Month: March 2011

Well, it seems the weather forecasts were right. We had storms and rain during the night and then when we went to take Rosie out, quite a shock to see snow on the mountains behind us.

I thought Pauline’s article was quite interesting too see link

The log burner was burning all day and the house was lovely and warm. We had arranged to go out for a meal with Christa and Robin in the evening. It would have been very tempting to stay in the warm. However we met them at Veni Vici and had our dinner there. It was pretty average. We had been told that the ‘earlybird’ menu was 25tl for three courses but when we arrived discovered it is actually two courses for 25tl, desert is extra  and it is not a choice off the main menu but a seperate menu. It was nice to see Christa and Robin again.

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Thought for the Day – “Advice is like snow – the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper in sinks into the mind. ” ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge

 

 

Where has Spring gone? Storms and rain overnight, temperatures due to be less than in the UK!

We had a cup of tea in bed first thing and heard a bang in the lounge but didn’t think much of it. When we did get up, there was a dead bird on the floor, poor thing must have banged into the window or the patio doors.

I bought the paper see link

Later we went out to lunch with Margaretha to The Rocks. Good company and a very good lunch. It was just a pity the service was let down by my main course arriving before I had finished my starter, which meant it was left on the table getting cold and it was, I quote “because they were busy”!! Not the service of a 5 star hotel.

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Thought for the Day -“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”  ~ Charles Dickens

 

 

 

The weather seems a bit like Uk weather at the moment. The sun is out and then we have a downpour.

Mal and I went to the shops. Ya Beles are selling tomatoes for 40 kurus a kilo, for the uninitiated that is about 15p a kilo! Small potatoes, ideal for salads are 50 kurus a kilo. This is a good time of year for salad and vegetables.

We went to the yapi market for a new outside tap as ours is broken (7tl). We also paid the electricity bill as the bank was not very busy at all.  Mal fixed the tap as soon as we got back.

Rosie seems to be improving with her medicenes thank goodness and has even emptied her toy box out today and thrown her ball all round the room. She is obviously in revolt because she doesn’t get the ball thrown on her very short walks now. At least thanks to Prof Dr Huriye she has certainly perked up.

More rain and when I looked at the weather forecast it says that Girne temperature is the same as London at the moment! It also is forecasting ONE degree here overnight on Thursday.

Thought for the Day – “To err is human, to forgive, canine”

 

Short walk for Rosie again, she is really not impressed but hopefully she will improve in time.

We had rain during the night and a few showers in the morning. Mal and I were watching a pair of kestrels who are obviously nesting very near.  We watched them with their babies last year, so eventually we hope we can watch the same performance this year. The babies are so noisy though when they are being taught to hunt.

We have an old wheelbarrow with a broken wheel so I have planted succulent cuttings in it. They won’t need too much watering in the summer and hopefully will spread and fill it up. Some of them are the really tender ones that Rosie tends to jump on when chasing lizards. I just pick up the bits and plant them somewhere else.

A picture of Josie who fell asleep on Tariq…..aaaah!

 

 

Thought for the Day – “A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing and the lawn mower is broken” – James Dent

It was 2.00 am when we went to bed!  I think we felt a bit tired all day. Just as well we don’t do too much on a Sunday.

In the afternoon we watched the Man U v Liverpool game. A huge defeat for Man U, I guess they were missing Vidic! Next the Spurs game, at least they managed a draw.

In the evening we spoke to the boys, they seem to all be doing well at school. Both River and Sol are now doing Tai Kwan do. Tariq of course thinks there is nothing but football. Mal took great pleasure in mentioning Hammers win (3-0) as they are all Man U supporters.

Thought for the Day – “Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best.” – Tim Duncan

We started Rosie on her regime of short walks. By the time we get all the way down the bottom of the drive, it is almost time to turn back! But a very short walk it was and she seemed surprised, no ball throwing, in fact not exciting at all for her. It’s for her own good and she does have a lot of gardens to walk around in.

I went to buy Cyprus Today see link and get some petrol. It was 2.45tl  last week when I bought it. This week 2.59tl a litre and according to Cyprus Today, the petrol stations are threatening to strike.

Hammers won 3-0!

In the evening Res and Steve invited David, Kenny, Mal and I round for a meal. Good food and good company, thank you Res and Steve and pleased to see that air guitar is alive and well after all this time!

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Thought for the Day – “Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgement” – Barry LePatner

 

Another beautiful day. Mal went out to do more clearing the front ready for the trees to be planted.

Rosie has been limping for a while, raising her right back leg. She did this last winter and we guessed it was athritis but it seems to be getting worse and so decided to take her to the vets just in case it may be hip dysplasia, we have no idea who her breeder was. The vet at Animalia is the best we have found here (our personal opinion) but he is in Lefkosa.

So, we decided we would try the local vet. We went along to Prof Dr. Hurriye Horoz Kaya. She is on the main road, the one with the model donkey outside. Her address is 47B Yesiltepe. Tel: 00 90 392 821 1143.  Once we managed to get Rosie over the threshold, using Cesar Millan techniques, she let the vet examine her leg and pull and push it around.  Rosie has a dislike for vets ever since her snake bite but behaved well. Yes, she confirmed it is canine athritis, the ball and socket joint is rubbing bone to bone.  She gave us chondroitin to build the cartilage and Rimadyl for the pain.  She also suggested vitamins B1 and B6 and this will also help her other urinary problem. The bill came to 120tl but in all fairness, the two lots of tablets cost 105tl.

She was very good with Rosie and we came away very satisfied with her diagnosis. Had this not been the case we would have travelled to Lefkosa to Animalia for a second opinion.

Sadly Rosie’s walks have to be greatly reduced. Perhaps when the cartilage has improved, we may be able to take her further. The vet did ask how old Rosie was and when we said 7, she said that was old. I don’t think we thought that as our dogs tend to live to 14 or 15.  The last thing of course is that she has to lose weight.

In the evening we watched the last episode of “The Promise”. It certainly made us think about Israel and Palestine.

Thought for the Day – “Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in the car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear.” – Dave Barry