We were treated to the most fabulous sunrise this morning - this looked like it was going to herald a lovely day but oh no no no this is Cyprus in April in 2019 which means we are bound to have rain!!!  This was a bit of a shame as we had planned to have a bit of a barbeque this afternoon but undaunted we carried on regardless.

I am desperate to get out in the garden - things are either beginning to bloom or have definitely died and the weeds are on steroids.  Kenna leaves on Tuesday and then I have small window of opportunity before my sister comes out closely followed by my aunty Joyce and uncle David arrive although having said that they do like to sit and read and wouldn't mind if I was out in the garden - I would just like it to look nice on their arrival.

I am so very chuffed that 'Hadge' our standard rose which we planted in his memory is coming back beautifully and up until now I have never been successful with roses so I am doubly pleased.  I have put it down to the regular feeds it gets of coffee grounds and banana skins - long may it continue.

We had a lazy morning and decided upon a mid afternoon barbeque because today there was a rather key match in Sheffield United's quest for promotion to the Premiership.

I needed a couple of bits and pieces and thought it might be nice to go down to Polis taking Kenna on Bobby's route through Kritou Terra so that she could take in the beautiful rural countryside.

We went out before the rain started and it was a lovely run with the sides of the roads full of wild flowers, wild garlic and orchids.  I stopped to take a photograph - there was not a vehicle in sight until I stopped without pulling in and then some bloody twin cab appeared out of nowhere!!!

Kenna was absolutely blown away by the flowers and the green - the winter's excessive rain has ensured that the island is particularly green this year and much later than normal.  Shamefully I don't know the names of all the flowers and will have to get my flora and fauna book out to identify them.  The dark red on the left are some sort of vetch but the bright blue I am not sure about.  

We stopped at the very interesting Agia Ekaterini church on outsides of Kritou Terra.  The original building dated from the 15th Century but it was destroyed in an earthquake in 1953 and rebuilt to its former glory in 1956.  The village of Kritou Terra has been very pro-active recently in signposting their landmarks and adding information so if you go inside this church (it isn't locked) there is all sorts of information on a board on the left hand side about the history behind the saint and the construction of the church which apparently used mortar made with milk because when Katerina was put to death she didn't bleed blood she bled milk!

There are still remnants of frescoes to be seen inside and one that is very faded on the outside wall and it is definitely worth spending a little time there - it is cool and peaceful and the information is fascinating.

We made our way cross country to Polis and I bore in the mind the warning that the Police were doing speed checks this week and a lurking copper had been on that road the last time I had gone that way - there are roadworks along that road at the moment so it is easier to adhere to the speed limit.

As we came out of Paps the rain started - it wasn't heavy but enough to ensure that when we returned to Droushia we were going to have to cook outdoors and eat indoors.  On the menu today we had dips and salad, pittas, coleslaw, olives, sweetcorn, chicken kebabs, sausages, lounza and halloumi with sweet chilli sauce and barbeque sauce.

It all went down very well and we had a little left over so there will be sausage sandwiches for breakfast by the looks of it although probably not tomorrow as we have stifado scheduled for our lunch with Mum that and filo-pastry orange cake.

Kenna and I left John to enjoy his footie in peace and this week Sheffield United did not disappoint as they won their game and the close rivals Weeds managed to lose so this week SUFC are one point ahead of them in second place in the league - if this is how the season finishes they will secure automatic promotion.

Our film this evening was Early Man.  We knew nothing about it but it is a new animation from Nick Parks so we thought it would be ok.  It was a very amusing tale about football and saving "The Valley" which we thought would be right up the Bobster's street - him being a Charlton fan.  We have suggested he takes a look when he has a second or two!