Saturday 18th April

What a silly four o'clock start again and I looked out of the window and the new solar orbs that I'd bought from Lidl were glowing but my only thought was that I needed to paint faces on them....I'm not sure they are an addition to the garden but with modifications they will be fine.

So my message went out to a good friend for help with the Pajero gearbox.  The garage aren't totally au fait with the automatic stuff but the champion has written the instructions down and I shall be into the shop tomorrow and keeping finger crossed.  He used to work on all sorts of engines and I'm hoping that all steps are in place.

Finished the shelves off at eight this morning....and then started on the garden.  The plants are all in, I've planted beetroot, garlic, red cabbage and if anyone asks me how much it is probably more than I can manage to eat.  I've also put in carrots but I'm suspecting that the ants will enjoy the change of diet as they collect the seeds.  The zinnias are scattered far and wide and the nasturtiums are in and now can we have some rain.  I've also repotted the geraniums, sorted out the other pots and all in all it's been a good day.

I've had an annoying time with the lawnmower.  One of the back wheels has stripped the thread so tomorrow I'm into the hardware shop for another bolt.  I tried desperately to attach it with a nut on the inside but the only nut was the one trying to get the job done.  The circumference of the wheel was too great to get my fingers behind it to guide it into place.  

Just finished supper....spicy sausage with potato salad and I know it's what I had last night but it is quick and easy and tasty.  Just after seven my time and I'm about to put the boiler on and have a bath....I feel like lying there and soaking.  No photo's today,,,I've been too busy...I'll make up for it tomorrow...LN

Sunday 19th April

Five o'clock start so that's better than four but not so good as six...Aggrhhhh'.  Walked the garden and spotted a mole that has been killed by something and not eaten or maybe it's just old age....anyway one down and hopefully more to go.

Coffee, book, Angry Birds, shampoo, shower by eight and ready for the day.  I printed off the instructions from my local English friend as how to repair and automatic gearbox and set sail for Djebel.  The shop was closed so I headed for the hardware shop to try to buy my bolt for the lawnmower but to no avail.  Instead I got a smaller one with spacers and I'm just hoping it will do the job.

On to my students and she has a sudden attack cold sores so I stood well back from the friendly greeting.  She had no idea what caused it and apparently she has kissed no one!!..The sister was crying her eyes out and she told me that we were having banichka with grated potatoes and onions for lunch and that's why she was in tears.  So a pleasant day with the family, rain had stopped play with the garden and so they were all in getting bored.  We had lunch which was delicious but mine was banicka with grated carrots and fried nardinitsa while the rest of them had a green salad.  The afternoon enjoyment was colouring mother's hair with a dark chestnut colour pack and we discussed the benefits of using natural henna against artificial products.

Home for just after three noticing that the garage shop was open so I dropped off the recipe for a successful programming of an automatic gearbox and I'm sure there will be questions tomorrow.  Fire lit tonight....it is cold and damp and I watched the European gymnastics on TV since there was nothing else of interest to watch.  Fire burning brightly, I've just finished a packet salted peanuts and half a bar of chocolate and what is it with this unseasonal weather that you are forced to eat enjoyable rubbish.  Cows were circling but no invasions so I'm safe for another day.

Eight my time....motor racing on the TV so I.m about to put the computer to bed, find more decent books on the Kindle and fill my brain with other things....LN....I'll let you know what I come up with...LN

Elsa, you something big on the fence looks very like a cuckoo to me - just by the way it is sitting. Of course, it could just be the sex that doesn't make a cuckoo noise (can't remember which), but it is very unsporting of them to not annouce who they are!

Monday 20th April

I think it's too big for a cuckoo Jean although there are several around.  This morning I went out on to the balcony, the mist had obscured the mountains and the hillside but the birds were magic.  

The sun eventually broke through though barely and I went out to think about putting in some more plants but came in pretty quickly.  That wind was chilling.  I settled for a coffee and it was going to be a toasted sandwich but then the electricity went off so it was just a spread cheese sandwich but fortunately I'd already made the coffee.  Angry birds ran out of juice on the Kindle, the other gaming machine went into the orange telling me to get the thing charged and all that was left was the book I'm reading on the original Kindle that I'm reading under sufferance.  I've been too lazy to get another series underway.  No power so went out and fixed the wheel on the lawnmower giving me total status as an engineer.  I just put more spacers in a smaller bolt and it did the job beautifully.  I went over the top part of the garden since it was looking a little raggedy and then tried a few long runs towards the bottom of the garden but since it rained yesterday it was really hard going.  Eventually I came up with a solution...I got the scythe out and took a lot of it down, cleared the cuttings and put it down the bottom of the garden and then went over the trimmed area with the lawnmower.  Tomorrow will see the end of it that's if I can raise the enthusiasm and it doesn't rain overnight.  It's a hard slog but somebody has to do it and since there is only me...'nuff said...

Sat out in the swinging chair in the cherry tree and just enjoyed the view and the birds.  There is a nightingale that is claiming my garden, the woodpecker from this morning was bashing seven bells out of the walnut at the bottom of the garden and several small birds were adding to the calls.  I came in at six thirty, put fish fingers and potato wedges in the oven while I sat and watched Eggheads and sipped a little beer.  Supper ready, served it with mayo and now it's almost nine my time so I might even think about sourcing a new book series....LN....I'm on the hunt...LN

Tuesday 21st April

So it rained in the night and so my plans to finish the grass were scuppered but it cleared up enough to work outside.  It was a seven o'clock start which wasn't bad saying that I took to my virginal couch at just before ten.....a good night's sleep for me.  I'd done lots of work in the garden so it was the sleep of the truly knackered and hopefully tonight will be the same.

It started with thinking about clearing the tools from the little house but before that I had to clear the logs from the floor of the workshop.  There are some biggies left over from the winter and I've decided to stack them not get them cut.....I don't need them so they'll start me off for next winter.  I also made a unit for putting the garden tools in to save them falling all over the place and it's used up the old shutter from the bathroom window which was made when I first came out.  It's not pretty but it's functional.  

Lunch was potato salad with a tin of tuna thrown in and I sat in the sun and enjoyed the view.  I was straight back to it though and have cleared the old logs that have been hanging around all winter and they're stacked on the workshop terrace and that's completely cleared now.  I've burnt some of the debris...some of the old logs were falling apart to they're now reduced to ash and it will go back on the garden.  I came in at six and put in a couple of pork chops with home made barbeque sauce and potato wedges into the oven so that I could go back outside and finish off.  I feel I've had a good day...tomorrow I shall be gardening if the weather holds but as it looks at the moment....I might just be sitting reading a book and so I better find a good one.  Supper finished, a little beer on the go and a little Filmon tv, bath to soak away the aches and pains and early night.  LN...only a potting bench to make now for the terrace to get rid of the pots....I'll just go and sharpen the saw...LN

Wednesday 22nd April

What a sleepless night….I’ve got something on my brain that I’ll share with you later but now is not the right time.  Three of the clock and I’m tossing and turning so I decided that Angry Birds was favourite and did manage to complete two long standing puzzles and then I was on to Ms Blake the vampire slayer.  I’m really trying hard with this book and then the message came up to recharge my Kindle so that was put to bed…..if only I could be.  

Put the washing on at five thirty and made coffee and eventually I closed my eyes at around six thirty and catnapped sufficiently to face the day.  Sun was up at six forty five more or less but there was a magnificent front over the mountains so the sun wasn’t up for long.  It’s been a typical day of sunshine and showers but the showers have not been that heavy at all.

I pegged out the washing, got rid of my kitchen and bathroom waste paper and the fire was so easy to light and then went back to sorting out the really decomposing wood and moved some of it back to the stack.  I went down to get a loaf of bread from the mobile magazine and there was my neighbour and without the plaster.  She took great delight in telling me that she told the doctor that I had given her cream and a rubber ball and she knew just what to do.  I think he took a backward stance on the matter….love her.  I also brought back a Tout Manic which is a white cheese heavily greased bun and it did the trick and gave me the energy to carry on with the grass and wonder of wonder…it’s more or less finished with only the edges to do.  It was done in stages though…I came in….I went out…I came in…I went out and it was a little more every time.   Success….I’m rarely beaten.

So finished in the garden when it started to rain again and came in, had a shower and washed my hair and settled down to do toe nails that were in desperate need of love and attention….and my finger nails have been dosed up with hardeners…I caught the stork on it’s way to the feeding ground but only just and after I hard day and an early morning….I’m really looking forward to getting into my nest tonight but I really must find a better book.  A little red on the go, fire lit and if I my internet comes back I’ll post…otherwise it will be tomorrow…LN

Thursday 23rd April

So last night I was falling asleep by nine thirty so I took to my virtuous couch and anticipated a three o'clock start but instead I was pleasantly surprised to make it through to five thirty.  That's not bad for me.  Coffee, Angry Birds, a little book and then saw the start of the morning.

Watched the sun come up and noticed that there was a frost covering on the grass and went out to check the temperature and it was down to zero  and I was amazed and very thankful that I'd lit the fire last night to keep the house up to eighteen degrees.  So washing in at six and ready to peg out by eight, I stood in the garden and listened to the birds and all sorts singing their little hearts out.  There were the hoopoes, cuckoos, a blackbird and a nightingale all seeking attention.  Breakfast was bacon, egg and fried bread and the intention was to get to the garage and get Beauty oil changed, winter tyres off and summer tyres on and generally get it ready for the summer.  I'd been parking it in the garage and I noticed that there was some oil on the concrete but they put it up on the ramp and it's a little leakage from the gear box and I had it confirmed that that's what Renault are renown for.  There was an update on the Beast, the engine is in and working fine but I've told them there's no rush and the garage owner's Renault has to have the clutch replaced so it takes a preference over mine and they are inundated with tyre changes....I'm in no rush.

A little shopping in town, back for three more or less, washing in and carried on sorting stuff from the little house to go into the workshop.  Avatar came round at around five and told me that Crave Mush wife who I was talking to only on Monday suddenly passed away this afternoon.  She'd been complaining of high blood pressure so the funeral is tomorrow.  I think it brings it home to the locals....as I've said I'm very lucky to be here at this pivotal time in the life of the older Muslim people in this area of Bulgaria.  I'm watching history being made....

So not many photos today...you can see the start and end of my day....and that's about it.  Tomorrow I'm carrying on with my work to get the little house empty...it will make it much easier for electrics, water and floors to be laid and those are the tasks after the wall is built and that's paramount for this year.....Bastard bovine will not invade.  So LN.....I'm about to go and do something with some mince that I took out this morning....LN

Friday 24th April

Five thirty start this morning and so much for my plan.  Last night's extravaganza in the kitchen was a homemade hamburger so breakfast was that that I didn't manage to eat last night.  Beautiful sunrise and managed to capture it....

Out to the garden and walked the estate.  I watered all the things that needed it and had a word with those plants that had recently been laid into the outside world.  Everything is good.  The pyracantha stolen from the Polyclinic has a superb root system and it must be because it comes from the local day hospital...it is full of  hope.  Went into the workshop and moved a few things around but then the mood took me to clear out the corridor area where I spend the winter and take out the carpets and beat the hell out of them.  They were out on the line and then I washed the zebra throws and the corridor was looking very empty.  Removed the shelving thing that has spent it's time in the bedroom and it's now out on the kitchen patio.  Got the new hoover from the workshop and cleaned it out....took up most of the carpet but as I moved quickly to get the carpet up I tripped up on the edge of it and over I went.  I have a bruised knee and I've bandaged up the left wrist and not a drop of alcohol in sight....

Carpets cleaned, everything hoovered, floors washed and carpets hanging on the line.  Bashed and dedusted and the carpet from upstairs is now in the lounge area and I have my lounge carpet on the upstairs landing.

Only commiseration is that I appear to have knackered my wrist so tonight I'm off for a bath and soaking the offending limbs with hot water and soothing gels....I have a knee that will scab...and wrist that will bruise beautifully and eventually heal....Bugger isn't it.

Chicken wings in the oven with potato wedges...the dish of mayo is waiting its delivery...LN...not sure of photos...the wrist sort of set me back...so you have only the morning....