Sunday without John..

My attempts at blogging are being severely hampered by Minnie Mou who is missing John like crazy - the minute I go anywhere near the bedroom she thinks it is time for bed and normally when that happens she is straight in and on John's chest for a cuddle only he isn't here so now she follows me around like a lovesick teenager and sits on me at every opportunity.  I am currently in bed propped on my side typing this and she is precariously perched on my hip resting on my shoulder dribbling in my ear.  She cannot be comfortable and I know I am not but she will stay there clinging on until she gets too warm and then she is off.  John is hoping to Skype tonight - slim chance that I will be able to move to answer him.

This is the first time since retiring 5 years ago that John has been away - I wasn't sure how I would feel because I haven't slept here on my own before and I am not too good with the dark but it is fine -
just like old times when John was away on the high seas only shorter - he used to do months rather than days!!

I have set myself a number of jobs I want to tackle whilst he is away one of which is to sort out the cupboards under the spare bed which house all my bedding and swap it out for the stuff that is in the cupboard in our bedroom.

First of all I emptied the cupboards with a little help from Charlie who was there to ensure that everything was removed - little sod then pushed his bulk over the back of the drawer and got wedged between that one and the one on the otherside right in the middle of the bed - I had no hope of getting him out save to rustle a food packet nearby and then he managed to escape but by this time he had got Chivers interested in the drawers and he too disappeared into the void between the drawers - I give UP!!!

I then sorted everything out - and realised I have enough bedding for a small hotel.  I neatly stacked it all into some storage bags I had bought in Jumbos but there was a fatal flaw in my plan - firstly full I had no hope of getting them lifted up into the cupboard and secondly they were just a fag paper too long for me to shut the doors when I did managed to get one up there.  I was so disappointed as two should have sat side by side and they might have done if they had been rigid.  I shall now have to have a rethink.

The weather was great whilst I was inside sorting this out - no sign of the horrendous storms that had been forecast - not at that point but as I was indoors I was unaware that it was all deteriorating behind me and suddenly I heard what I thought was Sharon putting something in the green bin and then I realised it was thunder.  This was soon followed by wind and rain and hail.  I know the island desperately needs rain but I would prefer it if it didn't come all in one day.

Mum and Dad were on their way up for lunch and I really don't like it when they are coming up here and the weather is bad because it can be very unpleasant as the heavy rains wash all the loose stuff down onto the roads.

Before long we were treated to a Drouseia rolling mist and we could no longer see the other side of the wall.  Fortunately by this time Mum and Dad were at Kathikas calling in to see Gloria who is recovering from a brain haemorrhage which happened around Christmas time.  She is making very slow progress and was quite down today according to Mum.

On a more cheerful note it has been a week since the crocus competition started between Sheila and I - I have adopted a less deep planting method than Sheila and have my bulbs in the conservatory for warmth and light.  They have put on some growth.  I shall inspect Sheila's tomorrow to see how they are doing.

Today's lunch was chicken leek bacon and apple pie.  I had made enough for two and gave them an egg wash with one of Mrs Savvas' eggs.  I don't know what they feed them but the colour of the yolk was nuclear!!!

I shall give Mum whatever is leftover of the round pie and I shall have the oval one myself during the course of the week.

I had also bought some nice looking local strawberries to have for pudding with a little cream  -  the local ones seem to taste really good at the moment and I thought it would be something nice and light to round off the meal.

We managed a three handed game of noms.  Something was clearly wrong as apparently according to John, who always scores, the scorer always wins and today I scored and I was drag-arse charlie.

Whilst all this was occurring at Villa 10b John was somewhere near Sheffield catching up with two school friends that he hadn't seen for 32 years and by the looks of it having a brilliant time.  He had taken over some Aphrodite Rock Brewery beer for them to sample but I think that came later in the day.  I am so glad he was able to arrange this as he missed out on the recent school reunion and I know that if things had been different and we lived closer he would have loved to have gone.


Mum and Dad got home safely and I was going to try and manage with just the electric heater but it got really chilly in the lounge so I decided i would light the fire which John had left made up for me.  Clearly it is all in the making as I just stuck a match to the firelighter, shut the door and let it do what it does.

I simply don't understand all the poking and prodding men feel they need to do with fires.  I just let it burn down, produce some nice embers, shove another log on and leave it!!!

I think the remainder of the week is due to be fine so hopefully wont need it again - either that or I shall go and visit Sean and Sharon as I could smell they had their lit!!!

Day one of being home alone completed - hopefully I shall sleep ok - have plenty of water for hotties so that is good and of course Minnie will be there pinning me to the mattress!!




PS - I have entered one of John's photographs into a competition.  Voting ends tomorrow February 29th - if you haven't voted and have a Facebook account please follow the link below and 'like' the photograph which is of a woman cutting vines...

Link:  Woman cutting Vines