Wednesday, June 02, 2010

The Ruin -- Part Three (And Other Stuff)

Okay, more now from your correspondent in Crete. We are still occasionally getting clouds in the sky here, but 19 is the lowest the temperature has dropped in the last couple of weeks, and that in the middle of the night. Oddly, up here in the mountains the temperature has often been higher than down in Makrigialos, which is a first for us. Only yesterday we went to Sitia for shopping, came back pouring with sweat to then provide drinks for the workers who were likewise boiling. After they went, at about 3.00, we decided to go to Makrigialos for a swim, since the temperature up here was 30 in the shade. We didn’t swim, we sat in a bar shivering 23 degrees centigrade. Crazy.


With the change in the weather (and the lack of wind) the plants are really taking off. Here’s a picture of our datura tree grown from a cutting about eight inches high last year.


The aforementioned lack of wind has also enabled us to spend more time outside (though of course it is impossible to use a laptop there). Here then is a picture of a writer hard at work on our front terrace...


The ruin proceeds apace. Here’s a picture of the garden walls that have gone in, and a distant shot of ruin and house. Some stuff you can’t see, like the plastic tank that’s been buried beside the building, and the connecting pipework. Next is the ‘apothiche’ (garden shed), all the internal pipework, all the internal electrics, the concrete floor, the concrete path covered with ‘karistoo’ (lovely shiny stone from one particular Greek island), digging the ‘vothros’ (cess pit), the internal rendering and new walls, the windows and doors and then, of course, little essentials of life like a toilet, shower, sink ... oh, and tiles.





Damn but I need to work harder!

8 comments:

vaudeviewgalor raandisisraisins said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
vaudeviewgalor raandisisraisins said...

is this a lunch break?
lets see what kind of job robots created for the oiligarchs to profit from:
http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/homepage/STAGING/local_assets/bp_homepage/html/rov_stream.html

also check out those x rays!:
http://www.chromoscope.net/

Anonymous said...

The place really seems to be coming along. I do reallly like that kind of stonework.

Grim's Reality said...

Asher it's simply not good enough, you're a complete shower. Write me another book immediately or there'll be hell to pay.

Serious note, not working per se may be a good thing, deep in your ID your next work is probably brewing nicely on it's own. And being practical, building, growing etc making house is a real life concern that if ignored will fester horribly and nag you when you are trying to write. Break the back of the building and then sit at the keyboard and potter between times. After all; did you decide to write to make work? Or to take control of your destiny and enjoy the fruits of your labours?

ttfn

Vaude, the galaxy seen through the eyes of a war drone but slowly, very good.

Dr Wommm said...

A datura tree? Just remember not to lick your fingers after pruning...

Bob Lock said...

Yeah, all well and good but where's the next edition of insect porn?

Thud said...

nice stonework...I may give you a proper job!

Neal Asher said...

The stonework looks nice, Skar, but limestone is like a sponge.

Graeme, yeah, got some real life to deal with. The next book will still be delivered well before time, however.

Dr Wommm, I know. Oleander, another favourite here wasn't so great for Napoleon's troops, apparently.

What am I, a voyeur, Bob?

Thud, that's not my stonework. Some of my stonework round the back they demolished before building those walls.