The Morning After the Night Before...

The anticipated good night's sleep did not disappoint and Mum, who rarely enjoys an uninterrupted night, slept right through until 7.30am - she said that her Princess and the Pea bed was just so comfortable and cosy.  That is so good to hear because we are aware that it is a bit of a trek up here particularly when the weather is rotten so an enjoyable evening and decent night's sleep is reward for them turning out and leaving Missie home alone.

I am not kidding but the weather could drive you to drink and as we were getting ready for breakfast we had to run across and dodge driving hail being whipped up and over the pergola between the buildings.

Fortunately the wood burner retains residual heat and so the other building feels nice and warm when you get across there.  The good thing now is that, providing we have electricity for the electric starter etc, we can supplement that warmth with the gas fire, and now that the dining area is down that end of the building we could all sit toasty and warm enjoying toast and my home-made orange marmalade and lemon marmalade for breakfast.  We have to temper John's enthusiasm for making our house visible from outer-space because it is glowing so red hot but as long as we have wood and gas no-one, but no-one, is ever going to be cold in our house!

Mum and Dad had brought up with them a companion set which we had asked them to get for us from the new home centre shop up from the main post office in Paphos.  It needed assembling and both Chivers and Minnie-Mou wanted in on the act - probably because each item was packed in a new crinkly crackly wrapper which was driving them to distraction - what is it about cellophane that they find so exciting??

The wood burner has also brought out the wrecker in Dad and bless him he brought up with him some pretty good looking and dry wood that he had liberated for us.  It needed cutting up and I know, horror of horrors, that John is doing this in his slippers with a chainsaw in hand but he had a minuscule window of opportunity between storms.

Pickle-ball was cancelled because of the weather - which came as no surprise - but which was a shame because it was supposed to have been Eric's last game before he returns with his wife to the UK.  There was nothing for it but to remain indoors all day.

I had brought back all the gear from craft yesterday hastily packed away so I decided I should sort it all out so that next time we can find what we are looking for more easily.  The only problem was that most of the bits and pieces were packed in cellophane so you know what that means - Chivers was in ecstasy and I couldn't get him off of my lap no matter how many times I shoved him or gave him a wrapper to play with - he made a simple job hard work but he does make you laugh - I just can't believe what a beautiful cat he has become from that poor bedraggled starving kitten we found next door.

We have finally received our new toys - we ordered some walkie talkies off of the internet before Christmas and they got caught up in the post chaos.  We thought they would be a good idea for keeping in contact when we are in separate buildings - that way I don't have to holler across the courtyard like a fishwife when the bathroom is free for John.  We chose them with quite a range and we have tested them out with John right up at Sharon and Sean's but the range should be even further than that.  Poor John it means he will never be able to escape my dulcet tones!!

We are on a catch-up TV-fest for the rest of the day now Masterchef followed by Call the Midwife.  I have a slow cooker packed with the pork shoulder joint I bought from Paps - I am trying something called 'pulled pork' whatever that might be - it sounded good.

It is absolutely (sorry Mum) pissing down - driving us to drink - me with a coke, John with a beer!