Sunday 6 March 2016

John returns...

So this evening I was going to collect John from the airport - his flight was due in about 7.00pm so I had all day to get myself sorted out.  I braved the depths of the pumphouse to retrieve what John calls the 'Hoover' - it is alien to me.  When he used to go away he would leave me maps to find the 'Hoover' but never having gained my Brownies pathfinder badge (I never made the dizzy heights of Girl Guide) I never actually managed to find it (or so John says!).

I don't like using the hoover because (a) I have an allergy to house dust and it just stirs it all up and I end up with a snotty nose all day, (b) it scares the shit out of the cats (c) you have to keep emptying the damn thing which then breaks your flow and (d) no sooner have you done it than you have to do it all over again - or at least with four moulting cats you do.

I was doing really well until it sucked up the weight on the end of our 'Turkish' carpet and made all sorts of nasty sounding noises - I thought at this point it would be best to pack it away and put it back where it came from - it was clearly uncomfortable about being away from its hidey-hole for so long.  I will leave it there to recover - with the weather like it is we will soon be packing the rugs away hopefully.



Charlie escaped to the sanctity of the spare bedroom and took up residence in my laundry basket giving me a look which meant there would be hell to pay if I moved him.  He was going to be in for a nasty shock in about an hour's time when he would have to balance precariously on top of the ironing pile because I had designated today a washing day.


It has been a really glorious week - it is too much to hope that this will continue into next week and remain so on Friday - the day of the birthday celebrations and a day which will all the better for being dry - it is the one thing we cannot control sadly.  Today though was bright and dry and ideal for getting the washing out.  John will no doubt come home with some so it would be good to start with an empty basket.


As I said the cats all disappeared whilst I was doing the hoovering and it had been quite a while since I had seen them - not unusual on a nice day when they seem to wander somewhere and find a nice sunny spot and snooze for the day.  I had been invited out to see Aunty Friday's garden this afternoon with Elena so I was just doing a walk round and lock up when I came across them - the little buggers had all taken advantage of the spare bedroom door being open and taken themselves off to bed.

Aunty Friday lives in the Big House which is opposite the Akamas Spa and sits in splendid isolation with 360 degree panoramic views - her husband Uncle Stavraki is a surgeon and comes home at the weekend - his mother also lives in the house and scared the shit out of John when he went there one day with Bassam.  Aunty Friday wanted to show me her garden in all its spring glory and it was certainly a picture - many of the plants have naturalised themselves and grow in swathes which are now in full bloom.  Great stripes of colour in amongst the lush green.  Aunty Friday says there is just too much space for it to be formal and I think it is more beautiful because of its wildness.

We are going to do a plant/seed swap.  I have often admired the local miniature gladioli which should flower soon - you see them in the fields around here and Friday has them growing like weeds.  I am going to let her have some of Dad's purple moonflower seeds as she loves these plants and doesn't have any in the garden.  I will let her have some of my white ones too.  She also taught me that the tree which we used to have outside the back door bears fruit which is like red peppercorns - it is commonly known as a Peruvian Pepper tree and the fruits can be harvested and eaten - they have a bitter sweet peppery taste - I know because I ate one.  I asked her if she harvested them but she said there were too many but I could come and get some if I wanted - which I do so I will

Elena and I sat down and took tea with the family and I had the most fantastic piece of cake which was called Chiffon Cake and was as light as a feather.  I came home clutching a huge piece for John to sample - I think he will like it and I will definitely try to make one myself.


Elena and I took so long to get down the drive that the electric gates were closing before we had a chance to get out - my fault as I had wanted to take a picture of the geese that we passed on our way down.  We had to ring to get the gates reopened!!

I needed to call into Jumbos before getting to the airport - there are things needed for the Birthday Meal and dressing the table - now that I have been to see what I am working with I have more of an idea of what is needed to make it look nice.  Mission accomplished I set off for the airport and saw John's flight coming in to land as I was driving along the road.  Fortunately it was the only flight coming in at that time so he was through fairly quickly.


Having unpacked - for which read opened the suitcases and taken everything out (not found a home) - it was only a matter of time before it was feet up, wine open, cat on board and rugby playing - like he had never been away!

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