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Elsa Peters
July 1, 2015, 6:21pm Report to Moderator

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Wednesday 1st July

So I woke up with the mist and didn't see anything until I hit the high spots of the road to pick up the men.  No Greek mountains..no nothing.

Bekir was sitting outside waiting for me...I think sitting with the others in the restaurant now that he has given up smoking can make the mornings hard.  He got into the car and handed me a mint bonbon and I think that they have been his lifesaver for today.  It got very hot today....I had to go into Djebel to get some more bags of cement and ended up loading them into the Beast since the man of the house didn't start work until twelve.  I struggled with the last of the four, the bag burst and we had to load it into a polythene bag and that was the one that beat me.  Fortunately there was a knight in shorts that lifted it into the back of the Beast climbing up into the back to more the ones that we'd managed to get in.  Driving home I came up behind the sand wagon and he let me pass him so that I could get home and open the gates for him to reverse in and drop his load.  His hydraulic lift was playing up and I had visions of four cubics of sand and gravel having to be unloaded by hand but it managed to grind up to the semi-vertical position and dropped its load.

I was out gardening and planting up part of the new long wall.  The jasmine and a new honeysuckle have gone in and an hydrangea, I had a bonfire and all was going well until the heavens opened at about half three and we all settled in to the garage to wait for it to stop.  Eventually it did...I plucked four beetroot from the patch and into the water and on to the cooker with them and they played a big part in supper.  

The men were ready to go home.  They've chugged on well with the wall...hot this morning and thunder and raining for an hour this afternoon.  I should like to remind that person upstairs that it's July and why should Wimbledon have it and we don't.  Men home and I came in and took two spicy sausages, sliced up an onion, thinly sliced a carrot and cooked them off adding the beetroot at the last minute and a good dollop of honey.  I grabbed a dish and ladled some into a bowl, covered it with tin foil and delivered it to my Avatar.  When I got there, here sister was there and it appears I provided supper for them both....She offered me home made yogurt which I refused...I still have some from Sunday from Gouldjan's mother...I'll take it later.

Beautiful moon again tonight...it's that time of the month again.  I'm fed and watered and ready for an early night...LN...it's been a good day...LN
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Elsa Peters
July 1, 2015, 6:43pm Report to Moderator

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And the photos have to go on a separate post....



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Elsa Peters
July 2, 2015, 6:24pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday 2nd July

Well what a day it's been.  We had the inevitable fog this morning after a warm day and a thunderstorm which cleared as I climbed over the mountain and got above it and came down again as I headed for the men's village.  As I approached the junction there was the bus for Turkey blocking my entrance to the lane down to the restaurant.  I managed to creep round the back of it and as I looked back towards the bus I notice Sally heading towards my car.  I stopped and waited and he'd just seen his daughter off and so off we set for the restaurant and it seemed strange to be delivering him in the morning and not at night...now let the neighbours talk....  

So out they came from the restaurant and off we set for home and the journey was uneventful until we got to the road into my village and it was spot the digger, lorry, new excavations and general hazards and eventually we made it.  Sally moved towards the wall while Bekir came to the house and said that we needed to go into Djebel for more cement and metal for doing the top of the wall.  He was trying to persuade me to go for the pre-constructed slabs of metal but I wasn't having any of it and wanted the same that they'd used for the rest of the wall capping.  I know it will probably outlive me buy why should I store up trouble for anyone else.  So we got the metal cut into two meter lengths, picked up four bags of cement, Sally has been tarting the wall all day since I said that it had to look like the others and there were far too many holes in it and I was assured that it would....It looked great from the house but since my garden is about eighty meters long...I went down for a closer look and that's when I set the standards or rather they did by doing such a good job on the terrace walls.

The men wall built and Bekir was busy all day making the wooden templates for the wall capping and I set too clearing out the little house bedroom flower bed.  The evening primrose were past their best and the mint had taken over the bed so they have both gone, the forsythia and japonica kerria and the cotoneaster have all had a haircut and they've been joined by a berberis, tobacco plants and marigolds.  My next task was to start clearing the ground where the men have been storing and chipping away at the stone so that it's fairly smooth underfoot.  

So men home...there will be photos of the efforts of the day but on the way back from dropping off the men I stopped off at Ms D of S's for a coffee and chat and we're off on Saturday with the Librarian for swims at her village hotel if the weather looks good enough for it.  Best get the strimmer out....

So watched the sun going down and the moon coming up and it surprised me how red it is tonight....those are the only photos I have for you...sorry....mine and the men's work will be posted tomorrow....LN



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Elsa Peters
July 3, 2015, 8:10pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 3rd July

So early morning and you couldn't tell this morning's sunrise from last night's moonrise...very, very similar...

So out with the camera this morning to catch the sunrise and off went the sun behind the clouds and it was a catch it if you can day for the rest of us.  Off to collect the men and managed to catch the mobile shop for breakfast goodies.  My Zelinger was out there but none of the other locals were abroad so back with my booty and breakfast and coffee was served.

The men chugged on with the wall and I headed over to Djebel to hand over the order for my Avon catalogue and then to the garage for them to look over Beauty before setting of for the MOT station so that Beauty could have another years health insurance.  Brakes checked and considered to be OK...into Kardjali and the certificate was being issued before they'd even looked at the car and she passed with flying colours.

Kaufland and picked up some yellow roses as presents for Bekir and Sally since there were none to be found in the garden, Lidl and caught up with some old friends that I hadn't seen for a couple of years despite living not twenty kilometers from each other, men home and the wall is looking remarkably like one but just needs the finishing touches.

I settled in to watch the Heather Watson match against Serena Williams....what a game.   Better luck next time....Peanuts and beer for supper...so what could be better.....I'll make up for it with a good breakfast....LN



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Elsa Peters
July 4, 2015, 7:06pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 4th July

Early start and I slept with the door to the balcony open last night...it's the first time this year.  There was a beautiful start to the morning but I sort of guessed that it wouldn't last long.  As soon as the sun was up there were clouds that were going to hide it for most of the day.  I made coffee and sat out on the terrace and by seven I was out in my pyjamas strimming the grass until the battery was flat.  Onto the pc and did a few emails and stuff and got round to cooking breakfast which was what I found in a saucepan and whipped up three eggs and made an omelet and it was delicious.  I've never had sausage, onions and beetroot in an omelet before.

Got a load of washing in and out and I was tidying the kitchen when there was a couple of horns going outside so out I went and there is my favourite digger driver and he was asking me to move Beauty.  As I got to the car I noticed a lorry parked on the other side of the road, I drove down and turned round and noticed that the bus shelter was being manoevered but unfortunately...no way could he get it on the back of the lorry.  The last I saw of it...the digger driver was going up the road with it balanced on his bucket and I'll check out where it ended up when I go out tomorrow.  I went out to where it had been and tidied the area of the bits of broken tiles and tall weeds....I might even throw some flower seeds on it tomorrow and hope that another bus shelter isn't delivered.  Realised that the clouds had come over and a few rain drops started to fall and it was quickly in with the washing and put on the airer and I got enough wood in to start the fire if necessary but there was no need.  They seemed to roll over as quickly as they came in.

Gouldjan came round this afternoon while I was watching the end of a tennis match.  She brought round some clothes that had been given to her for her school charity and it's my job to deliver them to the school.  She came round with yogurt, eggs and supper and we walked the garden and she admired the wall.  We both took photos of the sunset and then off she went and I'm back with the tennis and Andy Murray....and he seems to be having problems in the third.  Ten my time....tomorrow I'm off to the Librarians for an overnight stay so it's shower and bed....that's when Andy's finished doing or not doing his stuff...LN



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linda g
July 5, 2015, 2:22pm Report to Moderator
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Hi Elsa, Lovely pics as usual. Hope all is ok. All good here. Weather cold and raining. Mum said Hello. Take care Linda & All OZ.
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Elsa Peters
July 5, 2015, 6:38pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 6th July

Thanks Linda and lots of love to you all and big hugs for you and your mum....

Six start and the sun was it's normal welcoming self and so much so that it drew me out to the garden and I was out with my strimmer again until the battery died and had a big burn up of the cement bags that were hanging around.  Got rid of loads of weeds and it was about nine when I made it back to the house.  In for a shower, shampoo and I was ready for the off at about eleven.  I'd toyed with the idea of swimming but the clouds had started to come over so I thought better of it.  It's one thing getting in to the water but if the sun's not hot enough, to lie on a sunbed in a wet bikini I reckoned that the old bones wouldn't take too kindly to it....there will be other days if the weather actually starts to behave like summer.

So I arrived at the Librarians for just before twelve and I'd stopped off at her village shop and topped up the beer supplies so that I didn't pull on her resources...We sat and chewed over the fat outside until the flies got the better of us and we moved upstairs into the cool.  One of the locals came round to sort out his donkey that had damage to a leg but I think it's work for the vet not amateurs.  We took the kindles to our respective couches and both nodded off for an hour or so.I woke up to the sound of water boiling and coffee was forthcoming bringing life back into the soul.

So at seven I suggested that we went down to the Motel for supper to save anyone having to cook or even think about it and because she's suffering from a sprained ankle we took the car.  Supper was the local hamburgers with salad and cheesy chips.  And the bill without the beverages...thirteen lev....cheap by anyone's standards.  I checked out the pool and it was a big temptation to get in there but that would have been more of a shock to the system so later this week when it's up to thirty four degrees....it's game on.

So LN....I have a mastica and a friend to join on the balcony....it's been a very restful day...LN



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Elsa Peters
July 6, 2015, 7:03pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 6th July

So we sat on the balcony last night and watched the fire flies skitting around.  Suddenly there was a couple of torches that could have been huge elephant fireflies but instead turned out to be a couple of locals on the hunt for four cows that they'd lost.  I left too early this morning to find out if they'd managed to find them...

Woke up at six and couldn't quite work out where I was but managed to catch the sun coming up over the acacia trees.  A nice start to the day.  I made coffee and put the morning cup ready for the Librarian and she eventually surfaced at about six thirty and we sat out until seven thirty when I realised that washed up the cups and had to get my backside into gear and get ready to pick up the men from their village.  They were ready with little rubber shoes blacked  and over to Ms D of S to pick her up as she had work in Kardjali to do and I was taking my lawnmower in for repair so two birds with one stone so to speak

Hardware store to see if they stocked and item that I wanted and they did....dumped off the lawnmower and left my telephone number and the manuals for the machine and the motor, off she went to the bank to find out why she was having problems with getting the code for internet banking and then to the phone shop to sort out why she could only make emergency calls.  She'd enlivened an old Sim and I know from my time in telecoms that if a number has elapsed then that could be reallocated...and this was the problem.  It had been re-issued to her but was already allocated to a new subscriber who had complained so her phone was deactivated....What a performance.   Eventually she took out a new sim card to save any more embarrassment....and well done M-Tel...you've fluffed it up again.

Kaufland for a few essentials but it was way too busy, hot dog lunch outside with drinks for five leva for the both of us and then back to Djebel where she went on mission to the market, I picked up two bags of cement, phoned Gouldjan and took her home to save her waiting for the bus.  

Made coffee for the men at four and delivered beer for Sally at five thirty and coffee for Bekir.  Took them home and stopped off at Mrs D of S to deliver the goodies that we'd picked up in Kardjali and which she couldn't manage in the taxi home.  Had a coffee, home and fish finger sandwiches for supper...it was the easy option.  I'm watching the Djokovic game as we speak...pretty exciting...LN...men tomorrow...I'll be glad when this wall is finished...it's been an expensive project...LN



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Elsa Peters
July 6, 2015, 7:05pm Report to Moderator

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Pictures from today



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Elsa Peters
July 7, 2015, 6:43pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 7th July

So I could have slaughtered all my villagers this morning at two a.m.  Well some of them anyway.  There are certain individuals who make it their business to wake up the others to have their breakfast to fit in with Ramadan,,,Some idiot was banging on a drum at two this morning and I could have willingly place it in one or the orifices of his anatomy...it was certainly male.

So woke up at six and the sun was already up and I missed it.  Could have strimmed this morning but didn't ...I save it for later in the day.  Over for the men and Bekir got into the car with one of his pigeons in a box and yet again on of them was being tested to find its way home...The results will be posted.  When we got home it was dutifully launched...it was supposed to do a couple of circuits to orient itself but didn't and off it set.

Men wall building but I noticed that they had brought the table from their lunch room out into the open and given it a wash....I finished it off but it's back there so they obviously thought it was way passed its sell by date.  It was a hot one today and I would have felt sorry for them except that they had gone to work somewhere else before coming to me and it had delayed my end date even though I'd booked them in March....So my wall is more or less finished and they will go off to pastures green....another couple of days or so and I shall start enjoying my summer.  They've normally gone by now.

In to Djebel this afternoon I had a letter to post.  ..I went down to the garage and told them that I had either a donkey or a mouse in my steering that was making odd noises and it had an injection and is now fixed and then I also asked them to take a look at Beauty's back doors ...Bekir's didn't open from the inside and Sally's didn't shut properly.  Unfortunately on the way home Sally's opened so I'm not sure it's really been fixed.

Played in the garden this afternoon and uncovered flowers hiding under the hedge growth and they're now liberated.  Men home and stopped off at Mrs D of S house and picked up her repairs that I shall deliver tomorrow when I pick up my lawnmower that has been fixed.  I've had a lovely day ...despite the heat I've done loads in the garden and finished off with a bonfire of the cement bags.  The intention was to sit out on the terrace tonight but there was one bloody mosquito that had other ideas so in I came....LN....Men and then Kardjali tomorrow for my mower....LN



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