Tuesday and it is Bloody cold...

We woke today to a very very cold day.  When John went over to feed the cats it was only just over 4 degrees - had it been 3 degrees we might have been tempted into breaking into a song!!!  We retreated to bed with a coffee and the heater on and the news on our tablets - we had nothing planned although John was convinced that he had a dental appointment even though it was in my diary for Friday - so convinced that he made me ring Elena up at 9.00am to check.  

Without any sunshine the conservatory resembles an industrial sized refrigerator so god only knows why we rushed to find a replacement for our lovely new Hotpoint that failed us after such a short period of time.  The replacement has arrived and is waiting for us to collect for the outlet store in Paphos.  The condensation that settles on the inside of the conservatory roof (because it is single-glazed) is a menace so we were eternally grateful that when the sun did put in an appearance today it warmed that area sufficiently enough for me to be able to sit out there and do some of my Greek homework and decide what to take with me to craft tomorrow.

This picture will bring back memories for Vicki as we went on a course at Bower Hinton one Saturday morning to learn how to reproduce these stylised trees.

It gave me the opportunity to try out the tin of pastel pencils which John had given me for Christmas.  It is just a small starter set and made by Derwent which I don't think will be anything like as good as the ones I use at Sheila's but they are a start plus I don't have any of the right paper so had to use some dodgy water-colour paper I had in the cupboard.

I was kept company by Chivers who is improving slowly.  His fur still looks rough and clumpy, he is very thin and he is still very picky about what he will and will not eat and today he had another barking coughing fit which worried us but he is nothing like as bad as he was last week - I guess it is going to take a bit of time until he is back to his old self. 

Minnie Mou was in the conservatory sulking as she has had to have more gunk squirted in her ear and she absolutely hates it.  She has very strange ear canals but John is getting better at getting the nozzle in the right place and shoved in far enough.  Looking at all the crap she keeps shaking out we are hopeful that this is working as she has had a problem all the time we have had her.

Jane called round this afternoon to return my knitting needles having completed the scarf she was making.  I had some wool for Christmas so I might even take that with me tomorrow to Jeannette's although my technique is so awful I don't want everyone laughing at me.  What I really want to do is make a much bigger gecko on a stone but I haven't had the opportunity to source enough pebbles for the skeleton.

We are supposed to be going on a beach clean on Sunday - Jane is planning to come with us and Mark if he is not busy.  We had forwarded the email to Elaine and Paul (Nessa and Dave Coaches) but poor Elaine has had the dreaded flu over the New Year so has declined but we are going to go round for a meal and catch up with them.

We had our first view of snow on the Troodos today - there must have been quite a lot fall over the last couple of days because the last time I looked there was no more than a smattering.  It might be nice to go up and see it at some point.  We planned to go last year but the snow was so deep we never made it up there.

On Jane's return home she text to say that it was trying to snow.  Phillipos at the local bank had told me yesterday that we were forecast some snow for today so I wasn't entirely surprised.

We looked out of the back door to see a flurry of snow/hail not sure which but within a short period of time the garden was white-over.  I shall have to take a look back on the blog to see if we had weather like this so early in January - I don't think we did.

We managed to get hold of Vicki on Skype today - she is currently staying with her Mum and Dad in Leicester - we haven't spoken for a while and it is only a couple of weeks until she and Trevor will be over here.  She says she is feeling bereft as all their worldly goods have been packed up and are currently in transit - due to arrive in a couple of weeks time shortly after they do.  Fingers crossed that there will be calm seas for them and it wont be delayed.  Before they know it they will have so much to do and so many new experiences to enjoy!!  We will be on hand if they need us but I am guessing like us they will want to find their own way and make some of their own mistakes but only little ones!!