Remembrance Sunday

I am grabbing five minutes to do my blog between having my early morning swim and getting ready to visit Mum and Dad - if I do it now John doesn't moan as he is convinced that my laptop and I contrive to sabotage him watching the TV - he may well be right!

We swam this morning as we have been doing now for many weeks to extend the use of the pool.  Secretly I look forward to that challenge in the morning - it is exhilarating and I feel fabulous - ok so I only swim around the pool once and then get out but in previous years I have sometimes struggled to get the enthusiasm to go for a dip in September!

We had brunch as we were going to be having an evening meal with Mum and Dad and slightly chilled from our morning exercise I opted for a fry-up stack!

John was treated to a cornbread, bacon, halloumi and double free range dry fried egg ensemble which went down a treat as we wouldn't be eating again until this evening.

It is Armistice Sunday - yesterday was the 11th but the laying of the wreaths at the Cenotaph is today.  When John's mum came out she brought a selection of Poppy items for us to wear for this occasion and Mike brought John a lovely little poppy pin which also has the Blades badge on it.  As an ex-serviceman John feels strongly that we should mark this day and remember all those who have fallen in conflict all round the world - and we do.  I know there is a lot of debate about the use of the poppy but John found these words and I think they are very apt...

...I am not a badge of honour, I am not a racist smear,
I am not a fashion statement, To be worn but once a year,
I am not glorification Of conflict or of war.
I am not a paper ornament A token,
I am more.

I am a loving memory, Of a father or a son,
A permanent reminder Of each and every one.
I'm paper or enamel I'm old or shining new,
I'm a way of saying thank you,
To every one of you.

I am a simple poppy
A Reminder to you all,
That courage faith and honour,
Will stand where heroes fall.
'THIS NOVEMBER WEAR YOUR POPPY WITH PRIDE'
So we wore our poppies with pride today - me with my poppy brooch and John with his poppy cufflinks and his pin - I stopped short at the poppy sundress because although the weather is good it isn't good enough for a strappy number in the evening!

We had received a phonecall from Mike last night - he had hoped to stay at the Droushia Heights fro the duration of this holiday but it had shown as being full so he had booked some cheap accommodation down in Geroskipou - he now realised that he was spending nearly every day up this end of the island so asked whether there were any rooms available up here in the village and John shot off to the Hotel and managed to negotiate a great deal for him so that he could stay until he leaves on Wednesday - we had arranged to make pop in and see him this afternoon before we went to Mum and Dad's and he walked up to meet us for a coffee before we drove him back to the hotel and checked out his accommodation.  Let's just say that he is more than happy with his new home and although he lovely corner suite doesn't have a sea view he isn't bothered for the price he is paying.  He had Sunday lunch there and thought it was excellent value.

We took a stroll around the amenities and even stuck our hands in the pool which feels cool at the best of times but with our new bathing regime didn't feel too bad so we three decided that tomorrow we would go in - we would meet up in the afternoon and we would do it!

It was a stunning drive down to Mum and Dad's apparently tomorrow a Saharan sand storm is forecast so the skies will be hazy and laden - we think it must have started this evening because the sunset was spectacular to say the least.

We had a lovely evening with Mum and Dad - I was starving so persuaded Mum to get the potatoes on as soon as possible so we could eat relatively quickly.  We played Noms before and after our meal - Sunday's aren't the same without our good-natured games of cards.  We have started to plan our Christmas Day - that will be upon us before we know it.