Family get-together!

Michelle's whirlwind trip to Paphos is on its second full day and it is Sunday.  Mum is coming up for lunch and to reacquaint herself with her niece.  We think it is about 25 years since we would have been at a function together and that was my Nan's 80th birthday.   Dad and his siblings can be seen here in a photograph taken at Mum and Dad's golden wedding celebrations at Ash House in 2005.  Michelle's Dad, Uncle Viv, was the youngest and can be seen on the left next to Aunty Joyce, then Dad, then Uncle Doug, Aunty Val and finally Aunty Norma of which now only Joyce and Val remain and we bloomin' nearly lost Aunty Joyce recently.

We had decided to go down to Latchi for lunch so that Michelle got a chance to see a little of that coastline.  We had not banked on it being so very windy - so windy in fact we kept having to grab the items on the table to stop them making a bid for freedom.

We parked in the 'sunken' carpark and took a stroll along the marina to take in the view and check out the boats.  The old one is still there deteriorating even more.  I plan to take Michelle on a long tour of Neo Chorio, Latchi, Prodromi, Polis, Argaka, and beyond on Tuesday so today was just to relax and enjoy the environment.

To say it was choppy out to sea was an understatement - some of the boats were returning from the Blue Lagoon with some very green gilled passengers and we speculated as to whether it would be too rough for the afternoon boats to make that trip.  I would not have wanted to have been out there in the swell - I remember only too well having to race back from the Blue Lagoon to beat an incoming storm once when we had gone out with Jane and Mark.

The wind was warm but persistent but did gradually die down sufficiently for us to be able to enjoy our lunch and enjoy it we did.  Michelle absolutely enjoyed the fish pie - she said it was outstanding and I have to say my mushroom risotto was excellent (now I am beginning to sound like Uncle David who declares every meal he eats as being just that - Excellent!).  We did not stay for a pudding as we opted to walk a little further and sample the delights of the Gelataria at Porto Latchi and then walk back to the car and then home.

We had a bit of an issue before getting back to Villa 10b - John had seen a chameleon trying to cross the road near the Akamas Spa and wanted me to stop so that he could rescue it before it got squatted and so that Michelle could see one in the flesh.  I decided to turn round by reversing into the spa entrance - I knew I was miles from the pavement but was greeted by a crunching noise that sounded like I had stoved in the whole of the back of the car.  Fortunately, as it happens, I had reversed over a sleeping policeman and scraped the metal protective plate that is on the underside of the car.  Thank goodness it was nothing more than that.

Mum stayed for a while before returning home to Emba.  I am in her good books because I saw Nutcracker on Ice being advertised for one night near Christmas in Paphos and have managed to secure tickets for her, Lillian, Sue and Fran.  Anyway shortly after Mum left Rob and Di came up having been to the Post Office and picked up some mail for John and to deliver a gift for his birthday.  They stayed for a cuppa and a chat before making their way back home.

We spent the remainder of the evening in the conservatory and I dug out the family tree Uncle David had done because Michelle and I wanted to work out the order of all the cousins.

And then I found some of the real old photographs of Dad (who would have been celebrating his 88th birthday tomorrow had he still been alive).  The left hand photograph is his christening and I believe that the two people standing may have been his god parents or possibly his grandparents.  The old lady may have been his grandmother or even his great grandmother - Dad would have known.