Saturday 29th October

So last night's supper was last night's supper and not this morning's breakfast.  The carrots, potatoes and onions had roast to perfection.  The lamb was a little tough but the taste was exquisite...Haciber's holy meat from the last celebrations.  Brilliant night's sleep and woke up at six thirty which for me is fine.  I made coffee, went back to bed and generally lazed the early morning away.  The cows were eyeing the new wall and they stayed their side and didn't interfere with mine even though it's only half finished.  The reinforcement put in by the men before they left managed to keep the cows out from the bottom of the garden. At about nine I had the urge to tidy the kitchen and make toast and marmalade.  I did toy with the idea of bacon and eggs but it was such a good day that I wanted to get out there and enjoy it.  It was cold but not as cold as had been predicted and I didn't go out until the hillside was aired.

So what did I do today?  First off was a bonfire to get rid of the household rubbish and the few remaining branches that were littering the grass.  I also lobbed on some old rubber sheeting that I'd dug up and that went well and fortunately the smoke was blowing away from the house.  I moved on to the garden and have reduced the size of the vegetable patch...it seems to make the area round the wild damson tree look much better.  The fruit is marvellous for making jam and should do better now that it's been cleaned up and I've renewed some of the soil at the base.  I renewed the wood that's surrounding the garden and moved the greenhouse thingy to the top bed and will be putting some broad beans in there.  It was protecting the parsnips but they really didn't come to much...it's been too dry this year for anything to grow.  I dug over the veg garden and the soil really does seem to have improved due to all the cow droppings that I dug in in September and the proof of the pudding will be next year.  I also dug up a couple or roots of day lilies and they're now planted in front of the wall.  Probably the wrong time but as with most things ...they have two choices...either they will or they won't and managed to get about forty daffodil bulb planted so that should please the boys on Monday.  Tools packed away at five...I've had a good day and achieved quite a lot.  A day in the garden gives you a sense of well being and it's good to have days on my own.  Workmen are fine but ....

So fire lit , sun has gone down, clear sky tonight so it could be colder than last night.  I didn't manage to take cuttings and cut back the petunias...they sort of slipped the list.  Supper tonight is cold lamb and bubble and squeak with the roasted veg....tasty...or should be and it's Strictly tonight so I want to be showered and fed before that starts.  Same weather again tomorrow...pretty please...LN....I'm kitchen bound...LN

Sunday 30th October

True to form....I woke at the normal time and realised that I hadn't changed the timer on the boiler so that was the first job.  The beauty of it is that I get my hot water at cheap overnight rate...saves quite a bit of money.  So coffee at five thirty and then had the luxury of watching the morning come to life without having to think about getting in the car and fetching the men and now that the clocks have changed...I can enjoy the unfolding dawn.  I was out onto the balcony first off but realised that it was nippy out there so was soon back in and back into bed with my coffee and took the rest of the photos tucked up and toasty.  Unfortunately the flash insisted on coming on so I have a few flying dustpan lids and I'll share only one with you...reallhy don't know how it happened.  I'm sure my dust mites aren't that big and if it's an orb...it's a big one.

Washed, dressed and down to face the world by eight and decided to empty the rubbish from the log basket and shake the rug from under it, I swept round a bit, emptied out the ash can and laid the fire but no need to light it, the central heating had come up over the hillside and it was well into the mid twenties in the house.  I suddenly realised that I was hungry so I breakfasted on bacon, fried bread and fried egg by nine.  I cleared the kitchen and played around with pot plants for a while but it was such a lovely morning that I took to the bench on the terrace and enjoyed the sun.  I also pottered in the garden and dug over the ground under the mulberry tree and planted some of the old daffodil bulbs that were originally from the other side of it flowering on the hillside.  

Came in at twelve and settled down with the Kindle on the sofa in the sun and yes, the eyelids went south and I was out for an hour or so.  Made another coffee and went back to my book but in the meantime, the clouds had come over and with the door open the temperature had dropped rapidly.  Now I had choices...light the fire or put on a sweater and find something to do and I chose the latter.  Out on to the hillside I went and collected up the wood that Bekir had cut up on Friday wielding his chainsaw at any old wood he spotted and I got four barrow loads which is now stacked in the porch of the little house.  I few of the bigger logs are on the bench outside the door of the main house and will be burnt this evening.  I went back to tidying the terrace and put the sheet of heavy duty plastic in the door screen and cleaned it since it had been used to protect the bags of cement from the rain...any port in a storm so to speak.  Had one visitor today...my painter stopped off for a chat...he's working on a property at the top of the village but he looked absolutely knacked.  He did promise to come and chop my wood for me though when he's finished his current project....

So in at five, thought it was much later and the body clock has yet to adjust....it's early days.  I lit the fire and used some of the old wood from outside and it's burning well.  Six thirty my time and I've got the Strictly results to look forward to tonight and let's see what surprises are in store.  Supper will be what I can find to do quickly......not in the mood for a gastronomic marathon....Men tomorrow and looking at the long term weather...it should be wall to wall sunshine for the rest of the week.  Great for wall building.  LN...I'm kitchen bound...LN

Monday 31st October

Beautiful start to the morning again although this hour has just brought everything an hour early.  I'm still waiting for my body clock to catch up with the actually time.  Cloudy blue and pink morning and eventually the sun raised her little head and it was the rays that I was trying to catch before it really got over the hillside....and I think I managed it.

Out and in the car by seven thirty and I took the dirt road down to the Greek road for a change....I love to see the meandering river and stopped along the second dirt track up to the men's village to take a few more.  One funny thought that struck me was that the toilet to the new drinking hole that's been built on the top of the mountain along the dirt track has the most superb views from the bar....and the toilet if they'd put a window in it.  So the men appeared on the dot so to speak and I ran into the shop for a new loaf of bread.  I wish they did them in half sizes, I don't think I'd waste as much although most of the leftovers go to Bekir and the dogs.  Despite the sun, there was a chill wind and at one point if appeared to be blowing a gale.  Sally cracked on with the cement work, I went out to help by collecting stones but then I decided to take to the gardening and move a few shrubs around.  I also seemed to shift lots of soil about to try to bring down the levels in some places and raise it in others.  More daffodil bulbs went in and I also found some baby snapdragons which I put in and fingers crossed, they'll take.

Managed to book my flights today and I think the prices have actually come down from when I first looked.  Not bad at all.  It took me a while to sort out the new look and feel website but at least I remembered my password to get into my account so that saved some time and it's a first for me.  Back to the gardening....I was going to have a bonfire but the wind was still going strong so it can wait for tomorrow.  I think the men have finished the foundations...I didn't go and check...I'm not responsible for the weather but it's amazing how you can feel that it's your fault that they're working in the cold.  

They were ready for five fifteen and I think they'd used up all the cement and it was too late to mix another load.  I managed to get them home by five thirty more or less and I legged it back down the dirt road and into Djebel the back was and I was off for supper at my students tonight.  Lovely night with the family but father is not feeling well...the elder sister has bought a little car and is having top up lessons to give her a bit more confidence.  My student is enjoying her new job and the mother presses on regardless...it's what we do.  Quick drive back through the forest and the only sign of life was a small hare running for it's life in the headlights.  Where's that camera when you really need it.  

So stuffed as you like....no fire going but the house has maintained its heat from the sun...a swift blackcurrant squash and then it's good night from me...LN....It's snuggle time....LN