Slowly Getting Back To Normal
As you can see from today’s photos, the clean up is progressing remarkably well thanks to the hard work of many people and organisations. There is still brown silt in the harbour and much around the main road through, and I’ve not been further back to see the work there, but the island is getting there. Slowly.
We chatted to one of the shopkeepers when we were down there on Wednesday, and he wasn’t happy. Apparently, although the tax men came over quickly to see what had been damaged (why the tax men? I’m not sure – to see what was to be written off I guess), they have now been told that a further inspection of damage is necessary. The problem is, he was told not to throw anything away until it had been seen. A bit late in many cases, and who wants to keep rotting produce and stock making the premises even worse? There’s a form to be filled out via the town hall, and then an inspector will come to look. This, of course, is taking time and meanwhile, many businesses have to remain closed. Not good news.
It might explain, though, why many places are still closed; the shops from ‘Comfy Chairs’ around the corner to Vasilis taverna, and probably others. Let’s hope they can get back on their feet soon.
As for us up here, it’s back to normal: writing, watching TV, doing the housework and occasionally popping out to take up our regular winter chairs in the Rainbow. The chilli plant is doing well, I think. It’s a race against time to see if the chillies will turn red before the plant’s leaves drop off if that’s what they are meant to do. With the temperature dropping, it could well be a chilly and chilli winter.
