What a lovely post :clap2:It was interesting reading Rhodes diary of hoarding items of no importance . My old dad used to say, Keep it for 7 years, if you haven't found a use, keep it for another 7. I found I adopted to this easily!!
I saved all the cards from my kids and partner, Mothers Day, birthday, Easter etc and was faced with the bag full of treasures, what to do? save or bin.? There comes a point when you realised these items must go and nothing prepares you for throwing personal stuff out, but you can't keep everything.....
If anything, it goes to show how much money we have spent over the years on useless, unwanted gadgets. Just take a look in the cutlery drawer!!
I have an old Cypriot widow below me, she lives in a one room stone house, has a bed, fridge freezer, washer, cooker, sink and one cupboard, table and chairs, no toaster, microwave, blender, fashionable kitchen storage jars or the latest trends, no vac as it's a stone flagged floor.
Her bathroom is across her courtyard.
She is the kindest person ever, we sit by her open fire, toasting bread on a knife, eat boiled eggs out of our hand and pick a lemon off the tree to put on food. I always take her something, even if it's a piece of fruit, or a meal on a plate. She has introduced me to Cypriot village food, including boiled goats head and the like.
She calls me korree mo (daughter mine) and I call her miterrah mo (mother mine), we don't speak each others language, but strangely understand each other, through her she takes me to other villagers homes where I am welcomed in the same way. Now I keep packets of figs or biscuits at the ready to take with me as a gift.
To me, this IS living the dream.
Down to earth
It was interesting reading Rhodes diary of hoarding items of no importance . My old dad used to say, Keep it for 7 years, if you haven't found a use, keep it for another 7. I found I adopted to this easily!!
I saved all the cards from my kids and partner, Mothers Day, birthday, Easter etc and was faced with the bag full of treasures, what to do? save or bin.? There comes a point when you realised these items must go and nothing prepares you for throwing personal stuff out, but you can't keep everything.....
If anything, it goes to show how much money we have spent over the years on useless, unwanted gadgets. Just take a look in the cutlery drawer!!
I have an old Cypriot widow below me, she lives in a one room stone house, has a bed, fridge freezer, washer, cooker, sink and one cupboard, table and chairs, no toaster, microwave, blender, fashionable kitchen storage jars or the latest trends, no vac as it's a stone flagged floor.
Her bathroom is across her courtyard.
She is the kindest person ever, we sit by her open fire, toasting bread on a knife, eat boiled eggs out of our hand and pick a lemon off the tree to put on food. I always take her something, even if it's a piece of fruit, or a meal on a plate. She has introduced me to Cypriot village food, including boiled goats head and the like.
She calls me korree mo (daughter mine) and I call her miterrah mo (mother mine), we don't speak each others language, but strangely understand each other, through her she takes me to other villagers homes where I am welcomed in the same way. Now I keep packets of figs or biscuits at the ready to take with me as a gift.
To me, this IS living the dream.
I saved all the cards from my kids and partner, Mothers Day, birthday, Easter etc and was faced with the bag full of treasures, what to do? save or bin.? There comes a point when you realised these items must go and nothing prepares you for throwing personal stuff out, but you can't keep everything.....
If anything, it goes to show how much money we have spent over the years on useless, unwanted gadgets. Just take a look in the cutlery drawer!!
I have an old Cypriot widow below me, she lives in a one room stone house, has a bed, fridge freezer, washer, cooker, sink and one cupboard, table and chairs, no toaster, microwave, blender, fashionable kitchen storage jars or the latest trends, no vac as it's a stone flagged floor.
Her bathroom is across her courtyard.
She is the kindest person ever, we sit by her open fire, toasting bread on a knife, eat boiled eggs out of our hand and pick a lemon off the tree to put on food. I always take her something, even if it's a piece of fruit, or a meal on a plate. She has introduced me to Cypriot village food, including boiled goats head and the like.
She calls me korree mo (daughter mine) and I call her miterrah mo (mother mine), we don't speak each others language, but strangely understand each other, through her she takes me to other villagers homes where I am welcomed in the same way. Now I keep packets of figs or biscuits at the ready to take with me as a gift.
To me, this IS living the dream.
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Lovely post Geraldine, the Cyprus I remember from years ago...It was interesting reading Rhodes diary of hoarding items of no importance . My old dad used to say, Keep it for 7 years, if you haven't found a use, keep it for another 7. I found I adopted to this easily!!
I saved all the cards from my kids and partner, Mothers Day, birthday, Easter etc and was faced with the bag full of treasures, what to do? save or bin.? There comes a point when you realised these items must go and nothing prepares you for throwing personal stuff out, but you can't keep everything.....
If anything, it goes to show how much money we have spent over the years on useless, unwanted gadgets. Just take a look in the cutlery drawer!!
I have an old Cypriot widow below me, she lives in a one room stone house, has a bed, fridge freezer, washer, cooker, sink and one cupboard, table and chairs, no toaster, microwave, blender, fashionable kitchen storage jars or the latest trends, no vac as it's a stone flagged floor.
Her bathroom is across her courtyard.
She is the kindest person ever, we sit by her open fire, toasting bread on a knife, eat boiled eggs out of our hand and pick a lemon off the tree to put on food. I always take her something, even if it's a piece of fruit, or a meal on a plate. She has introduced me to Cypriot village food, including boiled goats head and the like.
She calls me korree mo (daughter mine) and I call her miterrah mo (mother mine), we don't speak each others language, but strangely understand each other, through her she takes me to other villagers homes where I am welcomed in the same way. Now I keep packets of figs or biscuits at the ready to take with me as a gift.
To me, this IS living the dream.
Its the sort of thing that made me fall in love with Cyprus when I lived here for the first time many years as a young mum.
My Cypriot neighbour took me under her wing, treated me like a daughter and became an honourary gran to my little boy.
It is still the same in the more remote villages and the life I would love if I didnt need to be close to Paphos for my work.
Geraldine you are so lucky
Your neighbor sounds exactly like my father-in-laws mother who is in her 80's - would that be my grandmother-in-law!?? Either way, she lives right up the road from you Veronica in Marathounda. Lovely, lovely lady with the kindest eyes and warmest heart. She would make your heart melt the way Geraldine's post has done Then of course, she does still have the rabbits in the back which are NOT pets. Don't know which I would prefer....rabbit stew or goats head!?
Then of course, she does still have the rabbits in the back which are NOT pets. Don't know which I would prefer....rabbit stew or goats head!?Yes I know where your yiayia in law lives CleoYour neighbor sounds exactly like my father-in-laws mother who is in her 80's - would that be my grandmother-in-law!?? Either way, she lives right up the road from you Veronica in Marathounda. Lovely, lovely lady with the kindest eyes and warmest heart. She would make your heart melt the way Geraldine's post has done
I know exactly which house.I am told by her neighbours she is a lovely lady
Since she is your wife's yiayia that would make her your yiayia too Cleo. I am sure she would like being called yiayia by you.Your neighbor sounds exactly like my father-in-laws mother who is in her 80's - would that be my grandmother-in-law!?? Either way, she lives right up the road from you Veronica in Marathounda. Lovely, lovely lady with the kindest eyes and warmest heart. She would make your heart melt the way Geraldine's post has done
She is really a step-yiayia but either way she is everyones yiayia. I am pretty sure most younger people (and I) call her that. Calling her "Mrs." or any other name just would not seem right
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