It’s strange how time passes. On the one hand it seems like only yesterday I was saying ‘only another five months to go…’ about something or other and yet, looking back at my notes, the start of August seems so far away. I think it has everything to do with the weather. It has been so hot and airless for such a long time that it seems eons ago that we had cooler weather and windy days. It was in fact the 2nd of the month that I made that note in my notebook. During the month I also noted:

The festival continued and Neil was able to go out and photograph much dancing when he wasn’t doing other work. You can see some results in the photo galleries of course.

Click for gallery

There was an afternoon at the bar when four visitors (sorry – even if you did tell me your names I wouldn’t remember them because if I wasn’t called Alan I’d think my name was Robert and still not remember that I am in fact called… Simon… aren’t I?) … when four visitors had a great debate about where to eat in the village that night… Hang on; was it Silvia… maybe, Maureen? Anyway, our annual visitors of three days from Tilos were in and had done certain eateries and couldn’t decide where to eat that night so, after much deliberation, Neil and I arranged an election with the same swiftness as the Greek Prime-minister can do when everything is going his way.

After a further several minutes we’d arranged the rules, two votes per person (I think – my notes still show 10 votes cast from 4 people…?) and guess what? It was a draw. So we had another vote which finally produced a result and everyone was decided they were going to that restaurant for diner that night. Problem solved.

They went somewhere else.

We were invited to Anna’s daughter’s baptism this month, complete with invitation in an envelope and everything (see September’s village view for my baptism thoughts,) and duly attended for the evening. That was probably the highlight of my social month as I have been spending more time at home working and so on and less time sitting on the Kali Strata chatting – I leave that to Neil now who does enough chatting for the both of us. I have, instead, been trying to get more exercise by walking to either Yialos or Pedi at least three times a week. Which, in August, is not that much fun. Walking down is ok, in fact walking down to Pedi is lovely, I even enjoy walking past the power station – nice to see it’s still, somehow, working. The walk to Yialos is by various routes so as to vary the diet but both destinations have suitable places to refuel on gin and tonic before attempting the assent. So far I've not done the Kataractids in August, that really is far too silly as there is no shade.

Afternoons in he square have been quiet as all sensible people are either sleeping or at the beach. Later in the day though I've had visitors to the bar and we’ve sat in that acceptable Greek way (in silence) watching the sparrows come to the table to steal peanuts. For anyone who knows him ‘Dennis’ is still doing fine. He’s the little sparrow with the broken leg who, since May I believe, has been popping down to grab Yiannis’ nuts… peanuts… of an afternoon. He’s called Dennis ‘cos he’s only got one leg – as in, he hops. As in Dennis Hopper? You can blame Brian for that one.

We were suffering from a disagreeable smell in our street – well, in one of our streets: The easy access to the main street, street. At first we thought it was stagnant water from the 24/7 water supply pipes. (As in the water supply runs for 24 minutes out of every 7 hours.) But it turned out to be a vothros problem, cesspits we used to call them. Anyway, someone called the right people and next thing you know Dimitris is digging up the street and a new pipe is laid. I asked Dimitris when he would be diminished, he said tomorrow. I should have asked when the work would be finished as clearly he is not finishing it. We’re still clambering down the lane with our rubbish bags and up the lane with our shopping, sidestepping the piles of cobbles, trying not to stand on the new pipe. Avoiding the wobbly rock that… don’t stand there! Oops, too late. But at least the area doesn’t smell of… doesn’t smell anymore.

And hey! Let’s face it. At least we have not been suffering the horrendous fires that the North of the country has suffered. Over 60 lives lost and all manner of traumas happening on the news. I did shed a tear or several for these people I don’t know while watching the broadcasts. Somehow simply living here makes you more aware of other people, more tuned in to the country in which you live and makes you think more about other people. I don’t know how or why but living here for five years has done that for me. Each time I hear our church ring its death bells I feel for someone – I just don’t know who yet.

And talking of living here. This month also saw the fifth anniversary of our leaving England. As I write – 31st August – five years ago today we had reached Paros and would soon move over to Anti-Paros before arriving on Symi on 8th September. This year we had a meal to celebrate and a bottle on Champagne on the shop balcony. When we left England we had no thoughts of having a business, let alone one with a balcony, so finding ourselves on the business-balcony with a non-deductible (sadly) bottle of Champagne was a strange but nice thing.

And finally – as I am rambling but according to my review in the Symi Visitor that’s what I do and I like to think I do it rather well – and finally: storks.

Storks?

Yes, there were two storks at least over Symi in August. One arrived in the shape of the new litter bins:

And the other delivered Jenine and Ian’s new baby boy, Harry Christopher, to whom we have the honour of being godparents. Neil took some pics of Harry today and I will put them up soon. Love and best wishes and all that do-dah to Jenine, Ian, Sam and Hare Krishna (as Neil pronounces it when he’s drunk. Hehe, only joking!)

Right – off to spend an hour in the kitchen with the oven baking something. Neil’s dad and sister arrive in less than 48 hours, in preparation for Neil’s 40th birthday on 8th September – in case you want to send greetings, e-cards, money…

But you will have to wait until October to read the update about that particular event…