Sunday 30 August 2015

Polis Book Club

Ann has decided to start a book club in Polis. The inaugural meeting will take place at 15.00 at King's Café in Polis Square on Wednesay 23rd September.

All bibliophiles are welcome and please contact Ann for further details of the club and the first book to be discussed at anndouglas2@mac.com

Friday 28 August 2015

13 years and counting ...

Yesterday was our ninth wedding anniversary, and our thirteenth year together. And they said it wouldn't last till Easter.

A happy day, but still tinged with sadness after the recent death of our friend Dave Travis. Today we lunched with his widow, Pam, and it was good to see her again.

Tomorrow is yet to dawn and the sun will shine and life has to go on, but this is a real struggle for us.


Saturday 22 August 2015

If you want to gossip, prepare to take the consequences ...

Since my friend Dave's death, I have been working on a post entitled "In Memoriam ... Dave Travis" and I have been finding it pretty difficult. I am never at a loss for words but sometimes words fail me.

The expat community in this corner of Cyprus has been working overtime to come up with theories, gossip, and generally unpleasant comments about the death of our friend. We have both heard such ridiculous details and suggestions that I am literally speechless as to how uncaring and uncouth some people can be.

Ann and I have been "in the bubble" for the last couple of weeks as we really don't want to go out and hear the absolute load of bollocks that are being spread by people who neither knew or cared for Dave. I have lost count of the number of times people we know and even people we consider as friends who have said he was speeding or drunk as a lord or whatever. Sadly the only people who know the truth are Dave and perhaps the tractor driver with whom he was in collision.

So fair warning to all and sundry ... just stop the gossip and the rumour-mongering because it is upsetting us and God alone knows what effect it will have on Pam and her daughters. If you wish to continue then let this be a warning to you. If I hear any more malicious gossip then I may just be tempted to knock your teeth down your throat.

Just let our dear friend Rest In Peace.

Wednesday 5 August 2015

The Untimely Passing of a Good Friend ...

Regular readers of my blog will have seen a number of references to my good friend Dave from Peristerona. Ann and I attended his 65th birthday party at the beginning of last week and I met him at Gracie Towers a few days ago for a couple of beers with David. We were shocked and appalled to read this morning that he was killed in an accident on his way home last night, when he was apparently in collision with a tractor.

After visiting the Police Station at Polis to confirm that it was indeed our friend who had died, we learned that the police had not been able to trace his wife, Pam, who was visiting the UK. We took the difficult decision to telephone her to break the tragic news, reasoning that it was better to hear the news from friends rather than the police.

Pam and her daughters return on Friday evening on the first flight they could get, and I am picking them up from the airport. Not sure I shall blog much in the near future as Ann and I are both devastated.

R.I.P. my friend

Monday 3 August 2015

Ann to the rescue ...

When I went onto the terrace for my morning cup of coffee, I spotted an intruder in our swimming pool. Occasionally we get dead mice or spiders but this intruder was alive. It was a large, black and white pigeon floating towards the deep end. Ann came out to see what was going on and we first of all decided to get it back to dry land.

Of course there is always a problem and it became obvious a few seconds later. Honey and Jaz, our lovely cats, were in residence and might well have wanted to "help". So doors and windows shut we took the pigeon, still in the pool net, and laid it down out of sight of the windows and hoped against hope it might dry out from its waterlogged state. I had to drive into Polis but Ann stayed on guard.

After I returned we noticed the pigeon had left the net and was wandering slowly around, spreading its feathers. More in hope than expectation we left it to its manoeuvres. Honey had somehow escaped and Ann had to fire a warning shot across her bows with the hose. And then, obviously a pigeon with Special Needs, it wandered back into the garden, not once but twice. On each occasion Ann persuaded it to return from whence it came.

And then, to all round astonishment, Ann saw a black and white shape cross her line of vision ... in the air ... and the pigeon was away and free. As long as he escapes Dick Dastardly and his crew, all should be well.

Saturday 1 August 2015

Grass Widowers ...

With their wives enjoying the less than balmy conditions in the UK it was good to meet my good friends Dave from Peristerona and David from Gracie Towers, at Gracie Towers - and bottles of Perlenbacher disappeared at an alarming rate. Actually that's a slight exaggeration ... three blokes putting the world to rights and enjoying a few beers. Thoroughly enjoyable.

My goodness the humidity is as high as I can ever remember in Cyprus and we have just decided to go with air conditioning from mid-afternoon until an hour before we go to bed to make life comfortable. Air conditioning in the bedroom is essential. But, we reasoned, what is the point of having air conditioning and not using it when we need to? It will cost more but that's just life. Thankfully electricity has come down in price here over the last eighteen months and if the bill is high, we shall eat bread and dripping for a month.

Much useful advice from our friends Pete and Sylvi, and from Veronica, about the effect the high temperature may have on our pool. We have adjusted our pump accordingly and things are looking good. Testing the water quality on a regular basis should ensure trouble-free bathing, but it is always good to hear from those who have looked after pools for far longer than we have.

Polis Hospital was almost deserted yesterday when I went for a blood test, and even quieter when Ann and I went back to see the cardiologist. My INR is at the right level, blood pressure excellent and  he will ring Paphos Hospital on Monday to arrange for my cardioversion. So, with luck, my slightly erratic heart beat will be back in rhythm and I can stop taking that bloody Warfarin. Normal service should be resumed soon.

Out tonight to the Half-way House to meet John and Jill for a meal, and to catch up with their news. Great place to eat and only a few minutes' drive for us. This time next week we have invited David from Gracie Towers to come for dinner, and to settle down with us for the first of England's warm-up matches. A kick-off at 22.00 and against the team we all love to beat ... France. He has been instructed to bring Bonnie, their lovely dog, and a toothbrush. Looks as if a trip to Lidl's is in order to stock up on Perlenbacher could be in order.