March is a month of parades. With the March 7th parade, the independence parade on March 25th and the March 31st parade the harbour sees a lot of activity as the school children, scouts, police and army march along the quayside. It was Sam’s first big parade this year and most of his supporters were down there waving him on. I wasn’t there however due to the theft of a priceless Egyptian artefact from the museum at Bedwell on Sea.

What?

It was my birthday this month and, by special request, I wrote and ran a mystery party for a few friends. Basically this involved setting the front room/dining room/office with clues, having already given out characters and clues to the ‘cast’ before hand. Everyone arrived in character and on time (apart from Nick Steele who we suspected had been poisoned because he knew too much) and a great time was had by all. Neil looked fetching in his borrowed kilt and Terri won the Oscar for her performance as a psychic from Liverpool. The mystery was unravelled but only Brian got it right and then mainly by guesswork – even though the clock on the wall was stopped at the time of the theft and staring everyone in the face all afternoon. But it’s the party that’s the important part of the day and, as far as I remember, we all had a god time.

Meanwhile back in the real world: copies of Symi 85600 have arrived (it now only has about 5 typos in it) and are now available in the shop along with Jason and the Sargonauts. (See Village View this month for the complete story.) Visitors have started to arrive and there is a real feel that the season is getting underway. The weather has been so warm and sunny you’d have thought we were in May already. Apart from today, it’s nearly dark in here and it’s not even 11.00 in the morning yet – rain clouds and thunder today. But we have seen tourists in flip flops and shorts, that was back on 7th march when it was warmer. It turned cold again around 14th with a strong wind that stopped the boats for a couple of days; just to give you the full weather report. Actually to give you the full, full report I noticed that I noted that it was windy on the 20th/21st (ish) and that we had thunder on the 23rd, so there you are.

More birthdays were celebrated with barbeques at Jenine’s house and drinks at the Sunrise café; the ‘Thursday gang’ as D.J. Terri has christened us, have been meeting to work our way through the Greek books. Now if only school had been this much fun I might have learned more. Lessons are followed by something yummy from Marj’s kitchen, something with ice and a slice from Neil, Brian and Gordon’s bottles and, if we’re very lucky, some dreadful TV show from Nova. Orange Country Choppers being my particular favourite.

Some of you may know George the butcher but do you know George the other butcher? Any day now a new butcher’s shop is opening in what used to be the gift shop opposite the Jean & Tonic bar. Young George (everyone is young now I’m a year older) who used to work at Noufris’ supermarket is starting up as a butcher. He gave me a guided tour of the facility the other night as I passed. Everything is tiled and spick and span, a huge butchers’ block from Africa (hopefully the tree wasn’t too endangered), new steel sinks and fridges and even a courtyard at the back. I asked if I could move in as it’s bigger than my house but apparently I’m not allowed to. 

Oh – I’d also like to say thank you to WaWa and Ma for Les Boys and to Pups for Tony Bennett and the Cole Porter number.

What?

Dedications on the Terri Baker Friday Show for my birthday. And I’d also like to say thank you to the local churches who celebrated with me by playing ‘happy’ bells from 6.15 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. constantly and loudly on the Sunday before. (Independence day, not the movie, the occasion). It sounds like one of the churches has a new peel of bells, or maybe it’s an old one restored, but these are higher and jolly and sound almost like hand-rung bells. Very nice. I’ve fiddled with my PC and got the sound card under my belt, as it were, (many thanks to Glen for the ‘How to’ guide) so one day I hope to put some sounds on the site so you too can be woken at all hours by happy bells.

There, that’s enough for March. April’s up next with longer working days, more visitors and the first day trip boat due in tomorrow.