Village Clean No 8

So today was all about the Village Clean - the 8th one we have done this year and it was an early start because the weather has ramped up again over the last couple of days so we were starting at 8.30 at the Droushia Heights and working down the main road ending up at the Ditzimin Museum and for those who wanted a Cypriot breakfast at Parastratima. It isn't that long ago that we did that particular route but now that silly visitor season is all but over we thought it would probably benefit from another clean.  This is the main route into and out of the village so one which would leave a lasting impression on visitors and now we are more aware of our surroundings and the litter that loiters we had all commented on the fact that it was looking rather grubby.

The 8.30 start seemed like a good idea but that was before Elena invited us to her late night shindig and I have a feeling it was gone 2.00am before I went to sleep!  Still we got up even though the alarm failed to sound and took one car down to the bottom so that we, and others, we have a lift back up the hill after we had finished.

I know it would be nice to have more people joining in but to be fair many more would make it difficult to control - as it was our little band today consisted of Diana and Rob Veasey, Norma and Malcolm Gibson, John and I and Klaus and between us we could cover both sides of the road and make sure no-one had fallen down a ravine and make sure that when we shouted 'car' or 'truck' everyone was aware.

Along with the tin cans and plastic bottles there were the obligatory mucky DVD's and a rather large amount of wet wipes and tissues (yuk yuk yuk) thank goodness for the surgical gloves we have although they make your hands sweat like nobodies business and thanks to the Muhktar for the industrial sized blue bags he lets us take from his shop.  We filled around 20 - some more full than others and some emptied and refilled but to be fair we agreed that in actual fact the road was nowhere near as messy as we had anticipated and apart from the pockets where the wind blows the rubbish so it all accumulates in a heap the rest was really pretty clean.  Maybe we are making a difference, certainly the pipping of the cars and trucks as they passed and the cheery waves and the Bravos shouted through the windows makes us feel that our efforts are appreciated.

We always find one strange thing en route (the mucky DVD's are now expected) and this time Roberto found a skin which had been shed by one of the local snakes - it was interesting but stunk so we just took a quick photo and then consigned it to the bin.  Fortunately that was the closest we got to a dead animal this time having encountered a dead cat and dead dog and a dead goat on previous sorties.

Our reward for a job well done was to rest at the bottom of the hill in the shade at Parastratima which is the cafe/shop next to the museum - I had asked if they would be kind enough to provide a Cypriot breakfast for those who wanted it and Di and Rob, John and I decided to stay and eat.  Loukas did us really proud with a fabulous breakfast which cost less than €5.00!!  On our plates we had a couple of fried eggs (a bit more done than I like but still edible) a couple of rashers of bacon, a couple of slices of grilled haloumi, two or three loukanika, green olives and slices of tomato and cucumber which were accompanied by some brown and white toast and what we think was Marina's home made apricot jam.  It was delicious and we were ready for it by the time it came.

The rest of the day was a bit of a right off as I developed a bit of a dehydration headache and so retired to my bed for a couple of hours to shake it off.  We did little else for the rest of the day but I did manage to shoot up and see Elena to check she was ok after her very late night.  She was fine and between us we cleared out and organised her family fridge.  Belinda's initiative is being taken on board and I am going to go up one day and help Elena sort out her office and find her desk under the mountain of paperwork which currently resides there.  We have to remember the 7 p's which has become Elena's mantra, Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance!