Sunday...

OK PEEPS - Two posts today - so read this one and the one below to be uptodate

This morning saw us unpacking John's suitcases and sorting out all the things he had brought back for others.  He had taken the opportunity of booking an extra case back for only €26 as it seemed the cheapest was and ensured he didn't get stung for excess baggage like he did once before!!!  There was an eclectic mix of goodies which appeared, some I had ordered and forgotten about, some John had bought, some gifts from his Mum and others gifts from Laura and Mark.

John's mum had bought me a nice little plaque for the garden which I have found a home in the front garden hanging from the gazebo.

John now has a new wardrobe of clothes - it is not so easy for him to find reasonably priced clothing here because Cypriot men don't seem to ever need real extra large garments.  What they consider to be extra large is little more than would fit a strapping teenager!!!

We managed to put most things away although there is still a little sorting out to do but now I have a spare suitcase so that all the clothes John's mum left behind can be neatly packed away and stored down at Mums which will free up a drawer for me.

John had bought some new shorts which was good news as this morning was most definitely short wearing weather.  It has been a glorious week since the storms last Sunday but it doesn't seem like it is settled - the forecast for then end of this coming week is not good and we need it to be good for the sake of Jane's birthday celebrations.  We have everything crossed.

We never normally go food shopping on a Sunday - usually because either I am cooking and will have done the shopping for the week or Mum is cooking and I will do my shopping on Monday - the laws about opening times are a bit sketchy at the moment so I wasn't sure if Paps would be open but I am panicking a bit about the birthday celebrations and I wanted to get on with things.  John said I needed to manage my time better!  It isn't a question of managing time - lots of things cannot be sorted until later in the week but I just keep thinking about them plus I am having Diana and Rob and Susan and John coming for a meal and I haven't got a clue what to cook!

There was a traffic jam at the bottom of our road as the goats were being walked to pastures new.  A real photograph of contrasts with the modern photovoltaic panels in the background and the traditional goatherd with his flock in the foreground.

Paps was open and quiet - all the shelves had just been stocked so there were things there that have often sold out by the time I go on a Monday!  I had to laugh because only in Cyprus would you see veggie burgers sitting next to a whole piglet in the freezer compartment.  Still the piglets were are bargain at only 5.99 a kilo - considerably cheaper gram for gram than the burgers!!

We were eating at Mum and Dads this evening with Jane and John joining us.  John and I arrived a bit earlier than Jane and John - we arrived jsut as the sun was setting - the view from Mum and Dad's front veranda was stunning - the sun was a ball of fire and the sky a deep red - hopefully heralding another beautiful day again tomorrow.

Good news is that Fred the local Lothario is back home - hopefully he has satisfied his springtime urges and will stop driving Mum and Dad frantic with worry when he stops out sowing his wild oats.  He didn't seem too bothered by the extra bodies in the villa this evening - he just did what he does best - fill his stomach!!!!

We had time for a quick game of Noms before supper - our usual kind, not the new one with the counters and I think I managed to win so something must have distracted John when he was scoring because he reckons the scorer should always win.

We had a lovely evening together and the six of us followed our meal with a good old game of Mexican Train dominoes - I was doing really well until the last game - I was well in the lead but got clobbered and then John and I ended up with exactly the same score.

We have a busy week ahead - the workmen are due to arrive tomorrow to restart the pool project - we aren't entirely sure what time they will arrive but can't risk still being in bed when they do!!