tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55745050309660395032024-03-13T12:06:06.023+02:00Droushia/Drouseia DitsThe Blog formerly known as Follow Us and Our New Life in Cyprus - John & Jill Wiseman's move to and life in Droushia Cyprus.John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.comBlogger3858125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-60528060505167693372024-01-28T10:22:00.002+02:002024-01-28T10:22:21.593+02:00New Year's Eve 2023 - the Final Curtain<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Q3xxoBvWKttsNVRNuiYAhj7RmXv1vA9h7JxuK0nKYDWnVWkUM6dZEubyAaJBgWp85DXrJDn_cHxHUWXWDhp66yejay11PvXrEO5nLth661ZQi2tJ61BQ6Lx35POdjSGhp3Bh7Cha-1W5w6XKIVUPaeoKBXiljYvbUs7ZaqLD7Dkrrx6dxU4_1xz5BBnL/s3264/20231231_091733.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Q3xxoBvWKttsNVRNuiYAhj7RmXv1vA9h7JxuK0nKYDWnVWkUM6dZEubyAaJBgWp85DXrJDn_cHxHUWXWDhp66yejay11PvXrEO5nLth661ZQi2tJ61BQ6Lx35POdjSGhp3Bh7Cha-1W5w6XKIVUPaeoKBXiljYvbUs7ZaqLD7Dkrrx6dxU4_1xz5BBnL/w640-h294/20231231_091733.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>New Year's Eve 2023 and although it was a Sunday we were having a day without Mum because tomorrow January 1st 2024 we will be going to The Farmyard in Kathikas for a carvery with Lilian, Gail and Pete. </p><p>This morning started out rather more grey than of late but it was very warm down on the coast and the sun just burned the clouds off and it was lovely. What a glorious end to the year. We walked Dot and Hector down as far as the campsite and then back to the harbour for a coffee.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGznMqItCZVgC8epLl4iCWFaAIIj_fi3E0fL7Z-by-qI3xiUEP8bzmMU9unpvugP7o-Um1QwqA3LdIgMfQ2kAtyV9i5dhWmG07cdclGcuEC97yEEEeeqhsvhGa_cDXYdBP-WhNg2ZiFWygLF1OtJnTVr4tihTHwbzhztzGiYnIuDBwuK8tyUuYPpIEOQsn/s4000/20231231_092832.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGznMqItCZVgC8epLl4iCWFaAIIj_fi3E0fL7Z-by-qI3xiUEP8bzmMU9unpvugP7o-Um1QwqA3LdIgMfQ2kAtyV9i5dhWmG07cdclGcuEC97yEEEeeqhsvhGa_cDXYdBP-WhNg2ZiFWygLF1OtJnTVr4tihTHwbzhztzGiYnIuDBwuK8tyUuYPpIEOQsn/w640-h296/20231231_092832.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We aren't sure quite what is happening with the campsite. All the time we have lived here its future has been uncertain but it has been cleared although the campsite bar building is still there. I understand that there are plans for it which may take a couple of years to complete. No matter what those plans are the campsite will never quite be the same eclectic mix of patrons and camping homes which, from a sanitary point of view, is probably a good thing but it will lose some of its natural charm and unspoilt character.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0xyBMKa1k2SMOPygvlJ9zIU3UOF66i42z21HiC_M8coP9MLVcLkKCgz8WKZYKd0qQA_FF5YnZN38aNfwYa0ZnLbyQTgal_c6D3hhK240QPwDQ-aREsdCMNEvBgDrprP4gqJxHy5CIvrtDET_xdptxefZBJcOcMhC8V0bmVMQ-nO42ZXKXmt31WFhvnRT/s3264/20231231_100030.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0xyBMKa1k2SMOPygvlJ9zIU3UOF66i42z21HiC_M8coP9MLVcLkKCgz8WKZYKd0qQA_FF5YnZN38aNfwYa0ZnLbyQTgal_c6D3hhK240QPwDQ-aREsdCMNEvBgDrprP4gqJxHy5CIvrtDET_xdptxefZBJcOcMhC8V0bmVMQ-nO42ZXKXmt31WFhvnRT/w640-h294/20231231_100030.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We stopped off at Coffee Island for a coffee and a muffin and a chat and for the passers by to make a fuss of the doggies. I reckon you should never be lonely if you have a cute attractive and pretty well behaved dog by your side!!! It was such a lovely quiet start to the day, the sea was like a mill pond and once again we thanked our lucky stars for living where we do.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNk-ep2z1R0SdSX6WqjerdU6yH0qgQVYGH43nvf2iuo7j6aZkwnIpfHiXcVqT9NUiokUAcWXEzku6kkyU3Qi5A0cpx2yYEJu6Nc3Vg39K65v5lneZz7obWwr6VfXJDppum4z44WBB91-vIK3q9RKAExq-JT4A1U8MqnETCHnhYCUtJ6ncYd2an3N0Ua-Uk/s4000/20231231_183044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNk-ep2z1R0SdSX6WqjerdU6yH0qgQVYGH43nvf2iuo7j6aZkwnIpfHiXcVqT9NUiokUAcWXEzku6kkyU3Qi5A0cpx2yYEJu6Nc3Vg39K65v5lneZz7obWwr6VfXJDppum4z44WBB91-vIK3q9RKAExq-JT4A1U8MqnETCHnhYCUtJ6ncYd2an3N0Ua-Uk/w640-h296/20231231_183044.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The remainder of the day was spent super quietly - exchanging texts with people near and far because we never stay up till midnight. Instead we just relaxed, had a hearty meal of sausage and bacon toad in the hole with mashed potato, onion gravy and peas. As I would be driving tomorrow morning I only had a glass of wine before we turned in and called it a night and an end to 2023. In fact the fireworks from somewhere in the village woke us at midnight.</p><p><i><b>So in the words of Looney Tunes Cartoons "that's it folks".</b></i></p><p><i><b>After nearly 13 years of writing every single day, save for a couple of breaks when sad events meant I did not feel like posting, I am bringing this blog to an end. That makes a total of 3,858 entries charting our move to Cyprus, building our lives and renovating our home and then our general day to day activities. There was so much to write about when we first moved here - a real voyage of discovery - but now we have fallen into a routine it is harder for me to find things of interest! Do you know that 3,858 entries taking about 30 minutes an entry equates to around 80 days of solid blogging?</b></i></p><p><i><b>Our time is now being taken up by more important issues like my mum's health - she needs us - case in point we have had Fred's passing and a day spent in A&E when she fell outside in the cold prior to us arriving with lunch. We don't quite know how things will pan out this year - we just put our lives on hold a little so that we are available as and when she needs us.</b></i></p><p><i><b>On a brighter note I am actually looking forward to keeping in touch with people by way of a text, email or phone call because as we get older it becomes more important to know that people are ok rather than assume they are ok because social media has replaced personal contact.</b></i></p><p><i><b>So lovely readers thank you for your support and for the over 400,000 views and if you are in Cyprus we still need Lick-e-Lix and Branston Sauce!!!</b></i></p>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-53771049443231806732024-01-27T14:17:00.004+02:002024-01-27T14:51:21.931+02:00My penultimate post...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_e_n7odg6iu4B5eUQqVzJ2OjqO6fLDOTeXDX96p_xBHnU7WMSGGizlWEQTDYhwXTaHVgoI9D2Mq_7P7iWwrsM6gUjnMkKGM0zp34E3PrVzWYfkGaFbrPf_A5rp8BTMSkNAPbtIjt_5SB2mn6SqH18LdXhIu5A0tpA9PldugPdmt1cgiMY9vAMZRSK7Hl/s4000/20231230_112346.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_e_n7odg6iu4B5eUQqVzJ2OjqO6fLDOTeXDX96p_xBHnU7WMSGGizlWEQTDYhwXTaHVgoI9D2Mq_7P7iWwrsM6gUjnMkKGM0zp34E3PrVzWYfkGaFbrPf_A5rp8BTMSkNAPbtIjt_5SB2mn6SqH18LdXhIu5A0tpA9PldugPdmt1cgiMY9vAMZRSK7Hl/w640-h296/20231230_112346.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />We had an impromptu trip down to Paphos today. I couldn't bear to think of Mum struggling with her TV or sitting in the house in silence (save for Freddo) so consequently I didn't sleep (that together with the fact that I was very full from the food we had consumed at Kaponas last night). John said he would come with me and we decided to sift through all the watches we have sitting around waiting for batteries and take them with us to see if Gregory was open in the Old Town. <p></p><p>The morning did not start well as we could not find the remote control for the Firestick and we had been playing around with our old Android Boxes to see if we could find a more straightforward TV solution for Mum and then decided they were too old so would get rid. I scooped up what we didn't want but had only put that as far as the spare room and it wasn't there and then I remembered that we had kept hold of some cables and bits and pieces and I had put them in a box and thankfully the remote control was there. I then went out in the garden to clear up leaves and clean the outdoor cushions and as I tipped up the chipboard stuff underneath the cushions it just disintegrated in my hand then when I went to open the gate the key snapped off in the lock by which time John had had a complete sense of humour failure and of course it was all my fault. The final thing was that in the Old Town trying to find our bearings I walked into a bollard which I hit with the middle of my shin where there is the minimum amount of padding and it bloody hurt and John wasn't overly impressed with me then either but I just didn't see it.</p><p>Anyway we did go to Gregory's with is right next door to the Kiniros Hotel in Makarios Avenue which is now pedestrianised but used to be a thoroughfare. It is an amazingly bijoux establishment and the photograph above is the entrance way which leads into a hidden garden. I think it is one of the most interesting and pretty places anywhere.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9EzjulRtX3im7jEGWS8IRwaGPTb5AfQprqnzQKkbk0Ffm8Bozfb-0UxThiunNDfuflXwuVHFgOLQJ2vniW_mDcdNMgDb9u-MHVIdkuIcWSMUtmSO9Xx2b6M-9ecIXz0xM2813EDUGgdPC_WopeJCgyGXvQGnEIF5R7W7TuMZPPxW8-zJXNmlI6Hw-i_l/s4000/20231230_113349.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9EzjulRtX3im7jEGWS8IRwaGPTb5AfQprqnzQKkbk0Ffm8Bozfb-0UxThiunNDfuflXwuVHFgOLQJ2vniW_mDcdNMgDb9u-MHVIdkuIcWSMUtmSO9Xx2b6M-9ecIXz0xM2813EDUGgdPC_WopeJCgyGXvQGnEIF5R7W7TuMZPPxW8-zJXNmlI6Hw-i_l/w640-h296/20231230_113349.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We took seven watches to Gregory. A tiny elderly gentleman who has had that same shop for 50 years and who pitches up to work in a suit, shirt and tie. Watching him change a battery is like watching a real labour of love. He doesn't just change the battery he gives your watch care and respect and, even better, makes sure that they are set to the correct time which is a bonus on some of our watches. Seven batteries changed came to 35 euros but John gave him 40 euros and wished him a Happy New Year and he seemed quite happy with that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxMuX48GH4OOWFm8C_EqHJrz4itb7lNJ1yaN_9rN9BwxRlp9eAY14TiQ7TLHjy0OiPtSDcHMnnPB0O7nsH33A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p>It was a glorious day and as we were leaving the watch shop we could hear a band up in the square. The band marched down Makarios Avenue right past us. It was lovely and the Old Town was heaving with locals frequenting any and every coffee shop or restaurant available. The atmosphere was fun and friendly and if you had been a visitor here for the Festive Season it would have made your stay quite memorable. Listening to Christmas Songs on a very warm December Saturday sitting outside drinking coffee is quite something to experience.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9tiTDg0fcJoE3aTaPQIiDWrBVvTZ8YN0iaU0yZA92csf_8b7DxsDvwTwXuu8TEnkpLFakWh4XFSVVk3NkuFEigqGaKmTwcukdlE222QWWwy-lubc8WNwek3YTJ1kqA5DxWUEU6TK3piOj_arQi2pzKALQsMrrh6j92KKomynJArjuc-PY3-4R0SzerXW/s2308/20231230_161128.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="2308" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9tiTDg0fcJoE3aTaPQIiDWrBVvTZ8YN0iaU0yZA92csf_8b7DxsDvwTwXuu8TEnkpLFakWh4XFSVVk3NkuFEigqGaKmTwcukdlE222QWWwy-lubc8WNwek3YTJ1kqA5DxWUEU6TK3piOj_arQi2pzKALQsMrrh6j92KKomynJArjuc-PY3-4R0SzerXW/w640-h406/20231230_161128.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We had quite some success with Mum. We got her TV setup in the Sun Room working and for the whole time we were there it was stable. We gave her some tuition on how to move around so that she can find other things to watch and marked up her remote control with a series of dots to try and get her to press the buttons she needs to press not two or three at the same time. In the end we decided one of the styluses that John's Mum had sent her for Christmas would be ideal and it seemed to be. We at least got her pointing the remote control somewhere in the direction of the Firestick and not at the ceiling fan and she had stopped stabbing at the remote just gently pressing with the stylus. I even took a picture of the handset and blew it up and annotated it so she could remember the buttons to press and what they did and the buttons she would never need to press.<div><br /></div><div>On our return home I made some more Christmas Cards as I just could not face watching the Man City SUFC match although the result was nowhere near as catastrophic as it might have been. </div><div><br /></div><div>As a postscript shortly after I wrote this post Mum made the painful decision to have Fred put to sleep. He had stopped eating and deteriorated very quickly. The vet diagnosed that Fred was in the final stages of kidney failure and confirmed to me, when I went to sign the cremation papers, that mum's decision was the correct one. Poor Mum was devastated and she will undoubtedly feel a little more lonely as a result.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rest in Peace Fred<br /><p><br /></p></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-63186578547509905752024-01-26T22:12:00.001+02:002024-01-26T22:12:30.049+02:00Saying Thank You<p>This morning I went to the Garden Centre with Gail. We have been invited to Kaponas this evening for a meal as a thank you from Eleni for our support. We are expecting that she will provide a buffet and that there will be no charge so we wanted to buy her something as a thank you from us for the kind invitation and the fact that she always knocks our bill down when we go anyway. We are fully expecting an eclectic mix of invitees with the regular local freeloaders in evidence no doubt but we will be going to support Eleni and her family.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjSD3p3U9IP_CZh604StnEkTa2zyFD4eO4nuO_r7uvBtPYwkTdq544ogqhsG2fT5wrm60fnbYazdrZftWQKNahxNFe7MTHa1lg1TMaEgRXoKI2IEMScM4D0w4cVvfgyxjkTgJDirRfdTUFSOBXY_yG1YnIwmzRF0k9jcjE56g0W8TeXhg8mfN0TZCCVne/s3264/20231229_111337.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjSD3p3U9IP_CZh604StnEkTa2zyFD4eO4nuO_r7uvBtPYwkTdq544ogqhsG2fT5wrm60fnbYazdrZftWQKNahxNFe7MTHa1lg1TMaEgRXoKI2IEMScM4D0w4cVvfgyxjkTgJDirRfdTUFSOBXY_yG1YnIwmzRF0k9jcjE56g0W8TeXhg8mfN0TZCCVne/w640-h294/20231229_111337.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It was almost too hot sat in the Cafe and I was in shorts, t-shirt and sandals!!! We both had a drink and a cake - I opted for the mini pavlova which was absolutely lovely - a small meringue confection which was crunchy on the outside and sticky in the middle pair of meringues filled with cream and strawberries and dragon fruit. Gail had warm pecan pie and said it was amazing. Bless Marianna she does so well with her food and you can see how much she loves her cafe and pleasing her customers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLUBrYMjfodlIj46CGFHiJphxFDY2GyMvfr8rJEWZqG-z-ML0lf0APUCSjWc1O32la7ZvLmYJm6ppde3fnoVgkARN7Cxjn1yLxadiqk-NMcPk5QJJS-jlelCJf1jbMrMI1YE4CcE7GiCl3YpbrGg20lt1YImSqWHs6jYcobrfneL95EzX46A6oe_19MMu/s1208/Screenshot_20231230_162525_Google.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="756" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLUBrYMjfodlIj46CGFHiJphxFDY2GyMvfr8rJEWZqG-z-ML0lf0APUCSjWc1O32la7ZvLmYJm6ppde3fnoVgkARN7Cxjn1yLxadiqk-NMcPk5QJJS-jlelCJf1jbMrMI1YE4CcE7GiCl3YpbrGg20lt1YImSqWHs6jYcobrfneL95EzX46A6oe_19MMu/s320/Screenshot_20231230_162525_Google.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>We chose a beautiful anthurium for Eleni. Rather than the traditional red flowering ones we opted for one with pale pinky-green flowers. Eleni loves her plants. This one is for inside and hopefully she will love it.<div><br /></div><div>Gail needed a few bits of shopping before we got back home so we got that sorted. A quick run round Paps, the chemist and ACS and then we were done and back home for a quiet afternoon or that is what I had hoped for but Mum had, in her words, buggered up the TV system again and so I had a lengthy conversation with her yet again trying to get something working for her. I get cross and I know I shouldn't so I have to keep reminding myself that she is 88 and her TV is her company.</div><div><br /></div><div>I decided that John and I would go down tomorrow and try and sort things there because over the phone it is an absolute nightmare, Mum gets all flustered and for some reason cannot tell her left from her right. I spent some time trying to get her to point her phone at the TV screen but simply got a view through into the utility room!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaq6dU8d3waIdk9JFIzRmiU6ARClBpIh1wtJ0kKHtZZMWWpodssnEQ_EYnofx74cMHA7gdND_krRQrpVO-mMV0fcPuLKsRLRuxI8tRyL1qsgdJfUosGocVGavW1hW0nXjK8o5Q2v_0241pjGZ9WFPu64S2YAPHYZOTtX1xODwpiMyXC0lknSl6m5tMDVR/s2889/20231229_134539.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2889" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaq6dU8d3waIdk9JFIzRmiU6ARClBpIh1wtJ0kKHtZZMWWpodssnEQ_EYnofx74cMHA7gdND_krRQrpVO-mMV0fcPuLKsRLRuxI8tRyL1qsgdJfUosGocVGavW1hW0nXjK8o5Q2v_0241pjGZ9WFPu64S2YAPHYZOTtX1xODwpiMyXC0lknSl6m5tMDVR/s320/20231229_134539.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>Gail casually slipped into conversation that she had made a New Year's Day card for Eleni and family so pressure was on for me to do the same with the time I had left this afternoon.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thank the lord for tintyweb as there were all sorts of simple ideas and I ended up doing the balloon one which is to the left!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>We assembled at 6.00pm and walked up to the taverna. We know it is normally busy on a Friday but when we go at lunch time or early evening we never see anyone else so we were interested to see who else might be turning up.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I said all the usual suspects who pitch up for a freebie were there so we found ourselves a seat at one end of a long table and ended up meeting a couple who have lived on the island for years the last three of which have been in Droushia and who we have never seen before!</div><div><br /></div><div>The food was amazing and there was so much choice. Starters, mains and sweets. As we had thought Eleni didn't want any payment but Pete and Gail and John and I wanted to give the family something back for all their hard work so John insisted that their daughter take 50 euros to treat her and her brothers to a drink or something.<br /> <br /><p><br /></p></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-79543074013315189382024-01-26T07:22:00.003+02:002024-01-26T07:22:32.911+02:00It's all about food<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s9riJXXolc7Xj2w4nxJVskqx7O1IOPRjAYQJaWkG2as_xwpChe7kHzMdPbx_FdAPe-HoLjM1nVVpSrKkYHwquIdZU53xsP4mrvrGv7oZpQdRSoZpaverGiWdPvBrCHoZCvDKSuOAE9xbIrtbmXujovkK7wvKcnlzIB2UGORhAjUlmcTtxPehDGtF0B1v/s4000/20231228_092431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s9riJXXolc7Xj2w4nxJVskqx7O1IOPRjAYQJaWkG2as_xwpChe7kHzMdPbx_FdAPe-HoLjM1nVVpSrKkYHwquIdZU53xsP4mrvrGv7oZpQdRSoZpaverGiWdPvBrCHoZCvDKSuOAE9xbIrtbmXujovkK7wvKcnlzIB2UGORhAjUlmcTtxPehDGtF0B1v/w640-h296/20231228_092431.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The weather continues to delight us so today was another glorious and warm day, shorts and sandals were required for my trip down to Paphos to take Mum shopping. John had gone out on his bike with Pete so I set off quite early as I wanted to go to the bank and do some bits and pieces before picking up Mum and John and I had planned a trip to the Pizzeria early afternoon.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZ5b1j1u7q53xkI9VOus5VabVFQ0kQvgnYlrqo1vyCkmTcN_RboO1UswoNrOHZ-3esoAVfdqrcu9am0_zwezwAAKFvmk4d-UnzhXHKCae7U2SnN_u6FONGGn5oda47IQ7RNFfGFg2W2W2vjLViGrYrzc-8CWFXq_gxZw-2F9KDWfedU_-TZTny5Wzd00n/s4000/20231228_093617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZ5b1j1u7q53xkI9VOus5VabVFQ0kQvgnYlrqo1vyCkmTcN_RboO1UswoNrOHZ-3esoAVfdqrcu9am0_zwezwAAKFvmk4d-UnzhXHKCae7U2SnN_u6FONGGn5oda47IQ7RNFfGFg2W2W2vjLViGrYrzc-8CWFXq_gxZw-2F9KDWfedU_-TZTny5Wzd00n/w640-h296/20231228_093617.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>As I needed to go down the Mesoghi Avenue I drove through Kathikas and at the point where you can see the coast on both sides of the road I pulled in, stopped and took a photograph of the glorious terraced landscape stretching out before me. I never want to get bored of looking at my surroundings. With the weather as it has been recently we appreciate even more than ever how exceptionally lucky we are to live where we live. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgKM7ssDUk_eUEFaY-JCFXsqfDVuuODBUffyDqfgm5eP-Q6VIW2s2IMWuJtClOuPQwm2ZRHdEsjWoQ3-OxkCxzDzDWapeRVdhOwoz82GAudxzxnXzVFR88dHWwnHG8Uxx-Mww1s5ZHBtWXKHnDyVy91-c1afYnxiKEcarvy_CQ7lPlO7otsRXm96XkutJ/s4000/20231228_122555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgKM7ssDUk_eUEFaY-JCFXsqfDVuuODBUffyDqfgm5eP-Q6VIW2s2IMWuJtClOuPQwm2ZRHdEsjWoQ3-OxkCxzDzDWapeRVdhOwoz82GAudxzxnXzVFR88dHWwnHG8Uxx-Mww1s5ZHBtWXKHnDyVy91-c1afYnxiKEcarvy_CQ7lPlO7otsRXm96XkutJ/w640-h296/20231228_122555.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Mum didn't want much shopping but needed some cat food for Fred who has become very picky about his food. We cannot be sure whether he is just getting old or is unwell so may have to take him to the vets and I am dreading what might happen if he is in kidney failure (which is likely) but will have to deal with that situation if and when arises. I decided to take Mum to the cafe at the Begonia Garden Centre opposite the Mall. She hadn't seemed keen when I suggested it previously but today I just took her. It was warm enough that we could have and probably should have sat outside because it was considerably cooler inside although Mum did divest herself of all her layers as she warmed up. She opted for a pot of tea and a bacon and egg bap. The bap was huge but she had a good old stab at eating it all and said she would have finished all the bread had it had butter on it!!! I have to say it was lovely and clean in the cafe with comfortable seating, nice food at a good price. I will be taking her there again!<div><br /></div><div>We returned to Emba where I spent time trying to get Mum to master her fire stick and its remote control. I also swapped her VPN for the one we use - it was all working swimmingly when I left but by the time I had got home she had managed to do something to render all my good work useless. I really dont know what we are going to do with her and her TV. She only wants to watch BBC and really it shouldn't be too difficult but sadly it is.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYIe5cnW4NbMvAAatRJbbLx1TLLCtYjY1s25Mn2-J5TpGMQShZ6Zw6S5ijVsjhyphenhyphennSj8PzBdDl5wck6uMBQg2MlwOp5HWYQMsxbLuBtC0vBEDf4KarWNqQAKwpvviasMNorg-O4FFqCRvNuSVyu78IdkeIAdCQROoOb3fDADKRH9SmR6PZIudniXLZ1UYD/s2249/20231228_155025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYIe5cnW4NbMvAAatRJbbLx1TLLCtYjY1s25Mn2-J5TpGMQShZ6Zw6S5ijVsjhyphenhyphennSj8PzBdDl5wck6uMBQg2MlwOp5HWYQMsxbLuBtC0vBEDf4KarWNqQAKwpvviasMNorg-O4FFqCRvNuSVyu78IdkeIAdCQROoOb3fDADKRH9SmR6PZIudniXLZ1UYD/w262-h320/20231228_155025.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>As the glorious afternoon was coming to an end John and I made it to My Mamma Mia for our usual pizza. It was marvelous and we don't even have to tell the woman there what we want - she knows!!!<div><br /></div><div>It was lovely not to have to cook today and we both returned home feeling nicely full. We watched a bit of the darts after I had had an hour long video call with Mum trying to get her to input a 6 character password - by which time I needed a drink or three!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>It was still only early when the darts came to a break so we then started to watch a series called the Couple Next Door which can make you see your neighbours in a whole different light!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Tomorrow we have a relatively quiet day but are going out with Gail and Pete to Kaponas as Eleni has invited regulars to a special dinner. Sadly Jan and Derek and Nicky and Mark are away and Ellen is poorly so it will only be the four of us.<br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-72441863918155936732024-01-25T09:24:00.002+02:002024-01-25T09:24:45.800+02:00Festivities over.. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGE6Z8H2cEK-gbRhEojJ5KS9UZ8In8GIchR7BeT_ngTi6ktStSZzzwhpTJnf4RkuwhfivP4u-CAbA_H-RidMT_C4hBMyzm0dJjLwJ535xgP8X_bofPOchfLvX8Oks7LV9xAy0BEvRQfqCFKz-B98O6v3fMb4rnAKBg3-WEJ_rhyphenhyphensKw1_NIm0Lv9CJxf13/s4000/20231227_124135.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGE6Z8H2cEK-gbRhEojJ5KS9UZ8In8GIchR7BeT_ngTi6ktStSZzzwhpTJnf4RkuwhfivP4u-CAbA_H-RidMT_C4hBMyzm0dJjLwJ535xgP8X_bofPOchfLvX8Oks7LV9xAy0BEvRQfqCFKz-B98O6v3fMb4rnAKBg3-WEJ_rhyphenhyphensKw1_NIm0Lv9CJxf13/s320/20231227_124135.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>A quiet day today getting back to a bit of normality. We didn't have much planned so had a lazy morning but I was up early enough to get three loads of washing in, done, out on the line and dry which for 27th December cannot be bad.<p></p><p>I know Uncle Stan never believes me when I say we have hard winters but when we do we do, this year however the weather has been unbelievably kind and today I got my pastey-coloured legs out and went back into my shorts and sandals - note to self I must sort my toenails out - I just hadn't anticipated having my tootsies out in the open this side of New Year!!!</p><p>We need to make the most of this glorious weather as my app tells me that an extended period of rain starts on Wednesday after New Year's Day and looking at various reservoirs I can tell you that the island needs plenty although maybe not all at once.</p><p>We are currently looking after Nicky and Mark's three cats - Roxy, Tabitha and Noodles. Today there was not one to be seen and it didn't appear that any of the food had been eaten either. We don't like it when we don't see them so we had a walk around looking for them. No joy but fortunately after texting the neighbours Rich confirmed sightings of all three today thank goodness.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXLd7fKM1EACpYOh2UyCaBxL8Hbhca9-o7A0r9UrxSF5Nh3mxCSEuxrX5bRjW3BKamkDwqDbmHP1pdchMBixhKY8SGL9XGM_2csiREmPh0wZB-VstsMQ6Fm4OAD_ndRDTnCRkEehlpmZYhMvsKUUJh_g-Vt2fZ_IpDVXDIrxjxp65-3-mTgbT2gnMZAkk/s4000/20231227_145340.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXLd7fKM1EACpYOh2UyCaBxL8Hbhca9-o7A0r9UrxSF5Nh3mxCSEuxrX5bRjW3BKamkDwqDbmHP1pdchMBixhKY8SGL9XGM_2csiREmPh0wZB-VstsMQ6Fm4OAD_ndRDTnCRkEehlpmZYhMvsKUUJh_g-Vt2fZ_IpDVXDIrxjxp65-3-mTgbT2gnMZAkk/w640-h296/20231227_145340.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We nipped down to Polis this morning as we wanted to organise a replacement dehumidifier as our current replacement had failed like the first one. The electrical shop in Polis was very apologetic and had offered us 30% off a new one and, as we like to keep the spare room dehumidified and it hasn't been for some time we were keen to at least get one ordered. Fortunately they had just one of the one that we chose so we took that then nipped to Paps for a bit of shopping and then home where I spent most of the afternoon cooking up leftovers. A St Stephen's pie from the turkey and gammon which we will have one Sunday with Mum and Lilian and sausage rolls made with the leftover stuffing plus a pork dish to have at a later date.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAC7uUp9qVqQkwF1QnqpvfWjRBx6GnxP7rDrb9Y6PBdOcqpXHqq34zAELnSPn57Xd6zCVcQ1ZRudM5K4UHZOeXYZCpZ3U0E4QYihX_GFeGmy-voC8gTe_gS5XaITuGCzvHGRiAV0LenJ7WsXbNVNXZ3GDEs2Q4xD445bLeToIuco-Pt_ZLT-E9Fl5DPrbC/s1070/20231227_182044.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1070" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAC7uUp9qVqQkwF1QnqpvfWjRBx6GnxP7rDrb9Y6PBdOcqpXHqq34zAELnSPn57Xd6zCVcQ1ZRudM5K4UHZOeXYZCpZ3U0E4QYihX_GFeGmy-voC8gTe_gS5XaITuGCzvHGRiAV0LenJ7WsXbNVNXZ3GDEs2Q4xD445bLeToIuco-Pt_ZLT-E9Fl5DPrbC/s320/20231227_182044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A lovely quiet evening watching the darts and little Luke Littler who played like a whirlwind, blink and you would miss it. <div><br /></div><div>Not much else to report save that we had company this evening in the shape of a lime green spider which seemed to be making a home in the tinsel above the mirror on the mantelpiece.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is apparently a green huntsman spider but minuscule compared to the billy big brown ones we have had in the house which are so large you cannot put a pint pot over them in order to capture them and put them outside!!! <br /><p><br /> </p></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-12797885893970038042024-01-24T19:35:00.000+02:002024-01-24T19:35:56.198+02:00Boxing Day<p>Christmas Day went just about as well as I could have possibly hoped for. Gail and Pete were so lovely with Mum and Lilian which is great as it isn't everybody's idea of a good day out spending it with the older generation but within minutes they were all relaxed and chatting and having a laugh. Bless Gail she said she had toned down the content of her Present game parcels so as not to offend anyone which was good of her because she has a brilliant but wicked sense of humour so it did not go unnoticed that it was my Mum who lowered the tone of the day by shouting out that she thought John's headgear looked like a penis!!! Gail and I are still sniggering about it now - children that we are!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuWAytVwbnSr0KMUGwummzry9WgOWfweUSLLKQDIynRTYdI17k7tHFFP5SMAcQucHDBcFD08LWkiS0TlV8FmQeKcCke-Ye0MmiVg90dNQIyt8MDC2TYWq-7LV_k25yvFGYrFIR1q7KMF1HGS0fm-hA_NYJAX3IzbdK85IXdWdCLPMacXx7qugWeSRceyF/s3264/20231226_113811.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuWAytVwbnSr0KMUGwummzry9WgOWfweUSLLKQDIynRTYdI17k7tHFFP5SMAcQucHDBcFD08LWkiS0TlV8FmQeKcCke-Ye0MmiVg90dNQIyt8MDC2TYWq-7LV_k25yvFGYrFIR1q7KMF1HGS0fm-hA_NYJAX3IzbdK85IXdWdCLPMacXx7qugWeSRceyF/w640-h294/20231226_113811.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>A glorious day today for our annual Boxing Day stroll. John and I started the morning by opening the presents we had left under the tree yesterday which meant we had our lovely gifts from the UK. We then packed up the pasties and the non-alcoholic mulled wine and picked up Lilian and Mum and sent down to the coast for a wander in the sunshine.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6xBh4j_38N1OZNLMFFiecnpTP_Lv8ALWOwTJB_NeKzsrwLgnFeXvlgEIS6RqDtrCIuuHHOXxWLkTL0lsK3Km_7I87hfGKjpi-mWM8ols_dHuGBvYHUEvHRAGqbyRup_wmy-t0NZKU1tooSD-CJqI6_9kiNbMMTGf5vYI3tp_8-ZKFrdRnZR64NKr3pdi/s4000/20231226_114703.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6xBh4j_38N1OZNLMFFiecnpTP_Lv8ALWOwTJB_NeKzsrwLgnFeXvlgEIS6RqDtrCIuuHHOXxWLkTL0lsK3Km_7I87hfGKjpi-mWM8ols_dHuGBvYHUEvHRAGqbyRup_wmy-t0NZKU1tooSD-CJqI6_9kiNbMMTGf5vYI3tp_8-ZKFrdRnZR64NKr3pdi/w640-h296/20231226_114703.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It was absolutely glorious walking along the coast - if I had come prepared I would have jumped in for a swim without question - several people were doing exactly that - and this is the spot where I swam last December with Kaye - it is near the King Evelthon where they have created a nice natural spot to enter the sea.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSbgGnFqRbEnPzklvCeo6DBKZE2-8TV_g80GdPQ8aqb3nbEAzmFMMMQFU2nDNNyBSl9yuQBpLEJfMTBcQfCO9MvThCzGr6EV5rdWkzhNQdciUYGbwuzjQOayxx7XijZPotFGPFNm7ONzGUs-4OBqU4qVYS3q0Fcd74R0NZvaLEJTBAevUNbACSToR2aa-/s1465/20231226_115414.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1465" data-original-width="1465" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSbgGnFqRbEnPzklvCeo6DBKZE2-8TV_g80GdPQ8aqb3nbEAzmFMMMQFU2nDNNyBSl9yuQBpLEJfMTBcQfCO9MvThCzGr6EV5rdWkzhNQdciUYGbwuzjQOayxx7XijZPotFGPFNm7ONzGUs-4OBqU4qVYS3q0Fcd74R0NZvaLEJTBAevUNbACSToR2aa-/s320/20231226_115414.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So Mum managed to walk a reasonable distance but decided to sit so John and I could walk further and Lilian stayed with her.<div><br /></div><div>I was far too hot in my jeans, as was John, so we actually didn't walk much further because we were melting. What we did see was that there appears to be yet another massive hotel being constructed on the coast opposite the Melania - not visible from the road but very visible from the coastal path.</div><div><br /></div><div>We slowly made our way back to the car having built up a bit of an appetite so no pressure then for me to get my pasties reheated in mum's ancient and rather temperamental microwave. I had everything crossed that pre-cooking had been the right way to go because I didn't want a repeat of the gluey pastry I had when I made them and froze them uncooked last time.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZAZ6YGNiPRAt0Cq_j02_Yw0gPTkA9ce14bnaCyOMAtigONpteGDnCC2dxOnog6E0Lc33ioz3hJ1zm-Vc88RArAZnq5XyFCjbHwwuQ949DUOzOGr0Ci1aWw-PMLAxpvHYouKjJEqUrkISAYJlJP9_xzthfRpwWwXDn17RoorJ09zxdcXmu5REthcCSBo5/s4000/20231226_131817.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZAZ6YGNiPRAt0Cq_j02_Yw0gPTkA9ce14bnaCyOMAtigONpteGDnCC2dxOnog6E0Lc33ioz3hJ1zm-Vc88RArAZnq5XyFCjbHwwuQ949DUOzOGr0Ci1aWw-PMLAxpvHYouKjJEqUrkISAYJlJP9_xzthfRpwWwXDn17RoorJ09zxdcXmu5REthcCSBo5/w640-h296/20231226_131817.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>I needn't have worried - the pasties were a thing of beauty. You can't tell from this picture but actually Mum and Lilian were really enjoying them and ate every bit of them and they were huge and packed full of meat. The non-alcoholic mulled wine was also a revelation. You would never have known that it was only made from fruit juices and spices - not too sweet and punchy in flavour it went perfectly with the super peppery pasties. For once I was proud to have made these and will always cook then freeze in future.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjledo-6E_zLcCUYjhKqzFolvxH6ZVQOWpcGfEo1N-HcTwRmf3BiOBZ_slnzixLNeCLxTesWCHYmDi5rXkqrbQSyiHaIvbE_23JfQn41t10o96MFYMYYAS4hli5CYhf-MmPAsaVhES9bZQZ8hyphenhyphenvkW9H6EyaTjgja2VI3Qlnhgvntj8bD0unzZ9Yd7ZFYX9y/s3264/20231226_120135.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjledo-6E_zLcCUYjhKqzFolvxH6ZVQOWpcGfEo1N-HcTwRmf3BiOBZ_slnzixLNeCLxTesWCHYmDi5rXkqrbQSyiHaIvbE_23JfQn41t10o96MFYMYYAS4hli5CYhf-MmPAsaVhES9bZQZ8hyphenhyphenvkW9H6EyaTjgja2VI3Qlnhgvntj8bD0unzZ9Yd7ZFYX9y/w640-h294/20231226_120135.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><p>A beautiful day. My work here for Christmas/Boxing Day done we returned home and kicked off our shoes, poured a large wine and sighed a sigh of happy relief - all feelings of well-being were firmly erased by another abject performance by the Blades - this season cannot be over quick enough for me.</p></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-25635537440671214842024-01-21T19:27:00.000+02:002024-01-21T19:27:00.553+02:00Christmas Day...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0u2WY5V0nAufWew8PxKvQktxFe4L8cQXJHRxUAEO_9iLEmyN7On8-HmNAAUtKSXk4PknShsz9SiOG6z8p-wh0Ep_oHsfAJUndoCWoN-aRl4RdPc3Sl-4stC91cwhtObx9Ic4y3emaNAD7gJJpg0G6SJifo0qZ_6JNnXPCRz3Fl4PZX6jR-ODx0KiU0m2/s4000/20231225_090751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0u2WY5V0nAufWew8PxKvQktxFe4L8cQXJHRxUAEO_9iLEmyN7On8-HmNAAUtKSXk4PknShsz9SiOG6z8p-wh0Ep_oHsfAJUndoCWoN-aRl4RdPc3Sl-4stC91cwhtObx9Ic4y3emaNAD7gJJpg0G6SJifo0qZ_6JNnXPCRz3Fl4PZX6jR-ODx0KiU0m2/s320/20231225_090751.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>Christmas Day - a beautiful day with glorious sunshine. <p></p><p>John and I were up early getting organised and then we went down to the cemetery to visit Dad, Elena, David, Les and Janet and Arthur. Sadly this morning saw the passing of Philippos's mother who was in her 90s and stole the show at one of the village festivals when she took to the stage. May she rest in peace and our thoughts are with the family for them Christmas will always be inextricably linked with her death. Her funeral will take place on Wednesday - the service being held in Inea because our village church is still being refurbished. It is always quite sobering when we leave the cemetery to realise that there are more and more people that we know who now rest there.</p><p>We returned home and John then shot off to pick up Lilian and Mum. Gail and Pete were coming over at 12.00 and I was trying to get everything cooked and kept warm and hopefully producing a decent Christmas Dinner.</p><p>I knew that Gail and Pete would be relaxed about sharing the day with Mum and Lilian and they were absolutely brilliant at including them in conversation and having a chat and a laugh when John and I were busy being host and hostess with the mostess.</p><p>We realised we had a problem with the fridge freezer early doors, not the freezer part but the fridge which was far too cold and much colder than it should have been irrespective of what setting we put it on. There wasn't any time to worry about it - at least too cold was better than not cold enough.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjys1EvveLp4SqhyMnxL2G8TuF4bufSzr1hIFHam1foD5nvnxEv32ocO32q5eXT6RdxutgTJf18g-Dpy5AKcH6pVXKyxWAOGR932kr9qvACJ0Beb7LPFJt0eWeGkN8-B4Cu3mMg19hoxGIl_jGmtS8Wpawu5c5k_ypwJ94vdNy4HneiT0m0WDowzgpwGqy3/s4000/20231225_120602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjys1EvveLp4SqhyMnxL2G8TuF4bufSzr1hIFHam1foD5nvnxEv32ocO32q5eXT6RdxutgTJf18g-Dpy5AKcH6pVXKyxWAOGR932kr9qvACJ0Beb7LPFJt0eWeGkN8-B4Cu3mMg19hoxGIl_jGmtS8Wpawu5c5k_ypwJ94vdNy4HneiT0m0WDowzgpwGqy3/w640-h296/20231225_120602.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>When everyone had arrived and met one another and settled into the (very warm) conservatory we opened the gift bags that I had prepared instead of crackers. Everyone had a festive headpiece, a Christmas photograph of themselves, a Christmas mug, a joke, a packet of smarties, a game, a carefully chosen keyring and a mini cracker which actually had a banger in it which worked and a joke and quiz question. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHd3e-yNZr6tHQtvGtQq7TWD4bYXjPwL3-7DEJsAyv5xVuy2oHL0I_oIel-K7Xcf_iFjqUDY44LmY94cNaIROXjfUJnXarmBFMYKqHWcY25jSwj0MLegqhdNPT5RnqMqmtFx1LEEPnI9WA1YE7NPomHDU5A_GgOq2dbIg-EqOqmWSlvkGUQgdhEzxKXEH/s4000/20231225_120606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHd3e-yNZr6tHQtvGtQq7TWD4bYXjPwL3-7DEJsAyv5xVuy2oHL0I_oIel-K7Xcf_iFjqUDY44LmY94cNaIROXjfUJnXarmBFMYKqHWcY25jSwj0MLegqhdNPT5RnqMqmtFx1LEEPnI9WA1YE7NPomHDU5A_GgOq2dbIg-EqOqmWSlvkGUQgdhEzxKXEH/w640-h296/20231225_120606.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>As we had insisted on no presents (save for the present game) the non crackers went down really well and really broke the ice and anyone who knows me knows I love to do things like that and with good old Jumbos and Shein or Temu with their unending supply of irresistible tat on offer it is a joy not a chore for me!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQrhWiZZFFMjJmds-7qotP5dgfzA3-lAZ5AgNj33228kvK94LXhjcZzEbzpBM1Ky38MQhJJ07-hugKWjTfNHId2AJE3s0y2KUQBa7TSb8FXoQk7j6L1zH0HMqe5daq_12_nKa7kMxy3go4t-jATeHYRH10YQzRyaRXsS_sJeViOxPB4nIPIcVCzLpuqNZ/s4128/20231225_120626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="4128" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQrhWiZZFFMjJmds-7qotP5dgfzA3-lAZ5AgNj33228kvK94LXhjcZzEbzpBM1Ky38MQhJJ07-hugKWjTfNHId2AJE3s0y2KUQBa7TSb8FXoQk7j6L1zH0HMqe5daq_12_nKa7kMxy3go4t-jATeHYRH10YQzRyaRXsS_sJeViOxPB4nIPIcVCzLpuqNZ/w640-h480/20231225_120626.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>So once the gift bags had been fully investigated we were then ready for our Lunch. Lilian had kindly brought some Nosecco which I hadn't tried before but have to say was really rather nice and preferable to getting bloated on a load of fizzy pop. I was driving Mum and Lilian home later so was happy not to have anything to drink until I got back when I could kick off my heels and relax!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9IWxXCe6E8Szv5USp1o91WRHrpxzfU3KSZzsIVk8odXMgNpeslO4iZom4W5vBFZ-43EBY9QqUyZ9pbtMMVciuBf6sRGMLZU1IHy_9SNxp6Ph7lXUqOlMgTvB7dG9EBI4KLO91buTx5tZ-3mtYmDUJAVAXtgUPkmlNuMKyckqz7BwpLq96WJusNu39ZnD9/s4000/20231225_130727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9IWxXCe6E8Szv5USp1o91WRHrpxzfU3KSZzsIVk8odXMgNpeslO4iZom4W5vBFZ-43EBY9QqUyZ9pbtMMVciuBf6sRGMLZU1IHy_9SNxp6Ph7lXUqOlMgTvB7dG9EBI4KLO91buTx5tZ-3mtYmDUJAVAXtgUPkmlNuMKyckqz7BwpLq96WJusNu39ZnD9/w640-h296/20231225_130727.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We had a variety of hot trays and throw away roasting tins to keep everything as hot as possible and very welcome they were too because we had to accommodate the following...</p><p>Roast Turkey and Roast Gammon, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, Yorkshire puddings, roast carrots, pigs in blankets, two type of stuffing, bread sauce, peas and sauteed leeks, mashed swede and carrot, cauliflower cheese, red cabbage and Brussels sprouts!!!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtazsEglm7m03VWWUP6uXZCoUr5_lCN0LqmhAgn4UTsDXrvEVgijEfbOyKZuvqUerBUfEGcQutTTGnN3n7_MErBoUm8k8SNOPp6edFYkH1DHY3RrWGc7yWgQPXREjjoh04y5CIfJrm1pt2KKVx51pZXPr8Wr_PVfUqco6cXugX0M3AEvuMKrIEZcCvpQc/s3264/20231225_132348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtazsEglm7m03VWWUP6uXZCoUr5_lCN0LqmhAgn4UTsDXrvEVgijEfbOyKZuvqUerBUfEGcQutTTGnN3n7_MErBoUm8k8SNOPp6edFYkH1DHY3RrWGc7yWgQPXREjjoh04y5CIfJrm1pt2KKVx51pZXPr8Wr_PVfUqco6cXugX0M3AEvuMKrIEZcCvpQc/w640-h294/20231225_132348.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Johns temporary table top was a triumph and everyone liked the table decoration and personalisations and the food went down well too - Mum ate an enormous meal and was actually determined to finish everything she had taken even though we did tell her she didn't have to!!!! Needless to say we had a long break playing the present game before tackling pudding!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XHDBm3VUtbRQaI1M1KegAQfntf7UjpyYXAoGMpe5J3Sj9hUcqzrUWstDO8Edm5FuT3rExLJ4uc1PVH07SmKVNUf26RZSYcdDFp87M7fvrevKuAwp03GKo44ocll28qSVfF1qVqFbP6vkSObDnPyeNeS2SRbUVJFENOPxOhwqNbF5yHbsgQ7mqRiDxWkK/s3264/20231225_142406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XHDBm3VUtbRQaI1M1KegAQfntf7UjpyYXAoGMpe5J3Sj9hUcqzrUWstDO8Edm5FuT3rExLJ4uc1PVH07SmKVNUf26RZSYcdDFp87M7fvrevKuAwp03GKo44ocll28qSVfF1qVqFbP6vkSObDnPyeNeS2SRbUVJFENOPxOhwqNbF5yHbsgQ7mqRiDxWkK/w640-h294/20231225_142406.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Sorry about the out of focus picture but this just goes to show what a frenetic game we had - Pete isn't a generally someone who plays cards or games but he got well into it and despite being late into the present selection process actually ended up with more gifts than anyone else. Somehow this always gets people laughing and today was no exception.</p><p>As the day wore on Mum decided she wanted to be home before dark to settle down with Fred and Lilian was happy with that so I took them back and Pete and Gail went home to spend time with the dogs, they returned for a nightcap when I got back from taxi duties. We all agreed it had been a lovely day and it really had been.</p>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-45426924729871984702024-01-20T11:12:00.000+02:002024-01-20T11:12:43.193+02:00Christmas Eve<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuERpZ3z2Jquff7Uf4eSUTIRlHiH_aPyJfunCKlfsD-FwrYroKWLY9OXyHfoDa7MT5MRUy5IoPZJM5Qzvd2O91-sTND7V3NYPqDAEG8hyphenhyphenF4ZMOMjhNFZr6jmBCFWhOGTwaiMZ5yHsyX01-Vqq6fkYPLHRbWhu0ocIRJr-a1C09MQsjdNLOapBVQo2dt6i6/s1523/20231224_084248_4199485906188559323.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1523" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuERpZ3z2Jquff7Uf4eSUTIRlHiH_aPyJfunCKlfsD-FwrYroKWLY9OXyHfoDa7MT5MRUy5IoPZJM5Qzvd2O91-sTND7V3NYPqDAEG8hyphenhyphenF4ZMOMjhNFZr6jmBCFWhOGTwaiMZ5yHsyX01-Vqq6fkYPLHRbWhu0ocIRJr-a1C09MQsjdNLOapBVQo2dt6i6/w640-h448/20231224_084248_4199485906188559323.png" width="640" /></a></div> <br />It is Christmas Eve, a Sunday, and Mum was being entertained by Lilian today so we had the day to ourselves to get prepared for tomorrow. Even though I have tried to prepare as much as I can in advance there still seems like a million things to do but we both felt able to tackle the day because we had all of it to ourselves so we started with a lie-in and safe in the knowledge that the second half of our Farmyard Thai takeaway was sitting in the fridge ready for us.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCdgw1yI4JxFXrkbWnVsaa_uAEAykQRoEULqkox7p-BV-kowikNEBAphRUyf6KXhBL4FoD-2D8rlyBrNqwYKD5ERi3umNHIU_t7FW0Ppnm7rR-J7Zx5YKWCO0pGxhlFuHcIZt5l4msTMcs0uy83tPykhfu33RJKKlYz_DJJTyADWVCTJ_gfvEWWTtCcpP/s4000/20231224_131431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCdgw1yI4JxFXrkbWnVsaa_uAEAykQRoEULqkox7p-BV-kowikNEBAphRUyf6KXhBL4FoD-2D8rlyBrNqwYKD5ERi3umNHIU_t7FW0Ppnm7rR-J7Zx5YKWCO0pGxhlFuHcIZt5l4msTMcs0uy83tPykhfu33RJKKlYz_DJJTyADWVCTJ_gfvEWWTtCcpP/w640-h296/20231224_131431.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We decided that if we could get our chores done we would treat ourselves to a walk along the beach at Latchi and a coffee as it was a nice day. In fact we were in two minds as to whether we should try a swim. In the end we didn't because we could see white horses breaking onto the beach from up in Droushia and it was quite windy so we wimped out. We mentioned to Gail and Pete that we were going down that way and they said they had planned to do the same with the dogs so if I was happy to walk with Hector and Dotty Dot we could walk with them and grab a coffee together.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EBYE-mCbbqcxo4-5JvdWg3nzYSzquzUEc72xzSlDMyKmxHgsRFJoN46jtEzaeodk81TmIlBIFDGA6N56ZTDNYagxd4uWnR3r_6ahr7ckVbk7_n7VZL-cxR7vv0cDFSIkGiFrg_vGG_I7QA71TDxuimSSKBDCH_Un1y5jho9ebrw63ouCJhJDJe3axims/s4000/20231224_140148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EBYE-mCbbqcxo4-5JvdWg3nzYSzquzUEc72xzSlDMyKmxHgsRFJoN46jtEzaeodk81TmIlBIFDGA6N56ZTDNYagxd4uWnR3r_6ahr7ckVbk7_n7VZL-cxR7vv0cDFSIkGiFrg_vGG_I7QA71TDxuimSSKBDCH_Un1y5jho9ebrw63ouCJhJDJe3axims/w640-h296/20231224_140148.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It was glorious down on the coast and so we walked from just opposite the Eliofos Centre to the harbour and grabbed a seat in the sun and had a coffee and a muffin enjoying the sunshine. What a bonus - the forecast is set fair for the rest of December which is good and means that we should get a little walk in on Boxing Day as planned which is a bonus.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNIlZHXr72l0vzi7Oj8VOQFKrx2dxi-0R2E0Rqn5lm2rIbTlj6mCYT-jlyo5iSeTjbxZoAn_Bobb59gJ6iXS5svCcn-G7v7Iq-ehlNxgPLwYaoYqiWbjIL1jfd5qvq0-TDGY18NbZbkLG5ZyYXeiA4e4u-PgavGr7N3UT-8878tdYhNx-ekCUz9zEbZSi/s4000/20231224_142559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeNIlZHXr72l0vzi7Oj8VOQFKrx2dxi-0R2E0Rqn5lm2rIbTlj6mCYT-jlyo5iSeTjbxZoAn_Bobb59gJ6iXS5svCcn-G7v7Iq-ehlNxgPLwYaoYqiWbjIL1jfd5qvq0-TDGY18NbZbkLG5ZyYXeiA4e4u-PgavGr7N3UT-8878tdYhNx-ekCUz9zEbZSi/s320/20231224_142559.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>I am getting better with Gail and Pete's dogs - it isn't that I don't like dogs, I do, but my previous childhood experiences have put me off. We seemed to be surrounded by nutter dogs in my youth, dogs that were big, aggressive and unpredictable so scared the living daylights out of me. Now I need to get to know a dog in my own time and make up my own mind how much interaction I have with them I definitely don't want to be jumped at or licked to death and I certainly don't want my leg humped!<div><br /></div><div>John loves dogs - if it weren't for the cats we would probably have had one by now so he has to make do with Hector and Dot who benefit from him having a pocket full of treats to reward them for their good behaviour.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was a lovely afternoon and as it was unexpected, even better. We shall be seeing Gail and Pete tomorrow as they are joining us, Mum and Lilian for Christmas Day.</div><div><br /></div><div>We returned home. Took a look around the conservatory and lounge/dining room and declared we had done everything that we could do. There was nothing left but for us to settle down with a good film - The Sound of Music which always makes me cry as it has such personal memories for me and my family - followed by the fantabulous remainders of the takeaway from The Farmyard and then finally watch The Great Escaper with Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson. What a beautifully crafted film - I have wanted to watch that for ages and it was sheer joy to do so. I hope Santa comes tonight and leaves some of his little helpers for tomorrow!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIbB-oIyu_pWWhxUaWsRYp1vtR8Q7f9p7bUwVQsAx9xbqFFfpksETEYhFO4_LL1BBEVo_jpDjtaCFkbCaRpRYKGosLdkcLIsbHAuwlVpb0dq-WQsdERlH2AKGazkJ2R64rRSpNcZw7gmbXB2yFPaOmEZTGl8Oy8M0nPFikVU6BK86h2E4Kr3tpt8hf3Bm/s1280/p25361737_v_h8_aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIbB-oIyu_pWWhxUaWsRYp1vtR8Q7f9p7bUwVQsAx9xbqFFfpksETEYhFO4_LL1BBEVo_jpDjtaCFkbCaRpRYKGosLdkcLIsbHAuwlVpb0dq-WQsdERlH2AKGazkJ2R64rRSpNcZw7gmbXB2yFPaOmEZTGl8Oy8M0nPFikVU6BK86h2E4Kr3tpt8hf3Bm/w640-h360/p25361737_v_h8_aa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-68942091050954596402024-01-19T10:59:00.001+02:002024-01-19T10:59:45.428+02:00Christmas Eve Eve<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxqBHm5DjaBLXIk4ZEMLzGQ_M2econvxShpAT2WGehTbO5KeOLsdG207UnbSJI-pakVH8Kg6er9ec5MeLxu4Nho4Okq5S1j91hkiDTMrI-9Y1AQneKQgH5jC7hGoCPXsQf-dJO-t7mXaf8wbZF40am5RQfPVDdyMfWJd4WjL6GzyTvdWaATFyVjYc3I4hE/s4000/20231222_174040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxqBHm5DjaBLXIk4ZEMLzGQ_M2econvxShpAT2WGehTbO5KeOLsdG207UnbSJI-pakVH8Kg6er9ec5MeLxu4Nho4Okq5S1j91hkiDTMrI-9Y1AQneKQgH5jC7hGoCPXsQf-dJO-t7mXaf8wbZF40am5RQfPVDdyMfWJd4WjL6GzyTvdWaATFyVjYc3I4hE/w640-h296/20231222_174040.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Christmas Eve Eve. The weather remains stormy but due to be more settled tomorrow which is good. We are trying to be organised so that Christmas Day isn't too frantic particularly as John will be missing for about an hour and a half doing his taxi duties. <p></p><p>We were up relatively early because I had an appointment to see Dr Lykoudis to sign me off after my operation. I had an appointment last week and forgot so I needed to make sure I went this time. It was fairly chaotic when I got there - they do have an appointment system in that they can give you a time or you can request a time but actually when you get there it is every man (or woman) for themselves unless the doctor has clocked you coming in in which case he seems to have some sort of order in his head. Dr Lykoudis signed me off saying that he hoped professionally he wouldn't be seeing me again and I said that those were also my sentiments but that whilst I was there I would just ask about my other shoulder which causes me pain after a fall. He agreed that the symptoms and the resulting pain would indicate that it was indeed muscular and as a result could take some time to settle down.</p><p>Our trip to the electrical shop was a waste of time because it had closed for Winter - not sure why we hadn't seen the sign yesterday - but we weren't the only ones as Stelios who cleans George's pool was also waiting outside hoping to collect his wife's washing machine which had been in for repair. Not sure he was going to be successful!!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQrZhW0kKyB6_4H2dXjKFSkEUQk9h0Kcwb4s45-eSxIHI9huSq8sZ4_r4NxyLH_DbzFRlED1oeAELQXwEjYc_nh_kcmXipCIL2HzNR5OY45PCfUHCg4xW0Nd6az4t4BVYyFRiae_s8Db8vSsC8O44PvZk2dxD_6eIJSCnKEzoQF9syGkCe4tzBx7mPo9J/s4000/20231223_175513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQrZhW0kKyB6_4H2dXjKFSkEUQk9h0Kcwb4s45-eSxIHI9huSq8sZ4_r4NxyLH_DbzFRlED1oeAELQXwEjYc_nh_kcmXipCIL2HzNR5OY45PCfUHCg4xW0Nd6az4t4BVYyFRiae_s8Db8vSsC8O44PvZk2dxD_6eIJSCnKEzoQF9syGkCe4tzBx7mPo9J/s320/20231223_175513.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>I spent the afternoon doing whatever I could to prepare the food which we are going to eat on Monday, and cleaning and tidying so that there is less to do tomorrow which is Christmas Eve and a Sunday and we have the day to ourselves as Lilian is entertaining Mum.<p></p><p>My reward for all my hard work was that we were having a takeaway from the Farmyard this evening and we had ordered enough to two days which is about the best Christmas present anyone could give me.</p><p>The takeaway was absolutely fabulous - the satay sauce which we had with the starter was just on the brink of our pleasure/pain threshold!!! We did manage to save half of our food for tomorrow but it was almost a struggle.</p><p>Tomorrow will be a busy day even with all the preparation we have done. The 7 P's - Elena wanted them on her headstone - bless her - it was the anniversary of her passing today. I still miss her dreadfully she was such a wonderful friend and she would have been so proud of the adults her children are turning into. Bassam called in today to give us a present for Christmas, a bottle of red and a bottle of white wine from Vasilikon. He is such a lovely man we really must try and spend more time with him next year because I guess that as the children are getting older and spend less time at home he can be a bit lonely. </p><p>The 7 P's for those that don't know - Proper prior preparation prevents piss poor performance!<br /> </p>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-86876600450404838122024-01-18T06:14:00.001+02:002024-01-18T06:14:29.090+02:00Christmas Fast Approaching<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmYzMmoCyk14WKceeRyDvHbNHm2503FLV_-iyQYiH7xdNF-sce3iX42-_mDJZ2GDBuvOomQaIpnhN86ZQp6cOx2UA66blD1WURYBE9DPZeHkn4HhOVkm2VbQ7c_721pDEkSxnwhJztc8860RVL_kGbIjTzAbi6VxaQOuRQTN6GX5Dl0JuqmUiObWBiGRq/s4000/20231222_083706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmYzMmoCyk14WKceeRyDvHbNHm2503FLV_-iyQYiH7xdNF-sce3iX42-_mDJZ2GDBuvOomQaIpnhN86ZQp6cOx2UA66blD1WURYBE9DPZeHkn4HhOVkm2VbQ7c_721pDEkSxnwhJztc8860RVL_kGbIjTzAbi6VxaQOuRQTN6GX5Dl0JuqmUiObWBiGRq/s320/20231222_083706.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>My preparations for Christmas Day continue. There will be three of us not drinking during the day, Mum, Lilian and me, because I will be driving them back home later in the day.<p></p><p>I decided I should try and make something festive to drink and know that Mulled Wine is traditional but even though the alcohol can be boiled out during the warming process I didn't want to take the risk because (a) mulled wine doesn't taste so good if it is boiled and (b) I just don't trust my luck if I get stopped by the sneaky Astonomeia!!!</p><p>By definition wine is and alcoholic drink made from fermented grape juice and whilst this had red grape juice in it, it was completely devoid of alcohol so I probably should have labeled it Mulled Punch.</p><p>I did a tasting and whilst not packing the 'punch' of Mulled Wine it had a very similar flavour and will probably taste very nice when warmed. Another tick in the preparation box. I even remembered to go across to Lakis and Argy's to get everything out of the freezer so it could defrost naturally over the next day or so.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0U-ZEaxaYlYJaUWX_VHKqHeKhiCdiZqULZh_W__F29Tr7t_vW1aoXGq-YKl1CamGua9YIE1phro5EpYIRtIVTXfutAF0dP8daHXWGAf22pm1UFNXGIO0uH4xf3L6xKcVZA8TFEFkdGeQfLbSslToZCdfMe8s5hCJT05YeEo5xsayd48odFYzoFcdI1sC/s4000/20231222_112652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0U-ZEaxaYlYJaUWX_VHKqHeKhiCdiZqULZh_W__F29Tr7t_vW1aoXGq-YKl1CamGua9YIE1phro5EpYIRtIVTXfutAF0dP8daHXWGAf22pm1UFNXGIO0uH4xf3L6xKcVZA8TFEFkdGeQfLbSslToZCdfMe8s5hCJT05YeEo5xsayd48odFYzoFcdI1sC/w640-h296/20231222_112652.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We had a very welcome visitor this morning - Rich came in for coffee and to take some soup and curry back with him which will come in handy because his Mum isn't feeling 100% and they are due to travel to Limassol on Sunday for a three day festive break. We have told them that if they don't end up going we will happily plate up a Christmas Lunch for them and pop it round. Originally they were due to spend the day with us anyway.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd6T9X_9GqbG34NPgJBuXFYrW4esHMy73JN-rIG_fRgE9KzwiArvElkNKPPrt7cCiyEtFYoJNKGBs5lnO_IDZ9JqwEP4Wr8b9VudrbAhg22ej49k7Nc3IaDgR3yDyq_09r1D5_fk0BS4YjQCRN3V0sDqRaLNgsalybmaShEQ37nN8QrEQWEI4ai1Mog_w/s4000/20231222_132037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd6T9X_9GqbG34NPgJBuXFYrW4esHMy73JN-rIG_fRgE9KzwiArvElkNKPPrt7cCiyEtFYoJNKGBs5lnO_IDZ9JqwEP4Wr8b9VudrbAhg22ej49k7Nc3IaDgR3yDyq_09r1D5_fk0BS4YjQCRN3V0sDqRaLNgsalybmaShEQ37nN8QrEQWEI4ai1Mog_w/w640-h296/20231222_132037.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>After a relatively bright morning the weather deteriorated as forecast and as we traveled down to Polis for some last minute bits and pieces the cloud was hanging in the valley and over the tops of the mountains. By the time we got to Polis is was pouring with rain and we hadn't taken account of the time so the electrical shop which has our faulty dehumidifier was closed for lunch and it was so awful we couldn't be arsed to sit outside and wait for half an hour.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaxCnAxYAxM9Yjps7vX0Zo8C-wbIiVyT2t4I1OS301ZZbDylC9_Ou847y3BHVefZQ6acxWWc5D8q2rVU-_c9K3_eWiRM-un8zuX7HFDQpBYeHOvh-3MRGr81-UYX0bYbdxvyk3ImfF4MyTndHMuGnI31evJrycFuPVs31k-xGBSk4qVHnJpIYEwUFt1lw/s4000/20231222_165812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaxCnAxYAxM9Yjps7vX0Zo8C-wbIiVyT2t4I1OS301ZZbDylC9_Ou847y3BHVefZQ6acxWWc5D8q2rVU-_c9K3_eWiRM-un8zuX7HFDQpBYeHOvh-3MRGr81-UYX0bYbdxvyk3ImfF4MyTndHMuGnI31evJrycFuPVs31k-xGBSk4qVHnJpIYEwUFt1lw/w640-h296/20231222_165812.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div>As I said I got all the freezer stuff out from Argy's and checked what was what and tried to put together a bit of a plan for Monday. We have two turkey crowns and a gammon along with pigs in blankets, two types of stuffing and bread sauce and a myriad of vegetables and Gail is doing the brussels to save me the job (and the smell). We certainly won't starve that's for sure!<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOOs-Y5GRD8Ut4SllGjLyWx4xWjcBivSKgN3rIHQJgRVnQpoP9tuYPJoY_T97bNNbRI7Y8acWbB4NyIaxBW9Eb1a_IvIuMnYARc1hgnBsgN6mqQnSB2qg243o_EPvJ7hV3LhGot7sGG2cuAS1RsGruihUzgCXyIW8NSSMLt5jeLvEKhJcRweLDXibYlpF/s4000/20231222_174040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOOs-Y5GRD8Ut4SllGjLyWx4xWjcBivSKgN3rIHQJgRVnQpoP9tuYPJoY_T97bNNbRI7Y8acWbB4NyIaxBW9Eb1a_IvIuMnYARc1hgnBsgN6mqQnSB2qg243o_EPvJ7hV3LhGot7sGG2cuAS1RsGruihUzgCXyIW8NSSMLt5jeLvEKhJcRweLDXibYlpF/w640-h296/20231222_174040.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>We did a dry run on the table decoration. John's new table top will make a huge difference to the amount of room people have which is great. Hopefully people will love the decor and the ambiance and it will help to make our Christmas Day a little bit magical - something that you lose when children are no longer a part of your celebrations.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxOMJHd3iu4_iGI5CJVvnGbwfvMgW0A4fFKAGLBGbCz-lohuQsBC2q17hLozQJYaYdnIC8c_PZN9gzZd5rb-glxfqav9HMaCHLz0kWX50Fo2Ajly3w5SR-UOBlltGNpl7tYMYWW1wndaEGd15NNc2Ib-8kFsvOZjzKrSqSma3GZ6pICSCQ-OtIdPZcJKC/s4000/20231222_220130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxOMJHd3iu4_iGI5CJVvnGbwfvMgW0A4fFKAGLBGbCz-lohuQsBC2q17hLozQJYaYdnIC8c_PZN9gzZd5rb-glxfqav9HMaCHLz0kWX50Fo2Ajly3w5SR-UOBlltGNpl7tYMYWW1wndaEGd15NNc2Ib-8kFsvOZjzKrSqSma3GZ6pICSCQ-OtIdPZcJKC/w640-h296/20231222_220130.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><div>We ended the day with a trip out for a meal at Petradaki where we were meeting up with Marianne and Jeff for a catch up. Blimey it was busy in there but I have to say the restaurant looked very festive and we had a nice leisurely meal, good food and good company!</div><div><p><br /></p></div></div></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-69935436299479956202024-01-15T22:28:00.001+02:002024-01-15T22:28:20.344+02:00Not such a nice day to go shopping<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcZda6K6Q3DlX7l8xJSEqBIwKemt54S9z9AFsVg9GhS-vvyA2FBUNeGfPwLPi5LDjUmIMJ2o3MHosKJSnRcK3b5CHlOoBgmrL6F9kNBMM2MUYTCpVMx7vpNptfLoBk1ehatwysn1L1Uc6EdIO4PWsZuDGlJBtc1nY_f6yABLZ9MhaN7QvOkMn2X8RB7N3/s4000/20231221_153039~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcZda6K6Q3DlX7l8xJSEqBIwKemt54S9z9AFsVg9GhS-vvyA2FBUNeGfPwLPi5LDjUmIMJ2o3MHosKJSnRcK3b5CHlOoBgmrL6F9kNBMM2MUYTCpVMx7vpNptfLoBk1ehatwysn1L1Uc6EdIO4PWsZuDGlJBtc1nY_f6yABLZ9MhaN7QvOkMn2X8RB7N3/w640-h296/20231221_153039~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The weather forecast was not wrong - today started out brightly enough and then deteriorated badly and became stormy, windy and wet so completely opposite to yesterday which was one of the warmest December days I have ever known here. I started the day with my regular physio session with Marios and Socrates. Marios did extra work on my poorly shoulder (the one that was not operated on) and managed to find the tender spot and give it a right old pummeling so I am expecting to be crippled tomorrow.<p></p><p>I then shot off to Mum's - I had organised that we would go out for a cuppa and a bite to eat. My thought was to go to the Begonia Garden Centre but Mum was worried she might be cold there so suggested Alpha Mega - the big one on the dual carriageway - apparently she used to go there quite often with Dad although I don't actually remember that myself. Anyway we went to eat first in the cafe. There was a lot to choose from in the hot trays although I say hot in the loosest possible sense as the food was unfortunately rather luke warm which was a shame because what I had was nice and would have been even nicer if warmer. The portions were enormous and I mean enormous. Mum had chicken schnitzels with roast potatoes and coleslaw and I had a chicken and mushroom cream dish thing also with coleslaw (our choice you could have had all sorts of veggies, rice, salad etc) and two bottles of water and it came to 12 euros!!! We then had a wander around the shop which I have said to John we should go to once ever couple of months because there is quite a different selection of foods and I even managed to find some Blue Brie Cheese for Christmas which we used to get regularly and then it disappeared off the shelves.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhjmhdaIevYY4_AyqTcq4nCF8guCHEJdMsJKQqwF7dtkz-q4wIXv2ZXRwWl729TRe-xMP8e-i1FMstcZhH66_5AcCjf1CusmsRR8vYzAlxp9_cAsLgSLsy9-AZEBML6qOs8Hf3h3gux-r3zds5O1-yrU_8E1gXmnxsUHpAB8-YEsXWaJKuP6ZRVRFiuMu/s4000/20231221_153353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhjmhdaIevYY4_AyqTcq4nCF8guCHEJdMsJKQqwF7dtkz-q4wIXv2ZXRwWl729TRe-xMP8e-i1FMstcZhH66_5AcCjf1CusmsRR8vYzAlxp9_cAsLgSLsy9-AZEBML6qOs8Hf3h3gux-r3zds5O1-yrU_8E1gXmnxsUHpAB8-YEsXWaJKuP6ZRVRFiuMu/w640-h296/20231221_153353.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The weather had started to deteriorate badly by the time I left Mum's but I had to call into Philippos's supermarket in Peyia to find some Ginger Wine for Sonia. I eventually found it and there was a choice of either Stones (which reminds me of my lovely Uncle David who used to like a Whisky Mac at Christmas) or Crabbies - which came in a smaller bottle and was on offer with 30% off and according to someone I spoke to considered superior to Stones. I bought a bottle for Sonia and a bottle for us so that when she comes for a drink we can give her a Whisky Mac which is a favourite of tipple of hers. I also had to swing by Lilian's to pick up the dishes I had left there on Sunday.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQW4bgnKx3gZVLRPOCdD1yItbbVV8_qGlMzWT_rFzPgifaAVna9zOVSClHUqcTX2XNP7TxPQBECB_Ms_EfE0VdY175YV5hVeoQemF7uLHyaRl6L7ZMn4jEvdwpW3n_GBiPitXjftSHICOIiNHVcapkQaAEHqfqZgM9XZFVjAEPHus6N1xUMKGlDSVo2ZVO/s4000/20231221_170053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQW4bgnKx3gZVLRPOCdD1yItbbVV8_qGlMzWT_rFzPgifaAVna9zOVSClHUqcTX2XNP7TxPQBECB_Ms_EfE0VdY175YV5hVeoQemF7uLHyaRl6L7ZMn4jEvdwpW3n_GBiPitXjftSHICOIiNHVcapkQaAEHqfqZgM9XZFVjAEPHus6N1xUMKGlDSVo2ZVO/w640-h296/20231221_170053.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>John had been busy in my absence - he had been making pizza for our tea and he was ready and waiting for me to get home and shot out and picked up my shopping and then we finished the pizza making together. After our lovely evening meal (John makes a damn fine pizza) I managed to get in touch with Hazel so that I could wish her, Jordan and Abi all the best for Christmas and the New Year.</p>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-21985425202539580342024-01-14T13:50:00.001+02:002024-01-14T13:50:16.920+02:00A glorious day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_VzNwyHc7MzqawsdsK024pVcURfMTsMHpUAMdCFLcabFNF9K5sz3pNmKQK_PoAHVJg0bJuRsQh6gS-hrY5QF-9b70PolQV-tHCf3vAZi1Co_wUoMKT9nZZhOWDTLtsg2aG_MkRsJHUYbepSbaEoDt3vEYwXIG5TLoEffZ8ZZ-ygMgeoRsnjVIP-aDGKr/s4000/20231220_090559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_VzNwyHc7MzqawsdsK024pVcURfMTsMHpUAMdCFLcabFNF9K5sz3pNmKQK_PoAHVJg0bJuRsQh6gS-hrY5QF-9b70PolQV-tHCf3vAZi1Co_wUoMKT9nZZhOWDTLtsg2aG_MkRsJHUYbepSbaEoDt3vEYwXIG5TLoEffZ8ZZ-ygMgeoRsnjVIP-aDGKr/s320/20231220_090559.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>There was just one word to describe today, Wednesday 20th December 2024, and that was GLORIOUS!!! Not a cloud in the sky and temperatures which would give a late summer's day a run for its money.<p></p><p>Days like today are a bonus when we are so close to Christmas and fills you with energy so I was up early and getting washing done and out putting items in all the places where they would catch the maximum sunshine. I am not sure that John intended the guy ropes for the outside canopy to be used as washing lines but they are perfect this time of the year when we got a good amount of sunshine in the area outside the kitchen door.</p><p>I have a rotary line - I am not a fan - I would so prefer to have a long line and to be able to watch my washing flapping in the breeze but the house and garden configuration just doesn't lend itself to a long line - that was one of the joys of living in our old married quarter we had a lovely long back garden and as a result a lovely long washing line.</p><p>Married quarters seems like a million years ago but it was the final piece to our moving abroad jigsaw. It enabled us to save like mad and as a bonus led to a friendship with Laura and Mark which has stood the test of time. In fact as I write this I am watching an episode of Escape to the Country where the presenter is showcasing an amazing restaurant called the Station Kitchen and this year we have bought them a voucher to go eat there!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganPHQzTkGvDpAw3hnsEKfGDeeXLhyvUI3r7Xa3841KkJtSQflIAD7cNuzjUMuC5UMMFp6qb1DdFBZettp4hkmjbpqBOH8IQdgPGZq8wVSZMUk-Z8GG4PsIY7dhZ_SChEWVC3KKCTD6XBkAL_z2H_Q1pjkhfUEaE2iKMV2fUY3tIv01Nz1CBte84SvBGb3/s4000/20231220_105943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganPHQzTkGvDpAw3hnsEKfGDeeXLhyvUI3r7Xa3841KkJtSQflIAD7cNuzjUMuC5UMMFp6qb1DdFBZettp4hkmjbpqBOH8IQdgPGZq8wVSZMUk-Z8GG4PsIY7dhZ_SChEWVC3KKCTD6XBkAL_z2H_Q1pjkhfUEaE2iKMV2fUY3tIv01Nz1CBte84SvBGb3/w640-h296/20231220_105943.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We decided to go and get some fresh air down on the coast and take a walk down in Latchi as it was just too good an opportunity to miss. We parked up on the edge of the Marina where there have been some empty shops with flats above all the time that we have been living here - they are now being refurbished and spruced up as is much of Latchi. It will be very interesting to see the end results.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVoB0k8P034gcrqvlHaF6Axc_h1Tmxov1nhfgCGmFFKi4NlmlZuszK04OxPSlWmV73VBnpTMiuYzLKcc0joDhCqFheV8Ev8Vwe5ytv9b8UdLCIQr-1TB36XnbnzHBXlkBSUEOUY1ay5UB6bMaFYYUzLHNlZ1seMO-2DavFM8LC6iwNGaS3GuCs8L2pT8q/s3408/20231220_111959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3408" data-original-width="2556" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVoB0k8P034gcrqvlHaF6Axc_h1Tmxov1nhfgCGmFFKi4NlmlZuszK04OxPSlWmV73VBnpTMiuYzLKcc0joDhCqFheV8Ev8Vwe5ytv9b8UdLCIQr-1TB36XnbnzHBXlkBSUEOUY1ay5UB6bMaFYYUzLHNlZ1seMO-2DavFM8LC6iwNGaS3GuCs8L2pT8q/s320/20231220_111959.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>We wandered back towards where we had parked the car and decided to stop for a drink. We went to the new coffee place next to Coffee Island - I think it is called the Harbour Bar or something similar. John chose a frappe and I asked for a freshly squeezed fruit juice and opted for kiwi which may have been a bit of a mistake because boy was it on the sharp side!!!<div><br /></div><div>Drinkies done we girded our loins and set off for Polis to do our last 'big' shop before Christmas. We had a longish list but it was quite eclectic and contained numerous items that I needed to replace but not necessarily today.</div><div><br /></div><div>Paps was, well not to put too fine a point on it, rather quiet which was a bonus - there isn't anything like the mad panic buying that I would have encountered in the UK. </div><div><br /></div><div>We got most of the things that I wanted save for sprouts which John and I weren't at all bothered about but we have guests on Monday who will be expecting those smelly orbs so I will go in search again tomorrow when I take Mum shopping.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAN8LuDFhp0r71lghyphenhyphen7NejFlKz5fOGZMNGbpbrsBdgY5L05OMNX5f5dt8k_LeR-rXbVpCSbya5IcldcXWyNshyphenhyphenl2T38ZXmwCVFOapxWEVdx9-Dz5G9tE2XUggEmaSBSjE0a_O6xq0vOz5IOaMIfKX42_yOgRBqWEE9Ey6NOZdxfVXAlIw2CvR0k-weHUv/s3264/20231220_151856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAN8LuDFhp0r71lghyphenhyphen7NejFlKz5fOGZMNGbpbrsBdgY5L05OMNX5f5dt8k_LeR-rXbVpCSbya5IcldcXWyNshyphenhyphenl2T38ZXmwCVFOapxWEVdx9-Dz5G9tE2XUggEmaSBSjE0a_O6xq0vOz5IOaMIfKX42_yOgRBqWEE9Ey6NOZdxfVXAlIw2CvR0k-weHUv/w640-h294/20231220_151856.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><p>We rounded off our lovely day together with a work's do at Fitos where we enjoyed a lovely late lunch together just the two of us - this is a rare thing nowadays!!! John had the pork chop (carefully putting some away for Gail's dogs Hector and Dot to enjoy later) and I had the vegetarian plate - I still need to get my head around aubergine but I am getting better.</p><p>All in all a lovely, lovely day - I feel up to the challenge of Christmas Day now!</p></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-24864393792888684192024-01-12T09:50:00.000+02:002024-01-12T09:50:01.253+02:00The carport is completed<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYW-RTA1LmVgN-b6V99nYWQ6wQHmjG9xN4cmIt3fjB9RXCtoe2blcnUwuQaNHt7HJDYMVbcHrq4gtk18bOSgOvpzp6z3o2z-75TFqCju25GjpOSqqTHZMlg-dPXb4OfWu4W3MftsgHfK4T1AV8tyyzU_bgwrkG-WV0DqewSIZi-c9-lKsmL64NZ3f5RPgr/s4000/20231219_101634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYW-RTA1LmVgN-b6V99nYWQ6wQHmjG9xN4cmIt3fjB9RXCtoe2blcnUwuQaNHt7HJDYMVbcHrq4gtk18bOSgOvpzp6z3o2z-75TFqCju25GjpOSqqTHZMlg-dPXb4OfWu4W3MftsgHfK4T1AV8tyyzU_bgwrkG-WV0DqewSIZi-c9-lKsmL64NZ3f5RPgr/w640-h296/20231219_101634.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Charlie has found my temporary washing up facility for Christmas Day. One of the troughs is in full sunshine early in the morning and bless him, old soul that he is, he likes a bit of warmth. I didn't have the heart to move him - I will just have to make sure I clean the troughs and leave them upside down until I need to use them on Monday!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1UI6S91GYNmaWMlO_Aa1nwxmsoVtRLb16uxY8w1SMBv9TymjHJWq3B4d3Uu1Ojmn9Viz4xdkoKEUBIpqLQgxDAZNPo5T4Tdw-BmqyWuwwlXVFc0RQgRcH4qMawuj8ClfNKQ5Iu46TPygmKggnZ8dsJFOP97lp0y6jMbiF8vjBNQZ66Vx9rufIdsllxPi/s4000/20231219_122607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1UI6S91GYNmaWMlO_Aa1nwxmsoVtRLb16uxY8w1SMBv9TymjHJWq3B4d3Uu1Ojmn9Viz4xdkoKEUBIpqLQgxDAZNPo5T4Tdw-BmqyWuwwlXVFc0RQgRcH4qMawuj8ClfNKQ5Iu46TPygmKggnZ8dsJFOP97lp0y6jMbiF8vjBNQZ66Vx9rufIdsllxPi/w640-h296/20231219_122607.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I picked up Sonia and we went off to Neo Chorio for the final armchair exercise session of 2023. The community centre here is in full on Christmas decoration mode - I can't be sure, because I haven't been up there, but I am guessing our centre has the lone transgender Santa with the black eyeliner that it always has. Sonia is uncertain as to whether the exercise we are getting suits her needs having been left with some issues after a stroke a few years ago. I shall be sorry if she decides not to continue but understand her reasons. I am going to carry on hopefully although after todays session my legs and arms were killing me!!!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9itqy0i3BBdqevnjj21TTmqFgkLLYEFrlLt4j5rYd2Lax4UdwDtMrFwK2973vNqgqWH82fvm9suN1DmBikbGabxgVH2xOmabU_bKS0Vy1hjvMnvZqmhFo8GiAGmci6OdS9n3NL_qCngvLoBxLzo8YRpeVTKYN6d6RnwQdwwxc4GIdE_1jRySbfUGFnFTw/s4000/20231219_131339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9itqy0i3BBdqevnjj21TTmqFgkLLYEFrlLt4j5rYd2Lax4UdwDtMrFwK2973vNqgqWH82fvm9suN1DmBikbGabxgVH2xOmabU_bKS0Vy1hjvMnvZqmhFo8GiAGmci6OdS9n3NL_qCngvLoBxLzo8YRpeVTKYN6d6RnwQdwwxc4GIdE_1jRySbfUGFnFTw/w640-h296/20231219_131339.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Sonia and I have been planning a coffee together after exercise for weeks but never got round to it so today was the day and we went to Noma in Latchi which is a very nice venue although the outside space faces North so was in the shade although it was such a beautiful day it didn't really matter to us and we sat outside having a chat and enjoying the view.<div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcauQDmVMOwUTt9Uis_XZj3Yazqrs9EWPFl_KmnoSHnExcc1KaI7zE-4PNhoX9KjKY51prXwDcKSUubIf83SB1Yx5bLlh5oJMYJYwyEOP3fC4s8bedDb_630BtW-awp1OVwa5uOOAYnmPw7nB_pzG6NVPZW_Xy-eUZ7yKmB5DL0HhqMhq1eDcUADMtFJm/s4000/20231219_154037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcauQDmVMOwUTt9Uis_XZj3Yazqrs9EWPFl_KmnoSHnExcc1KaI7zE-4PNhoX9KjKY51prXwDcKSUubIf83SB1Yx5bLlh5oJMYJYwyEOP3fC4s8bedDb_630BtW-awp1OVwa5uOOAYnmPw7nB_pzG6NVPZW_Xy-eUZ7yKmB5DL0HhqMhq1eDcUADMtFJm/w640-h296/20231219_154037.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Back home John and Bassam had been working like Trojans getting the roof of the carport completed. It has been a backbreaking job for John from removing the heavy terracotta tiles which he put up never expecting to take down and replacing with metal sheets that look like tiles. </p><p>Bless Bassam - he came today to be John's little helper - they actually work well together despite different languages and different approaches to the job in hand. Bassam would say that if he is in charge then he has the last word but if John is in charge then he has the last work except I had the last word today when I suggested that rather than buy another sheet to cover the overhang that the overhang get shortened which everyone agreed was a good idea - the overhang had only been there to support the terracotta tiles.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTkLOLhixTO9B9OhdG8tjtf_cZa8mWEhoOMP3HuvCTrMMqYZye2SBzNo1IyRuWoPQNjD41jQrXl0neKWGxbuIuibJrGYVy0crdfMvnkH61higMX9PVY5Yww4Sxp5wwXIOKWUDamOP0wMYvBNkAOrNEBhGu3zhpUgFSfkxUh-omknURCboUFRpHWht-Pky/s4000/20231219_154101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTkLOLhixTO9B9OhdG8tjtf_cZa8mWEhoOMP3HuvCTrMMqYZye2SBzNo1IyRuWoPQNjD41jQrXl0neKWGxbuIuibJrGYVy0crdfMvnkH61higMX9PVY5Yww4Sxp5wwXIOKWUDamOP0wMYvBNkAOrNEBhGu3zhpUgFSfkxUh-omknURCboUFRpHWht-Pky/w640-h296/20231219_154101.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It was getting quite cool as the sun went down - clear blue skies equal cold nights now so I disappeared inside to make something for tea that would warm John up. We had done a 'stock take' of the freezer and had removed some unmarked tubs and a pack of chicken thighs. The tubs contained the uneaten curry and rice I had at Poppadoms and some pilafi from Paps along with some lentils from the last time I made Lebanese. I made a Sri Lankan curry with the chicken thighs and had enough gram flour to knock up a few onion bhajis and it was absolutely delicious. We were both absolutely knackered so our evening was a short one!</p></div></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-23562179277259830322024-01-11T19:19:00.001+02:002024-01-11T19:19:41.545+02:00Out with Papa Elf...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23NgsrA9c7-DQvowvwYKakGx-_s4tSSyzbQU7H7fRFObfJf-n5Lmmis-FeSVVnNLGFsi_zcsBrzwyLQWvu8QaKdx2_nhlUVYC-GXP0-K1iRir8Ht_nYh-sYn5sW4JL-GqASjPQOGuD9stT-2TMqpjv4LkIWQMGDt5gjyqo2jutfzxlUqi1ea9yRWKvSRz/s4000/20231218_095057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23NgsrA9c7-DQvowvwYKakGx-_s4tSSyzbQU7H7fRFObfJf-n5Lmmis-FeSVVnNLGFsi_zcsBrzwyLQWvu8QaKdx2_nhlUVYC-GXP0-K1iRir8Ht_nYh-sYn5sW4JL-GqASjPQOGuD9stT-2TMqpjv4LkIWQMGDt5gjyqo2jutfzxlUqi1ea9yRWKvSRz/w640-h296/20231218_095057.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Before we went out resplendent in our Christmas Jumpers I was involved in that age old festive tradition of cleaning the microwave and the oven so that I do not give our guests on Monday festive food poisoning. I had cleared my potting bench and installed the two massive troughs that John uses to soak and then clean the barbeque accoutrements and we plan to hide our washing up in them soaking in some hot water.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6EAbkG_4EZeqTUfpn7eFlT7S0YA0cy0s4hfKE8x8qKRC5W2WOd37DOSCG5jVk8JQadkXzXlPwboE7PqjsM6SnFbsveplltQ_kK_GaZZW6ezE1F_Rkz-ap7b23nYU8jkqOsuofekNidkTyR4kyU4WNyywOnWAR5feQQJd64-2lWd-7qXsxvOgelnpZ8cd/s4000/20231218_125004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6EAbkG_4EZeqTUfpn7eFlT7S0YA0cy0s4hfKE8x8qKRC5W2WOd37DOSCG5jVk8JQadkXzXlPwboE7PqjsM6SnFbsveplltQ_kK_GaZZW6ezE1F_Rkz-ap7b23nYU8jkqOsuofekNidkTyR4kyU4WNyywOnWAR5feQQJd64-2lWd-7qXsxvOgelnpZ8cd/w640-h296/20231218_125004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It was a glorious day, possibly too hot for our wooly pullies but as we didn't know how long we were going to be out we knew it was likely to be a tad chilly at some point. We had pared things down this year and simply asked neighbours if they fancied wandering up to Kaponas for something to eat and then we could decide it we did anything else otherwise we would wander back to ours for a drinkie or two. Sadly Ellen and Richard couldn't make it but we wanted to have a get together because Nicky and Mark are going to the UK for Christmas on Wednesday.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAY7gDDyDF2hJbUPODafD6xfHLJgg25A7KhyfbHoj4PaghygHbyNT_wFU3YEtM3Mimc2K-5Rj9Tb4Slcnkg3MGZX5ElvjBefWLHIApiGk3fFMnhwvlzqvVVHGl5p94vvJ0ToAgMeZ2sKHe1bCqBdyvjCsScF9lXfM_086T2TH-0Zjn2bGcLQ7oJeMjbJT_/s879/IMG-20231218-WA0013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="879" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAY7gDDyDF2hJbUPODafD6xfHLJgg25A7KhyfbHoj4PaghygHbyNT_wFU3YEtM3Mimc2K-5Rj9Tb4Slcnkg3MGZX5ElvjBefWLHIApiGk3fFMnhwvlzqvVVHGl5p94vvJ0ToAgMeZ2sKHe1bCqBdyvjCsScF9lXfM_086T2TH-0Zjn2bGcLQ7oJeMjbJT_/w640-h452/IMG-20231218-WA0013.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We had a lovely time at Kaponas. We sat at our usual table. The inside of the taverna was all decorated for Christmas and it was warm and cosy inside. We were in no rush so took our time. Eleni brought a lovely platter of cheese, meat and fruit to the table whilst we decided what we were having to eat. I had asked her to make some green eggs - I hadn't had them made by her before and they were delicious. Very different to Marina's where the courgette are fried are caramelized, Eleni's were creamy and soft.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYUVcBwGZpi6dGJaYHMtbjZak4ZjjjJiZntKfSsoRour9Jx8s7GEHDv9LeVA81PLQWOMGFwKfWkUn8ZNrbwyyaXlXNllzx4tLLzQ9dT6jSaa7o306jYzyVagdl6tBTAj_psjr5yP_ua3V9COisHTaNNuDYsmZjtuyRNGH-PiDmtQ0dA2-61uO9h16-2rH/s4000/20231218_130639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYUVcBwGZpi6dGJaYHMtbjZak4ZjjjJiZntKfSsoRour9Jx8s7GEHDv9LeVA81PLQWOMGFwKfWkUn8ZNrbwyyaXlXNllzx4tLLzQ9dT6jSaa7o306jYzyVagdl6tBTAj_psjr5yP_ua3V9COisHTaNNuDYsmZjtuyRNGH-PiDmtQ0dA2-61uO9h16-2rH/w640-h296/20231218_130639.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>After our main courses we were given some lovely cakes - some sort of carrot cake like muffins and the traditional sugar coated kourabiedes. It was a really really nice meal and everyone seemed to enjoy what they had ordered.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPypu4aeF9ZQciC5S8CLfaf-1vt4z45JzQA5oUOn0IuppitWt4sj1Tax9uzOsnYGEhZzx_T-LLporDsSmPvImpqNVrL-_GnPcdsGOIsFp9NVbntrmDqZRrAFkVNqBuHEXpAXzORklo2S1tDmazUDzmqM_fzGc6QwCa8-r1M6cVn3B1_YRV_eNJpkdS8Uje/s1024/IMG-20231218-WA0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPypu4aeF9ZQciC5S8CLfaf-1vt4z45JzQA5oUOn0IuppitWt4sj1Tax9uzOsnYGEhZzx_T-LLporDsSmPvImpqNVrL-_GnPcdsGOIsFp9NVbntrmDqZRrAFkVNqBuHEXpAXzORklo2S1tDmazUDzmqM_fzGc6QwCa8-r1M6cVn3B1_YRV_eNJpkdS8Uje/w640-h480/IMG-20231218-WA0002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>On our way home Gail persuaded some of us to climb the hay bales for a photo opportunity which she had wanted to do on our way out. Pete and Mark chose to be photographers and I only managed to take part after a bunk up from John!!! I gave my Velma shoes another outing because I thought they looked quite festive and matched the red on my top!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHoSe8tjW0_ulSXIY6utNFEnAgmIt1vN1K7yLj-YOGvfFlxBec6FiwvQDNUwjhUuJfcaNUAxrLcD4zX56zp1VImMpEizmudmwdNIY8PiE5-7ev6_1fk-0vtMPayRNSlWpaieph_ZRpbQ3dhthmnOpazeybYZmGafxH0J8dhmVxV0FGo6qJdg934wubsb6F/s2799/20231218_172957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="2799" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHoSe8tjW0_ulSXIY6utNFEnAgmIt1vN1K7yLj-YOGvfFlxBec6FiwvQDNUwjhUuJfcaNUAxrLcD4zX56zp1VImMpEizmudmwdNIY8PiE5-7ev6_1fk-0vtMPayRNSlWpaieph_ZRpbQ3dhthmnOpazeybYZmGafxH0J8dhmVxV0FGo6qJdg934wubsb6F/w640-h268/20231218_172957.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>We decamped to ours for a few more drinkies and some laughs. It was a lovely afternoon and evening and nice to get together before the silly season starts.</p><p>2023 is fast coming to a close, it has absolutely flown by.</p><p></p>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-86834662311110150062024-01-10T07:41:00.001+02:002024-01-10T07:41:43.443+02:00Sunday lunch in Peyia<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0hXIynWCQpjRwS4QQTdc94W4WBwG2KFPqSU_FmNNwFIYmn2XIZZTJay-ibVkk7Fg9wytRq0Qhv__HNQecJBq6bd-8LLF6XCB4upZZH_Pz6EPQTEDtlABKbg5vXUltashcyj82PO87K6sWF2P-tu4dJfrica7utWI1MsmiwV-nOOqSpuDdiOpiEpH7YSk/s3264/20231217_110938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0hXIynWCQpjRwS4QQTdc94W4WBwG2KFPqSU_FmNNwFIYmn2XIZZTJay-ibVkk7Fg9wytRq0Qhv__HNQecJBq6bd-8LLF6XCB4upZZH_Pz6EPQTEDtlABKbg5vXUltashcyj82PO87K6sWF2P-tu4dJfrica7utWI1MsmiwV-nOOqSpuDdiOpiEpH7YSk/w640-h294/20231217_110938.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />This is the result of all John's hard work yesterday - a naked carport!!! He is enlisting the help of Bassam next week to put the boards up and the new roofing which looks like tiles but isn't and which should be lighter and more waterproof. We once came home after strong winds to see several rows of the old terracotta tiles standing up like dominos which was a bit scary and now John has his beloved Qashqai he really wants to protect it.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifam_faalg_L7Az16R5qGk90FFrHRTVoJs9KVSC-xJjlxd7GzGMuG1-lAdUIzJZ0m5PV_9LWS9Ev2dkqa1OhUZSitwpAOzc8MXXFrx05DYa5tImmOaPexdkv_M4Zk7QQm9LotgDoTwAb3J6-cQ-VntWcSgrGzG5sWvcRcBVbWDQQjD-hUBi8enCqqA-SPx/s4000/20231217_124344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifam_faalg_L7Az16R5qGk90FFrHRTVoJs9KVSC-xJjlxd7GzGMuG1-lAdUIzJZ0m5PV_9LWS9Ev2dkqa1OhUZSitwpAOzc8MXXFrx05DYa5tImmOaPexdkv_M4Zk7QQm9LotgDoTwAb3J6-cQ-VntWcSgrGzG5sWvcRcBVbWDQQjD-hUBi8enCqqA-SPx/s320/20231217_124344.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>Today we were having Sunday lunch with a bit of a difference in that it was a joint effort between Lilian and I and we were eating at Lilian's which meant that as it was a glorious day it was going to be warm down at her bungalow in Peyia.<p></p><p>Lilian was making a favourite dish of hers Pork in Port and I had done cheesy potatoes, carrots, beans, swede and peas and a cornflake pudding which had added cashews and cranberries which turned out to be an unexpectedly delicious hit and so so easy to make.</p><p>John dropped me off at Lilian's so that we could get the food sorted and went off and got Mum who thankfully was a million percent brighter than she had been this time last week. She is looking tiny though and frail and is not so great on her pins. Getting in and out of the Note is a real trial for her so her decision to give up driving earlier this year was a wise and timely one however much it may have impacted on her independence the roads are at least a little safer without her on them and I think she would reluctantly agree with that. We battle to get her to embrace using taxis but are fighting a losing battle - not sure why as she can afford it and has found not one but two friendly taxi drivers with whom she feels safe.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBceQXbLesD64LbukOoKpEPDLztIk7Qqjuo7FgEEgsTe0gTPPbY0dsqLPNtsYkQxuY6guaAh23eJ52nQ6PiqCKm-c7vSYyWPWSNttqJ8GvAFu62YzxAir4x8_oDSlXNJ1XwTAroeyGOQf0pjgoevoe2FfDamYK8xEMRLAjawitQEEud4PuaZctqQi0REY/s4000/20231217_144943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBceQXbLesD64LbukOoKpEPDLztIk7Qqjuo7FgEEgsTe0gTPPbY0dsqLPNtsYkQxuY6guaAh23eJ52nQ6PiqCKm-c7vSYyWPWSNttqJ8GvAFu62YzxAir4x8_oDSlXNJ1XwTAroeyGOQf0pjgoevoe2FfDamYK8xEMRLAjawitQEEud4PuaZctqQi0REY/s320/20231217_144943.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>I have to say that our joint efforts resulted in an absolutely delicious lunch and big thanks to Lilian (who does not drink) for providing me with an absolutely corking red wine to accompany the food.<div><br /></div><div>Mum at an enormous meal and almost licked her pudding bowl clean and snaffled half of what remained of the cornflake pudding to take home and have again - this is such a joy to see for someone who is generally a right old fussy pants.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am hoping that my offering on Christmas Day will go down just as well and that we four plus Gail and Pete have a good day. I did say that I really enjoyed today's meal and if Christmas Day is half as good I will be happy.</div><div><br /></div><div>We said our goodbyes and returned Mum to Emba where I grabbed her trusty old hot tray which I want to use on Christmas Day to keep the veggies hot whilst I get everything else ready.</div><div><br /></div><div>It had been a truly glorious day down on the coast so we were somewhat surprised to be greeted with a thick old pea-souper rolling mist as we approached Kathikas - talk about a different world!!! Still it wasn't cold, just grey. We lit the wood burner simply because it was there and ready and sat in the cosy 'snug' we have created whilst the extended dining table is in situ.</div><div><br /></div><div>We are having our annual Christmas Jumper day tomorrow with Gail and Pete and Nicky and Mark. A small but beautifully formed group.<br /><p><br /> </p></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-76110999593456605222024-01-09T14:20:00.001+02:002024-01-09T14:20:51.844+02:00More Christmas Preparations <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtbrq9eiDAh4jh8wK8YeAZEnfiyKLML_XLE9hFyKhhVsmdMnL1vV0Hegf4XqiyAYG9c6SszvGs5erylLoqtf3ytLv-dFWZTP3wvV1oFIvE5i7z63gBKM4VQuJ9xNDaMWSC7cW0FWS7HdxAc-9SSa77yxhCG-yGWxnyFfY6Bq6zFyrDzHdLBaAgL2rJgc2/s4000/20231216_095642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtbrq9eiDAh4jh8wK8YeAZEnfiyKLML_XLE9hFyKhhVsmdMnL1vV0Hegf4XqiyAYG9c6SszvGs5erylLoqtf3ytLv-dFWZTP3wvV1oFIvE5i7z63gBKM4VQuJ9xNDaMWSC7cW0FWS7HdxAc-9SSa77yxhCG-yGWxnyFfY6Bq6zFyrDzHdLBaAgL2rJgc2/w640-h296/20231216_095642.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />We were both absolutely exhausted by the end of today. We got up early as we have a million and one things to do. John had checked the weather forecast for the forthcoming week and deemed it to be stable enough to tackle the carport project but not before he made the new tabletop for the dining table for Christmas Day and we moved all the furniture to accommodate it. The grey chairs went into the conservatory and the rug was turned and the table turned. It will mean a much less intimate (for which read cramped) eating space which is good. Hence my need for decorations yesterday as I want this space to have a bit of a wow factor - that way people might forgive me if my food is crap!!!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGFGBv_7QpC8NuPdp4EZE7uad_SU6yf2rH2UUKYLWfhpTn3jTDwRl8ptK3UcRwLinnQNLlJ6xzNEGfORCXABPua73uAJbbbOcteqklzmCrS7yI4DC-r8IubONfQ9tDwkkn0jMXhbeEH_OKAhX3xblhww72kOljCSqC3M6Jir76vksWtYJZgbDUhlHja_X/s4000/20231216_144215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGFGBv_7QpC8NuPdp4EZE7uad_SU6yf2rH2UUKYLWfhpTn3jTDwRl8ptK3UcRwLinnQNLlJ6xzNEGfORCXABPua73uAJbbbOcteqklzmCrS7yI4DC-r8IubONfQ9tDwkkn0jMXhbeEH_OKAhX3xblhww72kOljCSqC3M6Jir76vksWtYJZgbDUhlHja_X/s320/20231216_144215.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>I spent the day cooking while John carefully removed nearly 400 terracotta tiles from the carport roof in readiness for them to be replaced.<p></p><p>I did the vegetables for lunch on Sunday. We are having the cheesy mashed potato topped with cheesy scalloped potato combo I did the other week along with carrots, peas, beans and mashed swede. The mashed swede came about because I had some left over from making the boxing day pasties which I decided this time I would make, cook and then freeze to try and avoid the pastry disaster of the other day and because Argy has kindly allowed me to use her freezer.</p><p>On that subject she called today because the Cornish Cream Tea (scones, jam and clotted cream and Cornish Pasties) which I had sent as a present had arrived and they were going to be eating them this evening. I really hope that they are ok. The trouble with ordering gifts online is that you know what you have ordered but you don't actually know what people receive!!! Anyway it will be a culinary experience for them both and the were sent with love and will give them an idea of what we will be eating on Boxing Day!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIvu4hdPnXmOMoVVdejwYHmPE7WouK-XMw2l0NMWBYPwLbA6w2ZXv1pz5e_Xc4mtVKQrrT9pg2I8p2CGjh3bpvwuwA7P0qfoTdVOMsKqrBshJgvzFv93hkeB_ZTCl0gpYUh9axd7WEeyMWIpvZLSOhEn6bAo6eEcwTpRQGJL31vs22PmWJUoCq9zk80on/s2067/20231216_164152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2067" data-original-width="1504" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIvu4hdPnXmOMoVVdejwYHmPE7WouK-XMw2l0NMWBYPwLbA6w2ZXv1pz5e_Xc4mtVKQrrT9pg2I8p2CGjh3bpvwuwA7P0qfoTdVOMsKqrBshJgvzFv93hkeB_ZTCl0gpYUh9axd7WEeyMWIpvZLSOhEn6bAo6eEcwTpRQGJL31vs22PmWJUoCq9zk80on/s320/20231216_164152.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>I made the Boxing Day pasties. I had been going to make the pastry after all the recent disasters but I had bought some and decided to use it and even though it was a big box it just and just made four pasties and even though I carefully crimped the edges the crimping pattern just disappeared during the cooking process.<div><br /></div><div>The crimping of the edges is very important. Generally there are 20 crimps around the edge which formed a handle for the miners to hold with their arsenic-covered hands. Once the pasties were consumed the miners would discard the handles and leave them to keep the "knockers" (ghosts of the mines) happy.</div><div><br /></div><div>These didn't look too bad and they had plenty of pepper and meat inside. In fact the skirt from Naz was the best I have had from him and needed very little trimming much to the disappointment of Charlie who had taken up prime position just in case I needed someone to do some quality control tasting. Actually even though I tried to use up all the meat there was enough left over for all three cats to have a bit of a treat.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRPUDTe5AgoMINIJMYfRpXS5K-4-AY9vZtgfZdCV_U9BgiyQrKT8icx9bH8eOLUxLW2osc_Q3ojKQvfSkpmjBLEHF5PEEohORipukZwrkCapQ6cW3qxjgvD8wFvAAfnJqy7O1nkVeUkrLuqfgI1nr3w87s7zuHC4TJJlwSpPjY_u1Z2pklChT7UfUz8t4/s3264/20231216_175539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWRPUDTe5AgoMINIJMYfRpXS5K-4-AY9vZtgfZdCV_U9BgiyQrKT8icx9bH8eOLUxLW2osc_Q3ojKQvfSkpmjBLEHF5PEEohORipukZwrkCapQ6cW3qxjgvD8wFvAAfnJqy7O1nkVeUkrLuqfgI1nr3w87s7zuHC4TJJlwSpPjY_u1Z2pklChT7UfUz8t4/w640-h294/20231216_175539.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>I had our meal ready for when John had finished both he and I had not stopped all day so we had a nice shower, a nice meal and sank into the sofa of our newly transformed dining room (which looks enormous) to see another SUFC defeat unfold. Ah well you cant have it all!</div><div><br /></div><div><p><br /> </p></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-54987914269013446342024-01-08T11:39:00.001+02:002024-01-08T11:39:11.651+02:00A Good Day...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqShIRVWnBL4E2L3VGiOjLxm2FjRM6AkIq3zOuQgqZmRyYyCbx0gQEXI4eQ32ZR8nNJlvBXEQqzHQv1F7_bkT7UGer4l0cSsXOinKd1noBIK5wotLqdu3Y5bVcEKQ2Sb-j2gpiZ5vA7qfZnhyphenhyphen5NrpMDTZji_OYzWsS6vnEJpcGHDfamliO_83A3tz5k9Rj/s4000/20231215_135825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqShIRVWnBL4E2L3VGiOjLxm2FjRM6AkIq3zOuQgqZmRyYyCbx0gQEXI4eQ32ZR8nNJlvBXEQqzHQv1F7_bkT7UGer4l0cSsXOinKd1noBIK5wotLqdu3Y5bVcEKQ2Sb-j2gpiZ5vA7qfZnhyphenhyphen5NrpMDTZji_OYzWsS6vnEJpcGHDfamliO_83A3tz5k9Rj/s320/20231215_135825.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>John and John were catching up today and so I was dropping them down to Peyia so they could have a chat and a pint and something for lunch and I could then carry on down to the Mall to get my last minute bits and pieces from Jumbos. <p></p><p>My John had picked The Mill as the venue having seen it advertised on Facebook as having real ale on tap and it was open!</p><p>They had a lovely time - apparently The Mill is stuck in a 1970s time warp which even includes the music being played. The landlady is warm and friendly and slightly bonkers, the beer is reasonably priced - the food a bit eclectic but cheap (as chips apparently).</p><p>It was a good day for them - improved by the fact that I had been despatched to see if John (and Pete's) favourite French wine was still on offer in Sklavs in the Mall. There had only been one bottle left in Sklavs on the Mesoghi on offer at €5.65 and when I got to the Mall Sklavs had several bottles and at an even better price of €4.87!!!! I had gone armed with Mum's granny shopping wheelie basket which is absolutely perfect for stacking with bottles of wine and getting back to the car - slightly not so perfect trying to lift it into the boot with my dodgy arm though!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbd6jmOLAWhvvbDiuQvO6D1ejjNXiI_9jfwmPdF1ezmka4X9xWvxXNXkA5VedxgM-zSoOxzgt4TGzEvtLA9UDeaSxxivLw95AmfN1k_on1Tq9PquqrCIa4ba0u2HplmfrffRwRrHmvjNzSigOxam6dvTpKY3CPfF9bItZtXV2ME2vbNqgtMlXp2KXnCbko/s4000/20231215_135724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbd6jmOLAWhvvbDiuQvO6D1ejjNXiI_9jfwmPdF1ezmka4X9xWvxXNXkA5VedxgM-zSoOxzgt4TGzEvtLA9UDeaSxxivLw95AmfN1k_on1Tq9PquqrCIa4ba0u2HplmfrffRwRrHmvjNzSigOxam6dvTpKY3CPfF9bItZtXV2ME2vbNqgtMlXp2KXnCbko/w640-h296/20231215_135724.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had expected the Mall to be pretty busy it being so close to Christmas but I parked easily near the front doors and once I had got the wine sorted, and had a chat with Rachel who was racing around bracing herself for a Jumbos run, I too steeled myself and sharpened my elbows ready for a scrum. Jumbos was surprisingly calm so I got the things I wanted to decorate the dining table on Christmas Day and then went to the tills which were relatively quiet too. I had a nice chat with some guy who had only popped in for a shed load of serviettes so I let him go before me. I popped my purchases down to the car and then decided to have a wander around looking at the shops, all resplendent with their festive decorations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoGkQ13tH78_cQXrayiA6pFXTA5lmozZ9Rzu8_mnPfhD3-MYWe1YCKfL-Yiwi3zDoL8D5PrWSPNVuCV9hGYmNb8By1MADSqb7P7fuDUEbwp6LmIaWACjS0f3JQbspO54M69g_rFTkfLeJTpqVwR46qEBKAe044eE_zP4qkq3IRR1-MQ87HZUB8BZYDml8/s3264/20231215_140813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoGkQ13tH78_cQXrayiA6pFXTA5lmozZ9Rzu8_mnPfhD3-MYWe1YCKfL-Yiwi3zDoL8D5PrWSPNVuCV9hGYmNb8By1MADSqb7P7fuDUEbwp6LmIaWACjS0f3JQbspO54M69g_rFTkfLeJTpqVwR46qEBKAe044eE_zP4qkq3IRR1-MQ87HZUB8BZYDml8/w640-h294/20231215_140813.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was such a beautiful day that I decided to treat myself to a tea and a muffin from Costa's and took them to sit outside in the sunshine. December 14th - all is calm and all is bright!!! I was having a lovely time just wandering around and having a bit of peace before next weekend when I will be a little bit frazzled because there will be so much to do even though I am trying to tick things off daily so there is actually less to do than there could be (if you get my drift).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5J8347wAupO0-JQlsNgi17SniwS6szxa4NDOLjfjS-eMVn12Rx9gPJDL9qoc6f6lYAKhc0judIhIjNM6byYGM4ZGDpnGP8k4-JWGo6r2qVvQYtvFCQV_bw8ocrNBq4F9umuNWch3cN2YSdCr4BSXjjsEJ6OjKf7Mzi1xPxYo5K04Mx5daRxacmyrCM80o/s4000/20231215_174823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5J8347wAupO0-JQlsNgi17SniwS6szxa4NDOLjfjS-eMVn12Rx9gPJDL9qoc6f6lYAKhc0judIhIjNM6byYGM4ZGDpnGP8k4-JWGo6r2qVvQYtvFCQV_bw8ocrNBq4F9umuNWch3cN2YSdCr4BSXjjsEJ6OjKf7Mzi1xPxYo5K04Mx5daRxacmyrCM80o/w640-h296/20231215_174823.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I picked up John and John who had had a lovely time and had found their new favourite drinking establishment for when they want to go and chew the fat and once I had dropped John home and my John had got the fire lit I decided I would make the pudding for Sunday. We are eating at Lilian's - she is doing the meat element and I am doing the veg and the pudding. I decided to make another of the cornflake puddings I had made about a month ago. It turned out looking really nice - this time I had pimped it up with some cashews and cranberries.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All in all a good day</div><p></p>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-9300880092285408532024-01-07T07:59:00.002+02:002024-01-07T07:59:50.460+02:00Starting to get ready for Christmas...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJB19bjeZy_3Te2dP3t-rcxXusHwP3Oz32zVXOGe44Igb1HvHQTRCYnk3BEmIsWaAdGJHyLrMeONWblBzRk70dfCB_8S7rtKT8saKkZzzrjV4uhmt_rSUcvR3Q543YJ8ClejL-lF-hLxf0HoCBshKb2hJL9F_Iqc7j7oJ7wAhg1RJlea_fJm96SMffc3ke/s4000/20231214_105035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJB19bjeZy_3Te2dP3t-rcxXusHwP3Oz32zVXOGe44Igb1HvHQTRCYnk3BEmIsWaAdGJHyLrMeONWblBzRk70dfCB_8S7rtKT8saKkZzzrjV4uhmt_rSUcvR3Q543YJ8ClejL-lF-hLxf0HoCBshKb2hJL9F_Iqc7j7oJ7wAhg1RJlea_fJm96SMffc3ke/w640-h296/20231214_105035.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Life is good. My day started with a trip to Polis to (a) pick up the bits I had won from the Polis Pound Auction (which threw Patricia Dobson into a right old tizz because apparently I had come too early but her lovely little helper Maya found what I had to collect and (b) I was having my weekly physio session with the lovely Marios and Socrates. From there I drove straight to Mum's so that I could take her shopping and check how she was doing after the dodgy day we had on Sunday.<p></p><p>The sad thing about Mum's funny turns is that she doesn't notice the changes herself so she is unable to tell us that things aren't right for her. We went shopping, dropped off some Christmas Cards and then had a chat about Sunday. I have told her that in order for her to continue to live independently we need to put things in place to facilitate that and she agreed. I feel sad for her that her world has become so small but, as my sister points out, she is now deemed to be 'very old' and so many of her friends and family members never reached that point. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wm88foItO1bryIqT-5YjLG16J9quhelNNDX1lTdGEr9t3IQ2bbpT4vFMhZSGExFfrv6mT9yRNMPPekkZRNlNrQYO9nV34Uhz_9pay05px4AODpl-m1deetOiM1OYC6-B8fyv00gVm1r5sibUU5v0a2jq8DhyphenhyphenF3T0gkHOBd4EHpyiHeV8xQOjyoupeNKB/s4000/20231214_151620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wm88foItO1bryIqT-5YjLG16J9quhelNNDX1lTdGEr9t3IQ2bbpT4vFMhZSGExFfrv6mT9yRNMPPekkZRNlNrQYO9nV34Uhz_9pay05px4AODpl-m1deetOiM1OYC6-B8fyv00gVm1r5sibUU5v0a2jq8DhyphenhyphenF3T0gkHOBd4EHpyiHeV8xQOjyoupeNKB/w640-h296/20231214_151620.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It had been beautiful and warm and sunny down on the coast but as I drove back up the hills towards Kathikas you could see that this part of the island was swathed in low cloud - very atmospheric but a million miles from what I had left behind. The landscape of the island never ceases to amaze me and the skies are just fabulous.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVeJ1d4Xb70s1vDu-MFY36gSg9ezvZS1zwUeKeWrY92wJYKX3W-oodOqvpBUiVJA9GOmAtT91qytKDrbGV2Jh7Cbpy8ou61dyRP-769JnrIErMVSP_4nsUp47vUwFz8aGZvI2FTBT89xnRaj1xZrHp_mlsIcwhlOC72WsQ4iKuiCv3QRfdrtpblO-5i72/s4000/20231214_200050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVeJ1d4Xb70s1vDu-MFY36gSg9ezvZS1zwUeKeWrY92wJYKX3W-oodOqvpBUiVJA9GOmAtT91qytKDrbGV2Jh7Cbpy8ou61dyRP-769JnrIErMVSP_4nsUp47vUwFz8aGZvI2FTBT89xnRaj1xZrHp_mlsIcwhlOC72WsQ4iKuiCv3QRfdrtpblO-5i72/s320/20231214_200050.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>It was quite late by the time I got home. We were going out this evening with Nicky and Mark for a pizza at My Mama Mia and I couldn't wait. Mark very kindly drove and although we had booked a table for later in the evening we couldn't wait and so shot off just after the restaurant opened.<div><br /></div><div>We had a lovely evening and the pizza was just as good as before except sadly they were no longer doing the buy one large get one small for 4 euros and I am not surprised as they really couldn't be making any money with that offer. </div><div><br /></div><div>We came back to ours having popped the electric heaters on whilst we were at the restaurant and that way it was lovely and warm when we walked in. It was lovely and with all the Christmas decorations the house looked so inviting. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mum was so much better today that I am now beginning to really look forward to Christmas Day - she said she was looking forward to it too which is great. It doesn't matter to me that I will be foregoing any alcohol in order to drive her and Lilian home - I just want everyone to have a lovely day. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tomorrow I will be having a final trip to Jumbos to get my decorations for the dining table - I think if it looks inviting it will be inviting - fingers crossed.<br /><p><br /></p></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-61444698873758973112024-01-06T07:10:00.001+02:002024-01-06T07:10:47.919+02:00In the garden<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTPHlKjXPDZ-xZzJCKn0r_A8JKcCpPMrFcVpFJ8gE7gyzNF_Sc-torGg9QgVySuj9TxkS4jcSvuRtdq395MkQeh2sCeUgGjYbR35C-oHZfYCK3-eEO-wXuI4UKDkkiKilpxflsGc7LBbOyjOvbQIYEfzQXzFv2SaW8iBjt0ouOt1ijHBg0En43dwvK9Sj/s960/facebook_1702446749372_7140579210681855151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="960" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTPHlKjXPDZ-xZzJCKn0r_A8JKcCpPMrFcVpFJ8gE7gyzNF_Sc-torGg9QgVySuj9TxkS4jcSvuRtdq395MkQeh2sCeUgGjYbR35C-oHZfYCK3-eEO-wXuI4UKDkkiKilpxflsGc7LBbOyjOvbQIYEfzQXzFv2SaW8iBjt0ouOt1ijHBg0En43dwvK9Sj/w640-h472/facebook_1702446749372_7140579210681855151.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Ahhhhh how young does John look? He is, as I am sure you can recognise, standing in the top row on the right. Apparently this was taken in the 1990s possibly 1998 at a Christmas 'do' held in Portsmouth - I didn't go to that one although we were married at the time. Not sure why I didn't but thinking back as to how messy they could be it might have been one of my better decisions!!!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLi2W_mhbEDzGvtqYFGoZbnU8U39tnwWoDZB1ezxzaNej5PXHhPy34mZgMbaWzUrQNeIE80r2T_KXONCd-vGsoX-z8FixNfbWLI_GDjWW0jaJCBSkI5rus8yCz9lZ5RmQP31jCOOC-eajKquLtwF57di6K2AuQT6lKt6pxRhMCkHfKAl5TvJaHwlRKqgFc/s4000/20231213_105827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLi2W_mhbEDzGvtqYFGoZbnU8U39tnwWoDZB1ezxzaNej5PXHhPy34mZgMbaWzUrQNeIE80r2T_KXONCd-vGsoX-z8FixNfbWLI_GDjWW0jaJCBSkI5rus8yCz9lZ5RmQP31jCOOC-eajKquLtwF57di6K2AuQT6lKt6pxRhMCkHfKAl5TvJaHwlRKqgFc/w640-h296/20231213_105827.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It was a glorious day today and I had earmarked time in the garden to deal with some of the plants that need cutting back so that they put on good growth next year. Today was the turn of the Podranea which graces the wooden arch. It is still growing and still flowering but in previous years leaving it up when it might get windy has been a recipe for disaster. The Podranea grows up the left of the arch and then up and over and because it flowers on the ends of new growth needs to be cut back hard otherwise the only people to benefit from its beautiful pink flowers are the goats when they come into the field next door. Growing up the right and up and over is the kiwi fruit which will soon be bereft of any leaves. It is growing well but I doubt it will ever bear fruit as even though the seller insisted it was self pollinating I am sure it is one which needs a partner of the opposite sex to do the do as it were.<div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqW1wH8JyCTUTyU8qbl1ipYW0_Xy1R_c2ogyjO-c81FBkglSR0aBq5isYn1mv6cIvhRgejgJd-RdJJMzaYYyk0e1XzmdRYb8fDNfN101vkNurCz5iEBUVsSBJ3mZQFbbJ3SHrBxjo99gSKH_rJsHQ3QD6enGYKFK0ZjHwlPa_oiQppH9dXHHyxLcZj_WQ/s4000/20231213_111341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqW1wH8JyCTUTyU8qbl1ipYW0_Xy1R_c2ogyjO-c81FBkglSR0aBq5isYn1mv6cIvhRgejgJd-RdJJMzaYYyk0e1XzmdRYb8fDNfN101vkNurCz5iEBUVsSBJ3mZQFbbJ3SHrBxjo99gSKH_rJsHQ3QD6enGYKFK0ZjHwlPa_oiQppH9dXHHyxLcZj_WQ/w640-h296/20231213_111341.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>I had some company whilst I was doing the haircut. This is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_shield_bug">green shield bug</a> and is quite pretty but its more common name a GREEN STINK BUG gives you a big enough clue to leave it alone. The weather is still warm enough that there are lizards still active in the garden along with a million snails and worse millipedes which seem to be reproducing at an alarming rate. The other evening we came home and on the wooden fence by our front gate which separates our path from Gregoris and Dora's garden there were hundreds and hundreds of what looked like newly hatched millipedes and they, like the green shield bug, stink if touched.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RadXPd5kUhyDSDXuQ58hz2eFkYyWOug02PgN8pq_peMu3Yxvto18IG1g_C7HJPij1qK-53GM-8EFOdZqdxwoyfo0aMb3sgFIoFOPGA1Nq6lxJXc6ZNXK-68izAyn7bYFXn_Kc9Fc-k4iDYfWX7ZhXx-wUY3szuvkdcj6HbNdcY6hPue_naGZfAxax7a7/s4000/20231213_111724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RadXPd5kUhyDSDXuQ58hz2eFkYyWOug02PgN8pq_peMu3Yxvto18IG1g_C7HJPij1qK-53GM-8EFOdZqdxwoyfo0aMb3sgFIoFOPGA1Nq6lxJXc6ZNXK-68izAyn7bYFXn_Kc9Fc-k4iDYfWX7ZhXx-wUY3szuvkdcj6HbNdcY6hPue_naGZfAxax7a7/w640-h296/20231213_111724.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>So we can see the wooden arch once more and we can also see the robin which my sister gave me. The kiwi has some straggly leaves left but I will probably remove them before they make a mess - it depends on the weather over the next could of days. The solanum got a bit of a haircut along with some of the osteospurmum which were creeping onto the path and after a quick whip round gathering up more tender plants which are in pots and putting them under the gazebo where we eat the garden was declared done for the day.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZGjEcXu4m7w2Y-dSiFJE9GO1dobMfgGTrgboJ_5-UkSc1e3kyTxjOs9xh2DBiHp6xRfev1KBcEtwNxSyM8kEFENtnmgt-j1QzfF9FoNxMtbwtjOY2JSrzeKnp094bPKsZG2EG1uKyqTXlk4TlMuFYDGTHR7pBJBxqw46bxR2krKBaK-_Ag4Ixq2HCEpr/s4000/20231213_160026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZGjEcXu4m7w2Y-dSiFJE9GO1dobMfgGTrgboJ_5-UkSc1e3kyTxjOs9xh2DBiHp6xRfev1KBcEtwNxSyM8kEFENtnmgt-j1QzfF9FoNxMtbwtjOY2JSrzeKnp094bPKsZG2EG1uKyqTXlk4TlMuFYDGTHR7pBJBxqw46bxR2krKBaK-_Ag4Ixq2HCEpr/s320/20231213_160026.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>We were eating up the chicken curry I had made last night - at first glance it didn't look to be a huge meal but it had morphed into something more like a biryani which is much more filling. I had however promised to make John some onion bhajis to pad it out so he was delighted when there was sufficient of both for him to have for a light lunch tomorrow when I go down and take Mum shopping.<div><br /></div><div>The bhajis were delicious - even nicer than what we had at Poppadoms when we went for Jan and Derek's farewell meal. I prefer my bhajis not to be too stodgy and the recipe I used last night meant that the onion was lightly coated in a tasty batter which wasn't heated too much so that the onion cooked and the coating browned and crisped perfectly.</div><div><br /></div><div>We had a quiet evening. Enjoying our food with a glass of wine and the woodburner roaring. I am off to physio tomorrow morning before taking mum shopping so I will be out of the house most of the day. John will be home to accept a delivery from the woodyard for the sheets of chipboard he has ordered for the underside of the new carport roof.</div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-8477178727245992052024-01-04T19:26:00.002+02:002024-01-04T19:26:42.041+02:00Stormy Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVDIDKPQb-1HWjCMJBq7h7lFPG1EhUvxhGfUF1rzCIvJQ-UQzG3or3GacPdb6O4cMM-deNz1pYNEptYPDuFw3J5gVHY1l8uoNObKvhry8PrsgGgoCk3fySpcLC9UQKCtsuMYi7iqUSOpEDnwewI4oGo3ZtCqztIMLEkoG3dwZ5pVK2pO8anrgBnaDSm3P/s4000/20231212_112016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVDIDKPQb-1HWjCMJBq7h7lFPG1EhUvxhGfUF1rzCIvJQ-UQzG3or3GacPdb6O4cMM-deNz1pYNEptYPDuFw3J5gVHY1l8uoNObKvhry8PrsgGgoCk3fySpcLC9UQKCtsuMYi7iqUSOpEDnwewI4oGo3ZtCqztIMLEkoG3dwZ5pVK2pO8anrgBnaDSm3P/w640-h296/20231212_112016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />It was a bright start to a day which became decidedly stormy sadly. I was off to my lazy exercise class in Neo Chorio - Neo Chorio means New Village which is somewhat at odds with the sign which welcomes you to the village which proudly announces - Welcome to our 300 year old Village! Neo Chorio is a very attractive village but with the new by-pass there will be many who simply skirt around the centre on the way to the picnic area at Smygies or walking in the Akamas.<p></p><p>Our exercise class had a definite Christmas Vibe today with Ermolia well into the festive spirit and singing and dancing along to some renditions of popular Christmas classics by what sounded like Pinky and Perky. We did a lot of arm work today with our poles and it was hard work although Erm does it all without the support of a stick and still manages a dreamy smile on her face. We are so busy concentrating on bringing our navels to our spines that we forget to breath until prompted!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHpj3Ed0T898mafQWVvPHsdgk-EQmV-lKE0vvKDVfG9pdriLKshMieKYqn4_KRG5fhBXNPuOTfOIf-kFn8_4n3rsB6wJa6UXQe4WfjBOVTWglTYlSz3tjE7BN2Gv0yldnI0s9iq_k8L479WSE9AY9ZrehhI2oNWF7KUmIaMPmVIgRYmO6k0frGDqXjjb0/s3264/20231212_110944.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHpj3Ed0T898mafQWVvPHsdgk-EQmV-lKE0vvKDVfG9pdriLKshMieKYqn4_KRG5fhBXNPuOTfOIf-kFn8_4n3rsB6wJa6UXQe4WfjBOVTWglTYlSz3tjE7BN2Gv0yldnI0s9iq_k8L479WSE9AY9ZrehhI2oNWF7KUmIaMPmVIgRYmO6k0frGDqXjjb0/w640-h294/20231212_110944.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />When I emerged from the class it was raining so the views across the bay were obscured by low cloud but even so the island is still beautiful even when it is raining. I had driven separately from Sonia because I had arranged to go and visit Sheila now that she is home from hospital and I wanted to nip across to the garden centre and get a gift voucher because Sheila and Klaus both have their birthdays around Christmas Time and the gift voucher can be used in the garden centre and/or the lovely cafe.<div><br />The smell of freshly cooked bacon butties was oh so tempting but I was good and didn't stop as I wanted to go shopping after I had seen Sheila.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwASR9QFWvAb5W4FG_6Ar1uDTZdJniH1-YHhsj-SoVVjPj1DIRJMNa5UNUjUv9R-ruwBY6OlaZNeWVqIyaRd1whCB1AKEVnhiYYLkPd7DpwgZAXuH7n_68fvF6kz8sSTLQeIqf1O7LIblzRn8Bp8JQmhbkY21dSZZXiH7emzKLOLuc23U85W6IcH2xI5f/s4000/20231212_130254.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwASR9QFWvAb5W4FG_6Ar1uDTZdJniH1-YHhsj-SoVVjPj1DIRJMNa5UNUjUv9R-ruwBY6OlaZNeWVqIyaRd1whCB1AKEVnhiYYLkPd7DpwgZAXuH7n_68fvF6kz8sSTLQeIqf1O7LIblzRn8Bp8JQmhbkY21dSZZXiH7emzKLOLuc23U85W6IcH2xI5f/s320/20231212_130254.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>The garden centre is a riot of colour mainly from the amazing display of poinsettia set against lush green foliage. I was tempted with one of the fabulous table centrepieces because we are going to use the poinsettia tablecloth which is a bit of a heirloom - we have had it for years. My plan is to nip into Jumbos later this week and pick up some bits and pieces to dress the table. I can't believe we had a load of artificial poinsettia flowers and we got rid of them and now I am thinking I should have kept them.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am pleased to say that Sheila looked a lot better than I was expecting and it was lovely to see both her and Klaus. The reason for Sheila's unexpected and unwelcome stay in hospital is still a mystery. Initially she thought she had food poisoning from some dodgy ice-cream but ended up with something much worse but which is still be explained. Fingers crossed this was just a one-off unfortunate incident.</div><div><br /></div><div>I raced back to Paps to do our shopping. One of John's favourite wines was on offer so I picked up several bottles and then felt embarrassed because my GP was in the queue behind me eyeing them up and down. I don't know if that was because he was interested in the offer or about to question me on my drinking habits!!!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCma0AU4XjBgo1Xn0BZ3iuW3gD2F23h4E8vwGGwsMzC6Y-mlgOBSl7ZVhsyU7nigN4FjDYFpEGPrbzQUZ01OOJvLgraIT3rHmO7s5PGHGdQBQccyKNmx9vgmL5JNtqjRt5aeMohS1Ml5u42U28ri2Fc399WFavkvrX1Epc3c5AhPIT7uPdX_i8sXbgKQRG/s4000/20231212_152517.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCma0AU4XjBgo1Xn0BZ3iuW3gD2F23h4E8vwGGwsMzC6Y-mlgOBSl7ZVhsyU7nigN4FjDYFpEGPrbzQUZ01OOJvLgraIT3rHmO7s5PGHGdQBQccyKNmx9vgmL5JNtqjRt5aeMohS1Ml5u42U28ri2Fc399WFavkvrX1Epc3c5AhPIT7uPdX_i8sXbgKQRG/w640-h296/20231212_152517.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><div><p>There was a very stormy sky on my way home. John had already lit the fire when I got in and I quickly rustled up a chicken curry for our tea. We were warm and cosy and full in no time at all.</p></div></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-21826363325919425002024-01-03T17:18:00.001+02:002024-01-03T17:18:11.814+02:00Weather conditions...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGxCiONAfVEDgHXXABIip-YQX72OPWDJMABMK65wwJ8g5dPcusCMguwSazo-00xcmzv7xgr9FnCj6h4Zcz2Pan1T_vXFxb_uZ5PSLQZ2BzFXJNMqt3QiXRxSxj0YNtmXRow0p9tG2hxjUDmbzWQvtgDgzmksDJOyeRONR-QYXyJ-0bv-ssNWy8BRqV_8u/s1080/FB_IMG_1702291015123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="1080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGxCiONAfVEDgHXXABIip-YQX72OPWDJMABMK65wwJ8g5dPcusCMguwSazo-00xcmzv7xgr9FnCj6h4Zcz2Pan1T_vXFxb_uZ5PSLQZ2BzFXJNMqt3QiXRxSxj0YNtmXRow0p9tG2hxjUDmbzWQvtgDgzmksDJOyeRONR-QYXyJ-0bv-ssNWy8BRqV_8u/w640-h300/FB_IMG_1702291015123.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />This is not my photograph - this is a screen shot taken from a webcam which is overlooking the city of Paphos on a very stormy Monday morning. We woke to thunder, lightning, rain, hail and gale force winds. There was nothing for it but to stay in bed until it passed. <div><br /></div><div>We read the papers, albeit online, snuggled up under the sheet and fluffy throw that I have allowed John to have. I was toasty warm as Miss Minnie had taken up her favourite spot on one of my pillows so that she was wrapped around my ears! Sorry I know that there are a whole raft of people who think it disgusting to have pets on beds but with so many dangers out there for cats we would much rather know where our three are. Having said that it is no joke when you are pinned down by Charlie on one side (weighing in at a stone) and Boris on the other (weighing in at a stone)!!!!<p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7MQaEQ5eCAW56XpTvHXn4drQ8WxDErLZKoyPwXOrDk6qqe7tAU7VK_m6-JeSttEylQ6yDxAXu0HVNXaIyXg6bfjHbKdhTZ2IX3lrbV8oqSRR8qg0qjJOsRp4reugS0mzOaeJqgav1XSIaMhSI5xEHVV_MK5n_FUYUBtZC9CiQ02rDFmfiFYOsMhzJk_0/s3264/20231211_122108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="3264" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7MQaEQ5eCAW56XpTvHXn4drQ8WxDErLZKoyPwXOrDk6qqe7tAU7VK_m6-JeSttEylQ6yDxAXu0HVNXaIyXg6bfjHbKdhTZ2IX3lrbV8oqSRR8qg0qjJOsRp4reugS0mzOaeJqgav1XSIaMhSI5xEHVV_MK5n_FUYUBtZC9CiQ02rDFmfiFYOsMhzJk_0/w640-h294/20231211_122108.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Amazingly that awful weather passed through and so we were then treated to an absolutely amazing afternoon of glorious sunshine and lovely warm temperatures. How amazing is this island? Being able to get outside meant that I was able to give the garden a bit of a tidy after the ravages of the strong winds. Everything is sodden but there is still a lot of colour and a quick tidy up made it look all the better.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0l_aN_oFrCW1wqAeHHeq0s1PwAYMEMbGf5eCjgdbmAoejsLG94foICjh7LZR0s6X1a_wE3zc0xYzlJ5YQg2TJTkX1D5-zzgSB-iElh9vw_fGuPpohEy0Mc9LRZgXH_LWFAKQ3sI43SrpPVTGKef4xkgW8f6iY_9rnnovcp2sWpTPFNThrks0R-4500s5/s885/FB_IMG_1702312779919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0l_aN_oFrCW1wqAeHHeq0s1PwAYMEMbGf5eCjgdbmAoejsLG94foICjh7LZR0s6X1a_wE3zc0xYzlJ5YQg2TJTkX1D5-zzgSB-iElh9vw_fGuPpohEy0Mc9LRZgXH_LWFAKQ3sI43SrpPVTGKef4xkgW8f6iY_9rnnovcp2sWpTPFNThrks0R-4500s5/s320/FB_IMG_1702312779919.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>John was ecstatic that we had the day at home doing very little. It is something that doesn't happen very often - for us that was one of the joys of lockdown. <div><br /></div><div>We are busy getting ready for the festive season - planning where we are going to seat everyone and feed everyone and taxi those that need - we will get there and if we can only give our guests beans on toast they will be festive beans on toast.</div><div><br /></div><div>It amazes me that every year we say we have plenty of Christmas decorations and we don't need any more and then we have to rush out and get more to meet our needs. I am currently busy making my Jumbos list for Friday when I will make my final visit to that wondrous store for decor to grace my dining table - John is going to have to make a bigger top to fit over the existing table in order that 6 people can sit comfortably to enjoy their Turkey and/or Gammon, the roasties and yorkies, stuffing, sauces, industrial amounts of veggies and puddings. It is challenging but will be fun - hopefully.</div><div><div><br /><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-89758231589461455632024-01-02T21:02:00.002+02:002024-01-02T21:02:22.831+02:00Mare's Tails<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34i72gaCqIS0yW7wlZzx-vqrQw_p8plLvkiSK9Wk0JKNq5aPUUBrhDnyTDT1UxhlYn5OqQmyJMsHJMeUfzU8I84GKsm4uT6PxPEinuqi0StCEzLKm0Jzg5hj91vR2zyzwhQMqwTUo1VtD2-zLwnLoQeO6_tKKn6IarxfrB6iPQE-hQQ3gI9ie25ptf3oq/s4000/20231210_065612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34i72gaCqIS0yW7wlZzx-vqrQw_p8plLvkiSK9Wk0JKNq5aPUUBrhDnyTDT1UxhlYn5OqQmyJMsHJMeUfzU8I84GKsm4uT6PxPEinuqi0StCEzLKm0Jzg5hj91vR2zyzwhQMqwTUo1VtD2-zLwnLoQeO6_tKKn6IarxfrB6iPQE-hQQ3gI9ie25ptf3oq/w640-h296/20231210_065612.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />There was an unexpectedly nice start to the day this morning and although the forecast was not good we did actually have a reasonably nice day and it was dry. I took this photograph just before 7.00am as the sun was coming up - the position has change dramatically over the months - in the summer I would see this happening way more over to the left. It would be interesting to do one a month same time, same day to see how it changes.<p></p><p>We had organised to go to the Railway for lunch with Mum and Lilian - it's not my favourite (venue) as Stan would say but the food is honest pub grub and not overly priced and mum likes it. Although, as I learned today when taking Mum, the access to the toilets is up some very very steep steps - she would never have made it on her own.</p><p>I think when we arrived at Mums that her sugar levels were low as she was definitely not herself as she went to look for a scarf in the cutlery drawer. However as soon as she had eaten something she was much more her normal self.</p><p>Things didn't start well at the Railway as they couldn't find our booking even though I had the email to confirm it and then they placed us by a rickety table which was holding an even more rickety Christmas Tree which John managed to knock over and destroy!</p><p>Mum then proceeded to eat a huge meal, more than I did!!! She shared pate and toast with Lilian and then ate the best part of her main meal which was roast chicken with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, Stuffing, carrots, cauliflower cheese, cabbage and mashed potato!!! Once I realised she was struggling to cut the crispy roast potatoes and got John to cut them up for her she was well away.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdoYq3QbxSKibo5ApsnSg4aSwhhTiAas_hLFfoIzYvxrxBPc3Hj-rszeu-SKh73acK2tGMrJf_aga4tHWPCz4zBB7xFgvT1pRd-seyYKzOOi28xIYEMjFCco4U3uYNITQhzvNjpYyzJwmX4yCYQEKio-P4UHuDCLfnufOoXYg-WoOcV0PbjAv0LaVsKbp/s4000/20231210_154700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdoYq3QbxSKibo5ApsnSg4aSwhhTiAas_hLFfoIzYvxrxBPc3Hj-rszeu-SKh73acK2tGMrJf_aga4tHWPCz4zBB7xFgvT1pRd-seyYKzOOi28xIYEMjFCco4U3uYNITQhzvNjpYyzJwmX4yCYQEKio-P4UHuDCLfnufOoXYg-WoOcV0PbjAv0LaVsKbp/s320/20231210_154700.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>We went back to Mum's for a cup of tea before we took Lilian home, calling in so that John could dismantle her hoover and extricate the ball of something which her cleaner had got well and truly lodged in the pipe.<div><br /></div><div>The sky on the way home had an amazing cloud formation which I said to John looked like horses tails - and actually that is exactly right - this cloud formation is called Cirrus Uncinus. The name is derived from Latin meaning Curly Hooks or more commonly Mares' Tails. Cirrus Uncinus cloud formations are a crowd-pleaser apparently, this is because of their majestic and distinct look, high in altitude and fibrous in nature. Unfortunately these clouds can predict bad weather in the upcoming 24-48 hours as they can signify an incoming weather front which turned out to be completely accurate.</div><div><br /></div><div>We got home in daylight and had a tidy up because we had invited Pete and Gail round for a catch up - we haven't seen Pete since he returned from the UK and he was there for 2 weeks and prior to that we had visitors so it has been ages.</div><div><br /></div><div>They came around 6.00pm and John had the house all lovely warm and toasty and all the Christmas Decs were up and looking nice so it was a pleasant and relaxed few hours. I had warned them I wasn't doing food!!!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZDkzvcpiSv2U3xy-K64LlJlRSBufU1MhYMPRzCYdi5MbugIyFlJxgWIgL3tZSGyeccO73SDZCYyR4QVPTWAMkqteY_bHkQsSFjBqZXU4kq7UZScS2QywGLeS4TzCdoq3fhAlJbbud2xCulE9WqHx8BrulggoCKkf8hvfDHnfbVOld8mn5wv4DwjCgANV/s1080/FB_IMG_1702223510060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZDkzvcpiSv2U3xy-K64LlJlRSBufU1MhYMPRzCYdi5MbugIyFlJxgWIgL3tZSGyeccO73SDZCYyR4QVPTWAMkqteY_bHkQsSFjBqZXU4kq7UZScS2QywGLeS4TzCdoq3fhAlJbbud2xCulE9WqHx8BrulggoCKkf8hvfDHnfbVOld8mn5wv4DwjCgANV/w640-h480/FB_IMG_1702223510060.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I will close with this photograph which was on social media - it was taken by the new owners of Mum and Dad's old house - the one that they had built. It looks lovely and Dad would have been chuffed to bits to know that his dream has become someone else's dream with Nicky and Mark as custodians in between. It was and still is a great house.<br /><div><br /></div><div><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #737373; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #737373; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px !important; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem;"><br /></p></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-46328461334320246282024-01-01T16:46:00.003+02:002024-01-01T16:46:44.241+02:00Christmas Wrapping...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFrZdYxeNzajaS6qgE3mIuimqlge9ZSV876KxWTJAPJtsADp6qL7Tfj8SynC9edLJcwTAkJr8aG6kJNP6mKCHePf8_S_GZZG9dtDwTMG2o2K7Fg-2tBXKmwVEYckUNErzmvKT-shY5FNy0XljwwvzObkVfXzLLoIya0UeIns29zOA-KgMcYiFkY0chg0h/s4000/20231209_160304.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1844" data-original-width="4000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjFrZdYxeNzajaS6qgE3mIuimqlge9ZSV876KxWTJAPJtsADp6qL7Tfj8SynC9edLJcwTAkJr8aG6kJNP6mKCHePf8_S_GZZG9dtDwTMG2o2K7Fg-2tBXKmwVEYckUNErzmvKT-shY5FNy0XljwwvzObkVfXzLLoIya0UeIns29zOA-KgMcYiFkY0chg0h/w640-h296/20231209_160304.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Not so bad today as forecast, John wanted to watch the Mighty Blades this afternoon now that Chris Wilder is back in charge and on his second game which was, apparently, winnable and as it happens actually was, not that it made any difference to their league position but the vibe and performance were both positive so that must be a good thing. Our supper was sorted - fillet steak from Shuks and our brunch was to be something with croissants that John had seen on Insta. I was on present wrapping. We have very few by way of real gifts rather than Sac Magique ones but I do like to make whatever it is we have bought look nice.<p></p><p>Nicky and Mark won't be here on Christmas Eve for our annual book <a href="https://adventures.is/blog/iceland-christmas-eve-tradition/#:~:text=In%20Iceland%2C%20%27book%20flood%27,or%20even%20a%20special%20beer.">exchange</a> and we haven't seen them for ages (although we are out with them next week) so I am not sure whether they will want to do it in advance or at all nevertheless I have made sure we are prepared if it is going ahead.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQ2oBAGVk8e1oa9eFT6wc8Uwea1uV5G5IYd4mSoYjd1sW3fQSoEeM-7g5W5zL4seTtEb0m18fu2V6mGaTK2z0Q8zSpBhaQhmNNlzD2qLZuk1B7PFRHW48SRBwaEfT1yfbcTzgb-fttTRjougDVVSbe7uT8HANlWOgsgPso4LteTbaftPvSs6c7LiDnLlg/s4000/20231209_160338.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQ2oBAGVk8e1oa9eFT6wc8Uwea1uV5G5IYd4mSoYjd1sW3fQSoEeM-7g5W5zL4seTtEb0m18fu2V6mGaTK2z0Q8zSpBhaQhmNNlzD2qLZuk1B7PFRHW48SRBwaEfT1yfbcTzgb-fttTRjougDVVSbe7uT8HANlWOgsgPso4LteTbaftPvSs6c7LiDnLlg/s320/20231209_160338.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>My wrapping took far longer than anticipated not least because I kept losing the one and only teeny tiny roll of sellotape which had put in an appearance in my craft drawers even though we know John bought several.<div><br /></div><div>I have been collecting boxes for a while in order to facilitate the wrapping of awkward shared items of which there were many! I also had six personalised Christmas goose bags to prepare in lieu of crappy crackers on Christmas Day, having said that each bag contains a miniature 'cocktail' cracker complete with snap but no bigger than a cigar!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Very rudely Gail has a birthday on 4th January so that meant another different lot of wrapping paper!</div><div><br /></div><div>I eventually got myself in a position where order was restored from chaos just in time to start the supper prep. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...</div><div><p><br /></p></div>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-5444990407143329612023-12-31T15:59:00.001+02:002023-12-31T15:59:09.305+02:00Vile weather...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibr8W7oxn8u8Og1Qhs9J-cjCM1FjyHPUTiwFAbEjuHIEEaYRCsR6UxrhTeIFrNqt0RiR19G8ZYPbof1qTPC20DnZrPvjzMrf95_EhznDeGURzPjMhU1SNUTrPTIqFg5fWSYnm0tI42Kc6O1xLu7j0QXkSgAI6YBP4YBvOMawMivrb5WT8KtdDrcWt0l4i7/s313/images.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="161" data-original-width="313" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibr8W7oxn8u8Og1Qhs9J-cjCM1FjyHPUTiwFAbEjuHIEEaYRCsR6UxrhTeIFrNqt0RiR19G8ZYPbof1qTPC20DnZrPvjzMrf95_EhznDeGURzPjMhU1SNUTrPTIqFg5fWSYnm0tI42Kc6O1xLu7j0QXkSgAI6YBP4YBvOMawMivrb5WT8KtdDrcWt0l4i7/w640-h329/images.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br />Jesus the weather is vile today but amazingly Droushia avoided any power outages whereas Mum did not down in Paphos and when everyone had their power restored after many hours she did not because something had tripped the main trip. Fortunately her lovely gardener Graham lives nearby and so we were able to ask him to help her which was good because at the point when she phoned to say she had a problem in the house both John and I had drunk a glass of wine or two.<p></p><p>Our day started with a trip to Polis so that John could do some shopping and I could go to the Physio for my weekly session. It was my tenth today - I had thought I would stop then but having done something to my 'good' shoulder the other week I have decided to carry on irrespective of whether our insurance covers it or not. My session is 20 euros which is my treat to myself. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_U13OiHQV3lEhLsl2AUng5UD0ChUm5w8_X-moRnbZPsoVIAMMgkGNRCu-ZKQczayJHZcM8_FrAdjGeqXvkUbzQyQKUMvikDgf6oirmaaw7r9zWHQj2TAhHiWC4I1HStxBm1rRvs5fmSOY_f-Btmw0aGFI48Vn8ukd2sDNH9Ga2SudI5foh-qoDYR-LA_f/s2582/20231208_194027.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="2582" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_U13OiHQV3lEhLsl2AUng5UD0ChUm5w8_X-moRnbZPsoVIAMMgkGNRCu-ZKQczayJHZcM8_FrAdjGeqXvkUbzQyQKUMvikDgf6oirmaaw7r9zWHQj2TAhHiWC4I1HStxBm1rRvs5fmSOY_f-Btmw0aGFI48Vn8ukd2sDNH9Ga2SudI5foh-qoDYR-LA_f/w640-h246/20231208_194027.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />On our return home we decided that we would start decorating the house for Christmas - it was so shit outside we needed something to do that would make us feel warm and cosy!! We both, unashamedly, love Christmas and, although we say every year that we have enough decorations we have decided that you can never ever have too many!!!<p></p><p>I will have Mum and Lilian and Gail and Pete here on Christmas Day and I want it to be one of the best Christmas lunches they have ever had - I have been getting the Christmas Bags ready for the table which I prefer to shitty cheap crackers for ages and I have already started to get things ready for the meal in advance.</p><p>We did get to speak to Argy today - the inclement weather has caused power outages and issues all over the place so we wanted to make sure everything was ok at their house. It was so lovely to see Argy looking better than when we had last seen her. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>THIS WAS ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO. TODAY IS ACTUALLY NEW YEAR'S EVE. WE ARE STAYING AT HOME AND GOING OUT FOR A SUPER FABULOUS FARMYARD CARVERY LUNCH TOMORROW. THE REMAINING POSTS FOR 2023 WILL BE POSTED DAILY UNTIL THE BLOG COMES TO THE END OF 2023 AND THEN I AM HANGING UP MY KEYBOARD.</b></p>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574505030966039503.post-11573193514873320812023-12-30T21:03:00.003+02:002023-12-30T21:03:56.940+02:00Stormy Weather...<p>The weather has gone bonkers - stormy, stormy, stormy which isn't so great having said that I have so much stuff I need to do to clear up after a visitor and to get ready for Christmas that I am quite glad to be enforced to be at home. Having said that I had promised Mum that I would take her shopping and I also picked up Lilian as she is still unable to drive. That all worked well as we had a mooch around Lidl where we were all able to pick up some nice bits and pieces and then I dropped them off at Sklavenitis and I was able to go to the bank (a) to get our monthly money as we are Luddites who like to deal in cash and (b) to get Mum's next three months rental monies and (c) to ask if I could up my withdrawal limit on my cash card which amazingly I could and which they actioned there and then - thank you Alpha Bank.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2d6a3mdTHb5A216YT8tS5BnldQBqNw0fac0yMsnGQMJXAYOA9aPiiJXaa6LPYDRPcYXAAG18Afi5DJkz8U0HMwRSDkuTahc66qFr4hi3hvL7_O_7j3tnl-9OVw38HDkU-Ee6fkfsAP5sC3pROFhQxKHgS3nnSs0czBn6vj29hsiWcTs15p0Ygkh-1upM/s2000/cup-of-tea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2d6a3mdTHb5A216YT8tS5BnldQBqNw0fac0yMsnGQMJXAYOA9aPiiJXaa6LPYDRPcYXAAG18Afi5DJkz8U0HMwRSDkuTahc66qFr4hi3hvL7_O_7j3tnl-9OVw38HDkU-Ee6fkfsAP5sC3pROFhQxKHgS3nnSs0czBn6vj29hsiWcTs15p0Ygkh-1upM/w640-h426/cup-of-tea.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />We all had a 'cuppa' in Sklavs which is Mum's favourite hobby although she moans like hell about the tea and its production but I am so used to it now that I just try not to take any notice!!! The seat she takes has to be comfortable otherwise we need a plethora of cushions to make it acceptable and it should preferably be indoors and out of a draft, anyone smoking or loud music - then the tea has to be water and tea bag separate and English Breakfast Tea only, none of that foreign rubbish. The tea has to be served in a tea cup where she can get her finger into the handle. Easy peasy - never!!!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1_0WDHODSyvBw9VUMo5OVozY0QD8C8ryzrWtricJUQOypojsxj5D4skBfIalJUOLEdPXBQkXGEIXyaQN15C0GZz89EYtKuvnF3g31NjzSBJNu4OBGNvUc7VLE5PRvQB6KqZS2Mz9dJo2_DISqiMztIg5NeNdQpEiFFLYlqEAI0MQg4gRu1jmeGntWtPm/s550/pizzas-massas-mamma-mia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="550" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1_0WDHODSyvBw9VUMo5OVozY0QD8C8ryzrWtricJUQOypojsxj5D4skBfIalJUOLEdPXBQkXGEIXyaQN15C0GZz89EYtKuvnF3g31NjzSBJNu4OBGNvUc7VLE5PRvQB6KqZS2Mz9dJo2_DISqiMztIg5NeNdQpEiFFLYlqEAI0MQg4gRu1jmeGntWtPm/w640-h480/pizzas-massas-mamma-mia.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I returned Mum and Lilian to their respective homes before getting home myself. We were going to Mamma Mia in Argaka this evening with Liselotte and John before they disappear for the Festive Season. It was just lovely - quite busy so the atmosphere was great and they were still doing the buy one biggy pizza and get a small one for 4 euros so it was a win-win. A really lovely evening - it always is when we see them although this year that hasn't been quite so often as previously but LL has many commitments back in Denmark.</p><p> <span style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202124; font-family: inherit; font-size: 28px;">Glædelig jul </span>dear friends!</p>John and Jill Wisemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859483851030812637noreply@blogger.com0