Today we were to be all families together and by that I mean our blood relatives and those friends whom we have adopted or who have adopted us!!! We are nearing the end of visitors with a series of goodbye's coming up and it has been so lovely to see so many people over the course of this year but I am beginning to feel a bit tired and am looking forward to cosy nights snuggled on the sofa, listening to the rain with the woodburner roaring and something bubbling away in the slow cooker only having to move to shove a cat off of a seat so that John and I can have a bit of room!
I was up early this morning. Both Mum and Aunty Joyce had mentioned cake at some point over the last few days and we had forgotten to go into the bakery or Paps yesterday to pick something up so rather than shoot down this morning I found a recipe for an orange cake (Sicilian Whole Orange Cake to be precise) and I had all the ingredients so before breakfast I set about making it - as it happens and for some unknown reason it made two cakes even though I had followed the recipe to the letter and had used an 8 inch tin. John isn't complaining as it means that there will be some for him and he loves a bit of cake. Never made this particular recipe but the end result looked ok.
After breakfast was done and dusted we started to get everyone arriving. John's Mum, Jackie and Stan came up from Polis and went on a misery tour around the village before admitting defeat and ringing for directions!! Mum came up from Emba without any trouble! We parked them in the garden under the gazebo to get to know one another before we set off for lunch at Fitos.
It was busy in Fitos and mainly with Cypriots but we had a nice table inside where we could regulate the breeze for those who feel the cold and those who get hot flushes!! It was a convivial affair with everyone being able to chose exactly what they wanted. Stan felt honour-bound to have a pork chop in the place where John thinks they serve the best and he was so impressed he had to take a photograph of the dinosaur sized offering which was placed in front of him.
After lunch we returned to ours and under the gazebo for a cuppa and a chat before everyone went their separate ways. Mum took Joyce and David back with her to Emba - they will be staying with us again next weekend. Janet, Jackie and Stan returned to Polis - they only have three days left to their holiday - it really seems to have raced by and we will miss them being just down the road. They have been able to have a nice mix of time to themselves and time with us and we think it has worked very well. They certainly have loved their accommodation even after the initial mouse-gate which seems to have come to nothing.
According to the forecast the weather is set to become more unsettled and tonight we were treated to some spectacular skies as the sun went down. Up here there is a definite chill in the evenings - relative to the daytime temperatures of course and by no means anything like as chilly as the overnight temperatures in the UK which will be what our lovely neighbours will be experiencing come tomorrow.
After a long stay it is finally time for Lakis, Argy and Kia to return to London. We have got so used to having them just round the corner it is going to seem very strange for them not to be there - the cats are going to be well confused as Charlie and Chivers regard it as their second home however much we try and dissuade them from coming with us when we go for a coffee or a drink!!!
This evening we went across for what will be the final time this year. We sat outside armed with cardis 'just in case' and discussed the renovations happening to the house next door and wondered what we will find to talk about when they are complete!!! John had an absolutely bloody final abf of Zivania whilst I had a soothing camomile tea before we said goodnight. John will be taking them to the airport tomorrow for what we hope will be an uneventful trip home and look forward to their return next year.
I was up early this morning. Both Mum and Aunty Joyce had mentioned cake at some point over the last few days and we had forgotten to go into the bakery or Paps yesterday to pick something up so rather than shoot down this morning I found a recipe for an orange cake (Sicilian Whole Orange Cake to be precise) and I had all the ingredients so before breakfast I set about making it - as it happens and for some unknown reason it made two cakes even though I had followed the recipe to the letter and had used an 8 inch tin. John isn't complaining as it means that there will be some for him and he loves a bit of cake. Never made this particular recipe but the end result looked ok.
After breakfast was done and dusted we started to get everyone arriving. John's Mum, Jackie and Stan came up from Polis and went on a misery tour around the village before admitting defeat and ringing for directions!! Mum came up from Emba without any trouble! We parked them in the garden under the gazebo to get to know one another before we set off for lunch at Fitos.
It was busy in Fitos and mainly with Cypriots but we had a nice table inside where we could regulate the breeze for those who feel the cold and those who get hot flushes!! It was a convivial affair with everyone being able to chose exactly what they wanted. Stan felt honour-bound to have a pork chop in the place where John thinks they serve the best and he was so impressed he had to take a photograph of the dinosaur sized offering which was placed in front of him.
After lunch we returned to ours and under the gazebo for a cuppa and a chat before everyone went their separate ways. Mum took Joyce and David back with her to Emba - they will be staying with us again next weekend. Janet, Jackie and Stan returned to Polis - they only have three days left to their holiday - it really seems to have raced by and we will miss them being just down the road. They have been able to have a nice mix of time to themselves and time with us and we think it has worked very well. They certainly have loved their accommodation even after the initial mouse-gate which seems to have come to nothing.
According to the forecast the weather is set to become more unsettled and tonight we were treated to some spectacular skies as the sun went down. Up here there is a definite chill in the evenings - relative to the daytime temperatures of course and by no means anything like as chilly as the overnight temperatures in the UK which will be what our lovely neighbours will be experiencing come tomorrow.
After a long stay it is finally time for Lakis, Argy and Kia to return to London. We have got so used to having them just round the corner it is going to seem very strange for them not to be there - the cats are going to be well confused as Charlie and Chivers regard it as their second home however much we try and dissuade them from coming with us when we go for a coffee or a drink!!!
This evening we went across for what will be the final time this year. We sat outside armed with cardis 'just in case' and discussed the renovations happening to the house next door and wondered what we will find to talk about when they are complete!!! John had an absolutely bloody final abf of Zivania whilst I had a soothing camomile tea before we said goodnight. John will be taking them to the airport tomorrow for what we hope will be an uneventful trip home and look forward to their return next year.
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