The case of the blushing tomato and the introvert

I should’ve been feeling on top of the world after weeks of bitching about my hair and getting (as always) a super cut from the lovely Nickola on Monday.

I knew the tomatoes were about to blush and when I went into the garden yesterday about four of my treasures were in splendid colour of pink checks.

Seeing them and tending the pansies on the window sill, who are not happy as usual, my mind turned back a couple of years or so when I read an article which shook me to the core and answered so many questions for me that it was like a penny slot machine at the end of the pier paying out the jackpot.

It was about being an introvert, the face you show to others and what really goes on in your head.

The definition as shown on the iPad is “a shy, reticent person who can be quiet and unresponsive”.

To take this a step further I looked up ‘reticent’ which was shown as “not revealing one’s feelings or thoughts”.

I wish I could remember where I saw the original article because it summed up a lot more.  It even included that as a child you would not want to mix with others or socialise.

My view is that this can lead to difficult times when trying to mix in with people and not being very successful or comfortable with it.

Maybe this is why I enjoy the garden, and was not unhappy with being on lockdown so did not have to appear a misery for not wanting to go out.

I don’t have to explain myself to plants or flowers, just do my very best to have a splendid show and be able to enjoy them as much as possible.

Well,  I wasn’t expecting this to be so serious but sometimes things are.

On a lighter note we had the joy of shopping this morning to stock up on some things that the local kiosk don’t stock.  Up at the crack of dawn and supermarket at 7!  Well worth it though, we virtually had the shop to ourselves and managed to get almost everything on the list.

I haven’t touched my colouring for ages so may get that out and just chill today.  The elephant is looking splendid and may make it into the room.

Hive of domestic activity

I have certainly had a busy few days which were nothing to do with the Cyprus lockdown coming to an end.  I think it was just a burst of energy after some very hot days and me getting bored of sitting around.

I have started to put the spring garden pots to bed, and get some ready for maybe a bit of autumn planting once the scorching sun has left us.  This is my new theory this year to try and plant at the right time and not loose plants and then feel disappointed.

Having said all that, there are still lots of interesting things going on in the garden and, as always, plenty of weeding and clearing back overgrown stuff.  When we first came to Cyprus an agent told us the things in Cyprus grows three times faster than in England.  Oh yeah, thought I, not believing a word.  Well I should have listened.

The end of lockdown (for now) had left a strange feeling not to have the restraints going on.  We went into Polis (our local town) the other day and made four stops for different things.  We did feel that we may have someone tap us on the shoulder at any minute.

But on the up, up, up side it is hair cut day tomorrow at 10.15.  Oh, I can’t wait.  Other than that it has  all been quite low key.

We see from the papers there were no new cases reported yesterday, long may that continue.

I finally finished taking up some trousers I hade bought from Cotton Trader, I am quite liking their clothes, colours sizing and quality and definitely style.  Probably what I may call ‘smart casual’.

Martin found the pool shop open yesterday and stopped off to ask about us getting a hand rail fitted at the side of the steps to make it easier to get in and out.  Man said no problem, so we hope to get that done in the next week or so.

I have finally found a recipe that allows me to make scones successfully for once.  This is about the fourth time I have tried this, all getting a bit expensive now!

Dog and cats all fine and coping with weather.  I have prepared Daisy Dog some frozen bananas which apparently dogs enjoy and can help to cool them down if they overheat.  Mmmm.  Worth a try.

I still have spring onions to wash, cut up and freeze but think that job can wait until tomorrow - don’t have to rush these things.

Hope you all have a good weekend what ever you are doing.

Hot, hot, hot

It is funny the way things have a habit of jumping out at you when you least expect it and maybe need it most (or wish for it at best).  This has happened to me this week regarding a bikini of all things.

Now I am not the worlds greatest swimmer - far from it in face since it took me until I was 51 years old, had met Martin and we went on the most fabulous holiday to Goa where he taught me to swim.

Now that says one hell of a lot about our relationship - but that may be a story for another day.

Ten years later we moved to Cyprus and each year I try and get in the pool and manage a few swimming strokes and sometimes as much as half a length.

I used to have a swimming costume but it is now far too small for me having put on a considerable of weight.  It is also far to hot and I am now a bit too old to do my impression of a bendy doll to get into it so have been keeping an eye out for a suitable bikini, which one of the fab ladies on the Frock up Friday Facebook page was wearing.

Looked absolutely ideal, shape, size etc so sent her a message and she kindly sent me details were she got hers from.

All I have too do now is take a bottle of tranquilisers and go internet shopping - all in an effort to cool off.

Will keep you updated.

Martin has now recovered from his bout of sore throat and I think to medicine must have been rocket fuel, very effective and worked a dream.

I found myself having do a major save job on some of the salad pots in the garden after them being left without water on Saturday, but they too seem to have made a recovery.

I will try and get a picture up on here of some rather BIG orange lilies.  This is there second year and all from four small bulbs bought in a. Supermarket.

I expect people are looking forward to the lifting of restrictions.  We were asking each other what were we most looking forward to doing,  difficult question because although I have wished lockdown was for a different reason, I haven’t minded being tied to the house.

One thing I must mention is a big big thank you to our local kiosk in Argaka who have given a splendid service with delivering our (and others) shopping.  I do hope they carry on this after all the virus has stopped, gone away or whatever it is finally go to do.  They have been so brave together with shop workers and pharmacies who have kept going so we can keep going.

Please feel free to share this blog with family and friends.  By the way I recently mentioned Martin’s blog, but put the wrong address, if you are interested the correct address is

            Ourcyprusdream.blogspot.com

Not a good time....

It has only been four short days since my birthday, and for the last three of them Martin has been poorly with a progressively painful sore throat.  So much so that we trundled off to our docs in Polis, where we sat like two naughty children being told off for not going the day before when we might have stood a better chance of seeing a ENT doctor.  For god’s sake, did we write the rules.

Anyway, much against better judgement, coupled with not having any luck ringing around Gysey doctors , we made a panic phone call to our dog sitter (the lovely Anne) to see if she could mind the dog for us while we went off in search of medical assistance.

She said ‘no probem’ so we did an about turn and shot down to Paphos.

My god, it is like a military operation down there, mixed with the fact that Martin was hardly able to speak, I think the nurses were running a bit low on their ‘ skills’, not for the first time in my experience, unfortunately.  But we managed to break the language barrier and get Martin to be seen by the Triarge nurse.

I won’t  bore you with the next three blisteringly hours while I waited outside and Martin was left to sit in a waiting area, cubicle, wait for news of what was happening, was he to see a ENT doctor and so on.

We made the decision I should come home as the odds of him being kept in overnight were climbing.

Now we hit a snag!  I have only driven a short distance once in about 18 months.  The trip from the hospital is around 45 minutes.  I know Martin takes me back and forth all the time But even so it was a very stressful thing.

Pleased to say, I got back safely with only managing to piss off a minimal amount of other drivers.  And that it with the roads being almost empty.

And would you believe it,  just got in the door, greeted Daisy and Anne, was filling Anne in on the gen and the phone rang.  Martin 'hi darling, where are you?'  Me 'Well, I have just got in the door and am seeing Anne off'.  Martin 'would you like to come and get me?  They have said I can go home.

Now, I have had some mixed reactions in my time and this was one of those times.  I love my husband and didn't want him to be ill.  BUT..... and I know all about this is supposed to be unconditional , well let me tell you at that moment IT WAS.

Good play, need to go to the loo and see Anne off and I will ring you back.

Bugger, I don't want to drive back down.  Went through my contact list on my phone, no one I could call to help out.  Went through cards in my purse...ah,ha.  A taxi firm.  Gave them a try and they really came up trumps.  Bit pricey but well worth it,  five minutes later got confirmation from Martin head been picked up and was on his way.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

More garden stuff tomorrow.

Oh, nearly forgot,  if you enjoy blogs try Martins - ourcyprusdream.blog.com

Wonderful birthday

I had an amazing day yesterday, which was my birthday.

 I don’t usually like a fuss but this year is quite a significant one so we pushed the boat out a bit.  I also had Martin to join me on what is now his ‘official’  birthday.  His real day is at the end of February when it is usually still quite chilly and not much open if we want to go out for a meal.

After brunch we spent the afternoon in the garden with a bottle (or two) of bubbly.  Lots of sun with a hint of a breeze just to make it an ideal temperature.

Due to lock down we went for fillet steak, home made chips, and quite a nice red wine.

To recover from the meal we settled down to watch a feel good movie  ‘The Holiday’.

I had some lovely messages and my daughter sent a message, feel for her.  She was hoping to see some rules being relaxed so she could at least get to see some friends.

Another fab day today, we dipped our feet in the pool yesterday and hoping for it to be warm enough for a full dip soon.  I am going to need a rail fitted to the steps to give me a hand getting in and out.  Also need to sort out new swimwear that fits, having put on quite a bit of weight since giving up smoking.  But I am not moaning, I needed to.  😎

We have to try and go to the bank tomorrow, bills to pay!  The trouble is the customers all push and shove together.  Will just have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, the garden continues to flourish, will get some more pics on here.

Hope you are enjoying my musings, see you soon.

I

I think I may have always been a technophobe - but the older I get the worse it gets.  Or is it just because I am retired and don't use my brain enough.  Ho well,. Not to worry.  I shall work on the

photos in time.  Meanwhile, enjoy the pool shower tray!
 

Washing machine and other joys

It has been a mixed day today, in a good way.  Woke up at 6 to the start of a sunny day.  Washing machine finally fixed late yesterday afternoon and was happy to get on and do one wash immediately to go out this morning. Made coffee and went back to bed until the rest of the gang woke up,  then we were all up and awake, cats in demanding pit stops and fresh water.

Daisy always pees on the floor overnight so that needs mopping.  We never knew Daisy’s background and overtime has become more confident.  Consequently she never gets told off for peeing.

One of the things I love in the morning is after my first cup of coffee to go outside and look at the garden and the view which stretches down from our garden fence.  Not many people even know our house is here.

The garden is looking splendid this year with me having the time to spend on thinking through the mistakes of previous years.  Becky has urged me to get photos on this blog. I will try my best but don’t hold out much hope!

Well, loads of laundry done,on the line, dry and sorted so ironing to a minimum!

Just going to watch Johnson’s drivel so see you tomorrow,

Day off from garden

There is only so much time a girl can spend on a garden, and today was not one of them.  Yesterday was an up in the air day with number one pet being poorly and waiting for the washing machine man to appear as if by magic. He did not.

Actually I could happily spend hours in the garden but my body tells me sometimes enough is enough.  It should always be a joy to do, and the old bones are telling me stop,stand back and enjoy what you can see.

So, we decided to go and hunt down some fillet steak in preparation of our ‘at home’ birthday meal.

Also managed to pick up a dozen free range eggs for a bit of a splendid breakfast.  (Not all of them!)

This afternoon was our usual glass or two of something on the terrace and we got talking about what will it be like when bars reopen with restrictions on seating arrangements .  The outcome is we will probably wait and see what is on offer locally, without rushing in to anything.  We are very lucky on this part of the island that there have been very few cases confirmed.

On a brighter note, I took loads of photos of Daisy (our dog) yesterday with a view to try my hand at sketching.  Daughter Becky has set me a task of getting pictures uploaded to here.  Is she going to judge my sketching skills?  OMG - she has a degree in art, what hope is there for me.  Unless it was my brilliant sketching skills when she was very, very young that inspired her.  Watch this space.

Friend and friendship

Not much time being spent in the garden today as it has been trying to rain on and off most of the morning.

I am also trying to work out how to safely groom out big, grumpy cat - Honey - who is in mega need of a clean  up around her backside!  I may have to resort to the welding gloves we keep for putting logs on the fire.  Nothing else else would do but don’t want to freak her out even more, so she is having to stay outside and moan at us through the window.

I overdid it again in the garden yesterday, but I found myself musing about friendship.  I have never been a great one for leaping from acquaintance to best of friends, it’s just not me.  My nomadic upbringing may have something to do with it.

I have sometimes come across a person who has kept in in touch with school friends for 50 to 60 years and feel a certain amount of respect for them.

 This all led to me thinking about people I class as friends and who I have known for a long time:
my younger sister Sue who was born when I was six and left this life behind 18 months ago

my friend Karen who is in England - met some 30 something years ago and will always be there for each other

my daughter Rebecca who lives in Hastings and over the years has become a great daughter and hope I have developed into a great mum

my husband Martin.  He has seen me through the last couple of years above and beyond the call of duty. I bet he didn’t realise what he was signing up to when we met 18 years ago.  Thank you honey.

That’s about it really and I must say I count myself lucky.  I have met a few people since we have been in Cyprus who seem to be on the lookout for ‘friends’, my idea is it takes years to get to that stage in most cases.

One last thing before I go, today is another Frock up Friday.  If you haven’t heard of them it is a Facebook page set up a few weeks ago by a couple of women in Hastings to cheer people up during lockdown.  Dress up, glam up, post a photo on the page and see what other people are talking about. From about six people to start they now have over 12,000 members worldwide! Give it a go.

See you soon.

Delight

Delighted to welcome you to my page.

I have been wanting to start a blog for ages and just never got around to it, even with lockdown  giving me a chance to have a go.  Well, with my husband’s help I finally got up and running today.

I shall just be sharing day to day things which make me smile, have fun (in the sun, as we say in this house) and all the little things in between, which I hope you enjoy.

At the moment, like many, many other people, we are on virus lockdown.  I don’t mind it really.  We are lucky enough to have a super place to live situated in the middle of a field together with two cats and a dog,who continually fight for the top pet place.  We also have to share our bed and sofas with them.

At the moment we are waiting for the washing machine repair man to arrive as our machine died on us the first day of lock down and no one would come out.  Can’t wait!

I will try and get this ‘out there’ now and would ask you if think your friends may like this for them to take a look.

Thanks a lot and see you again soon.