getting cooler...

It was a cold start to the day - it made us think twice about a sortie into the pool but rules is rules and we have not yet reached our new cut off point so it was with some trepidation that we had our early morning dip.

The thermometer in the pool is working as there was a reduction of two degrees - whether the temperature it shows is the actual temperature of the water, who knows, but the red line has moved and in a downwards direction - it isn't going to be too much longer before we hang up our swimmers.

I shoved yet another curry in the slow cooker so we would have something ready to eat when we returned from Paphos - more naan breads have been requested from John - they are so simple and easy to make and I can go with Mum for a wander around the currently being refurbished Paps down their way to get some yoghurt to make a few tonight.

The recent storms have wreaked havoc with any of the parts of the gazebo still outside and the sun brollies, one of which we have rescued and deconstructed to see if it is salvageable.

We have a spare gazebo top hat which we can use to repair this particular umbrella - everything apart from the central piece is fine and worth repairing.  When we first came gazebos and brollies were pretty expensive - now they are almost a throw away item but it seems criminal to throw away the metal skeletons which remain once the coverings have had their day.  Anyway I have mum's sewing machine and spare material and time on my hands so I will tackle it later in the week.

Although sunny down on the Paphos coast it was clear from the white horses and huge waves that looks can be deceptive.

I snapped this picture of banana bay through the car window - it would have been nice to have stopped but I didn't have a proper camera with me and we needed to get to Emba so John could have a look at the lights in Mum and Dad's sunroom as one of the bulbs keeps blowing.

Mum and Dad didn't have the best of starts to the day as they had some sad news about the unexpected death of someone they knew.  When things like this happen it makes us realise how precious time is and how we should make the most of every minute of every day.

I went for a wander with Mum in Paps - it is a voyage of discovery as the shop is being refurbished whilst still functioning.  When completed it will be really nice although the refurbishment is long overdue.  We had a right old time trying to find Sultanas which were not located next to the baking items as I would have expected.

John finished badminton quite early - I think his knee was playing him up but he isn't good at taking things easy so probably only has himself to blame.

We have an early start tomorrow as Bassam is coming to put a new roof on Brammall Lane.  Talking of which John stayed up to watch his beloved Blades put on a shocking performance against Fulham - a game which actually finished with Fulham winning 5-4 - unbelievably Leon Clarke scored a hat-trick and still ended up on the losing side.