Emba update...

Apologies that the next few posts are going to be all about Emba and not about Droushia but until Mum can be left on her own I shall be spending much of my time with her.  Her leg is bandaged and giving her a bit of pain which we are controlling with paracetemol and she now has antibiotics which should ensure no infection but until the wound is really on the mend I don't think that driving would be a good idea or going anywhere where there is the risk of her getting knocked.  I know that she will find this difficult and boring but really there is no choice.  

One afternoon I took Mum out to see Lilian for a cup of tea and some very nice freshly made scones and then the next afternoon we accepted an invitation to see Nicky's mum Liz and her partner Bill in Peyia where we sat on their lovely cool terrace and discussed hearing aids and other ailments.

I have been cooking so that we had chicken and bacon casserole on two occasions (with several meals boxed up and put into the freezer for another time) and today there are lamb shanks bubbling away in readiness for lunch on Sunday.

Lilian kindly invited us for supper this evening and she will be joining us for lunch on Sunday.  John has a reprieve as he is going to pick Isabel up from the airport this evening after she went back at Christmas for two weeks and has been stuck there ever since. 

I had agreed with Mum that I would nip home today to get some bits and pieces - mainly some more clothes.  I have now realised how desperate it is that I sort my clothes and thin them out because poor John couldn't find anything I wanted and I am not surprised.  Our lack of wardrobe space and storage means that I cram everything into drawers which get a periodic tidy and then look like we have been burgled.  This is going to be my focus when I get back home and back into my normal routine.

Poor John doesn't like being home alone bless him and after having had years apart through him being in the Navy we neither of us like to be separated for very long.  He was looking out for me when I got home and it was just lovely to have a few quiet hours together - gosh how I have missed the freshness of Droushia after the humidity down in Emba.  I am not sure that cats were so bothered - Miss Minnie was on the spare bed and looked disgruntled as I was sorting out some fresh clothes and Boris was on our bed sound asleep - I think Charlie only came to say hello because he had heard I had brought some of his favourite Whiskas 7+ pouches for him.

John had been very grateful to Lakis and Argy for inviting him for tea last night - they had gone for a swim when I went to pop my head around the door before going back to Mum's but I had wanted to thank them for inviting him round.

I did remember that Lilian had asked me a couple of weeks' ago if I could get her some Halloumi from the Droushia Cheese Factory and so I popped up there with John to get some - it was strange that it was locked up but as John started to walk away the nice son appeared looking rather dapper - I am more used to seeing him in white wellies and a white apron.  At that point two girls emerged carrying a fabulous floral display and the son explained that there was a family wedding about to happen hence the factory was shut but he opened up to sell us the cheese we wanted which was brilliant.  We are not sure but we will soon find out whether the wedding was Stelios's daughter - Stelios cleans George's pool and it looked like Stelios's house and garden were all trimmed up ready for the traditional celebrations which take place at the Bride's house prior to the wedding.

I returned to Emba and took Mum across to Lilian's for our evening meal.  We were joined by Lilian's friend Sandy and had a lovely evening together chatting.  They thought Mum looked quite bright all things considered and she was a bit more chatty than she had been when we went for scones.  I so hope that when we go for the next dressing change that we can see some improvement.  I can roll down the top of the bandage to see a small tear that was at the top of her leg and that does look slightly better than it did initially so fingers crossed we are moving in the right direction.

Sadly John's mum had a fall in the garden today but she said that she would survive and had been rescued by the cavalry by which I am guessing she meant Janice and Mick.  On an even sadder note I am sending much much love to Jackie and Stan as Jackie's mum sadly passed away today.