A bit sniffley today; a cold has landed in the house. That will teach me to eat satsumas thinking they are good for me. Joking. It’s not quite at man flu alert level yet, still on a yellow alert but will let you now when we need rescue parcels and so on. Still working, Neil’s in his room next door and it sounds like a farmyard. Hey ho! A few photos and then back to the overdramatic suffering sounds and ‘Do I really have to go to Yialos?’ Answer; yes: parcels waiting and need money. All we need in the village is an ATM, post office and a place for the ferry to dock and I’d never have to go down town.
I just wanted to start the week off with a couple of adverts. Sorry about that. It is getting closer to that time of year, and you may be short of gift ideas. Well, here are two for you; a Symi Calendar and a Symi book.
A Symi calendar with 12 images from Neil. You can only buy this through the link to the Lulu store, but from there you can change your currency and even the shop, to make sure you buy it from the one nearest to you. They usually arrive within a few days, and people love them. You can also see a preview on the Lulu page and flick through before you buy.
The latest book about living on Symi – and other travel tales and nonsense. The link is over there on the right, but it’s also here. The book has only been out a couple of weeks, but the reviews are good, I am pleased to say. A lot of people have commented that they have laughed out loud, hopefully in the right places. Again, the book is only available online but from all Amazon stores around the world.
And back to the day-to-day. A quiet weekend working on the usual things, some shopping in Yialos and a Saturday night out at the village hotspots. Well, a couple of drinks at Rainbow with the regulars, and a choice of background television programmes followed by dinner at Georgio’s next door. You know you’re a local when you’re squeezed inside despite outside being open and a large party due to arrive, no tablecloth (didn’t need it, we’re not posh), and all and everyone seeing to you. Someone cooking your chops on the grill, someone else getting up from the staff table to fetch the wine, young Lefteris (2) was back and helping out, the atmosphere was typical Saturday night and laid back, just as it should be. And the chops were magnificent. I’m not sure which dinosaur they came from, but they were enormous and tasty.
November
Sunday dawned with a light fall of rain and heavy grey clouds, but not a breath of wind, and it wasn’t cold. Still, Sunday morning is the time for catching up on bits and pieces, doing some shopping at the House of Fun (as opposed to the House of Fraser) by which I mean Sotiris supermarket, and chilling out before slipping back into the usual routine again today. Here’s wishing you a happy week ahead and don’t forget to share this post and links to anyone who might be vaguely thrilled to give a Symi Dream Calendar or a new book to someone else.
As you can see from today’s photos, the clean up is progressing remarkably well thanks to the hard work of many people and organisations. There is still brown silt in the harbour and much around the main road through, and I’ve not been further back to see the work there, but the island is getting there. Slowly.
Wednesday on Symi
We chatted to one of the shopkeepers when we were down there on Wednesday, and he wasn’t happy. Apparently, although the tax men came over quickly to see what had been damaged (why the tax men? I’m not sure – to see what was to be written off I guess), they have now been told that a further inspection of damage is necessary. The problem is, he was told not to throw anything away until it had been seen. A bit late in many cases, and who wants to keep rotting produce and stock making the premises even worse? There’s a form to be filled out via the town hall, and then an inspector will come to look. This, of course, is taking time and meanwhile, many businesses have to remain closed. Not good news.
It might explain, though, why many places are still closed; the shops from ‘Comfy Chairs’ around the corner to Vasilis taverna, and probably others. Let’s hope they can get back on their feet soon.
As for us up here, it’s back to normal: writing, watching TV, doing the housework and occasionally popping out to take up our regular winter chairs in the Rainbow. The chilli plant is doing well, I think. It’s a race against time to see if the chillies will turn red before the plant’s leaves drop off if that’s what they are meant to do. With the temperature dropping, it could well be a chilly and chilli winter.
I’m still saying, ‘By ’eck, Ma, it’s parky’, even with my thermals and writer’s cardigan on. A writer’s cardigan is an Aran style, white, knitted one that has to be too big for the wearer, and have grubby cuffs where they rub against the desk as you write. No writer should be without one. Can’t guarantee it improves the writing, but it makes me feel more like the title I give myself.
We did nip down to Yialos yesterday afternoon to raid the bank, nicely, and climbed back up the hill again, and we’re returning there shortly for another adventure. Well, to go shopping and stock up on things you can only find in Yialos. After that, it’s back to the desk for a few more hours. The good news is that the screenplay I have been working on has pleased the client and I only have a few draft two changes to make. After that, I can start editing ‘The Witchling’ and prepare that for publication. Meanwhile, ‘Symi, Stuff & Nonsense’ is doing well. It’s currently up to #17 in Amazon’s rankings for Travel/Greece books (Kindle) and #32 for the print copy. Thank you to everyone who has ordered a copy so far and thus contributed to supplying a few new books for the high school. I am looking forward to your reviews… I think.
The photos today were taken yesterday morning from the balcony (very parky out there and it’s only going to get colder for the next few months). I was trying to capture the light no the mountains.
