shitty weather...

Today was grim from start to finish - the bad weather had been forecast to coincide with one of our regular coptic storms and we weren't to be disappointed - at the end of the day our PV panels had managed a mighty half kilowatt and I have to say I am surprised we made even that as it wasn't daylight all day.  I had offered to go to make up the numbers at pickleball and was beginning to regret my decision as we had driving rain, high winds and rolling mists.

This was the view down to the coast when I fed the cats this morning - we could see no further than the beginning of the 'new' (now 7 years old) road in the field next door.  I decided it would be wise to check that we had four players today otherwise I wasn't going to venture out - I know I had arranged to have lunch with Mum and Dad but I knew they would understand with driving conditions just about as bad as they could be.

I waited and waited to hear from Rosemarie and was just leaving when she phoned to say she would be available.  John had told me to take an umbrella which was a complete waste of time because I couldn't put it up and when I did manage to slightly open it I was in danger of recreating the scene from Mary Poppins when she is flying.  It was a grim ride down to Paphos and it wasn't any better when I got there.

I had to go into Old Town and get the new lenses for my glasses.  I had hoped that the weather was going to have kept the punters away so that I could park outside but all that street parking was full so I had to go to the small car park round the corner opposite.  I reckon I was the only person to bother to buy a ticket but I know what my luck is like.  I got absolutely soaked running round to Trueyes but my new glasses took minutes few and although I could tell the prescription was very different my eyes got used to it quite quickly and I am looking forward to seeing how well the special coating to keep the lenses clean is going to work.

I had lunch with Mum and Dad and then went to pickleball where Tom, in his impatience, had managed to set the alarm off - deep joy that wont put Marios in a very good mood.  We kept our eye on the weather which went from bad to worse and back to bad so that we could cut our losses if needs be.

This was the state of the roads on my trip home - granted this is in Droushia but you get the drift - miserable - really miserable - maybe now Dip will understand what we are saying when we say the Winter here can be grim!  Crazily we had arranged to go out to Fitos for a meal now that it has reopened for the year.  There were people there when I went by but I did ring to make sure that they were remaining open this evening which they were.  We were picking up Di and Rob and then all things being equal Mina and Claire were joining us.

This was the temperature in the car when we were outside Di and Rob's waiting to pick them up.  When we got to Fitos he persuaded us not to sit at our favourite table because it sounded like the roof was going to blow off!!!  We sat further in with the luxury of our own gas patio heater to keep us warm.  Mina and Claire managed to join us and we had a fabulous evening - good food and good company and we were glad we had made the effort to go out.