Wednesday February 13th - Ladies Lunch...

After our late night last night and rather full tummies I had pencilled in a lie-in this morning but this was thwarted by Angela's builders and our cats!  I was originally woken by the dulcet tones of the shutters being fitted in 3B.  Angela must have put a bullet up George's backside because she had phoned me yesterday for an update and I had told her that no-one had been around since she and Phillip had left just after Christmas.  I dozed off and was then awoken by the sound of Minnie Mou sitting on my dressing table gently pawing everything off and over the side - she was obviously hungry.  I told her to be quiet and she was so I opened my eyes slowly to find Chivers sitting on my chest peering at me intently and Minnie sat on John's chest peering at him intently - they were both waiting for breakfast.  So at somewhere just after 6.00am and with the sun coming up over the Troodos like a ball of flame heralding in the dawn of another beautiful day I got out of bed and ran quickly across to feed the cats and then ran equally quickly back to snuggle back down and warm my icy cold feet on an unsuspecting slumbering John!

It was the Ladies Lunch Club today which had been kindly organised by Wheelie Helen and we were off for a 'mini' meze at Kouppas in Neo Chorio and John was taking Dad to Fitos for lunch so we didn't want too much for breakfast.  We had a leisurely start to the day before Crafty Jane and Vicki arrived for a lift and I drove down and picked up Sheila before heading off to Helen's.

Rocky and Arni formed an excited and noisy welcoming party.  Arni had his bits removed last week but so far there is no evidence of it having calmed him down at all - he is a lanky hairy bundle of energy who looks like he went to bed with mascara on as he has two very black rings round his eyes.

Kouppas Taverna in Neo Chorio is very traditional and one which Helen and Al use pretty regularly with their cycling guests.  We were a group of ten which was nice because we all managed to talk to one another.  It was particularly good to see Prodromi Pam - she is such a lovely lady and I have my fingers and everything else very firmly crossed that the ultrasound she is having in Paphos at the end of the week shows that all is well for her.

The 'mini' meze was very good and included (sorry if I forget anything) salad, olives, tahini, tzatziki, pitta filled with garlic butter, bread soaked fried in oil with salt and oregano, stuffed vine leaves, pastichio, fasoulia, green lentils, garlic mushrooms, potato salad, souvlaki, beef and vegetable stew topped off by a chocolate cake!  For this we paid €10.  It is almost criminal how much waste there was - not because we didn't like the food but because they had brought far too much for our appetites.

Here is owner and chef Andreas coming to make sure that we have enjoyed our lunch and had obviously said something that had made Sheila laugh!

I had been worried that it might have been a bit chilly in the taverna with its stone floors and the fact that it doesn't get sunlight coming in but shouldn't have worried as a good old patio heater was lit for us and by the end of the meal I was actually feeling a bit too warm.  I was grateful that Helen had organised this lunch - now I shall have to concentrate on the next and think we should go somewhere local - Karithea was suggested so I will go and suss it out.

I dropped Helen and Sheila off en route and then made my way to Arodes to drop off Vicki and Jane.  Jane invited me in for coffee and we encountered Mark in the midst of building a chicken coop.  This is Jane and Trevor's latest venture - keeping chickens!  Mark is just doing the creative building bit and a fine coop it looks too although it is not yet finished.  I blinking well hope that the chickens they get produce lots of eggs or this might turn out to be quite an expensive exercise - Trevor and Jane went to see Simon Cowell at the 'Farmer's Union' on Saturday for fencing and swelled his pension fund no end!

On returning home and again before it got too cold we took a turn around the estate which has now become part of Dad's regular exercise routine - Dad's and Chivers' it would appear as he came bounding over the field to join us.

We are having a quiet evening with a 'picky' supper as we none of us are feeling particularly hungry.  We will get Dad plugged into the TENS machine as we think this is making a difference.  Dad is walking better that is for sure but he thinks it might be a good idea if we do the airport run for him on Saturday which is sensible.  It also means that John and I will get to see Mum on her return.  I know that Running John and Susan will understand that we will need to do this as they had invited us round for a meal to say thanks for looking after Milly.  As I said to Susan we can do it another time - it's not like we are going anywhere!