Droushia/Drouseia Dits: Sunday

After what had been a horrendous Saturday I was pleased that when I woke this morning the sun was beginning to peak through the clouds and herald in what was a bright day. Bright but still quite cold here in Droushia - thank god for the conservatory that's all I can say. Mum and Dad were coming up today for a light lunch as they had been invited out this evening so I had made a chunky soup and we had a tear and share loaf of bread to go with it. Actually it was nice not to be cooking a roast type meal on a Sunday and having everything under control so only needed to heat things up.

With the sun coming into the back garden I took the opportunity to get washing out on the airer to dry off - it was left over from yesterday and I was glad to get the conservatory back to a conservatory and not a laundry. It is difficult at the moment with washing because although we get bright days if they are cold then the washing seems to hang all limply and doesn't actually fully dry.

Mum and Dad came up good and early so we were able to have a game before eating the soup or at least start a game and finish it afterwards. We normally play noms or cribbage - we have been doing it for years so to ring the changes John decided to introduce a slightly different version of noms which involved secret bidding with cups and shells - and everyone seemed to really enjoy it and there was a lot of laughs and a bit of swearing and some banter to accompany it. At the half way point we stopped for the soup - which seemed to go down well and then finished off the game afterwards before moving out to the conservatory and the lovely warmth provided by the sun so Dad could have a snooze and we could have a chat before Mum and Dad made their way back home.

Having decorated the conservatory I decided that it was the right colour to show off my picture of the cat which I did ages ago - it had been sitting down at the Blue Olive so the last time Mum and Dad were there they collected it for me and it is now hanging on the wall. It is nice to have it back - it reminds me of Charlie!

We moved from the conservatory to the lounge and lit the wood burner as it was beginning to get really chilly - I can't believe we managed the first winter (the worst that had been experienced for 40 years) with just a gas fire and the two buildings separated. The wood burner has been our saviour and we would be lost without it.

My crochet blanket was handed over to Mum and she seemed to like it so I have now embarked on knitting a hot water bottle cover. It is slow progress as you have to knit with two strands of wool and I have chosen to use two different colours. I hope it works out ok because if it does then I shall do a couple more as Mum says she has a bottle but no cover and I am always worried that without a cover she might get scalded.

Janet Jinty (one half of our Stalkers Number 3) has shot off back to Scotland so John is home alone - except for dog Roxie of course. We had said we would keep an eye on him so when he said that he had been to Kaponas Grill House and Eleni was in need of business we agreed to meet up with him this evening for a chat and, as it transpired, some wine and a meal. John is fine and has been sitting out in the sun today and has the colour to prove it!!! He was good company and we had a lovely evening. He has been trying to help Eleni raise the profile of the business so during the course of the evening we came up with the idea of Eleni helping us ex-pats with some conversational Greek - her English is pretty good and she is such a nice person. Anyway we are going to give it a go and see what happens.