30th April

On Tuesday we had confirmation of the order we had placed with Paphos Homemarket for some wood, wire mesh, cement, metal paint, spray paint and compost.  The anticipated delivery day was next Tuesday but we had a phone call this morning to tell us they were just about to leave and where could they find us.  This has only taken two days which is fabulous.  They found Droushia and phoned us a second time and John talked them in to the Estate and they dropped the items on the drive next door, keeping their distance but ensuring that everything we had ordered was there and that we were happy.  Hats off Paphos Homemarket and what really nice guys doing the deliveries.

We were well impressed and it means that we can now complete a couple of other jobs which are on our list.  We do so like to have things to do which improve the house and garden - these items are for the garden.

I am always so very thrilled to be able to cut dome flowers from the garden and have them in the house.  This year we have an abundance of blue irises - the photograph doesn't actually do them justice as they are a fabulous violet-blue and they are accompanied by some fresh Jasmine flowers which smell divine.  As I said before this year is the best it has ever been and you can smell the fragrance the minute you walk outside.

Not only do I have blue irises this year but from out of nowhere I also have some yellow ones which have appeared underneath the olive tree.  I don't every remember planting them but guess I must have done.

This afternoon before the weather changed and we had rain overnight we masked off the top panes of glass to the old patio doors and used the brown spray that had been delivered to make a bit of a feature of them.  The result is 'rustic' and we used a different brand of spray paint on the bottom so it is a slightly different colour and the masking tape doesn't come off cleanly but it does make the doors a bit more interesting and getting a glimpse of the garden that is on the other side is nice and John's workbench is not now quite so obvious.

Three years ago today it was my nephew, and god-son, Matthew's wedding to Loren in Dubai.  I cannot believe that I managed to get Mum and Dad there (via Cairo) so that they could be involved in the celebrations.  It is even more amazing when you think that my Dad passed away 10 month later.  It gave Dad the opportunity to do something he had wanted to do for years and that was to give each of his grandsons a watch as a keepsake.  Matthew received the gold watch which had belonged to my Dad's dad and Michael received the gold watch which had been given to Dad after completing 25 years of service at Westland Helicopters.  Matthew had been in touch with Mum and she was thrilled to learn that both the boys wear their watches with pride.

An excerpt from The Ration Book
Everyone had a ration book during the war - beige for adults, blue for school children and pink for babies and toddlers.  You had to register with a local grocer and a local butcher and they were the only shops form which you could buy rationed food.  The coupons in the book weren't a substitute for money.  They simply allowed you to buy your fair share - assuming that you could afford it in the the first place!