'Lizbeth and I were chatting away yesterday and the conversation eventually came round to... 'the ageing issue'!
Now we two gals are no Einstein or Newton but in our ramblings yesterday we hit upon a ground breaking theory that I feel we must share with the world. Are we the only two who have noticed that once you get over fifty you hit the "E" years?
First there's the body that suddenly becomes flabby, saggy, droopy, swingy, floppy. Then come the emotions and we are cranky, scatty, nutty, batty, bitchy and moody. Clothes can't be clingy any more and trousers just have to be stretchy and comfy.
Do you think we might have hit on something here?

We used to joke that if you removed an item of clothing in front of my mum it would be washed and on the line before you could say Persil Biological Powder! She seemed to be so obsessed with washing, which really was beyond my comprehension. I was always under the impression that the 'whiter than white' fetish had remained at the bottom of the crystal clean gene pool and certainly not passed on to me.
Now don't get me wrong, I wear clean clothes every day but I was never a slave to my front loader, well that was until January 1st, 2005. I decided a new year needed a brand new attitude towards the wash basket in the laundry room. I tipped the whole contents on the floor and sorted all of the washing out. I discovered things at the bottom that I certainly hadn't missed and so I flung them in the rubbish bin. What was left went into the machine that day and the basket was empty!
This was so liberating and I felt quite smug as I folded the last shirt ready for ironing. My problem now, four months later, is that I can't tolerate any dirty washing in the basket!
My intention now is to take a long hard look at the clothes in my wardrobe and I've decided that if I haven't worn it for two years then it goes to the New-to-You shop on the compound. Talk about 'Life Laundry', I could present the programme!

I know it's been over a week but there have been extenuating circumstances.
It was a case of playing catch-up at work last week so I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Think again! Party and dinner out on Wednesday so my rest had to wait until Thursday and Friday.
Friday morning I woke early to start my new medical regime. Let me explain. It was suggested that I take calcium supplements every day and a wonder drug once a week. As the instructions involved taking it 30 minutes before the first food of the day and that I had to sit up for those minutes, I thought Friday would be the best day.
Well I did as I was instructed and within minutes I noticed, what felt like, a lump in my throat when I swallowed. As the day progressed my throat became worse and I could hardly swallow. It didn't occur to me that I might be having a reaction to the drug.
That night a medic had to come to the villa to give me antihistamine to combat the reaction I was having to the drug. So do I try taking it again?

Whenever I see this, it makes me smile and today I just happened to have my camera handy. The next photograph I hope to capture is the goat in the passenger seat!



Just before the Jordanian border Phil pulled the Murano over and proceeded to take a tray of fresh savoury pastries and a bottle of champagne from the fridge in the luggage hatch. Now that's what I call a picnic!

On the harbour front in Paphos there is a taverna called The Pelican. It was famous in the past, for a real pelican that walked amongst its customers and of course Michelle Collins who I spotted having lunch there. Unfortunately one night it waddled off (the bird with the big beak, not the bird from Eastenders!) and in true 'free willy' fashion was never seen again.
Some years ago Phil gave a five pound tip and said it was to get another pelican. Well maybe quite a few customers gave tips for the return of the pelican because look what's sitting outside the restaurant:



This must be the most bashful bird I have ever seen because he kept trying to hide under his own wing.

Life flows smoothly on the whole, but occasionally those boulders get in the way and we take a battering as we successfully try to navigate around them.
Over the last two and a half weeks I have had some difficult obstacles to overcome. I knew that I had to get a few medical issues sorted out when I arrived in Cyprus but I felt so ill and afraid that I had great difficulty in facing things.
The outcome of many tests later was that I had to have a little operation last Monday. I was terrified!
I have been unable to speak of this until today. I had to go back into hospital this morning to find out the results of a biopsy and ....yes, I AM CLEAR!
AND my hero throughout this is the Consultant below:



An amazing desk! Thank you Dr Theo.
A big thank you goes to Singapore Jill and Merv who have successfully diverted my attention by uncorking the wine and heck, for just being there.
Whilst on the subject of 'just being there', when it comes to walking that extra mile, I need Phil to know that I couldn't have faced any of it without his love and support. In response to me blubbering on the phone, he drove six hours, took a flight, drove a further two hours so that he could be with me when it mattered.
Group hug everyone!

I have just finished reading ‘Fatal’ by Michael Palmer and have to say it was an excellent romp through all things medical, with a dash of intrigue and a smattering of Erin Brokovitch.
What really intrigued me was the main thread of the story about a super vaccine to be given to babies that would protect them against 30 plus diseases. The story is interesting so maybe it would be best to read it for yourself and it is, allow me to stress, a work of fiction. However, what it stated was that parents who refuse to allow their infants to receive vaccinations were considered to be negligent and their children were taken from them.
This brought back memories of when Edward was a new baby and I was reminded by the health care visitor that it was time for my baby’s triple vaccine. I am one of these people who need to know ‘everything’ and there were some issues concerning the meningitis element of the vaccine that disturbed me. So instead of blindly going ahead with it I went to see my GP for more details and also to share my own concerns. He was very understanding and said that it would be OK to take out this part of the vaccine that was worrying me.
Not long after, Edward had an unrelated febrile convulsion and I was so glad that I had followed my instincts and convictions concerning this and had questioned whether this was right for my child.

Two nights ago the peace and quiet of our evening watching television was shattered by an incessant noise coming from the kitchen. We crept into the room and stood listening to "ribbit, ribbit, ribbit!" The croaking seemed to be coming from the back of the fridge/freezer so armed with a torch, a broom handle and a box we investigated the whereabouts of our new lodger. The problem was every time we switched on the torch he went quiet and we couldn't locate him. Believe me he was really making a racket but we gave up and thought we would deal with the situation the next morning.
The following day the kitchen was silent. We pulled out the fridge and apart from a lot of dust and a paperclip there was no little frog. A complete mystery! Hopped it in the night...but where to that's what I'd like to know?

One quarter of the property here just drops away to rock, cave and wildlife. I counted eighteen different species of wildflower yesterday and at the moment I am loath to suggest we cultivate this area.