Monday...

John's mishearing of lyrics has caused me 'earworms'...

(An earworm, sometimes known as a brainworm, sticky music, or stuck song syndrome, is a catchy piece of music that continually repeats through a person's mind after it is no longer playing. Phrases used to describe an earworm include "musical imagery repetition", "involuntary musical imagery", and "stuck song syndrome".) 

The chorus of Begging by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons loops around in my subconscious but instead of it being "Beggin' - Beggin' You" it has been substituted by "Peggy - Peggy Sue-oooo-ooooo" This is NEVER going to go away!  I am humming it all the way down through the village as I walk to art this morning but never any more than the initial "Peggy - Peggy Sue-oooo-ooooo"  I need something else to replace it and fast.

The village is dead - maybe too hot for the tourists who may have taken themselves off to the coast - there are signs that there are lots of visitors in the village with houses occupied that are normally empty and red-plated cars around but I see no-one until I get to the post office.

En route I take some photographs looking for ideas for my next picture.  I quite like the archway of No 4 (whatever the street is called) - this is the family home of our friend Georgia who lives in South Africa and who has sent me pictures of snow capped mountains to make me feel cooler and in return I send her photographs of sunshine in Droushia.  I am guessing she will not be out this year as she would normally be here by now.  It is a shame as we have promised to go out one day armed with our cameras and then to sit down and paint/draw/pencil a picture of what we have captured.  I may do her door and archway anyway as a surprise for her.

We have a wedding invitation in the post - it is a lovely handmade card made by John's cousin Gail for her daughter Faye's forthcoming nuptials.  The wedding is next year and I know that John will be keen to attend and to use the opportunity to meet up with his old school friends.  We may pass like ships in the night as it will be 40 years since I left Bruton School for Girls and we are planning a grand reunion which I would really like to attend.  Where on earth has 40 years gone?

Anyway I say Hi to Marina in the post office - she rushed out from her house to give me a big hug bless her and I walk on down to Sheila and Klaus's house.  I don't encounter anyone else en route - the sun is shining, the birds are singing and all is calm in the village - it is not so calm on our estate as Angela has arrived from London with her family and her entourage of 'technicians' - apparently she is having a heating system put in for her pool (which is yet to be lined) - she has warned us that her grandchildren are 'noisy' - deep joy but it will only be for a few weeks and I am betting they prefer to go to the beach anyway.  Angela and her husband sweep in and sweep out periodically - it is like a state visit.  We live in dread of her mentioning the green area which is her bugbear although god knows why except it is right next door to her property and I expect she thinks it harbours snakes.  She sent someone to strim it the other day and we are expecting her to ask for a contribution.  I need John to reinstate the spy-hole in the front gate!

As you know I love my Monday mornings and my art and I am enjoying the challenge of this picture.  As I left the estate this morning I was commandeered by Marilena who owns 1a and who is herself an artist - she wanted to see what I was working on and was well impressed - she has invited John and I for coffee tomorrow - it was interesting to see inside her house and see what she has done with it - the kitchen area is very different.  Located right on the beginning of the estate she manages to get views of the sunset which the other houses shield from us.  She is an amazing 61 but recently lost her  mum so has a house in Nicosia and Ayia Napa and although she loves Droushia finds it increasingly difficult to get here so she is looking to sell.  If it only had heating it would be ideal for my friend Sonia.

I had to do an SAS style crawl past the Australians this morning as they were in and I knew I would have to turn down yet another coffee with them - I just didn't have time today as the pastel pencils were calling!

John picked me up from Sheila and Klaus's - he takes me to all the nice places and today was no exception as we went to the other wood yard behind the wood yard we normally use in search of a piece of wood that Dad can use when he is venting his portable air conditioner.  Success - we got just the thing and only 10 euros.

Back home I thought you would like to see one of my few gardening successes this summer - the Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow plant Klaus and Sheila gave us this time last year for our anniversary is thriving and in flower for a second time this year.  I had thought it really struggled last year and so I am thrilled to see it looking so well - I cannot say the same for the rest of the garden which is really looking tired and dry even though I have been watering - the problem is that some plants do ok with a bit of water and others do not - it is a challenge working out which is which.