We live our lives forever taking leave - Rilke

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Saturday, 4 February 2023

Saturday, February 4/2023

 Quick trip with recycling - way too much plastic and glass but that’s how it is. Decades since anyone went to the dairy or the pub with their own little jug. At least there are recycle bins - we remember when they were nowhere to be seen here. Can only piously hope that the end result is actually recycling.

Tomorrow our moving day and also election day. Weather warning for heavy storms and hail. Forecasts vary considerably depending on which site and when the forecast was issued, so uncertainty the name of the game. Country happily preparing for high drama. Everything short of plans to shoot down any intrusive Chinese spy balloons.  Whatever did we do before drones - other than refrain from remote control assassinations. Following excerpt from In-Cyprus News. Particularly like the term “rumped up” - it has possibilities.

“Authorities are gearing up for an alert day tomorrow, as the first round of Presidential elections, coupled with possible issues on the roads from stormy weather, will lead to a rumped up safety setting.

“2,040 officers will be on duty, with a helicopter and drones monitoring smooth continuity in the electoral process and keeping the order.

“There will be police presence in all 1,148 polling stations and other facilities connected to the proceedings across the free areas of the Republic,

“Additional measures will be taken during vote counting, with ballot boxes transported to the head of the electoral board  accompanied by police patrols and drone monitoring.

“Police spokesperson Christos Andreou did not rule out using the force’s helicopter to carryt ballot boxes from isolated areas in order to expedite the process.

“A Crisis Centre will be operating at police headquarters in Nicosia from six in the morning tomorrow until midnight, in coordination with district precints, with the Chief and the rest of the leadership also on hand tomorrow.

“Officers have also been tasked with checking that all voters wearing masks are certified outside polling stations, with Andreou reminding the public that the use of mobile phones is strictly prohibited both during voting and counting, following complaints that certain candidates were asking voters to take a photo of their ballot.”

* Note the official inability to refer to the Republic of Cyprus without saying the free areas of the republic, making clear contempt for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.