Wind damage

The blustery day just got stronger with winds speeds showing at 45mph on my weather app!  As a consequence today was spent repairing wind damage to the garden.  A large branch had snapped from the cottonwood hibiscus tree which need to be cut and dragged to a suitable dumping ground and bamboo poles have been added to oleander.  Not used to so much physical effort in one morning.

Its great just being able to wander across the fields to cut your own bamboo.  Long, thick and straight.

All looks to be restored but worriyngly the wind continues to blow in strong gusts.  See what tomorrow brings!

"Poo Bear and the Blustery Day" describes this morning's weather so no bike riding but a 90 minute walk, through the village and along the beach and home. 

Some pictures that were taken along the way:

Pervolia village	Pervolia village church
Pervolia Community Building	Football Stadium
Okra fields	Jogging!

Another week of doing fairly little ..

A garden visitor

 We are both well and enjoying the lovely weather there is here now, clear skies and temps very bearable. No doing much at all really.  Spend a lot of time pottering in the garden.  Lillian is in the process of overhauling the front garden, having taken all of the white stones up to clean cuttings from her prized olive tree, which has an almost perfect round shape.  I don't have the patience for this project but labour at trimming and collecting the fallen leaves each day.  The purple bouganvillea that I cut back in July has had a complete new lease of life with a whole range of new shoots that seem to grow daily and lots of new flowers.  Mixed with the white that is now rampant and dominates the swing it is all looking very nice.  The hibiscus plants although suffering from 'yellow leaf' are growing well and each day more red and yellow flowers show.  Such a shame they last only the day.

We try to swim each day even though the water is cooling.  Lillian does twice the number of lengths than me and she was cursing yesterday as I managed 30 very slowly.  I'm not a good swimmer.  We got the bikes out on Thursday night for the first time in a while and cycled for about 50 minutes along the cliff tops.  It has been too hot to cycle up to now.  I have a little gadget on the bike that tells how far, how fast etc and how many calories used.  We promptly put them back on with a nice meal and bottle of wine.  Both of us are having trouble with our weight going up ...... but what to do?  Eat  less, drink less and exercise more.  Sounds so easy.

Monday night and Saturday morning confirms what I know ..... I'm never going to be a bowls star, although somewhat better play than the first couple of visits at start of the season makes it more enjoyable experience and even end up on the winning side on one game of four played.

Friday confirms my retirement / end of work with final payments received, phone and laptop returned.  A moment of indulgence in the hot tub to celebrate.  Is this really the end of my working life?

A trip to the pub on Saturday full of tension watching the scores come in as Ipswich win and a meal at Pyrgos finishes the evening.

Sunday and an incredibly blustery day.  Such that the awning makes only one brief appearance out as the anemometer spins at an amazing rate, yet with temperatures at 88F the breeze / wind is actually quite pleasant.

Beach walking

No beach picture so another one from the garden!

Just back from an early morning (well 0830) beach walk in the most beautiful of conditions.  Absolutely no movement at all in the air which is as still as can be and of course not a ripple to be seen on the sparkling sea.

Perhaps its because it was early or the summer season is starting to to wane in terms of beach goers as not one of the three beach vendors had anyone sitting on sun loungers.

Despite the shock of seeing a cloud earlier in the week the weather is beautiful with blue skies and less humidity.  This really is an ideal time to visit Cyprus if you like to be in the sun as you can easily sit out all day without roasting.  Its just like November in Dubai!  Whilst still warm, evenings are starting to cool and it is having its affect on the water in the swimming pool which now feels decidedly cooler on the first length before you adjust.  Good job the hot tub stays at a constant 35C.

My first week of officially being  unemployed and retired.  Spent it doing nothing Monday to Friday, rested yesterday and now its Sunday and time to spend the day with 'The Sunday Times' on the iPad.  My biggest gripe at the moment is that there does not seem time to get everything done.

Bowls has started again after the break during the hot sun with two evening sessions and Saturday morning.  I guess with any game, especially demonstrated when I play golf, it takes a time to get back in the swing or in the case of bowls the roll.  Others do not seem to be having that difficulty but my play at times has at best been embarrassing. I don't think there is any chance of me ever becoming any good, however I am sure we will continue to go, especially as Lillian is the exact opposite to me and becoming quite accomplished.

Greek homework!

Lillian continues to persevere with her Greek lessons and is very modest in her assessment of how well she is doing.  A visit to the post office, a trip to Nicosia and chatting in the Pyrgos restaurant this week I can confirm that everyone she spoke with in Greek seemed to a) understand what she was saying and b) responded that her greek was good.  Well done Lillian ........ I am still having trouble with 'thank you' but seemed to have mastered 'good morning'!

Something new ..........

Saw a cloud today - first for over a month.

Haven't seen a swallow for over a week.

Is the summer over?

Thermometer says 34C ........... so I guess not yet.

What to do today?

Garden tidied ........... lengths done .......... so what now?