Anastasia

Haunted Doll

In 1897, a family named Otto lived in a nearby house in Key West, Florida. They owned a plantation and had a lot of servants working for them who they treated very badly. One servant girl gave their son, Gene, a present of a doll. What the Ottos didn’t realise was that this servant girl knew voodoo.

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Gene's full name was Robert Eugene Otto. His parents had always called him "Gene", so he decided to give the doll his real name, "Robert".

Many Strange things began to occur in the Otto household. Many neighbors claimed to see Robert move about from window to window, when the family were out. Gene began to blame Robert for mishaps that would occur. The Otto's claimed to hear the doll giggle, and swear they caught glimpses of the doll running about the house.

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Gene began to have nightmares and scream out in the night, when his parents would enter the room, they would find furniture over turned, their child in a fright, and Robert at the foot of the bed, with his glaring gaze! "Robert Did It".... The doll was eventually put up into the attic. Where he resided for many years.

But Robert had other plans. Visitors that entered the house could hear something walking back and forth in the attic, and strange giggling sounds. Guests no longer wanted to visit the Otto home.

Gene Otto died in 1972.The home was sold to a new family, and the tale of Robert had died ....

But Robert waited patiently up in the attic to be discovered, once again. The 10 year old daughter of the new owners was quick to find Robert in the attic. It was not long before Robert unleashed his displeasure on the child… The little girl claimed that the doll tortured her, and made her life a hell. Even after more than thirty years later, she steadfastly claims that "the doll was alive and wanted to kill her."

Robert, still dressed in his white sailor's suit and clutching his stuffed lion, lives quite comfortably, though well guarded, at the Key West Martello Museum. Employees at the museum continue to give accounts of Robert being up to his old tricks still today....

via www.halloweenishere.com

Have a frightfully spooky Halloween!!!

The Wrong Day

In Cyprus, we tend to celebrate name days more than birthdays.  According to the Greek Orthodox Church, a child should be named after a christian saint. Although in recent years, the Church no longer refuses to christen a child by the name the parents have chosen, most Greek Cypriots would name their children after a grandmother or a grandfather who's already got a christian orthodox name. Very often, not naming a child after a grandparent may lead to serious misunderstandings and arguments between parents and grandparents. As a result of this ritual, name days are very important here.

Yesterday was a terribly busy day at work for me, so I went to work much earlier than usual. It was 9:30 am when I suddenly remembered my mother's name day on the 25th. I had not even got a present for her! In a panic, I called Alkis and begged him to send some flowers to mum despite the fact that I knew he was jammed with work. He was preparing a meeting at that time, but he said he'd ask his secretary to arrange that. I emailed him the wishes for the greeting card and his secretary did not delay one minute to place the order.

Later in the morning, while I was planning lessons on Microsoft Outlook, I had a look at the date. It said: 25 October 2011. Oh no! My mother's name day is on 25 November! Saint Catherine's Day! No sooner had I realised that I sent mum flowers on the wrong day than I called Alkis back but ..he was at the meeting and his mobile phone was set to silent. I texted him hoping that he'd do something to stop the delivery of the flowers .

When he called me back, it was too late. The flowers had already been delivered. My mum called to thank me for the lovely surprise!  She thought the flowers were a birthday gift! When I told her that I had forgotten her birthday and that the flowers were meant for her name day, she laughed and said that  she loved both the ...surprise and the flowers!

The funny thing is that Alkis' secretary thought she'd call her cousin Catherine to wish her Happy Name Day. The cousin said: "Are you crazy, girl? My name day is in a month today!"

Have you ever done anything on the wrong day?

Favourite Things

I suppose we all have some favourite things which fix our mood on a bad day or just make us happy anytime. I could make long lists of my favourite things - I've got so many- but here are the ones that I can't do without.

1. My exercise bike

I use it three times a week for warm-up before going to my gym classes and at the weekend. It's outside so I can breathe fresh air and enjoy the view while exercising.

2. My red bicycle

I share it with Alkis. We'd often go for a ride in the nearby park We're thinking of getting another one soon. Right now, we're using it in turns.

3. My Plants

I love them ! I take good care of them and sometimes talk to them to my ...neighbours' surprise.

4. I'm a chocolate addict and can't do without my daily Cadbury Twirl!

5. My laptop

It's everything to me! My second love after Alkis! This is where I keep Tests, Marking Schemes, Lesson Planning and School Reports. Occasionally, I also use it to watch DVDs

6. Espresso

I definitely need two espressos daily and, if I'm down, I'll have a third one.

 

Here YOU Go!

What are some of your favourite things?

Autumnal Duel

At last! Autumn finally remembered the sunsplashed island of Venus and paid us a belated visit yesterday. Ah well...better late than never! It was as if autumn challenged the sun in a duel for Venus's eyes only! At about 1:00 pm, dark clouds covered  our clear blue skies chasing the sun away. Within minutes, it started raining hard!   I was at work at that time planning lessons and marking homework, but I couldn't resist looking out the window. Caught unawares people were trying to find shelter - no one carried an umbrella as far as I could see and everyone was dressed in light, summer clothes. About an hour later, the sun took over and conquered the sky for the rest of the day. But when I left work at 9:00 pm, I felt the crisp air and shivered as I was also dressed in light, summer clothes.  At least the rain had stopped by then, so I didn't get wet.

Autumn in Cyprus is mild and mostly sunny. In my area, it's often terribly windy - that's what I hate most! I won't say it's as good as Spring because I hate Spring, but it's neither too cold nor too hot. And that's what I like most at this time of year. No bees strolling around or ...unwelcome visitors such as cockroaches or ants!  Many people think that cockroaches and ants inhabit dirty houses, yet in Cyprus you will meet them even in the cleanest of places when it's still hot!  As I was driving to work today, I could see chrysanthemums blooming  in almost every garden. Another sign that autumn is here. 

 

Cyprus Trivia Results

Here are the correct answers to Cyprus Trivia questions:

1. A kind of salty, sheep cheese
2. Troodos
3. Saint Paul
4. Makarios III
5. Green line - so called because it was originally drawn on a map with green ink.
6. On 1 May 2004
7. Nicosia
8. Greek
9. the mufflon
10. On average, Cyprus receives 326 days of sunshine  - approximately 3000 hours in a year
11. In September 1992
12. 9,251 square km of which 1733 are forested.
13. In the eastern Mediterranean
14. Glafkos Clerides
15. Demetris Christofias
16. Catherine Cornaro
17. Greek orthodox
18. Lefkara
19. Ledra
20. Sweet red wine

 

Here are the results:

1. Jeff Atkins - 75%
2. Alexia M - 65%
3. Christina P - 60%
4. Jim - 60%
5. Lisa A - 50%
6. Andy - 45%
7. Laura - 45%
8. Haruko N - 35%
9. Jafar - 35%
10. Katie White - 35%

So , the winner is Jeff who will receive a bottle of Commandaria which you can see in the photo above.

Let's Play Cyprus Trivia

Here I am again in my ...playful moods. Don't worry!!! This time I'm not going to ask you to write a story. Well, most of you know I'm a teacher, so I'm going to assess your knowledge of Cyprus! Leave your answers in the comments section. For each correct answer you will get 5 marks. The winner will receive a special souvenir from Cyprus if he or she wishes to email me an address. My Greek friends are excepted from this trivia but I'd appreciate their helping hints. You will have three days to post your answers and / or change them. The correct answers and the winner will be announced on Sunday, October 16. But .... PLEASE DON'T CHEAT! So, here goes!

1. What sort of food is halloumi?

2. What's the name of Cyprus's main mountain range?

3. Which Christian saint was shipwrecked off Cyprus?

4. Which Archbishop was the leader of Cyprus in the 1960s and 1970s?

5. What is the name of the dividing line that separates the Republic of Cyprus and the illegally occupied area?

6. When did Cyprus join the EU ?

7. What is the English name of the capital of Cyprus?

8. Which is the official language in the Republic of Cyprus?

9. What's the name of the animal which is the symbol of the Republic of Cyprus?

10. How many hours of sunshine does Cyprus approximately receive a year?

11. When did the University of Cyprus begin?

12. What area in square km does Cyprus cover?

13. In which sea is the island of Cyprus situated?

14. Who was elected President of the Republic of Cyprus in 1993?

15. Who is the current President of the Republic of Cyprus?

16. What was the name of the last queen of Cyprus?

17. Which is the main religion in Cyprus?

18. Which village is famous for its lace?

19. What was the name of the capital of Cyprus in ancient times?

20. What is Commanderia?

Our Wedding

Twenty-eight years have flown by since that sunny October Saturday when I  married my Prince Charming. We both lived and worked in Geneva, Switzerland then and most of our common friends lived  there as well. Most importantly, we had met and fallen in love in Switzerland.  So we decided to get married at the Orthodox Church of Chambesy in Geneva.  I also wanted to avoid the traditional Cyprus wedding where more than 2000 people are invited by the happy couple's parents! In Cyprus, after the church ceremony, a reception is usually held at a hotel during which the happy couple receives the wishes of hundreds and thousands of people - most of whom are complete strangers! But they're the parents' friends and relatives!!! After the hotel reception dinner is held  for close friends and family - usually about 300 people!

Most guests would give the happy couple an envelope containing money instead of a real present! Surely, by the end of the day all the wedding expenses have been paid off in addition to the fact that the happy couple can also purchase the house of their dreams. All this sounds like business to me and this is the only reason why I did not do my parents' favour and get married in Cyprus. In the end,  parents and close family accepted our decision and travelled to Switzerland for the wedding.

Our wedding reception was held at Le Parc des Eaux Vives  by lake Leman.  Alkis and I had a great time and so did our 73 guests.  A dinner was organised for our families and close friends but we did say that we wouldn't be there! We wanted to start our honeymoon and spend our first night as a married couple in the city where we first met - Fribourg. The following day, we set off to Falera - a small village in the Swiss Alps near Saint Moritz.

 

Twenty-eight years later, I feel blessed to have known so much happiness.  We had our ups and downs, bad and good moments but we've been through them together. This year, our wedding anniversary is on a Saturday and we are going to celebrate it just the two of us. Alkis said he'd surprise me!

October

The view from the terrace as seen through the lenses of my new Blackberry Bold 9780 Smartphone

Despite the drop in temperatures, we are still having warm sunny days and wondering whether Autumn will eventually come our way.  While our beaches are still packed with tourists enjoying summer in October, I wish I could feel the crisp autumnal air and hear the crunch and rustle of leaves with every step I make. But as I was having breakfast outside, I could only feel the cool sea breeze urging me to go for a swim. However tempting, I chased this thought away and got ready for work. Gone are the lazy summer days when I went to the beach almost every day. October  marks the beginning of first term tests and a generally hectic time at work.  Alkis and I are planning a long weekend away at the end of October, though -  hopefully a pleasant autumn break to look forward to. 

Monday's Greek Recipe - Kefalonitiki Kreatopita - Cephalonian Meat Pie

For a large baking tin (approx. 35X40 cm) you will need:

Ingredients

For the filling:

1.5 kg meat (beef or pork)

1 large onion finely chopped

1 head of garlic finely chopped

parsley finely chopped

marjoram

1 tbsp tomato paste dikuted with a little water

2 cups water

1 cup grated cheese

2 cups long-grain rice

1& 1/2 cups olive oil

1/2 cup white wine

1 tbsp sugar

salt to taste

pepper to taste

grated nutmeg

For the pastry:

3/4 kg plain flour

1 egg

1/2 cup white wine

some warm water

a pinch of salt

 

Directions

1. Wash the meat, dice it into small cubes and mix it well with the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the rice and water.

3. To prepare the pastry, put the flour into a mixing bowl. reserving 1 cupful to flour the board when rolling the pastry.

4. Add the egg, wine,  and salt and knead the mixture thoroughly.

5. Add the warm water, a little at a time, until the dough is the right consistency to be kneaded without sticking to the bowl.

6. Take a little more than half the dough and roll it out to the desired shape on a floured surface.

7. Grease the baking tin and line the bottom and sides  with the sheet of pastry which should overlap the edge of the tin all around.

8. Add the meat filling.

9. Roll out the rest of the dough and cover the pie folding the overlapping edges back over the lid, pinching them slightly together to seal the join.

10. Oil the top lightly and prick it here and there with a fork.

11. Brush the top with egg yolk for a glossy finish.

12. Bake in pre-heated oven for about 90 minutes, add some grated cheese  and serve with a green salad and a glass of dry white wine.

TIP - You may use frozen pastry for pies but this will never equal the taste of the authentic cephalonian meat pie.

RECIPE BY Anna- Maria from Lixouri, Kefalonia - Greece

PHOTO BY Anastasia

Cyprus Independence Day

 

On October 1st, a bank holiday in Cyprus,  we celebrate our Independence Day with festivals at schools and communities and a big military parade in capital city Nicosia.  

According to the Zurich-London Treaty, Cyprus becomes an independent republic on 16th August 1960 with the charismatic Archbishop Makarios III as the first president who had already been elected on March 1st, 1959.  Cyprus also becomes a member of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Commonwealth, and the Non-Aligned Movement. According to the above treaty, Britain retains two Soverign Bases (158.5 sq.km) on the island. The Greek Cypriots alternating support for independence and union with Greece, and the efforts of the Turkish Cypriots towards partition of the island, in combination with the military and strategic aims of the Great powers at various times lead to a friction between both sides escalating into violence in 1963.

Archbishop Makarios III - First President of the Republic of Cyprus

Photo Credit

Between 1963 and 1974, talks between the two communities were held in an effort to find a mutually acceptable formula. However, the situation was dramatically altered in July 1974 when the military junta that was then ruling Greece staged a coup d'etat against Makarios announcing that Makarios was dead. The President had escaped to Paphos and from there he addressed the people of Cyprus through a local radio station.  This triggered a  huge wave of enthusiasm amongst the Greek Cypriots who were relieved to know that their beloved leader was alive. 

Turkey, on the other hand, taking advantage of the situation and purporting to act under the Treaty of Guarantee attacked Cyprus on July 20, 1974. The Turkish Aggression  caused heavy loss of life both in the battle field and during attacks on civilians including children and old people. In addition to this bloody invasion, illegal immigrants from Turkey were brought to inhabit the northern occupied part of the island. To this day, the island remains divided in two parts: the Republic of Cyprus which has been an official member of the European Union since 2004 and the illegally occupied area in the north.

Adana Concentration Camps - Turkey - July 1974

Photo Credit

All six presidents of the Republic of Cyprus