Month: November 2011

We had a power cut in the morning, thankfully not for too long as we both wanted a shower before we went out.

We met up with Bev and Gary and went and had lunch at Iki Miz see link. It’s a lovely place well worth a visit if you haven’t already been. We were told the menu and couldn’t decide what to have, so Latife said she would bring us a variety of things (always the best idea!)

Along with a very full plate each, we were brought a dish of yoghurt each, bread and individual bowls of salad. All I can say, as I can’t remember the names of some of the food,  is that all the food was delicious, true Cypriot home cooking. We sat out in the garden and ate. It is a lovely area and of course they have an indoor restaurant as well.

They also have a ‘wishing corner’ in the garden where you can tie a ribbon and make your wish (ribbons supplied!) A lovely lunch, thank you Fatma and Latife and of course Bev and Gary for your company.

One bargain for today for any Manchester City supporters see link.

It seems as though our years with Extend (internet provider) are drawing to a close. The service the past few days has been dreadful and we were told it was the ‘weather’. It hasn’t rained for days, so I wonder what weather it can’t handle?

We bought Cyprus Today on the way home. The only piece of interesting news was about the forthcoming census see link. That’s going to be a fun day but I don’t understand why we are housebound from 5.00am when they aren’t starting until 8.00am. Does that mean I have to walk Rosie at 4.00am?!

 

Thought for the Day – “A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often – just to save it from drying out completely.” ~ Pam Brown

Well, total confusion as we walked up to the mountains in the morning. I think we spent longer chatting to our neighbours about our houses being moved than we did in the mountains. We aren’t the only ones who have had signs made. I guess someone knows what they are doing. The blue and white numbers are the ones that were nailed to our walls yesterday!

We also spoke to our neighbours on the other side of Mustafa’s land. Mustafa has now started telling them they have some of his land! Thank goodness after 2 years of total stress with him, we shook hands with him and HE agreed that is where our walls should be. All I can say is that he is an unreasonable man.

Today’s deal for the day see link

Also an excellent deal from buyagift. They are giving a £10 e-voucher with EVERY order. I am working out the best deal for birthday presents!! see link

Whoops, looks as though Thomas Cook is looking a bit wobbly. Information for anyone who may have booked for Larnaca or Paphos see link. It was also on Sky News this morning.

 

Thought for the Day – “You can’t have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time.” ~ Charles F Kettering

We walked Rosie in the ravine and it was very muddy. The sun was out and so work to do in the garden.

Well, it seems as though our house has moved! A man came round and nailed a new number on our wall “48”. When they had the brilliant idea of giving us street names and numbers, years ago we were 2 Atalar Caddesi. No more it seems and who knows what street we live in now. We had an expensive hand painted sign made about 6 months after we were given our original address (just in case the changed their minds in the meantime.) Now we appear to live somewhere completely different. Perhaps we may now even live in Incesu instead of Malatya! Who knows? I guess the powers that be do! I suppose this is for the census, originally on 27th November but rumour has it this has been moved to 4th December. A day when we all have to stay at home. I remember the last one. No bars are allowed to sell alcohol either until after 6.00pm. Well, that is a day to look forward to!

In the afternoon we discovered we are not the only ones whose house has moved. David and Kenny (52 Ataturk) now live at 38 Atalar Caddesi!!! I wonder whose bills we are all paying this month?!

I made my 46th loan on Kiva. I love it because you can choose exactly where the money goes and it is giving less fortunate people around the world a ‘hand-up’ and not a ‘hand-out’. see link

You just invest $25 to the person of your choice and then at the end of the term, you can withdraw the money or re-invest as I do.

In the evening we watched the film ‘One Day’.

 

 

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

The SUN was out!!! We went off the the beach and Rosie got so covered in sand, I had to give her a shower when we got back. We then opened all the doors and windows and slung all the rugs out and had a big clean. It seems as though the house has been shut up for a long time keeping the rain out.

A bargain for today, for one day only (today) see link

Amanda, Tris and Violet came on the webcam and they showed us the fog in London! It was nice to see them all as we didn’t manage to visit last time we were in the UK.

We watched Liverpool beat Chelsea and later rang the boys in Cardiff. River had to do a presentation in his English lesson and previously told us that he was doing it on Cyprus. He wrote an article about it for NCFP and did a lot of his own research last time he was here but even so we warned him it was a tough subject and may get some awkward questions BUT he was the only one in his class who got an A*!!! Well done River, we are very proud of you. Tariq had to write a diary of events with him on a desert island and he even hand wrote it and stained the pages so that it looked old. It seems that the rest of his class just typed it on the computer and so his teacher was very impressed although he hasn’t got the mark for it yet. Clever boys.

 

Thought for the day – “When you teach your son, you teach your son’s son.” ~ Talmud

What a night. Storms, thunder and lightning and even more rain. It even woke Mal up and he can sleep through anything!

Down to the beach in the morning again. The drive there was even muddier with huge ridges on the track, we made it! We bought Cyprus Today as it seemed to have a bit more news than usual see link. I had to laugh at the piece about Karpaz farmers wanting more rain, they obviously didn’t try driving through the river yesterday that should have been the main Incesu road.

We then popped over to see David as there were a few things to be added to Ikimiz restaurant website see link. It’s a great place to eat, if you haven’t tried it GO!!

I later found THE cheapest holiday to North Cyprus I have ever found see link. Unbelievable, £40 cheaper than flight only with Pegasus!!!!! That really has got to be the best bargain yet. If anyone wants to take advantage of this offer, you don’t have to bring your wellies as the weather forecast for the next 2 weeks is SUN!! Wooo hooo!!

The picture is the water pouring from the mountains yesterday which made Incesu road a river! I don’t think there was any water coming from the pipe obviously fitted for that purpose.

Later we watched the football. A good game Man U v Swansea. Swansea played well but Man U won.

 

 

Thought for the Day – “Do not on a rainy day, ask your child what he feels like doing, because I assure you, what he feels like doing, you won’t feel like watching.” ~ Fran Lebowitz

Down to the beach in the morning. No rain then! We popped in to get some fresh bread and the Cyprus Star see link. Quite a lot of news in it today.

Back home and I found this really good bargain see link.

For lunch I met up with the girls who used to be on the committee. We had mentioned going to the Rocks Hotel for their business lunch before but hadn’t got round to it, so that is where we met up. The last time I went it was 28tl, this time it had gone up to 38tl!

The food was good but the service was not. One of our party even said she had been there a lot this year and each time the service had deterioted. I certainly thought so and I have been a few times too. This is a 5 star hotel after all.

Three of the girls had wine, which by no means looked a full measure. So, it was a shock when the bill came and it was 10tl for something that was not a full measure. Sue ordered a coffee which never arrived. At this point I should say they were not even busy so there was no reason for such poor service. Of course we complained and were offered free coffees in the lounge but by this time we had all had enough and so declined.

What a disappointment. It happens frequently here, you recommend somewhere and then it goes downhill. Well, I won’t be going back there. Another struck off my list!

We drove back from there and through torrential rain again. I have to say the road through Incesu was a fast flowing river, it was just pouring all the way down from the mountains.

And finally another CHEAP deal to North Cyprus see link

 

 

Thought for the Day – “Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” ~ Lord Chesterfield

No rain for a while during our walk in the mountains. We saw a whole mass of autumn squill there. It looked very pretty.

Torin is on his way back from South Africa. I think he will be very relieved that job has finished, so many problems with the work not being ready for him.

More bargain hunting, well there is not much else to do with the rain coming down outside!One I was really interested in, as I had my eye on a pair of boots see link So disappointed, they had sold out of my size!

I listen to Radio 2 and I am amazed at the amounts being raised for the Children In Need appeal. There are some wealthy people around!!

 

Thought for the Day – “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson