One in one out
As you can see, a bit of boat activity yesterday. The cruise ships are still coming in, summer isn’t over just yet! We had one in on Wednesday night for three hours and then this one in on Thursday. It was still parked up as the Panagia wanted to come in, so the ferry had to hang about to at sea for a while until the Sea Dreams boat moved.
The Panagia Skedani waiting for the Sea Dreams to come out so it can come in and have a go
As you can also see it’s a lovely day and the temperatures are still in the 20s; we’re still in shorts (as long as it’s not a cool breezy evening) and people are still heading to beaches. Mother arrived Safely on Wednesday night, perfectly delivered by Olympic Holidays and shown into Taxiarchis where she has a very nice studio with a good view and all mod cons. We popped out to Mandeio’s for a light supper after the arrival and I’m heading back down there soon as we’re going to the welcome meeting (it’s Thursday as I write). After that… well who knows? I feel like I’m on holiday myself.
Still sunny over here!
Here’s the culprit for the white dust all over the washing and courtyard, a tamarisk tree that’s shedding its whatever – I have a bit of a sore nose from it, but it’s only temporary.
Symi coincidence
Another quick post today. And they may be shorter for the next few weeks, there may even be days off. Eek! Mother will arrive this evening and so I won’t have as much time during the days to jot down my usual rambles and news. But I shall do my best.
Keeping watch
What’s nice to note today is that I’ve had a couple of message sin from people who are here on Symi and reading my books. People are getting a lot of laughs out of Jason and the Sargonuats, Remotely and even Carry On Up The Kali Strata, which I was talking about the other day. That title is still ahead in my monthly charts but only by one point as ‘Remotely’ is catching up fast.
Summer shadows
Met a strange coincidence last night, sitting at the Rainbow and chatting to some very nice people who we’d not chatted to before. They were from Deal, in Kent. So? Well, I am from Romney and sitting beside me was Jenni from Hythe – all cinque ports, all in a row along the south coast and all in a row outside the bar here on Symi. One of those things eh? Nice chat though and we made it home just in time for the 5.2 magnitude earthquake that happened just off Rhodes and not too far away. The house creaked, but it stayed upright I am pleased to say. Not had one of them for a while and it’s nice to know the house is so stable; built on rocks, so should be fine.
Calm in Pedi
Right, off to get the shopping now ahead of the state visit. Bear with me If I’m not here so much over the next few weeks.
Symi Photos
Dashing around getting ready for the family visit… still lots of tidying up to do some of which will have to wait for tomorrow… some shopping to get in… phone bill to pay (just paid in, on-line banking with Alpha Bank is so easy) and then to find something to wear that works with the cooler air, the sun and warmth when not in the shade, and which also looks good. So much to do so little time.
And so, some random photos today and not a lot of words, this will give me time to get the lunch ready, put the cushions back on the sofa, clear up the cat litter, hang more washing out, sweep the floors ready for a washing later and… You get the picture. Here are some more pictures; Symi photos to brighten your day.
Kali Strata at nightWork on the new jetty continuesQuiet backstreetsSummer sailingYialos in late SeptemberStill busy with day trippersEarly morning ferry
Carrying on up the Kali Strata
I was doing my usual thing that I do towards the end of the month and seeing what was my best selling title of the month. I can do this through Create Space for the print novels and books, and through Amazon Kindle’s set-up for the Kindle versions. I was kind of expecting ‘Remotely’ to be at the top as it’s a new book, and that was indeed the case – aparenty a local newspaper in the Kent area picked up on the fact it was set in that area and ran a piece about it; thank you! Everything helps.
Kali Strata shopping
Interestingly, although ‘Remotely‘ did well in paperback, the winner of the month (so far) is ‘Carry On Up The Kali Strata’ – usually ‘Symi 85600’ is the best seller on that list, and I just wondered if perhaps someone had found ‘Carry on’ and spread the word around for me. It’s only a short book but it comes with photos from Neil and some true tales, plus some stories so it’s a bit of a mix. Nice to see the old thing getting pole position for a change.
Still busy at Trata
Of course, all of these titles and more are available via my Amazon Author’s Page which you can find there and it would be every so lovely of you if you could find a moment and a way to share this link around; go to the link and they copy and paste to emails, like on Facebook, tweet on Twitter, do whether you do on Instagram (I don’t understand it) or ‘Hooked-Ap’ or whatever the others are called, and spread the word. Thank you.
A Yialos view
Back in news which has nothing to do with me, Symi was a little cloudy yesterday, and definitely felt colder. I wonder if we are in for a cold winter this year? Mind you, it’s warm enough in the sun when it’s there and it’s calm. The day boats were in, packed again which is good to see; let’s hope the people on them are spending a little or a lot in the harbour – few make it to the village in the limited time they have but some more intrepid explores get up here.
I’ve got the washing machine on again (oh, we’re back to me, ah well) and have taken in more water to the sterna as there’s a pile of end of summer washing to be done and the winter things to start to organise; the curtains and covers, things that keep out the drafts. I’m still halfway through washing the sofa covers and notice that the white pollen/seed thing is back. We had this at this time past year; there’s some kind of nearby tree that drops white seeds everywhere turning the courtyard into a snow drift and it’s all over the washing. It shakes off and makes Neil sneeze, so the next couple of weeks are going to be fun with endless courtyard sweeping and sneezing. The cat will probably get lost in it, camouflaged.
Wood for the bakery
Anyway, ramble enough. Here’s that link again, please share my Author page and the links to whichever is your favourite title. The page is also on Amazon UK but I can never find it. You should be able to search for all the books in your own country (though they are all written in English) and your own local Amazon store. Thank you!
Sunday Symi
We’re just in the middle of an autumn spring clean, now that it’s time to shut some of the windows and prepare the house for winter. Everything is covered in dust from the summer, no matter how much cleaning you do during the days. The sofas are in the wash (just the covers of course) though it looks like we’ll need new ones as parts have faded in the sunlight, the windows are being cleaned and the mountain of cat hair has been removed from under the sofas and the bed -enough to make a couple more litters of fully grown cats I reckon.
Cocktail view
But it’s not all been work this weekend. We had a lovely evening on Friday with our neighbours who gave us an amazing dinner. And then again on Saturday when another friend took us first to the Old Markets for a drink and then to Mythos for another stunning meal. We are spoiled. The evening was warmer than the other evening when it was windy and everyone was out in fleeces and long trousers. It’s that time of year when you are half and half in the wardrobe department; sandals and long trousers, or a long sleeved shirt and shorts, perhaps with a cardigan or similar for later. It’s still in the 20s here but if there’s a breeze and it’s after dark it can feel quite chilly.
Yialos in the evening
The cat has his voice and annoying habits back to good form and is back into his usual routine after his late summer holiday: Breakfast, a sleep, wake up and stare at you until you take him to his bowl, a light snack, another snooze (on one of the occasion tables this morning, for no reason) and then another light snack, a bit of sunbathing on the roof, lunch, a light snooze, then staring at you until you take him to his bowl, where he didn’t want to go actually so back to your feet to stare at you until you take him back to his bowl where he considers another light snack… And so on.
G & T by candlelight
And so on into the week. Mother arrives on Wednesday evening so we are looking forward to three weeks of parties and dinners, G & T’s and general malarkeyness… Only joking. Neil actually had a day off from the bar on 7th October as Yiannis is going to Rhodes for a wedding so, if the weather is good, we may do the around the island boat trip. Lots to look forward to. Have a good week.
