Raclette all round...

The dramatic change in the weather prompted us to be cautious about what might happen whilst we were down in Paphos today - it certainly looked like, and felt like we might have a spot of rain so that necessitated all the cushions, throws, towels etc to be brought indoors and found a hope which is actually easier said than done.

The new day bed has an impressive array of cushions - over a dozen plus a quilted cotton throw which we sit on and another which we put over us last night when we had an abortive attempt at sleeping there and yes I still look like I have had my top lip plumped and I look ridiculous and it is awkward to speak and drink - I cannot believe that people actually pay to look and feel like this obviously being bitten by a mosquito is a cheaper option but the effect is no less dramatic - more short lived hopefully!!!

We managed to get everything in, some of it was already feeling a bit damp from being out overnight but will at least dry in the conservatory today - which hopefully will mean we dont get that horrible musty smell and mildew.

With apologies to Di for the photo but today we had a guest playing pickleball.  Liselotte and John have their friends Lena and Morten staying and Morten has come and played before and enjoyed himself so he came in place of Liselotte's John.  Morten is about eight feet tall with all the grace of Bambi on ice BUT what he may lack in style he makes up in effort and his reach and flexibility is amazing.  Playing with Morten makes us ladies feel like pygmies!  Anyway a good session was had by all and Mum and Morten made quite a formidable team.

This evening we had been invited to Clare and Les's to enjoy a raclette evening - this is a bit like fondue but only in as much as there is melted cheese involved.  The evening started out fine and reasonably bright and we were sat outside in the garden as Clare and Les's house is, as she describes it, compact and bijoux.  John had gone round earlier this morning to drop off some tables, cutlery and crockery and when we arrived this evening we were glad we had taken extras as Clare had invited her friend the designer Nikolas Michaelides (Memento Vivere Designs) and also the artist Georgia Argyropoulos.  

Sadly the weather deteriorated quite rapidly and it was chilly to say the least - poor Di ended up swathed in one of the beach-towel-come-throws (for which many thanks Barry and Lynne) that we had put in the bag just in case we went into Les and Clare's new hot tub for a dip.

The food was fabulous.  Basically the raclette machine is a table top grill for whatever it is you want to grill with dishes in underneath where you put the raclette cheese to melt and then you smother your grilled food with the unctious cheese.

Georgia did not come - she is preparing for an exhibition in New York next week and her husband Marios and her children arrive tomorrow but Nikolas arrived, late, with his mum Despina who used to have the Akamas Coffee Shop.  She is a lovely lady, very quiet and with a sort of weary demeanour like she has the cares of the world on her shoulders.  Nikolas is larger than life and flamboyant as befits his designer status although he tells me he used to be a nurse in the local hospital!  Apparently he and Georgia grew up together in the village so know one another (not cousins though apparently and unusually).

As it became chillier the lure of the hot tub became greater so with the water at 33 degrees it seemed the best place to be - I can see the attraction particularly if you have limited space - but I wont tell John as he is always threatening that when the pool becomes too much or we stop using it he is going to fill it in, install a hot tub and pave around it.