Saturday, April 29, 2006

A typical Cyprus Saturday in April

Tim had a busy day today.

The youth group were doing a 'car wash' in the church car park this morning, to raise funds for their summer camp. So he set off at 9.30am armed with a bucket and an old nappy... yes, when we were back in the UK last October, we discovered a pile of old terry nappies packed away. They made very useful cloths to wrap ornaments in, so they came out here. They're not really in good enough condition to give them to anyone as nappies for babies, but they're just fine as general cloths. So one of them ended its useful life today, washing cars.

He got back at lunch-time, pretty tired, and surprisingly not very wet. Some of the younger youth members had apparently got bored and ended with a water fight, which was probably fun but not very helpful for the people who still wanted their cars washed!

At three o'clock this afternoon he was out again, this time setting up some kind of basic sound system to enable CDs to be played in the church grounds, for the post-Easter children's fair. He also tried to organise some games, but the children just wanted to play football (ie soccer) so he sat and watched.

At half past five he came home, picked up his laptop computer, and went out again - this time to help setting up and running a projector for an inter-church evening, listening to some people who have been working abroad. There was a potluck meal beforehand so he wasn't in to eat.

He just got home. It's only half past eight, but he's shattered!

Meanwhile, I wanted to cut the 'lawn' today. The lawnmower has been very unreliable, and Richard and Tim have given up on trying to fix it. I've discovered that spraying a bit of WD40 into the moving parts seems to trigger it into working for half an hour or so. I don't know why, but that doesn't worry me. We only need to keep it going until we move house, when I shall - with great thankfulness - no longer have to worry about any kind of lawn.

I didn't finish it, but at least neatened up the parts near the house.

Meanwhile again, Dan sent me his latest newsletter, which I've proof-read and forwarded on to family, friends and supporters who've asked for it, and he also sent me some brief posts for his blog, including a picture of himself in a kilt. There's not a whole lot of Scottish blood in him (I think I'm about an eighth Scottish myself) but Scottish country dancing certainly runs in the family. I used to be in a demonstration team, in my late teens and twenties. Dan only took it up recently but seems to have inherited both an interest and skill. Or else he's welcomed and put in the display team because most of the Doulos folk who like to dance are girls, and men are always needed. Oddly enough, this is not sufficient motivation for the majority of the other lads on board to join in!

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