All posts by James Collins

Day to day on Symi

Why is there always only one?

You’re going to have to make do with a lesser service today. I store my photos on OneDrive and download those I think the least uninteresting as I need them and post them, but today, I have a ‘Network error when attempting to fetch resource.’ In other words, something’s gone wrong up there, and I can’t get to my store of images. I have some old ones on the PC which I’ll have to use. The view might be out of date, but then again, it might be exactly as it is right now. I don’t know. I only left the house yesterday to buy some milk. The rest of the time was spent either at this laptop or on the sofa surrounded by tissues.

So far today (and I’ve only been up for 10 minutes) things in the nose department seem calmer, and I’ve only sneezed once. This might be the effects of the drugs still doing their work, or it may be a natural improvement. I hope it’s the latter as I have to go to Yialos this morning for some bits and pieces, and I’m looking forward to the walk. Talking of which, I was walking recently when I saw this on the side of the road…

Why is there always only one glove? I was in London recently and I saw the same thing: a single glove abandoned by the side if the road. I saw the same thing in Folkestone (twice) and was tempted to take photos, but then I thought that was a little like photographing roadkill and decided against it. As it happens, I became a victim of the same phenomenon while I was away and managed to lose one of my leather gloves somewhere between Folkestone train station and the Leas. As I was in a taxi, I can only assume I dropped it in there, but I also like to think I dropped it by the side of the road, so someone else came past later and thought, ‘Why is there always only one?’ It’s obviously a thing, this one glove dropping… thing. I’ll keep an eye out on future walks, see what else I can find beside the road, and report back. Now, it’s time to start the day, get some work done, ‘nip’ into town, ‘nip’ back, get some shopping in, and get some writing done. So I’ll leave you with another photo taken last month. This may also be today’s view, I’m not sure as I’ve still not been outside yet, but as far as I can see from forecasts, it’s going to be a calm, bright day today, and the temperature is starting to rise.

By the way, if you want to know where I am with the writing, check out today’s blog post at https://jacksonmarsh.com/back-to-acts-of-faith/

Day to day on Symi

Rolling Backwards

This morning, I am not sure if I have been hit with a cold or the cold: forehead ache, badly behaving nose… It may clear when the house gets above 4 degrees, if it does. Whatever it does, I am working backwards this morning, starting with yesterday’s progress report from Harland and Wolff. It may not look like much is happening, but the main deck is coming together, and other sections are ready to add when the time comes, so before long, I reckon, we’re going to have a major breakthrough, and I don’t mean through the hull by ice.

Not my fingers

While working backwards, here was the scene at Scena on Saturday night…

And here is an illustration of Smithfield market, London, in the 19th century for no reason other than it happened to be in the wrong folder at the right time. (It’s vague research for the next book).

Heading backwards while coming forwards from the 1800s, here’s a shot of part of a new exhibition concerning Athens and the Acropolis which you can catch between flights when waiting at Athens airport. It still tickles me that Athens is the only airport I know of that has a permanent exhibition space. Not a huge one, granted, but still…

Before witnessing this brief exhibit, I witnessed the Alps from the middle seat at 30,000 feet, so not a great image, and difficult to achieve without the woman beside me thinking I was trying to snatch a shot of her upper deck. The wing doesn’t help either, only in terms of keeping us at 30,000 feet, which is, after all, rather more important than yet another photo from an aeroplane window.

On which note, I shall go and blow my nose again and sniff my way to work at the kitchen table where I have just opened a new roll of kitchen paper.

Day to day on Symi

Briefly Back

Well, I am back to it after two weeks away visiting family, resting the withered arm, and spending money we don’t have. How long I will be here for remains to be seen, but today, I am coming to you live from the kitchen, because it’s not worth trying to heat the other part of the house for only a few hours each morning. Not right now. I’ve had a lot going on, I’ve a lot to do, and I am behind on my writing, so this blog, and others that might follow, will be short.

We were out for dinner on Saturday night and took a trip down the lane to Niki’s Kitchen, which now has an upstairs dining room to go along with the outside seating in the summer. There’s nothing much that beats a classic Greek village taverna in the winter. The long welcome chat, the board with chalked menu, the ‘I’ll be downstairs, just bang on the floor when you want me,’ and of course, the good food.

There’s also nothing much that beats a high-school fund-raiser rebetika night at a more modern place like Scena, where Harry’s class was raising money for their end of school (and we mean, no more school ever after this June) trip to the exotic climbs of… Well, Rhodes, apparently because they can’t afford to go further afield. A great evening out, good food, music and company, and now, on to work.

Day to day on Symi

And Rest…

Another chilly day today, but not as windy, so hopefully, we won’t have to have all heaters running all day, and we might be able to open shutters later and air the house. Meanwhile, the dehumidifier is running to draw the damp from the bedroom, but the bathroom is a lost cause. Well, it’s not, but the ceiling needs to come down and be put back up again, but that’s going to have to wait. As for me, I am going to have one of my elbow breaks, by which I mean I have to take a break from typing for a few days, like a week or so. The old arm needs to rest so no more blogs, no more storytelling, and no more Chopin for a week, maybe. Yes, I know, I hate it too, but this thing is gradually getting better, but will only continue to do so if I don’t overwork it. So, I either carry on as normal until I cannot type anymore at all, ever, or I stop after today, have a rest and then come back later, so to continue for longer. Anyway, there’s much to do around the house by way of sorting, spring cleaning, and so on, that I tend to neglect in favour of writing.

In the absence of any other news on my part, here’s a photo of the village the other night, and a couple from the other morning showing winter skies and spring greenery.

Day to day on Symi

Something of a Chill

I’m coming to you today wearing three jumpers, with both heaters on, and a hole in the sitting room window. It’s still rather blowy out there, so much so, it blew off part of the frame around the ox-eye, allowing the north wind to come straight in. Later, we’ve got the unenviable task of getting down the very big ladder, going up to the ceiling, fixing the wood back on (hopefully), and coming down again. It’s not that high, I suppose about 12 feet? But then you’re up there and one of you has vertigo while the other gets off balance with heights… Meanwhile, here’s today’s sunrise photo taken over the wall, because I’m not opening the shutters to view the sea, nor going up on the roof.

This is probably the coldest we’ve been for a year (?). Up to now, the winter season has been damp and warm, with temperatures around 12 to 15°, but suddenly in the past few days, it’s dropped to:

Which may not be much for those who live further north or higher up, but when you don’t have carpets, central heating, and windows that fit, and when the houses are designed to be cool for the hot summers, well, you can imagine the fun. Still, that’s one of the reasons we like living here, that ‘get on and make the most of it’ attitude. Therefore, I shall be making the most of today with some writing work while I can (got to love anti inflammatory medication), a forth jumper or a blanket over my knees, and later, piano and model building by which time, I hope, the kitchen will be warm enough to sit in.