So after all the excitement of last week we are back to normal - it feels a little flat here at 10b now that TD has been and gone - after organising a party we always say never again (until the next time) and I know someone has a special birthday next year so I shall have to get my thinking cap on!!!
It is art today and after a break of a couple of weeks I am happy to be getting back to my ballet shoes - getting very close to completion now although the shoes will need some work on their detailing.
I am very excited that someone has asked to buy this picture - it is really great when someone appreciates your work enough to want to have it hanging on their wall! I had embarked on this picture with Elena's daughter Amoura in mind so now I am faced with a difficult decision about whether I should bow to my commercial side and sell it, or stick with my sentimental side and give it to Amoura - I thought I would discuss it with Elena who without hesitation asked what was the problem and that of course I should sell it - you gotta love the business woman in her!!! So Amoura will get a different picture and I will sell this one when it is finished and then I need to start something new - I shall talk to Elena about something for Lola when I see her on Wednesday - it is only fair that all three children get a picture - even if they hate them - why should it just be Rabia that suffers (he got my footballer picture for his birthday!).
I went in to collect our post on my way home - so good to see the cafe buzzing now that Andri is involved with its running. Two big tables of British tourists were taking lunch. We received a lovely letter and a card from our old neighbours Helen and Pete Garvey - it was so good of them to think of us on our special day and their card will go with the others into the scrapbook I intend to make when I can find one.
I apologise deeply for posting this picture that I found of John, Pete and Helen in the very early days of Villa 10b when Pete and Helen stayed here on holiday - the villa has changed almost beyond recognition but I see that even in those days we still opted for a bottle of Agios Onoufrious red wine although I have no idea what Helen is holding in her hand!! It would be lovely to see them both here again and we can redo that photograph to see how much things have changed.
Having had the family round for lunch on Sunday and having used the oven on one of those rare occasions when I do I thought I ought to give it a damn good clean as it wasn't looking its best and I remembered that I had one of those boil in the bag oven cleaning kits in the cupboard so gave it and the microwave turntables a treat.
There is something very cathartic about cleaning the oven and opening the door and being greeted by shiny surfaces instead of the black hole of calcutta!
So the oven lives to fight another day - it isn't brilliant particularly when the shelf twists in the heat and then falls off the runners or when I do Christmas Dinner and it is packed to the gunnels and everything on the bottom burns - hence the reason why I tend to cook everything in my combi microwave - quicker, more reliable and easier to clean!
It is hot again now even here in Droushia so our days have to be planned out so that if we have anything energetic to do we leave it until it is a bit cooler. Now that TD has been and gone we need to concentrate on our jobs list.
It has suddenly dawned on us that George's family will be out soon - closely followed by George and Pam and with Stelios still recovering from his nasty accident at Christmas we have been keeping an eye on the property at 11B. We have been in a couple of times and done some pruning and weeding but the plants in their garden grow without any love whatsoever and so it is only a matter of a few weeks and they are unruly once more. John tackled the big bay tree by the garden and I weeded the front and then started weeding the back - blimey it was hot work! One of my pairs of secateurs bit the dust unfortunately so I will need to replace them in due course.
A random moonflower has self seeded in the garden and with lots of space to branch out looks something like a candelabra - hope it is still looking good when George arrives as we know how much he loves his garden - it is full of flower at the moment but as they only last a day or so can't guarantee there will be any when he comes.
Finally a picture of our mantlepiece - I hastily plonked some of the fading Hydrangea heads from Diana's beautiful hydrangea in amongst the candles and decided to keep them there as they look beautiful. I know I will regret the decision as they begin to gather dust and fall to pieces as people walk by but I couldn't resist.
It is art today and after a break of a couple of weeks I am happy to be getting back to my ballet shoes - getting very close to completion now although the shoes will need some work on their detailing.I am very excited that someone has asked to buy this picture - it is really great when someone appreciates your work enough to want to have it hanging on their wall! I had embarked on this picture with Elena's daughter Amoura in mind so now I am faced with a difficult decision about whether I should bow to my commercial side and sell it, or stick with my sentimental side and give it to Amoura - I thought I would discuss it with Elena who without hesitation asked what was the problem and that of course I should sell it - you gotta love the business woman in her!!! So Amoura will get a different picture and I will sell this one when it is finished and then I need to start something new - I shall talk to Elena about something for Lola when I see her on Wednesday - it is only fair that all three children get a picture - even if they hate them - why should it just be Rabia that suffers (he got my footballer picture for his birthday!).
I apologise deeply for posting this picture that I found of John, Pete and Helen in the very early days of Villa 10b when Pete and Helen stayed here on holiday - the villa has changed almost beyond recognition but I see that even in those days we still opted for a bottle of Agios Onoufrious red wine although I have no idea what Helen is holding in her hand!! It would be lovely to see them both here again and we can redo that photograph to see how much things have changed.
Having had the family round for lunch on Sunday and having used the oven on one of those rare occasions when I do I thought I ought to give it a damn good clean as it wasn't looking its best and I remembered that I had one of those boil in the bag oven cleaning kits in the cupboard so gave it and the microwave turntables a treat.There is something very cathartic about cleaning the oven and opening the door and being greeted by shiny surfaces instead of the black hole of calcutta!
So the oven lives to fight another day - it isn't brilliant particularly when the shelf twists in the heat and then falls off the runners or when I do Christmas Dinner and it is packed to the gunnels and everything on the bottom burns - hence the reason why I tend to cook everything in my combi microwave - quicker, more reliable and easier to clean!
It is hot again now even here in Droushia so our days have to be planned out so that if we have anything energetic to do we leave it until it is a bit cooler. Now that TD has been and gone we need to concentrate on our jobs list.
It has suddenly dawned on us that George's family will be out soon - closely followed by George and Pam and with Stelios still recovering from his nasty accident at Christmas we have been keeping an eye on the property at 11B. We have been in a couple of times and done some pruning and weeding but the plants in their garden grow without any love whatsoever and so it is only a matter of a few weeks and they are unruly once more. John tackled the big bay tree by the garden and I weeded the front and then started weeding the back - blimey it was hot work! One of my pairs of secateurs bit the dust unfortunately so I will need to replace them in due course.
A random moonflower has self seeded in the garden and with lots of space to branch out looks something like a candelabra - hope it is still looking good when George arrives as we know how much he loves his garden - it is full of flower at the moment but as they only last a day or so can't guarantee there will be any when he comes.
Finally a picture of our mantlepiece - I hastily plonked some of the fading Hydrangea heads from Diana's beautiful hydrangea in amongst the candles and decided to keep them there as they look beautiful. I know I will regret the decision as they begin to gather dust and fall to pieces as people walk by but I couldn't resist.
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