A trip to the Garden Centre on a bit of a grey day

What a difference a day makes - it was not just the sand in the atmosphere but a rolling mist, cold wind and grey skies that greeted us this morning.  This was to set the tone for the day.  Limpopo weather - grey, green and greasy.  We couldn't see more than about 20 yards which was such a difference to the last week when we thought Summer had finally arrived.

It was an excellent day to go to the Garden Centre - we have several bald spots in the garden which need filling with something and I had asked Pam, Lou and Lys if they wanted to come but in the end only Lou took up the offer.  It is always a lovely run along the coast up to the Garden Centre and it is generally warmer there.  

As you enter the polytunnel area where the cafe is on the right there is an amazing display of hydrangeas with massive flowering heads the size of a large cabbage in all sorts of colours land displayed in some lovely planters which look like slate but felt like they were metal.

A riot of colour and scent attacks your senses - the plants all look so healthy and they are very reasonably priced.  I couldn't see any osteospurmum inside but Marinos said he had plenty outside and he did - both shrub and ground cover.  I was spoilt for choice and the large ones were €3.50 and will plug the gaps beautifully.

We stopped in the cafe afterwards - only for a coffee and a chat because the Bennetts were off to Paphos to take Lys to meet a friend and to go explore the delights of Kings Mall and Sun Tower to get ideas for the villa.

I spent a little time in the garden on my return but if I am honest it was too blooming cold to be out for any length of time.  We did at least get the honeysuckle which grows over the archway cut back because it had gone bonkers with the last few days of sunshine.  The osteospurmum I bought (above) can wait in their pots for a few days John and I want to tackle that bit of the garden together in the week but a lot will depend on Mum's progress after her cataract operation on Tuesday.

We were both quite tired this evening so we had our date night steaks - superb as always and settled down to watch an episode or two of Peaky Blinders whilst the weather raged outside - the forecast is for it to be fine and sunny tomorrow - fingers crossed as we are walking again.  I shall leave you with a bit of video of the poor tree in the field next door being buffeted by the wind.

A night out in the Village

It was a bright start to the day.  Slowly the garden is returning to its former glory - I do a little every day just to keep it in check.  This is the view from the guest bedroom.  You can come straight out in the morning and sit in Wendy and Bill Corner on the steamers which Dad used to love.  We have some plans to redo the shutter area - they could do with treating and the mirrored panes replacing but it is not desperate and we have plenty of other things that need doing which are more urgent.

My first wild poppy in the garden has put in an appearance.  They self seed all over the place - usually where I do not really want them but I can never bring myself to pull them up if they have taken the trouble to make their home with us.  They come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and shades of red.  This one is coming up in a pot which houses my Duranta which has lost all its leaves - this is not unusual.

John was going to see Rob today for a coffee and I was on my regular Billy No Mates trip down to Paphos to see Mum.  It was more important than ever today because I want her to feel happy that we have all bases covered when it comes to her having her cataract operation next week. It is taking place in Limassol so I have to get her there for 11.00am.  With the current restrictions I couldn't go in with her anyway so would have to kick my heels for a couple of hours but Nicky may come with me as she wants to go to George's Material Shop and that is about 5 minutes away.

Mum and I discussed various things that were causing her concern, not least getting her bin put out twice a week even though it is never full and could miss at least one outing!  Still I think I have managed to sort most things and with the help of her neighbour Effie and her gardener Graham and her cleaner Kim she will be fine providing that the operation is a success.  We are always mindful that my Dad's first operation was a dismal failure which he never ever came to terms with.

So Mum and I ran through everything and whilst doing so we finished her current jigsaw puzzle which was quite challenging.  Well very challenging because in a couple of areas there were pieces in the wrong place!!!  

This evening we were very kindly taken out for a meal by George as a thank-you - we thought the wine from Vasilikon he gave us was the thank-you but apparently not.  John had arranged a full meze at Finnikas in the village and even taken down some logs for Phillipos to burn on the fire so that we could ensure George kept warm.  We had a fabulous evening.  The food was brilliant and we did indeed manage to keep warm.  In fairly typical Cypriot style the boys were at one end of the table and the girlies the other!   We had a lovely warming pomegranate and cinnamon infused zivania to keep us warm on the walk home which was very welcome.   The forecast for tomorrow is not good so it is fortuitous that Malc and Lou are going to take Alysia to Paphos to catch up with a friend who is out here on holiday and get some retail therapy.  They are keen to add some personal touches to 11B now things are beginning to take shape.

 

A Favourite Walk

After an unusually late night for us last night we were up early to walk.  Good job as the Saharan sand in the atmosphere is quite unpleasant and meant that it got pretty hot quite early.  We were doing the Agia Paraskevi walk in Akourdaleia with Louise, Malcolm and Alysia and I had forgotten what a bunch of fitties they are so although I did that walk a couple of weeks ago with Rachel and felt fine I really struggled to keep up today.  Let's just say I was grateful for the opportunity to be taking photographs and shouting for people to stop and look because there were orchids to be seen or asparagus to be picked.  My fitness levels seem to be diminishing which is a shame because during lockdown I did so well but recently time and the weather have conspired to stop me.

 

It is a glorious walk to Agia Paraskevi, particularly at this time of the year and one has to wonder exactly why this church is located seemingly in the middle of nowhere save for the fact we think there are the remains of an old mill there.  The church was open and we went in - I wanted to light a candle for quite a number of people, not least for Kia who is uppermost in our thoughts.  We all took time to reflect - it was quiet, peaceful and appropriate.

We managed to pick a large amount of wild asparagus which George was going to prepare as part of his massive family salad later this evening.  We also managed to find some lentil greens and fennel to add to the pot.  If you look closely at the top of photograph you can just about make out a couple of houses.  This is where we had parked the car and we had to head down this hill and then peel off right up a very steep hill before cutting across and finding the main Akourdaleia/Miliou main road.

I had factored in a loop at the end of the walk to extend it if people wanted - it was getting quite hot by this time and the loop has a long uphill section at the start.  We decided that we were all ready to return to the car but found that they were digging up the road where we needed to go and installing massive pipes.  Initially we thought we would not be able to pass through which meant navigating the loop but fortunately some workmen pitched up and assured us we would be able to get across by standing on the pipes and avoiding the reinforcing rods.  We were pretty grateful that we could because we were ready to get to the car!

On my return home it was a quick shower before going off to see Dr Manolis for an ultrasound.  I was a bit perturbed when I checked in and the girl on reception said that the clinic didn't do ultrasounds there but as it was being done by Dr Manolis himself that was ok.  He always keeps his door open which can be a bit disconcerting but I have worked out that he keeps tabs on who comes in and when to ensure that there is no gratuitous queue jumping with the Cypriots are brilliant at!  Anyway he does at least put a curtain around the bed in his office when he is doing something so that was ok and he was able to tell me that my gall bladder and liver were ok but that I have fledgling stones in my kidneys and so I must increase my water intake because currently they would flush out.  He was happy that there was nothing else causing my 'sticky' throat issue other than the suspected hernia so I am to continue on my medication, drink more water and go back and see him in a few weeks' time.

John and I were both shattered this afternoon so after a bit of tidying up we decided to go and check out eyelids for pinholes.  Not before I had done a circuit of the garden and was thrilled to see that my Magnolia shrub is in flower with not one, not two but three blooms which are sadly very short lived.  Dad was determined to by me this plant when Lidl had it for sale so it must be at least four years old and last year was the first time it flowered although with only one so each year it looks to be getting stronger.

We had a lovely evening at home - I made lime and chili stir fry chicken with noodles which was absolutely lovely although the chili was nowhere near as strong as I had anticipated it would be - you can never tell when you buy fresh ones.

We then settled down to watch the last episode of the previous season of Peaky Blinders to familiarise ourselves with the story line before embarking on the new, and sadly final, season which has just finished airing on TV.

It is like catching up with an old friend.  We wondered just how they were going to deal with the untimely passing of the fabulous actress Helen McCrory who played the matriarchal figure Polly Gray but they did.  Actually watching the last episode of Season 5 neither John nor I thought that she looked particularly well but maybe that was only because we knew that she had subsequently passed away.

I am off to Mum's tomorrow to make sure we are organised for her operation which will take place in Limassol on Tuesday.  She has concerns about stupid things like making sure her rubbish bin goes out twice a week (she doesn't actually generate enough to do that) and dealing with the cat's litter tray.  It will all get sorted but I know she will feel better if we discuss it together.

A Road Less Traveled

Nicky and I walked today - taking the road less traveled on several occasions which is great because it affords us views of the area which are unfamiliar to us.  We took a side road away from the 'tip' and got a much prettier view across to the sea.  Sadly the atmosphere is still quite thick with unhealthy dust so we had chosen to walk early to try and avoid the worst of it.

We walked away from Droushia and down into Kato Arodes and then to Inea and back to Droushia.  It was a longer route than previously but fairly level which was just as well because Nicky had a blow out on her boot insole so it was just as well we could get home reasonably quickly because it was beginning to cause her some discomfort.

 I spent some time in the garden - the living gazebo got some treatment because I decided to tackle the 'trunks' and stripped them back of any greenery exposing the tangle of branches which I think look attractive.  The right hand one is better established than the left but that is the original plant and the left hand side is a runner.  This opens up the area and makes it look cleaner and tidier.

Di popped in this morning with some post for me.  It was the picture which one of the members of the Lockdown Challenge had entered for the last Kittens and/or Puppies challenge.  His name is Mick Scott, I don't know him but he normally is the first to enter and always enters three paintings save for the time when he lost his partner and we didn't hear from him but he is back.  I am so glad that the art group has provided him with a distraction and I loved this picture, enough to offer to buy it from him but he sent it to me and in return I paid for some watercolour paper for him.

I haven't seen Di for ages so we had a bit of a catch up and Rob was in the car so went out to see him too.  He was feeling the cold and in jeans and a jumper!!  

Rob asked after John but John had gone down to Emba with Mark and taken his damp meter to check the walls in the house down there and hadn't at this point returned.  I know that they are meeting up for a coffee on Thursday when I go down to see Mum who has today organised to have her cataract operated on next Tuesday which means that our routines will have to change and we will be needed to go back and forth to support her.

This evening John had invited Mark, Malcolm and George to go round and watch the late football game which was Sheffield United versus QPR.  Back in his youth Mark had played football for QPR and Malc is a QPR supporter.  Malc and George are waiting for their TV box to come from Kirky in Spain but it only got posted on Monday so they are currently only able to watch the local Cypriot channels.  John was the happiest at the end of the evening as the Mighties secured a win!

The girls took a walk down to the Hotel for a chat and a few drinkies.  It was very quiet in there - only two other people eating and drinking in the bar and two couples arrived later seemingly staying there as they were busy taking photographs of their surroundings.  It was a nice comfortable temperature in there and we shared a couple of bottles of wine before making our way back home.

Getting ready for Summer

Today we have a lot of dust in the atmosphere so visibility was poor.  I had arranged to go across to Letymbou because (sadly) the Vineyard Taverna is closing and they are getting rid of all the fixtures and fittings and they had a load of small artificial plants which I hope to do something with for the roof terrace because I want some green up there but not things which need watering.  John said he would come with me.

I had a dreadful night's sleep last night - for some reason I had awful nightmares.  I dreamt that I woke up to find a masked person leaning over the bed staring at me - in my nightmare I screamed the place down and so woke myself.  John says that I make a muffled noise not a scream but to me it is a really load scream.  It leaves me feeling unsettled and for all of the day I felt a bit below par.

Bless John he decided to take the off-piste track from Polemi - not the one which ended up in a field thankfully but the one which brought us directly to the sharp left hand turn off the main road down into Letymbou.  It is a great cross-country route but pretty cut up in places so quite bumpy which is not so good for my shoulder - I pulled a muscle raising myself up in bed of all things - really I think I am falling apart at the moment.

I got my plastic plants as John calls them and to be fair that is what they are, had a nice chat with the people selling and then we made our way back home via Polis where I called in to see my doctor to give him an update on my hernia.  I didn't have to wait long to see him and he was really good and has decided he wants me to have an ultrasound on Wednesday just to check and see what is happening in my stomach.

Once home I continued with my 'Summerising' of the house - the rugs are being washed and packed away but not before I de-fur them.  I have found that using the pet odour/stain remover spray and a squeegee blade and getting down on my hands and knees does the trick.  I scrape away what I can before putting the rug in the wash and out on the line.  Today was just the sort of day for getting these things clean and washed.

The conservatory is now naked of rugs and I got the mop out to do the floor and broke the handle part way through.  I couldn't believe it and had to wait for John to finish whatever it was he was doing (washing my car) to come and fix it for me until I can get a new handle.  I know I keep saying it I can't believe the change in the weather!!!   It is nice to feel that the house is getting a good clean because it isn't so easy when the rugs are down.

For the remainder of the afternoon I worked in the garden because I wanted to find a home for my new Buddha.  The 'Oriental' Garden has been looking a bit scruffy and overgrown so it got a bit of a cutback and the shingle got a bit of a clean up and it is starting to look a lot better.  Tomorrow I plan to do a bit more.  I was wearing a summery top with a keyhole back today doing this - big mistake as I now have real Wally tan marks which will take a bit to even out!

I had a long talk with Mum tonight about her potential cataract operation - She has agreed to talk to her eye specialist to find out about her aftercare and recovery so we know what we are facing.  I know she will do this tomorrow.  My guess is she wants to have it done before my sister arrives in May.  

What a very sad day...

Today would have been Mum and Dad's 67th wedding anniversary but sadly Dad is not here.  I miss him so much because he was such a positive person and loved his life here in Cyprus - he came when it was all just developing and had 30 very good years after having experienced life threatening heart attacks.  He embraced it all, the food, the wine (I have had worse) the language (although he was shy about speaking it) and the culture and customs.  Mr Ron was a well known figure in his day - no one could manage his surname (Tregunna) but once seen he was not forgotten.  He was truly lucky to live and build his dream.  Sometimes he drove me nuts because he could be cantankerous and curmudgeonly (I like that word) but he was, first and foremost, my dad and I loved him.  We offered for Mum to come up today but she was having her blown double glazed units replaced and I know she likes to come on a Sunday.  We went to visit Dad at the cemetery - thankfully the grave next door has been closed up so the marble is no longer propped up against his space.  The flowers are looking ok but needed watering but everything is back to normal.

We had to nip down to Polis for a bit of shopping for next week.  We are being careful with menu planning and shopping or at least not over shopping - John needed to pop into the Chemists so parked next to the ancient olive which they have now surrounded with a nice stone wall.  It is over 750 years old and massive!!!  We got what we needed and then made our way back home planning to go for a bit of a walk before John settled down to watch the Mighty Blades (bet he wished he hadn't bothered).

We went on an asparagus hunt this afternoon (again).  Last time there wasn't any sign but after a week of sunshine the fresh new shoots are appearing up here in Droushia.  We found quite a bit just in the field next door and then we went further afield to see where they erected the big mobile telecoms aerial (near the big black pigs) where we found even more - but sadly not the glasses I lost there a few years ago.

We found a load of asparagus - too much for us to eat so we decided to give some of it to George as he said he loved it with eggs done like we have the courgette and eggs.  So we popped it round and made sure they were ok as they were getting ready for Malcolm, Louise and Alysia to arrive later this evening.  Hopefully they will have an uneventful trip over although they are not due to arrive until quite late.  They will think that we have been gaslighting them about the weather but we are glad that it looks like it is going to be warm and getting warmer every day.

I got the meal ready for tomorrow (sausage casserole - Mum's choice) as John watched another abject performance from the Blades and I also got our meal for this evening sorted - another lovely steak supper courtesy of Shuks which never disappoints served with some oven wedges and onion rings, mange-tout peas and my special steak sauce.

It was a somewhat subdued affair as we had some very sad news this evening about the passing of Kia, made even worse by the fact that Lakis and Argy would have been here but had to delay their visit.  Our hearts go out to them.

 

Getting ready for a dip Dip?

We were having a lie-in this morning - except we didn't!!!! The water for George's pool was supposed to be delivered on Saturday morning and Pani said he would ring John to confirm the directions nearer the time but he rang this morning (Friday) to say he was on his way.  John had to go meet him at the Droushia Heights Hotel and get him to follow up to Lordos 1.

It is fascinating to see that once the water went into the pool which has been lined with a sand coloured liner the water looks blue!!!  In fact at the top of the steps it looks like a bit of beach with the water lapping up to it.  I know it is the reflection of the sky and that in changing weather conditions it will look different but I can now see what Louise and Malcolm were trying to achieve.  Pools today are so much more diverse than what was available previously (you can have any colour you want as long as it is blue!!!) and they have achieved a modern look with clean lines.  Once the rest of the garden is tackled that area is going to look pretty stunning.  It is amazing what a difference these changes make.

I think it is all a bit overwhelming for George and Pam but I know that they can appreciate that their lovely house will benefit from having some TLC and updating - they would have done it bit by bit over the last four and a half years but circumstances conspired to keep them away.

Dip came up this lunchtime - it was our opportunity to say goodbye to him as he is going back to the UK on Sunday having spent time doing maintenance on and updating his and Karen's apartment.  We had decided to take him to Fitos - he likes to eat somewhere different each time he eats out and he likes local - Fitos did not disappoint.  John had a pork chop, Dip had the beef pie and I had Moby Dick on a plate.  The fish was delicious - I haven't had much since my rash problem but fish wasn't the problem and now I can enjoy it and today I really did.  I didn't eat it all, I had to leave quite a bit of the lovely batter and part of the fish and most of the chips.

We came back home for a coffee and a chat.  I had prepared the area outside the kitchen to sit and enjoy the sun but actually it was a bit too warm for Dip in his jeans and so we ended up sitting around outside dining table.  Dip said that he hoped he and Karen would come out more often.  He is returning in June to see what that month is like.  I think Dip has warmed to the island even though the weather when he arrived was appalling - he is now going back to similar weather in the UK!!

It was a glorious day today - real Summer weather and I have started to pack away throws and rugs in readiness for Summer proper and I had to water the garden today - what is that all about?  The pots and hanging baskets were dry as a bone so if I am going to encourage them to put on a bit of a display for me I need to nurture them.

Charlie is very happy that his chair is back in business.  That was always the chair that my Dad would retire to after Sunday Lunch.  Bless him, it would have been his and Mum's 67th wedding anniversary tomorrow.  We gave Mum the option to come tomorrow for lunch or Sunday but as she is having her blown double glazed units replaced tomorrow she said she would prefer to come Sunday.  I know she doesn't like Sundays at home as it is still a day here when some things remain shut at least on a Saturday the shops are open.

She tells me that poor Lilian has returned to the UK to celebrate her 70th birthday and attend a christening and she has caught Covid so will not be able to do the things she had hoped to.  What a bummer as she went back at Christmas and the same thing happened.  I guess this is the price that people in the UK are paying for all the restrictions being lifted.  We still have restrictions here - not that you would notice as very few people seem to adhere to the mask wearing in public places.

We invited George and Pam to come round to us this evening so that we could catch up with them properly.  We thought they would be pretty exhausted after the journey and the emotion of being back here so left them to it until this evening.

They were interested to see the changes in our house since they were last here - not that many save for the things we did during lockdown.  George was particularly keen to see Charlie.  To be fair Charlie has been very quiet the last couple of days and we know that Persephone is here and so he will probably take a mooch down to say hello to her.  Charlie is going to have to get used to George being back - I doubt it will take him long because Pam tells me she has brought him over some treats!  I have told her that we are trying to keep him to a diet as he keeps putting on weight which cannot be that good for him and even Persephone commented on the fact that he was looking chubby - I cannot blame that all on his fur.  

All the cats put in an appearance this evening but as we were at home they were just passing through either to go eat or to go to bed!!!

Spring has Sprung

 

After the coldest winter here for years the weather has finally begun to buck its ideas up.  Thank the lord that this had coincided with the imminent arrival of George and Pam later today.  Last week I was wearing bed socks and today I took the duvet off the bed (with John's agreement) - we will probably freeze tonight but it gave me a chance to get all the bedding washed and dried and fresh hay (albeit thin) on for tonight.  I shall now systematically go through all the throws and wash them to put them away and then the rugs.  Summer is here we just didn't have any Spring.

The tidy up of outside continues as we try and clear away the last vestiges of the Winter - there are still many plants in 'shock' or even dead which I am leaving to be able to put in an appearance later than normal.

I invested in some new wipe clean table cloth when we last went by Lemba and this has been put outside in anticipation that we will soon be able to use that space on a regular basis.

Although they had forecast dust in the atmosphere up here in the hills it was pretty clear and the bright blue skies and the blue of the swimming pool contrast nicely with the bright green pattern on the table.  It will only remain this bright for a few weeks before the sun bleaches it out!!

We had expected the water to be delivered for George and Pam's pool this morning but it did not arrive.  Bassam called in with receipts for his work and an update on the aluminium sliding doors for the pump house and the aluminium gate - these will not be ready until at least next week (tomorrow is another Bank Holiday so that adds another buggerance factor) so John decided to fashion a make-shift gate out of wood for the time being.  It wont provide much of a barrier to anyone who might want to walk it but it might make them think twice.

John was meeting up with John again this week - Liselotte will be back next week so I was having one of my regular billy-no-mates trips down to Paphos to do all the exciting stuff like banking, picking up another toilet seat and going to the butchers.  We had been a bit worried about John yesterday as my John had text him to finalise arrangements for today and got a random reply which looked to be some sort of emergency message for help.  We had gone round to the house on several occasions to find it in darkness, the car missing and the cat indoors and it was dark.  Eventually John contacted us to say he had been out golfing and for a meal and he had absolutely no idea how or why we had received the random message - needless to say we were very relieved even if he was somewhat bemused and/or amused!  Any way nothing to worry about and the two of them had a nice couple of hours having a laugh over the story in the Gin Bar with a pint or two to keep them company.

I came back cross country and stopped to pick some asparagus en route which John and I will have for breakfast at the weekend.  John and I wanted to be home for when George and Pam arrived so we could just explain everything to them.  They must have been lucky and got straight through the airport and in the car and here.

It was all very emotional - it has been four and a half years since they were last here and so much has happened in the interim.  We left them to get themselves organised - we have several weeks to catch up with them and we guess they were probably tired.  

I text Louise to let her know they had arrived safely - in all the emotion I think Pam probably forgot!

Getting ready for our neighbours to arrive...

Today we were getting ready for George and Pam's arrival which is tomorrow.  There were still workmen in the garden sorting the pool and the cleaner was due this afternoon so I went in and made up the beds so that was one more thing to tick off the list.  I think the family will think John and I have been over exaggerating how cold it has been because today is glorious!

The bedrooms looked really smart with their new bedding and throws and I had pulled everything away from the walls so that the cleaner could get into all the corners so that the floors were good and clean.  We cannot make up the sofa bed in the lounge as Pam and George are bringing the bedding with them but there is a new duvet, four new pillows and a throw ready for them and I have put a nice clean flannelette sheet on it for them.

We have loaned George and Pam a rug because we think they might find the tiled floor quite chilly at night - we had to wait for the cleaner to finish before we put it down but we think it makes the room look a bit more homely.  It has been four and a half years since George and Pam were last here (they were here for John's 50th) so I guess there are times they don't even remember what the place looked like.

The guys finished putting the pool liner in today - they have chosen a yellowy-beige colour which is very unusual and modern - certainly there is now much more choice than there used to be when you could have any colour you liked as long as it was blue!!!   Apparently the water is due to go in tomorrow.

It had been such a lovely day today that we decided to go up onto the roof and have a drink as the sun was going down.  It is still a bit on the cool side in the evening but a massive improvement on what it has been like.  Charlie definitely approved - he has always loved to come up on the roof to join us.  It does make me quite sad though because Chivers always used to come too.  Even though he will have been gone two years in June we still miss him - he was such a lovely lovely cat.

We had a quick visit to the Winery today to get some wine it has gone up in price for a box from 60 euros to 70 euros - to be fair you get the box of 12 plus a free one.  Everything is going up - we have been given notification that chicken and pork will increase by 20% on Monday and I noticed that petrol has gone up again and is over €1.47 which is the most expensive I have seen it on the island since we came.

We will just have to spend more time at home eating and drinking and save going our for special occasions and be as efficient as possible with menu planning and buying food.

Tonight we were making our own pizzas and having a bottle of wine.  The pizzas were the best we have ever made - we now have these off to a fine art and we use Greek pittas to make the bases and they really work.  I had made a lot of tomato base previously and we had the remains of the pepperoni, pastourma and chorizo from the last time we made pizza.

It was all lovely but I think the combination of spices and red wine didn't do much for my hernia because I really suffered in the night.

 

Chicken Chasni - Who Knew??????

Our lovely weather was short-lived as today was grey and chilly which was so disappointing.  Nicky and I were walking this morning - only locally but it was good to get out and get some fresh air.

We went out of the back of the village and headed towards Arodes.  We normally take the first turning right after the 'tip' but today decided to take the second one and see where that took us.  We were doing great until we encountered a very large barky dog which was accompanied by a very small barky dog.  The owner assured us that they were just noisy but I know Nicky isn't overly keen on dogs and neither am I for that matter so we went on a bit of a misery tour.

The one good thing about taking a road less traveled is that we get to see places that we would not otherwise get to see and we can often get some great ideas about houses and gardens when we are able to see what other people have done with their properties.

There are some very picturesque parts of Arodes and once we had found the main road we could get our bearings and make our way up towards Inea which is the route we normally take.  Although grey and a bit miserable it wasn't anything like as cold as it has been so really the conditions were good for walking.

We were out for about an hour and a half.  John was round at Ellen's trying to put together her TV stand which had arrived in the container yesterday.  The only trouble was that not all the bits were together, there were no instructions and Ellen didn't even have a picture of the stand when it had been erected in the UK.  Nevertheless John managed in the end to get it together and the TV on it and working and Ellen was delighted!!!

We then shot off down to Dips at Universal to see how the installation of the new air-conditioning units had got on and to say our goodbyes.  When we got there we could see that the aircon was in but Dips car was not and so we phoned and he told us that he had nipped out with his mate for lunch but he had delayed his return to the UK so that he could get some more work done and would catch up with us at the end of the week which was fine by us.

We left Dips to go and spend some time with Mum.  In the container had been some jigsaws, some special shoes and some etching books which I had planned to give her for Mother's Day and her birthday - we had missed Mother's Day by 24 hours so took the gifts today and she was delighted.  I was especially pleased that the shoes (Sketcher type but cheaper) were perfect.

We stayed for a cup of tea and a biscuit and long enough to get all her clocks and timers set as she wanted them and the edges of a new jigsaw in place to keep her entertained.  She was on good form today and so pleased to see us which was nice.

We picked up a ready cooked chicken from Sayyas in Chlorakas and when I got home I made us a curry for our supper.  I had a Curry Frenzy kit that must have been a free gift because I didn't recognise the flavour as being one which I would have chosen but it was a real hit.

Chicken Chasni Curry has both mango chutney and mint sauce in it - MINT SAUCE?????  yes well it does and it works really well and then you read that the curry originated in Glasgow and you have to think to yourself if they can deep fry a Mars Bar and think it is ok they probably put all sorts in a curry!!!!

We used mango curry with chili in it which gave the curry a right old kick.  After a grey day we had a grey and miserable evening and so we lit the wood burner - probably for the last time this winter - hopefully so as we have burned for about a month longer than we would do normally.