Feeling hot, hot, hot

The weather is continuing to be much hotter than normal - severe weather warnings have been given and so our immediate neighbours Gregoris and Dora have escaped the heat of Nicosia and sought refuge here in the hills.  We had to decline a coffee this morning as we were going to the cemetery and then on shopping - which was to be a quick dash in and out.  As Isabel is away we only have to shop for ourselves which is odd after nearly six months of walking around with two shopping lists!!

There was a funeral in the village yesterday so there is a new grave on the row in front of Dad.  We had warned Isabel that there may be changes when she next goes - I remember it really took the wind out of my sails the first time I went to see Dad and there was someone next door.  This new grave is sort of midway between Dad and David and on the next row so doesn't make any difference.

I was really glad to see that the little rose we had given Isabel when David died was valiantly flowering despite looking brown and crispy the other week.  We always water his flowers when we go up but I did think the rose had gone beyond any help - how wrong was I??  I do need to pop up with some secateurs and cut off the dead bits just in case there is any disease which could travel back into the bit that is living.

Dad's plants were fine - they really have been excellent value and flowered and flowered.  I am so glad we agreed to have one small trough to have some fresh plants in it.

We walked up through the village to check the post - clearly they are beginning to catch up on the backlog of parcel post as it looked like Santas grotto in there piled high with packages in all shapes and sizes.  Philippos was thrilled to be able to hand over a whole load of goodies to us and we also collected parcels for Marky-Mark and post for Di and Rob.  Philippos insisted that we stop for a cup of Cypriot coffee - sketo which we were enjoying when suddenly we saw our neighbour Gregoris pop his head in and then we felt that we had not stopped for coffee with him.  Philippos's powers of persuasion were simply greater and in the end Gregoris sat and drank coffee with us!

As I said the trip to Paps was short and sweet - it simply was way way to hot to linger for any longer than necessary.

Back home we investigated our parcels.  A big 'thank-you' to Laura for forwarding on some things to us as I see the postage was probably about what the contents were worth and I know she would have delivered them in person if she could have but this Summer it was not meant to be - we feel so blessed that she and Mark managed to come over for my birthday all those months ago before lockdown.  An even bigger 'thank-you' to the lovely lovely George and Pam for my beautiful 60th birthday present - I know that they too would have brought the parcel with them this summer had it not been for this terrible situation we all find ourselves in.  I have tried to ring Pam to say 'thank-you' but have been unsuccessful so I hope they are enjoying some time with one of their children and their family.

This week's challenge is RAIN which I thought would be pretty apt for those members in the UK who have had some pretty torrid weather of late including Monday which was one of the coldest August bank holidays on record.  Not the case here obviously so I shall be concentrating on some art this week and the picture above is my first entry.

We are hoping for a better night's sleep tonight than last night - John was up at 4.00am and fed the cats!!!  He now has a better understanding of the effects of interrupted sleep - welcome to my world!