International Women's Day...

Another day and another birthday celebration Mum.  Today is Sunday and it is also International Women's Day and we had seen advertised a concert with food at the Vasilikon Winery which we thought she would enjoy.

It was the most glorious day and we always like the winery as a venue anyway so we thought it would be a good choice and the event was in aid of Cancer Patients so that is always a good thing to support.

The event was being held indoors in the 'wine bar' area and it was full.  We were allocated seats on long tables and we had some nice people sat either side of us so we had some new people to talk to.

One of the singers was the lovely Louise Vreony who has entertained us on many a family occasion and I have to say a blooming big thank you to her for presenting me with a fabulous bottle of pink champagne and a birthday card whilst I and a couple of others who were celebrating birthdays were serenaded by the masses!!

As had happened in Dominate yesterday all the women attending were presented with flowers - this time spray carnations.  This is such a lovely thought and it amazes me how widespread this is in Cyprus - I certainly don't remember it happening when I was in the UK although I guess it is only a matter of time before the political correctness brigade declare that we cannot have a day which celebrates Women!!  In the meantime we will make the most of it.

The musical entertainment was provided by a modern choir called B-Sharp who were excellent and then three soloists, Louise who we know and love, Melanie Ballard who we have not heard before but has a fabulous set of pipes on her and can belt out a tune and Tina Chester who is an opera singer and you can tell - when she sang opera her voice was fabulous although personally I thought she struggled when she was singing a modern song in an operatic fashion.

I thought it was an excellent concert - it was accompanied by a typical Cypriot souvla buffet and some good old Agios Onoufrios which is now the 2018 vintage and jolly smooth it is too!!!  I really  hope Mum enjoyed the afternoon I know it can be a bit difficult with acoustics and her hearing aids - I think she had to abandon them fairly early on as it was quite loud when they were singing!!

Mum returned home - I am guessing to a fairly ravenous Freddo as it was a little later than normal on a Sunday and I settled down to a quiet evening except it was anything but...

...I was fiddlearsing around in the bedroom when I heard voices and peered through the window and got the shock of my bloody life because stood there in all their glory were Laura and Mark from Yeovil.   With John's help they had arrived unannounced yesterday and are staying in the Droushia Heights Hotel for the week and are obviously part of the main birthday celebrations tomorrow - well I am assuming that they are!!

I wondered if there might be some surprise visitors because John kept being very cagey about numbers after Wendy and Bill were unable to come - and then I had a strange text from Sally and Tommy Allan 'asking for a friend' about coronavirus and visiting Cyprus so if I had had to put money on it they are the two that I thought might pitch up out of the blue!!!

It is so lovely to see Laura and Mark - we now realise that our friendship stretches back about 14 years and it always feels like we only saw them yesterday.  When I had lunch with them in Yeovil they gave no inkling about meeting up again so soon but I am really glad that we have.

So as I said I didn't get my quiet evening but had a much better one instead.  Last night I had nightmares about my birthday celebration tomorrow - it is because it is out of my control and in John's hands.  Mind you he has asked me enough questions and I have given him lots and lots and lots of very specific ideas - he says he is now the king of Pinterest!!!  I know he will be relieved when tomorrow is done and dusted and he can relax.