Monday 1st April

So white rabbits....and let's see what the British press bring out for 1st April....I'm on spoof watch....

And white rabbits to you too, now that I am qualified to say it here!

Quoted from gottaknit

And white rabbits to you too, now that I am qualified to say it here!

Monday continued...

You have been validated and so you should..I cleared five hundred souls that want to join if only to sell stuff...Hopefully it will be sorted in the next day or two.  I could put on a 'capcha' if I knew what the hell I was doing but I'll just ban all guests and work on 'invitation' only.

So what a lovely day today...I had two lots of washing swaying in the breeze by just after nine.  Emaula called round with the five leva but he only had a ten and wanted five leva change...let's go for another day and no, I'm not driving to Djebel since you missed the bus.

Played around in the garden and realised that there were far more weeds than I wanted.  Removed some of them but the wrist balks at too muck pain so I balk at the challenge.  Do I push it way and beyond or listen to the distant voice and I think I should listen.

Phoned my Librarian and worked out that the reason she wasn't connecting to M-tel was that she hadn't paid her bill.  Pointed her in the right direction, she paid by credit card over the phone and hunky dorey now...she's back online.  She came over, we had lunch and she played on he internet and so did I.  Chatted up my friend in Gibraltar, wrote several emails that had been lingering and did a little work.    Saw my village ladies so made my way up to my Avatar's house and my next door neighbour asked me if I would use my lawn mower to trim her grass so that it looks pristine.  As soon as I'v worked out how to use it on mine...I'll let her know.  The grass is so damp in the mornings that there is no chance of running it over the garden.  She's premature but that's the nature of the beast....

Washing in at five. fire lit at five fifteen, bottle of the red stuff opened by five thirty under my own steam...result and poured, sampled and settled down with the Kindle for the hour.  Washing in and put away....not sure what the rest of the night will bring but I have the Kindle, the fire and time....

LN...I'm so chilled I need that fire...LN

Thanks Elsa! I so enjoy your blog and you are so reliable - never miss a day. I always look forward to your daily epistle!   Chris

Tuesday 2nd April

Thanks Chris...nice of you to say so....

Late start this morning...slept in until seven, grabbed myself a coffee and decided that my book was too good to put down so I went back to bed and at ten forty five my Avatar was at the door wondering what I was doing with my life.  She asked me if I was sleeping and I said no and that I'd just decided to go back to bed with a book which in their culture...you don't do.  Several of my neighbours had milked cows, fed chickens, walked sheep but the lazy English person...she reads books...  Now back to what she came round for.  A year and a half back, her son and daughter in law had a small problem with funds.  I coughed up to keep the balls in the air and she was there to pay me back.  Apparently it was drawn out of the bank this morning and had come down on the bus or with the milk wagon...I'm not sure which but it made me feel better knowing that she could sleep easier.  It worried her.

Delivered the rest of the chicken bones for Tommy and there was this amazing singing coming out of Hacibar's house....apparently they have women Hodgers (or muslim priests) and a session was going on in Hacibar's house and there were lots of shoes outside signifying a fair gathering.  All this was related to me when Tommy's chicken platter was returned to me containing a huge amount of rice with a little lamb interspersed and this was my lunch accompanied by a very sweet beverage laced with cloves.  Different.

So out to the garden, pitched the fork in a few times until I realised that my heart wasn't really in it despite the sun but a coolish wind.  Sat in the house, stretched out and read my book and at five, lit the fire and shut up shop.  Supper tonight was cold cooked chicken with a pot of mayo and I dipped and nibbled and nibbled and dipped until both pots were empty washing it down with a glass of the red stuff.  I suppose that's one thing about living on your own....I don't feel obliged to cater for anyone except myself unless I have invited guests.

Eight my time.....I think there's something left in the bottle...LN...back to the fire and the book.

Wednesday 3th March

Silly night...that chicken and mayo followed by half a box of vanilla filled chocolates were not the best thing to have before trying to rest my weary head.  Two thirty this morning I had indigestion to force me to get out the Kindle and read for about an hour.  Having said that and a few burbs later I was off to the land of nod and didn't wake up until seven forty....result.

Grabbed a coffee, looked at the dishes that needed to be washed up but made my way back to bed...my book had grabbed my attention and at nine thirty decided that I would face society.  Fortunately...society left me alone except for a man wanted to but metal with I chose to ignore.  Rather a dull day that turned into drizzle so I stayed inside and only went out to get logs when I thought that my supply might run out for today.....wrong...I think it was warmer outside than in....it's just so damp and miserable after a cracking couple of days...but that's April for you.

My rabbit, hare, was out scrabbling around in my garden today and I guess the sheep dogs got a whiff of it and stood, or rather sat, on sentry duty today to try and bag it.  I hope he's too clever for that.  In fact he came round this morning and again this afternoon...perhaps he's just winding them up

Sat in reading most of the day but did tackle the washing up this morning and it's all stacked away.  I wasn't particularly hungry but thought that I should eat and now I have chicken wings with a honey glaze and potatoes and onions browning in the over...I reckon another thirty minutes and I shall be up for a feast.  All hunky dory in my neck of the woods....I'll say LN...I have supper to think about and maybe a little of the local home made yogurt to help it down...no indigestion for me tonight...pretty please...LN

Thursday 4th April

Silly night again...the electricity went off at two thirty this morning and the UPS for the pump for the wood burner started wailing, warning me of the lack of input.  Decided that the best option was light on...doh...that was going to happen...cup of coffee...another doh...then I woke up to the fact that nothing was going to happen until power was restored.  Three thirty and then I could get the show on the road and the book out since that sleep that was lingering had drained.  Coffee made, light on...read book..light off. reset the clock...head down again and blow me down off it went again at six.  No rhyme or reason..... and it's been like the proverbial bride's nightie all day.  

Dull this morning...cleared up a little this lunchtime enough for me to dig over one of the little veg beds ready for the beetroot to go in, the tomato and cucumber beds are needing a little attention.  Emaula came round and returned that five leva that's been doing the rounds is now back in my sticky mitt and is going to stay on the table and see where it goes next.  It clouded over again but I had this big urge to get my head down for a while so snuck off to my virtuous pit for just over an hour and I was woken up by rain, two big claps of thunder and that's about it for today.  I've got the fire going ...it's now cold but damp and all my intentions of going into Djebel and organising parts for the Beast dissipated into the ether...I had neither the will or enthusiasm to attempt to translate that it could be the fuel pump seals, according to the Pajero Owners' Club, or the fuel regulator......  

So I'm out tomorrow...I'm off with my workers for a site visit complete with pen and paper and a measuring stick to do a favour for a friend...I'm hoping the weather keeps fine for us.  It's where I got my super glass thingy and i'm wondering what else I can come back with...need a swag bag.

LN...fire patrol, kitchen raid, new book to get stuck into and chocolate hunt for later....seems like it will be a good night and I'll have to black my boots for tomorrow..

Friday 5th April

Update today will be very speedy....I find myself at the Librarians tonight after a very full day and unfortunately we are suffering from a very crappy internet connection.

Had as super day with Bekir and Sally and did all of the stuff that we intended to do with regard to the friend's property but for the life of me I cannot find the apostrophe key to shorten my words on this keypad so bare with me.  Measurement taken, rough estimates achieved and sat with the boys on the terrace at home working out the figures.

Pictures of the bridge we went over that is just wide enough for the car will follow tomorrow....cannot really risk it tonight.  LN....I think that is a bottle of red I've a whiff of along with onions and sausages and a nice fat new crusty roll to go with it....Hard life...

Saturday 6th April

So as for going home today it didn't happen....I'm still at the Librarian's,have ruined my reputation by cuddling the new puppy that she has acquired.

We've had a good day...the man from the mosque is singing his message out tonight almost to agree with us that it has been good.  I learnt something about computers today and managed to go restore a backup to the old computer and unfortunately we had part deleted one of the programs so not able to get it back on the internet...such is life...and tomorrow is another day.

Breakfast was a half of the biggest grapefruit I thing I had ever seen with toast and marmite and closely followed at lunch time with fishfingers, chippies and mixed veg....now this hotel is for serious recommendation.

So what did we do today....we cleaned the tiles in the bathroom, she chucked out a load of junk, put back what she needed  and the rest has been scattered far and wide.  It's called distribution of assets to the needy.

So tonight I'm going to attack peanuts...the wine is unfortunately finished so we might take to the beer....but hey...that's life.  My bed is made up, my glass is still full and my PJ's are about to go on.....LN...I promise there will be photos tomorrow of the little dog that I might make my own....or it's brother....LN

Sunday 7th April

Lovely morning...dogs scooting around like crazy..slept until six, read for a while and then had an horrific dream that I was pleased to  wake up from...all to do with a rusty nail in my kneecap and getting it out...not pleasant.

Home by nine and settled down and worked out my lesson for today for my student...arrived at the allotted hour did what I had to do but lunch called.  Sat with the family and enjoyed every minute of it....they are a lovely unit.

Home and did the work that I had set myself of the day..I am struggling hard to stay focused...the wind is howling and it's not supposed to be like this...it is spring.

Supper cooked...spicy sausage with onions and a fried egg on bread....it was delicious...not much preparations and quick performance.  Fire going now and just about holding its own...off to sort it out but before I do I'll post the pickies of the bridge and the little bundle of fun...here yu go...