Yes, I know our updates usually happen on the last day of the month and not the 25th – but that’s because I am going away and if I don’t do it now you won’t get it at all.

So…

Notes from my notebook made during October:

Rain! And thunder, at last, on 4th of the month – quite spectacular actually with great flashes of lightening over Turkey and huge, heavy skies. Glen has sent a photo in, having managed to capture one of the lightening forks – flashes – spears…? Whatever you call  them it’s a great photo and you can find it on the page with pics from Nikiphoros’ baptism. (See the gallery index.)

And talking of babies, Jenine had a baby shower during the month where friends and family gathered to throw baby things at her. (Used nappies, white vomit… that kind of thing.) A bit late maybe but fun nevertheless and it also kind of serve do celebrate her one year wedding anniversary. Lots of friends came and we all had fun – Harry slept throughout his first party.

More people leave than arrive during October and the island starts to wind down and resemble Hastings in January… well, not quite, but there is that end of term, end of season feel to the place – which is nice when you have been working 7 days a week for 7 months. Long trousers and shoes… socks… you see people walking in a strange way especially when the steps are slippery.

There was more thunder and rain on 13th/14th – you can see we don’t get a lot of it and a couple of storms really perk us up. Actually today (25th) is quite sunny but with big, rolling clouds across the coast of Turkey and the threat of rain all around us. Will it, won’t it? I don’t mind as I've painted the flat roof and covered various leaky bits with plastic and we’re not flooded inside at all – so far and apart from where the rain comes in through the windows… Some days it’s calm and clear and you can see mountains in the distance that don’t show up in the summer. Today there were hundreds of bees in the fern outside the back door, as it’s in flower, the trees have perked up and the leaves on the vines outside the Kafeneions are starting to turn red.

Other events: the Symi Animal Welfare vet visit seemed to go well – check our SAW page for the updates. The soon to be new cake shop opposite Filos is nearly ready – as we’ve all been saying for the last year but it really is nearly, nearly ready now, apparently. I finished work at the Rainbow bar – and not just for the season, I am turning my hand to other things next year so if you want a job next summer…

And meanwhile, just to let you know that there won’t be any updates, pics or anything until December now as we’re away. But we’ll be back with you again when we return.