Well it was another seven o'clock start and the fire was still ticking along so I decided to get it going.  I made coffee and sat on the bottom of the stairs and just enjoyed the morning.  It was a grey old day but it's just as magical in it's own way.  The way that the cloud rise to clear the mountain and the patterns of the wind on the clouds ...it's never the same as sunrises and sunsets are unique.

The kitchen was tidy apart from last night's bowl so there really wasn't much to do.  I had an early breakfast and used up the last of Gouldjan's chicken eggs and sat in the kitchen with yet another coffee.  I read for a while and played a few silly games and the rain appeared to have slowed down so it was out with the strimmer until the battery was flat and then I moved on to the little house garden and the wall and set to clearing the weeds and the huge chunks of stone that seem to have got buried in the process of wall building.  At that point it was time for a coffee and a few biscuits and wait for the battery of the strimmer to charge up so that I could clear the clover from round the stone surrounding the garden.  Again it didn't take long to wind the battery down and so tomorrow I'm going to investigate the cost of an electric strimmer.  I've got the biggie but it's too heavy for me to handle but I suppose when the grass dries out I can get the lawn mower out...but in the meantime...

I came in at five and it was mainly to dry out and I didn't have a helmet with a light on it.  Caught up with Countdown and watch a brilliant programme on the Lake District with Griff Rhys Jones.  Sitting at my desk I had to take photos of the clouds on the mountain and the way they were scudding.  And now the light has gone...I'm heading to the kitchen to see what I can come up with from Mother Hubbard's Kitchen since most things are in the freezer.  LN...I'm sure I shall find something...there's always something...LN

Friday 11th March

So I woke up at five, read for a while and went back again until six thirty but it felt that I'd slept to ages in that last hour.  How the body gets things wrong.  Beautiful sunrise this morning and I was out with the camera.  Coffee, the fire was still going so I gave it the kiss of life and it heated the house up before I had my shower and hair wash.  Off to Kardjali today with the Librarian and Mrs D of S and I was expecting them at just after nine thirty.  We walked the garden, I made the coffee and we set off at ten fifteen with no direct mission but it was a relax day.

Leva shop for some basic homeware stuff, shoe shopping, second hand clothes shop and I managed to pick up a leather waistcoat and one for the wardrobe for my visitor for later in the year.  Lunch was pizza, chicken wings and chippies and we lingered over it calling in at one of my favourite 'dinkie do' shops which has classy gear.  I fell in love with two lovely oil burners and the lady recommended to add lavender or some other perfumed oil to the mix and now I have to find it.  I've got some tea tree oil and might give it a whirl.  Into Kaufland and bought some small conifers, over to Lidl and over to Basmar which is a hardware store and I found a couple of terracotta pots for the terrace and some trays of preformed plant holders.  

Home for about four thirty and we were all knacked...the weather was up and down all day and a cold wind got up and I'd only got one jumper on and I really felt it so it was good to get back and relight the fire and get cosy again.  Tomorrow I'm going to pot up the new shrubs and settle the conifers into the little house until I'm ready to put them along the wall to break it up.  I didn't feel like cooking supper so it was Tuc biscuits and cheese for me and washing it down with water....  Now I'm going to take advantage of the fire and settle down with my book....Rugby tomorrow....from Twickenham...and it's a decider....LN...and good luck to whichever team you support...LN

Saturday 12th March

So I was awake at five this morning, did the washing up from last night, made a coffee and took it back to bed.  I looked out and there wasn't a glimmer in the sky but the temperature had really dropped over night and I was tempted to get the fire going but bed was cosy enough for me.  I read for an hour or so but the day seemed to rush by and my tummy was telling me that I should think about breakfast so the cheese that I'd not managed to get through last night was converted into a cheese and onion omelette for breakfast.  And it was only eight o'clock.

I did emails and played around with Facebook but it's something that I'm going off pretty rapidly.  It's getting far too political, lots of posts get shared, they appear in my news feed from different direction and I'm tired of the 'selected' adverts.  Where's that once friendly site gone...it's obviously about advertising and revenue.  So washed and dressed for about nine thirty and decided to head into Djebel to see if the garage had managed to cut an oil drum in half for me to use in the garden for burning the rubbish.  I'd looked at the burning pit this morning and the cats had had a field day and there was garbage everywhere but I thought I'd leave it for when I got back.  I thought about working in the garden but it was cold, damp, watery sun, mist that I reckoned would take ages to burn off and after all ...it's 'le weekend'....

So into Djebel and managed to park outside the shop but unfortunately I couldn't have my oil drum..The cutting machine had got burnt out brushes and they'll be fixing it tomorrow when they buy some new ones so next week should be fine.  I love sitting in the shop with my student's mum.  We seem to cover lots of topics of conversation from alternative medicine to local remedies and clothes site that she uses.  All very informative.  My nails have been splitting lately and the new cure that apparently contains copper and magnesium is pollen dust as a by-product of bee keeping and I've been told where to get it.  It doesn't taste that good apparently but with a spoonful of honey to make the medicine go down so to speak in a little hot water it dissolves ...and it's OK and at minimal cost.  I've also managed to order some flavoured oils for my burners from my student mum's shop and we had fun translating some of them and had to resort to Google to do it.  Strange thing today...despite being a Saturday it was a normal working day for everyone even the schools.  Thursday was a holiday and so they gave everyone Friday off to make a long weekend of it but they have to make the day up so today was the day.  Realising that Gouldjan was working I went to the school and offered her a lift home and she was more than willing to take me up on it.

Settled in this afternoon to watch the rugby after lighting the fire but the wind must be in the wrong direction and it was a bugger to get going and is still reluctant....it might need another fire lighter.  Good game but it was a bit of a rush to the finishing post for the Welsh and ended up a tight match.  If they'd have played as well at the beginning as at the end...it could have been a really good game.  So nine my time...I'm not too interested in food...I attacked a bun loaf this afternoon while watching the rugby so I shan't exactly starve.  LN....Fire time...I shall win the battle...LN

Sunday 13th March

Seven start and I think it was the rain that woke me up eventually...rain that was belting it down and it appears to have been doing it all night.  There was no gardening today...no way was I going out there and the wind was blowing my special tree with the old fir cones popping off every now and then.  I must remember to pick them up before I managed to get the lawn mower out but I can't see that happening for a few days yet.  I did notice that my Avatar's nephew was out cutting her grass on Saturday and maybe I missed my window of opportunity...ah well ..there'll be others.

The fire was lit this morning fairly early on and I settled in with my book for a short while with a coffee until I headed for the kitchen and decided that beans on toast would fill the gap.  I did get some more logs in and that was about the height of activity for the rest of the day.  Book, computer, games, sudoku, free cell so not much to report.  I could almost watch the weeds and grass grow.

Settled in for the rugby this afternoon and I've now tuned into the World Gymnastics and the team just amaze me.  It takes me back to my days in the gym at school but as for going over the horse and box...forget it...I liked my feet on the floor and athletics, netball and hockey were my forte.

Shepherds pie but with sliced potatoes on the top instead of mashed...that was another saucepan to wash up and the less of that the better.  Out for supper tomorrow night at my student's house so I might even look to do something with either the new rhubarb which is growing well with the rain or with the apples that seemed to have lingered longer in the kitchen than they should have done.  Back to the gymnastics and then the book and just hoping for better weather tomorrow otherwise I shall be getting in a few sheep or cows to drop the height of the garden.  LN...roll on spring...LN

Monday 14th March

And another cold damp day and at eight this morning there was snow in the rain and I remembered last year and hoped that it would go as quickly as it came and that nothing would settle.  There was a gale blowing again and I had to rescue the plastic little table that was making its way across the terrace before it crashed down onto the garden.  I got the fire going and breakfast was spicy sausage and a fried egg and I sat in front of the fire with a cup of coffee enjoying another restful morning.  Cleared the washing up from last night and this morning, got a load of washing into the machine and there's something good about machines that get on with it while you do something else.

I've not got a lot to report today....I was reading for most of the morning and playing games and I know that I should find something constructive to do but my spring has changed back to winter and the weather has not been good enough to get outside and the brain is ready for gardening but it's being denied.  I watched a little Filmon and go bored so back to the book, went out to top up the log basket and my Painter was walking down the street so he came in for twenty minutes or so and he was explaining the way that you get allocated to work programmes here.  It all seems a little hit and miss to me and while someone's mother is offered work, the son takes it on and it really is 'jobs for the boys'.  More who you know more than what.  

Back to my book, hung the washing on the airer in the bathroom and then it was get you head down time on the sofa in front of a roaring fire.  I woke up about four twenty and came to with another cup of coffee and put on a few extra clothes on top of the ones that I'd been lazing about in to head off to my student for six o'clock.  I selected a couple of cans that I'd covered in string as a gift for them and had a bit of a surprise when my student told me that she had resigned from her job on principle.  She been transferred to another department and asked to stay where she was and was told that the decision would be taken by the end of February and now half way through March she'd heard nothing.  She'd made supper of liver banichka and it was served with various bits of salad and stuff that I normally avoid especially if it's green and on my way home by ten since it was predicted that it would be icy tonight.  As it was it wasn't so home, put the car away in the garage, coaxed the fire into action and now ready to read for a while before I head to my virginal pit.

Weather report for tomorrow is sunny but cold so I might managed to get the burning pit sorted and clear up from the cat and bird encroachments.  LN...There's always something to do including sleep...LN

Tuesday 15th March

Seven o'clock start and the sun was already up.  It was a cold one but the only evidence of frost was on one of the new little conifers sitting in the outside sink.  As the tap had dripped it had formed ice crystals on the inner branches.  Poor little thing.  It’s now buried in the garden and should fare better tonight.

Toast for breakfast…I opened the windows to get some air in but only left them open for half an hour or so.  It was cold.  I laid the fire but didn’t light it.  I knew that I was going out gardening…I’d made my mind up as I looked out of my downstairs bedroom window that the grave garden was being attacked today  It got its name that the window frames that I've used to form beds make it look like burial plots.  

I made it out to the garden by ten thirty but was back in again by ten forty five…It was too cold to be out so I settled down with my book waiting for it to warm up a bit.  I went out at eleven thirty, strimmed until I ran out of battery and then took the fork to the flower beds and cleared out the weeds.  It was difficult going but by three thirty this afternoon the three little ones were done, I’d moved the Escalonia to the long garden wall and done another strim.  

In for four thirty, pork chops and roasties in the oven, lit the fire and made a sweet and sour barbecue sauce to slaver on the chops when they were cooked.  Found a tin of lychees and they were served up with crème for pudding, Pointless, Eggheads and the boiler is on.  I need to linger in the bath tonight to wash away my aches and pains after the first full day of gardening.  It’s going to be another cold one tonight so it will be another late start tomorrow…three more gardens to clear tomorrow.  LN…I’ve got the bug again…LN

Wednesday 16th March

So last night the Kindle went into the bath with me but this time I popped it on the side before I nodded off.  It's a habit of mine and always has been.  The water was chilly when I woke up but not cold and fortunately I'd banked up the fire before I went into the bath so I was down to a cosy lounge and I read for a while until I was really ready for sleep and managed to go through the night waking at six thirty this morning.  I was surprised at the low cloud base and the dampness and had expected frost on my conifer again but no...it was damp, cold, miserable and remained so all day.

I washed and dressed and put on my padded army trousers with the intention of going out there and doing some 'stuff' but I did some but not as much as I could have done.  Haciber was round at nine thirty this morning with half a hot loaf of her home made bread and that turned into my breakfast.  She complemented me on the number of flowers in the garden and I pointed out my 'cemetery' garden to her and the work I'd done on it but I don't think she appreciated what I'd called it.  I came back in and lit the fire.  No way was I going to chill while I was sitting reading.  It's my own fault really...I should remember to put extra socks and slipper on...I think if your feet are warm the rest of you is.

So I did make it outside and did a battery's worth of strimming and I've managed to get down to the bonfire.  I planted out the hyacinths that have finished flowering and headed down the garden with the spade and a wild plum that was growing in the wrong place and that's now under the wall.  Why is it that I find moving earth to create new gardens easier than weeding existing.  I suppose it's less fiddly.  So the path behind the old garden toilet is taking shape and I've moved one of the heaps of soil left when the wall went in.  I've scattered part of it on an existing little garden but the thought of wheel barrowing it down to the bottom of the garden lost its lustre when I realised that the wind had got up and I was cold.

I've finished the last of my Sue Grafton so I've got to buy the last two from Amazon when I get round to it.  I need to find a new series so I've spent an hour or so seeing what's on the Kindle and printing off the order of the books by authors.  Have just come off the phone and realised that I've missed half of Eggheads but at least I'm up with the UK gossip.  Supper was last night's pork chop but cold so not as good as last nights but the remaining lychees went down well...Tomorrow I might make a trip into Kardjali and find my way through the end of year red tape...I'll see how I feel....So LN....I'm, on my knees for better and warmer weather for tomorrow...LN

Thursday 17th March

When I saw the sun come up this morning...Kardjali went on the back burner.  My student didn't want to come out to play and messaged me at eight thirty from her bed.  I don't know...the youth of today.  I was up at just after six and had just got settled with my coffee when I noticed the sunrise so it was back upstairs to grab the camera and renew the battery so I could get the job done.  I must admit thought that once done I again headed back to bed where it was warm...there was a distinct chill in the air despite that ball in the sky.

It wasn't warm enough to get out there so I found a new set of books to get my teeth into.  The first page sets the scene, she is a forensic pathologist...and three pages in she has her first body and page nine introduces maggots....I decided to leave breakfast for a while but when I got round to it it was Haciber's bread with butter on it. Got washed and dressed, cleared out and relaid the fire, took the ash bucket down to the bottom of the garden and got some more starter wood in.  I noticed that my Painter had been round and had left me some washed and trimmed leeks and a jar of his home made peaches in syrup.  Settled down once again with the book and didn't go out until nine thirty which is still early in some people's world and set about strimming the grass from where I'd run out of juice yesterday and when I ran out today I picked up my trusty English fork and tackled the rhubarb bed.  I think it must be the manure that I put on at the end of last year....the grass and clover roots seem to go on forever.  Came in for a break around twelve, back to my book and out again by one.  I was determined to get the bed finished.  So I finished it about four and had hunger pains so into the freezer and found fish fingers, peeled a couple of potatoes and it was comfort food for me with mayo and tomato sauce.  Peaches for pudding with cream and out I went to tidy the tools away, lock up the little house and did one more strim of the garden until the battery ran out again.  Caught the sun on the hills and the sunset and am now settled in for the night.  Pointless and Eggheads and then the book my encourage me into an early night.  I did have a wave of tiredness come over me a two more or less but I worked through it pushing myself to get the job done...I should;d sleep well tonight.  Another gardening day if the sun's out tomorrow....LN...It almost felt lime spring this afternoon....LN

Friday 18th March

Well the best laid plans of mouse and men and me seemed to have failed miserably last night.  Filmon just didn't want to play.  Pointless kept freezing and I'm not sure if it was down to Filmon or my provider and eventually I got into Eggheads to catch the beginning where I noticed that the opposition was made up of a team of ladies with alopecia....and not one hair in sight.  I didn't hear most of the questions as it was still playing up but one I did catch referred to the colour of the head of a Bald Eagle which I reckon wasn't the question that they ought to be asked.  I didn't get the response ...it froze again and I gather that the jackpot was won and they were whooping about with three of the 'eggheads' in the sin bin.

So a six twenty start for me.  I opened the curtains and it was white over....not sure what kind of frost ....but the mist hid the mountains from view.  There was no fire...I raked to find embers but there was nothing so it was back to bed with a coffee.  The house wasn't cold since I'd drawn the internal curtains keeping what heat there was contained into my winter lounge area and looking at the moon tonight...I've shut them already...it looks like another cold one is on the cards.

Didn't do much this morning...I put my nose out and realised that it was as cold as it looked.  I did get a couple of loads of washing done and pegged it out to catch what I thought was a breeze until I got out there and it was blowing a gale.  I pegged it all securely...I could imagine it ending up in Kardjali.  Hunger struck and I'd missed the bread van so I made a cheese omelette and sat down with yet another cup of coffee and by this time it was twelve.  I'd thought about strimming but felt that after lunch was not the correct time to do it so I settled down on the sofa in the sun with the door open and enjoyed the fresh air from my sheltered position.  I suddenly realised that the eyelids were heading south so I collected the washing from the line and put it on the clothes airer in the bathroom, shut the door, put my book down and settled down and it was two thirty before I came back to the world of the living.

By four I was feeling guilty about the lack of endeavour so I picked up the strimmer and headed for the bottom of the garden where the weeds were at least a foot high and took them back to ground zero.  Now I felt less guilty so lit the fire, there are two pork chops in the oven with some rosti potatoes and that will do for supper....and I've just been to check and everything is in order.  

So tomorrow I'm off to Kardjali with my painter.  I'm picking him up at nine and we should be in the cheapy clothes shop by nine thirty and he's hoping to pick up a bargain or two.  I need a few things from the supermarkets but nothing to drastic to put on a list.  Now let's try Filmon again....LN...I'll let you know if it's successful tomorrow or you might just see steam rising from the roof if you look closely...LN

Saturday 19th March

Filmon, Filmon is really pee-ing me off....and not sure whether it's here or there.  I did manage to watch the Wales -France match but the Scotland - Irish game has only just loaded so it looks like it might be stop and go, stop and go.

So today....I was up again and silly o'clock and didn't manage to get back off.  I made a coffee and was reading for a couple of hours or so and out of bed and in the shower by seven....out again by five past and I'd lit the fire at five so that it was warm to stand in front of and dry off.  I was down waiting for the bread van at just before eight and made him laugh but putting my fingers in my ears to deaden the sound of his horn as he makes everyone aware that he's up for business.  One crusty loaf and a cheesy bread and a bit of both for breakfast sitting out on the terrace bench.  The wind was a bit nippy but I was well wrapped up.  I got the Beast out onto the grassy area in front of the wall and in and away just before nine and my Painter was waiting in the bus stop.  We took the back lane and we were in Kardjali by nine twenty five and straight way over to the second hand shop to see if we could pick up any bargains for him.  I left him to wander for a while....I spotted a black cropped jacket that would look good for a dressy undressy evening and we found a couple of shooting jackets for him and a cotton summer shirt.  He hummed and arrghed at the shirt but I reminded him that it was probably under one lev...thirty five pence and his little eyes were spinning at the thought.  I picked up a couple of table mats and a leather belt...over to the cash desk and it was all seven lev...

We left the things in the car and we stopped for a coffee and then walked to the market where I got potatoes, tomato and cucumber plants and some flowers for the garden and then on to Kaufland for some veg and a few items.  We have a little joke where I guess the value of the trolley and we had the same cashier and she remembered the game....I was only a few stotinki out.  Stopped off at Lidl for a few items and home via Djebel I wasn't going to tackle the lane...it's OK going down but it was very muddy and the last thing I wanted to do was get stuck when there wasn't any need.  

Dropped him off in the next village and I got the washing machine going and pegged it out but it came in quite quickly...I had visions of it all ending up in Greece so it's on hangers in the bathroom.  The plants went into the little house just in case there is a frost tonight...I'll put them in the garden tomorrow under polythene.  So chicken breast in the oven along with a couple of small jacket potatoes and I'm about to settle in to see what I manage to see of the next game...I am at the mercy of Filmon.   LN...I'll update you tomorrow...no doubt...LN