Day to day on Symi

Sunday morning

Sunday morning

Early Sunday morning on the balcony looking at the stars, listening to the people turning out after a late night at LOS in the harbour, planning the day ahead… A walk to Nimborio and back is planned for this morning, setting off at 9.30 to meet a friend over there at 10.30 for a couple of hours before walking back so Neil can be ready for work at 15.00. Looks like it’s going to be a lovely day, though it’s still dark outside so I can’t say for sure, but I’m looking forward to the walk and the time in the next bay along.

saturday 1

There was a wedding in the village last night (a couple of photos today of people on their way), and a concert in the square for the Symi Festival. We said goodbye to some friends who were leaving after a seven-week stay on Symi and then stopped for one or two more in the square. I managed to get some writing done on Saturday morning, another two draft chapters for ‘The Eastling’ which is nearing the end of draft one. I am still hoping to have the book ready in time for Christmas, but there’s a fair amount of work needed on draft two and beyond to bring it up to scratch.

If you're wondering about the sweeping going on, it's because someone up the street has a habit of emptying their washing machine water down the steps. It floods through the bars and needs to be swept out of the way so the stones dry as quickly as possible before people slip over.
If you’re wondering about the sweeping going on, it’s because someone up the street has a habit of emptying their washing machine water down the steps. It floods through the bars and needs to be swept out of the way so the stones dry as quickly as possible before people slip over.

And backtracking further, I was able to collect some papers on Friday which, with others I had been working on, were put into an envelope and sent to Spain. This is all to do with my private pension arrangement, so I am hoping that everything is in order and I’ve filled in all the forms correctly. I sent the envelope with the courier, paying a little extra for the speedy delivery option, and I hope to hear from Marbella in the next few days, saying they have received them safely. After that, I reckon about six weeks before everything is in place and I can officially say I am retired, or rather, semi-retired as I will still be writing and working where necessary as it’s not a huge amount, but enough to take the edge off the monthly bills. So, that’s another milestone done with. I will also feel a lot happier when it’s all done as my investment will no longer be in the UK, but in Europe and Euros. I hope they transfer it all out before the pound slumps completely against the Euro – if it does – but whatever happens, it will all be European, as it were, and I’ll feel a lot happier for that.

Symi Greece Symi Dream photos

And so, on with the week and (looks in diary) a birthday party for godson Harry today, a dinner invite for Thursday in Harani, and another for Saturday along our lane. Apart from that, I intend to get to the end of my first draft of the next Saddling story so that I can rest it for a couple of weeks when mother is here.

IF
IF