It will rain……..

A lovely talent of most of the Cypriot people we meet, particularly in Coral Bay and Peyia, is that they are expert weather forecasters. Whereas we British will comment on the actual state of the weather, constantly eg “Nice day today” etc, the Cypriots will correct any comment we make and advise us, with all sincerity, what the weather will be like in eg precisely 4 hours and 20 mins.

Like the British, there are many indicators to weather change :

– My goats wouldn’t walk up the hill today: it will rain later

– The cousin of my wife, he is not working today – it is going to rain

and other situations, are shared with us as we go about out business – and are, I’m sure, meant to help us.

Take today: I was at my Mums house talking to a Cypriot man from Limassol who had come to Peyia to give us a price to transport Mums belongings back to England , (she is moving back in March – and no, she doesn’t know it yet!!). The man was very concerned when I said I was going home to hang out my washing: apparently, “The last wednesday in January is not good for wind and dry: it always rains before this day goes to sleep. Then it rains for another 7 days before we get back the blue in the skies……….”

He asked me upon which date we wanted Mum and Jim to have their goods packaged up for shipping – and I turned the question back to him, seeking advice for a “dry day, with good breezes, so the process of packaging and shipping would be an easy one”……

His advice was, “Always these things are the same. Make the March go to bed then let the April sun come in. The March sun, “he” is not strong and will not find blessings in the sky to help”………

Shame that, coz blessings or not, Tony already has the March date ringed on the calendar and fair wind or not, the wrinklies will leave the island!

Probably under umbrellas!!