My Birthday...

Today was my 57th birthday which must be a misprint surely as I only feel like I am in my 30s so somewhere along the line I lost 20 years - probably those I spent working in the Solicitors!!!!  John brought me my coffee in bed along with all the cards and gifts I had received.  The weather was horrible - just my luck but it is the start of a coptic storm which is described as being one which is a gale which lasts several days.  I had lots of lovely cards and birthday messages and one lovely long handwritten letter from our very dear friend Sally Allan with all the news from Clayhanger Farm - it brought a tear to my eye - she always manages to do that - we miss her, Tommy, Freddie and Molly but were so very glad that she and Tommy managed to come for a few days last November.

As it was rather a miserable day weather-wise and our friends Wendy and Bill were not arriving with us until late afternoon John and I just chilled out for the day and continued to watch Making a Murderer squeezing in as many episodes as we could before we needed to shower and change in readiness for my big night out.  We were going to Finnikas in the village with Wendy and Bill, Bobby and Diana and Judi from the village who has recently sadly lost her husband.

As always the meal was superb and we were thrilled to be joined by a long table of Cypriots who were staying at the Droushia Heights and an English couple (living on the Island at Oroklini) also staying at the Hotel but who are interested in moving to the village.  We had the table next to the fire and John had bought a log with us as our contribution to the heating.  There were big kisses and hugs all round for my birthday and even a gift of a hand woven rug from Marina and Philippos - Andri and Loukas were also there helping out and I think everyone really really enjoyed the food - there was just soooooo much of it and all beautifully cooked with a special platter for Wendy as she is vegetarian.  We paid for the drinks here which is generally what tends to happen when we go out for someone's birthday.  Bless Diana she had made me a birthday cake and managed to get it to the taverna without me spotting it and which I shared with the English couple from Oroklini.

The Hotel was full when we got there with people assembled to watch the exceptionally talented Alice Zawadski sing.  So glad we booked a table and so glad we asked for the one in the fireplace area as we had an absolutely birds-eye view.

At the Hotel I had my second birthday cake courtesy of the Hotel itself and it was presented with some sort of Roman Candle burning in the middle!!!!  It was the fridge cake that they make for such occasions and I shared it with Alice and her two musicians, David and Edda and the two English from Oroklini who were by this time sitting in the hotel.

We had seen Alice at the hotel only a few months back and I would be the first to admit that Jazz is not really my thing but she had us spellbound with the clarity of her tone and the complete love she has for her art.  Last time she was accompanied by three musicians but tonight only two but OMG who would have known how fabulous a double bass could sound when played by the right hands.

John and I think that Alice was even better this time round as she also played her violin although in rather an unorthodox fashion.  We all really really enjoyed the performance and agreed it had been a fabulous evening.  Somehow we ended up in the bar singing although not with Alice!!  Lord knows what the hotel staff must have thought but it was my birthday!!!!!

I think this was one of the nicest evenings I have had in the village.  I was made to feel so special by everyone that we encountered - in Finnikas we felt like members of the family and nearly all the staff in the hotel came up to wish me a happy birthday or give me a hug or a kiss.

The food was excellent and then our entertainment was outstanding.  I may not be converted to Jazz but I can appreciate an truly professional performance when I hear one.  Thank you Alice for making my birthday evening - so good to see you again and here's to the next time...

Thanks too to everyone who contacted me to wish me a happy birthday either in person, by card, email or via the internet.  Thank you for remembering me xxx