Friday 1st July

Early start and yet again and it was a pale pink and grey sky and not really worth recording for posterity.  It was coffee and back to bed with the kindle and at last the book is livening up.  Same author, Robert Crais but no main characters that I've read about before and I'm finding it hard to associate with newbies.

Out to water the garden.  The clouds cleared away quite quickly and I spent time sorting out the bench outside the front door.  It had become something of a dumping ground for metal that I'd excavated from the garden and I think that flower pots breed overnight when left to their own devices.  I didn't mention it yesterday but there appears to be an attack of Colorado beetles especially on tobacco and some peoples potatoes have been decimated.  I was lucky. I spotted one on my flowering tobacco so I was out with the spray bottle and there seems to be no more today when I checked.  Apparently they live in the soil all winter and obviously the conditions are right for hatching.

As for the rest of the day.  I phoned the Librarian this morning to see if she wanted to find a swimming pool early on but she didn't answer her phone.  Instead I found my lazy chair from the little house, heaved it up to the bedroom balcony, bikinied myself up and slapped on the suntan oil and boy was it hot out there.  I came in at one before I'd pinked up, and it was a book at bedtime despite the fact that bedtime was one fifteen in the afternoon and I was out for the count until four thirty this afternoon.  Roasted veg and chicken for tonight's supper and there was enough to run over the road with a reasonable portion for Avatar.  

It was tennis for the rest of the afternoon and evening and that's why the update is late.  Both Williams sisters are through to the next round...really good games both going to three sets.  Nothing on for tomorrow so far...it might depend on the weather.  As for today in summary...fine in the morning, clouding over by lunchtime, thunder and threatened rain which didn't arrive....it's summer...for goodness sake.  LN...Out with the spring water...it's still an alcohol free zone...LN

Saturday 2nd July

So there's one advantage of the man with the drum at two thirty...you don't get into such a deep sleep and at five thirty your almost ready to face the day.  I did make a coffee and go back to bed for a while but I was out there at seven thirty and on a mission.  Out with the strimmer and did the grass on the outside of the wall and then set to to restain the gate.  It had been repaired and the upright nearest the wall on the bigger of the two was a different colour and now it's all the same.... more or less.  I used up the last of the Lidl garden wood stain but had already bought one locally that was supposed to be dark but it was a tad darker than the other but they've both blended in well. Maybe another coat....I'll see if it needs it tomorrow.  So by nine I'd finished both tasks and I headed for the workshop terrace garden and dug up the dandelions in the rough ground under the cranberry tree.  I collected it in the wheelbarrow and moved on to the bench and cleared that as well.  I started on the little house garden removing the mint that has gone everywhere but after about half an hour the enthusiasm waned...it was heading for twelve so I move inside for a session with my book and then the weather changed.  Gale force winds, grey skies and thunder but unfortunately no rain...it looks like Kardjali got it and Momchilgrad but none for me.  

Tuna mayo with loads of beetroot for lunch while I finished my book.  I tried to go to sleep but I couldn't get comfortable today which doesn't normally bother me...out like a light but at four I was out there again.  I finished the little house bed, dug up some self-set hollyhocks and they're now down the bottom of the garden and watered in, trimmed the hanging branches from the cherry tree and lobbed them over the fence for the animals.  Assembled bonfire fodder and got a good one going much to the dismay of the neighbours who only returned from Turkey this afternoon.  Watered the garden since there doesn't look like anything is left in the sky for me.....

So that's the end of Robert Crais and I don't think I shall be buying his latest.  A lot seem to go off the boil or burn themselves out.  Nothing for supper...I don't think there's much space after the pretty hefty late lunch.  Time to catch upon the tennis...I've been far too busy today but there again...you get days like that.  LN....let's see if the enthusiasm spills over to tomorrow....LN

Sunday 3rd July

Two more nights of the man with the tray and then we can all get a good night's sleep.  If he comes round to collect money for the job he's done...I don't know whether to tell him I'd have given him more if he'd not bothered.  Next year we'll come to an agreement before the event or I'll have a month in the UK...

So five thirty start again.  I don't seem to make it up from a sleep disturbed night and it was coffee, out and watched the morning, not that I could see much of it.  There was lots of mist and you couldn't see the mountains at all or even down to the valley but it was still pleasant being out there listening to the birds.  There was a late owl about, the hoopoes and a golden oriel was shouting about something.  Of course we have the usual mob such as blackies, sparrows and starlings to add to the mix and lots of activity from the martins.  Came in for a second coffee and washed up from the last day or so, down for the bread van for a new loaf and Avatar asked me if I wanted pancakes.  I said that I was about to have fresh bread with butter and jam and it would be rude not to since it was really fresh and walked home and just as I was finishing off my breakfast...three pancakes arrived so it was out with the lemon juice and sugar...English fashion.  

Now the lawn or the excuse for a lawn because I live on a field more or less had some really stringy vine things growing in it and every time I head down to the bottom of the garden they sort of attach themselves.  They are no more.  Out with the lawn mower despite the fact that it was warming up as the sun got higher in the sky and finished it by twelve.  Unfortunately where the grass has dried up and the old mole has been very active, I must have resembled a sheet of sandpaper and I've beautifully carried out a facial abrasion...I used the machine without the box on the back.  

My painter popped round to check me out and I mentioned that I needed to cut back the grape vine that was rampaging over the electricity cable to the little house and no sooner the word than the blow.  It was all down and the branches dumped in Haciber's field over the way....he said it was OK...the cows would eat it and it's no longer my problem.  I think he's finished his other work so if it looks like a cloudy day one of the days next week I've got a few jobs for him....I want to get the water supply to the bottom of the garden sorted and if I have to put a new water clock on it and have it as a separate supply...so be it.  Hacibar came round with some more pancakes and I realised that it was pancake day for Byram and tomorrow we have the children round for the sweets.

Tennis this afternoon and a sleep but went out to do one little job in the garden and ended up weeding the grave gardens and under the shrub wall to the lane.  I was really surprised when I looked at the clock and it was a quarter to nine.....Where's the day gone?  Any way....nothing on the agenda for tomorrow...I might see if I can get a little time on my chair on the balcony....I didn't manage it today.  LN...no thunder, no rain even though it's been promised...LN

Monday 4th July

So it was a long soak last night listening to Sting.....I didn't fall asleep though, didn't try to teach the Kindle how to float and felt much better for the relaxation.  It didn't work though...last night of the proms started in recognition of the end of the local early morning breakfast ordeal as per normal and today he was round collecting money for his services to the village and still banging on the blessed drum.  So my nights are disturbed and now my day.  I put it around....please don't knock on my door...be feared for your lift if you do....and he didn't....

Early morning start and the sun was very red at first but by the time I'd changed the battery in the camera and ready for action...it had started on its yellow phase.  Having set that...washing was in and pegged out for seven thirty, garden was watered since it had failed over night to drop any moisture at all.  I cleared out the fridge of anything that looked in the least suspect and decided that one one remaining tomato needed attention so into the frying pan went a packet of bacon and the said tomato.  No sooner was I ready to serve than Avatar appeared with the speciality of the day...four frothy hot pancakes or chuvec and the bacon is still in the pan to be made into an omelette for tonight.  I found a jar of homemade fig jam and it was delicious and they were delicious and I felt stuffed.  

I had visions of tackling the bottom of the garden and removing some of the remaining rubble but the vision was short lived.  I went upstairs and was jumping into a swimsuit with the intention of trying out the sunbed on the terrace when the first of the children arrived for their sweeties.  It was then that I realised that it would be a steady procession for the next hour or so, so my plans were altered.  I set about tidying up outside yet again after the overnight winds.  It clouded over and in was in with the washing quickly as the rain started but stopped just as quickly when Byser arrived with yet more pancakes.  I went down to Avatars clutching my newly arrived pancakes and yet another neighbour appeared and gave me two more...So all my neighbours give each other pancakes but it is a very special day for them.  Word has got back that Lidl and Kaufland were heaving....all buying everything for the celebrations.

I did manage to get out again until the call to bed with a book hit me and I was down until four thirty.  I've started a new series about vampires and I'll keep you updated.  Kardjali tomorrow with my painter and I've already got a varied shopping list but I'm going to look for a flat sunbed so that I can do the underside.  Failing that ....I shall be buying the wood to make one...the design is already in my head..easy peasy...and some nails.  I also need some anti histamine cream....I have a few little bites that are niggling me and they are only small but they really do itch.  It's probably when I'm out gardening...need some cream to put them off.  So all quiet on the western front...the clouds have again gone over and so has the thunder...I might be watering the garden yet again tomorrow. Omelette and Film on for the tennis and then a book at bedtime.  The little drummer boy should have put his toy away for this year...LN...my turn to wake the village with a saucepan and a wooden spoon...LN

Tuesday 5th July

Sleep of the just...no men with drums or tin trays and wooden spoons and the five thirty start was OK with me.  Coffee, garden, sun up, bonfire that wouldn't get going despite lots of love and attention,  Eventually I got it roaring by eight thirty and at eight forty five I was dousing it with water...I had my painter to pick up at 9.00 and I didn't want to set the fire alight while I was out shopping.

Kardjali by nine thirty and firstly to the cheapy shop with a shopping list for someone else and the need was satisfied.  Kaufland, Billa,Lidl and home and all new items washed and dried for delivery this afternoon.  The update is early...I'm off to the Librarian's tonight and she has a problem with her internet so not sure if I'll be able to get on later.  Swimming tomorrow at the fish restaurant....looking at the weather forecast it should be wall to wall sunshine but we'll wait and see.  We can always have lunch and come home.

I'm off now to pack my kit bag and pressies....I'm half watching Venus and I'll have to drag myself away from it.  LV....it's too early to say LN

Wednesday 6th July

Pressies were delivered and gratefully received and over to the Librarians as stated.  The internet connection was as I expected...it was the service provider.  Mine had been a bit flaky over the last few days with Filmon coming to a grinding halt when I least wanted it and the 'resolving host' message appearing at the bottom of the screen.  Salad and cold meat evening meal and in bed by ten thirty and awake by five this morning and it was a different view of the sunrise.  Sky was just as pink and came up over the trees but I captured it through the dream catcher on the window to try to get a different effect and still not sure it it worked or not.  So I did a few practical things for her this morning and we sat out at six thirty chewing over the fat and planning the day.  We both needed money from the cash point, I needed fuel for the Beast so we seemed to juggle cars all day but ended up with them both in the right place at the end of the day.  The swimming day seemed to be out as the clouds came over from Greece so we were off to the wood yard and picked up enough to make a bench that we'd sketched out on what would have been a f** packet if either of us smoked.  As we were heading out I saw the internet van heading down from her house to the middle of the village and sure enough, I knew the boys from Djebel and they confirmed that they were having problems with their servers,

As the day drew on it cleared up so we headed for the swimming pool in her village, sat down for a drink and managed to grab a couple of sunbeds before hoards of children descended.  It was all downhill from there....what is the great fun in bombing everybody in sight and the management don't blink an eyelid at it.  I just hope there are no accidents and someone gets really hurt.  So we were in the water for about forty minutes or so, ordered lunch and back to hers for about four and a few more little jobs completed and we sat out on the loungers taking in the rest of the sun.  

Home for seven more or less and my new neighbours had visitors and they'd parked right in the middle of the piece of ground outside my front wall.  Now this space is easily big enough for two cars side by side if you park sensibly so I left the Beast fronting out the invader, my reason being that tomorrow we're off early for an MOT so why bring it into the drive...no brainer to leave it out and it made me feel better....   

Garden watered, night clothes on, just about to watch Murray on Film on.  I don't need supper, my lunch was adequate.  I've had a lovely day...sun and swimming go down well and I'm thinking of getting a kiddie pool to put on the workshop terrace out of the way and a sunbed that I can lie down on.....the join is obvious.  I'll see what's on offer in Kardjali tomorrow to meet the requirements.  LN....back to the tennis...LN

Thursday 7th July

Six start and beat the sun by a few moments and sat with a coffee and watched it come up.  Waggy was out finding something in the grass to breakfast on and my single note something was chirping away.  I keep trying to find it in the tree but haven’t managed it yet so I still don’t know what it is.  Now I’m on a mission.  I was absolutely swamped my swallows or martins or both.  I tried to photograph them but they’re so quick….I missed them all.

Shower and washed my hair and made sure that I had all the necessary documentation at the ready for my MOT.  I set off at nine, stopped off in my student’s mothers shop for a brief interlude with her and her husband and arranged to take the Beast in for a wash and brush up before it had its photo taken.  Their little son had finished nursery and came into the shop.  He’d found a playmate and come into the shop, quickly changed into his Spiderman costume and two seconds later there were two fully dressed Spidermen with masks and you could only tell which was the son because he was smaller than his friend.   I carried on to the garage and their son who I call my ‘Mr Ten Percent’ when he works in the shop was washing cars for a salary now that school is out for the summer.  All essentials were checked and the tyres topped up, a quick shampoo and set and I was heading for Kardjali by ten.

I use the same garage in Kardjali and I joked with the man that another year had gone and how was his English.  He said that he’d still not learnt any but now his sons were running the MOT end, I handed over my documents and they were making out the certificate and issuing the window sticker before it had even gone on to the rollers to have the brakes checked.  Ten minutes and thirty five leva later I was driving out and sorted for another year.  I stopped off for pizza in a street restaurant, into Lidl for a couple of items and back home, load of washing done and pegged out and settled in for the tennis this afternoon.  I had a little nap in front of the computer, peanuts and pineapple juice as a wake up and I’m watching the Williams sister in the doubles.

Woodworking day tomorrow….I’m thinking about making my sun bed….LN…Now where’s that cigarette packet again…LN

Friday 8th July

Time for a confessional....It was the usual routines this morning....coffee, watching the morning and getting the garden watered since it was such a hot day and no moisture fell over night.  The martins were really active again and I'm not sure why they all seem to gather around the only nest that I have on the little house.  If it's to catch the bugglies, that's OK with me.  There was my beautiful coloured lizard out this morning and as I watered the patch of garden under the terrace he was licking the water from the leaves.  He didn't seem fazed by the hose pipe and I didn't try to get him...honest.

And now for the confessional.....It was much too hot to be out there so I spent the day watching tennis.  It was men's semi-final day and it should be a good match on Sunday....I hope the young Canadian puts up a good fight against Murray but I do hope that Murray does manage to win.  We shall wait and see.

So it's the women's final tomorrow so there won't be much activity yet again.  I might try to work up some enthusiasm to manage to do something before it begins....I have to remind myself that I'm allowed to have time off....I'm retired for goodness sake.  LN....Shower time for me and a good dousing for the garden...LN

Saturday 9th July

So it was up before I was this morning and it was out with a coffee and I remembered to take the camera out with me this morning.  I was just amazed how many butterflies and bees were breakfasting on the lavender this morning.  So many varieties but the humming moth was just too quick to catch...maybe it was hungry and fighting off the competition.  

I gave the garden a good soaking this morning...it was destined to be really hot today and it was.  My only activity today has been to chop the legs off the potting bench that I made for the little terrace.  It's now a table on the main terrace...the one that I made last year came in for the winter and hasn't gone out again.  I like it where it sits in my winter lounge or summer lounging spot.  It's the right height and has a shelf under it that hides a multitude of sins...

The rest of the day has been tennis, tennis and more tennis and the ladies finals is on now so I'm between the two.  It started with the wheelchair finals this morning and what a good match that was and the English pair won....how good was that.  Serena this afternoon and mixed doubles and Andy tomorrow...so not much chance of anything else getting done.  Thank goodness it only happens once a year but there again with the Olympics later on in the year.....ahh well, that's only every four.

Fish finger sandwiches for lunch between the matches and no need for anything tonight.  LN....I'm back to the tennis....LN

Gorgeous butterfly that Swallowtail (at least that is what I would reckon it was) and the another variety is Painted Lady- they have supposedy got as far north as us, but haven't seen any in south Lincolnshire yet. Plenty of the little white peskys, but been a fairly poor year for butterflies this year so far.