Friday 25th October

Six thirty start and I was determined to get out there and catch the hojja in the mosque and the dogs at morning prayers but there was so much mist out there that you would have seen nothing and has it happened, I heard nothing either.  No hojja, no dogs but maybe it was the morning mist that put everybody off.  Not only was it mist but it was the wettest mist that you couldn't call rain that I've ever experienced.  Heavy fog all the way through to getting the men and back again and that lorry that was supposed to have been loaded and was to be here at eight thirty, I reckon that it must have been diverted via Sofia...It arrived at about two this afternoon.  

So the men's first job was to take down the old pit that we stored the lime for the building work, tidy the yard in preparation for the coming of the wood and they'd finished that by nine.  Ordered some more ballast and that arrived promptly, the lorry backed in, dropped its load and left.  Again I'm beginning to resemble a builder's yard which in effect, I am.  The dilemma now was whether to carry on with the building work or wait for the wagon but suddenly the decision was made...the cement for the wall was mixed and my third buddy was out collecting stone from the four corners of my garden.  That wall is growing rapidly with a stone collector on hand and it really has saved time over the last two days and all thanks to my purchasing the second wheelbarrow.  

As I said, the lorry arrived after lunch and the men flagged him down and fortunately the lorry could back into the drive so instead of the wood being on the outside of the gate...it was unloaded inside making it much easier for cutting and storing which will be done on Monday.  Change for the men...stonewall building is a hard job...but someone has to do it and fortunately I know two that are good at it.  I also am the proud possessor of a certificate to confirm that the wood is authentic and not nicked from any forestry from the neighbourhood...neat.  Lorry unloaded by my third man and the driver's mate while the driver sat and watched as did my men.  My Avatar came round along with another neighbour...when wood is delivered they all appear to see if it's good value and um and arr at it.  They made a good job of it.  I nipped into Djebel and sat with my student's mum for about an hour.  I miss our chats but since the boy has now gone to 'big' school in Kardjali, there is no chance of a lesson since he gets home so late.

Men home, me tapping this out with another glass of the dark stuff from last night.  Made a chicken curry for lunch so not really in the mood for food so far tonight.  Third man paid off and he is with us again on Tuesday...he has work to do on documents on Monday so can't manage it but since the chainsaw work is already scheduled, he would only have helped out with that but I think I might be doing the stacking.  Enough for tonight...I'm going back to my fire that is going great guns.  I had the sense to light it before I took the men home tonight ...I think the temperature might drop rapidly tonight...there's frost in the air...LN....down to throw another log on...LN

Saturday 26th October

Seven forty start now that's more like it.  And then I lolled around knowing that it was a house clean day but did I want to start it?  Not on your life.  I went on to the computer and then I spoke sharply to myself as you do when there's no one else to do it and switched it off and got started.  By now I'd wasted a couple of hours but since they are mine, all mine to waste, I didn't exactly beat myself up over it...it just 'delayed' things a little.

Hoover out, corners investigated, freezer moved , everywhere mopped through, dust shifted around a bit, two loads of washing completed and hung out, showered and hair washed by two, in the car and good to go by three.  Rubbish dropped off in Djebel skip and old beer bottles to my student's father shop and recycled as oil container and now I'm cooking on gas so to speak.  So armed with my list I'm into Lidl and it is so busy....I was very tempted to go to Billa instead but I do like their fish fingers so I stayed with it.  Lots of meandering sheep in there today and now that they've introduced the baskets on wheels for the customers who don't want to take a trolley...lethal...absolute mayhem.  Even in their cars they're not much into spacial awareness, consideration or thinking let alone caring about other road users.  I think the best one today was letting a three year old drive the basket on wheels...that's going to work then.

Most on the list purchased, stopped off at Djebel and got the rest and home and unpacked for five thirty.  Washing in, folded and put away and a four cheese pizza from the 'reduced for quick sale' was slammed in the oven and I'm now munching away at it as we speak washed down with a German Premium Pils.  Seven thirty my time...it's been a very gentle day with the odd spurt of action and the weather is cracking.  Topped thirty two today and that's not bad for the end of October and I've only just lit the fire for a homely glow and closed the doors and windows.  This pizza deserves a little more attention than I'm giving it...LN...it's book time...LN

Sunday 27th October

So this morning I awoke at four thirty and my mind was going over what I was going to cook for the family this lunchtime.  Now I've cooked before, entertained but not quite with another culture and I realised that after buying pork as well as the chicken wings that pork might be off the men...but there was only the one that abstained.  Had a few jobs to do before I started in the kitchen like last minute bathroom routine, the rest of the house was finished yesterday and by nine this morning I was all good to go.  Decided to have a few minutes on the computer and suddenly realised that time was running away with me so dressed, got stuck into sweet and sour pork, peeled potatoes and carrots, chicken wings into the oven and at this point it was looking good.  I'd put a note into my keys that I needed to stop off and get some yogurt and white cheese on my way in to collect them and by what I thought was eleven fifteen I was at their house.  Surprise, surprise...no one was ready.  I dug out an axe that I'd found in Beauty's boot realising earlier in the week that their father must have left it there when we went to get the walnuts.  I handed it over to great sighs of relief.  Apparently he had searched for it for the last two days accusing various people of having lost it and all the time it was him.

Now let's get back to why no one was ready....the clocks had fallen backwards and I hadn't noticed.  My computer hadn't reported it, just done it and it was only twenty past ten.  The lunch was cooking, I'd put the chicken, pork potatoes and carrots into the oven before I'd left so it looked like we were on for an early, and I probably should refer to it as 'brunch'.  As it happened, they hadn't been to the house before so spent about an hour looking at everything and replanning their house and making offers on this property if and when the father wins the Toto.    Braised red cabbage was the only thing that I had to do and we sat out in the garden with yogurt drink for starters closely followed by water for the daughters, a little red wine for the mother and father had a beer.  Into the kitchen and everything went down well and I have enough left to feed the five thousand or so.  Finished off with coffee and I got them back home for two thirty since they have more visitors from Turkey...it's the silly season for guests.

Kitchen finished, fire lit, wood day tomorrow and a few pictures for you.  LN....time to relax..tomorrow is a work day...LN

Monday 28th October

Now that hour got the better of me but this morning I felt like enjoying it.  I got the camera and took a few of the dawn, one from my desk and posted on FB and then down for coffee...and back to bed with a book.  I don't think that I mentioned that I'd picked up The Bone Setters Daughter and at thirty five percent I was about to drop it again but then came...Part Two and I'm enthralled.  Eventually put it down and jumped into warm clothes to pick up the men but by the time that I came back it was warming up nicely.  Now you know that I don't mind sharing my men with the rest of the village but this morning I was a little put out by it.  Semile was round and Bekir was making him something for when he had two loads of ready mix delivered and this took about an hour to make.  It's Monday...first day back and he's working for someone else that isn't paying for his time and I don't think I was very charitable...but I made it me known when someone else came round for something else.  I think my comment was that it's a good job that I bring a workman  to the village for everyone's use...

The men eventually got on with the wall and it's going up...slowly.  Breakfast was poached eggs on toast and afterwards I sat on the lounge terrace with my book until I was almost melting into a glutinous pool so in I came and did a bit on the internet to cool down. Men broke for lunch and the coffee came thick and fast, the wall continued and so I went back to Angry Birds and the book.  I almost felt the urge to go out and start collecting stone but I got over it quite quickly...that's for another day and another man who will be here tomorrow...that's after they've got rid of the wood pile.

So several messaging on Facebook and emails and the sky tonight was really worth recording and obviously I did.  Men home, beer poured and the rest of the pork from yesterday and the veg have been drowned in a Madras sauce and will be ready in approximately ten minutes.  The remainder of the chicken wings have been put in the slow cooker with the remainder of the sauce and that will be tomorrow's offering and not to the gods.

I'm off to read the rest of my book now that I have one that I'm really in to.  This hour is so good since I have more time to do 'stuff' in the evenings as the men go home an hour early.  LN....I'm bound for the kitchen and supper and ...well a little beer might be in order...LN

The photos tonight are breathtaking Elsa.  We had no sunset here, well at least not one that we were able to see anyway, just very heavy rain and dark clouds until darkness took over.

Hi Elsa. Photos are great. so wish I was there sometimes just looking at your view....lol
Wall looks good, and the men do a good job. Take care and not envying u the winter coming on. We are to have a hot day tomorrow...35

Tuesday 29th October

Thank you both for such wonderful encouragement...I hope you can both get here at some point though not at the same time....Yes Linda...winter draws on and here goes that old joke again...as for you Danuta...all you want to do is hug a tree....you can get sectioned for that...

Five o'clock start and again I'm not fully adjusted to that hour of the clock but I do feel fully awake by the time that I take my drive to pick up the men.  Busy day today...they wanted supplies from Djebel, I wanted to purchase and send a birthday present and a card and the post office...and I should know by now stops at twelve and opens at one and what time did I get there...twelve fifteen but I was the first in the queue for one ten....but there was no queue.  So it was 'OK Elsa...what can I do for you'...but in Bulgarian and it's rather reassuring that they know you and you feel that your letter is going to make it and on time.  I got a receipt to say that I had posted it...I've never checked out if the receipt means anything...tova e Bulgaria.

Back with my two kilograms of size six nails and a bottle of oil for the chain saw...and it went on the bill.  It's rather nice that I have a bill at my student's parents shop but it's in credit and I'm not sure that that's known in Bulgaria.  The bike is going in for service and that too will be knocked off the bill as will the Beast when I managed to get it out of the yard for all the wood that's there.

Wall still going up at an alarming rate and the other gate pillar was erected this afternoon.  My third man is working so well but I'm wondering if I should be deducting his money from the first man on the list....I'll confirm it tomorrow.  Today I've had lots of visitors...Emula was back and asking if he could work and Bekir tried to convince him that if he was a good neighbour he would do it for free...how does it go...fat chance or no chance....  I did get out there for a while with my excavating tool and helped the third man to dig out the stone for the wall...He appreciated it if no one else did.  As I said ...we've had a succession of bodies here this afternoon.  One whose son works in the garage in Djebel and someone else on a motor bike who apparently is related to Emula.

Men home, well Bekir not quite home....I dropped him off at the local watering hole so not sure what state I'll find him in tomorrow morning....I'm home...fire lit and curry cooking and the chicken is for the dogs tomorrow and I'll watch Tommy as he goes for it.  Mine is on the woodburner finishing off...LN....we've had beautiful sunsets tonight so at the risk of boring you ...I'm going to post a couple...now down for supper...LN

That wall looks fantastic Elsa! Bill and Ben are really talented, and how well they can turn their hand to anything is amazing !  

You are going to have a few unhappy cows by the time they've finished  

Wednesday 30th October

Quoted from MikeyB

That wall looks fantastic Elsa! Bill and Ben are really talented, and how well they can turn their hand to anything is amazing !    You are going to have a few unhappy cows by the time they've finished  

Mikey B if I calculated the cost of the wall...there'd be one more unhappy cow....   'nuff said....

Now another beautiful day in paradise....I went out to video it and a stupid dog started barking for no apparent reason (to me) but it buggered up the shot.  Perhaps I should have shot him instead but the second one of the sun coming up was well worth the cold chills in my PJ's to get it.  Trouble is the house holds the heat so well that you forget what's outside until you stand there with bare feet for a couple of minutes or so....

Men working...we've just finalised the height of the wall, panels and column on that f** packet and all's going to plan...so far....

Thursday 31st October

I lost two lev today on a bet that I thought I had every chance of winning.  Now I've been waiting for a man and his tractor to come and straighten out the wire that gets delivered in a coil and we attach one end to a tree and the other to a tractor or a lorry and jobs-a-guddun.  This tractor man has been asked and yes...yes...yes and nothing so he said that he would be round this morning and I bet Bekir that again it was an empty promise.  So this morning I threatened to confiscate Bekir's telephone so that he wasn't able to call Semile but lo and behold.....nine forty five or thereabouts...I hear the tractor coming along the road and I'm saying 'but it hasn't stopped yet' ...but it did...so I dutifully took two lev out of my purse and shoved it in the top pocket of Bekir's overalls much to the amusement of Sally and my third man.  Now I got chastised for this Semile declaring that I was one of little faith....but on form...he wouldn't have been here but I'm so pleased that he was.  Ten minutes with a tractor and that coil of wire is now two one hundred meter lengths stretching down the road shortly to be converted into pillars and support for concreting for my wall.

So on my way back from picking up the men there was this almighty bang like a spring going and sure enough it was.  My speedo had finished working so a trip to the garage was called for.  They identified what was wrong, had the part, got it down from the shop, fitted it and there was still a problem so at my suggestion we took the dashboard control panel apart....I reckoned it was something to do with the balance that had gone off course when the bank took place and sure enough...a few 'tings' and everything back to normal.....reassembled and speedo working again.

Now back to the ranch and Bekir was 'umming and aarrggghing' and deciding to reassemble the metalwork he'd spent the morning creating and I think it was a moment of 'back to the drawing board Cecil'.  It was all taken apart and I thought the best option was to make coffee and smile which I did.  It's now done to spec...the men when home fairly happy but I went out there at the last in semi-darkness and asked Bekir why was that round the other way to the others....Tools down...he said his brain had packed up for the day so home James...and don't spare the horses....

Supper tonight was a huge omelette...potatoes, onion, and spicy sausage with a dash of chili flakes and washed down with a little mastika...the local pernod.  Eric Clapton, me and a spicy sausage omelette so what could be better.  I'm closing up the shop soon..witches abroad and all that and flying broomsticks...just as well that I got some fuel into mine....LN....starry night....