The Times, 1963 and today

Just a quick ramble as I’ve been distracted by a newspaper. No, nothing to do with the shenanigans of the UK ruling leader, though I did just overhear the interviewer on the BBC ask a Tory, ‘Why can’t you just be honest?’ And that made me cheer her on – the interviewer I mean. No, the newspaper is a birthday present from Neil, a copy of The Times from my day of birth back in 19-something. What amazed me about this was the amount of type and thus typesetting that must have been done for each day’s publication. There are some photos later on, but the front looks like the old fashioned papers you see in period dramas, all small print on the front which announcements of birth, deaths and marriages. (Didn’t see my birth there.)

What also got me hooked was on page three and no, this is The Times 1963, so it’s not that kind of page three, but the headline of a story: ‘Woman attacked by grey squirrel.‘ If that was a headline now, I am pretty sure someone in the current Westminster administration would immediately ban grey squirrels on health and safety grounds. Meanwhile, other parties would call for them to be barred from entering the country, others would rise up to protect them (but not actually say so for fear of losing their seats in the House) while a certain party leader would say that he was going to make sure they got equal pay, decent housing, and were to be nationalised, as that’s what people want to hear today. Over the water, a certain American maniac with a personality disorder would grab hold of the animal, realise it wasn’t a defenceless woman, let it go and deny having ever touched it. Further south, someone would shoot a ballistic missile at the poor creature and go back to greasing his hair.

Honestly, I despair of politicians these days, more so than ever, so I am trying to train myself to have nothing to do with it all – apart from voting in this election that she promised was never going to happen (until it suited Ms Mayhem), via my postal vote, and local mayoral elections here on Symi, as I can, plus the European Parliament ones when they happen. Meanwhile, I’m going to go back to the kitchen, stir the vegetable curry I am making, and read on to page four of The Times before copying out its crossword, so I don’t have to write on the paper, and I can say that I have completed The Times crossword from the day of my birth.

That’s it. I’ll let you get on now – hope you enjoyed the random photos today.

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Heaven by Anne Butler Rowlands

In a minute I want to tell you about a new book, written by a friend of mine, but first: There’s a great sense of calm now that Easter had finished. Mind you, I did hear a couple more dynamite explosions on Tuesday morning. I woke up thinking it was Wednesday and wondered why the Blue Star had not been in. I also wondered if I should put the water on to top up the sterna, and then I remembered it was Tuesday. That’s what long weekends do to you, I guess.

The fridge is still teaming with leftovers and a couple of non-eaten puddings, some biscuits from Katarina and some other goodies brought by friends, or given as presents. The rest of my olive bread went to the bar with Neil on Monday and was seen to by people there, we still have half a cheesecake to think about, and the last of the lamb stew should do for today. After that, it’s back to the usual routine and less cooking. We did quite well on Easter Sunday with bread, cheesecake, chocolate mousse, angel cakes and a full roast. We had lunch at around two, and I didn’t need to eat again until Monday lunchtime. There are still chocolates and a few Kinder eggs to get through. Anyway…

And now, the book  ‘Heaven’, by regular Symi visitor Anne Butler Rowlands.

‘Heaven’, by Anne Butler Rowlands is described as: “‘Kapotheni’ has transformed itself from a ruined island into a playground for tourists. These eighteen linked stories highlight the funny, the tragic, the sinister, and the erotic aspects of the lives of the increasing crowds of middle-aged travellers and settlers, as they encounter the culture of a small Aegean community. In an exploration of the ways in which affection, love and lust forge links between diverse people, the light and dark aspects of sexuality thread through these stories, behind which lies the island, where the local community welcomes in the exhausted, the disillusioned, the sad and the lonely, giving warmth and hope to those who take the risk of meeting the new and the strange.”

And, described by me on the back cover as: “‘An idyllic island, glittering seas, blue skies, devious deeds…the stories are told with heart-piercing truth. Each one is a star in a deliciously dark firmament. Heaven is not just for the righteous.’ James Collins author of Remotely and The Judas Inheritance.”

And why am I pointing this out? Well, it won’t take a great leap to work out where ‘Kapotheni’ actually is. Regular visitors to Symi might even recognise some places, and possibly even some of the local characters. I’m not going to say too much more right now, but if you want to add another Symi inspired book to your collection, then click here for the Kindle or print version of ‘Heaven’, by regular Symi visitor Anne Butler Rowlands.

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Back to the blog

And we’re back to normal, or what constitutes normal around here. Easter has come and gone, and so have my few days off. It’s actually Monday today, as I’m writing, so I am back to getting blog posts ready the day before I publish them; back into the old routine. I’ve got a few photos I took over the weekend, Saturday in Yialos, the calm sea on two mornings, one misty one clearer, lots of food and some fireworks on Sunday (those photos coming soon).

I managed to sleep through the Saturday night celebrations and dynamite, there was quite a lot of it apparently. I heard the bangs on Sunday night, right up until around half two in the morning, as I couldn’t sleep. Maybe too much chocolate mousse. There was a great firework display from the Town Hall on Sunday, plus their annual roast in the square and along the harbour. On Saturday, there were at least two day-boats in, if not more, and plenty of visitors and locals out enjoying the good weather and the Easter celebrations. The Blue Star made a trip to Kastalorizo for the weekend, and I know some Symi folk want on that, and the Panagia Skiadeni, now back to its Rhodes-Panormitis-Symi runs, was here as well.

I’ll ease you back into my day to day blogging with a few more photos and then go and enjoy the rest of my bank holiday, during which I also have to find us a new washing machine and some outdoor furniture. Now then, where did I leave that catalogue…

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Happy Easter from Symi Dream

Here’s wishing you a Happy Easter, if you celebrate it, or if you simply find yourself with some holiday time. I’m going to leave the blog for a few days and put my feet up, I’ll be back early next week.

Meanwhile, here are a few recent photos to keep you going and, if you’re short of something to read, then here are some ideas for you. To start you off, my novel, ‘Jason and the Sargonauts’ will be free on Amazon Kindle over the weekend. The link is below. Here’s the release:

Jason and the Sargonauts

‘Jason and the Sargonauts‘ will be free on Kindle over the Easter period – from April 14^th for five days only.

Set on the Greek island of Symi, the story concerns a holiday rep, Jason, and his group of guests on their SARGO holiday. To keep his job, and stay on the island he loves so much, Jason must invent an excursion and sell it – and he must do it now. His grandmother, one of his guests, gives him an heirloom left to him by his grandfather who was on Symi during WWII. Inside, they find a musical treasure map that will lead them to ‘The Golden Fleece.’ But others have got wind of this and soon an old family feud is revived as Jason sets off, with his assortment of elderly guests, to track down the Fleece and unlock the mystery.

“This is Dan Brown meets Whitehall Farce with a bit of education about Symi’s history thrown in for good measure. Set on the Greek island of Symi, it’s a fast-paced whodunit with lots of laughs and loads of page turning moments. Yes, it was hard to put down.

This book deserves a large audience and stands up there with the best novels about contemporary Greece.”

‘Jason’ on Amazon: https://goo.gl/fE13Q7

Remotely

If you’re up for some comedy, then ‘Remotely; may appeal; to you. Here’s the blurb and the link.

‘Remotely‘ is a gay/straight body-swap comedy that pokes fun at British reality television.

Britain’s newest and most pointless TV talent competition is coming to Middlestone-On-Sea. ‘So You Think We’re Remotely Interested?‘ has taken Friday night viewers by storm as it streams live variety shows from remote, provincial theatres across Britain. The theatre with the most audience votes wins regeneration and revival, and lord knows, Middlestone-on-Sea needs both.

The dying seaside backwater rests its hopes on the performance of two ex-best friends, gay Gary and straight Stag.

The visiting celebrity judge, the mysterious and timeless Miss P, knows that for all to be well, they must mend their broken friendship. But there is no success without trial. She magically swaps Gary and Stag into each other’s bodies. Secrets are learned, comedy ensues, and yet the community remains divided.

Rifts must be healed, differences accepted, and bodies swapped back before the season grand finale in four days’ time otherwise Middlestone will lose everything.

“Once you start on James Collins’ coming of age, body-swap comedy, you won’t be remotely interested in putting it down.” G. J. Mugwatch MP

Some Amazon reviews for James Collins

“Brilliantly observed and a wicked wit.”

“Lots of laughs and loads of page turning moments. Yes, it was hard to put down.”

“Another unputdownable book that had me engrossed from beginning to end, and chuckling.”

“Finished this book yesterday and oh so amusing, would love to see it as a film.”

“More, I want more! I truly could not put this book down.”

You can find all of my books on my Amazon Author Page here.

Happy Easter, again, and here are some Symi photos.

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A little fall of rain

All those people arriving yesterday from the yUk for their summer on Symi brought the weather with them. It’s an old joke, but actually quite a welcome one. On Tuesday, we were sitting outside with friends having lunch in the shade, and on Wednesday morning we were sitting inside at home with the rain coming down. Just a bit of cloud and some much-needed rain for the plants though, and like everything else in life, it will pass. The weekend, Easter, looks to be good weather and so I’m not complaining.

As you might imagine, there have been many church services, much ringing of bells and lots of pre-Easter activity. Houses are painted up, and outsides are clean, paths have been weeded, and the white or blue lines between the paving stones also painted again, in some cases. There is a Town Hall barbeque on Sunday afternoon, there will be the midnight mass on Easter Saturday, there has already been some dynamite and many bangers being let off, and we’ve ordered a leg of lamb from Sotiris for Easter Sunday.

In more close-to-home news, I’ve sent off for my passport renewal, keeping a photocopy of my old one in case it’s needed in the meantime. We’ve been working on the next novel and want to get it out before May 19^th, so that it is eligible for an Amazon new novel promotion, so watch this space (again) for more definite news. Only a few more chapters to set up and it’s ready to go through the publishing process. I’ve also been reading the draft of ‘Symi, Stuff & Nonsense’ and making myself chuckle, so that bodes well. I hope to have that one ready by the end of the year at the very latest.

Other than that, it’s a quiet time at home with not a lot of news. We’re just enjoying watching everything come back to life after the winter. We were at Rainbow the other afternoon watching the way the neighbours send their children out into the street to play. The children were only little, but everyone knows they will be watched by other neighbours in the area, so no one is worried. The older children were playing football in the square and throwing the occasional banger to ward off evil, and, I suspect, scare each other. The simple joys of growing up safe and looked after; always a pleasure to see.

Anyway, I’m in danger of rambling about nothing as I get this ready before heading down to Yialos to meet friends and have a look around. I may need a coat for the first time in a few weeks, but hopefully, the rain will have passed by then.

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