A Week Of Joy

We flew out to Cyprus from Stansted on the Thursday afternoon and Peter and Wendy met us at Paphos Airport and took us to their new home. So good to see my friend again since she left England last November. We were tired! I was amused by the Greek/English handwash sign in the airport loos. [look at the Greek in #2]

Wendy has just had knee surgery and Bob did not want to do too much walking. So Friday was relaxing around the pool. I haven't really swum for years - but on the Friday I did thirty lengths! Each day we spent some time reading, relaxing and swimming, and some time going out, sightseeing, shopping and eating. It was a good pattern and we enjoyed the sunshine, and the freedom to just chill out.

Saturday evening we went on a lovely sunset boat trip from Paphos Harbour. Not on the Jolly Roger, but on the Wave Dancer [a former car ferry] 

We sailed out as the sunset, then further along the coast, they anchored so people could swim - entering the water off the back of the ramp. I actually went into the Med and splashed around for a while. Then they served a BBQ on board followed by a fascinating acrobatic display. As the boat returned to Paphos Harbour I stood and watched the twinkling lights. So much beauty, so much history. The Apostle Paul came to this harbour too. I felt so privileged to be there.

Sunday we went with Peter and Wendy to their Church and were made very welcome. Afterwards we had coffee and visited a beautiful bakery - the selection of breads, pastries and cakes was quite overwhelming.

Monday was a shopping day, we visited the Market to buy some gifts for the Grandchildren- after four days of swimming in the pool, I wanted to buy a new costume to celebrate. Wendy is a good friend and helpful fashion adviser!

Tuesday we visited Akamas - a cape which includes the blue Lagoon, an National Park, and stunning views. At the top of the hill is Viklari "Last Castle" restaurant, P&W's favourite eating place. We watched the quad bikes racing up the hill 

It is tradition to have your photo taken under the arch!

Wednesday P&W had a meeting at their Church, so Bob and I visited the nearby Museum and Roman Mosaics - a UNESCO World Heritage site. These mosaics were mind blowing! I was particularly taken with the "Christian House from the 5th Century AD" A large mosaic, regular pattern- but in the doorway a mosaic plaque with Psalm 117 verse 6 in Greek. The sign board informed us they'd made a spelling mistake! [The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man will do to me] In one of the new buildings was a huge display about Crafts in Cyprus - I was in seventh heaven looking at all the boards about different lacemaking/weaving/etc. That will have to be another post! It was very hot - I have great admiration for the Apostle Paul - I would struggle to preach in that heat!!

Thursday - our final day. To  have coffee at La Plage Municipal Beach at Polis, followed by lunch at Santa Barbara. That turtle sculpture on the beach is a recycling bin for plastic bottles! We both swam in the sea, walked round the marina, and had a beautiful final day with our friends. We came back via the Mall and Bob went in a DIY superstore, whilst Wendy took me to another of her favourite clothes stores. 

After getting back to their bungalow, finishing packing, and eating baklava we loaded the cases into the car. These two good friends took us to the airport. Final goodbye hugs and a prayer for a safe journey. 

Their hospitality was wonderful, and their friendship is very precious. I am so grateful to them for giving us the relaxing, reviving holiday we both needed. I hope I can return to their beautiful island again one day,

[Despite the fact that I swam over 200 lengths, there is no photograph of me in Wendy's pool!! And I forgot to take a picture of Jethro and Molly, their two cheerful dogs, sorry!

Wednesday Weigh In

At the start of the holidays, I was with Rosie and Jess in Starbucks, and Liz took a photo of us sipping our drinks. "Oh I am so overweight!" I said. Liz said firmly "Mum, I see a picture of a happy woman enjoying time with her grandchildren - not an overweight woman. You mustn't look at every picture of yourself and beat yourself up"

I suddenly remembered this photo of Jamie Lee Curtis taken 25 years ago. Then in her 40s, she deliberately posed in a bikini, no make up, just as she was - extra fat at her midriff, legs not as slim as they'd been twenty years before...and she looked really happy. At the time, it was unheard of for Hollywood stars to show their less-than-perfect-figures. But she said "This is what I look like now!" And was applauded for it
Now she has thighs, a tum, wrinkles, and grey hair - and celebrates them as part of her authentic life and experience. [she is 3 years younger than me]
Now she is quite a bit taller, which does help. But I have taken Liz's words to heart this summer, and celebrated the shape I am. And for the first time since the 1970s I've worn a bikini. And felt good about myself.

But as this wonderful summer moves into autumn, I have to admit that the comfortable retirement, and change of pace, and more time to prepare meals [and Bob doing more of the cooking, with his generous butter-rich portions] has added slightly more pounds than I'd like. I'm even heavier than I was in pregnancy. My knees are protesting because my thighs are so heavy. I know that I do need to get my BMI down - 5 feet high, 12stone in weight is well into the 'obese' category. This is about health, not fashion. I am going to cut back a on sweets and supper-snacks. And drink more water. Aiming for steady not rapid weight loss.

So I have made a little chart [stuck inside the bathroom cabinet] and every Wednesday morning I am doing a Weigh-In [and my mate Wendy in Cyprus is doing likewise] We will encourage each other [at a distance!] Last week my GP decided I ought to have blood tests for diabetes. If better eating can stave off such issues then it is my responsibility to try harder. 

Watch this space...

Holiday Habits

I have a strange holiday habit - I like wandering round foreign supermarkets, and buying interesting packets to bring home. I think that I may have passed this on to Liz, who brought back some Speculoos Pancake Mix, so the girls could recreate their Dutch holiday breakfasts once back in England.
Bob and I had a happy meander round the Supermarket in Paphos on Wednesday. 

Wendy's favourite shop is Sklavenitis, which she always refers to as 'ScabbyKnees' - its slogan is "As cheap as anywhere else"
Here is what we purchased

1. A jar of tahini, a basic ingredient which I shall use for dips and salad dressings, as well as in sweet dishes.
2. A large tin of Royal Baking Powder. Just because I love these tins*. Now produced in Spain where Royal is a synonym for baking powder, this brand began in Longhorsley near Newcastle, in the factory of Thomas Bell. He called his brand Bell's Royal and shortened it to Be-Ro. 
3. Some Cyprus Delight. Similar to the Turkish stuff, but a little denser, with different flavours. Some varieties have PG status [protected geographical] 
4. White beans.Because I ate a bowl of fasolia . I loved it and want to make some more at home
5. Olive Oil. Bob's choice. Agios Georgios [St George] is a very popular premium brand. And Bob liked the cool cuboid tin!
6. "Premium Nuts" We are not convinced everything in the bag is a nut, there are some rectangular biscuit looking pieces. But it will be portioned out as a TV snack [so someone does not eat the entire bag at one sitting!]

Finally a pot of salt. I know, you can buy salt easily in the UK, and it is not especially Cypriot. But every place where we had a meal had these cute little sailor pots standing on the table. I splurged 30p on this jolly little chap.

Today [August 15th] is celebrated in Cyprus by the Greek Orthodox believers as the Feast of the Domition Of The Virgin Mary  [In the Roman Catholic church it is called The Assumption, and marked on 28th August]  Traditionally it is the day when they eat Arkanata Bread Rolls. 

I did not know about the feasting when I picked a up a bag of these rusks in the supermarket, just that they were uniquely Cypriot. The name comes from the Greek word for labour because their overnight production is very laborious, using ground fermented chickpeas and ginger in boiling water . And they are baked twice- once as soft round roll, and then a second time to make the roll into a dry, long lasting rusk.  Unfortunately despite very careful packing, we got home to find our pack has been reduced to chunks and crumbs! Never mind. We can consume them with dips and dunk them in soups.
Do you ever buy interesting foods in foreign supermarkets?

*this tin has bolos fofos printed on it. I have no idea what it means. I tried various Spanish Translation programmes and got "Flabby Bowling Balls" can anyone out there explain???

THIS Gran Read The Book...

... And The Book Was Good!

NO SPOILERS HERE!

I am usually very careful about spending money - and if it is a book, then most of the time, I borrow from the library first, then decide if I want it. Then try and find a secondhand copy...But not with this one - I preordered [as my delayed plane sat on the tarmac at Stansted last week - it made me feel much happier, and helped calm my fear-of-flying]

Julia does not disappoint [and Axel's illustrations are really good] Twenty years after the mouse first stepped out into the deep, dark wood, the story continues. It is witty, and clever, and full of the wonderful rhyming couplets which are Ms Donaldson's forte. And I love it! I opened the book, and read it through [out loud] whilst Bob was trying to concentrate on something else.
The book is dedicated to her husband, who died two years ago. [he was, by all accounts, a lovely man. A paediatric consultant, his young patients called him Dr Gruffalo]

Thank you Julia - I shall read this to the grandchildren, and anybody else who expresses the slightest interest. Definitely 5 stars

*****

We Plough The Fields...

For many people, that is the harvest hymn they remember from schooldays. Today we have Harvest Festival at Church followed by a Lunch.
Here's a more more modern one - reflecting that crops are not always as bountiful as we might hope - and that we all have a responsibility to our world - to share our blessings with others [and to be better stewards of our plant] And to acknowledge God's goodness and faithfulness to us.

For the gifts of heaven in the fields of earth,
My soul will sing to the Lord.
For the fruitful lands as they yield their worth,
My heart gives thanks to him.
We may plough the soil, we may plant the seed,
But God will make it grow,
And the harvest comes from the tender goodness
Of the Father’s hand.

As the trade winds blow over thirsty plains,
My soul will sing to the Lord,
And the storm clouds pour with reviving rains,
My heart gives thanks to Him.
Every season whispers the mystery,
The glorious rhythm of life,
Till the harvest comes from the boundless goodness
Of the Father’s hand.

When the crops have failed and the fields are bare,
My soul will cry to the Lord.
When the hungry know only death’s despair,
My heart will look to Him.
For the call goes out from the heart of God
To share with those in need;
As we feed the world we reflect the goodness
Of the Father’s hand.  [Getty/Townsend/Bronleewe]

The top picture is a field in Norfolk about 8 miles from here - the farmer was lamenting his poor barley crop in the local paper - but at least he has some grain. The drought -ridden fields are in Myanmar, the flooded rice field in Bangladesh. 

We are collecting food for the local foodbank, and contributing to a project in Sierra Leone

Did It Work?

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Last week, I shared my Sudoku Packing Plan. The idea was to take a selection of separates which would combine to make various outfits. Did it work? Mostly yes. But there were a few mistakes.

• I hadn't realised it would be so hot or that I'd spend so much time I  the pool. One, not two, pairs of trousers would have worked along with the shorts [see below].
• I took a pair of brand new shoes, and developed a blister.
• Having use of a washing machine meant I could have managed with far less underwear and fewer  tops. 
• I never wore the blue sarong/scarf at all. 
• I somehow only packed one pair of socks, but Bob let me borrow a pair of his trainer socks

Good things

• At the last minute I tucked  my shorts in the case. These got worn a lot. 
• I was able to create various outfits - very satisfying. 
• The lightweight cotton robe [for breakfast in pj's, or sitting round the pool] was quite superfluous, worn once.
• The folding M&S sun hat and CS baseball cap both got a lot of use
• The jewellery suggested by my Family  Fashion Advisers meant I could dress things up or down.

I realised I was feeling more confident about my shape than I've been for ages, even though I weigh a little more than I'd like. So I splashed out on a new bikini. I have not had a bikini since 1978!
Wendy took me to her three favourite clothes stores- I came away with a smart top [on my wardrobe wishlist] and a cool linen-mix dress [to wear next time I visit Cyprus?!] She is very persuasive! 

Bob bought a lightweight cotton collarless shirt, cooler than his teeshirts [both in fabric and styling!]. His fleece remained unworn until we got back to England in driving rain, in the early hours of Friday morning.

Main lessons learned 

• I hadn't allowed for the hot weather, which made it was so easy to wash and dry things. Wendy was really helpful, and so I was able to do a final wash first thing on Thursday morning, and therefore had a suitcase full of clean clothes to bring home!
• Next time I go, I will pack two or three dresses - although my trousers were linen, and elasticated waist, they still felt quite hot. My long skirt was cool and breezy.
  

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I will use this method again. 

Other holiday pictures to follow later... 

Twenty Five Years Ago