Tuesday 27th May

Up at five and put the washing in so that it would go in at night rate and out for six....Went back to bed and started reading another Rutherford because it seemed the most interested loaded onto the Kindle but I must look for more.  The 'New Forest' is closely following on from his 'Sarum" and I think I need a break from the phrases and descriptions...overload.

So off to pick up the men but went into Djebel to get some cash before I set off to but the metal to go in the rest of the wall.  I was picking up Ms Kingdom and yes I could have asked her for a sub until tonight but that's not me....so off to the cashpoint and one one didn't work but managed to get enough for what I wanted.  Mrs KD was waiting and picked up the men and over to the suppliers and Bekir advised her and ordered what she wanted...he's such a good bloke at organising.  Dropper her off, hers is delivered by lorry on Friday...mine was put in the boot of Beauty and the men were having to mind their heads....it was an accident waiting to happen but it didn't.

Men were busy with the wall and I decided to clear out the porch and tomorrow the weather shield comes down and there is a new welcome mat being installed.  The raised plinth means that the dust settles underneath but I need to amend the existing with a few nails and more long planks.  The rest of the day was taken up with using wood preservative on the antique stuff that I have around and black paint on the metal and to finish it off Emula arrived clutching what he said at first was a pottery family heirloom but we managed to get out of him that it came from a house that he demolished so he wanted twenty leva and Bekir told him that it was too much and despite the fact that I like it and would have paid it, Bekir wouldn't let me and we settled for fifteen but bear in mind that he still owes me the balance on the ciggies that I got him on Voting day...so he got sixteen for it.

As per normal the weather disintegrated this afternoon.  I was working in the garden and have coloured up beautifully but the clouds came over and the rain set in about three thirty and hung around until the end of the day with the thunder rumbling in the background....Don't know the answer to won't ask the question.

Men home...Emula is working tomorrow moving the tiles to near the outside toilet and digging the trench for the roof downpipes and stacking them near my little house garden.  We'll see how much he achieves before he wears us all out with his chatter.  Robbie Williams was playing tonight but for some reason he doesn't want to go on to the next track....Fire is going and there's really no need but the smell of wood smoke is worth the cost of lighting it...I cooked a spicy sausage at about four so no need for food tonight....I'll settle for a little mastica tonight...LN....I'm down to sort out Robbie...I wish...LN

Wednesday 28th May

Just before seven when I came to this morning and out with a coffee to view the estate but it was a little nippy and damp out there.  The sun was struggling hard but there were several layers of mist around.  Off to collect the men and by the time that I came back it had burnt off and it's been a beautiful day with only a few mounting clouds this afternoon and the odd rumble of thunder.  Now the men have this theory....they weren't mixing cement today and it was just prep work and shifting stuff and they reckon it only rains when we are laying concrete and to date that's been the case.  So on that theory it will rain tomorrow...they have a lot to lay.  Emula's job was to move the old roof tiles and they have been put on a concrete slab next to the outside toilet and handy for when we decide that the outside toilet should be a pretty little thing with a tiled roof and the thing should flush.  But it's way down the list of essentials.

Had a little trip into Djebel to get some junction pipes for the water course and the outside sink fittings and so I made use of the opportunity and paid my home phone bill after being threatened with excommunication.  I am now a fully paid up member and can't wait to see if the discount of one leva is applied to my next account...Also went into the one leva shop and managed to pick up some new biros since everyone that I seem to pick up to use never seems to work.....but ten for about eight pence is about right.  Also came back with a huge new plant that is supposed to flower all through the season but I must remember to bring it in for the winter....my little house is going to be full me thinks.

Facebook message for some strimmer cable from Ms Kingdom and I delivered some that I had in my workshop but much too thick so I'll do it in Kardjali when I'm there tomorrow.  Men home, IU had to carry on to Djebel for fuel so that I can pick the men up in the morning, two spicy sausages with a fried egg for supper washed down with a little beer.....I'm tired tonight and I've just realised how late it is so I'll say goodnight after I've posted pictures...LN...off to the big city tomorrow...LN

Thursday 29th May

Early start...five thirty out on the terrace and wondering why but made my coffee, the sun was coming up and the birds were singing and I reckon I now know why...it was a beautiful start to the day.  Into the shower and hair washed...today was my day in the big city so wanted to look my best....and that's a joke but it was important to smell good.  Over to the men....Sally wasn't able to play today...he had taken his wife to the hospital because of a bad back and I remarked to Bekir that it wasn't September and the tobacco finished so he had no right to take up doctor's time.  Having spoken to my Avatar this evening...apparently the polyclinic is rampant with people with bad everythings and she herself appears to be suffering and is due at the clinic any day now.  Fortunately her daughter in law is here so she will get it sorted...   Not down to me this time.

So as for my day.  I left the Bekir and Emula knowing that they knew what they were doing for the day and I went over to the schoolmasters, we headed into Kardjali to sort out his residency documents and that involved a translator.  I spoke about one of the daughters from the hotel that I used to stay at and that she does translation and blow me down but she was the one that the schoolmaster was using today but she was a little expensive.  I think fifty five leva for about one and a half hours work in anybody's book is expensive and she suggested that when my residency needs updating in July I go to her office and she will organise it.  On your bile sweetie...I can do it myself since mine is just an update.  We didn't do too much in town....over to my bed shop and he bought a mattress and once it was strapped on the roof of the jeep we headed to his place.

Hope for about three and I was so tired I started a sudoku and I fell asleep doing in  while the men worked away.  Four thirty I came to and made them coffee and set about with the lawn mower to try to break the back of what was left but ended up with the scythe ...the grass is really is so long.  The school master arrived at five thirty having taken one of his cars into the garage and he was on his way to take the Librarian's son home, dropped off a chair that I have acquired and I had arranged that since he was passing Bekir's door he could do me a favour.  Soi while they had coffee, the men and I had beer since no one was driving...Job was a guddun.

Lit a fire when they had all gone.  The chair is now installed in the hall just in case it rains and I'm told that there is a sofa to go with it that might be here tomorrow....and why not.  Feeling very chilled but knowing that I have a guest next week tomorrow is going to be a day of cleaning and preparation.  I've yet to move my bedroom upstairs leaving my winter bedroom free for my guest who prefers a cool dark den...

Now down to the kitchen to find something to nibble on.  We has lunch in town so there's no real need...just a yearning...LN....a very chilled day and loads achieved by the men...LN

Friday 30th May

Early start and so much so that I was knacked by about ten.  I called in at Ms Kingdoms to deliver the strimmer cable this morning and she said that we'd had one hell of a storm last night.  Now I'd heard the rumble in the jungle just before I laid my weary head on the pillow but that was as far as it went.  She said that she'd thought about my concrete where I hadn't and yes... the plastic buckets were full of water and it really must have been a downfall.  So checked out the damage with Bekir and all that was amiss was there was a little patch missing where they hadn't put the downpipes in and it had poured down.  Easily repaired and it was ...I also have a window ledge where there was nothing before and the outside of the wall is now faced up as is my side.  Sally had to be inventive with an umbrella though...he used an insulation board balanced on the top of the wall with the weight of the hammer holding it in place.  

I've pottered and pushed in the garden today.  The Vesuvius type mounds are now flat to the earth and I've cleaned out one of the beds near my Tomb garden and that's now seeded with rye grass....The soakaway is now complete in the garden with the addition of two extra lengths of plastic piping and as push came to shove, they'd tidied up most of what they've touched for the last few months.  I had a gardening lesson from Sally and my tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are now strung up awaiting that burst of strength that takes them from being low life to soaring in the upper echelons.  

Men home and paid them for their endeavours this week....Bekir is looking forward to ten days of his own work and then they move on to the Schoolmasters to start knocking seven bells out of his roof.  Supper tonight is chicken wings with thinly sliced potatoes and onions covering them and I'm down for a feast...it looks like there is enough for the five thousand....LN....I'm just about so see how much I can manage...LN

Saturday 31st May

And yes it's raining again and what a miserable morning to wake up to.  So this month is almost over and it would be good if June brings us the sun back.  The view from the desk is just as magical in its own way though.  The way that the clouds rise off the mountains, dissipate and then build somewhere else needs to be checked out regularly.  I sat at my desk this morning and at first it looked like the mist envelope the top of the big pointy one and then it smothered it and went somewhere else.

Took me a while to get going this morning and I put some new curtain rings on the pole in my downstairs bedroom....and started the big clean for my guest who is arriving on Tuesday.  Two loads of washing were done when I saw a glimmer of sun and most of it dry enough to get put on the airer and should be finished by the morning.  I got the scythe out again and cleared some more of the grass...there's only about twenty square meters left to cut down and then when it dries out or should I say, if it dries out, I can get the mower over it.  I threw most of the trimmings over the fence for the animals, there was no way that you could get a fire going.  Finished off the chicken wings from last night for lunch, poodled out in the garden until it started to rain again and there was the odd rumble of thunder and it's starting to get through to me.  Did manage to get some poppy pictures before the rain came down and this is a special one to go with somebody's new décor.....  

Lit the fire to cheer the place up a bit, cooked beans on toast for supper and promptly lay down on the activity centre and dropped off to sleep which is the result of getting up at five thirty in the morning.  When I eventually came too I thought it must be about two in the morning but it was just after ten so it's probably an early start again tomorrow..  Note to self....get back into the correct sleeping pattern.  LN.....back to my book but this time I'll be in bed if I fall asleep....LN