Life would be so much easier if!!

A phrase the Turkish builders should heed.

We moved to our villa 3 weeks ago, so excited at having a place to ourselves at last, unlike the UK where one or other of our siblings would come for a couple of weeks and forget to leave, not that I really minded, I love all my family. We are on our own and love the freedom but are exasperated with the minor problems. We have 3 shower rooms - 1 shower leaks, 1 toitet is us and 2 basins do not empty. A beautiful panoramic window on the landing has been installed without silicone so leaks like a seive when it rains so we have not been able to fit a blind to avail ourselves 0f privacy at night. The usual problems of shutters not opening and paint and cement everywhere we were warned about but NOT water in the fuse box in our bedroom fusing all the lights, tripping the main switch to be plunged into darkness. If a little more care was taken by the labourers and everything tested before handing over the keys life would be less fraught for everyone. Despite these problems and the powercuts which are not so frequent and do not last so long life is wonderful.

There is now time to think, time to relax and appreciate each other and everything that is going on about us. Yesterday we watched the mist swirling around the mountain tops playing hide and seek with the peaks, the rain and sun together casting shadows that changed shape every few seconds and the dual rainbow out to sea. If we had been in the UK we would have been 'too busy' to notice such simple yet beautiful visions and we certainly would not have the views. Cyprus is a beautiful island with so much to offer and we intend to make the most of our time here.