I had my own kind of great time at home. Education had sent out an email about a range of new resources that help teachers to identify the reading levels at which kids are operating. There were 1-2 minute movies of students showing ability to read and answer associated questions. Often the trouble with this sort of thing is the download time. So with nothing better to do, I downloaded them all and burnt them to a CD for use over term 4. As entertainment, I had the Mr Bean movie (the one where he plays a James Bond character) in the background. Am I wrong or is that a direct rip-off of The Pink Panther? I was well off in cloud land by the time that Helen arrived home.
There was an early morning (Cyp time) call to Chris, just to keep in touch. It seems that it wasn't idle talk about getting a farm. The Leptos-Traffords are now landed gentry in the Kilmore district. The only question left, is is it vines or olives you will be cultivating? Chris, this is Helen reading the email you sent Helen. She keeps reading it and laughing. Thanks to Chris, Helen will be having a blazing Aussie Christmas this year. Chris has booked a flight through Heathrow, Narita and Sydney, to arrive in Melbourne on the 19th of December. At last we will be together for Christmas at Chris' again. If it runs true to form, the Traffords will be down from Brisbane, we will eat and drink too much and it will be an all-round blissful time. Helen still remembers Oz as green, but with water restrictions still operating. I think it will have a very similar hue to Cyprus. With any luck she'll get a chance to see the Kilmore property by then. Roll on December.
In High Spirits at the prospect of seeing Helen again soon after I get back to OZ, we went down to the tourist area to rub shoulders, take in the sights and while away a lazy couple of hours till lunch.
Hey Johnny. This is where old Vespas go when they die. I thought it was a museum, but it turns out to be a mechanic's workshop and used bike business.
Today is all about having lunch with Aunty Mary and Co and delivering them safely to the airport in Larnaca. The farewell lunch at Maro's and Antoni's, coincided with the school pick-up so Helen dropped me off at the pharmacy and I got a lift over with Antoni. Danae was in gym clothes and preferred to go home, so Helen just caught the tail end of lunch. All the familiar family crew were there, with the men drifting back to work after a couple of hours. At last I had a chance to meet Harris, Lefki's (dermatologist) husband. He is just back from an extended conference tour of Buenos Aires (yeah, all work and no play...pigs might fly). The women and Uncle Andrew stayed on till about 5pm when they set off for Larnaca airport. Helen's car was not needed, so we were saved the trip to the airport and back. It was good seeing everyone together so I could say my goodbyes as well.
There was a last minute change of mind about trying to take some Cyprian Turkish delight through customs and it was unpacked and left with Uncle Andrew. Much safer I think.Aussie customs officials can get a bit snarly when they are woken from their slumbers for the graveyard shift at Tulla. Helen is the same size as Dina so she has inherited a number of items of clothing, including a very fetching pair of purple trousers. We have also given refuge to jars of pickalilly, chutney, Vegemite, gliko and other assorted items. Who needs to shop with rellos like these?
With lots of kissing and emotion, the cars headed south for the dusty drive to Larnaca. This is the Google view of Helen's house. It's the one in the centre of the image. In a couple of hours Aunty Mary will catch sight of it before disappearing into the shimmering blue of the Cyprus sky. See you in Melbourne, Aunty.
Love to all. I'll keep you posted. Love, Lily
