A full Friday...

Another week is coming to an end as is the month of February.  The winter continues and doesn't look like ending any time soon as the forecast for March is not making good reading.  My poor old garden doesn't know what has hit it and this morning when I went for a wander I can see I have some very interesting looking sticks which may never look anything else - I will leave them to see if they do eventually spring to life but it isn't looking hopeful.

On Monday it is Jane's birthday and I have invited her and John and Mum up for lunch.  Monday's are a difficult day for an evening meal at the best of times as many establishments close on Monday after a busy weekend service added to that we are still in Winter mode so many establishments are closed full stop - some will reopen closer to the tourist season and some may have closed for good.  Then, bless the Football Association, they have moved what is possibly one of the biggest matches of the season for the Mighty Blades from the weekend to Monday night and John had paid for the privilege to watch them and had invited Rob to join him and I am not sure that is how Jane would have envisaged spending her birthday evening!  So as I said I am doing lunch and I am going to try and serve an ostensibly traditional Cypriot meal but modern twist - I will keep you posted.

It is quite a challenge to find something for Jane's birthday that isn't too difficult for her to take back home with her when she goes back but on a recent shopping trip I came across some absolutely beautiful soaps with the most incredible fragrance which you could use just to give your knicker drawer a lovely smell if nothing else.  A bit like my Jo Malone candle I would love soaps like this but I would find it such a shame to actually use them!!!  Hydrangea and Rhubarb, Camelia and Cinnamon and Ivy and Clove make them sound good enough to eat!

I also like to try and make something to give her too because Jane is herself a very artistic person and so she appreciates the thought and effort that goes into a handmade gift.  In the past she has been the recipient of one of my pictures and also a necklace when I was going through a jewellery making phase!

When I moved my craft stuff out into the conservatory I discovered I had a pack of air-dry clay which I had purchased ages ago with the idea that I would make some decorative hearts so now was the time to try!!!

It might be air-dry but with the current damp weather conditions it is taking absolutely ages to get anywhere near dry and it needs to be so that I can complete the job.  Fingers crossed that tomorrow in the conservatory it will be warm enough to allow me to get the varnish out otherwise I am going to struggle!!!

There were only five of us at Pickleball this afternoon as sadly Di and Rob were attending the funeral of their friend (and builder) Alex who passed away last week and, from what I can gather, rather unexpectedly.  At least the weather was kind to them today as there is nothing quite so grim as standing around a graveside in the rain.  John shot off back to Droushia after pickleball with Mum's car as it is due an MOT and she had asked if we could get Andreas to do it.  Hopefully by getting it there early today we can pick it up tomorrow morning before he closes and then either John or I will drive it back on Sunday when we are meeting for Sunday Lunch at Tavernaki.

I dropped mum off home and then went to pick up John from the garage.  I had to follow a car which made it impossible to overtake so by the time I got near to John and Susan's house I met John who was already walking home.  He was lucky I hadn't taken the shortcut rough road past John and Susan's house otherwise I would have missed him!

We called in to the post office in the village on our way back home and it was a bumper parcel day for us with some things I have been waiting for to finish the face-lift we have given the lounge area.

The tie-backs have come for the curtains and they are even better than I had anticipated - check out the nod to the RN as they are in battleship grey with a monkey's fist knot at either end!!!  We rarely close the curtains so once the tie-backs are in place that is where they will stay.  I also ordered some cheap soft throws which are grey with a red check so bring together the sofas and the curtains and miraculously I actually managed to get the red Christmas throws washed and dried.

We love our Friday nights, we like to make them a bit special with something nice to eat, a glass of wine and something good on the TV (although I wouldn't normally have put Leeds v WBA in that category).  Tonight we were having fridge/freezer surprise (again!!) this comprised a leftover Punjabi chicken curry which I had made using one of the curry mixes which came from Laura and Mark and which are absolutely delicious and fool-proof - check out the supplier - Curry Frenzy and a doggie bag of Kung Po Chicken left over from a meal at The Farmyard some time ago with some noodles mixed in.  Result??  DELISH.