Catching up with Bassam...

This was sunrise this morning - seriously!  From this photograph we really weren't expecting much out of the day. We fed the cats, made coffee and retired back to bed to read the daily news on our tablets.  The world has gone mad with Donald Trump refusing to accept the results of the recent election for the President of the United States and digging his heels in and refusing to go so that Jo Biden can get sworn in.  Not that I was a fan of Trump but he did seem rather more pro-UK than Biden which could pose some serious problems with the final Brexit negotiations on the horizon.

By the time we got up the weather had begun to improve and so I got dressed in shorts and sandals but then had to do a quick change when it started to cloud over again.  The forecast was for rain and if we had been staying at home I would have remained dressed like that but we were going to Fitos for lunch on the invitation of Bassam.  We should all have gone a couple of weeks' ago before the current restrictions kicked in and limited our table to a party of 6.  Sadly at that time the kids, Amora, Rabia and Lola were off school and under quarantine. Once we were able to go then one or other of them had to be left at home (or in the car!!).

As it turned out Rabia was playing football so Bassam came with Lola and Amora (I couldn't fit Mum in the photograph much to her relief!!).  We had a lovely lunch and apart from Amora's teenage penchant for using her phone ALL the time (much to Lola's disgust) Elena would have been proud of her offspring.  They are amusing and engaging - slip easily from English to Greek and are not phased by having lunch with oldies.

The food was outstanding and Bassam just couldn't get enough of the stifado which was, as always, superb.  Everyone had a great meal and although it was all a bit frenetic and noisy I think Mum enjoyed the company too.  We really have to thank Bassam for paying for our meal - we didn't expect it.  It was so good to spend time with him - he is such a lovely guy.

The weather deteriorated and so by the time we got home there was a massive storm rumbling around which decided to settle over our house so Mum decided it would be prudent to get  home whilst it was still relatively light although she chose the exact moment when the storm broke to leave.  She must have had a pretty hairy journey to begin with but fortunately she was driving towards better weather.

We hunkered down after Mum had left and decided to watch a new series called The Queen's Gambit which has nothing to do with the Royal Family and everything to do with playing chess which sounds very boring but is anything but.

Evenings like this remind us that this is exactly why we like it when the seasons change.  There is nothing nicer than slobbing out in front of the TV having had a lovely lunch.

I really do think I shall have to get the rugs out for the conservatory soon - the tiles are lovely in the summer but a tad chilly on the feet now.  

More rain forecast for tomorrow - I am hoping for a quiet day with a chance of doing a bit of art for the new challenge which is Masks - I thought that was quite apt given the circumstances.