Thanks Nicky...

The best freebie I have had in a very long time is the water lily which our lovely friend and neighbour Nicky got for me several weeks ago.  This little beaut has not stopped flowering since we installed it into our little pond and it shows no sign of stopping because after this bloom fades there is another coming up through.  So thanks Nicky - job very well done!!

It was a busy morning - just as well that we had changed Mum's visit to yesterday or else she would have gone hungry!!!  First of all Das and Belinda called in having been for a second look at the house across the road which they are buying and so within the next month or so they too will be neighbours.  Then we had a surprise visit from Richard the window cleaner and his mum.  He was so taken by Lordos 1 on his various visits to clean windows he wanted to bring his mum up to see what she thought and if the reaction was good he is going to investigate the possibility of buying one (or even two) of the currently empty properties.  Well the reaction was good so I have given him as much information as I can regarding the properties and he is going to go off and do some investigation.  It's so funny that when we first moved here there was only us and Ollie and Trish here permanently and then periodically some of the Nicosian holiday home owners would pitch up but mainly it was just the four of us and now it has turned out to be THE place to live!!!

Sadly this afternoon there was the unmistakable smell of fire in the air followed by the yellow spotter plane across in the direction of Kritou Terra and then the rumbling of the water bearing helicopters fighting the fire.  It is possibly no coincidence that the hunting season resumed today - hunters and fires seem to go hand in hand.  Fingers crossed it was dealt with quickly and that there was minimal destruction to the land and the animals.

We hadn't really planned much for this afternoon.  We have been waiting for Lakis, Argy and Kia to receive their results from the Covid test that was taken at the airport on arrival yesterday before we go and see them and they knew that so they will have been settling back in to 2B today.  We need to be sensible about our exposure to new people in our circle particularly as we need to be careful for Mum's sake and for Mark's sake as he still has issues with regard to the stents he had fitted before Christmas.  John was super careful when he did the airport run last night with regard to contact, masks and sanitiser.

We have been trying to get to grips with what has been lurking in the freezer and we had some pork neck that needed eating before we threw it a birthday party.  There was quite a bit of it so when Nicky asked what we had planned as we didn't have Mum with us we decided to pool resources and have a barbeque - souvla and spare ribs with a few chicken skewers thrown in and some Cyprus potatoes, coleslaw and a lovely sharp lemon and lime cheesecake from Nicky.  It was a very pleasant couple of hours before the Kirby's turned in - they don't do late nights particularly when they have work the next day.

Nicky brought me a lovely hand-made gift of some sleep balm which she had made today and which had a fabulous aroma of lavender and vanilla along with some magnesium tablets.  He has been using both to try and ensure a good night's sleep and she said that after only a couple of nights it seemed to be working because last night she slept like a log.  I am happy to try anything.  It has been so hot I have struggled to sleep because with the window open the neighbouring dogs keep me awake or I get bitten to death.  I shall report back.