Brits In Greece. Info from the Consulate

Hello and welcome to Monday. A couple of days ago, the British Consulate in Rhodes contacted me and asked if I would share a couple of posts from their excellent Facebook page, Brits In Greece. So, today, I’m posting up the images and texts of these two posts for those who don’t use Facebook, or who do but may not have found the page. The page has over 4,000 followers, many of whom involve themselves in post discussions, making it a good place for info, views and socialising. Here are the two posts

Are you a Brit living in #Greece? We’d love to hear your story! At times likes these, when meeting someone in person is harder, let’s get to know each other via this platform. The best stories will feature in a new series of #BritNextDoor notes we will be sharing in the Brits in Greece Facebook page, throughout the year. Please send a text of max 400 words along with 1-2 photos to: information.athens@fco.gov.uk
All contact details will be kept confidential.

When a relative or friend dies abroad, different procedures, laws or language can cause additional distress. Check our country-specific information for making practical arrangements ➡️ bit.ly/3eeyJEU

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Symi weekend photos

Here are a few photos to see you through the weekend. You may be able to see a cruiser in the harbour, the first I’ve seen from the balcony this year. As has become my custom, I am staying at home most of the time, writing, reading and researching.

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Books. What’s next?

As you know, my life these days consists mainly of staying home and writing, as it has done for several years now, and sometimes I’ve got nothing to tell you apart from what I see, write and do. Although many people think I spend my days doing nothing, sitting at home enjoying the view, ‘doing crosswords on a terrace, taking breakfast in bed…’ (a quote from Evita) I do actually work eight hours a day, six days per week writing. I’ve been using lockdown to produce a couple more of my pen name’s Victorian mystery books, and have just finished the first draft of ‘Home From Nowhere’, the seventh Clearwater Mystery set in 1889. This one is to do with music. I like to have a theme for each story; the last one was art (vaguely), the one before that, Henry Irving and Bram Stocker, and before that a poem and Tennyson, the Royal Opera House and an opera, and so on. Now I need to think about what comes next.

What should it be? Another Miss P story? She was popular among friends, but like many of my real name books, not enough copies get sold to pay the bills, which is why I invented the more lucrative Jackson Marsh line. I could try to go for the fourth and final Saddling book, but I’ve already written half of one and found it wasn’t doing what it should do, as I wasn’t in the right place for it, so that’s still on hold. The Symi books (rough though they are in places) continue to contribute towards the water bill, but I feel I’ve ‘done’ that theme now, and so I’m left with a first draft ‘resting’ as they say in the kitchen, while I turn my attention elsewhere. Meanwhile…

It strikes me that as Sunday is Summer Solstice, I’ve a good opportunity to advertise one of my books. The Witchling takes place over the summer solstice, and although it’s book two in a series of (currently) three, it is possible to read it without having to have read part one – kind of. You’re better off reading The Saddling first, but if you fancy some mystery and thrills, you can launch into The Witchling straight off the bat.

All my books are available at Amazon in paperback, on Kindle, and can be borrowed for free if you have Kindle Unlimited. The full lists are here:
James Collins
Jackson Marsh

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Congratulations

What began as one small beer after work ended up being something of a party. For those who know the family at Lefteris Kafeneion and haven’t heard the news, ‘young’ Lefteris and his partner had a baby boy on Monday, and we were treated to a couple of glasses of wine and a viewing of the first photos. The baby’s called Yiannis, of course, meaning we now have ‘Older Lefteris’, ‘Older Yiannis’, ‘Young Lefteris’, and ‘Young Yiannis’ with a full head of black hair, and everyone involved is doing well. Thought you’d like to know. Parents, grandparents and now great-grandparents plus everyone else are thrilled.

That’s the news, really, so here are a couple of photos.

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Yesterday

Just back from a three-mile stroll up the side of the Pedi valley and back, so expect some of my usual images. I took a video from the road above the valley and put it on Facebook if you follow the Symi Dream page. I wanted to capture the sound of the dawn chorus, which yesterday included the usual: cockerels, chickens, sparrows, other birds, a dog or two, cats fighting… It is pretty loud at that time of day, I can tell you. I didn’t see many people because I was out early, but I was greeted enthusiastically by Araby, the sheepdog, and said hello to his shepherd, waved at a few random people in cars who waved at me (as silhouettes because of the rising sun, I couldn’t see who, but I waved anyway), and then saw a sign of the times in Zoi’s car park…

I say a sign of the times, it was a family arriving in their car which was loaded with suitcases and bags. The ferry had been in, and they must have just come from it and before that, I assume, from Athens or another island. Maybe coming for the rest of the summer? Maybe the first time they’d been able to get home? Maybe none of my business, but it was both reassuring and slightly unnerving to see because I didn’t recognise them, so I assumed, ‘off-island’ visitors. The bars will be packed! At least, these people’s wardrobes will, judging by the number of suitcases they’d crammed into one tiny car. And so my week gets underway…

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