Easter Egg Hunt in the Maze

Time to be nice! - Paula Manoli-Gray

It's been quite a few years now that I have noticed that people in general are becoming more hostile and defensive, so I wonder if it's time to change the broken record of how we present ourselves to tourists and stop claiming that Cypriots are warm and welcoming and will all invite you into their homes for coffee!

I am guilty of it too. As a writer, I have penned many an advert, brochure or article regurgitating this character of open arms, and whilst this may still be the case in mountainous villages, in the towns that friendliness has long packed its bags.

This isn't a 'Cypriot thing' – I remember going back to England after a long absence, memories of the wonderful customer service in shops still in my mind, only to find a rude and unhelpful workforce in most places, with some of the youth speaking a version of the English language that I could barely decipher. I came back vowing never to compare British shop staff with Cypriot again as neither was better than the other! It seems this is a global pandemic of misery, dissatisfaction and negativity.

So, who or what do we blame for this inwardness? Is it the rise of social media that has made us forget how to interact with others with common courtesy, and made everyone so self-absorbed that we don't care, or are not interested if its not about us? Is it the belief that we can't be happy unless we accrue as much as we can, so if we have anything less we are left with a gaping hole of dissatisfaction that our lives are not fabulous enough? Or in the case of Cyprus, is it the 'golden era' that prevailed when Cypriots started having access to designer labels and trendy cafes, thus giving them the illusion of grandeur and a rise in snobby showiness (and we all know how that turned out…) Maybe it is the influx of different nationalities that have slowly diluted the traditions and the small 'we are a family' island feel we once had? One thing we can't blame it on is the global crisis because most people were miserable long before this all began.

Recently I went to deliver an envelope to a client.  Upon entering the building, the faulty door slipped out of my hand with a loud bang. I popped the envelope under the door and as I exited the building the same thing happened again. From a window above, an angry female venomously shouted in Greek 'Excuse me, do you want me to wrap the door up so you can take it with you?' I apologised and explained that the door was faulty and had slipped (a fact she knew), to which she replied sarcastically 'twice?' It was then I recognised her and called her name 'XX, is that you?' At that point her whole demeanour changed and she said 'Oh Paula, I didn't realise it was you, why didn't you knock on the door.' There was no apology, no acknowledgement of the disgusting way she spoke to me. Once she realised she knew me, she was no longer hostile, but why should she be hostile to anyone? Why is there such suspicion and contempt for everyone? What are we all so afraid of?

Yes, everyone is currently rallying round to help those in need and there is indeed a real sense of community and spirit as a result of the crisis, but can we all – wherever we live, whoever we are – please start being nice to one another again?

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly 22/03/14

How to raise your child with love

1). Learn to listen to your children. Influencing their lives is one of the greatest things you can do. It is easy to tune out our children, and a missed opportunity for meaningful guidance. If you never listen to your children and spend all of your time barking orders at them, they won't feel respected or cared for.

2). Treat your child with respect. Don't ever forget that your child is a living, breathing human being who has needs and wants just like the rest of us. If your child is a picky eater, don't nag him constantly at the dinner table; if he's slow to potty train, don't embarrass him by talking about it in public; if you promised your child you'd take him to the movies if he was good, don't take back your promise because you're too tired.

3). Know that you can never love your child too much. It's a myth that loving your child "too much," praising your child "too much," or showering your child with "too much" affection can make your child spoiled rotten. Giving your child love, affection, and attention will positively encourage your child to develop as a human being. Giving your child toys instead of love, or not reprimanding your child for bad behavior is what will lead you to spoil your child.

4). Be involved in your child's daily life. It will take effort and strength to be there for your child every day, but if you want to encourage your child to develop his own interests and character, you have to create a strong support system for him. This doesn't mean you have to follow your child around every second of the day, but it does mean that you have to be there for all of the little moments, from his first soccer game to family time at the beach.

Kentish Strawberry Tart

Beautiful juicy red Strawberries are in abundance at the moment and are so delicious just served plain and simple but sometimes I love to use them to make refreshing, mouth-watering, luscious desserts and this particular one has been one of my favourites for years now, Kentish Strawberry Tart! Just so elegant, and ever so perfect for dinner parties, afternoon tea or picnics, I'm sure you will just love this!! Enjoy!!

For the pastry

115g Flour
55g ground almonds
115g butter, cut into small pieces
30g caster sugar
1 tsp almond essence
1 egg
For the filling
1 egg and 1 extra egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla essence
30g caster sugar
30g flour
300ml milk
3 tbls jam
10 sponge fingers
2 tbls Madeira
225g strawberries, sliced
300ml cream, whipped

To decorate

Strawberries, sliced or whole, I also like to use sliced blanched almonds or you could just sprinkle strawberries with icing sugar, it's up to you!

Method

To make the pastry sift the flour into a bowl, stir in the almonds, add the butter and rub in finely. Stir in the sugar, almond essence and egg and mix into a firm dough. Cover with cling-film and chill for about 30 minutes.

Knead the dough until smooth, Roll it out thinly and use to line a buttered tart dish. Chill again for 30 minutes.

In a preheated oven (200c) bake pastry case for about 15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.

For the filling, in a bowl whisk together the egg, egg yolk, vanilla essence, sugar, and flour until well blended. Place the milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Whisking continuously, pour the milk over the egg mixture.

Return to the pan and continue whisking over a low heat until custard thickens. Allow to cool.

Spread pastry case with jam. Dip the sponge fingers into the Madeira, turning to coat well. Arrange them over the jam and cover with the strawberry slices.

Fold two thirds of the whipped cream into the custard and spread evenly over the strawberries.

Now cover the custard with the remaining cream, you can also use a piping bag and make a design of your choice. Now decorate with strawberries and if using, scatter almonds on top and sprinkle with some icing sugar.

Androulla xx

How to be a good mother

1). Be supportive, and never laugh at your kids hobbies, interests or friends.
So, your daughter doesn't want to study medicine and become a doctor? Don't get angry, this is your child's life and they can make some of their own decisions.

2). Be patient. 

Being a mother is a little challenging sometimes. But keep your cool and try to stay patient. Try this approach to other problems. Stay calm, explain the practical reasons not to do something, and then why YOU don't want them to do something.

3). Take an interest in your child's interests. 

If your son likes music buy him a guitar and watch him play. Ask questions, like what is your favorite type of music, what is your favorite song, etc. If your daughter is interested in fashion, take her out for a shopping spree. Ask her what her favorite thing about fashion is. Don't be afraid to ask just don't be pushy

4).Don't be tight about money. 

Okay, so blowing money day after day isn't the best thing to do, but don't automatically say no to everything your kid asks for. If you always say no and follow this with a lecture about saving money, you will be known as the "Tight Parent", the one who never buys anything. Buy something small every now and then.