Month: September 2011

Lyn and Stu visited in the morning. It is a long time since we have caught up. The time seems to go so quickly here (or is it an age thing?!) It was lovely to see them. Rosie was limping again and Lyn suggested a Bio – flow collar for her. I had heard of them before but hadn’t actually thought of trying one for Rosie. The site says that there is a 3 month money back return policy, so Lyn has offered to get one for me when they return to the UK. For anyone else who may have a dog with arthritis, see link. They also make them for cats. I think this is preferable to constant pain killers and I have nothing to lose. Thank you Lyn, very much appreciated!

It was Ollie’s first day at school. I hope it all goes well for him.

Thought for the Day – “Dogs are miracles with paws.” ~ Susan Kennedy

Google weather forecast was for rain and a storm. Mal said they were crazy but sure enough in the afternoon, black clouds came over the mountains. Well we had about 5 minutes light rain and thunder rumbled around the mountain. The rain was lovely and Rosie ran around in it but not enough to do anything to our gasping plants. I understand Arapkőy, Lefkoşa and Alagadi to name but a few, had quite a downpour.

You can just about see the beginning of it on the pool.

Thought for the Day – “Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain” ~ Author Unknown  (I did!)

Shopping and we bought Cyprus Today see link. We went to Ileli and they still have their Jacobs Cronat Gold coffee at 6.90tl which is at least 2tl cheaper than the other supermarkets. They are also selling Blossom Hill wine for 7.50tl, a choice of red, white or rose. I  bought some baby aubergines (1.50tl a kilo) and cooked aubergine casserole with herbs. Surprisingly Mal liked it! Having spent many years of his existence as a veggie, he does like his meat now. I think it was the roasted corriander and cumin seeds that gave it such a food flavour. If you look for it they are also doing Özde thai rice 800 grams for 2.30tl.

We arrived home to more gun fire from the hunters far too close again. It was only afterwards I read in one of the papers that the number to call for the ‘rangers’ is 140. I wonder if they would get here in time if we call them.

Thought for the Day -“Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself. ” ~ James Anthony Froude

A day for a bit more gardening, only in short half hour spurts and then in for a drink of water.I planted more basil, corriander and parsley seeds.

Caper bushes  keep springing up all over the place. It looks as though the ants enjoy the buds.

Thought for the Day – “Ah summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.” ~ Russell Baker

A much hotter day, they did warn us temperatures were on the rise again but it is cooler overnight.

In the evening we went to see a nest excavation of the Loggerhead turtles.  It always excites me seeing the tiny turtles. For more information see link. It is well worth going to see them if you haven’t before, it is one of the ‘gems’ of the TRNC.

We arrived at 6.30 and quite a few of us went to the wrong cafe, so we missed the talk but we had heard it before anyway. Then we all walked along the beach to the nest. Some had been spotted leaving the nest in the morning and we were told a lot more had left during the afternoon (one of the photos shows their “footprints”.)  The nest excavation started with the volunteers gently moving the sand away. It seems that 58 out of the 68 eggs were successful.  The nest had hatched 4 days early, probably because of the increase in temperature.

We were not allowed to use flash photography and so this time I have no pictures of the baby turtles waddling down to the sea when they were released as it was completely dark. It really is amazing to watch.

The video that Mal made see link

You can obtain information from the link I have entered above and there are still a lot of nests waiting to hatch.  OR Phone 0533 879 8533

A big thank you to all the volunteers!

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Thought for the Day – “We are not separate from nature, like everything else, we are nature.” ~ Richard Dimbleby

Lie in on a Sunday?…..ha ha! No peace after 5.45. The hunters were out again, just below us in the ravine. I have to say this is the first time they have sprinkled shot on to our swimming pool terrace. Willy came out and shouted to them, as usual they are far to near houses, I don’t think they understand the 500 meter rule (conveniently). One of them also shouted something to me, I guess it is just as well my Turkish isn’t that good. After all the shouting they fired a few more shots at random, I am sure to tell us they really didn’t care.

Tristan, Amanda and little Violet came on the web cam early afternoon, it’s great to see the grandchildren growing up and not missing quite so much.

Sunday should be a day of rest so I spent a lot of the day reading. It’s good now I have a Kindle as I have masses of books on there and so don’t have to load my case down with books every time I return to the UK.

 

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Thought for the Day – “The weak can never forgive. Foregiveness is the attribute of the strong.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Cyprus Today see link. Our thoughts are with Rauf Denktaş.

The weather was a little cloudy but hotter.

Mal saw a very big chameleon in the garden but by the time he had the camera, he had skulked off under a bush.

Rosie decided to have a mad run around the gardens in the evening and then started limping. She never learns.

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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 Barr