Tuesday started with our new regime of going to the hotel gym before going off to pickleball and badminton in the afternoon - today we had a newbie in tow as Diana was coming with us to shake her bootie and shake off the Christmas excesses. No photographs - she is my friend and I want to keep her that way!!
The weather during the night and the early hours was wild but there didn't seem to be any of the snow that had been forecast - at least we don't think so although we had an awful lot of hail and we think that is what is piled up in the corner of Gregoris's garden.
This very cold snap is going to confuse all those plants which had been enjoying the milder winter - I have daffodils just about to flower - they didn't do that till much later last year and some of the other plants that are normally dormant are showing signs of new growth.
We stopped off for petrol in Stroumbi on the way to Paphos. The price of petrol is now way below what is was when we first came to the island five years ago but people are saying it is still not cheap enough bearing in mind the plummeting price of a barrel of crude oil. It is going in the right direction and when you think that this petrol station is in a small village between Paphos and Polis and the price is just the same as in Paphos we don't complain.
It was brighter down in Paphos but still mega windy - we are in the middle of the El Fedra El Kebira gale which is one of the coptics and which is due on 19th January but can arrive a few days either side. It is bang on this year and it could last five days - deep joy and even deeper joy for poor Sharon who is tearing her hair out as she and Sean are having their new windows fitted during this horrible weather.
Anyway John dropped me off at pickleball and went off with our spare Android TV box to see if it would work in Mum and Dad's sunroom as they have our spare little TV and would like to watch something other than DVDs when they are sitting out there. It should be ok - it is just a question of whether or not the internet will reach and be stable.
The venue where we play pickleball is vast and houses quite a number of different sports - it is also a centre where the children learn traditional Cypriot dancing. What is a mystery is that one of the rooms is set aside and laid out as a bedroom and we wonder what on earth for? Does the dance instructor get so knackered that he needs to have a kip after having a dozen Cypriot children perform Zorba the Greek for an hour? Actually come to think of it he probably does the noise they make when they come in and we are just about finishing our session!
Mum and I went off down to St George's to go and see the sea, see the sea at its wild and windiest! I love to watch the waves and the power of nature and St George's is pretty even though it is ages and ages since I was there last. Mum and I were reminiscing that the taverna above the harbour used to be a favourite haunt of my sister and her late husband Richard when they came to visit and we had both dreamt about him this week which was strange.
I left Mum in the car whilst I got out and took some photographs - I was concerned that the wind would bowl her over it was so strong. It was wet simply because of the amount of spray that was in the air but the wind was warm and there was some sunshine coming through the clouds.
Down at the harbour the sea was breaching the walls coming up and over and crashing down. It was spectacular but rough - cant think the fishing boats would be going out today.
We made our way back home for a cuppa with Dad via the supermarket at Coral Bay as I had a few bits and pieces I needed. It's quite a nice supermarket the only trouble is that neither Mum nor I know where to find anything!
So this is Dad embracing all kinds of technology!!! He has got himself (or more likely Mum has got him) some cordless infra-red earphones so that he can have the TV volume set to his own liking without it affecting anyone else watching at the same time. He is watching live TV through our spare Android TV Box which is attached to our spare TV.
It has taken us a bit of time to get this sorted out for him as originally he wanted to be able to use the headphones in conjunction with the soundbar that they have in the lounge but this proved to be a step too far as we could not find any audio out on the bar.
As we set this up yesterday afternoon the biggest challenge was the fact that we were trying to find out from him if it was working ok and he was so busy listening and concentrating on the programme we couldn't get him to answer!! We eventually got it sorted and managed to set up several series on their favourites so they should be set up for some viewing for the next few weeks.
As we were leaving Mum and Dad's the sky was beautiful - full of shades of orange and pink and the sun was going down like a ball of flame in amongst the clouds. Let's hope that means it will be better tomorrow - I hope so as it would be nice to go out with John somewhere as we have the day to ourselves.
Having got home we had one of our favourite suppers - ciabatta topped with brie, bacon, onion and roasted red pepper with a side salad. The brie had been given to us by our neighbour Angela when she went back to England after her Christmas Break - she asked if I would be offended if she gave me the contents of her fridge when she went back - offended? Moi? no no no - not if there is goodies like the absolutely at the peak of its loveliness Somerset Brie that was contained in my home delivery!!!
We topped off the meal with a bowl of the strawberries I had bought in Phillippos's supermarket earlier. These were absolutely delicious and I was really pleased to see that they had not been flown halfway round the world but were from the island so doubly great.
The weather during the night and the early hours was wild but there didn't seem to be any of the snow that had been forecast - at least we don't think so although we had an awful lot of hail and we think that is what is piled up in the corner of Gregoris's garden.This very cold snap is going to confuse all those plants which had been enjoying the milder winter - I have daffodils just about to flower - they didn't do that till much later last year and some of the other plants that are normally dormant are showing signs of new growth.
It was brighter down in Paphos but still mega windy - we are in the middle of the El Fedra El Kebira gale which is one of the coptics and which is due on 19th January but can arrive a few days either side. It is bang on this year and it could last five days - deep joy and even deeper joy for poor Sharon who is tearing her hair out as she and Sean are having their new windows fitted during this horrible weather.
Anyway John dropped me off at pickleball and went off with our spare Android TV box to see if it would work in Mum and Dad's sunroom as they have our spare little TV and would like to watch something other than DVDs when they are sitting out there. It should be ok - it is just a question of whether or not the internet will reach and be stable.
The venue where we play pickleball is vast and houses quite a number of different sports - it is also a centre where the children learn traditional Cypriot dancing. What is a mystery is that one of the rooms is set aside and laid out as a bedroom and we wonder what on earth for? Does the dance instructor get so knackered that he needs to have a kip after having a dozen Cypriot children perform Zorba the Greek for an hour? Actually come to think of it he probably does the noise they make when they come in and we are just about finishing our session!
Mum and I went off down to St George's to go and see the sea, see the sea at its wild and windiest! I love to watch the waves and the power of nature and St George's is pretty even though it is ages and ages since I was there last. Mum and I were reminiscing that the taverna above the harbour used to be a favourite haunt of my sister and her late husband Richard when they came to visit and we had both dreamt about him this week which was strange.
I left Mum in the car whilst I got out and took some photographs - I was concerned that the wind would bowl her over it was so strong. It was wet simply because of the amount of spray that was in the air but the wind was warm and there was some sunshine coming through the clouds.
Down at the harbour the sea was breaching the walls coming up and over and crashing down. It was spectacular but rough - cant think the fishing boats would be going out today.
We made our way back home for a cuppa with Dad via the supermarket at Coral Bay as I had a few bits and pieces I needed. It's quite a nice supermarket the only trouble is that neither Mum nor I know where to find anything!
So this is Dad embracing all kinds of technology!!! He has got himself (or more likely Mum has got him) some cordless infra-red earphones so that he can have the TV volume set to his own liking without it affecting anyone else watching at the same time. He is watching live TV through our spare Android TV Box which is attached to our spare TV.It has taken us a bit of time to get this sorted out for him as originally he wanted to be able to use the headphones in conjunction with the soundbar that they have in the lounge but this proved to be a step too far as we could not find any audio out on the bar.
As we set this up yesterday afternoon the biggest challenge was the fact that we were trying to find out from him if it was working ok and he was so busy listening and concentrating on the programme we couldn't get him to answer!! We eventually got it sorted and managed to set up several series on their favourites so they should be set up for some viewing for the next few weeks.
As we were leaving Mum and Dad's the sky was beautiful - full of shades of orange and pink and the sun was going down like a ball of flame in amongst the clouds. Let's hope that means it will be better tomorrow - I hope so as it would be nice to go out with John somewhere as we have the day to ourselves.
Having got home we had one of our favourite suppers - ciabatta topped with brie, bacon, onion and roasted red pepper with a side salad. The brie had been given to us by our neighbour Angela when she went back to England after her Christmas Break - she asked if I would be offended if she gave me the contents of her fridge when she went back - offended? Moi? no no no - not if there is goodies like the absolutely at the peak of its loveliness Somerset Brie that was contained in my home delivery!!!
We topped off the meal with a bowl of the strawberries I had bought in Phillippos's supermarket earlier. These were absolutely delicious and I was really pleased to see that they had not been flown halfway round the world but were from the island so doubly great.
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