Yesterday I awoke to brilliant blue skies and really warm sun. After breakfast I headed to Lapta to the Chateau Lambousa hotel where there is a market on a Saturday. It’s not a traditional Cypriot market, it’s very much aimed at the expats. There are clothing stalls – new and secondhand, baked goods, books, bric a brac, plants, handicrafts, art……. I was looking for a couple of plants for a couple of the terrace planters. Had lost a couple of plants over the winter although I think they were mortally wounded by lack of water last summer.

Anyway, slight disaster because the plant lady wasn’t there… I came away empty handed. But it was such a beautiful day, I decided to drive across the north coastline for a way and get a coffee above the beach. It’s not my favourite beach by any means, rather rocky and pebbly butit is very accessible and popular with locals in season.

Karsiyaka Beach which is the last beach west before the road turns inland towards Guzelyurt or Kayalar where there are more beaches. The council have renovated their cafe there and made a really good job of it. Nice seating inside and out. I sat inside and had a coffee and some water…. spoke to Bob and enjoyed watching the sea. Although it was a calm day, there was still some swell from the previous days. There was a family down there and the father actually went into the sea and swam and played in the waves. He didn’t look cold but I have to believe it was bracing in the water.

I drove back and called in at a plant centre that I’ve bought plants at before. They had all their new summer bedding in – lovely geraniums, pelargoniums, stocks…. all sorts. I bought two red geraniums and 3 hanging scented petunias in lemon.

Came back and got the ladder out and refixed the pergola curtains which had suffered in the strong gales. I made them stronger this time. Spent the rest of the afternoon lying on a lounger in the sun, reading. Most enjoyable.

In the evening I met Pamela, Julie and Susan at what used to be The Roadhouse in Alsancak. It’s now called Matiana or something like that. We had a really nice evening, lots of good chatter and laughter but I don’t think I’d go back. The layout of the place is all wrong. Pool table in the restaurant than the bar area, also a shrieking parakeet. The food was ok but not ok enough to overcome the issues.

Today was like a different world! I woke up to rain, heavy clouds and .. cold.. I put two long sleeved t shirts on and wrapped myself in quite a thick pashmina. Habibi came up and planted up the new plants in the planters for me and we were going to finish the water lines but it was just two cold and wet. He will come back on Wednesday and finish them.  Perhaps I should make clear my small gardening implements have gone astray but more importantly the earth in the planters was really hard. I felt a lot better when he made the planting holes with a Pickaxe!! /

I put out the floats for the pool and the blue mats for the two loungers that don’t have integral ones. That’s all my jobs done really. Tomorrow I will pack and lock up the few things I have had out. It’s cleared up this evening so hopefully my last day will be better. The good news is the forecast is increasing heat – 26C by Thursday. This is great as we have a lovely family arriving for their holiday on Thursday night!