Happy Easter...

Today, April 8th, is Easter Sunday in the UK.  For the Cypriots Easter falls next weekend.  We had no real plans for today but thought we might mosey on down to the Duckpond Market for a mooch and meet Mum and Dad there and have a coffee.

We woke to yet another glorious day and after a leisurely breakfast and warm-ish shower (a bit early for the solar heating to have really done its stuff and we had used quite a bit last night doing the washing up) we set off for the market.

Today our path was blocked just outside the "Egyptian's House" by a digger and a lorry.  They are clearing a field of rocks which fascinates me because I had always assumed that stone and rocks were quarried and not just dug up out of the ground.  A week or so ago that field just looked like a field and then the next thing it had been churned up and it looked like someone had just dumped a whole load of stone on top.  They seem to have moved loads and created what looks like dry stone walls around the boundary and now they are digging out more.  No idea what is happening to that particular field but I am guessing that it may be being cleared for a building to go in there particularly as the road was surfaced last year.  Time will tell!!  Anyway as we pulled up behind the lorry there was a great scurry of activity so that the load could go on the back, get leveled out to make it safe and then the lorry trundled off down the road.

We took what I call the scenic route down to the market.  This is the road from Droushia down through Peyia rather than through Kathikas and Stroumbi.  I prefer this way although it is a bit longer, I just think it is prettier as you drive past the edge of the Pikni Forest.  As we approached the crossroads at Coral Bay there are some rather frightening man-sized plastic chickens on the junction which are there to celebrate Easter.  At various times during the year you will see different tableaux situated on the side of the road, road junctions and roundabouts.  Let's not forget the Easter Carrot down at the harbour which tickled Laura and I to death last week - it probably doubles as a rather large orange candle for Christmas and god forbid what it might symbolise if it is used again for Valentines!

Even though we were going to the market and we know that there is usually a stall there selling plants we wanted to call into Kissos Garden Centre at Kissonerga to get some more of the Gazanias which we had picked up previously because as John says, for 50c it doesn't matter if they only last the summer.

With little or nothing to blog about today I decided I would take a photograph of the garden centre.  As we walked across the road the woman in charge (I wish I knew her name - I really must ask) shouted "Why you take photograph of my husband and me?"  I tried to explain about the blog and that I would be writing about her telling my readers that she has the best nursery and garden centre in Cyprus!  She gave me a beaming smile and a huge hug and then told me that today her husband was actually doing her own garden at home.  John and I picked up a selection of Gazanias (not the two pink ones in the photograph) and when I went to pay she said "no charge because today you write about me on the internet and then maybe many people will come to my shop".  John and I were gobsmacked - can you imagine that happening in the UK?  

We thanked her profusely and she then went on to tell us how she is landscaping two newly built stone houses on the road from Kissonerga to Tala and that I could go and take some photographs to put on the internet if I wanted.  

I thought under the circumstances it was the least I could do and we went off in search of the houses.  I didn't want to be too nosey as the houses are very exclusive so I took this photograph through the gates but if this bit of garden is anything to go by then I would expect the rest is fantastic.  

The two pink Gazanias we bought at the market for 50c each to add some colour contrast.  That was about all we spent there today except for the coffees and bizarrely a bag of fresh bread rolls that John took a fancy to as he could visualise them filled with bacon for breakfast!

It's nice to have a wander around the mix of car-boot and market stalls - it is such a British thing to do and reminds me of Sundays spent at the Yeovil showground.  We didn't really want anything but it was nice to get out and good to see Mum and Dad.  We went back to theirs for some lunch (John donated his bread rolls as Mum promised to fill them with some hot pork tenderloin - boy he is soooo easily won over!). 

It is early days for Dad in his recuperation from his operation but at the moment he is struggling because he says it is like looking through Vaseline and I am guessing at this stage he wonders if it is worth it.  At 80 it is going to take a bit of time but it is reassuring to speak to others who have had the same operation and similar experiences.  I have done the 'looking up on the internet thing' which is fatal because as they say "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" but it all looks like everything is normal so far and the following has been very useful if anyone else is having the same operation -  http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/cataract-surgery-recovery.htm anyway he has another check up tomorrow so we should know a little more then.

Whilst Dad was having an afternoon snooze accompanied by Missie, Mum, John and I sat outside and played a three handed game of crib.  Mum was victorious and I was drag-ass - good job we weren't playing for money as I would have been bankrupt!  We are hoping that Mum and Dad will come up on Wednesday - I will make sure that I am back from Craft at a reasonable time so that we can spend some time together and have an early tea so that Mum doesn't have to drive home in the dark.

We returned home to be greeted by the Minser and Chivs looking hopeful that there might be something going into their food bowls - they have been very very spoiled tonight as we had roast pork for tea and somehow a morsel or two managed to find its way in their direction.  Spoiled? you bet your lives they are!

My lavender is drying nicely in the conservatory and filling it with a wonderful perfume.  I am not sure exactly how long it takes to dry but I think it is about a week so I should soon be able to make up my bags.  I wouldn't mind trying to make some lavender panna cotta or I have found a recipe for some lavender and lemon bars which looks interesting.  If successful all recipes will be posted on the food page.