Saturday

This is late being posted - sorry - I blame my in-laws

That's it - I am officially knackered!  It only seems like a mili-second ago that I laid my weary head on the pillow and now it is light and I am awake and seven hours have gone by and I missed it - as a result of such a heavy and unsatisfactory sleep I have nursed a head that felt like it was filled with cotton wool all day - in fact the heat has got to me as well and I have felt just a bit out of sorts all day.  I am almost tempted to say (because it has been so very hot and sticky) that the thought of a cold wet winter's afternoon snuggled up on the sofa snoozing through a film with something bubbling away in the slow cooker is looking rather appealing!

I got up - mindful that we had visitors who had (a) either got up before me and were wondering when we might emerge or (b) were still in the land of nod and didn't want disturbing.  As it happens Wendy was up shortly after me but whilst I was waiting for them to rise I noticed something fly into the conservatory out of the corner of my eye and thought it was a small bird so went to rescue it from the clutches of one of the cats.  It wasn't a bird - it was a moth the size of a bird and it had landed on the beaded curtains - it is an Oleander Hawk Moth Daphnis Nerii and a beautiful specimen at that.  Bill kindly took it out for me so that it could live to fly another day and the four of us settled to a light breakfast and a chat sat outside before we got ourselves sorted for the remainder of the day.

We had been asked to go down to Diana and Rob's for morning coffee.  It was an absolutely crystal clear day and the view from the Veasey's was spectacular.  All their hard work in the garden is really paying off as their outside space is stunning it is hard to believe that they had no idea what a wonderful view they have because the garden was so overgrown.

Wendy and Bill went for a little tour around the house - it is lovely and I do admire Diana for being so much more clutter free than I could ever achieve - everything looks so ordered and peaceful.  I think I will have to fight Wendy for the green bedroom when we reach our dotage and move in together to sit in a long line watching television!!

After a very pleasant hour or so sat in the garden drinking coffee and listening to 'tunes' we had to
move on and Wendy Bill and I went down to feed Millie and pick some more peaches whilst John went on down to Polis to pick up his mum and stepdad as we were going out with them and the cousins this evening as it is Gail and Paul and Rhys and Heather's last night on the island (this time we hope!).

We wanted to take the Hancocks (apologies Heather but you are a Hancock in all but name) to a really traditional rustic dining experience so the plan was that John would drop Janet, Hadge and I at Fitos and then go down to Coral Bay and pick up the Hancocks and then I would do the ferrying back after we had eaten.

Thank goodness we had booked because by the time we were sorted with our food the place was absolutely rammed to the gunnels.  It was a glorious evening and as always we were treated to a glorious sunset.

It was a very pleasant family evening and we could have just sat there for hours chatting away but I had to drive from Kathikas down to Polis via our house (to pick up the Halloumi I had got Heather to take home) to get John's mum and stepdad home and then back to Kathikas and down to Coral Bay to get the others back to the hotel.   This takes a lot longer than you think - in fact from Fitos it is quicker to go to Coral Bay than to Polis.

So the Hancocks go home tomorrow and our lovely friends Barry, Lynne and Joseph arrive today - the merry-go-round continues to spin for a while.