Saturday 22nd May

Four start this morning, I tried to go back to sleep and just couldn't manage it so I played Sudoku, did emails, made hot water with lemon and brown sugar and at six I watched the sun come up and the world come to life.  Not a cloud in the sky, as the sun came up so the mist was born and it was coloured by the sun overlaying a golden glow.  The birds were very active, the blackbirds were busy finding food for the brood, the sparrows were still deciding on which mate to settle with, the martins were bobbing in and out of the nest and the cuckoo was making so much noise and it makes you wonder which bird is feeing the cuckoo's young.  I went outside to take photos but didn't stay out long, the sun might be up but it was a cold morning.  

I washed and dressed for the garden, sliced an apple and had it with the rest of the peach yoghurt and still no coffee....I'm doing well.  I decided to send an email to a friend and used the Chuwi, my notepad and was surprised when it went into the Outbox and there was no warning message that I had lost connection.  I put the big machine on and rewrote it and sent a Test run to myself and this time I got the message that it was working on sending it and eventually, the machine came back with the message that there was no internet and it was down for about half an hour but it was the provider, not me.  Washing in the machine, pegged out and decided to sort out the rest of the pot plants and put a few more tobacco in.  I also moved six lupins into one of the sections of the veg garden, I'm not bothering with much veg this year, there is only me and my neighbours grow for the neighbourhood...and I'm on the list.  The bonfire garden is finished and I found plants that I'd forgotten about.  I've a reasonable sized Escalonia   and a yellow jasmine just coming in to flower and they were both hidden by grass and clover.  I cleaned round the base of the buddliea and moved on to the stone edged wild rose bush and that's covered this year and looks much better now most of the grass has been removed...still more to go but I've made a start.

Washing in at seven, tools away and I've managed twelve thousand steps today. I removed a chicken leg from the freezer for tonight but not really in the mood for it so it's in the fridge and I'll have it tomorrow.  I shan't be long before I hit the sack tonight....it's been a busy day.  LN.....More of the same tomorrow......LN

Sunday 23rd May

I went to bed at eleven and at four I woke up, managed to get to sleep again and it was eight when I woke for the second time.  Fantastic night according to my Fitbit giving me a good sleep score but I strangely didn't feel refreshed.  I found one lonely spicy sausage lingering in the fridge so with the last of the blue eggs that became breakfast with fried bread.  This could be the end of my diet but I did managed to avoid coffee yet again so much so that I'm thinking of donating a double pack of standard Nestafe to a good cause, I've got enough Gold Blend bought at promotional price to last me for a year and at the current rate of consumption, for the rest of may days.

It was a beautiful morning and I could feel the heat from the sun when I went to throw the casing from the sausage to the birds or cats....delivered on a first come first served basis.  The plate went in to the sink and is still there now, I've been on water for the rest of the day and only visited the kitchen for four caramel chocolates, the second nail in the coffin for my diet....but I did managed to stop at four only.  

Out to the garden eventually at eleven thirty and today there's been more determination than 'a spring in my step', I wanted to clear the rest of the stone bed and the wall behind it.  I took the tools out, unreeled and connected the electric cable to bring the strimmer into play and my trusty garden fork, I meant business.  Bed cleared of most of the weeds and the final attack will be forking it over, removing as many of the stones as I can and planting it up with maybe a Choisya to add a yellow shrub to the mix.  The weeds went over the wall, I started the bonfire again but I didn't get it going well so that's a job for another day.  I did really well with the clearance and half of the bottom wall is done so all that's left is the remains of the wall and the two small gardens at the bottom of the garden and then to topiary the bushes.  I came in because I think the strimmer needs a height adjustment, I developed a dull pain on my right side about waist level and the cord broke and needs rethreading and it was as good an excuse as I was going to get today.

I was surprised that it was only four in the afternoon when I came in but I'd done eight thousand steps so nothing to feel guilty about.  Blue Boy had made it to the grass between the house and the front wall and Rosy, who I'd last seen at the bottom of the garden this morning was in the grave garden...they certainly motor and I've not spotted Sandy today.  Chicken and jacket potato are on the menu for supper and late lunch was a carton of yogurt.  The windows are all closed up and I've got this urge to move my sleeping quarters upstairs for tonight so have big feather pillow will travel.  It will be my first night this year.  LN.....I'll let you know if it was successful......LN

Monday 24th May

So I moved upstairs last night and the nest was still make up but I decided to risk it....wrong.  Upstairs is much warmer than down so at two this morning I was taking off the winter quilt, moving one of the pillows since I couldn't get comfortable and ended up with my over quilt and eventually got back to sleep around three.  It worked though, even with the curtains open I didn't wake up until seven so despite the night time activities, I am not permanently and officially...upstairs.  I'd filled the kettle last night and had a glass upstairs so settled for my hot water and sat in the rocking chair watching the morning come to life.  The sun was up...all was well in my little world.

First job was to strip the bed and get the bedclothes in the washing machine along with others from the laundry basket, pegged it out and got the next load in.  It was such a beautiful day with a breeze so no problem getting it dry.  I then turned my attention to the clothing shelves and sorted out the summer work tops and trousers and the winter pyjamas went away...lets hope that we don't get an arctic freeze...I shall be digging them out again.  

So at three made up the upstairs bed and settled on it with the Kindle.  I wasn't aware of feeling sleepy but I obviously nodded off and was woken up by my English phone and when I checked it was my Princess.  I phoned her back and we had a catchup.....It's been a while since we've spoken, she was off to the dentist to have a crown sorted out.  In her words the dentist had put a lump of metal in her mouth and it needed lowering...she was in pain.  It was five thirty when I got off the phone so I went out and got the washing in and put it away.  Winter quilt and cover into storage in one of my storage chests from Kaufland ....best twenty five pounds that I spent.  I did have intentions of getting my trusty strimmer out and mowing machine out today but I found other fish to fry and feel good, it's been a restful day.  Tomorrow off on a mercy mission and taxi duties, supper is still in the freezer but I must admit that the chocolates took a hammering today.  LN....Diet restart tomorrow......LN

Tuesday 25th May

More settled night last night and I awoke at six and remembered today that I was on a mercy mission to take a car in for attention and return the driver to his home base.  I sat and watched the world come to life, the cuckoos were out in force as were the golden oriels...noisy things.  Two glasses of hot water set me up for the day, I washed and dressed and went down to the kitchen, washed up yesterday's detritus and put two slices of bread into the toaster.  I'd got a loaf that had green speckles on it and that went out for the birds...I'd bought brown by mistake from Lidl, two slices for the lawn and the rest over the hillside.  Buttered the bread, finished washing up and wiped down the surfaces and at just after eight I was in the Nipper.  I should have set off down the lane, I didn't have to be at the venue until nine thirty but instead I took what was a direct route which turned out to be an indirect route.  In the next village the road ahead was closed and I had to take off into the hills and I was doing well until I hit a square with three roads going off it and no sign posts.  Fortunately there was a local heading towards me so I aske where the road to Greece was and I had to turn round and take the one that looked least likely.  It was pretty twisty but eventually I met the Greek road and was back on track.  

I wasn't in a rush which was just as well since there was a pickup truck with lots of men in it and that was only travelling at around forty kilometres and hour.  It's a twisty old road and in normally I'd be champing at the bit but as I said...plenty of time.  I found the restaurant, but with time to spare I went into a couple of shops first and eventually went back at nine twenty and as agreed, my coffee mate arrived except that I'd ordered water and he wasn't in the mood for coffee.  We convoyed it to the garage, back in the Nipper and headed back for a tour of Benkovski market but nothing purchased.  I hoped they'd got petunias but nothing worth buying.

Back to my friends' house, sat in the sun, tuna pasta salad for lunch, we've booked an apartment in Greece for three days away on Thassos, their favourite place and my first trip.  We go in two weeks time...and really can't wait.  Then back outside in the shade, it was too hot for the sun and we whiled away the afternoon.  I came back via the back lane and brought back a plant for the garden and three lamb chops for supper but they've found their way into fridge to thaw out and they'll be on the menu tomorrow.  I taken my camera to Zlatograd but unfortunately the battery went flat after three pickies....I should pay more attention.  LN.....Splendid day with something to look forward to......LN

Wednesday 26th May

Silly night last night.  I was awake at three thirty and didn't put the light out again until five but managed to sleep through until eight so caught up on my allotted hours.  I moved down to the kitchen and boiled the kettle for my hot water which is rapidly becoming the 'norm' and the caffeine dependency seems to be abating.....the headaches have gone already.  I threw the bowl of very greasy washing up water over the wall and noticed that the task for today would have to be delayed, the grass was very damp with dew so at nine I made toast and sat watching my Netflix series for an hour or so and then was ready to face the mower and a great expanse of grass.

When I opened the door to the woodstore I saw that the polecat was making its way across the roof beam so I shot back into the yard and let it make its escape to where it calls home, the gap between the roof and the wall plate.  It can't gain access to the little house, the gaps are too small and I heard it thump across the cladding under the roof timbers and really not sure who's more frightened.  Extension cable out and all wired up for action wearing work boots knowing that I'd be operating the mower without the grass box so needed leg protection.  I did the outside of the property first, moved in and did the yard, then between the wall and the house and on to the grave garden.  I didn't stop, except for water, until I'd managed to get down to the mulberry on the main lawn.  I came in at one, did another two episodes of Netflix, filled up on tuna mayo sandwiches and worked up the enthusiasm to get going again.  So back to it, moved the extension cable from the yard to the workshop terrace so that I could work without effort.  I trimmed the wild plum bushes on the long wall garden and then continued with the little house grass down level with the mulberry.  The rest will be done tomorrow.

I came in at seven, put the tools away, cooked the three lamb chops in a frying pan, turned off the gas, put a lid on the frying pan and had a shower and washed my hair.  The chops were delicious and very tender, my hair is drying naturally and I tried desperately to capture the super moon tonight.  There's also supposed to be an eclipse but not sure if I shall manage to catch it here, the clouds as it makes its transit might cover it and it depends how my sleep pattern goes as to whether I catch it or not.  LN....I should sleep well tonight, I'm knacked from today's efforts......LN

Thursday 27th May

What a night, same problem as yesterday except that I think I got confused as to when the eclipse was suppose to happen so I was up and down like the proverbial yoyo checking out the moon until three thirty...when I gave up.  Off to sleep and woke up at seven so another night without a good sleep record.  Washing up from last night put away and settled again for toast, checked emails on the notebook on table in the stairwell.  Prepared for the onslaught of the day, grass mowing duties, the final push and I wasn't sure whether or not it was going to be my final push or not.  

Out by nine thirty and equipped with boots, rubber gloves, I set up the mower and started on the rest of the little house grass.  I managed to do finish down to the rough garden by approximately eleven, despite the rain and sat under my balcony until it had finished.  It wasn't much but the drops were huge and unfortunately wet the little house grass and I suppose I should have finished until it had dried up a little but no...the job had to be done.  I started by using the electric mower but the machine kept stopping despite the fact that I was operating it without the grass box so I switched to the petrol mower, did from the mulberry down to the kimono dragon and came in for a break...it was hard going.  The grass box had to be emptied every three runs, the cows were happy about it, I wasn't.  

I finished off the tuna mayo with two slices of toast and forced myself out again.  I went with the petrol mower and eventually finished the big house grass by five.  I'd gone round the little beds but I still had to do down to the wall and so switched to the electric mower without the grass box until the machine was throwing up quite big stones so for safety the box went back on.  It's now finished, I left the mower out, planning to use it to pick up the hedge trimmings...that was going to be my next job.  The bushes are back to being spherical and eventually, the mower went away, and it was seven when I came in.  Total steps for today, fifteen thousand more or less.

Not sure about tomorrow...if the weather is good I'll have the final push and that will be it until it needs it again.  If it's not good, I'm off to Kardjali for a visit to the doctor, I just want her to check out a few things especially a very dry eye.  I hope it's fine, next week is supposed to be iffy with a cold spell...LN....Come on....it's nearly June...global warming...pah....LN

Friday 28th May

So a beautiful sunny morning to start off with.  I saw one of tortoise lying in the sun under the short wall so made my way out to see which one it was and it was Rosie. I grabbed a couple of dandelion leaves but I reckon she was sunning herself and couldn't be bothered to eat until she was ready,  I carried on down the garden and spent about ten minutes removing the vetch from the day lilies, it's a beautiful weed but it really does swamp anything that it grows over and I found two bent over buds so it was obviously doing what it does best.  I threw it over the wall just as the sheep arrived and it didn't take long before it was no more.  

Having fed the sheep, I decided that I would feed myself so out with a packet of bacon from the freezer and into the frying pan with it.  It was joined by an egg and a slice of bread and by now it was almost ten.  I didn't rush to get dressed, I'd had such a big day in the garden so I washed up, tidied the kitchen and put the silly series that I'd been watching on and messaged to see if there was any news on the car and if it was out of emergency.  I heard nothing back but at ten forty five my phone went and it was a request for assistance.  I said that I was having a lazy day and that I'd be there by eleven thirty and taking the back road I actually made it for eleven twenty five.  We droved to Zlatograd and the garage had finished the repairs, he was shown the part that was taken out and where the decay had set in, a new filter had been fitted and it was good to go. I was invited back for lunch, we sat in the garden at at two thirty more or less the clouds rolled over so I said my farewells and headed home again via the back lane.

The sky got blacker and blacker, the wind was blowing everything everywhere and as I reached home the thunder started and heavy raindrops started to fall.  I closed most of the windows, got into my PJ's since nothing was going to happen today outside, settled on the bed with the Kindle and that was my rest of the day until six thirty and do I feel better for it.  There's mist in the valley, the sun's trying to force itself through and everything looks very green....so now I'm sitting watching the garden grow, no Internet so this is getting saved in Open Office and hopefully I can post it later....LN.....Fingers crossed or another one goes into the ether.....and it's back.....LN

Saturday 29th May

After yesterday's storm it was a beautiful morning once the mist had burnt off.  Very damp everywhere, I walked the garden to find the tortoise but they were well hidden, probably sleeping in and Rosie didn't show herself until around ten o'clock.  As soon as she saw me though she headed into the shrubbery despite the fact that I waved a dandelion in her face.  I toyed with the idea of going into Kardjali or Djebel but did neither.

I cooked bacon for breakfast and used up the remains of the tin of baked beans I had last night mixed with tuna, mayo and beetroot.  Quite a mixture but very tasty and quick to prepare....just as I like it.  I've bought some smaller tins of tuna which are great for one, the large tins are just too much and I hate keeping it for the next day.  I was on a mission this morning to find my swimsuits and beach shoes....I know they were hanging at one point in the conservatory but no longer there.  I checked the back of the kitchen door, nothing, couldn't get to the back of the Nipper since I'd parked it under the tree in the yard and the rain had more or less camouflaged the fact that there was a car there.  I decided to forget about it and had one last try upstairs and there it was, behind the sewing room door.  By now it was getting on for eleven thirty, I tried the swimsuit on, it fitted so I moved the armchair on to the balcony, lashed myself with sun cream that was from the same bag and set about getting on a first layer of suntan.  I garden with long sleeves and long trousers, I dread getting bitten by anything that flies or crawls so stay covered and no sun gets through.  The sun was very hot. a wind was blowing but that keeps away the flies and I spent a couple of hours with only a Sudoku book for company.  I used giant pegs to attach a beach wrap to the balcony railings so stray sheep or shepherds wouldn't be shocked.  The clouds started to roll in so I decided to go in....and get warm again by putting some decent clothes on.

This afternoon was spent watching Netflix and nodding gently on the sofa and for and early summer I boiled a couple of diced potatoes with peas and carrots, settled for tuna again and made a giant potato tuna salad.  That should really see me through until breakfast.  I think it's a visit to the bread van tomorrow, I'm down to the last crust of the loaf and I might as well go to Kardjali on Monday....more shops open.

So with my first layer of sun tan expected to turn brown over night, I'm preparing my body for exposure on the beach at Thassos.  Two swimsuits are in the wash basket so I'm thinking about my packing already....I'm so out of practice with holidays and packing.  LN.....Those clouds are rolling in again.....LN

Sunday 30th May

Reasonable night but I woke up at five, played games until six. awake at seven and that was when I got up and this morning, made coffee....first time for a week and I enjoyed it.  I used up the remainder of the bacon and made sandwiches with brown sauce, I've run out of eggs, bread, mayo and I definitely need to do a shop tomorrow.  I might even get in a doctor's visit to get my thyroid checked out, the doctor mentioned it when I went in about a year ago and then we forgot about it.  It shows up on a blood test so no breakfast before I get the vampire treatment.

I noticed one of the tortoise walking down the bottom of the garden so I went to check which one it was and it was Blue Boy. It amazes me how far they manage to travel around the garden, bottom wall to front wall, terraces and garages...they seem to cover it all.  It was a pretty warm morning with hardly a cloud in the sky so I knew what I was up to today, another day in the sun for as long as the sun lasted.  I had a message on my phone to say that by lunchtime we were going to have heavy rain but we had the clouds, the temperature dropped but then it cleared up around five this afternoon and the sun came out again.  I'm still working on the principle that it will be brown tomorrow but at least I feel that I've got some colour starting off.  I made the mistake of picking up hair conditioning oil instead of the suntan oil and only realised when I'd lavishly applied it.  It's supposed to have pure coconut oil in it and give hair a sleek finish so maybe it will do it for me.  I did wash it off when I gave up when the sun went in, don't want that on clothes and furnishings.

Nothing much happening today for me and very little activity.  There were a couple of bee-eaters about but this year they haven't been in abundance...not in my garden anyway...but at least I got a couple of pickies.  I've also done a photoshoot of the roses that are magnificent this year and so varied and I caught Rosie down the bottom of the garden, she normally hangs around the mulberry.  Pizza for tonight and the kitchen's my next stop when I've posted the blog.  LN....Shopping tomorrow.....LN