July 9th...

We were down in Paphos again today to do some more moving for Mum and Dad and to help Mum with the cleaning before my sister and husband arrives tomorrow.

We had been asked to pop into Lidl as someone had seen Trolley Jacks on offer and wanted one - as did John!  It gave us the opportunity to check out the new Lidl which is just off the Polis Road.

Unfortunately no Trolley Jacks here but John later went down to the original Lidl and not only got the Trolley Jacks (one for Tony and one for us) he also got some Axle stands!  Last time he bought some of those we were in a flea market in Malta 15 years ago!!

What is gutting is that we left behind both a trolley jack and axle stands in the UK - if we could have just had a crystal ball to really know the things we should have brought with us! Still we were limited for space in the container and we brought what we thought we needed the most and those two items were not high on the list!

More removal of items from Lakoudia Street - the house is beginning to look a little emptier every time we go down but we have left enough that it will be comfortable for Kaye and Richard.

Dad and John did the lifting and shifting - Mum and I did the cleaning - easier when there is not so much furniture about!  It's hard work because the bedroom furniture is so blinking heavy - god knows how Mum managed to move their bed!

The big move will be on Saturday week - all the heavy items and things which they wont have been able to do without until that day will go and then Mum and Dad will be in their new home.  I think they are excited about it and we are excited about it because I think that between us we will make it into a really nice home.  We have to reign them back slightly from giving stuff away or selling things they think they will not need because sometimes we can see places where they could go that they have not considered.  John's approach is to take everything down to the new place and then make the decision whether or not they are surplus to requirement.  Good job that there is a big garage to put stuff in whilst those decisions are being made!  In fact Mum and Dad will not be downsizing - the bungalow is pretty big!

We cleaned ourselves up because we had a meeting in town at Muse which is a very stylish restaurant in Paphos with stunning views across the city.

If you haven't been you should go simply for the location alone - it is a stunning place to take visitors but as with all these prime location places the prices are a bit higher than the normal transport caff places we frequent!

We bumped into Mr Al from Pano Akourdaleia who was there with his brother. I think Mrs Lynn is back in the UK.  We really need to get together with them again but it will have to wait for a week or so.  We thought a beach picnic with them and Elaine and Paul might be a nice idea and then Hadeel could come along as well if she could face a night out with the 'oldies'.

Talking of Paul and Elaine we were meeting them later this evening because we were going to a charity night at Zouk's in Latchi in aid of the hospice.  It was a curry and swing night (music - not swapping partners - swing!).

So we were having our big night out in Zouk's!!!  It was nice because Paul and Elaine picked us up so for once I wasn't chief drives!  Zouk's was full and it was like a mini badminton social night out as there were lots of players there.  

We had onion bhajis and vegetable samosas to start which were very nice and then there were three curries, meat, chicken and vegetarian with poppadoms.  You could have any or all depending on what took your fancy!

Music was supplied by Michael Antoniou who was a good swing singer and amazingly spoke with a strong Glaswegian accent which was a bit of a shock.  Father was Cypriot, mother Scottish!

We all got into the 'swing' of the evening and had a thoroughly good time.

I have absolutely no idea what Paul and John are doing but they seem to be enjoying themselves!!!

We came home having had a lovely evening to find that Charlie was missing.  He has always either been in the house when we come home or, if in the garden, came to call.  Tonight nothing - he had clearly ventured further than the garden boundary and although normally very vocal could not be heard.

We searched around the estate and walked up and down the new road with torches calling and calling but nothing.  Chivers joined us and was behaving a bit like a sniffer dog - running off and coming back but still nothing.

It is so hard to settle when one of the cats is missing and neither of us felt like going to bed.  John thought he would go out on his bike to check whether or not Charlie had been run over or encountered a snake but we decided we take another walk but going out of the main entrance and doing a long walk round.

Chivers was going mad in his sniffer dog role - we picked up his eyes in the light of the torch and then I thought I saw another set so we stopped and as we listened carefully we could hear a plaintiff cry that we recognised as Charlie's.  He had got into one of the gardens and couldn't find his way out.  I can't tell you how relieved we were and how grateful to Chivers who appears to have taken us to him.  The episode really made our minds up that Charlie is here to stay - we will work doubly hard on his behaviour and his integration and hope that in time Minnie will accept him and come home a little more.  

2.30am before we got to bed - but sooooo relieved I can't tell you.