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Kicking Back the Pebbles

A big girl's notes on home - cuisine - travel - life

Little Saddlery Shop

April 25, 2012 - 2 Comments

The memories

Growing up in the 80s, on a major commercial street of a nonetheless small provincial island town, we’ve had the opportunity to live—among other things—with:

  • a marble/stone fabricator shop—the cause of permanent irritation to the housewives whose sparkling laundry drying out in the sun would end up all dusty each time the craftsmen were sanding down a tombstone.
  • a blacksmith shop—the cause of permanent complaints about the merciless banging on stuff (mind you, iron stuff) in the hot August noons
  • one or two carpenter shops—for which I can’t remember any “neighborly” grumbling, but I do remember being afraid of their big wheel-bandsaw yet, at the same time, I liked watching the wood getting cut like soft, creamy butter, so I would take deep breaths and sneak up to their door to take a look every once in a while
  • and last but not least, a saddlery shop. Oh yes, you read me right—a little saddlery shop. Outside of which, little donkeys would line up waiting, right next to cars, for the craftsman to measure them all up and make their saddles.

Charming as all the above may sound, I had long forgotten about them. So much so that whenever they popped into my mind, they would be in that like-images-from-an-old-movie mode. Until a few summers ago, the saddlery shop that had grown and turned into apartments and a building company’s offices got renovated.

The old behind the new

When the company’s old sign came down so they could paint the front before putting up a new one, the old craft shop’s hand-written sign re-surfaced in all its old-time magic and glory. I could not resist it, tried to take the best shot possible before the construction workers got their painting buckets ready, and then spent the rest of the day with a smirk and that cliché sweet-melancholy feeling. Oh well.

*The sign reads in Greek [sa-gma-to-pi-ion] from the noun σάγμα [sagma] which means “saddle” and the verb ποιῶ [p-i-o] which means “to make” (excuse the abstract phonetic transcription, hope it helps).

Saddle craft-shop | Kicking Back the Pebbles

Στη Σιτεμπόρων της δεκαετίας του ’80 προλάβαμε, ανάμεσα σε άλλα, ένα μαρμαρογλυφείο (μόνιμη έριδα μεταξύ των νοικοκυρών που τους «σκόνιζε» τη μπουγάδα ο μαρμαράς κάθε φορά που έτριβε καμια ταφόπλακα), ένα σιδηρουργείο (μόνιμος λόγος παραπόνων για το ανελέητο «ντάπα-ντούπα» τα μεσημέρια του  Αυγούστου), ένα-δυο ξυλουργεία (γι’ αυτά δε θυμάμαι καμια γκρίνια, θυμάμαι μόνο ότι φοβόμουν πολύ την κορδέλα αλλά μου άρεσε να βλέπω τα ξύλα να κόβονται σαν βουτυράκι και το καταπίεζα) ΚΑΙ ένα σαμαράδικο. Ναι ναι σαμαράδικο! Με γαϊδουράκι να περιμένει απ’ έξω, δίπλα στα αυτοκίνητα για να του πάρει τα μέτρα ο σαμαράς.

Όλα αυτά βέβαια έχουν παρέλθει ανεπιστρεπτί και με το ζόρι τα θυμάμαι κιόλας (με τον γνωστό σαν-εικόνες-από-ταινία τρόπο) μέχρι που κάποια καλοκαίρια πριν, το κτήριο στο οποίο βρισκόταν παλιά το σαμαράδικο –και το οποίο, όλ’ αυτά τα χρόνια, έχει φυσικά επεκταθεί, έχει «πετάξει» ορόφους και στεγάζει διαμερίσματα και γραφεία τεχνικής εταιρείας– ανακαινίστηκε.  Όταν λοιπόν κατέβηκε η ταμπέλα της εταιρείας για να βαφτεί η πρόσοψη και να μπεί καινούργια, φανερώθηκε από κάτω η παλαιά επιγραφή σε όλο της το μεγαλείο. Tο «Σαγματοποιείον» το τραβήξα δειλά δειλά, στα κλεφτά, από μακριά – του άξιζε μια καλύτερη φωτογραφία είναι η αλήθεια.

*η φωτογραφία του thumbnail της ανάρτησης είναι πίνακας του Γιάννη Μιγάδη (1926-2017)

athina

Comments

  1. Michael says

    April 25, 2012 at 20:44

    We are eager for your next post! Keep up the good work!

    Reply
    • kickingbackthepebbles says

      May 26, 2012 at 23:49

      Thanks for cheering me on! 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, it’s Athina!

A stalwart bookworm, English & American Literature graduate, EFL/ESOL teacher. I juggled teaching and working as an executive secretary, in a big advertising company and a law firm, for several years. I’m a freelance writer, line editor, and blogger as of lately. Also, a bit ironic by nature but, all in all, quite easy-going. Partner to 1 & mother to 3 cats. I once tried to give up coffee and then swore not to make that mistake again!

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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #weekend #afternoon #sunshine #bloggergirl #bloggerlife #littlestoriesofmylife #aquietstyle #momentsofmine #seafront #instagood #travelvibes #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelgram #travelbug #happydays #breakaway #greece🇬🇷 #vacation2023 #instasummer #summer2023🌴☀️
“When summer's end is nighing And skies at eve “When summer's end is nighing
 And skies at evening cloud,
I muse on change and fortune
 And all the feats I vowed
 When I was young and proud.”
—A.E. Housman, verse from 𝘟𝘟𝘟𝘐𝘟, Last Poems (1922)
•
•
•
•
#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #bloggergirl #bloggerlife #littlestoriesofmylife #aquietstyle #momentsofmine #sunsetphotography #instagood #travelvibes #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelgram #travelbug #happydays #breakaway #greece🇬🇷 #vacation2023 #instasummer #summer2023🌴☀️
👋🏻 Buh-bye August, hello September! • Mus 👋🏻 Buh-bye August, hello September! 
•
Music: Your Gain – Licensed by: Video Maker – Creator:  Swif7 on Epidemic Sound
•
•
•
•
#kickingbackthepebbles #getoutstayout #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelblog #travelgram #travelbug #breakaway #littlestoriesofmylife #instagood #travelvibes #summer2023🌴☀️
____________________________________
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
____________________________________
#summerdawn onboard (off to the island we go) • #summerdawn onboard (off to the island we go)
•
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•
#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #bloggergirl #bloggerlife #littlestoriesofmylife #aquietstyle #momentsofmine #seafront #instagood #travelvibes #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelgram #travelbug #happydays #breakaway #greece🇬🇷 #vacation2023 #instasummer #summer2023🌴☀️
Prague through My Lens • Link to blog post in bi Prague through My Lens
•
Link to blog post in bio: ➡️ kickingbackthepebbles.start.page/ ➡️ Latest blog post. 
•
Music: You Ain't Ready – Licensed by: Canva Pro – Creator: Donell Mase from Epidemic Sound
•
•
•
•
#kickingbackthepebbles #travelblogger #newblogpost #summer2018 #travelvibes #getoutstayout #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelblog #travelgram #travelbug #breakaway #prague #praha #czech #czechrepublic #europe #gothic #architecture #style #pragueoldtown #pragueoldtownsquare #charlesbridge #praguecastle #stvituscathedral
#littlestoriesofmylife #instagood #travelvibes #summer2023🌴☀️
____________________________________
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
____________________________________
Sunsets up northward... • • • • #kickingb Sunsets up northward... 
•
•
•
•
#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #weekend #afternoon #sunset #sunshine #bloggergirl #bloggerlife #littlestoriesofmylife #aquietstyle #momentsofmine #seafront #instagood #travelvibes #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelgram #travelbug #happydays #breakaway #greece🇬🇷 #vacation2023 #instasummer #summer2023🌴☀️
#detailing • • • • #kickingbackthepebbles #detailing 
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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #weekend #afternoon #sunshine #bloggergirl #bloggerlife #littlestoriesofmylife #aquietstyle #momentsofmine #seafront #instagood #travelvibes #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelgram #travelbug #happydays #breakaway #greece🇬🇷 #vacation2023 #instasummer #summer2023🌴☀️
“When summer's end is nighing And skies at eve “When summer's end is nighing
 And skies at evening cloud,
I muse on change and fortune
 And all the feats I vowed
 When I was young and proud.”
—A.E. Housman, verse from 𝘟𝘟𝘟𝘐𝘟, Last Poems (1922)
•
•
•
•
#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #bloggergirl #bloggerlife #littlestoriesofmylife #aquietstyle #momentsofmine #sunsetphotography #instagood #travelvibes #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelgram #travelbug #happydays #breakaway #greece🇬🇷 #vacation2023 #instasummer #summer2023🌴☀️
👋🏻 Buh-bye August, hello September! • Mus 👋🏻 Buh-bye August, hello September! 
•
Music: Your Gain – Licensed by: Video Maker – Creator:  Swif7 on Epidemic Sound
•
•
•
•
#kickingbackthepebbles #getoutstayout #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelblog #travelgram #travelbug #breakaway #littlestoriesofmylife #instagood #travelvibes #summer2023🌴☀️
____________________________________
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
____________________________________
#summerdawn onboard (off to the island we go) • #summerdawn onboard (off to the island we go)
•
•
•
•
#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #bloggergirl #bloggerlife #littlestoriesofmylife #aquietstyle #momentsofmine #seafront #instagood #travelvibes #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelgram #travelbug #happydays #breakaway #greece🇬🇷 #vacation2023 #instasummer #summer2023🌴☀️
Prague through My Lens • Link to blog post in bi Prague through My Lens
•
Link to blog post in bio: ➡️ kickingbackthepebbles.start.page/ ➡️ Latest blog post. 
•
Music: You Ain't Ready – Licensed by: Canva Pro – Creator: Donell Mase from Epidemic Sound
•
•
•
•
#kickingbackthepebbles #travelblogger #newblogpost #summer2018 #travelvibes #getoutstayout #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelblog #travelgram #travelbug #breakaway #prague #praha #czech #czechrepublic #europe #gothic #architecture #style #pragueoldtown #pragueoldtownsquare #charlesbridge #praguecastle #stvituscathedral
#littlestoriesofmylife #instagood #travelvibes #summer2023🌴☀️
____________________________________
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
____________________________________
Sunsets up northward... • • • • #kickingb Sunsets up northward... 
•
•
•
•
#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #weekend #afternoon #sunset #sunshine #bloggergirl #bloggerlife #littlestoriesofmylife #aquietstyle #momentsofmine #seafront #instagood #travelvibes #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelgram #travelbug #happydays #breakaway #greece🇬🇷 #vacation2023 #instasummer #summer2023🌴☀️
#detailing • • • • #kickingbackthepebbles #detailing 
•
•
•
•
#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #weekend #afternoon #sunshine #bloggergirl #bloggerlife #littlestoriesofmylife #aquietstyle #momentsofmine #seafront #instagood #travelvibes #keepexploring #traveldiaries #travelgram #travelbug #happydays #breakaway #greece🇬🇷 #vacation2023 #instasummer #summer2023🌴☀️

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