Friday 17th March

Well half way through this month already but the signs of spring are slow.   We need a few more days of sun.

It was a seven thirty start today and thank you fire for prolonging it...I swear it has something to do with it.  I had a bit of a shock though, as I staggered towards the kitchen I checked out my wall clock and it said twenty to ten which I had to think about.  Fortunately my wrist watch was sitting on the table underneath the clock and that gave me the correct time.  So down it came from the wall, into the kitchen and down with the olive pot from the shelf and where else would you keep spare A4's.  I inserted the said battery and my life was back on schedule and it's still going now.  Coffee, cleared the kitchen and the rest of the curry stuff was thrown over the hillside for the dogs, cats or whatever and I suddenly had a yearning for a bacon sandwich.  I got the bacon out of the freezer, thawed it out, left it on the work surface and it was another hour before I got round to making breakfast.  I got on to the computer upstairs for emails and FB and played a few games, down to the kitchen and what was going to be a bacon sandwich turned into bacon, egg and fried bread and it set me up for the day.

I eventually got washed and dressed and headed out with the wheelbarrow  and spade and started working on dropping the level of the patch by the walnut and using some of the soil to fill up where I'd stopped a couple of days ago.  I've still got some rubble that needs to find its way to the base of the wall so the infill will be done in stages.  My outside toilet is half down so that needs to be completely demolished and one shove would do it but I'll leave it to the experts.  I have other heaps of stone chippings and bits of tiles and bricks that I need to barrow over but I was more in the mood for digging today.  The original plans to get out the paint brush were aborted...it was raining this morning so it was on to plan B which is always the one initiated when plan A can't be achieved...

I came in for a coffee after a couple of hours or so and sat in the sun by the table in the stair well.  The next event  was two of my neighbours coming round with stuffed croissants and a chocolate milky drink.  Apparently it's the anniversary of someone's husband and as is the norm...feed the village.  Mine have gone...thank you an afternoon snack but the sell by date is some time in June....makes me wonder what's really in them.  

I went out again to carry on where I'd left off and after three barrow loads it started to rain and was I pleased.  It was tools away in quicksticks and back to the house banking up the fire and bringing it to life again.  It didn't last long though but I just couldn't drum up any enthusiasm to get out there again so I didn't.  Bit of a pink tinged sky tonight and it's supposed to be a better day tomorrow so I'm off out with my ladies that lunch and the baby who's going to have far more attention than is good for her and a taste of cheesy chips....or a slice of cucumber and I'm guessing which one she'll prefer.  Enough ramblings...I'm not even thinking about supper yet..the croissants are still lingering somewhere near the middle of the chest.  LN...I need a coffee to sluice them down...LN

Saturday 18th March

Early morning start and there was pink in them there clouds.  Only managed toast for breakfast with lashings of apricot jam knowing that I was out for lunch.  I'd got a couple of hours to kill before they arrived so I went out into the garden and got rid of the weeds along the long wall...they were very thick but I found plants that I'd forgotten about and they're budding nicely.  My dark purple hydrangea has loads of buds on it and despite the fact that it was a supermarket find...it's doing them proud.

Guests arrived at just after eleven and rooted me out of the garden.  I got the coffee on since it was a little early to set off for lunch but not for one little sweetie.  Mr's D of S offered to drive us over to the Makaza Hotel on the outskirts of Momchilgrad and the place was in full swing with several children's birthday parties taking place but it wasn't too obvious since the room's large and can cope with it.  Cheesy chips, salad and pizza.  I ordered a calzone thinking that it was going to be like the ones in Italian restaurants...wrong it was a flat based one but I managed to get through it ...eventually where as the others took doggy bags home with them for later.  I've not had anything for supper though so I've had mine in one sitting not two.

The little one was a little fractious...I think she's had a couple of busy days so we didn't linger long over coffee.  We were home for just before three so I went in and they went on their way.  It didn't seem like a Saturday...we normally do our socialising in the week or on a Sunday and I suddenly remembered that we were in for an afternoon of rugby so that's what I did.  I ggt so engrossed that I forgot all about my update and then settled in for the Voice and it's just finished now.  

Rain is forecast for tomorrow so I'll probably be helping the man with the metal collection so that it's done and dusted.  I don't want him to be out there all day at his pace.  Nothing else on the agenda....LN...and now to bed said sleepy head...LN

Sunday 19th March

Couldn't get off to sleep last night and I was playing silly games at two thirty and unable to catch up...my internal alarm kicked in at seven ten so up about to face the world.  I was expecting my metal man today but maybe he was put off by the weather forecast stating that it was going to be raining most of the day but no such luck....and he didn't turn up.  We had a brief shower this morning and then it's been good for the rest of the day.  At one point the sweater came off disclosing that I'd put it over my pyjama top and since it has the word Moo embroidered on it...it felt very agricultural.  Toast for breakfast with a hint of Vegemite and thank you to my cousin in Australia for sending it over....and then out and at it.  

I cleared up the bank by the falling down toilet and raked it over dumping the debris at the base of the new wall.  The bottom of the garden before the wall went in was looking OK with a few shrubs and flowers but it had really gone to pot.  Stone had been dumped round an old rose and a sloe bush and there were a couple of miniature pear trees down there but it was going to take drastic measures to make anything of it...so I made a start.  The old rose and the sloe bush have been cut to the ground, one of the pears has been removed and the other neatened up.  I've released a spiraea and a baby fir from the weeds and also dug round the medlar tree and then it was a matter of digging over where I could and clearing the stone and old tiles from the soil.  It was my builder's dumping area.  So I can see the wood for the trees and I can almost see the finished article.  I don't make a plan because then you have to stick to it....much more fun my way.  

So a couple of sausages with onions and potatoes are in the oven and something is smelling good down there.  Seven my time and I'm feeling knacked...it might be on with the boiler and a two hour soak tonight to ease the aching limbs....About another three days on the garden and it should be knocked into shape....and then it might be time to tackle the lawn....out with my trusty lawn mower but I suppose I better think about giving it a service first....always work for the wicked.  LN...those sausages are requiring my attention...LN

Monday 20th March

The sleep of the just last night…straight through from eleven to seven twenty which for me is sheer bliss.  Made a coffee, sat by the table in the stairwell, drank that and went back for a second cup which is unusual.  I normally let the first one go cold and then it top-up all day.  I swear I only have one cup…

Breakfast was a cold sausage and then it was dressed and ready just in case my Metal Mickey decided to turn up with his hot rod and trailer but unfortunately not today.  I had the third cup of coffee walking the garden looking for tender green shoots on the new shrubs and I wasn’t disappointed.  They are doing well.  

Three loads of washing done today…I stripped the bed and am looking forward to getting into a fresh bed tonight. I wasn’t in the mood for earth shifting today so instead I sorted out seeds and beetroot and bean seeds are in…three rows of each.  The rest of the day has been taken up with removing the old flower pots, cleaning them up, checking out what’s survived and there aren’t many casualties.  I’ve got lots of baby geraniums that need to be moved on to something bigger but several of the ‘twigs’ that I stuck into any pot that was going have buds on them already.  I’ll have to wait until they burst forth to see what I managed to propagate.  

Noisy afternoon…I think the lambs have had their first outing and they were frantically searching for their mothers.  I spotted a couple that really made me smile…..completely black apart from white tails.  The sheep dog was on patrol and one of the little ones look like he could have fathered it.  The rest of the afternoon was spent sorting out my PC that was continuously blue screening and I reckon it was down of one of the updates that was sent down.  I've restored it to the last available date and fingers crossed...it seems to be OK.

Closing up for the night and I heard Metal Mickey’s car heading up the road and watched it go by the gate.  I think it has something to do with the spoiler on the back.  I caught him on the way back and apparently he came round on Saturday where I was expecting him on Sunday so we’ve made a new date.  I really need to see the back of the metal littering the garden.  As he came to drive off though it took him several attempts to get it going…me thinks he needs a new battery.  

So supper is not on the cards…lunch was a very large cheese and onion sandwich and that will suffice until morning.  The fire is going but needs attention,  LN…Coffee needs topping up…LN

Tuesday 21st March

Again a really good night's sleep and it was the sun that woke me up.  It was already up at six thirty which surprised me....and when the clock goes back this weekend....it will be a five thirty start...

Coffee, no fire I reckoned it wouldn't be needed today.  I went out and took photos of the morning and realised that it was a little nippy out there so soon came in and went for the second cup.  I sat and watched the morning and struggled into clothing by eight thirty and headed out to walk the garden.  Today was one of those days that I wasn't sure what to do.  I got a washing load out, swept through the ground floor and generally tidied round, cooked an omelette for breakfast, ended up potting up some seeds, repotting the jasmine and clearing out the remaining pots.  I'd looked at the window frames that I'm using as flower surrounds in the garden and decided that they needed a coating of old engine oil so that was my next task.  It didn't stop there, I did round the vegetable patch and on the third I heard a car pull up so headed up to the terrace to check who was out there.  I vaguely recognised the two men...it was the chief of police from Djebel and the local police man who I'd dealt with a couple of weeks ago when I had an incident with a gypsy.  I'd got rubber gloves on covered with the old engine oil so I peeled them off and we shook hands.  He'd obviously heard that I'd renovated the house and had come to look.  He walked the top terrace and looked down the garden and commented how beautiful the view was, I offered them coffe which they refused, we chatted for a while and then they left.  I was really surprised by the visit.

So back to it and finished the vegetable patch surround and by this time, time was ticking on.  Came in at four, my next visitor was my painter who had finished work in Djebel.  He's working on the apartment blocks being insulated and has another four days work before he starts his next lot.  We've made temporary arrangements to go into Kardjali on Friday if he doesn't have work....it's been a while since we did a trip together.  Supper of spare rib pork chops with barbecue sauce topping and now on to Eggheads.  Tomorrow night I'm out for supper at my students and tomorrow will be more of the same if the weather is good.  LN...What an exciting life...LN

Wednesday 22nd March

Six fifteen start this morning and I sat out with my coffee on the terrace waiting for my central heating to come up.  It was a bit on the chill side but a very fresh morning...the air's so pure around here until I start my bonfire going...

Got dressed and went out into the garden.  My neighbour came round and inspected the estate to see what she could take of the plant variety but I've not got much that's ready.  She's earmarked Forsythia and I did give her a bag of lavender from my cache upstairs and told her to make it into a sleep aid for her mother who's pretty fragile,  I showed her the one that I've got as a pattern but I hadn't got one already made to give her.  Maybe that's a new item on the list.  Off to the bread van for bread and unfortunately I came back with a box of biscuits that are no more.  I find it very difficult to meter them out...it becomes a case of...'just one more' and then there's no more,

I played around with the seeds after demolishing half a loaf with butter and apricot jam sitting in the sun,  By twelve I was feeling jaded so lay on the sofa and got my head down along with the rest of me for an hour or so.  Out with another coffee and decided that the rest of the plants that I got from Haskovo had to go in and headed down the bottom of the garden with four of them.  Unfortunately I got sidetracked and have managed to  level off more of the garden and clear some of the rubbish.....I can now see where I'm going with it...I have a plan inside.  Spent a good half an hour watching the stork.  I saw it arrive and it kindly stood around waiting for me to get the camera.  It was quite a long way away so bear with me....but it means that the martinitsa can definitely come off and get hung around the garden.  It did move on to the next pond and I managed to spot it but I had to call it a day....I wanted to catch it in flight but need to get ready...I'm out to supper tonight.  LN...Wash, decent clothes and away...LN

Thursday 23rd March

Five o'clock start and one of those silly dreams that you can't get out of until you open your eyes and start the day/  I beat the sun this morning...in fact beat everything...Lovely crescent moon but the camera didn't want to know.  I tried to snuggle down again after my coffee but got going with Candy Crush and managed to find the bears and chew all the chewing gum.  I'm pretty disciplined though...I don't buy any more time so I'm not a very good customer for them.

Seven o'clock came round quickly and I was washed dressed, breakfasted and the kitchen tidied by eight so a complete blank canvas and didn't know what to do first.  I'd been looking at the pots and there were some baby geraniums that needed potting up for the main terrace so they're now done.  I gave them all a good drink, put the orange and lemon plants into new pots with new compost and trimmed them up.  There's lots of new growth on them but they were straggly.  My next task was to find some wood, grab the saw, hammer and nails and I made a trug for the colourful pots that I bought last year and much to the amusement of my ladies.  They only have to see me with that sort of equipment and I reckon that there is a male side to me.  I laughed with them and said that I only have the same equipment as they have and they carried on, on their walk.

I came in at twelve and had a little rest and the eyes were heading southwards but never quite made it.  I was out again and forced myself to get digging down the bottom of the garden to get it levelled up.  The mood lasted until five so I came in, lit the fire, emptied the Canon of the photos since the card was full and put some pork chops in the oven for supper.

Lovely weather today again...not so hot as yesterday, the wind was chill but there again...it's still only March.  Supper's ready...kitchen calls...LN....I've worked up an appetite...LN

Friday 24th March

Absolutely stupid night...I was awake at two thirty, read until five, sleep until six fifteen and a member of the wide awake club after that.  And no reason in my book for it to be that way.  The upside is that the washing was out on the line for seven thirty, I was showered and shampooed and hair dried, breakfasted by eight so I telephoned my painter to see if he was wanting to go into Kardjali or not.  I think he was asleep when I phoned but said that he had work to do so would not be joining me and thanked me for remembering.  So just before that I'd had a message from Mrs D of S to see if I wanted anything from Djebel, she was prepared to get it and bring it round if I was having problems dragging myself away from my gardening...Yes...and some.  I told her that I had to go into Kardjali to pick up my new driving licence and cash point card but that we could meet in Djebel for a coffee but instead she asked if she could tag along into Kardjali with me and I jumped at the chance of being out with the little one again.

So list made, Haciber asked me if I could get her some washing powder so it was added to my list and the day went like clockwork.  There was a queue at Kat where I had to pick up my licence but the assistant spotted me, my documents were produced and I was called to the front of the queue.  Two packets of biscuits on my last tirp worked well.  Over to the bank and the same treatment, down to Kaufland and we just happened to bump into the Librarian at the cash desk.  I joined the queue behind her and jostled her trolley, she pushed back but didn't look up so I did it again and she was about to let fly when she saw it was me...so we both had a little giggle.  All shopping away and over to the pizza shop for lunch and then the cake shop for afters, dropped her at her car and met up again in Lidl to finish the shopping.  Back to Djebel, swapped the luggage over and I was home for about four.  Washing in, shopping away, I delivered the washing powder but Haciber was on a visit so I went home and lay on the sofa in the sun and was about to nod off and she was there with the money and a packed of biscuits from Turkey.  

Washing away, lit the fire, no supper for me I'm stuffed to the gills from the pizza and the big fat chocolate cake that followed it.  Metal Mickey is here tomorrow and that will be one more thing off my mind.  Just a few pickies of the morning and evening...too busy with baby in between.  LN...Hoping for a better night...LN

Saturday 25th March

Six start this morning and dark as you like out thee.  I made coffee and went back to bed...nothing to get up for this early soplayed on the Kindle and read for a while.  Out of bed by seven, washed, dressed, breakfasted on French stick with ham while I went out to the garden.  My neighbours are back from Turkey for a few days and I saw them digging for victory at the bottom of their huge garden.  I checked out the new shrubs and they appear to be coming on in leaps and bounds, back in for a top up on the coffee stakes and another chunk of French stick.  

I got the strimmer out of the tool shed and checked both batteries which appear still to be charged from last year.  There are clumps of grass growing under the front wall and there's not enough for the lawn mower so the strimmer will cope with it and did.  My neighbour saw me out there and asked me what I was doing so I explained and she proudly told me that she'd planted up potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and beans which I'm thinking is a little early for the tomatoes and peppers but she's local and should know best.

So this morning I'm expecting Metal Mickey and he didn't let me down.  He arrived with his Lada, we shook hands and then he was straight for the wheelbarrow and down to business.  After the first load Haciber appeared and said that she had some old fencing if he was interested and he certainly was so my job was put on hold while he went over the road with my wheelbarrow to do the deed.  I was concerned that there wouldn't be enough space for mine...but he managed somehow.  My painter walked by with his wife and we had a few words and he went on his way and another neighbour came round to talk with Mickey.  It seems he's a popular sort of chap.  Any way...mine all finished by eleven fifteen and I cleared the leaves from the oak tree that had been lodged between the metal heap and dumped them down the bottom of the garden.  I shoved a few chunks of stone around, came back and had a bonfire with some plastic that had also been trapped and generally played around for a couple of hours with the strimmer.

Into the house for a coffee, lay on the sofa and it was eyes southwards for an hour or so and I woke up cold so lit the fire.  I went out to shut up shop, tidy the tools away and do a final bit of strimming and suddenly the wind got up to gale force so it was down tools, got the log carrier loaded and wheeled it in to the house and then the heavens opened but at least the wind has died down.

So another job ticked off...the metal has gone and it's back to construction when the men decided to appear again.  I've just got the old wood that has been dumped at the bottom of the garden to sort...it's good enough to use for pot covers or garden seats so a new saw is required and some nails and I might even run to screws.  I like parking benches so that if I feel that I want to have five minutes to take in the view...there's somewhere to rest my weary bones.  

Now the sun's just come out so I'm going to look for a rainbow...just a hint of one but not worth getting the spade out for and heading over the hillside.  LN....Almost relax time...LN

Sunday 26th March

So I put the clocks forward last night so that I wouldn't forget but it seems that the rest of the day has gone like clockwork.  Happy Mother's Day to my own mother even though she's not with me physically anymore, my daughter and daughter in law and those I've adopted on the way.  I could name a few but won't...Hope you've all been spoilt rotten.  I had phone calls, cards that will eventually arrive since it's Bulgarian postal system and surprise messages on FB.  Thank you everyone of you.

So a real pea souper to wake up to and it seemed to get thicker as the day wore on.  I took my coffee out, chatted to my neighbour and she was back to Turkey today leaving her veg to grow unattended.  I checked out my little garden and my garlic have just pushed up their first stalks, the beans and beetroot are being lazy but the chives are doing well.  I walked down to the bottom of the garden and could hardly see the house but as I walked back I saw a strange bird sitting on the house ridge.  I went inside and got the camera and took a few shots from the yard but then went out on to the balcony and managed to get some better ones.  I reckon he was asleep at first, roused himself and then took to the wing once more.  Looks like a pigeon to me but not the normal sort...perhaps just needed a rest.

First task this morning was to plant up the forsythia I'd dug up yesterday from the little house garden.  It had never looked happy there being planted on the old soot heap and where some seem to like it...it never had.  It was reluctantly flowering but I've moved it to the base of the front and new side wall and put some good compost in the hole.  Now let's see what it does...  Off down the bottom with the spade and I was determined to get more of the digging and levelling done.  I worked up quite a steam but then it started to cloud over and the wind got up so I came in and started looking at holidays on the internet.  It had now got to about one thirty and even though it was early to light the fire, I lit it anyway and not long after there was a very deep rumbling of thunder, the wind got up to gale force and the heavens opened.  Huge hailstones, very intense thunder so I came off the internet and took to my book for a couple of hours.  It seemed to rattle around for ages, the spade is still abandoned at the bottom of the garden but I did managed to lock up before it really started.

Again I would ask where the day has gone....it's seven my time and there's not much that's been achieved today that could be set in stone.  LN...Kitchen for supper, fire for warmth and Filmon for company....LN