Help... It's time for change!!!

Mint1955

Lots more settling in and now eight months in and the holiday makers all leaving its just us and nature and still we have glorious weather.

Sister and brother in law here for a week was interesting but I braved cooking for them and it all worked out ok but we did eat out a lot too lol

BIL made some fabulous chicken soup one afternoon and I managed to put loads in the freezer for lazy days.

Our new shower tray that was a problem is now draining fine and the electric shower we had fitted is fabulous and will be a real treat in the winter when the solar is not efficient and we don't want to wait for the tank to heat etc.

I try and bake something different when it's my turn for the girls on a Monday and today was Twinks hobnobs as usual and a lemon drizzle cake which was deemed lovely and seconds were eaten.

Loads of veg in the fridge needed using up yesterday so I made aubergine sweet potato and chick pea curry and then added other bits like carrots and some normal potato so three double portions and a single have been frozen.

Charlie the puppy is doing well and learning everyday and is very amusing.

We traded our car for something more suitable as we like to go up the mountain tracks and down the beach tracks and its also more suitable for the dog especially when he is wet and sandy/muddy.

Many life lessons especially those re human interactions are being learnt but nothing major and overall it's a fab way of life.

More meal planning needed now we are heading for the darker evenings and staying at home more and unless we continue to eat the same every week I need to start being more adventurous.

Not having wall to wall news via papers or tv as in the uk we have to catch up every now and then but it's not been pleasant just lately but it would be too easy to pretend there isn't life outside our new life here.

Mind you we are pleased it's still very warm here in the day as many uk friends have been quick to remind us it's freezing there!

Goldiegirl

Glad it's all going so well - you certainly made the right move when you went to Cyprus.


I've been to Cyprus just the once, for one day when we called in on a cruise. It was this time of year, and we went on an excursion up in to the mountains. The air was so beautifully clean and crisp and out of the tourist season all the villages were quiet. It is a very happy memory

Mint1955

What a year. Older wiser and couldn't be happier. We have survived the committee fall outs and now we are not on the management committee anymore it's heaven we just shrug and say not our problem. Funny how people are nice now they think we have knowledge and maybe still have influence but when we did have it they lambasted us regularly!!!

Charlie the dog is well and truly spoiled and gorgeous. Some dog days but he still has many puppy days and does the funniest things.

House is cosy for the winter and we can honestly say we haven't missed a thing about uk. We do have to think about the keeping warm bit as these houses are built for the summer but with the addition of a fab log burner, blow heaters in the bathrooms, the air con which can be used as heaters we are fine. Our latest buy was a curtain across the gap from open lounge up the hall. I was worried it would remind me of my grans curtain over the front door in her hall but it blends in well and really does help to keep the warm air where we want it on cold nights. Charlie the dog is not so sure but he is learning how to creep round the edge rather than charge full pelt through it.

Soup making is really coming on well and I have been baking more with good results.

We both went for a very extensive full health mot which is very good value and covers so much and we are deemed fit and well apart from my cholesterol (which I knew). OH sciatica is now a thing of the past and he is walking with me a lot now and we are getting out much more as he is building stamina again.

My 60th birthday was full of surprises including a bar full of friends which was humbling that they all came to wish me well.

A trip back to the uk was needed to sort a few kids issues and it seems said kids didn't really appreciate just how much we have done in the past. They will learn from it and they are certainly old enough to manage.

Diy is not really OH so I think a little you tube watching and favour calling in might be in order soon as it's surprising how quickly things need sorting.

The weather is harsh due to high temperatures in summer and damp in winter. Plus we are near the sea so corrosion from the salt is a constant problem to metal work.

A year of very intensive recording of all spends has shown our initial budgets were not too far out although we have added a column "major spends from savings" for one off things to set us up. High but acceptable and won't be repeated.

Groceries did well and leisure (all outings, drinking, clubs etc ) was pleasing as we have a little surplus. Electric I think was about 75% and water 50%. So doing the budget for the second year we are able to adjust and note the line on the graph is doing fine especially as we have 12% interest on the Turkish lire bank accounts for the next year.

Simple pleasures, simple life and we never forget we are lucky to be able to spend this time together.

Xxxxx

Mint1955

The weather is picking up nicely and we have had sunbathing days already.

On the house front we have started to get outside ready cleaning the furniture and doing odd jobs.

OH is making a cover for the air con units at the front of the house and is tackling it very scientifically so it may take a while!

Flash storms are due and power cuts are frequent at the moment but nothing new.

Charlie the puppy went missing today and on his return he was so muddy he had to be bathed!!!

janb5

Mint1955 wrote: »

Lots
Sister and brother in law here for a week was interesting but I b
I try and bake something different when it's my turn for the girls on a Monday and today was Twinks hobnobs as usual and a lemon drizzle cake which was deemed lovely and seconds were eaten.

Loads of veg in the fridge needed using up yesterday so I made aubergine sweet potato and chick pea curry and then added other bits like carrots and some normal potato so three double portions and a single have been frozen.

I know you wrote this post a few months ago but I would love your recipe for aubergine sweet potato and chick pea curry - please! Sounds divine!

Mint1955

Hi Janb,
http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/food/recipes/aubergine-chickpea-and-sweet-potato-curry
I started with this recipe and now just add or subtract bits etc.
Thanks for reading.
2am and can't sleep lol

Mint1955

The weather has settled so most days we sit in the sun and read. The jacuzzi is refilled so even more relaxing.

Charlie won't stop chewing the ends of the rattan furniture when we leave him and we now have quite a hole in one of the arms on the sofa grrrr

As the evenings get lighter and warmer going indoors to cook gets harder so I need to rethink food as I need quick and easy rather than warming and filling.

Lots of lovely walks with the dog are great but with the heat we will be doing them very early or much later. Charlie is spending more time each day just flopped out on a cool patch of stone floor. We have a big water pool for him outside to cool of if he wants but so far he just drinks from it!

suki1964

We are still on warming and filling as its so cold here ATM

I miss the warmth at times. Would love to just be able to throw some salads together every evening with cold cuts, quiches, fish etc

DH built a wood burning oven in the garden last year. On the few good days we had it was lovely spit roasting chickens and cooking pizza outside, esp as it was paper plates, so no washing up worth talking about

Lovely to read your updates

Have you tried crating Charlie when you need to leave him?

Mint1955

I just stumbled on my old diary and wow wow wow
It’s now nearly four years living here in northern Cyprus we have two dogs and a cat all of which are rescues.

Reading back right from the beginning I am pleasantly surprised and still don’t regret a thing. Not one thing we gave away or sold really has been missed except the motorbike!

I can’t recall everything that’s happened but friend ones mum is still with us after two strokes, friend two eventually got to New Zealand and is fit and well. We changed to a bigger car as we go down to the beach and up mountain tracks so we needed something g sturdy and also big enough for dogs etc.

We have been back to uk three maybe four times and the best thing for me is my estranged son got in touch out of the blue and has been here three visits and I in turn have been to Scotland to visit him and his lovely wife.

Friends and neighbours here keep us busy and whilst there have been some people that have really made us question what friendship really means on the whole it’s been fab. Four years on and every thing has settled, changed, shifted and moved on etc and we are in a good place.

The air con cover took 18 months to complete!!!!!

Life is still simple which is fine by us. We contemplated moving for a while but have decided to stay here in this villa until OH is 55 and we will look at his pensions etc and decide then where life will take us. So a bit of a spend this year inside and out decorating, new air cons, new decking and pergola for our beloved jacuzzi and this is the 4th winter with iur trusty heated duvet.

Life is good xxxxx

C_J

How lovely to get an update to this thread, and that you are doing well.

My parents had their honeymoon in Northern Cyprus back in 1955. I wonder if the Bristol Hotel in Kyrenia is still there?