Highlights

Highlights from my Monday. Closing shutters against the wind, battling with the leaf fall in the courtyard compounded with the acacia tree pollen/stuff that snows down on us at this time of year. A lie in until 7 am. A visit to Sotiris supermarket – the highlight of any day; fun, madness, mayhem, friendly, bonkers, cheap, a little bit naughty at times. Otherwise, a day at home writing – a couple more scenes done for a screenplay, a few ideas for a book, a bit of draft three reading on ‘the Witchling’. Some episodes on Netflix (Have you seen ‘Big Mouth’? Outrageously wonderful, but we can’t think of anyone else who might like it. If you’re easily offended, don’t watch it.) And an early night.

Highlights of Tuesday’s morning: opening the shutters as the wind had died somewhat. Watching a cruise ship come in, the Salami Filopastry, or whatever it’s called. Watching swallows overhead and seeing the sea calm down after its wind-beating and a couple of book sales on Kindle. Not many, not enough, I should say, but something to go towards paying for the next book cover. That will be ‘Symi, Stuff & Nonsense’ which will be out in November. Watch this space.

Things to look forward to for the rest of the week? A small concert at home (must dust the piano), a trip to get the rent money from the harbour – preferably by legal means at the bank. Perhaps picking up a Chrome Cast if any have come in – due Tuesday – and playing with that. Buying that special paint for the flat roof (can’t remember the name, will have to look it up) so the bathroom doesn’t leak next time it rains. More writing, less sitting at the bar in the afternoon now things are quieter, and the wind is chilly, more time at home.

There may not have been many highlights, but at least there were no lowlights.

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Symi Watching

The village square on a windy evening in October. A few people sitting at Lefteris kafenion, a few at the Rainbow Bar, some on their way to eat at Georgio’s, or Taverna Zoi, but it’s still a bit early for dining, so a quick G&T first. Friends meet up for a chat, pulling fleeces and cardigans around their shoulders. These are the ones who have been on Symi for the summer and feel the difference in temperature more than those who have just arrived from even colder climes. Not that it is actually that cold, still in the 20s, but it feels it now that the wind has moved around to come in from the north.

Later, in Yialos, more friends meeting, locals greeting, wine poured and some in shorts wondering if they should pop home and change. Now it is dinner time, and some tavernas are doing as well as to be expected as the season slows down. Others are strangely quiet; some across the bay shine their lights in the hope that more guests will arrive. It might be even windier down by the water, and maybe not the best place to sit should that rain come back. Tavernas with inside seating fare better.

Watching the street life pass by as starters and mains are ordered and the wine jug filled. Shopkeepers going about their business, tourists wrapping up in pashminas, others braving the cooling air, still in their shorts. Conversations in various languages, the sky now dark. Laughter rings through the lanes hot on the heels of a chugging moped. A bicycle or two. It must be ten to the hour as there’s the bus driver heading home for a quick turnaround before getting back to his driving seat at more or less the top of the hour. Life has a timetable.

And then, the next day. The wind has died down but what there is of it is still from the north. The sea is ruffled and white in places, but not overly so. The Sea Dreams comes to harbour blasting its horn in an unusual rhythm, and a taxi boat hums out towards Nimborio. In the village square, the neighbours meet for their coffee and chat. Laughter from the Olive Tree, the smell of herbs wafts up the Kali Strata. The supermarket is not yet busy, but fresh vegetables have arrived. What can’t be found at the supermarket can be found at the green grocer’s, the Fruit Boutique. The corner shop is open, and Michaels stalwartly guards his empty peripteron, as he must.

Life is here, and life goes on.

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Symi Weekend – in brief

I did manage to get out and about with the camera on Friday. Well, I went to Yialos with it to post a package and find some bits and pieces. It was fairly busy down there, with four day-trip boats coming in and groups still being shown around the harbour on their tours. The train was running – cue sound of happy clapping, Zorba’s Dance and the bell – and people were taking photos of each other lying on the anchors or under the Fisherboy statue. It all felt quite festive and holiday-like.

I spent the day at home on Saturday, apart from doing some shopping. I was cooking for a small dinner in the evening, and avoiding the wind. (Not that kind of wind. Where’s your mind at?) The day we plan the last courtyard meal of the season, and we get high winds and the threat of rain. It didn’t rain, but the wind was blowing dust everywhere, and the pollen was raining down from the tree next door, so we set everything up inside the house, and, in the evening, had a very pleasant time with our guests around the table in the living room.

It did rain on Sunday morning, though, giving the plants a good old watering. When I hear the rain, I immediately think ‘free water’, and open up the tap to the sterna (once enough rain has washed the dust from the roof). The wind has dropped, and the army guys have been to do their parade at the War Memorial as they do every Sunday. I notice that of the five-day boats that came in on Saturday, only four have left. This Sunday morning, the boat that comes in from Turkey is still there. I wonder what happened? Must have broken down, but how did they get their passengers home again? Perhaps they had arranged a long weekend on Symi, in which case, all is well. Perhaps it’s none of my business.

So, off into the week will nothing planned apart from working and then a couple of social functions at the weekend. Plenty to look forward to – well, plenty of typing to look forward to, and maybe some more rain (forecast shows it clearing up again from Monday).

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Symi Saturday Photos

Some very random shots today from my files. I’m heading out soon and will take the camera, in case there is anything of interest to snap. But, before I head off into the weekend, I just want to remind you that the Symi Dream Calendar 2018 is on sale. It’s not a long now until the end of the year, and it’s always best to be prepared. Click the image for the link, and enjoy the photos.

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Preparing for winter

Well, starting to, and I know it’s not winter yet, and we still have warm days, but best be prepared. Apart from all the house things, like hanging curtains, and sorting the winter clothes from the summer, I am also thinking about entertainment.

I’m looking into a Chromecast. I know many people around here use it to send streaming TV from tablets to television, so I know it’s possible. We currently have a Roku, which is good and has lots of channels on it including Netflix, which we use. But I’m looking into ways to cast other things from the tablet to the non-smart TV. It’s got HDMI and all that, so it should be fine. I’m calling for assistance via Facebook and will have probably got it sorted out by the time you read this. I went to the Google page, and it said, ‘We are not in your country yet’ or something equally as threatening. Is Google advancing on the world like a superpower? I don’t know, but it told me a lie as other folks just up to road use it, so they are in our country.

Anyway, that’s one way of preparing for the winter; getting the entrainment ready. Another that I must do is buy a new computer keyboard. This one is starting to stick; the space bar doesn’t work every time and some letters only press half way without a bug thump, so my editing is taking as long as my writing. I’ve only had it a few months. Either it’s a rubbish keyboard, or I hammer it too hard. The last one (exactly the same) lasted until the letters started to rub off, but this one…

Anyway, that’s as interesting as I get today. Neil’s in the other room signing up for a course with Amnesty International, and I am preparing to settle into some writing, as long as my keyboard will let me. Or, if I’d not gone back over that sentence, aslongasmy keyboard willlet me.

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