If We Thought Yesterday Was Bad...

Today did not rate as one of our better days. I woke this morning feeling like a pin cushion because in the early hours something horrible that had been awakened by the storms of yesterday had decided to feast on my backside.  No photographs you will be pleased to learn but let me just tell you I had two bites on each of my bum cheeks which were the size of an English £2 coin and bloody hurt.  I obviously have very sweet meat on my bum (but then there is so much of it) much sweeter than anything John has to offer as they leave him well alone.

After the ravages of yesterday we woke to a fine, bright morning if not a little cool - having said that if I look back at the weather for the same time last year it was pretty similar - I seem to remember having rain when Laura and Mark were here with us.  I desperately have my fingers crossed that the weather will improve because (a) Sharon and Shaun arrive on Wednesday and they have had some very indifferent weather the last three or four times they have been over (b) Hilary arrives shortly afterwards and says she is in need of some R&R and (c) we have a ladies lunch booked at Orexi on Thursday with 20+ attendees and if it rains and we are inside Elena is contemplating squeezing us in, taking the kitchen doors off and erecting some sort of shelter!

We needed to go out and as we set off down the hill past the 'Egyptian's House' we could see that there was a storm raging over in the hills but we were still bathed in sunshine and there was plenty of blue sky behind us so we thought that today we might be lucky and avoid the deluge we experienced yesterday.

We had gone down to Polis in search of some holiday accommodation that we had seen advertised which is suitable for someone with mobility issues as John's Mum (who does not have mobility issues) and his step Dad (who does) are hoping to visit us next year - they would be more than welcome to stay with us but our teeny weeny bathroom would probably prove quite a challenge!!  Anyway we were unconvinced about the place in Polis and took a drive through Latchi to have a look to see if there might be anything suitable.  We drove to the end of the beach and as we turned round we could see the weather closing in with patches of sunshine up on the hills over Argaka but some pretty threatening clouds coming in. 

We made our way back home and it was still dry for about 10 minutes and then the heavens opened and I mean opened with torrential rain and hail and thunder and lightning like you would not believe and infinitely worse than yesterday.  The water butt was overflowing and the front garden was awash.  Water began to find its way under the door tracks in the conservatory, out came the towels and newspapers.  Minnie Mou was indoors - Chivers was no-where to be seen.  Minnie Mou suddenly became desperate to go to the toilet and kept pushing her head through the catflap door and then retreating backwards.  John dashed out to get a cat litter box but she is a bit picky and only ever does a wee in litter and it became clear that her needs stretched to more than a wee - back and forward she went to the catflap crying and looking at us but there was nothing we could do.  We had what looked like a swimming pool in the front garden and the swimming pool in the back garden looked in danger of overflowing - so much rain in such a short period of time is quite frightening.

When there was a little lull in the storm Minnie Mou took the opportunity to dash out with a look of great relief on her face and Chivers dashed in - he obviously hadn't been far away and must have tried to shelter but was still soaked to the skin and looked about half his normal size.  We managed to give him a rub down with a towel and then left the rest to him, happy that he was safe and sound and back in the warm and dry (just so long as he was careful where he was walking!).  You can tell it is getting cooler because generally the cats do spend more time indoors - this is so much better for John's blood pressure I can tell you!  Moozer did what she needed to do and then took up residence on a chair under the gazebo - she had obviously calculated the remaining run to the catflap was a step too far in the current conditions and stared out looking at us with an air that was a cross between desperation and resignation!

Eventually the storm began to blow over and with sunshine following on behind we were treated to an almost perfect rainbow with a secondary one just about visible above it on the left.  I decided that I would get the best shot by climbing up the ladder and standing on the roof terrace.   Thank God I did because I was totally unprepared for what I was about to find...

The whole of the flat roof was inches deep in water and just about to overflow (if it had not already done so) - the drain in the corner had become blocked, or more specifically the bit of stuff that had been put in the top of the hole to stop leaves and things blocking the drain had itself got blocked.  It took quite some time for the water to drain away and I stood in it in my flipflops armed with a broom to help it on its way.  Disaster averted we hope!