Noise...

Not overly impressed that today, Sunday, we had a full day of the neighbours' noisy builders - they don't work on a Friday observing their day of rest and worship but in turn do not observe ours.  We are somewhat protected from the noise but I feel sorry for those of our other neighbours who have escaped up to the hills for some peace and quiet - fat chance of that.  It is just a little galling that this work doesn't really need to be done now - the owners of the house have the one next door as a holiday home and are either having this done up to sell or for their family when they come to stay.  We are somewhat concerned by the haphazard way in which the work is being carried out without any plans and not an acrow-prop in sight.  Today the cowboy builders smacked the side wall out of the upstairs bedroom and we had a day of drilling, hammering and dust.  We were not surprised when Argy and Lakis and Kia de-camped to Spilia to escape the chaos - all this started on the day after their work was completed so they never had time to enjoy it before Argy's brother disrupted the peace.

Charlie isn't impressed by the disruption outside so currently when we are at home he is with us.  Today he looked perplexed as he was clearly expecting a nice quiet Sunday.  No doubt he will go later and have a good old shit in the sand which is taking up much of the road space!  Go on my son - fill your boots!!

So we were having Mum up today for lunch as we always do on a Sunday but this evening we are going down to Latchi to join the family and because it is Viv's birthday today we will be eating again although we have persuaded them to go to Molos where we know we can get meals to suit all the various tastes and a small meal if we need.

The weather today was a little changeable and just before Mum arrived it really clouded over but the pool temperature is still up around the 30s so hoped that Mum would still want to have a dip in the water before we had lunch.

When she arrived she said she would give the pool a go and so we both had a dip and a lounge around before eating - it was actually very pleasant particularly when the sun came out.  I have persuaded Mum to go to see her local Chemist tomorrow because a couple of weeks ago she managed to tip a cup of boiling hot black tea down her and it is still taking its time to heal and I don't want her to get an infection.

I had settled on a light lunch because we were eating again later and I know mum's appetite dwindles in the summer.  On reflection I am not sure this was right up her street as she is not a salad lover but I had made it with all the things she likes: lettuce, grapes, carrot, orange, spring onion, cashews, cabbage, bacon, marinaded chicken and home made croutons.  I enjoy cooking Sunday lunches much more in the winter when my slow cookers come into their own!

We seem to be getting our fair share of wildlife in the house at the moment.  Today I could see that we had a little 'pinky' house gecko on one of the window blinds which we tried to evict but failed miserably - we had hoped to put it out somewhere safe but now it is lurking somewhere in the lounge and may fall foul of one of the cats.

This is just the sort of thing that would probably freak John's sister out but I love all the wildlife even though our resident hawk moth caterpillar does keep leaving poo on our outside table even after I have wiped it clean!

So we had lunch and then played Rummikub - it is so irritating that John always wins - he is so competitive that today when he accused me of time wasting I lost my rag!  I think we are going to have to find something new to challenge him on a Sunday afternoon.

Mum got back to Emba safe and sound and we had a quick turn round - shit shower shave before setting off for Latchi.  I wanted to stop at Kaite's supermarket to find some local honey as a gift for Viv as she and Paul keep bees and they didn't manage to get to the bee man's shop in Chloraka when it was open.

We walked from Porto Latchi along to Yiallos and managed to get a nice table with a good view of the sea.  I am not sure what Viv thought might be in her gift bag - perhaps she had heard about the missing gecko!  She was delighted with the honey which was great.

We all had a good meal - Janice had a pork chop which she loved - phew that was a result - poor Alicia didn't get a huge amount of choice being vegetarian.  I stuck to the chicken Caesar salad which is really good there.

We walked back via the ice-cream wagon and then we drove home and the others walked back to their villa - they are all up early tomorrow as they are hiring a boat.