Touching on Symi

Well, this is very touching. I recently mentioned the books I was using for research on my Victorian mystery series (pen name genre) and how I was looking out for an atlas. On Sunday, I was at a party in the upper village where Neil joined us after work. He brought news that Ann and Graham had been looking for me and had brought me an atlas. As I write (Monday morning), it’s still waiting for me at the bar, and I’ll be down there later today to collect it, I will post a photo when I have it. That’s incredibly kind of two Symi Dreamers (who I have yet to meet), and I will thank them as soon as I see them. I can’t wait.

In the last few days, we have been treated by other Symi Dreamers taking us out for meals to say thank you for the blog. It’s a bit overwhelming, actually, and very kind of people. It’s humbling too. It’s not the reason I write these pages. They started out as a way of advertising the shop we used to have and my books which were for sale there. When we closed the shop, it became more of what it is now; my varied ramblings about living on the island and writing, and I kept it going to advertise the books which I still do, as regular readers will know. I also try and fill in with news when I hear it – though I am not a journalist, and this isn’t a Symi News site – and then there are the photos.

These used to be taken on my digital camera which went everywhere with me, but now I use my phone. It’s lighter and slips into my man-bag so is much more portable, and the images are only for here and my personal collection, I don’t need them to be taken on a clunky old DSLR. I still have it and use it for holidays rather than morning walks. Still, the phone camera doesn’t do too badly, I hope.

And so, onto another day and the news from the desk is that I have finished draft four of ‘Fallen Splendour’, the fourth Victorian Mystery in The Clearwater Mysteries series (look up that title on Amazon, and you will find three so far). This MS is going off to the proofreader at the weekend, then it will come back to me, and I will have another go through before setting it up for release. Meanwhile, here’s a sneak preview of the front cover.

Share on Facebook

Kalo Mina

June slips swelteringly into July as a warm wind sweeps dead vine leaves across the courtyard and into the house where every door and window is open. I am greeted in the porch by a gecko scurrying up the wall, caught investigating a pair of trainers left there after a long walk two days ago. I say hello and pass by to the study where, when I turn on the light as it’s still dark outside, I remember the electricity bill is waiting to be paid. Last month, the meter was read for the first time in a year, making this a catch-up bill which is going to make a dent in the holiday fund, but at least the readings are back on track. I’m expecting the next water bill to be similar as that meter hadn’t been read for some time either, but I supplied the reading a couple of weeks ago and know roughly what needs to be paid when it comes in.

The water meters, by the way, are supposed to be out in the street where they can be read even when people aren’t at home. Although our landlord knows this, ours remains behind the gate and has only been read two or three times in the past four years. What with all the other water disruption we’ve been having of late, I think it’s safer not to remind him to have it moved, not just now.

June is a busy month for northern-European visitors, and we have had several returning friends here for a week or two or longer, so it has been a busy social time. This tends to calm during the hotter months of July and August when we traditionally see more southern-European visitors escaping the cities like Rome, Paris, Athens for a holiday where sea and open space are abundant. For me, it’s a case of putting the fan up a notch, working topless and moving around very slowly until the temperature cools. It was 38 the other day, a temperature more often felt in August, so it will be interesting to see what that month brings when it gets here. Before then we have July to wade through and the month already promises an evening boat party and a visit from Neil’s brother to look forward to. That’s once I’ve plucked up the courage to pay this electricity bill…

Share on Facebook

Symi Saturday Photos

Some more photos to finish off the week. It’s going to be a busy weekend for us. Lunch with friends yesterday, and again with other friends on Saturday, a barbecue on Sunday evening and a dinner on Monday night. I shall need to get a lot more walking in to counter the effects. Have a good weekend.

Share on Facebook

A few photos

I thought I would put up some random shots today, to help clear the folder. There will be more tomorrow as well for our usual ‘Symi Saturday Photos’ selection, but in the absence of anything new to tell you, images will have to do.

Share on Facebook

Symi mist

The season of mist and mellow fruitfulness it isn’t, we’re still in summer and not Keats’ autumn, and yet yesterday was a morning of mist and mellow… something, I dare say. The balcony rail was damp at four in the morning, and the night was sultry. The Blue Star came in slightly late, perhaps it had been delayed by fog, and there were banks of it rolling towards Symi from the north-west, pouring between the island and the islet of Nimos, and creeping up and over the west coast of the island above Nimborio. My phone camera’s zoom had some trouble focusing, but I hope you get the picture from these pictures.

You will be pleased to learn that we attended to the vine on Tuesday, at least Neil did while I went shopping, and it is no longer a danger to passing traffic, not until the next time it needs cutting back at least. Apart from the shopping, I also finished off the draft of a new Clearwater mystery, and can now give it a rest for a few days before giving it a final read and edit before sending it to the proofreader. That leaves me wandering about wondering what to do next. I’ll wait and see what my mind is in the mood for and if anything pops into the void left by finishing a manuscript.

Meanwhile, here are some more and similar shots from yesterday’s unusually misty morning.

Share on Facebook