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islandPat's bio
I was born in Walsall and joined the WRAF at 18.. Married for almost 50 years. Lived most of my adult life in Nottinghamshire. We have lived in Cyprus for the last 14 years. -
islandPat's latest comments
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20th Nov 2020islandPat commented on:
Keto - have you tired it?I was rushed to hospital thought to have a bad angina attack. I have always eaten the correct things and not a big eater but was obese. Well after a checks, a camera in the heart and it was found clear, a barrage of tests the answers came. I had sleep apnoea due to being obese and had stopped breathing in my sleep, I was born with an aorta only half the size it should be therefore after stopping breathing the heart started pumping faster and faster to try to get oxygen around the body hence mimicking an angina attack - I was pre diabetic because I am intolerant of carbs. My body stores carbs instead of breaking them down. I was told to go onto a low carb diet for life. Six months later and 25 kgs lighter I had a new wardrobe as I was size 18 and now size 10. I am still in UK size 10 six years later. When I go out for a meal I ask for just salad and meat or meat and veg no problems. Never been hungry and my bad cholesterol remains low and good high. Have normal sugar readings now so all well. :)ViewDate:
3rd Oct 2020islandPat commented on:
Just joined so I'm introducing myself.Hello and welcome 1965. I'm Pat and I live in Cyprus. Below Seaside girls post is a small box and it says Reply to Seasidegirl, put your curser and left click on that to open up the reply box as I have to you. :) You'll soon get the hang of it. Look to your right and see a white arrow in a mid blue box, it's pointing to the left, if you hit that with your curser you'll find out if people have contacted you or people have added posts to ones you are interested in. Hope you have happy and interesting time on here. Best wishes PatViewDate:
25th Aug 2020islandPat commented on:
Make new friendsHello, I've just finished a Lesley Cookman - Murder Repeated and now starting of A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes. Two very different books but I like that. I have a free kindle app. on my laptop, books in English here are too limited. Most places here in Cyprus are now open. Severe restrictions at first made sure the virus was contained. The airports were shut and we even got a 9 pm curfew. Stay safe PatViewDate:
25th Aug 2020islandPat commented on:
Just joined so I'm introducing myself.Sorry Allan that I didn't get back sooner but things just got busy and it's hot. I got a posting to Cyprus and so did my husband so this is where we met and married and 2 years later our son was born. He has never forgiven us for leaving here when he was 28 days old. :) My husband never had another overseas tour and he was in the RAF nearly 25 years. He was based on the outskirts of London for sometime but I stayed with the children in Newark Nottinghamshire. We moved later to near Sherwood Forest. I'm sure there's a U3A near you and a photography group. If you get interested in family history I'd be happy to help with that. I'm also in the book club but it's not run like most where you are told what book to read. We read what we want and then spend a couple of hours each month discussing what we've read over a cup of coffee. It's very pleasant. I'm the odd one out in the book club, the others are all art based and I'm science :). They never know what I'm going to discuss. I will read a couple of light books followed by a serious history or science book. This coming month it will be a light and humorous who done it followed by A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived - The Stories in Our Genes. That also links to my family history. I went to Chester a couple of years ago. I was visiting UK, a week in Notts with our children and a week with my sister in Walsall. We met up with a distant paternal cousin in Chester during my research - it was very interesting. We've met up since. How have you kept yourself entertained since lock down?I've had reading and family history and OH has had his computer and he helps out on a couple of sites on there. The dog has loved it as she doesn't like being left alone, although she is good when left. She was dumped as a pup and walked into our house for help so we think it relates to that. Off to do shopping, shops aren't far away thankfully - even though we have cool bags we still have to get cold things into the fridge quickly. Hope to hear from you soon PatViewDate:
21st Aug 2020islandPat commented on:
Just joined so I'm introducing myself.When and where did you serve. My husband and I were both in the RAF. Lovely place you live in. We used to live not far from Sherwood Forest. Retired to Cyprus. I am part of C3A - think U3A in UK. I run the family history. There is a group for photography in C3A. Somewhat warm at the moment so doing plenty of reading as well as family history. Best wishes PatViewDate:
5th Aug 2020islandPat commented on:
Looking for like minded members to chat withGood morning, Hot here due to be 35c or 95 F today. It was 40C 0r 104F last week. This is our hottest month of the year. As you mention fall instead of autumn I assume you are in the USA or Canada. Hope you are not in an area with lots infected with the virus. Sitting inside yesterday afternoon we heard a bang then had a shock wave come through the house. We knew it wasn't an earthquake but we were unable to say what it was. My ears started popping similar to taking off or landing when flying. A little while later we realised our island of Cyprus had heard and had part of the shock wave of that dreadful explosion in Beirut yesterday. Our daughter has had to work all through lock down, she's a civil engineer in UK and at the moment she's completing the job she's in charge of - dualling the A46 just outside Leicester. She has been careful when visiting the site. Our son is back at work - he's an executive chef for a company who have a series of pub/restaurants in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. He's had to redo the menu so it's quick and easy and go round making sure everyone understands the new rules. He's also had to cook the Christmas meals to be photographed for the Christmas menus. Our daughter's friend is a senior carer at a nursing home and she's had a dreadful time this last year. She had her 40th birthday in lock down, working and having to send her 2 sons to school because she had no one to look after them - her husband died of cancer just before Covid 19 escaped China. Cyprus went into self isolation so escaped much of what others have suffered with only 19 deaths. The airports have been reopened but there are restriction of who can come here. It's normally full of tourists this time of the year. The hotels and holiday apartments are empty. We must all look on the bright side, I've got lots of reading done and put a few more ancestors on my family tree. The dog has enjoyed the fact that at least one of us is with her most of the time. She'll be upset when we are back to normal. Both our children have been contacting us nearly everyday so good things have come out of adversity. We normally hear from our daughter at weekends and son whatever day he has off during the week. My DNA is linking up with plenty of people who are in Canada and USA. My ancestors travelled around the world, its just finding out which ones :). Must be frightening working at the moment and being restricted when away from work doesn't help. Where do you like travelling to? My annual visit to UK was cancelled as it was booked for May. Hopefully I'll be able to go next year. Off to get breakfast - my husband has a back problem so has to do his exercises before he gets up and it gives me time to check my emails :) only one today to say you'd contacted me. Take care and stay safe Pat.ViewDate:
2nd Aug 2020islandPat commented on:
Looking for like minded members to chat withI agree you are not an old bat. Hello to both of you, welcome/welcome back. I live in Cyprus, like using forums, usually family history ones, to chat to different people and have been doing my family history since 2004. I am leader of the C3A family history group here in the Limassol area. C3A think U3A in UK. It's very warm here at the moment. We have escaped most of the current problems by going into isolation very quickly. We are tentatively allowing tourists in including UK at the moment. My husband and I are being careful and as we don't live by a tourist area are restricting our travels to close to home. Our dog thinks it's wonderful that we are home most of the time :) Stay safe PatViewDate:
29th Jul 2020islandPat commented on:
Make new friendsHello, I'm somewhat west of your holiday home. :) The far side of Limassol to you. It's hot at the moment. Not many able to come to the island as restrictions still on. They were very quick to isolate us here. Covid 19 -19 deaths and just over 1000 infected. Hope you get to your holiday home soon, when do you normally come here? We stay away from tourist areas in the summer but doesn't matter so much at present. Have you ever been to Kourion as we live not far from there? Have been around the Kiti area, not much of a journey to and from the airport for you. Most of our relatives and friends come into Paphos which is our nearest airport by about 12 minutes so almost equidistant. Nice to meet you. PatViewDate:
19th Jul 2020islandPat commented on:
The_bees_knees showcase imageNo comment about where I was at this time then Bees as I'm just a smidgen older - un po as Lucia would say :)ViewDate:
17th Jul 2020islandPat commented on:
Make new friendsSorry for delay answering Bruce been busy and had a funeral that was the 2nd death of friends in 4 weeks then another a week ago. None due to the virus. Unable to got to 2 of the funerals as not here. Our friend here wasn't unexpected as he had dementia and he deteriorated very quickly in the last 3 months. It was a release from a dreadful situation, he was unable to move and stricken with several infections, one after another. He hadn't known who his wife was for over 6 months. The area you live in and vacation in sound lovely. Went on a holiday to the Hereford area as a child and saw lots of apple trees - they were cider apples belonging to Bulmer's Cider. UK is small compared to the USA, I have been to almost every county in England and Wales and some in Scotland. I love the countryside and although born in an industrial area have really enjoyed living in the countryside - in UK living out in the sticks. lol I have a sister who lives not far from where she was born and has only had a passport for 3 years. Her son took her for 2 weeks to France and I managed to talk her into flying back here with me after I visited UK 2 years ago. As you may guess we are very different. I would love to help you with your family history, I love doing research. Hope you and yours are safe and well. Pat :)ViewDate:
19th Jun 2020islandPat commented on:
Make new friendsMorning, hope you and yours area all well. A bit confused with Cardiff and Doc Martin as Cardiff is in Wales and Doc Martin is set in Cornwall. I was sent to Cornwall for 10 weeks in summer by the WRAF (Women's Royal Air Force). Such a hardship :). Terrible when work gets in the way of retirement :) I suppose at the moment it's all hands on deck. We have been lucky here as we went into island isolation straight away and only repatriations allowed in with 14 days isolation using the empty hotels as isolation units. We are now getting back to normal - whatever that is. UK has so much history. York is wonderful, We used to live in Newark on Trent in Nottinghamshire, a historic town itself with what's left of a castle where King John died. Oliver Cromwell punished the town in the 1600s by destroying most of the castle. Lovely old town centre. From Newark it was easy to get to York by train and I'd often take my 2 children to there in the summer holidays. There is so much to see, York has history from Roman times through the Vikings to more recent history. Take a walk around the place on Google, some terrific buildings and of course York Minster in Deangate. I love Nottinghamshire, our children live there still, although both do a lot of travelling in their work. Son is an executive chef so not doing much work at the moment but normally he has to go around all the restaurants in the East Midlands for company he works for. Daughter is a civil engineer and area director of the East Midlands. At the moment she's in charge of a road widening scheme in Leicestershire (pronounced Lestersheer). She has been a key worker through lock down so has had to go to make sure the work progressed with the people keeping the required distance - not easy for those working on the road. Americans tend to emphasise the word shire at the end of some UK county names and say it as shire, the Brits say sheer with no emphasis on it. Some place spelling seems to have nothing to do with the pronunciation :). Do as the rest of us do - go along with the locals. Lived in Norfolk for a short time - not a fan, very flat, gets cold and very damp in winter. I have also lived just outside Salisbury so visited the wonderful cathedral many times, Salisbury is close to Stonehenge. Lived near Oxford as well, went on a tour around the university. Well my friend and I tagged on to the end of a tourists tour around Oxford and the university. We disappeared as the tour guide started to do a head count when they were going back to the coach :). I come from near where Peaky Blinders is set, pity none of the actors have managed to get the Brummie accent correct. I can't watch it as their accents upset me too much. Any hint at all where in Nottinghamshire your relatives are from? It has many villages and not many towns. Nottingham itself is famous for lace making. Coal mining area as well as agriculture. Clothes and nylons/tights making in more recent times. You can always give me a few names and I'll try to find some information. Off to get lunch ready. Keep safe. Pat :)ViewDate:
12th Jun 2020islandPat commented on:
Make new friendsScotland is beautiful, have you watched Local Hero with Burt Lancaster, I've stood in that bay - it's at Pennan. Trouble is the weather :) My husband used to go up to Scotland for work and sometimes went to the Shetlands on the car wash ferry - local joke. I was born in the centre of England - Walsall near Birmingham, the area was the industrial centre of UK. I lived most of my adult life in Nottinghamshire, the last 14 yrs in UK near the famous Sherwood Forest. I am doing my family history, my maternal grandfather had an Irish mother, My gt gt grandparents came from Tuam in Galway. My husband's gt grandmother came from Blackpool, Cork. In UK I'd also look at Wales, the Lake District and Yorkshire as being to your liking. Have you ever seen All Creatures Great and Small - the TV series, now that showed you Yorkshire. Can't help with Norway though.:) Pat :)ViewDate:
12th Jun 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsWelcome. Have a look round at the topics and dive in when you find something that interests you. :) Pat :)ViewDate:
12th Jun 2020islandPat commented on:
Make new friendsHello, Yes we fell in love with Cyprus in the early 1970s when my husband and I were both posted here and met here. We always said it was our ideal place to retire. Some of the areas are very touristy but we live away from those areas although we do get tourists visiting our local castle and the Roman remains at Kourion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kourion The theatre is still in use wonderful acoustics no microphones required every word or musical note heard. Where do you intend to go to when you start visiting places? Pat :)ViewDate:
20th May 2020islandPat commented on:
Women In MusicElla and Doris Day, both able to put over so many styles of song. Alma Cogan had a wonderful happy voice - known as the girl with the giggle in her voice The clarity and quality of Judy Durham, Karen Carpenter and Judy Collins. Peggy Lee, Fever to Lady and the Tramp Bonnie Tyler - loved her songs Cher - what a voice Tina Turner The tragic Amy Winehouse Some terrific girl groups - e.g. Shirelles Dusty always terrific better stop there, may be back :) PatViewDate:
15th May 2020islandPat commented on:
Daily diaries of those who are self-isolating due to CoronavirusWalking our dog twice a day and going up my tree (family history) or trying to find things on genealogy for my group. Basic housekeeping and watching special events like opera from the Met being screened for those staying in. Catching up on reading for book club and having virtual committee meetings :) Pat :)ViewDate:
11th May 2020islandPat commented on:
Let's get Quizzical!Shouldn't bees knees answered this and your right Yodama :)ViewDate:
9th May 2020ViewDate:
4th May 2020islandPat commented on:
FriendshipHello and welcome Millie. My name is Pat and I live in Cyprus. What do you like doing? Pat :)ViewDate:
4th May 2020islandPat commented on:
Hello!!!Afternoon, Welcome. My name is Pat and I live in Cyprus. I too like classical music as well as pop. You should join the music thread. Sorry your wife is so incapacitated must be difficult for you. My husband has a bad back which at times makes life difficult for him but it's not too bad a lot of the times. I like reading and being up my family tree. Keep safe, hope you enjoy being on here. Pat :)ViewDate:
3rd May 2020islandPat commented on:
Did you see Elvis Presley at RAF Chicksands in the 50s?RAF Chicksands was a USAF base at the time so few RAF at the base. It was also intelligence base so people there would be used to keeping quiet. :)ViewDate:
2nd May 2020islandPat commented on:
"really" making new friends!Welcome and at least you'll have chance to correct it when lock down is over. Pat :)ViewDate:
30th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
A QUICK GUIDE TO HELP YOU ON YOUR WAYI live in Cyprus now, that's why I'm Island Pat :) The book club I belong to is different to most. We don't have a book we must read each month. We read what we like then tell everyone at our monthly meetings our views on the books. It means that you hear about books you'd wouldn't normally, it can inspire you to try a new author. I'm the black sheep of the group. The others are all arts based and I'm science based so I veer away from their choices. I like who done it's but not gory, more Miss Marple type. At the moment I'm reading (I downloaded both of these months ago so they are not related to now) a Daniel Defoe - his take on living through the plague in 1665 and then a book by Rachel Rideal, 1666 Plague, War and Hellfire. I liked the idea of looking at the plague from someone present at the time with the knowledge of the era and afterwards a look back from a modern point of view. History I love and I'm often up a tree - my family history tree :) and I've done quite a bit during lock down. I love all sorts of music which goes from the classics to Meatloaf and lots in between. :) Good music is just that whatever category it has been placed in. I walk our dog for my exercise, she walked in here an abandoned puppy at only a few weeks old and she'll be 5 the end of next month - estimate from the vet when we first had her. She's a blonde lab/pointer cross with a smaller breed in there as she's only about two thirds lab or pointer size. When we first got her think Andrex blonde pup with long ears and lots of spare skin. I no longer play sport but watch quite a bit - my husband doesn't though :). Best wishes PatViewDate:
30th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Hi I'm newHi Dianne, Welcome. I'm Pat, born in the West Midlands UK but now living in Cyprus. Send a message anytime. Pat :)ViewDate:
29th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsCannock Chase murderer who lived near the police station in Walsall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannock_Chase_murdersViewDate:
29th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
A QUICK GUIDE TO HELP YOU ON YOUR WAYI too like a lot of what you like. I was supposed to fly to UK today and was going to see The Mousetrap at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre. On recent trips have been to Albert Hall for classical music, Nottingham classical music, opera and Jersey Boys, Biirmingham for Rocky Horror and Woverhampton Cats, Am in a book club and like hiding up my tree (family history). Pat :)ViewDate:
29th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsHello Rob, Well lets see - didn't go to pubs in Walsall as I was too small to be taken seriously and had a drink taken off me at 21 in Walsall - by then I had a WRAF ID card with DOB. Used to walk up St Matthew's hill quite often as I had relatives in Tantarra St, Chuckery Rd, Walsingham St and Moncrieffe St. It was either the hill, Ablewell St or a walk through the Arboretum to Crabtrees and then to whoever we were going to see. Pleck Park was Edward Shelley's games area until they decided the cars needed the area more and took it for the M6. St John's was Edward Shelley's church for Christmas and Easter. I went to Fellows Park but also Villa. Knew a family lived near you the Woods. Been to Mellish Church, knew people in Borneo St. When we had a caravan we stayed at the Caravan Club Site near Scarborough. I too loved the Arboretum, spent hours in there, the lights were magic. I took my children one year and watch their faces - magic for them too. We both left at 18 then but I scooted around UK for a few years before ancoring up in Newark followed by Walesby both in Notts. Nice to meet you - we're the Bloxwich Mat Home Musketeers :) Pat :)ViewDate:
28th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsTroodos Mountains Ann :) My sister worked in the leather trade all her working life. St Martin's Church Daffodil Rd C3A Walsall when I looked for my sister. If you want a quick search done do a private letter with parents and grandparents and DOB or deaths and I'll tell we are related. Woman marrying alters names all the time. The 1939 register has Browns born Ernest 1909 Florence 1908. I love doing my tree. Pat xViewDate:
28th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsThank you and you. I was at RAF Upavon near Upavon Wilts., went to Salisbury lots of times so not too far from where you are now. Lots of lovely open spaces. Pat :)ViewDate:
28th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Moving to a new townThere comes a time when you realise there's more to life, you want to look at what is happening and what you want to happen. My husband was made redundant at 57 and we'd planned to retire when he was 60. He realised we could retire early if we were careful - we have now been in Cyprus 14 years. :) My father died 5 weeks before he was due to retire and a friend's uncle the day after. Talk it out with OH and if you both want to go to Norfolk - go. Just be sure of your sums. Live to enjoy your life not work to live. Do things while you can and have no regrets - think of all the years you could be saying if only .............................. We did it and no regrets Pat :)ViewDate:
28th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsI've sent it from here as we were fed up with the rain, now have sunshine. I'll try to send that as well as long as you don't hog it. :) PatViewDate:
28th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsSorry Ann have been busy with a book review and catching up on reading for a committee meeting this morning but it was cancelled late last night. Chairperson said he was not ready and this morning the secretary admitted she'd forgotten about it. I used to live next to Walsall Lock and Cart Gear Ltd in Neale St. I went to Wolverhampton Rd Primary, my sister went to the Primary and Senior so the senior would be the same as your mother. For my senior school I went to Edward Shelley High School in the Pleck. I worked doing chemical analysis of the plating solutions for William Bates in Hospital Street. That lasted almost 18 months until I went into the WRAF at 18 and that, other than leave, was the last time I lived in Walsall. I was posted around UK and then Cyprus where I met and married David. I have lived in Nottinghamshire most of my adult life and we came here to live 14 years ago. To move here in summer is not a good idea. I was posted in July so was working next day after arrival in high temps. Ideally you start here in autumn and the winter will feel mild then the temp. gradually moves up. It's 22 C today but can reach high 30s mid August. Don'ts here - don't follow the TV programmes, it's all tourist locations. We live in Kolossi - look on a map. We have much cheaper food etc. due to it being a normal village, even though we have a tourist spot of the castle (a keep really) and are near Kourion. Our council tax is just over a 100 euros and that includes a dog licence - THAT IS ANNUALLY, shouted it because I know most pay more than that per month in UK. Our last place in UK is over £2000 per year. Only get a place with a pool if you are prepared to pay for all the chemicals, electricity and hours of work to keep it clean. Remember there's a big pool only minutes away called the Med.. :) I would suggest to anyone live a year in a place before burning your boats. Renting a year may seem expensive but you will see how you will cope. We knew from our 3 years here that we were OK with it. Also remember once used to the heat of the summer you feel the cold in winter. Some people go up the mountain to be cool in summer but then are cold all through winter. It snows up the mountain and many villages get snowed in. It's also misty up there and a pain to get shopping and medical help. I could go on but as it's only a thought I'll leave it there. We haven't regretted it. Family History - my mother's family have lived for sometime in Walsall and I've found all my childhood I was stepping into the footsteps of my ancestors. Paddocks, Platts, Morris, Darbys, Caters all around me. Had 2 footballers in my maternal grandfather's family, one played for West Brom. the other for Birmingham City and Notts county - both Victorian era. I'm leader of the C3A family history group. Daniel Darby, my 4th gt grandfather, was one of the founding fathers of Walsall leather trade. He died 1851 reasonably well off, I have his will, but with 10 children and over 70 grandchildren it didn't go far. Deepmore Avenue - a good friend of mine lived there named Sheila Brisbourne, we were at Primary together and her mother worked at the Lock (how we referred to the factory next door). We saw each other on Sundays when we went to separate senior schools. Both went to Edward St Chapel off Pargeter St. :) We are under stricter anti virus rules than you. We have only had 20 die and although nearly 900 cases of the virus it's in single figures now for new daily cases so we may have restrictions eased over the next few days. Take care PatxViewDate:
28th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Hi I'm newAfternoon Tracy, Well I've been reading to send off a summary to book club for this month's book. Also been catching up on write ups for the committee meeting today via the internet. Late yesterday got an email from the chairperson - forgot to read documents am cancelling tomorrow's meeting and today the secretary sent emails out - I forgot there was a meeting, agenda not ready. No comment. :( You had a great time in the WRAF. I enjoyed my time as well even though short on comfort in winter due to single glazing and inefficient heating. When ill in winter I was once sent home as the WRAF block was too cold for me to stay in according to the doctor. Most of us didn't have heating in our upstairs at home :). We had only had central heating at home for 18 months before I joined up. We were a hardy bunch on the whole. Out in Cyprus I had a bunk with no heating, only heating was paraffin heaters but they were too large for the bunk and only in the 4 person rooms. Temperature here 22 C today, we've had a few days of showers and dull dark days, no good for heating the water on a couple of them. For all the warm/hot days you have to put up with some cold wet ones :). The rain doesn't usual come back until about October from May so nearly summer. We've had 2 very wet winters after almost running out of water, the dams are overflowing now. The president has mentioned July as a possible time for flights back again and an influx of tourists but has also said it could be changed if things alter. At the moment. We've had 20 deaths, 882 reported with the virus (10 on UK bases) and now daily reports of new cases in single figures for nearly a week. David did lots of things in his service - world wide servicing once qualified, then trained for radar for bloodhound missiles which sent him here working with the radar/missiles based here at the time. Back to UK trained to teach radar for missiles in Nottinghamshire. When there was a break between classes he spent 6 months at the Science Museum helping create their first computer corridor. Then trained for careers office - went to Chatham, after that trained for an ageing mainframe computer at a station in Outer London and then to MOD whilst he went to several civvy places to be taught their section of the new mainframe computer to be built for the RAF (to replace ageing one) at another Outer London station. He learnt the hardware and software and then lead the RAF team helping to put it together and get it working. He became very upset when realising how much more the civvies helping were earning and they weren't putting their lives on the line. After being forced to work a year's notice he was employed by Hughes Aircraft to work on the same computer as a civvy at twice the salary of his RAF one - new money was equivalent to a Gp Capt's pay. He then spent the rest of his working life putting in and maintaining the computer and it's peripherals until a new computer was required. He was 57 and had a bad back, we did a little reorganising of finances and we arrived here to retire. He couldn't even get unemployment benefit in UK (RAF pension) and our council wanted nearly £2000 off us every year - it was a no brainer, council tax here just over 100 euro per annum :). I usually go back to UK every year - booked on a flight for tomorrow so no go this year. I find people back in UK are a sad lot, very rarely see a smile. Seems drab shopping there. I don't know whether you notice a difference from Spain to UK when it comes to the old smile meter. Sunshine makes you feel better. :) Do you get visitors? - Surprising how many friends and relatives want to visit us :) Enjoy the sun PatViewDate:
24th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsAnn look above Elgin52 from Walsall and Bees Knees is a Brummie :) Look at Neale St Walsall, where I lived, it's off Hollyhedge Road and so is Pargeter St. Did she go to St Andrew's School? Your mum may have known him. https://www.expressandstar.com/editors-picks/2015/05/12/plaque-unveiled-at-walsall-home-of-bletchley-park-codebreaker/ I was at Bletchley last May - easy to get there on the train from Walsall. I live in Kolossi. You were here on Green Monday - equivalent of Shrove Tuesday, Lent starts next day. I had a trip to UK booked leaving Wednesday 29th April, returning 13th May - been cancelled as you'll realise. I have joined C3A (U3A in UK) and go to book club and lead the family history group. Can spend hours up my tree. Our dog, as a very young pup, was abandoned and walked into our house one night and she's nearly 5 now. Lots of cats are being caught by charities and neutered then returned to where they were caught. They normally have a clipped ear to prove they are neutered. Hope your weather holds up - we have rain!!!! but was 20 C today. Stay safe Pat xViewDate:
24th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsIt's Island Pat as I now live in Cyprus but I was born in Bloxwich maternity home and lived in Walsall in the Birchills area, not too far from Reedswood Park. Have lots of relatives in Bloxwich - am doing my family tree We are very restricted at the moment, weather not too good today but did get to 20 C. It has rained but dodged the rain to walk the dog. PatViewDate:
24th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsIt's Island as I now live in Cyprus but I was born in Bloxwich maternity home and lived in Walsall in Birchills area not far from Reedswood Park. Have lots of relatives in Bloxwich - am doing my family tree :) Pat :)ViewDate:
24th Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Pen palsNot so nice here today - where roughly in the West Midlands are you from? Pat :)ViewDate:
23rd Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad - 1900I am reading Daniel Defoe - his thoughts about the 1665 plague - will let you know about it. Pat :)ViewDate:
23rd Apr 2020islandPat commented on:
Make new friendsHello Kate, I down loaded a couple of books and told book club I'm reading them this month - boy I know how to chose them - both about the plague!!!!!!!!!!!!! I also do family history so can disappear for hours up my tree :) Very restricted here but it's working - only 13 deaths. I was in the WRAF and was posted here in 1970 and fell in love with the place. My husband was made redundant and we had planned to retire here but a little later - a quick sort out of finances and we decided we would retire early to here. My husband has a bad back and the warmth here suits him better than the damp of UK. Lots of UK tourists normally here. No tourists allowed at the moment. The majority of the tourists are British. Have a look on Google or you search engine for Kolossi and Kourion to see the locality I live in. Stay safe Pat :) -
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