Month: April 2013

Bargains – Debenhams Flowers £5 off everything &  Red Kite Travel Cot £25 &  FREE Ascot Race Day & SimplyBe Tops Buy one get one free

We went for a walk and spotted loads more orchids in the mountains. On the way back we went to the shops. Yesterdays painting was a bit of a disaster. Not easy to see in the bright sun. Mal had bought a huge can of paint, having taken the old one in to buy exactly the same. The assistant gave it to him and all was well until the paint had dried and the sun was not quite as bright first thing this morning. It was a different colour white. The original was obviously a brilliant white and the large one obviously wasn’t! That was a waste of 200tl and yesterday’s painting. So, back to the shop and this time we bought the correct paint, so now to start again with another top coat!

Mal hadn’t had time to bake bread, so while we were down there we went into the new Lemar to buy some of the Food Lodge bread in preference to stopping at Atakara. I wish we had stopped at Atakara. By this time it was 9.15 and the brread shelves were almost empty! The checkout girl just continued her conversation with the girl on the till next to her, not acknowledging us at all. It didn’t take them long did it?! You can see the empty shelves.

 

Thought for the Day – There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life — happiness, freedom, and peace of mind — are always attained by giving them to someone else. ~ Peyton Conway March

Bargains – Micro Food Processor £25 &  Wooden Garden Companion Chair £60 & Stair Gate £15 & Afternoon Tea Cruise for 2 on the Thames £45

Sunny! So Mal was out painting the outside of the house. Just as well, as I was fed up with him slagging off Michael Gove’s latest “idea” every time it came on the news. I think Mal has more idea of what is needed having taught that age group for donkey’s years and marked exam papers and is still moderating A levels for OCR!

I went to the new Lemar and was given two littres of fruit juice, obviously spent the required amount to get two free drinks. It was quite busy and I have to say their exit is not in an ideal place as I had to wait ages for the cars in front of me to be able to turn right.

In the evening I cooked Firin Makarna (Turkish macaroni cheese but it has mince in it as well) and it wasn’t bad if I say so myself.

Later we watched Van Persie’s hat trick which means Man Utd have won the league.

 

Thought for the Day – “Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.” ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Bargains – Bon Marche 20% off everything & M&S 20% off & Debenhams 10% & Free Delivery & Folding Camping Chair £7 &  Hand and Feet Treat at Dove Spa £35

We were up and out early and went along Lapta Walkway. This morning there were quite a few other people doing exactly the same. It was a question of spot the nationality when we said ‘Good Morning’! There were quite a lot of fishermen down there too. I think it is a shame that dogs are not allowed along the walkway, even if they stipulated that they should be kept on leads. But it is not a dog friendly country.

More gardening, that sun was hot.

We watched the Spurs v Man City game in the afternoon. Good game and well done Spurs! (3-1) . Torin, Scarlet and Jack came on the web cam and had to listen to my cheers for Spurs! I lived in Palmers Green for 11 years and knew many of the old Spurs players….Terry Medwin, Pat Jennings etc

After that we had a BBQ.

Thought for the Day – “Laughter is a sunbeam of the soul.” ~ Thomas Mann

Bargains – Debenhams 15% off Bras and knickers & 6 Piece Garden Dining set £125 & Folding picnic table and chairs £20 & Buyagift 20% off discount code & LED Head Torch £5. The head torches are great for the power cuts!

We went to the new Lemar, Alsancak and bumped into Bev and Gary as we went in. I think Bev and I were trying to fathom out the new layout whilst Mal and Gary were over checking the drink prices! It’s impressive with the layout being very spacious and the fresh fruit and vegetable prices seemed very competitive. We thought there would be a lot more people there but perhaps we are the only ones who get up that early! I know it’s early days but some of the prices were missing and if we don’t see prices then we don’t buy! Of course we bought Cyprus Today, purely to write the main news on NCFP!

I was curious to see what was going to be built on our lovely mountain and spoke to David about it. He walked his dog this afternoon and spoke to the workmen. It is going to be ONE house on a 5 donum plot and the road is going to be asphalt, all the way from the Black Olive with stone retaining walls all the way!! Blimey, these Russians have some money!  A bit of a surprise when we were told that mountain could never be built on. Why did we believe them? I remember when it was just us between Incesu and Malatya and our kids worried because they thought we were too isolated.  How things have changed in 11 years.

 

Thought for the Day – “Every sunrise is priceless and you can experience the richness that life holds only when you live life to the full instead of just being an onlooker.” ~ Stephen Richards

Bargains – Simply Be 20% off + Free P&P & North Cyprus Holidays up to 60% off &  Pop Up Gazebo £35 & Dorothy Perkins 20% off Dresses & Brantano Footwear 3 for 2

We went out with the intention of going to Ileli but as we drove past the NEW Lemar, Alsancak (by the Golden Lady, used to be Astro) it appeared to be open. I turned the car around and we went in. BUT although it was due to open at 9 this morning, the shelves were still being stacked and preparations still ongoing.  However,Wendy, a lovely lady who is a consultant for Levent and organising things, invited us in to have a sneak preview. She really belongs at the Çatalköy branch. She told us that this is going to be a “discount” Lemar. Very handy for us, now our nearest supermarket! It will be opening this afternoon.

More rain in the afternoon!

Thought for the Day – “At least three times every day take a moment and ask yourself what is really important. Have the wisdom and the courage to build your life around your answer.” ~ Lee L Jampolsky

Bargains – Electric Air Pump £7 & FREE National Trust Entry 20th & 21st April & Montana Garden Chair twin pack £75 & Wind up LED Torch £4.50

The National Trust offer is a good one with FREE entry this coming weekend.

The promised rain arrived in the afternoon. Just as well Mal had run out of paint and we decided to have lunch out while it was still sunny. We thought we would try a new place – Magarina Bulli and very good it was too. Now that is what I call Cypriot home cooked food, not the usual, to quote Mal “Meze and something on a stick”! It’s well worth a visit.

 

Thought for the Day – “To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Bargains – Debenhams 20% off Womens tops and Knitwear today only & 6 Piece Patio Set £93 & 10ft Trampoline and enclosure £93 & Family Wagon BBQ £44 & 3 Man Dome Tent £35

I went to buy Cyprus Today and pay the electricity bill. The big news in CT is that we are going to have a Brit style supermarket in Alsancak. I bet they are not Brit prices with all the import tax! The air traffic controllers at Ercan are also threatening to strike, likely to be some time after 13th May.

Mal has now made a decision to totally ignore the weather forecasts and carry on painting. I wish I had moved the table and chairs before I went out as they have now been splattered with tiny specks of paint. Mal isn’t the tidiest of painters.

What a lot of money spent on today’s funeral.I thought we were in a recession. What can I say, it’s what the Tories want to spend the money on. I can think of far better ways it could be spent.

Kulaksiz 5 were in court again today. Personally I believe this is getting beyond a joke. They have a court date appearance, they arrive at court and it is adjourned again and again and again and again and again…shall I go on?!

We went for a walk in the afternoon.

Thought for the Day – “The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” ~ Kalu Ndukwe Kalu