11th May

I don't know that you can make out the massive flying beetle in the photograph because it moved so quickly that I struggled to capture it.  This is one of the massive bluey/black flying beetles that comes to feed on the poppies.  They are so big that people refer to them as the Cypriot RAF.

Not only are they big but they are stupid and this one kept coming into the house and I kept ushering it out and then it would fly out of one door and back in the other.

The Poppies are a firm favourite but when one alights on the centre the whole flower keels over from the weight.

They were out and about this morning and they come back in the evening - I shall have to set up camp with the proper camera and tripod to try and get a good shot.  I am a bit annoyed because I had promised myself I would replace my Bridge Camera when I was in the UK in January and I had a look but decided not to bother because I was only taking snaps for the blog so the phone would do but then I started this lockdown challenge and one category is photographs so now I have the bug again.

We had plans for today which changed but before they did our first job of the day was to move the stepping stones to the outside shower now that I have cleared a path.  The flowers have self seeded and were obscuring the original position of the slabs.

I am pleased with the end result as I prefer the wiggly path and John is more about straight lines and order but even he agreed that this was best - and just look at how the gazanias in the bottom left of the right hand photo have come into flower since I took the snap on the left yesterday.

I had seen the deli Oliver's in Paphos offering to deliver scones, jam and cream in and around the area and I had tried to get this done for mum for Friday as she had a bad week last week due to the lockdown.  I couldn't manage it for various reasons so lovely Nicky said she would order them and pick them up and deliver for me.  The offer was four scones, four little pots of jam and one large pot of clotted cream for 5 euros - it was such a bargain and when Mum did eventually get them she said they were delicious.  Big thanks to Nicky for helping me out.

As I said the day didn't pan out quite as expected because I was asked by Isabel if I would be able to take her to Angel Guardians so that she can sort out David's funeral.  I rang to check with the authorities that I could do that and they said I could and at the same time said that I could also go see Mum, at a distance on Monday when it is her birthday.  I wont go into detail obviously but it was a very sobering experience but I was so glad that I was able to go with her and help her do the best that she is able under the lockdown restrictions which is going to make it difficult.  We were delighted that Maureen from Angel Guardians had been able to secure a plot in Droushia which was what Isabel wanted as cremation is not an option here in Cyprus.

After a difficult couple of hours I was happy to come home and crash for a while before whipping up some chilli beef and noodles for our supper.  It was delicious and I was happy when John suggested we turned in early and read our tablets in bed.  I had a bit of a fuggy head after the trip to Paphos which was hot, humid and emotional.

The Ration Book says - There were strict rules governing new clothing.  Men's trousers were to have no turn-ups because that was a waste of material although if you had a friendly tailor he might give you extra length in the legs and advise you how  to turn the bottoms up.