July 3rd - Ladies Lunch

Today, being the first Wednesday of the month, it was Ladies' Lunch. This one had been organised by Marian down the road (the founder of the lunch club) and was being held at Meze Meze in Kathikas.  We have heard great things about Meze Meze and were gutted not to have been able to go there the night of Vicki's birthday meal so I was really looking forward to trying it.

I needed to do some cleaning up this morning, particularly as I had arranged with Marmalade Annie that she come here and then we would walk round to Marian's and get a lift to Meze Meze with Sheila.

Charlie had other ideas about what I should do and everytime I tried to sweep the kitchen floor he launched an attack on the broom!

We know that he is only a kitten but he can be quite vicious when he is in play mode as he uses teeth and claws.  We want to spend time with him trying to get him out of the habit as it isn't nice when we have guests and neither Chivers nor Minnie are overly impressed - in fact Minnie rarely comes in at the moment.

Running John and Susan have said that if we really cannot get him socialised with our existing two then they will try him at theirs.  We would be sad to see him go but we have to be sensible.  I think he must have overheard the conversation I had with Susan because ever since he has been much better behaved.

The other evening Charlie chased Chivers so hard that as Chivers escaped through the catflap Charlie went through too and then found himself outside.  The look of surprise on his face was so funny but having got outside he had no idea how to get back in.

We spent a bit of time showing him the door and he spent a lot of time playing with it and fighting it and then all of a sudden he managed to work out where to push it and he was in, and out, and in, and out - get the picture!!  This is good though because he can now go where he pleases and although we keep a litter tray in for him at night we will soon be able to dispense with that as well.  He is a bright little thing (a budding brain surgeon and can speak 5 languages!!!).

Annie managed to find our house which is great - John had gone off to have a game of badminton so she couldn't see our car but I had been looking out for her and heard the car come into the estate. We walked down to the road to Marian's house as Sheila was arriving and all went off to Kathikas.

The taverna is a beautiful traditional building.  We had a large table down the middle and there were 15 of us assembling for lunch today.  Marian had organised a 'mini' meze with wine and there was going to be some traditional music played whilst we were eating.

One of the ladies had brought her daughter with her and her daughter was on honeymoon!  It transpired that she worked in Bailey's plumbing in Stratford on Avon and knew Wendy and Bill who have the Bath Store in Stratford and another in Nuneaton.  Blimey it is a small world isn't it - anyway Wend she only had nice things to say about you and Bill!!!

The food was nice - the sheftalia some of the best I have ever tasted and the chicken succulent - I think I might have expected a little more in the way of salad and dips to accompany for the €14 but that is just a personal thing.  Again don't take my word for it!

I had a glass of wine lunchtime which is a mistake as it always leaves me with a thumping headache all afternoon so poor John had to get his own tea.  His days of watching masterchef have now paid off as he rustled himself up a gourmet tea of ciabatta with cherry tomatoes and seared beef in sweet chilli sauce!

Dad's lovely lovely friend Frank, who sadly leaves the island on Saturday at 90 years of age for a new life in Devon, gave us the contents of his drinks cabinet.  Some of the bottles are very dodgy indeed - in fact one bottle of gin is probably best used as paint stripper!!!

We are short on space in our drinks cupboard so we think it is our duty to scupper some of the bottles.  I have phoned Frank to thank him and to wish him Bon Voyage and hope that maybe one day our paths will cross again.  He is a gentleman in every sense of the word and he would be chuffed to think that we are making the most of the alcohol - in fact his late wife Thelma would be smiling down on us encouraging us to have one for her - OH REALLY - yes Thelma - Oh Really!!

Charlie says 'thank you' too as he quite liked the smell of whatever it was that John was drinking!