Friday 1st May

Six thirty start and what a beautiful morning it was....sun was coming up and stayed that way at least until lunchtime but that's another story.

I looked out and Star Mush daughter had plonked a car partly blocking my exit to pick up the men and it was with a little trepidation that I eased the car out of the gap...as the old saying goes...mind the gap.  I headed for Djebel realising that there was not enough fuel to do the outward/ inward/ outward / inward for the day so better to top it up before the day begins.  Got to the men for just on eight and notice Mrs Bekir standing at the end of their lane so went over for a chat.  It's the first time that I've really seen her since the grandchild was born and I heard all about the little newby.  

So back to mine, the bread van was just arriving and I decided to treat everyone to breakfast but all of the breakfast goodies had gone so we all had nothing tasty.  I ended up with toast and jam which filled a little hole well and the men were left to their own devices.  Emula was there in his work dungarees and I was hoping that they were going to do the trick and they appear to have.

The wall is coming along nicely considering they've only been at it for a week.  We've organised a digger machine to do the rest of the trenches and have their phone number.  It will make the job much easier for the men and cheaper for me.  I've already done my costings in my head.  Men home...they were leaving early today so that I could get to my student's for supper.  Emula decided that he wanted to come into Djebel with me so I had his company to take the men home and back into Djebel.  I stopped off for five minutes for an update on the Beast which I'll tell you about when I really understand it......and then over to my students.  

Now we have this running joke with table napkins where the father likes to cut them up into halves and if we let him get away with it quarters.  I arrived with three hundred of the beauties and we marked my name on the outside of the package and I've said that if I want three or four of them he can stop me and no cutting them up.  I think mother was a little embarrassed at his thinking and said that I don't have to bring serviettes with me....I laughed and said that I know and it's my little joke.  I tool lavender plants for the girls and a lavender bag that I'd made last year and the girls were over the moon and their brains are in the design stage for next lavender season.

Enough for tonight...it's been a really chilled day apart from the thunderstorm that lasted all of three claps and you're out and a fantastic downpour that stopped play for a while.  LN.....I'm hoping that his posts OK ...you can never tell for the first of the month and white rabbits ...I forgot...LN

Saturday 2nd May

Sleep of the just last night....woke up at seven, beautiful morning and took the day rather gently with coffee, internet and catching up with posts.

Stripped the beds and got the first load in this morning at the cheap rate, and the second, third and forth were at normal rate but it's still cheaper than the UK.  Dug out part of the lawn to make a new garden at the bottom of the garden and planted zinnia.  Re-edged the little house walled garden and found loads of self set poppies that are now spread far and wide around the rest of the garden.  I didn't manage to tackle the lawn...it was just too damp so it's there for another day.

I came in and made beans on toast for lunch or rather brunch...it was now heading for midday.  Came in at two after working on the garden again and I was surprised when a car drew up and the Librarian arrived clutching a Jasmine that she had found in Lidl...there were two...one for both of us.  I'm going to take cuttings from this one....the last one I thought was ready for the garden perished.

So phone call from a friend in the UK to talk about their house and what needs to be done, it started to rain and my last load was getting a little damp so in it came and I lit the fire to make sure that it's aired.  I've half made up the downstairs bed and not even started on the upstairs bed yet.  It's supposed to be my migration day but as it stands now...not sure.  

Chicken wings went in with potato wedges, came out and have been demolished.  All that remains is the washing up which can wait for another day,  I've just watched the emergence of the new Princess and that was a short lived affair.  I'm pleased I was watching it at home and not from outside the hospital.  

Now to tackle the bed and to find a place where I can lay my little head down tonight....Tomorrow is a day like today....I will tackle what needs to be to be dome...

LN...I'm off to try to find a bed that's made up... LN

Sunday 3rd May

Well first night spent in my upstairs bedroom but it took me ages to get to sleep.  I think I'd got over tired last week, pushed myself a little yesterday and eventually made the bed up at midnight...and there wasn't a sound from the pavement...

I left the curtains open this morning and at six it was beginning to get light but there was only mist to be seen.  I decided not to lie in bed waiting for the view to come to me...I went down and got some coffee came back and decided that I would play Scrabble on the DS with the only partner I can beat....Arnold.  I don't like too much competition.  I opened the door to the terrace and listened to the birds, hoopoes, nightingales and cuckoos were singing their little hearts out and I'm not sure if they are trying to find partners or just keep the others off their territories.  It was rather strange hearing everything and seeing nothing but it eventually clear although hazy at about nineish.

I hung around on the computer this morning and eventually burst into action putting away my winter clothes and digging out tee-shirts and summer trousers.  I did leave a couple of sweaters close to hand just in case...not supposed to caste a clout until May is out and it's only just got here.  Sat out on the terrace with my coffee and watched the butterflies darting about.  I took the biggie camera out with the intention of getting a few good shots but the disk was full so that was put on the to do list.  I did managed to get one of the walkabout donkey though.  

So out to the workshop to get the fuel for the mower and noticed that the back tyre of Beauty was down so out with the foot pump.  It's still up as we speak so I'll be taking her in to have it fixed in the morning and the pump is sitting ready just in case it's down in the morning.  Cleaned the lawn mower, topped up the oil, put the petrol in, started to hack the garden but it was too damp to finish it off....It's been hot today so hopefully another day of the same and I'll complete it tomorrow.  I don't want it to get out of hand...that makes it too much like hard work.  I dug over the bottom flower bed and noticed the berberis has some lovely yellow flowers on it...not stunning but delicate.  I had an early supper /late lunch of pork, fried potatoes and baked beans followed by the rest of the dark cherries with cream....I know how to live on my hillside...

Lovely calm evening....I've catnapped a little this afternoon and feel much better for it and off we go tomorrow on the second week of wall building.  Emula is with us again tomorrow mixing, humping and dumping while the men get on with finding and placing the stone.  That phase should be finished tomorrow and then the easy part with the breeze blocks.  So now going down for a little drink and I'm going to sit out and enjoy the evening....LN...and I hope yours is just as good as mine...LN

Monday 4th May

Half five this morning so back to bed with a coffee and I really must work out to get the coffee maid upstairs and sitting on my desk so save having to walk down stairs,  I took it back to bed, caught the first glimmer or morning, opened the door to the balcony, listened to the birds and watch the sky change from the first showing to beautiful full blown pinks and blues.  

Went out and checked on Beauty and sure enough the tyre was flat so I phoned Bekir and told him that I would have to go to the garage first and would be with them by ten o'clock.  I tried to top up the tyre again but the connector to the tyre seemed to have air coming from it and the tube from the foot pump to the tyre had also sprung a leak and I worked out that there was more coming out than I was putting in so I left it to it's own devices and headed off at eight twenty.  Down to the garage and the tyre just about held up, the offending piece of metal was removed, the hole plugged and I was over to the bankomat to get money for the men and walking back I found a new azalea to add to the collection.  Picked up some geraniums and got to the men on time.

They continued to work on the wall and now we're doing away with the stone and onto the breeze blocks.  I started to throw the lawn mower around and it is all don and dusted...for a few days.  This weather is not my friend with regard to the grass....it get's saturated at night with dew and sun all day and grows like fury.  Phoned up and had a lorry of sand delivered and it was soon time for the men to go home.  It's been a short day for them today and I had company...Emula wanted to come along for the ride again.  

Tonight I've watched some of the snooker final, supper is finished and there is a glass of beer on the go...As for the moon I just managed to catch it right but it's playing hide and seek with the clouds tonight and now back to the snooker.  LN....I'll have to go and top the glass up...LN

Tuesday 5th May

So this morning it was a late start since I stopped up and watched the snooker finals on Filmon TV....What a good match it was and I'm so pleased that the the one who won it won and the other was magnanimous in defeat....Well done you guys.  I was going to bed and waiting for Google to tell me the result but that lengthy frame grabbed me and I stuck with it.

Seven of the clock this morning and I heard the latch on the gate go at just after seven thirty and it was Emula wanting to go with me to pick up the men/  I joked with him and told him that I would say that he had slept all night i the car so that he wasn't late....I will have my little jokes.  Men were ready with little rubber shoes blacked and over to mine and straight way into the wall.  It is finished apart from its hat or lid as I like to call it and they've had a good day.  It got very hot around lunchtime so two of them had forty winks but I don't mind that...they definitely pull their weight.

I set too on the pile of stone that has been on my list for about three years.  I can't mow over it because of the stone underneath and it generally gets to be an eyesore but by thursday it will be transformed.  I have dug out most of the stones, piled it up so that it's either ready for use or pour concrete on it to make a wall but after another day on it I shall able to mow over it.  I might even put another window frame on it and make it a named garden.  The men slept, they came to and carried on with the wall. There was a point when we decided that another course of blocks would be right and we all agreed and it was done.

There is no work tomorrow...Bekir is off to a panir or holiday outing with the men from the village...I am off to the same gathering with my Librarian  and afterwards we are off to Haskovo to see if they have the bold to mend my lawn mower and two more of my aluminum benches...one for Bekir and one for Sally.  Ithink it they have them they might be 'podariks'....gifts.  Got back from the men and did another hour in the garden.  I went out to take photos and my Avatar was working away on her garden/ my garden....everything she grows is mine so to speak...and those are her words not mine.  Hacibar came out and we jawed about the wall and workmen since she had three working on her house....LN.....as I said ...out for the day tomorrow....rain is threatened but we're hoping it stays fine...LN

Wednesday 6th May

Five thirty start and opened the door on to the balcony and listened to the birds and watch the sun come up….magical.  Down for coffee, round the garden and checked how high the clover had grown over night and realised that by the weekend I shall have to get the lawn mower out again.  

Shower, shampoo, ready with spare shoes packed for when the Librarian arrived.  I’d got on a new pair and I reckoned that my feet would now manage to cope with the new shoes.  The Librarian arrived at about eight thirty, we did a tour of the garden and she loved the wall and off we set for the fete worse that in Nikolovo.  We arrived at the destination at roughly ten and the first stall we noticed was flower for sale and it was earmarked that we would stop on the way back.  As fete’s go this was one of the tops.  Walking up the main path I was approached by Bekir…he was out with his friends from his village all of which I new so it was handshakes all round.  I love these guys.  Sally is doing his tobacco today…couldn't spare the time.

Had chicken lunch with bread and water…no beer …I’m a good friend and don’t abuse the alcohol if my chauffeur can’t.  Walked back and managed to buy the plants that we’d spotted earlier and then on to Haskovo and remembered that we had visited a nursery the previous year so we went to check them out and purchased loads….Wisteria, potentilla, spirea, pink tipped willow and lots more at reasonable prices.

Home for five and coffee was definitely required.  Plants watered and ready for planting tomorrow….I’ve a busy day ahead of me.  LN…I’ve had an interesting day…LN

Wednesday 6th May continued

I am so pleased that I don't live in the UK..politics....what the heck are we voting for...not a clue....

Seth remarked, and I think he is right, that the roundabouts seem to be going round the other way to what we are used to. And they are still in the northern hemisphere. Could it be that the general rule in Bularia is to drive on th other side of the road? Interesting thought!