There’s a photo that’s been doing the rounds on social media for a couple of years now. It’s one of Neil’s from a few years back, and it shows the sunrise over Pedi. It’s from the same batch/time as the ones posted here today. The thing is, some sites and individuals have shared it claiming it’s theirs, or haven’t put a note to say it’s not theirs, leaving others to assume it is. If you’ve seen it, you know the one I mean, and I only mention it because I happened across the rest of the same shoot this morning, and thought I’d post these. They were taken one June. They’ve reminded me I need to get the Symi Dream calendar finished this weekend, that’s my priority.

Another may be to finally go for a short walk. I’ve been laid up with a daft cold for two weeks, but last night was the first night I was able to sleep without breathing through my mouth and waking up at all hours feeling like I’d swallowed a sponge. Hopefully, tomorrow, I’ll take a stroll and maybe even take some new photos for this blog.

The rest of the weekend will, as usual, be taken up with writing, and I have nothing else planned but that. Oh, and maybe some more YouTube video watching for research. Yesterday, I took a walk along the River Fleet in London. Rather, below London, because it was covered over a couple of hundred years ago, and is now part of the sewer system beneath the city. I watched a video about the history, system, Joseph Bazalgette and all that (didn’t know he also worked on the Tower Bridge design and other important things, we only hear of him for his sewers), and then went for a walk. Someone had kindly been down there with a camera and recorded several minutes of wandering through the tunnels with no sound other than the constant sound of water. Fascinating to see what I’ve recently been reading about, a labyrinth of large and small tunnels, some incredibly deep, some tiny, weirs, storm gates, mechanics, the lot. Very far removed from the images today, but it’s where I have to go later this morning as I press on with the next chapter.

So, I’ll go and make a start on my day, and will wish you a pleasant weekend.

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A little self-promotion this morning following a review of my book, ‘Bobby’ which appeared on Amazon yesterday – the review, I mean, not the book. That’s been out for a few weeks.

‘Bobby’ is the biography of my godfather, written by me based on interviews where he told us his life story. I started on this project 20 years ago, but only this year was I confident enough in the fact checking to knock the thing together and put it out there.

This is the story of one gay man, born in 1919 in Tooting. Bobby’s colourful life crossed paths with King George VI, Sir Winston Churchill, the Dalai Lama, Shirley Bassey, David Bowie, Quentin Crisp, Ruth Ellis, and numerous other crowned heads, politicians, entertainers and leaders of society. However, he came from the underclass of the homeless, drag queens, and illegal lovers. There at pivotal moments of the gay 20th century, this previously unknown gay man’s richly fascinating career has previously slipped under the radar but is now getting the limelight it deserves.

Here are some excerpts from the latest review: Lovingly crafted, exceptionally well written and well researched. This is a startlingly interesting read, with a wealth of beautifully observed detail of ‘ a time past’, yet it has a contemporary voice that quite entranced me. The descriptions of Bobby’s early life have all the resonance of the memoirs of the Scottish writer Molly Wier, and at times capture these lost days and ways as succinctly and as pungently as Flora Thomson did in the ‘Larkrise’ books. More than 5 stars required. (Thank you, Dr Gardner.)

Thanks also to everyone else who has taken the time and trouble to read the book and leave a review. As usual, my serial stalker has been out and about and bunged up a three-star rating, but at least this time it was a three and not a one. I don’t know who this person is, but they make me laugh. No sooner do I put a book on Amazon than they’re there, often before they’ve even had time to read a page. I imagine a jealous and frustrated oik who thinks he can do better but never does, so satisfies himself by giving other writers one and two star ratings without even reading the book.

Anyway, none of that matters when you have words like Lovingly crafted, and exceptionally well written in your reviews.

If you want to see what all the fuss is about, you can find ‘Bobby, a Life Worth Living’ via this universal link that should take you to your nearest Amazon outlet for the Kindle version or the paperback. It’s on Kindle Unlimited too.

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My cloud storage has this thing where it shows you photos from this day in (my) history, in today’s case, last week through the years. With a distinct lack of anything else on my mind apart from chapter 17, which I will get to later, I thought I’d have a browse through and see what I was up to this time last year and the year before and so on.

One year ago, apparently, I wasn’t doing very much. There are a few photos of the back of the village, so I assume I was going for walks in the morning, something I’ve not done for a couple of weeks thanks to this flu/cold/thing.

Two years ago, there’s a shot of us two at Georgio’s, not sitting at a table but wandering about so I don’t know what we were doing then.

Before that, there are loads of images of sunrises over various parts of the island, including Nimborio at dawn, so I assume Neil was over there on a very early morning walk. Then, there’s a post from 1970… That’s what it says! Apparently, I released the book Deviant Desire last week in 1970. Well, probably not as I would only have been seven, and that book actually came out at the beginning of March 2019.

This thing’s all over the place, because it shows me the year before, 2018, in the UK (which might have been right), but then shows a picture of a house I used to live in in the 1970s with the date, 2013. I reckon it’s when the images were last modified. Anyway, the point is there is no point, just an excuse to show you some old photos.

I do have an up-to-date photo as well, taken yesterday evening as we were crossing the square, showing some of the local children at their games. This photo could have been taken 40 years ago in any other country where it was once safe for children to play out alone, like we used to do. It reminded me of the times people from the UK ask what time zone we are in here in Greece. I always say we’re two hours ahead and 40 years behind – in a good way.

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Highlight of yesterday? Buying a new shower attachment from the Chinese shop and finding out we do actually have water pressure in the shower, at least, we do now. Other highlights? Writing a chapter of the next book, being able to breathe through one nostril for half an hour, meeting a 14-year-old violinist already at grade eight, and watching a documentary about Earnest Shackleton – well worth watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3YnAQiI4Cw

Today’s highlights may well include not looking at Facebook. I use it mainly for publicising the books and things, and for watching short videos of people falling over, cats, and, for some reason, construction sites gone wrong. One of the things that puts me off is the way it lies to you. I know we’re all fed up with the adverts, especially when it advertises the thing you just bought on Amazon or Skroutz, or wherever. What’s the point of that? I use the X and hide as many adverts as I can be bothered to hide as a way of teaching the thing a lesson. But that’s when it lies.

Me: I don’t want to see this advert. (Clicks X)

FB: You shan’t see this advert again.

Me: Good. (Scrolls)

FB: Here’s that advert we said you wouldn’t see again.

Me: Hit’s X.

FB: You shan’t see this advert again.

Me: Believe that when I see it. (Scrolls)

FB: Here’s that advert we said you wouldn’t see again.

And so on. It’s the same with ‘people you may know.’ How on earth am I likely to know the friend of a friend’s mother’s cousin in Pakistan?

So, today’s highlight may well be not looking at FB for a while and reading my book about Sir Henry Irving instead. That, admiring the new shower attachment, and writing a chapter should see me through what promises to be another hot day.

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I was going to write all kinds of things today and chat about this and that, but the truth is, I’ve been up since 2.30, because the cold returned in the form of a completely blocked nose, and I’m having to mouth breathe like a ‘stop the boats’ protestor. Instead, I’ll put up some of the photos Neil took while in Yialos yesterday, and fill you in with some local news, as in, ‘what I did on my weekend off.’

The highlight was lunch at To Spitiko with Neil and Harry on Friday, and that was about it. I was able to get a limited amount of writing done on the new book which is coming along well when I get to sit and write. I also had a go at changing the shower hoses. We have two showers, one that we can’t use for one reason or another, and one we do use but where the hose has started to fall apart. I thought I’d change them over, but as soon as I undid the spare one, it also fell apart, so that was that. Must buy a new shower hose, and I would have done that today had I had a decent night’s sleep and felt up to walking down town, which, at 4.38 am, I can’t even comprehend. Maybe later. I doubt it.

Apart from that and repotting a plant, I suppose I had a very quiet weekend, with Saturday spent mainly on the sofa taking Gripomed tablets (very good but they send me to sleep), sneezing, and trying not to interfere with a very sore nose, while all the time saying things like, ‘Oh, woe is me,’ and trying not to sneeze. It was better on Sunday to the point of being almost back to normal, and now again, it’s not. Weird. Let’s see what today brings.

It might bring me closer to finishing the Symi Dream Calendar for 2025. Neil’s given me the photos, and all I need to do is crop and resize, put them in the template and upload the files to Lulu… Watch this space.

Bills, probably. We sorted out the accountancy bill on Friday, and paid one of the health insurance bills. My full one then came in on Sunday, and I nearly fell off my chair, because it’s leapt up and I can’t afford it, so I’m not sure what’s going to happen there. I might have to look at changing providers. I mean, a €200 + leap in 12 months? I know I’m not getting any younger, but that’s taking the sample. Actually, prices are going up all round and unless you’re very frugal or very well off, it’s getting harder for many people to pay their way, and I’m not talking about just us, but everywhere, and don’t get me started on sun beds… Lol. That’s a debate worth repeating, but on another day.

Anyway, enough about all that. As far as I understand it the shrimp festival went well, and the main-stage Symi Festival is now underway. I heard there was a concert last night (?). To be honest, I’ve not seen a programme or a poster, a Facebook page or anything apart from a few specific event posters on the noticeboard in the village square. More space to be watched another time.

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