I realise I have got a bit in a mess with the order of my posts so regular readers may have been a bit surprised and confused by the continuity or lack of it. It isn't easy when all the days seem to be the same and we struggle to remember even what we did yesterday, although I can tell you that yesterday we learned that our current curfew and movement restrictions are to remain in place until the end of the month which, if nothing else, will hopefully curtail the Easter celebrations on the island. The traditional bonfires were banned in the first round of restrictions which came as a shock to many as Easter is so massively important over here.
So somewhere along the line I got the days and the activities confused and missed a day all together so this is a mash-up of the last couple of days!!!
In the freezer we had been saving a half beef forerib for a special occasion and we had decided over the weekend to splash out and have a roast beef dinner. This is about the easiest cut of beef I have ever roasted and the recipe was spot on. I had to make a trivet of vegetables with carrots and onions and fresh herbs and sit the meat on top, fat side up and blast at a very hot heat for a short period of time (20 mins) and then cook on a very low heat for a further 30 minutes - to be fair we could have taken it a bit rarer but allowing it to sit for 20 minutes meant that it was soft and delicious and the carrots were absolutely amazing!
My other piece de resistance were my roasties - I had one massive potato which was 'new' rather than 'old' and generally the new don't roast as well but before par-boiling I roughed up the surfaces with a fork and then roasted on the hottest heat possible in the combi-microwave and they were ready at the same time of the meat - more by luck than judgment!! They were crispy on the outside and soft and melting on the inside and although I had cooked enough for two meals they miraculously disappeared - but then again roasties are never the same the second time around!! And I would just like to clarify that we only ate one of those ribs saving the other for the bestest sandwiches known to man!!
Because John and I are around the house nearly all the time bar excursions for food the cats are staying in with us - they practice some sort of social distancing when on the bed - Charlie distances even further because he has taken to squeezing his bulk into the smallest basket in the conservatory. Both Charlie and Boo have caused us some concern with their eating, or lack of it, Charlie in particular because normally he will eat anything and everything as often as it is offered - we wonder if their habits have changed a little because they are seemingly less active than normal. Anyway apart from the iffy eating they seem to be fine otherwise.
With lockdown extended we are desperately trying to find ways to keep Mum's spirits up and her time occupied. Our lovely friend Melanie sorted out some books and jigsaws and arranged to leave them on Mum's doorstep and when she did was able to engage in conversation with Mum from a distance. I suggested that maybe Mum and her great grandson Jack have a drawing competition which would give them something to talk about over a video call. Apparently Jack is struggling with the change to his routine, confinement and isolation from school friends so is not overly cooperative at the moment - hopefully he will come round to the idea.
John went down to Polis today to get some shopping and to take Stranded Nath (who we seem to have adopted) so that he could get provisions. Fortunately the old phone we lent him does work with a CYTA sim so he was able to get his authorisation. John also got a few bits in for Isobel and David. We have everything crossed that David will get his stent operation tomorrow which happens to be his birthday and that would be the best present he could be given just at the moment.
We have learned that there is a couple in the village with confirmed Covid-19. The lady is the nice lady who takes blood at Paphos Hospital and on the travelling blood sessions which is very worrying but even worse her husband works at Polis hospital and continued to do so when it was suspected that she had the virus. Lord knows how many others they passed it on to. It is all now more scary as we had thought that up here in the hills we were more isolated and better protected than down in the towns and cities.
On John's return we continued with our outdoor projects. We need to get outside for air and for exercise otherwise we are going to end up the size of houses.
Our task today was to remove all the shingle from outside the wood store and dig down and remove the earth below so we could level that area, then reinstate the shingle. It was hot and dirty work but we got it done. The plan is to get aluminium doors on the woodstore when lockdown is over and then build a proper store for the bins on the other side.
We then had a big conversation about the doors - which used to be on the house somewhere and which do stop the wind whipping through, they are old and rickety so we are wondering whether we splash out and get them replaced too but then we realised that the other side is John's workbench which would be better located somewhere else and then the shed needs sorting - the plan has always been to have the old wooden structure (which must be 20 years old nearly and brought over from the Married Quarters) removed and the shed made into a permanent structure. Exhausted by all these thoughts we felt in need of a sit down and a beer!!
Extract from the Ration Book (I am concerned I wont have enough to cover this extended lockdown period!!)
The BBC's radio Doctor, Charles Hill, gave regular advice on healthy eating and his tips weren't always welcomed by the younger members of his audience. Thanks to him, many a child was subjected to daily helpings of shredded raw cabbage, while prunes were recommended in support of his customary signing-off line: "Keep the bowels well open!".
So somewhere along the line I got the days and the activities confused and missed a day all together so this is a mash-up of the last couple of days!!!
In the freezer we had been saving a half beef forerib for a special occasion and we had decided over the weekend to splash out and have a roast beef dinner. This is about the easiest cut of beef I have ever roasted and the recipe was spot on. I had to make a trivet of vegetables with carrots and onions and fresh herbs and sit the meat on top, fat side up and blast at a very hot heat for a short period of time (20 mins) and then cook on a very low heat for a further 30 minutes - to be fair we could have taken it a bit rarer but allowing it to sit for 20 minutes meant that it was soft and delicious and the carrots were absolutely amazing!
My other piece de resistance were my roasties - I had one massive potato which was 'new' rather than 'old' and generally the new don't roast as well but before par-boiling I roughed up the surfaces with a fork and then roasted on the hottest heat possible in the combi-microwave and they were ready at the same time of the meat - more by luck than judgment!! They were crispy on the outside and soft and melting on the inside and although I had cooked enough for two meals they miraculously disappeared - but then again roasties are never the same the second time around!! And I would just like to clarify that we only ate one of those ribs saving the other for the bestest sandwiches known to man!!
Because John and I are around the house nearly all the time bar excursions for food the cats are staying in with us - they practice some sort of social distancing when on the bed - Charlie distances even further because he has taken to squeezing his bulk into the smallest basket in the conservatory. Both Charlie and Boo have caused us some concern with their eating, or lack of it, Charlie in particular because normally he will eat anything and everything as often as it is offered - we wonder if their habits have changed a little because they are seemingly less active than normal. Anyway apart from the iffy eating they seem to be fine otherwise.
With lockdown extended we are desperately trying to find ways to keep Mum's spirits up and her time occupied. Our lovely friend Melanie sorted out some books and jigsaws and arranged to leave them on Mum's doorstep and when she did was able to engage in conversation with Mum from a distance. I suggested that maybe Mum and her great grandson Jack have a drawing competition which would give them something to talk about over a video call. Apparently Jack is struggling with the change to his routine, confinement and isolation from school friends so is not overly cooperative at the moment - hopefully he will come round to the idea.
John went down to Polis today to get some shopping and to take Stranded Nath (who we seem to have adopted) so that he could get provisions. Fortunately the old phone we lent him does work with a CYTA sim so he was able to get his authorisation. John also got a few bits in for Isobel and David. We have everything crossed that David will get his stent operation tomorrow which happens to be his birthday and that would be the best present he could be given just at the moment.
We have learned that there is a couple in the village with confirmed Covid-19. The lady is the nice lady who takes blood at Paphos Hospital and on the travelling blood sessions which is very worrying but even worse her husband works at Polis hospital and continued to do so when it was suspected that she had the virus. Lord knows how many others they passed it on to. It is all now more scary as we had thought that up here in the hills we were more isolated and better protected than down in the towns and cities.
On John's return we continued with our outdoor projects. We need to get outside for air and for exercise otherwise we are going to end up the size of houses.Our task today was to remove all the shingle from outside the wood store and dig down and remove the earth below so we could level that area, then reinstate the shingle. It was hot and dirty work but we got it done. The plan is to get aluminium doors on the woodstore when lockdown is over and then build a proper store for the bins on the other side.
We then had a big conversation about the doors - which used to be on the house somewhere and which do stop the wind whipping through, they are old and rickety so we are wondering whether we splash out and get them replaced too but then we realised that the other side is John's workbench which would be better located somewhere else and then the shed needs sorting - the plan has always been to have the old wooden structure (which must be 20 years old nearly and brought over from the Married Quarters) removed and the shed made into a permanent structure. Exhausted by all these thoughts we felt in need of a sit down and a beer!!
Extract from the Ration Book (I am concerned I wont have enough to cover this extended lockdown period!!)
The BBC's radio Doctor, Charles Hill, gave regular advice on healthy eating and his tips weren't always welcomed by the younger members of his audience. Thanks to him, many a child was subjected to daily helpings of shredded raw cabbage, while prunes were recommended in support of his customary signing-off line: "Keep the bowels well open!".
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