Jane and John arrive

After a slow start I bucked my ideas up and did what I had planned to do, spend some time in the garden.  The recent rain followed by warm days has meant that everything has gone mad.

In the front garden we get self seeded Nigella (aka Love in the Mist) and Escholtzia (aka Californian Poppy) which brings welcome colour and cheer at the beginning of the flowering season when there isn't much else about.  For some reason the conditions must have been such this year that every seed has germinated - there are hundreds, if not thousands, of seedlings and they do look a bit messy.  We also have some of the yellow flowering 'shamrock' type wild flowers which have taken hold - they are jolly but a bugger to get rid of.

I decided to work my way round the shingle and try and control the seedlings by allocating them controlled areas where they can flower.  I didn't get it all done but where I had removed the excess it looked better - only trouble is Minnie was watching and ready to christen the newly cleaned shingle as only she can!

I also cut back the wisteria so that there is only now a small amount of leaves which are left to come off - I wasn't sure about cutting it back completely - it seems a bit early.

We went and did some shopping - our neighbours Jan and Derek are leaving soon so I have invited them to come for a curry on Monday.  I had wanted to get some poppadums but they, like a million other things, have disappeared from the supermarket shelves.  We even asked a local Indian takeaway if they would sell us some but they wanted far too much money.  I have looked it up on the internet and am going to give it a try myself.  You have to make them from gram flour which I have and roll them super thin and then let them dry out before cooking them.  I am not sure and John is also unconvinced but this might be the only way we can get anything like.  I made them and have put them in the microwave overnight so that hopefully they will dry out sufficiently - I will keep you posted.  To flavour I have used my pestle and mortar to grind down some toasted fenugreek seeds.  All a bit faffy for my liking!!!

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This evening we were being kind and going down to Paphos airport to pick up Jane and John.  Originally they had been coming with their adopted son for his 50th birthday but at the last minute he had been unable to come.  We had told them that with the new car (Mrs Kirby) we would be unable to take the three of them and their luggage but as it was now just the two we said we could do it.  I went into the arrivals area whilst John sat at the drop off point ready to move if he had to.  I started talking to the man sat next to me waiting for someone from the same Bristol flight.  He just said to me - I bet she is last, she is always last! with an unmistakable west country accent.  I asked where he came from and he told me born and bred in Taunton.  I explained that I used to work in Taunton now and again.  I then asked if he now lived in Cyprus and he confirmed that he and his wife had lived here for two years.  When I asked where he told me Droushia and when I said that I did too I think he thought I was pulling his leg.  It turns out that he and his wife are good friends of Norma and Malcolm - I saw Norma yesterday at craft!!!!  It's a small old world!!!

Jane and John got into their accommodation, the landlord was actually there waiting for them and so we said our goodbyes, we will be seeing them tomorrow with Mum, and made our way back home.  On our arrival we could hear that Boo was having an altercation with another cat, it turned out to be one of Das's who had been foolish enough to venture into our garden, he left quicker than he arrived that's for sure.  Miss Minnie was curled up on the sofa having a snooze but with eyes partially open ready to shoot onto the bed as soon as we looked like we were going to call it a night.  Charlie was AWOL - next door keeping Jan company!!!