sink pipework because I need to change the trap, and then there’s the outside wall of the bathroom to do, and the bathroom flat ceiling… I can’t promise to get any of these things done today, I’ll see how it goes. I must at least buy the materials, so I am ready to go when the mood takes me (possibly around March next year). Meanwhile, here’s a shot from my phone that I’m rather proud of… A photo of which I am rather proud… A picture what I like quite a bit… Here’s a photo I like. That’ll do.

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It’s always interesting to see where the annual leak is going to come from, and this year, I’ve not been disappointed, because we have two to investigate. One is a classic: the bathroom. However, how does the floor become wet during a rainstorm, and yet the wall beneath the window is dry, as is the ceiling. No obvious drips or leaks, but definitely a puddle of water from somewhere. That’s to be investigated later and dealt with this afternoon or tomorrow because it probably involves a trip to the paint shop in Yialos, and I don’t know if I want to walk down there today.

The second one is more obvious and yet still a mystery. Probably because I don’t know how to detect a leaky roof. Luckily, it’s the roof over the porch which is somehow letting water cascade down the walls and cover the floor to a couple of inches. At least it would if I didn’t put down towels. I’ve painted and put mastic in every single gap I can find, the gutters are clear, and I can only think there’s something wrong with a tile or two somewhere. So, that’s probably a job for someone with know-how, so I’ll have to ask around.

Apart from that, I had a lovely day yesterday cooking, entertaining and being entertained by the godson and his mother. In return for their company, I made them watch Amadeus (the director’s cut, two hours and twenty minutes). We saw the very box H and I had used in the theatre in Prague and followed one man’s dramatization of what might or might not have happened to poor, young WAM. (Not the pop group, Mozart.) All that entertainment plus toad in the hole, homemade tomato soup and a rich chocolate cake H and I put together under instruction.

Today I have some work to do, a package to collect which may wait until tomorrow weather depending, and am meeting Miss DJ for a couple of glasses to celebrate her birthday (yesterday), and that’s about it for my day. A little washing up still to deal with, some leftovers to warm up for lunch, and other such highlights will make up my day, and I can’t wait to get started.

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Well, not exactly a day trip but a morning spent in Yialos. Okay, not a whole morning, just some time. Less than thirty minutes actually. Alright, so twenty minutes in Yialos…. Sometimes, that’s all you need to get your business done, and yesterday was one such success, not that I had much business to attend to. Mainly picking up something from the courier, and then the post office, then a hunt for decent tea bags, and back towards the steps only to be distracted by a taxi, a lift up with Constantinos, and home before dark.

That was a vague quote from ‘Into the Woods’ which we’re going to see in Athens on New Year’s Eve, but that’s a story for another day. What news from Yialos?

I’m not sure it’s news yet, but ACS told me they are moving next week. Apparently, they are moving into Yiannis’ old paint shop near the Panormitis Bakery, at the back of the town square. So, now you know. It makes more sense; they need more room and it’s nearer to the main road. Of course, elsewhere in the harbour was pretty quiet, with many or most tavernas now closed, and some bars too. I was down there early, so not all the shops were open, but the necessities were all still available.

The weather held off for me, and now the winds have died, and the sky is clear, we can expect a respite for a day or so. After, it seems, the wind will be from the south, so we should be warmer. The Blue Star that Neil needed to get early on Monday came in a few hours late due to storms further north, so it’s a good job he went days ahead of schedule because he had an appointment he needed to keep first thing on Monday. Had he waited for the ferry, he would have missed it. So, that justifies the extra €200 for three nights at the Castellum. As that’s with all meals and drinks included, it’s something of a bargain. Note: if you do stay there, you can’t pay in advance, so although they had my card details, and the booking page says the money can be taken at any time, they don’t take the money until you are there with the card. That was here with me, so he had to pay by other means (and then I had to send it from my card to his). Just a ‘heads up’, as they say. I have no idea who ‘they’ are, but they get everywhere.

I must now go and be nowhere in particular. I must be in the kitchen later because Jenine and Harry are coming for tea, and then we’re going to watch Amadeus. This is not only because it’s a good film, but also because my music student, H, will get something from it, and much of it was filmed in Prague where we were earlier this year. Some scenes were even filmed inside the theatre H and saw ‘The Magic Flute,’ so that will be interesting. Of course, I’ll tell him not to believe the history of the film too much; it’s a bit of a conspiracy and a dramatization, so not 100% accurate. As for what we were doing in Prague… that’s also another story and one for another day.

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