Thursday 19th October

First and most important...Happy Birthday Harry Thomas ....my father.  When I'm working in the garden and things are getting tough...I think about how he used to get into the garden after working seven hour hewing coal out of the ground,  For the most part of his life he must have either had a shovel or a pick in his hands apart from the time he used to use his arm to raise his glass.  I hope he's enjoying a glass of 'Highgates' in the great beyond.  Since I've gone almost two years without alcohol ...I'll raise and imaginary glass and give you the 'nod'.  We were never much for emotion....

Six thirty start, lovely start to the day and I was out on the balcony taking a few of the morning.  Not sure exactly when but I saw the biggie in the air and it looks like a heron to me...I think the storks have already left.  I hope it avoided my internet mast...it looked to be heading in the same direction but it's been up and working OK today,  Back into bed with a coffee and out again by eight, toast and marmalade for breakfast and then it was a little light entertainment with FB and emails and out into the garden by ten thirty.  The lawn mowing is still on my list.  I got out there and decided to make my little garden into a big garden and have been uprooting loads of wild plums that have been left to run riot by the previous owners and by me for the last five years or so.  I was never sure what to do down that side and now that the wall is up and the trees don't support the fence, I've given it all a pretty hefty haircut and it's opened up the view from the new bench half way down under the big trees.  So the new garden will be duel aspect.  

I came in for a bit of a rest at twelve thirty, Kindle out, eyes down and out for the count for an hour or so.  I woke up cold so I went back out to start again and I've only just come in when light stopped play.  I got the bonfire going and I've got rid of most of the rubbish that I've cut down but I now have my work scheduled for tomorrow.  Clear the rest of the debris, dig the garden over and move some more big stones over for the new bed and get it planted up...and then finally the grass if I've got any energy left.  

No ideas for supper...I'll have to see what's in the fridge/ freezer when I've posted this.  I love days of activity like this...it takes me back to my early days here constructing the garden but boy do I feel knacked again.  There again...I love a challenge.  LN...Kitchen calls....LN

Friday 20th October

Nothing much on the tele last night so I had an early night for me.  Settled down early and had a fantastic night's sleep until five this morning when I appeared to be hit in the ear by what I thought was a flying object.  It could have been part of the dream but I was compos mentis in a shot, all lights blaring, shaking the bed clothes and sweet zilch.  So down for coffee, a touch of Soda Crush until I got really frustrated with that since I have that I can't do and it's been too long.  The machine should have given up by now and allowed me to move on.

I spent the next couple of hours ready the history of Egypt...my new download and eventually made it to the bathroom to wash and dress and settled down on the PC to see if the DM Sudoku was loaded and it was.  A four star in twelve minutes....that's what I like.  Marmite on toast for breakfast and I was delaying going out to the garden.  The little new garden has become a Herculean task and the mowing seemed to be moving further away.  As it happened I got stuck in, got the bonfire going again, finished clear out the old roots from the bed, planted up honeysuckle, jasmine, another sort of jasmine, I moved a spiraea that never looked happy where I'd originally put it and two more that I think the damp conditions will suit better than where they were.  Of course, there had to be a marigold...instant gardening and it should seed so I shall have them there next year.  So I raked the spare earth from the bed and took two loads in the wheelbarrow to the base of the low wall by the walnut.  It had got grass in it but I shall leave it there and let winter do its worst and that's a bed for next year...unless the mood takes me...and it just might...the weather is so good.  I walked over to the bench to sit for a while and suddenly a little frog did a leap in front of me.  It made me jump so both of us were at it and fortunately I had the camera to hand,  Have you ever tried to catch a camouflaged frog in two inch deep fallen leaves?  It took me ages to find him but then the camera wouldn't focus on him but eventually I managed it.

At four thirty I came in for a rest, answered a couple of emails and at five twenty I was out there again, I collected everything that I'd left lying around into the wheelbarrow and put it under the little terrace of the little house.  The lawn mower sits next to the wheelbarrow and you could almost hear it begging to be used.  I relented.....I was going to leave  it until tomorrow but instead, fired it up and managed to two two thirds of the grass before I could feel the damp settling in.  It's away for tonight, I missed sunset, it was down by the time I was ready to pack in but I know another bath is called for tonight.  My back aches...I've done too much but hey....this could be the last cut before winter.  It's going to be fish fingers tonight and I might even do chippies with them...haven't had them for a while.  LN....Let's start again...LN

Saturday 21st October

So after my late bath last night I was full of fish fingers and potato croquettes and I'm reckoning that that was the reason that I found it difficult to get to sleep last night. Late fried food doesn't really do it for me....this temple of a body was having difficult digesting the ingested.  It was three before I put off the light and settled down and it was straight through until seven thirty this morning.  I was pretty drowsy when I woke but it is Saturday after all...slow down before the day of rest.  Most days are the same so I don't have to manufacture excuses for not getting things done...I always have the next day. Washed and dressed in quicksticks and down to the bread van for bread and eggs.  Having fresh eggs, poached for breakfast and it's been a while since I've gone to such lengths...I've been making do with toast.

I cleaned the kitchen from last night's supper and this morning's breakfast and on the list for today was finish the grass and dig up a forsythia that was struggling under the base of the long wall and plant in the new garden.  So what did I really do before I managed to get out there?.....I did the DM five star Sudoku but I half did it on the screen, printed it off with the entries I'd made and managed to do it with not much effort.  I designed the new porch that was in my head and now on paper and measured up the door in the little house to get the dimensions right.  I need it to stop the drafts coming in in the winter...in the summer the door will be permanently open and it will replace the wooden structure that's there now. I was surprised how much I'd done.....perhaps I should stay up until three every morning and sleep in until seven thirty.   I managed to get outside eventually, walk the garden and rescued yesterday's coffee cup from the perching bench at the bottom of the garden, forsythia dug up, one big wild plum removed and forsythia planted,  It sounds easy...the main root on the plum was monumentally thick so I had to resort to the garden saw to cut through it.

In for a late lunch of tuna mayo with toast and I settled down on the sofa with my book and was surprised when I heard the latch on the gate.  My painter had arrived with a friend with car and trailer filled with cabbages and leeks and they wondered if I wanted any.  True Bulgarian form most are bottling cabbage but as for me...I refused all offers.  They looked at the the wood together and have now decided that the thick logs want splitting lengthwise and then cutting up on the electrical saw.  So that's another week then that it won't be finished.  Off they went and I settled back down on the sofa with my book and promptly managed to catch up on an hour or the lost sleep and then it was lawnmower, rest done and all that remains is to strim the bank between the two lawns and round the flower beds but that's for tomorrow.

Tools away and in by six,  It's been another beautiful day in Narnia and it's getting towards the end of October...t-shirt weather again.  Same again tomorrow please.  I don't need supper...my late lunch is sitting heavy so I'll see how I feel later.  LN....Strictly and bed...LN

Sunday 22nd October

Seven thirty start and I feel like the day is half over.  Washing in, coffee, washed and dressed, washing out and toast for breakfast and it's only nine of the clock so I managed to catch up with myself.  Don't know what the rush was about so the brakes went on and I was on the pc and attempting the DM sudoku five star and managed to achieve it in twenty minutes.  Not too bad since there were a lot of variances but I guessed right.  I also downloaded some new books from the CD I've got...my history of Egypt is much of a muchness and I've only just hit 2500 BC,  She certainly knows her stuff, so many names and such detail...makes me wonder where did she research it.  She must love here subject.  All that I could imagine was going on Mastermind and having it as my chosen subject and scoring a big fat zilch....mind boggling so my new books are a little easier on the brain cells.

I did eventually get out there and potted up some honeysuckle plants that have rooted in water and gave the other pot plants a good soaking.  They seemed to be wilting somewhat.  I cleared the grave garden of weeds and planted up one of the new roses to go against the wall and then it was down tools and I sat on the wall in the sun and enjoyed my day of rest.  The sheep are very active and the ram was trying to get on board but without any success as they rushed round the hillside.  I reckon he must have more success at night.  

So ...on the sofa with the new book which is remarkable easy to read and I didn't go to sleep.  Eventually at four I was out there again, I've moved another heap of stones so that I can put a border in between the two new stone circles round the trees, cleared the rest of the heap from down the bottom of the garden and hoping that the grass will start to grow soon.  I came in just after six, supper is in, I caught the end of the sunset as I was transferring the photos to the pc and now it's time to check on supper.  Lovely day...tomorrow I'm heading off to Kardjali.  I've got a few things on the shopping list that I can't get locally so it will be a day out.  LN...Supper, Strictly and book...LN

Monday 23rd October

What a good night's sleep last night...seven start for me.  Coffee, washed, dressed after I'd done the photo shoot with the woodies in my garden.  Such timid birds though and I was inside and they were out and I had to take them through the window.  I did go out but off they flew and it was no more than I expected.  I really need to build a hide in the garden...I'll get the project plan organised.  Toast for breakfast again and I'd washed up last night and I do enjoy coming down to a clean and tidy kitchen.  I used to do it every night but I've been a bit lazy.

So this is going to be a quick update,,,we've just had some very bit flashes of lightening on the hillside so it might be soon time to get out the kindle and abandon the PC.  Djebel this morning and on the way in I spotted Remsier looking longingly for a lift.  It was market day today and I asked her if she had missed the Monday but but apparently the cow had to have an injection so she had to wait for the vet to arrive.  I went straight down to the garage after I'd dropped her off to sort out the rattle on my bull bars and it was done in quick sticks.  I stopped off at the leva shop in Kardjali and spotted a couple of bins with lids that I thought would do for my starter wood.  One was a little bigger than the other so I put the little on down to remove the lid from the biggie and an old lady picked up the little one.  I told her in Bulgarian that I wanted the two but she totally ignored me saying that I'd got one and she went to the cash desk.  My flabber was completely ghasted...I did tell her in Bulgarian that she was a a really bad lady but I spotted another one the same size as the big one so I settled for that instead.  Car park and cheapy shop and I fell on a pair of leather boots which are absolutely fantastic and fur lined for twelve leva and fit perfectly.  I paid my home phone bill, over to Kaufland for a few items and had lunch from their outside take away....hot dog and chippies,  On to Lidl for my butter and essentials and stopped for fuel in the garage next door.  I asked for fifty lev's worth, I don't know where the assistant's head was but he stopped at eighty and that looked like his day's pay had gone if I didn't cough up the rest which I obviously did much to his relief.  

Back home via the back lane and by now the weather was looking a little black over Kardjali so I set to with my reciprocating saw, got rid of the little ones that the saw could manage and moved most of the others into the garage before the rain started.  There are only a few really big ones remaining and I've covered them with polythene.  Tools away and realised that I'd left a bag of shopping in the car so rescued it, put stuff into the freezer and there's liver left out for tonight or for breakfast....according to how I feel.  Knacked after doing the wood but another good day's work. Garden stone edging tomorrow if it clears up, otherwise I might just go on a visit...I'll see what tomorrow brings.  LN....Relax time and hoping that storm stays away....LN

Tuesday 24th October

Five start so settled in with my book for a while...it was pitch black out there and I didn't see a glimmer until seven fifteen.  It was raining. grim, not a day for being out there and 'doing' so I was planning how to spend the day.  I went down to the kitchen and put a load of washing in. made coffee and headed back upstairs to the computer and didn't get dressed until nine thirty.  Boring toast with Marmite for breakfast, I was just getting settled on the computer and we had a power cut so end of play.  Now I was having to find something else to play with.

The weather appeared to be getting better but then it started again.  We had a few flashes of lightening and rumbles and it started again.  Eventually by one it had started to lighten and by two I was out there,  I managed to get the stones that I'd brought up from the bottom of the garden lined up fairly straight between the two stone circles, planted out a couple of erica that I'd picked up cheaply yesterday, moved some flags to other parts of the garden and emptied the spoil down the bottom of the garden.  I uncovered the wood pile and set to moving the rest of the wood into the garage.  The polythene had done its stuff and it was completely dry but I feel happier now it's not sitting in the yard.  There are only about five big logs left to move so I'll try the saw on them tomorrow and see how I go.  In the absence of any workers...a girl must do what a girl must do.  

I came in just before six, a cooked mashed potatoes and the liver with onions in Bisto gravy and the washing up can wait.  There are a few flashes over the hills, the rain is helping my new shrubs get settled.  My beautiful Princess has just phoned with the latest updates....Last of the logs tomorrow weather permitting is top of the list and if not...I might be finding an indoor swimming pool...sounds like a plan.  LN....Let's see how it pans out...LN

Wednesday 25th October

Just before seven start and it wasn't quite raining but very dull.  I managed to get dressed quickly and down to the bread van and nobody was lingering...it was place your order and get back into the house and find any warmth that was around.  I'd bought two loaves, eggs and a cheesy bread for breakfast but I thought those plans were out of the window when I cracked the eggs on the door as I was unlocking it.  Surprisingly they were all intact so I settled for the cheesy bread.  It was at this point that the heaven opened and it's not stopped all day.  

I played on the internet for about an hour and started to work through my music on my machine.  I'd copied them originally in the UK on to iTunes but now they sit on my iPod and in Music and despite having the destructions to move them into iTunes where I can create list I haven't got round to it.  I shall one day. I got wood in and lit the fire and have kept it going all day.  I've been reading, playing games and resorted to sleeping this afternoon on the sofa with a quilt over me.  The house has yet to really heat up...I've only had about three fires this autumn so not really getting the house up to temperature for the winter.

There are no pickies today...I've had enough of grey clouds and rain drops and there's only so many you can take.  LN...Fingers crossed for tomorrow...LN

Thursday 26th October

Seven start and not much doing out there.  There was a hint of morning which showed its little self and then disappeared in the mist so I sent back to bed with a coffee.  Eight before I got up for the second time, washed, dressed, toast, garden in the mist and started the bonfire to get rid of the rubbish.  The smoke mingled with the mist so no one saw that I was polluting the atmosphere.  I threw out the stale bread for the birds and made poached eggs on toast for me and sat in the kitchen to eat it instead of taking it up to my desk,  Cleared the kitchen and left everything back in place and then had a day of going into spaces and tidying them up.  Firstly I tackled the sliding baskets in the bathroom and sorted out the winter underwear and tights, put some new elastic in a pair of pyjamas that I love and refolded the towels and stacked them on the shelving unit instead of having them in one of the sliding baskets.  I normal get notice of visitors these days.

I went through the list of things that I could have done today and realised that I'd not really achieved that much but at least I know where things are.  It turned into a splendid day but I really couldn't work up the enthusiasm to get out there...it was going to be hard work if I did and I wasn't in the mood for hard work.  I imagined getting out the reciprocating saw and tackling the five big logs that are still under polythene and quickly put it out of my mind.  Tomorrow is another day.

Had a little zizz this afternoon and eventually went out and swept up the leaves that all falling like ninepins.  We had severe gusts around lunchtime and then it calmed down as quickly as it arrived.  Out with the camera to catch the sundown but it had gone already so just took a few of the garden.  Impressed with the moon though, it was up early in a pink tinged sky.  Jacket potato in the oven for supper tonight...I probably lash it with just butter and cheese...nothing nicer.  LN....Logs tomorrow....LN

Friday 27th October

Five start this morning and it was black as you like out there...not even a glimmer.  Down for coffee and ended up washing up the rest of last night's pots and pans and straight back to bed and settled in to the history of Egypt and I'm getting up to a few names I recognise from my schooldays.  It's still boring in places...as I said she knows her 'stuff' but name after name and places that without a map open at the page I'm unsure where she's going next and I'm only on twenty five percent....

Down for another coffee, boiled eggs for breakfast, washed and dressed and fed the stale bread to the birds and the apples that had gone really hard on the outside and no amount of cooking last night stuffed with dried fruit, honey and butter made them any softer.  The filling was good but the rest of it went out to the birds along with the bread.  I was out in the garden by nine and moved the pallet shelving that I'd put at the base of the wall to the underneath room of the little house.  It's now housed in the gardening room and has the gardening 'bits' on it so that I know where to find all the things that go missing just when you need them.  I carried on tidying but managed to hear the phone going and it was the Librarian seeing if I wanted to come out to play....and so I was rescued from a day of doing.  She came over about twelve and we sat on the terrace and then set off for Djebel and our favourite soup kitchen.  We headed off to the leva shop and I bought a really good hacksaw with a superior blade for ten lev...point of origin...China...and let's see how long it lasts.  

Back home for three thirty and we sat and had coffee in the garden, she headed home and I got ready to leg it to my student's for supper.  Lovely evening with the family and I've made the big on promise that she will come out next week for an English lesson but I'm going to prepare useful phrases for her and get her used to listening and responding to questions....familiarity and all that.  Now it's late and time for my bed...it's been a long day but it could have appeared longer if the Librarian hadn't rescued me from my endeavours.

Tomorrow is a wood day...I really need to sort it to feel happier in my little head and I asked the question tonight as to how many cubics of wood make up a ton to be told that it depends if it's wet or dry and it's about two point two cubics.  At least I've got a rough idea of quantity and than I had before.  Sorry no pickies...too much mist this morning and too little time this afternoon.  LN,...Wish me luck for tomorrow...LN

Saturday 28th October

Four start this morning  so I read until six and then got my head down again.  Not sure what it's about...probably the change of season and I was a little cold in bed, perhaps that was the problem.  I've not got my high tog quilt on the upstairs bed yet...still managing with the lighter weight one wit a top up quilt.  The temperature looks to be falling around the time I woke up...I'll put the other one on top of the bed tonight.  Having said that I managed another couple of late hours in and at eight I started my day.

Breakfast of beans on toast so that should be a musical evening then.  I managed the five star sudoku, it was raining , dull and miserable so I hadn't got much enthusiasm to get out there and do anything and by ten thirty I was lighting the fire.  I watched a little of breakfast television until I realised I was really wasting time and having checked up on the weather forecast, most of the outside pots especially the lemon had to come in.  I put on an extra layer and body warmer and got most of them in.  It's going to be OK tonight but later in the week it's supposed to be going down to minus six and that would be the death knell for some of them.  So all lemons and oranges in along with the jasmine, white petunias in the Welcome pot, the freesias and the fuchsia that I'm not sure if it's a hardy variety.  The cactus that I'm looking after have also come in for another season...it must be around eight years now but I'm not complaining....I now consider them mine.

I came in very wet and cold so stripped off my socks and found dry ones and slippers.  The body warmer was assigned to the bathroom radiator to dry off and I eventually started to thaw out.  I think its that it's sunny one day and cold and damp the next that's playing havoc with my thermostat so at four this afternoon I turned on the boiler and got the temperature up to 'very comfortable' for a long slow bath.  I locked up the house and headed up to the bathroom and ran the bath, settled in with my little Kindle and my history of Egypt, realised that I was close to nodding so put the Kindle down and slept for about half an hour.  There is nothing nicer and it reminded me of when my mother used to knock on the bathroom door at home and ask if I was asleep and of course I wasn't...she'd already woken me up.  I topped up the water again and eventually got out and caught the end of the under seventeen football world cup final.  Well done to England...five -two win over Spain.  I've just had to go down and perk the fire up...I'd put rather a big log on it so a little starter wood under it and I can hear it crackling now....I have lift off.

I spoke with my student's last night and they wanted to carve a pumpkin and their father said that he wouldn't sacrifice on of his home grown so it looks like I'm going to have to buy one for them and deliver it.  I did suggest that they could use one of theirs and make pumpkin soup with it but that didn't enthuse them at all and I can't blame them for that.  So I have a jacket potato that I'm about to fry up and have lashed with cheese and butter.  That will suffice for supper.  It was too wet to get out there and do the logs today....I have plenty of dry ones so there's no issue but I just want them out of the way.  Again...tomorrow is another day.

Strictly tonight and it's a Halloween theme night so should be fun.   LN..Kitchen bound...LN