Saturday

The heatwave is well and truly on - at 8.33 this morning outside it was over 30 degrees and only going to go one way and that way up!  We had nothing particular organised for today but I had kept myself free to help Elena if she wanted it and then this morning we had a phonecall to catch up with Simon and Melanie and the children for coffee.

I had earmarked the day to gardening and started out by giving the olive tree a prune.  We don't want the olives so we are happy to give the tree a haircut as and when it needs it.  Today it got a short back and sides - neat little pompoms of growth at the end of each branch.

The solanum that Eileen gave us got a sever pruning too - got a bit carried away so one side has a rather bald appearance but as we know these are great survivors and within a week or so it will begin to green up again.

I am concerned for two plants we have put in the front garden as, despite watering, they don't look awfully well - the flame vine and the wysteria are struggling - I think this extreme hot spell is taking its toll so we will have to try and keep them going.

It was hot and sticky work and the pool was calling us so before setting off for coffee at the Rogers' house we had a dip - it is chilly to get in but once in it is fabulous.  According to the thermometer that Diana gave us it is well into the zone where we should be enjoying the water!

The addition of the Roman steps was a really great idea as they are a great place to sit and cool off and look so much better than the old ones.

We walked to see Melanie and Simon and Jasmine and Frances who were all out in the garden playing and having lunch before going off to a birthday party in Latchi this afternoon.   The girls have grown up so much since the last time we saw them and that wasn't that long ago!  Jasmine's hair has grown and Frances's has turned really blonde.

Whilst we were there I had a call from Elena to ask if I could go and help out with preparing some food so after our coffee I walked on up to give a hand.

Hadeel was giving a masterclass to Amoura and Rabia or maybe it was the other way round!  It is great to have Hadeel back again and between us we managed to get done what needed to get done but time had ticked by and by the time we were ready to finish it was early evening.

John had phoned to tell us to go and look out from the Orexi HQ as there was a massive fire raging over towards Argaka.  It was really bad and the smoke was turning the sky a funny colour and you could smell it in the atmosphere.

This fire raged long into the night - it was a really bad one which was apparently started inadvertently by two people burning some old shrubs.

The water helicopters worked until it was too dark for them to continue and at one point they were thinking of having to ask for help from Israel.  This is terrible.  Some people had to be evacuated.  A huge area was affected - sadly this will be the first of many - we have moved into fire season - people never learn.