Polis Book Club, 2015

It's always great when an idea takes off. Ann decided to start a book club, and advertised it locally and on Facebook. Her friend, Pam, was interested and the first meeting took place in Saddle's in Polis with a whole three members in attendance. But ... as Helen, the owner of Saddle's pointed out ... these things take time. They held a meeting the following week and a couple of other people turned up. A book was chosen and a meeting agreed for the following month.

Lo and behold the numbers started to mount and, when they met last week, there were seven members present (including their first man). An enjoyable meeting was held and a second book was chosen. It was felt that more than ten members would make the meetings unwieldy and it may be that a waiting list will have to be created.

Saddle's in Polis is a lovely venue, and Helen is so welcoming. After some coffee, free muffins were the order of the day. Once the temperature drops, it will be inside and warm and cosy it will be. Anybody visiting Polis is advised to visit Saddle's, especially at lunchtime. Their crispy bacon rolls are to die for ...

"Anything for the weekend, sir?"

It could only happen in Cyprus. Yesterday I was sitting in Miki's Tavern, enjoying a fresh orange juice, whilst Ann was at the hairdresser. She came across the square, and her hair looked great, and said she had been offered some British back bacon by her hairdresser. Maria also own King's Café a couple of doors down from her salon, and imports her bacon form the UK.

So, in addition to a super haircut, we now have a couple of month's supply of the most delicious bacon. I know it's delicious because Ann made bacon sandwiches this morning, and served them to me in bed with my morning coffee.

Today we belatedly celebrate our 3rd anniversary in Cyprus. There is a shoulder of pork in the oven, vegetables are prepared, I am watching the England test match against Pakistan on the TV (with the sound off) and Classic FM is on the radio. All that is needed is a glass of something cold but we have to stay up to watch the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals tonight and that means a late night. So it's all in the timing but I could murder a cold Keo right now. 

Life here can be so hard ...

Getting things done ...

This has been a busy few days and lots of things achieved. Life in Cyprus seems to come in waves for us. One of the joys of living here is that we do, by and large, what we want and when we want. There are obvious exceptions, like watering the garden. Fail to do that too often, and you end up with lots of dead plants.

With medical matters resolved, we have been focussing on the future. Long term plans for the house and garden (especially the garden as we live outside as far as possible), and ensuring we do things we should have done but haven't.

Making a new will, with the appropriate clauses - given the recent changes in the law in the EU - is high on the list of "must do soon", as is finally registering for tax in Cyprus. That will sever any financial ties with the UK, and which should result in a tax rebate of some size. My friend David, from Gracie Towers, is leading the way and his accountant is sorting his tax matters out for a very reasonable fee, and I think we shall follow in his footsteps. A pair of new front tyres is needed for the car and will happen in the next few days, once I motivate myself to drive down to Paphos. I can always comfort myself that, once there, the car goes into autopilot and ends up in Lidl's car park, where a few cases of Perlenbacher will be the just reward for venturing into the "big city".

This weekend will see the postponed 3rd anniversary celebration of our arrival here. A meal at home, cooked by me, will need to be carefully timed to fit in with the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals. Such excitement we could never have imagined in the old days. Cooler nights bring with them their own reward, although the days are full of sunshine and seasonal warmth. Perhaps we will toast that day in August 2012 when Ann and I finally pressed the "BUY" button to purchase one-way tickets from Gatwick to Paphos, which was one of those key moments we shall never forget.

In praise of Paphos Hospital ...

Home Sweet Home and all is well. Treatment was 100% successful and the whole hospital experience (apart from the food) was first class. I did have to spend a night there so that I could be monitored and monitored I was, which was initially disappointing, but it seems this is very much part of the "belt and braces" approach there.

The hospital is often denigrated (underfunded, and overwhelmed by demand), and one of my friends here did have a very poor experience some time ago. But I have to say that I found the staff very professional, the I.C.U. ward was constantly being cleaned and sanitised (although that may not be the case everywhere in the hospital) and - apart from the food (Did I mention the food?) - there was nothing to complain about in the slightest.

A random thought, however. I wonder what the criteria are for student doctors there. When the consultant cardiologist made his rounds, he had a retinue of students in his wake. The students looked as if they had just come from central casting - almost all young women and absolutely stunning. It made my day ...

Nothing to worry about ...

Tomorrow I head off to Paphos General for my cardioversion, which - hopefully - will correct an irregular heartbeat that has become evident recently. I last had this done in 2009 and all seemed painless enough.

The lovely Dr Agamemnon, the cardiologist at Polis Hospital, was advising me about the procedure the other day. "They send you to sleep, then PZZT, and that's that. When you wake up, all should be fine. If it is not okay, you probably won't wake up at all."

What gallows humour ...

So a few days to recover, but far longer to recover from England's dismal showing in the Rugby World Cup. Four years was a long time to wait for a World Cup, and a further four years will seem like an eternity.

Becky S. has somewhere to live, a new job and things are finally looking up for her. About time too as it has shown the Welfare State in Hastings at its worst this last twelve months. I seethe with rage at the way the government finds money to help asylum seekers and refugees and cannot fulfil its legal obligations to its own citizens. Charity begins at home, doesn't it?

Panic in the ranks ...

Watching England v Wales last night and it was sad to see England players running around like headless chickens, committing the same offence at the tackle (and being penalised over and over again by the referee) and that was what led to their ultimate demise. The England forwards seemed to lack energy and drive, and seemed lethargic. By having two defensive and heavyweight centres on the field meant that the trump cards in their back line (Brown, Watson and May) never received the sort of ball they needed.

So "Quo Vadis?" ... an early exit from their own World Cup seems more than likely unless Wales implode against Australia. But how many times over the years have the England soccer team needed to rely on the results of other teams, rather than their own endeavours? It looks like another tense Saturday evening next week.

We spent a delightful evening in Polis on Friday, enjoying the entertainment and stall that the municipality laid on - although the buffet at €5,00 a person was a little steep. Well done them. It was good to see so many people participating. There must have been nearly two thousand people sitting down to eat and wandering around the various stalls. We ended the evening at Miki's and enjoyed a cool glass of something to relax us after the earlier excitement.

Who's a clever girl then?

We have had our two rescue cats, Honey and Jaz, for two and a half years now. They are meant to be sisters but we have a sneaking suspicion that they are mother and daughter. Certainly Honey treats her "sister" like a child and their interaction is priceless. About six months after Honey learns how to do something then Jaz manages the same. Honey found the way onto the roof of our bungalow shortly after we arrived, and it took Jaz months and months to manage the same thing. When Jaz comes back from her night's entertainment, Honey almost always cuffs her across the head as if to say "Where have you been?"

Last night we were sitting out on the terrace in the blessedly cooler weather when Honey appeared beside us. The windows and doors were all open but the fly screens were pulled across. Honey obviously wanted to get into the house (probably for even more food) and we could not be bothered to get up and open the fly screen. So, in full view of an appreciative audience, she opened the fly screen herself and in she went. We were astonished and delighted in equal measure. I closed the fly screen and ten minutes' later she reappeared at the door and gazed at us in a quizzical fashion. We watched as she opened the fly screen from the inside and promenaded in front of us.

So I suspect that by next Spring Jaz will have caught on and the fly screens will never be the same again. But can they learn how to shut the screens? I somehow doubt that and so that will be one more job for us ...