Umbrella Rage!

Sun umbrellas are the bane of my life.  Every year we get through at least 2, sometimes 3.  And they're expensive, often well over £100 each.  It's all so avoidable and it drives me mad.  We live on a hillside which means there is an ever present light breeze which is a major benefit and not a problem.  However, Cyprus can be prone to sudden wind storms particularly overnight as temperatures cool and at the "changeover" seasons like spring and late autumn.  Umbrellas hate wind.  So we ask guests just to remember to put the umbrellas down at night or if they go out for the day.  Do they?  NO!!!!!  They're on holiday and they forget...... fair enough.  We've had umbrellas flying off to the bottom of the hill.  We've had the dining umbrella drag the dining table into the pool.... we've had an umbrella launch like a missile and smash through the pool gulley surround!!    And no one ever owns up!  So when Marion finds out, it's always an emergency.... a new guest finds the umbrella broken and we have no choice but to rush out a buy a new one. 

So, this morning in 35C we've been working under the carport on three heavy duty umbrellas (the sort that wind up) which have been broken this year.  One is beyond repair but we will keep the bits for spares.  Two are repairable we think and Bob the Job is underway with that.    I'm going to give it one more year and if things don't improve I think we will build a shade portico along the poolside.  I have resisted this for a few years but I think we will have to do it. 

It's annoying!  Just put the umbrella down!  Simples..........

After lunch our lovely neighbour Lesley from below  us on the hill popped up to see if we wanted to go quizzing tonight.  Yes we did!  She and husband Alan are fellow Yorkies and we have gone to quizzes with them often when we visited. There used to be one at Hoots, the restaurant/bar up in Ilgaz, and that was very popular.  You paid about 10 ytl and got supper and the quiz.  But that ended a few years ago and now we go to one at the Olive Bar on the coast road every Thursday.  We won once!  Its good fun.  Get's absolutely rammed.   

Had a swim and read a book in the sun in the afternoon.  Then our neighbours across the road, Mick and Christine came round for a catchup.  They visit several times a year and are here now till mid October.  They were joking that they made a noise coming up the steps in case we were having a "naked swim". LOL.  Made arrangements to have dinner with them in a couple of weeks.
Picked Alan and Lesley up at 715 and drove to the quiz.  We had a table of six with another couple who were excellent quizers.  We came second and won a bottle of wine and some money.  A great result and a lot of fun.