Tuesday

Now that Diana and Rob are back from the UK we are back into our normal routine of Tuesday mornings in the Gym.  I am not a natural gym-bunny and after having been off the bike for a week or so this morning was hard.  I always choose the Manual programme which is normally a 20 minute ride but I was more than happy that someone had adjusted it to 15 minutes and even then it was hard going.

It didn't take much to move my attention away from the bike - John had spotted what looked like a relative of Boris's running around the carpark and crying - we thought it had been abandoned until it was joined by three or four other cats.  We wondered if they might be from Finikas - certainly the little peachy one looked like the kitten that was there when we had ladies lunch there a couple of months' back.  They none of them looked like they were starving so someone is feeding them.

It was such a lovely day we were able to take our cups of tea outside on the verandah and it gave me an opportunity to use my favourite new toy - the panoramic function on the camera of my phone.  The hotel is pretty busy - we think they have a number of deals on which is bringing people in which is good.  Some of the staff that were here last winter have returned so it is nice to see some familiar faces once again.

There were a couple of hardy souls wrapped up surveying the swimming pool - or more probably the view beyond and another couple taking in the sun in t-shirts on the verandah.  I guess in the right spot out of the wind it is actually very pleasant.  We finished our tea and our biscuits and took Diana home before getting ourselves ready for a trip down to Emba.

At the Veasey's we continued to question Diana as to whether she had come across the present that John had left in the garden - it was driving her nuts even when John dropped some pretty big clues.  We left her furiously scouring the garden and on our return home she let us know that she had finally located the stone sculpture that John had made and LOVED it - phew!!!

We played pickleball - we have been struggling with numbers through advancing age and illness and just people no longer wanting to play and we are in danger of failing to cover the rent at this rate.  I have taken over the playing list and will do my best to fill the sessions.  We are going to need to bring on new players but as we can only accommodate six people per session we cannot have too many wanting to play - it's a real catch 22 situation.

After pickleball Mum and I went to Chocco's which is opposite Paps supermarket to have a cuppa and a piece of cake and wait for Mum's vets to open as I wanted to get some of the stuff we use to treat Minnie's earmites and the vet has been so good over Fred's care that I would much rather he got our custom.

Chocco's is a favourite haunt of Mum and Dad's - they even have their own mugs as they can't get their fingers into the ones which are normally provided and it is bright and sunny and warm and welcoming.  I particularly like the furniture and the chair which Mum refers to as hers is lovely - it wont fit in my car unfortunately or I would have had it away!!  The prices in there are very reasonable and you get a great cup of tea or coffee (nice quality brand not dust) and the pain au raisin was scrummy.

It was dark when we got home and the new solar PIR light at the front gate is not quite angled properly for me to be able to set it off.  John was contemplating moving it into the garden and replacing it with one of the ancient ones that are on the covered way.

As I approached the front door I marveled at the fact that these still continue to function with the amount of cobwebs that have accumulated around them!

It wasn't too cold when we got in so we opted for the gas fire and plenty of candles around the house - we like the ambiance but we also like the fact that they provide heat in themselves after all millions of Chinese cannot be wrong using them to heat their food.


Our evening was not without excitement, unwelcome excitement.  As we were sitting eating our supper at the dining table we saw something dart in and head for the sofa but we weren't sure what - we thought it was one of the cats.

Chivers was sitting on the sofa minding his own business and Charlie was lying on the floor staring underneath the sofa but not trying to reach in which he would if there was something he wanted to catch.  He just lay there staring and staring so in the end we decided we should investigate and John tipped it up - in the candle light I couldn't really see anything clearly but thought I could see one of the wrappers that Chivvies likes to play with.

We got a torch and bugger me there was a full sized carob rat sitting there looking at me - Charlie had obviously eyed it up and decided it was too big for him to play with.  It shot out and headed under the other sofa and John managed to stand on its tail so he could grab it but not until I had managed to get him his fire gauntlets!!  The rat was screaming but was alive and untouched by the looks of things - John set it free in the field next door.  I don't mind them, they are quite sweet as rats go but I dont want to look under the sofa and find one looking back at me.