Post, cat routine, cold
It is all very calm and peaceful around here, especially on a Tuesday when there are no boats coming and going. The addition of another Blue Star arrival on a Sunday from Athens and Monday back from Rhodes is helping with deliveries and fresh produce. Mind you, I am still waiting for some ordered Christmas items but am hopeful that they will arrive in time. I’ll go and check on Friday, the last day to find the post office open. It’s closed again today as the staff are having a well-earned Christmas party, or so I am told, and, with no boat on a Tuesday, there is no new post for them to sort out. As you can imagine, they are busier at this time of year, though things are never quiet there at any time.
Up at the house the cat has found a new routine which is slightly less food-orientated as before. Now that he is not allowed so much wet food due to his age and heart, he is a little grumpy about the same old same old biscuit routine, but he’s getting used to it. Now, after coming in first thing in the morning when we get up, he has his breakfast and hen heads straight for the bed. If the door is shut he will stand there and shout at it until someone magically and obediently opens it for him and then settle down for a few hours, leaving us in peace to get on with other things. Apart from making the bed.
He only disturbs my morning a few times now and, as I have a heater beside me in the office, he is happy to flop out in front of it when he is bored with using my bed. What he really looks forward to are those times when we hunker down in the sitting room. When the day’s work is done, the chores seen to, the washing away, the meals sorted, the floors swept, we settle down to some TV or a good book. Fire on, shutters closed against the cold, blankets over knees, hat on, and cat on lap, when not sprawled in front of the fire. He’s happy – when he has someone warm to sit on.
Change of subject: if you are on Symi at the moment there is a fund-raising carol singing event at Lefteris’ Kafeneion on Friday evening, around 7.30 or 8pm I think. I’ve not had it confirmed as yet, but it’s down for the 23rd and last year it started at around eight in the evening. Everyone is welcome to come and join in, or just watch and money raised will be for the orphanage in Rhodes – the same charity as the hotel we stayed at last week was raising money for.
I’m off to do some shopping now, then lunch to see to, a few odd jobs to do and then it’s cat time as we settle down to keep warm in the sitting room. He’s already badgering me to stop what I am doing and pay him more attention…
