Meet the Parents...

We were having Mum and Dad over for lunch today.  I didn't feel that I had really done very much for Mum whilst she has been recuperating from her operation so when she said she was getting bored with being confined to barracks the least we could do was invite them up for lunch.

It was incredibly windy today but dry for once - having been down to Pissouri in the lovely sunshine yesterday and been to Wendy and Bill's house that was so clean and tidy we were inspired to start a clean up after the storms - or at least until the next lot!

We decided that we should remove everything from the flat roof - for two reasons - firstly nothing could be blown off and cause damage and secondly we are planning some more coats of protective paint when we get a reasonably dry day.  John brought the sunbeds down and stacked them on the two that are outside the kitchen and I had the bright idea that, if we wanted to store the artificial grass somewhere flat, we should put it in the conservatory where it will be more protected than anywhere else.  The cats were delighted with their new play area and quickly started chasing one another round - we need to make sure that we haven't just provided them with the biggest scratching mat ever!

We then went out on a mission for Kaye as she and Richard are planning to visit Cyprus in May with their friends Vanessa and Colin and whichever of their children are available to come with them which means that we should get to see Andy and Ellie.

The villa they had seen was in Droushia and quite difficult to find but we found it in the end.  It had stunning views but we didn't think it was really what they were looking for because villas they have hired in the past have been rather more secluded than this one which was in a development of nine.  We have reported back with our findings and tomorrow John is going to have a scout round Latchi to see if there are some villas which we think will fit the bill and for which we can find phone numbers.

My job before Mum and Dad arrived was to change the bedding for a fresh brand new set.  If anyone asked me if there is anything I miss about the UK it is shops like Dunelm because bed linen is my 'one weakness' and I just love the feel of fresh new duvet covers.

They seem to be very expensive over here and there isn't a huge amount of choice so I was pleased that I had brought quite a selection over in the container with us.  Tonight we will be sinking into lovely new percale sheets and duvet cover - what bliss!

We had decided to make a fish pie for lunch so together we knocked up Jamie Oliver's Fantastic Fish Pie using salmon and Nile perch - Nile perch being one of Dad's favourites.  We are beginning to get much better at working together particularly in close proximity when one or other of us might be wielding a sharp knife!

Mum and Dad arrived and John had to go out to make sure that they could get in OK as the wind was likely to rip their arms out of their sockets when it came to struggling with the conservatory door.

Mum had been to the clinic yesterday to have the dressing changed on her wound.  She isn't healing as quickly as she might but this is down to her sugar problem and the various drugs that she is on.  She says though that she hasn't had pins and needles in either hand since the operation - the surgeon says that is because her left hand is scared because it knows what the right hand had to go through!  She is disappointed that she will not be able to play pickle-ball for at least six weeks.

Chivers was very brave and ventured out of the basket to have a little bit of a cuddle with Dad but not too close as he is still wary.  Both he and Minnie Mou were as good as gold - as long as they have food in their bellies and a fire to stretch out in front of they are more than happy.

The fish pie was excellent - I was very impressed as it was quite an easy recipe to follow and came out looking like the picture - you can find it here http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish-recipes/fish-pie although we left out the prawns because Mum doesn't like them, substituted the celery for onion because we didn't have celery, and used perch instead of haddock and added some cream so not really anything like Jamie's recipe really!!

We played Crib before lunch, had a snooze afterwards followed by a couple of episodes of Doc Martin because Mum really enjoys them and then we finished off with a game of Mexican Train dominoes.  (Anyone wanting to play needs to get themselves some double twelves!).

It has been a really lovely day and Mum has just rung to say that they have arrived back at Emba safely.