Tuesday, 31 July 2018

27th Wedding Anniversary


Today is our 27th Wedding Anniversary and it started oh so romantically with me mopping the conservatory floor!  We have Hazel arriving on Saturday and we want everything to look tickety boo!!!  Her bedroom is ready with nice clean sheets and clean floor (it will get a second going over on Saturday afternoon just prior to her arrival).  We have managed to keep the cats out so far - if she lets them in then that is up to her!!! 

We did a quick dash down to Polis so that John could have his session with Anthi at the physiotherapists and I did some food shopping ready for next week.  On our return we stopped off in the village to check the post - there are some fabulous buildings in the village which you can pass on a regular basis and just not take any notice of.  Case in point is the house where the lady sits outside on her chair and glowers at the passers by I cannot be certain whether (a) the glower is brought about by severe short sightedness or (b) she is just a misery!  Whatever the truth is I love the house where she lives and wonder what it is like inside and whether it has any garden.

Phillipos has donated two old chairs to the project I am going to work on after Hazel has gone back - I was inspired by the chair plant holder I saw down in Paphos and so I intend to do one for me and one for Phillipos and Marina.  Charlie has commandeered one of the chairs - the other must smell quite strongly of foreign cat so is being give a wide berth by the others, in fact Chivers and Mr Boo preferred to sit on John's wood box in the shade.  Popsie is obviously quite tired looking at the yawn on him!

I have to thank my neighbour Argy for my outfit tonight - as a thank you for looking after their house John and I both received a very kind goody bag and mine included the linen shirt and silky trousers which I chose to wear tonight.  You can see how Argy managed to create a very successful business with her boutique in London as she clearly studies her clients carefully.  What she had chosen for me was really nice and it was great to go out wearing something new.

We were going to Imogen's with Rob and Di.  It is not somewhere they have been before.  It is nice to go somewhere with a bit of a different menu and the courtyard outside in the summer is like a little micro-climate.  We arrived early and I booked a table which was just as well because by the time we were eating our food the courtyard was full.


I hope Di and Rob enjoyed their food.  John and I opted for pizza because it is the one place where we really enjoy that food - normally I am not bothered by pizza at all.  I was going to try the pork tagine that was on the menu but sadly they had run out so will have to leave it for another time.


We had a lovely evening sitting outside eating and drinking and feeling a bit like tourists!!!  We decided to round it off with a nightcap at the Droushia Heights before heading home.  Our original plan had been simply to go for a pitta and a glass of wine at the Winery watching the sun go down but sunset tonight would have been around 8.00pm but they are closed at 6.00pm which is a shame.

I can't believe it is 27 years since nine of us assembled at Gretna Green.  Sadly since then we have lost Uncle Gordon and Aunty Margaret, Hadge and Dad but what a fantastic weekend we had over the border!!

  

Monday, 30 July 2018

Wednesday - lunch out...

Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary - 27 years to be precise and I think John has something planned so today we were going out for lunch with Mum to Fitos which I think is her treat for our anniversary.

The heatwave continues and everyone is finding it hot.  The cats have struggled a bit and can be found in odd places trying to grab a cool breeze or get some air to their bits!  Charlie looks positively svelte having lost his winter coast but he is still eating as much - Boris tends to stick to his favourite basket even though he hangs out over the side and can often be witnessed turning over and falling out completely, he then acts like nothing has happened!


We chose Fitos because we all like it there and Mum would be bound to find something she liked to eat and there was a lovely warm breeze so we opted to sit in the shade outside.  Mum is getting on really well with her smartphone so today we had a quick lesson on using the camera and the joys of taking a selfie!!

We had a nice lunch - Mum and I both opted for cod and chips and although we didn't eat all the batter it was so light and crispy that I could well have done!

It was very pleasant sitting outside with the views across the vineyards although today there is a subtle change in the weather and the warm winds and murky atmosphere have probably been caused by the Saharan sand storms that have been forecast.

We came back to retire under the shade of the gazebo at Wendy and Bill Corner and have more lessons on the camera.  This was mum's first attempt and at least I am in focus and in the middle of the picture so I would say that was a pretty good job!

We didn't swim today - mainly because we had eaten so much for lunch we might have drowned!

It was strange sitting on the steamers - this was always where dad chose to retire for a nap after he had been for Sunday lunch - he was often joined there by Charlie.  After mum had got back to Emba safely John and I decided we would go up and visit Dad so he was included in our day.

We took a little drive around the village to see if anything was happening - it was a fairly typical Wednesday afternoon when traditionally it is half day closing on the island and so the village was quiet save for a few of the local kids congregated on the village well.

We were amazed that out the back towards Lordos II we encountered some cows which was a bit of a surprise as they are not normally right in the middle of the village - the youngsters looked ok but mum was decidedly thin.




Sunday, 29 July 2018

Tuesday - a bit of a change...

So today John and I did something we haven't done in ages and had a day mooching around Paphos.  There were several things we wanted to get sorted and as it is our wedding anniversary later this week thought we would treat ourselves to a day out!  We often incorporate nipping into shops when we go down that way for pickleball or to see Mum but we now rarely set aside a whole day and we must have been mad because today was super super hot to be shopping but I thought I had better strike whilst the iron was hot once John had agreed!


Apart from boring shopping and DIY stuff we wanted to get something as an anniversary present to one another and we are looking for two flat-backed terracotta pots or urns which we can hang on one of the outside walls.  This is the sort of thing you would see loads of twenty years ago in fact then when we used to drive from the airport to Paphos before the motorway was built we had to go through Geroskipou which was a little village full of pottery shops.  There would be all sorts on offer including brightly coloured suns and moons and fish and seahorses.  Over the years I have had several in various houses where we have lived.

Today we rarely pass through Geroskipou because it is easier to get to the airport and beyond using the other road and now it is no longer a distinct village in its own right more a suburb of Paphos and we only found one pottery shop - Savvas Pottery which has been there for years.

The pottery in the showroom is all very beautiful but clearly aimed at interior design and not functional outdoor use.  In fact we spoke to some guy that explained they do next to nothing in terracotta and the sort of thing we were looking for was now difficult to find.  He was not wrong - we searched all over the place eventually finding something in a little shop which had clearly not had a customer in years judging by the dust.  John and I wandered round whilst the woman proprietress munched on her lunch in the back room ignoring us.

We might have bought something had she been a little more welcoming but if she couldn't be bothered then neither could we but I have a sneaking suspicion I may have to swallow my pride at some point and go back with my tail between my legs as hers was the only establishment we went to that had any terracotta flat backed pots on sale - bumholes is all I can say!!!  We shall continue with our search but I am not so very hopeful that we shall find what we are looking for.

As we were down that end of town and it was gone midday I persuaded John to go to the Mall as I had a few bits I needed in Jumbos for Hazel's visit and we could grab a quick sandwich there as we were getting peckish.


The Mall was absolutely rammed with people although we did manage to get through the tills at Jumbo fairly quickly and without parting with too much cash - unlike the fat family in front of us who managed to find over 400 euros worth of things to buy.  On the subject of fat families I noticed that the Mall had attracted more than its fair share today and from all different nationalities, not only fat but fat and horrendously sun-burned so public education failing on two counts.  It was enough to put me off my gyros which I felt incredibly guilty eating and vowed to swim a little more enthusiastically on my return home.

Saturday, 28 July 2018

a new week begins...



This morning we were privileged to witness the courtship and mating of two beautiful swallowtail butterflies who were in the garden on the wall.  They were there for ages and we were careful to make sure they were undisturbed and un-eaten by our marauding cats!  These really are magnificent butterflies - large, about the size of the palm of John's hand and with distinct and colourful markings.

Next week my Monday will be different because my lovely friend Hazel will be staying with us and as she is only here for a week I am foregoing Art.

John was going to Physio this morning and hopefully he will not have done any lasting damage when he had his mishap with the plastic chair yesterday.  I walked to Sheila's - it was incredibly hot so I welcomed the cool of the little church in the cemetery before I went for my regular visit to Dad.

All is good, the flowers are still valiantly blooming despite the soaring temperatures, the plot is weed free and his little corner looks loved and well looked after.  We have a chat and I tell him about the weekend and tell him that we miss him challenging John for being leading-most in whatever game we are playing.  Now that rules have been firmly established John seems to have got the hang of Rummikub so no longer fills the drag-arse spot.

I don't spend too long as I begin to melt in the heat and am grateful for the cool of Sheila and Klaus's where the fans are on and a cold drink is waiting for me.  Klaus is busy doing something with his gourds so Sheila and I sit companionably working on our respective pictures.  Sheila is doing something which might have been an illustration in a children's book and I am still working on the picture that Marion has asked me to do.


I finished the sky today and put in some greenery behind the beach huts - this is pure artistic licence and I have been grateful for Sheila's help and guidance otherwise this could have looked a bit odd.  Unlike the last beach hut picture I did these seem to have been constructed from corrugated sheets so the roofs will be a bit of a challenge - I said to Sheila I will have to replace her stock of blue pencils once this one is finished because that is all I seem to be using!


John went off to the airport this afternoon to pick up Lakis, Argy and Kia.  I walked home and couldn't believe how hot it was - I declined a drink with the Australian lady because I just wanted to get home.  The temperature from our weather station whose sensor is in the shade showed it over 44 degrees which is hot hot hot, I hope it cools a little for Hazel!

John stopped off on the way home so that Argy could get some provisions from the Paps bakery at the top of the Mesoghi Avenue and we were invited to join them for supper by way of a thank you for looking after their property whilst they were away.

That was kind of them and we were only going to have a salad so we accepted and went across once they had got themselves settled.

We have been quite happy to keep an eye on their house for them in fact we are happy to do it for any of our neighbours because we understand that this is a worry when you are not on hand and having work done.

We shall have to pull our fingers out after Hazel goes home and make sure we have got George and Pam's looking half decent for them.  Hopefully Stelios will have tackled the weeds in the back garden with his spray and it will only be a question of pulling them out.

Anyway back to this evening we had a nice supper and then we all sat outside in their newly refurbished courtyard to admire Lazarus's handiwork.  They still have bits that need finishing, a lot of cleaning to be done, the pool to be finished and the outside walls painted but at long last it is beginning to look like the holiday home they had envisaged.


Friday, 27 July 2018

Sunday - thrills and spills

Today is Sunday and we have mum coming up for a barbeque.  We had everything ready early and were sorting out where to sit and where to eat because it was exceptionally hot and we wanted to make sure there was enough shade.

This was John enjoying an early shandy before that particular chair decided to give way in the middle of our game of Rummikub.  It was all a bit of a shock as we had had what sounded and felt like a mini tornado whip through the garden and then John's chair collapsed and he fell to the ground wedged in the chair and with his hand trapped under a very large flower pot.

It was all a bit chaotic and as we rushed to help him he was a bit snappy but I think that was the surprise of it all plus he knows he isn't a lightweight to pick up and he had visions of Mum doing her back in.  Anyway I managed to get him up and we are now a chair short and he has some bruises and worse, he didn't do his poorly knee any good and he felt really awful for shouting at mum.

So that was the spills side of the day which we could have done without.

The thrills came because we managed to persuade mum to come and have a cool off in our pool and she even had a little swim around.  I still had one of her old swimming costumes in the cupboard and as the pool temperature is nearing 90 degrees there was no excuse.

We had a splash around for half an hour or so before the barbeque and it meant that the day flowed nicely (apart from the chair incident) we had a swim, we ate, we played a game and then towards late afternoon mum made her way home in the daylight.

Next week Hazel will be here and it will be the first full day of her holiday and so I have asked mum if she would like to come up again and we can all five go out for something to eat down in Latchi for a change.  Then I will do the following Sunday so I will have to have a think about what we are going to eat.  I always like to try and make sure it is something mum might fancy because I know how she struggles with her appetite when it is hot and boy is it hot at the moment even here in Droushia where the temperatures have been over 40 degrees during the day.


I hope mum enjoyed the barbeque because we kept it simple with some chicken skewers, beef burgers and sausages served with wedges and coleslaw and some of mum's homemade barbeque sauce.  John did really well with the cooking even though he was concerned about the thickness of the burgers as they were cook from frozen and as they are all meat they are about 2 inches thick and take some cooking - actually I blame the burger for the chair collapsing - if John had stuck to chicken and sausage it would have been fine.

So after lunch we had the excitement with the whirlwind thing and the chair collapsing and the struggle to get John up all of which contributed to me being arse end Charlie in the Rummikub stakes.

Mum made her way safely home and we settled down to watch the remainder of the tennis interspersed with the World Cup Final - John has found some real ales lurking in the drink's fridge which are probably nearing their best by date if they have not already passed it!  Case in point was this Christmas Ale but John said it was especially nice so we will have to keep a look out in the Winter for it again.  There have been no UK Ales in the supermarket for weeks - I reckon it is too hot to ship and store them so we are hoping they will return in the Winter.

The men's tennis final was a bit of a Djokovic whitewash as he beat Anderson in straight sets and the French hammered the Croatia team 4-2 in the football final and then Jamie Murray and his partner (but particularly Jamie) were woeful in the mixed doubles final.

There was nothing left for us to do but to head for the pool and cool down in the dark when the water temperature is just like a bath but only if you do the going in, getting out and get cold then go back in routine which we kept doing because the warm sensation when you get back in is lovely and then you can float and watch the stars which is bliss.

We had some company - a little tree frog was in the pool.  John rescued it and I put it somewhere safe because I didn't want the cats to get hold of it - that wouldn't be good for the frog or the cats.  When we first moved over we used to see them all the time but now it is quite a rare thing although we can hear them.

We hoped that like last night it might afford us a better night's sleep plus John had taken some anti-inflammatory tablets and pain killers.  All that seemed to work for John, I on the other hand was awake at 3.00am for some reason - I think it was because I could hear Charlie making a strange noise and that normally means he has got something and I wanted to make sure it wasn't Mr Frog.  As far as I could tell it wasn't which is good news.


Thursday, 26 July 2018

Saturday


A lovely lie-in after a wonderful night - a really wonderful night - shall keep my eyes open if they come back again because that is the one 'tribute' band I really wouldn't want to miss and particularly if they are at Ampelones again because I though that it was a great venue - it felt as if you were being entertained in your own back garden.  The drinks weren't overly priced but apparently the wine was 'gipping' (awful) according to John!  I stuck to shandy thank goodness!  We also met a nice couple from Peyia who asked to join our table and they sent a text this morning thanking us for our company - I expect they were a bit bemused by the Hicks from the Sticks but then we don't get out much!

It is exceptionally hot this weekend so it is an effort to do too much but we had a few things we wanted to sort out before going off to Polis to get the provisions for Sunday Lunch tomorrow when Mum is coming up and we are having a barbeque.

It's a strange thing isn't it that when you are younger you don't really understand the concept of sentiment so I would see relatives with ornaments and things which had been repaired and I would think to myself - why don't you just go out and buy a new one?

Now however I realise that, that really isn't the point and sometimes an original but broken is better than a new replacement.  This leads me to think of my Dad who was throughout his life a fixer and an avid user of Araldite and we had no end of things which had been repaired but which had that tell-tale nicotine coloured join created by the two part mix along with bits of cardboard where the two part mix had originate and was now setting rock hard!

You name it if he thought Araldite would stick it then Araldite would do the job - I bet if I search Mum's cupboards there is still evidence of his handiwork.

I don't know then if it is because John is born on the same day or whether he took his lead from my father but John is also a fixer although I don't think I have seen Araldite in his shed - mind you Super Glue wasn't around when Dad was younger and he probably chose to stick with what he knew and trusted.


The reason for this reminiscing is that a gust of wind whipped up the thrice repaired brolly outside the backdoor and sent my lovely resin dragonfly, which was a gift from our stalkers Wendy and Bill, crashing to the ground and it shattered into several pieces.  I tried to fix it with Super Glue but the chemical reaction which normally bonds two pieces together just wasn't happening and so sadly I was consigning the dragonfly to the bin feeling very disappointed.  John knows that at the moment things like this have a greater impact on me than they normally would so before I knew it he had rescued the pieces from the bin and set about putting it all back together for me.  It isn't perfect but it is perfect enough and will survive a little longer and there is no tell-tale nicotine coloured sticky bit!  Bless you hun xxxx

Our trip to Polis was too hot and Paps was heaving with bloody tourists who abandon their trolleys and forget to have their veg weighed and haven't heard that they need to pay for their carrier bags now and do not control their kids - apart from that it was fine!

Our reward for braving the temperatures and humidity of the coast was to stop at the bakery and treating ourselves to a Chino but not the caramelised coffee one - no no no this time we tickled our tastebuds with the sharpest of sharp slushy lemon sorbet one which hit the spot - it was almost too sharp - it certainly made your eyes water!

Once home and unpacked I set about preparing the chicken we had bought which was to feed us tonight along with a village salad, dips and village bread and would feed us again tomorrow as part of the barbeque.  John had picked up a pack of chicken breasts which came under the XXXL sized classification - they were bloody huge.

We decided that we would have a late night swim with the light on in the pool before going to bed in an attempt to cool down and sleep - at night the pool feels like a bath and we have fun getting in then standing on the edge getting cooled down by the evening breeze and then jumping back in and reveling in the warmth of the water.  The cats think we are nutters and they are right.

It's the simple things in life isn't it?

Wednesday, 25 July 2018

Sunday - its bloomin' hot and I am not sleeping terribly well.  Part of the issue is Chivers who likes to come in, lay on the bed, get off lay on the tiles, got on lay on the bed, get off lay on the tiles- you get the picture?  Normally this is not too much of a problem but on very hot nights you get the best air flow from the windows and the fan by sleeping with your head at the foot end of the bed which means that if Chivers does jump on he can end up jumping slap bang on your face!  John slept well though, an England win and a couple of drinkies probably helped!

We were down for lunch with Mum today.  She was doing her lovely lamb tenderloin dish with roast potatoes and veggies.

It is so hot that none of the balls in her Galileo Thermometer are floating.  They drop as the temperature increases - I am not exactly sure how many there are but if it is 11 spheres then with them down the temperature is around 100 degrees F or around 37 degrees C!  This is in the lounge which felt to be the coolest room in the bungalow.

We had got down in time to sort out the sale of the portable air-con unit Mum had for the sun-room - now that she has thermal blinds she has decided it is surplus to requirement.  It is still under warranty but we don't have any room for it as it is a largish unit and it has to be vented outside which is a bit of a nightmare with the cats!  I have visions that if we had a vented article we would come home and find one of the cats with his/her head stuck inside because they are so nosey!  Anyway as I said I managed to sell it using an internet sales site and someone I know wanted it so we organised for it to go today and it went.


Poor Mum had to have a lesson in spreadsheets and economics today - we are just about sorted with her income and expenditure save for the bloody HMRC who have (a) taxed her pension to the hilt and (b) not responded to my application for her to be taxed over here.  This will need a phone call in the week.  Anyway based on the figures we have got we have organised her income and expenditure - this is all a bit new to her as Dad did the bulk of that and Mum took care of housekeeping and general living expenses.  I just want her to realise that providing she keeps a handle on the money she doesn't need to worry unless she has plans to purchase something mega and even then we can probably jiggle to accommodate whatever it is!  It would just be so nice to be able to draw a firm hard line under all this and know we are sorted at least until next year and tax returns are required again.

Now that John has got his head round our house-rules for Rummikub out afternoon game went the way of Noms with the scorer (John) winning.  He is so bloody competitive it isn't true - one can barely begin to imagine what satisfaction he gets from beating two poor defenseless ladies!!! 

We had sat outside to play on what started out to be a covered verandah but as the day progressed the sun started to sneak in and snap around our ankles so we had to keep moving closer and closer to the patio doors so that by the end of the game Mum was pinned to the glass!!!

A lovely afternoon - Mum has a busy week next week including going out for a meal with us on Wednesday when we are meeting up with Nicky, Mark and Nicky's Mum Liz and her partner Bill.  I pointed out the Nicky that Wednesday was the World Cup semi-final game for England so told her that we would need to eat and not engage in any conversation so as to get away on time to watch it (it isn't really a problem as the game doesn't start till 9.00pm and we are going out at 6.00pm)  I jokingly said we should have a signal so that, if necessary, we could chivvy the olds along.  She agreed and I said I would start fainting at around 8.00pm if it looked like they were stringing things along and she thought I said farting!  On reflection that might be a better way to clear them out of the taverna.

Nicky phoned me this evening to say that their little cat Alfie had come in dragging his legs and she was taking him to an emergency vet -  sadly he didn't make it - I didn't like to ask any details but guess it might have been a car accident and ensuing internal injuries - that is so sad he was a lovely cat.



Tuesday, 24 July 2018

Oh what a night...


Friday and we had a bit of a slow start as we had been out last night in Paphos meeting up with Mum and Jackie and Costas so for the third day in a row we were back off down to Paphos but this time for pickleball and it is exceptionally, exceptionally hot - I just hope that all the running around and sweating is doing me some good as I feel like I have put on pounds recently and feel a bit porky - this wont be helped by Haze coming as we will be eating out and drinking - hopefully!!!

Anyway on our way to pickleball we stopped at the Grand Shop or whatever it is called - I still refer to it as Buy Rite to get some catfood and treats for our lot - I had a bit of a laugh at one of the pet food packets as it appeared to be advertising biscuits which were flavoured with Yorkshire Terriers - on much closer inspection and I do mean much closer this packet is full of chicken flavoured biscuits designed for Yorkshire Terriers - this is an interesting stock choice as I can't think I have actually seen that breed of dog on the island!  Anyway I was relieved to have cleared up that misunderstanding!!!

It was very very hot on the pickleball court - I had asked Marios if we could extend our playing time on Friday (a) because I wanted to accommodate Bill and (b) because the room is not being used as the school children are on holiday - they break up mega early here in Cyprus having 3 months break over the summer!  As it happens Bill is not playing so we have 3 hours available to us.  John and I get there early to get the net up and then usually Liselotte and John pitch up followed by Di and then Mum comes for the normal 1.00pm - 3.00pm time - it worries me when it is so hot so I am glad she is sensible and plays only what she can manage.


It was a quick turn round for us because this evening we were going with Rob and Di to Ampelones in Peyia to watch the Jersey Boys.  Di and Rob had bought us tickets to see them last year and so when they heard that they were returning wanted to see them again as did we because we had really really enjoyed them as entertainers.  Last year we saw them at Chloraka Amphitheatre which is a small intimate location with fabulous backdrop - tonight we were at a massive wedding venue so were uncertain as to how that would affect our enjoyment.


As it happens the venue was fabulous.  We were seated outside which was good as it was hot and humid.  There were small round tables which seated about 8-10 people (at a push).  We could have eaten but didn't know what the buffet would be like - it was souvla and having seen it would have given it a go for the 10 euros a head the food cost.  We opted for a seat at the back which was just as well as we were nearer the bar and the toilets and the massive speakers which might have made any conversation difficult.


It was an excellent evening - these four guys are excellent entertainers and can hold a tune - the first half of the set was the music of Frankie Valli and the second half a mix of Motown and old favourites.  Oh how we sang - the poor people who had asked to join our table must have wondered what on earth they had signed up for!!!  We did explain that being Hicks from the Sticks we don't get out much!!!


So just have to say a big big big big thank-you to Di and Rob for suggesting that we went and for getting the tickets and for driving - it was such a great evening and I felt so relaxed and slept really well when I got home which I haven't done in ages.

Shall leave this blog with a bit of video - the boys doing what we had gone to see - a bit of Frankie Valli - Let's Hang On...


Monday, 23 July 2018

creepy crawlies


We have a visitor camping out in the vine under the gazebo - we know it is there because it leaves an inordinate amount of poo behind which is all over the decking - perfectly formed corrugated pellets of poo about the size of a piece of sweetcorn!

I didn't have to look too far before I spotted said visitor - it is the caterpillar of a hawk moth which, by the looks of it, is about to pupate because normally those we find are green because they are from the oleander hawk moth or the yellow and grey ones are from the death's head hawk moth.

This specimen is about 8-10 centimeters in length and is munching its way through the vine - there is no damage to the nearby oleander!

I have to go out every morning and do a good old Cypriot swoosh down with the hose to remove the poo and clean the table and as we hope to have a barbeque with Mum on Sunday will have to give that area a good bottoming (if you pardon the pun!).

It is really too hot to think about doing anything but John has been planning to build some shelves in the pump house to tidy it up a bit.  This is where he keeps his beer crates and I keep my veggies because generally this is about the coolest place we have so today was the day and even though the temperatures have been hitting nearly 40 degrees up here in Droushia John ran in and out of the sunshine to build the shelving.

It has been good to be able to tick jobs off of the To-Do list - some of them have been on there for some time.  We have had some down-time since Dad died for a number of reasons - changes to routine and lack of enthusiasm but we are getting back into the swing again.  We have one big job that we have budgeted for and that is to put a second 'skin' on the conservatory roof using poly-carbonate sheets which hopefully will make the room cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter - the only trouble is that it is too hot to work in there during the day - it must touch nearly 50 degrees in there at times and John's knee still can cause him issues - he isn't good at resting unless it is imposed upon him.

We were out again this evening with mum meeting up with Jackie and Costas at Gabors Restaurant which is above their newest Tea for Two restaurant down on the hotel strip in Paphos.  It has always been a favourite of ours although recently some of the long term staff have gone and so it is lacking something - the food is still as good but the care and attention is not quite the same and sadly this evening we had to inform John the owner that dad, Mr Ron, had passed away.

It has turned out to be a really busy and quite expensive week for us because tomorrow night we are going out with Di and Rob to see the Jersey Boys at Ampelones in Peyia.  We would not normally pack all these things into one week and certainly not before we are about to have visitors!

We are on a limited budget - our income doesn't change until John's pension becomes index-linked which isn't for another few years - and life conspires against us all the time - John's pension will soon have to be taxed at source in the UK which is not so favourable as being taxed here and we have read that they are changing the way they calculate tax and emissions which means that there will be in increase in road tax on our two vehicles.  We will manage - we just have to cut our cloth accordingly!


We always have a lovely time with Jackie and Costas - we have all known each other for such a long time.  Jackie always looks so stylish and cool that I thought I should make the effort and wear some heels so I dug out the pair that I wore to my nephew's wedding in Dubai last year - I have only worn them the once and they are very high although they have nothing much too them for them to be uncomfortable even with my bunion or whatever it is on my big toe joint!  I so rarely wear heels nowadays partly because I don't really go anywhere to need them and partly because the road and pavement surfaces are not conducive to wearing them - with this in mind I suggested we left early so I could totter from the carpark and negotiate the steps up to the restaurant!


This is not the most flattering picture of Jackie and Costas - I took it without warning them!  We had a great evening sitting at our favourite round table - we were the only ones inside which would have been ok if the air conditioning had been working but boy it was pretty warm in there.  There weren't too many other diners which is unusual - in the past we have seen diners turned away because it has been full and they haven't had a booking - maybe it is suffering from all the all-inclusive hotels, or from the fact that it is upstairs so not as visible as other venues or maybe like us regulars have seen subtle changes there.

Sunday, 22 July 2018

Wednesday begins and ends with a lizard


I was up early this morning and doing a cat headcount because Chivers has taken to going walkabout right when it is time to have breakfast.  At the front gate this little fella was having a sunbathe and enjoying it so much that he remained there whilst I went indoors and got my phone to take his picture.  Not easy to see but in the morning sunshine his underbelly was a beautiful shade of green - something like verdigris.  He kept out of the way of our lot - they love a nice lizard to chase and eat.

We were having most of the day at home then going down to Mum's to try and sort out her tax with the HMRC before going to Thanasi in Emba and having dinner with Nicky and Mark and Liz and Bill.

It will soon be John's birthday (well September but that will come round soon enough) and he spotted this t-shirt on tintyweb - looks good - I shall have to see if I can get something similar sent over here for him.

I was on gardening today - we tackled the big old bushes by my shed.  I had severely cut them back not so long ago so that we could see the light that is in the wall behind but I reckon it has grown at least two feet since then.  I have been moving plants around.  I want to re-do the garden which is in front of our bedroom window but am not sure how - earlier in the year we had planned to remove the lemon tree and possibly the lime as neither were doing well - in the interim the lime has bucked its ideas up and is looking quite healthy whereas the lemon still struggles and the rest of the things in there are all a bit of a mess.  We also have a few problems with indoor plants and in particular my peace lily which is struggling in the conservatory so I am going to move it somewhere less sunny in the hopes that it will lose some of its yellow-ness.


We were having an early dinner at Thanasi which suited those of us who wanted to get home in time to watch the World Cup semi-final Croatia v England.  We managed to eat, drink and converse without the need to chivvy anyone along.  It was a nice evening and good to catch up - this is going to become a regular thing which is nice.  I kept my meal simple as we are out again tomorrow - my favourite stand-by a Caesar Salad and very nice it was too.  Nicky and I shared a bottle of wine as John was drives for me and Bill was driving the others.  Nice to see Nicky's mum is recovering from her operation - slowly but surely and ditto for Bill.


Forgot to say that on arrival at Mum's we tackled HMRC and Mum got them to speak to me because she told them she was hard of hearing (which she is).  A spoke to a nice guy called Craig who agreed with me that Mum's tax was on the high side and so made some adjustments which means that she should now be paying the correct amount for being taxed in the UK - now all we need is to find out where the form is for her to be taxed in Cyprus - I took it to the tax office about 6 weeks ago but HMRC don't seem to have received it.

Anyway there was a strange sky as we made our way home - the sun was going down nicely but there were loads of clouds hanging around and in our direction it looked like it could even have been raining.  When we returned home it was dry but there was a much cooler feel than of late.  Good news we were home in time for the footie.


After the euphoria of the opening goal in the first five minutes for England scored by Trippier from a free kick and a first half filled with missed opportunities to secure what would have been a monumental victory the team descended into chaos and the remainder of the game, which went to extra time, saw a woeful performance of a young team lacking in ideas.  It was only a matter of time before Croatia scored the winner and they did.  Based on the first half England had been the better team but thereafter there was only going to be one winner and it wasn't them which was a shame.

John was nearly apoplectic as the game went on - so much so that I could no longer watch and busied myself with stuff around the house before deciding that I would get ready for bed.

We had a visitor in our bedroom - a tiny pinky or house gecko which evaded capture for quite some time before I was able to get hold of it and move it somewhere where it would be safe from the cats and us.

Meanwhile in the lounge we had moved the ailing peace lily and with it one of the brown and yellow striped grasshoppers which make such a loud noise.  We could hear it but couldn't see it and when we moved towards where we thought the sound was coming from he shut up.  Eventually John managed to track it down and along with the pinky this too was removed from the house to somewhere more suitable.

It was a late night for us and bloody England had lost - still they did better than a lot of people had expected at the outset.