Here’s the poster advertising a meeting by British Consulate staff to be held in Rhodes on Wednesday. The team are also planning a visit to Symi in either March or May; what month would be best?
All posts by James Collins
Happy Month, Kalo Mina!
Happy Month, Kalo Mina!
Kalo mina being the traditional Greek greeting on the first day of a month. I am, hopefully, greeting you from a boat in the Aegean right now, as we’re off to Rhodes on Friday to do some bits and pieces. We’ll have a couple of days holiday and do very little apart from hang out at the Plaza hotel, wander around Rhodes, maybe walk out to Jumbo if the weather’s good and have a mooch, try the new Thai restaurant near the Casino if it’s open, or the Indian restaurant, Saffron, read, see people and so on. The forecast is currently for good weather which makes a change after the past few weeks. The photos today are of the hail that landed on Wednesday. As you can guess, we didn’t leave the house all day.
The other photo is a plot chart for the story I am working on. I wouldn’t look too closely, even I can’t read half of it. The boxed text parts are the main progressions per ‘act’, there are three main lines, two more connected than the first, the main action plot, and the red is another subplot dealing with the main character’s through line and reason for his change in character etc. Thanks to my new work station, I can have this on the wall opposite me as I write, hopefully keeping me in line when the characters take over and wander off into their own stories. You see, writing Mills & Boon for boys is not as straightforward as it appears.
So, as we are away in Rhodes, there will be no Saturday Symi Photos post tomorrow, but all should be back to normal on Monday as long as we’re able to get the boat back on Sunday morning. Hopefully, I will have some outdoor photos for you, probably of Rhodes and our trip, but it will make a change from rain and wind, hail and grey skies. Maybe.
From Rain to Victorian London
From Rain to Victorian London
There wasn’t much building work going on anywhere yesterday morning. I woke up to a thunderstorm and heavy rain as another storm passed over. I have no idea what pointless name this one was given, Storm Whatever, I reckon as we’re so used to them now. The hills are going to be as green as a snooker table before long when the herbs and wild plants start to grow back. I reckon that at the moment they are battered down under the rainfall, hiding away and saying, ‘Bro, I’m not going out in this.’
I was meant to nip to Yialos to buy some boat tickets but gave up on that idea. Instead, I’ll buy them online and pick them up either on the way to the boat or tomorrow (Thursday as I write). The joys of online shopping and I can even use our Sea Smiles card for the discount and offers.
The weather aside, I’m working on a book set in Victorian London and finding out all kinds of things I didn’t know. The most interesting thing for me is that there are so many details to check. I want the story to be realistic so, for a start, I have to watch the language and not have characters say things which are out of the period. ‘Yeah, man, whatever,’ for example is a pretty obvious one, not that I’ve used it. But when I want to describe someone taking a cab across town, as another example, I’m then having to look up what kind of cab is appropriate to 1888, a Hansom or a something else. Even the style of clothing comes with many features and words alien to me, and although research is fun and informative, I’d really like one book to have on the desk with sections showing examples of, say, décor or drawers, costume or cutlery so I can be accurate and detailed. A kind of Mrs Beaton that covers the upstairs-downstairs world, the wider world and the language. I’ve ordered a book of Victorian slang and dialect from Forgotten Books – similar to the Kentish dialect one I use for the Saddling series – but if anyone knows of a good ‘guide to Victorian Britain’ that I might be able to order, feel free to let me know.
Building work, KEP, Driving license
Building work, KEP, Driving license
It’s hard to believe it’s nearly the end of January already, the month seems to have passed quickly and under storm clouds, hail, rain and thunder, but we’re getting on with things here on Symi. The ruin next door has had the trees and debris removed. I’m not sure if that’s it or if there will be rebuilding work taking place. We’ll have to wait and see, but if it is going to be rebuilt, it’s going to make a small house with a big view, and we’ll have a view of workmen and concrete mixers, mules removing stones and bags and everything else that goes with a Sumi building site. Any disturbance will only be during the day, so it’s not a problem, and hopefully, whatever they do, it will have been in time to prevent the stone wall from being pushed over by tree roots and earth.
Out in the village, when I was last there a few days ago (I’m really into a ‘stuck in the house’ mood right now), the fruit boutique has closed, the new butcher is doing well, the other shops are all open and running, and everything is ticking over nicely. With calmer seas, the boats have been coming and going on schedule which is handy as we’re thinking of going to Rhodes on Friday for a couple of days. One of the reasons for this is to pick up my translation of my yUK driving licence, which I need to change my yUK one to a geek one. I also needed some other things which I now have, so next week, I should be able to pay the tax and fee and drop everything into the KEP office who will, I believe, take it from there. It will be handy to have, not that I aim to be driving, but for ID and proof of address etc. I haven’t driven a car since 2005 and don’t miss having one at all.
There has been a lot of chatter about what will happen after the panto of Brexit enters Act Two (if it does and whatever that hideous act will be; deal or no deal, Noel Edmonds or Status Quo). The bottom line is, as far as I know, Greece has not yet said what the status of those brits already here will be. The best advice so far is to make sure you are registered, something you should have done after three months of living here no matter when you moved here, and that your paperwork is up to date. That’s all I have to say on that matter except, if in doubt, as the KEP office and they will help you if they can.
Sunday, Sunday
Sunday, Sunday
Sunday was another pleasant day. An early start, as usual, house-pottering and writing in the morning, and a quiz in the afternoon. We gathered at the Sunrise café for a fortnightly quizword and general knowledge session. All very informal and fun and run by Peter who puts up with our asides and attempts at jokes. I took today’s photos there, only a couple as I don’t like to be intrusive, and they are from my phone, hence the odd look. Again, I don’t like to wander about with a large camera taking photos of people going about their daily business, it’s too invasive, I feel. So, that’s all I have today.
Except to add that a thunderstorm rolled across the island in the afternoon and I have no idea what name they gave this one and, frankly, I don’t care. This naming of bad weather winds me up (or winds me up if you want to look for a play of words which isn’t really there). All rain had stopped as we headed home, passing Georgio’s where a wedding party were having their feast. It was sad that the afternoon was so wet, but I hope they didn’t get too damp during the processions and festivities. It was good to see the taverna doing well, especially after Noufris saying that it often wasn’t worth him preparing meals by day due to lack of winter customers and often has to throw away more than he sells. I guess that’s how it goes these days; it used to be much busier during the winter months, but people either don’t have the spare funds or are not here. Lets’ hope it all picks up again soon.
