Ladies Lunch

Today there is a special high to someone who I know reads this blog because she told me so today - she will know who she is - big big kisses to you and your family from John and I xxx

It was a strange and eerie start to the day - Charlie had me up at 6.00am - he has perfected using John's wooden back scratcher, which is hanging from my wardrobe door, as his breakfast gong.  I can see him jump up onto the bedside cupboard and eye up the scratcher - if he realises I am looking at him he pretends to act all innocent checking his claws like nothing is happening and then when I shut my eyes he smacks the scratcher good and hard but just once.  I stare at him and he looks around like nothings happened and then I shut my eyes again and he smacks the scratcher hard two or three times for good measure and then stares at me defiantly and I give in!  So this morning we had rolling mists as the sun began to rise but these soon dispersed.

We were planning a quiet morning before I went to Ladies Lunch and we were hoping that Lakis and Argy could spend today enjoying their home with Lazarus just finishing off the inside painting.  Clearly others had a different idea because it was today that Argy's brother decided to start having the house in between them refurbished which meant that there was man breaking up the patio all day.  Sorry but this smacked of sibling rivalry because this work could have been done at any time but we think they chose to start today to spoil the peace and quiet - as we say - there is Nowt so Queer as Folk.  We are lucky that being tucked away we don't hear very much noise from the rest of the development but guess that work is going to carry on there throughout the summer.

I decided to walk down through the village to Christos's taverna which was where we were having lunch - although it is the main holiday season here the village is quiet but there is a blanket of cloud over us today so I am guessing people have escaped down to the coast to get the sunshine.

It is supposed to be 40 degrees tomorrow but today there has been talk of rain and at times that looked highly likely.  Still sitting outside in a courtyard eating is better when it isn't in full sunshine and as there is usually shade from a canopy of grape vines and the vines have failed this year it could have been quite hot.

We were a small group today but it is easier to get to speak to everyone.  Sheila is currently without her car so if there is no news later I am going to take her down to Polis in the morning so that she can wo-man the shop and I can do some shopping as Mum is coming for lunch.  It also gave me a chance to catch up with Di who has visitors coming up for the day tomorrow and Clare who will be returning to Hong Kong shortly with Les.

I sat next to Lucie who has started a new venture running a B&B from their lovely home in Kathikas.  Their guests benefit from the fact that Tom and Lucie have a fabulous organic garden which provides the breakfast and full use of their lovely pool and surrounding area and knowing Lucie I am sure it will be absolutely first class so I said I would give it a plug on the blog.

Finally I heard from my sister that Dad's plaque is now in place on the memorial bench in East Portholland - she has been down with my cousins Karen (who recently lost both her mum Norma and Dad Tommy) and Christine (who recently lost her dad Alf) and between them they tidied this bench, Gampy's bench and cleaned the existing plaques.  A big big big thank you to the three of them for doing this.