Catching up with Good Friends...

Today after a flying visit to see Mum and Dad and then to pick up some bits and pieces in Paphos (like a ten litre carton of Kolios Rose Wine!) we drove down to Kato Paphos and the Athena Beach Hotel to pick up Barry, Lynne and Joseph (Robson) to bring them back up to our place for the afternoon and one of those John-sized barbeques.  We saw them twice last year when they were over on holiday and we were really looking forward to seeing them again - it is really nice to think we have made friends with someone that used to be on the other end of the phone patiently dealing with Porter Dodson Axxia Accounts support calls - Barry you should have escaped while you had the chance because now it was going to be death by souvla and wine!!!

 

We arrived early - don't we always???   and poor Lynne had been so determined to be there before us - no chance, not where John is concerned!! 

 

Joseph is a huge huge animal lover and so he immediately made friends with Chivers who got over his initial fear of someone new in his territory and then the two of them became best buddies.  Minnie on the other hand was a completely different kettle of fish as she remained pretty aloof throughout the whole day until hunger got the better of her and she felt she had no choice but to venture in.  Anyway once you give Chivers a bit of attention that is it - you have a friend for life!  Mind you plying him with treats is a pretty sure-fire way of getting his love - unconditional or otherwise!  Anyway Joseph is a great kid and pretty easy to keep amused - either playing with the cats or splashing around the pool he was more than happy.  Even more happy when he got himself comfortable in John's pool chair and read his book whilst floating around - happy until he dropped his book in the water that is!

 

John got to work on his man-sized barbeque - he has got the art of souvla down to a pretty fine art and whilst he busied himself with the meat (pork and chicken) I did the Cyprus roast potatoes, barbeque sauce, salad, halloumi and lounza.  Mr and Mrs Robson took advantage of the views from the sun terrace - we even managed to get Joseph to climb up which was made easier when Chivers decided he was coming too.  Later on Barry and Joseph went back up in the dark and we turned all the garden lights off so that they could see the stars - for as long a we are out on a limb from the village and there are little or no street lights that view will be spectacular.  All we need is the app that Simon has on his phone so that we could at least try and recognise some of the constellations!

 

 

It was my turn to be driver so I wa taking Barry, Lynne and Joseph back down to Paphos so Ihad to be the sensible one - bit of a shame really as the Robsons had come armed with copious amounts of our favourite Agios Onofrios - most of which seemed to get consumed throughout the course of the day!

 

Joseph's day was made complete when John put on the pool lights and he was allowed to go for one last swim in the dark!

 

Before too long it was time to pack everything up and take them back down to Paphos and their hotel.  It had been quite cool up in Droushia and there was a very heavy dew forming so it felt really hot and sticky when we got down to their hotel. 

 

We are hoping that we might be able to find time to see them again before they go back to the UK on Sunday but we seem to have such a lot on at the moment!