Out and about on Saturday on Symi, doing things… There were 10 or 12 refugees brought in on Saturday, though while we were at the old post office they were at the port police, but the quiet time gave us, and several other volunteers, time to tidy up and sort out. A large consignment of clothes and donations had come in from several places and people around the world and needed sorting and placing. Some was going to storage in Pedi, while the rest needed to be checked through and organised. Meanwhile, in the background, the Solidarity Symi fundraising campaign reached its latest target of £30,000 which is great news.
I also read this post from the Solidarity Symi team: “One of the refugees who arrived today has advanced MS. When I asked if we could do anything to help, he replied ‘We feel safe. That’s all that matters.’ The quiet dignity of these unexpected guests is profoundly moving.” #solidaritysymi
While we were doing our little bit, I found out that I had been in bed with two ladies that very morning and knew nothing about it until they alerted me to the fact. Two of the Saturday volunteers, here on holiday, had been reading this very blog, in bed, that very morning; well, you never know where you’re going to be popping up do you? Later in the morning my mum came to see what we were up to and immediately got stuck in with some cleaning (I’m back in the refugee station now, not still in bed with the ‘Beedle dee, dee dee dee…’ two ladies).
We also met another ‘Beedle dee, dee dee dee…’ two ladies and ended up having drinks and dinner with them later – you meet such interesting people on Symi, including, as it turns out, another writer and blogger. I’m looking forward to sharing more info with you about all this is due course. After our time at the aid station we wandered around the harbour and had what’s become a tradition now, a Saturday lunch. This time we went to see Jordana at To Spitiko and had souvlaki. We took a cab up afterwards so that Neil could get to work on time.
Saturday afternoon rolled on into evening and into Zoi’s where mother treated us all to dinner before we headed back to the village square for some live music. It was rather the ‘battle of the bands’ as Georgio’s was also playing live music and we were at the Rainbow Bar, caught in the middle (with you) as the song says. Sunday morning, I watched the soldiers down in Yialos doing their regular Sunday morning parade, saluting the flag at the war memorial and a-singing of the national anthem (much abridged – the original poem on which it is based has 158 stanzas, usually only the first one or two are sung or in the case of our boys chanted as though they were on their way to Old Trafford.)
Then I watched another cruise ship call in, smoke a-belching, and then… Well, actually, that’s exactly where I am now. The Alarm Cat is at my feet telling me it’s time for his second breakfast so I shall have to go and attend to that. It’s this thing he has about not wanting to eat alone. I suggested, the other day, that we should get a second cat to keep him company in his old age, but the trouble with that is, you end up with two cats and, after this one, we don’t want another, so the idea didn’t go down too well.
And NO, we do not want any cats donated, thank you. This one is turning into a dog already. It’s a bit comical to watch: I get up, let him in, feed him, go to the bathroom and when I come out, he’s there, looking up. We go to the bowl and he carries on eating. I go to the balcony and he trots out and lies down. I go back inside, he gets up and follows, then sits at my feet under the desk, but I’m not stopping there, I’m back to the kitchen to make coffee and he’s with me, flops onto the floor, ‘Are we done yet?’ and then, when I head back to the desk, he follows, this time telling me to settle down! And so it goes on. It’s the only exercise he gets.
Anyway, enough! I’m off to see to Sir-the-cat’s needs and then do some Sunday morning house jobs, like yesterday’s washing up. Here’s wishing you a good week ahead.
PS: If the ‘Beedle dee, dee dee dee…’ confused you, you really need to watch more Liza Minelli films.
