“Housekeeping is like being caught in a revolving door.”

 I like a clean house and I hate cleaning. And I do believe my darling wife thinks the same. So the solution is to find someone who will do the work for us. Simple! Well not really. We started employing cleaners a few years ago, a Vietnamese girl who thought she knew best, a super lady from the Philippines who was great (but we had to dispense with her services after we “locked down” for health reasons). And then, the regular readers of my blog, will know we employed a thief and all the angst that entailed. Finally our lovely gardener’s wife cleaned for a few weeks but they have now returned home. We felt violated by the thief and perhaps still do.

But Spring is approaching and we feel that we have done our home work and so have started searching again. Not simple but we have our first applicant next week for a trial. So fingers crossed and references checked. It really is a strange thing having someone in your house. Our super pool man, Mick, has worked here for three years but never comes into the house. A cleaner is essential and a new gardener will be necessary. But so many people are offering their services and each poor experience leaves you bruised.

And, as if by magic, someone we vaguely know recommended a cleaner and she arrived (with her husband, an industrial-sized vacuum cleaner and all her cleaning materials) and the whirlwind was unleashed on Castle Douglas. We literally had to throw them out after two and a half hours, (not the agreed two hours) and they would not accept a penny more than was agreed. The house was absolutely immaculate and sparkling. They have visited three times more and we are delighted with what they have done. He has also helped Ann in the garden whilst his wife cleans the house. What a find!

A super visit from Ann’s daughter and a friend last week, only blighted by the poor weather which they seem to have brought with them from Sussex. I was totally horrified by the way prices in Latchi (where they were staying) in bars and restaurants have skyrocketed in the last few months. €65 for a steak, €16 for soup of the day … one of the UK papers wondered whether there was inflation or “greedflation”? I would hazard a guess the latter is true.

In any event, Cyprus is no longer a place where eating out or going for a drink is a cheap option. Food for thought perhaps …