A rival blogger in the family …

 Ann’s Google account was hacked some time ago. We managed to rescue the contents and it is republished. You can find it here:

https://furthermusingsfromacyprusgarden.blogspot.com/

Time to take stock …

 In blogging terms, this has been a very quiet summer. After the unpleasantness of the theft from our home by our “trusted” cleaner - and the very difficult decision not to name and shame her - I have decided to begin blogging again. If it was not for the persuasive voice of my dear wife Ann, I would have splashed the name and photograph of the thief across social media. But I was persuaded not to - a decision I shall abide by - but I do not forgive and forget.

A hot and restful summer, with some lovely times in our pool (still one of the best decisions we ever made), and made perfect by the work of our very professional pool man, Mick, who keeps our pool at its sparkling and most inviting best. I have written before that a pool in this climate is such a luxury (I wouldn’t think that if we were sharing a communal pool), and the extra expense of having someone to clean it properly is essential.

Ann’s daughter, Becky, and her partner came over for a week’s break and it was great to catch up with them. As ever, it is sad when they leave but she has promised to come back in February if possible. Winter visits, rather like the Six Nations’ Rugby tournament, make the cooler and wetter weather much more bearable.

Autumn this year has gone on and on, with lovely blue skies and sunshine on many days. Certainly once the sun goes down, the temperature drops and we retire indoors and light the log burner. But, in many ways, we are getting the best of both worlds with sitting in the sunshine, then snuggling up in front of the fire.

We read with horror the shenanigans in the UK, with strikes and walkouts, but in a very coordinated manner. Those of us who lived through the 1970s remember the sky-high inflation and the “winter of discontent “ which brought about the Margaret Thatcher era. I find the strikes intolerable, even when the employers are intransigent. With prime ministers and chancellors falling by the wayside, and the UK becoming an international laughingstock, we have never been happier living as immigrants in a foreign country.