Unbelievable ...

We often read of expats who are dissatisfied with the service in shops, bars and restaurants here in Cyprus. It somehow goes with the general whinging and moaning from those who would undoubtedly whinge and moan wherever they lived.

However, and especially for those who are planning to relocate here, this has not been the case in our experience. As we enter our fifth year here the number of times we have been unhappy with service could be counted on one hand. A useful tip, when dealing with Cypriots in all sorts of places, is to smile and offer a cheerful greeting (ideally in your best Greek). The reaction tends to be enormously positive ... it is almost as if the moribund expression on the face of the person serving you has miraculously been switched off.

Of course we have encountered poor service - none more so than in the Cyta shop in Polis. Ann and I went in there a few years ago to arrange for the Internet to be connected. A dour, unsmiling Greek Cypriot kept blocking our every request and was generally unhelpful. To make matters worse he completely ignored Ann, and directed all his comments at me (being the man). We sorted matters out by asking a Cypriot friend to help and he and I went down to the shop, there was a rapid-fire exchange of views in Greek, and three days later we were online. Now when we go into the shop, if he comes forward to "serve" us, we just wave him away and wait for the lovely and helpful girl to be free, or our favourite Leonides (who is so friendly and helpful, you cannot quite believe it).

Normally, on the rare occasions we are not welcomed in bars and restaurants, the business does not get a second chance and we vote with our wallets. But this is so rare, and we find a warmth from so many people. The girls in the supermarket are fantastic, apart from the little fat woman on the deli counter. We now just ignore her and wait for one of the others to serve us.

The whole point of this morning's blog is to highlight the unbelievably good service we have encountered from a British business. Over three years ago we bought an Android TV box from a shop in Paphos. My late friend Dave took me down there and introduced me to Brian who runs the business. In the last three years I have bought the occasional bit of kit from there and emailed him for advice about computers, iPads and the like. He found us a "new" iMac when ours died and it was a fabulous deal.

But on Sunday our TV box just would not cooperate at all. Fearing the worst I emailed Brian and he tried to help via email, but to no avail. In torrential rain I drove to Chlorakas, and went in to see him. Welcoming as ever, we went to his bench and he tried all he knew to get our box to work. After an hour and a half, we were still no further forward. And then, as if by magic, Brian (with the help of a paper clip) managed to get some life. The Android icon (a little green robot) was lying on its side and looking poorly.

We agreed that he would completely wipe the box and start from scratch. This he did and he was about to start downloading the various addons I had had on there. This was something I could happily do at home, and so (having switched the box off and on a couple of times to check all was okay) the box went back into its bag. Reaching for my wallet, I asked him what I owed him. "Free of charge" was his reply. I insisted that I pay him something but he was adamant.

Incredible and generous service and I have no hesitation in recommending him for computers, tablets, TV boxes and the like. If you are coming to live in the Paphos region, he is - or should be - your first port of call. You will find him Here

Christmas ... the time to be merry.

Once again Christmas has sneaked up on us, and we find ourselves having to put thinking caps on. Simple this year as we have decided to stay at home - despite the kind invitation we had to stay over with friends in Pomos - and do our own thing. So we shall head for Paphos this coming weekend with a list of "essentials" we cannot source in this area. Last year we were surprised how relatively empty the shops were on the Sunday before Christmas, as we had visions of massive queues.

The weather is becoming a little more seasonal although odds on a White Christmas are as low as ever. So, unless we fancy a trip up to the Troodos, it looks as if Santa will have to leave his sleigh at home. I'm finding that I enjoy Christmas as much as ever, even if there is no religious significance to our celebrations.

Whether people across the world will be able to celebrate is a moot point. The ongoing tragedy in Syria breaks my heart, and I cannot imagine what it must be like for the people caught up in Aleppo. I wonder whether in years to come people will look back at this in the same way as we do with the slaughter and massacres which took place in Bosnia. The Western "powers" all seem unwilling to do anything about the killing which is taking place in front of their eyes. I wonder what is the point of spending billions of pounds on weapons and the armed forces, if they are not to be used when needed. Boris Johnson is the answer, of course. But what was the question?

I was reading a series of posts about The Grand Tour last week, and the lack of impact that this new series was having. Boris Johnson (that man again) was mentioned as he had been proposed as a replacement for Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear. And then some wag suggested that Boris Johnson could replace Jeremy Clarkson on The Grand Tour and that would free Clarkson to become the new Foreign Secretary. He certainly couldn't do any worse than Boris.

Readers of this blog will know the disdain I have for venal politicians and their ability to do what they consider is best. Best for whom or what, you may ask? Best for the country ... not a chance. Best for themselves ... of course. When I see Hammond, Davis, Johnson and Fox circling, one thing comes to mind. They can all see that Brexit is likely to be the political death of Theresa May, and they are positioning themselves to be her replacement. They are like vultures, circling a corpse. Let's hope they all remember that Michael Gove is there in the shadows, sharpening his knives and ready to plunge the blade into their backs.

Jeremy Clarkson for PM anyone ...

Glorious, glorious, glorious ...

What a day ... Cyrpus in all its winter glory. The sun shone, the sky was cloudless and the air was crystal clear.

What more could we want? Well there is a list and this is our wish for 2017. We are fed up with people who blow hot and cold, and especially those who use Ann as a sounding board because "She is such a good listener." We even had one "friend" who suggested she was better than her usual psychiatrist. This will stop, as will those who challenge Ann over the way she runs "her" book club. If you don't like it, then go forth and multiply. We live here, hopefully in peace and tranquility, and in the middle of a field. Why? Because we wish to live without neighbours and we wish to live without stress, and because that is what we want to do.

So many people want to take and not to give, and that to our way of thinking is unacceptable. Take us for what we are and, if you can't, then go away. I told Ann this afternoon that, as she suspected, I have a very low tolerance of stupid people. And, my goodness me, we know some people who are very stupid. Not everybody can have had the advantages I have had, but that's not my fault. So, that's the bottom line for 2017.

In any event, I am approaching twenty thousand visits to my blog, so I hope there are people out there who are listening to what we have to say. I love Christmas, and Ann puts up with it, but we shall offer the season's greetings to all we know. And, as far as I am concerned, this is our fifth Cypriot Christmas, and I can only hope it goes as well as all the others.

I can see the finishing line ...

I'm not sure we thought we would get to the finishing line but the end of the month beckons. There have been times when, through force of habit more than anything else, a drink would have been good. But good sense prevailed and our month is up on Wednesday. That is because we began this dry month on 30th October.

At times like this you consider your habits, and drinking alcohol is certainly a habit and a pleasurable one at that. You feel relaxed and at ease with your fellow man (well, most of them anyway) and a warm glow is always welcome. Part of this is the "holiday mode" that many of us feel when living in Cyprus, which - despite warnings to the contrary - we are still in after four years or so. In the warmer months, a cold beer or a glass or two of wine seems almost as much of outdoor living as wearing shorts and t-shirts.

In any event, we are there and feeling pretty pleased with ourselves. Perhaps the most irritating time of the last month came with the radio advertisement on ClassicFM about drinking whisky. This self-satisfied and arrogant prat was extolling the virtues of some whisky or other, and when and where to drink it. Was it beside the fire, or at the club, or ... but it was irritating nevertheless. If he had been on television that would have been another reason to put a boot through the screen.

We are promised rain tomorrow and for the next two or three days, and that will make a pleasant change. In our time here we have always experienced heavy rain in October and November, as well as sunny days. But this year, and after a searingly hot summer, we have had one downpour and that lasted a couple of hours in the middle of the night. So an unusual year for us, and I am sure the garden and the dams will welcome whatever rainfall we have.

The farce that is the current government continues apace and there is no greater figure of fun and foolishness than Boris Johnson. The damage this buffoon is doing to Britain's reputation abroad is beyond belief. I stare and stare into my crystal ball and still cannot believe that the country will go over the cliff edge (the Prime Minister's expression) of Brexit. One of my cats has just climbed onto the sofa and has been reading this blog. She is slowly shaking her head ... and if she is doing that, what are the people with half a brain cell doing?

Who would have thought it?

There are times when events take place and you look back and just cannot believe they have happened. Stoicism is sometimes not enough and you lie back and think of the consequences, which are still outside of your control.

Events around the world beggar belief, whether it is what is happening in Aleppo to the poor civilians there, to political posturing in the USA, Europe, Russia and myriad other countries too numerous to mention. The self-inflicted wound that is Brexit has still not dawned on the unthinking masses in the UK, and the other 27 nations in Europe harden their attitude towards the British as they ponder how to stop any other countries planning to leave the EU.

Life in Cyprus, and the matters reported in the press, seem less important even though they directly affect us. The Cypriot President and the Turks continue to dance around the main issues which may - and only may - lead to a resolution of the Cyprus problem. Too many vested interests, too many stuffed mattresses, too many with too much to lose, all militate against a solution being found. The Cypriot economy continues to teeter on the verge of bankruptcy and the amateurish musings of the politicians have to be seen to be believed.

Of course we could - self-indulgently - smile and say "This is Cyprus" but I am less inclined to do so as we enter our fifth year here. We both want our new country, where we have our home, to flourish and prosper. And I would love to see the democratic process mature and for those in government to consider the people rather than themselves. But, there again, you could say that for many other countries as well. The UK, for example, is the prime example of a democracy served by politicians whose main priority is "me, myself and I". So where does that leave us now? The sun is shining and I may well go and sit by the pool and think about it ...

Day 16 and counting ...

Well here we are - it's the second half of the match - and we have managed well so far. So I think, barring an absolute disaster, we shall get through our "dry month". There have been one or two times when it was a little difficult - none more so when I was sitting down to watch England v South Africa and Ann said "Do you fancy a beer?" All in good fun but it shows that habit is a real bitch sometime.

As we have observed life in the last couple of weeks, and seen the disturbed Trump elected by the American people, it has given us pause for thought. You can cut yourself off from life here in Cyprus, and thus from the rest of the world, but it will intrude from time to time. Whether Trump is the absolute nightmare his opponents suggest he will be will only become apparent in the next year. Certainly if you live in the USA and come from certain minority groups, then you will have many a sleepless night in the future. That cretin Farage has been sticking his nose in. There was a fabulous cartoon in The Times this morning showing Trump with a puppet Farage on his knee. The puppet was shouting "Don't want to get back in the box!" Priceless.

Late summer continues here in Cyprus and it is gloriously warm during the day. Certainly warm enough to potter about in shorts and t-shirts. One warning sign is the fact that Honey and Jaz have the thickest winter coats ever and have had for a few weeks now. Do they know something we don't? If we had holly bushes to check, then I'd be counting the berries on them.

Friends come and go, and it's intriguing that one couple who came to Ann's birthday lunch on May 12th have not been in touch since. Life is too short to worry about these things but it does make you think. What price true friends?

Since we have been in Cyprus, we have had Christmas at home, we have had a family Christmas at home when Becky S. was staying, we have been out to lunch on Christmas Day with people and this year we have been invited to spend Christmas Day (and stay over) by friends. Whether we shall accept their kind offer, I am not sure. Now if only it would snow ...

Mine's a pint ...

Well we have bitten the bullet and decided to go dry for November, which must be better than trying to grow a moustache. It is easy to slip into the "It's six o'clock in the world somewhere" and you decide to have a cold beer or a glass of wine. Living in the sunshine, for the most part, and being in holiday mode as well (even after four years), can give rise to all sorts of things. And so, at least for the moment, we have decided to eschew alcohol until December. We may, or may not, change our minds but it will be interesting to see how we get on.

The world continues to chew at its own entrails, and the news from almost everywhere can be somewhat depressing. The pound continues its inexorable fall and the British Government seems to have not the faintest idea of how to proceed. When the boss of Nissan knows more about the UK's negotiating position than either the House of Commons or the British people, then something somewhere is very wrong.

Something to be cheerful about last night was the thunder and lightning, and RAIN. I cannot remember when it last rained here but it was, I suspect, in April. It needs to rain for the next couple of months before Cyprus can stop holding its collective breath, as the dams are at an all-time low. The dismantling of the Paphos desalination plant (because of licensing issues) is almost as unbelievable as the way the British Government is handling negotiations with the EU.

It's enough to drive a man, and woman, to drink. Only another twenty-eight days to go ...