Tyres and Tantrums

I finally worked out how the pool keeps getting dirty, this morning as Stitch and I were walking around the garden I noticed the paths were wet which is kinda odd as it wasn't raining, the garden is set up with a network of sprinklers and unfortunately(or fortunately when you think how expensive water is when you are charged by usage)the water that is used for the garden is some kind of system that is previously used water, and not just ours I might add, so anyway the water had been sprinkling across the paths and contaminating the pool, no wonder Michael the pool man has had a problem with cleaning it.  Anyway, we called the gardener who installed and maintains the garden and pipework and he said he would send someone over to sort the pipes later in the day.

Today I decided to sort the basement out as we will be having guest in a couple of weeks, so I began moving boxes and belongings that we don't use just now and put them in the back room of the basement, I organised the sitting room in the basement and moved all the patio furniture cushions into the garage and placed them on the chairs, so now the guest will have their own living area in the granny basement, some people have granny flats we have a granny basement.

My beloved had to go and get new tyres today one because the blow out we had meant we were using the spare and two because they are all  rather on the shoddy side, so four tyres new to us, but lovingly cared for later and the jeep is driving like a dream, no more shake rattle and roll as the lovely guy at the garage sorted the tracking at the same time. Michael had gone with my beloved as it was his friends garage and trust me my beloved would never have found it on his own.  Just before they left for the garage the gardeners arrived so luckily Michael (pool man) explained the problems with the water, I was then left with two gents in the garden getting very wet, it was actually quite funny watching them turn the water on to figure out which direction it was being sprayed because even I knew it was going to be all over them.  They eventually seemed happy with their work (and very wet) and off the toddled leaving Stitch and I snickering at them from behind the blinds.

I took Stitch for a long walk up and over the village to give him some exercise, it was quite breezy but not unpleasant, I let him off the lead but this poor hound is easily spooked and stopped as if to say "I am not going down there", so I went back put his lead on and he walked no problem, although he did jump a few times when the trees rustled in his ears, or a neighbourhood dog objected loudly to us being in his toon.

Our evening was spent watching a DVD purchased from the local shop, over a glass of wine with the hound on my beloved's knee and rather pleasant it was too. White House Down was our DVD of choice and it was thoroughly believed in an enjoyable kind of way, Wolf on Wall Street it is tomorrow or Homefront with Jason decisions, decisions.

Backing up Baby

I woke early this morning as I felt like I had been kicked all over so I rolled out of bed and left my beloved pushing up zzzs.  Stitch as always was happy to see me and we went for a walk around the garden, obviously the grass was wet again because he did that cat thing, he jumped straight up in the air and managed to hit the path without touching the grass again.  I could tell he was needing a business stop but he just wasn't giving in to the urge if it meant going on the grass, so we went inside and I fed him his breakfast and then took him for a walk around the block. We passed a cat on route and I am now training this poor hound to let the cats be, this means no chasing or growling at them, this I think will take an awful lot of training, but at least for the moment he isn't attacking the glass to get out into the garden when a cat comes tripping by to get a drink at the pool

Something we have noticed for a few days now is that if we tell Stitch something like go to your mat especially when we are eating he is behaving a little like a stroppy teenager because he will go to his mat but he grumbles on the way, it is the funniest thing to hear, I swear if he could he would slam a door or stomp his paws, it's a kind of a rumble low and deep in his throat, personally I think he is swearing at us.

Oh my the basement had a funny smell today, when I went down to put the washing on I discovered again that the toilet down there is very slow to drain, then I noticed the downstairs shower next to the toilet has water coming up from the drain, this was followed by water coming up the sink next to the washing machine and finally when I was outside to hang my washing the drain outside the garage  had water coming up which is obviously where the funny smell was coming from.  The plumber who was sent to assist informed my beloved 'the smell, it is because you don't have a window in your toilet' yep because obviously the water always flows up the walls to exit a bathroom and leaves a smell, what a numpty! 

We left the house and set off to the beach for a walk with the hound only to receive a call about a second plumber that would be arriving within the hour, so poor Stitch had a very quick and very short walk, then it was  a speed shop for supplies before heading home again.

The second plumber arrived and thankfully being from north London many moons ago his English was impeccable, and once he opened a few of the man holes he discovered a rather nasty blockage that was causing the water to back up, so he flushed everything through and we now have free flowing drains again and no smell, thank god! 

Whilst my beloved was organising the second plumber I put the shopping away and fed Stitch, then went upstairs to do some ironing, my beloved came up to see me and told me all that had occurred with the flush through (way too much over sharing)and then he went back down to make supper, I eventually followed him downstairs and he greeted me by telling me 'the dogs been fed', how wonderful for Stitch a wee dog who only weighs 4.5 kilo and gets 95gms of food a day must think all his dreams have come true as today he has been fed three times and given a grand total of 135gms, I have since informed my beloved that should the dog need up in the night to relieve himself it will in fact be his turn....he said he did wonder why the dog didn't look as interested as usual in his bowl, but this didn't stop the little scamp from finishing it though.

DOES MY DOG LOOK FAT IN THIS

Souvla

 A day of dogs - So Stitch is once again star pupil, in his own head that is, but his hard work and my perseverance has paid off we took our class and strolled through it like old pros.  The class was a bit disjointed with the late comers but once everyone was in, excluding the Schnauzer who has fallen off the planet everything went along swimmingly. Each hound got to shine doing the down and stay routines they had been practising since the last class, Maisie had a moment when sit was just not going to happen but eventually even she couldn't hold out and did as was expected, the baby of the class Cara behaved beautifully and had us all cooing at her skills. Mo has spent the last nine days being boarded out as his mumma was away and even he has managed to get his skills up to speed, not easy when you have to leave a dog for a while in company that doesn't keep your own routine, much like leaving children with Grandparents, when they come back they are like devilish duplicates of the children you left.

Blake

Mo

Cara

Maisie having a moment

Maisie's moment finished

Stitch

I must remember this dogs name

you can just make out loopy Luna at the rear

Luna is still loony and pulling at her lead, wanting to play constantly and it just reiterated my feelings of "Im so glad I have a small dog". 

All the puppies have grown so much in the last two weeks, Blake appears to have added inches to his already long legs, but his training is coming on really well, I still rather like him, he is deliciously coal coloured with white paws.

Today we were doing poison training as there are so many things in Cyprus that are dangerous to dogs, including people who lay down poisons across their front gates which makes this training all the more important, today's poison was two slices of bread thrown to the floor in front of the dogs, we had to walk past the bread and teach the dogs to 'leave it', this was very hard for the spaniel who apparently loves bread, but each dog took its turn to walk by the bread and leave it, Stitch tried to sniff the first piece but the leave it command meant that he completely ignored the second slice. Then it was time for good manners we had to walk our dogs to Lindsay ask them to sit and she would then give them each a piece of bread, now this was in fact the same bread she had used for the poison training but explained that we need to teach our dogs that it is not ok to take anything off the ground, but if it is given from the hand then that is ok.

Class finished and we all went our separate ways, myself and my beloved headed home and were collected shortly afterwards by Evangalia for lunch of Souvla made by Michael, we spent a lovely afternoon in the company of Michael and his family eating his delicious Souvla and sharing wine and beer.

Souvla

Consists of large pieces of meat cooked on a long skewer over a charcoal barbecue.

It differs from the popular Greek dish souvlaki, in that meat cuts are much larger and slow cooked for a much longer period at a greater distance from the hot charcoal. Traditional souvla is made from the neck and shoulder of lamb or pork. The meat is cut on the bone into chunks about the size of a medium onion.

The meat must be put on so that its weight is evenly distributed, so that it will rotate evenly on the spit.

The meat is put as far as possible from the charcoal at first. After it is sizzling, it is lowered down to charcoal so that the skin on the meat goes brown. The process takes between 90 minutes and 3 hours depending on the type of meat, size and heat of fire. Salt, aromatics (such as oregano), oil, and wine are sprinkled or brushed on the meat once the cooking process is well under way. That way the meat stays juicy and does not brown too quickly.

Gizmo

"Oh wow! I slept right through the night again, oh my god where am I? Why is my head in the wrong place and why am I facing the patio door? Widthways in the bed how did that happen."

"Ahhh there's my boys, both pleased to see me, some more than others, but then if my beloved wrapped himself around my ankles I guess that would be just a little wrong. Ok Stitch lets go hang in the garden, and he's off, please don't follow the cats across the neighbours garden again, not again please, phew that was a close one.  Guess the grass is wet again, you would think his paws were going to melt the way he behaves, it's just water for goodness sakes...
Time for a coffee in the sunshine, Stitch 'leave it', why would you want to sniff your own pee, and don't even think about sticking that nose on my leg, wwwwww."

 
"Right time to get cleaning, floors need sweeping and toilets need bleaching, but first I think I will shut the curtains that way he won't get at the windows if a cat comes walking by, one toilet, two toilet, three toilet and relax, hey Stitch coming for a trip around the garden, what do you mean the grass is still wet, oh man! He will have to pee sometime, oh there he goes up the bush next to the path, at least it wasn't the BBQ, yes, yes I know your beautiful, I wish both his ears would stick up, he looks like half a Gizmo, maybe the left one is broken? Do dogs have bones in their ears? I really should have called him Gizmo."

"Time to catch some rays, man it's hot up here, I wonder if Stitch is behaving the curtains are shut so he can't see the cats, he will be fine, maybe I should just check, ahhh there he is, laying in the stream of sun coming through the curtains, well they're not very thick. Can you get sunburn't through glass? I wonder if I should cream him nose?" 

"God it's hot, maybe I should put some more cream on, this book is rubbish, think I need to get a new one. I need a drink, hello Stitch still laying in the sun then, I wonder if he needs a pee again, sit! Wait, ok and he's off, grass must be dry at least he is walking on it now, not quite sure what he will do if we move back to Scotland, surely he will acclimatise. My beloved wants to go for a walk, lets head to the beach it has to be cooler down there, why does this hound hide under the car whenever he sees it, come on you fruitcake lets get you in, OMG that seat is hot, I hate leather seats, I know I'm gonna lose skin cells when I peel myself out of it. Wow it's breezy down here, oh oh think the hound needs a business stop, yep, no, yep, yep wooooooow how can such a small dog produce so much of that stuff, best get the bag out, ops he's not done yet."

"Ah look at him chasing the stones, he is so cute, man I hope that sea water doesn't make his stomach sore.  NOOOOOO Stitch you can't put your head right under, it leads to lack of oxygen, and no you can't breath out your bum, I know because I tried it running. Oh my god look out four dogs, phew thank god they are on leads, man they are ugly, I have such a beautiful dog, they are like pigs with hairy ears, and vicious little snipes, that's it Stitch you ignore them, nose up lad and they're gone"

Freak

Ok already I'm awake, if you would just let me stretch before you open the patio trying to chase those imaginary cats is difficult when your only half stretched, it's no wonder I miss when I leap over things and land on my chest.  Ok sniff chase, sniff, leg lift, sniff ahhhhhhhhh.

If they think I'm going on that wet grass they are mistaken, I'm sure I can hold it in till after breakfast, yeah course I can, my paws are way to precious for damp grass. Christ she is making we perform again, sit! Down! WAIT!!!!! I should have been in the circus, back and forward past the treats, no better not look at them, oh oh oh back to my spot and I managed without even sniffing, can I get my breakfast now? JEEEEEZ here we go again, sit! Down! WAIT..... run past the treats maybe if I run quicker I won't get the smell of them, nope that didn't work but I'm not looking, please can I get my breakfast now.  YESSSSS she's in the cupboard, I can see it the tub, my tub, my tub and it's not got much left she better remember and buy some more or I will be screwed.  Scales out ohhhh how I love the sound of that blipper it's my queue to be very, very still and watch.  I wish both my ears would stick up I feel so lopsided (but lush), my tail won't stop moving, I'm trying really hard here not to move, what if she thinks I am misbehaving will I have to go through the circus act again...... wait for it, wait for it, she bringing my dish, it's on the ground can't touch it though, not yet 1-100, 2-100, 3-100 pleeeeeeeese 10-100 yes OK, such a small word 'ok' but it's my fav.

Well that didn't take long, what's next I really need out for a business trip I can cross my front legs but not these back ones, come on will ya.. yes doors open if I just sit nicely surely they will let me through and out for some dry grass, it worked and we're off, out the door down the steps I wish she would hurry up I'm bursting, ahhhhhhhhh job done, I think she is a collector she is forever picking stuff up and putting it in bags freak..

And snooze

Bad Wife

Today was my beloved's birthday and I forgot to get him a card, I had in fact remembered his birthday but didn't realise it was in fact today, and he pointed out it is the same day every year!  

So I am bad I tried to make it up to him by offering him coffee and breakfast but when I asked he wasn't hungry and by the time he was I was busy (ops) so he made his own.

We sunned ourselves for a while in the garden before I took him for lunch we went to Chester's as we couldn't get into Malindis' as it was chocka block with Cypriots, for some reason and I still have no idea why today Tuesday, the day after Easter Monday is also a celebratory day in Cyprus so everywhere was very busy, we had our lunch sitting on the terrace at Chester's and very good it was too, my beloved had his favourite Carbonara and I took a Chicken and Apple salad, both dishes very beautifully presented and as always the plates were huge, some of the other dishes that whizzed past on the arms of the waiters were amazing, baby back ribs that would have fed a small nation, towering burgers that could have caused an earthquake had they toppled, French onions piled on steak looking anything but French, the parade was never ending of delightful food being delivered to hungry patrons. After a lovely meal we walked back along to the car and headed back up the mountain to our wee doggie, then the madness began.  My beloved decided today was the day he would go into the pool, he couldn't understand why I said 'no' to his request to join him, even when he had bombed the pool and his head went under, talk about brain freeze, I preferred to take the video and leave the nutter to it, then it was time for him to dry out in the sun, him and Stitch on the sun bed playing 'whose is the daftest'.

Our evening was spent in the company of Michael and his family, we were invited once again to the church and we decide that we should go, so we walked up to the village and the local church, the road was closed and the restaurant had tables and chairs in place set across from one side of the road to the other, the ice cream truck was parked up and doing a roaring trade, and the church courtyard was bright with the lights, chairs were set out around the perimeter of the courtyard and we met Michael and the girls and made our way to a row of seats for the evening.

Pareklissia has around 2000 inhabitants and I would say quite a few of them were at church, as we sat waiting for the entertainment to begin I did keep looking around and up in case that thunderbolt was thrown, but nope we were thunderbolt free and thankfully so, the evening began with dancing children from the local school, piped music and live music was being played and then the traditional dancers began.

• Syrtos: This folk dance, performed by men and women in couples in a circle, is very popular in social gatherings, weddings and religious festivals. It symbolizes the harmony between male and female roles in the Cypriot society.
• Men's Dances ("Kartzilamas"): Men dance in pairs across from each other. These very lively dances demonstrate the virility and agility of the Cypriot men.
• Women's Dances ("Kartzilamas"): Women dance in pairs to demonstrate their humility and grace. The movements of the dances show the Cypriot woman's needle work abilities.
• Datsia: A dance performed in social gatherings and weddings. It demonstrates the agility of the dancer - a man - as well as his skill to balance glasses filled with wine centrifugally turned in a circular sieve.
• Sickle Dance: A dance also performed in social gatherings and weddings by a man. He uses the sickle, which is very sharp, to show off his swiftness in harvesting.
• Antikristos: Men and women gracefully dance together in couples in rows across from each other to express the joy of life and love.
• Sousta: A very lively dance performed by both men and women in a circle to portray the spirit of community. During certain parts of the dance men dance alone and women dance alone, each demonstrating the virtues of their sex appreciated and respected in the Cypriot society - Women show grace and men show strength.

Not knowing what the dances were was quite interesting and my mind decided that the men were peacocks showing off their agility and masculinity whilst the women danced with very small delicate movements, it was almost like a courtship between the two groups. The traditional dancers began their dancing sitting at a table drinking Zivania (the women watched at this point) after sharing a few drinks the men began to take turns with the dancing sometimes alone sometimes in pairs, the gentlemen would sometimes come out and shake hands with the audience, the children running across the floor did not deter the dancers not did it put them off this appeared to be just as it should be, no formality as such but a joyous occasion to be watched, appreciated and all with an air of togetherness. One gentleman used what looked like a shaker in his dance, it had a look of a tambourine but much larger and at one point two glasses were placed on the rim and the shaker was then swung around the dancers head and never once losing the glasses, although the drink did spray a little but I think that was how it was meant to be.

After the dancing finished we headed to the Bistro for supper, at this stage I was very, very hungry and souvlaki was ordered, it really is delicious and when it arrived it was wrapped in pitta which was then wrapped in paper, with lemon quarters on the side.  We had a lovely meal and it's a first for my beloved because he went to church on his birthday, ok we never actually went in the doors but you have to remember we were still worried about that thunderbolt... 

Bay watch in Pissouri

Hooray my beloved is feeling sooo much better today, but the memory will be so distant the next time he goes out I'm sure he will do it again, I still am flabbergasted that someone can be that ill and still look fresh (dark glasses help).

We decided on a road trip today and headed towards the motorway via Limassol seafront, not quite sure why we did that first but we eventually got back onto the motorway and headed west, on route we were overtaken by a truck with a rather large dog hanging over the flatbed taking in the sights, I had all kinds of things running through my head, what if they hit a pothole? we would have a dog on our windscreen, what if it saw my hound? we would have a dog on the windscreen, what if my hound saw it? we would have a dog on the windscreen, you can see where this is going....

We continued on towards Pissouri and parked the jeep around the back of the restaurant, dragged Stitch out of the back, very strange little dog indeed once in the car he doesn't like to get out, once out he doesn't want to get back in, of course it could be the height from the back seat to the ground that bothers him in the jeep as I have trouble myself I still haven't figured out how to get in or out of that thing in anything resembling ladylike, I either roll out or throw myself in.

We took a walk around the bay area, some of the shops were closed for the bank holiday but most of the restaurants were open, once walked we lifted Stitch back in the car as the restaurant doesn't allow dogs (shame), we left the windows open and as there was quite a breeze down in the bay so little pup shouldn't get overheated, we could also see the jeep from our vantage point in the restaurant (just in case anyone tried to steal him).  

I ordered Kleftico and my beloved chose sea bass, the waitress had informed me that their Kleftico was the best and she wasn't wrong it was the best I have ever had, and there was I thinking it was the little old man in Paphos who cooked the best Kleftico but no it is the restaurant in Pissouri bay. 

We took Stitch for another walk after our lunch then headed back to Limassol, Michael called and invited us to church in the evening as I said Easter is very big in Cyprus and church is what it's all about plus the celebrations after of course, we decided it was best not to attend as we didn't want to risk the villagers lives when the thunderbolts hit us going in, instead we took a trip down the beach with Stitch and spent a very pleasant evening watching the sun go down and the yachts bobbing in the water. 

Eggs and no bread

Saturday, was a very wet day and when we eventually took ourselves into town you would think someone had asked for an evacuation, the town was desolate, we headed to the supermarket collected a few bits and bobs and headed home again.

Stitch and I spent the evening home alone as my beloved was at a party in Pafos, everything was going swimmingly until we went outside for a pee break (stitch not me) the millipedes are out in force, yet another bug creature for me to deal with, and yes I know they are harmless but when you are sweeping up to twenty an hour from your patio it starts to make you cringe, and it's not the same ones coming back either.  Gads they made my skin crawl, shame I can't teach Stitch to pick them up and move them somewhere less unpleasant, like the neighbours garden! Then the spider appeared, it was mahoosive and I was going to leave it hanging from it's thread half way down the wall, but I just couldn't get comfortable sitting whilst this thing was dangling so it got broomed.

Our last dalliance around the roads was very short and sweet, the church singing had begun, remember Easter is a big celebration here, the fireworks were exploding and I'm not sure which spooked Stitch first the melodic religious singing or the banging so we went back inside.

Sunday.

I woke and began the arduous task of cleaning and hoovering, this time having a little more sense than last I put on the air con, my beloved is still not home from Pafos so the music was at full tilt and the cleaning began, this hardly took anytime at all, that air con trick worked a treat.  Then it was time for some sunbathing, so Stitch and I got creamed up and lay outside until my beloved eventually made an appearance around 2.30pm and no it wasn't pretty, I have no idea why a man of his gathering years still can't understand the need for moderation, I always thought with age came wiseness but obviously not for this old night owl.

I decided that I needed feeding and my beloved decided to join my, dragging his sorry ass off the sofa we trundled down to the beach and Malindi's for a late lunch, and once again the beach front was ghostsville, great for us we didn't have to fight for a table, Stitch had been left at home so it was just the two of us, luckily I had the forethought to take my book because speech didn't come easily to the man that can talk the hind legs off a donkey....

Leading Men

So I am currently not speaking with Stitch, let us just say we have had a big difference of opinion and obviously mine is correct, he will learn this in time.

My Beloved and I spent our morning sunning ourselves on the verandah outside our bedroom, we had been in the garden but although very hot it was a little breezy, so we took ourselves and the hound upstairs and lay outside our bedroom as the wind couldn't reach us up there.  Stitch amused himself for a while before he settled under the sunbed, he did alert me that there was a cat drinking at the pool and I then hosed it from above, I'm sure it will be back but not while we are sunbathing it won't.

We then left Stitch at home as the difference of opinion occurred between us coming inside from the sun and getting back downstairs so he was truly in the doghouse. My beloved and I headed to Starbucks (leaving Stitch in the doghouse) as we needed coffee beans and then over to the supermarket for supplies, the shelves are filled with everything Easter, there are eggs and chicks and baskets and flowers, some of the eggs are already coloured and on other shelves there are paints for painting them.  Our eggs are just normal coloured I really can't see me being happy to eat an egg that looks blood red or even worse green when it's natural colour is how god intended it, now I'm not adverse to a little artistry but eating eggs that are a lovely brown (on the outside) colour of the chicken that lays them is how I roll, to eat an egg that is red or green would give me nightmares about some big old chicken with green feathers and a nasty temper, so brown eggs it is for me then.

Every now and then I have a great idea and every now and then my beloved says "nahhh", once again today I had a great idea and decided to ignore the "nahhh" coming from the sofa, so now we have Netflix, we channel it through our VPN as for some reason Cyprus isn't a provider(why am I surprised).  Lo and behold my beloved now thinks this was a genius idea and why didn't I think of it earlier, so last night we watched "Hummingbird" with Jason Statham and "Olympus  has fallen" with Gerrard Butler, two very good films with two rather lush leading men (my words not my beloveds). Oh how I wish I had realised that the problem with the streaming was due mainly to the other sites I was using and nothing to do with the signal we have here at the house, but now we do know we can watch anything we want and when we want, life is good again who needs terrestrial TV when you go Netflix.

 

Cape Greco

It was scorchio today and my beloved had decided to take me on a day trip to Ayia Napa and Cape Greco, we set off with the dog in back of the the Jeep and headed towards Napa, it was a lovely journey all the way there although very hot in the jeep even with air con, unfortunately it wasn't until we arrived I figured out how to turn the air con on in the back of the jeep for the pooch.  

We arrived at Ayia Napa and drove through to Cape Greco, I still find it funny that Cyprus is still so quiet, even with the Easter break it is just ohh sooo quiet!  We all took a stroll around the sea caves looking at the beautiful colours the sea was displaying, it's not called Cape Greco for nothing Stitch was having a ball chasing Geckos the minute his little paws hit the sand, he didn't know which way to go first there were so many of them.  

Stitch had to be called back a few times as cliff jumping is not something I want him interested in, and I'm sure like his Dad he was thinking "I can make that", which is something my beloved always says when he is in an elevated position above any body of water, I have learn't to just say "yes dear" and move along quickly for fear that he may indeed one day attempt such a stupid feat of acrobatics.  The dog was just looking for a way out of the heat I believe, but knowing him like I do he would only have to see a bird or a butterfly and he would follow it straight over the cliff.

We walked around the caves and took pics of the scenery before heading into Napa for some lunch, we ended up at the harbour and found Issacs, a little taverna on the harbour sitting under some trees, we found a table and as usual Stitch was underneath it, trying his best to ignore a cat or three that liked to come over and see just how close they could get before Stitch was gonna get them.  We ordered our lunch and today it was Whitebait and greek salad, the Whitebait here tends to be bigger than at home, still tasty but I like my fish-with-heads on a little smaller, that way I don't have to think about the fact that I'm eating fish brains!! The salad was lush, the tomatoes juicy and sweet, the feta fluffy and tangy and the whole meal followed by the complementary Commandria was a delight, in fact even the Americana was a hit, so often it can be Nescafe for the tourist when abroad, but I love it when I am surprised by proper coffee with delicate aromas.

We walked around Napa for a while before heading back to the car and home again, this time with the air con flowing in the front and the back of the jeep.  

Once again it was Mentalist time in our house and I have no idea what we are going to do as now as we are up to date with the series and will have to find something else to entertain usbecause we still have no TV, this is a crazy country where nothing happens fast, and even if it does happen don't expect it to be right....

7Km Walk along the front

Today we had a lovely walk along the promenade from the Crowne Plaza to the old port of Limassol, the sun was shining today and it was so much nicer that yesterday, it's always nice to be out when the rain is missing.  We took our lunch at Dino art one of my favourite restaurants mainly because they do the most amazing salads, I decided on the Teriyaki Ducki Salad(as they call it) and my beloved on the Chicken wraps with some yogurt dressing or other, I think I had the best choice the duck was mouth watering and the slices of orange that accompanied it were a delight, I really could eat at Dino art every day.

Stitch as usual was under the table and as we were eating outside people would stop and speak to him, we really have to teach him to say hello without turning tail and hiding.  After lunch was finished we walked back along to the Crowne to collect the car, then it was time for some shopping, now it was so hot in the car I thought even though the car was in the shade of the multi-storey car park it would be cruel to leave Stitch in it, so my beloved and he sat in the car with the air con blasting out cold air listening to tunes whilst I did a supermarket dash.  Supplies purchased and it was time for home.

Once again we are still streaming and The Mentalist was for our evening entertainment, well that and the hound, he didn't think much of his cravat I made him out of my head scarf but I thought he looked cool. Whilst we were watching the TV we heard the owl again and this time I managed to get photos, Stitch was going mental chasing around the house whilst I took pictures out the front, but then Stitch goes mental chasing most things including his tail.

our little visitor

Just ten minutes Honest!

Poor Stitch, we took him for a walk around Germasogeia Dam, well nearly, we did set out for the dam but never actually found it, which is quite funny as it's only over the hill somewhere, but we are not quite sure where.

Needless to say we ended up in a district of Nicosia which is miles away from where we were headed but the scenery was lovely even though it was raining lightly, we never did find a good walk for the poor hound as walking on the roadside is not the best when there are no paths, we did eventually find some forest paths but that was on the way home and as it was going to get dark imminently so we thought it best to carry on home.  Needless to say Stitch was not impressed with his lack of exercise and was a little demented for the rest of the evening, this wouldn't be so bad if the rain had stopped as Stitch does not like to get wet, and this became very apparent when he thought he could do his business on the patio area as it was under cover, I shifted his backside onto the soil which was in the rain and he promptly stopped, legs crossed I might add, we eventually coaxed him out for a walk to the shop whereby he could do some business(in the rain!).

Gads later in the evening I was sitting with Stitch on my lap whilst watching The Mentalist over the internet(yes we are streaming now) and I felt something on his ear, which I removed and promptly threw on the floor, another bloody tick, the first since we left our other house, I then had the hebejebies all night thinking about that blasted tick, needless to say I flushed it.

Beach Bunnies

Today was a gloriously sunny day and there was nothing else for it but to take a long walk along the beachfront, Stitch was put in the back of the jeep and off we went, we arrived at the Marina car park and set off along the prom on a lovely walk, now the coastline of Limassol is such that walk ways have had to be built over the sea and rocks to allow strollers a safe walk without having to walk the roadside, the trouble is when you have a little dog and the walk ways above the rocks are made of slatted lengths of wood and it can become very difficult for a little hound with small feet, so needless to say Stitch had to be carried on these occasions as broken legs are not required in this house.  Stitch didn't mind the lifts but my beloved moaned that he had to carry Stitch and why couldn't he have big feet (Stitch not my beloved).  

Lots of people stopped to speak to Stitch on the route, a couple of children bent down to speak to him and he sniffed at them a little and then carried on, he is quite funny with people because he will walk past someone and turn as if to say 'Helloooo I'm here', but if they turn to speak he saunters off ignoring them completely.  We have come across quite a few people who call him Milo from the mask, and I suppose he has a swipe of Milo but he is far better looking and doesn't have a green face.

Our walk took us as far as the Four Seasons Hotel before we had to turn off the beach path because dogs are not allowed, I understand not letting them on the beach, but a path I just don't get, so we walked up through the front of the Fours Seasons and then dropped back down onto the path back towards the marina, thereby making my beloved carry Stitch back across the wooden slats again, our walk finished at Malindis with a Frappe and water for the hound, sitting in the sun with Stitch under the table and for as long as his walk was he still had the energy to try and chase the cat that appeared from nowhere, luckily my beloved as a fair sized rump and Stitch was attached to his chair so he was going nowhere far.

Whatever!

Our little walk obviously we did it twice,  there and back

Our homework from our class yesterday is the sit command, already got that covered, the stay command, on it like sonic and the down command which we are almost in control of, just have to keep at it to make sure Stitch can do it in company now, practice, practice, practice.

Our evening was spent alone, we didn't think Stitch would like Captain America as he doesn't seem to like the videos we keep showing him, maybe we should stop showing him meowing cats, and barking dogs! The cinema was very quiet initially but soon filled up with people of all ages, and then the film began, Tadaaaa Captain American transferred us into another world of madness and mayhem, bullets and backflips and we loved it, I am now praying that we are still in Cyprus for the new Avengers movie but considering that it doesn't show until 2015 think that will be a no then, we will just have to visit a country that shows movies because Saudi Arabia won't be showing it thats for sure.  Stitch was happy to see us when we returned, he asked all about the film, was it good? were there any bitches in it? the usual questions.....