A Trip to the Winery

Mum is on her own today - tomorrow she will have her friends Sue and Fran over in the morning and then I will to down in the afternoon ready for hospital the following morning.  She text me with a photograph of Fred who has clearly decided it is Autumn despite soaring temperatures as he has taken to his basket after months of ignoring it.  

John asked if there was any danger of us having something more than a sheet on the bed at nights but I said probably not as I still have the fan on!!!

Anyway we had planned a leisurely start to the day but I had not slept well - I think this bed hopping from home to Mum's is taking its toll!  I was up mega early - just after 5.00am I think and watched the sun come up with our cats as company until I had fed them and then they buggered off.

The skies are currently full of Bee Eaters on their way back home after their annual migrations.  They are beautiful to see and hear but on this island they run the constant risk of falling foul of the hunters who sadly shoot anything that moves and failing that any road sign that is available.   

The increase in the temperatures means that the pool water has remained pretty warm at a time we would expect it to feel more chilly.  That means there is no excuse not to go in and I wanted to give the edges a scrub and the only way to get that done properly is to be inside.

Actually once in it was lovely and so refreshing.  You don't quite get the sensation that it is 'like a bath' if you go in, stand on the side to cool down then go back in but it is still really nice.

Having cleaned the pool we had half an hour to spare before John went to pick up JJ&S and so we nipped over to catch up with Argy and Lakis.  This visit has been quite disjointed for us and them as I had the days when I was poorly with my teeth and then the time spent down with Mum.

We learned today that they are planning to return to the UK mid October which is earlier than they had originally planned but circumstances are such that they need to go back then.  The rules for re-entry will have changed so they wont need a test pre-departure and would only need a day two lateral flow test which will be less expensive.  I have said I will help with the passenger locator form.

John shot off down to Polis and collected our visitors and brought them back up for a chat before we went off for lunch.  John's Mum had found the photograph book I had ordered with pictures from my 60th - blimey that seemed like a lifetime ago 

We went to the Winery for lunch and to buy some wine.  We don't think we have ever seen it so busy which is great for them - generally when we go there are only a couple of others there but today most of the tables in the shade were taken with people eating and there were others inside doing the wine tasting.  Today's forgotten item was Stan's mask - fortunately John had a spare in the car otherwise he would have been forced to wear a pink disposable one that Janet had in her bag!!!

We had a beautiful lunch except that the 'French trimmed pork chop' emerged as one of those massive jumbo sized ones with all the belly pork.  Janet had hoped for a light meal but valiantly worked her way through with a bit of help from John!!!

We squeezed in a brief visit to the Gin Bar as we were passing and because we know that the two J's like a bit of gin now and again!!!  I was driving so stuck to a smoothie - I don't mind really and it is good to have a non drinking day now and again.

They came back to ours, they were going to have a swim but it had all got a bit late and it was a bit cool and windy so we just sat and chatted before I took them back to their accommodation.   Tomorrow we are meeting for lunch again as I have to return to Emba.