Did the cold snap last night affect anyone?

Hello Victoria. Yeah, heat can be a pain as well, I lived in Cyprus for 12 years, and sometimes you would give anything for rain and a crisp chilly morning. Came back 2 years ago, and can honestly say that I prefer our climate, though the seasons are a bit jumbled up.

 

Liliana, we are here now 11 years next month permanently but have been coming here for 28 years and owning for 24 years. I lived in the South in America (Alabama and South Carolina) for 14 years ... wow, hot and humid and at least it is dry heat here. We have severed our connections now with the UK (ie, sold our last property there on the IoW in 2006) but would not go back there to live. We have said that if we move from Portugal, it would be yet again another country ... but we are like that ... and don't plan on doing such having just bought a 'bolthole' on the river here 30 minutes from us two weeks ago.

The only other thing I can say is that I am pleased I am retired because I could not work in the heat again as I did in my 20s.

Where did you live in Cyprus, what did you do and why did you go back to the UK ... sorry, if this is too personal, please don't answer and say so.

 

Victoria, hi, we lived in Paphos, I made jams, chutney, English food for ex-pats, basically cooking every day. In the height of summer it was murder. When the Euro came in, the island was ruined, the locals got greedy, trying to put up prices, hoping that we would not notice that the prices were hiked up. We owned a house, but because we had problems with the next door neighbours building a barbecue on the back of our dividing wall, we moved out, rented a house, and rented ours out to an English/Cypriot family. Sounds stupid, I know. anyway, my son sprang an unplanned grandson on me, and my heart ruled my head. So, with that we decided to come back, and this year my daughter has given us another grandson in April.We came back 2 years ago. We have only just sold our property, because, it is so difficult to sell, as new expats do not have the money to buy, so we ended selling to a local, and by the time we did the exchange,and the terrible Euro value, we had only half the value of the property.So I have gone back to work, but at the moment am on sick leave, I had an op in June, and have no recovered well, and am suffering with depression. Still, I am rambling on. Anyway, I am glad we are here now.Hope I did not bore you too much.

 

Liliana, I will PM you in the next few days. xx

 

I got 3 deg C on the car thermometer on my way to Chesil Beach that morning, so Dorset may have been one of the coldest places that night.

At the moment I can smell the cowsheds in the fields to the North of us, so it's going to be a cold night tonight here.

 

Been drizzling for a couple of hours, here in Thatcham. Hope it's not too cold for us tonight. Have to put the electric blanket on, and put the old pj's on. Look a right sight, but who cares.

 

... nowadays !!

 

Been round the old estate this morning, and no problems. However, need a kick up the bum, as I really should dig up and repot my Fuchsia's. Too busy with my jam and pickle making. Already made a batch of spicy nectarine chutney, and some lemon marmalade. Trouble is, the post has arrived, and 2 gardening magazines have arrived, and I can't wait to have a look inside.

 

8.10 this morning, there was ice on the car!!!

did a rekkie over the garden to see any damage, non that i could see.

checked the thermiomiometer i bought, and it was reading 19degrees. safe to say its not working at its best!!

 

Can't trust these new fandangled things, I use my nose, if it's dripping...it's cold.Well done with the cessation, just think of what you could with the money so far.