Year: 2010

We took Rosie out and were joined by another village dog. I have been downloading a UK programme “How to take stunning pictures”. Who knows my pictures may improve. The one on pets suggested you photograph parts of their body, showing texture, which may make them more interesting. Ah well, I gave it a try! Only having a basic Panasonic Lumix I don’t think the quality will ever reach the standard on the TV programme with their £2K+ cameras. The morning clouds were stunning.

Sadly the Kulakisz 5 saga continues. I can only try and imagine how these poor pensioners are feeling at this time. It really is beyond belief that this is allowed to continue and no one seems to be able/want to do anything about it. Is it ABLE or WANT TO?  see link BUT Akfinans bank will potentially make a profit of around £800,000 from a £40,000 loan, so you can see why some people would not want this to change.

I was still feeling ‘under the weather’. We had decided to go and buy paint and plants but didn’t get very far because I was feeling drained. We did get as far as buying some of the sealant for under the terrace. Trees and plants another day.

In the evening the rain came down, just as Mal was saying to delay buying the trees as the ground was too hard. That excuse won’t hold water now (excuse the pun) as we had a lot of rain and a fantastic storm. I just love sitting under the terrace watching the lightning. I had just finished cooking dinner when the inevitable happened, a power cut. A candle lit dinner during which we had the largest, nearest clap of thunder I have ever heard. It made both of us jump and even Rosie ran outside to see what it was. Normally she is not bothered in the slightest by storms, unlike our last Golden Retriever who would start shaking before we were even aware a storm was on its way.

The power cut only lasted about an hour but then of course we were left without internet.

Thought for the Day – “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough” – Albert Einstein

Whatever bug it is we have, seems to be a bit of an “up and down” one. We thought we were feeling better so Mal decided it was time to clean out the under swimming pool cupboard. A job we have been putting off probably since we moved in! Oh, the junk we had under there. Mal took everything out and we went through the lot. Mal insists that the small trampoline, the rowing machine and the exercise bike we will use, so up to the house (mmm, we will see!)

Our two bikes as well, which haven’t been used owing to a cycle ride one way or the other will entail an enormous hill which I don’t think either of us could ride a bike up. As Mal said, when petrol runs out we will be glad of them…..back in the cupboard. Perhaps he wasn’t as well as I had presumed!

We discovered lots more things we had forgotten about. At least now we can get in the cupboard, which is huge and runs the whole length of the pool.

When emptying boxes we found a 2004 edition of Cyprus Today, so we can compare prices see link. When comparing prices remember the change in exchange rate!

By the evening I was so tired but couldn’t sleep, aching legs and a ‘bunged up’ head, no not better yet!

Thought for the Day :  “A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort”  – Herm Albright

Neither of us felt 100% so Mal took Rosie and I went to buy Cyprus Today see link There was an excellent article in it by Bertil Wedin.

Mustafa, our neighbour, called out to us and asked if we could trim our lantana hedge as it was growing into his olive tree. Mal said of course he would and hadn’t done it before because there was no way he was stepping foot on his land without Mustafa’s permission. We remember what he did to one of our workers! He gave his permission and Mal hopped over the wall and trimmed it all. I had another exciting time cleaning more shutters!

Hopefully the pair of us will feel back to normal soon.

Thought for the Day – “Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life” – Burton Hills

It was our wedding anniversary. Our trip to Istanbul was our celebration really but we planned to go out for a meal in the evening. Well, we are on the ‘edge’of some sort of bug, not surprising when everywhere we went in the UK people had sore throats, coughs and colds and the same on the plane back.

We both had fuzzy heads and have felt so tired for the past few days. By the time the evening came neither of us wanted to make the effort to go out and more to the point, neither of us felt very hungry. So, we stayed in and watched downloads on the TV!!

Our meal out can be postponed until we feel a bit more like it.

Thought for the Day – “A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water” – Eleanor Roosevelt

We took Rosie and then went inot Girne to find the new Cyprus Nature Library. We understood it to be behind the Colony Hotel. We walked all round and couldn’t find it and we were just about to give up and then discovered it is down a small roadway, to the right hand side of the Colony, in a big building next to the betting place. If you see the sign Home drom, it is in the same building and just keep going up the stairs. I think the pictures may show it better!

An interesting visit. Membership is 50tl and they are looking for volunteers for three hourly shifts.

For more information see link

Thought for the Day – “I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back” – Maya Angelou

We took Rosie to the beach and were down there for the sun rise, the other side of the beach the moon was still out! She just loves her swims. Mal threw the ball out too far and the tide took it. Mal paddled with Rosie, I was wondering whether he was actually going to swim to get it! Another ball lost but when we did this before we found the tide had brought it back about a week later! Who knows.

Later in the day we watched the Man U game. Looks as though Chicarito is their new hero…what a header for his first goal.

We had a visitor, the man who we bought our land from. It was his father’s land before he passed away. Mal asked him up to see how the land had changed. He told Mal that he hadn’t wanted to sell it but it sounded as though other siblings had wanted to. He loved the view and said if we were ever thinking of selling to let him know. He also told Mal that this land was exchanged for land in Paphos in 1984.

Thought for the Day – “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing” – George Bernard Shaw

A nice walk with Rosie and then I went to Atakara. Tomatoes are still expensive (for here) 5.40tl  a kilo. I guess they are still importing them from Turkey. I also bought Cyprus Today see link. I read the article about CTA and it left me totally confused! Talking of which, having booked a ticket early,back to Ercan after Christmas with Pegasus, I have now discovered that they have a promotion on! I can now buy the ticket £45 cheaper one way! I obviously jumped too soon….thanks Pegasus! CTA worked the opposite way, the earlier you booked, the cheaper the ticket. I am not happy!

In the afternoon we watched the football. Mal was not happy, the Hammers lost 2-1. Oh dear, down, down, comes to mind!

Thought for the Day – “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill