Amoura's Birthday 🎂🎂

We all enjoyed a bit of a lie-in this morning - I didn't wake until nearly 8.00am which is a surprise but both my bladder and the cats had left me alone for once.

Needless to say it was pouring with rain AGAIN and it felt pretty chilly in the house so we had the gas fire going and John rekindled the wood burner so that it was warm for our guests.

I thought I would set Jane and John up for the day with a light cooked breakfast before they braved the elements.  It cleared a little and we gave them directions to the waterfalls in Kritou Terra which they managed to find before seeking the sun or avoiding the rain down on the coast at Latchi.

We will see them again once more before they return to the UK and hope they will be out again soon and when the weather is better.  They really have had a shitty four weeks compared to any other time they have come over Christmas.

Pickleball was cancelled today as poor Liz seems to have fallen foul of the stomach bug which is doing the rounds which meant that we didn't need to leave for Emba quite so early today and had a lazy morning indoors.

This allowed me to get on with a few bits and pieces like tidying yet another cupboard which is cathartic to say the least and to make a birthday card for a forthcoming special birthday for a friend.  I really want to get more organised regarding birthday cards as I want to get my craft stuff down to a reasonable amount and free up some space.

John went to Badminton and I went out with Mum - I wanted a few bits and pieces which the new Cycleband shop would sell - it has taken over from the old Buy-Rite store on the coast road and although it hasn't been fully stocked yet it had what I wanted and if we come to Emba via Coral Buy we can call in there for what I want or in the original shop if we come the other way.

We had coffee in the newly extended Chocco's opposite Paps after we had gone to have a look at what the new Clothing Lounge had to offer.  I don't need any clothes at the moment but if I was looking for something I would take a look in there.  I saw a lovely linen dress which was only €28 which is cheap enough and jsut hte sort of baggy layered style I like.  I was very impressed with the Chocco extension - it really is a nice coffee shop and I hope they do really well, Mum and Dad like it there - it is so handy for them and they are made to feel very welcome - they even have their own mugs!

I called round to see Amoura this evening with her birthday presents - hard to believe that she is 14 today - where has that time gone?  Lola was having a bit of a paddy because she couldn't find the recipe book she wanted to make a lemon cake for Amoura's birthday but it got found and between us we got the ingredients and started to make it.  I couldn't stay to see the end result but Lola has promised me a piece if it is ok.  Once she had calmed down she was sweetness and light bless her.

I shared a coffee with Bassam and we sat around the woodburner - he was cracking almonds and I was eating them.  John is going to help him next week to get some tiles for the bathroom that he has gutted.  Elena would be so happy that the sink that used to hang off of the wall is finally to be replaced.