July News

I've done my usual trick of writing loads, adding photos and then losing it all at the last moment!  Bums!
So here goes again.
More travelling, this time to Budapest to visit Peter who is working there.  I know I saw him a couple of weeks ago, but I have to grab the opportunity to spend time with him whenever i can.
They have put him up in a lovely apartment

right in the center of town.  I did loads of walking, with Peter and on my own.  I did The Big Red Bus' tour which was really good, it included a river tour and a commentary.  So I feel as if I've really 'done' the tourist bit in Bud.  

I met up with Tracy Wells, an old pal who is working on the show - 'Dracula' - and had a good laugh with her and came away feeling so glad that I'm retired and out of it all.  I wouldn't have changed things for the world and was lucky to have had a fabulous career but certainly wouldnt want to do it now!

We ate some good food, most memorable was Beef Cheek which I'd heard about on the cookery programs.  Very interesting!  It looked like a large slice of chocolate cake on the plate and came with mashed potatoes.  The texture was like corned beef that had been shredded and put back together and tasted like corned beef that had been marinated in rich red wine.  Very pleasant but as far as I'm concerned  .......   been there, done that!

For a city that has been rebuilt so many times it is very beautiful and keeping its character.  So here are a few more photos

So, a lovely trip and some nice memories.  Thanks for calling in.

yeah yeah I know it's been a long time but not much happens in sleepy Latchi  It wouldn't have been quite so long if I hadn't pressed the wrong button on Monday and lost 45 minutes worth of blog!  So here goes again.
Peter has been here for a holiday and was so so patient with me, giving me Mac lessons so I now feel much more confident using the sexy thing.  I managed to download a book onto my iPad and kind of remember where my files are - I think.
We had a great time, I treated it as a holiday, too, and didn't do much apart from what was absolutely necessary.
We took a road trip over to the North and was able to find my Dad's village.  We found his house and the old lady who now lives there.  I think we managed to let her know who we were, with a little help from a boy who didn't speak English but understood enough to translate.  Lots of hand signals, nodding and smiling.

Peter found his school and told me some of the tricks he and his pals used to get up to.  It's quite a long walk from the house, Peter didn't remember it being so far but he was only 7 and having fun with his friends.

It's still a school and it and the whole village is in a kind of time warp.  Nothing much has changed at all, my grandparents house had been replaced by something slightly more modern and the 'square' has lost the coffee shop and the 'grocery' shop, but it is as if time has stood still there.

We went to Bellabais Abbey, Saint Hilarion Castle and took the mountain road back.  Stunning!  I beat Peter at backgammon, and we saw real live mouflon, which I thought were a myth.  Sadly they were camera shy.

While we were on this magical trip Peter got a job so had to cut his holiday short, but I'm sure he'll be back when he can manage.  I certainly hope so, I miss him.

Now it's back to life as normal.  I've been grouting today so will post some mosaic photos next time.  Thanks for calling in xx

They say misfortunes come in threes, and we had our three last week.

En Plo has been fun, lots of people and some nice sales - but very tiring, especially the journey to and fro.  So we're a bit pooped.

Winston started hopping on three legs Friday afternoon.  On inspection and with much screaming on his part we realised his little toe (?) was very swollen.  We couldn't get him to the vet until after lunch on Monday, so I popped in to Sharens to buy some tiles to finish an ongoing job.  "I'll only be half an hour" says I.  Easy parking outside Sharens, only one other car on the street.  I ran up the stairs, nodding and smiling at a young lady just leaving and started picking my tiles when there was the unmistakable THUNK of a bashed car.  Yes, you've guessed - my car!  The poor girl was distraught, crying and carrying on.  I was the one consoling her, saying don't worry, it's only a car, while looking over the shoulder I was patting at my poor dented RAV.  The good news it that it's drivable and the other good news is that she and her boyfriend live in Polis.  So when we have the time to get an estimate it wont be too much of a drama to get it fixed.  She said optimistically!

Meanwhile Grahan is waiting for me to get back so he can take Winston to the vet and I am sitting consoling the still upset young lady and waiting for the insurance man to arrive.

On Tuesday our water pump blew up!

And all this is while we're doing 8 hour days plus two travelling.

On a more upbeat note, the garden is looking fab, roses everywhere

And I've made some new mosaics

One of these days I may b able to 'place' my photos.

Wednesdays 'Crafty Ladies' was a hoot.  13 of us in all and they had to bring their own tables!  A really nice time, needless to say I didn't get a lot done for myself but had a great time.

This is a bit of a p.s.  I forgot to mention my fun items.  Its a pair of 70's style drinks tables that nestle round the sofa or armchair.  My Mum still has one of the originals, formica top and mock brass trim.  I think they're brilliant and I got the idea because someone gave me some tiles they didn't want.  Not colours I would have chosen myself, but are very 70's.  So I made two tables and a Lazy Susan.  Great fun!

As I've been down at En Plo since my last post I don't have much to say  so I've taken photos of our display outside the building.  Because of various things we lost quite a bit of wall space, so Graham had the brilliant idea of using the old metal frames that were left over from the car rally.  It looks good and attracts a lot of attention.  the two weeks have been very varied, some very dead days and some with loads of people about.  We've been happy, given that not much of our 'stuff' is aimed at tourists - too heavy and too expensive.  But I did sell one Lazy Susan which was going to London and a

nother one which was going to Canada.  So it's Tzianet-Mosaic International!

I've started working on antique tiles again, it's been a long time since I worked on one and it's good.  A Hoopoo bird and a pair of fanciful dolphins.  I'll post photos if I like them when I've finished them.

We've had a couple of really big storms, Doolley is terrified but they are rather exciting in their way.  It's easy to see how the ancients would believe in the Gods being angry and throwing thunder and lightening around to show their displeasure.

I still have Wednesdays off, it really breaks the week up, gives us a chance to catch up on things and I have my Crafty Lunch ladies round.  I really do enjoy my Wednesdays!

As you can see, I'm still having a little trouble with my blog.   I found the pictures but can't put them where I want them.  Oh well, at least I found them and put them on the page.

Horticultural update:
The little darlings have now popped their little heads out of the soil and are straining towards the sun,  I'm very pleased about this, they have had gentle rain and sunshine.   What more could a little seedling ask for?

We're at En Plo for two weeks.  I'm not sure how we will get on sales wise,   the mainly tourist crowd are going for smaller objects, naturally, to put in their already overloaded cases.  But not too bad, if it wasn't for the cost of petrol, but I'm happy to be there, they are such a fun bunch of girls.  And I am constantly amazed at the talent and artistry they display.

Better get out of bed - my favourite place for getting up-to-date with 'stuff', the view is so gorgeous - as my crafty friends are due shortly.  I like my Wednesdays off from Paphos and look forward to seeing them.  Graham has gone off armed with shopping list  for biscuits and stuff for lunch, so up I get.

My how time flies.  I had my flying visit to London to see Dr Perrett

who looked rather surprised when I asked if I could take his picture.  He was very pleased with me, glad to see me smiling and apologised for my chubbiness due to the steroids.  Ha assured me that it would go away.  Not if I don't stop eating like a navvy it won't!
Jan and Mike made me very welcome again and their new shower room was almost finished.  I managed the trains and busses very well and was very surprised at how busy the 5.08 train from Clapham Junction was.  But it's definitely the way to travel from Battersea.
The weather has been very good, very spring-like. so I put the seeds Jan gave me into little pots ready to be put out into the new bed Yorgo is making for me.
I have photos but they haven't reached my computer from my iPad - it's all such a mystery to me.  So I'll leave this for now as I wanted to show anyone looking at this -? - my little brown and white pots tucked amongst the flowers and herbs.  And Graham has started the veg plot proper.  A big job, we have such a lot of land.  I do love it here but sometimes a penthouse appt seems very attractive!

I was so excited that I managed the last post, that I forgot to add the photos I took at Molos.

And I have discovered that I can manage on my laptop, but not on the iPad.  So things are looking up.

Again its been far too long.  The header keeps coming up in Greek, I keep losing posts and I can never remember how to add a photo!  All in all, maybe blogging isn't for me!
Sunday was my beloved Dooley's 5th birthday (as near as we could work it out).  I cant believe how fast the time has gone, it seems only yesterday she was covered in ticks and half the size of Winston.

I do love her to bits, and I know she loves me too.

We went to Molos last night, to see Polis Christodoulous, the most fabulous guitar player.  His classical pieces are just superb and when he 'does' the Bee Gees, Niel Diamond and others he really sounds like them.  He does it so well.  He had his soprano lady (name?) with him again and she is not a favourite of mine although she was very good singing Ave Maria and a song from Carmen.  Maybe she should keep to the classics - oops, who said that!

Its been a nice week down at En Plo, we've sold some things which given the economic situation is surprising and welcome.  Bad day today though, the weather was awful and anyone who came in did so to get out of the wind.  I've made some sweet dishes, must take a photo of them before I sell them all.  They've been popular, they are small and light.

The Craft Wednesday was nice, only 4 of us but fun.  G made a lovely tuna pasta dish, and we sent the leftovers to Dave.

This post seems to have OK so far, wish me luck for next time.

Dear oh dear.  Mothers Day came and went and not a phone call, text. email or sms to poor neglected me.  It will be reflected in my will, of course.  I shall bequeath my overdraft to some worthy cause, I'm leaning towards Save The Golden Musquat at the moment.
But I had a very nice day anyway.  My friends Anni and John, who live in Ayia Napa, were here for the weekend and we went to Molos for lunch.  It was very good, as usual.  I had the Smoked Trout, followed by Prawn Saganaki with rice as a main course, also as usual - creature of habit that I am - followed by my total dairy treat of the week - white chocolate cheesecake!  Deelish!!!!
Its nice having friends who live in Ayia Napa.  It's so different on that side of the Island and its like going on holiday when we visit each other.  We've been friends since we worked on 'The Manageress' in 1989, a long time.
Here's one of the four of us down at Molos

A fun night out at Y&P, Latchi Harbout.  It was Andrew Olivers first night of The Firebirds and it was great.  All 50's music with Chris King - famous for his Elvis impersonation - wrigglin' and shakin' all over the stage.  It was great to hear the oldies again, performed with such enthusiasm and lots of audience participation.  I shouted myself hoarse, clapped my hands sore and even enjoyed the food.

Wow,  managed to get the photos in!

I went to see the lovely Caroline info@heavenonearthherbals.com for more advice on the regime she has put me on in case it conflicted with the medication Dr Perrett has prescribed.  I have looked up - the font of all knowledge, the internet - the things she has recommended and they are all to stop internal inflammation and heal from the inside.  Given the abuse I've given my poor insides by being so naughty about my Gluten free diet, I'm all up for repairing it now.  So I put all the dollop into one big smoothie and add lots of honey.  The barley grass makes it a rather vivid green, but it tastes good.  Nothing conflicts with Dr Ps medication, so I'm going all out for it.  I must give up the sweet biscuits, however.  I seem to have transferred my obsession with ice-cream to biscuits, and they're two-for-one at Papantonios right now!  Aaargghh

Well I haven't been very good with this blog, mainly because I still can't add photos - where are you, Jill, when I need you!  And having the new, beautiful, sexy Mac Air isn't helping.  Having been a Windows person all my computer life, its next to impossible to run Mac.  Everyone says its intuitive -right!  Not to me it isn't.
i had a fun time down at En Plo last week, it was so nice to feel like my normal self again, and it was a really nice group of people, lots of laughs and a very good atmosphere.  Not a lot of money around but I covered my expenses and some of the girls did well.  And now my hands are good, I worked.  Jolly good.
I went to see the doctor today and he gave me the good news that cyclosporine is available in Cyprus, at Paphos hospital.  So I'm quietly optimist that this is going to be 'do-able' here, with checks with the lovely Dr Perrott in UK.  I'm off to have a blood test tomorrow early with Dr Polyduros.  Has to be private 'cos last time I had a blood test in the hospital - early October - no one has seen it since!
So things are good, and I'm a happy bunny.
I will sort out the photos!

More medical stuff

After loads of tests and visits to the lovely Dr Perrett I have found out that my problem is with my auto immune system, which has gone a bit haywire and is trying to reject my skin as a foreign organ - and it was doing a pretty good job, too!  I never thought of the skin as an organ, just something to hold it all together but it does a lot more than that as I've found out.  So I'm on loads of creams and pills until I come back to UK in five weeks time, when Dr P will be able to tell if I can come off the steroids and continue on cyclosporine which will hopefully stabilise me.  That gives me time to research availability and treatment in Cyprus.
As I'm feeling so much better now and the medications are giving me loads of energy (and appetite) I'm really enjoying being back in London, especially Battersea.  I've been walking a lot and its been great cruising the Kings Road and Chelsea again.  The shops are so full of 'stuff', and its a recession, how do they keep going?  But there's still a lot of money around, especially in the major cities.  It's been great fun, looking at all the things I don't want or need, just enjoying the looking.
It's my Mums 93 birthday today so my son Peter, grandson Craig and I will take her out for lunch.  She's looking very good,and still managing on her own.  I wonder if I shall do as well?
Sorry, no photos, bit of a screwup there, maybe next time.

Hello friends and family. The only news I have that isn't about my quiet but enjoyable week down at En Plo is my horrendous exema.  I won't make you suffer the awful photos, or the bizarre acupuncture that I'd hoped would help.  Sadly it didn't, so I went back to UK in desperation to a recommended dermatologist.  I was very poorly just before the flight and in fact should not have travelled at all.  But to my surprise I bumped into my fellow mosaic artist and friend, Mary Snow. She, sadly , was travelling to a funeral, but her company made me forget about my troubles and shivering fits and it turned into quite a pleasant journey - despite an hour delay.
Doctor Perrett was impressive and filled me with confidence, although I was in a very poorly way when I saw him.  As he couldn't admit me to hospital - no insurance - he has given me massive doses of pills and potions and ordered complete bed rest until I see him again, on Tuesday.  Very good for me but a bit of a bind for lovely Mike and Jan, who I am staying with.  They have been superb.
And that's enough of my problems just one final thing is that the shivering fits have stopped, thanks to Dr P.
More after my next visit, wish me well please!

OK  I've had a few hiccups with this but still trying.  i think I have managed to download photos from my phone - no one told me I had to connect the two with a lead ...... duh!
We went to a fusion concert at Y & P. The welcome from the staff was great, sadly the food was pretty mediocre.  Andrew Oliver and Tina Chester were superb, and a good time was had by all, especial when Tina sang in Russian and was joined in the chorus by a - Russian - customer.

There, I managed to add a photo.  Lets hope I remember how to do next time

Well my friends, its been a long while.  I was extremely surprised to learn that not only did people look at my blog, bur actually missed it!  So I'm going to start again.  I have been 'mac'd'  by my son so not only do I have a new computer but a new operating system as well.  There may be a few glitches so bear with me please.  '
Imself's lovely sister and her hubby came for a week in December.  We had a very nice week, we went to Molos for a Michal Bublay tribute, so not only one of my favourite restaurants  but a great show, too.  I wasn't up to taking piccies, but here's one of Jan and Mike.

Our Christmas was superb.  My son and wife came here from Namibia, where they are working at the moment.  Our Christmas lunch was a superb five course feast courtesy of Annie.  'Imself supplied the music, so we had ambience, a quiz and then dancing.  All helped along by Annies Port, Sambuca and Limochella.

Boxing Day was rather quiet in our house!

OK so that's a start for 2013.  I haven't previewed it 'cos when I tried before. I lost it all.  Despite the best phone help of my friend Jill, who's a whiz at this sort of thing.  So watch this space ............