This morning we were up and at 'em The Mighty Cheatham and down in Paphos super early and just about before the humidity could get to us. We have the final part of the front garden project to complete and John wants to get it done before Hazel comes in a couple of weeks' time.
We are going to clear the garden in front of our bedroom window and rescue as much shingle as we can then dig down, clear out and put down some membraine to keep the weeds at bay.
While John was in One Stop DIY looking at the black material we need I nipped in next door to the Unique Catering Supplies shop to have a look around. Oh oh oh this is an Alladin's Cave of all things lovely for the kitchen and I do mean lovely and whilst some of the items are on the expensive side others are very reasonable. Bugger me if they didn't have smaller versions of our gin glasses and at €4.85 each a bargain. One word of caution though - tax has to be added to the prices but then they give you discount so it works out much the same as the price on the item and if the glasses are sold in boxes of 4, 6 or 12 then you have to buy a box not just one! Argy is after a wine cooler and they had a couple - I could have bought one for her but I think she will enjoy having a look around this fabulous shop - Lakis might not agree!!!
Our main goal was to get a large pot which we want to put by the front door with something that will hide the guttering down pipe. I have a plant (name unknown just at the moment) which is tall and has leathery leaves and which has struggled every year and then this winter lost all its leaves and looked like an interesting stick that was never going to do anything which has amazingly come back even stronger which is going to go in there.
We decided to get our pot from London Road even though the woman there can be a right old misery. We chose the one we wanted and a saucer to go underneath and moved it to the end of the garden centre by where our car was parked so there wasn't too far for John to carry it. We went to the till, Mrs Misery wasn't bothered about going out to look at the item simply asking how much it was - we said 60 and she thought we said 16 but we were honest and she appreciated it and as a result gave us three of the square plastic saucers I was buying to go under the black planters I bought the other week and she smiled and said 'thank you' - blimey never experienced that side of her before. Anyway we were pleased with our purchases and had to drive carefully home to ensure safe passage of the pot which we managed.
It was Ladies' Lunch today and for me that meant going back to Finikas where they had, according to Philippos, danced the night away until 2.00am!!! He was seemingly unhungover and had Marina and Andri to keep things under the control.
There were only eight of us today and there was so much food put on our table that most of us took a doggie bag back for our other halves. There was salad and dips, halloumi, green eggs, stuffed vine leaves, roast potatoes, pastichio, pork souvla and chicken and some fabulously chilled and beautifully ripe water melon to complete the feast. Clare joined us, back from Hong Kong although only fleetingly it would seem. We are due to have a 'raclette' evening with Clare and Les and Di and Rob at the end of next week which should be fun.
Although only eight of us it was a nice group, Marianne came from Arodes and Ruth came from Argaka to join Di, Judy, Sheila, Jane and me from Droushia. Ruth always has me in stitches - she always has some interesting story or another to tell and Marianne is always a mine of very useful information.
It was very hot walking home and John took pity on me and came to meet me although I had walked as far as Luscious Lynda's by the time we met up. When we got back we were met by Bassam and his helper who had come to take away the sand we had left over from the wall cladding project, that and some stone which was no longer needed. John was pleased about that as it gets it out of the way and means we can clear the front garden ready to start tomorrow. It will be an early start as we can only do a couple of hours work before it gets too hot.
Thursday
All attempts to make our bed this morning were stymied by Mr Boo who had made himself super comfy at the end where, when the side window is open, he gets maximum breeze. I couldn't bring myself to move him and actually we prefer to know where the cats are. Recently all four have had to have trips to the vets for fairly major problems and there has been a viper around on the estate and Sharon has had to have one of her visiting cats put to sleep and the lovely Donut has disappeared - now missing for a couple of weeks and we fear he may now not return.
I was catching up with my friend Sonia today. I don't think I have managed to see her since the winter. I met Sonia through Elena and helped her when she was going to give a presentation at the Droushia Heights Hotel based upon her book Androula's Kitchen Cyprus on a Plate
A few years ago Sonia had an extended stay out here with a view to retiring here - she decided to do so and put her house on the market and sold it rather quicker than she had anticipated. To cut a long story short she moved out here taking temporary accommodation before finding her forever home and within a couple of weeks sadly had a stroke. All sorts has happened to her in the interim but she has made a great recovery and is back driving and so today drove up to me and then I drove us both to the Herb Garden at Akourdaleia.
We had a fabulous afternoon, great company, great venue and great food!!! My choice was a salad with pear, brie and pomegranate which was absolutely delicious. I didn't really need a pudding but opted for a banana and caramel pancake - my advice to anyone else is to share it - lovely but too much for one!!!
Sonia returned home, without getting lost and confirmed she had done so with a text and we have agreed that we must meet up more regularly - I enjoy her company and she is a lovely lady. I hope she will find her forever home soon. She would like something traditional, on one floor and with a bit of garden - anyone know of anything???
We haven't seen our neighbours much recently and so this evening we decided to go round with a bottle of wine to catch up and see how they are doing.
They have a fabulous view from their back verandah which looks down to the coast to the front and across to the Troodos to the right.
The light as the sun goes down is fabulous - everything is bathed in a pink and golden glow - the temperature is wonderful and for once there is no condensation. We are lucky, exceptionally so that this is where we live and we can enjoy this for weeks on end in the summer.
We did not stay too late. On our return home we could not find Minnie which is most unusual for her as she never strays too far from home - in the evening she is either up on the Eagles Nest or on our dressing table sleeping but not tonight - she was nowhere to be seen and so we had to resort to wandering around and calling her. Eventually she returned home - we have a sneaky feeling she may have been locked in one of the neighbouring houses and someone returned and let her out.
Big day tomorrow for my Aunty as she is having her operation - fingers firmly crossed for her xxx
We are going to clear the garden in front of our bedroom window and rescue as much shingle as we can then dig down, clear out and put down some membraine to keep the weeds at bay.
While John was in One Stop DIY looking at the black material we need I nipped in next door to the Unique Catering Supplies shop to have a look around. Oh oh oh this is an Alladin's Cave of all things lovely for the kitchen and I do mean lovely and whilst some of the items are on the expensive side others are very reasonable. Bugger me if they didn't have smaller versions of our gin glasses and at €4.85 each a bargain. One word of caution though - tax has to be added to the prices but then they give you discount so it works out much the same as the price on the item and if the glasses are sold in boxes of 4, 6 or 12 then you have to buy a box not just one! Argy is after a wine cooler and they had a couple - I could have bought one for her but I think she will enjoy having a look around this fabulous shop - Lakis might not agree!!!
Our main goal was to get a large pot which we want to put by the front door with something that will hide the guttering down pipe. I have a plant (name unknown just at the moment) which is tall and has leathery leaves and which has struggled every year and then this winter lost all its leaves and looked like an interesting stick that was never going to do anything which has amazingly come back even stronger which is going to go in there.We decided to get our pot from London Road even though the woman there can be a right old misery. We chose the one we wanted and a saucer to go underneath and moved it to the end of the garden centre by where our car was parked so there wasn't too far for John to carry it. We went to the till, Mrs Misery wasn't bothered about going out to look at the item simply asking how much it was - we said 60 and she thought we said 16 but we were honest and she appreciated it and as a result gave us three of the square plastic saucers I was buying to go under the black planters I bought the other week and she smiled and said 'thank you' - blimey never experienced that side of her before. Anyway we were pleased with our purchases and had to drive carefully home to ensure safe passage of the pot which we managed.
There were only eight of us today and there was so much food put on our table that most of us took a doggie bag back for our other halves. There was salad and dips, halloumi, green eggs, stuffed vine leaves, roast potatoes, pastichio, pork souvla and chicken and some fabulously chilled and beautifully ripe water melon to complete the feast. Clare joined us, back from Hong Kong although only fleetingly it would seem. We are due to have a 'raclette' evening with Clare and Les and Di and Rob at the end of next week which should be fun.
Although only eight of us it was a nice group, Marianne came from Arodes and Ruth came from Argaka to join Di, Judy, Sheila, Jane and me from Droushia. Ruth always has me in stitches - she always has some interesting story or another to tell and Marianne is always a mine of very useful information.
It was very hot walking home and John took pity on me and came to meet me although I had walked as far as Luscious Lynda's by the time we met up. When we got back we were met by Bassam and his helper who had come to take away the sand we had left over from the wall cladding project, that and some stone which was no longer needed. John was pleased about that as it gets it out of the way and means we can clear the front garden ready to start tomorrow. It will be an early start as we can only do a couple of hours work before it gets too hot.
Thursday
All attempts to make our bed this morning were stymied by Mr Boo who had made himself super comfy at the end where, when the side window is open, he gets maximum breeze. I couldn't bring myself to move him and actually we prefer to know where the cats are. Recently all four have had to have trips to the vets for fairly major problems and there has been a viper around on the estate and Sharon has had to have one of her visiting cats put to sleep and the lovely Donut has disappeared - now missing for a couple of weeks and we fear he may now not return.
I was catching up with my friend Sonia today. I don't think I have managed to see her since the winter. I met Sonia through Elena and helped her when she was going to give a presentation at the Droushia Heights Hotel based upon her book Androula's Kitchen Cyprus on a Plate
A few years ago Sonia had an extended stay out here with a view to retiring here - she decided to do so and put her house on the market and sold it rather quicker than she had anticipated. To cut a long story short she moved out here taking temporary accommodation before finding her forever home and within a couple of weeks sadly had a stroke. All sorts has happened to her in the interim but she has made a great recovery and is back driving and so today drove up to me and then I drove us both to the Herb Garden at Akourdaleia.
We had a fabulous afternoon, great company, great venue and great food!!! My choice was a salad with pear, brie and pomegranate which was absolutely delicious. I didn't really need a pudding but opted for a banana and caramel pancake - my advice to anyone else is to share it - lovely but too much for one!!!
Sonia returned home, without getting lost and confirmed she had done so with a text and we have agreed that we must meet up more regularly - I enjoy her company and she is a lovely lady. I hope she will find her forever home soon. She would like something traditional, on one floor and with a bit of garden - anyone know of anything???We haven't seen our neighbours much recently and so this evening we decided to go round with a bottle of wine to catch up and see how they are doing.
They have a fabulous view from their back verandah which looks down to the coast to the front and across to the Troodos to the right.
The light as the sun goes down is fabulous - everything is bathed in a pink and golden glow - the temperature is wonderful and for once there is no condensation. We are lucky, exceptionally so that this is where we live and we can enjoy this for weeks on end in the summer.
We did not stay too late. On our return home we could not find Minnie which is most unusual for her as she never strays too far from home - in the evening she is either up on the Eagles Nest or on our dressing table sleeping but not tonight - she was nowhere to be seen and so we had to resort to wandering around and calling her. Eventually she returned home - we have a sneaky feeling she may have been locked in one of the neighbouring houses and someone returned and let her out.
Big day tomorrow for my Aunty as she is having her operation - fingers firmly crossed for her xxx
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