In memory of Sue

 

 

Today’s blog is in remembrance of my sister who passed away two years ago.  The picture is a memory board put together by a very talented lady using a selection of Sue’s treasures and hangs on the wall in the sitting room.

Always in our thoughts Sue, sleep tight. xx

Mouse eats wire and I have a hole in my neck.....

 ..... but I am happy to say the two things are not connected.

Maybe should explain.

A couple of weeks ago we had evidence of a mouse in the house, having got rid of another rodent not so long ago.

On-site was back to the hardware shop to get the usual paraphernalia, which did not give us any results.

As usual, the cats thought it was all a bit beneath them to  bother, but the dog, feeling terribly brave, did try and break into a cupboard.

We did the usual things, empty cupboards scrub everything, etc etc.

A couple of days later we lost our internet connection.  Martin rang the company and a man appeared but could not fix it.

To cut a very long (12 days) story short, after numerous phone calls, numerous lies on the part of the company, and a trip byMrD to their office a man appeared at the house after another couple of days, looked at the cupboard the first guy had looked at, pulled a wire out of the wall and showed us it had been eaten by the bloody mouse

Well, he fixed it and the mouse has disappeared to god knows where.

Meanwhile the weather continues melt us and anything that needs doing has to get done before about 8 to 8.30.

I am really enjoying my summer haircut and went back for a ‘tidy up’ the other day.

I needed to go to the doctors for a couple of thing and while I was there got her to take a look at a syst I have had for some time but was becoming troublesome.

In accordance with the newish health scheme she gave me a referral to a general surgeon who has a clinic in Polis.  I rang him the next day, went to see him and he removed the offending thing there and then.  A couple of stitches later and I have was good to go.

All for the price of  6 euros!

It turns out he is the son of our landlord, small world.

The garden continues to be a complete joy.  We ordered two miniature lemon trees yesterday and this morning moved some pots so that when we get them they can just go in.  I also got a lavender  - fingers crossed on that one.  My sister always loved them and could grow them with her eyes shut.  

More about her next week.

Lemon trees and maybe a tiny gin!

I think I mentioned we had a lemon grove at the back of our house, which did not belong to the house.

There was an elderly Cypriot couple who would appear every now and then to pick lemons and maybe get some labourers to tidy the place up.

Well, it was 90 percent cut down a few months ago and we really miss it, especially when a cheeky gin is on the cards.

Martin has often said it would be fun to try and grow a fruit tree, so now we have two super terracotta pots after the gardener has re-vamped them all, so it makes sense to have a go.

We will do some home work and sort out getting a couple of trees.

In the meantime we are having great fun in the pool and Mr D getting in some serious swimming, which is something he promised himself in the winter with a view to getting a bit fitter.  I must say I am feeling the benefit of a bit of pretend swimming with my’noodle’.

I never knew just what that was till we came to Cyprus and a neighbour said I should try one.  Well, I thought she may be being a bit rude, but no, all very innocent and very helpful.

I don’t know if I feel sad or not, but a mad motorcyclist- aged 26 - killed himself on the coast road about 10 days ago at 4.30 in the morning.

No crash helmet, speeding, and apparently drunk.  So we have yet another unnecessary shrine by the road side and a grieving family.

I hate to say it but living here you get used to seeing the shrines, mainly for young men.

On a brighter note, I was talking to someone the other day about pâté, and the merits of our local butcher.

I have in my receipt file a Mary Berry receipt for chicken liver pâté and was inspired ( there’s that word again) to make some.  Well, it is lovely.  Only thing is I have decided we need a new liquidiser as ours has passed its sell by date.

Don’t really use it much since we got the soup maker!  Am I turning into a bit of a gadget freak?!

I’m off to make a humble salad now, stay cool.

Full of inspiration...

I used to work for a very practising Christian, very evangelical solicitor who would often say ‘God is good Ann’ and he really believed it.

The pity of it was I gave up believing when I was about 15.  Life had handed me enough smacks, I thought this is not for me, I don’t get any comfort from it.

In a way I was right because the smacks just kept on coming until I started to see some light at the end of the tunnel in the early 80s, and l started to learn how to handle things.  Took a long time and I am still learning, but one day it will all fit together.

It’s a bit like the unfinished jigsaw under the spare bed, every now and again I take it out and fit in a few more pieces, and then pop it back again.

Well, today I am full of inspiration, which has been building up for a few days now.

This, in particular, has come from the ‘Garden Crew’ arriving for the third time yesterday and the garden is transformed... and still more to go.

I can now cope with the bits I want to do without letting it all overwhelm me.

I have always found it hard to ask for help in any sort of way, but having discussed the whole situation with Mr D we decided to go ahead and ask them.

I think the good thing is they seem to understand what I am looking for, and are happy to help, suggest and advise in a way that does not take over.

Having said all that, and given the dreadful state of the world with this vile virus, I have to say I am generally at peace with myself and the world.

To top off my mood this morning I got two new sun dresses when we went into Polis today,  so feeling rather blessed with everything.  Long may it continue.

Thank you for reading,  see you all soon.

My Blog/Life balance

I try very hard to get a really nice blog/life balance by spending a few days doing various things, maybe take a few photos to include and then settle down to  have a chat with a few people who come to read my ramblings (and myself).

That's the idea - but in reality is doesn't really happen like that.  Mainly due to the hot weather, but also the odd hours I seem to keep.  Awake about 6.00 or, if I am lucky about 7.00.

I always have a good list of things I want to do or which need to be done as part of running the house.

A big help has been the finding of our garden gang who have now been twice.  The difference is incredible, which inspires me more.

Also the gang have been gardening in the hot climate for a number of years and are far more experienced than my 'hit and miss' attitude.

Still,  it is fun, just wish I could get a few more people to read the blog. Our local barmaid, who is  quite young (compared to me) has been reading  it and was asking quite a lot about setting one up.  We told her some of the easy ins and outs so she may have a go.

I hope she does, not a lot to do in this area so would add another string to her bow.

I claimed back the spare bedroom recently and swopped it into a sort of study come junk area.

I decided the other day it would be better turned around the other way, which Mr D did for me in about 10 very sweaty minutes.

It now works much better and can get a nice breeze going through.

I am so glad to have had a new look hair cut for the summer.  So much easier.

So on that note I will carry on working on my balance and see you all soon.

Going back to ‘time to meet the pets’

When I wrote about our pets I mentioned our rather odd cat Jazz and how she plays hide and seek, otherwise known as catch me if you can.

Well, I did just that the other day when we were all suffering from the heat and she had found a wonderful shady patch.

Not happy I has spotted her though....

See what you think.....

Get these musings out of my head!

This last seven or eight days have been so full of things and busy days I need some time to catch my breath.

Mainly good, nice things have been happening but, as I have learnt on several occasions, don’t get too comfy or you will get pulled up sharply.

Best this week was the finding of a gardening crew who we have used before and were wonderful then.  Still wonderful and they have agreed to maintain the garden and leave my bits to me.  The first thing they did was to sort out a very over grown yellow flowering tree which wanted to play at being a triffid with the pump house.

Next week will be the other side of the garden (which they worked on last year) and clearing my only    planting bed in readiness to transplant some of the tomatoes and put some different things in.

I have a new toy for the house as recommended by my very clever niece (in more ways than one).  It is a floor mop with a difference.  Sounds a bit boring but not at all.  All singing, all dancing, easygoing, swivelled head, light, and almost replaces my cleaner by making washing the floors so easy.

Simple things please simple minds!

I am on the verge of loosing another tooth... if I were to wear black clothe I may pass off as a Cypriot ‘yaya’

We are in another lockdown, this time due to the extreme heat which makes very bad air quality.

We did get the air con units serviced today and were horrified at what we saw inside them.  We never realised what would happen if they were not done every year.  Another little thing our landlord failed in.

We got Daisy the dog her very own fan which sits next to her house.  She is quite fascinated and asked if it wanted to come inside! I had to explain that fans don’t go in the doghouse.