Apologies for no post last night - no internet for 24 hours!!

Bloody hell January is a long, grey, cold and wintry month this year.  I am really feeling that enough is enough - where is the sun I was promised?  This morning started out dry and bright which was good because we were going to a barbeque - yes a barbeque and yes it was to be outside.  We raced down to Polis to do some shopping and on the way home the skies darkened and it began to rain.

We had been invited, along with Di and Rob to Giolou today for a Cypriot lunch-time barbeque courtesy of Mina's dad.  John and I were familiar with the venue because it is where Lou and H used to rent and so we knew that the garden would be enclosed and that there was a long veranda that separates the ground floor from the first floor and we could dine protected underneath.  We dressed for the occasion with layers, hats, scarves and gloves.  I was looking forward to being fed and watered and not having to drive - not that I mind driving but it as going to be so nice to be able to unwind with good friends.

Very kindly the Veaseys were the drivers today and when we arrived at our destination we found that parking there is much easier now they have put a lovely stone wall around the perimeter which allows for safe parking.  As you walk up to Peter's house which is on the right there is a tiny little 'Hobbits' cottage on the left - a 'doer up' for sure with a teeny tiny front door which has seen better days and a metal bed frame on the roof!

I am not sure how many people Peter was expecting but the barbeque was fully laden with round one of the meat.  He had done skewers of pork, lamb and chicken which was served with salad, bread, traditional Cypriot roast potatoes, halloumi and loukanika.

This is apparently Peter's forte and he is known to barbeque in the UK at every possible opportunity so today was a piece of cake and although the weather was rather indifferent the sheltered eating area was exactly that - sheltered!  He would not accept any help with the food so that left John and Rob to investigate the house and take in the view from the top floor.

Here we are all getting ready to enjoy the feast accompanied by Peter's dog and Mina and Claire's new edition Lottie.  Lottie only arrived on the island two weeks ago so everything is new and exciting for her.  She is very leggy for a Staffie but has an incredibly cute face and I know that Mina will whip her into shape PDQ.

John was happy to make Lottie's acquaintance as I know that given the choice he would have a Staffie as his dog.  He has always wanted a dog and I have promised him that at some point in the future we will have one but not whilst we have the cats because they would never cope with a canine companion and not while we are going back and forth down to Mum because it wouldn't be fair to leave a small puppy alone for any length of time although a dog would be very safe in our garden unless and until it was able to jump over a high old wall which would provide a secure boundary.

So here are Di and Claire on the upper terrace.  Claire has just returned from an extended stay in the UK.  She went back primarily to spend Christmas with her family and then met up with Marie Huntrods (Pets in Pencil) to attend a tattoo course which is something which she would like to take further so watch this space.  She is hugely artistic so I can see that given the right opportunities she could go far.  John is engaging Peter in conversation so not entirely sure what Mina and Rob were up to!!

In this picture you can see Claire and I sampling Peter's zivania - this was wrong on so many levels not least because I am hopeless if I drink lunchtimes as it goes straight to my head and makes me rather emotional - today was no exception - sitting around the table with good friends enjoying good food, with Mina's dad holding court at the end of it made me think of Dad who used to do such a good barbeque and would be so proud to sit at head of table with a glass of red in hand telling stories about his experiences in Cyprus - he loved it here so much and always wanted everyone else to love it just the same.