I have one planned. Or semi-planned, as I’ve not planned to do anything except to do very little. Happy first of the month, by the way! I’ve turned over the last page in this year’s Symi Dream calendar, and noted the big days for this month; Christmas, of course, and the day we leave to go to Athens between Christmas and New Year, and next Friday, which is when Neil returns from his trip to Austria. Today, he, his brother and some friends are heading to Bratislava for the weekend to celebrate the brother’s 60th in the manner in which they celebrated his 50th; with beer.

That’s their big ‘quiet’ weekend, mine will start when I finish work this morning and run down to Yialos to collect two packages, check the post office, and get some cash (yes, it’s still used here). After that, I have an afternoon of writing, which is what I intend to do over the whole weekend unless anything else comes in. Meanwhile, I’ll refer you back to the Symi Dream calendar, and remind you that, as they can take a couple of weeks to arrive, now’s the time to order yours and a few extra for presents, so you can share the unique images of Symi with friends and family.

I’m a dreadful salesman, so I won’t go on, but I’ll share the link. Just click it to find the page where you can also run a preview of the calendar: Symi Dream, Calendar 2024.

There you go. That’s me set for a couple of days of typing, some wandering aimlessly about the village taking photos if I remember, and maybe working on that Mozart sonata that has lain long neglected on the piano for a few weeks now. The air is slightly chillier today, but no sign of clouds or high wind. The Blue Star came through yesterday at some unusual time, and that could only have been due to bad weather somewhere. Now, apparently, it’s running late but will catch up on its usual schedule after the weekend. At least, that was the last I heard, and that was my last word until Monday. Here’s wishing you a good month ahead.

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Another quiet day mostly spent at home yesterday. I got some work done, I’ve almost finished my last draft of ‘1892’ my cosy Christmas collection of short stories within the Clearwater world, so today, I should be able to send it off to have the internal files put into order ahead of uploading and sale. I have some typing to do before that, and a visit to the courier after that, which will mean a walk down and up the steps. Then, after lunch, a piano lesson followed by… An evening in, I think. I was out last night having a drink with Miss DJ down at Rainbow which gave a good opportunity for a catch-up, and it was nice to have someone to speak to other than the fridge.

I must also seek out some roof paint and a nozzle for my tube of mastic so I can have another look at the porch roof and see if I can stop the leaks. I could also do with new kitchen sink pipework because I need to change the trap, and then there’s the outside wall of the bathroom to do, and the bathroom flat ceiling… I can’t promise to get any of these things done today, I’ll see how it goes. I must at least buy the materials, so I am ready to go when the mood takes me (possibly around March next year). Meanwhile, here’s a shot from my phone that I’m rather proud of… A photo of which I am rather proud… A picture what I like quite a bit… Here’s a photo I like. That’ll do.

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It’s always interesting to see where the annual leak is going to come from, and this year, I’ve not been disappointed, because we have two to investigate. One is a classic: the bathroom. However, how does the floor become wet during a rainstorm, and yet the wall beneath the window is dry, as is the ceiling. No obvious drips or leaks, but definitely a puddle of water from somewhere. That’s to be investigated later and dealt with this afternoon or tomorrow because it probably involves a trip to the paint shop in Yialos, and I don’t know if I want to walk down there today.

The second one is more obvious and yet still a mystery. Probably because I don’t know how to detect a leaky roof. Luckily, it’s the roof over the porch which is somehow letting water cascade down the walls and cover the floor to a couple of inches. At least it would if I didn’t put down towels. I’ve painted and put mastic in every single gap I can find, the gutters are clear, and I can only think there’s something wrong with a tile or two somewhere. So, that’s probably a job for someone with know-how, so I’ll have to ask around.

Apart from that, I had a lovely day yesterday cooking, entertaining and being entertained by the godson and his mother. In return for their company, I made them watch Amadeus (the director’s cut, two hours and twenty minutes). We saw the very box H and I had used in the theatre in Prague and followed one man’s dramatization of what might or might not have happened to poor, young WAM. (Not the pop group, Mozart.) All that entertainment plus toad in the hole, homemade tomato soup and a rich chocolate cake H and I put together under instruction.

Today I have some work to do, a package to collect which may wait until tomorrow weather depending, and am meeting Miss DJ for a couple of glasses to celebrate her birthday (yesterday), and that’s about it for my day. A little washing up still to deal with, some leftovers to warm up for lunch, and other such highlights will make up my day, and I can’t wait to get started.

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Well, not exactly a day trip but a morning spent in Yialos. Okay, not a whole morning, just some time. Less than thirty minutes actually. Alright, so twenty minutes in Yialos…. Sometimes, that’s all you need to get your business done, and yesterday was one such success, not that I had much business to attend to. Mainly picking up something from the courier, and then the post office, then a hunt for decent tea bags, and back towards the steps only to be distracted by a taxi, a lift up with Constantinos, and home before dark.

That was a vague quote from ‘Into the Woods’ which we’re going to see in Athens on New Year’s Eve, but that’s a story for another day. What news from Yialos?

I’m not sure it’s news yet, but ACS told me they are moving next week. Apparently, they are moving into Yiannis’ old paint shop near the Panormitis Bakery, at the back of the town square. So, now you know. It makes more sense; they need more room and it’s nearer to the main road. Of course, elsewhere in the harbour was pretty quiet, with many or most tavernas now closed, and some bars too. I was down there early, so not all the shops were open, but the necessities were all still available.

The weather held off for me, and now the winds have died, and the sky is clear, we can expect a respite for a day or so. After, it seems, the wind will be from the south, so we should be warmer. The Blue Star that Neil needed to get early on Monday came in a few hours late due to storms further north, so it’s a good job he went days ahead of schedule because he had an appointment he needed to keep first thing on Monday. Had he waited for the ferry, he would have missed it. So, that justifies the extra €200 for three nights at the Castellum. As that’s with all meals and drinks included, it’s something of a bargain. Note: if you do stay there, you can’t pay in advance, so although they had my card details, and the booking page says the money can be taken at any time, they don’t take the money until you are there with the card. That was here with me, so he had to pay by other means (and then I had to send it from my card to his). Just a ‘heads up’, as they say. I have no idea who ‘they’ are, but they get everywhere.

I must now go and be nowhere in particular. I must be in the kitchen later because Jenine and Harry are coming for tea, and then we’re going to watch Amadeus. This is not only because it’s a good film, but also because my music student, H, will get something from it, and much of it was filmed in Prague where we were earlier this year. Some scenes were even filmed inside the theatre H and saw ‘The Magic Flute,’ so that will be interesting. Of course, I’ll tell him not to believe the history of the film too much; it’s a bit of a conspiracy and a dramatization, so not 100% accurate. As for what we were doing in Prague… that’s also another story and one for another day.

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It was a quiet weekend for me. The storm wasn’t as rough as expected, and although it’s noticeably colder this morning, and I’ve not yet seen the state of the sea, the wind isn’t battling the roof, and the rain isn’t creeping in under it. The Blue Star is only a few hours behind its original schedule and is currently at Kos (at 5.00), and by the time I get done with work, the rain should have passed, leaving me free to head down to Yialos to collect some post later this morning. That trip out, a little shopping, and a piano lesson this afternoon are my Monday highlights, and once all the excitement has passed, at around 4pm, I’ll have the rest of the day free to do as much or as little as I want. As little, will probably cover it.

As you might tell, it’s Monday morning, and although I no longer get that ‘Oh, it’s Monday morning,’ feeling, because every day is more or less the same for me, Monday still acts as a marker for the start of another week. Sunday is the day I don’t have a blog to post, so it feels slightly different, but otherwise, it’s the same old routine. Not very exciting if you were hoping for news of the wider world on the island, but when it’s rough and chilly as it was this weekend, I tend to stay home and wonder why I haven’t done more to stop the drafts. I’ve not even managed a short walk around the village, but instead, have walked circles around the courtyard when taking a break, and that means, no fascinating photos to share with you. Not recent ones, at least. There’s that quick shot of the village square on Sunday morning and then this one I took a couple of weeks ago. The more observant Symi visitor may recognise the street sign, one of few on the island, and may know where this street-name plaque is, but I bet hundreds of others have walked past it without realising. It’s quite high up on the wall above a doorway in the village, but where?

I’ll leave you pondering that one and get back to my regular day ahead of heading down to the harbour to check the various postal arrival depots, and then think about walking back up Vs taking a taxi or the bus. It depends on the weight of what I have to carry, and if the waiting parcel is what I think it is, I’ll be taking a cab.

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