Counting down the days

There's a greek expression, "to be in pieces', it means to be exhausted, beat, worn out. That's how I feel now, broken into millions of little pieces.

I'm exhausted, mentally (from work) and physically (I haven't slept properly in weeks because of the heat).

It's unbelievably hot and grimy and dirty and disgusting, like it always is in Athens in the summer.

Work is aggravating me, stressing me, pushing me beyond my limits. I'm an architect - but I work as an architect's assistant - which means that on a practically daily basis I have to deal with people. I don't like people much. Clients are unrealistic and demanding. My boss is pushy and out of touch with the intricacies of civil services. The engineers (civil engineers, mechanical engineers) we work with are often short sighted and tiring (of course they are often helpful lifesavers too, but I'm in complaining mode at the moment). And worst of all are the civil servants I have to deal with and the miles of red-tape and ridiculous procedures that they strangle us with. At the moment I am being pushed and shoved and driven crazy acting as a go between between all these impossibly implacable and self-centred people.

And last of all, organising summer holidays is a very tiring business.

So, I'm exhausted, dizzy, irritated beyond measure and hopped up on useless stress and aggravation. I don't think I'll be able to come down until I finally get off the boat on my chosen holiday location...

Sunday. I'm leaving on sunday. I wanted to leave on friday - I can't take this city any more! But my friend doesn't want to leave any earlier... It's a drag.

So sunday! I'm going to the island of Tinos for six days. It's an island famous for it's churches (most dedicated to the Virgin Mary) and the on the day of the Virgin Mary things get really intense with all the pilgrims and religious nuts. Unfortunately we'll be leaving before then (the 15th of August for all you who don't live in christian countries) and will miss all the craziness. Ah well.

Afterwards I'm going to a sea-side village up in Pilion for a week. Pilion is in the mainland of Greece, central Greece to be exact. It's green and mountainous. The mountain villages are lovely in the winter - great for winter holidays. But the seaside villages are just as nice for the summer too. The beaches are supposed to be lovely. We'll see. I've only ever been to Pilion in the winter and the snow.

And then, who knows? I haven't yet made plans for my last week of holidays.

I can make it until sunday. Yes, I can!