Thursday continued

I think I just might notice Bob.... squatters would wish that they'd been prosecuted.  

Lessons over and done with for another week.  I managed to prepare three readings and I gave him the choice and I could almost hear his little brain computing a word count so that he got the one with the least in it.  We almost ended up doing and eeny, meeny, mineey on it, had fun with a Wordsearch at the end with both of us struggling to find the last one that was staring us in the face.  Nattered to his mother for a while in the shop, phoned Gouljan to see if she wanted a lift home but she was already on the bus, got some wood in and lit the fire to to add a little warmth to the house.  I could manage without but when you haven't got a tv, it's something to look at....

Forgot to mention that the water went off last night and it's amazing how your brain is programmed to just turn the tap.  I've got bottled water in the house so no problem but when you go onto automatic pilot and into switch off mode...you can't help it.  I'm running out of cups though so I'll have to make the effort of boiling up some bottled to wash up.  

Bekir has phoned...they are unable to work tomorrow he has even more documents to complete in Kirkovo. Poor thing...Bulgaria is emerging and sometimes systems change and not even the administrators know what's supposed to be done.  So another lie in tomorrow....I'll be getting a tad lazy. ...a whole chicken has gone into the oven so it's pickety witch for me tonight and maybe chips with mayo.....in for a good night unless it takes so long to cook that it's chicken and bread with a little of the red.  Let's see how things go....LN.....back to my book.

Friday 6th April

Morning, morning and nothing to do today.  I was expecting a phone call from my librarian to say that they were legging it over but no call so I pottered in the garden for a couple of hours and got my book out getting fully entrenched in the latest novel.  The water came back on at about eleven this morning and was I pleased.  I'd already headed up to the spring and come back with twelve or so litres, had my first cup of coffee and emptied some of the water into the toilet cistern to flush away the debris.  Not enough and not wishing to go back to the spring water, thought that I could live with it so long as I didn't have guests but all fears were put aside when it came back on.

Still don't feel up to much....I think that Mad March has taken it's toll and April is going to be the month of recuperation.  Stretched out on my activity centre in the hall way in the morning sun, I was called to action as I said by my librarian arriving.  They had come on spec and had to take what was on offer in the kitchen since no forward preparation had been done.  Walked the estate...and even got her up the ladder to see the wreck from the second floor and the ladder proved a little intimidating since the rungs are a little far apart and even I have to stretch out between them.  I came down first and instructed her in the method of descent and all landings were successful.  She also hadn't realised that I had landscaped the side of the house and had raised beds...and she liked it.

So lunch was last night's cooked chicken, sauteed with mushrooms and onions served with pasta......they didn't let me know...they takes what's going.  We played around on their computer for a while, sat down with a box of chocolates that I shall never be tempted to buy again and off on their merry way at about five fifteen,  Lit the fire, last night's log is going for a second night with the addition of some small stuff and coal,  don't feel hungry having had a good meal at lunch time but at eight it's about time I poured the first red of the day.

So in for the night....and what a lovely calm night it is.  A few clouds are gathering overhead and to the west but we'll see what tomorrow brings.  LN.....I was supposed to be sorting out some seeds today so that can wait for tomorrow......it's another day....

Saturday 7th April

Four jobs completed this morning that have been lingering for a while.  You know the sort that I mean.  Hall curtain now has all the hooks in place attaching it to the rings.  There was one missing and now there is none.  Washing finished and about to be hung out, honeysuckle and passion flower supports wired into place and seeds sorted for sowing.  Perhaps I should now head to bed for a rest....

Mist over the mountains this morning and there is a whiteness to the grass which I'm hoping is dew not frost although my fire was still going this morning and the pump kicked in at about six thirty so I think that's a bit of a record saying that it had only got yesterday's big log on with a little coal surrounding it.  Maybe that's the secret and it's taken me until spring to find out....dohhhh.

So to horse....nothing on the agenda for today so I have a blank canvas to work on....I shall report later....

Sunday 8th April

Busy in the garden today and full of energy.  Dug over my vege patches and planted up parsnips, red cabbage (how much?) two rows (especially for those who remember Victoria Woods), runner beans and leeks.  Not bad for someone who would never eat vegetables as a little one and drove my mother to distraction.  'This gravy has got onions in it' I would bellow.....I don't want it.'  I only ate new potatoes if they were small and as for 'greens' would only eat peas if they were processed and no other.  I was horrible and I bet she's watching me now and dad is chuckling his socks off.

It's going to be short and sweet tonight.  A thunderstorm has just made itself known with a few big claps so I'll be off then unless it's short lived.  I've also started off some sweet peas, honeydew melon and ornamental gourds so we'll be watching with interest won't we.

Another big bang from God with his clogs on....a Happy Easter to everyone....pretty quiet down here in my Muslim area....haven't seen an egg all day apart from in the kitchen....

Off now...it's getting nearer....

A Happy Easter to you Elsa
weather wise nothing for it but to batten down the hatch's with a drop of something  

Happy Easter Sugar
was that TWO RED CABBAGES . H is chucling wildely on the sofa ,i wont get any sence out of her all night now
See you soon G & H xx

Monday 9th April

Ah well, the thunderstorm fizzled out by the time I woke up in the chair infront of the fire last night.  My supper was spaghetti bolognaise and delicious and obviously was soporific or was that the wine?  Never sure but went to bed and slept the sleep of the just until six this morning and nodded until six thirty and my phone went just before seven and overnight rain and this mornings drizzle has stopped play.....the men are not working today and if it's raining tomorrow, they won't be here either.  I was in the process of checking out the weather on the BBC weather site when the phone went.

This mornings breakfast was baked beans that I had made myself and dug out of the freezer.  So tonight....remains of beans, some of the bolognaise and a little chili powder and with a portion of sauce into the freezer for another day.  Now I feel organised.

Just had to chase the one bloody cow that insists that the grass is greener in my garden than on the rest of the hillside.  She jumps in from the higher ground and really struggled to get out having to climb over the guttering that I've strung up in the hedge line.  I had the intention of getting out the barbed wire and wrapping it round the fence posts and the trees but it was so cold out there that I came back in and settled down in front of the fire.  Now to check the seeds and I might even complete Fort Knox to keep that beauty out.... where's that winter sweater.....I think it's back again.

Monday continued

I'm scratched to buggery....it had to be done...two in the garden.  The one knew how to get out...the other didn't so a little gentle persuasion with a half a house brick and a lot of noise made its mind up that it was safer out than in.  It didn't do it very elegantly but buggers can't be chooses and that's not a typo.  So two out and my original was heading in the general direction.  I was in the field the other side of my fence and just hoping that it  wasn't going to make a late charge....ha ha...now let it try it. The barbed wire is in place and secured with more wire.  It's attached to the trees in the garden, a bit more fencing and there are three rows so I hope their eyesight is good or I might just hear the screams as they are impaled.  I better empty the freezer ready.  The fence doesn't look pretty...but it looks effective and might just do the job of keeping those cows out.

Five o'clock my time....the weather has cleared a little but as I said, it's pretty cold today and it's almost tempting to go back to the Bulgarian vest that was discarded last week.  Now here's a funny.  Casting a clout until May is out...now I always thought it was the month of May and I was informed recently that it is May blossom...learn something new every day and never too old to learn.  

Al Murray on the radio on BBC2 and I'm listening to the traffic chaos on the motorways.....I really don't miss it.  Coffee calls.....early supper and I've started a new book so I know what I'll be doing tonight.

Hope you had a nice Easter Elsa! Sounds like you have sorted the cows at last, mind you, the house brick sounded as bad as the barbed wire.   I could just picture you sitting on the freezer trying to get the lid to close. Take care and enjoy your book. x

Tuesday 10th April

Cold this morning but at least the rain didn't stop play.  The men set themselves up in the workshop but moved all of the wood to the upper floor and built the walls for the upstairs terrace.  It's beginning to look like a house.

Did my student this afternoon and I think he was demob happy.  I didn't get a lot of sense out of him and he was in a very amusing mood.  He serenaded me with an harmonica, sang to me, told me about his favourite pop music but refused to tell me the name of his girlfriend. The finale was an attempt at an Indian head massage using a piece of kit that they had purchased on one of the shopping expeditions.  

Took the men homewards and we stopped off to try to obtain roof tiles since I don't have enough to finish it of my own.  Several houses in Samodiva and managed to find some in the men's village so now we have to arrange transport.  The price is right to the deal is on.

Went to my restaurant tonight and sat down to supper with the owner and the family.  A huge Moussaka was shared but I was criticised for not eating enough.  Played with the little girl with her plasticine and then homeward bound.  Fire was going but very low when I got home...bed calls...it's gone pretty chilly tonight and the weather report is for minus one....so slight frost.

LN....going for my first drink of the evening....