A Matter of Choice

This week sees our 13th anniversary of our move to Cyprus. On 26th November 2009 we ran through Gatwick airport desperately trying not to miss our flight to Larnaca with 3 suitcases, 3 cabin cases, a pushchair and car seat, and of course a slightly confused 6 month old Leo!  Strangely on the 26th November this year I will be flying back to Gatwick for a week's visit for the first time in almost 10 years. (With less baggage, no baby and hopefully not running late this time!) 2019 was an obvious milestone for us, and I wrote about it in my "10 years in Cyprus" post so I will try not to repeat myself by reminiscing on our time here. The last couple of years have been lacking in visitors or major events apart from the obvious so I've not got too much more to add so far.  You can also read the story of our move here "Let's move to Cyprus"  written as we approached our 5th Cyprus anniversary, in which Aaron first brought up the idea of moving whilst we were w...

I'm gifting you another post just in case I wake up tomorrow and the urge has passed.  I'm also hanging my head in shame and apologizing for using the word 'gifted', the phrase enrages me as much as a friend of mine is incensed by the existence of tomato ketchup - I mean what the hell is the problem, you don't like it, don't eat it! Well, it's been a over a year since I blogged (not including the last post but I've literally just hit publish on that so that doesn't count)   and therefore it's hard to know where to start. We've had birthdays, and a holiday, and covid and other stuff that is not immediately coming to mind but the biggest news is..... WE HAVE A DOG!!! Meet Roxi.... If you know us, you would have undoubtedly be bored of the many times we have talked about wanting to get a dog over the years.  Aaron and I have wanted one for so long, maybe Aaron more than me as I was more worried about it all, but I did strongly feel that despite ...

 Over a year has passed since I wrote a blog post here and after all this time I thought I was finally done with it, but today I've felt restless and bored, yeah I could have tidied out a random cupboard or baked a cake but I chose to do a bit of work admin followed by an unhealthy amount of time randomly scrolling through Instagram.  I finally got bored of that too and I even did all the ironing and put all the washing away.  I've been used to running at a hundred miles an hour all summer and now I've ground to a sudden halt and I'm not quite sure what to do.  I definitely wasn't planning on blogging, I absolutely loved this blog for so many years, and it got me to where I am today but I used to write freely without thought of who was reading and what they might think.  I'd merrily sit on the balcony with a vodka or three and type whatever came into my head.   I didn't know too many people here in Cyprus and while at first I felt like an anonymous blo...

Did you know that if you wait long enough for a blog post, another is sure to follow it right up! While I wouldn't go as far as saying I have the blogging bug again,  I think it would take a bit more than two posts,  I did fancy writing another.   I thought I'd share something that I was surprised I could do... For years I have said that I'm no good at art, my go to response has always been 'I couldn't even draw a stick man'  and when Aaron started drawing last year out of lockdown boredom I didn't even consider joining him.  However, in an attempt to encourage the boys to do a 'Draw with Rob' video on YouTube I decided to attempt a drawing,  I assumed it would be terrible but therefore at least make them feel better.   Our first attempt was the 'Gregosaurus' and all three of our attempts were awesome,  I was genuinely surprised how well we had all done.  Spurred on by my initial success I attempted the Unicorn .... I tried a coup...

Hello, my long lost blog readers, just when you thought I'd left you all I'm back for a random blog post or two! I'd been quite happy with not blogging for ages this time with the other things that I've got going on, but I was looking up an old post the other day and realised that after all the years of blogging, hundreds of posts, comments, shares etc, that there was no way I could leave it with the last post being about Fruit Pasta   - I mean what a terrible way to go! I thought I didn't have much to update you on, especially as it seems strange to blog about every little thing these days,  but of course we've had birthdays, and the odd day out (although nothing major due to  a bit of a pandemic going on!)    We've both been double jabbed  - ( I don't want your opinions on it, just saying!) and this means we have our 'safepasses'  and can go to shops and restaurants by showing it to gain entry,  however because Leo is over 12 now he has to be ...

You have read that correctly,  the title of this post is indeed Slimming World Fruit Pasta.  You are also perfectly entitled to think that I have gone completely crazy as you wouldn't be alone in those thoughts.  Over my Slimming World years I've tried many things, some only once and others that have become a staple part of my diet even when I'm not following the SW plan.   Lots of them are very sensible,  things that many people like that I'd just never thought to try before such as butternut squash, cous cous, and spinach all of which I regularly enjoy now.  Some of the things are more 'diet-y'  like cauliflower rice or courgetti (not that I've tried that, but I would be happy to) and some are a bit more odd such as lasagne doritos,  or 'Smash potato scones'   but I've never been more amused by a suggestion than I was when I saw a photo of Fruity Pasta on pinterest yesterday.  The idea of fruit and pasta isn't new of course,...

 Do you ever find yourself on social media scrolling with a sigh? I'm sure you have seen posts that make you feel like you could be better, that others are fitter, tidier thinner, more beautiful, wealthier, loved, or just generally happier than you.  This time of year can be the worst, when it looks like everyone is having a better time, with huge piles of gifts, perfect decorations, happy families, matching PJs, and beautiful happy children baking cookies.  It's not unique to Christmas of course, summer evenings at the beach, family BBQ's, birthdays, exotic holidays,  cute kids, loved up couples, beautiful people and inspirational houses can have the same effect all year round.  There have been times where I've had to step away from the phone, when it all feels a bit too much.  Times where I was perfectly happy until the beautiful happy photos slowly chip away at your peace and start to make you feel like things should be different, everything needs to be ...

My Sunday photos today were taken earlier this week on a walk along the beach path in Pernera.  I walked alone with the plan to listen to music along the way but ended up enjoying the sound of the sea too much, it turns out I also don't really like not knowing what's happening around me, it really makes me jump if someone walks up behind me!  There was a lovely feel of spring in the air, and lovely to see a few gorgeous yellow flowers along the way and feel some real warmth in the sun.   I love this time of year in Cyprus,  when it starts to warm up a little and the promise of everything coming back to life.  Winter is always quiet and I always feel that this time of year is full of anticipation - Carnival and Green Monday is usually around now, or very soon,   and after that it all seems to begin.  Of course this year like last is looking to be very different, but we can only hope better days will be here soon. 

Originally published on 'Talking on Eggshells' at the start of January, just before the 2nd full lockdown was announced in Cyprus.  As the UK and many European countries head back into a full lockdown it's hard at times to think of anything else.  Everyone has an opinion, for or against lockdown,  schools closing or not,  vaccines good or bad and so on.  But whatever your opinion on the subject, it is what it is and like it or not we have to make the best of it.  There was a lot said at the start of the lockdowns in March last year about using the time productively,  to get fit, learn a new skill, reorganize your home and so on.  For me at the start I tried to embrace this and loved the inspiring posts I saw online.  It kept me going in a strange and scary time and helped me focus.  Being productive gives me a sense of achievement and I've always worked on the theory that even if it doesn't cheer me up, at least I've done something ...

Another one of my 'Talking on Eggshells' posts, which if you missed it was the 'other' blog I briefly started and then decided to ditch.  So as not to lose the few posts I'd published I decided to move them over to here - hence the 'New Years' post in February.     I've always loved New Year, the very start of them at least. Many a New Years Day has been hungover to varying degrees, but once we recover from that I love the new beginning.  I love a new calendar,  writing in the birthdays and any plans that have been made for the year.      As much as I love Christmas I like to get the decorations away, have a good clean and feel like we are back to 'normal'.  I'm not one for making a long list of resolutions, but I do tend to have some in mind at least each year.  I never plan to start them immediately though,  I think that's a recipe for complete failure, for me at least.  It doesn't seem to be mentioned much these da...

As part of the relaxation of lockdown in Cyprus primary age children (and those in their last year of high school) return to school today after the latest covid measures shut them all down again.   We saw it coming in December as our cases were rising so it was no surprise to anyone that they did not open as planned after Christmas.  Home schooling was a 100% better for us this time round, although we are so glad to see them back in today.  Last year home school was a nightmare with tears and tantrums, and the kids weren't much better, but for a host of reasons this time was so much easier.  I think main reason was that it was less of a shock for everyone, I wrote about getting up for school when I didn't have to and reading it again reminds me how strange everything felt back in March last year.   Of course schools were not prepared and there was so much uncertainty everywhere.  This time round Leo had online lessons from 8 am till 10:30 am ever...

Winter in Cyprus is always very different to summer, we expect it to be quieter in Ayia Napa and positively sleepy in Protaras,  and we are used to seeing empty beaches free from sunbeds and closed bars and restaurants.  When we looked into moving here we were told that the east coast closes in winter and it wouldn't be a suitable place to consider moving to ( I think her company only dealt with Paphos properties).   I was really annoyed by the comment, how ridiculous I thought - surely the people who live there manage to survive! What she meant was that when the season ends many businesses close between November and April, although that would only be a problem if you are trying to live like a tourist all year round.   Of course the airports are currently closed to all but residents and essential travel, and all the bars and restaurants are closed until further notice and we realise just how much life there usually is in the winter months.  Usually we ...

After starting a new blog to be able to rant and write about more about things on my mind I cheered up and my first post came out all cheerful, but I was feeling like it was not acceptable to be cheerful so had not wanted to put it 'publicly on here'  Maybe one day I'll progress to not putting a 'disclaimer' on how I feel!  Here's the 2nd 'Talking on Eggshells' post (written 15th December 2020 so apologies for the mentions of Christmas)  So where to start with my shiny new blog? The overthinking is going well and I've had so many post ideas pop into my head in the last 24 hours that I now don't know where to start!  I thought it strange that I've felt happy / excited about it, and one of the reasons I started 'Talking on Eggshells' was so I could talk about things that made me sad or angry without worrying so much about people I know in real life reading it all so easily.  I forgot though how I love a new thing, even if one of the thi...

 At the end of 2020 I decided on a whim to start a new blog.  Five posts in I realised I just needed to give this one a new lease of life instead of giving myself another blog to run so I stopped it before it had a chance to get going.  So here is the first of the five posts from what was going to be 'Talking on Eggshells'   Many years ago I started writing a blog, it began much like this one with no prior planning and no plan as to where it was going.  I knew nothing about blogs, websites or social media other than how to put a few random pics on facebook.   While I've never gone viral or become a famous blogger, all these years later my blog is still known - by friends, family, neighbours and 'blog friends' worldwide and because of this I find myself always overthinking what I write these days.  I never tried to be anonymous with my blog, and to be honest I'm not even sure I'll be able to pull it off with this one but I would love to be abl...

Despite blogging here for many many years,  at the end of 2020 I decided on a whim to start a new blog.  I thought about it for all of a couple of days, threw a template together and plucked a name out of thin air.  Why? 5 posts in on the new blog and I'm asking myself this very question.  I started this blog way back in 2009 in what now seems like another lifetime,  I've had highs and lows with it since then, times where I posted like clock work, and times where the posts have been few and far between.  There have been many times when I've considered ditching the whole thing, either just stopping or even taking the whole thing offline but I think it's an amazing achievement and I'm quite proud that I'm still going it seems a shame to ditch it now.  I would have never believed you when I started that I'd still be here over 1100 posts later and more than 1.3 million page views.  The thing is, when I started no one knew about it, I had no followers ...