Two very busy days with lots getting done and lovely warm sunshine, if pretty breezy.

Yesterday Habibi came up and started to relay the water irrigation pipes in a few places where they have ruptured. The plastic gets incredibly brittle over time and just gives way and you get fountains of water rather than gentle sprinkling. He replaced the largest area that needed attention which was the top garden and he will come back in the next couple of days to do the rest. There is a small area in the orchard that has gone plus we need to run a new offshoot up to the three new trees we planted on our upper boundary bank last autumn. The rain has dried up really now till the winter except for the odd shower which will be too light to be effective. The watering system will have to go on from the end of this month as the heat ramps up.

We also rehung the gourd lights which had been down for the winter. Later I made a big batch of curried lentil and coconut soup to take to Pamela’s tomorrow. It’s a very thick soup, more of a dhal really but seemed tasty. Quite a kick of chilli. I hope it goes down all right!

Today Paul our electrician came round to go up onto the roof and take a look at the water tank which was leaking and dripping off the roof. I feared it would be a new tank but he reported that it was the over-pressure valve which had gone and would just need re-fitting, which he did. This is the picture he took from the roof!!!!! .

He then did a really horrible job for me which was to rake out the massive pigeon nest behind the ac unit out on the master balcony. They have made a hell of a mess and it all needed clearing and cleaning and for the ac unit to be re-meshed again so they cant get back. Sadly there were two eggs in the nest but I can’t be sentimental over it. They are horrible things. They are still trying to get in so I hope the mesh cage stands up to it. It looks nice and cheerful for the picnic style benches and table down there.

You’ll remember how I told you a game we like to play in the pool or on the terrace where we look up at the mountains and try and spot shapes in the rocks and trees? Here’s a photo of the owl/seal/Chinese lion/chimera.

In the morning I went to Smilecare dentist in Kyrenia for a deep clean and polish. We use them as our dentist when we are here. She trained in the UK in Edinburgh and in fact her professor works in the practice when he is in Northern Cyprus. It used to be much cheaper here than the UK but of late the prices have gone up and I’m not sure it is now. Still, at least you can always get in. She gave me an injection because she wanted to go deep into the gums. She also gave me an x ray with the amazing x ray machine they have which gives a panorama of your teeth. You put your head into a sort of brace and the machine rotates around you. She is quite keen to remove my two remaining wisdom teeth to protect the back molars but that will have to wait until Bob is here too. I wasn’t keen on having it done while I’m on my own. It’s not urgent anyway apparently.

I stopped at Mr Pound and bought some tie on seat cushions for the wooden garden furniture. It brightens up the picnic set and the bench that is down under the trees in the lower garden. They were in fact 60tl each which is a bit more than £1 but still a bargain. At that price I can afford to replace them often.

Tonight I went to dinner at Pamela’s lovely house. There were 6 of us and it was tremendously fun.  I made the spicy dhal soup.  Pamela made fantastic chicken and peanut curry with spiced potatoes and Deborah made a lovely lemon cheesecake.   Had a great time.