A very special day with Mum...

My birthday weekend continues and today I was having the day with my Mum.  John has agonised about how to celebrate this milestone and keep everyone happy so in some ways Mum has really dipped in because she got my undivided attention today and tomorrow John is taking her and I out for a special Sunday lunch.

Initially I had wanted to take Mum to Limassol to visit my friend Louise at her Tea Rooms in the old Metropole Hotel but Louise's daughter is now at university and this was the one weekend she was going across the waters to visit her - then I thought we could go to Boo-Tea-Licious in the Old Town because I knew that Kathryn would take into account Mum's dietary requirements and likes and dislikes but sadly that lovely establishment has now closed which is such a shame.  So step up my lovely friend Nicky who, after a very busy week, offered to do Afternoon Tea at her house with her Mum and between us we kept this an absolute surprise for Mum.  I had a good excuse to go into Nicky's this afternoon to pick up my errant earring and I planted the seed in Mum's head that she might like to have a look at the house to see what Mark and Nicky had done to it recently because this house was the house that Dad and Mum had built.

I got down to Mum's early and we started off with breakfast at Tea For Two on the Tombs of the Kings Road.  The plan was that I wanted to go and see the garden centre and botanical park which is near the airport and then we would make our way back taking the opportunity to see if we could find Mum some trousers before stopping off back at her house to feed Freddo before going for our late 'lunch'.  I think she probably thought we were heading to Peyia and Peggy's Cafe and that was fine by me.

Anyway breakfast was very nice - knowing we would be eating again later we plumped for bacon sandwiches - with extra crispy bacon - not realising that we would get bacon rolls and a full salad with them!!!  I managed to eat as much as I could of Mum's salad and than waved the white flag.

We then set off for the Garden Centre - we took the new road from the Mall to the edge of Geroskipou and we were reminiscing about what this area used to look like and how much it has changed in the all the years that Mum has been living here.  In places if is quite difficult to be sure you are going in the right direction but eventually we arrived at our destination!!

We had a wander around - it is more of a Nursery than a Garden Centre as people in the UK would recognise so lots of poly-tunnels with row upon row of plants.  I had said to Mum that John and I hadn't thought to buy Nicky and Mark a gift for their vow renewal so wanted to get something and Mum thought she should too so we chose two hanging baskets with the most beautifully coloured and scented petunias.  Even if Nicky and Mark don't have any brackets to hang them from they can remove that bit and just have them as pots.  One was a vibrant violet with splashes of white like someone had flicked paint over them and the other was the deepest burgundy with similar 'paint splashes'.

I wanted to check out Eleothkia Park which is a botanical garden next door.  The website makes it look very interesting but I think we had pitched up too early in the season because it looked somewhat derelict!!!  Still we had a little wander round - the weather today was absolutely stunning so it was almost too warm!!!  I did say to Mum that if you timed it to go when the gardens were in bloom it would probably be quite stunning but today it just looked tired - still it is only March.

We then slowly made our way back to feed Freddo stopping in all sorts of shops on our trouser hunt.  We were successful in Dominate where we were presented with a beautiful carnation in celebration of International Women's Day which is tomorrow.  We also had a quick look around Chrysanthou Shoes as Mum had kindly given me some vouchers for my birthday.  I didn't see anything today but know I will as I often get shoes from there.

After a stop to feed Freddo and give him a bit of attention I said to Mum that I wanted to call into Nicky's for my earring and to drop off the plants in the car so they didn't wilt.  Mum didn't question that nor did she mind going in for a look round so that was good.  When we arrived Mum thought she saw Nicky's Mum Liz's car outside but then convinced herself it belonged to someone else!!!  We went in and sat down and then I revealed to Mum that this was where we were going.

I really cannot thank Nicky enough for the tea which she produced - she made everything, and I mean everything, herself including the clotted cream!!!!

We had the most delicious finger sandwiches and savouries, and scones, jam and clotted cream and fruit tartlets and eclairs all beautifully presented on stands which were also handmade by Nicky!!!!

We had a lovely few hours sat in the conservatory chatting and laughing and exchanging stories.  Nicky and her Mum and some of the few people with whom we have some 'history' in Cyprus because Liz and Bill and Mum and Dad were friends before Nicky and Mark and John and I became friends.

I enjoyed my day and I am sure that Mum did too!!! John got a day of peace from me and a win from Sheffield United so what more could he have wanted!!!!