Beasts, Balls and Birthdays

It being Thursday it was our pickle-ball day but not the quiz - even if it had been we wouldn't have gone because today it is Janice's birthday and we were going for a meal at Jordan's in Paphos this evening.

We had a lazy morning enjoying the winter sunshine and watching the goats being brought to graze in the field next door - don't know what they are going to do when there are houses there as the goatherd will still walk them past so some of the gardens adjoining the road might get a bit nibbled round the edges!!!  The cat's make themselves very scarce with the goats are about - they are terrified of them not least because they smell!

We set off for Paphos via the post in the village - things are beginning to filter through although quite a few of the parcels we were expecting for Christmas have still to arrive - apparently the Royal Mail didn't send post direct to Cyprus this year and a whole load of it is languishing in Athens - we hope that is where our parcels are and that they are not amongst those which have gone 'missing'.

The journey down to the Imperial Beach was a bit fraught as we were caught up in a diversion going through Anavargos again. 

Still we made it with seconds to spare!! You can see the tourists enjoying the sunshine sunbathing in swimmers still the grounds and gardens of the hotel are very sheltered and south facing so it is probably very pleasant indeed.

There were just five of us at pickle-ball today so the opportunity to sit out was limited and we played long and hard - I keep hearing Anne Robinson in my head telling me 'you are the weakest link - goodbye' as I struggle sometimes to keep up but I do enjoy it and having been an exercise dodger most of my life am glad I have found something.  

Mum never ceases to amaze me with her stamina and skill even though she is suffering with what appears to be carpal tunnel problems which she is going to the hospital about on Monday - apparently her neighbour Keith has had his sorted, quickly and cheaply.  Keith is the new Chef/Proprietor of the Blue Olive Restaurant in Coral Bay and although I haven't eaten there yet I am giving him a plug because Mum and Dad have sampled some of his food and say it is very nice indeed - as Tesco says 'every little helps' and that applies to publicity!

So to this evening then and as I said it was Janice's birthday which we marked with a gift of fluffy slippers - you can never have too many fluffy slippers, woolly socks or slipper socks here in Cyprus!!!  

Janice and Ray, Mum and Dad and John and I went to Jordan's in Kato Paphos for dinner - again I am unashamedly plugging this venue as it was lovely and we all had a really nice meal.  

I had a smoked salmon starter followed by pork cooked in apple and calvados and then pancakes with lemon and sugar.

The restaurant is beautifully decorated and the proprietor used to be at the Classic and is Romanian - he has a very pleasant manner and employs a lovely waitress who is getting married on 13th January (Friday 13th) in Amsterdam.  Mum was very taken by the cruet set on our table and when I mentioned it the guy went into the kitchen and got her a set (they are from Ikea apparently!).  How nice was that??

John was driver tonight so I had one or two (or even three) glasses of wine at the restaurant and accepted the complimentary liqueur at the end of the meal so was just a tad squiffy by the end of it!!