Green/Clean Monday...

This morning we were getting ready to celebrate Green or Clean Monday which marks the beginning of the 40-day fasting period before Lent here in Cyprus.  Traditionally it is the day when Kites are flown and no meat and no dairy is eaten.  I knew about the meat but not about the dairy but as we were spending it with Elena and Bassam and the family and Elena has been off her food of late we were cheating a little as Elena had made a wild asparagus quiche and I made some halloumi and carrot fritters.  The fritters were causing me complete angst because for some reason they would not bind together and I had to add an additional egg.

The weather forecast for today had been pretty appalling but although we had rain and very high winds during the night the day started off reasonably well but then we started to get squally showers and the wind picked up.  I cannot recall being able to enjoy a perfect Kite Flying Green Monday - last year was miserable but no wind.  We called round to Orexi HQ and were joined by Bassam, Elena's Mum, Amoura, Rabia and Lola and headed to Pittokopos. Down on the coast at Lara the wind was whipping up the sea

I don't need to have to tell you how strong the wind was when we got up onto the ridge - the kids were being held back by it without them having to try!!  This did not auger well for the kite flying!!  John had a super duper new kite ensemble to try this year having made his own from a tea-towel last year!

Well at least it wasn't raining which was one good thing and even though we moved away from the electricity cables and down the side of a field where the wind was less strong it would prove to be a huge challenge trying to get the kite up and in the air for more than a few seconds as the wind proved just too strong.

John managed to get the kite airborne on several occasions but then it would spiral out of control and get the string all wound up round itself and several small olive trees.

The wind was so strong that it pulled the string through Bassam's hands and cut his finger.  Clearly this was a bit dangerous for the kids so we gave it a couple of goes and then decided to call it a day as the kids were beginning to get cold.

Elena's Mum, who arrived yesterday, decided that she would take the walk back from Pittokopos to the village to get some fresh air as she had been cooped up travelling for most of the day yesterday.

I decided that I would walk back with her as I had missed out on pickleball on Friday and fancied the exercise and even though the weather was such a contrast from yesterday it was good to be out in the fresh air and look at the beautiful scenery and it is exceptionally beautiful at the moment - the greens are so vivid and the wild flowers are all beginning to bloom.

On our return to Orexi HQ it began to rain very heavily so we stepped it out quickly so we didn't get soaked.

We were greeted by two bessies snuggled up on the sofa with a newly delivered hand-made blinkie.  Elena and Philippa were doing the best thing you could do on a wet and windy afternoon - keeping warm and having a laugh together.  We were all taken by the blinkie - I am a sucker for these traditional hand-made items and haven't mastered anything more difficult than a simple crochet stitch so far.

We all contributed to the fabulous feast and spent a really lovely afternoon warm and cosy, laughing, eating and drinking.  The kids all amused themselves without killing one another which was a bonus!!