Long time - No Write...

My Birthday rack, could't eat a full un!

 Well, I'd best start off this time with a big apology for not having written anything on the blog for about four weeks now.  I do however, have an excuse!  Since leaving the UK in early January I have not had a computer to write with, only my phone and a substandard tablet with a stupid keyboard which is just not up to my oversized mits working on it.  And apart from that you have to reset the dammed thing about five times a day, note to self, when I win the lottery I must buy a decent tablet!

Cutting the cake with Ricky nearly in the picture.

Since I have not been sending out my weekly diatribe I have not been inundated from my worldwide fan base insisting that I put finger to keyboard immediately on pain of death so I guess it's now developed into my private little diary only shared by me - and you dear reader!

Heard of orange and lemon on one tree, not on one fruit.

That aside.  I have had another digit added onto my rapidly growing age in the intervening period and so I can no longer claim to be Les Waddingham aged 13 3/4 (oh no that was Adrian Mole) I'm now in my 60th year and happily getting nearer to my OAP!  I have now discovered that the age you get a bus pass and free NHS treatment has moved since I last checked and so I don't get any Brucey bonuses just yet but hopefully my time will come.

Us lot with some new mates on a walk.

 We went out to a restaurant in Pathos for my birthday and I had the rack of pork ribs pictured (after I had already eaten three from the thin end) I couldn't manage any more than about half of them but Allen managed them for his lunch a couple of days later so they weren't wasted.  Jean had the same as me but she managed to destroy hers!  Question: why am I so fat and don't eat as much as other people, perhaps it's something to do with the bread and potatoes!

We also had the mandatory Birthday cake which was super just like black forest gateaux but I don't think it was meant to be like that.

Inside a Cypriot church pretty much the same as here.

Thanks Allen, Jean, Rita and Ricky for a great night out, loved it.

TGI Fridays on the marina at Limassol Marina.

We had a fabulous time in Cyprus although it was very cold by their standards for most of it.  Thanks to the local Dingy Sailing club, I've forgot their name but it was something like PISCY for inviting us on your social gathering and walking trips and also to Steven and Jackie for inviting us to Steven's birthday bash (and sending me the photo's).

Allen & Jean (left) with walking mates again.

We visited Limassol for a day with two purposes in mind, one to visit a fantastic old Roman village and public baths and two to see the new marina which has just been completed there.  The Roman ruins are marvellous and a must see for anyone travelling there.  We could have spent much longer looking but didn't have the spare time.  There are many beautiful mosaics depicting gladiators, nubile young ladies, dignitaries of the time etc. hypocausts, an amphitheatre, a gladiatorial residence and of cause, the town and baths.  It's still in the process of being preserved but you feel there is much more to find if the dig a little further afield.

Some fine mosaics at a historic site near Limassol.

Onwards to Limassol, of all the places we have visited in Greek Cyprus, this is our favourite town.  Very clean and cosmopolitan but still seems to have a certain charm and sophistication to it.  The marina is fantastic although not cheap, they are currently doing special offers to get it full the offer being basically half price.  Guess what half price there for us is about the same as full price here and this is a much better sailing area.  If we took the boat to Cyprus we would try and get a mooring in Lachi Marina which is very nice and in the town but I'm told by the people at the dingy club that there is a waiting list for moorings.  There did however, seem to be some live aboards there and it's a very pretty place.

All good things come to an end and so it was that our stay ended with a flight back to Athens a night in Peris Hotel and then a drive back to Lefkas last Thursday.

Sanny with Jean centre stage as always.

Anyone for a second hand hypocaust?

One of the strangest things that we saw whilst in Cyprus was a full grown, ripe citrus fruit which was genuinely part lemon and part orange.  I have never seen anything like t before, Trees with grafts of lemon, lime and orange yes but never fruits.

A night out with Jez and Deb on Saturday for the Chinese "taste of the world" at the yacht club.  Sandra and Deb managed to destroy four bottles of bubbly the end result being that Sandra tried doing a pirouette on the passerelle and bust half of the pop rivets in it.  You've seen Disney's Jumbo in a tutu....   Fixed it the next morning whilst her indoors nursed her hangover.  It's great to be back!!

Happy 2015 to all...

Melissa Christmas morning.

Jess and Dino full of Yule spirit.

 Well it's all over now bar the shouting.  Sanny and I hope you have all had a great Christmas and are about to have the best year ever in 2015.  We ourselves have had a very hectic time of all but I think we have achieved most things we set out to before coming back to the UK.

The Lawn tractor has been rebuilt and Geoff's new bathroom has had the finishing touches applied all before the Christmas frenzy.  Christmas itself went off pretty much without incident like the well oiled machine that Sandra always tries to ensure it is.

We managed to get down to the Midlands to catch up with Peter (ex of the Katoghi) and on the way back called in to see Mark and Maureen on the off chance that they would be in, they were.  Everyone was in good form and seemed to be ready, willing and able to take on the festivities which lay ahead.

Christmas retreat for Les.

We visited all the children on Christmas morning, whilst the bird was in the oven, to ensure that "he'ad been" and of course to indulge ourselves in the reflected glory of having all these beaming grandchildren until of course they get bored and then it's over to the parents.

New boat curtains Waddy's way.

 I have managed to get out of the way a couple of times into the conservatory with the guitar but not as often as I would have wished as I've been trying to sort out flood prevention measures for the house door barriers and air brick modifications amongst other things.

Sandra and Liz dancing in the new year.

Geoffrey's perennial new years parcel. 

With true teamwork Sandra and I have made the new curtains for the fore and aft cabins on Lesanda with the aid of Aunty Pauline's trusty sewing machine, it was quite therapeutic if a not quite a professional job it'll be good enough as only we see them.

New years eve last night and we went down to the village pub for some refreshment.  Geoff didn't want to go as he would have to walk home so he was going to watch the fireworks on TV but we needed fresh company and went on our own.  It was actually very quite only about forty people in but as we live in an isolated hamlet people have to drive to get there and have obviously made the sensible decision to leave the keys at home.  We had a great night none the less and didn't set off back until one thirty in the morning.

We sent several texts to people in Greece but they maybe didn't recognise the number as it was my UK phone and of course I never said it was from us, so if you got a strange text last night it was us - in alcohol!

 On arriving back Geoff had left out his usual new years pagan offerings of Money, Sticks and Coal which will today be wrapped back up for next year.  For a religious man I cannot fathom out this tribal ritual but if it keeps him happy then that's OK by us.

Happy new year everyone.  Les and Sanny xx