Friday 29th January

Very lazy day doing very little...one of those 'could have'days.....

Normal routine starting at just before seven but had nowhere to go, no one to see and it was fine by me.  I did have one visitor ....Haciber came round and gave me four chocolates that her sister had brought over from Turkey and she was really pleased to tell me that she had 'gosti'.

Sorted the little house porch out and restacked the bags of coal.  I chopped some more starter wood so that it's ready for if it gets cold again but today its been in the middle tens and tonight, it's got colder but it's not down to the many minuses that we've had for the last few weeks.

I've still not made my mind up about going to Turkey.  The weather here looks really good for the next week or two and Turkey is predicting rain.  I think I'll leave it until later in the year...there'll be other times.

Lovely evening tonight with my family...we had some giggles about some really rubbish television and I've just emailed to say that I didn't meet any bears in the woods and that I've got back safely.  The fire was out so I've just given it a lift with a fire lighter and some of that lightweight wood that I mentioned earlier...I'm not used to it being out...LN...Going down to check up on it...sweet dreams...LN

Saturday 30th January

Well all the say through last night and what a good night's sleep I had.....I felt so refreshed this morning and as soon as the mist had lifted we had a really warm day.  I had about three jobs on the go this morning.  I did light the fire early on but as the sun came up I let it go out.  I boiled the kettle to put it down the shower pipes and added a dollop of bleach and decided to unscrew the glass from the oven and give it a real clean bearing in mind that I've never done it before,  I've only had it for five years.  I seemed to bring everything into play and ended up with a facial scrub to clean it off to perfection.  It gleams.....

Got the book out and sat on the sofa in the sun reading with the door open.  Today had the feel of a Sunday about it and it probably had something to do with the fact that I had no real work on the go.  I must admit though that I'd notice that there was a smoky smell yesterday and the fire was a little reluctant to go so I headed for the workshop, found the industrial hoover and the flue brush and I was ready for action.  It doesn't take long to do but I'm aware that once you disturb the pipes there is the potential that if you don't put them back properly...you get more smoke than you had before you did anything to them.  So there wasn't much soot up the pipes but it was an opportunity to give the wood burner a complete going over including putting the hoover pipe down the back of it.  It must be something to do with the sun being out..so much activity....

I must admit sitting out in the sun there was a big temptation to get a bottle of beer out but there again....January isn't finished and I didn't succumb....Lovely sunset again....and it's supposed to be another good day tomorrow.  I've decided not to go to Turkey....I just love my little life here and I don't know the family well enough....too much standing on ceremony.  So almost nine my time....LN...Let's see if there is anything on Filmon tonight...LN

Sunday 31st January

So that's one twelfth of the year gone already...soon be Christmas.  Looks like winter has gone with it until it comes back to bite us in the bum as it did last year.  Plus twelve in the sun but the wind did have a bit of a chill to it.  Poached eggs for breakfast bit didn't bother with the fire since the house had held at twenty degrees overnight and the sun was out so no need to take any other measures.  Washed dressed by nine thirty and got settled into the book until about eleven and then felt the call to action.

I decided to sort out the seeds that I'd collected last year and put some semblance of order into them.  I also got some into envelopes to send to Princess to give to the school...it might encourage a few of them to start growing things at home.  Sorted out the bonfire heap and lit the bonfire...it seems I still have visitors every night taking it apart looking for food.  I found the garden fork and spade and headed down to the garden by the lilac with the intention of turning it over.  Unfortunately there's lots of grass got established but as I turned over the ground I came up with several sets of bulbs that haven't hit the surface yet so I gave that up as a bad job...it should be easier when they break surface.  I did find my first snowdrop though and it could be my only snowdrop....not any evidence of any others to date.  As I came up towards the back door I noticed that there was a piece of amethyst quartz on the window sill.  The last time that I saw it it was at my painter's wall so I think he's gifted it to me.  So sweet and since it's my birthstone...it's going to be treasured.

Came in at four and got the fire going and it's so much better now that the pipes have been cleaned out.  Hamburgers and chippies for supper with mayo and tomato sauce and then came a catastrophe.  I'd seen a recipe on the internet where you use puff pasty and apples to create rose flowers so I thought I'd give it a go after supper.  I took the frozen pastry from the freezer, washed and slice the apples and did what I had to do with them, tried to roll the pasty and it didn't want to go anywhere.  I made the apricot jam wash to put on it, laid the apples out and as I tried to roll them, the apples shot out and landed on the worktop.  Not to be beaten I thought I have another go and this had the same result.  I'm blaming the pasty at this point so it's all in the bin and it took me less time to clear up the mess than to create it.....back to the drawing board Cecil.

Lovely sunset again this evening and it lights up my house as it's going down...a lovely afterglow.  I might head into Djebel tomorrow and get my hair cut properly...I tried to do it myself but it looks as if I need a professional round it.  Just after eight thirty my time and what could be my last day of abstinence without I decided to go for another month...LN....I might just do that....LN