Monday 28th January...

It was a cool and blustery day today and for once we could not declare that "the sun is shining at Argaka" in fact it was very dark down on the coast, dark skies, dark seas and dark mountains.  We none of us got up very early - Dad said it was so dark in the bedroom with the shutters shut that he had no idea what time it was anyway!  This is fine by us as we weren't in a rush!

I was going to art today, I had decided that I would leave it next week so that I could spend the day with Dad - particularly as I will have given up my Greek lessons by then so will have all day clear and we could do something special if the weather is nice - don't know what yet!!

I have very nearly finished my Lily picture.  It is noticeable how much the first flower I completed has faded since it was done so the next time I go to Sheila's I will spend some time doing the highlighting to make it stand out a bit more and then it will be done and I have to get my head round a new project!

It was a lovely morning Chez Knips - Sheila and Klaus had ventured down to Paphos at the weekend to try out the new cinema complex and were very impressed with the facilities.  They had gone to see 'Les Mis' and had a meal whilst there.  They said it was all absolutely spotless.  I am not normally a cinema goer - I hate the fact that people chat, text, eat nachos etc etc and don't watch the film!!  Having said that they have almost persuaded me that it might be worth a visit and if any of John's family come and we have bad weather it would be somewhere to take them.

John picked me up from Art and we went off down to Prodromi so that John could play badminton and I could have my last Greek lesson with Sam.  As I pulled up outside Sam's apartment block the sun finally broke through the clouds and lit up the spring flowers in the field.  I felt a bit sad really that this would be my last lesson but I have learned quite a lot and I intend to continue on my own.  As Sam says I have a handle on the basics and that is a good start.  It is a small world up here in this corner of the island so I am sure I will bump into her again and who knows if I win the lottery I may well go back to my lessons!

On returning home we decided to watch TV out in the conservatory as it is the warmest place in the house.  I had found a series about the Galapagos Islands which I thought would be interesting so we sat and watched two episodes before getting tea ready.

It was what John refers to as a 'free  night' with the log burner as all the wood we burned we had been given or had found somewhere! and those nights the fire seems to feel all the better for it - Chivers would certainly agree as he came in for a cuddle with John.

Minnie Mou has to go to the vets tomorrow as her patch of eczema is not getting any better and she has a nasty black area under her chin about the size of a thumbnail and she keeps scratching it.

I got tea ready whilst Dad and John shouted at the stupid contestant on the Tipping Point - it is John's favourite occupation!!  Tea was followed by a game of Noms - not quite the same without Mum there but I am guessing she is having a lovely time particularly as she had been taken to Bath shopping today complete with a £20 note provided by the bank here in Cyprus which has been out of circulation for some time - good job she had plenty more!!!