Monday 5th September

Six -forty this morning....and felt really rested.  Got the bonfire going really early before many people were up to complain about it (not that anybody has) and then set to and dug down the side border getting rid of the weeds as I went..

Breakfast was boiled eggs but unfortunately I left them a little too long so those 'soldiers' that I prepared needed hob-nailed boots to break into the yolk so the remainder of the toast was covered in wild damson jam and was delicious.

Planted out some more tamarisk and the busy lizzies that had rooted in water are now in the old sink with the others and cleared out the weeds from the pots of plants round the terrace.  Took the gas bottle out after phoning KD of S for instructions on how to remove the valve........well ...I've never done it before ....and then drove to the gaz station for a refill costing 20 leva.  Got the thing back home, bloody canister seems to be leaking and not from the valve so need another one to test it on.  I spent good money on that connector and it even comes with a guarantee...but there again...it is a Bulgarian guarantee

Very hot again today so got stuck in and finished the Spartacus book...didn't like the ending but maybe there is a sequel coming out or it go lost in translation.  Written by an Italian and translated by a lady with the same surname so I'm assuming family.  Perhaps she changed the ending and he doesn't even know about it.

No supper tonight, I pigged out on tuna and mayo sandwiches.  That's the trouble when I go into Djebel I pick up fresh bread.  I scoff half a loaf, end up feeling as if I couldn't get another thing in even though I've got spare ribs of pork out of the freezer intending to do something with them....so it's pork spare ribs tomorrow then.

LN....I'm going to water my melons and then find another book....

Tuesday 6th September

Six of the clock this morning...I'm back to the routine.  Usual coffee, garden and then decided to get rid of the rest of the heap behind the cherry tree.  I've shifted about ten barrow loads and they look like mini slag heaps at the bottom of the garden...a coal mining landscape in miniature...

It's too hot to be out there now....I stuck it out until one twenty and that was enough.  Down tools...the remains of the tuna mayo as a taster for lunch and I'll do something a little later and just remembered....those spare ribs need attending to for tonight.  I might just have the barbecue out and yes...dinner for one please James...

Tuesday continued

Brilliant day in the garden...the heap is no more, there are more little heaps at the bottom of the garden but they will soon be sorted with the rake.

Dug the underneath of the suckers, found five lengths of reinforcing rods in the shrubbery that might be useful later on, cleared several of the suckers that I just don't want where they are growing but now I've decided to cut them down and use them as a backdrop against the trees on the boundary.  That's the thing with this garden...it just happens but it's a slow process.  The ground is so hard seeing that it hasn't been dug for about twenty plus years but thank goodness for my English fork....the ones out here haven't got the strength.

Both of my honeydew melons are coming on a treat and one of the huge flat stones that I found when I was digging out the heap is now underneath one of the melon.  I'm so pleased.  Last year I was convinced that I was growing butter nut squashes and they turned out to be gourds....pretty but not edible.  This year...no gourds despite having planted them but two honeydews to date....

Martini night tonight....just about to get a shower and freshen up before bedtime...those spare ribs are still fridge bound...CBA...I'll check them out in the morning....

LN...I have things to do...

Wednesday 7th September

Five after six...much better than six after five and out in the garden by about seven thirty.  Started the bonfire early and have got rid of most of the rubbish clearing as I went.  The cherry tree garden is taking shape and I've managed to surround part of it with chunks of stone but the rest of it was put on hold when a new tortoise that I haven't seen before (shell almost black) was trundling around in the shrubbery at the back of where I was working so I gave him the space.  Heard this rustle in the undergrowth and there he was.  

Phone call from Annie at about half past eleven saying could they come round for coffee and that they'd be here in about two minutes so thought I ought to have a wash, get dressed since my PJ's are multifunctional, and yes, they were about two minutes.  We sat out since it wasn't steaming hot today and my gas bottle and connector have made friends and apparently it was all because I didn't press the connector down hard enough when I introduced them hence the leakage.  So now I have a fully functioning cooker and I worked out that in fact it only cost me twenty-five leva for all my cooking from December to September which is approximately twelve pounds give or take a little.  Result.

They left at about one thirty and decided that I would go back out and face the weeds, keep that fire going and clear some more of the cherry tree garden and it's looking good.  No photographs today but tomorrow there will be some because this afternoon my Avatar came round to see how I was doing and to tell me that she has a new calf born at only seven months.  So we walked back to her house and the calf is a little beauty.  Very small but she was let out to take milk and while we were back in the garden she managed to escape from the pen and was running around with Socks in hot pursuit and they were about the same size.  I rushed to close the gate so that she couldn't escape and she was put back in the pen with mother.  We resumed our last of the evening sun having to drink cherry juice since the water is off (and we know not why) and I returned with a melon and half a dozen eggs which she refused to take any payment for threatening me with her stick should I darken her doorstep with money.

So home..continued in the garden only this time I was clearing the long hedge and had to boil up the kettle using bottled water and washed my feet outside.  Expensive alternative but they were so dirty after working in sweaty clogs all day....so beer opened and thanks to OH I am OK with having a little tipple every day since it is recommended that it's good for older women according to the BBC.  So until the results of the next survey come out and they tell me it's bad for me....I'm just going to enjoy it and not feel guilty.

LN....photo shoot of the calf tomorrow....and she wasn't tempted when I said that we could light the barbecue....  

Thursday 8th September

Woke up at silly o'clock and spent a couple of hours reading.  There was a lot of noise last night... screech owl going ten to the dozen and I think I went off in a disturbed state so hence the three o'clock reveille. 'The Ides of March' is the latest release from the Samodiva library and it was a good anaesthetic last night.  So much so that my internal alarm didn't get going until seven and then I dog dozed which is more than the bloody dog down the valley did until seven forty five.  What is it with dogs....one starts they all start.  Now I'm not against them if they do their job and bark when necessary.  This bastard seems to bark whenever anyone walks by...it has no friends.  New name for him...Billy No Mates.

As I said slow start but did get out there and finish the hedge line and there is no couch grass there until tomorrow and I've half stone edged the cherry tree garden rescuing some bloody big stones from the undergrowth.  It's looking good at least it will when I've finished and then I have lots of new baby shrubs to go in there as a nursery bed since it's pretty sheltered.

So into Djebel to get the tools to make the picture and that it tomorrows task now that I have the materials.  I explained to my lady in the hardware shop what I wanted the sheets of polystyrene for and she sort of scratched her head but I think she got the picture.  Back from Djebel, went round and got the pickies of the new calf and it was quite funny to watch my Avatar chasing the calf and Socks chasing both of them....and home...watered the garden since we were reconnected at about three thirty this afternoon.  It appears there was a problem in the lower or upper village according to how you look at it.  

Supper tonight out on the terrace ...spaghetti bolognaise from the freezer and a touch of the local beer just to help it down...really dark tonight at eight so all locked up for the night.  LN....it might be an early night for me...

Friday 9th September

Late start...seven before I opened my eyes.  Went down made coffee, went out to watch the sun and realised that it was already up but struggling so back up stairs and took the photo from my bedroom balcony.  All change though, it managed to come out and I was outside until it got too hot to be there so came in.  I have made my material wall hanging that was destined for the lounge but now is going to re-sited in the hall.  Yet to be hung, that's the wall thing not me...and trying to work out the best method.  The wire is in the wreck and the pliers I've got to locate

Lunch on the terrace, noticed that it had turned very humid, picked up my book and realised that there was no way my eyelids were going to make it.  Moved my frame into the lounge and true to form nodded off and suddenly came to and realised that it had started to rain so rushed out, dragged in the cushions and that was the end of my sojourn.  Only one heavy shower though...did nothing for the garden.

Heard a few guns going off as I was playing on the pc and went to investigate.  I could see the sheep in the next field and the sheep farmers two boys were herding them and they were moving quicker than I have ever seen them.  Two eight year olds with some sort of hardware with sixty sheep and one dog and not an adult in sight.  Responsible play...just like England eghhhh......I did take the picture and you can just see them....made me chuckle.

So in the middle of updating my diary....there was a certain amount of hilarity going on outside so I went to the second bedroom window to see one of my ladies in a wheelbarrow being pushed by one of the lads with my Avatar following on behind with Socks.....and again, too late with the camera.

Eight o'clock here...and it looks like we might get some more rain. Early night for me and back to Julius heading for the Ides....I think it's about one o'clock on the 8th and I'm on page 68 already....LN....

Saturday 10th September

Seven o'clock start again...coffee in the garden in my swinging chair under the cherry tree and I mused as to what should happen to the wreck....I need builders!!  They've spent too long on holiday and I've ideas just popping up and popping out and I need action.  I think I might have to make that phone call or start putting out feelers.....

Just spent some time looking at religions of the world after listening to a poem called 'What if I told you'.  As usual I always go to the comments and like to read the different interpretations.  My only comment is that if you look too closely at poetry it loses some of its appeal.  They don't write them like 'The Ancient Mariner' and 'The Lady of Shallot' any more but I suppose I was only led to them by an English literature teacher and the need for 'another certificate'.

PC off unless the Daily Mail Sudoko has been published and then I might have to spend a little time activating my numerical brain before I go out with the tape measure to do accurate drawings of the wreck.  I need something on paper if there are to be others 'assisting' with the renovations.  To horse!!
  

Saturday continued

So my sheep farmer pulled up in his wagon and called to me so I went out to see what he wanted...and was I surprised...he was knocking seven bells out of a sheep in the back of his wagon.  Now I've seen one of them that obviously likes her independence and seems to detach herself from the rest of the flock...so he must have been alerted that she was off with the faeries and thought...fair enough...a good beating as opposed to a good bleating and all will be fine.   Wrong...she was on her own again in the adjacent field and I've got her number..... I did suggest ...juzz buzz (barbecue) but I am told she was 'with child' so it wasn't an option but obviously a good beating was.

So I made tomato and chilli jam when it was too hot to work outside and it yielded only half a kilo from one kilo of fruit but tastes delicious.  Decided to give myself a pedicure which was of no use whatsoever when I decided to sort out the bottom of the garden.  So I had been burning the twigs / branches and realised it was a naff idea so started to accumulate them at the bottom of the garden to use as kindling for when I start the wood burner up...doh....but sorted now

Freezer spaghetti for supper....must make another ton...slight overstatement but always handy to have....Annie went back today so the weather should be fine from now on...it's nice to know that the gods sent the parting shower but fortunately it was only a shower....rain....pahhhh.

Julius calls....it's the 11th and even though I know what happens on the 15th...it makes quite good reading...LN

Adopt the sheep that refuses to be a sheep. Very symbolic.

Sunday 11th September

Another beautiful day with wall to wall sunshine.  Up in the top twenties even in the shade and today I think I was out when I should have been in and vice versa....I decided that my cherry garden was in the shade most of the time because of the pear tree so I was working on it for a couple of hours and came in at approximately one thirty.

My wayward sheep was out there again and yes OH....I think I just might have to adopt...she obviously doesn't believe she is a sheep.  Likes her own company, stands apart from the crowd, doesn't follow the flock...we were meant for each other....

Mid morning I found a bag of mushrooms in the bottom of the fridge that were drowning in their own perspiration so I cleaned them up, fried them off in butter and oil with the intention of making soup but in this weather...gave it a miss and got some minced beef out of the freezer to thaw and thaw it did.  Tonight's supper was a bit of a spaghetti bolognaise with mushrooms, honey, garlic, chilli but it did taste good.  I finished it off with the melon that my Avatar had given me the other day, with a hint of ginger and all this taking place on the terrace whilst supping a little of the Martini Rosso.

Went out again and did some more on my garden planting up a few shrubs and flowers that will last through the winter and was so pleased when the mosque started it's evening prayers.....I can come in now.  Lovely moon tonight...not quite full but getting there and so I'm going to say LN....I've a beer getting warm...