A really nice day today.  We filled our house last night when Joseph and Janet arrived to spend a week with us, and others from Patnem staying in other houses.  After breakfast we headed down to Kyrenia and visited the castle.  Had a lovely mooch around visiting the chapel, dungeons and the various museums.  It was very, very hot.

Got back to the house at about midday and had a lunch on the terrace.  Just a fabulous Cypriot meze that we put together from seasonal veg, halloumi cheese fried golden in butter, village bread…. all really yum.

It was such a hot day.  After lunch we drove down to Starlings supermarket and did a team shop.  Gosh, that worked well…. we got so much food.  2 legs of lamb.  chicken breasts.  Vegetables.  30 potatoes.  30 pitta breads.  3 bottles of gin.  2 of vodka.  2 white wine.  2 red…. 24 beers…   all in all 2 trolleys.  It came to just over £100 for the lot.  Thanks so much to everyone who helped with the shop.  We spent the rest of the afternoon in and around the pool.  Everyone had a really good dip.

We started up the wood oven at 3 and the legs of lamb went in at 5.  I’d studded them with garlic slivers and rosemary spears.  I also did 30 Hasselback potatoes.  We marinated chicken breasts in a unique goo of our own devising!!!  It was great.  I wonder if I can recreate it.

Around 7 pm, our guests started to arrive.  We were about 20: friends from Goa and neighbours.  It was a lovely, lovely evening.  Pamela and Eddie brought a load of great salads.  Deborah and David came armed with a literal mountain of chocolate and cream profiteroles plus a platter of fresh cherries.  Everyone brought booze.  We feasted.  That’s all that can be said.  Our house came alive.  And there was lots of great chatter, laughter…. good company…..

We broke up at about midnight.  We had such a great time.  Thank you to every9one who came and everyone that helped.  A LOT.  You know who you are xxxxx.

Up early tomorrow to spend the day on the water on a wonderful private yacht.