The weather last December was awful - I remember that Jane and John were here for a Month over Christmas and they only had a couple of dry days the whole of the time that they were here and I remember sitting outside the church on the day of Elena's funeral and it was absolutely freezing.  This year December has been kind to us so far and we are currently enjoying fine dry days and bright blue skies with some fabulous cloud arrangements.

I enjoyed my walk down through the village to Sheila and Klaus's and my regular art session.

If you look at the picture of the sky alone you could be forgiven for thinking it is the height of the summer but the sun is low and the shadows are long and by early afternoon it starts to get chilly.

Dip returns tomorrow - he will think we are bonkers because we kept telling him he would find it cold in December and with the UK shivering in sub zero temperatures anything above freezing is going to seem warm!

I have got the beginnings of a sore throat and this can only mean that a cold will follow shortly afterwards which is a bugger but I have only had two colds in the time we have lived over here so I shouldn't really complain.  I reckon the early morning cold pool dips warded off any bugs and now we have stopped I am open to attack!

The island looks beautiful at this time of year, if you could guarantee that the weather would always be like this it would be a nice time of year to visit if you are staying somewhere with heating.  Today the mountains of Turkey were fully visible and I would guess that they too have experienced some snow by the looks of things.

Before going to Art I called in to see Elena - and to take a peak inside the little church that is in the graveyard.  It will soon be a year since Elena was laid to rest.  I am not sure what the regulations are here about headstones or even if this figures in Bassam's plans as he follows a different religion but her spot is marked by the makeshift cross they erected initially.  I plan to get a plant to put there for Christmas - they have fabulous poinsettia over here and it should add a little colour and I know Sheila and Klaus will keep an eye on it.

Today was my last art session before Christmas and Sheila was busy with a commission - she has been asked to do a portrait of someone's dog and I think she is enjoying the challenge more than the picture she had started of magpies.  My picture is progressing slowly but the bulk of the fine detail is in the roses in the jar which is what I am working on first.

I managed to grab a quick photograph of Klaus - who hates having his photo taken - before he instructed me on the preparation and cooking of the lovely potato pancakes (a bit like rosti) which he makes and which I love - he was cooking all the things I really like - we had the pancakes, schnitzel with mushroom sauce and spiced red cabbage.

On my return home John had been busy in the garden clearing up now that the roof terrace tiling project is more or less complete.

I am not saying I really want any rain but I will be interested to see how well the new tiles work!  It does tidy up the top of the kitchen and when we paint next year it should look so much better.

Bellydancing was cancelled this evening as Sofi had more rehearsals for her performance of Cats which I think is next week.  I can't say I was too bothered as my poorly throat got progressively worse as the evening went on.