A Wednesday Update

I found some old photos on my real camera yesterday, and I don’t think I’ve put them up before, so I thought I should start using them. They’re not that old, September mainly, but they will be coming your way.

Yesterday we were up in time to see the Blue Star come and go before dawn. It was sad, knowing that there were a lot of visitors leaving on it, and more on the Sebeco later in the morning. It’s starting to feel like the end of the season, some shops are closing at the end of the week, others are slowly winding down, and Neil only has a couple of weeks left at the bar. I had to wear a hoody out on the balcony at 4.30 in the morning (unsurprisingly as it’s October) and even for some time at the desk.

My visit to the bank on Tuesday went well thanks to the very helpful and fluent in English Kyriaki who helped me with my paperwork. The account was in need of updating, and I was able to furnish the bank with all the info needed. The shock came when I was asked what my occupation was and I had to say ‘retired’ because I almost am. My transaction to extract my private pension from the yUK company holding it and the European company I am transferring it to is still on-going, but I think the only hurdle we have left is for the yUK company to release the funds, which they are obliged to do now I have received the full report on my options and know the risks (and benefits which, in my opinion, outweigh the risks). So, still working, and being a writer I always will be, at least until my eyesight goes (in which case, there’s speech recognition now) or I lose my fingers or my reason. Mind you, losing your reason is no reason to stop writing, I’ve read many texts by folk who appear to have no mind.

So, that’s my news for today. The season still runs on a while yet, and the weather is sunny, warm, though cooling towards winter, and the sea is calm.

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Tuesday morning

Still some clouds around, and once again, mosquitoes. I’m constantly slapping my legs under the desk and grumbling, occasionally reaching for the spray to take my revenge and then not being able to find the little blighters. Still, they’re not too aggressive, just noisy in the ear.

I have little news for you today as I spent all of yesterday at home. I intended to go for a walk, but my leg vetoed that idea when I stood up from the desk, put my weight on it and found it wasn’t there. At least, that’s how it felt as I lurched sideways, reaching for something to hold on to. One of those trapped nerves that gives a twinge and momentarily anaesthetizes your limb. It’s a little better today, which is good because I have to pop down to the bank to drop off some paperwork; all part of the ‘getting ahead of Brexit disaster’ game and having my records right up to date before it happens. I’m doing this as my own idea, by the way. No-one’s released any advice on what us non-Europeans should be prepared for as no-one knows, but I reckon it’s a good idea for anyone with a yUK passport to make sure they are registered with the authorities, on the electoral register, have your banking profile up to date, your tax information and records ready, and be prepared for some horrible scenario which will probably never happen.

But I’m not going to get started on the ugly state of British politics and the destruction of the country by… No! I’m not going to get started. Instead, I am going to stop now before I use ‘get’ and ‘going’ for a third… fourth time in one paragraph, and see to my paperwork.

Ps, random old photos today.

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A Storming Party

Yes, it did rain a little on Sunday night. A typical Symi winter storm, I’d call it, complete with lightning bolt, big bang and a blackout. That only lasted for ten minutes, and it came after the party I was attending had moved inside the Rainbow Bar to escape the downpour. The following images take you through the highlights.

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Here’s October

It’s Sunday morning, early, and the sun is just about to rise behind some heavy clouds. It’s reasonably clear overhead here on Symi, but along the horizon, over Turkey, it’s a different story – cloud and lightning. Things may change as various forecasts are still saying we’ll get the edge of storm Zorba, but, so far, there’s not been much sign of it.

There was an interesting light over Yialos last night as we headed down for dinner – thank you C&R, we had a great time, even managed to get a taxi up to the village afterwards.

I’d been for a walk in the afternoon, my fourth this week. I am aiming for five a week, of three miles each, half of which should be uphill, and I may yet go for a stroll later today. I’ve got into that thing of walking while listening to music. It’s not on too loud so I can still hear cars approaching, but it does make the uphill climbs more bearable, somehow. I try to switch off from the aching legs, which ache less with each walk, and before you know it, you’re at the top because the music gives you something else to think about. I should be thinking about books and what comes next because…

I finished ‘The Eastling’ over the weekend and later today am sending it to the proofreader who has it in her diary for an 11^th October start, if not before. Meanwhile, my cover designer, Adjela in Serbia, is working on a couple of minor changes to the cover and I need to finalise the back blurb so she can add it. Never an easy thing to do: write a 97,000-word novel and then condense that into three or four sentences that sum up the story without giving anything away, makes the book sound interesting, communicates the atmosphere and makes the blurb reader want to buy the book. Needless to say, I am still working on it, and that’s what I should be getting on with now.

So, here’s wishing you a happy month ahead, and here’s hoping this storm stays away from us.

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04.30 and no sign of Zorba, the storm that’s meant to be heading this way. While we wait for it to either get here or not, here is a varied collection of Symi photos from the archive.

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