Here's to Year 12

Today we complete 11 years living here in Droushia.  So much has happened since then.  We left the UK directly after William and Kate's wedding and celebrations and arrived shortly before the death of Osama bin Laden.  I cannot believe we have lived a third of our married life here - the time has gone so quickly and we have said hello and, sadly, goodbye to many people during that time.

We do not have Mum coming up tomorrow (Sunday) I have negotiated with her to ring the changes every now and again so she will be coming up on Monday instead.  John has asked for a caramelised onion quiche with wedges and coleslaw for lunch that day and so I decided to get the quiche ready in advance.  I had thought I would need to go shopping but managed to find sufficient ingredients to get it made.  I then had a text from Isabel who has been extremely poorly and suffering from dehydration so asked if we could deliver her some water as (a) she thought hers tasted odd and (b) she wasn't fit enough to make the journey up to the village.  Poor Isabel has really gone through the ringer over the last couple of weeks.  I think she will be glad when she returns to Scotland where she will have a much bigger network of people to socialise with and who will keep an eye on her.

We called into the cemetery to see Dad and to rescue the pot of violas that were looking a bit worse for wear.  I decided to cut them back and fill the pot with some succulent cuttings from the garden which hopefully will take root and fill out sufficiently to put the pot back in place for when my sister comes.  As it has been so warm and windy anything that needs regular watering is suffering and now that we no longer have Klaus to keep an eye on Dad's grave we need to go more often if things are to survive.

We had considered going down to the Fish Festival in Latchi but skies were laden with dust and we needed to sort Isabel out so decided against it and John sat watching the football results coming in - it is getting to the end of the season so today several leagues completed their matches and promotions and relegations were confirmed.  I spent time in the garden.  The wisteria had gone mad - it hasn't flowered yet and may never but the green is lovely and provides and nice shady walkway into the house.

Some time ago Mum gave me the electric griddle thing that we used to use when we went and had barbeques with her and Dad.  It all felt a bit nostalgic - I reckon the last time this was used Dad was alive.  He and I used to barbeque together or he and John.  Anyway because we had anticipated eating at the fish festival we hadn't really planned much for our supper so we had to have a good old rummage in the freezer and came up with some lamb koftas and chicken kebabs from Shuks which we had with a small salad and some wedges.

The griddle thing cooked the kebabs/kofta perfectly and not having expected much from our supper we were pleasantly surprised at how tasty it all was and I had managed to produce it from next to nothing in the fridge and freezer.  I really will have to go shopping next week as the cupboard is now most definitely bare!

Over the last few days I have posted some photographs of our friend Louise's beautiful and talented daughter Elizabeth performing ballet at some famous landmarks in London.  Today I post this picture of another friend and his talented son.  On the right in the photograph above the children is our friend Keith (Ely) and his son Lewis.  Keith, wife Claire and Lewis visited Cyprus when we had not long moved over and we went to Limassol to meet up with them.  I reckon that photograph might have been around when the photograph of Ely and Lewis was taken.  Lewis and a friend belong to a group of military children who sing and he and his friend wrote a song which they performed on X-Factor last night and they made it through to the next round.  Congratulations Lewis - you have turned into an exceptional young man and you are a credit to your parents.