Panic Fridge Buying...

Yesterday we received the sad and expensive news that our fridge, which had been bought specially to go in the container and be shipped over with the rest of our stuff, had died and was beyond economical repair which is a bit of a bugger this close to Christmas.  Fortunately we can keep the loan fridge freezer from Olive Mark but we needed to source a replacement so that we could budget for it and we didn't want to keep the loan one indefinitely.  A trip to Paphos was required and we planned to shop around even though we weren't hopeful of anywhere other than the Outlet Store having a larder fridge - Cypriots don't seem to do fridges without freezer boxes.  Not that we have a problem with the Outlet Store, on the contrary the things which have bought from there so far have been fine.

On the way down to Paphos we followed the Paphiakos rescue truck all the way.  It had obviously been to pick up a stray dog up our way and we were thrilled when we realised that it was the lovely looking little hunting dog that we had seen abandoned up near the DIY container at Arodes.  At least rescued it has a better chance of survival than running around on the main road without any food.  We would like to think that some kind sole will give this dog a home.  It looks like it was probably a female and it wagged its tail all the way down in the truck never once barking.  We have our fingers crossed that she will be with a new family by Christmas.

On the way down through town we stopped at Kolios Butchers to get wine to make sure we have enough over Christmas and the New Year.  This is what John would call balanced drinking - a 10 litre carton in each hand, one red and one rose!!!  We should have more than enough to see us through!!!

The shops are full to the brim with Christmas decorations - these were in Carrefour which we visited just to see whether they might have a fridge but most of the top floor was dedicated to seasonal goods so their electrical department was very scaled down.  Well we assumed that was why it was scaled down but there are so many rumours about the state of the supermarkets here that it could be any number of reasons.   We have learned that the whole of Orphanides has gone into receivership and it was the biggest supermarket chain in Cyprus - apparently it went down owing a staggering €140 MILLION.  Unfortunately this is the sign of the times as the credit crunch and austerity measures imposed by the Troika begin to bite hard. 

Funnily enough we went down to Orphanides near the Debenhams roundabout today (prior to the receivership announcement) as we had accumulated some points on our loyalty card and with the store closed in Polis we wanted to redeem them for what it was worth.  Normally we miss the boat on these sorts of things but we did managed to get John a pair of Christmas slippers with the points - I am guessing that now they are in receivership things like the loyalty card will have gone by the wayside.

We eventually exhausted the electrical shops and as we had anticipated could not find a larder fridge anywhere other than at the Outlet Store and the one that we wanted had to be ordered in so it will not be available until about the middle of January.  As we were down near Mum and Dad we called in for a coffee and picked up some of the things which Mum had been collecting towards Christmas - apart from the fresh veg we are pretty much there with the shopping so that is good.

 

Yesterday whilst I was at Craft John had been out and chopped back the rose geranium again so we had several bags in the car which we were going to drop off at the Herb Garden.  We had hoped to call in and see Elaine and Paul who we met at the Orexi clean-up but they weren't in so we will have to catch them next week when we have been invited to share a mincepie and carol with them at their house.  Caroline had a client so I just left the bags for her.  The village Christmas decorations are set up outside the Herb Garden so there is a Father Christmas outside with some reindeer and a sleigh and the huge olive trees have fairy lights wrapped round them - it all looks very jolly and festive!

 

Having dropped off the herbs we drove back to call in for a cuppa at Crafty Jane and Olive Marks as Jane wanted me to show her how to cast off the stitches of the scarf she has just finished knitting.  Mark has been busy getting the house ready that Trevor and Vicki are renting when they move over here - he has probably been very grateful for the lovely weather we have had today so that the new plaster can dry out properly.  By the time we left the sun was beginning to set and so I took some photographs for Vicki so that she could see for herself the sort of view that they can look forward to at this time of year.

Mum had been to a craft fair thing today and had bought some home-made crackers for Christmas Day.  They are the white ones in the photograph and are very cleverly done as they can be opened easily and reused.  I had decided that I would make some crackers as well having found the kit I bought in Marks and Sparks when we went to Nicosia this time last year.  I had scoured the Euro Shop to find some suitable gifts to go inside and having made them up think they look pretty smart.  I think the way things are going we will have a good Christmas Day.