Bravo Bassam...

I have eventually managed to catch up with Bassam and collected the chocolate which he brought us back from Finland.  What is it with the Fins and licorice?  I like them both but not necessarily together - still it was very kind of him to think of us and to bring something back for us.

Bassam has been doing a lot of work on his house.  Downstairs where there used to be a kitchen and pantry and where he and Elena held winter supper clubs he has been smartening it up and turning it into a self contained appartment which could house a family on holiday save for the fact that he needs some sofa beds so he has asked me to keep an eye out for him.

He is sensible enough to realise that up here in the hills he has probably missed out on holidaymakers for this season and to be brutally honest if it is going to work he has to get the surrounding garden sorted out and he reckons that would take him a fortnight without interruptions which is unlikely as he is constantly at the beck and call of the children but you cannot fault his enthusiasm and actually he has managed to create a cosy environment which could be right up some travellers' street.

Amoura was not at home but Rabia and Lola were.  Rabia has grown so much - he is now tall and slim and adolescent but still happy to come and have a chat.  Lola is just a mini Elena - amazingly she still has a year left at the local primary school - I will not miss her leaving play next year as I went to Amoura's and Rabia's.

I had art this morning and there was a slight change to routine in that I went earlier than normal and finished earlier as I wasn't eating with Sheila and Klaus.

John and I went to the cemetary, all was good at Dad's and as Mum hadn't had the opportunity to go yesterday we made sure it was well watered.

I am still working on my artichoke head and enjoying it.

The original photograph that I am working from is on the right and as you can see it is a completely different colour from the one that I am producing but this is because I want the finished result to complement the picture I did previously and you will see that I have 'fattened it up' because the roudness will match the poppy head better too.  I think I am about a third of the way finished.

We shot off down to Polis to do a little shopping but primarily to go to the woodyard to order the tongue in groove which we plan to put up in the spare bedroom.

Kyriakos is such a nice helpful man and he will deliver when he is next passing which should be later this week.  The woodyard mummy cat is teeny tiny and so loving and wrapped herself around my legs.  Kyriakos tells me she has had babies recently but they are hidden somewhere in the yard.  Daddy cat is a big old bruiser - white with a black patch over his left eye and balls the size of coconuts and he wouldn't sit still enough for me to get his photograph.

The reason for the change in routine for Art was because Argy wanted to cook us a lamb supper and as they leave the day after tomorrow time is running out - it had to be tonight or not at all!!!  The lamb was fabulous, melt in your mouth and flavoursome and she had done her superb Cypriot roasties and a pea dish which has peas, carrots and artichokes in a tomato sauce.  That would have been enough for me but she had added salad and dips and bread.  The food was fabulous and we were able to sit outside before the temperature began to dip and then we moved inside.  We are going to miss having them just across the road and hope they will be back soon but realise that their son's health comes first and we will have everything crossed for him next week.