Sometimes.........

When I take a step back and have a look at where we live and how we are living compared to this time last year it all goes a bit wobbly and feels rather odd.  Last November we were struggling with frozen ice on the livestock water, making sure the animals were warm and well fed and beginning to think about mating the goats ready kidding in the spring.   We miss it, miss all the hard work and all the joy we got from the smallholding, but we remind ourselves that we have all that to come again in 2018 when our time in Cyprus will be over and the next adventure will begin.  For the time being though we have no problems with frozen water but oh my we did have a problem with the pool which in a matter of days transformed itself into a wildlife pond.

Slowly and steadily we lost our pool, as the pump stopped working, the pipes started leaking and the pool liner sprung a leak.  Before the remaining water was pumped out it turned an incredible shade of green, the mosquitos laid their larva and the wagtails moved in to feast on the insects.  Oh and the dragonflys, we had a zillion of them, beautiful red dragonflys who were particularly camera shy.

Phillipos arrived and drained what was left of the water, then lifted the patio tiles and dug enormous holes to replace and repair pipework.  Then the pond liner was removed, it was all a bit dismal having a big concrete hole in the garden, I much preferred the wildlife pond and the dragonflys.

Phillipos returned and a magnificent blue liner was fitted, the garden started to cheer up again.

I was assuming we would pop the hose in the pool and turn the tap on to fill it, but no, here they have tankers that deliver water, an enormous amount of water which filled the pool in less than half and hour, the hose option would have taken days.

And there you have it, our lovely pool it back to how it should be, and the good news is the wagtails are still visiting.  The temperatures have dipped here and the water temperature has dropped considerably but boys will be boys and yesterday I was sat crocheting in the garden and Andy emerged from the house in a small kinda wetsuit thing with a big grin on his face declaring that he just had to have a swim, test the pool out!!! I think his brain was still suffering the effects of the huge amount of beer he consumed the night before at the pantomime, so I quickly picked up my camera thinking to myself that this could be fun to watch!  He jumped in the deep end........................and squealed.................loudly............and then tried to run across the pool whilst telling anyone who could hear him that it was freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezing , teeth chattering he climbed out and got dried off quick smart, speed was of the essence .................and this from the man who insisted on wearing shorts to bonfire night!

So it looks like Andy will have to wait until atleast April to resume his early morning swim.

Beccy xx

Fireworks on the Beach

Everything about Bonfire Night in Cyprus is a little strange.

It is November, its Bonfire Night, so you need to get wrapped up in boots, hats, scarfs and gloves..............well atleast that is what every instinct is telling you to do but the reality is this bonfire takes place on a beach surrounded by palm trees here.

Now it wasn t really really warm, the temperatures are really beginning to dip, especially at night,  but hats, scarf and gloves weather it wasn't but I did still wear jeans and my Doc's the whole idea of shorts to a bonfire wasn't working for me.

Then we arrive and my head is telling me we should be eating hotdogs and warming my hands around a lovely hot drink of soup, well we did have hotdogs but with lovely refreshing pint of beer, and there were plenty of folks pootling around in shorts and t shirts, including Andy!

It was all a little bizarre but we had a great night.

The other thing that feels a little alien is Christmas.

It is apparently not long until the big day, well I know it isn't because we have British Forces telly so I ve seen the adverts and there are a few signs of Christmas here but nothing like you will all have in the UK.  So sitting here in my shorts and a t shirt watching some chaps repair our swimming pool while pondering about Christmas seems all peculiar too.

We will be back in the UK for Christmas and then nipping over to France for the New Year so I imagine the whole Christmas bandwagon will hit me at some point but just at the moment even considering dressing in a seasonal party frock seems a little alien to me.

Dressing in a party frock I will be doing though as we have a few 'do's' to attend, the first of which was last Friday, we donned our glad rags and attended  the Colonel's retirement party at the Officers Mess.  The whole evening was fascinating as we observed and learnt about military pomp, splendor and traditions, I loved it, but then I love history and traditions so it suited me.  The whole idea of only being allowed to leave the table at an allocated time for a comfort break did throw a few folks into a whirlwind though!  I was a bit rubbish on the picture taking front too and this is the only one I managed to snap.

The refugee situation is progressing slowly so hopefully normal service will be resumed shortly and Andy will be rambling on at you.  In the meantime though I should get the sewing machine out, I need to make a party frock, I ve already bought three formal evening dresses so am giving the finances a chance to replenish by whizzing up a little black sparkly number on the sewing machine.

xxxx

Long time no post.............

Sorry for the absence folks but it has been a busy few weeks.  Andy is very preoccupied with 115 refugees, it is complicated, actually, really really complicated and probably not for blogging about so I ll just say the chances of him blogging any time soon are remote so you ll have to put up with me.

So our car eventually arrived, and just in time too, it arrived 2 days before the Reed Boys flew in so the timing was perfect.  Sam and Matt jetted in on the Saturday and I think one of the first things they commented on was how hot it was!!!! During our journey to the airport Andy and I had been discussing what a shame it was that the weather had cooled down!!!!!! I guess its all relative.

So we spent a whirlwind week being tourists, think the boys went back to the UK a tad exhausted. Most of our days out were in northern Cyprus.   The following pics were taken at the ancient ruins of Salamis just north or Famagusta, where those Reed boys became small boys again resorting to climbing the ruins, walls and exploring............... As an aside, the Turkish name for Famagusta is Gazimagusa, I much prefer Gazimagusa it just rolls off the tongue and is a fantastic name!  Anyway, on to the piccies...........

We walked, climbed and wandered around every inch of Salamis, and were relieved it wasn't as warm as it had been the previous week, sightseeing in August would be a terrible plan!  So we left Salamis and parked up in the old town area of Gazimaguza (Famagusta), we will be going back there regularly, it was beautiful and so 'untouristy' I could sit in the square drinking Turkish coffee to my hearts content listening to the call to prayer.  Those Reed boys though, had more climbing plans.

The boys having a 'mother's meeting' 

One of the highlights for the boys was a trip to Agia Napa and Hokkaido's.
This restaurant serves the most wonderful Japanese food which is cooked in front of you in a manner that can only be described as pure gastranomic theatre.

There are flames, egg juggling, magic hats, customer participation, food, more food and more egg juggling.  I must also add the food is delicious and really unique, it definitely is the place to go for a celebration.

Sam and Matt both remember the restaurant from when they lived here and had requested a return trip, apparently it hasn't changed atall and was just as good as they remember, and they even cracked a smile a two.

We finished up the week with another trip over the green line and into northern Cyprus.  This time to Kyrenia to do yet more castle wall climbing.

Having taken a precarious journey up and over the mountains we realised the Turkish Cypriots were even more erratic and mad drivers than the Greek Cypriots in the south!!.  Apparently the thing to do is to overtake at speed going downhill on a blind bend, and this rule doesn't just apply to cars, lorries do it too!!!!!!!!!!

So having gawped at the view and being gobsmacked at the driving we arrived in Kyrenia, a bustling city with an incredible charm and an amazing castle.

Sorry Sam I couldn't resist posting this pic, its just funny !!!

They jetted off again leaving us to sleep and recover for a day before Andy returned to work.

xxx