Thomas a Basket

Just updating cat lover readers on the cat we don’t own, want or know the lineage of, Thomas a Basket. I call him that because he found his safe place in our laundry basket one day and had been returning to it every night. Unfortunately, he came with a cold, or some such bug and sneezed a lot of gunk over everything. He also dribbles and once or twice has done that on the clean laundry when it’s been hanging inside to dry. We keep this lean-to open, though it has a door, because the wires for the router hang through it and, like the rest of the house, it’s not much warmer with the door shut. This means Thomas has unlimited access to the laundry but not the study which leads off it. We keep that door closed.

He is usually there each morning, either in the basket or somewhere else to his liking but goes out during the day to do whatever tom cats do – and we all know what that means. He’s probably sprayed over everything, so if you meet in the street and my clothes smell ‘Tommy’, or call at the house and inspect the lean-to, that’ll be the excuse.

While Thomas is revelling snottily in his B&B (Bed & Basket, we don’t feed him), his colleagues up the road are scratching around for a dry, warm place for the night that’s not too far away from their dining room, the bins. Symi Animal Welfare has provided us and others with a big bag of biscuits which we dole out to the needy every couple of days. We also keep any scraps that would be of use, like bones and such, and leave them for the strays. Otherwise, our house is cat free, and that’s the way we like it. Of course, as soon as Thomas a B starts bringing his bit on the side or family to stay, we might have to think again about our hospitality. I’ve told him this, and I think he understands. He watches me warily when I pass, ready to scarper if I show any signs of disapproval, but as long as doesn’t drip anything nasty on the clean laundry again, he can stay, either in the basket where I have donated an old throw, or on a pillow that was destined for the bin. Any other misdemeanours and I’d have to consider de-cat-itating him; get it? (I know, wrong Thomas, but you get my… Oh, never mind.)

Chilly Symi

Yesterday’s visit to Yialos to collect some post didn’t happen. It was a case of, ‘Let’s go now before it rains again… Too late.’ The rain was on and off all day. We stayed home instead, saving the adventure of leaving the house until the late afternoon when we nipped to the supermarket before calling into the Rainbow to wish Yiannis a happy name day on the way home.

You may not get the complete picture from the photos today as they don’t come with temperature, but another thing I did yesterday was take a shower in a bathroom that was a balmy eight degrees. The condensation is still dripping from the ceiling 24 hours later, and I need to get in there later and wipe it off. Usually, I’d put a heater in the doorway and take the edge off before heading in, but all three were in use in the study and sitting room. We’d normally have the window open as well, to help clear the condensation, so the tiles and ceiling don’t start growing black mould, but when it’s this cold, that’s not an option.

It’s part of the winter routine in many houses — clearing the damp away before it can settle in. Once the mould starts it’s very difficult to get rid of, and the bedroom walls are showing signs of it, so that’s another place that needs regular cleaning with bleach to kill the spores and another place where it would be better to have the window open. At this time of year, not only are they closed but so are the shutters. Anything to stay warm.

Not complaining, just pointing out how it is. To return to today, we definitely have to go to Yialos no matter what the weather as we need to go to the bank and there is a package waiting for me at the bookshop, one of the courier delivery points. I think it’s the banker’s lamp for the desk. I will post a picture of the finished ‘study’ when it’s all done, I am currently waiting for an Ikea order of a computer desk and chair, and then, once they are in, I’ll show you what it’s like. I will still need to get new curtains, but I’m working on that. Still, nearly there and, when things are warmer, I shall be more inclined to spend more time there, writing notes and researching at the desk, and then doing the manual labour of typing at the computer table – and without fingerless gloves. I might have to wait a few weeks for that luxury as the cold weather is currently set to continue on-and-off stormy, cold and wet. Nice.

Wet Monday

Monday morning on Symi and I’m waking up to the sound of rain again. Not complaining, it’s been snowing on Rhodes, and I’ve not been swimming. Yesterday was Epiphany, the time (among other things) when the waters are blessed, and young men dive to retrieve the cross from the sea. We had carol singers call the morning before, as is the tradition, and the ceremony on Symi is usually held in Yialos, Harani, Pedi and Panormitis, and Nimborio I believe.

I guess this is the first day back at work for many after the New Year and Christmas break, and for me, it’s meant to be the first day of getting back to the regular walks. Fitting one hour into my day for a stroll up the road or to the monetary shouldn’t be too difficult, I managed it for several months last year. Mind you, that was summer and autumn, now in winter, there are three tests to pass first. 1, is it raining? 2, is it just too damn cold? And 3, can I be bothered? It’s raining right now and too dark. (4, is it light enough?) The plan is to wait until later when I need to go to Yialos anyway, so that can be the daily walk, as long as it stops raining and I do walk back and not get a taxi. As you can see, it’s early on Monday morning, and I’ve not really looked outside yet – shutters closed and I’m not going out there until it’s dry and light. So, on with whatever else I am doing in my busy schedule today.

Symi Saturday Photos 2019

As it’s the weekend, here is a variety of photo taken from my file of things to post one day. As you might have read, it’s a time for staying in and working, especially as the weather has been so wet. So, these are not necessarily up to date images. However, in the spirit of keeping us going with Symi photos to view, I selected these more or less at random and will leave them here for you to look at until I am back next week.

Friday morning

Friday morning to-do list: Admin and emails, turn on mains water to fill tank, do some work, sort out laundry room, shopping, washing, have a shower, tidy study, turn off water, make lunch, get some book written. Saturday and Sunday are pretty much the same, but without all the annoying necessities, so the list just reads, ‘get a book written’, and around it all it says, ‘stay warm and dry.’

We’ve had our fair share of rain over the last couple of days as two storm fronts passed over. At least it warms the air slightly, but when the cloud goes, we’re back down to nine degrees (in the bathroom), with clear air so you can see across the tops of the Turkish mountains which are, apparently, many miles away – not sure how far exactly, but it’s a good distance, and usually around this time of year you can see snow on the peaks.

All this activity, as described above, means not much time or weather for being out and about. The weather is still thwarting my attempts to get back into a walk routine. I’ll go now… Or as soon as this deluge stops (it doesn’t), well, maybe I’ll try again tomorrow. Tomorrow dawns clear and cold, a bit chilly, I’ll go later, oh look, we’ve not yet finished the red Quality Street, better do that first. Strawberry centres must be the least popular of all, along with the orange ones, but we have to get through them all before Epiphany.

I do have one other thing to do today. Order the damn piano. I has one set up and ordered for a reasonable price form a British company with European branches, who offered free delivery. I found a decent Yamaha for a price I could afford, especially with free delivery, only to later be told that as it was over a certain weight, they would have to use a heavy haulage firm and the cost of delivery would be €400 or more, so that was that out of the window. I’ve found another (a Roland this time) from a company that has a store in Rhodes. They say that delivery to Symi is included, apart from a €25.00 fee C.O.D. to get the piano from the boat to the house, so I shall go with that. When I asked this shop last year, the said I would have to get it from the boat to the village on my own (simply not possible) so I shall wait and see what happens and put in an extra request on the order form to be kept informed. Don’t want a call at 5.30 one morning asking why I am not at the boat and taking off an upright digital piano which, unless I am there in ten minutes, will be on its way to another island. Watch this space.