Saturday - winter has arrived...

Today started out very indifferently - the weather forecast for the next week is awful - very cold and snow!!!  We had nothing much planned for today and had thought about going down to the beach but the rain clouds were blowing in from Lara (this does not bode well) and so we decided just to go to the supermarket and do our weekly shop rather than risk getting stuck on the beach in monsoon conditions.  As we were getting ourselves organised John took the sign I had made Diana and repaired the missing hanger, originally it was a string made from sisal or something similar which John decided to replace with metal.

As the morning wore on we had a bit of blue sky and sunshine so I decided to get the washing done and strip the bed and put on fresh hay and relented by putting on the 15 tog duvet as very cold weather is anticipated next week and John keeps complaining that I pinch the duvet.  I got the first lot of washing out but then it looked like it was going to rain so didn't bother with the second lot as I didn't want it all hanging around.  One lot on the airer in the conservatory would be enough if I was going to have to rescue it.

We needed some shopping so were gong off down to Polis and decided to go and check out the Eliofos Centre in Latchi.  We had friends come over last year and stay there for a week - they were looking for something cheap and cheerful and near the beach and tavernas and that was where they stayed - it did exactly what it said on the tin.  It is superbly positioned for the beach at Latchi and is in walking distance to all the tavernas but nice and quiet.  Anyway, Matthew and Sarah are returning this year just for a week.  They could stay with us but we reckon they prefer the flexibility of having their own place to sleep and I don't blame them - it is a little snug at ours and they will be holidaying without children this time!!!  Anyway they loved it last time so we thought we would go and see that it hadn't changed in the interim.  We went down as far as the beach at La Plage where it looked and felt quite pleasant in the sunshine and then drove back towards Polis passing by the Centre en route.

Even though it is closed for Winter it looks better than a lot of places this time of year and we still think for the money they charge you would have to go a long way to find anything better as it is only for a week.  I did some investigation as to the price of villas and it would have been nearly four times as much which just doesn't seem worth it just for a bed at night.  We have reported back and left it to them to decide and are now looking forward to seeing them in June.  Visitor numbers for this year are beginning to stack up now!

There were some stunning flowers down at the Centre and in particular a beautiful Rose that was in full bloom and looks like it has been flowering for some time.  You wouldn't know but it had the most powerful of old rose perfumes unlike so many these days that have been grown for their flowers and not for their smell.

We carried on to Polis to do our shopping - it is never a chore going there so John is more than happy to come along - in fact he likes food shopping so I never have to ask him twice!

We also called into the little car parts place in Polis and John needed to get some oil for the Peugeot as the oil warning light had come on yesterday as we were leaving Mum's.  Kenny has also sprung a little oil leak - although John says it is more like a little seep rather than a leak.  Mum spotted it on their drive and John has had a look and seen where it is coming from - he says at this moment in time it is nothing too much to worry about but whilst he was at the parts place he picked up some oil supplement that is supposed to rectify little problems where gaskets have dried out.  He is going to try this first as it may well just resolve the problem.  I sat in the car whilst he was getting the things he needed.  Opposite the carpark was an example of typical Cypriot electric wiring with a fully functioning lamp complete with new energy saving lightbulb hanging on for grim death with all the wiring exposed to the elements - this is fairly normal for these parts and is one of the things that made us laugh when we had an electrical inspection and they insisted that we removed the light in the bathroom bought specifically for bathrooms in the UK and replace it with a horrid bulkhead outside light for some reason!

When we returned from shopping it was still dry but so cold the washing was just hanging there limply not looking like it was going to dry and as I had washed towels and jeans I shouldn't have been too surprised.  I am now able to reach the new rotary washing line because I got myself a bargain last week courtesy of one of the the Facebook selling pages - I am now the proud owner of some very robust folding steps which are made by KETER who make the plastic outside sheds and so are fine to be left outside - although I have found them a home indoors because Plastic can age-harden badly over here.  They will also allow me to reach even the highest kitchen shelves which will be a bonus when John nips back to the UK in a couple of weeks' time.

On our return John put up our post box - we finally agreed as to where it should be located and it will probably be months before anything gets put in it - if it is anything like the postbox that Mum's neighbour Effie has we will be more likely to get a birds' nest in it than post!!  Every year some poor little bird dutifully builds its nest in Effie's postbox and every year the eggs hatch but beyond that we have no idea because we cannot work out how the bird gets in and out.

We had no plans for the remainder of the day except that John wanted to watch the Newcastle Liverpool game and what a game that turned out to be - loads of goals and excitement.  I got on with making a few Easter cards in case Rebecca needs some.

Our surprise tea - made from the mince we found in the freezer and some veggies in the fridge and a can of berlotti beans and some salami (not my favourite but Angela had given me a packet and it needed eating up) - proved to be a huge success and went down extremely well before we settled to watching a new series - The Last Panther - needs concentration but excellent so far.