tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111803192024-03-23T20:24:00.842+02:00This is Cyprus...Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.comBlogger1373125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-4692487313368009182024-02-16T14:48:00.001+02:002024-02-16T14:48:00.140+02:00Buying Billies<p> Before I ramble about on our recent experience, I should explain that when I talk about 'Billies' I'm <b>not</b> referring to:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The lightweight pots (billycans) used for outdoor cooking, popularised in one of the versions of an Australian song, featuring a swagman who '<i>waited 'til his billy boiled'</i>. </li><li>A male goat, as, for example in the fairytale '<i>The three billygoats gruff'.</i></li><li>A stick or club - known as a truncheon in the UK - which, I learned when checking for meanings of the word, may also be known as a '<i>billy</i>' or '<i>billystick</i>'. </li><li>A group of adults called Billy (or Billie), which is usually an abbreviation of the name 'William' or (possibly) 'Wilhelmina' </li></ul><div>Instead, I'm referring to a brand of bookcases that can be bought in the Swedish furniture chain Ikea. It's one of the few brands that we are able to pronounce. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our first introduction to Billy bookcases happened in the summer of 2006 just before we moved out of our rental house in Cyprus, into the one we bought. Some colleagues were leaving Cyprus around the same time, and offered to sell us some dark wood bookcases. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the time it was rather difficult to find bookcases locally. Sixteen years ago, there was no Ikea in Cyprus. The thrift store had some bookcases, but they were a bit flimsy. We had been able to buy two large ones second-hand from the organisation Richard was seconded to, some years earlier, and we had some rattan bookcases we had brought out from the UK. </div><div><br /></div><div>But they were starting to overflow. And we had shipped another five hundred or so books out when we sold our UK house. So the offer from our friends was timely, and since they were asking a very reasonable price, we had little hesitation in buying the two bookcases. They told us they were 'Billies' and we probably looked blank. They had been brought to Cyprus by another family who had moved from France but returned a few years earlier. Billies, we were told, were quite popular in countries where there was an Ikea. But we were not familiar with them. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's possible that we had the first two Billy bookcases in Cyprus. We rapidly filled them. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AJBZQrcbALJ-sANVxYNSfQFlSHmoNBKcB5psB0NJzrzlzDvEWNVkmVRqHH6rpSHi5vgpaXeuSUSlYq2CDmqpP_MyKrN0xcwXJ9FqNJS3diFi0T_yiWjpvkZC2BwynbDmUC7S6ibFbiH8vPaf2I4qFC3LhnXwlM6ZbqYwZrCbl2BWdk-mDD0H/s1600/IMG_2324.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Billy bookcases, old style, full of books" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AJBZQrcbALJ-sANVxYNSfQFlSHmoNBKcB5psB0NJzrzlzDvEWNVkmVRqHH6rpSHi5vgpaXeuSUSlYq2CDmqpP_MyKrN0xcwXJ9FqNJS3diFi0T_yiWjpvkZC2BwynbDmUC7S6ibFbiH8vPaf2I4qFC3LhnXwlM6ZbqYwZrCbl2BWdk-mDD0H/w320-h240/IMG_2324.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><i>(As an aside: the same folk were also selling four ceiling fans. They were exactly what we needed for four places in our new house. We didn't know that they were available until we went to see the bookcases, and our friends didn't know that we were looking for something to replace the fancy chandeliers that the previous owners of the house had taken away. It felt like a divine appointment; those four ceiling fans still work well, and are a tremendous blessing in the warmer months)</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>We had visited an Ikea in the UK a couple of times, and hadn't found much that appealed. But we very much liked these bookcases, with their adjustable shelving, and the little metal knobs that fit into holes in the sides. They hold a lot of books, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>A year later, in September 2007, Ikea launched in Cyprus, just outside Nicosia. We visited a few months later, and acquired two more Billies: a tall black one for our DVD collection, and a smaller black one, which ended up taking our recipe books... for a while. I wrote about the experience <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2008/01/ikea-in-cyprus-and-bookshelves-for-dvds.html" target="_blank">in this post</a>. That's when we discovered that the 'new' system Billies were not only a darker colour, but ten centimetres narrower. However, that was ideal for our DVDs, and had plenty of room for more. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzRn1w2WC3td1a50oioolr3f0QBFzYnkoQcbyENgFw9WCNcJj5Vtt8wJTpsDBsjSFgT2HcUnzq8NWW7Bzwt55Z5U_HN4oMaLz6GxziP8lqhqtC9Xhtx6ZV5GL5hmzRH2uUwOASuIuNBxG8qegElWN289nAvXcppnbRT6nUWs8CPws4YjO0pkH/s2272/IMG_4393.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1704" data-original-width="2272" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzRn1w2WC3td1a50oioolr3f0QBFzYnkoQcbyENgFw9WCNcJj5Vtt8wJTpsDBsjSFgT2HcUnzq8NWW7Bzwt55Z5U_HN4oMaLz6GxziP8lqhqtC9Xhtx6ZV5GL5hmzRH2uUwOASuIuNBxG8qegElWN289nAvXcppnbRT6nUWs8CPws4YjO0pkH/s320/IMG_4393.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Another year later, in September 2008, we visited Ikea again. This time we bought three shorter Billy bookcases for our dining room. The rattan cases were not only running out of space, they were being progressively destroyed by our cats, who thought they were convenient scratching posts. I wrote about that experience <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2008/09/another-visit-to-ikea-and-mall-of.html" target="_blank">in this post</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Nearly three years later, we were contemplating adding to our Billy collection due to books, once again, overflowing their shelves. Perhaps they were breeding when we weren't looking. And then we had another divine appointment: friends were getting rid of three bookcases, one of which was a Billy. It wasn't a dark wood one, but that didn't worry us. We did some major re-sorting of books and DVDs, as explained in detail <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2011/06/adding-another-bookcase-to-our.html" target="_blank">in this post</a> so that the light wood Billy took our DVDs, and the resulting arrangement looked like this:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyLRXLtcSzZ-loydDbFLCo4AYE_7mI_K8jaxS1Nv3sQmVv7DEDXxRAp8X7dveM50duqgTtoaBAYPjDgy6ENufiLr4P_IDYT41AHe_7Fnnnnve4B9WL3kzpt051nrLDpPcv2rbqPTNOB2ynXZjMPMijz8ZSmg3OrNOzc2rpsNG9cLSnvijppOt/s3072/IMG_9428.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyLRXLtcSzZ-loydDbFLCo4AYE_7mI_K8jaxS1Nv3sQmVv7DEDXxRAp8X7dveM50duqgTtoaBAYPjDgy6ENufiLr4P_IDYT41AHe_7Fnnnnve4B9WL3kzpt051nrLDpPcv2rbqPTNOB2ynXZjMPMijz8ZSmg3OrNOzc2rpsNG9cLSnvijppOt/s320/IMG_9428.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>There was still plenty of space for more books and DVDs, and we also acquired two non-Billy bookcases that we used elsewhere. </div><div><br /></div><div>Time passed, as it usually does. </div><div><br /></div><div>At some point we bought another tall black Billy, so we could move the light coloured one upstairs to a bedroom, and use one of the original - wider - Billies to house our growing DVD collection. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_kBmejnKRoFhPeT0NHtHV5IPILVbkLWgz7N23-_NR_esCY1Rl5OepjhfS-DIS9fM3TR0mRrPN8cegPfKrjEWhGQ2l_zV8QRkk4KzOpiZe3kcEObf8da3yVrbLnO26eK56jSPNQOYWaQ0_eCkUH8TAgj1WVvUydsU3ih587HjeWpmjH5BZlZH/s3072/IMG_5257.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_kBmejnKRoFhPeT0NHtHV5IPILVbkLWgz7N23-_NR_esCY1Rl5OepjhfS-DIS9fM3TR0mRrPN8cegPfKrjEWhGQ2l_zV8QRkk4KzOpiZe3kcEObf8da3yVrbLnO26eK56jSPNQOYWaQ0_eCkUH8TAgj1WVvUydsU3ih587HjeWpmjH5BZlZH/s320/IMG_5257.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>We had a slightly annoying gap for a while, due to lack of planning on my behalf, which remained for some years. </div><div><br /></div><div>Although the books were mostly under control - the rate of acquiring new ones slowed, and I even managed to give a few away to the local church book sale - our DVD collection didn't stop. It's not that we watch all that many, but we aim to see one film per week, and an episode or two from a classic sitcom or a more modern tenser or heavier television show (most recently Father Brown; we're about to embark on the 13th Doctor Who series). And Richard has a growing collection of DVDs which are thrillers or political dramas that don't interest me at all, but which he sometimes sees on his own if I'm away, or if he is up late. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, in 2019, we looked at the Ikea catalogue again. To our joy, they were selling a narrow (20cm wide) Billy, the same height as our bookcases, but with a lot more shelves, intended for CDs or DVDs. We did ponder buying two, but were pretty sure that just one would last us a good long time. </div><div><br /></div><div>And in the process of re-organising the DVDs, we decided to move the second older Billy to the kitchen to house the recipe books (and also some of my children's fiction) meaning that the three matching black ones could sit in a row, without any annoying gap. </div><div><br /></div><div>We were pleased with the result.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-G0XLki1IObSrxO_intaRG5WoZvM06ILzQaLtFzy_2CG-kNhS0I9i6t0cRLiWlpKjZSFXa-Kp480XkOI-_VaqWAB_B0NLpSlnvahQyhrWhdXc6-Wi3b7AKkfb0vdDwb-BF6IsQRrs8m-COmRHqPT2_i0fW-jfaKr8TAIA3IK9nYsdcdQg55pE/s3072/IMG_8957.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-G0XLki1IObSrxO_intaRG5WoZvM06ILzQaLtFzy_2CG-kNhS0I9i6t0cRLiWlpKjZSFXa-Kp480XkOI-_VaqWAB_B0NLpSlnvahQyhrWhdXc6-Wi3b7AKkfb0vdDwb-BF6IsQRrs8m-COmRHqPT2_i0fW-jfaKr8TAIA3IK9nYsdcdQg55pE/s320/IMG_8957.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>In the corner was a gap of just over 20cm, where we were pretty sure that, one day, we would need a second narrow Billy. But not just yet...</div><div><br /></div><div>And, indeed, four years later the DVDs were still fitting in the available space. Well, mostly. I had moved all the younger children's DVDs to the bottom shelf of the nearest bookcase. We also had a drawer under the television crammed full with our Christmas DVDs and the ones we haven't yet watched, and the series we are currently watching...</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, a few weeks ago, we received a couple of Christmas parcels from one of our sons and his family, containing, among other things, a new and rather large DVD series. So that sat on a shelf under our television for a while, and we began to think seriously about a new narrow Billy. </div><div><br /></div><div>The decision was cemented when a friend, moving from one flat to another, decided to get rid of her DVD collection since she mostly watches online now. She gave us the first refusal, and since she had a lot of older classics which we hadn't seen, we selected a few. And a few more... and ended up adding another 25 DVDs to our household.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDXgpCpCM8norWyqRa0DV9v9F7z4fx7QMifpGcZReKQSz0klepWe4-T9r0oe8ki9CmsNSrL7xtMWR5dvMdJahuch-u-DCDbNjqQ71646GbBkjgDXrqfQo806Zrptlz5LNb7WTewAtRV9PKyNRXzrZpH2verKtCy8uRaYWlEMLzmBP1MeRPzr2/s4608/20240125_220602.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDXgpCpCM8norWyqRa0DV9v9F7z4fx7QMifpGcZReKQSz0klepWe4-T9r0oe8ki9CmsNSrL7xtMWR5dvMdJahuch-u-DCDbNjqQ71646GbBkjgDXrqfQo806Zrptlz5LNb7WTewAtRV9PKyNRXzrZpH2verKtCy8uRaYWlEMLzmBP1MeRPzr2/s320/20240125_220602.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>But where could we put them...? The drawer was choc-a-bloc, the shelf also crammed with DVDs. It was starting to look rather untidy and we're pretty sure we'll acquire more DVDs in future.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I went online and searched the Ikea site. I read that Billy bookcases had been discontinued for a while, but were back, better than ever. </div><div><br /></div><div>But there were no 20cm ones. The narrowest was 40cm, and that was clearly meant to be a bookcase rather than a DVD case, as it didn't have extra shelves. DVD shelving seems to have gone out of fashion, possibly because more and more people are using streaming services rather than physical DVDs. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then, due to an inner prompting - you can call it intuition, or the voice of God - I looked on Facebook marketplace. It's not somewhere I normally look, but I thought someone might have some kind of DVD storage that they were getting rid of.</div><div><br /></div><div>I found someone just outside Nicosia who was selling TWO 20cm black Billy CD/DVD cases. They weren't advertised as Billy, but I was certain they were. Richard made contact, and a couple of days later we took his van and drove to collect them. I wasn't at all sure that we needed two, but since they might be the last two available narrow Billies in Cyprus, we bought them both. One of them is fitted where we planned, the other behind the TV where it's housing Richard's thrillers and other series that I have no wish to see. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6z_AHUpNLzrO7lztBBfj1hdO13PuMYC9ODANTaQOlLEPtasRmfY4lEVQ5ZkQpw2r7pjBYBPin4ChXx5F97KIaccDF_tjCoittqY4Q0obO0KzbFdciEoAzQYsaB-4L0oTFq60N5uKIUnyrYd9QrOPWknTCQ8X_MOyrXpg2BM32-8LypSzS5Awk/s4608/20240210_112117.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6z_AHUpNLzrO7lztBBfj1hdO13PuMYC9ODANTaQOlLEPtasRmfY4lEVQ5ZkQpw2r7pjBYBPin4ChXx5F97KIaccDF_tjCoittqY4Q0obO0KzbFdciEoAzQYsaB-4L0oTFq60N5uKIUnyrYd9QrOPWknTCQ8X_MOyrXpg2BM32-8LypSzS5Awk/s320/20240210_112117.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>We moved the rest of the TV series DVD sets and the Christmas ones to the side cases, and there's now, once again, plenty of room for more. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxP_uPfqeVaGnKxiV0nVPaWE7cP2HS4lLqCijlIyYHT0JlsLYxwKZR7CpV7QgADVdDzZaz4k982i6a-gIam54WpqjsxxE6QM5ZY1aQprVci9M_1UEte74nBPI3V6ibqo3A-4l39FCuDmNuaHjBU5Tl3WYwNv2xhDB3W54U3NKCbha3qnTF4NSN/s4608/20240210_112129.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxP_uPfqeVaGnKxiV0nVPaWE7cP2HS4lLqCijlIyYHT0JlsLYxwKZR7CpV7QgADVdDzZaz4k982i6a-gIam54WpqjsxxE6QM5ZY1aQprVci9M_1UEte74nBPI3V6ibqo3A-4l39FCuDmNuaHjBU5Tl3WYwNv2xhDB3W54U3NKCbha3qnTF4NSN/s320/20240210_112129.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>That corner looks much better without the gap:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NOUWjmK6qms7i6FwFR1T_sKm6YivnMhc9akhfNgJp-iga_AsoAZytGrXRgH3yyxF1s3Vx6a-0qQp7u_Yq6CfbQh4rb9kB84XgKFChJlzomzhcOw30ZprAyCi51cPmRiGTJHZhlmfXl7g1Ozo47qspgnmqD1tkUTAf6U0Z0nMpxRoyc0XpFEC/s4608/20240211_074516.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NOUWjmK6qms7i6FwFR1T_sKm6YivnMhc9akhfNgJp-iga_AsoAZytGrXRgH3yyxF1s3Vx6a-0qQp7u_Yq6CfbQh4rb9kB84XgKFChJlzomzhcOw30ZprAyCi51cPmRiGTJHZhlmfXl7g1Ozo47qspgnmqD1tkUTAf6U0Z0nMpxRoyc0XpFEC/s320/20240211_074516.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>As well as the two narrow Billies, the folk in Nicosia were also selling 18 children's DVDs, very inexpensively, some of them modern classics that we didn't have... </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubVmRMCJVxwh314bycD_98jlT4NrowSqVZ2WoWhPpX2FdK-Dd9n-_a_T_55Hj3Q9bvASFGIcP_Y1ILMVNl2ocH-mpilVqpUau2xo1Eb9UIfJOZ3Jel1f3ydNfRbwLuhmdDGiN1xPSHkIMyoj16qMfR4xjyw_APLlCnwpKxF7n0zy12alQmgCO/s4608/20240209_150542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubVmRMCJVxwh314bycD_98jlT4NrowSqVZ2WoWhPpX2FdK-Dd9n-_a_T_55Hj3Q9bvASFGIcP_Y1ILMVNl2ocH-mpilVqpUau2xo1Eb9UIfJOZ3Jel1f3ydNfRbwLuhmdDGiN1xPSHkIMyoj16qMfR4xjyw_APLlCnwpKxF7n0zy12alQmgCO/s320/20240209_150542.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>...so we acquired another fourteen. So I'm now a tad concerned that we have almost filled up the shelf of children's DVDs. </div><div><br /></div><div>But that's a problem for another day.</div><p></p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-48652380115816049392024-02-08T16:07:00.000+02:002024-02-08T16:07:39.164+02:00A Working Boiler and other incidents <p> I mentioned <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2024/01/another-week-over.html" target="_blank">in my last post </a>that the weather, at last, was beginning to cool down in mid-January. Our central heating boiler, which had been unreliable for many years, had another service just before Christmas. That is to say, Richard did the standard cleaning and checking valves, but nothing happened. So he called out the engineer - a local and friendly person. He arrived, checked everything, and then gave part of it a big thump. That worked, and the heating came on. </p><p>But it wasn't all that cold, so we weren't surprised when it didn't come on the following day. On Christmas Day itself, we used our air conditioners set to heat. A few days later when it was quite chilly, Richard went to the boiler room and hit the system in the place where the engineer had shown him. He had to try two or three times, but it did the trick: the heating came on. For an hour or two...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-_f15vpceu6u6CZnyrgX6PxwiZ9bH6hlNIKB9dSAdgvjMxqMHwveXXbwrQJTgsolNANHlh8-dBuLyzRzKZ-jupQvWOZfFqQFuf2-T1doCmU1PqxsL0T8f3bmTQczcHyb-Mu-UokC0W5_kYRx3CtOks7rgEcMmhQu7crrsdZr4tWXw3BpF3be/s3072/IMG_9900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="old central heating boiler" border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-_f15vpceu6u6CZnyrgX6PxwiZ9bH6hlNIKB9dSAdgvjMxqMHwveXXbwrQJTgsolNANHlh8-dBuLyzRzKZ-jupQvWOZfFqQFuf2-T1doCmU1PqxsL0T8f3bmTQczcHyb-Mu-UokC0W5_kYRx3CtOks7rgEcMmhQu7crrsdZr4tWXw3BpF3be/w320-h240/IMG_9900.JPG" title="old central heating boiler" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>A couple of days later, the same scenario was repeated. And Richard said he was a bit worried that he might break something. In previous years we sometimes had to run down and press a button to turn the heating on, but this was more serious. Perhaps, we thought, it was time for a new boiler. </p><p>The heating engineer told us that a new one would be much more efficient - potentially saving us a fair amount in gas bills - and that our old one was so archaic, he didn't think it could be repaired. He came to the house and measured all our radiators (we have at least twenty, including those in our guest flat and some that we don't use), so he could calculate how much power was necessary. And then, after doing some research, he gave us a quote which seemed quite reasonable. </p><p>And while it was a bit of a hassle for him, with just one assistant, to remove the old boiler - it was very heavy! - the installation of the new one was fairly quick, and everything was finished within one (long) day. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8TI_n_VHB4KJvQ3wTKPUVC22tQjZ6n0GqLEPjcZES-5Rp8kX0BdVIRpWHVlIGShSA7cNpCMpz9vWuUjmwwpxEiYbrkH9NO9wOmFhRtrZUcn41T33OGp4uDhyKgBC071jwGPgttIlF8lff0bzf9t9sNIF2BHZxczrDpWZ3Uh6ps_M2myNm-g1/s4608/20240122_160941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="new central heating boiler" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8TI_n_VHB4KJvQ3wTKPUVC22tQjZ6n0GqLEPjcZES-5Rp8kX0BdVIRpWHVlIGShSA7cNpCMpz9vWuUjmwwpxEiYbrkH9NO9wOmFhRtrZUcn41T33OGp4uDhyKgBC071jwGPgttIlF8lff0bzf9t9sNIF2BHZxczrDpWZ3Uh6ps_M2myNm-g1/w240-h320/20240122_160941.jpg" title="new central heating boiler" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>There's a lot more space in the boiler room now. This new boiler looks remarkably like the one we had in our house in the UK over twenty-five years ago. And while it still hasn't been VERY cold, we've had chillier mornings and rain:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkOnrBom3nkmdqsO-yRHydm_90ROOGx18I4fKMbFstniw5VktSxmIo8HVfk9cyT2s9rromqJk_W882ADlPUhRK0t8QDM_CRReI2K4y_D3YNRna8eVIgVJXKkMJ1ViMxDCG7-GvVENx7I8787vuJjL_72u9-kQXtE6Elem7uWxSRTj8BUWNZ8o/s1480/Screenshot_20240122-203931.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Larnaka predicted temperatures, January 2024" border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkOnrBom3nkmdqsO-yRHydm_90ROOGx18I4fKMbFstniw5VktSxmIo8HVfk9cyT2s9rromqJk_W882ADlPUhRK0t8QDM_CRReI2K4y_D3YNRna8eVIgVJXKkMJ1ViMxDCG7-GvVENx7I8787vuJjL_72u9-kQXtE6Elem7uWxSRTj8BUWNZ8o/w156-h320/Screenshot_20240122-203931.png" width="156" /></a></div>And the boiler has worked! We have a thermostatic system in the house so the heating only comes on for a couple of hours in the morning, and a couple in the evening (when it's cold enough) and it's done exactly what it should. It's much quieter than the old system, too. Rather surprisingly, when the heating is on it also heats our water, although we didn't expect it to have done that. Most of our water heating is solar, and we have an electric boost that we had been using when the sun wasn't out. There's a gas boost too, but we've hardly needed that, since the days when the sun doesn't come out are usually (though not always) the days when it's chilly enough for the heating to come on.<div><br /></div><div>And if the steamer, the washing machine and the boiler weren't enough, the day after we had decided to replace the boiler, my stick blender stopped working when I was making some ketchup. We had an excellent one which had worked well for about thirteen years. I was able to use my regular blender for the ketchup, but it was a bit of a nuisance having to decant everything into the large goblet, and then try to get it all out. Three weeks later and there's still a tomato stain on the cutting blades. </div><div><br /></div><div>But my main use of the stick blender is for soup, which I make every other week during the cooler months: usually from November until about March or April. Putting that in an ordinary blender means it has to be cooled quite significantly, then usually only half of it will fit even in the bigger goblet... so we decided to buy a new stick blender. Unlike a decade or so ago, there were several options at a local DIY shop, so we chose a Bosch brand. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then I reorganised some cupboards to make space for the extra bits, and put the steamer away (but with easier access than before), so the new stick blender could sit on the work surface. And we bought a plug extension thing so I don't need to keep pulling plugs in and out for these appliances:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUE_m7vOeisQP58nUM8_6_kqrusk5EttAo5lnKt7fNa_iCchNzudNX-hvrwafh1ihckiCPMaC3q0l0vviPekf5o345Ck2g1BFV3elG1KYzMIEBfbjLQFwoGeT_UNlYJGBWpsV93J6keAVQC4XWSAuS309tQV526LAs-XKgK3Wzkv7YQMneMqSC/s4608/20240120_191004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Appliances in a row on kitchen counter top" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUE_m7vOeisQP58nUM8_6_kqrusk5EttAo5lnKt7fNa_iCchNzudNX-hvrwafh1ihckiCPMaC3q0l0vviPekf5o345Ck2g1BFV3elG1KYzMIEBfbjLQFwoGeT_UNlYJGBWpsV93J6keAVQC4XWSAuS309tQV526LAs-XKgK3Wzkv7YQMneMqSC/w320-h240/20240120_191004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>The cats, meanwhile, have very much appreciated the house being less chilly than it was before we had the new boiler. Lady Jane loves the radiators: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2VhAVJnEUvtFICdF-997PYaumpXuuhuN3ovmbVKY2LFs_GmKAaO2fhB3XsAA8Z1Us2MoRS6y8b8JckdDmaMgUMXPgU5uSCaQ2ANNWfcLZcDSCGSuLRNbmpmLgsCRbZlXkdIWSMZw683hcvairnR4_iwE-BbN_y1G60ZLDPExT1quvIBiyjWd/s4608/20240124_194321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2VhAVJnEUvtFICdF-997PYaumpXuuhuN3ovmbVKY2LFs_GmKAaO2fhB3XsAA8Z1Us2MoRS6y8b8JckdDmaMgUMXPgU5uSCaQ2ANNWfcLZcDSCGSuLRNbmpmLgsCRbZlXkdIWSMZw683hcvairnR4_iwE-BbN_y1G60ZLDPExT1quvIBiyjWd/s320/20240124_194321.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>And to my astonishment, our <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2023/10/where-is-autumn.html" target="_blank">bird of paradise plant, which bloomed in October </a>for the first time in eight years, has another bloom that opened out about a week ago:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PmMCiHjTPhQ2QN16CePfRZ4xg9R-HymV1Dx7n9ABAI63Lf-ZLb_fghPrQZKl1uJQb_2475AfS1oX58Mp4wDHcUN0se6uPrGtH7bokJXk4Y3jV9sF9fMVTFU8hiMcPBPDISMA0lEWnjd6DvLw_bIqzqF4PSOc16ymYPMXNb-qWwS1CZf5OwXF/s4608/20240129_115748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bird of paradise blooming in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1PmMCiHjTPhQ2QN16CePfRZ4xg9R-HymV1Dx7n9ABAI63Lf-ZLb_fghPrQZKl1uJQb_2475AfS1oX58Mp4wDHcUN0se6uPrGtH7bokJXk4Y3jV9sF9fMVTFU8hiMcPBPDISMA0lEWnjd6DvLw_bIqzqF4PSOc16ymYPMXNb-qWwS1CZf5OwXF/w240-h320/20240129_115748.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Even more surprisingly, there is another one which is evidently going to open within the next week or two:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRl5idkQZxqZSezcEfP_bmKqI3Xpr9M2e9cfXh39b7mQze8C3VkaeYOxBww_qrD4yecmGzTA7dUTRsrcPxUyv3_woOBthaYq7vioDT6dqTAFcfsJkvmH-wQBFCM0wQ8vHre97V7o8LgREOT9W6yt_pAp9b4S4vtoAQxw-NOYYR10bI5fu_1Tcm/s4608/20240126_120208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bird of paradise, soon to bloom in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRl5idkQZxqZSezcEfP_bmKqI3Xpr9M2e9cfXh39b7mQze8C3VkaeYOxBww_qrD4yecmGzTA7dUTRsrcPxUyv3_woOBthaYq7vioDT6dqTAFcfsJkvmH-wQBFCM0wQ8vHre97V7o8LgREOT9W6yt_pAp9b4S4vtoAQxw-NOYYR10bI5fu_1Tcm/w240-h320/20240126_120208.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I hope this doesn't mean that it will be 24 years before it blooms again...</div><div><br /></div><div>And finally, showing the mixed nature of Cyprus weather, where it's sometimes very sunny as well as quite chilly, we usually go for a short walk along the sea-front on Friday mornings, to check our PO Box. One one of those Fridays, we were feeling quite chilled with the wind (despite the sun) so stopped at Cafe Nero for some excellent hot chocolate, made with coconut milk. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYFEmRycacEdO-h6p8T3R6vUduNwZdQD7cK1tE_qQ2WfkKOAqfKZ5bZDXJ-WCKaE1AInE9QzI2ld9CG_x7zaYPLNsjkxBIUyNqvHBGLzGR2GKFfSOfXAWkoiIAqXT78SbVkpehb3JeWhwIBk8m6LmDOcH4N6BZOSgaX-WZqFTbLj9ImA__2_l/s4608/20240126_113636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="hot chocolate at Cafe Nero" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYFEmRycacEdO-h6p8T3R6vUduNwZdQD7cK1tE_qQ2WfkKOAqfKZ5bZDXJ-WCKaE1AInE9QzI2ld9CG_x7zaYPLNsjkxBIUyNqvHBGLzGR2GKFfSOfXAWkoiIAqXT78SbVkpehb3JeWhwIBk8m6LmDOcH4N6BZOSgaX-WZqFTbLj9ImA__2_l/w240-h320/20240126_113636.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><p><br /></p></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-24529176081017560592024-01-13T15:59:00.000+02:002024-01-13T15:59:10.572+02:00Another week over...<p> Wasn't New Year just a few days ago...? How can it be nearly half-way through January already? Time has a way of racing past, faster and faster and I really don't know where the last week has gone.</p><p>Part of that, I acknowledge, is that I've had quite a bad cold. Which I'll come to later... </p><p>On Friday January 5th, we went for a walk along the sea-front to check our PO Box. And there, as so often happens at this time of year, we found ELEVEN Christmas cards. All from the UK, posted on different dates between the 5th and 17th December. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWK0Zl5kqgh1vO2jTgVuKu8HitLahHcyR8J2eTDXbKRlW4gUGkxXS3BwlURGVHvrh35LkWx4Y2ieSwOM7jodpVDnVoFACYkpmJjpKsrZXncDgLWZrbVf7OIiiBlNerszHT8mUWWsg_ghg2Vh89pYhb0ISMEvKEDdKCz61IAW0RIHaJ5E4vVI20/s4608/20240105_114419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWK0Zl5kqgh1vO2jTgVuKu8HitLahHcyR8J2eTDXbKRlW4gUGkxXS3BwlURGVHvrh35LkWx4Y2ieSwOM7jodpVDnVoFACYkpmJjpKsrZXncDgLWZrbVf7OIiiBlNerszHT8mUWWsg_ghg2Vh89pYhb0ISMEvKEDdKCz61IAW0RIHaJ5E4vVI20/s320/20240105_114419.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So much for official 'last posting dates'. It all seems quite random. </div><div><br /></div><div>That nearly doubled the number of cards we received for the 2023 Christmas season, so I put them up along with those we had already received:</div><div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4h8WGgpQZBm5juzhShcbJeSpRiHk0zBTJCthi-ptVGcuZgHv0G27oWCcGysr6l_h44VdPljNGeDubDHk2wZH2ydPvyGPAGn9QYkjqMAw9itHEdumvuLklUJaRDPLLNr1SnyEd9YKCa4lWzHxolXULhDZZZM7bNSAFXeYlgkaUar4Kz1Z4MB0/s4608/20240105_115731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="display of Christmas cards" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4h8WGgpQZBm5juzhShcbJeSpRiHk0zBTJCthi-ptVGcuZgHv0G27oWCcGysr6l_h44VdPljNGeDubDHk2wZH2ydPvyGPAGn9QYkjqMAw9itHEdumvuLklUJaRDPLLNr1SnyEd9YKCa4lWzHxolXULhDZZZM7bNSAFXeYlgkaUar4Kz1Z4MB0/w320-h240/20240105_115731.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div>We do appreciate the cards that arrive. If you happen to be reading this and are one of the people who still sends us a card each year, then thank you very much. But we have been rather shocked at the amount of postage necessary to send a card to Cyprus from the UK. So please don't feel that you must! Electronic greetings are also welcome. It's rather sad that, even if folk post cards early in December, they can take a month to arrive. This is why I always keep the latest cards in an envelope along with our tree and decorations, and put them up the following year. </div><div><br /></div><div>So these, which we displayed right through December, are actually the cards we were sent for Christmas 2022 (many of which didn't arrive until early or even mid-January 2023)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizR-fIEsJVC3p6n8JNBaKLDaTfyZ6iESUzwRBzrO6kCA7D2F6eBDDGjCnreaXvsIrUZIQE-PrMtOJOd0KPylPKcn0psxNkxIczKCYZmZEDpdDBs5azh3Jq0VMABHQufEREsll4cf5zCGymDr7VKeJMUrDfTkPnORFGKZ-0KjoHwkqfyC3-182A/s4608/20240105_115649.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizR-fIEsJVC3p6n8JNBaKLDaTfyZ6iESUzwRBzrO6kCA7D2F6eBDDGjCnreaXvsIrUZIQE-PrMtOJOd0KPylPKcn0psxNkxIczKCYZmZEDpdDBs5azh3Jq0VMABHQufEREsll4cf5zCGymDr7VKeJMUrDfTkPnORFGKZ-0KjoHwkqfyC3-182A/s320/20240105_115649.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The traditional times for taking down Christmas decorations range from January 5th (Twelfth Night) through to Candlemas (February 2nd). But having had ours up since December 1st, I felt that it was time to take them down on January 5th... so we made sure the knitted wise men arrived at the manger even though it was a day earlier than Epiphany:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToiyHx6PH5n2PW6ULKkIPDX8OEKIk-rfvubugRRWfsS8b_bEu4rrFlbRzpjpck1mTl8x0sAtPIXD142QLGlGYeNbfhN5FkFiP4Zu0SoBpe6_I3iMbpoyIo1m8Akt-JcrMy5D4ABrGyroDpXXbWAUlrW_435PAiJ4uAJmvXcOi4auVe6Bo4uEf/s4608/20240105_115722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="nativity set at Epiphany" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToiyHx6PH5n2PW6ULKkIPDX8OEKIk-rfvubugRRWfsS8b_bEu4rrFlbRzpjpck1mTl8x0sAtPIXD142QLGlGYeNbfhN5FkFiP4Zu0SoBpe6_I3iMbpoyIo1m8Akt-JcrMy5D4ABrGyroDpXXbWAUlrW_435PAiJ4uAJmvXcOi4auVe6Bo4uEf/w320-h240/20240105_115722.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In the evening, Richard helped me take everything down, and packed it away much more neatly and efficiently than I can manage when I'm doing the un-decorating alone.</div><div><br /></div><div>And so, that was Christmas. </div><div><br /></div><div>Winding back a few hours, on that same Friday, which felt like a very long day, one way and another, I went to hang out the laundry I had done in the morning, only to find it still rather wet. I put it on to spin again, and nothing happened. Well, the washing machine made a lot of noise, but the drum did not turn at all. </div><div><br /></div><div>Uh-oh.</div><div><br /></div><div>The washing machine, which was eight and a half years old, had been playing up for many months: I could no longer select the programme I used the most, and had to use a different one. Sometimes it was hard even to find that. We wondered about seeing if it could be fixed, but thought it (a) unlikely and (b) probably expensive. </div><div><br /></div><div>With a second major thing not working, we realised the time had come to buy a new washing machine. Our previous one lasted nine years, and ended dramatically by boil-washing some clothes that never really recovered. Eight-and-a-half isn't significantly less. And whereas we were happy to buy a used (and probably elderly) <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2024/01/steaming-in-kitchen.html" target="_blank">steamer at the thrift store</a>, just a day earlier, we didn't even look for a second-hand washing machine. A steamer might be used ten or twelve times in a year, and we can manage quite well without it if we have to. A washing machine is used at least 150 times a year, with just the two of us, and I would find it extremely difficult to cope without it. </div><div><br /></div><div>So we went out to our favourite local white goods store, <a href="https://www.geoeshop.com/">George Theodorou</a>, after perusing their website, and ordered a new machine. To be delivered on Monday. And while many things have become more expensive in the past decade, I was slightly surprised to realise that our new washing machine was forty euros cheaper than the one we bought in 2015. And it comes with a five-year guarantee.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our washing machine is located on an outside utility balcony, inside a biggish metal cupboard. It works well; it's right by the washing lines, and it's not taking up space in the kitchen. </div><div><br /></div><div>But also in the cupboard, next to the machine, we tend to accumulate things like old cardboard boxes, ends of cans of paint - particularly when they're still in use - and unused cat litter trays. I also had a large bag of polystyrene beads for beanbags. At one point we had four beanbags, but one of them was damaged by one of the cats, and we didn't really think we needed four.. so I rescued the filling, and thought it would be useful for topping up the three remaining beanbags. The fillings tend to get squashed, so the bags become less comfortable with time.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was, I think, a good idea. But I did that probably five or six years ago, and had not done any topping up. I also hadn't realised that the large bin bag in which I put the spare beads was a biodegradable one. And it started to biodegrade. I had noticed a few beans leaking out but hadn't done anything about it... and the slight leak, just a week or two earlier, had turned into a major cascade...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95MIaeRMJxUL30nuTrgbVKU6e1pr6I1qOZKR3el0gXXuVIgxgSNEjOonNY2Ouc2nJOEBHYStiSN1dJWuZMlWW5di78tQ96Ee4QKBg7rSYD2hAq-WCPcMUJMZfajBjmQwQsWhCetpuBxF0F8yYM-qlhgzLPj4SnCUYww378dJu5oYdLYLaFDtp/s4608/20240107_145626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95MIaeRMJxUL30nuTrgbVKU6e1pr6I1qOZKR3el0gXXuVIgxgSNEjOonNY2Ouc2nJOEBHYStiSN1dJWuZMlWW5di78tQ96Ee4QKBg7rSYD2hAq-WCPcMUJMZfajBjmQwQsWhCetpuBxF0F8yYM-qlhgzLPj4SnCUYww378dJu5oYdLYLaFDtp/s320/20240107_145626.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>I might have left this for weeks, even months longer, although a high wind could have caused beans to go flying all over the place. But knowing that a new washing machine was coming on Monday was an excellent motivator. So on Sunday I set to work with a jug and a new bin liner... </div><div><br /></div><div>Richard helped, and between us we managed to tidy up the inside of the cupboard effectively, getting rid of some almost empty (and dried up) paint containers, and throwing out some of the beans which had become very grubby. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRmcXBN0nRZ-tMkCdZFe-tJdjwWhZDkMFP9mq26dqSeABjd2vEo1PxLSJvDwQR2I4nbwn3BoxqcHwchQpNvpOj1nRDYvM0ZMhFKhh-REFqqnup7lFb0WqBq7XpB0fn9WQXouz4ePqIMVjbhXPlmdg770Eg4YT6c8pr1XmlBRUn2_NdLiTgD0n/s4608/20240108_121830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRmcXBN0nRZ-tMkCdZFe-tJdjwWhZDkMFP9mq26dqSeABjd2vEo1PxLSJvDwQR2I4nbwn3BoxqcHwchQpNvpOj1nRDYvM0ZMhFKhh-REFqqnup7lFb0WqBq7XpB0fn9WQXouz4ePqIMVjbhXPlmdg770Eg4YT6c8pr1XmlBRUn2_NdLiTgD0n/s320/20240108_121830.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>On Monday the new washing machine was delivered and installed, and the old one taken away. I hadn't realised that the door was so dark, I couldn't see the laundry going around inside. But I guess it doesn't matter. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasOvma4XHbxUGbpD9f63hY15hrxas3wbS9Kb0Srnrgc2c767QtKNWD2ahQOZL5-yv5k-2G_vaZLawEJWyy5mh7TTWKvjwy5nYzfg00hm3dunOCf6QiZ0NLmzypowrQ4d5SBTEd7UnMFg_3P2OmXzbhLTVT7rZ3et2fm6-zEOamHQ6LVQbUgnu/s4608/20240108_121838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="new washing machine in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasOvma4XHbxUGbpD9f63hY15hrxas3wbS9Kb0Srnrgc2c767QtKNWD2ahQOZL5-yv5k-2G_vaZLawEJWyy5mh7TTWKvjwy5nYzfg00hm3dunOCf6QiZ0NLmzypowrQ4d5SBTEd7UnMFg_3P2OmXzbhLTVT7rZ3et2fm6-zEOamHQ6LVQbUgnu/w320-h240/20240108_121838.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>The programme names seem a bit random; I've tried three different ones so far, and they all work well. The cycles are rather quicker than those on the previous machine, which is a plus point. </div><div><br /></div><div>On Thursday, when I went out for a walk with Sheila first thing, the flamingoes were right on the shore. It had rained a bit, and evidently there were plenty of fresh little pink shrimp by the shore. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5C26kAisVuPvz4_qeO1_yEE9mt9HzAne_s7kBwmzyLFqXlSh-kBuQgqKr0ufezspVQb3xmplw-XhEmfewntdzenfx-LC11m9zNGqZMnhaA3XJb1njeNx0X4hpyrf6P-UHQV-ArzD5j79qbFsFuc-3GpOsChuiYeMPou4w7KiELYO3msNpHJRh/s4608/20240111_070529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="flamingoes by the Larnaka Salt Lake" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5C26kAisVuPvz4_qeO1_yEE9mt9HzAne_s7kBwmzyLFqXlSh-kBuQgqKr0ufezspVQb3xmplw-XhEmfewntdzenfx-LC11m9zNGqZMnhaA3XJb1njeNx0X4hpyrf6P-UHQV-ArzD5j79qbFsFuc-3GpOsChuiYeMPou4w7KiELYO3msNpHJRh/w320-h240/20240111_070529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>We can't get too close, or they become frightened, and my phone zoom isn't great - but I was quite pleased with this picture. </div><div><br /></div><div>2023 broke all the records for warmth, at least in Cyprus, and December was no exception. As I said in a previous post, I don't think the overnight temperatures dropped below ten degrees (Celcius, of course) and the daytimes were mostly 20-23 in the shade. </div><div><br /></div><div>Early January remained warm, too. But on Friday, for the first time, my phone showed slightly cooler temperatures when I got up:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqL0sHkbEfVKwNvnjkknPipJi5-_j8GGevsmZ-MizApROSR1A5FeQwqcwcQxUFPi9M3AxWhnILoq1Z8UUXevLYClQmo7pCAlDLHkdYQywx34L4fBAv5QDtGlhm5hq-e-nAvOhQHPR5l9efYZVNSFTZ6g2ykibxv7luYBokOBRYgq4HIAMxwnA/s1480/Screenshot_20240112-052205.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqL0sHkbEfVKwNvnjkknPipJi5-_j8GGevsmZ-MizApROSR1A5FeQwqcwcQxUFPi9M3AxWhnILoq1Z8UUXevLYClQmo7pCAlDLHkdYQywx34L4fBAv5QDtGlhm5hq-e-nAvOhQHPR5l9efYZVNSFTZ6g2ykibxv7luYBokOBRYgq4HIAMxwnA/s320/Screenshot_20240112-052205.png" width="156" /></a></div><br /><div>And, indeed, it rained - not much on Friday afternoon, but today has been very grey, with rain more than once. A report in the Cyprus Mail said that <a href="https://cyprus-mail.com/2024/01/12/todays-weather-snow-in-troodos-again/" target="_blank">snow is falling in Troodos</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps winter is, at last, arriving. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and my cold...</div>
<p>I had a slight sniffle on Monday that barely affected me. I walked with Sheila as usual first thing on Tuesday, but felt exhausted when I got home and very 'coldy' for the rest of the day. It was really quite bad on Wednesday, then started to improve. It's pretty much gone by now. I didn't test for Covid; mainly because most of our remaining free testing kits have dried up entirely. But I checked several sites to see if there were any clear differences. I was sneezing a lot (common with colds, very uncommon with Covid). However I didn't have a headache, other than slight pressure around my sinuses on Wednesday (headaches are very common with Covid), nor did I have any aches and pains anywhere else. I was a bit tired, but not in a debilitating way. And my coughs were productive.</p><p>All of which is probably far more information than anyone reading this cares to read, so I'll end here. </p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-74341028219402472842024-01-05T16:54:00.003+02:002024-01-05T16:54:49.174+02:00Steaming in the Kitchen... <p> Many, many moons ago, when we lived at our old, rental house, my parents had been staying, and wanted to buy us a new appliance for the kitchen. I had been reading about healthier cooking, and had seen several recommendations for electric steamers. </p><p>I thought it would be particularly useful for Christmas puddings, but also for the kind of vegetables which (at that period) we would typically boil: broccoli, green beans, cauliflower etc. We hadn't, at that stage, discovered that roasting works so well for anything other than potatoes, carrots and parsnips. </p><p>There were several possible steamers available in the shop we went to, rather to my surprise, and after some discussion we opted for the Morphy Richards 'health steam', which came with English instructions, a recipe book (also in English) and a two-year guarantee. Plus it was a name we trusted. And the steamer had a fair bit of use over the first couple of years, particularly when we ran out of gas for our oven, as happened sporadically. </p><p>The recipe book wasn't in fact all that helpful; it was produced in conjunction with a slimming agency, and had rather complex low fat ideas, none of which were really appropriate for our family of four. But we cooked vegetables, and - once I had realised that steaming takes a bit longer than boiling - they came out well, and hopefully more nutritious than if we had boiled them and then poured away the water. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9L_fVZFOAFdRXdXIFUWgIhq8KPiWTDa_uWeG8E58mEaZxwpF_qVdKGuXH30AfeLW8amI2nc83RCANReeTXaV8NRZ8H5x89rLOjF_jHXbf6CJ91be7vrbKyoKZ8CZT4aUYTUVT_gJRTw4XBM-i8rFXDFcgHDAHsd2E3O0Lb2_D4Xjl1E6lojQt/s3072/IMG_1323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="steaming vegetables" border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="2304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9L_fVZFOAFdRXdXIFUWgIhq8KPiWTDa_uWeG8E58mEaZxwpF_qVdKGuXH30AfeLW8amI2nc83RCANReeTXaV8NRZ8H5x89rLOjF_jHXbf6CJ91be7vrbKyoKZ8CZT4aUYTUVT_gJRTw4XBM-i8rFXDFcgHDAHsd2E3O0Lb2_D4Xjl1E6lojQt/w240-h320/IMG_1323.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><p>It was also invaluable for cooking my Christmas puddings each year. Previously I had steamed them in large saucepans, with water half-way up the sides, feeling stressed in case the water dried up. With the steamer, the timer has a maximum of one hour at a time. So I fill it up with water and put it on for an hour. I usually remember to top up the water and turn it on for another hour before it's finished, but if I get distracted and forget, the steamer goes off before the water can run out. </p><p>I had a slight glitch when I realised that the bowls I had previously used wouldn't fit in the steamer. So we acquired slightly smaller ones, and as my recipe makes three, this three-tier steamer was perfect, year after year. This photo has appeared in a previous blog (as has the one above) but it illustrates nicely how very useful the steamer has been:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuDi9zyR8v81aZPjMgmKjVlXqJb8ZwjDM2FRy_8JhYEz5TWfaoU2uz0PYGaeG139iDgLEPvhrA6PFJ68R5HTUt08ydkjfYwTG7fnEoDJ604qm1WwglvFqlLcU3TSoiHEuSKBHSAeMkGaVIFMhLUJZtHo7nAlX5d-Ws5YeTNErxLQTa6eRClHS/s2048/20211209_115507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="steaming Christmas puddings" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuDi9zyR8v81aZPjMgmKjVlXqJb8ZwjDM2FRy_8JhYEz5TWfaoU2uz0PYGaeG139iDgLEPvhrA6PFJ68R5HTUt08ydkjfYwTG7fnEoDJ604qm1WwglvFqlLcU3TSoiHEuSKBHSAeMkGaVIFMhLUJZtHo7nAlX5d-Ws5YeTNErxLQTa6eRClHS/w240-h320/20211209_115507.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>When we moved to this house, back in the summer of 2006, I kept the lesser-used appliances, including the steamer, in a cupboard. Which is all very well, and makes the kitchen work surfaces look tidy. But when something is packed away, in my experience, it's likely to stay away. </p><p>I would occasionally get the steamer out to cook rice, but then realised it's simpler in either the oven or a regular saucepan - and it's not as if we eat rice more than once or twice a month at most. Occasionally I thought of the steamer for vegetables, but we discovered the delights of roasted veg - yes, even frozen green beans can be roasted. For those that don't work well roasted (eg peas and sweetcorn), the microwave is ideal. </p><p>But the steamer would come out early every December to steam my newly-made Christmas puddings. It would come out again on Christmas Day, to re-steam the pudding we were going to eat, and also the brussels sprouts. I expect sprouts might also be nicer roasted, but the oven is so full on Christmas Day that there's no room for anything else. </p><p>Then... about a month ago, when the 2023 puddings were steaming, I noticed that the one on the top looked rather lopsided. I didn't investigate until the steamer had run for about six hours and then cooled down. I thought perhaps one of the bases had slipped. What I discovered was that it had rather badly cracked and broken:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWH9Su0p7gmAD_MmpFLAnxGYHUAPBMwRnVbHvaIP77LABrMc8U9EK012R1fk5zTB5RDmnVSVNeqvxW0r5oVjr8_Ogp7sIJI304lob5hHbkNB2H5LSFqc9gURGA6BJ3vQFZ1ye9Yav9g3lkmnYA1zImGJAhjy-SMbG2YXyPi5FWZCVlQlfoCZK/s4608/20231214_080252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cracked base of steamer" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWH9Su0p7gmAD_MmpFLAnxGYHUAPBMwRnVbHvaIP77LABrMc8U9EK012R1fk5zTB5RDmnVSVNeqvxW0r5oVjr8_Ogp7sIJI304lob5hHbkNB2H5LSFqc9gURGA6BJ3vQFZ1ye9Yav9g3lkmnYA1zImGJAhjy-SMbG2YXyPi5FWZCVlQlfoCZK/w240-h320/20231214_080252.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Richard pondered whether he could create a new base. But it would be a very complex thing to make, with the bits that stick out to hold it in place. And after more than nineteen years, the steamer didn't owe us anything. We researched a bit online then went to two or three possible shops to see if we could find a suitable replacement. But the new ones (including a modern Morphy Richards equivalent) didn't look as sturdy, and cost €65 - €70. That was more than I was willing to pay for something that really only gets used a couple of times a year.</p><p>Since the other two bases were fine, I cooked the sprouts and reheated a pudding in the steamer without any problem on Christmas Day. A day or two later, after cleaning and drying it, I packed the steamer away. And would have thought no more about it until next December, most likely...</p><p>Then, a couple of days ago, I went out to buy some yarn. And something - or Someone, perhaps? - prompted me go into the Thrift Store, which is not far from my favourite haberdashery. I checked the DVDs, as I do, but nothing looked interesting. I found a couple of mugs I liked for 50 cents each, and as I turned around I saw, on a shelf, another Morphy Richards 'healthsteam' steamer. At €8.50. </p><p>I was on foot, and am never good at spontaneous purchases when I'm on my own anyway. But when I told Richard about it, he suggested we go back first thing Thursday, with the car. The steamer was still there, and looked in excellent condition. It was so clean and free of scale that I suspect it has only been used a handful of times. It might be almost as old as our original one, as they're no longer made in this style. But there's not much to go wrong: the base heats up and boils the water, a bit like a kettle. </p><p>So we bought it: another, identical steamer. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheT4Fd8EYaCb85pr48SUKJXsX5mixwR6rhyDm0S2v1IhvdVBy82r3IvrT_GEtnH9iSEol-XLkw2Qw8bXdQHcqV3O0GuEH_oDRDar9MZFfs5fHTM5TeiCPrLwVhOfGHSpFxgor95tQ8l-lsQTfO_nOwIBDkpswEFO7Fi2mltO7YBx57-vVvXrVj/s4608/20240104_121623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="morphy richards healthsteam steamer" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheT4Fd8EYaCb85pr48SUKJXsX5mixwR6rhyDm0S2v1IhvdVBy82r3IvrT_GEtnH9iSEol-XLkw2Qw8bXdQHcqV3O0GuEH_oDRDar9MZFfs5fHTM5TeiCPrLwVhOfGHSpFxgor95tQ8l-lsQTfO_nOwIBDkpswEFO7Fi2mltO7YBx57-vVvXrVj/w240-h320/20240104_121623.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>I washed it all thoroughly, and last night steamed some cabbage and peas, just to try it out. It worked as expected. I've decided not to put it away in a cupboard, but to find space on the crowded work surface; that way, I just might use it more often...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQyiaT_wVWjeC3DieLNh6Z8KzoedrxsmCOEU5QVNxSwNNPOYmo8qA0gPhX8aA7IQDhKigKNAQUMtjNT_ekfTOU07GbGneXbjAaMy4rdjsc1z3MmNtV1nXblk6gEo77glqDWfEb1ZFyDtZL3yKWZ7ekGfn-utLv__Q19P4Cj6NFcco6oPPuK5C/s4608/20240105_120442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kitchen appliances in a row" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQyiaT_wVWjeC3DieLNh6Z8KzoedrxsmCOEU5QVNxSwNNPOYmo8qA0gPhX8aA7IQDhKigKNAQUMtjNT_ekfTOU07GbGneXbjAaMy4rdjsc1z3MmNtV1nXblk6gEo77glqDWfEb1ZFyDtZL3yKWZ7ekGfn-utLv__Q19P4Cj6NFcco6oPPuK5C/w320-h240/20240105_120442.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-90438856582506931742024-01-01T20:41:00.000+02:002024-01-01T20:41:13.882+02:00New Year 2024<p>Christmas Day went well. The weather has been warmer than usual - I don't think it's got down to single digits yet, even overnight. It was about 13 degrees when I woke up, so I went out for a short walk before par-boiling the potatoes (peeled the night before) and putting the Christmas pudding in the steamer. After breakfast we opened our presents, then walked to and from the church service. There were only about twenty people there; but I'm glad we went. </p><p>By 11.30 we were back home and the major juggling act began. I missed my younger son even more than normal at that stage; he used to take over the kitchen entirely for Christmas Day. He is skilled at knowing when to get everything going, with all the food ready at exactly the right time. I find that much more difficult. I made a detailed list to ensure I didn't forget anything, but some of the timings were still a bit off.</p><p>However, we made use of our ancient but much-appreciated hostess trolley, which we bought second-hand in the spring of 2019. This rather cumbersome contraption enables quite a lot of different food to be kept hot without overcooking. </p><p>Richard set the table: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2NTY-LIhiCWHdG8i2AvjU4TWTS7p1DG1Il4Qy6X89U1861Y9Hxl0gubIehYkAadYTzo6AAH_oKHuh1CxKNA5gVKbR1y04VhvhSiUXY2VPSUlcPlxyXkArJv2bKPh_DbLKQiUcSzs9jDjzDng_098J_-RALJ795kS2rS09JbswjfIn74KeGsX/s4191/20231225_123325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Table set for Christmas Day" border="0" data-original-height="4191" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2NTY-LIhiCWHdG8i2AvjU4TWTS7p1DG1Il4Qy6X89U1861Y9Hxl0gubIehYkAadYTzo6AAH_oKHuh1CxKNA5gVKbR1y04VhvhSiUXY2VPSUlcPlxyXkArJv2bKPh_DbLKQiUcSzs9jDjzDng_098J_-RALJ795kS2rS09JbswjfIn74KeGsX/w264-h320/20231225_123325.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><div><br /></div>That was not without its own stresses, as one of our cats kept jumping up and disarranging (if that's a word) the cloth and runner. So he had to start over more than once. Eventually I shut Lady Jane in my study. <div><br /></div><div>Nine of us sat down to eat, ages ranging from 13 to 81, and I think they all had a good time. Once the food was all on the table - after a minor blip when it transpired that we'd forgotten to put out ANY of the four different dishes of vegetables! - I was able to relax. The crackers had the usual paper crowns and tiny silly gifts, some more interesting than others. It also had jokes, most of which I hadn't heard before. It's amazing how many bad Christmas-related jokes there must be. <i>(What kind of photos do Santa's helpers take? Elfies...)</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Once the main course had been finished, we cleared away the food and the dishwasher went on for the first time that day. I am so, so thankful for my dishwasher when we entertain. Nobody was really hungry any more, but the desserts came out anyway, and I think everyone found space for something. The Christmas pudding, made a few weeks earlier, turned out very well, as did the entirely dairy-free trifle which I'd made on Christmas Eve. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTeYikQ74RwxSehu5UNtWh0Bsiw8dNjvflLSkd-6BXtUwnuSqRmnPkAuzszFacOj6WMBpRq7NgnCTwkiOmUDfKIps45kR4yHtQjkZVC_Hes2fN78F0X6qDVpdsf5vgdJmkreX6VNqJFWzRY0cHOXH4L5HJWJHfmvFcPUGUBlBtQP2F3hw9AGUg/s3164/20231225_142911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christmas Pudding" border="0" data-original-height="3053" data-original-width="3164" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTeYikQ74RwxSehu5UNtWh0Bsiw8dNjvflLSkd-6BXtUwnuSqRmnPkAuzszFacOj6WMBpRq7NgnCTwkiOmUDfKIps45kR4yHtQjkZVC_Hes2fN78F0X6qDVpdsf5vgdJmkreX6VNqJFWzRY0cHOXH4L5HJWJHfmvFcPUGUBlBtQP2F3hw9AGUg/w320-h309/20231225_142911.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpoqG1Hq8lRa7FNf6ZE06qLVefDDCiJPjCxbkxvlapPYvkE4MpJhVrqaEjgC66HbpqNNvZDrUAC3HIhsrF5Huut40yJlz6u6iXFbQ2q2Y4jQ_ngoqJn3p28Bee2WI24-uTRAnj0QKEyKhWVq5NcQWH-OUiebQdKdxTMsCHVnNm9rkoD9SEFEk/s3313/20231225_142901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3313" data-original-width="2938" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpoqG1Hq8lRa7FNf6ZE06qLVefDDCiJPjCxbkxvlapPYvkE4MpJhVrqaEjgC66HbpqNNvZDrUAC3HIhsrF5Huut40yJlz6u6iXFbQ2q2Y4jQ_ngoqJn3p28Bee2WI24-uTRAnj0QKEyKhWVq5NcQWH-OUiebQdKdxTMsCHVnNm9rkoD9SEFEk/s320/20231225_142901.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><br /><div>I had a feeling something was missing as I sat down, then remembered the mince pies which I had put in the oven after turning it off, to warm them up a bit. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then the three teenage girls went to watch some DVDs, our oldest guest went to take a nap, and the remaining five of us played a board game. As we finished our older son called for a video chat; we miss the family a lot, particularly at this time of year, but being able to see them and what they're doing makes it a little easier. Then, although nobody was hungry, other than one of the teenage girls, we got out things for a high tea, and large amounts of food were consumed by all. </div><div><br /></div><div>The dishwasher ran for a second time afterwards and we managed to fit all the leftovers in the fridge. Our younger son then called to chat online... our guests departed... and I went up to bed, tired but pleased that all had gone well.</div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't plan to do any cooking for the next few days; by Thursday, however, we had finished the leftover roast potatoes (reheated) and I'd had enough of turkey for a while, so we froze what remained and I made omelettes with potato wedges, one of my favourite meals that's quick and easy to prepare. There were still plenty of cut-up cold vegetables to go with it. </div><div><br /></div><div>By Friday I was feeling the need for getting out of the house for more than just my early morning walks. We didn't need to do any supermarket shopping, but I did want to check the PO Box. So we drove to town, and parked at the marina. Then we walked along the sea front, collected a card and parcel that had arrived, and walked back along one of the other streets. We popped into the book shop but didn't see anything that grabbed us - and it's not as if we're lacking in books. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was surprised at how warm it felt - the official temperature was something like 21 degrees but in the sunshine it felt rather higher. So we stopped for smoothies.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJcX6fcj3x4uLm1s4OMkAzyqQZC8LUBD6IdqXYCMPuSIbLI85AeLoHgVlCuHnbFPYBLRK9x5Xd07W__3RluPr65Vid5mzVlBypBqBuaZ1IKF9lVjztfCv7UPApeeZQLXzMey0kc7Tr3FGqKaaTjozY31lOQWCIhcDk5Pdlh51jKj0YiVpxi3u/s4608/20231229_113053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJcX6fcj3x4uLm1s4OMkAzyqQZC8LUBD6IdqXYCMPuSIbLI85AeLoHgVlCuHnbFPYBLRK9x5Xd07W__3RluPr65Vid5mzVlBypBqBuaZ1IKF9lVjztfCv7UPApeeZQLXzMey0kc7Tr3FGqKaaTjozY31lOQWCIhcDk5Pdlh51jKj0YiVpxi3u/s320/20231229_113053.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>On Saturday, when I popped out in the afternoon for some fruit and vegetables that we needed, I was startled to see the shop that used to be a supermarket (and which had many different names over the 16 years we've lived here) is being either knocked down or seriously renovated:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-oFmDn3v7A9oWS_PTHPsaZkXu4gT7mzHfg1q33RyK9Os8iCot6GhCdOt78-maHifqg4k_IYm6MZFVscoN3IwGNSXPMGeZGxL4cxyz_p9baWLpsSkpSmQnxBPv0GjLFOMsn4lkgZGB4ArazrnM02eO1u3XzqN92rpEMLiOPTFOlIgIPGLhMHL/s4608/20231230_160137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-oFmDn3v7A9oWS_PTHPsaZkXu4gT7mzHfg1q33RyK9Os8iCot6GhCdOt78-maHifqg4k_IYm6MZFVscoN3IwGNSXPMGeZGxL4cxyz_p9baWLpsSkpSmQnxBPv0GjLFOMsn4lkgZGB4ArazrnM02eO1u3XzqN92rpEMLiOPTFOlIgIPGLhMHL/s320/20231230_160137.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>(That's not where I was planning on buying the produce; it's been closed for over a year)</div><div><br /></div><div>Sunday morning was relaxing; even the cats decided not to bat or chase each other, as they have been prone to do recently. Instead, they slept next to each other in the sunshine:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTaE_KeemfQvdxvOs1lLNenenrsi76kVQ571lwXs4whX7ooEv0SiopGjObJCuS5UgNZX0qbKZ60ZB0vGTtZFdrozVK7jLCY0V-YPCk-fv3J7zukGDjet6ESwYL2qMmiySeBJH9Fs68VUtbkNG6r6F-Y-ihi1ys04ICYyNT9Z-R7LKKfOzz4Rs/s4608/20231231_113813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTaE_KeemfQvdxvOs1lLNenenrsi76kVQ571lwXs4whX7ooEv0SiopGjObJCuS5UgNZX0qbKZ60ZB0vGTtZFdrozVK7jLCY0V-YPCk-fv3J7zukGDjet6ESwYL2qMmiySeBJH9Fs68VUtbkNG6r6F-Y-ihi1ys04ICYyNT9Z-R7LKKfOzz4Rs/s320/20231231_113813.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>In the evening we were invited to our friends' home for a New Year's Eve gathering; there were 12 of us for a meal, and one extra who arrived a bit later. We played a few games after eating, and it was all very pleasant. But I'm not a night owl. The older I become, the earlier I seem to need to sleep. By 11pm I was finding it hard to keep my eyes open, and other guests were making a move, so Richard decided to bring me home. I would have stayed until midnight if he had wanted to, but was very thankful. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not that there was much chance of sleep, since we knew that, at midnight, there would be a few minutes of very loud fireworks. We heard them, but happily there didn't seem to be any more and I slept reasonably well until about 6.30am. It wasn't nearly enough sleep (I really need eight hours every night) and I've felt a bit zombie-like today. But I got done the things I planned to do, and by writing this blog have managed to stay awake until 8.30pm... and hope to be asleep in about half an hour's time.</div><div><p><br /></p></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-77015501339390942752023-12-24T17:32:00.002+02:002023-12-24T17:32:20.519+02:00Christmas Eve 2023<p> I quite like Christmas being on a Monday. It means we collected our turkey and did the last bits of shopping yesterday, so today was - theoretically - a bit more relaxing. I thought of it almost like an extra Saturday. Not that I've sat down much; I've been pottering in the kitchen, making extra food, cutting up vegetables, washing up at least three times for items that won't go in the dishwasher. </p><p>I made our Christmas cake at the start of November, put almond paste on it a few days ago, and iced it yesterday. I rarely do anything new or creative despite having many books with amazing looking ideas. Here's this year's effort, anyway:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpBdI7TUpDhdq4aBB44pCND583KalgcC4VWkZhbo7L8KcSUoSU2SLKfu2oXsuJa7o2AkJyOmYwFiAQgSaHncFiXU3i9MldlduWKJueH0OMlS-QB-gDRFJGx9cPpH9KeuqGCaUy14vADU-3YCPaycHDKC75ZTuRUqE3TyB8sIe_FfJ3JkURdWF/s4608/20231223_152535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christmas Cake" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpBdI7TUpDhdq4aBB44pCND583KalgcC4VWkZhbo7L8KcSUoSU2SLKfu2oXsuJa7o2AkJyOmYwFiAQgSaHncFiXU3i9MldlduWKJueH0OMlS-QB-gDRFJGx9cPpH9KeuqGCaUy14vADU-3YCPaycHDKC75ZTuRUqE3TyB8sIe_FfJ3JkURdWF/w240-h320/20231223_152535.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>I see, glancing through this blog, that it's very similar to <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2014/12/christmas-eve-2014.html" target="_blank">the one I made in 2014</a>. </p><p>I didn't have any handy aquafaba and it seemed silly to open a can of chickpeas just for a few tablespoons of the cooking water. But I really don't like using raw egg white in royal icing. So I tried 'No Egg', something which is an inexpensive commercial egg replacer which we bought from Holland and Barrett a few weeks ago. I don't know how it works, but it was quite effective, though I had to add a tablespoon of extra water and another teaspoon of lemon juice to get the icing to bind together. </p><p>We cooked the turkey yesterday, too. Well, Richard did most of the work. I just made the stuffing. It's now neatly sliced in a pan in the fridge, to be reheated tomorrow. </p><p>I don't know why Christmas entertaining feels a whole order more complicated than normal evening or Sunday lunch entertaining. And I know the food and friends are not what Christmas is really about. But still, no matter how simple I try to keep it, I usually do some food preparation most days of December, with a lot on the last couple of days, and a full schedule Christmas morning. </p><p>Advent was very short this year, only three weeks; today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. We put our tree up on December 1st, and hung up last year's cards. Fewer and fewer cards arrive each year, which is fine; electronic communication is more efficient, and considerably less expensive. Postage from the UK is shockingly high, and we know from experience that other cards will arrive next week, or later in January. So this year's cards will be hung up next year. </p><p>This is a poignant time of year for many, a stressful time for even more. The world news is increasingly depressing. But I'll still take this brief moment to wish anyone who sees this a peaceful, blessed and encouraging day tomorrow, however you might celebrate - or even if you don't. </p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-91645853833787473372023-10-28T17:33:00.075+03:002023-10-28T17:48:47.639+03:00Where is Autumn....?<p>We have lived here long enough (26 years) that I no longer expect summer to be over by the start of September. In our first few years, I would feel a stab of disappointment on the first day of the month when it was still hot and humid. I suppose it was a bit like a child waking up on their birthday, devastated to discover that nothing had really changed overnight. </p><p>But I was, briefly, quite hopeful at the end of August this year. We had a downpour of rain towards the end of that month. It was unexpected, and welcome... however, it didn't make the temperatures decrease. Cyprus, like most of Europe, has had <a href="https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/international/summer-2023-was-hottest-on-record-scientists-say/" target="_blank">the hottest summer on record</a>. September wasn't much better. </p><p>Still, by the middle of September, the humidity did reduce somewhat. And the night-time temperatures dropped to around 19-21 degrees overnight, even though we were still seeing more than 30 degrees in the daytime. So, towards the end of September, I started walking with my friend Sheila again, on three mornings each week. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVPE2Vz2eupevGXQzuAOz9SNJPEt9Q-86-yeOQKslyST1q0hMbT4GDvgs48sZK3aPXVdD-eNeGTo1TPVrHrToM6zjcUSu6ZK_4fSD71KzaWL02hYJ-5hLi5re_Qk64-vrp6YlB7dTa8UbFxnWfqxplGR6N8XDpF6v6JUuAoYh5bnCV3MShYTU/s4608/20230919_065335.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Larnaka Salt Lake in September" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVPE2Vz2eupevGXQzuAOz9SNJPEt9Q-86-yeOQKslyST1q0hMbT4GDvgs48sZK3aPXVdD-eNeGTo1TPVrHrToM6zjcUSu6ZK_4fSD71KzaWL02hYJ-5hLi5re_Qk64-vrp6YlB7dTa8UbFxnWfqxplGR6N8XDpF6v6JUuAoYh5bnCV3MShYTU/w320-h240/20230919_065335.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Salt Lake had mostly dried out, but there was a little patch of water. I was told that flamingoes have been spotted already, although we haven't yet seen any on our walks. </div><div><br /></div><div>But now it's almost the end of October. We've managed not to use any air conditioning this month - though we were using it right up to the end of September - but we're still running ceiling fans, day and night. The early morning temperatures are still 19-21 degrees. The daytime temperatures have mostly remained up to 30-31 degrees. This morning, the Salt Lake didn't look much different; in previous years it's usually had quite a bit of water by the end of October. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBR3nmiU1luGTUXXn0Rlb6OilmNmcMNOwKQl47dBRvxXhq-WzIV1vJhDsB9bj1JRC05BOqy1AzTBhCXZUbxkcgDC8SVGbGCISplT9spl-xzwtOzY6yBq1w_HZpJNfAV1cHmKq8PgWj-waBeBkMQzuIVCh1rFTBkevwS00PQaXOWkfojncgnf3B/s4539/20231028_070542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dry Salt Lake at the end of October" border="0" data-original-height="2830" data-original-width="4539" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBR3nmiU1luGTUXXn0Rlb6OilmNmcMNOwKQl47dBRvxXhq-WzIV1vJhDsB9bj1JRC05BOqy1AzTBhCXZUbxkcgDC8SVGbGCISplT9spl-xzwtOzY6yBq1w_HZpJNfAV1cHmKq8PgWj-waBeBkMQzuIVCh1rFTBkevwS00PQaXOWkfojncgnf3B/w320-h200/20231028_070542.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>We've had a bit of rain, two or three times, but no more than about five minutes at a time despite forecasts of thunderstorms and heavy rain. I've had to keep watering the plants, something I don't usually have to do at this time of year. I haven't yet put even our lightweight duvet on the bed, and I haven't got out my jeans. I did find a thin, light-weight jacket that I wore a few times when walking in the morning, but I didn't remember it today, and didn't need it. I haven't wanted long trousers to walk in, either. </div><div><br /></div><div>We had a surprise yesterday, on visiting one of the DIY shops locally, to find that they already had extensive Christmas displays. Here's just one of the sections:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoho-z9VkbgqEL_j6GhHObjlpe_JA3yLWLV6WEM4t5DdWiaGt1arpCVqKHWPipZrlI3qHxg3oA-e5RpOSVl8DuOvaZwDTWkAhP5FwgJRxigLpIekwG66Ps2gGouhK3CDzEKHI72NT4l2BT_aPJA7egkrdWD8o2vmD-yncidTOytQDMKlbajNEG/s4608/20231027_110629.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christmas Decorations at the end of October" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoho-z9VkbgqEL_j6GhHObjlpe_JA3yLWLV6WEM4t5DdWiaGt1arpCVqKHWPipZrlI3qHxg3oA-e5RpOSVl8DuOvaZwDTWkAhP5FwgJRxigLpIekwG66Ps2gGouhK3CDzEKHI72NT4l2BT_aPJA7egkrdWD8o2vmD-yncidTOytQDMKlbajNEG/w320-h240/20231027_110629.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>It seems a bit premature, when people are still going around in tee shirts and shorts, but perhaps they know something we don't. November is when we usually start thinking about central heating, so maybe this year we'll move straight from summer into winter...</div><div><br /></div><div>That's not what the forecast suggests:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_R7npxRkjwdHL8g8w032vpoJyqOPs2QXCZPbPYvOOrljBdlqSRxLnNlPHltD2kqVJdJ3bELr89ZfFzYRgdC_ME0pwc4Z1KsQsio08Wy1qDOCSf4QsaXpmVHex1Sf0ntx5hriB9jsOguO7125NhCWqb2AArmuFRGWAF5BfSsdPNoF3Ubc_-_1/s609/Screenshot%202023-10-28%20at%2016.47.22.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Larnaka upcoming weather forecast, end of October 2023" border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="609" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_R7npxRkjwdHL8g8w032vpoJyqOPs2QXCZPbPYvOOrljBdlqSRxLnNlPHltD2kqVJdJ3bELr89ZfFzYRgdC_ME0pwc4Z1KsQsio08Wy1qDOCSf4QsaXpmVHex1Sf0ntx5hriB9jsOguO7125NhCWqb2AArmuFRGWAF5BfSsdPNoF3Ubc_-_1/w320-h294/Screenshot%202023-10-28%20at%2016.47.22.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>But they haven't been all that accurate, recently. And tonight we put the clocks back an hour, so it will be light earlier in the morning (which is good for early morning walkers) but it will be dark earlier in the evenings. </div><div><br /></div><div>I haven't updated this blog in a long time. So here are a few other random items that may or may not be of interest: </div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>At the start of September, we had our sofit and fascia boards re-painted, repaired and/or replaced by a young friend, using a boom lift to reach the roof. I didn't even know what sofit or fascia boards were until Richard pointed out that they desperately needed maintenance. </li></ul></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Some long-standing friends came to stay for a week, early in September. Mostly they sailed with Richard, but one afternoon we drove to a village festival where there was grape-treading, long speeches and traditional dancing. There were more people than I've seen in one place for a long time:</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRisS-c8T72UHgBA9_Y7KTU6KFcddjRo6KaLEElViDLEnn7cEDQ3uhJZbongeeo2t2wpfMW5udrvEDLBXkAEJfyC1wW9LYGCIt3SwFWu7V4RP63SQFZwbGbMUIDtHuTk-E5vedM_kDnRVNU-tezRjrG869p-Fje6rfS8HF-x0NAVtW_fdR0sK/s3648/IMG_1475.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cyprus village festival" border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRisS-c8T72UHgBA9_Y7KTU6KFcddjRo6KaLEElViDLEnn7cEDQ3uhJZbongeeo2t2wpfMW5udrvEDLBXkAEJfyC1wW9LYGCIt3SwFWu7V4RP63SQFZwbGbMUIDtHuTk-E5vedM_kDnRVNU-tezRjrG869p-Fje6rfS8HF-x0NAVtW_fdR0sK/w320-h240/IMG_1475.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><ul><li>Our bird of paradise plant bloomed a couple of weeks ago, for the first time in eight years: </li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigE1LKhJ-yKPmS_h7F9Qz9uZNE2JekX6Lleh7XJZVtuF9ugzPJ2UUnBMsOzilAwQv3l8ZGGrHf_YQe60jVTsJpCVCL1okwGUXmAO7hjOtLBb5G4XVBicCb9WsLnJb63thaTGTvW05y9R2lZBDnuVGSPI3sgMpIyJRy-qnYYU2-eR0-MXtbzIMt/s2661/20231012_075352.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bird of Paradise plant, blooming" border="0" data-original-height="2661" data-original-width="2208" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigE1LKhJ-yKPmS_h7F9Qz9uZNE2JekX6Lleh7XJZVtuF9ugzPJ2UUnBMsOzilAwQv3l8ZGGrHf_YQe60jVTsJpCVCL1okwGUXmAO7hjOtLBb5G4XVBicCb9WsLnJb63thaTGTvW05y9R2lZBDnuVGSPI3sgMpIyJRy-qnYYU2-eR0-MXtbzIMt/w266-h320/20231012_075352.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Richard celebrated his birthday over two days: we had a barbecue for a few friends in our side yard, and the following day the two of us went to eat at the Art Cafe, somewhere we hadn't been for many years.The staff were younger than they used to be, but the place and the menu did not seem to have changed at all. </li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3TTodmJkTQnEGOdpIxW-BLoPs3Ac-jbDTFlTVMbEfF6vunmDijANyvQA5yfvlNFbvO3jUx2qhRnSx97dSukSuUOZFM8FrrEn2xPMGPyDlI4k9jpH_uAYZRAXmSV_EkOls-WoKZDlYvrZ9GhfHggn8t_Uejeq4P59tHjCPC4JZHvoW0DUwxm2/s4608/20231016_193705.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Art Cafe, Larnaka" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3TTodmJkTQnEGOdpIxW-BLoPs3Ac-jbDTFlTVMbEfF6vunmDijANyvQA5yfvlNFbvO3jUx2qhRnSx97dSukSuUOZFM8FrrEn2xPMGPyDlI4k9jpH_uAYZRAXmSV_EkOls-WoKZDlYvrZ9GhfHggn8t_Uejeq4P59tHjCPC4JZHvoW0DUwxm2/w320-h240/20231016_193705.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I had stopped spraying everywhere against large and unpleasant insects, as there were very few in August, none at all in September. Then a couple of days ago, I saw tiny ants swarming on the food processor. I cleaned them off, only to find more on another nearby appliance a few hours later. So I pulled everything out, cleaned away the inevitable crud that accumulates behind kitchen appliances, and sprayed the area with biokill. Then I found more of these tiny creatures running around on the top of the microwave. Apparently they were nesting inside the vents. Google tells me this is not unusual, and the microwave still works. Spraying the top and sides of the microwave seems to have helped. </li></ul><div><div><ul><li>Lady Jane must have learned that classic early-reading phrase, 'The cat sat on the mat'. Every time I set the table for our evening meal, she sits down on the mats in the middle:</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtW_gLFdpdQqrOjnfKGBIz9QcHftU9eSkHT4AGWy2BOwENS8U32SFliPFgMheccxPsD4G_6DKPsxqZHuXZ0qgNVmpvspNb0pkISpRD2s1mNEwvIzgN8eXVgJwi7-JisAdcNk1EsI1W5wdEDngsWN1fcml7ki4ZzAnr3iLbUb2jEC_-cz5kwh4/s3386/20231020_182316.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The cat sat on the mat" border="0" data-original-height="2748" data-original-width="3386" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtW_gLFdpdQqrOjnfKGBIz9QcHftU9eSkHT4AGWy2BOwENS8U32SFliPFgMheccxPsD4G_6DKPsxqZHuXZ0qgNVmpvspNb0pkISpRD2s1mNEwvIzgN8eXVgJwi7-JisAdcNk1EsI1W5wdEDngsWN1fcml7ki4ZzAnr3iLbUb2jEC_-cz5kwh4/w320-h260/20231020_182316.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><p>This may all sound rather frivolous, given the horrific war which, geographically, isn't all that far from Cyprus. A lot of exiles have passed through, en route elsewhere, and a few remain. This little island is braced for many more. We've had two people (both friends of friends) staying in our guest flat: one for a couple of nights, one for rather longer. </p><p>The news sites are increasingly negative, with just a few brief <a href="https://cyprus-mail.com/2023/10/23/cypriot-shatters-world-record/" target="_blank">lighter articles</a>. The world seems to be a dangerous place, but, where possible, life goes on. While we pray for peace, with little hope of a solution, we can be thankful for all we have, and make the most of it while we still can. </p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-14003774892593703802023-08-10T16:59:00.000+03:002023-08-10T16:59:31.180+03:00Summer in Cyprus: Sweltering, Spraying, and Staying Indoors<p>Holiday brochures advertise Cyprus with 'sun, sea and surf' (or similar). Which is all very well for visitors, staying in hotels by the beach for a week or two. But when one lives in Cyprus, it's not quite so simple... </p><p>June this year was - by Cyprus standards - reasonably cool. Warm enough that we didn't need to wear anything other than tee shirts and shorts. I switched from trainers to sandals, too, or flip-flops... I much prefer wearing trainers and socks but strongly dislike having over-warm sweaty feet. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTeJUUWnLN3pZHn4C_s3C_4eFyfHLFA1HAr8rYOINfGVpeDVJDoFjJUESRl9lRxzuDbQJaBtLYJ1rbFuk1nQGG1-EfX1TQ3nG-pfaubSvEyvGPtt6fpkJn40Zz1enLw1HlELLEKWj2sRh6PlNnNIHlx8tLgSNHEShDyO-CfZxaaHDkgzN-U97/s4608/20230810_154410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ceiling fans running in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTeJUUWnLN3pZHn4C_s3C_4eFyfHLFA1HAr8rYOINfGVpeDVJDoFjJUESRl9lRxzuDbQJaBtLYJ1rbFuk1nQGG1-EfX1TQ3nG-pfaubSvEyvGPtt6fpkJn40Zz1enLw1HlELLEKWj2sRh6PlNnNIHlx8tLgSNHEShDyO-CfZxaaHDkgzN-U97/w320-h240/20230810_154410.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />By the end of May we had started using our bedroom ceiling fan at night, and some of the other ceiling fans in the daytime, as needed. But through the whole of June there was no need for air conditioning, even for the computers. With windows open, a pleasant breeze cooled the house through the day. <p></p><p>Then we spent <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2023/07/twelve-days-out-of-cyprus.html">twelve days in the UK</a>, as I wrote about in another post. It was busy, and productive, and - for me, at any rate - a wonderful break, seeing many of the people I love the most. We arrived back in Larnaka after 10pm on July 12th and while it was warm - I had removed my coat and sweater before leaving the plane - it wasn't unpleasantly so. I was particularly pleased that it didn't feel humid, since we had to spend about ten minutes standing on the steps of the plane waiting for the bus to the terminal. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Sweltering...</h4><p>Reality hit home in the morning. I didn't wake up until about 7.30am, and it was already thirty degrees outside, according to my phone's weather app. But although I was tired, I knew I had to get to the froutaria for some oranges and other fruit for our breakfast. So I went out, keeping mainly in the shade. It was probably good to get some fresh air and sunshine first thing, but I don't think I appreciated it much. </p><p>That was the start of a heatwave that lasted two weeks, breaking all kinds of records. Most of the southern part of <a href="https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/07/19/europe-heatwave-2023-is-it-safe-to-travel-and-how-long-will-it-last" target="_blank">Europe experienced something similar</a>. Then a couple of days that were more normal, for Cyprus in July, and then there was another high temperature warning for the next few days.</p><p><i>'How do you cope?' </i>This is a question I'm asked regularly. I've never been good with hot temperatures, and I know from experience that if I'm outside in the sunshine, or if temperatures are more than about 30C at most, I really don't 'cope'. I become slow, lethargic, and often develop a migraine. </p><p>So over the years in Cyprus I've developed a kind of summer routine. While I often try to be out of Cyprus for a few weeks, there are always some hot summer days when I'm here. I used to say that I do everything I need to do before 8am, then 'aestivate' until the evening. I don't actually go to sleep, but I don't leave the house, if at all possible. I shop locally first thing, and if we have to go to a bigger supermarket, we go in the evening rather than the daytime. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Spraying</h4><p>One of the things I like least about Cyprus summers is the increased insect population. Not mosquitoes - they are worse in the spring and autumn, and we mostly avoid those in the house by having netting over open windows. No, my 'bête noire' is, literally, a black beast whose name I still slightly shudder to mention. (Whispering): <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cockroaches</span></i>. </p><p>I had hoped that by having our house connected to the mains drainage there would be fewer - certainly we have fewer access chambers in our side yard, and the lids fit much better. But a neighbouring house was having a lot of major renovations and for the last couple of weeks of June, and most of July, we had at least one of these nasty beasties in the house every day. Mostly deceased, I'm relieved to say. Some caught by the cats, and some stunned by the 'biokill' spray. I use that liberally around all possible entrances and as many hiding places as I can think of. </p><p>I did this as soon as the first one appeared in June, and again just before we went away. Then I repeated the process at the end of July. Thankfully there have been fewer since August started. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Salads</h4><p>One feature of the last few years has been eating a lot of salads; not just lettuce and tomatoes but a wide variety of different salads, inspired by both cookery books and online sites. This, for instance, is a sardine and lentil-based salad: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAi8iFNvdk_AN4x62kTWyDbYCTzP_VISnDQ6COAe6_f-6LA2g5cFaepR1GiXHbdwr7ErGQibHNYh5e09ziVLfYblIZ7KEvSv8lVty9DeQ3EaRqd7siL2uxQtd6H7hSTb_7lU-w0JQ0IG2RkpImdzyHmgh5jZAD6iPTGu3pq_30bcCrKvmyWyc/s3363/20230717_184241.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sardine and lentil salad" border="0" data-original-height="2629" data-original-width="3363" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAi8iFNvdk_AN4x62kTWyDbYCTzP_VISnDQ6COAe6_f-6LA2g5cFaepR1GiXHbdwr7ErGQibHNYh5e09ziVLfYblIZ7KEvSv8lVty9DeQ3EaRqd7siL2uxQtd6H7hSTb_7lU-w0JQ0IG2RkpImdzyHmgh5jZAD6iPTGu3pq_30bcCrKvmyWyc/w320-h250/20230717_184241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>From July 1st until at least August 31st, I don't turn on the oven. Originally I determined to do all the food preparation first thing in the morning, but that hasn't happened this year. It's mostly in the half hour or so before we eat. </p><p>After lunch on Sundays we have, for a couple of years, eaten dark chocolate Bounty bars - not entirely dairy-free but low-enough in dairy that they're not a problem for Richard. </p><p>We used to buy these in airports before flying back to Cyprus, then for a while they were available here. Nearly two years ago, we mentioned this to some friends who were soon to fly out, and they scoured their neighbourhood, bringing out over 40 of these bars, enough to last nearly a year. Here are just a few of them:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUpexrzMJOUNEr6Lffk8lq0wyQTaRbbgYbQd2Pa1BJPBmgYAQrqXBhw9-7GXmqzcuE5PxOqUfkIVaa5090Y0-vBsRiaGOllwx9hfChQGMb_x7WAhxBOmzNng8VHoIXbdBLhBVoVhLrNYc0bTalgBwcy9HJIG4m1lM_OIOCt5rR2P525VKGhrh/s2048/20211102_082857.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="dark chocolate bounties, discontinued" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUpexrzMJOUNEr6Lffk8lq0wyQTaRbbgYbQd2Pa1BJPBmgYAQrqXBhw9-7GXmqzcuE5PxOqUfkIVaa5090Y0-vBsRiaGOllwx9hfChQGMb_x7WAhxBOmzNng8VHoIXbdBLhBVoVhLrNYc0bTalgBwcy9HJIG4m1lM_OIOCt5rR2P525VKGhrh/w320-h240/20211102_082857.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Alas, <a href="https://www.betterretailing.com/product-news/exclusive-mars-temporarily-delists-bounty-dark/" target="_blank">they were discontinued</a> nearly a year ago. We didn't realise this, but were disappointed not to find any during our UK trip in January. We did look again earlier this month, but were not surprised to find them still unavailable. <p>On the Sunday after we returned, we ate the last of our stash. Possibly the last dark chocolate Bounty in Cyprus... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1i71NZXjT4TveEHrgg3_IJT6ouHKOK2Fbw5kryUEoch1B-b7VYaNCdAKGPd7XcZLUr535YP3lU_Xj1cQyS5CEyQa7jb6RjI42jFjG-o9WSbTqnlfM8NedTJFGjWvuChKy2JTMWk_i2dslxVsOrv_MQdfjZpdHhuwTk3KjH-6VJLsel6hStgsU/s4608/20230716_133342.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="our last dark chocolate bounty" border="0" data-original-height="2103" data-original-width="4608" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1i71NZXjT4TveEHrgg3_IJT6ouHKOK2Fbw5kryUEoch1B-b7VYaNCdAKGPd7XcZLUr535YP3lU_Xj1cQyS5CEyQa7jb6RjI42jFjG-o9WSbTqnlfM8NedTJFGjWvuChKy2JTMWk_i2dslxVsOrv_MQdfjZpdHhuwTk3KjH-6VJLsel6hStgsU/w320-h146/20230716_133342.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Celebration</h4><div>A week after our return, we celebrated our anniversary. The heatwave was intense, and I didn't even want to go out in the evening. So we ordered a Lebanese takeaway, which was delicious: </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WMBx1YsO8ml9H7Rz4uF_-fX6e1TMp4dHoQpUr1F-J5gPsEJLlpJnyyxxqjD8ZreXnJSATc5kRf4yhMxxmWGzKtOdPzpOhTAKy7IAj6ewM-S0GqaD_q_buZpAWxKa-XKekI7ssx6HG87imfDyJRcyAL_9X1HzGzrCgmOz-GCdeWN-S6K_tRWx/s4192/20230719_183321-EDIT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lebanese takeaway food via Foody, Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="2167" data-original-width="4192" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WMBx1YsO8ml9H7Rz4uF_-fX6e1TMp4dHoQpUr1F-J5gPsEJLlpJnyyxxqjD8ZreXnJSATc5kRf4yhMxxmWGzKtOdPzpOhTAKy7IAj6ewM-S0GqaD_q_buZpAWxKa-XKekI7ssx6HG87imfDyJRcyAL_9X1HzGzrCgmOz-GCdeWN-S6K_tRWx/w320-h165/20230719_183321-EDIT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>It was excellent value, too Supposedly a vegetarian meze for two, it was twice as much as we could eat in one sitting, so it provided a second main meal the following day. To make it even better value Richard had just been sent a seven euro discount voucher from <a href="https://www.foody.com.cy/" target="_blank">Foody</a>. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Staying indoors</h4><p>My aestivation might sound like a kind of lockdown, but it's not the same at all as the restrictions we were under three-and-a-half years ago. The main theoretical difference is that it's my decision, rather than being enforced by anyone else. Richard, who deals much better than I do with heat, has been out by car in the daytime many times to see people, or visit his boat, or pick something up at one of the DIY stores.</p><p>A major practical difference between my self-enforced aestivation and a lockdown is that there's no restriction on the people we see. A few weeks ago, we were invited to a young friend's 18th birthday dinner; it was the first time I'd been out in an evening since we returned from the UK, and the outside temperature was 36 degrees even at 5.30pm. I struggled to walk the short distance from the car to our friend's home, and was thankful it was not at lunchtime (as in previous years). </p><p>However it was a very enjoyable evening, spent in our friends' air conditioned living room. </p><p>Our friends continue to come for games mornings on Tuesdays, though during the summer we play in my study with the air conditioning on, sitting on the floor, rather than at the dining room table:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjo7WQJ2LlaGcEUgpErWsmbGhZ6KNy43Gt6407qD73R8R5sEozBwOa_NNWPQLTVlX08ryIYkNjG0PonQQQ1hg2rI6qQrRlPuuuUn_VyxtdGgiUu7w1LmhKNA21O6peDhALfwEEa2aEY7IsV6He3XZryIwpQXeWbLE-3wGSQk6JeE6mIRP6KZ9-/s4608/20230725_113905.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="playing 'above and below' sitting on the floor" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjo7WQJ2LlaGcEUgpErWsmbGhZ6KNy43Gt6407qD73R8R5sEozBwOa_NNWPQLTVlX08ryIYkNjG0PonQQQ1hg2rI6qQrRlPuuuUn_VyxtdGgiUu7w1LmhKNA21O6peDhALfwEEa2aEY7IsV6He3XZryIwpQXeWbLE-3wGSQk6JeE6mIRP6KZ9-/w320-h240/20230725_113905.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>And another young friend, far more able to deal with the heat than I am, has been doing some repairs on the side of our house, where the surface spritz had been crumbling away. </p><h4>Steps</h4><p>I don't want to lose the habit of daily walking. So I still aim to get out almost every morning at about 6am, if only to walk the 500 metres or so to the froutaria and back. On mornings when the temperature shows 30 degrees or more by 6am (and that's happened three or four times) that's more than enough. </p><p>On mornings when it is only 24-25 degrees, I walk a couple of kilometres around the local neighbourhood. It's not a lot, but it gives me some fresh air and exercise, albeit limited. For the last few days our friends have been away and I've walked to their house shortly after 6am to feed their cats and (a couple of times) water their garden. Thankfully the temperature was only 26-28 by the time I was home again at around 7.30. </p><p>During the less hot periods of the year - usually mid-September to late June - I walk an average of about 7,000 - 8,000 steps per day, or around 50,000 - 55,000 per week. When we were in London, walking all over the place, this continued. But at this time of year, I just about manage 30,000 in a week. </p><p>I'm relieved to know, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/health-66440424" target="_blank">due to some recent research,</a> that we only actually need around 2,500 steps per day (at a reasonable pace) to benefit our hearts and blood vessels, and around 4,000 to start reducing the risk of premature dying. More than that has a greater benefit, of course; but <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/20/national/walking-longevity-study/" target="_blank">according to a Japanese study</a>, the optimum number is around 5,000 - 7,000. That does talk about 'older people', and I'm not yet quite at the age they mention, but for me this is achievable. Much more is not. </p><p>I'm trying to use my indoor air conditioned time productively: sorting and backing up photos, maintaining my websites, doing some filing, tidying up my folders, spending a bit longer at Duolingo. And reading a bit more than usual. August - so far - has been a tad cooler than July (which was apparently <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en/media/news/copernicus-confirms-july-2023-was-hottest-month-ever-recorded" target="_blank">the hottest month ever recorded globally</a>). The days are noticeably getting shorter and a month from now we might even be able to stop using the air conditioning.</p><p>As for the beach... we went there once with <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2023/04/family-visiting-cyprus.html" target="_blank">our grandchildren in April</a>, It's been too hot to go there so far, this summer, and we haven't yet found a suitable evening to go with our friends. If we don't manage it this summer, I won't mind at all. </p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-31579123480958633502023-07-17T16:23:00.005+03:002023-07-26T18:32:03.460+03:00Twelve days out of Cyprus<p>In my last post, <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2023/06/preparations-for-cyprus-summer.html" target="_blank">I wrote about some of the things we do to prepare the house</a> (and ourselves) for Summer in Cyprus. July and August are always hot, and usually humid. Computers don't like temperatures higher than about 28-29 Celcius, and this human doesn't either. So it was important to have our air conditioners clean and ready to be used.</p><p>We did all this towards the end of June because on the last day of the month we flew to the UK for a 12-day visit. Sometimes I stay for rather longer, but it wasn't really going to work out this year. We needed to be there for July 1st as our younger son was ordained as deacon in the Anglican church. It had been his dream for most of his life and we were thrilled to be at the service, where the Bishop of London was presiding.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-7Ylk4snSqze9xFui05ZkNGwL8CHsYrqGCTHRfC9bI7Orb_lBU_xVF_huPuk5kg7HwPMqhVPu-H8bRkK0lzYT2LYQKlGhshwDqNow9qr3rQD8xFXWmkujrJGLhQcgoLnDboF6PCNxq23rFIDVoRLWi-pAoh7pdu8V1gw6unah6rWvgeYN-sF/s3648/IMG_1426.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ordination service at St Paul's in London" border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-7Ylk4snSqze9xFui05ZkNGwL8CHsYrqGCTHRfC9bI7Orb_lBU_xVF_huPuk5kg7HwPMqhVPu-H8bRkK0lzYT2LYQKlGhshwDqNow9qr3rQD8xFXWmkujrJGLhQcgoLnDboF6PCNxq23rFIDVoRLWi-pAoh7pdu8V1gw6unah6rWvgeYN-sF/w320-h240/IMG_1426.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Not that we could see very much; there were nearly 50 ordinands, and about 2,500 people in St Paul's Cathedral, but we could hear - and were then able to see the live-streamed service afterwards, which gave a rather better view. Our other son came down for the day, one of my brothers came to the service too, and we were also pleased to see a friend from our early days in Cyprus, who had known our sons well when they were children.</p><p>Being in London, staying a couple of nights at the Heathrow Premier Inn, we didn't rent a car at first; instead we either walked or used the Underground. I don't much like it, and find it difficult to understand; but Richard's familiar with it as he worked in London (albeit nearly half a century ago).</p><p>I did like the new 'Elizabeth' line which runs from Heathrow, and I quickly got used to the payment system: one taps a credit or debit card going into the underground area, and again on exiting, and the full amount is debited at the end of the day. However it won't deduct more than the cost of a day-saver travel card.</p><p>On the following morning we travelled back into London, this time to attend the morning service at the church where our son will be working for the next couple of years.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQ_cDnjHC3AdYmflfmN3BGcUSbY7hc8qkX67rC_Hh3V-YBxGdxqTHnbnxr2xohsMWPCu6tfh0cydHIfOsgNoLH8hq7NINUsch0yS_hyjg1_Vy2ga__hQmewsp4BUyiaa8qqu3FLP6B8IoPyKartuYRDUOWuDOZpW6JnmttuIzeAgSKOeOuO5L/s3648/IMG_1433.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="church setting in London" border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQ_cDnjHC3AdYmflfmN3BGcUSbY7hc8qkX67rC_Hh3V-YBxGdxqTHnbnxr2xohsMWPCu6tfh0cydHIfOsgNoLH8hq7NINUsch0yS_hyjg1_Vy2ga__hQmewsp4BUyiaa8qqu3FLP6B8IoPyKartuYRDUOWuDOZpW6JnmttuIzeAgSKOeOuO5L/w320-h240/IMG_1433.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>Afterwards we had a Subway lunch, which we ate outside in a nearby park area. We were surprised to see how tame one of the squirrels was, running around near the benches, evidently hoping for some crumbs. And when it found something, it sat there in full view, nibbling. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Gn2VKqBa-kZFeU8V7oi5oxtAbZBIfhuZ8uO4Q3NnnQOvl2gnV97T0X9UcRKVkeYQTsRQFRyqEKWOULVDg3EzrgFhXafOgXe0VC1YpxMhxH5EtB8Dln37yoZ59_aNRbDcaWxyAOnNx5XjMpuTljWL-L33PgTvQ4OCwFOiIO-Se4kN4GjKQtig/s3648/IMG_1435.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="squirrel in a London park" border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Gn2VKqBa-kZFeU8V7oi5oxtAbZBIfhuZ8uO4Q3NnnQOvl2gnV97T0X9UcRKVkeYQTsRQFRyqEKWOULVDg3EzrgFhXafOgXe0VC1YpxMhxH5EtB8Dln37yoZ59_aNRbDcaWxyAOnNx5XjMpuTljWL-L33PgTvQ4OCwFOiIO-Se4kN4GjKQtig/w320-h240/IMG_1435.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>After this we went to look at the flat which our son and his wife will be renting for the next year or two - they had only just been given the keys, so it was still empty. The cost of renting in London is horrendous, and the flat is tiny; part of a converted Edwardian style terrace. But the ceilings are quite high and the living area looked surprisingly spacious.</p>
<p>We had left most of our luggage at a nearby station, so we collected that, and then got the train to Cambridge for a few days. Our son and his wife will be renting out their house - a small but very nice 'starter home'- so our task was to help them fix a few problems (such as a rusty access chamber cover) after the movers had collected their things on Monday.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUp7SkVHIddG5N2drHbE2GzLkmXWjssQjJGyhVxEII82EnzTA7wxoQTKrIuC_GLxcj5YTW43lpjxkaHbM0xUcMPzNa1Ft_-PWKsjZdmf5IVzUvT_VdEXGB-giUv2538fXFLGqZw2McuygTDvMNtu4-a6xznf7WGlsgUcymT-3Y27b4A2V4EeQ/s1600/IMG-20230707-WA0013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUp7SkVHIddG5N2drHbE2GzLkmXWjssQjJGyhVxEII82EnzTA7wxoQTKrIuC_GLxcj5YTW43lpjxkaHbM0xUcMPzNa1Ft_-PWKsjZdmf5IVzUvT_VdEXGB-giUv2538fXFLGqZw2McuygTDvMNtu4-a6xznf7WGlsgUcymT-3Y27b4A2V4EeQ/s320/IMG-20230707-WA0013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<p>It was a full and active few days; not that I was able to do much to help in practical terms. Richard was happy to help our daughter-in-law learn to use some power tools, and although there were more things to do than expected, and - inevitably - it all took longer than planned, our task was finished by early afternoon on the Wednesday. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUweq6tIqgF36NeSi9B7aRHavA7RsXWjBh4Oj7fNq7QQ8mIjuA28asHF9iosFZof_MMOdwioFph3EkNR9lP7BXDP6-HjFzkFokiftpjHufVnj9vO7oKSG4RY6q7fGhw63g0uTSF9BlTzmEYa3LWaAN2i0aJM1EpoykVyjyerxDOYQPi3zsLt_A/s4608/20230704_122311.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUweq6tIqgF36NeSi9B7aRHavA7RsXWjBh4Oj7fNq7QQ8mIjuA28asHF9iosFZof_MMOdwioFph3EkNR9lP7BXDP6-HjFzkFokiftpjHufVnj9vO7oKSG4RY6q7fGhw63g0uTSF9BlTzmEYa3LWaAN2i0aJM1EpoykVyjyerxDOYQPi3zsLt_A/s320/20230704_122311.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Two of us took the train to London while the other two packed all the remaining bits and pieces into a rental van, and drove to London - which took considerably longer than the train journey. So we moved and even unpacked a few of the boxes from the movers, in order to make space for the extra things still to come. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8quhA-lkFMxGgCfRd80WTDeyMJIMKbnwJxxV3Vq4xsBIhs9QuXkX-LUYh19AJ_lLiHj4ShijRXbTnvagYqNrk6QRDeBn6sv0lW9rX1XM90wg3u-fAW-kXkmiwXx12_I2PZ_cRXOWut3WZTeZNIiEldhZ3s-x87QC0d7yUec1hmsY3RuSFj8B7/s4608/20230705_205439.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8quhA-lkFMxGgCfRd80WTDeyMJIMKbnwJxxV3Vq4xsBIhs9QuXkX-LUYh19AJ_lLiHj4ShijRXbTnvagYqNrk6QRDeBn6sv0lW9rX1XM90wg3u-fAW-kXkmiwXx12_I2PZ_cRXOWut3WZTeZNIiEldhZ3s-x87QC0d7yUec1hmsY3RuSFj8B7/s320/20230705_205439.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>As we ate a cold supper, perching on boxes, we realised that it was only five days since we left Larnaka...</p><p>Richard and I took the van back to Cambridge that night, and in the morning went to exchange it for the rental car which we had booked for the next week. We used Enterprise Car Rental, which we hadn't tried before. Their prices were good - significantly better than our usual choices - and their staff were friendly, and helpful... but clearly over-worked. Although we arrived in good time to pick up our car we had to wait over an hour before it was ready. Someone else, who arrived before us, was waiting even longer.</p><p>Then when we had only driven for about two hours, an engine warning light came on, and the car lost most of its acceleration. We were perhaps 15 miles away from the village where my brother and his wife live, and we were due there for lunch. So we kept going, puttering along, struggling on the hills, very thankful this had not happened on the motorway.</p><p>One excellent lunch later, Richard spent a considerable amount of time on the phone to local Enterprise Car rental places, only to be told - eventually - to speak to the one in Cambridge. They were most apologetic, but after some research told us that our only option was to have a much smaller car than we wanted to get us up to Carlisle, and then exchange that for a bigger one the following day.</p><p>We had hoped to arrive at our older son's house in Carlisle by about 5pm, in time for an evening meal with the grandchildren. But it was about 8.30pm by the time we finally reached our destination, and our granddaughter was already asleep.</p><p>However, we had a very enjoyable 'long weekend', relaxing in the family environment, with lots of hugs, and books, and games, including 'Meeple Land', which reminded me of the old 'Theme Park' computer game which we played a couple of decades ago. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacjEeisC6mohETKKrQT0edVhWUoliETJ5MzNJckyGwoGpIRbXKza2qzBUtBVegEWH6yMDVfi_sihpqqic5GspoJcxomywZZ8De-CMzaoMrnHKgLYk8e842Zfj326Bq68YQf3bbzTHjAzaAWGiIGhCsXfK_p6EZZeWeLFVqRAGf8KPJ94DDA18/s4608/20230708_212840.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="MeepleLand game" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacjEeisC6mohETKKrQT0edVhWUoliETJ5MzNJckyGwoGpIRbXKza2qzBUtBVegEWH6yMDVfi_sihpqqic5GspoJcxomywZZ8De-CMzaoMrnHKgLYk8e842Zfj326Bq68YQf3bbzTHjAzaAWGiIGhCsXfK_p6EZZeWeLFVqRAGf8KPJ94DDA18/w320-h240/20230708_212840.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The weather wasn't ideal, but among other things we did manage to go out for a walk, taking the grandchildren roller-blading in the nearby park: </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHg1g7p8IW0-6rTSawNHTeNvBLvJ059RsEh-e9LkA1YHbsJUeTzFUVjsaPNpn5eWX-8rlQYIRO2TZvKGmqScSzk4wbbuXVWQigGziUNv-OMgleIYiCdhIr55Hr9RLpEVOdb_qYXONCC1lz5AxxJVtor1DqXcfXsmq3YDts7fUlS0K1RPAbY_dU/s4608/20230708_110537.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHg1g7p8IW0-6rTSawNHTeNvBLvJ059RsEh-e9LkA1YHbsJUeTzFUVjsaPNpn5eWX-8rlQYIRO2TZvKGmqScSzk4wbbuXVWQigGziUNv-OMgleIYiCdhIr55Hr9RLpEVOdb_qYXONCC1lz5AxxJVtor1DqXcfXsmq3YDts7fUlS0K1RPAbY_dU/s320/20230708_110537.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>We went to their local church service where I was very moved by our grandson answering the question, '<i>Who would you most like to invite to a meal at your house?</i>' (real or imaginary, living or dead) by saying, '<i>My Great-Grandpa, because I had such a good time with him when he was alive.</i>' </p><p>And we also helped our granddaughter with some school homework: compiling a bar chart of her extended family's preferences for different zoo animals, with a choice of eight: </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJwYETIDWD3gpUv8H38_urXLorm25LjMULZ6H6SBSfK-Vra6JCOnZKMUIXIO4xgoRZJgwyYN_NzJ_wNlwftqEHssg-dZvGqa_zxMSfZb13mJ5ryt2c3Ruwni7difxSY8VPJZ5xDb_Yq2HPu2k9KHFTeQ_rwos1yGwe-cv8_GN6CPdKFTtFBEn/s3670/20230708_172029~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2902" data-original-width="3670" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJwYETIDWD3gpUv8H38_urXLorm25LjMULZ6H6SBSfK-Vra6JCOnZKMUIXIO4xgoRZJgwyYN_NzJ_wNlwftqEHssg-dZvGqa_zxMSfZb13mJ5ryt2c3Ruwni7difxSY8VPJZ5xDb_Yq2HPu2k9KHFTeQ_rwos1yGwe-cv8_GN6CPdKFTtFBEn/s320/20230708_172029~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>But all good things, as the saying goes, come to an end. So, after walking to school with the grandchildren on Monday morning, we said our goodbyes and set off down the M6. The car acquired in Carlisle was comfortable and, Richard said, very pleasant to drive. </div><div><br /></div><div>We had a brief break in Birmingham, having lunch with one of our oldest, closest friends, and then a couple of hours with my step-mother. The next phase of our journey was to the Gatwick Travelodge. We hadn't been there with a car before, and were a bit shocked at the parking charges, but we needed the car for the following day when we drove even further south to spend the day with Richard's mother. </div><div><br /></div><div>We returned the car to Gatwick that night, not wanting to get up early the following morning (or pay for another night's parking!) so we got the friendly 'Gatwick Hopper' shuttle-bus to our accommodation. </div><div><br /></div><div>After breakfast on the Wednesday Richard finished all the packing - he is much better at this than I am. Our flight was not due until 15.25 but we didn't see much point remaining in the Travelodge, so we got the shuttle-bus back to Gatwick shortly after 10.00. We should probably have waited longer as it was hard to find anywhere to sit, at first, and we couldn't check in our luggage until three hours before the flight was due. </div><div><br /></div><div>We had flown out with two full-size cabin baggage cases and two backpacks - which is still the free allowance on BA flights. We had not used BA for some years, as they don't fly to any of the airports we generally use, and they tend to be pricey. But since we needed to fly to Heathrow, and the only other choice was Wizz Air - which charges vast amounts for any luggage other than a small carry-on bag - we used BA on our outward flight. They weren't too expensive, their luggage allowance was generous (by today's standards) and even their boarding procedure seemed quick and efficient. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, returning from Gatwick, the only option was EasyJet, an airline we've often used and which we quite like. We had booked their 'speedy boarding' category which costs a bit more than the basic flight, but includes full-sized cabin baggage. And we had booked an extra piece of checked luggage, since Richard had ordered a large piece of equipment that came in a big box. </div><div><br /></div><div>We had also bought a few extra things, as one does in the UK, from Amazon and elsewhere. In Cyprus we can't easily find things like Roomba replacement parts, or filters for our cats' water fountain; getting them posted from the UK costs more than the items themselves. Sometimes we ask visiting friends to bring out items we've ordered, but this time we were able to bring them ourselves.</div><div><br /></div><div>We used an airport trolley for the first time in many years:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkm8lHIKKLyNu3oXTe1RvRcCq48ZrDrjlPbfBPgqGxySAlkYV_LhYpPa5xA9ZJ2URPQqUZItxK1q1nSquWWvEPDabN43YHYH1u_nNP7sTqxSvP6PBKOQl_koAmRcdv342weY8d-EjQZWNERVWgue238D0JW5Lli6-vWDxSOZhNCTiMZ6DNho58/s4608/20230712_112235.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="luggage on a trolley at the airport" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkm8lHIKKLyNu3oXTe1RvRcCq48ZrDrjlPbfBPgqGxySAlkYV_LhYpPa5xA9ZJ2URPQqUZItxK1q1nSquWWvEPDabN43YHYH1u_nNP7sTqxSvP6PBKOQl_koAmRcdv342weY8d-EjQZWNERVWgue238D0JW5Lli6-vWDxSOZhNCTiMZ6DNho58/w240-h320/20230712_112235.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div>The flight was a couple of hours late, but managed to catch up some time due to a useful tailwind. Our friend Sheila met us at the airport; our cats were very pleased to see us; and we finally got to bed about midnight. </div><div><br /></div><div>It had only been twelve days. It felt like we'd been away for at least a month....</div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-82080765142301919662023-06-28T18:09:00.001+03:002023-06-28T18:32:40.000+03:00Preparations for the Cyprus Summer<p>I have written several times before about our preparation for Cyprus summers, and here I am again, on the same topic. After more than quarter of a century living here, we're used to it; the only slight variation is whether it starts to feel too hot towards the end of May, or some time in June. And even that's somewhat predictable; there's often a burst of heat in the last week of May, making us rush to clean the air conditioners, only to find that we don't actually need them until mid or even late June.</p><p>This year is a little different from previous years in that our guest apartment - the flat comprising the ground floor of our house - is pretty much booked up for the whole summer. We don't rent it out, we offer it to family, friends, friends-of-friends and other contacts needing a bit of rest and relaxation. And if they're coming from the UK or similar climes, they're likely to need a bit of air conditioning even if we're still coping without.</p><p>So towards the end of May, when there was a short gap between guests, we cleaned all the air conditioners in the guest flat. It's something we do every year before switching them on: we've done it so often that we can clean all five in about fifteen minutes. The filters have to be removed, washed and sprayed with anti-bacterial spray that's now widely available at many shops. The units themselves also have to be sprayed, after removing any obvious dust. And then they have to be run, as cold as possible, for about fifteen minutes so that the spray evaporates. </p><p>We had expected to do the seven units in our part of the house a few days later, but - as happens so often - the temperatures reduced again in early June, and we were fine with just the ceiling fans. Just as well, really, since we did quite a bit of entertaining in the first week or so of the month, with three different sets of friends for meals on three occasions in the course of one week. </p><p>We had abandoned our thin duvet in favour of just the duvet cover at the end of May, but I didn't wash the duvets - even the thick one - until mid-June, by which time I was sure we wouldn't need either of them again until the autumn. I used to have trouble squashing them into the closet where they're stored in the summer, but a year or two ago we bought some useful air-tight packaging which keeps them dust-free and easy to find when needed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0QComiSCGXrc9v0OZF0YnY-MBi3qwB7vm1bwWpFs-iBPK0pP_j4qUHTudrCRdtDIXDiM_JYf5317x-d6fTN9UXtBEgk9eLwIcBrPRLGgZabjw76sFJt6jL35fgMLe-9WBgyVY9eJ-WXGvykk28EAgA6mL0kYR6Mo7Z0u8yvcqP1t4L0R7rRW/s4608/20230613_182143.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="duvets, washed and put away for the summer" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0QComiSCGXrc9v0OZF0YnY-MBi3qwB7vm1bwWpFs-iBPK0pP_j4qUHTudrCRdtDIXDiM_JYf5317x-d6fTN9UXtBEgk9eLwIcBrPRLGgZabjw76sFJt6jL35fgMLe-9WBgyVY9eJ-WXGvykk28EAgA6mL0kYR6Mo7Z0u8yvcqP1t4L0R7rRW/w320-h240/20230613_182143.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Last Saturday I switched us from a duvet cover to just a single sheet; it often gets kicked off during the night, but with a cat who likes to sleep on the bed in the daytime, I prefer to have the under-sheet covered.</p><p>Washing each duvet takes up the whole of our washing machine, so I can only do one at a time. Then I leave each one for at least a day on the line outside, to ensure it's completely dry. </p><p>So it was a week later that I embarked on the annual curtain-wash. The curtains we bought when we moved here seventeen years ago are still in great condition. As promised by the people who made them for us, they wash very well and don't seem to fade. But there are quite a few of them, as well as the ones <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2021/03/putting-up-curtains-in-cyprus.html" target="_blank">I made for our dining room</a> nearly two-and-a-half years ago. </p><p>Taking them down is easier than it used to be, as we no longer use pull-cords - they started deteriorating about six years ago, and although we did manage to replace one or two, it wasn't easy to find replacements, and a real hassle to put in place. </p><p>Since by around 20th June the weather is fairly hot but not too humid, curtains dry extremely quickly. So one one day I ran the washing machine at least three times, with three or four full-sized curtains in each. By the time a two-hour washing cycle had finished, the previous curtains were dry and ready to re-hang. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWO6HXb7CkQWYacP3HD9aXTuObZKvGPIku420A-m9L495rG5b17MVloiSJlF19r9m2YJsEpbmgijfdztmghs-TdOhovWaVNpD_GEApAOdEqHHibRiM1Ll5m1Zy1SB4CL1AU8bk472nsjOM2M9zIUi0UvwJCX-jyHm4vw2qz1G9aMWNR_QBF6wO/s4608/20230617_144613.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="curtains, hanging on the line in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWO6HXb7CkQWYacP3HD9aXTuObZKvGPIku420A-m9L495rG5b17MVloiSJlF19r9m2YJsEpbmgijfdztmghs-TdOhovWaVNpD_GEApAOdEqHHibRiM1Ll5m1Zy1SB4CL1AU8bk472nsjOM2M9zIUi0UvwJCX-jyHm4vw2qz1G9aMWNR_QBF6wO/w320-h240/20230617_144613.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It's not a difficult task - the washing machine does all the work! - but I have to be in the right frame of mind. And with the windows bare of curtains, I saw how grubby some of them were, and gave them a good clean. <div><br /></div><div>Well worth doing and I was pleased with the result when everything was finished, but rather tired, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>June has a series of birthdays, and the final writers' group meeting of the season (followed by lunch). To our surprise, it rained on June 19th, heavily enough that there were still a few puddles in the street the following morning when I went out for a walk with my friend Sheila:</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWM7wbllJ3xKLWW0jeBpnCGwB1Llu1_H5d1_kJl6ML6883UDNc8KkAV84VT3cCdSvzr15GDJJF9la26fHk4oz38y6NBvtpoJdkLMeeffa3J9H1-JtLpLIRh2VHmtKKa-rvMvtTCC6fci1cM4KGlg4H4yVMQZU3SgQldZfjE53vj9_iOBWjS5hL/s4608/20230620_060735.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWM7wbllJ3xKLWW0jeBpnCGwB1Llu1_H5d1_kJl6ML6883UDNc8KkAV84VT3cCdSvzr15GDJJF9la26fHk4oz38y6NBvtpoJdkLMeeffa3J9H1-JtLpLIRh2VHmtKKa-rvMvtTCC6fci1cM4KGlg4H4yVMQZU3SgQldZfjE53vj9_iOBWjS5hL/s320/20230620_060735.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>It was the last walk until at least mid-September. Sometimes we keep going until the temperature is 25C or more by 6am, but that hadn't happened; however Sheila and most of her family were going away for ten days, and we never walk in July or August. </p><p>So I remembered to take a picture of the Salt Lake, still looking fairly full (helped by the previous day's rain) and even with some flamingoes in the distance, although they can't be seen on this photo: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnNRli1yCoL2IaDpiC6yF9LthZA7vjF7MY-JpqNkw0s7_60xJ7cv1-FAVO8NRwj1KBcU20a-q5zPy3UIBPeksG0sZbcvHfLgV1WKZdGLxeN-ebOe0crOOt6ATDu_W7tkzVb1-pPiT8potsGHmb5Qj1zMReEWSQKRdIEJL6SyEuYcaVvzCQ5E3/s4608/20230620_064519.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Salt Lake Park in Larnaka, June 2023" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnNRli1yCoL2IaDpiC6yF9LthZA7vjF7MY-JpqNkw0s7_60xJ7cv1-FAVO8NRwj1KBcU20a-q5zPy3UIBPeksG0sZbcvHfLgV1WKZdGLxeN-ebOe0crOOt6ATDu_W7tkzVb1-pPiT8potsGHmb5Qj1zMReEWSQKRdIEJL6SyEuYcaVvzCQ5E3/w320-h240/20230620_064519.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It did get a bit warmer within a couple of days, although I do try to take a short walk in the neighbourhood most mornings, staying in the shade as far as possible. </div><div><br /></div><div>It still wasn't extremely hot in the daytime, but last Friday we decided to clean the air conditioners in our part of the house. The same system worked well: Richard went up the ladder and removed the filters, which I then cleaned in the bathroom, while he went to the next air conditioner: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhru86LhGUN2PViRH7Fe9giNmMxBtMS8ngXHYq050xBfVnCFskfzbIf5Xmdq3YLYPpbgmZMx60gm4FT8i6U9MteBamHnnJ1S-tP0JkGJv0-8o154TdSY_0Llx8GkpIAI2JJqcHJ_7pWxugbUG12eecEmiqN7-0VkCmc669wBKlvDihcigwS74eY/s4608/20230623_100303.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhru86LhGUN2PViRH7Fe9giNmMxBtMS8ngXHYq050xBfVnCFskfzbIf5Xmdq3YLYPpbgmZMx60gm4FT8i6U9MteBamHnnJ1S-tP0JkGJv0-8o154TdSY_0Llx8GkpIAI2JJqcHJ_7pWxugbUG12eecEmiqN7-0VkCmc669wBKlvDihcigwS74eY/s320/20230623_100303.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We had bought a bottle of spray last summer, but I was pretty sure we were going to use it all up and need more. So we bought another bottle a few weeks ago, in a brand we hadn't previously seen - but they all seem to work well. Sure enough, last year's spray ran out when we still had three units to clean. The new one seemed to spray more evenly, and had a surprising scent of coconut, which is considerably less unpleasant than some we have used. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwCw4kGrSEE7xoXjA5YEWDT0qLYVQMB-Bm1gJ12-W0_8BR_CGHoHP11TjkKdidqQIQkLrHTOf1c4rGSe4TunCXG6iOQ3FYOzR7p2LGl9ZNiNh_7g55VnB_f-mneokkcNKXb2lubbYmrO8ox6oDbPyGn94S1yCWEGSbeVzl5Xx00_GzQOX1ogu/s4608/20230623_105123.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="air conditioner fluid in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxwCw4kGrSEE7xoXjA5YEWDT0qLYVQMB-Bm1gJ12-W0_8BR_CGHoHP11TjkKdidqQIQkLrHTOf1c4rGSe4TunCXG6iOQ3FYOzR7p2LGl9ZNiNh_7g55VnB_f-mneokkcNKXb2lubbYmrO8ox6oDbPyGn94S1yCWEGSbeVzl5Xx00_GzQOX1ogu/w240-h320/20230623_105123.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In the evening, our current guest flat visitors decided to treat us to a meal at a taverna in Kourium, and then this year's Shakespeare production, 'Taming of the Shrew'. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZOq-fz2-OnluhLN8znpqUWgffM32V-_aRTNxCOiI5vk8xW3MMUUCg6pEZrICm0kz1yGm7ObfBUJ3nvbqatssvqHpAVWaWHVX0wokKz9NsrjPIE5OQDH0aNNoU0UmuhFT3MaYtmFore6QsV-oN8TmBl7yz3AeOpuYghOlUUMyduHIcaH1n2xZ/s3648/IMG_1395.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="taverna in Kourium, Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZOq-fz2-OnluhLN8znpqUWgffM32V-_aRTNxCOiI5vk8xW3MMUUCg6pEZrICm0kz1yGm7ObfBUJ3nvbqatssvqHpAVWaWHVX0wokKz9NsrjPIE5OQDH0aNNoU0UmuhFT3MaYtmFore6QsV-oN8TmBl7yz3AeOpuYghOlUUMyduHIcaH1n2xZ/w320-h240/IMG_1395.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We hadn't been to one of the Shakespeare plays for years - not for over a decade, apparently. The last reference I can find was to <a href="http://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2010/06/merchant-of-venice-in-kurium.html" target="_blank">'Merchant of Venice', which we saw in June 2010</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>We hadn't previously seen 'Taming of the Shew'. I knew the general outline, of course, but was glad of the complementary programme which gave an outline of the plot, including the names of the significant characters. It's quite a confusing play, with people masquerading as others (and some of the male characters were played by women) so it was useful to have a reference. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCquexFjnNdQ1kmGw4B6YcZICjU6mjoEPbmzs2pBCo6EBCsRBSCJS0zoUckyUzl_q2Uq7pc_y-Xv-r8iHEcVldOQTn9CKgp8M9HDW_CTgfb94dFVH-1THEuCXbnMX_EPTMXtOxiz6Dxrk4wla_U3cAabnaw9kOBeEty3BFSzrIWgq8ptjSE0yi/s3648/IMG_1400.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="'Taming of the Shew' production in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCquexFjnNdQ1kmGw4B6YcZICjU6mjoEPbmzs2pBCo6EBCsRBSCJS0zoUckyUzl_q2Uq7pc_y-Xv-r8iHEcVldOQTn9CKgp8M9HDW_CTgfb94dFVH-1THEuCXbnMX_EPTMXtOxiz6Dxrk4wla_U3cAabnaw9kOBeEty3BFSzrIWgq8ptjSE0yi/w320-h240/IMG_1400.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>It was very well done - a controversial play, of course, but with some humour, and irony, and - as ever - excellent costumes and setting. </div><div><br /></div><div>We didn't get home until about 11.30pm which is well past my preferred bedtime, so it's a good thing I wasn't planning to walk with Sheila on the Saturday, as I didn't wake up until nearly 6.45am. </div><div><br /></div><div>And still, it isn't nearly as hot as it can be. I have the air conditioning on in my study right now, but that's because my thermometer was showing 29 degrees - which was the outside 'shade' temperature - and computers don't do so well in temperatures above 28. I don't either. We run our a/cs at 28 degrees (82F, for anyone who still thinks in Fahrenheit) which is relatively efficient, and cools us down sufficiently to be comfortable. </div><div><br /></div><div>As ever, the cats treat summer quite differently. Jane likes it, and pointedly leaves any room where air conditioning is running. Alex, by contrast, likes to find the coolest places he can. And if he can't find any room with a/c, he tries places that look most uncomfortable to me:</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8Gbsbnp7MD0q3QxKwFCqyLjmT8XODKp4bx1qoIFsV7iuyl7THw_oahN3JPP19ZQ-bX3Yk_S7XT7qyrcom6J_TXIoJEKbscPJlpAy25WQDAbr9SzzuLfpII2qDKy1tJfNw3KZP1L-oQnUTuSQ5Yr2BhnOT-Bk-dH54nr6r1a2JYaAk-5t8vLo/s4608/20230624_103349.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8Gbsbnp7MD0q3QxKwFCqyLjmT8XODKp4bx1qoIFsV7iuyl7THw_oahN3JPP19ZQ-bX3Yk_S7XT7qyrcom6J_TXIoJEKbscPJlpAy25WQDAbr9SzzuLfpII2qDKy1tJfNw3KZP1L-oQnUTuSQ5Yr2BhnOT-Bk-dH54nr6r1a2JYaAk-5t8vLo/s320/20230624_103349.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Of course that's not all we do to prepare for summer. I've already stewed and frozen a couple of crates of soft fruit - peaches and apricots - which we're only able to get here during the warmer months. I'm still making hot meals most evenings, and using the oven, although - once again - I plan to stop using the oven during July and August, and focus mainly on different kinds of salad for our meals. </p><p>I've also sprayed and covered nasty crawling insects (I don't even like to use their name) which come in from outside or up the drains, so that Richard can dispose of them. It was about one per day for the first couple of weeks of the month, thankfully fewer in the past few days. Spraying possible entry-points with 'biokill' does seem to make a difference.</p><p>Today we had to have a new air conditioning unit installed in one of the guest flat bedrooms. A couple of days ago our current visitors told us they'd been awoken by the old air conditioner making a loud noise, then ejecting pieces of ice! Not something we - or any of our guests - had experienced previously. It was a unit that was, probably, close to twenty years old, and clear that the compressor had given up. A new one should not only be more effective, but more efficient too in electricity usage. And it's likely to get a lot of use this summer, with so many visitors expected.</p><p><i>For anyone wondering if anything has changed over the years, or who wants to read even more on the same topic, here's <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2012/06/summer-in-cyprus-continued.html" target="_blank">what I wrote about summer in 2012</a>; here's my <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2014/06/annual-post-about-approach-of-summer.html" target="_blank">post about summer approaching in 2014</a>; here's one about <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2016/06/preparing-for-onslaught-of-summer-in.html" target="_blank">preparing for summer in 2016</a>; here's <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2020/05/summer-has-arrived-in-cyprus.html" target="_blank">another in 2020</a>; and <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/07/summer-in-cyprus.html" target="_blank">here's one in summer 2022</a> which is more about what we were doing during summer, rather than as it approached. They're not the only ones, either... but more than enough, I hope, for anyone bored enough to want to read them. </i></p></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-26285198888705900762023-05-31T22:08:00.003+03:002023-05-31T22:08:41.320+03:00On Jam-making <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7X1Mp0RkGI_U8Wk897Av00fukHlkorDYjoCmmd1MUnMTqOBLj2S_raobW5FneojXn_YCyMrPIRIqtngwQNKn7dlABqH9gqPVK2VMli9t4mxtKEzoD22t_oyNnRksge907oo-Y5QcqxMFAhtwCPH461-_0QVCvBr_BP1fYab6-oGjcG_PNg/s3162/20230529_201432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="strawberry jam" border="0" data-original-height="2812" data-original-width="3162" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7X1Mp0RkGI_U8Wk897Av00fukHlkorDYjoCmmd1MUnMTqOBLj2S_raobW5FneojXn_YCyMrPIRIqtngwQNKn7dlABqH9gqPVK2VMli9t4mxtKEzoD22t_oyNnRksge907oo-Y5QcqxMFAhtwCPH461-_0QVCvBr_BP1fYab6-oGjcG_PNg/w200-h178/20230529_201432.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><b>Short version</b> (which is hardly worthy of a blog) <p></p><p>On Monday, I made some strawberry jam, although I had not been planning to do so. </p><p><b>Long and rambling version</b></p><p>Some of today's children, I'm told, have no idea that cakes or pastries can be made at home 'from scratch' (a phrase we learned when we lived in the United States for a couple of years). Some folk, and not just children apparently, think that tomato sauce for pasta, or various kinds of curry sauces come only from jars. </p><p>Not that there's anything wrong with buying cakes from the bakery, or a jalfrezi sauce from the supermarket. Some modern processed products are excellent and inexpensive, and they can certainly save time. However, when we moved to Cyprus 25 years ago there weren't nearly so many processed or imported products available as there are now, so I had to make everything myself. This despite having a fairly full day home educating and a kitchen that became far too hot for comfort at least three months of the year.</p><p>But I digress. I was going to say that, while some of the modern generation thinks most food products are factory-made, I am of a former generation who assumed that almost everything was made at home. As a young child I recall my mother buying provisions at a small grocery shop. She would leave a basket with a list for products such as eggs, flour or sugar, to be packed by the grocer, and then we would go to the greengrocer for fruit and vegetables, and the butcher for meat. </p><p>She did buy sliced (brown or wholemeal) bread, at a bakery, but cakes were always home made, as was pastry for pies (meat or fruit, or perhaps a quiche), and any sauces that went with meat. </p><p>She also made all our jam. I had no idea it could be bought ready-made from a shop. Of course, I was aware that not everybody made their own jam. Our church ran a huge 'autumn market' every year, and my mother would make pan after pan of jam and marmalade to sell to elderly folk who no longer made jam. I wasn't sure quite how old they would have to be, since my mother's mother still made all her jam and she seemed quite old to me. (It's a bit of a shock to realise that, when I was five or six, my grandmother would have been several years younger than I am now...)</p><p>I have fond memories of my grandmother making bilberry jam after we'd all been out picking bilberries - or 'blaeberries' as they were known in Scotland - on the nearby hills. I have never had any other jam as delicious as that. She also made strawberry and raspberry jam with fruit from her garden, and that was good too. She would use and re-use random sized jars, topped with wax which she saved when she opened a new pot, and then re-melted to seal fresh jam. </p><p>My mother also made jam with fruit from our garden when I was growing up. She made plum jam as well as strawberry and raspberry jam. When I was a teenager with three younger siblings this was in large quantities. She also made crab-apple jelly and bramble jelly, and probably other kinds of jam too. She wasn't particularly fond of cooking, so I did ask her once why she made so much - far more than we could eat. She replied she didn't like wasting fruit, and she did actually quite enjoy jam-making. </p><p>When I was about 17 or 18 I learned that jam could be bought ready-made at the supermarket. When I was newly married, at 20, I might even have bought some. We didn't have a large garden or any fruit trees, and I had very little free time. But it wasn't as good as home-made, so my mother gave us some of her surplus. </p><p>At some point - I don't recall when - I started making my own jam. Perhaps it started when we had an allotment for a couple of years, where we had huge, rambling and prolific blackberry bushes. Or perhaps my parents gave me some fruit from their garden, and I turned that into jam. It's not as if it's difficult. We had a jam pan as a wedding present - it came to Cyprus with us - and I still have it, though I rarely use it now. </p><p>A couple of decades ago, when we lived at our first (rental) house, with two teenage sons, I made at least 24 pots of jam each year. A lot of it was from <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2005/05/four-pots-of-jam-three-lemonade-two.html" target="_blank">fruit trees in our huge back garden</a>. But I would also sometimes buy inexpensive fruit in season and use that. </p><p>Ten years later, both boys had left home and we had bought our own house, with no back garden and no fruit trees. But there's an excellent fruit stall with crates of seasonal fruit that I can buy inexpensively, and I carried on making jam - mainly strawberry and apricot jam, sometimes plum - at the same kind of rate. It somehow felt like a thing I did every summer, and Richard appreciated it even though I was eating very little jam myself. </p><p>But he started cutting down, and one year I realised we had over half the previous year's jam still sitting in the cupboard. So instead of making jam, I lightly stewed and froze fruit, just in case we ran out. We didn't run out, and I determined to cut down to making no more than twelve jars a year. And then eight... sometimes we're given jam, and Richard has been given some excellent honey which he'll eat in preference to jam if he feels like something sweet on bread. </p><p>Last year we had almost run out, so I made four pots of apricot jam and four pots of strawberry. I checked the cupboard a week or so back, there were still two pots of apricot remaining, plus one of strawberry, and some little luxury pots given to use by one of our visitors. There was a jar of raspberry jam bought at Lidl too, for cooking, and half a jar - in the fridge - of mespila jam, bought by one of my sons <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2023/04/family-visiting-cyprus.html" target="_blank">while out here last month</a>. Raspberries aren't available in Cyprus but the Lidl brand jam is inexpensive, fairly tasty, and doesn't contain nasty additives. I decided we didn't need any more jam this year, and was beginning to wonder whether my jam-making days were over. The thought was quite appealing. </p><p>Then on Monday, when I went to the fruitaria first thing, I saw strawberries at 99 cents for 500g. Three boxes somehow made their way into my basket, and I knew I would make jam out of two of them. I'm not sure quite how I knew this - was it divine guidance? Or just the feeling, perhaps inherited from my mother, that it would be a waste of good strawberries not to turn them into jam? </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEpvfoBOdVAjhVRdT2mQPjgu0O47sSsqxVXLxQbFMNXWgr3fhghLQAdzgq5Wlp0pOf9tm_c8pWP5Gv-54qwF0KaAc2A0suCYFlw4xKt5_Lbvjn-a2FREowwNN_AdHnPBT2nIQs9g0Edz9rmgoiurcLbYZwe2spubdf8EArUdKV_dqHnU07Q/s3430/20230530_074511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="sugar tongs used as strawberry huller" border="0" data-original-height="2122" data-original-width="3430" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEpvfoBOdVAjhVRdT2mQPjgu0O47sSsqxVXLxQbFMNXWgr3fhghLQAdzgq5Wlp0pOf9tm_c8pWP5Gv-54qwF0KaAc2A0suCYFlw4xKt5_Lbvjn-a2FREowwNN_AdHnPBT2nIQs9g0Edz9rmgoiurcLbYZwe2spubdf8EArUdKV_dqHnU07Q/w200-h124/20230530_074511.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I knew I had an extra kilogram of sugar at home so didn't buy any more. And it's a good thing I bought three boxes of strawberries; I had forgotten that <a href="https://randomrecipes.blogspot.com/2006/04/strawberry-jam.html" target="_blank">my recipe</a> needs 1.15kg strawberries. There were still plenty for us to eat. They were quite small, so I was very thankful for having inherited the kitchen gadget that I always thought of as my grandmother's strawberry-huller (though it was originally intended as tongs for sugar cubes). <p></p><p>Removing the stalks and leaves was probably the most time-consuming part of the jam-making. I rinsed the strawberries and chopped them roughly, then left them simmering. I did ensure I stayed in the same room, doing other things in the kitchen, as I knew from experience how easy it is to sit down at the computer 'for a few minutes' and completely forget about something simmering on the stove, until the smoke alarm goes off....</p><p>I recently read a blog post by someone in the US saying that making things from scratch is only worth it if the savings made, by not buying the product ready-made, are worth the time taken. The example given was tortillas, which this blogger had stopped making because it would take nearly half an hour of her time to produce eight of them, and she could buy a pack of eight for a dollar. She didn't feel that the savings of 50 cents or so was worth half an hour of her time, although she acknowledged that many people love baking and producing things themselves, or prefer the taste of home-made products. So the financial consideration wasn't the only relevant one. </p><p>I thought it an interesting point. It's undoubtedly worthwhile making oat or nut milks; five minute of my time saves at least 1.50 euros per litre. The same is true for bread, since our bread machine makes it very easily, with minimal effort on my part. On the other hand, <a href="https://randomrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/06/tomato-ketchup-using-fresh-tomatoes.html" target="_blank">I make tomato ketchup</a> not because it saves much, but because I find the taste so much nicer than anything we can buy. Similarly with cakes, pastry, Christmas puddings and more. </p><p>But shop-bought jam that's just fruit and sugar is perfectly acceptable, and the Lidl brand costs about 1.70 euros (if I remember correctly). I knew I would be making about four jars of strawberry jam, at a total cost of around 3.70 euros as far as ingredients go, plus the gas. So, less than one euro per jar, and it takes about half an hour of my time, in all. I suspect the blogger mentioned above wouldn't feel it worthwhile, as the savings would be no more than three euros. </p><p>So I don't save a huge amount by making jam, the taste is only marginally better than shop-bought jam, and I don't particularly like jam-making. I suppose the motivation is partly keeping up the tradition of jam-making in the family, and partly a gut feeling that it was the right thing to do, even if I hadn't intended to... </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7qdOw2MIGZaD2KQEayD_ML04X4f-wKR2cqUilmFU1ALtosNGHT9rVCQeGCnLIRXu0nvkM_MOwh4FGKiptnNxiGh5VH8KYsVdfXu0pjGHMsv9SlCZamMV1iQ3HMwqXR4scUYqdxfqme7woVu-QB9Aa5beIrCHiU7uZv0eLjhQi85hpM7hyA/s4608/20230529_173608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="testing jam" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7qdOw2MIGZaD2KQEayD_ML04X4f-wKR2cqUilmFU1ALtosNGHT9rVCQeGCnLIRXu0nvkM_MOwh4FGKiptnNxiGh5VH8KYsVdfXu0pjGHMsv9SlCZamMV1iQ3HMwqXR4scUYqdxfqme7woVu-QB9Aa5beIrCHiU7uZv0eLjhQi85hpM7hyA/w150-h200/20230529_173608.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>And there is the bonus of my favourite part of the process: that of testing the jam for setting. Years ago we had a jam thermometer but it wasn't very good, and was tricky to clean. So I rely on the old-fashioned method of dripping jam onto a cold plate, waiting, and then pushing a little to see if it feels set and starts to wrinkle slightly. My mother never quite trusted her thermometer so she used that method too. <p></p><p>Naturally there have to be several 'tests' done, and the first few will be quite runny. But nothing should be wasted...for some reason these little dabs of not-quite-set jam are extremely tasty. </p><p>Eventually the jam feels more set (though it never seems to wrinkle properly) and it's time to cool, and pot. Here I diverge from tradition. I don't bother to heat up the oven to sterilise my jars and make them warm enough that they won't crack when the jam is poured in. Nor do I use wax on top. Instead, I put about 2cm water in the bottom of each jar, and heat them in the microwave until the water boils. Then I swill it around, pour some of it into the lids to sterilise those, and shake out as much as I can. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnbNGUoVCo5D-DwuK36pKjO7PbN8KuAt5BuQo7uGEScvRbuqH96KIbu6n9DxVp-lQb46t1OK65_mcEv1oooFzQZqnm-v2olcHJvs1vgI_tdkHGHnRdNv1u5KYYILyJLbsge6FVIc9VoZ0uKireCT_miP6edKVL_Q4gZ1EHJSfJaHWdzhiSg/s2797/20230529_181858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="jam funnel" border="0" data-original-height="2797" data-original-width="2398" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnbNGUoVCo5D-DwuK36pKjO7PbN8KuAt5BuQo7uGEScvRbuqH96KIbu6n9DxVp-lQb46t1OK65_mcEv1oooFzQZqnm-v2olcHJvs1vgI_tdkHGHnRdNv1u5KYYILyJLbsge6FVIc9VoZ0uKireCT_miP6edKVL_Q4gZ1EHJSfJaHWdzhiSg/w171-h200/20230529_181858.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>I then use a wonderful and simple gadget which I bought years ago at Lakeland: <a href="https://www.lakeland.co.uk/3802/easy-fill-jam-funnel" target="_blank">a jam funnel</a>. Lakeland is often said to be full of gadgets which we didn't know we needed. Some aren't as useful as one might hope, but this wide jam funnel is one of the most best value things I've ever bought. I sterlise it with some of the boiling water from the microwave, and it makes pouring jam (or chutney) into jars very easy, even from a pan without a spout. <p></p><p>So, a couple of hours after I started hulling, with no more than half an hour of actual work, I had my four pots of jam ready to be labelled and put away. </p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-40005853148384094882023-04-24T12:18:00.025+03:002023-04-28T18:38:18.516+03:00Family visiting Cyprus<p> It feels like a LONG time since I last wrote. It's only four weeks, but our generally relaxed empty-nest routines were thrown out for a while. The house looked more lived-in than usual, with the coffee table piled high with books. The usual weekly cleaning didn't happen. The <a href="https://appliances-and-gadgets.blogspot.com/2022/10/irobot-roomba-vacuum-cleaner.html" target="_blank">Roomba</a> only ran sporadically, and I barely managed half an hour at my computer most days. We didn't watch a single film or even an episode of a DVD series. I usually read at least two books per week; in the past month I've only finished three full-length books, although I read a large number of shorter ones....</p><p>It was awesome. </p><p>Our family - son, daughter-in-law and their two children - came to stay over the Easter holidays, with a few extra days each end (authorised by the children's school) so they could find affordable flights. For just over three weeks they were with us, in Cyprus for the first time since the summer of 2017. </p><p>Life is very different with children in the house. At eight (nearly nine) and six (and a quarter) our grandchildren are a delight. At times they are noisy, and they rarely sit still, but they're loving, curious, and interested in everything. They love playing games, too - so we played a lot of board games. </p><p>The Lego proved popular... though it only came out a couple of times.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlk4aSSotnkW_GtpoKyOF5NpsuC3LhJbWb9KO_dc_3JP_3xwGsJCJCl6HbkcJTvP8p7xObj2vKtOD2fQvQwV8LCYxahqNfmYSmm_IZM2KoDe2nP2JUamTzHcsvpvQhxu9dwhNYwkRwQ76-nUnUuK5lTv7KZ8ZztE-XAGL1ytHqa1_3M18nHw/s5184/IMG_1123.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlk4aSSotnkW_GtpoKyOF5NpsuC3LhJbWb9KO_dc_3JP_3xwGsJCJCl6HbkcJTvP8p7xObj2vKtOD2fQvQwV8LCYxahqNfmYSmm_IZM2KoDe2nP2JUamTzHcsvpvQhxu9dwhNYwkRwQ76-nUnUuK5lTv7KZ8ZztE-XAGL1ytHqa1_3M18nHw/s320/IMG_1123.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>They love books - they can both read fluently, but they like listening to books too, as my own sons did, well into their teens. My grandson discovered Garfield for the first time. We have quite a collection of the books, and I loved hearing his chuckles as he devoured them, one after another. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLlqUqDhS_CaNgNCo-n9n1bTe0nbWhzRf2zVKTnOvw6BHyFptaMfuwAGB2yYGIkhBkfL7DpRn_pp-UmIJ6mwVMKLORQfuGYv0I2BhpjW_pg38YXJdJ1v40h22T82YRR5TMvJ4UkGOkfMtEZbV9fkfZFBDc49O3Ksl910XuCt69qgCpTneFw/s5184/IMG_1113.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLlqUqDhS_CaNgNCo-n9n1bTe0nbWhzRf2zVKTnOvw6BHyFptaMfuwAGB2yYGIkhBkfL7DpRn_pp-UmIJ6mwVMKLORQfuGYv0I2BhpjW_pg38YXJdJ1v40h22T82YRR5TMvJ4UkGOkfMtEZbV9fkfZFBDc49O3Ksl910XuCt69qgCpTneFw/s320/IMG_1113.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>In the first week Richard took them out sailing, and we had an afternoon on the beach. I thought we might have had more beach afternoons, but somehow they didn't happen... sometimes it was too windy, or even wet; more often there were simply too many other things to do. </p><p>Cooking was an interesting challenge: my son is vegetarian, which is fine; I have leanings that way myself. But others like to eat meat at least a few times each week. My husband is dairy-free, but eats meat: so normally our house is dairy-free, but we bought cheese and yogurt for the family. Then the grandchildren won't eat any cooked vegetables, though they love raw ones. They also don't like strong flavours such as hot curries, and are reluctant to experiment too much with new foods although they're pretty good about trying things they're not sure about. </p><p>Unusually for us, we ordered takeaways via <a href="https://www.foody.com.cy/" target="_blank">Foody</a> about once a week, since both of us had discount vouchers. Besides, I needed a break from cooking sometimes, to be able to enjoy an afternoon out. Sometimes I cheated, too, with ready-made burgers (meat or vegetarian) or breaded fish (or chicken or vegetables). </p><p>But I prefer to eat 'real' food (enchiladas, perhaps, or spanokopita, or chicken pie, or a jalfrezi curry and rice...) and on the whole it wasn't too difficult to suit everyone's tastes, it just took some planning - and a lot of oven space - if I was making two or even three different main courses, some added form of carbohydrate if needed, and two or three cooked vegetables. </p><p>Before the family came, I made a mental list of places that we could visit. There are local playgrounds and parks, of course, but our first bigger outing was to <a href="https://www.cyherbia.com/" target="_blank">Cyherbia</a>. We weren't entirely sure what to expect, but the children were thrilled to hear about the famous maze, apparently the only one in Cyprus.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWw7n_-ZGSFj5zN9PSe9p1EaiVPslOY_oCPypdUiIipRiMRZYqcn0WNMz83T5yaZssqPQCxrr7Y5T4NG1ncbEMmMkmvpkeVw_qzdcB-ze5BP5UKuUyQuEuSC3SLRSZggKQ9kJGJvaFt4-w9eqXsoU5_MX-ypZ3HlYCJN5hrAWsi7upgqDjA/s3648/IMG_1176.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="CyHerbia maze" border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWw7n_-ZGSFj5zN9PSe9p1EaiVPslOY_oCPypdUiIipRiMRZYqcn0WNMz83T5yaZssqPQCxrr7Y5T4NG1ncbEMmMkmvpkeVw_qzdcB-ze5BP5UKuUyQuEuSC3SLRSZggKQ9kJGJvaFt4-w9eqXsoU5_MX-ypZ3HlYCJN5hrAWsi7upgqDjA/w320-h240/IMG_1176.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We took a twelve-year-old friend with us, which is a good thing as the children raced around the maze, and our young friend was the only one who could keep up with them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Cyherbia also has a walk in the shape of the island of Cyprus, where we could see different landmarks, and there's a beautiful fairy village which we all admired: </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwW2gMBjrslvK7ksnTWXXlMiFAChZpYi1HAH2tKeeqzk0GpLgPfUEDYvMmyHnO0Fhgu0LyTiur-fzQrmAHR2iyT__hGUgxXWsZvr7LQ0nm8Ww7_G5TwSjdUW_ueDfVo1YWACuy8wRzlEjF4wt5--Uy5ilDNmxOTxpFmxrfZYwN-Uc-0kpRNA/s3648/IMG_1182.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="CyHerbia fairy village" border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwW2gMBjrslvK7ksnTWXXlMiFAChZpYi1HAH2tKeeqzk0GpLgPfUEDYvMmyHnO0Fhgu0LyTiur-fzQrmAHR2iyT__hGUgxXWsZvr7LQ0nm8Ww7_G5TwSjdUW_ueDfVo1YWACuy8wRzlEjF4wt5--Uy5ilDNmxOTxpFmxrfZYwN-Uc-0kpRNA/w320-h240/IMG_1182.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We spent a couple of hours walking around (or running, in the case of the children) and would have stayed out longer, but it started to rain. So we went to find our complementary hot herbal tea in the tea room, and the children spotted that there were ice creams. Ice cream was quite a feature of their visit; we lost track of how many they ate when out at various places.<div><br /></div><div>Over the Western Easter weekend, our son and his wife drove part way into the mountains for a couple of days by themselves, and the children moved upstairs to what used to be our younger son's bedroom. It's become an electronics room for Richard, so although he tidied it up prior to their arrival, it's not ideal... however the children liked being with us upstairs so much that they slept there at nighttime for the rest of their holiday. </div><div><br /></div><div>While we had the children on our own, we had our second further-away outing, this time to the <a href="https://camel-park.com/" target="_blank">Camel Park</a>. It's somewhere else we'd never been, although we'd heard good things about it. We were very impressed with the wide range of activities: a playground for younger children, exercise equipment for slightly older ones, plenty to see including a terrapin pool: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHUqkiVOYldgKeiJQPE4TMGzGDAgxZBu5CJVkS1QRgQsaLI8QWxo_IDr18XmcJvmpM09NQtLgWogNH8POqfE2zhujNPVqivZyWX2DFhUsamdqn7-lZHxlIAJAaIMbywjWXSbSgsauExlQIrrxFFrdOdqnbxCokjw2O-WdazxfyBxBbNMo-w/s3648/IMG_1229.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Camel Park, Mazotos" border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHUqkiVOYldgKeiJQPE4TMGzGDAgxZBu5CJVkS1QRgQsaLI8QWxo_IDr18XmcJvmpM09NQtLgWogNH8POqfE2zhujNPVqivZyWX2DFhUsamdqn7-lZHxlIAJAaIMbywjWXSbSgsauExlQIrrxFFrdOdqnbxCokjw2O-WdazxfyBxBbNMo-w/w320-h240/IMG_1229.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We bought fairly inexpensive bags of animal feed (carob pods) which were doled out to the many different animals in the park. Perhaps the enclosures were a bit small, but the animals seemed contented and very eager to reach out for their food. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9Mwqc_5Mc9zLzxCpd72CAz0afmWBagvrTEbf7QvzhaSrm5ezfHi0D3Z6x3Ugp72n0NPJ_M1BnwFdavuAL3Xa4wokJ-oHujhTQM9cpgyVp8qy6cPrMH_fxKyOTk7YDKnSM_q49gOu56cbTyzZmQdWmiOhZdHj7O1diZC4XpBbymXoSrraZA/s3648/IMG_1241.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9Mwqc_5Mc9zLzxCpd72CAz0afmWBagvrTEbf7QvzhaSrm5ezfHi0D3Z6x3Ugp72n0NPJ_M1BnwFdavuAL3Xa4wokJ-oHujhTQM9cpgyVp8qy6cPrMH_fxKyOTk7YDKnSM_q49gOu56cbTyzZmQdWmiOhZdHj7O1diZC4XpBbymXoSrraZA/s320/IMG_1241.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The highlight was a camel ride, which both the children enjoyed thoroughly: </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawF95LPt98dpZ27-9hgjdDEkgGSIO_DOvCfr1OsAxUwuXD6ngoqV1ao1yfBRcKehk_zEOlG20uAAAosO8-DB7j2iv5CVdfAtVoI3_UdioLPAG4Jf002ClRyP1MKNbcvnX3tMJVD4gHEKyM-ND-gsGLE1_QDAHPBL6PF01tVNb_kljl9O3dQ/s3648/IMG_1255.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="camel rides, mazotos" border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhawF95LPt98dpZ27-9hgjdDEkgGSIO_DOvCfr1OsAxUwuXD6ngoqV1ao1yfBRcKehk_zEOlG20uAAAosO8-DB7j2iv5CVdfAtVoI3_UdioLPAG4Jf002ClRyP1MKNbcvnX3tMJVD4gHEKyM-ND-gsGLE1_QDAHPBL6PF01tVNb_kljl9O3dQ/w320-h240/IMG_1255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>They even went in the swimming pool, although we thought it rather chilly. I felt a bit anxious the whole time, since neither of us are good swimmers and we had no intention of going in. I would, of course, have jumped in fully clothed had either of the children got into difficulties, but thankfully they stayed in the shallow end, splashing about and enjoying themselves until they finally admitted that it really was too cold. </div><div><br /></div><div>We'd been at the Camel Park for two hours and it was past noon, so we thought we would go to the restaurant for an early lunch. We had checked the menu in advance: they offered sandwiches of various kinds, and a children's section as well as quite a wide variety of Cypriot foods.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then we had a disappointment: there was a big party at the Camel Park, so the restaurant wasn't serving meals. They did say that we could have something from the buffet (although it wasn't available for another half hour) but they couldn't tell us what it would consist of - and the cost was quite high for something that we probably wouldn't want, and the children most likely wouldn't eat. We asked if they would at least make sandwiches, and they said no - they weren't providing any other food until 4pm! </div><div><br /></div><div>So we bought bags of crisps at the kiosk nearby, as we were all surprisingly hungry; then we left to have our cold lunch back home. We would have stayed another hour or more if we'd been able to eat there. Picnics are not allowed in the Camel Park, so we couldn't have taken our own food. </div><div><br /></div><div>As often happens on holiday, the second half of the visit seemed to race past. The children went to local parks several times, and visited the fort in the town. On Greek Good Friday (a week after the Western one) my daughter-in-law organised a hunt for small chocolate eggs for the children around the house and side yard; they took some finding as the hiding places were quite creative. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNmMYzQqdX7N2yuTF-SbdaqfQjQJ6TJHy9uHJFKhiBZbAOeOIPR3bNTF4QILFIndn5jJOfdvItOckFDX3NIOzBt-CR5hOfHpwpsjjSdKA7ROfWG-3jegtCZP6oQ-6Gkg_5gUTTra8dmW_n_wD88GxihVwOut_ya9rdn-m7CNcnely3Jhn1A/s2048/20230414_134304.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="hot cross buns" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNmMYzQqdX7N2yuTF-SbdaqfQjQJ6TJHy9uHJFKhiBZbAOeOIPR3bNTF4QILFIndn5jJOfdvItOckFDX3NIOzBt-CR5hOfHpwpsjjSdKA7ROfWG-3jegtCZP6oQ-6Gkg_5gUTTra8dmW_n_wD88GxihVwOut_ya9rdn-m7CNcnely3Jhn1A/w240-h320/20230414_134304.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>I made hot cross buns (I never can get the flour paste on the top to look right, but they tasted good). In the afternoon, the children went to our friends' house to experiment with dyeing and decorating hard-boiled eggs. It's something my grandson had read about but they had never previously tried.</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnFSbGmOoJB-mfpNk2PStUp0yDwYilk59jjpEkW2MQFQ_2xsAnMbNm-fupAXMtaV7lAnaxv5AlPcU_KRhNmdZ8P5Vv8oah26q1t6EWPXA42uq4Gn0TO8Bu_onOjRNfcBkbOKHnDxTIn_G_gKUnwnC7z_QeABJeIux9zFv0lWVEIg7XDpVwA/s2000/IMG-20230414-WA0005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dyeing hard boiled eggs" border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnFSbGmOoJB-mfpNk2PStUp0yDwYilk59jjpEkW2MQFQ_2xsAnMbNm-fupAXMtaV7lAnaxv5AlPcU_KRhNmdZ8P5Vv8oah26q1t6EWPXA42uq4Gn0TO8Bu_onOjRNfcBkbOKHnDxTIn_G_gKUnwnC7z_QeABJeIux9zFv0lWVEIg7XDpVwA/w240-h320/IMG-20230414-WA0005.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>For the next four days, the family was even more enlarged as our younger son and his wife made a short visit, staying in a local AirBnB, and bringing the warmest weather we'd had all year. Just as well, since my new daughter-in-law is very allergic to cats, so they couldn't come into the house. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the Saturday, they all visited an <a href="https://scienceexpo.com.cy/" target="_blank">interactive science fair</a> not far from Nicosia, which we'd seen advertised. I decided to have a day to myself, so I didn't go. The children enjoyed it, but overall the adults felt that it was a bit disappointing. </div><div><br /></div><div>The advertising said that visitors would need at least two hours to interact with all the different displays. In the event, about 25% of them were not working - or not working properly - but there were no staff available to assist. Not that it was crowded - despite being Greek Easter Saturday, there was almost nobody else there. So they spent as long as they wanted to at all the working exhibits, and still finished in under an hour. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMqw1kJFmTAGoxt9-3JNjd7UyLhbhksprIWiE0UFPZTM0xGLGm7QCoBC9ObNpASSU3udFQQd7KNKJhSxvvgL6TlI1fpZeZTaEvTAxiNfb1L0u0vKiCwVpxaIiPwWYCO3x-0n-UwtnqE-VgF3I6zxEyoQ2Tkuv4GGQ3CmcbIYh5dD4u-nA9Q/s1600/IMG-20230415-WA0002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMqw1kJFmTAGoxt9-3JNjd7UyLhbhksprIWiE0UFPZTM0xGLGm7QCoBC9ObNpASSU3udFQQd7KNKJhSxvvgL6TlI1fpZeZTaEvTAxiNfb1L0u0vKiCwVpxaIiPwWYCO3x-0n-UwtnqE-VgF3I6zxEyoQ2Tkuv4GGQ3CmcbIYh5dD4u-nA9Q/s320/IMG-20230415-WA0002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">On the Sunday, we barbecued lunch outside after going to church services to celebrate the Resurrection. Our local friends came over in the afternoon for games followed by a cold evening meal, with 14 of us in all sitting around tables in our side yard. I think it's the most people we've had sitting down to eat out there at one time, and probably the maximum we could accommodate from the point of view of comfort.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Monday they had a morning of sailing. On Tuesday morning, our friends came over for games, then one of my sons treated us to lunch out in the town. In the afternoon we took a walk by the Salt Lake... and in the evening our younger son and his wife departed to return to the UK overnight. On Wednesday afternoon we took the children to St George's Park, followed by ice creams, and our other son treated us all to food in the Metropolis Mall. And so, time gradually speeded up in our perception as their imminent departure was measured not in days but hours... </div><div><br /></div><div>When they left I was sad, but not as devastated as I felt <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2017/08/so-long-farewell-as-family-depart-from.html" target="_blank">five-and-a-half years ago when they departed</a> after staying all summer. That's mainly because, in 2017, they were going to join a ship the other side of the world, and we had no idea when we might see them again. Now we see them more often, and video chat fairly regularly so it's not such a wrench. </div><div><br /></div><div>I wish we lived closer and could see them more frequently; I certainly hope they come again before another five or six years have passed. But for holidays to be special, they need to have their own everyday lives with their own routines. And I was quite tired; much as I miss them, it's good to have my own space, with time to relax on my own to recharge my psychological batteries. </div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-46785843297613521912023-03-26T19:53:00.002+03:002023-03-26T20:17:16.233+03:00Eating a variety of plant-based foods<p> It's fairly easy to eat healthfully in Cyprus. Fruit and vegetables in season are generally inexpensive; I have often bought a crate at the outdoor fruit market, typically two or three kilograms (sometimes more) of tomatoes, plums, peaches or apricots, when they are plentiful, for a couple of euros. I lightly stew and then freeze the ones I don't use immediately in 400g portions, so I have them available at other times of year. </p><p>In the winter, citrus fruit is excellent value. Large, delicious Merlin oranges are currently 79 eurocents per kilogram, for instance. Lemons are even more prolific, and most years someone offers us a large bag of lemons from their tree. If not, a crate of about 15-20 lemons costs around a euro. The juice can be frozen in ice cube trays, or other containers for use all year round.</p><p>So it's pretty easy for us to get our '<a href="https://www.theeap.com/wellness/new-study-5-a-day-fruits-and-vegetables-help-lower-your-risk-of-disease" target="_blank">five-a-day</a>' - usually it's nearer eight or nine portions of fruit and veg - as well as <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/" target="_blank">the recommended 30g fibre</a>, much of which is in the fruit and vegetables we eat. I do this not to be virtuous, but because I like fruit and veg, and also because I appreciate the related health benefits. </p><p>What I hadn't come across until recently was a newer recommendation that, in addition to the above guidelines, we should aim for at least <a href="https://www.wcrf-uk.org/our-blog/could-you-eat-30-plant-based-foods-each-week/" target="_blank">30 different kinds of plant-based foods</a> each week. A friend on Facebook mentioned this and I checked various links; it seems to be from a legitimate study. It's different from the 'five-a-day' principle (which should still be followed) in two significant respects:</p><p>(1) We don't just count fruits and vegetables, but other plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes. Starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn can also be included.</p><p>(2) Each kind of food is only counted once in each week. </p><p>I am aware that being able to do this is a 'first world' privilege. We're fortunate to live in a country that offers a wide selection of high quality produce at affordable prices. In many parts of the world, food products are seriously limited, or highly priced, and it may be impossible to eat more than one or two different kinds of food in a week. </p><p>I have to admit, too, that my first question was whether coffee, cocoa and sugar would count; all are, after all, plant-based. But they're not mentioned in any of the lists I looked at on this topic, so I assume not. Herbs and spices can be included, but each is only worth a quarter of a food 'point' as the quantities are generally so small.</p><p>Out of curiosity, I decided to keep a record of a week of typical eating for us, some weeks ago, without making any deliberate adjustments, to see if we reached the goal. </p><p><b>Sunday</b></p><p>We're rather predictable as far as breakfasts go. I had my typical basic breakfast with freshly squeezed <b>orange</b> juice, and home-made muesli, which contains <b>oats</b>, <b>coconut</b>, <b>almond</b> meal, <b>walnuts</b>, <b>sunflower seeds</b>, <b>flaxseeds</b>, <b>raisins</b>, dried <b>apricots</b> and dried <b>cranberries</b>. I had a cup of coffee, too. We don't use dairy milk; instead I make both <b>cashew</b> milk and <b>oat</b> milk. I can't count oats again, but cashews can be added to my list. Oh, and I always eat a <b>brazil</b> nut. </p><p>So that was twelve at the start of the first day, but I couldn't count any of them again for the rest of the week.</p><p>Richard, meanwhile, had a glass of <b>orange</b> juice, half an <b>apple</b>, a <b>banana</b>, a <b>pear</b>, a little pot of mixed nuts (<b>brazil,</b> <b>peanuts</b>, <b>walnuts</b>, <b>almonds</b>) and a cup of coffee with the same two plant-based milks. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCLOeyGwqJ5XssVzJrf6_d3U8WuLTpfkjqe6y-di7HkT0m4sdus3Ug_ZR8hrxrN8TsK5Af3BM54zr8eWOX6Ag_GsSdTGI6EkEGir15PjQcyjlUsIJcYGiV1gjEDWeKAAFvEyAPogKt0NyEasSrf_Jmp9qPoFIyW20HSgFtZwHV8vkeuHOfg/s2048/20230122_080539.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCLOeyGwqJ5XssVzJrf6_d3U8WuLTpfkjqe6y-di7HkT0m4sdus3Ug_ZR8hrxrN8TsK5Af3BM54zr8eWOX6Ag_GsSdTGI6EkEGir15PjQcyjlUsIJcYGiV1gjEDWeKAAFvEyAPogKt0NyEasSrf_Jmp9qPoFIyW20HSgFtZwHV8vkeuHOfg/s320/20230122_080539.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />So he started the week with ten different plant-based products. <p></p><p>Sunday is the only day we usually have a cooked lunch. I used a previously made lemon chicken from the freezer (which, in addition to the chicken, contained <b>onions</b>, <b>mushrooms</b>, <b>yellow peppers</b> and <b>lemon</b> juice). We had roast <b>potatoes</b>, <b>carrots</b> and <b>broccoli with it. </b></p><p>That made seven more plant-based foods to add to our weekly inventory.</p><p>Our friends were coming over for an afternoon of games followed by a shared meal. So I made a couple of loaves of bread in the breadmaker (with <b>wholewheat flour,</b> <b>sunflower seeds</b>, <b>flaxseeds</b> and <b>chia seeds</b>), and soup (which contained <b>onions</b>, <b>tomatoes</b> and <b>courgettes</b>, all pureed together after caramelising with garlic and spices, then simmering). For dessert I made an apricot crisp, which contained previously frozen <b>apricots</b>, some <b>lemon </b>juice, and an oat-based topping with some <b>raisins</b> in it. </p><p>Already we were getting into duplicates which didn't count in the '30-a-week' guideline. but I think that made an extra five for me, and an extra eight for Richard as he didn't have apricots or seeds with his breakfast. </p><p>During the meal, we ate some raw <b>carrots</b>, <b>cucumbers</b>, <b>cherry tomatoes</b> and <b>peppers</b> brought by our friends. Only the <b>cucumber</b> is counted as a new food, but in all that made 25 different plant-based foods for me, and I think 26 for Richard on our first day. I decided not to count garlic, herbs or spices at all, just treating those as a bonus. </p><p><b>Monday </b></p><p>I went to the fruit shop first thing, to buy the vegetables needed for Tuesday evening, some fruit that we were running low on, and one or two other things. I was pleased to see locally grown strawberries at €1.49 per 500g. They looked and smelled good, so I bought a pack. And since cherry tomatoes were on offer (two for the price of one) I bought some of those too.</p><p>Just under nine euros bought me this lot: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiab9ywqitoltRf1U0oMMf2EkWhiENpYkIZEtKODw1yUMnpjiriIL1KJ6qWJCkYz3JWKKh9VMR2idtWPiOEiSM_lSFhozIkng9OTbJl1Qg65-7QDKh4az7v6ATUspWO4kmfN4dYwwFWs1x_j2KXeI1hOF2eyK7zbtv__zF3lMbJgzoPK6gBQ/s2048/20230123_075750.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiab9ywqitoltRf1U0oMMf2EkWhiENpYkIZEtKODw1yUMnpjiriIL1KJ6qWJCkYz3JWKKh9VMR2idtWPiOEiSM_lSFhozIkng9OTbJl1Qg65-7QDKh4az7v6ATUspWO4kmfN4dYwwFWs1x_j2KXeI1hOF2eyK7zbtv__zF3lMbJgzoPK6gBQ/s320/20230123_075750.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Our breakfasts were the same as Sundays, with the addition of about ten <b>strawberries</b> each. </p><p>For lunch we had some cold turkey and mushroom pie left over from the end of last week, with cherry tomatoes, and the leftover apricot crisp. No new plant-based products there. However we then opened some new dairy-free chocolate from Lidl, with coconut and <b>pecans</b>. Even if the cocoa doesn't count, the nuts do. </p><p>On Monday evenings we usually have something fairly quick to make and vegan. Since I had an <b>avocado</b> which was just right for eating, bought a week earlier, I made some guacamole to eat with <b>black bean</b> fajitas. The tortillas were whole-grain, with <b>rye </b>as well as wheat, and the filling, in addition to the black beans, contained onions, mushrooms and peppers... all of which were included in Sunday's lunch. We also had some tomatoes, cucumber and mixed <b>lettuce</b> and <b>cabbage. </b></p><p>So we only added seven different plant-based foods on Monday, but if I was counting correctly, it means I had already reached 32 and Richard 33 different plant-based foods in just two days. </p><p><b>Tuesday </b></p><p>A <b>pear</b> was an extra plant food for Richard for breakfast, but everything else was the same for both of us. Lunch was leftover bread and soup from Sunday, with more of the coconut and pecan chocolate. </p><p>On Tuesday evenings we usually have some kind of fish, with roasted vegetables. This time I cooked baked salmon with lemon slices and roasted sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic cloves, red peppers and broccoli. The only one we hadn't eaten earlier in the week was <b>sweet potato</b>, and I decided to add in <b>garlic </b>this time, since we ate four or five roasted cloves each, rather than just using a sprinkling. </p><p>Still trying to keep track, I counted 34 for me by this stage, and 37 for Richard.</p><p><b>Wednesday </b></p><p>In the morning I cut up the <b>mango</b> I'd bought at the froutaria on Monday, and we had that along with our usual breakfast foods. At lunch we ate leftover fajita filling and salads, so nothing new there. In the evening I made vegan sausages for me, which are mainly <b>chickpeas</b>; Richard had meat sausages, made a few months ago by a friend. We had them with potato wedges, roasted mushrooms and <b>cauliflower,</b> and some home-made baked beans, which used <b>haricot beans</b>. </p><p>Total plant-based foods so far: 38 for me, 40 for Richard.</p><p><b>Thursday </b></p><p>We had some more of Monday's strawberries with our breakfasts, and more leftovers at lunch. In the evening I heated up a container of <a href="http://randomrecipes.blogspot.com/2006/04/chili-con-carne.html" target="_blank">chili con carne</a> which I'd made and frozen a couple of months earlier, along with a few of Wednesday's baked beans. I used the microwave and the air fryer to make jacket potatoes, with carrots and broccoli, also air fried, which worked well. I also microwaved some <b>frozen peas </b>which I thought would be the only additional plant food for Thursday, until I remembered that my chilis always contain a good amount of <b>red lentils</b>. </p><p>So I'd reached 40 plant foods, Richard 42. </p><p><b>Friday </b></p><p>I took my trolley to the local fruitaria first thing, and bought this selection of fruit and veg for the next few days - enough to last us until Wednesday:.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWGfkoLT0MxBaHPt9qpu6vF_GoZOCqhAIE2qfC4wGC7WxudLi8xtOt4jns2qStHytrJEVgxRlsVpTIbVNJ8uSASvhJyfM6I-IEbwqPPUgdY1zPrzbTg2QVp0XlG9ZWtKj22BtxWR4hyROIBc9fGbg6OMQCDcdULbWwKjBp9xIsL-kSvaKRg/s2048/20230127_074753.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="2048" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWGfkoLT0MxBaHPt9qpu6vF_GoZOCqhAIE2qfC4wGC7WxudLi8xtOt4jns2qStHytrJEVgxRlsVpTIbVNJ8uSASvhJyfM6I-IEbwqPPUgdY1zPrzbTg2QVp0XlG9ZWtKj22BtxWR4hyROIBc9fGbg6OMQCDcdULbWwKjBp9xIsL-kSvaKRg/s320/20230127_074753.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>That lot came to just over 15 euros. The most expensive item was the three peppers; there weren't any in the reduced section, so they were full price, and I paid nearly a euro per pepper (about 300g each). Next highest is the pears. The oranges - lovely large, juicy ones - were still just 69 or 79 cents per kilogram and I bought two different kinds. </p><p>Breakfast on Friday was as before, likewise lunch, with the addition of some <b>apple</b> pastries that were on sale at Lidl, where we went later in the morning (and spent rather more than €15 on items such as cat food, canned coconut milk and honey). And while the pastries were not exactly healthful, I realised that I hadn't had any apple so far this week. So that took me to 41. </p><p>I was going to make spanokopitta in the evening but was quite tired, and we'd had pastries at lunch-time anyway. So we decided on our favourite local fast-food, Souvlaki Express. Chicken with salad in a pitta for Richard, falafel for me. I was losing track, but we had both exceeded 40 different fruits and vegetables, without having taken any added herbs and spices into account. </p><p><b>Saturday </b></p><p>I made chicken jalfrezi in the slow cooker first thing, then breakfast and lunch as before... Saturday is our curry night, and we had the jalfrezi with wholegrain pittas, raisins, coconut, mango chutney, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, apple and banana. I don't think there was anything 'new' to the week's plant-based foods, other than the banana for me, as I hadn't had one at breakfast.</p><p>Having eaten, without any effort, considerably more than the 'ideal' number of different plant foods during the course of a week, my main feeling was an overwhelming thankfulness at living in a place with such an abundance of high quality, inexpensive foods. </p><p><b>The following week</b></p><p>During that first week, we had eaten some foods that we don't eat every week, such as the strawberries and mango. We don't eat avocado every week, either or black beans (which we had twice), or baked beans... </p><p>So I logged another week, less rigorously. We didn't have a fresh mango, but still had mango chutney with our Saturday curry. No avocado or baked beans, but we had some canned pineapple when I made sweet-and-sour cheese. We also had some brown rice, which is another one (white rice doesn't count - but I never buy it anyway). </p><p>I don't know that we reached forty during the second week, but we ate well over thirty different plant-based foods. It's not as if we're vegans or even vegetarians, although we don't eat meat every day. And we don't eat a huge number of different fruits or vegetables. But the articles I read implied that many people don't even manage twenty different kinds. </p><p>Rather than continue tracking, I decided to list what we eat by different types of plant-based food. </p><p><b>Typical groceries</b></p><p>I go to the fruitaria at least twice every week, sometimes three times. A couple of typical purchases are shown above. I'm not very adventurous, which makes it easy to shop without making a list. Every week I buy, and we both eat:</p><p><b>Fruit: </b><br />Oranges - apples - bananas - pears <br /><br /><b>Vegetables:</b><br />Potatoes - sweet potatoes - carrots - broccoli - tomatoes - onions - mushrooms - peppers - cucumbers - garlic cloves</p><p>Also, we always have and eat at least once:</p><p><b>Frozen:</b><br />Peas - french beans<br /><br />Every six weeks, we go to a lovely little shop that sells nuts and various dried products. Between €50 and €60 buys us sufficient of the following to last for the next month and a half, mostly eaten at breakfast:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBXs4vX419667CzfLlrLIF8PYdRzDKlulxO5r6hgYh0nvSThm9iTXKTJZDVsGMvuDceznTn0tIJl4VIRVt1htswYc2hJgGlwVBR91SMDstuOeFHQu5mofhzMyPhH6yXCNN7iXH4K1i7NtHszPEtL2CRRobm5ATDDRQCip9NCLKVXMk7WL5Q/s1625/20221216_112823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBXs4vX419667CzfLlrLIF8PYdRzDKlulxO5r6hgYh0nvSThm9iTXKTJZDVsGMvuDceznTn0tIJl4VIRVt1htswYc2hJgGlwVBR91SMDstuOeFHQu5mofhzMyPhH6yXCNN7iXH4K1i7NtHszPEtL2CRRobm5ATDDRQCip9NCLKVXMk7WL5Q/s320/20221216_112823.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Nuts</b>:<br />Almonds - brazil nuts - cashew nuts - peanuts - walnuts</p><p><b>Seeds:</b><br />Sunflower - flax - chia<br /><br /><b>Dried fruit:</b><br />Raisins - dates - apricots - cranberries <br /><br /><b>Also: </b><br />Coconut </p><p>With the addition of wholewheat (in bread) and oats (in milk, and my granola) I make that 31 plant-based products which we both eat almost every week. I also eat a large courgette each week, and Richard has a portion of broad beans at the same time. Even if we don't have a fresh mango, we have mango chutney. We always seem to have something containing lemon juice, too, whether used fresh or frozen. </p><p>I could also include quarter portions each of: chili powder, sweet paprika, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, ginger, turmeric, parsley and basil, all of which we use pretty much every week - and other herbs and spices less frequently. </p><p>At least once or twice a month we also eat:</p><p>cauliflower - spinach - cabbage - lettuce - avocado</p><p>brown rice - pineapple (canned) </p><p>chickpeas - lentils - black beans - haricot beans </p><p>And, when they're available in season:</p><p>clementines - apricots - peaches - strawberries - plums </p><p>It's not a competition; the only 'prize' for eating lots of plant-based products is an increased chance of longevity, with good health as we age. There are, of course, those who eat almost no fruit and veg and still live to be elderly and free of disease. There are also those who are extremely fit and eat very healthfully, but who still develop serious diseases or life-threatening conditions at a young age. </p><p>But I'm not a fatalist. I'd rather increase my chances of good health even if, in the end, environment or genetics beat lifestyle. I know some people have allergies or specific foods they don't like. But there are many more fruits and vegetables than the 50 or so that I've mentioned. So I'm a bit puzzled how anyone in a developed country with widely available (and reasonably priced) produce could NOT eat thirty or more different plant-based foods in a week. </p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-25179284148833916322023-02-17T16:46:00.001+02:002023-02-17T16:46:11.224+02:00A new desk, and a tribute to the old one <p>Short version of this post: my wonderful husband spent three hours putting together a flat-pack desk for me, early last week. This was the result:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpqUklJRhsk_0JkcDJEfzKYni9SGp4NWBNU37wUZyC3uqcHFx71dvYpfaPv2SpMBTZVUjBdZ_j0suoEOUZGTIrIebCEDKuC8Iu388qhVJrfJuvgmYXKd3-UDgyXmfCE78LTzQOaPdJiGNXPJcG18c_dqY-Rz7RWm55kiO-Xi0_j7gbZ5VYQ/s5184/IMG_1087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="new computer desk in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpqUklJRhsk_0JkcDJEfzKYni9SGp4NWBNU37wUZyC3uqcHFx71dvYpfaPv2SpMBTZVUjBdZ_j0suoEOUZGTIrIebCEDKuC8Iu388qhVJrfJuvgmYXKd3-UDgyXmfCE78LTzQOaPdJiGNXPJcG18c_dqY-Rz7RWm55kiO-Xi0_j7gbZ5VYQ/w320-h240/IMG_1087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><p>For those who like to read my ramblings, here's the longer version:</p><p>When we first moved to Cyprus, quarter of a century ago, we bought some furniture inexpensively from the organisation my husband was seconded to. Much of it was quite old and well-used, but also solid and likely to last at least as long as it had already. One of those pieces of furniture was a heavy desk which we put in my study, where I had my computer: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPY_UlcxRTVy6HxKJcLBfiMYndoYyYiXh3Szo0N139UGTNu_NOHD7Blm7j_gTEtWXTWTpwLTIj57rX1VfVLwV_ynnYReYlMnLja_mcDKwqfRM8fEOZlyPlT0SIzIOVZoGwD4doI83iRmn5gPYUR6BlqrgEXsExnfLt7NkCXa_xBLnv-3Rsg/s1573/Image0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="old desk and computer, small cat" border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1573" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPY_UlcxRTVy6HxKJcLBfiMYndoYyYiXh3Szo0N139UGTNu_NOHD7Blm7j_gTEtWXTWTpwLTIj57rX1VfVLwV_ynnYReYlMnLja_mcDKwqfRM8fEOZlyPlT0SIzIOVZoGwD4doI83iRmn5gPYUR6BlqrgEXsExnfLt7NkCXa_xBLnv-3Rsg/w320-h214/Image0002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>At some point both the computer and the screen were upgraded by my husband and sons, and we acquired a scanner. The desk stayed in the same place, easily able to hold these, a large keyboard, and whatever books or other random additions I needed: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTP6pGcBtlJGGW5XX4BcSlYLKFLgxn7ZcEI4rKZRiAIdDVKdgCcAG6WgBZnzUw2QRLwI0gwY3M8GcXe5TVoTUSr7PCZUAgSLiFbADB4iXnQW73O0a8lSxVkLO2S2LBKFhP4M3kJZ_rgQpugkt6G07hUTwm45tUMi8NGIozJYFg7HdZ9BY9g/s800/desk1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="old desk, old computer" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTP6pGcBtlJGGW5XX4BcSlYLKFLgxn7ZcEI4rKZRiAIdDVKdgCcAG6WgBZnzUw2QRLwI0gwY3M8GcXe5TVoTUSr7PCZUAgSLiFbADB4iXnQW73O0a8lSxVkLO2S2LBKFhP4M3kJZ_rgQpugkt6G07hUTwm45tUMi8NGIozJYFg7HdZ9BY9g/w320-h240/desk1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>When we moved to our current house, sixteen-and-a-half years ago, we discussed whether I might like something smaller. I already had a flat screen and a more compact keyboard by that stage. But I was quite attached to the desk. It had four good-sized drawers and a cupboard on the other side, and I liked the old-fashioned wood look. So some strong people who helped us to move carried it up the stairs to my new, larger study, and there it sat: <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQUanENUHUUg9kil00YhFd89yBWO0QfPTXYHX7j7OpBCeDE7FB0FP-3K8TEWWst0Mn8shjL4N_FDA17OGcKraeKw7nYc6XBcQpYNmYavBypkDGBKtWxRaJGWlyvff5ru5Re97nlpzjZaL-gnpOxTmCJ7HDCn9Pa6YiMyKmq1cHGt7XmWBFQ/s1600/IMG_3042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQUanENUHUUg9kil00YhFd89yBWO0QfPTXYHX7j7OpBCeDE7FB0FP-3K8TEWWst0Mn8shjL4N_FDA17OGcKraeKw7nYc6XBcQpYNmYavBypkDGBKtWxRaJGWlyvff5ru5Re97nlpzjZaL-gnpOxTmCJ7HDCn9Pa6YiMyKmq1cHGt7XmWBFQ/s320/IMG_3042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>This study had a lot more scope for moving furniture around. That happened several times, leading to, for instance, this: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cYoRpEaM1oME29P-Hp1nDTj0LCLGzLrV8hsqcAIejkN4AbkoVqrRuv9mtXzd5IB4407m9EM0NdefI0UHneUAn6ndYb8TPgOw0sZE_AIG93OwSjY3eJcg7mbF-Jp2aQq-mP9NYsBNKrkpa0dPH6rPwopAlbia9XVJ7urTB-RoAt5K_N0SKQ/s3072/IMG_2465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cYoRpEaM1oME29P-Hp1nDTj0LCLGzLrV8hsqcAIejkN4AbkoVqrRuv9mtXzd5IB4407m9EM0NdefI0UHneUAn6ndYb8TPgOw0sZE_AIG93OwSjY3eJcg7mbF-Jp2aQq-mP9NYsBNKrkpa0dPH6rPwopAlbia9XVJ7urTB-RoAt5K_N0SKQ/s320/IMG_2465.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>And, later, this:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cg9Qt0T_bs-He0xQzgYY6YVQaJtUALZYwFDuHBsqG7aN7jTZhLJtaK2dGCKI7y9CUxZblLDXxo6TqjdC2Bz-C3MyE1eSIJ_FbCmkppMEJ04oxNbtWTJe4fImX1i25w53o6YWgkxugJZ2d1S9ubVLSFSbKyp3e4pxd4RMkXQQvRj4q0NnLA/s3072/IMG_5063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cg9Qt0T_bs-He0xQzgYY6YVQaJtUALZYwFDuHBsqG7aN7jTZhLJtaK2dGCKI7y9CUxZblLDXxo6TqjdC2Bz-C3MyE1eSIJ_FbCmkppMEJ04oxNbtWTJe4fImX1i25w53o6YWgkxugJZ2d1S9ubVLSFSbKyp3e4pxd4RMkXQQvRj4q0NnLA/s320/IMG_5063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>.. which is where it remained since about 2016, facing the door. This is my preferred orientation for the desk. I did move other furniture around, but the desk stayed where it was. </div><div><br /></div><div>About a year ago, the desk started to become a bit wobbly. Perhaps all the moving had weakened one of those legs. They are quite small compared to the size of the desk. Having a large cat jumping on and off probably didn't help, either, but the desk, we reckoned, was probably fifty years old. It didn't owe me anything. I wondered whether I might be able to find something similar, with stronger legs. </div><div><br /></div><div>I looked at several possible shops online, none of which had desks I liked. Those they had in the shops seemed extortionately priced. I would have shrugged and forgotten about it, until one day I realised the wobbliness was worse. One of the front legs had become detached. </div><div><br /></div><div>Creative as ever, Richard found a temporary solution:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxamuHgNxDklVQ7scIIH_QRGFHF5vvW8AMRjy2q1KCdidNYCQBiZ3xXbKjxIJYpbsTZWAjikotreBpRzbJjqwW8YlQMv-ypwn7bCzKD1faIZZHjHfNi19pY8oXDTtN1rj-OWs6GL4hazZS7qcixKr9Qk-uYFFC_DancmxD7CdE1GgApkFdtw/s5184/IMG_1066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="old desk held up by dictionaries" border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxamuHgNxDklVQ7scIIH_QRGFHF5vvW8AMRjy2q1KCdidNYCQBiZ3xXbKjxIJYpbsTZWAjikotreBpRzbJjqwW8YlQMv-ypwn7bCzKD1faIZZHjHfNi19pY8oXDTtN1rj-OWs6GL4hazZS7qcixKr9Qk-uYFFC_DancmxD7CdE1GgApkFdtw/w320-h240/IMG_1066.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>This was shortly after I had upgraded my elderly computer and laptop into a newer laptop that could be used with my screen, keyboard, mouse (etc) while not travelling. Richard made me (from scratch) a very nice wooden shelf to raise the screen, and to house the laptop. </div><div><br /></div><div>Inevitably there were a lot of wires, as well as the speaker, and a kind of hub thing which enabled the laptop to connect to the screen and other peripherals. Our white cat Alex liked sleeping on the desk, knocking off anything that came in his path. Hence the rough cardboard box, in stark contrast to the pristine wooden shelf:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFE54lB_QA1JUZC2-wbRENwZHMOoGRj2Fq99zwmw0ERyGE8JspIharvRsXmCyl7MjcCDXOoccFf-TV-JCgfA406pJtQF39JiveU32aEhOHEjw4wt3z0FvdfEcYJ8E6gUir8cxb-wUA8hIDc85Pgg9uJCOMEtQnJQb9UioOMfFaLq4FuHLUtA/s5184/IMG_0130.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="computer, screen, desk and large white cat in a box" border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFE54lB_QA1JUZC2-wbRENwZHMOoGRj2Fq99zwmw0ERyGE8JspIharvRsXmCyl7MjcCDXOoccFf-TV-JCgfA406pJtQF39JiveU32aEhOHEjw4wt3z0FvdfEcYJ8E6gUir8cxb-wUA8hIDc85Pgg9uJCOMEtQnJQb9UioOMfFaLq4FuHLUtA/w320-h240/IMG_0130.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>We spent a morning, early last summer, looking for possible replacement desks. We tried the Thrift Store, a couple of second-hand furniture shops and several large stores which sold desks of all shapes and sizes. We didn't see anything I really liked. I didn't want a modern streamlined table with movable drawer units, nor a metal desk. Since I had a (mostly) functioning desk, I was only going to replace it if I found one that felt absolutely right. </div><div><br /></div><div>Richard wondered whether he could repair the broken leg. It would have meant considerable disruption, but he thought he might possibly do it <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/09/back-in-cyprus-after-six-weeks-away.html" target="_blank">while I was away last summer</a>. In the event, he was so busy he didn't have a moment to himself, let alone the time needed to find a way to repair it that was going to last, and which would also need to have strengthened the other legs. If one breaks, we realised, it's probably not long before others follow suit. </div><div><br /></div><div>So the dictionaries remained in place. Richard said, once or twice, that he should think about repairing the desk, but I was reluctant to go through all the hassle of disconnecting everything and emptying out the drawers and moving the desk...</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, nearly two weeks ago, the computer refused to connect to the screen. That happened a couple of times before and Richard had shown me a sequence of unplugging wires and re-starting the computer that seemed to work. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not this time. And when I tried to follow the wires to their sources, wondering if something had become unplugged, I realised that the hub conversion gadget thing had no lights on. Re-plugging that didn't help. Without it, there was no chance of connecting to the screen. I could use the laptop as a laptop but nothing else, and it looked as though the computer was not even charging...</div><div><br /></div><div>Richard wasn't home, and I was due to meet my younger son and daughter-in-law online for a crossword-solving session. Thankfully my son is familiar with the system, and managed to talk me through - on the phone - plugging in the charging cable, and also temporarily enabling the printer so I could print out the crossword they sent me. </div><div><br /></div><div>So the solving session happened, and we successfully completed another tricky one. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since the hub thing (Richard calls it a 'breakout box', and its official name is 'multi-port adapter') was less than a year old, and did not seem to be working at all, we took it back to <a href="https://www.stephanis.com.cy/en" target="_blank">Stephanis</a> in the evening. They said they would send it away for repair. It would probably take about a week, they said. </div><div><br /></div><div>So I had to use the laptop with its built-in keyboard (which is okay) and touch-pad (which I don't like at all) and its small screen for the next ten days until it was finally acknowledged that the hub/box/adapter was broken, and they supplied a new one. </div><div><br /></div><div>BUT...</div><div><br /></div><div>In the meantime, I was looking on the <a href="https://www.superhome.com.cy/" target="_blank">Superhome Centre</a> website and happened to see a desk which looked ideal. I mentioned it tentatively to Richard, as I'm always reluctant to replace things that aren't totally broken. He said he thought I should get it. We went to have a look, and made an order, and a couple of days later went - in our van - to collect it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Richard hoped it might be in three separate pieces (two sides and a top) rather than all put together as he thought it could be rather heavy to get upstairs. What we had not expected was a single flatpack box, reminiscent of Ikea, but with considerably more parts. The advantage of that was that we could carry it up in several trips. The disadvantage was that it was evidently going to need a significant amount of time to put together. </div><div><br /></div><div>The instructions had no words after the first page, and suggested that it would take two hours for two people to put together:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ddB4pNQmMU2r5EQKPWZmlCmGw1VXIxijDhvqzyerA_L50UqxTXf1CXRVd1ZrlEzbhHQqo6iITYiCZUciAPrygF46VMwSsFVcWfItqoKnhV56o1QLykxr4awGbg0twRIBsqIuNuFeUTvDexedD1lvtLPv3pnzCEIfPY04GqeMO2boAevSTg/s4032/IMG_1296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ddB4pNQmMU2r5EQKPWZmlCmGw1VXIxijDhvqzyerA_L50UqxTXf1CXRVd1ZrlEzbhHQqo6iITYiCZUciAPrygF46VMwSsFVcWfItqoKnhV56o1QLykxr4awGbg0twRIBsqIuNuFeUTvDexedD1lvtLPv3pnzCEIfPY04GqeMO2boAevSTg/s320/IMG_1296.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I removed the drawers from the old desk, while Richard disconnected and removed the wires and peripheral computer bits and pieces. Then we managed to lift the old desk into the living room, and <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/05/introducing-dustin.html" target="_blank">ran the Roomba</a> in the space underneath, where it hadn't been able to get before. </div><div><br /></div><div>He then used the old desk as a workbench to start constructing the new one:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uQk7IRxlIugH4N65oPVARJZPaA614cZzxFClk2FejbvKUMldiCMO2u8Nbfh2b0oI1wO5SF75TrD2gCJuIE78US9XtTIgzStfUUuvNIFJOctcLfJxrKp6PZhptFj8BcqGSoQ-TfE9C1H4MK7Nq0--fBGLFcwO5GFma6-kHPD8f0wpcpP7sg/s5184/IMG_1072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uQk7IRxlIugH4N65oPVARJZPaA614cZzxFClk2FejbvKUMldiCMO2u8Nbfh2b0oI1wO5SF75TrD2gCJuIE78US9XtTIgzStfUUuvNIFJOctcLfJxrKp6PZhptFj8BcqGSoQ-TfE9C1H4MK7Nq0--fBGLFcwO5GFma6-kHPD8f0wpcpP7sg/s320/IMG_1072.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>There wasn't anything I could do to assist in the actual construction, but I did empty out the two large bags of screws, dowels and other bits of metal and plastic, and sorted them:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVh-sxuHCTBoFCDQobNnnn3cQeHInVToVxZNQPNG_xmVbVQ1OOhPRUxPOteNlgJGunkkFSjGByAOuwMyH97neuVNY3u9hUc4ENHdPdQWJcai5g8TRcMGtC7YJ-L2SWDINTa4GZtRZEYFlGXnHoQCIYGSlBlfRE6LlfiPgOaqpeRmyYeQHhBQ/s5184/IMG_1070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVh-sxuHCTBoFCDQobNnnn3cQeHInVToVxZNQPNG_xmVbVQ1OOhPRUxPOteNlgJGunkkFSjGByAOuwMyH97neuVNY3u9hUc4ENHdPdQWJcai5g8TRcMGtC7YJ-L2SWDINTa4GZtRZEYFlGXnHoQCIYGSlBlfRE6LlfiPgOaqpeRmyYeQHhBQ/s320/IMG_1070.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>I then passed over each item as needed. I didn't begin to understand the pictorial 'instructions', but Richard had no difficulty. This, I realised, is why building Lego models from instructions is an important life skill. Freestyle building is more creative, but for something as complex as this desk, I wanted it to be built as designed by the manufacturer rather than a creative model that might be more interesting, but would probably be less useful.</div><div><br /></div><div>I did assist about three times, holding things that needed to be screwed in place, and moving completed parts out of the way. But I'm not sure that having a second competent pictorial-instruction-follower would have made it much quicker. It took about three hours in all. I felt a bit guilty: had I known it would be this complex, I wouldn't ever have mentioned it. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, the resulting desk is exactly right. It's not as deep as the old one, and the drawers are, therefore, smaller. I was able to get rid of some ancient paperwork and other stuff that was unneeded, and they are much better organised. </div><div><br /></div><div>This all happened a week before we were able to pick up the new hub/adapter thing, so I had to use my laptop without the add-on peripherals. But it gave Richard a chance to think how to get the wires reasonably neatly stored so that (1) they weren't on the desk getting in my way, or pushed over by cats (2) they weren't on the floor (where the Roomba might try to eat them) and (3) they weren't dangling at the back, where the cats would want to play with them, and pull things off the desk. </div><div><br /></div><div>One of the features of the desk is that instead of having four drawers on the left, there are three, with a shelf at the top. So Richard drilled a few neat holes in the back. My hubs, hard drives and random essential wires are able to be housed there, out of sight, and yet not too difficult to access if needed:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVja4MZuKdJYJNuAS_-IBh0Y0RfAvh9qGAieZM0gXrqPqftsSAS7pNkBIhaPpOrgg13iYwz6ivjP-AogkxnN4yOGm-9Fw-u_a8xDUjBzcV2JXLTNMMnnIedldrU0OKFbbIwKPqwYLAhcjAy8Xe3WgDbVUUA45Vl7VDY1rbTToc2-b1syC5Lw/s5184/IMG_1099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVja4MZuKdJYJNuAS_-IBh0Y0RfAvh9qGAieZM0gXrqPqftsSAS7pNkBIhaPpOrgg13iYwz6ivjP-AogkxnN4yOGm-9Fw-u_a8xDUjBzcV2JXLTNMMnnIedldrU0OKFbbIwKPqwYLAhcjAy8Xe3WgDbVUUA45Vl7VDY1rbTToc2-b1syC5Lw/s320/IMG_1099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Alex's cardboard box was looking very tatty, but he still likes it, so I covered it with some sticky-backed paper, and put it on the scanner rather than the desk. He's not as keen on it as he was, but in this rather chilly time of year he prefers to sleep on a beanbag anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu94JQt8zBrKZQ95IPr5DWTn3eCwzEqccJotFKRBBWnM2YR_AclxigUSM3YMB4BPDbP39E7e5GoV5syTKy9ksKzeTuHsSm-EO4xRl3s7d6jDInOMDaANirPqdne5TX2N_XrPd5b59nVKgyux6jM-LmsvNxoF4a0Uik1NhQlCc-IhaPcTGBJg/s5184/IMG_1098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu94JQt8zBrKZQ95IPr5DWTn3eCwzEqccJotFKRBBWnM2YR_AclxigUSM3YMB4BPDbP39E7e5GoV5syTKy9ksKzeTuHsSm-EO4xRl3s7d6jDInOMDaANirPqdne5TX2N_XrPd5b59nVKgyux6jM-LmsvNxoF4a0Uik1NhQlCc-IhaPcTGBJg/s320/IMG_1098.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>And the old desk...? </div><div><br /></div><div>Some teenage friends have been doing some outside painting for us. They came the morning after Richard built the desk, and were happy to help us move the old one down, prior to taking it to the dump. Our indoor cat, Lady Jane, has twice raced between our legs as we come in the front door, and down the stairs to the desk. She didn't want to escape, just to smell it and roll around underneath. Thankfully she was easily bribed indoors again. She hasn't tried to get out for a long time but evidently saw the desk from the upstairs balcony, and recognised it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since we don't want her getting out - she has no road sense - we were thinking about getting it to the dump, when another young friend said he had a use for it, as a kind of outdoor work bench (under shelter) with different, taller legs that he will construct. I had felt a little sad about abandoning the desk entirely, so am very pleased that it will still be useful. </div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-41587304692525382992023-01-20T17:24:00.002+02:002023-01-20T18:41:55.601+02:00In and out of Cyprus, celebrations and sadness<p> I last posted on this blog nearly three months ago. I was planning to write on Christmas Eve, two months later, as I have done in previous years. I was going to say what an awesome year we had as a family, notwithstanding the increasingly depressing international news, with wars, famine, rampant inflation and generally worrying outlook. </p><p>I was going to mention the family gathering that took me back to the UK near the end of November, to celebrate my father's 90th birthday. He and his wife of 18 years had settled well into a 'retirement village' apartment, and had made several friends there. On his actual birthday, my sister and my father's sister came for the day and we all went out to lunch. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3LhlzChqC5UnQZC738q2-ym0ii6wBNwqvdtbbkMIJBcNzE1us3aq_3C8NU5hfu16xMjMyUW8KplCI4sc-Iyk-5C5yZAL_zU0CERhSxRx4A3egBZpKvv7xfsgCpg5DSmkHBrGRfZu4CNCfA5ggNImWSCMFo6I-OyKMiQFY0DKac2GrTCc_gw/s5184/IMG_0897.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3LhlzChqC5UnQZC738q2-ym0ii6wBNwqvdtbbkMIJBcNzE1us3aq_3C8NU5hfu16xMjMyUW8KplCI4sc-Iyk-5C5yZAL_zU0CERhSxRx4A3egBZpKvv7xfsgCpg5DSmkHBrGRfZu4CNCfA5ggNImWSCMFo6I-OyKMiQFY0DKac2GrTCc_gw/s320/IMG_0897.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The following day my father was very pleased to win a game of Settlers of Catan, quite resoundingly. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4WgKqHK54lIRo2Hhrf27C8NIiC4Ci8S8LSOsaVA4i5pE5KzPywTdYIIjkLzKjbR3je6-QKGoyqONeQXwizY0v3e3kbTGJA_ZjQlPwln7B6HzY8Rr57KVbhRrWUnbueqKUH2gSIdf_WufubpDuq4N5Ji5F8cMXl_s_8mZTupvvsWPIdsZyA/s5184/IMG_0933.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4WgKqHK54lIRo2Hhrf27C8NIiC4Ci8S8LSOsaVA4i5pE5KzPywTdYIIjkLzKjbR3je6-QKGoyqONeQXwizY0v3e3kbTGJA_ZjQlPwln7B6HzY8Rr57KVbhRrWUnbueqKUH2gSIdf_WufubpDuq4N5Ji5F8cMXl_s_8mZTupvvsWPIdsZyA/s320/IMG_0933.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />Physically he was increasingly frail, needing oxygen for 15 hours out of every 24. But his mind was as strong as ever, and he was in excellent spirits. His wife had organised a lunch party for the family, and he gave a positive, welcoming speech at the beginning, wearing a banner provided by his step-granddaughters, saying '90 and fabulous'. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-YrQpap2OkAEDDkK97OrhF1FkWEfVepDEy48f7NAlP4-cxhH2UVS9boZ4usA6AbY_9OBiZDRWRM7GCKIbeOqDGlhWkhCbaQwQUMaxncLsQi38WWqyufErytyvbCPL5lknJ66s84XPF-J_qf2LRh2dua9Zg24CXk-jSL2yEJHKQiVRoQYEg/s5184/IMG_0939.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-YrQpap2OkAEDDkK97OrhF1FkWEfVepDEy48f7NAlP4-cxhH2UVS9boZ4usA6AbY_9OBiZDRWRM7GCKIbeOqDGlhWkhCbaQwQUMaxncLsQi38WWqyufErytyvbCPL5lknJ66s84XPF-J_qf2LRh2dua9Zg24CXk-jSL2yEJHKQiVRoQYEg/s320/IMG_0939.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p>When I flew back to Cyprus, early in December, he was looking forward to Christmas, to seeing the extended family again, and to a couple of significant family events that should take place in 2023.</p><p>So it was a terrible shock to us, and to so many people who loved him, when he died a few days before Christmas. He had a virus (not Covid) and had been tired and a bit short of breath; by then he was on oxygen all the time, but he had been watching the World Cup final and there was no indication that he would not survive the night. </p><p>At ninety, with three life-threatening health conditions, we knew he wouldn't have many more years - and he would have hated to become bed-ridden, or completely dependent. From his point of view it was a good time and a good way to go, in his own bed rather than hospital, without suffering from any painful or debilitating final illness. </p><p>From our point of view, it would never have been a good time. </p><p>Perhaps that's inevitable; when someone is such a positive, generous and encouraging person, their passing leaves a huge hole in the lives of those around them. </p><p>My father was an active person, even in his last decade when he started to have physical limitations. He wrote an intermittent <a href="https://alanlivingwithheartfailure.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog about living with heart failure</a>, which he last updated just over two years ago when he was still doing a fair bit of gardening. He also published <a href="https://amzn.to/3XEZusk" target="_blank">his memoirs</a> just over five years ago, and <a href="https://amzn.to/3XEZIja" target="_blank">a dystopian novel</a> nearly three years ago. </p><p>I'm so thankful I spent four days with him in the summer, and nearly a week for his birthday celebrations. I'm thankful he was able to attend all three of his grandsons' weddings, and that my grandchildren knew and loved him, and are old enough that they will probably remember him. I'm also thankful that we have so many good memories; that he was such a good father, grandfather and great-grandfather.</p><p>The funeral was last week, well-planned and organised by one of my brothers and one of my step-brothers. We sang three of my father's favourite hymns, and my brother gave a moving eulogy that was poignant, and also inspiring. He left us with a wonderful image of our dad, knocking St Peter's croquet ball off a heavenly lawn. There were many tears, but there were a few smiles, too. We know our father is now walking without difficulty, singing as he did when he was younger, reunited with so many beloved relatives and friends who left this world before he did. </p><p>But we still miss him. </p><p>I wrote about <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2013/05/out-of-cyprus-again-losing-my-mother.html" target="_blank">losing my mother</a> nine-and-a-half years earlier. That was hard, in a way I hadn't entirely foreseen. Losing my other parent is just as hard, despite there being so much to be thankful for, and it still feels raw a month later. </p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-27049861527612583972022-10-24T16:34:00.003+03:002022-10-24T16:38:22.135+03:00Rain... and an unexpected flood<p>Several people told us that there was a lot of rain on September 6th when <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/09/back-in-cyprus-after-six-weeks-away.html" target="_blank">we returned from our UK visit</a>. But by the time we arrived back the sky was clear and the ground mostly dry. We didn't have to water the plants for a few days, but the temperatures remained fairly high and there was almost no more rain. just the odd shower once or twice. </p><p>The Salt Lake - our friends told us - never quite dried out this summer. As I mentioned in the last post, in mid-September, when I started walking again with my friend Sheila, there was a fair amount of water in it. </p><p>But with the lack of any more significant rain over the next few weeks, we began to wonder if the lake might in fact dry out by the end of October. Each week there was noticeably less water, and although we knew flamingoes had arrived in Cyprus, we didn't see any. Friends who visited early in the month saw some in Oroklini, not far away, but evidently there wasn't enough water in the local Salt Lake. </p><p>My brother and his family were due to arrive for a visit just over a week ago. The forecast looked very grim, with rain predicted for every day of their stay, and thunderstorms over the weekend. However, experience told us that when five days of heavy rain is expected, we might get one, maybe two. And even then, the rain is usually punctuated by sunshine. Sure enough, although it rained on Sunday morning - the day after their arrival - it cleared up and stayed fine from mid-afternoon. That was good, as we had planned an outdoor evening get-together with a few friends. </p><p>The following day, however, it was a different story. I managed to pop out to the local shops in between a couple of rain showers, and by lunch-time the rain was pouring down. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpVey23LLJKN5J05MZ9QSX4f7JlhHEv8HhbmBbV8iO7pAAfgsN5PGIBhZUZkdqp3u9GwH1HvjeLlBCz0b2vjA3U_gFYk7IJwbR50lJW0Bc2w-uqB8Yh4ju2Hvzw4zmyMv64VePptwyVS4-BFB-PKkaXbhCn1Vj20cyxoQN_RTmL06fXpdwQ/s5184/IMG_0828.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="torrential rain in Cyprus, mid-October" border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpVey23LLJKN5J05MZ9QSX4f7JlhHEv8HhbmBbV8iO7pAAfgsN5PGIBhZUZkdqp3u9GwH1HvjeLlBCz0b2vjA3U_gFYk7IJwbR50lJW0Bc2w-uqB8Yh4ju2Hvzw4zmyMv64VePptwyVS4-BFB-PKkaXbhCn1Vj20cyxoQN_RTmL06fXpdwQ/w320-h240/IMG_0828.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>We could see water running down the streets, although the drains seemed to be working so that there wasn't a river in the road; we would have expected to see one a decade or so ago. I kept checking our stairs, where there's often a leak with very heavy rain, and was pleased to note that there were just a few drips. Evidently <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2020/11/repairing-roof.html" target="_blank">our roof tiles, finally fixed a couple of years ago</a>, were still keeping the water out.</p><p>So we had a cold lunch, and were chatting awhile before my brother said he thought he would pop downstairs to our guest flat. The rain had slightly abated so it seemed like a good time to go down. We were still clearing the table, when he said, 'There seems to be something leaking onto the sofa...' </p><p>We went to investigate. Sure enough, there was a wet patch on the back of the sofa in the living room, and as we watched, another drip fell from the ceiling. </p><p>Uh-oh. </p><p>Richard shrugged. 'It's Cyprus,' he said. Heavy rain, he explained, can cause water to get in between the floors. There was nothing much we could do other than move the sofa out of the way and place a bucket under the drip.</p><p>'I suppose we should check whether something's leaking upstairs?' I suggested, a little tentatively. Years earlier we had a drip in about that place, and it was from a slow leak at the back of the toilet. </p><p>So he went up the stairs, and quickly came down again. There was, he said, a pool of water pretty much covering the entire upstairs floor. </p><p>Six years ago (I'm surprised it was that long!) <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2016/11/sudden-switching-of-seasons.html" target="_blank">we had a flood in our bedroom in the night</a>, due to a small ball blocking the overflow of our balcony. For two or three years afterwards, we checked carefully, every time there was heavy rain, not wanting it to happen again. But we had pretty much forgotten about it, and were doing other things ...so didn't think to go upstairs or see whether the balcony was draining as it should last Monday.</p><p>A photo showing the rain on our balcony really doesn't do it justice. It must have been three centimetres deep: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgb4Ni2Z4l_bVi-b2fg_BdYqZC4zHJF_mz5SknplWO-hzAC46i3h5JEyjbmPVlgl67i-8rUO2yk5fqsgpLeUq83u99uWWbOHvPljlqtsClQ6gdy8Xo8uG_UrV8uBoaORg9ZPBOZfGa9P0z3jsow4Eqtadnf07HRIWj4MD_7KrF8rPJyLrhA/s2048/20221017_142037.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgb4Ni2Z4l_bVi-b2fg_BdYqZC4zHJF_mz5SknplWO-hzAC46i3h5JEyjbmPVlgl67i-8rUO2yk5fqsgpLeUq83u99uWWbOHvPljlqtsClQ6gdy8Xo8uG_UrV8uBoaORg9ZPBOZfGa9P0z3jsow4Eqtadnf07HRIWj4MD_7KrF8rPJyLrhA/s320/20221017_142037.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Richard splashed his way out and found that the overflow was blocked by bird mess, probably washed off the roof by the earlier rain. He used the end of a broom to clear it, and water started gushing out of the overflow, slowly draining the water from the balcony.</p><p>But the upstairs floor doesn't slope down to the door, so the next problem was trying to get rid of the water that was getting everywhere. Thankfully we don't put books or papers on the floors, and there's no carpet - everywhere in this house is tiled. The furniture is mostly solid wood, so we knew it wouldn't sustain damage if we could remove the water fairly quickly. But it wasn't a simple process. And really only one of us could work at a time. </p><p>So I began, first with a broom, sweeping as much water as I could from the bedroom towards the door. It wasn't very effective.</p><p>I next fetched our wet/dry cleaning machine, which sucks water up effectively. I decided to start in Richard's study where - thankfully - the water hadn't quite reached the wires under his desk. And, even better, there aren't many wires on the floor nowadays, because of our <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/05/introducing-dustin.html" target="_blank">Roomba vacuum cleaner</a> which has a tendency to try to eat any wires it finds.</p><p>However the Bissell cleaning machine tank doesn't have a very big capacity. Maybe a litre. And with water over most of the floor, it filled up in a couple of minutes, so I had to empty it. It's quite back-aching work using it on the floor. So by the time I had emptied it half a dozen times, with no appreciable reduction of the water level in the room, I decided to leave that idea for a while.</p><p>More sweeping in the bedroom removed a bit more water, and I then went to fetch the old-fashioned mop and bucket, which turned out to be the most effective method. The bucket holds about ten litres so it took longer to fill up, and after a couple of buckets full, the study floor was looking almost dry. The cleaning machine then worked pretty well to get rid of the last few puddles. </p><p>One room done, and it had taken nearly forty-five minutes.</p><p>I did some mopping in our bedroom next, but was soon too tired and achey to continue, so, fifteen minutes or so later, Richard took over. And, with a combination of sweeping, mopping and the wet/dry Bissell machine, taking it in turns, we did eventually get rid of most of the water. A few shoes had to be dried out, but the sun came out in the late afternoon, so that didn't take long. </p><p>A beanbag, in the room we still refer to as our younger son's, absorbed a huge amount of water and had to be dried out over the next couple of days. One bookcase looks as though part of the base has been somewhat destroyed. But everything else is now fully dried out, and - as far as we can tell - undamaged.</p><p>So we're very thankful that my brother spotted the drip when he did, and that we decided to check upstairs before it got any worse.</p><p>The following morning, not only did the Salt Lake look almost full, but the flamingoes were there. The tiny pink dots on the right-hand side of the photo (which you might see if you click to enlarge it) are flamingoes. We have no idea how they know when there's enough water for their needs. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3sMIR9XKAmI761dqNuR3elVgWEZ26JZOojAUsVSDz6nP7PCKZq_kLR48W5tAIB75ryL32lUbQ6T8ZH84dsu-sRsar7imGMR7smmEmTyzeq1tmFKBjox-bBgZV4ETkc3auZ80qJLEKRpOEC4lNyCoXcQAhNhn9Z4xyJVoSo-G4AvvGaR5tg/s2048/20221018_064230.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Salt Lake in Larnaka with water and flamingoes" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3sMIR9XKAmI761dqNuR3elVgWEZ26JZOojAUsVSDz6nP7PCKZq_kLR48W5tAIB75ryL32lUbQ6T8ZH84dsu-sRsar7imGMR7smmEmTyzeq1tmFKBjox-bBgZV4ETkc3auZ80qJLEKRpOEC4lNyCoXcQAhNhn9Z4xyJVoSo-G4AvvGaR5tg/w320-h240/20221018_064230.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-1280520820823814412022-09-13T17:12:00.002+03:002022-09-13T17:12:58.845+03:00Back in Cyprus after six weeks away<p> A week ago we were at Gatwick Airport, a tad frustrated and rather bored because our flight back to Cyprus from the UK was delayed by a few hours. Apparently there had been a major storm in the area the night before, meaning that some incoming flights had been diverted, and they were still running late. Gatwick is a perfectly acceptable airport, but there's not a great deal to do there. </p><p>However the flight eventually took off, and was shorter than normal due to good tailwinds, so we arrived back just under three hours after our expected arrival time. Our luggage came through quickly, and our friend Sheila met us outside; we were home, with our cases, and slightly disgruntled cats wanting to know why we were up in the middle of the night, by 2am. </p><p>I haven't felt as brain-fogged as I usually do when flying back to Cyprus, just very tired. I've done five loads of laundry so far, and cleaned fairly thoroughly on Saturday, but not a lot else. </p><p>I flew out of Cyprus towards the end of July, to the Midlands. It was a late evening flight, arriving at nearly midnight so I'd booked a room in a nearby Premier Inn. It was clean and comfortable, and I had a good breakfast before continuing my travels.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5UcrtvHFvsCRQLwJknNrhYr9GbZqC04wXsbyHaa0C_nxsDuer0f53DPxJV80UoXiRWRHojey0CEb_zcjYlEGy86g6oDsqo11x6NPjwYkhn0LKQZ2zhwFrq3nyfleB1fqarVoZBMky-10j53TZRkAVN6RbhDUYsXSTsHEPfUppE9I12QEYg/s2048/20220728_071931.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="fruit breakfast at the premier inn" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC5UcrtvHFvsCRQLwJknNrhYr9GbZqC04wXsbyHaa0C_nxsDuer0f53DPxJV80UoXiRWRHojey0CEb_zcjYlEGy86g6oDsqo11x6NPjwYkhn0LKQZ2zhwFrq3nyfleB1fqarVoZBMky-10j53TZRkAVN6RbhDUYsXSTsHEPfUppE9I12QEYg/w320-h240/20220728_071931.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I took a train to the city centre, then a taxi to visit relatives who recently moved to a 'retirement village'. There was a comfortable guest apartment, and we had a quiet few days, which I very much appreciated, winding down after a busy time getting ready to travel. Then on the train to Cumbria to spend four weeks with my son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. </p><p>Although we did visit the family briefly last year, and chat to them regularly via the Internet, they change so fast and it was wonderful to spend time with them. There was a nearby park where they regularly rode their bikes or used their scooters. The weather was pleasantly warm, with only occasional showers of rain. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_-HQGpm2ANKfV4ZqWTGx9Y0j5a2MM08JMfKPRl6XmpOlU20LSQPzCqhdqlOGf1nfUJYLo_iAPiMVnZYWcO1y0RFXMaSGhtvlsGDO43aywrlCnB3puo27pG50ljjPk_pHngayDe2fmgfUaaBFOyW9LewM2nohH5BpmaEJvWq-6f7pRxZz2w/s5184/IMG_0209.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_-HQGpm2ANKfV4ZqWTGx9Y0j5a2MM08JMfKPRl6XmpOlU20LSQPzCqhdqlOGf1nfUJYLo_iAPiMVnZYWcO1y0RFXMaSGhtvlsGDO43aywrlCnB3puo27pG50ljjPk_pHngayDe2fmgfUaaBFOyW9LewM2nohH5BpmaEJvWq-6f7pRxZz2w/s320/IMG_0209.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>We also read books - lots of them! - and played games, and went for walks in some of the gorgeous local countryside.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkJz1gpktu469E7NZHEAoV2N3cYahB-J9kYmf_zxLtTe3JK7u_kK97yseyoNUwR9XSQ4p1VB1MstA54CxrReBG6PIjZ-woXwmH64IiH8p9ot18976vwXHDHix5FEfuNOO6jnmHyLYoB02prbAGzI-4Hxa6u3IDhcEdUjPLxJ__Vhdo8JcBA/s5184/IMG_0314.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkJz1gpktu469E7NZHEAoV2N3cYahB-J9kYmf_zxLtTe3JK7u_kK97yseyoNUwR9XSQ4p1VB1MstA54CxrReBG6PIjZ-woXwmH64IiH8p9ot18976vwXHDHix5FEfuNOO6jnmHyLYoB02prbAGzI-4Hxa6u3IDhcEdUjPLxJ__Vhdo8JcBA/s320/IMG_0314.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>A special treat while I was there was what my granddaughter referred to as my 'holiday within a holiday' - a visit to one of the Scottish Hebridean islands. We went to stay at a holiday home owned by the parents of some of their friends (all of whom were there too). The beaches were gorgeous:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YiY66iuubRgM50lKpUHN1bsTTj6y-dYSHJd-NAnk0VfoqzETlajead2UXQ9I0gib6lk0Yj9IvzwkiKHEMEQb9Wmno1tpPvSE0QgUJq245RvZd86pgmbmwRdbVkgGwILFbwpAS9i0VdzQZPVunpkpzWQi4KIUyBOW8sj_A7MpJtTwdeHWHA/s5184/IMG_0418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YiY66iuubRgM50lKpUHN1bsTTj6y-dYSHJd-NAnk0VfoqzETlajead2UXQ9I0gib6lk0Yj9IvzwkiKHEMEQb9Wmno1tpPvSE0QgUJq245RvZd86pgmbmwRdbVkgGwILFbwpAS9i0VdzQZPVunpkpzWQi4KIUyBOW8sj_A7MpJtTwdeHWHA/s320/IMG_0418.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>The airport on the island was tiny, the return flight on a plane smaller than I had ever been on before, but surprisingly not at all scary. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlRZIyE6XbyMpEdwe0KxxBRuDE35nlBiGAyBfYbpjtMrnDF2cdIVhRC7sTh_PQUjbvBs1t2xI-ruj1hmlvca02Hz1IR7cbzYZ2ZKbZJS3Wp3lY5fhP1VKHdk_MXOweGMUJ7cOJ_jdykUM0MElhDZUljF7MKS6s-5QFHrD25sZKHdtdnaSPQ/s5184/IMG_0483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlRZIyE6XbyMpEdwe0KxxBRuDE35nlBiGAyBfYbpjtMrnDF2cdIVhRC7sTh_PQUjbvBs1t2xI-ruj1hmlvca02Hz1IR7cbzYZ2ZKbZJS3Wp3lY5fhP1VKHdk_MXOweGMUJ7cOJ_jdykUM0MElhDZUljF7MKS6s-5QFHrD25sZKHdtdnaSPQ/s320/IMG_0483.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>Four weeks after I left, Richard arrived - he had been very busy in Cyprus while I was away, with work and other activities, and looking after the house and cats too. </p><p>Towards the end of my stay was the culmination of the trip, our younger son's wedding. We arrived a few days beforehand and there were some things that needed doing, but nothing major. He and his bride-to-be had organised everything. </p><p>Having said that, we did spend one afternoon thoroughly cleaning the chapel:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30uUx-IQf5zPixSfK7mkm5Jts415MXCzggyMJcI8jJAy5MY9kmB8YuzjcfKIXCCSlH3K8OjMtHmajbGxTPddF7SuOOuWVJgRAutCpTTMD0NFY5fJ2qNqOZ1Df5DVvxklZB0qmFy_5uqr7ofdtP60kpXN8A3E_SrBKTq92EpPV9gkLROb9Xw/s5184/IMG_0643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30uUx-IQf5zPixSfK7mkm5Jts415MXCzggyMJcI8jJAy5MY9kmB8YuzjcfKIXCCSlH3K8OjMtHmajbGxTPddF7SuOOuWVJgRAutCpTTMD0NFY5fJ2qNqOZ1Df5DVvxklZB0qmFy_5uqr7ofdtP60kpXN8A3E_SrBKTq92EpPV9gkLROb9Xw/s320/IMG_0643.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We also watched the marquee going up on the lawn (which was brown and hard after quite a long drought). We were surprised how many people were involved in the process, which took well over an hour:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XcAU1EK7uZ_1K2tlJuWf8GGTh4fxylU7Si94PzQ9LmBkfwsAmKkFGMZW29BvlX0HFI5Ee_JP8C-yqrEbQXAaKzyRWylxdxgDvhN1WM--BYKnqXNadezyMD-yJ1crK1OxksdpRemWLW9HwkR_85ex8B-ftEoLK68fz2GjjznQ7bWpjoN14Q/s5184/IMG_0648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XcAU1EK7uZ_1K2tlJuWf8GGTh4fxylU7Si94PzQ9LmBkfwsAmKkFGMZW29BvlX0HFI5Ee_JP8C-yqrEbQXAaKzyRWylxdxgDvhN1WM--BYKnqXNadezyMD-yJ1crK1OxksdpRemWLW9HwkR_85ex8B-ftEoLK68fz2GjjznQ7bWpjoN14Q/s320/IMG_0648.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The day before the wedding, my extended family arrived; we were all staying in a nearby Travelodge. One of my sisters-in-law had a birthday, so my brother had arranged a family meal together, which we all enjoyed thoroughly. I had a kind of halloumi fajitas, which was delicious. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixY0qeyNBxXlYf0Yky3zvYeCisCLjpyyPveuHGhHgHULzmpZ22fwBXfpFcBVLimEO1OYHYhwLYLTvJMvimTnkLPbHrEF3cG4uB5J3iKqiXjgejb0ZFOR2nwTC6Yej4-kEPast9Xej7QKSqDjlLowPXkhrLT4k5LAO9vEcYdiFQ5WLmq6AB1A/s5184/IMG_0657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixY0qeyNBxXlYf0Yky3zvYeCisCLjpyyPveuHGhHgHULzmpZ22fwBXfpFcBVLimEO1OYHYhwLYLTvJMvimTnkLPbHrEF3cG4uB5J3iKqiXjgejb0ZFOR2nwTC6Yej4-kEPast9Xej7QKSqDjlLowPXkhrLT4k5LAO9vEcYdiFQ5WLmq6AB1A/s320/IMG_0657.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The wedding was small - with Covid still in people's minds, it was limited to family and a small number of very close friends (eg godparents) - and awesome. Afterwards there was lunch at tables on the lawn, under the marquee:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIJ6KjyP5vGSmQb0ELySfuIsotCfvtlhrmbQtZ33zWSIm1PtHjCwoPSKndvPhPKwWW1MEg2JGQ9nmuD-F-l46j36Qj-3-eEPteqhVSTi2hT2rLgYujJIgk3IH6AJu4efTNh62zGi7xM0A5WEYx71Du_MFYcdm6v49Juiz7peM6VQFTerwEg/s5184/IMG_0693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIJ6KjyP5vGSmQb0ELySfuIsotCfvtlhrmbQtZ33zWSIm1PtHjCwoPSKndvPhPKwWW1MEg2JGQ9nmuD-F-l46j36Qj-3-eEPteqhVSTi2hT2rLgYujJIgk3IH6AJu4efTNh62zGi7xM0A5WEYx71Du_MFYcdm6v49Juiz7peM6VQFTerwEg/s320/IMG_0693.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>All was finished by about 6pm, but it wasn't the end of the family celebrations. One of my brothers was just a couple of days away from a milestone birthday, so we had another meal together, the day after the wedding, to celebrate that. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our last few days were spent near the south coast, with another relative (who was unable to come to the wedding). And then to Gatwick, and home. </div><div><br /></div><div>The weather here in Cyprus is not as hot as it sometimes is in September, and we learned that there was quite a heavy downpour of rain the day we flew back. This morning for the first time since the end of June I went for an early walk with Sheila and I was quite surprised to see that there's still some water in the Salt Lake: it didn't dry out at all this summer.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJM3n7GSH9c7JUMN43HSpSUK9b7Xc2joJ-jJCDnv1WjpZFKbRyaXt-_Pm_4jyoIu3zyKrv0HcqP0Ao0u0DTr7WdFUeLSkRz_Xy6nRM7oQQG-WQiO53F_tYMpmkB1u1EfMyVNB82X5nIFDiwzzg5Mc34A2zDj5ugpzcd40hCfNc5sMZmYjHA/s2048/20220913_063533.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJM3n7GSH9c7JUMN43HSpSUK9b7Xc2joJ-jJCDnv1WjpZFKbRyaXt-_Pm_4jyoIu3zyKrv0HcqP0Ao0u0DTr7WdFUeLSkRz_Xy6nRM7oQQG-WQiO53F_tYMpmkB1u1EfMyVNB82X5nIFDiwzzg5Mc34A2zDj5ugpzcd40hCfNc5sMZmYjHA/s320/20220913_063533.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've had a wonderful summer, one of the best ever. We're now looking forward to the arrival of some friends in just a few weeks, followed by some family members mid-October. </div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-5089552407589558772022-07-17T20:12:00.009+03:002022-07-17T20:19:44.485+03:00Summer in Cyprus<p> After over two decades, I am used to summers in Cyprus. I don't like them, but with ceiling fans, air conditioning, and somewhat cooler temperatures in the early mornings, I've learned to cope. Mostly. This year, despite excessive heat in various other parts of the world, we haven't had a major heatwave here yet. June was, if anything, cooler than normal. I kept walking the 4km trail with my friend Sheila three mornings per week almost until the end of June.</p><p>Facebook kept reminding me about the annual tradition Richard and I established a few years ago, where we go out for ice cream on the first day when it feels really hot. We decided to declare June 22nd as that day; and had a pleasant evening walk with some excellent ice creams.</p><p>We and our friends also decided that from July 1st we would move our Friday evening get-togethers from their home to the beach, as we usually do over the hottest months. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2npmASjKnO8IbylAwlujbTLDUgp4KkCVpIKF0EdFosDkWvHj7Y1_38mFu4cWXjNZglURn2I5he7A-PLSGG_SBhJEMUJ24HbE2bB7ZFaVyXAuU5Eqy2QaarySgIVKkuSUIiwswnSvL6FS1QNEfhtyE5JEGpqP0s7uotAZhVcXSVSdqJPOTg/s2048/20220701_180431.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="beach in Cyprus in summer" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2npmASjKnO8IbylAwlujbTLDUgp4KkCVpIKF0EdFosDkWvHj7Y1_38mFu4cWXjNZglURn2I5he7A-PLSGG_SBhJEMUJ24HbE2bB7ZFaVyXAuU5Eqy2QaarySgIVKkuSUIiwswnSvL6FS1QNEfhtyE5JEGpqP0s7uotAZhVcXSVSdqJPOTg/w320-h240/20220701_180431.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I try to get out for a short walk around the neighbourhood each morning first thing, staying in the shade, and doing no more than about a kilometre; I know how difficult it is to establish a good habit and how easy to break it, so I do go out, if only for ten minutes, and generally feel better for it. <p></p><p>And then I do whatever food preparation I need to do in the kitchen, before 8am. For the past few years I have managed to avoid turning on the oven for the whole of July and August. We mostly eat salads - and that doesn't mean lots of lettuce and tomatoes; I have discovered all kinds of excellent variations on salads, and usually make one or two new ones each morning. </p><p>I always ensure at least one salad contains protein (black beans, chickpeas, eggs, canned tuna or canned salmon, for instance), and we have some form of basic carbohydrate. That's often potatoes, cooked or reheated in the air fryer before eating. But I've also made rice salad with peas and corn, or rather a nice pasta salad with wholegrain farfalle pasta, sun dried tomatoes, pesto and some vegan parmesan.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-aEitfQNFFueX8a0VETo82fZNzWigdTR24iwaqk0lc6QcyFIXkA_Y7DGgqUZURpO4XXOHll3osKWb6JGYv8UGSKbeZ1hAVnjSn6hTKhmIi5Fi14wP3-5Fyt5nd3hZYXTtk7F-4jVXDOD4B2KGUV_f_wb_TFEDTGYf1JjOEal5mE3fzLjKg/s1778/20220707_071539.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1526" data-original-width="1778" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ-aEitfQNFFueX8a0VETo82fZNzWigdTR24iwaqk0lc6QcyFIXkA_Y7DGgqUZURpO4XXOHll3osKWb6JGYv8UGSKbeZ1hAVnjSn6hTKhmIi5Fi14wP3-5Fyt5nd3hZYXTtk7F-4jVXDOD4B2KGUV_f_wb_TFEDTGYf1JjOEal5mE3fzLjKg/s320/20220707_071539.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Remembering something I was taught many decades ago in school domestic science, I use as many different coloured fruits and vegetables as possible: red and orange peppers, cucumber, avocado, mango, tomatoes, frozen peas, chopped onions, peaches, lightly steamed broccoli... no more than two or three of them per salad, with a little lemon juice and olive oil as dressing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5otnl0duAAHke_8LKRgDxKkp-tvjeL6F3-JRr335DaL_bMoDYg1oCWIo7GWwzlujtWluRyP65rFsa2PmT-ZP4_KbMQCljPmpuVVXywDaR3E-5A65Q_8YBDsty-G0AupiUiY9e1D-IbUzlW1OIMcAi-JswFaLFAue972PUBiCeKmaVh6xhQ/s1600/20220704_084945.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1497" data-original-width="1600" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5otnl0duAAHke_8LKRgDxKkp-tvjeL6F3-JRr335DaL_bMoDYg1oCWIo7GWwzlujtWluRyP65rFsa2PmT-ZP4_KbMQCljPmpuVVXywDaR3E-5A65Q_8YBDsty-G0AupiUiY9e1D-IbUzlW1OIMcAi-JswFaLFAue972PUBiCeKmaVh6xhQ/s320/20220704_084945.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Summer is when soft fruit is in season, and often very good value. A couple of weeks ago, I went out early on Saturday morning to the local fruit market, planning to buy a kilogram or so of apricots to stew for a Sunday afternoon get-together. The best value, however, was a crate for two euros, which contained nearly 4kg apricots. We ate a few raw, and they were very good but clearly needed to be used quickly. I didn't want to make more jam. So I stewed half of them, and then used the dehydrator for most of the rest:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KrwUK27lZlzvOSkhFJW_-df33BF_KgG-XQEp55p4klbnugHaSPITTAbEVaO9eQvCG7tJKJNl7cU_PEcvBHWYGzJoPvInu0zilsF-pSv5QsI6VW1oUuabYYeussTb-Kqtw92ZmWc5IdWz8TRyQJJfHuIvz4vO_5j6J-YF5ADTVJBIivF4aQ/s1634/20220709_072627.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="dehydrating apricots in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1634" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KrwUK27lZlzvOSkhFJW_-df33BF_KgG-XQEp55p4klbnugHaSPITTAbEVaO9eQvCG7tJKJNl7cU_PEcvBHWYGzJoPvInu0zilsF-pSv5QsI6VW1oUuabYYeussTb-Kqtw92ZmWc5IdWz8TRyQJJfHuIvz4vO_5j6J-YF5ADTVJBIivF4aQ/w320-h301/20220709_072627.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I had been wary of using the dehydrator in the summer months, but it wasn't too unpleasant; it didn't seem to add much to the heat or humidity of the kitchen, and I mostly kept out of the room anyway, after setting it going.</p><p>At the weekends we do eat hot food: on Sundays I use the air fryer and stovetop some weeks; other weeks we buy a takeaway roast lunch from a local taverna, which has sufficient chicken and potatoes to last us at least three full meals, although the salad that comes with it is only enough for one meal. Still, at just over 14 euros, it's pretty good value, so I make other salads to go with it during the week. </p><p>I usually have portions of previously-made curries in the freezer that I heat on Saturday evenings. Yesterday we were expecting friends from Limassol for the evening, so I used the slow cooker to make my favourite pinto bean curry, and a similar one with chicken. My three-pot slow cooker is excellent for allowing me to cook a variety of different things at the same time, and a slow cooker is perfect for the summer. All the preparation was done before 8am, and it simmered gently through the day, generating very little heat. </p><p>Something else I make in the summer more than other times of year is ice cream. I hadn't tried using our ice cream churn for a couple of years, as it had been somewhat disappointing. I thought I would give it another chance this year - and it appears that the fridge freezer we bought a couple of years ago to replace our elderly and inefficient one gets the churn sufficiently cold that it actually works as intended! I'm very pleased with it, and have made not just my favourite coconut milk vanilla ice cream, but a chocolate sorbet which is easy to make, and very good:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgy9QbMM3enXU8l0GsfOve_1YgMGMfV_zDM9vNNc0_3AvZeYDp3oTmweMJZvIVXgkOCCGLUcZvPuTErBDZ5-LASeQmj1lxkx4v8u4Beq27gnjxKFd4_VL09hdvDdCX9K7qNWLC5tM6sFuUcePpKGvX2JmNcFIozIY91YVNh0sOwsa3m17H8g/s2048/20220716_193118.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgy9QbMM3enXU8l0GsfOve_1YgMGMfV_zDM9vNNc0_3AvZeYDp3oTmweMJZvIVXgkOCCGLUcZvPuTErBDZ5-LASeQmj1lxkx4v8u4Beq27gnjxKFd4_VL09hdvDdCX9K7qNWLC5tM6sFuUcePpKGvX2JmNcFIozIY91YVNh0sOwsa3m17H8g/s320/20220716_193118.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>All of which covers the mornings from around 5.30-6.00am up to about nine o'clock, by which time I've also squeezed fresh orange juice, had breakfast and a frappe, and set <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/05/introducing-dustin.html" target="_blank">Dustin the Roomba</a> off to clean the main floor area. It's still getting a lot of cat hair every day, and has done, slightly to my embarrassment, over a thousand 'dirt events' since we starting using it less than three months ago. </p><p>Then I might give the floor a quick mop, or put on laundry etc, and Richard and I usually chat - about the day, and what we might have read or heard on the news (or Facebook), and whatever else comes up. But usually I'm showered and ready to turn on the air conditioning by about 10am. We run it at 28-29C, in 'eco' mode in our studies, which means the computers don't overheat; the reduction in humidity means it feels significantly cooler than the rest of the house even though it's only 30-31C most of the time.</p><p>On Tuesdays my friends usually come over for board games, on Fridays we shop, and on other days I catch up with email, and Facebook, and forums, and DuoLingo on the computer. For a week or so I was doing some proof-reading for a book that's just been published. I try to keep up with photos, adding more to photobooks, although I haven't done as much as usual this year. In the past couple of weeks I have been re-organising and finalising my recipe folder, something I used to do every few years as I like to keep all my recipes in one place - but also like acquiring new ones, and trying variations.</p><p>The most recent folder has been a long time in production: our last family recipe folder was in 2014, but at last I have a completely revised 2022 version, containing everything I make, with adaptations and notes; nearly 100 pages in an A4 pocket folder, which opens almost flat and fits nicely in my perspex cookery book holder that sits on the microwave. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLur2Yox3oGwxQ01qfSFEGX2b7gNRTH5tgl52ka3Xi66T5w1Sz_F6Tie9QISImRey1cT1147JiPiiBXrJzK-7vA7KK2294Ht0fXNYtKTYPSJJvrb-USNbAUGMuyHltP7G6YJtmGjqDFe8qe3br-5Fr2vS0lBb2ILXTakAiFTgtc-zczll5XA/s2048/20220717_194438.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLur2Yox3oGwxQ01qfSFEGX2b7gNRTH5tgl52ka3Xi66T5w1Sz_F6Tie9QISImRey1cT1147JiPiiBXrJzK-7vA7KK2294Ht0fXNYtKTYPSJJvrb-USNbAUGMuyHltP7G6YJtmGjqDFe8qe3br-5Fr2vS0lBb2ILXTakAiFTgtc-zczll5XA/s320/20220717_194438.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Not that I use exact recipes, necessarily, but I like to have them to refer to, even if it's something I make so often that I don't actually need the recipe. Such a relief not to have to keep digging out scraps of paper with recipes scribbled on them, or my 2014 folder which had become quite tatty. I know most people nowadays use their tablets or phones for recipes, but I still prefer them in print. </p><p>As for the afternoons, when I'm not working on photos or recipes: I tend to read more in the summer than I do in the winter, and as ever I write book reviews for my <a href="https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">book blog</a>. I keep in touch with various people, and pay bills and keep track of finances... and play the daily Wordle and Worldle and Quordle, and of course Lexulous and Words With Friends and one or two others. Just once a day, usually for half an hour or so after lunch. </p><p>In the evenings, we might play games with friends, or watch a DVD, or just continue with what we were doing in the daytime. I usually put the computer to sleep by about 8pm and if we're not doing anything else, I read.</p><p>It probably all sounds quite dull to those who lead more active lives, but I'm learning that it's good for me to slow down, to rest when I'm tired. But I'm very much looking forward to over a month out of Cyprus, seeing relatives and taking a break from looking after the house. The pandemic made that impossible for the past two years, although we did manage a week late summer last year. This time, I should have the opportunity to be a grandma in person rather than online, thankful though I am for the technology that enables us to keep in touch.</p><p>I'm relieved that I'm not going this weekend, however, since the UK is predicted to be significantly hotter than Cyprus, at least for the next couple of days... and without air conditioning, that is not going to be at all comfortable. </p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-72038514846958430302022-06-21T18:19:00.002+03:002022-06-21T18:19:09.635+03:00Restoration of Bathroom Renovation <p> In my <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/05/introducing-dustin.html" target="_blank">previous blog post</a>, I mentioned that we were having some work done upstairs, and that I would write about it when it was complete. </p><p>To introduce it, I need to backtrack six years, when we employed a local builder to remove the old-fashioned bathroom from our house and instal a new one, with an extractor fan, better lighting, and an altogether more modern appearance. We were very pleased with the result. </p><p>Anyone who is curious to read more about it can check the lengthy post I wrote at the time about our <a href="http://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-bathroom-renovation.html" target="_blank">bathroom renovation</a>. </p><p>However, about a week after we had been using the new shower regularly, I realised that a couple of the tiles around the tap didn't look quite the same as the rest. I thought I was imagining it at first. Then I wondered if we had somehow bought a box of tiles in a slightly different shade but hadn't noticed at the time. This theory was disproved when a third tile started changing colour. And we found some water on the floor. It wasn't just shower water that had splashed over; this was behind the bath, where there shouldn't have been any water.</p><p>And then we noticed some of the paint starting to bubble on one of the walls. We contacted the builder - I don't recall the time-frame, but it was probably some months after the renovation. He came back, and said that the bubbly paint was possibly due to the plaster not having dried out fully before it was painted. He was more concerned about the water and the different shades on the tiles, and he managed to find a joint that wasn't quite right. </p><p>He said he had employed a plumber who rushed his work and had made some other mistakes. So he fixed this leaky pipe joint, and said he would talk to his brother - who is a plasterer - about getting the bubbly paintwork dealt with. </p><p>Time passed. Not months but years. If we were away for more than about a week, we returned to find that all the tiles were the same colour, but a couple of days later, with regular shower use, the ones around the taps turned back to the different shade. And the patches with bubbly paintwork turned into large patches of bare wall, including one in the wall outside the bathroom which seemed to be getting worse and worse. </p><p>The builder and his brother did come and look at the bathroom a couple of times, where the walls were getting worse, and said they would come back some time. But they're very busy with other work, and it didn't happen... and we didn't know anyone else who would be able to do the work. Word of mouth is the best way to find skilled handymen here, but unfortunately most of the people we knew with experience of this kind of thing had been disappointed (or worse). The people we used were some of the best locally. </p><p>A young friend who had done some other work for us suggested that perhaps the sealant around the bath was causing the tile problems, and added some more. It looked good, but didn't seem to make any difference to the colour of the tiles. </p><p>More years passed, with the pandemic stopping everything from happening, and finally we talked to another young friend, whom I will refer to as L, the son of some close friends who has worked with a builder in the UK, and did some excellent plastering for us downstairs. He doesn't particularly like working inside - his passion is horticulture - but he said he thought he could fix our problems working just an hour or two per day for a couple of weeks. </p><p>This is what the wall outside the bathroom looked like when L had removed the radiator, and chipped away the loose plaster. He said the wall was very damp, so clearly there was a problem inside the wall, one which he could only tackle from the bathroom side. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0kjtFYRZtyvoxPEXLETgMr9j-f4yyl735k0ndL4oXJ_0mf_OXt2cV18f3goxcrjDPjtiJohS3_krlr3oMQqGN2k2LFhLFLICsI2VmRP9WNmB3J_VT7Fd2hxjAa4tGQjuKS_1m6qa4CYzo2UBLHci8qChdA2DEm3RTGc_WRwJU4p5x2Eh8w/s5184/IMG_0019.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0kjtFYRZtyvoxPEXLETgMr9j-f4yyl735k0ndL4oXJ_0mf_OXt2cV18f3goxcrjDPjtiJohS3_krlr3oMQqGN2k2LFhLFLICsI2VmRP9WNmB3J_VT7Fd2hxjAa4tGQjuKS_1m6qa4CYzo2UBLHci8qChdA2DEm3RTGc_WRwJU4p5x2Eh8w/s320/IMG_0019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This was what the wall inside looked like: </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81I7F_m63lDVjZE9GuLufKe1Mq_Eno4u5QzE8cIoqpo5AOTsYUDBaRrrm8qgbZakamIAx-7Zg8BVAkUqxsQXxgmW6J_udvMnJ7SHpWhFGatQ76iKyXUyOf1rxvwLoDb9npoO8xByT93Gqfywx36AcWYhjORFQe_h3ml8MyS4Ky3f_00SGDQ/s5184/IMG_0021.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81I7F_m63lDVjZE9GuLufKe1Mq_Eno4u5QzE8cIoqpo5AOTsYUDBaRrrm8qgbZakamIAx-7Zg8BVAkUqxsQXxgmW6J_udvMnJ7SHpWhFGatQ76iKyXUyOf1rxvwLoDb9npoO8xByT93Gqfywx36AcWYhjORFQe_h3ml8MyS4Ky3f_00SGDQ/s320/IMG_0021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>And this is the wall opposite, where plaster had fallen away but it was no longer damp, and it had stopped getting worse. The problem that caused this was that the exterior wall had been sucking in water; a year or so ago L had painted the outside wall, which stopped any more damp getting in.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ay-m8GTSQ_iT_drKdP-iNK7hzYagwEj_66E4u3V6wO2bMjdkM9y4InVPaYLxhvjaP0i_I-pxhxOJVCCASdgM6acq0V1dQyZBObqM7ohXKkMROqSyU2puGei5Me5NPxi4SgLmnJFtdQwvOfbEGI33BVHS1TQZdL08R7edAjMc4YLcSjt8ug/s5184/IMG_0020.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ay-m8GTSQ_iT_drKdP-iNK7hzYagwEj_66E4u3V6wO2bMjdkM9y4InVPaYLxhvjaP0i_I-pxhxOJVCCASdgM6acq0V1dQyZBObqM7ohXKkMROqSyU2puGei5Me5NPxi4SgLmnJFtdQwvOfbEGI33BVHS1TQZdL08R7edAjMc4YLcSjt8ug/s320/IMG_0020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A couple of days later, the tiles around the taps looked like this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HFjrJDmDBiF9VeXMPzd_39aWrNs73u6I2kNAkBvYBm9WOtmOvjcj8cpmFu6b2bnUcsJTDIbo_CgMIk_wZZdc3gAzXCymxFMKFnVX1P3Sqle09pS4Ij5-34fTb2BPZFQteqwJXmb1ikidr9ySZQr3hX_xYsclCuTgUqIQt1nW6b2S36ELTA/s5184/IMG_0042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HFjrJDmDBiF9VeXMPzd_39aWrNs73u6I2kNAkBvYBm9WOtmOvjcj8cpmFu6b2bnUcsJTDIbo_CgMIk_wZZdc3gAzXCymxFMKFnVX1P3Sqle09pS4Ij5-34fTb2BPZFQteqwJXmb1ikidr9ySZQr3hX_xYsclCuTgUqIQt1nW6b2S36ELTA/s320/IMG_0042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In pulling away the worst of the tiles, L discovered others that almost fell off the wall. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The timing worked well, as there were no visitors in our guest flat during May, so we were able to go downstairs to shower. Not ideal, as the guest flat stairs are outside, but we were thankful to have that option while the bathroom was unusable. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were also very thankful to have discovered an almost-full box of the tiles. That meant we didn't need to try to find matching tiles, or - worse! - replace all the tiles. And in feeling around the plumbing, L found a place that was wet - a joint that had never properly been made, which was the cause of the leaking. At least, he hoped that was the only cause. He managed to fix it, and then we had to wait for everything to dry out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All seemed to be dry a week or so later, so he started plastering. First he used the mixture commonly used in Cyprus that looks to us more like concrete:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSA3ECxrLnFPfuK8G95VrO32JPMFk0pd5V-yx87LBU4g5rFvC9-QiQCsScV74-LVPhMdOtg-HO06gfcIchbGX4Qtxmnq__9EYfskaPoCmoq2yIN1mIr0x7VRRJWn8dKwJWrkTVkF3WFrSGGR9BsqNukr3ykXlPAIfHNRJ2zr3nabOUeCx_Q/s2048/20220512_154940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSA3ECxrLnFPfuK8G95VrO32JPMFk0pd5V-yx87LBU4g5rFvC9-QiQCsScV74-LVPhMdOtg-HO06gfcIchbGX4Qtxmnq__9EYfskaPoCmoq2yIN1mIr0x7VRRJWn8dKwJWrkTVkF3WFrSGGR9BsqNukr3ykXlPAIfHNRJ2zr3nabOUeCx_Q/s320/20220512_154940.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He plastered the other walls too, and then we had to wait for those to dry out. May was a good time for this to happen; it was warm but not yet humid, and we were able to use a small upright fan to help the process. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over the course of the next few days, further plastering happened. Then there was a big leap forward in terms of appearance ,when L called in his brother J to help with the tiling. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCcth46H9BbZbYP6rDpAPNI5QftAJLDLD3hD4I4kw9zi0B-EiHCcYZdto5NGGk_8S5ExoLtLIecuqtG9RBt1dhb7YAjkNchUYESa8isAagZg6pYwOj84Cwt-mlfqWZIDWPWWJJhUZ4przqAZtIZ9vLtba1yJIO5qNKvbfKWfN9UKA-gXBCA/s5184/IMG_0074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCcth46H9BbZbYP6rDpAPNI5QftAJLDLD3hD4I4kw9zi0B-EiHCcYZdto5NGGk_8S5ExoLtLIecuqtG9RBt1dhb7YAjkNchUYESa8isAagZg6pYwOj84Cwt-mlfqWZIDWPWWJJhUZ4przqAZtIZ9vLtba1yJIO5qNKvbfKWfN9UKA-gXBCA/s320/IMG_0074.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Alex, who appears sporadically in this blog, assumed that the dust sheet was put there for his comfort, and tried to persuade us to turn on the taps to give him a drink. He was rather annoyed when we refused, not wanting any excess water until everything was complete. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The walls opposite and outside were also being plastered, and sanded, and skimmed, and looked better than they had in years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJOgwSII6vdJwBKLqaoeOcAGHKlOncF0-E-zQXM16FF2PdUD-3xUSBJ746x1-x8jG7gRPcieTQqAqcksXaj6FKHrPr7ut8Yo6iXNot0lnVE5R0pO8KEZztesqckhvW0sHV9XtbgPzhs2MC8SkYBebi0D_fk_uLyW1xUKfmvKfIykMfi8kjQ/s2048/20220524_081115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJOgwSII6vdJwBKLqaoeOcAGHKlOncF0-E-zQXM16FF2PdUD-3xUSBJ746x1-x8jG7gRPcieTQqAqcksXaj6FKHrPr7ut8Yo6iXNot0lnVE5R0pO8KEZztesqckhvW0sHV9XtbgPzhs2MC8SkYBebi0D_fk_uLyW1xUKfmvKfIykMfi8kjQ/s320/20220524_081115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since we were having all this done, and since our previous shower fittings had become quite corroded, we decided to splash out (so to speak) on new fittings, which improved the appearance significantly: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMItBf24-sxxGxbq5A2owjAs1VSXS5hpU6HEIoudcTsBiC5IK1P4HBqG8Aw2xtgKAsGVVfZq1fMhKv5GvB8geI39Di1znI2DNA49epAtB92J5GU52qfnyeeqW2wI5BnvuEvQIY_dGM3pO2zob_ipQvVt9_NudxWFug28g6yiU6n3CXwBTBw/s2048/20220525_164800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMItBf24-sxxGxbq5A2owjAs1VSXS5hpU6HEIoudcTsBiC5IK1P4HBqG8Aw2xtgKAsGVVfZq1fMhKv5GvB8geI39Di1znI2DNA49epAtB92J5GU52qfnyeeqW2wI5BnvuEvQIY_dGM3pO2zob_ipQvVt9_NudxWFug28g6yiU6n3CXwBTBw/s320/20220525_164800.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wouldn't have minded too much if we had had to change the colour of the bathroom walls, as the orange used six years ago was rather more vivid than I had anticipated. But when we found a half-full pot of the paint, it was an easy decision to use that rather than embarking on a complete re-paint. Richard and I did the painting (mostly Richard) and at last, over a month since it was started, our bathroom was back to how it was after the first renovation six years ago:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGo1P_eF-KpPLPz1i4zYIzT4dQ9ELg2j8FaPwUawlfD8KahftR3ZHX6mq9amGrO-Nynp44LJttE9K5jkwPccdXyyjgV8Ez7nUMArtszHbziPzf_yANS-lSX1GqGhpKMtfGb2tn5SKihszNK_9X28o_7m-_Q8cSDpRHLmyeGZoEIaXRvEaPjA/s2048/20220528_165501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGo1P_eF-KpPLPz1i4zYIzT4dQ9ELg2j8FaPwUawlfD8KahftR3ZHX6mq9amGrO-Nynp44LJttE9K5jkwPccdXyyjgV8Ez7nUMArtszHbziPzf_yANS-lSX1GqGhpKMtfGb2tn5SKihszNK_9X28o_7m-_Q8cSDpRHLmyeGZoEIaXRvEaPjA/s320/20220528_165501.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was very good to be able to take a shower in our bathroom again after more than three weeks of having to go down two flights of stairs (one of them outside). We know we're very blessed to have options like this, but guests were expected for our flat early in June. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's the wall next to the bath:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwojRDV2Nd46bHrdU_oCVsOW3NnhD6RJV9aYiv1Jyka-RYKBee6drcwF-P9cDRtpDw_og2c-ufor2LDqj5JZDcY1M6l67WT-p9gkuvmpUPt83FZG1JpZcyxw-OJTWzhwUL4qBcuRk5t3J0Wmsuhz3b2Wtnc6HwgKFnxNb16gvAm-B5nWVWeQ/s2048/20220528_165440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwojRDV2Nd46bHrdU_oCVsOW3NnhD6RJV9aYiv1Jyka-RYKBee6drcwF-P9cDRtpDw_og2c-ufor2LDqj5JZDcY1M6l67WT-p9gkuvmpUPt83FZG1JpZcyxw-OJTWzhwUL4qBcuRk5t3J0Wmsuhz3b2Wtnc6HwgKFnxNb16gvAm-B5nWVWeQ/s320/20220528_165440.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here's the one opposite:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7EsZybM8QR7RmKYXzpkRpKZBumXRFUjZzpj4idLpBmy6iuB-EOQFkXFH_s6_4Z_0n9_TemMGSibFujGrMwn0Z8Q0jMjmuvBysguW_bY0LqFMmffHHPyvp46POZmGNYfOBqACFCE_G7W9LUZH4UzGghadNx1d7UepPE8QNd5YqdwEG_aCrA/s2048/20220528_165449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7EsZybM8QR7RmKYXzpkRpKZBumXRFUjZzpj4idLpBmy6iuB-EOQFkXFH_s6_4Z_0n9_TemMGSibFujGrMwn0Z8Q0jMjmuvBysguW_bY0LqFMmffHHPyvp46POZmGNYfOBqACFCE_G7W9LUZH4UzGghadNx1d7UepPE8QNd5YqdwEG_aCrA/s320/20220528_165449.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The only thing remaining was for L to cut some more skirting board pieces and fit them, which he did a few days later. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We've been using the shower for nearly four weeks now, and are delighted - and relieved - that none of the tiles is showing any indication of changing colour, nor is any of the plaster bubbling or crumbling. And, as mentioned in the previous post, our Roomba has worked hard at eliminating the last of the plaster dust. L did an excellent job tidying and sweeping every day he came, after finishing, but inevitably there was fine dust that kept falling. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We hope that this bathroom renovation will last considerably longer than six years, and appreciate it all the more after having been unable to use it for most of May.</div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-76215599746472455542022-05-23T16:02:00.004+03:002022-05-24T16:30:37.739+03:00Introducing... Dustin! <p>No, Dustin is not a new cat, nor any other animal. Neither is Dustin a lodger, or a guest or a new family member. Not a human one, anyway. But an extremely effective worker, mostly found under the front window in our living room...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6E-Y0Ef2lKVfhG5ECem3JSZVTn_DjC-o6ELVeShNIgAqiFMmKd4NH_nuLPdln8cz3M2J08hb3TaQGlM14zGv8OXp6jOLAjkq55diktcZI7wD6G8IqSa_kC_5R4spLku_I9Mlpd9WdSm4BmyG6GIdb4aEmLmpYQPdYtrVME6VYIEDCMOVw2g/s2048/20220523_143903.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Roomba in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6E-Y0Ef2lKVfhG5ECem3JSZVTn_DjC-o6ELVeShNIgAqiFMmKd4NH_nuLPdln8cz3M2J08hb3TaQGlM14zGv8OXp6jOLAjkq55diktcZI7wD6G8IqSa_kC_5R4spLku_I9Mlpd9WdSm4BmyG6GIdb4aEmLmpYQPdYtrVME6VYIEDCMOVw2g/w320-h240/20220523_143903.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>A decade or so ago, when I first heard about robot vacuum cleaners, I thought they sounded like a great idea. But they were very expensive, and reviews suggested that they had a lot of flaws. Quite apart from the infamous stories about dragging dog mess over expensive carpets, I was concerned about tiny pieces of Lego, or little electronic components that might have fallen to the floor. </p><p>So I hadn't thought about them much until a couple of months ago when we were in a shop that had robot vacuum cleaners on special offer, at a price that was similar to that of regular vacuum cleaners. Not that we needed a new vacuum cleaner; the one we have works perfectly well. But it's noisy, and a bit heavy to take upstairs, and I find vacuuming one of the most tiring household chores - so I didn't do it very often. I aimed for once a week in the main part of our house, once a month upstairs. I rarely succeeded in either aim. </p><p>We have mostly hard floors, so I did also clean them with a dry swiffer, and mop with a wet one. My aim for that was once a week upstairs and twice a week in the main floor. I didn't always succeed in that aim, either, although it did help to reduce dust and thus sneezing and - most importantly - snoring. Every so often I would read an article about dust mites, and shudder, and determine to vacuum more often. But 'good intentions' do not lead to a good place...</p><p>And mostly it didn't matter too much. Cyprus is a dusty country and if someone visiting the house feels judgemental about dust, it's their problem, not mine. Before it got too bad, I would take action, if somewhat half-heartedly. If guests were expected, I would at least dust the tops of shelves and mop the floor in the living and eating areas of the house if I hadn't done them on the previous Saturday. </p><p>This year I have been a lot more tired than previously. I said in an earlier post that it was perhaps due to my advancing years, and two different people pointed out that my years are less than theirs, so perhaps not. It's not as if I have any chronic health conditions. But <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/01/isolating-in-cyprus-recovering-and.html" target="_blank">Covid in January</a> left me very tired. I thought I was mostly myself by the end of the month, ten days after I was finally released from isolation, but I am not sure that I ever fully regained my prior energy. And I've never had a lot of stamina. </p><p>I was beginning to feel more myself by the end of March. Then I had a booster vaccination in April, which made me feel extremely grim for 24 hours, and fatigued in the extreme for a couple more days. I still don't feel as if I've returned to normal. My brain is foggy, my energy levels fluctuating even more than they used to. If I have a busy, active day (and my 'busy, active' days are calm and relaxed compared to those of many people I know) I can't do much more than sit and read a day later.</p><p>All of which, combined with a generous financial gift, came together to convince me that a robot vacuum cleaner would be a Good Thing. We didn't just buy it in impulse, even so. We came home, and researched the many available options - most of which are now reasonably priced - and eventually decided on a 'Roomba'. </p><p>There are buttons on top to tell it to clean, or to go home. But the instruction manual recommended downloading an app for our phones. My phone doesn't have room for any more apps, and I'd rather use the actual buttons anyway. But Richard downloaded it, and that's when we learned that we had to give it a name. 'Roomba' seemed rather boring, so I Googled for <a href="https://www.republicworld.com/technology-news/gaming/funny-roomba-names-list-of-clever-and-cool-names-for-your-robot-vacuum.html" target="_blank">a site that listed names others have given to their robot vacuum cleaners</a>. None of them appealed until we came to 'Dusty' - but, as I pointed out, we didn't want it to make the house dusty. We wanted it to eat the dirt, to suck the dust in... and thus it got its name. And we sometimes started referring to it as 'he'. </p><p>One of the reviews I read said that these robot gadgets lurched around the room like drunken babies, and when we set it off for the first time, we could see what the reviewer meant. It started off in a fairly straight line, bumped into something, changed direction, set off until it bumped into something else... it seemed entirely random, and we could hardly take our eyes off it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpGG5I1bpHiYqr-2HJdwwuZNyGEtTCqwNwuPvIgYG-htuzwNPa4u7mCb4zxI-HKorOtkZVNztiTL6iYWeHmGzMzs0I-kPgQGJFPO0YVqY2PMUFIeH5kPwDloag0LnzgmbpqIkRiON4ZLpbkDcME5mAM6hZkbX2mS3uhruV6r0ihSrEr67mw/s2048/20220420_091819.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpGG5I1bpHiYqr-2HJdwwuZNyGEtTCqwNwuPvIgYG-htuzwNPa4u7mCb4zxI-HKorOtkZVNztiTL6iYWeHmGzMzs0I-kPgQGJFPO0YVqY2PMUFIeH5kPwDloag0LnzgmbpqIkRiON4ZLpbkDcME5mAM6hZkbX2mS3uhruV6r0ihSrEr67mw/s320/20220420_091819.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The cats were puzzled too, disturbed at first, but quickly accepting that it didn't mean any harm. And over the course of the next ninety minutes or so, it managed to find the entire main floor. I hadn't vacuumed the rug for about ten days, and had swiffered (but not mopped) the floors a few days earlier. So it had to work hard. But I was still rather shocked when it returned to its base after about an hour and a half, and we opened the dust container to check and empty it:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1v7oBgWC9XuurglNQGtS9_1Lyd2vGKqzydIiYZTYlmQ0zkbfKygQCqa62syaxbYq0AdmVdF9GOYmBKGJZG35X1zEIYyiDZBbRLd4X1s4bLedS07dfYlMQT6bjcXEkFry0qexCAfbD8wIQKewO7hviCK5Zx5EOzCapN9KKUZ0HBjheZDJRg/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-04-16%20at%204.45.38%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Roomba full of dirt and dust!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1v7oBgWC9XuurglNQGtS9_1Lyd2vGKqzydIiYZTYlmQ0zkbfKygQCqa62syaxbYq0AdmVdF9GOYmBKGJZG35X1zEIYyiDZBbRLd4X1s4bLedS07dfYlMQT6bjcXEkFry0qexCAfbD8wIQKewO7hviCK5Zx5EOzCapN9KKUZ0HBjheZDJRg/w240-h320/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-04-16%20at%204.45.38%20PM.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p>We were surprised it hadn't choked and stopped. According to the app, it had found 39 'dust events' - places where it was so dirty it had to do a kind of twirl to get properly clean.</p><p>We thought we had better run it again the following day, and did so. It struggled a bit on some of the lighter-weight rugs, so we lifted those out of the way - they're easy enough to throw in the washing machine. More of a problem was its proclivity for trying to swallow electrical cables, of which we had rather a lot on the floor: at the back of the TV, around my computer, and elsewhere. It was a good incentive to find ways to move them off the floor. </p><p>On the Saturday, when I would normally procrastinate about cleaning as I so disliked vacuuming, I had a burst of enthusiasm for dusting the shelves, and even lifted the chairs so Dustin could clean under the dining room table: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlh6QynzLCkXLIsdfHEKuSEBk07dKUcRKLt02Mrc1DGAjNaCX583PqDa44O2gib48jwpsSKF0OYtiXTqF9e-RAA4GR6Amyjbjm6xSEQuj53-qhxPVW6exDt8sT7eiPMp_e4K8gONK_fFUmdBH6l1kZWGA0M5EhgkhtuzLCghOvdsPg9zzEw/s2048/20220421_181544.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlh6QynzLCkXLIsdfHEKuSEBk07dKUcRKLt02Mrc1DGAjNaCX583PqDa44O2gib48jwpsSKF0OYtiXTqF9e-RAA4GR6Amyjbjm6xSEQuj53-qhxPVW6exDt8sT7eiPMp_e4K8gONK_fFUmdBH6l1kZWGA0M5EhgkhtuzLCghOvdsPg9zzEw/s320/20220421_181544.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Mopping suddenly became less effort, too, as less dusty floors meant less general mess... so I didn't have to keep stopping to clean the mop. Dustin has cleaned upstairs, too, and is excellent underneath the bed. Twice a week seems to be about right for upstairs. We had read that it was supposed to be able to sense stairs, so we watched it the first time it ran upstairs, hoping it would see the stairs coming and move away. I sat on one of the top stairs watching it approach... and was ready to catch it, if it didn't turn around. </p><p>What happened was that it stopped, rather precariously balanced with about a quarter of it hanging over the edge. A red light came on, and a message appeared on Richard's phone, telling him that Dustin was teetering on the edge of a cliff. We rescued it, and decided to put the cat litter box at the top of the stairs, as it's fairly heavy and bulky, and would prevent the robot from toppling over or sending out the SOS. </p><p>About ten days ago, I remembered that it's probably six months or more since we last moved our big sofa to clean underneath. Sure enough, when I moved it, this is what I saw: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sZAXnsJip6NHgXJ0t9tvupPiJbCUhvE3rCmFnq7zy3mrAOibecGPjM8eT2zi2Sd5F6Hq0hS0Bk8OYZs_OzhgGgRWqtuznyQYLgUBUrjU7xvgOVywFJk84k4n_ZzT6zE-fvUOb6CJnEWiMuykl2NQRe4qMMZml01ZiLiy7I4U9-zYShEdvw/s2048/20220517_081110.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sZAXnsJip6NHgXJ0t9tvupPiJbCUhvE3rCmFnq7zy3mrAOibecGPjM8eT2zi2Sd5F6Hq0hS0Bk8OYZs_OzhgGgRWqtuznyQYLgUBUrjU7xvgOVywFJk84k4n_ZzT6zE-fvUOb6CJnEWiMuykl2NQRe4qMMZml01ZiLiy7I4U9-zYShEdvw/s320/20220517_081110.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I had to pick Dustin up and put it in the right place a couple of times, but the resultant dust-free floor was quite a contrast: </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxvOMCMUmfX6tH4y9lp-PfaEql0gqy_jl36WJTjBXwvgK4nwxGrg83mgEqN3-h82QUSJomijA9QLzbRXrS4hGCu5mvLWjTE1ZwfsNzy99lM7Ug7T_VdkqMKi0WR1ZznyzbQkXG14Emgq76lVByTrsnh1OexbD_TZZDkm82hZWHBbYQlWsJg/s2048/20220517_085150.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxvOMCMUmfX6tH4y9lp-PfaEql0gqy_jl36WJTjBXwvgK4nwxGrg83mgEqN3-h82QUSJomijA9QLzbRXrS4hGCu5mvLWjTE1ZwfsNzy99lM7Ug7T_VdkqMKi0WR1ZznyzbQkXG14Emgq76lVByTrsnh1OexbD_TZZDkm82hZWHBbYQlWsJg/s320/20220517_085150.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>It's been quite a revelation having this robot vacuum cleaner. I didn't think the house was THAT dirty, and assumed that once or twice per week would be sufficient to keep it clean. But we've been running it six times a week in the main part of the house - we give it a rest on Sundays - and still it sucks up a significant amount of dust every day, albeit not as much as the first time. Here, for instance, is today's offering, after about six weeks of use and something like 55 hours running time in total (according to the app):</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRLa6BRqRK6t4st0nIXRehib5tEGedrsdiplVv-_Mbum7LWnet1yu4j6dhG2jmC4sFk4eX6A2f2sqj6b-REW9rNfKG5j7mbDFgO_35QIcNGcx3ETfy22ij6QKm39rUWYVYnmJZkNohRK3a8mwTcr1gGuALgM7-mdtNJL2GfpKRS-f6t9umw/s1658/20220523_144355.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1658" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRLa6BRqRK6t4st0nIXRehib5tEGedrsdiplVv-_Mbum7LWnet1yu4j6dhG2jmC4sFk4eX6A2f2sqj6b-REW9rNfKG5j7mbDFgO_35QIcNGcx3ETfy22ij6QKm39rUWYVYnmJZkNohRK3a8mwTcr1gGuALgM7-mdtNJL2GfpKRS-f6t9umw/s320/20220523_144355.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>The white bits that fell out when I opened it are probably plaster dust; considerable work is happening upstairs, which will be the subject of another blog post when it's finished. But there's not much of that. The cats are moulting as the weather warms up, so no doubt a large part of the dust is due to cat hairs, but even so... the house must have been much dirtier than we realised, and it may be months before we can run the Roomba less frequently.</p><p>And I'm happy to report that both sneezing (notwithstanding the plaster dust) and snoring have reduced considerably. </p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-83563626179131869102022-04-09T20:57:00.001+03:002022-04-09T21:02:56.409+03:00April, and restrictions ease in Cyprus<p>So it's over two years since the pandemic started. <a href="https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/04/09/coronavirus-one-death-1764-new-cases/" target="_blank">Case numbers are still fairly high in Cyprus</a>, given that the population is not much more than a million. But <a href="https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/cabinet-to-further-relax-covid-measures-safepass-presentation-set-to-end/" target="_blank">restrictions are easing</a>, as they have in many other Western countries in the past couple of months. We still have to wear masks in shops and other indoor public spaces, but safe passes haven't had to be shown in supermarkets or other grocery shops for a couple of weeks, and as of Monday they won't need to be shown anywhere. </p><p>I mentioned <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/03/visitors-and-blustery-days-in-cyprus.html" target="_blank">in my last post that March had turned chilly</a>, as often happens during the first week of March. I didn't expect that it would continue to be decidedly on the cool side for Cyprus. We've had to have our gas tank refilled at least three times this winter - it was only once a year ago. The central heating was coming on, if only for half an hour or so, every day until the end of the month. </p><p>We realised how unusual that was the day after the clocks went forward (the last Sunday of March); we didn't change the central heating timer clock, and realised it had not previously occurred to us that we might need to. Never before has the heating come on during the daylight savings/summer time period.</p><p>I was still wearing several layers of clothes, using a microwave wheat bag every night, and still using our double thickness of duvet (13 togs and 4.5 togs together). Although I change the sheets and pillowcases every week, I only change the duvet cover once a fortnight - and both times, during March, I pondered whether to move to just the 13 tog duvet, and quickly decided against it. It's only in the past week that it started to feel over-warm, and today I put away the 4.5 tog duvet. At some point we'll have a couple of weeks when we just need that, then I'll wash them both and pack them away for the summer.</p><p>So it was no surprise to learn that <a href="https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/04/04/coldest-ever-march-recorded-in-limassol-larnaca-central-nicosia/" target="_blank">March was the coldest ever for Larnaka</a> (and other parts of the island). </p><p>I took very few photos. I didn't even take one of yellow foliage - perhaps it took longer to appear. I did take this photo, however, which is mostly yellow, about four weeks ago:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82JGNuGYAJWR_g79ep0oThKbGtad8_CSY4Zsbdza8Wh2_RGs1KLkjM1pGHj1S_U3EO49OG-7VhzozBVBHOGKNv4tYws_sn703E8S8QTtXiguKFDVVbD11MncLCUmK_y24UPKuueL3VPDluptVeqgASX-WdS2XDM1ECwtX2tkePgXXRl9Wjw/s2048/20220309_071646.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lemons in Cyprus!" border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82JGNuGYAJWR_g79ep0oThKbGtad8_CSY4Zsbdza8Wh2_RGs1KLkjM1pGHj1S_U3EO49OG-7VhzozBVBHOGKNv4tYws_sn703E8S8QTtXiguKFDVVbD11MncLCUmK_y24UPKuueL3VPDluptVeqgASX-WdS2XDM1ECwtX2tkePgXXRl9Wjw/w320-h212/20220309_071646.jpg" title="lemons" width="320" /></a></div><br />A crate of lemons, brought to us by a friend who had been employed to cut down an old lemon tree that was growing too close to someone's house. That wasn't all of them - we took maybe 25% of the lemons we were offered. I don't know how many kilograms there were, but I spent a fair bit of time grating skin to freeze zest, juicing them - to freeze, or use. <p></p><p>I've frozen two biggish boxes of lemon 'cubes' to use when I need just a tablespoon of the juice in the months when lemons are more difficult to get hold of, and several small boxes with 100ml each of lemon juice to use in various recipes that need more than a tablespoon. I've also frozen a couple of boxes of lemon slices, to use in water, or on salmon. And during many of those chilly evenings we drank hot lemon and honey. </p><p>I had to throw out maybe three or four that started to go mouldy, but I kept the crate outside, and the colder weather meant that most of them kept very well. I haven't used them all, even now. But the ones that remain are very small and getting a bit dried out.</p><p>As usual, I walked three times a week with my friend Sheila, along part of the Salt Lake trail. I say 'as usual' but for a couple of weeks in January I didn't walk due to having Covid, and for a couple of weeks in February she didn't walk, due to isolating and then having Covid herself. But in March we were both fine, and although we sometimes had to wrap up extra-warm, with woolly hats and scarves, it was good to get out first thing. </p><p>In addition to being cold, there was a fair amount of rain, so that the Salt Lake was about as full as it ever gets: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbXPlDJmJUK6brCiUbrvXanpwFmIuxM9mTAoIVa8WaAskLI021n31FdPFPOdR1_GQ9GwqfuI1OesYHUQt7mBQbEwucrqElA-Z-MYKr3q3TjbA90R0RFP53TjWaZZZqJ7jCXLMs3SAw5jIikBTWnhA1erBu4OO1wwzUXU6cHxNrRVtXeKXSQ/s1979/20220326_064246.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Salt Lake in Larnaka, quite full" border="0" data-original-height="1484" data-original-width="1979" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbXPlDJmJUK6brCiUbrvXanpwFmIuxM9mTAoIVa8WaAskLI021n31FdPFPOdR1_GQ9GwqfuI1OesYHUQt7mBQbEwucrqElA-Z-MYKr3q3TjbA90R0RFP53TjWaZZZqJ7jCXLMs3SAw5jIikBTWnhA1erBu4OO1wwzUXU6cHxNrRVtXeKXSQ/w320-h240/20220326_064246.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The picture doesn't really show it well, but usually there are several metres more of 'beach' before the water starts.</p><p>Flamingoes, of course, have been much in evidence, though never close enough for good pictures:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbR0Twc86_L8ImgUwU7AzEgcHLPklmTSRngFbdiCbNH-GnQyLx9ZpLl9Kq6CBRGCvDTmP1jzDkssDYCGvYBq2_lObqjhesC7FbwxzmbWxq-L9BBY-3_lC0g_7JK-f4OBNBtPUk2qkWymtabtkkUJEAjLGR1eebSovSdwBlmUDHbYdZVhi8jA/s1399/20220312_065710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="flamingoes in Larnaka Salt Lake" border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1399" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbR0Twc86_L8ImgUwU7AzEgcHLPklmTSRngFbdiCbNH-GnQyLx9ZpLl9Kq6CBRGCvDTmP1jzDkssDYCGvYBq2_lObqjhesC7FbwxzmbWxq-L9BBY-3_lC0g_7JK-f4OBNBtPUk2qkWymtabtkkUJEAjLGR1eebSovSdwBlmUDHbYdZVhi8jA/w320-h178/20220312_065710.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>My freesias came out, over a week later than their usual date, and didn't last long, but they were pretty for a few days:<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh20EPbeLIQ4ywHKEPk8kBCsNTIGHLIhAvOu73i7MaWjjyFTb8qhhn0GIj3F2mIKhC05ndT1QY71by7kpRHBZ0ger9wF0U36I8G1ND5wcHXCWXO8a6pX5KnbHV-EGGIP3krVpBdumAtwv8UFcrthUwhhPON33Th8hPu9Yfhksfc1LY6AaKNw/s2048/20220328_072316.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh20EPbeLIQ4ywHKEPk8kBCsNTIGHLIhAvOu73i7MaWjjyFTb8qhhn0GIj3F2mIKhC05ndT1QY71by7kpRHBZ0ger9wF0U36I8G1ND5wcHXCWXO8a6pX5KnbHV-EGGIP3krVpBdumAtwv8UFcrthUwhhPON33Th8hPu9Yfhksfc1LY6AaKNw/s320/20220328_072316.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>At the end of the month, I popped around the corner to buy something from 'Kritikos', our convenient supermarket which was previously 'Savemore', and before that '<a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2013/07/another-new-supermarket-in-cyprus.html" target="_blank">Micro</a>', and before that '<a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2007/11/new-orphanides-express-supermarket-in.html" target="_blank">Orphanides Express</a>', and before that 'Kleitos'. Yes, all those different supermarkets in the not-quite-sixteen years since we moved to this house <i>(how can it possibly be <b>sixteen</b>...?)</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div>And, like all its predecessors, it had closed. Abruptly, with no warning. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0dFdp9Gv-gWITir23EWYBFisssqEQ9zLViD5oturp7LNrMHi_q16U3UyJgBPNxs1kJL76WE0dju7wHsdBNDBUATTh87mqi37UdE6jstlR5ZjfwD6QDTnt1nhWrgroNSKjoUOY5XVAv7CBlrP9k9XP-_o74Rksx2PVkuBDwyC-gg9GSqWPw/s1279/20220401_072127.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="closed Kritikos supermarket in Larnaka" border="0" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="1279" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0dFdp9Gv-gWITir23EWYBFisssqEQ9zLViD5oturp7LNrMHi_q16U3UyJgBPNxs1kJL76WE0dju7wHsdBNDBUATTh87mqi37UdE6jstlR5ZjfwD6QDTnt1nhWrgroNSKjoUOY5XVAv7CBlrP9k9XP-_o74Rksx2PVkuBDwyC-gg9GSqWPw/w320-h257/20220401_072127.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I wonder what its next incarnation will be... or whether it just isn't commercially viable to have a supermarket in a residential area like this one. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't even take as many photos of the cats as I used to. Alexander and Lady Jane are eight years old now, and Alex, at least, is just starting to slow down a little. He, like me, seems quite sensitive to both extremes of weather; he doesn't like it being cold, but he doesn't like heat either. Here he is, worn out after being outside in the unexpected warmth of April (and it was VERY hot for a couple of days - up to 27 degrees, with a dust storm from the Sahara)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lsYKdwASoKpOloYzykluAbaaK6qLgoE_iHS5UuwBMWauhzzsG3ZFXvJrqcc63vTyfRF7SxNNgybTDelt9SuoP0XqiTkDcSIJO3xCDvSOEor1hktNi-RbCSOHxggR2kpB5xSoEeSWtQyJgEfcRMi1G6q29iSIOHaDmEwFyACmgz6lCY4wwA/s1696/20220402_160116.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sleeping white and brown cat" border="0" data-original-height="1352" data-original-width="1696" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3lsYKdwASoKpOloYzykluAbaaK6qLgoE_iHS5UuwBMWauhzzsG3ZFXvJrqcc63vTyfRF7SxNNgybTDelt9SuoP0XqiTkDcSIJO3xCDvSOEor1hktNi-RbCSOHxggR2kpB5xSoEeSWtQyJgEfcRMi1G6q29iSIOHaDmEwFyACmgz6lCY4wwA/w320-h255/20220402_160116.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Jane, however, likes the heat so much that even in July and August she pointedly departs from any room where the air conditioning is turned on. She has spent much of the winter curled up in a beanbag right against a radiator. And even in early April, when I was, at last, shedding a layer or two, she was clearly hinting that she wanted the heating on again:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2KyFlNI4huSRhYWCIMzkvUARlnDHkjrU672L1GCew41bSKVANapTF3-MgtESUewQgfFyE4bYrAuYFVO7zlaYUXH0u_vqn9z8Jhg1KlD906zOrSXAUytyxuyqy8ANeXYAI7Nf4_Saqf98EuI_WhqzbuPtnmc0tBdSxbeUtB6KTnnef6SKTQ/s1457/20220402_160043.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cat sleeping in a cat bed!" border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1457" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2KyFlNI4huSRhYWCIMzkvUARlnDHkjrU672L1GCew41bSKVANapTF3-MgtESUewQgfFyE4bYrAuYFVO7zlaYUXH0u_vqn9z8Jhg1KlD906zOrSXAUytyxuyqy8ANeXYAI7Nf4_Saqf98EuI_WhqzbuPtnmc0tBdSxbeUtB6KTnnef6SKTQ/w320-h239/20220402_160043.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Yes, Jane is such an unusual cat that she actually sleeps in a bed that is intended for cats! </div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-10505216554593073642022-03-06T17:31:00.007+02:002022-04-09T18:32:22.232+03:00Visitors and Blustery Days in Cyprus<p>January, <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/01/isolating-in-cyprus-recovering-and.html" target="_blank">as I described at length</a>, was mostly taken up with Covid. Not that I had it seriously, thankfully, and Richard never did catch it. By the end of the month normal pandemic life had resumed albeit with reduced energy levels and a nasty cough. </p><p>In the middle of February we were delighted that one of my second cousins and her family were able to come and visit. I last saw my cousin thirty-five years ago but one of the great things about Facebook is the ability to get in touch with long-lost friends and relatives. </p><p>The weather, as so often happens mid-February, was pleasantly warm and sunny, so they were able to get out and about, and the week flew past. Unfortunately my cousins were not able to meet our closest friends, who were isolating for most of the month, as one after another of them caught Covid. Happily it was even more mildly than I had it, and (so far, anyway) with no lasting effects. </p><p>And so to March. </p><p>Almost every year the balmier weather of February gives way to a much chillier March. Walking with my friend in the Salt Lake Park on Thursday morning, wearing a warm hat, rather than a sun hat, we were startled to see a rainbow:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeqSHeJrO_Bsn9lzYzsfwtA-WaWXdp9vQeqLQcpqVkLRF25Oby8AwQcyHPhjhWiqol4lGnKi42qufRemXzHQUhQNGH2ZICer46kvo51Z8nHgjNyD8PGt93s3uDaNnyV8nBT9VlF3rxapQ9q_9Ce9ygnNotPKofA7Oa_SUR-KcUgluoYpnZVQ=s1947" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rainbow over the Salt Lake" border="0" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="1947" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeqSHeJrO_Bsn9lzYzsfwtA-WaWXdp9vQeqLQcpqVkLRF25Oby8AwQcyHPhjhWiqol4lGnKi42qufRemXzHQUhQNGH2ZICer46kvo51Z8nHgjNyD8PGt93s3uDaNnyV8nBT9VlF3rxapQ9q_9Ce9ygnNotPKofA7Oa_SUR-KcUgluoYpnZVQ=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></div><p>It wasn't raining where we were walking (for which I was thankful) and the rainbow didn't last very long. But it was extremely windy. We watched some birds trying to fly from the top of a tree, apparently hovering or even flying backwards as they battled against the gusts.</p><p>Yesterday was quite pleasant, and Richard went sailing with a friend although it was so cold, with rain threatening, that they didn't stay out as long as they had hoped. </p><p>Today, after lunch, Richard suggested a walk along the Mackenzie promenade, and perhaps an ice cream at one of the cafés. It looked very windy despite the temperature being 17 degrees and sunny, so we wrapped up warmly. Richard took a woolly hat. I didn't, but rather wished I had done so...</p><p>The waves, usually very calm here, were extremely choppy: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlPpPFZjX1jI2vRvnSRnZMEwKFcowidh1gUaqLiOgsWvanF_XqrdCVS0WN76yhR_TiqYKWVVu8VIEBWvVGrmXz8GGUk1_QthmcuPV-U5KTpGVtCywTpdpYf6phUMe3KxVg_egHaYcPcwbfMZY20l83z4Bn2lAAs2y8IgJ0lS417BTyRxXgwg=s3054" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="choppy waves by Mackenzie beach in Larnaka" border="0" data-original-height="2290" data-original-width="3054" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlPpPFZjX1jI2vRvnSRnZMEwKFcowidh1gUaqLiOgsWvanF_XqrdCVS0WN76yhR_TiqYKWVVu8VIEBWvVGrmXz8GGUk1_QthmcuPV-U5KTpGVtCywTpdpYf6phUMe3KxVg_egHaYcPcwbfMZY20l83z4Bn2lAAs2y8IgJ0lS417BTyRxXgwg=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>As we approached the section with the ice cream cafés, I saw a sign for hot chocolate. Somehow that seemed a lot more appealing than ice cream, as we were both feeling a little chilly. So I suggested we ask if they had any non-dairy milks. Yes, they told us, they had either coconut or almond milk. A great improvement on a couple of years ago when the only option tended to be soya. So we ordered hot chocolate made with coconut milk and sat down in some relief after the buffeting of the wind. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfQm9l6Lm373qgA9CpAe5_9UknFnV-oT5L_NtNS6Y4XL6lxMmUUZpBipgOfQdL0XzIa50ppfS9N9Q_2Pmr9RG_3zqxvDobh9cw5KcOEMDSvzgSnyU0urFTwZMjnUfDCiABLjF08U4T3z9XJK77xk0iPhZ2v4VeySXDHaqNc2mtrZoM_OncNA=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="drinking hot chocolate with coconut milk" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfQm9l6Lm373qgA9CpAe5_9UknFnV-oT5L_NtNS6Y4XL6lxMmUUZpBipgOfQdL0XzIa50ppfS9N9Q_2Pmr9RG_3zqxvDobh9cw5KcOEMDSvzgSnyU0urFTwZMjnUfDCiABLjF08U4T3z9XJK77xk0iPhZ2v4VeySXDHaqNc2mtrZoM_OncNA=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>They were very good, and warmed us up nicely. We don't think we've been in this particular café before - it had a typically Cypriot interior, with both a wood-burning heater for the winter, and high wall fans for the summer:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpceWJUkPqPq1KrzzNSx9gTEZsRDhMCh6l68rKzaSrAfaI1OSnNNWFuqnhJZ5ALVjobEgQH3DWqFStEXSW5jL-kwP8MBm5Rp6Y-AXDoB4mV-dFrdA43krPl_Os7bKp7I3cDwTeySNQENJHh9_VQq9Jte0vAPQmCkvdECXE3U8LYyp3wv84Mw=s1845" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Inside of Cyprus café" border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="1845" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpceWJUkPqPq1KrzzNSx9gTEZsRDhMCh6l68rKzaSrAfaI1OSnNNWFuqnhJZ5ALVjobEgQH3DWqFStEXSW5jL-kwP8MBm5Rp6Y-AXDoB4mV-dFrdA43krPl_Os7bKp7I3cDwTeySNQENJHh9_VQq9Jte0vAPQmCkvdECXE3U8LYyp3wv84Mw=w320-h251" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Neither were switched on, since the temperature inside was just right, at least with our warm jackets on. </div><div><br /></div><div>The other typical feature was a cat, wandering around sniffing under the tables in case any previous customers had dropped anything:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh14JUoeiEOs9k0_inx8UYCMQ5TRTGKCKzhzAhDaUJb9i8mTjLHrs9wYz4h1XFTvA0Yhgm--XpdO7F7lh-_s2Xq7ZJrujap29y4ow4LxRAx-shZqZJNRux8jeEW7Gi4-t2Be5KC_EMuAp3qm_gBvLU2rXuIHLYCK8Gr7u9JabQR06BEMbBAQw=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cat in Cyprus" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh14JUoeiEOs9k0_inx8UYCMQ5TRTGKCKzhzAhDaUJb9i8mTjLHrs9wYz4h1XFTvA0Yhgm--XpdO7F7lh-_s2Xq7ZJrujap29y4ow4LxRAx-shZqZJNRux8jeEW7Gi4-t2Be5KC_EMuAp3qm_gBvLU2rXuIHLYCK8Gr7u9JabQR06BEMbBAQw=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>It was quite a large cat, evidently an elderly one which seemed entirely oblivious to people. Not a feral cat, however: it was clean and well-fed. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then, warmed by our hot chocolate, we set out again, this time against the wind so it was much more of a struggle. I got quite cold before we reached the turn-off for the car park. Yes, we drove most of the way, as we have done before when walking along the promenade. We didn't walk nearly far enough to walk off the hot chocolate calories... but I was extremely thankful to be out of the wind at last.</div><div><br /></div><div>This blustery weather is predicted to continue, along with somewhat grey days and some rain, and chilly nights, though reasonably warm in the daytimes: </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSa7Oy3Y1HZJiyRUdCYOz8WYhTX34pXOYLClWRuVPxLsCg5IvhI1uONS5604yFldxxcJaPl3_CiLlAyVICrWh5ZoeUqu1ybs8jrh3KOeK0by3RSfz4qI0xAbkhWIfoK5sio1Kt_mulgUkekUMIIUHGvjfNYZs8BumXBTS4NhznuDnWOKURng=s708" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Larnaka forecast March 2022" border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="708" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSa7Oy3Y1HZJiyRUdCYOz8WYhTX34pXOYLClWRuVPxLsCg5IvhI1uONS5604yFldxxcJaPl3_CiLlAyVICrWh5ZoeUqu1ybs8jrh3KOeK0by3RSfz4qI0xAbkhWIfoK5sio1Kt_mulgUkekUMIIUHGvjfNYZs8BumXBTS4NhznuDnWOKURng=w320-h307" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>I feel as if my energy levels are pretty much restored now, or as much as is possible at my advanced age. I still have an occasional cough, but it's a whole lot better than it was a month ago. </div><div><br /></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-37786691467449902332022-01-24T17:14:00.009+02:002022-01-24T17:44:32.180+02:00Isolating in Cyprus, recovering, and trying to get into the system... <p><i>Continuing <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/01/isolation-and-testing-confusion.html" target="_blank">the post I wrote ten days ago</a>, about being ill, confusing test results and voluntary self-isolation. </i></p><p>I was reassured by comments telling me I was doing the right thing, and suggestions that I should continue isolating until a home test proved negative, whatever the official rules might be.</p><p>The day after writing the email I mentioned, on the morning of Wednesday 12th January, I had a phone call in response. A helpful man with limited English told me I should go to the New Hospital for a PCR test at 7.30pm that evening. I had to turn left at the parking, he told me, and wait at the old container.</p><p>At around 3.30pm he called again and said that if I wanted to, I could go immediately. </p><p>Of course it meant Richard and I had to be in the car together rather than isolating from each other, but we both wore masks. Since he hadn't caught it on the two days when I had symptoms but was testing negative with the home test, I didn't think there was a huge risk by this stage, when I no longer had any symptoms. Perhaps the PCR would prove negative, and I wouldn't be in the system at all...</p><p>The test wasn't too uncomfortable, and I assumed I would hear the result by the following morning. No, the doctor told me, this wasn't a quick PCR. This was a slow one, so I would hear in three or four days. </p><p>I was not impressed! It was six days, already, after having had the first symptoms. But I knew I needed to keep isolating. So I didn't leave the house. We continued sleeping in different rooms, spending most of our days in other different rooms, and I wore a mask when I went into the kitchen or living room.</p><p>On Saturday, January 15th, I thought I was improving. The cold symptoms seemed to have gone, and I really wanted to get the house clean and aired, the bedding changed, and life beginning to be back to normal. So, feeling hopeful, I did another home test. </p><p>It proved positive.</p><p>I wasn't happy. I stayed in my study, venturing out into the rest of the house in a mask to do as little as I could, and gradually realised I was still extremely tired. Perhaps it was as well that I wasn't trying to clean the entire house. We postponed our usual get-together with friends for Sunday and I knew I wouldn't be going to church. </p><p>Then there was an update in the papers, about isolation periods, due to be implemented on 17th January. While some other countries were reducing the isolation period to seven or even five days (with negative home test to release them), Cyprus was making it longer. Instead of ten days from onset of symptoms, it became <a href="https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/changes-to-the-release-of-covid-19-confirmed-cases/" target="_blank">ten days after the first positive test</a>. The only good thing was that no longer do doctors have to be involved - the article states that, <i><b>'The citizens will be automatically informed on the mobile phone with an SMS the night before their release.'</b></i></p><div>On Sunday 16th, I finally received a text message from the Ministry of Health with my PCR result. Actually, it was four text messages: two in Greek, two saying the same things in English. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first one said, in capital letters, <i><b>'Your Covid19 test is positive. Please self-isolate, inform your contacts and contact your general practitioner. You can find the official guidelines at <a href="https://bit.ly/2ZZEbtd">https://bit.ly/2ZZEbtd</a>". </b></i></div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div>I had, of course, already informed my contacts, such as they were, and they had done tests to ensure they were Covid-free. I hadn't seen anyone other than Richard for over a week, and had kept my distance from him. </div><div><br /></div><div>The second text message told me that in order to submit contact tracing data, and to get a certificate of recovery, I had to fill in an online form. It gave me a code to enable me to do that, so I did. It felt rather like the cliché of shutting the stable door after the horse had bolted but I wanted to show willing. So I filled in all my information again, made up a Greek spelling of my name (which was required in addition to the English spelling), and listed Richard and the friend I had seen most recently (eight days beforehand) as two contacts. Both are fully vaccinated and boosted so would not be required to isolate or have tests... but I assumed they would both get a message from the ministry of health.</div><div><br /></div><div>But, over a week later, neither of them had heard anything. </div><div><br /></div><div>On Monday morning last week, I felt considerably better. By then it was two weeks after my likely exposure to Covid, ten full days after my first symptoms. It was eight days after my first positive test. By the regulations of most other countries, I would be free to go out and about, considered non-infectious. </div><div><br /></div><div>But I wanted to be sure, so I did another home test. And, hallelujah, it was negative!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTEaK0_DkrpRRX6BV2JQAme-mja8dNSFz4qTqQgcDc2_CACl-NVU5S5yZQ5uLglTFWqw7YSNzWhrPN1CrtyP6oOhZ4N58_pLQWWO06TrisyW2189UGQoXJ1G3YUv89T64Q2w7djOtoiOAg0BZ8yd9MFMEJeE006gl26p3sD-95iaVZ8NPzwA=s1536" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1307" data-original-width="1536" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTEaK0_DkrpRRX6BV2JQAme-mja8dNSFz4qTqQgcDc2_CACl-NVU5S5yZQ5uLglTFWqw7YSNzWhrPN1CrtyP6oOhZ4N58_pLQWWO06TrisyW2189UGQoXJ1G3YUv89T64Q2w7djOtoiOAg0BZ8yd9MFMEJeE006gl26p3sD-95iaVZ8NPzwA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>They don't have QR codes here, and there was no way to inform anyone official, but we reckoned that meant I was no longer in danger to anyone. So I spent Monday airing and cleaning the house, doing extra laundry, and no longer wearing a mask. It felt as if I were no longer 'unclean', and it was awesome to be able to hug my husband again. </div><div><br /></div><div>Possibly I did too much as I was exhausted by about 6pm, but I was very relieved to think that life was getting back to normal again, and that I had escaped reasonably lightly. </div><div><br /></div><div>On Tuesday I emailed an address I found, for queries about release from isolation. I had no response, not even an automated one. Since I had decided I wanted to be in the system, I thought I had better stick to the rules of not going out, even though friends came over, satisfied that I wasn't going to infect them. </div><div><br /></div><div>By Friday. I still hadn't heard anything. By Friday, it was two weeks after my first positive home test. I didn't go to the shops; my 'safepass', according to the local press, would not work (although when Richard scanned it with his CovScan application, it showed as fine). In the evening, we went to our friends' house but I was more tired than I had realised, and we left early. I really hoped I might get a 'release' text on Friday evening, ten days after my second positive home test. But nothing came.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Saturday, I went out for an early morning walk with my friend, for the first time in a couple of weeks. I couldn't walk very fast, and felt that we had to turn back before we reached our usual destination. It was good to be out, although it's been very cold recently. Even the flamingoes seem to have got the message about distancing, although in this photo they just look like tiny white blobs:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3MQX9FMmpQEpqq0tGinuX2vEVnHHHlALEY9RxbpTOmD5PjnEkHjpAtBgcoTe8xgAkwPCE4Hs_wTb5vtaz5I85gaATPCdyfU6A2oyQhJ8_TaK89urAKv2lJCu-IPVIkwt7JPgiL6EAmpD3ga6WignaKT2BV1o2_8PfFhz9mt_SWgClQD02oA=s1711" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="flamingoes distancing in the Salt Lake" border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1711" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3MQX9FMmpQEpqq0tGinuX2vEVnHHHlALEY9RxbpTOmD5PjnEkHjpAtBgcoTe8xgAkwPCE4Hs_wTb5vtaz5I85gaATPCdyfU6A2oyQhJ8_TaK89urAKv2lJCu-IPVIkwt7JPgiL6EAmpD3ga6WignaKT2BV1o2_8PfFhz9mt_SWgClQD02oA=w400-h216" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>I know, I really shouldn't have left the house at all until I'd had my release text. But if my lab antigen test on Monday10th had been positive (as I'm sure it would have been if they had done it correctly) I'd have been released, at least in theory, a couple of days beforehand. And it wasn't as if I were seeing lots of people. </div><div><br /></div><div>Much as I enjoyed the walk, I was very tired by the time I got home. There's a cough, too; not as frequent as it was a week earlier, but quite hacking and unpleasant when it hits. Usually when I get cold, or when I'm talking. Hot drinks help, as does staying warm. And I do want to get a bit fitter again, but walking even a couple of kilometres appears to be as much as I can manage so far. </div><div><br /></div><div>I felt wiped out for the rest of Saturday and had another early night... but just as I was about to go to sleep, I heard two messages on my phone in quick succession.</div><div><br /></div><div>At last! My official release text, in both English and Greek. </div><div><br /></div><div>But that's not the end of the saga. </div><div><br /></div><div>My second vaccination (Astra Zeneca) was on July 7th 2021. In Cyprus, we were told to wait six months before booking a booster, so I had planned to have it as soon as possible after 7th January. That guidance did in fact change mid-December to allow a five-and-a-half month gap. But it didn't seem like a great idea to have a booster right before Christmas. Besides, I didn't suppose I was at much risk... so I had booked it for January 11th. Obviously, I had to cancel since by that stage I was isolating. Even that wasn't straightforward, but Richard eventually found the right phone number and succeeded in doing so. </div><div><p>While opinion is divided about how soon after having Covid one should have a booster, most of the advice I found recommends at least a month. In Cyprus 'safe passes' for vaccinations expire seven months after the second dose, if no booster has been given. That would mean that from February 7th my vaccination pass would no longer be valid for shopping or church or anywhere else I might want to go, unless I had the booster before that date, and I wanted to wait. </p><p>No problem... or so I thought. Instead of continuing to use my vaccination safe pass, I could get a new one based on my having had Covid. That would be valid for at least three months, so I could wait a bit longer before booking the booster.</p><p>So on Sunday morning Richard used his phone app to try to get a new safe pass for me. But when he selected 'recovery from Covid', it told him that the system couldn't find a release certificate for me. He tried a couple of times, and I tried on my computer - nothing worked.</p><p>Perhaps, we thought optimistically, it would take 24 hours to update. </p><p>So we tried again this morning, and it still didn't work. </p><p>At the bottom of the page was a hotline number for questions, so Richard called that. And a helpful guy said, 'Oh, yes, it's wrong. I will update it. Try again in twenty minutes'. </p><p>We rolled our eyes a little - surely the system should have automated it...? - and he tried again twenty minutes later.</p><p>This time it found the certificate. It produced a safe pass. </p><p>But my name was spelled wrongly. Not just one spelling error (which, in Cyprus, really wouldn't matter as spelling does tend to be variable for proper nouns) but THREE mistakes. One in each of my three names. Since places checking safe passes are also supposed to check IDs, I thought it should really be more accurate than that. And where had it picked up the wrong spelling anyway...? We will probably never know. </p><p>So Richard called the hotline AGAIN and someone else said that she would correct it. It's a tad concerning that all it takes is a phone call to have something like that edited... but 'this is Cyprus'. </p><p>Sure enough, it worked. </p><p>Well, almost. </p><p>My middle name is given as part of my surname rather than as part of my first name, but at least the spelling is correct.</p><p>I now have a safe pass valid until July 7th. That's six months away. I don't plan to wait that long before my booster, unless Omicron proves to be the end of the pandemic (as some hopeful experts have suggested might possibly be the case) in which case I might not have one at all. But assuming it continues, I really don't want to risk another infection. I know my case was mild; I don't have any underlying conditions and I'm reasonably healthy. And I've had two vaccinations. But it wasn't pleasant, the lingering cough is nasty, and I'm still not back to my usual energy levels. </p></div>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-67177111130884811332022-01-11T15:19:00.009+02:002022-01-24T17:47:58.607+02:00Isolation and Testing Confusion<p>On Monday January 3rd, we went to look for a new small upright freezer for our guest flat. There are several people booked to stay there over the next few months, including some families. Our old guest flat freezer was very inefficient to run by today's standards, and likely to stop working at some point due to its age (close to 24 years). </p><p>One of the shops we went into was in the Metropolis Mall. I was aware, while there, that people were not really distancing from each other, and many were rather casual about mask wearing. There were a few coughs and sneezes, too. We didn't end up buying the freezer there, but we did find one at our favourite white goods' shop, <a href="https://www.geoeshop.com/" target="_blank">George Theodorou</a>, where health protocols were correctly observed.</p><p>On Tuesday I walked first thing with my friend Sheila as usual. Later, she and her daughters came over to help me put the Christmas decorations away, and to play some games. In the afternoon I finished cleaning the guest flat and made up the beds.</p><p>On Wednesday I did some shopping first thing for the first guests, due to arrive in the evening, since Thursday was a public holiday. Later in the day, we put away Tim's bed, turning his room temporarily into a kind of sitting room, soon to be occupied by Richard's electronics projects and repairs. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLyENKjaWI_d2869CHre2gxDHoFVrko0KehPEBDnMU3rzkNmF9ZPwn75v1hlarTs98XBGcWZNIr-uWfquoqWrmZp5KaJsn684qCBlmNdA0sy7GsxOciTH6nsdIIPzMdjHi7s75_FXCGWQyrIYqb7uGkONy4lxqdToSeIb6ZH1tWjFYpC-W9w=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bedroom turned into sitting room" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLyENKjaWI_d2869CHre2gxDHoFVrko0KehPEBDnMU3rzkNmF9ZPwn75v1hlarTs98XBGcWZNIr-uWfquoqWrmZp5KaJsn684qCBlmNdA0sy7GsxOciTH6nsdIIPzMdjHi7s75_FXCGWQyrIYqb7uGkONy4lxqdToSeIb6ZH1tWjFYpC-W9w=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></div><p>On Thursday morning, I woke about 4am for no obvious reason, and couldn't get back to sleep. I was a bit headachey, and felt as if I were starting a cold. I didn't worry about it particularly; Sheila's daughters have all had colds recently and since they have twice-weekly antigen tests for their 'safe passes', I knew they were 'just' colds. So assumed I had finally caught one of them. I took extra Vitamin C and manuka honey, dozed for a while, and hoped it would be short-lived. At 6.15 or so I went out to walk with Sheila as usual. </p><p>Gradually, as the day progressed, I started sneezing and coughing more and more. The headache got worse, and I felt incredibly tired. Waking up at 4am would have contributed to being tired, of course. But in the current pandemic crisis, my mind was, unsurprisingly, on the possibility of Covid. </p><p>In the UK, most people we know test themselves at home a couple of times per week. We haven't had that possibility in Cyprus (possibly because the rather more authoritarian government here doesn't trust the rather less obedient public...) until mid-December. But as Christmas approached, each adult was allowed to collect one set of five lateral flow self-tests, intended for use over the festive season. It was a good idea, so that people could make sure they were Covid-free before spending time with elderly or vulnerable relatives.</p><p>We hadn't used any of ours, so I thought it would make sense do so. I knew that cold symptoms and headache could be a sign of the latest Omicron variant. The instructions were lengthy and confused, but Richard worked it out, and I did my test.</p><p>Negative.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgriqNaLKiVPT-YEbouCCDfPL0ioNzby_kuLkgvXqZWk_KoeofpAO9F-MlUqDLQy0ncmllgFONBqgi35Pgs-iYMoCShTbJSeougSQv7PgsoUxEAQTKgjub000-bFvgxvNYaxQLdJW5QZlnfW5-_t56zyH-prT0MiDAV2-v6mEBdo5LRFwKd1A=s1330" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="negative Covid test" border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1330" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgriqNaLKiVPT-YEbouCCDfPL0ioNzby_kuLkgvXqZWk_KoeofpAO9F-MlUqDLQy0ncmllgFONBqgi35Pgs-iYMoCShTbJSeougSQv7PgsoUxEAQTKgjub000-bFvgxvNYaxQLdJW5QZlnfW5-_t56zyH-prT0MiDAV2-v6mEBdo5LRFwKd1A=w320-h308" width="320" /></a></div><p>I was slightly surprised but highly relieved. However I was so tired that instead of playing a game with our friends in the evening, I went to read in bed with a warm wheat bag for company. </p><p>On Friday morning I woke at 4am again, this time with an absolutely raging headache, right across the front of my head. There was no way I could get back to sleep. I got up, and took some Solpadeine (after eating an apple to ensure my stomach wasn't empty). It helped somewhat, but not nearly as much as I would expect. A few hours later I took some aspirin and it did get a bit better.</p><p>But I felt quite grim; so before we headed out to do our weekly shopping, I did another home lateral flow test. </p><p>That, too, was negative.</p><p>So we shopped, and went through the day although I felt washed out, and in the evening we went to our friends' home as we usually do for a shared meal, though I could barely stay awake and we left well before 9pm. </p><p>On Saturday, another raging headache woke me up at 4am. I did not appreciate what seemed to be turning into a new daily routine. This time I just took paracetamol and dozed in my study. It very slowly got better, so that by 6am I was able to walk with Sheila. And for the first time in ages there was rather an attractive sky, though as ever a photo can't really do it justice: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEha5o0MLF8xVZYfUKOzPgYPsLYqTPeFiNf2FtxxSvq-v01syZsvO6hqpHAahJCuwntrr-MFOooqGYi0-tcNYkdfdczTB26PRObq4C-dMG1aNHtqQJAkYCFoXQnu6U6_DLcvY29U8s7IzYGTDnxQJBi2V33SqqRn_5nYwgpc4Kad3KxBBN9htQ=s1998" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="sunrise near the Salt Lake in Larnaka" border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1998" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEha5o0MLF8xVZYfUKOzPgYPsLYqTPeFiNf2FtxxSvq-v01syZsvO6hqpHAahJCuwntrr-MFOooqGYi0-tcNYkdfdczTB26PRObq4C-dMG1aNHtqQJAkYCFoXQnu6U6_DLcvY29U8s7IzYGTDnxQJBi2V33SqqRn_5nYwgpc4Kad3KxBBN9htQ=w400-h230" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>As I said to Sheila, I thought a good walk would either make me feel better, or wipe me out for the rest of the day. It seemed that the former was the case. Though very tired by the end of the walk, through the morning I did start to feel more myself again. I put clean sheets on the bed, and cleaned the bathrooms, and put away Friday's laundry, and mopped the floors... I took breaks in between each burst of activity, but I felt less much less washed out than before. </p><p>I still didn't feel up to playing a game in the evening, so when our friends came over, I went up for another evening with a book and a wheat bag. I was tired, but I also had a hunch that I really shouldn't be sitting close to folk and breathing on them. Even though my cold, as I thought, was almost entirely better.</p><p>On Sunday morning I woke early yet again... but only a slight headache this time, and getting out of bed eased it. I had a bit of a sore throat too, but more a tickle than anything. A glass of water helped that.</p><p>I went downstairs and since I felt quite wide awake for a change, I decided to finish a baby blanket I've been knitting off and on for the past six weeks or so. I not only finished the knitting, I sewed it all together - much easier while the cats were still asleep in the dining room. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkCopggZ5Lpk9pI8GKWdsNT-fhFmzgpQR1ni8oING4QDyv1kU6_qjLu5kzYxZ64cMnED1bRZVz-E29P1-HoSC8ORv_BT_EKOL4b6l2ZcDO2RrH3ptlddzdLPYVgy1j2p-1uckiScewjoE42AV9Gy1XjFU2OQIi1CdfOwREiCGoDEIhMqjw9Q=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="80cm square baby blanket for refugees" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkCopggZ5Lpk9pI8GKWdsNT-fhFmzgpQR1ni8oING4QDyv1kU6_qjLu5kzYxZ64cMnED1bRZVz-E29P1-HoSC8ORv_BT_EKOL4b6l2ZcDO2RrH3ptlddzdLPYVgy1j2p-1uckiScewjoE42AV9Gy1XjFU2OQIi1CdfOwREiCGoDEIhMqjw9Q=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></div><p>Then I squeezed orange juice and made our breakfasts, and turned the water heater on. I planned to go to church at 9.30 so couldn't wait for the sun to warm the water. </p><p>And then... being, basically, quite a responsible person (I hope), I thought that it would probably be a good idea to do one more home lateral flow test, before going out, just to be sure. There are some vulnerable folk at the church, after all, even though we are masked and distance. I had a busy day planned on Monday, too, with two different groups of people, and some of them are also vulnerable. </p><p>I want to say I was surprised that this test proved positive, but I had a strong hunch that it might. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpaFR3wMXD-erzimBbXB_9ktqOJqopQjLDHqURa48v5ZOo9d5gB3EVxsl9_BvtFQZ4Ix1tDNrLOeDS5YSqWNhOQrMptn6L6fDwlaBXJpCeNZWW0Y7jmGkaQL9eXQHkCizK_BvlJvRQJXM8ocvqU7BnDg2SQW-GSXWJwR2uHcl2lMiY0yZx1A=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpaFR3wMXD-erzimBbXB_9ktqOJqopQjLDHqURa48v5ZOo9d5gB3EVxsl9_BvtFQZ4Ix1tDNrLOeDS5YSqWNhOQrMptn6L6fDwlaBXJpCeNZWW0Y7jmGkaQL9eXQHkCizK_BvlJvRQJXM8ocvqU7BnDg2SQW-GSXWJwR2uHcl2lMiY0yZx1A=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Richard took one too, and his was negative, so he was able to go and set up the livestream at church. Vaccinated close contacts don't need to isolate here though tests are recommended.</p><p>Chatting online with my son later, I learned that with the Omicron variant it's not uncommon for lateral flow tests not to pick up an infection in the first few days. That's because it mainly replicates in the throat rather than the nose. This is why it's less likely to lead to lung problems, which is good; but it means that the home tests are less helpful in ensuring that someone is safe to visit vulnerable relatives.</p><p>Instructions are (we thought) clear: On receiving a positive home test result, we are supposed to contact our personal doctor who will arrange for a PCR test. And, indeed, <a href="https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/new-instructions-about-confirmed-cases-and-closed-contacts/" target="_blank">this article</a> is a clarification that was published a couple of days ago, including: </p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.375; margin: 0px auto 26px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"></p><blockquote><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.375; margin: 0px auto 26px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><i>As soon as they test positive, the confirmed cases must:</i></p><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 26px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 21px;"><i>Go in self-isolation</i></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 21px;"><i>Inform their personal physician</i></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 21px;"><i>Inform their closed contacts, employer, school, military camp, and so forth</i></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 21px;"><i>Will get out of self-isolation only after the days, provided by the protocol, have passed</i></li></ul></blockquote><p>(There's also a rather mystifying comment that confirmed cases cannot use any mass media... I suspect this is a mistranslation of something, as I see no possible reason why I shouldn't watch television or read a newspaper if I wished to.)</p><p>However, as it was Sunday, we couldn't reach our personal doctor by phone. I sent a text to her mobile number, but had no response.</p><p>So I called the official hotline and a helpful man asked if I were vaccinated (yes, but not yet boosted), and if I had any symptoms (not really, I said, other than a slight sore throat and explained that I had symptoms the previous few days). </p><p>Okay, the guy said, the best thing was to isolate for the day, and contact the doctor on Monday morning. She would then give me a code to authorise an official PCR test, he told me. And then I would have to isolate for ten days, although possibly I could count Sunday as the first. </p><p>I stayed in my study all day. Richard cooked, and did the washing up, and re-made Tim's room back into a bedroom so he could sleep there while I isolate, even from him. I had already contacted our friends - we had only seen members of this one family all week - and they went for tests, which were negative. I let folk know I wouldn't be at any meetings on Monday. </p><p>I read a book, and wrote emails and Facebook messages on the computer, and did a few bits and pieces... and then slept pretty well Sunday night. I don't like having to isolate from my husband but we're fortunate to have a big enough house that it's possible without my being stuck in just one room. When I go into the kitchen, or other shared space, I wear my mask. Also when I am with the cats, who totally refuse to isolate from me. </p><p>On Monday morning Richard called our personal doctor. The receptionist said that since I didn't have any serious symptoms, I didn't need a PCR test. Instead, she said, I should just go for a rapid test, and if it was positive the result would get recorded in the system and my official isolation could start. When Richard queried this, the receptionist checked with the doctor who said that yes, that was correct. </p><p>We drove to the underground carpark at the mall where the official free testing happens, but there was quite a long queue. So we decided to go to the lab we went to in the summer and pay five euros rather than waiting around for half an hour or more. </p><p>And.... the lab test came back negative. </p><p>But by this stage I was feeling as if I had a slight cold - and my intuition still told me that I probably did have Covid, even if so mildly that it couldn't be detected by an antigen test two days later. My intuition can, of course, be wrong. But I don't think I'm a hypochondriac, and besides, it's better to be over-cautious as far as Covid is concerned than to risk other people's health.</p><p>So we agreed that I would continue isolating for the rest of the day, and Tuesday too, as minimum. On Tuesday morning I would do another self-test, and - if negative - I would be careful for a couple of days until the slight cold was gone, and then go back into circulation.</p><p>But this morning's test was not negative. It looked even more strongly positive than the one on Sunday: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd0zrKDByeTUbSvUyHPiVoSfqrSOcRb8MdJ5Zd5CbsYnXF0h8ZApzUM26bEWK3F0Lt2eoM62e1KtFg99jAhevrPmakEBvxg_9N0erycpOO_yHFnQ_rJHg5GQG1oGnFzf1NDGbVvTp00CiLLJaZ870tsBVmTiWWHFXEih9rioRqqS1UxbEcsg=s1024" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd0zrKDByeTUbSvUyHPiVoSfqrSOcRb8MdJ5Zd5CbsYnXF0h8ZApzUM26bEWK3F0Lt2eoM62e1KtFg99jAhevrPmakEBvxg_9N0erycpOO_yHFnQ_rJHg5GQG1oGnFzf1NDGbVvTp00CiLLJaZ870tsBVmTiWWHFXEih9rioRqqS1UxbEcsg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>What to do? There didn't seem to be any point contacting the doctor again, since the negative lab test yesterday effectively released me - I only took the one today to be certain. I would probably be told to ignore the home tests. I don't want to have to pay for a PCR test, which could take a few days to come through anyway, and I would then have to isolate for ten days further. <br /><p>A bit of research turned up <a href="https://ciba-cy.org/free-of-charge-covid-19-self-tests-for-citizens-as-of-21-december-2021/" target="_blank">this page</a> relating to the home tests. The instructions on that, right at the bottom, are rather different from those quoted above: </p><p><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1b; font-size: 16px;"><i></i></span></p><blockquote><i><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1b; font-size: 16px;">In case of a </span><strong style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px rgb(226, 226, 226); box-sizing: inherit; color: #1c1c1b; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">positive result</strong><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1b; font-size: 16px;">, citizens must contact the Coordination of Public Health Clinics via email... </span><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1b; font-size: 16px;">by sending their identification details... as well as a photo of their positive self-test.</span></i></blockquote><span face="Roboto, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1c1b; font-size: 16px;"></span><p></p><p>Okay.</p><p>So I composed a lengthy email (no, not as long as this blog post!) describing my symptoms and the tests, attaching the photo of the second positive home test as above. I said I have no more symptoms other than a mild cold; I haven't had a fever since Thursday, and then only a mild one (if at all). I mentioned the official negative test. I told them I have been isolating since Sunday.</p><p>I asked them what I am supposed to do. </p><p>About half an hour later, I received a response. It said:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Default Sans Serif", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Default Sans Serif", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><i>Your request has been received.</i></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Default Sans Serif", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Default Sans Serif", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></p><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Default Sans Serif", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Default Sans Serif", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Default Sans Serif", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><i>Should we require further information we will contact you.</i></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Default Sans Serif", Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><i></i></span></p><p>I have done my duty. Indeed, I feel I have gone above and beyond, by taking the tests on Sunday and today, neither of which were required after the negative tests. I will continue to isolate for at least another couple of days but am not sure what else I can do. </p><p>If anyone has any words of wisdom, please comment... </p><p><i>(Continuation, official recovery and release in the next post: <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/01/isolating-in-cyprus-recovering-and.html">https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2022/01/isolating-in-cyprus-recovering-and.html</a>) </i></p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11180319.post-4434330677386849412021-12-24T18:20:00.003+02:002021-12-24T18:23:10.059+02:00Christmas Eve 2021<p> As has become a tradition, I'm writing a post on Christmas Eve to wish a very happy Christmas to anyone who might read this. I don't suppose I'll turn my computer on at all tomorrow. </p><p>So in keeping with the annual posts on this date, I'll begin with a photo of our Christmas cake which I iced this morning and decorated in much the same way as I have every other year. I was tired - it's been a stressful year, and a surprisingly busy December - so didn't feel like anything more creative: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgO2BOFf_aLntjO9isN_wKDB3hBEnN0QKjUqlJ4u42YQygdL5w2ELJqRJRlyPCxJBcoLQpHjxn80hiiVu1rWGZXryKE1zLTa7VyOoxH3jmjkuyAID42Lg-lygSjJMovSYurXAH8vkcc6q3NbMQk8qv3ljiiEmIMvvMrzq5gylqfCGdHZNOKkQ=s1407" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christmas cake 2021" border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="1407" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgO2BOFf_aLntjO9isN_wKDB3hBEnN0QKjUqlJ4u42YQygdL5w2ELJqRJRlyPCxJBcoLQpHjxn80hiiVu1rWGZXryKE1zLTa7VyOoxH3jmjkuyAID42Lg-lygSjJMovSYurXAH8vkcc6q3NbMQk8qv3ljiiEmIMvvMrzq5gylqfCGdHZNOKkQ=w320-h291" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Richard and Tim took over the kitchen after I had done that, preparing and cooking the turkey. We always do this on Christmas Eve now; after it had stood for half an hour or so after being cooked, Richard carved it and it's now in the fridge in a roasting pan, so it can easily be reheated for an hour in the oven tomorrow. That way it can be served hot, rather than cooling down as everyone waits for it to be carved.</p><p>I'm not sure why I'm quite so tired this year; perhaps it's just my advancing years meaning I can do less. I've tried to limit extra baking and cooking to just one thing per day, and have not turned the computer on until after lunch. This means I've been slightly more productive in the kitchen than usual, but considerably less productive at the computer. </p><p>In the early part of the month, other than making some mince pies (as mentioned <a href="https://cypruslife.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-first-week-of-december.html" target="_blank">in my last post</a>) I didn't do much extra cooking; instead I focused on writing and posting cards, and organising Christmas presents for the extended family in the UK. However on December 9th I made three Christmas puddings, seen here in the steamer:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAeeENG8_JEo58E5kRMUIvaKtUIjxBmbqQQe1mi32qyBdyy3uxE__gXWj7LBSDnwdT5F3M7J54Ebt5xDDaqW-PLgqpBwGOeHQnRJfCawHDZpy87qIbqceywePB3QcdwM2TGhtqjHb6qCblt_guloRjmIXtcY873_bWA_Opm1hKQM2YrTpx_g=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christmas puddings in the steamer" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAeeENG8_JEo58E5kRMUIvaKtUIjxBmbqQQe1mi32qyBdyy3uxE__gXWj7LBSDnwdT5F3M7J54Ebt5xDDaqW-PLgqpBwGOeHQnRJfCawHDZpy87qIbqceywePB3QcdwM2TGhtqjHb6qCblt_guloRjmIXtcY873_bWA_Opm1hKQM2YrTpx_g=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>A couple of days later, I tried out a recipe which claimed to be 'failsafe' (a politer way, I suppose, of saying 'foolproof'), <a href="https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/other-dessert/failsafe-lemon-bars.html?" target="_blank">lemon bars:</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXsTXzOYYisY06L6iDq93kcikU5eSSnexYgUea4ix8d1jqZgjdcJQXu5nQY1668ZY_IDa3I6jSHogOKN_ocljDmrxO6mzRV8BDWInF0lRqnIgFL7QNXclK4sjlUHTxPejy02c13mcPGSpVUo0F20Py-88TF7YLVaON_XkYXOyjxkWlidBxVQ=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lemon bars" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXsTXzOYYisY06L6iDq93kcikU5eSSnexYgUea4ix8d1jqZgjdcJQXu5nQY1668ZY_IDa3I6jSHogOKN_ocljDmrxO6mzRV8BDWInF0lRqnIgFL7QNXclK4sjlUHTxPejy02c13mcPGSpVUo0F20Py-88TF7YLVaON_XkYXOyjxkWlidBxVQ=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I used dairy-free spread instead of butter, of course, and half wholewheat flour in the base, and made exactly three-quarters of the given amount to fit my tin. But other than those modifications, I made it exactly as given... it was very tasty, but quite messy to get out of the tin. I wished I had greased it although the recipe specifically stated that an ungreased tin should be used. </p><p>However they seemed to be appreciated by the Larnaka Christian Writers' Group; the December meeting was held at our house, followed by our usual pre-Christmas potluck/shared lunch. Much food was enjoyed by nine of us. </p><p>When I made the lemon slices again a few days ago (they really did taste good, definitely repeatable...) I used a silicon sheet underneath and greased the sides, and they came out rather better. </p><p>I made other things to freeze for Christmas, managing to find space in the freezer although it's not easy, and did some extra cleaning, including Tim's room after Richard did significant amounts of tidying. Yes, despite Omicron and increased Covid restrictions, our younger son was able to fly here on Monday. He said the flight was crowded and rather scary as several of the passengers were not wearing masks, or not wearing them properly. But he's here, and has finished the few days of isolating with us (Cyprus distinguishes 'isolation' from 'strict isolation', the latter only coming into play if someone tests positive).</p><p>We went to the Post Office yesterday to see if there was any mail and were surprised by quite a number of Christmas cards. Usually the majority don't arrive until after Christmas, so we keep them and then put them up the following year. But we've had quite a few now, which is nice:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTHlYm8-qSjid4Kc37-L2D248ybzHaKXAGw_XJGGkyuLHkdd8bOLIoct0OIatRgebAiowalhT-XiwRbhmKKGMyOnBzGeyPSHgaE45cF80PO3XvXVZbkZpOwVDNF_oEW92er3EY7GB8QYX3o6teDnINu4wX_PaRA8iiwS_aBtS7SdHEEaoErQ=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christmas cards" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTHlYm8-qSjid4Kc37-L2D248ybzHaKXAGw_XJGGkyuLHkdd8bOLIoct0OIatRgebAiowalhT-XiwRbhmKKGMyOnBzGeyPSHgaE45cF80PO3XvXVZbkZpOwVDNF_oEW92er3EY7GB8QYX3o6teDnINu4wX_PaRA8iiwS_aBtS7SdHEEaoErQ=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></div><p>We send most of our Christmas greetings by email, with an update of a few significant events from the past year - most of which can be found by browsing this blog, despite the distinct lack of entries for the year. </p><p>Tomorrow we'll be going to St Helena's for the morning service, where Tim will be playing, then back here to finish lunch preparations. Our friends will be joining us, with four of their children - not really children any more as the youngest is eleven . We'll eat too much then play board games, and then eat some more. And we'll try to remember the real reason for Christmas amidst the light-hearted indulgences of the day. </p><p>Wishing every blessing to all who read this, with a safe and happy celebration in whatever form it takes. And praying for a more hopeful New Year. </p>Suehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.com1