There we go, I have done it again, waited for Joan to get back last night so that I could download all her pics from her Cyprus trip and then do some news up dates.

Joan went over right at the end of last month and we had booked her a hire car and a hotel near the araea were we used to live so that she could meet up with old friends and bask in the sun, as she is frequently wont to do.

Our friends at the hire car company did her proud. An almost new Hyundai automatic and then she found the hotel to be really comfortable

One thing that did not take Joan too long to do, was make friends with the hotel cat.

Maybe that bag of cat biscuits she took with her helped a little.

Unfortunately her flight out of Stansted was almost 2 hours late leaving and as she was travelling overnight she was quite shattered when she arrived. Apparently all she did on the Friday was go to the bank and then down to the Ravine Bar for fish and salad before going to bed early.

Saturday seems to have been a super day. An evening meal with Anne and Carol in a new restaurant in Kyrenia and this was followed by a visit to the Kyrenia Ampitheatre, which is right down on the foreshore and is reminiscent of the old style open air theatres.

There had been a week long festival to raise funds for the Cheshire Homes rehabilitation centre in Kyrenia. This evening, the closing concert was by firstly "Funky Monkey", a "Police" tribute band and then the highlight of the evening " The Bohemians", which is a Queen tribute band. Joan said that this was absolutely brilliant with a justly deserved standing ovation at the end.

So all in all, after spending the afternoon recovering from the journey, around the hotel pool, she has got her holiday off to a great start.

Sunday October 2nd., Joan was up early to go to St Andrews Church and then she was to go to The Hermitage, which is the Chaplains residence, for a Hravest Festival lunch, in the grounds. In the end she declined this invitation as she had heard about an evening concert, earlier in the week, where rocks had been thrown over the wall from the Army camp next door and some cars had been quite badly damaged. She felt that it was not very responsible to take her hire car there once she was aware of the problems.

A friend of ours had found his rear window smashed and some bodywork damage and others had similar problems. Apparently the camp commendant is to investigate but I wouldn't hold my breath for an early solution.

Monday October 3rd.

Joan had heard that old friends of ours, Tony and Susan Durose, were on the island because they had finally got their non-paying temnat out and sold their villa. So she arranged to meet up with, Batbara, our old neighbour and them, at The Hut, for lunch.

An opportunity to catch up and reminisce

After lunch she went down town to see the jeweller we used to use as she had a chain that needed repair and to get a couple of watch batteries fitted. This she followed up by a visit to Sakki, the boat we always used for our swimming trips out of Kyrenia.

Captain Kantan and his wife were very pleased to see her again and she stayed around chatting and then had a fish supper with them on board.

Joan continues to be enjoying herself. Pat & Bryan's for dinner after a swim in their pool. A day for herself on Lara beach and then an Aqua Aerobics session with some of the old gang, which was followed by lunch.

Our Icelandic friends Steini & Sigga are over there at the moment also, so Joan picked them up and they all went with the regular gang to the Acmenya restaurant, this after Sigga and Joan had spent the afternoon around the pool at the Green Village hotel, which is where Joan is staying.

On the Friday Joan had collected Barbara and the pair of them had gone to Nicosia and then walked across to the Greek side for some shopping before coming back and visiting Mehmet and Rose. This resulted in a Monday dinner invitation for Joan. On the Friday evening it was the annual BRS (British Residents Society) dinner at Denizkizi hotel and Joan had received an invite to join one of the tables.

On the Saturday it was officila inauguration day for The Royal British Legion in Northern Cyprus. Joan had been invited as an official guest for the evening at The Waterfront restaurant. it would seems that the original booking was for 140 guests but 220 turned up, so the result of that was that food at the buffet ran out after the first locusts had been busy, it is amazing how a free meal attracts them. Joan together with ian, Carol and Patsy walked down the road to The Cabin and bought their own dinner, which they said was very enjoyable.

The official Royal British Legion opening.

This is the first official British organisation to be allowed to be set up in TRNC.

Joan has been to visit Mel and Sue, the couple who bought our villa and it would appear that they are very happy there. Mel infact had a heart attack and ended up having a triple heart by-pass in the Nicosia private hospital. He is recovering well but bet his bank account suffered badly there.

This is a picture of the Flying Chaplain from St Andrews church. He and his wife had agreed to do the tandam para gliding thing from off the mountain providing there were enough sponsors for the fund raising.

He had said that they were both frightened of heights so originally were not looking forward to this. However afterwards they declared that it was a wonderful experience.

Joan finished her holiday off with a visit to The Green Palace restaurant with Steini, Sigga and some of our old friends from TRNC on the Wednesday evening. She wanted to keep Thursday free to do last minute things and to go to Nicosia to collect the missing kitchen cupbaord door for our house here. Also she had to be at the airport on Friday by 0530 a.m.so wanted an early night.

. FRIDAY 7th.

I was at the airport to collect Joan at 5 p.m. this evening and was pleased to see that she had succesfully negotiated the transport of our missing cupboard door. This had been lost more than 1 year ago, somewhere between Cyprus and France. It was quite funny to see, as Joan had propped this on a trolley at the airport but because it was 140 cms high and 60 wide she was unable to see over it and said that it had been quite some problem at Stansted when changing flights.

SATURDAT 8th.

Mark Wilson from "Roots and Shoots" came round today to take a look at our trees as they have not been well looked after. He promises a quote a.s.a.p. so that he can maybe do the work this coming week before he goes on holiday.

Apart from that we have spent some time catching up and getting some essential shopping in we had a relaxing weekend.

MONDAY 10th.

I went off to the doctor this morning as it is time to renew my 3 monthly pescription. Some time ago he said that more details checks should be done round about now, as it was three years since I had my stent put in. So now it would appear that the first stage is a load of blood tests.Strange system here as you just get a pescription for the tests and go to the nearest laboratory to get them done.

TUESDAY 11th.

Stupid me. Joan and I went to St Foy this morning to get my blood tests done, only to be asked, "Have you had breakfast? ". Yep was the reply, then go away and come back another day. I should have realised this and saved myself an added trip.

We did manege to go to the cattery and leave the booking form for Smudge and pay for a minimum of twp weeks whilst we come over to UK to collect the motor-home.

THURSDAY 13th.

Yesterday I managed to get off early, without breakfast, and get the tests done. The results will just come in the post in two days time and then I can make another appoiintment with the doctor. All this is just happening now with my Carte Vitalle and the supplementary insurance. Brilliant system and it happens so quickly too, non of this appointment in about three or more weeks time, at a hospital, for blood tests etc.

Yesterday we also met up with Stewart and Barbara for some lunch. We tried a new place out at the village of Fonroque. It is just a simple Snack bar type place but we had a superb 5 course lunch with wine and coffee included, for only 12 euros per person.

This morning Mark turned up to do the agreed pruning as he had told us it was really necessary as the trees had not been done for some time excrept by somebody hacking in there with a saw.

Mark was here all day, which included his time for cleaning up afterwards and he has just left us with a nice big pile for a bonfire once it has dried out a bit. The following pictures are the before and after situations and hopefully next spring will show some trees with lots more shape in them.

The left hand tree in the bottom pictures has a hornets nest in the hollow of the trunk, so need urgently to get a spray to see them off. Once had a sting from one of those things whilst we were in Cyprus and believe you me it hurts.

FRIDAY 14th.

Our Dutch neighbours, Gert & Corry, are going back home at the weekend so we invited them round for a drink this evening. Guess we will not be seeing them again until the spring of 2012, strictly a holidy home and strictly warm weather fans. They will be taking news of our Smudge bacj to Corry's sister who sort of adopted her when she was here on holiday, which is probably why she came to us when they had gone home last time.

She is growing fast and now we have to start training her to be more of a home cat so that we can take her away with us in the motor-home next year. At the moment she is just a kitten and all she wanst to do is play (see these pics)

SUNDAY 16th.

The weather here remains just lovely, constant temperatures of around 26 degrees but evrybody says that when the rain does come it will be with a vengeance. We will have to wait and see but are enjoying this late warmth and of course saving on heating. We are quite amazed as we have been here for 12 months now and have yet to use more than 1,200 litres of heating oil.

It is quite nice to just potter in the garden so late in the year and get everything prepared for next spring. Joan had bought loads of bulbs when we were up in Holland so has been able to get them all planted now.

MONDAY 17th.

Went off to see the doctor with my blood test results this afternoon and received what can only be described as good news. All seems to be OK with blood sugar levels, cholesterol etc so guess the life here suits and the diet of red wine with everything can't really be that bad.

THURSDAY 20th.

Spent Tuesday helping Stewart put his new dado rail up around the hallway. One of those tricky jobs that needed and extra pair of hands.

Today we met up again but this time to try out the local lunchtime restaurant in La Rouquelle, which is a village between us and St Fois. It was one of those fixed price meals that they serve up during the lunch period. Soup, which in this case was a little watery, Pate served with a tomato sald, Chicken and rice, Fruit salad, three small bits of cheese then coffee and a plate of dates. All this came with a bottle of local red between the four of us and cost just 13.50 Euros each. Good value but we have had better quality for a similar price.

Now somebody told me that the boys had come back. Thought I would go and introduce myself, but nobody mentioned that they were so very big.

If they find any mice in that field then they are welcome to them.

SATURDAY 22nd

Yesterday Joan and I went shopping and among other things, bought some winter pansies to put in the flower bed, which has next springs bulbs planted.

Somebody decided that this hole digging was a very good idea, but we had difficulty explaining that once we had put the plants in she didn't need to dig them up agaain.

Who would have a cat?

MONDAY 24th

After a long time it seems as if the weather may now be changing. The last few evenings it has been quite chilly, cold enough to pop the electric fire on in the evenings and today for the first time in weeks we have had some rain, not very much but enough to water the garden a little.

THURSDAY 27th.

It seems as if that little bit of rain we had Monday will have to do for a while, everything is sunny again and I even cut the grass yesterday. Can't believe that it is almost November.

Today we met up with Stewart and Barbara in a restaurant that we have all four been threatening to try for some time, on the road between Eymet and Bergerac. Definitely one to be repeated in the future, one of the best lunchtime menus we have had for some time.

The day was however spoilt by some news from Holland. Our dear friend Henny has now gone in to a coma so we can excpect another call soon for us to go up there to attend her funeral. Joan and I have been firends with the entire family since early in the 70s and Henny will be greatly missed by us.

SATURDAY 29th.

It is now clear that autumn is on the way. The little green tree frogs are back and hanging around by door entrances etc.

These creatures are no more than 1.5 inches long, but boy can they make a lot of noise.

We don't think that Smudge has seen one yet but according to research on Google, they give off an obnoxious smell when attacked, so she will probably learn that lesson only once.

SUNDAY 30th.

Joan and I decided to go down to Etymet for lunch as it was another nice sunny day and most of the restaurants around the square are still open. We went, in Joan's car with the roof off and to the restaurant that specialises in Italian food, amongst other things. We had called Stewart to say that we were going there so they joined us and we went back to their place for coffee.

When we got home we contacted Holland again but there seems to be little change in Henny's condition, she is still in that deep coma and evrybody is just holding their breath and wishing, for her, that it was all over,

MONDAY 31st.

Yet another bright sunny day awaits us and as the timber that came off our trees has dried out since the pruning, it will be an ideal day to have a big bonfire.

Joan just loves her gardem bonfires so I will just have to stand by with the water supply It was still quite windy out there so really an ideal day all round.

Later in the day, when I went out to see that all was still OK with the fire, it was clear that this was going to be burning for quite some time and in fact by now it was beginning to look like a mini Versuvius.. At least we have succeeded in burning all the branches and twigs after the tree pruning. A warm job but satisfying.