So this morning I went down to Paphos to try and sort out my mum's tax once and for all.  Two months' ago I submitted a form via the tax office to HMRC to request that Mum is taxed over here even though she has been registered to pay tax here for the past 30-odd years.  In that time she didn't receive sufficient income to pay tax but now she does and HMRC in its infinite wisdom had been over-taxing her.  We had managed to get the HMRC to reduce her tax code but ultimately I want her to be taxed here - she is entitled to be taxed here and it would be financially beneficial for her.  So I took a copy of the form which I had submitted and asked the receptionist who directed me to Mrs 'Despo' who had been on holiday when I came two weeks' ago.  Mrs 'Despo' turned out to be very helpful particularly when I gave her Mum's tax code in my bestest Greek.  She assured me that everything was fine, the form was in the system and it could take anything up to four months before Mum gets confirmation from HMRC and then next year I can do her tax return on-line and she will be entitled to be taxed at 5% on any amount over the initial tax-free allowance - PHEW!  It is now a waiting game - there is nothing more I can do and as far as I can tell this is all the paperwork resulting from Dad's death dealt with and sorted.  I keep trying to reassure Mum that she is fine for money now and when the tax is sorted out she will be more than fine but I know it has been worrying her.

My make do and mend skills clearly know no bounds because this morning before taking Mum to Jumbos and the Mall for a light lunch I 'upcycled' her glass topped outside table with some stickers.  Previously I had done the same to Mum's glass topped table upon which her TV sits in the sunroom and she loved it - she had bought some more to do the dining table but subsequently Graham cut the dining table down so the stickers were surplus to requirement then Mum asked if I might be able to do something with the outside table and the result is above - to be honest it isn't the best job I have ever done because I could have done with a Stanley knife for the curved edge but had to make do with what we had and it is only going outside and Mum loves it so that is all that matters.

Job done we went to Jumbos as there were a few things I needed and then we were going for a bit of lunch together.  Now that we are not playing pickleball John and I are going to make sure we break up the week for Mum so plan to see her on a Wednesday and can incorporate Paphos-based chores and shopping at the same time.  This week I wanted to sort the tax (TICK) and Mum is coming up to Droushia on Thursday.  Anyway Jumbos at this time of year is a nightmare because it is full of dipstick holiday makers who have no control over their baskets and trollies and it worries me to death that someone is going to barge into Mum and injure her and I know she thinks I am being overly protective but I really don't want anything like that to happen so she probably thought I was being a bit sharp with her when she was trying to get things out of my trolley and I could see the lump of a lad in front of her swinging a kitbag around narrowly missing her legs.  Her reward for avoiding injury was a visit to her favourite fast food outlet KFC or at least it normally is but I know she loses her appetite in the summer so I was hopeful that a bit of finger lickin' good chicken would excite her tastebuds.

John and I had been invited out tonight with our neighbours because at long last their renovations are all but complete and they wanted to say thank you to us for everything we had done - or really that John had done to help.  We started with drinkies on the newly completed patio and were thrilled to learn that Lakis and Argy had tried out the newly filled pool during the course of the afternoon.

They had planned to take us to Santa Barbara for dinner and the spectacular view of the sunset that you get from that location but it was fully booked so we headed for Yiallos instead which is one of our favourites anyway so we weren't bothered.

The unusual weather conditions that we are experiencing meant that we were treated to some pretty amazing skies - you never get a complete view of the sunset here as the sun slips down behind the headland towards Blue Lagoon.

We had a lovely meal although there was a bit of a mix up or misunderstanding so that our salad and dips which were supposed to be a starter came closely followed by our main meals but it didn't really bother us and we just sat at the water's edge reminding ourselves how lucky we are.  Tomorrow Lazarus comes to do the final bit of internal painting and then Lakis and Argy can relax and look forward to their family visiting at the weekend.  It has been a long and sometimes difficult journey for them but finally they have reached the end and the results are spectacular.