Sunshine and cool evenings ...

 A lovely combination this last few days ... the sun is shining and it is warm enough to sit on the terrace with a glass of something, and then the sun goes down, we retreat inside and light the log burner. “Lovely jubbly” as Del Boy would have said. I find there is something magical about luxuriating in front of a log burner, after having months and months of a Cyprus spring and summer, and autumn too.

And we are set for the winter with two deliveries of lemonwood logs from our regular supplier. Ann refers to him as “The Professor” for the lovely way he stack our logs - almost an art form. Hopefully, if winter is not too cold or wet, that should see us through the log burning season. For those still hoping to follow in our footsteps, it is timeous to remind you that heating is essential in the winter as Cypriot houses are notoriously badly insulated. You can read all you want about the 300+ days of sunshine in Cyprus, but in December, January, February and sometimes March, you will regret not being warm and cosy once the sun goes down.

In our early years we relied on a combination of air conditioners set to “heat” mode, and mobile gas heaters. And, with that combination of heating, we were plagued with damp and mould. After thousands of euros were spent on sorting out damp courses and the area between the surroundings of the house and the walls (all had to be dug up, and dried out and replaced) over a number of months. That dispensed with the damp, once we realised gas heaters were a health hazard and very bad news for us.

The decision to install a log burner two and a half years ago was a - and I hesitate to use the hackneyed expression so beloved of Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock - a “game changer”. We used to dread (possibly an exaggeration) the sun going down and the fall in the temperature. Now, with glee, we light the blue touch paper and stand back. Once the internal temperature reaches 60°C, the fan starts and it is difficult not to shout out “5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... Thunderbirds are GO”. You can tell I am a child of the 60s.

Daisy loves the log burner and creeps ever closer. Not surprising for a dog who has to be persuaded not to sunbathe in August.