Little Darlin' It's Been a Long Cold Lonely Winter...

Here comes the sun doobey doo doo, here comes the sun and I say, it's all right, da doobedy doobedy doobedy blah blah blah...

Yes you have guessed it we have had another abso-bloomin-lutley fandaby-dosey spring like day and here is my proof.  The weather station at just after 10.00am was showing temperatures of over 26 degrees - hell the temperature inside was 16.5 degrees and we had all the windows and doors open - hence the healthy humidity level of 47% the lowest we have had for ages and ages.  This is all good for the house.

We have had an excess of lemons so I have been busy making marmalade from them, preserving them, flavouring oil with them and making salad dressing with them and tonight we are having a chicken and preserved lemon tagine.  I can't tell you how much I enjoy cooking over here with all the lovely fresh produce and finding recipes which make the most of what is in season.  All around the house I have bunches of Bay leaves drying which I rescued from the tree next door when we gave it a prune yesterday.  Nothing goes to waste and our health is all the better for it.  It occurred to me today that since we moved over here neither of us has had a day's illness which is brilliant.

John's first job today was to give the pool a good clean.  Jobs like these are so much nicer when the sun is shining - however as the pool temperature is only just over 40 degrees which is bloody cold I can tell you we cant see anyone wanting to get in there any time soon. I helped a bit, getting the brush out to do the seams and the sides and we both agreed that it looked very inviting but COLD!!

The next job on the agenda was to finish cleaning up the drives where we and our neighbours park our cars.  It looked like it should only take us a couple of hours but we started it yesterday and boy was it hard work.  Such hard work that when we got to the strip next to Gregoris' house we used the clippers rather than actually pull all the weeds up.  Whilst we were doing this the cats went for a mega wander.  

John spied Chivers way over the fields heading for the village and Minsers was off and away too. John was beside himself with worry as it was Sunday and we could hear the locals out shooting.  At one point he went off over to the village in search of Chivs and Mins.  I went indoors to get a drink and found them both asleep in the conservatory completely oblivious of the worry they were causing us!

When we had finished our jobs we decided to go out on the bike for an explore as it was such a beautiful day.  The kids decided to go for an explore of their own up on the roofs - never too far from one another Mins is in the front and you can just see Chivers peering through her legs - his favourite place to be at the moment but as they are off to the vets tomorrow that could soon be a thing of the past!!!

Our neighbours Savvas and Persephone have been here over the weekend - he is a doctor in A&E in Nicosia and she is a Dentist - they are a really nice couple with two great kids Neofitos and Nefeli.  We were really chuffed when Persephone (I think that is such a great name) brought us some home made lasagne she had made with spinach, feta and halloumi from the village.   We really enjoyed it, although spinach is not normally one of our things!

John decided to fire up the bike so that we could go out for a ride to enjoy the afternoon sunshine (report to follow later).  

We have had such a lovely day - jobs done, more washing dried, Skype call from Vix and Trev, good luck message to Chivs and Mins for their vet visit tomorrow from Marion and Chris - all is good here in Droushia!!

The only down side is that Dad is not very well.  Mum had him tucked up in bed.  Get well soon Dad xxx

P.S.  Have just made a chicken and preserved lemon tagine using my own preserved lemons and it was fantastic.  Will post the recipe so you can try it yourselves.