Friday 15th February...

It is, in fact, Saturday 23rd February, Happy Birthday to my Mother in Law Janet and my Nephew Michael

Get well soon Nicky - the curry will have to wait x

At the moment no two days are alike - we woke to an awful day.  It had been very stormy through the night with thunder, lightning and hail.  I managed to shoot across and feed the cats and bring back a cup of coffee before we had a six hour power cut.  The electricity board were obviously trying to get it sorted because periodically the power would come back on very momentarily and then go back off again immediately.  There was nothing we could do so it was a breakfast of cereal and a quick lick and a promise in some lukewarm water before Dad and I set off down to Paphos to visit Frank and to do some shopping.

Frank was ensconced in his little office/library/TV room with a heater and his faithful old cat keeping him company.  A dapper man close to 90 he was as always immaculately dressed sporting a nifty little silk cravat.  In his youth after he left the army which he joined during the second World War he worked in a Gold Mine and for Brooke Bond on a tea plantation in Kenya.  He is fascinating to talk to and bless him he rustled up some coffee and biscuits and not just any old biscuits - Marks and Spencer biscuits!

We passed an hour or so in Frank's company before going on down into Paphos to get some bits and pieces whilst we were down there.

First stop was Super Home Centre where I was looking for some coat hooks for the conservatory which I managed to find and I also wanted a rug to put in front of the gas fire.   I managed to find one which was exactly the colour that I wanted.  No doubt the cats will wreck it in due course but for the moment it looks rather nice.  We called into Kolios to stock up on our wine supplies - the rack was nigh on empty and John was getting a bit twitchy!!!  Some pork pies from GB Euroland and some toilet rolls and kitchen roll from the Euroshop and we were ready to go home.  As we were going out this evening Dad and I only wanted a small snack for lunch and thought we might stop in Granny's Kitchen opposite the Outlet Store - it has been there years and used to be a right old traditional place where you practically had to go into the kitchen to choose your meal - recently it has been updated and had always seemed to have a steady clientele so we were shocked to find it closed, empty and with a big TO LET sign outside.  What a shame.  That being about the last eatery on our way out of Paphos we decided we had just as well get home and have something there.

When we got home we had electricity thank goodness and we had cats.  Chivers has been in the wars and has managed to scrape a huge area of fur and skin away from between his shoulder blades on his back. We think he must have run under something or into something to do this sort of damage.  It looks extremely sore and painful and he tries to lick it but it is just out of his reach but he does manage to scratch it which means that it looks angry and weeps.  He has let us bathe it with a weak solution of antiseptic and it doesn't seem to have affected his eating - if anything he is eating like a horse and we think both he and Minnie need worming.  Poor boy - if it isn't one thing it is another.

It is Dad's last night with us and we had been lucky enough to secure a seat at Orexi for the Spanish Tapas night thanks to Wheelie Helen who suggested it and Orexi Elena who managed to shuffle people about so that Helen, Al, Jane, Mark, John, Dad and I could be fitted in.

We thought that Dad would enjoy the Orexi eating experience and trying some different foods.  He managed to secure himself the seat right next to the wood burning stove so he was happy as he was guaranteed to be warm and he was looked after beautifully by Elena's daughter Amora who squatted down on the step next to him when her services were not required.

It was a varied and interesting menu which gave us the chance to sample flavours and combinations which were new to us.  Nothing was overly spicy which was good as Dad doesn't like too much spice.

We washed this down with a couple of bottles of Ayios and at the end of the meal, as Elena was packing up and we were getting ready to leave, we shared a class of sloe gin and a coffee sat round the big kitchen table.

It had been a lovely evening and we hope that Dad enjoyed himself.  Certainly Budgie Smuggler Mark who was sat next to him seemed to be keeping him engaged in conversation!

Mucho thanks to Al for driving - the weather was so grotty we were glad not to have to walk and John had the foresight to put Dad's electric blanket on the timer so he had a nice warm bed when he got in.  Mum returns tomorrow and we have had to forego our meal at Running John and Susan's in favour of making sure Dad gets to the airport safely - we don't really mind as we would much rather be safe than sorry.