Getting some fresh air

Today our Friday felt very much like a Saturday so I shall be discombobulated for the remainder of the weekend - just so long as I don't forget to feed Mum on Sunday all will be well.  We have Braised Steak from Shuks penciled in for that day although I very nearly shelved that idea when Ellen from 5b brought me round a gammon joint and I know this is Mum's favourite (although not mine) which is why I don't often cook it!  Anyway it was very kind of Ellen and rather unexpected.

I had said to John that I wanted to go out today to revisit the place where we had our Wedding Anniversary picnic just over six months ago.  This was near Gialia reservoir and I wanted to see if this was overflowing as many on the island now are.  When we left Droushia it was bright and breezy but as we approached Polis it was looking very dark and threatening and then as we turned off to head up to the hills it started to absolutely hoof it down.  

We had hoped to do a bit of a walk but had to shelve that because it really wasn't walking weather or at least it wasn't when we were there but if you look at the photograph to the left you can see that there is some blue sky down towards the coast and in fact that was where the weather was coming from so had we gone fifteen minutes later we would have been ok!

When we had walked in the area last year we took a route which took us right around both sides of the reservoir and then we realised that part of the walk took us down a very steep fire break and back towards where we had parked the car - we had to rethink that part and fortunately managed to find a route which was a little less treacherous.  I hadn't wanted to walk that far today but had hoped to be able to get out on the causeway bit like we did last time.

Even though it was rather dark and very wet it was still lovely, peaceful and calm but what a difference it makes when the leadened skies make the reservoir water ressemble the 'Grey, Green and Greasy Limpopo River' unlike when we had been previously in early summer.

We decided to head down the hill and stop off at the picnic site with the shrine to the Transgender Monk/Saint (yes really - find my post from when we were there last time and all the information is on it).

There was no chance of doing anything much at the picnic site because it was very damp indeed and the water was bucketing down the gully.  Too cold to see the froggies today and too cold to sit on one of the benches and relive our anniversary!  Instead we decided to head on down to the Garden Centre and get the compost I needed and add to that a bacon buttie and coffee!

By the time we got to the Garden Centre the sun was shining and it was toasty warm in the cafe so we got ourselves a table, ordered an Americano each which we enjoyed whilst waiting for our bacon and sausage on brown rolls to arrive.  They were delicious and set us up nicely for the rest of the day because we were to have a late night - John's beloved Blades were playing on TV tonight but the game didn't start until 10.00pm so we had planned a late-ish date night supper of Shuks fillet steak, paprika chips and salad (which was absolutely superb as always).

We stopped off at Paps for a few bits - bumped into Nicky and Di and Rob - it is most unusual for us to see anyone we know when we shop in there!!!  Nicky was on her way home but we had a quick chat with Di and Rob over the fruit and veg before grabbing the few things we needed and heading home.

We didn't do much else for the remainder of the day save for catching up on this season's Apprentice before settling down for the footie match.  Tonight's opponents were Birmingham City complete with all their disgruntled supporters who were sporting white face masks because they deem their owners to be faceless.  Anyway the Mighty Blades managed to come from behind to win 2-1 and John was a very happy bunny.