Friday...

We are very close to completing the toilet project and I think we are both pleased with the result.  We have just got to get some more of the moulded wooden edging to finish off round the paneling, rehang the picture of Portholland and wait for my retro soap dispenser to arrive.

I have my heart set on one of those old fashioned swivel types which simply tip up to dispense - these are not so easy to find but when I did I was shocked by the price!!!!  Eventually I found one which was rather more reasonable than some and came to the conclusion that it would be better to get exactly what I want because otherwise I will buy two or three other ones trying the find the right thing and spend the same amount if not more and still not be happy.    My only fear is that it will be too big when it arrives.  I hope not.

We left early for pickleball today as we needed to quickly shoot into Super Home Centre to get a few bits.  We take this sort of DIY shop for granted now - it is the Paphos equivalent to B&Q and sells everything from a gizmo to a widget.  How different it was when Mum and Dad first came here over 25 years ago when these sorts of shops did not exist, in those days there appeared to be a supplier for every single item so you would get one item from one place and then have to traipse across town to get something else from a different place.   I can remember trying to get curtain hooks and expecting to get them from a curtain shop only to be told to go elsewhere!!!  Although the likes of Super Home Centre make shopping easier it does sanitise the charm of a traditional Cypriot shopping experience where purchasing a bag of curtain hooks from the curtain hooks supplier would inevitably involve stopping for a coffee in the shop!!

I needed some vegetables today and chose to nip into the local supplier near Mum's rather than to to Paps.  I have no idea whether these are reasonably priced but I do know that they only supply what is fresh and locally grown - indeed I have known them go out and cut a lettuce straight from the field and give it to you earth, bugs and all!!!  My cabbage, onions and carrots for the coleslaw that I will make tomorrow for the BIG footie match cost me €1.

We had an excellent pickleball session this afternoon - no requirement to move hundreds of terracotta pots beforehand thank goodness!!!  I had pre-prepared a playing list which always helps and ensured that we didn't knacker Mrs Veasey out too much as she had a tight hamstring or Achilles on Tuesday.  She sat out with Mum who prefers to play every other game on a Friday which is sensible and having constructed the list so that the four girlies got to play regularly Diana will get to learn all sorts of tips and tricks from the very different playing styles of Liselotte - fast and hard and Mum slower, more controlled and downright sneaky at times with her killer spin!!

After pickleball Mum and I went to Tom's house to pick narcissi.  I seem to remember we did that last year - he has hundreds in bloom in his front garden and rather than see them go to waste he invites us to take what we want.  I love the smell although in a confined space it can become rather heady but will fill our house with a lovely aroma and look pretty on the dining table as we have Rob and Diana eating with us after the big match tomorrow which is Sheffield United v Charlton - Rob was back in the UK for the previous fixture and Charlton snuck a draw - we are almost hoping for the same result tomorrow so that both boys will be happy (or not as the case may be).

Mum had bought me a present - in fact two presents!!!  These are a thank-you for taking her and Dad to Limassol on Monday when Dad will have his second cataract operation which we hope will be infinitely more successful than the first one.

My gift was two antique style lanterns which have 'candles' inside which are fitted with flickering LED lights.  I have decided to put them in the conservatory as I think they are probably designed to be indoors and I would hate to ruin them but putting them outside and the weather getting to them.

I have placed one on each window ledge and they look very nice - in keeping with the style and colour scheme of our conservatory so thanks Mum and Dad for the present.

On the subject of presents and flowers tomorrow is our lovely friend Sally Allan's birthday and I sent her some flowers using the Bunches company that I have used for years.  When you order through them you flowers get sent with a nice card and some chocolates included in the price.  I have always assumed that what gets sent is nice although have rarely seen the end result so it was lovely that Sally sent a photograph of her flowers and a note to say that each individual stem of the oriental orchids had been put into a little plastic water filled holder.  They look stunning and I am so pleased with them.