The carport is completed

Charlie has found my temporary washing up facility for Christmas Day.   One of the troughs is in full sunshine early in the morning and bless him, old soul that he is, he likes a bit of warmth.  I didn't have the heart to move him - I will just have to make sure I clean the troughs and leave them upside down until I need to use them on Monday!

I picked up Sonia and we went off to Neo Chorio for the final armchair exercise session of 2023.  The community centre here is in full on Christmas decoration mode - I can't be sure, because I haven't been up there, but I am guessing our centre has the lone transgender Santa with the black eyeliner that it always has.  Sonia is uncertain as to whether the exercise we are getting suits her needs having been left with some issues after a stroke a few years ago.  I shall be sorry if she decides not to continue but understand her reasons.  I am going to carry on hopefully although after todays session my legs and arms were killing me!!!

Sonia and I have been planning a coffee together after exercise for weeks but never got round to it so today was the day and we went to Noma in Latchi which is a very nice venue although the outside space faces North so was in the shade although it was such a beautiful day it didn't really matter to us and we sat outside having a chat and enjoying the view.

Back home John and Bassam had been working like Trojans getting the roof of the carport completed.  It has been a backbreaking job for John from removing the heavy terracotta tiles which he put up never expecting to take down and replacing with metal sheets that look like tiles.  

Bless Bassam - he came today to be John's little helper - they actually work well together despite different languages and different approaches to the job in hand.  Bassam would say that if he is in charge then he has the last word but if John is in charge then he has the last work except I had the last word today when I suggested that rather than buy another sheet to cover the overhang that the overhang get shortened which everyone agreed was a good idea - the overhang had only been there to support the terracotta tiles.

It was getting quite cool as the sun went down - clear blue skies equal cold nights now so I disappeared inside to make something for tea that would warm John up.  We had done a 'stock take' of the freezer and had removed some unmarked tubs and a pack of chicken thighs.  The tubs contained the uneaten curry and rice I had at Poppadoms and some pilafi from Paps along with some lentils from the last time I made Lebanese.  I made a Sri Lankan curry with the chicken thighs and had enough gram flour to knock up a few onion bhajis and it was absolutely delicious.  We were both absolutely knackered so our evening was a short one!