Pots...

This morning we went up to visit Bassam as he had called to say he hand found his pot of miracle treatment for Cyprus Damp!  He said that he had used it on their kitchen wall which got a hammering from the prevailing weather and it had sorted it completely.  Bassam is now putting the finishing touches on the bathroom.  He has done all the grouting and is now making some wooden accessories like a towel rail and some hooks for bathrobes - he clearly loves to use wood and he says he is going to make a nice wooden vanity unit for the sink.  The jury is still out on the stippled ceiling - Elena's Mum and I don't like it but I think that is because we probably grew up with artex and spent our lives trying to eradicate it!!!

John has offered to take Rabia to football on Saturday as ENAD are playing at home and we hope to catch up again on Monday for kite-flying as it is Green Monday.

I tell people who are uncertain about visiting Bassam and the children that they do not make it difficult at all and that they should go because it is a positive experience.  Undoubtedly they all miss Elena but they are quietly building themselves new lives and being a family together.

Di and I went down to pickleball together - we left early so that we could visit the pot shop on the Mesoghi Avenue which popped up a couple of weeks ago.  There was a huge selection of pots ranging from about €10 up to €300.  I particularly liked some of the ones which had been made to look old.  We had been thinking about replacing the trough which is under the ladder going up to the rough terrace with a pot as the trough is wooden and beginning to disintegrate - John suggested moving the big fat pot on a stand which is in the front garden and I said I would check out the ones on the Mesoghi Avenue first - having seen them it would cost about €90 for a suitable pot so I think we will just move the one we have and save ourselves some money.

We parked up outside the Endless shop AKA Lemba Bazaar 2 and let's just say Lemba Bazaar 1 is a rather scruffy mishmash of a place.

I have to say I was rather impressed by the window displays at Endless they have certainly pulled their fingers out and smartened the place up.  This is a shop where you can get anything and everything and most of the items are relatively cheap and cheerful so I was keen to see how much the candlesticks in the window were - let's just say they didn't fall into the cheap and cheerful category!!!

Di and I then popped into see Sonia who is doing remarkably well and looked positively glowing having had her hair washed.  She is making good progress although it is very early days but we are all hopeful that she will make a full recovery and then she can complete the journey she started to make a new life for herself in Cyprus.

I had arranged to hand over the deposit for Janice and Mick's villa to the owner Maria after we had been to see Sonia - Maria works in Paphos and we were 'doing the deal' outside the funeral home!!!  Maria was lovely and we quickly made our acquaintances and handed over the money and the receipt and I am now really happy with the choice that we have made - we think Janice and Mick, Nathan and Alicia will love being down in Latchi.


We had a good session at pickleball today - Jeffers is back from his cruise and he adds an additional dynamic to the group - he is a very good player and he knows it and although he reigns himself back just occasionally he cannot help himself but to let rip - it give us a good work out!!!

We decided to go for a cuppa at the Tala Amphitheatre for a change - just Mum, Diana and me today.  There is a lovely view from up there and sitting in the glassed in area is warm and cosy.  There were different staff on today - the lad who served was a bit undynamic but the lemon drizzle cake with lemon curd was delicious so I will let him off.

We drove back to Emba via the Tala Monastery Cat Park - we only went as far as the carpark but we were greeted by so many beautiful and not so beautiful cats - all of which looked to be well fed and in good condition.

The cat park does fabulous work giving a home to many of the abandoned and homeless cats in the area and it is their charity shop 'What's New Pussycat' where mum works.

The park is currently full to over-flowing - I am not sure exactly how many cats are there but it runs into several hundred and it must cost them a fortune on a day to day basis in food alone let alone the vet bills which inevitably get incurred.  Since they have been in operation they have rehomed nearly 600 cats but it is just the tip of the iceberg as this is just one initiative of many to help the unwanted cat and dog populations on the island.  The traditional Cypriot attitude towards pets is sadly one of the few things we really don't like.

Back home and it is a big whoop whoop from me that Spring is in the air as tonight we had salad for tea - I LOVE salad and I love the spicy Thai fishcakes you can get form the fishman on Coral Bay Road - serve them with a jacket potato, some homemade coleslaw and a rocket, pomelo and roasted red pepper salad and I am in heaven!