Out and Visiting

This morning we did something which we have not done for a very long time and we went down to the local Gravity Road Diner and had ourselves a cooked breakfast.  We were there as soon as it opened and got ourselves a nice table in the shade and then we were joined by one of the Diner's resident cats - Vinnie who is like a baby Chivers bless him although only to look at - he is quite feisty in his personality - Chivers was not.  Anyway breakfast was good and it was so lovely to have it and not have had to cook it.  Full English with a nice cup of Yorkshire Tea and then some toast and jam before we set off down to Polis.

Stephen and Tracy have done an awful lot of work to the Diner at a time when most people would think twice about opening up a new business but they have been sensible in giving it an identity which is completely different to anything else around about.

There are lots of nice interesting areas in the building and outside - not least the lovely little fairy garden which is located around an ancient olive tree with a spectacularly gnarled trunk.  I don't know how you get an olive to grow like that - it must be all about the way it is pruned throughout its lifetime.  Our tree is about 20 or so years old and just has a straight boring trunk!

On a Saturday night our neighbour Das goes down to play his guitar and sing and then afterwards play some disco classics.  We have been a couple of times - you get an amazing sunset from there when the conditions are right and the drinks are very fairly priced.  This might be a nice place to take John's Mum, Jackie and Stan if they make it over later this year which I really hope they do.

Our next stop was to go and visit some lovely people who we feel blessed to count amongst our friends - the family which run C&A apartments in Polis.  I had put a shout out to see if anyone could make use of the hearing aid batteries which had finally pitched up but too late for Mum.  We were thrilled when Nitsa phoned to say that her husband Chris could very much make use of them and we were more than happy to give them to her.

We did not get to see Nitsa but we did see her husband Chris, son Dimitri, her mother Eva, brother Chris and his wife and spent a very pleasant hour or so sat around the table having a drink and a chat.  Times are extremely difficult for them - at a time when the Apartments should be full and bustling they have just two Cypriot holidaymakers staying with them.  They have been without any proper income for nearly 2 years.  We left with a reprimand that we do not go often enough, with a promise of a freshly made poppy cake in due course and a jar of orange and carrot marmalade!!

Our shopping trip to Paps was hot and less than successful because there appears to be a serious shortage of things which we normally buy.  We are more than happy to purchase substitutes - we are not brand conscious but today there weren't even those to be had.  I wanted a simple pizza base that tid not cost and arm and a leg - we usually get the Sainsbury one at 2.99 but the products from Sainsbury are conspicuous by their absence so I decided to have a go at making a pizza from scratch.  It actually tasted better than it looked - the base was light and crispy (a little over crispy to be fair) but next time I would not cook at that temperature or for the length of time it stated.  The home made tomato sauce was absolutely delicious and we chucked the normal meats, chili and cheese on top.  It was actually very nice and really not hard to do - waiting for the dough to rise took the longest!