Tuesday - if it wasn't so painful it would have been funny!

Today I start with a picture of Pomos Harbour and a story that, in the words of my neighbour George, would be funny if it weren't so bloody painful!  George has calmed down a bit from the incident which left him having to buy a new phone and get to grips with the technology which is not a challenge he relished!

Our neighbours George and Pam went out to Pomos with two other (younger) couples at the weekend.  Two of the party are professional photographers with very expensive equipment and in an attempt to get a better shot one of the guys walked down the slipway (clue in the title) filming and lost his footing going into the water but still valiantly holding his camera aloft, his wife rushed to his aid carrying an equally expensive camera and lost her footing so there were the two of them in the water trying to keep the cameras dry.  As this point the other woman (not Pam) decided to video proceedings on her phone whilst her husband went in to help - losing his footing into the bargain so now three of them in the drink!  George, seeing some rocks that they could climb which might help them to get out without further injury decides to direct proceedings but one of the men tried the rocks and decided to turn back at which point George rushes forward loses his footing and the last thing that can be heard on the video is George hitting the deck too with Pam offering her cardi to try and pull them out!  They did get out with cameras unscathed but George's phone and wallet did not fare so well - they had a row of mobiles and money drying out in the sun but George's phone refused to come to life and so he has had to get a new one - he is not impressed!!!

Mornings making the bed are a battle as one or other or two or three and sometimes, in the depths of winter, all four cats like to snuggle up.  This morning Chivers had hopped in before I had had a chance to make it - he had clearly been catching up on his messages and reading my blog or got exhausted trying to find me a recipe for flapjack!  He never moved when I made the bed around him nor when I prized my phone and tablet from his paws!

Elaine and Hadeel were coming this morning for tea and stickies - only I didn't have any stickies and Elaine always produces some little treat or another whether it be her legendary Welsh cakes or equally delicious lemon drizzle muffins - I had a quick look as to what was in the cupboard and decided flap-jack with a twist - not oats but muesli as the main ingredient!

Whilst waiting for our guests to arrive I decided to catch up on the blog but kept hearing a very loud buzzing noise from somewhere above my head - everytime I got up to check it out it stopped - typical!  Eventually I managed to track it down to one of our emergency oil lamps on the top of the book case.  Trapped inside was a rather large humming bird hawk moth which must have crawled inside and didn't have the sense to crawl back out.  We set it free to live another day.

It was lovely to have Elaine and Hadeel around - it is just a shame that Hadeel's visit from Bahrain is so brief as she returns on Saturday but at least she has had time to catch up with family and friends.  There clearly isn't enough to keep a smart cookie like Hadeel here in Cyprus but we all do miss her and that lovely sunny smile.

Whilst Hads was having a bit of a cuddle with the newbie Boris I noticed that he had extremely mucky ears so when Elaine and Hadeel left we tackled the problem with cotton buds and drops.  Minnie suffers terribly with ear mites and she wont let us get anywhere her to try and treat them and if we manage to pin her down and squirt at her she skulks off sulking for days on end.  Boris was fine but really didn't like the end result carrying his ears at half mast for most of the day!

This evening we were all meeting up with the Robsons for what was unbelievably the last day of their holidays - where on earth has that two weeks gone?  We had chosen to eat at Mum and Dad's favourite restaurant Gabors which is down in Paphos and only just down the road from where Barry Lynne and Joseph have been staying.  It is a rather more refined dining experience than we usually go for with impeccable service and little extras that make it stand out from the crowd.   Looking at the visitors it is clear that those of us who live here don't sit out in the sun as Mum, Dad, John and I looked pale and insignificant compared to the others!

Lynne says she is going to be as miserable as sin going home - I remember that feeling well!