Symi Sunday Ramble
Sunday morning at either six thirty or seven, depending on which clock I am looking at and which one I’ve remembered to alter by an hour, and the ground outside is wet. I was woken at 2.30, or actually 1.30 by then, by a thunderstorm which I heard even through my earplugs. I thought I should go and unplug everything vital, just in case, and check the windows where we’d not closed the shutters. I put a few towels down there just in case, wondered about staying up and getting some work done and then decided against it. I fell back to sleep with thunder rattling in my ears, and the room being lit up in flashes like a scene from a horror film.
The annual Oxi Day parade and church services took place on Saturday. Neil was down in Yialos early and took some photos of the morning before everyone arrived. The school paraded, the music played, and the commemorations were held. You can see that things were still a bit damp following rain on Saturday as well. The wind was low, nearly non-existent actually, and it was warm enough to have the balcony doors open during the day. I spent most of the weekend at the ‘typewriter’ as is my way, and only really saw the outside world on Friday night when we were taken to Georgio’s for dinner.
There are very few visitors around now. We met a late-season couple on Friday night, there are some sailing boats still in the harbour and out at sea; I often see quite a few in November, it must be a good time for sailing. Otherwise, the village is quiet, slowly settling back into its usual winter routine, as are we. Fewer invites and appointments mean more time for tapping away at the old keyboard and doing what I do, and the next big festival to look forward to is that at Panormitis on November 6th, 7th and 8th. I’m not sure yet what we are doing for that. Previously we have walked across the island to the main festival day, been to Kokimides a couple of times, Roukouniotis, and have stayed at home or simply been around the village. We have also been away for it, holidaying at Marathounda for a few days over the three-day festival. That was several years ago now (10 I think) and the time I went swimming in the sea at seven in the morning… in November. It’s possible. In fact, some people swim every day through the year, including the winter, as long as it’s safe to do so.
Anyway, that’s a quick Sunday morning ramble ready to start our week today, and Neil took the photos. Now, I must return to the usual work routine. I love Sundays, they feel like free days where I can do anything I want. I look forward to a whole day of uninterrupted writing, and then think, ‘I must just prepare a blog… And maybe attend to my author blog (not done that for ages)… And then check my listings on Amazon and see if I can drum up any sales… And then I should think about putting the wedding photos into a book… I need to read through ‘Symi, Stuff & Nonsense’ one more time… And check if the cover designer has got back to me… Oh, and the courtyard needs sweeping, must get some shopping, better stop for a coffee on the way back… And before you know it, it’s Monday.
