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Elsa Peters
April 1, 2022, 5:00pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 1st April

A really early start so at five thirty I was making hot water for my morning beverage, checking out my email and playing sudoku.  I thought I'd make up for it with a snooze this afternoon but it didn't work out that way.  I washed and dressed at around seven thirty, sorted the fire out ready for tonight and had a banana and yogurt which kept me going until the bugs started biting around ten and then I was in for a sausage and egg sandwich...it just had to be done.

My morning was taken up with planting up more seeds, sorting out more plants ready for going outside and planting the dianthus that I bought yesterday.  The little fir tree was to replace the one that the drought and winter frost had savaged to the point of extinction.  When the wind got up outside, I moved into the porch and tidied off the shelving and getting rid of those things that you think you'll need later...and never do.  I sorted the rest of the seeds out and realised that the zinnia ones that I have are probably very old so need to head into Djebel and buy new ones, the sunflowers are bursting through, I have about thirty up already so I should have enough to fill a section of the veg garden like I did last year.  

I came in around four and lit the fire and the rest of the afternoon I've been binging on the second season of the series that I discovered yesterday.  The fire's going well and cheers up an otherwise dull outlook but at least the wind has dropped.  Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow, I might go and buy the seeds from Djebel but I shan't be going further afield.  If that sun comes out...I might even be gardening,  LN.....We need a few more sunny days......LN



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Elsa Peters
April 2, 2022, 5:16pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 2nd April

Reasonable sunrise this morning, and reasonable for the rest of the day with intermittent clouds but that wind has been evil all day.  I checked mid morning and found various items scattered around the garden, a bucket containing one of the yuccas I'd removed from the parent plant was lying on the terrace....it's now back in its bucket and will get planted out tomorrow.  The sun was very pleasant on the house and I've been in a lightweight sweater all day but outside, completely different story.

I fried off half of one of the sausages I had left and had it with a fried egg for breakfast, the other one and a half I removed the skin, cut into chunks, sliced up a couple of onions and fried them off lightly and put them in the slow cooker with a carton of passata.  That was going to be supper for tonight and there would be enough for Avatar if she wanted it.  I added a can of cannelloni beans later to fill it out and had planned to serve it with pasta.  I went over to see Avatar to see if she wanted me to go to the cash point and she said that she was down to her last thirty five leva but that she was OK.  I asked her for the receipt that I have her last time and explained that she didn't have to wait for her pension to be paid into the bank, that she had money in there so could take it out at any time and showed her where to find the balance on the receipt, I forget that it's all new to her.  I also tried to change her clock to the correct day, date and time since the time change and thought that by pressing reset it would be a simple process.  Unfortunately the clock was showing the year two thousand and wouldn't seem to move on so I left it at twelve o'clock and will probably end up buying her a new one....this one is so old anyway.  

I went out and filled up the log carrier, watered some of the seeds that needed it and left a few of the plants out on the little house terrace that's more sheltered than the main terrace.  Prepared supper and put the slow cooker on to do its magic and had no intention of doing much else.  The grass was wet so I couldn't use the mower and investigated a replacement blade on amazon and found one from Germany but the postage was just a little less than the price of the blade.  I found the old one that had been sharpened by my guest last year so I'll try that first so I need to empty the fuel and turn it upside down.....I should have done it as part of the checks that I did before I used it...doh.....I'll know for next time.

The rest of the afternoon was spent dog dozing on the sofa and I suspect I needed it, I've had a few really early mornings and late nights and need to get back into a good sleeping pattern.  Lit the fire, pasta on by five fifteen, food delivered just before six and I was eating mine very soon after that.  Washing up done, slow cooker base cleaned as well, dishes dried, cooker top cleaned and the kitchen is looking good....that little sleep did me good.  

Looking at the sky tonight it's supposed to be good tomorrow at fifteen degrees and four overnight but those look like rain clouds to me.  They might blow over but there again....not so much April showers but another good downpour and another yellow warning for wind.  LN....Come on, sort it out, we've had enough....LN
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Elsa Peters
April 3, 2022, 5:33pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 3rd April

Well I was happily watching Netflix last night and suddenly as the episode was drawing to a close, the electricity went off at around eleven forty.  Unfortunately the fire was going well and the last thing you need is to search round for candles, still automatically attempt to put lights on and realise that the fuel burning in the petchka needs to be removed and put into the little one in the kitchen.  I left it for a while, lit a candle and headed into the kitchen to prepare the little petchka and realised that the fridge was humming away and it dawned on me that I'd got no lights on in the winter lounge and sure enough, the power had been restored.  I settled back down on the sofa and switched the lamp on, restored Netflix, it was up for ten minutes and again the power went off.  This time it came back on after fifteen minutes so I decided that despite the fact that it had been restored, I took the opportunity to empty the contents of the big woodburner into the kitchen one and it wouldn't matter if it was on or off, the heat was removed so it wouldn't fire up the pump.

Eventually I got to bed around one, head down and slept through until six.  It was fairly dark, thee were clouds covering the stars that were brilliant last night and it's been a funny old day weatherwise.  Washed and dressed, it would be a gardening day weather permitting, settled for toasted bun loaf for breakfast and a banana.  There were four little tomatoes that had hung around for a while and destined for the compost so I decided to take the seeds out and I spread them on to kitchen roll.  I had a close look at them and noticed that one or two had germinated inside the tomatoes so carefully picked out about ten of them and potted them up, the rest I left on wet kitchen roll so see what they would do.  If more put out leaves and roots they'll be potted up as well,  the tomatoes were super little ones so we'll see what we manage to achieve.

So into the little house, the strimmer was the first item to be tackled, I removed the head, gave it a good clean and oiled the spindle, attached the charged battery and strimmed round the edged beds.  The grass was too wet to get the lawn mower out and continue the hard work so I carried the geranium pots to the little terrace wall. took lot of cuttings from the new shoots and removed the very woody old plants.  I now have six pots of new shoots, I've added fertilizer to the compost to give it a boost and we'll see how they fare.  I came in for a while, the wind got up again, it was fine when I was sheltered by the house  but anywhere else in the garden, things were beginning to fly.  Avatar came over and brought me my dish from last night filled with home made yogurt, we sat for a while in the sun and she asked me to get her a new electrical plug for her extension lead that for the time being was held together with sellotape.  I found a plug, we went back together and I started to replace the one that was broken but the cable was too thick for the plug that I had so tomorrow I'll but a rubber one in Djebel for her.  Tools away at five thirty, I watched the women's rugby and England really smashed Italy, supper was a ham sandwich and that will do for tonight.  

Boiler is going on for a bath tonight, I'll go into Djebel early and might even carry on to Kardjali to see if I can buy a new blade for the mower, I seem to recall one last year in the local DIY shop.  I might also take my form to confirm that I'm still alive into the Bank....she completed it for me last time and I need to see my doctor again for either more tablets of a referral to the hospital, I've still got a few bumps coming up on my arms.  LN.....Bath time said Dougal.....LN  



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Elsa Peters
April 4, 2022, 3:57pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 4th April

So last night I was thinking that there was nothing on the TV, was about to switch off and go to bed and I'd forgotten all about the last episode of Peaky Blinders.  I watched it, it was an extended episode, I was not what I expected but it looks like it could be on for another season with new characters taking central stage.  I enjoyed the discussion on BBC3 afterwards, a lightweight approach to the script and the lines to note that could be printed up on a t-shirt and worn with pride.  Off to bed and slept through until six and the clock that lines up with Germany overnight was again showing five so fiddled around with it and still don't understand the instructions to keep to local time...Back to the drawing board Cecil.

Sunny old morning but it took awhile to warm up outside.  Inside it was showing twenty one on the thermometer so I put a load of washing in and had a shower and washed my hair.  Dressed for something but hadn't made my mind up whether it was Djebel or Kardjali and I on the way through Djebel I carried on to Kardjali.  Before I left I prepared the paperwork for the pensions department to confirm that I was still alive and breathing and that would be completed at my bank and posted 'Priority' similar to a recorded letter.  I also added my card to the new parking payment system, parked up when I arrived, waved my phone around and it was an 'unknown parking location' so I found the pay point, had to enter my car registration, spoke to the patrolling officer and he said that this car park was now within the scheme.  So I placed the ticket on the dashboard and headed to the bank and finally to the post office and got the letter on it's way.  Back to the Nipper and drove to the second hand furniture warehouse, found a corner stand that might prove useful somewhere but was amazed how much things have increased in price.  There was one piece of furniture inside my price range but wasn't sure what I'd have done with it so it remains for another day.

Back to Djebel and the cashpoint, bought a plug for Avatar's cable, arrived home and walked over the road with plug, money from the cashpoint and screwdrivers in hand and sat in the garden trying to fix the old cable to the new plug. What a performance...I'd bought a rubber plug where the cable is fed through from the base and I had to put cooking oil to make it slide through the channel.  After that it was down hill and it was an impossible task.  We sat in the garden, the wind got up, I got cold so I gave up, the cable was just too thick to go into the bit that goes in the plug socket.  I came home leaving her with all the bits but I'll go back tomorrow and finish it.

Washing in and fire lit and I settled down to watch Netflix and the Vikings.  I felt a little peckish so mixed a tin of tuna with some Russian salad and that should do me for the rest of the evening.  Gardening tomorrow morning if the wind drops and the sun comes out and I have my student tomorrow afternoon and that's my day sorted.  LN....Government form finished so that's off the list....LN
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Elsa Peters
April 5, 2022, 5:16pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 5th April

Just before seven start, hot water and then back to bed for half an hour.  The sun was up, it wasn't too cold outside or inside but that blasted clock had contacted Germany overnight and it was showing an hour slow.  I tried to adjust it to the correct time and resorted to taking the battery out and taking it back to the beginning.  Half the problem is that the buttons are on the back and you have to look at the front to see if you are wading in the right direction and now way could I get it to stop on the 'month' and it's still showing the incorrect day.....but at least the time is correct.  I made toast for breakfast, more hot water and settled down on the sofa and watched two episodes of Viking....I was waiting for it to warm up outside before I opened up shop.

Eventually I went out and heard Avatar speaking to one of her neighbours so went to the gate,  She was in the road, wagging her finger at someone and didn't look too happy and then she turned and started to walk towards me.  The ladies were complaining that her key was no longer in the door and she didn't want to join them anymore in their houses and she tried to explain that they all have family from here there and everywhere and she prefers to welcome me in the house and if it wasn't for me, nobody seemed to care for her so she left them with fleas in their ears.  The bad news is....the chickens are no more....a weasel got into pen last night and killed six of the seven, she called on Remsie's husband to clear up the carnage and he was told to take the last one and add it to his flock.  She was obviously distraught and Beyser's attack hadn't really helped.  We walked back to her house and she showed me where the creature had dug its way under the structure and got into the little pen.  She doesn't want any more....what a waste of one hundred leva.  

Little house is more or less empty of plants and the tidy up continues.  I'll need help with some of it and might aske the painter if he is available for a couple of days work moving things up to the upper floor.  I'm taking the logs from this store and spent an hour chopping wood to use as starter wood and the day seemed to run away with me and soon it was time to think about preparing for my afternoon student.  I found a text that was going to be fun to work through and it was a success...we had a very enjoyable lesson for both of us.  We went down to the shop and he relayed the story to his mother in English with little prompting from me of some of the new words.  On Friday he has a football match against one of the other towns in Southern Bulgaria and mother is shutting up shop and we're going together.  

I stopped for shopping after the lesson, arrived home and the chicken was put in the over and should be ready any time soon.  I lit the fire and that's going well and tomorrow it's more of the same, clearing, gardening and rubbish burning.  LN.....Kitchen calls....LN



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Elsa Peters
April 6, 2022, 4:49pm Report to Moderator

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Wednesday 6th April

Seven start, more hot water without the coffee granules, looked out and the sun was up but shrouded in mist.  I took the water back to bed and played a few games until I was ready to start my day.  I threw the old bread out for the birds and the chicken bones from last night over the wall, washed the dishes from last night, washed me and dressed and then down for breakfast.  I'm cherishing the last of Avatar's chickens eggs but 'shelled out' if you ignore the pun, I had two of them poached and sat at the table in the stairwell and plumbed on to tv with Transponder TV.  The news from Ukraine is dismal, the old news regarding the Falklands and the 'iron lady' was surprising how the local regiment was accused of cowardice but were later acknowledged as working under instructions.  There's a programme about it later this week on ITV.

First job was to sort the bonfire out, take out the old food cans and bur the rubbish that has accumulated.  I do need to empty it out as some point but today wasn't the day it was going to happen.  The put the cans into the log carrier, added the rest of 'unburnable' to the load and walked down road towards the containers carrying Avatar's clemantines.  She wasn't at home, the shoes were missing and the walking cane so I handed them to Beyser who was sitting by her gate taking the sun.  I carried on down the road and suddenly she appeared from Zelinger's lane, she'd been asked to give her a hand.  I emptied the rubbish into the container, walked back to the benches and we sat in the sun, the local mayor pulled up in his car and we had a chat, well the ladies did, it was conducted in Turkish and I hadn't got a clue.  

So back home and pottered for a while and eventually, hearing Avatar throwing her lawn mower around I decided to get mine out, the sun was strong and had dried the grass up.  Before starting the task in hand, I managed to find the spare sharpened blade, turned the machine over and changed the blade and looking at the old one I definitely need to buy a new one.  I wheeled it on to the grass, fired it up and set to on the grave garden and down to the mulberry.  I'd raised the setting for the first time so that the clumps of grass wouldn't stop the cutter, finished the job and moved over to the other garden and mowed round the cherry tree where there were lot of grass clumps.  I'd done about two hours and I suddenly heard Avatar strike up again...she was determined to finish hers, I was content with what I'd achieved.  Tools away and locked up, I watched an episode of the Vikings, settled on the sofa after lighting the fire and relaxed.  The boiler is on, I shall soak the toil of the day out of these old bones and try not to go to sleep in there.

Out tomorrow night to see my student's family for supper, same time and same place.  I haven't seen them for quite some time due to the Covid women here in my village.  I must remember to take the granddaughter's birthday present with me.  Probably not much gardening tomorrow, the prediction is for rain and maybe thunderstorms but I'm sure I can find something to do.  LN....It definitely felt like spring today.....LN



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Elsa Peters
April 7, 2022, 7:54pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday 7th April

Seven start. washed and dressed ready to carry on where I left off yesterday with the grass cutting and I was out before the predicted rain...which never came.  Toast for breakfast and at nine thirty I was dropping the cutter on the mower to give the grass a close shave otherwise I shall be doing it every few days. The machine fired up first time and I began the long hard slog having to empty the grass box every four runs to save it spilling out of the sides.  First session was around two hours and I came in for water and an episode of Vikings and that was my first six thousand steps knocked off. cheese and biscuits to tide me over and then out for the second session and I'd finished it by around three this afternoon.  I went over and had ten minutes with Avatar sitting in the sun and she told me that she'd stepped awkwardly on some firewood and she'd fallen over in the house.  Nothing too damaged except for her back so I suggested her magic cream for strains and she was going to put it on later.  

I came home and put my tools away just in case the weather did set in but nothing adverse to report.  I was surprised to see that I'd done eleven thousand steps when I took my watch off to get into a bath to take away some of the aches, in at three thirty, out at five, dried and dressed for my evening entertainment with the family.  I stopped at the supermarket and bought profiteroles to have after the meal and remembered to take the present for the little ones birthday, better late than never.  Lovely even and very relaxed with a mixture of Turkish, Bulgarian and English spoken, telephones going off in every direction possible, calves delivered ready for cooking and bottling for the married daughter and a lorry load of manure sitting outside gate that needs to be distributed over their very large plot.  The house is a hive of activity.

I left at ten and home for around twenty past, a couple of police cars were lingering but didn't stop me.  I'd set the porch light to automatically come on but I thin I got the timing wrong but the solar lights allowed me enough light to negotiate the way to the door and to see to put the key in the lock.  PJ's on and will soon be tucked up in bed,  LN.....Strimming the perimeters and digging up weeds tomorrow......LN
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Elsa Peters
April 8, 2022, 5:48pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 8th April

Woke up to a shiny ball in the sky...it was promising to be a good day and it was.  I moved the bench from my upstairs bedroom to the balcony, tried to secure it to the railings with the existing bungy cord but it was having none of it and has deteriorated over the winter so improvised with some elastic from the sewing room.  I did buy three new cords for the shop this afternoon so can secure the bench properly.  Washed and dressed for the garden and had fruit loaf for breakfast that filled up a gap and a resting place for my tablet.  I was in the garden for just after nine thirty and first job was to clear up the broken tree branches from the yard and the grass outside the wall and it looks so much better.  I dumped them in the space that served as a lane between my wall and the next property.  Most of the barrier has been removed from the cows, I don't have a problem with it since the wall keeps everything except for the cats off my land but other properties backing on to the old lane might later let's see how it pans out.

I spent some of the morning watching a starling that'd decided that the old log sitting on the wall near the little house would be perfect for a nesting site.  He popped in and out of it quite a few times to check it out so who knows.  Next task was to  remove the old square mini greenhouse that's seen better days and is so difficult to repair.  It's now down by the bonfire and I'll see if I can managed to save any of the wood but I doubt it...it's very rotten.   Next job was to tackle some of the very weedy beds and my heart wasn't really in it,  so I move inside and got to watch Netflix while having an early lunch, the fruit loaf hadn't really done anything.  I rationed myself to two episodes, went and cut some forsythia and picked some daffodils and made them into rather a nice arrangement for my student.  Last night she asked me to pick some from the Kardjali road if I was going into Kardjali and I said that I wouldn't because I have about nine forsythia bushes in my garden and I'd take them from there.  She seemed very amused and surprised so I promised to pick some for her and deliver them and I did.  I was supposed to take them to her mother's shop but a very kind van driver told me that she was at her house so I dropped them there. the family were processing twenty five kilos of calf meat today....what a task.  They asked me to stay but I was on my way to a football match so said I'd probably pop round tomorrow and grab a couple of bags of fertilizer from their heap for my garden.

So I set off for the game with my young student's parents and it had already started and we were two nil up.  The gathering was mainly made up of the player's parents and two very livewire coaches on the touchline.  It was a good game and I was surprised how well they played, tackles were good as were the passes and the result was seven -one to the home team.  The sun was shining, it was windy but it was coming from the south and it was good to be out watching live sport.  Back to the shop at the finish of the game, I went into the shop and bought the bungy cords and was about to leave when the mother persuaded me to stay for a little longer, her eldest son who used to me my student was driving down from university in Sofia with his girlfriend and she wanted me to meet her.  It seems strange that the young boy that I took to England for a holiday is now finishing university and is twenty two years old.  The years are flying by.

Tuna mayo sandwiches for supper, I couldn't be bothered to cook tonight and a full belly deserves rest so I shan't be too late tonight.  I've sent the photos that I've taken of the boy to his mother...I don't think that they have any of him playing.  LN.....A successful day for all sorts of reasons......LN



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April 9, 2022, 4:28pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 9th April

Up at seven, dressed for the garden and spent the day there in dribs and drabs.  I paced myself...two hours out and one in and eventually came in around six this evening.  Poached eggs on toast for breakfast and heard the hoopoe, looked up and there it was on the little house roof and this time the camera was to hand.  Not heard it for the rest of the day though and the starling hasn't been back today....probably gone for somewhere with less activity.

Today's challenge and I did accept it was to clear the old vegetable bed of weeds, find anything I may have planted there and give it water and fertilizer.  I decided that at eight thirty it was too early to be out there so I did emails and FB, a couple of episodes of Vikings and then I was straight on it.  Tools out, log carrier to collect the weeds in and when it was half full, over the wall it went.  Two down and four to go and at twelve I came in for water and stayed a little longer and the remains of the tuna mayo was finished on two slices of toast and yet more Vikings.  I was out again and another two down and I made the decision to go over to see Avatar and ask her if she would phone Semile and ask him if he could deliver 'cow shite' for the garden.  He said that he was very busy but would bring up a digger load after lunch...and I'm still waiting.  So back home and back to it with a vengeance and I finished it around six tonight.  I uncovered a shrub that I'm not sure what it is but I trimmed it back, watered it well and put slow release fertilizer round it, the little oleander that I thought was dead is in fact living so that's a bonus.  Tools away, I sprayed up a couple of buckets ready to fill up with the seeds that are going like fury.  The tobacco have sprouted, I've lots of cornflowers and sunflowers and there's a variety of shrubs from cuttings that have survived the winter and are ready to be planted out.

Not sure about supper tonight, I'm not really hungry at the moment so it could be a 'picky' night.  If he delivers tonight I shall be spreading it tomorrow, leave it for a week or so and then plant the bed up.  The tomatoes that I found growing inside the mother plant are doing well, around seven of are showing their little heads.  England - Wales Six Nations on tonight and what a 'determined' game it is.  One English stretchered off and everyone determined to hold and not release.  LN.....The rugby calls......and the fire needs attention......LN



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April 10, 2022, 3:55pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 10th April

I had my bath last night and of course the compulsory nap and then for an early night.  Went off to sleep very quickly and didn't wake up until around six thirty, refreshed and ready to face the day.  Unfortunately the sky didn't fill me with much encouragement, it looked like rain, it turned out OK but the wind was with us all day and I didn't find it very comfortable, the sofa was better.  I got myself ready for the day, there was a chill in the air and I needed to have a bonfire anyway despite the wind.

I fortified myself with a bacon and egg sandwich, cleared the kitchen and washed up and prepared to face the elements.  I collected the rubbish up, went down to the bottom of the garden with the garden fork and fire lighter and the Stanley knife to remove the old polythene from the old cold frame that I'd dismantled yesterday.  The fire was slow to start but once it got going I keep feeding it and then put the lid on it holding it down with stones, that wind was brutal.

It was a lot like yesterday, out for a while and in a while gravitating between bonfire, garden and tv.  The 'garden nourishment' still hasn't arrived and I wondered which 'afternoon' he was talking about when he spoke to Avatar.  Cheese and biscuits proved a very good snack while watching tv, I put a couple of chicken breasts into the oven, poured the remains of a jar of apricots over them and put potatoes and onions in another container and they're almost ready now.  I was going to take one of the breasts over to Avatar but it might be a step too far.  

Supper is ready, I might go into Kardjali tomorrow if it's not raining.  I need to get more tablets from the doctor, the last lot came without a prescription and from her stash so to get more I need proof that they've been prescribed.  My cheapy shop calls, I haven't been for a while and I've got to try out my parking app to make sure it works.  LN......Sky clouded over again...looks like rain......LN



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Elsa Peters
April 11, 2022, 4:30pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 11th April

Silly night.....I fell asleep in front of the tv, missed the program I wanted to watch, carried on watching what came up at a later time, checked emails and there was a hint that named the husband of a distant cousin in America.  I tried hard to prove or disprove the hint but by now it was four a.m. so I abandoned the attempt and made it downstairs to bed.  Seven thirty when I woke up, back to bed and sleep and I managed to get up to face the world at eight forty.  I toyed with the idea of Kardjali, we had torrential rain overnight, hail and thunderstorms yesterday evening but fortunately if had dried up but wasn't looking too good for the rest of the day.

I washed and dressed and made my mind up that I would be going into Kardjali remembering that I have my student tomorrow afternoon.  I didn't bother with breakfast and it was almost eleven before I got into the Nipper and started my journey. Lots of traffic on the road this morning, Djebel was heaving but it was market day and I just felt that I was at odds with other drivers that were not only bending but breaking the rules of the road.  A police car was parked up on one of the villages and yes, they're filling up the coffers with speeding fines but there's a section of the road going into Kardjali with solid lines that the locals don't seem to realise mean something.  My question would be why are they parked up in a comfortable spot where they could catch a whole load of them with a camera aimed at the junctions in and about the blackspots.   Ggggrrr.....

Parked up in my old car park and had to pay by machine and remembered how to do it...one lev for one hour.  First stop was the cash machine to get enough out to pay road tax on the Beast, job done and then on to find a parking spot near the hospital...I needed a prescription for more tablets, the doctor had provided me with the last lot from her supply.  I found a parking space on the rough ground so didn't need to pay, there was no one outside her door so I knocked and she was surprised to see me.  I told her why I was there, she said that she was half a doctor for not giving me one last time, offered to take my blood pressure but I suggested she didn't, I'd got into a tizz so knew it would be high.  I told her that I'd reduced the dose to one tablet a day, taking two had left me feeling woozy and she said to make up my own mind and take what I needed.  On to Kaufland, next to Lidl, didn't bother stopping in Djebel for anything, I'm there tomorrow.

Shopping away and moved on to my next item on the list which was to try and find insurance covering from here, cruising the Med and back to here for roughly one month.  I phoned up a company I've used before, my details were still on file and she came back with a very good quote....just waiting to see if it comes to fruition.  Second task was to check that my life certificate form had arrived in England but I spent too long on the phone listening to a recorded message so I gave up.  Beautiful evening, the sun is still shining and the sky has just a few clouds and all's good in my world.  When doing anything with the local council you expect problems but the young lady managed the transaction well and smiled when I said that next year we will conduct it in English.  LN....Now to get the nipples on the Beast greased.....LN
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Elsa Peters
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Tuesday 12th April

Six thirty start. normal sudoku but I hit a slow patch and had a mare of a morning so I gave up and decided to face the day.  At eight I was poaching eggs, opening the packet of ham that I bought from Lidl and making toast and that was breakfast sorted.  I washed up and cleared the kitchen, got dressed forgetting that I was with my student this afternoon and would need a shower and hair wash before I set sail.  I pegged out a load of washing that I'd put to cook while I was making breakfast, the sun was up, the breeze was steady and that was another job out of the way.

The rest of the morning was very frustrating.  I'd checked the Princess cruise website to confirm the insurance qualifications requirements and I noticed that they were looking for two million upper level.  I contacted the company that I'd made the initial enquiry with asking for a new quote based on the two million level set by Princess and they said that the policy that they'd given the quote on was limited to one million and they had nothing else to offer me.  Back to the drawing board Cecil and as the morning went on, the frustration increased and I decided that it was all too much trouble.  I phoned my friend and asked him to delay booking anything and he told me that he was having the same feeling about it so I straightway cancelled the whole thing.    At this point I decided to check out the tours going from Sofia where the insurance is sensibly included and IO think I might have come up with something going out later this month and if I book I'll surely let you know.

At two I had to get into gear, shower and hair wash, hair dried, dressed for Djebel and I arrived at the shop at three.  I sat talking with his mother for a while and went up to the flat and we had a lesson about octopuses and it was an eye opener.  At the end of the lesson we ended up looking on the internet at the different species and we both decided that the blue ringed octopus is the one that we all should avoid, even the fish stay away...it's poisonous.  I went down to the shop with him at the end of the lesson, off he went to the stadium to practice his football and I stayed talking to his mother until six and bought a tyre pump but this time an electric one.  Off to the  supermarket for cheese and bread, I bought two more stacking plastic trays for forty pence and will be able to stack anything that needs stacking.  Home and unpacked the Nipper, the pump went into boot and supper has only been cream cheese and breadsticks, I wasn't in the mood to cook so didn't.  I've not even managed any photographs today...lazy mare.  LN.....Promise to do better tomorrow......LN
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Elsa Peters
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Wednesday 13th April

Another six thirty start and the morning followed the normal routine and eventually out of bed by seven thirty.  I had a mare with sudoku....I really felt that I wasn't concentrating....but eventually I got into gear and worked one out in record time.  I'm still having hot water and cutting back on the morning coffee, poached eggs again mainly to use up the ham, took my tablets and blood pressure check moments later put it into the acceptable range.  Washed and dressed and out into the garden by nine thirty.  I popped over to Avatar's house to deliver some local 'Deep Heat' cream to help her aches and pains after her fall in the wood store, she'd also mentioned last night that she needed stronger tablets from the Paracetamol that she'd been using.  I came home, carried on weeding the old veg garden and made a decision that I would go into Djebel to get her the tablets. get more tablets using my prescription and I met her as I was about to get the Nipper out.  She was walking to her nephew's house and told her that I was off to get her tablets and she said thee was no need, she'd rubbed the cream on and it was much better so I decided not to bother going.....so I didn't.

Back to the garden emptying the weeds over the wall and I noticed a lady and a small child walking on the hillside from the direction of the lower village.  She noticed me as I emptied the weeds and came over for a chat.  Apparently she lives in Turkey some of the time, her house has had some renovations down but still more happening.  She commented that the garden was beautiful, asked if I was living on my own, asked how old I was and these are normal questions for Bulgarian and Turkish people.  Off she went when the grand-daughter had started making her way home, she'd obviously got bored.  I came in for a couple of episodes of my Netflix, went out again and planted up a rose bush in the old veg patch and watered other plants.  I eventually came in at five, lit the fire since the temperature was dropping, it was reluctant but eventually the heat was going round the system.  

Not sure what I'm gong to have for supper but since it's on it's way to nine o'clock my time, I might very well do without...I've got pockets that the body can munch on.  Nothing on for tomorrow, just more of the same and I've got seeds that I can plant out.  I've also noticed that I've got twelve tomatoes of the ones that germinated in the tomato,  growing in a pot.  Also forgot to mention that a very dusty 'Green Goddess' has emerged from her winter hide-away and was spotted in the grave garden.  I checked on her later and she was down to the bottom of the garden, probably heading back to her hole in the ground, the nights are still bouncing around zero.  LN.....I need to fit her with a tracker.....LN



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Elsa Peters
April 14, 2022, 4:59pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday 14th April

Another six thirty start, changed to scrambled eggs for breakfast and out into the garden by nine thirty.  It was a little chill so came in for a while longer and eventually emerged by ten thirty.  It's been a frustrating day....I decided to fire up the trusty lawnmower but it refused to fire.  I'm thinking that the spark plug needs changing so out with the manual and the diagrams didn't line up so still not sure how to get the old one out.  My call was answered and I have a man coming over tomorrow to have a look at it, hopefully get the old one out, I'll drive into Djebel for a new one and all should be good.

The rest of the day was spent pulling up weeds, strimming weeds, swearing at weeds to clear the ground to put new plants in.  It was a hard slog today as it is every year at this time...we had such a lot of rain that those weeds are strong and the roots long.  I did come across a lovely surprise, another little tortoise that is not one from the previous year.  It has now a stripe of iridescent  purple on its shell and so far hasn't been named.  Again this one is very dusty and must have only just emerged.  They are creating a super highway along the base of the low wall flattening the weeds but I know now to watch out for them.  Rosy and Blue are still unaccounted for and are probably lingering down the bottom of the garden...or missed the alarm clock of spring.

Another lovely surprise, what I thought were sunflowers are in fact lupins. I only found out by the second set of leaves that they've put up and I'm going to do a complete little bed of them in the old veg garden.  I love them and haven't succeeded in growing them before.  I've planted out more borage in the garden under the main terrace, the Festuca is going to be split tomorrow, it's cramped where it is and I've got lots of cornflowers that are outgrowing the seed tray.  Looking back on today, I've done lots but it's  taken a lot of effort today.  LN.....Bath and bedtime....and early night for me, recharge for tomorrow....LN
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Elsa Peters
April 15, 2022, 5:34pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 15th April

Early night, woke up at three thirty, snuggled down again and the second awakening was at seven so felt much better today.  The sun was up, it was seven degrees outside and  promised to be a really good day...and it was.  Washed and dressed, toasted ham sandwich for breakfast sitting eating it at the table in the stairwell and I was just putting in the last mouthful when my saviour arrived with the promise of sorting the lawn mower.  I made coffee and we firstly had a catch-up, we'd not seen each other since out last Greek trip and with spark plug remover in hand we made our way to the wood store, took the mower out to terrace, tried to fine it up and nothing so plug removed.  It was replaced since it seemed to be OK and so I suggested a fuel blockage.  I did have a new impeller so the one on the machine could be replaced but I gave it a prime, tried it and it fired up.....result.  I switched it off, fired it again and it responded and switched it off again and I intended doing the grass later.... and it will be much later...probably tomorrow.

That done I asked if he could sort out the television, I used to have Transponder TV as a bookmark but the television had lost its settings and I now have to use the onscreen keyboard to enter the address.  It's now been sorted along with my memory on the computer.....I never know what I can delete....but it's now got enough space to work property.  All this for two cups of coffee!!  I walked the garden while he answered a call and I found Green God...it used to be Goddess but I think it's a male so its's had to be renamed.  Unfortunately it had tried to get through a patch of root suckers from an elm tree and had got stuck so I found the loppers, removed the ones surrounding it and lifted it out and on to the grass.  My guest came out to join me and we carried on round the garden and found Rosie in the bonfire garden stretched out and obviously warming herself in the sun.  I walked him to the gate and off he went, I went back down the garden armed with pink nail varnish to renew the pink colour on the shell, spotted Blue and the only one outstanding is 'Cracked Shell' and suddenly I heard a rustle in the undergrowth and blow me down....all are now accounted for.....they've all lasted the winter.  

So this afternoon I planted up another terrace bowl, started to make a container for my new grow bags but couldn't find the wood so dragged the bench out of the little house where it had spent the winter into the yard.  I tried to use the small sander but the on/off switch was difficult to negotiate, it appears the plastic coating has perished so I tried one of the other sanders, cur the sandpaper to size and got started.  I was doing well until I got to the curved bit at the bottom so ended up taking one of the struts off making it easier to negotiate and have only got one to do by hand...and then on to the second bench which is sitting on my bedroom terrace.  I came in at seven, not too bothered about supper yet so I might see what I can find later.  A much better day...gardening tomorrow, it looks like being a good day but not too promising for next week.    LN.......Spring forward and winter might be back....better made the most of it.....LN



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Elsa Peters
April 16, 2022, 5:29pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 16th April

Six thirty start and I was out on my bedroom balcony watching the morning unfold.  The cuckoo was calling merrily or desperately for a mate but I didn't hear any replies to his requests...better look next time.  I haven't managed to get any photographs of the cuckoo, it's not taken to sitting on my power cables this year.  The morning was very still, there were high clouds and I really wasn't sure how the day would turn out but it was sunny but not as warm as yesterday.

Breakfast was the banichka that Avatar had given to me yesterday and I warmed it up in the microwave.  I picked at it, chose the middle bits that weren't so crunchy and ate most of the cheese out of it but the rest went over the wall for anything that wanted it.  I try to discourage feeding the animals in the garden, there are just too many cats around this village at the moment.  I washed up, tidied the kitchen, went to the bathroom and tidied myself up and initially thought that it would be a gardening day but it didn't turn out that way.  I walked the garden and found three of the tortoise stretched out and warming up.  I reckon they'll have to be burrowing again, ran is forecast for the next few days with low temperatures so I better keep the nail varnish at the ready for top-ups.  

I took the jasmine outside and gave it a good brushing down.  Most of the flowers have died and only a few remain now but it still fills the house with its aroma.  I've changed its pot, the other one was too deep so it wasn't getting enough water and now it's in a smaller one and the bottom of the pot is sitting in water.  I also sprayed up a new plant container with aerosol blue paint and refreshed one of the others, watered the pots on the terrace and then decided to go into Djebel remembering that it was Easter Sunday tomorrow.  I'd bought some egg candles for the ladies but needed either eggs or chocolates to go with them....I celebrate my dates and they benefit.  I also wanted petrol for the lawnmower, I didn't have enough to finish it so didn't start and that's my excuse for lethargy.  Into the Nipper, first stop the garage and petrol has gone up by a third, on to the chemist to see if I could find a knee support for my neighbour and then on to the flower and dinky doo shop to see if they had any pot plants that I hadn't.  I'm good friends with the lady that owns the shop and we go through the new additions and I'm normally say 'got it' and on to the next but I did buy some lovely little buckets that I'll use to put the egg candles in and also a fuchsia that I did have but the weather killed it off.  Last stop the supermarket for chocolates, chicken wings for tonight and then home, unpacked the car, settled down to Netflix and had a little snooze.  Lit the fire and put the chicken wings in the oven, replayed the last episode that I'd slept through and watched one more while having my supper with grated carrot and diced beetroot followed by a chocolate mousse.  Washing up done and now my work is finished for tonight....not that it actually started today.

Round the village tomorrow morning when I've made up the gift bags and out for lunch at around two so that means no gardening tomorrow if I play my cards right.  The bench is having to be moved back into the little house to protect the bare wood until it gets the top coat for protection just in case it rains.  LN...The fire needs attention.....LN  



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Elsa Peters
April 17, 2022, 6:29pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 17th April

It's going to be a quick one tonight, haven't long got back from my Easter lunch, it's persisting down with rain and it was a horrible journey home.  Most of it is on back lanes with crap surfaces and the camber going the wrong way on most bends.  On the way out I was following as what I might call a 'slug' for about five miles until we came to the centre of the village where I could put my foot down and not be too late to my 'restaurant'.

So this morning I awoke to rain and it was cold and damp.  I managed toast for breakfast with apricot jam and set about preparing the small Easter gifts for my ladies.  I'd bought two bags of chocolates with soft centres since few of them have any teeth left and the egg shaped candles went into the little metal buckets, everything in one bag and that was another job out of the way.  I at last have spotted my cuckoo, firstly hiding from the rain against the electricity pole and second time on the wire after preening itself.  I didn't have anything to do after I'd delivered the goody bags so I took in two episodes of Vikings, had a shower and washed my hair and was ready to leave at a quarter to two with the intention of getting there around two,  As I said...there was a 'slug' perpetually pressing down the brake pedal and maximum speed was about thirty five kilometers per hour hence I was about ten minutes late which for me is not usual.  If I say 'two' it's more or less on the dot.

Lovely lamb lunch and veg from their garden followed by Greek baklava, coffee and an afternoon watching the film 'Dune' and I'm still none the wiser as to what it's about and part two is in the making so perhaps I should read the books.  We also watch several You Tubes of Greek islands and it's left me wanting more and seeing more of it for myself....Greece is so near, it would be rude not to.

Dreadful drive home just as it was going dark and arrived home in the dark around eight, got the Nipper into the yard with only the garage spot light coming on since the house intruder light seems very reluctant....maybe it's time to get a new one.  It was cold coming into the house so I ran a bath with the little hot water that was in the boiler, sloshed around, dried off and put on PJ's and my daughter's 'onesie' that she left last time she was over.  So feeling very snuggly, the box of chocolates that I came home with are having a bashing and the washing machine is almost finished to get that on the airer in the bathroom.  This rain has been forecast for the next few days so it's good to get it out of the way. LN..... Now time to switch off and relax and eat some more chocolate......LN



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Elsa Peters
April 18, 2022, 3:54pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 18th April

So my early night last night did me no good at all, I was awake at five this morning and no chance of going back off so played a few games of sudoku and was getting washed and dressed by seven thirty.  It was a very cold morning, there was snow in the rain and the mountains were white over and Kardjali did not seem and exciting proposition so I checked out the number of chicken legs in the freezer.  Avatar is providing supper for the Hodja and the entourage at the mosque tomorrow so I went over to her house and confirmed that she wanted three or four chicken legs checking, three for the mosque and one for her and I said that I thought I'd got enough in the freezer so that I didn't have to go into Kardjali since the weather was cold, miserable and didn't look like improving.  I went home, lit the fire since I wasn't going anywhere, cooked bacon and egg for breakfast, settled on the sofa and promptly went to sleep for a couple of hours 'watching' television with closed eyes.  Woke up, finished the box of chocolates that I'd started last night, dug the three legs out of the freezer and four drumsticks that she could have and left them on the worktop and took them over much later.  

I've not done much all day but looking at other people's photos on FB we've got off lightly.  Lots of other people thought that the last frosts had happened and got caught out with tomatoes and other plants, my tomato seeds are still in the conservatory and the rest of my delicate flower seeds are still in the packets waiting to be sown.  According to the weather forecast, we should be OK towards the end of the week and fine my next week but remember, this is Bulgaria.  I've loaded up the log carrier and the fire's going well, there's been no sightings of the tortoise and if they've got any sense they've all cone back to their holes in the ground until this spell is over.

Settled in for the snooker this afternoon and decided to cook home made beef burgers using the mince that I buy from my sheep farmer in Djebel.  I pick it out and they mince it for me so I know that it's genuine stuff not a mixture that you get when you buy it from the supermarkets.  I diced the onion, salt and pepper on to the meat, didn't bother with an egg to hold it all together and peeled and chipped a potato.  Burgers into the pan, chips into the deep pot that I used so that it doesn't go over the sides and supper was ready in ten minutes or so.  Served it up with ketchup and mayo and took it to the sofa and carried on watching my snooker finishing off with a crème caramel.  Fire banked up for the evening, washing up done and kitchen tidied and now the evening is mine.  Student tomorrow afternoon and must be back here by seven to do the mosque run, Avatar has no way of getting the food up there on her own. LN.....And now...relax.....LN



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April 19, 2022, 6:13pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 19th April

It's going to be a really quick update tonight.....I'm late and I'm hungry and it's been a funny old day.  Again it was cold and just on minus one this morning, snow still on the mountains and it's threatened more of it tonight so the fire's going well and it would have been warm in the house but I opened my downstairs bedroom window, forgot all about it and have been warming up the hillside for the last couple of hours.  It's closed now so I should start feeling the benefit in the house, the radiators you can hardly touch.

Poached eggs on toast for breakfast but I didn't get washed and dressed until eleven this morning.  I had nowhere to be until two this afternoon so there was no great rush on until I remembered that I'd promised to take the blood pressure monitor over to Avatar so I could take a reading.  I went over about twelve, she was busy cooking the banquet for the mosque tonight and making banitsa from scratch and laying out the layers on a cloth on the bed.  She'd done four and had three more to go and at the end she dusted herself off and I slipped the monitor onto her wrist and the pressure was really quite low.  I don't take hers everyday so can't really judge whether it's good or bad so I'll take it again tomorrow and see if there's any change....she might just be normal for her to fire on a low engine.  I went home again and remembered that I'd promised my student to frame one of the photographs that I took when I watched him play football so set about printing it off.  It suddenly occurred to me that I needed to change the colour printer cartridge and that proved more difficult that my old printer.  Eventually I managed it but it doesn't print properly in colour and it was getting near the time that I was having to leave for his lesson so I gave up and will tackle it tomorrow.  Off for the lesson which turned out OK and I had to be back in the village by six to take the goodies off to the mosque for the banquet and just made it back in time.

I parked up outside of Avatar's house, used my shopping basket from the boot of my car to take up the meat stew, Fanta, bread and baclava and that went on the back seat.  Avatar got in and I put the hot chicken and rice on her lap along with the banitsa and we set off for the mosque in the village.  I took the back lane and the first gate that we tried was unlocked. I took the food and put it down on a table in the yard, went back for the washing basket and carried that down and Avatar joined me.  I went into the mosque, opened the door and the hodja was at his prayers but soon stopped when he saw me and came to the door.  I explained that I had food and he took the basket from me, I retrieved the chicken and rice before the animals got it and handed it over.  Avatar had made it down by then so I left the rest to her, he asked me to take the containers from yesterday back to Zelinger and I agreed to do so.  I got Avatar back in the car, dropped her off at her gate and will pick up the containers tomorrow evening.  It's all go in our village.

Back home by six thirty, fire lit, coffee made and Netflix went on and I've just immersed myself in Vikings.  The Nipper was making a funny noise tonight so I checked the oil and it seems low so tomorrow I'll have to use the Beast to go to get more oil, the container in the boot was empty so no use to man nor beast...or Nipper for that matter.  Not had supper yet so I'm on the hunt for something quick and easy to keep the bugs at bay.  LN.....It's been a full on day....and only Tuesday....LN
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Elsa Peters
April 20, 2022, 5:51pm Report to Moderator

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Wednesday 20th April

Lovely sleep last night...I bashed my head on the pillow seven times to commit to memory that I wanted to wake at seven but it was seven twenty so the last one must have been a little harder than it needed to be.  Any way, seven twenty was fine, hot water to get the insides moving, old bread out for the birds and two slices of the fresh stuff into the toaster and had with apricot jam.  I'd planned this morning and car movements or so I thought but the best laid plans of mice and me in BG all went to the wall.  It was another cold day, there was a hint of sun in the sky but that didn't last long, more sweaters went on to keep out the chill.

I didn't do anything with the Nipper, grabbed the keys to start the Beast, tried to turn it over and it was as dead as the proverbial dodo.  I found the battery charger from the workshop, lifted the bonnet of the Beast and connected the 'bits' to the right contacts and all I got was a clicking noise so I checked the internet and followed up leads for recharging a dead battery.  So back to the drawing board so I telephoned the garage, explained the predicament and the garage owner sent his son out with oil and another battery charger but by the time he arrived, I'd resolved the issued with my charger.  I'd left the keys in the ignition when I'd tried it earlier so I removed them and reconnected and joy of joys...it started to charge.  Meanwhile his son arrived, checked the oil and there was some in the Nipper so that wasn't the problem but he topped it up anyway, he put the other charger on the second battery and that worked fine.  I almost suggested that we took the Nipper for a spin but I'd rather his father took a look at it instead and the plan was to take it down to the garage immediately but instead I changed things round.  Off he went back to the garage, I decided that the best course of action was to get the Beast into the garage in Djebel, the journey in would top the batteries up properly, get the nipples greased and a proper check over and finally to get it professionally valeted....and fit for purpose for later in the year.  So paid my dues, went to the shop and had an hour with his wife, ordered my tablets from the chemist since they don't keep mine in stock and drove home via the mosque to pick up Avatar's empty containers from last night's supper.  The hodja was waiting for me, everything was neatly assembled so into the Beast with and I headed home.  I delivered the empties to Avatar, she gave me four eggs that had been given to her and I headed home and put the Beast back in the garage.

So tomorrow I'm driving the Nipper to the garage to try to identify the problem if there is one and it makes a noise on the drive over, if everything is OK I'll go into Kardjali and do a bit of a shop and have a meander and make sure that I buy chicken legs for the freezer...the mosque had my last lot.  Cheese and biscuits for me since I'm too lady to cook.  I had a thank you phone call from the UK.  The flowers and card that I'd ordered for my friend of sixty years had arrived and she loved them.  I'm trying really hard get her over here but there's not much chance of that....I'm thinking that I might have to fly into Manchester and make my way down to Stafford, the mountain might have to go to Mohammed.  LN......I now know that the two holes on the dipstick of the Nipper indicate low and high levels....LN



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Elsa Peters
April 21, 2022, 5:07pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday 21st April

Really silly night last night...up until the early hours watching Netflix with not an ounce of sleep in me.  Eventually I took to my bed at five this morning and slept through until eight thirty so not too bad.  Washed, dressed and had fried tomato on toast for breakfast, sorted out the kitchen and lingered on the internet for a while and headed into Djebel in the Nipper and off to the garage to get the noise sorted.  I took the drive into Djebel at reasonable speed annoying other drivers on the road, the noise was evident and I deducted that it was something to do with one of the front tyres and probably a wheel bearing.  I parked up, the garage owner looked at the engine and all seemed to be OK to him, off he went in the Nipper and appeared about five minutes later, he'd tested it by collecting his son from home and bringing down to help out at the garage.

The Nipper went up in the air, we agreed that the summer tyres were due to go on so the tyres were taken out of store and put next to the car.  I left at this point, it was still suspended and I saw a can of a similar product to DW40 to loosen the bolts and at this point I left them to it, walked up to the town and on to the shop.  At this point my tomatoes had moved through the system so I decided to go to the soup kitchen that I used to visit with the Librarian who is no longer in Bulgaria.  I hadn't been for a while and was welcomed by the owner and my favourite table attendant, ordered chicken with rice and within two minutes it was delivered. plus three slices of bread that I never touched and a yogurt drink to wash it down.  

I made my way back to the garage shop, the news wasn't good, the owner was having a problem removing the bearings from the carrier which had seize up so I suggested that they try to order a complete unit.  The car didn't cost me a lot, has done three years without many overheads so why not....time is money, the more time he spends on it the more his time will cost me so let's go for the easy option.  I started to walk back to the garage, my house keys were at the garage with the car keys and the son was just making his way to the shop to drop off some parts and collect others.  He delivered me to the garage, brought the car down from its elevated position so that he could retrieve the keys and then dropped me back at the taxi rank.  Taxi home and couldn't find the latch end of the seat belt so held it in place just in case there was a police check and now I'll wait to see what happens.  It's not a problem, the Beast is raring to go and just needs filling up with diesel tomorrow so I probably need to take out a mortgage for that.  I've not got much to do, the freezer is full and I've got most things and after all, it's Good Friday in Bulgaria tomorrow and the holiday season starts so not a lot of activity from government offices.

Lit the fire when I got home, settled on the sofa and had an hour with my eyes closed and watched new episodes of Blacklist which I still find interesting.  Comparing Netflix series with the son from the garage, he recommended Sherlock and after starting to watch the first episode, it looks really good.....something else to get stuck in to.  And good news.....the Nipper is ready and I'll catch the bus into Djebel in the morning.   LN...Lunch was filling so no desperate need to top up so far.....probably tuna salad.....LN
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Elsa Peters
April 22, 2022, 5:34pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 22nd April

So I was out of bed by seven, washed and dressed and outside waiting for the bus from eight o'clock onwards.  It used to be at eight thirty but you can never be sure and I stood outside the house and it arrived around eight ten.  I caught it on its journey to the furthest village along our land and it's amazing looking at other houses and gardens on the way back towards the main road....it's a different view of my little world.  Off at the bus station, it's gone up fifty stotinki since I sued the service last time but I was in Djebel just before nine, went to the car shop and fortunately the son was collecting parts so drove me down to the garage, they were working on the Nipper until seven last night so it was a long day for them.  I paid my dues, about what I expected, new summer tyres are on so I'm all set.  

I set off for Kardjali and was shopping in Kaufland by nine thirty and stocking up on offers on chicken legs and wings for the freezer and also buying for Avatar.  I also bough thirty eggs for her after she complained that she never knows what she pays for items from the mobile shop and now she's stocked up.  I stopped off at Lidl, topped up with things for my treats box, back in Djebel to collect my tablets I'd ordered from the chemist and that didn't happen.  The girl knew nothing about it the order so I legged it back to the car park, took a couple of pictures of the stork on the chimney pot but they weren't too good, there were too many trees in the way.  I went to the little supermarket and bought chocolates, well it is Easter weekend here.

Home, unpacked the shopping, took Avatar's chicken legs and wings over and the eggs...not knowing which to take out first from the bag....chicken or egg!!  I came home, put my shopping away, turned out the middle shelf of the freezer and managed to put my freezer stuff away and some it ready to go over the wall tomorrow.  We all have those bits that we reckon to use later and we never do.  I put Netflix on, settled down of the sofa and slept for about two hours, I felt really shattered after nights of little sleep and stress over transport.  Chicken and roasted veg for supper, phoned my daughter to confirm the dates that they arrive here and told her that transport from the airport to here will be arranged....they will be met.  Washing up can wait, I'm just going for one of the 'goodies; from the fridge, fire is going and I'm let up for the evening.  LN.....Really needed my afternoon nap......LN



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Elsa Peters
April 23, 2022, 6:01pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 23rd April

Six thirty start and the potential was to be out and at it in the garden fairly early but I waited for the sun to come up, dry the grass before I made a start on it.  The plan was OK but when it came to the clover in the 'lawn' it holds moisture and makes the job very difficult.  I was out at nine and took the rubbish down to the bonfire and a Stanley knife to get rid of the polythene from the old winter broad bean cover.  It sort of fell apart and it had sat down y the bonfire for a while so today was the day along with lots of household rubbish that I'd accumulated.  Fire going well with little wind I came inside and settled for toast and apricot jam at ten thirty, I didn't feel like a big breakfast before.

I spent the morning planting up seedlings in the old veg garden and hopefully the ground is damp enough for them to settle in nicely.  I've planted up lots of tall blue sunflowers and should look good against the red tipped shrub in one of the beds. The strimmer came out and I cleared round the wooded surrounds to make mowing easier and it was at that point that I realised how damp it still was round the grave garden but that was going to be my starting point.  

Down by the bonfire I spotted 'Cracked Shell' and Blue and later in the day I found Rosy sunning herself and possibly warming herself up...we've had a few cold days.  My next sighting of CS was on the little house terrace heading for a big drop so I lifted it carefully on the grass and I took the mower to the grave garden and started my task for the day.  I came in at three, it was really hard going but I managed down to the mulberry, came in for cheese and biscuits and an hour of Netflix and then out again until six thirty and managed the other half of the top of the little house garden grass.  Hopefully it will not be damp overnight so it should make tomorrow's efforts easier and there's not so much clover in the rest of the grass.  Locked up outside at seven and have managed twelve thousand step on the Fitbit today so not a bad achievement.  More of the same tomorrow.  LN...Wish me luck......LN



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Elsa Peters
April 24, 2022, 6:13pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 24th April

Woke up at three this morning with glasses on, Kindle in my hand, cardigan and light on so thought it was time for readjustment and so prepared for bed a second time only this time, light off, glasses off and tried for a second time.  Success and woke up at seven refreshed and ready to face the day.  Poached eggs on toast for breakfast, put a joint of pork rib in the oven that I'd not got room for in the freezer when I bought the chicken legs and wings and at eleven it was cooked, smelling out the house and now it's sitting in the fridge and I'll have some later with salad.  Today's task should I choose to accept it was to finish the grass mowing, I went out to test how damp it was and it really hadn't dried out at all.  I suppose it was too lush for the heat to get in there.  

Firstly I strimmed the top end of the grave garden that I'd missed and I really should have carried on between the wall and the front of the house but I forgot that as well so that's a job for tomorrow.  I need to trim some of the shrubs that have been damages over winter with the weight of the snow.  The juniper has lost a couple of decent sized branches and the big shrub in the middle of the large bed needs trimming back to get rid of the winter damage and then it needs weeding.....not my favourite occupation but necessary.  Out with the mower and I set my target to come in at twelve to watch the snooker and I managed to finish most of the main house grass by this time.  I went out again at half twelve and set about the grass on the other side of the plot and my next television session was to see how the England team were doing against Ireland in the Six Nations rugby.  The seemed to have stuck at ten -nil so I went back outside and but this time the temperature had gone up and I was working up quite a sweat so took a break and when I went back to the rugby England were now up to thirty six points and it was still zero to Ireland.  I watched to the end of the match and took up where I'd left off outside and managed to finish it.

I had a few interruptions....Avatar came round with the man who did the repairs on her house and I thought that she wanted my help with something at her house.  Instead she brought him round saying that I needed someone to work on my house which I was a little annoyed about.  I've had dealings with this man before and I'm more keen to get Bekir back, I know how he works and he knows how I work...I get what I want not what he thinks I need.  My second visitor was the son or grandson of the lady that used to live in the little house  it wasn't very clear since he only spoke Turkish.  He wanted permission to take photographs so that he could show her when he got back.  He'd come to visit my neighbours who are back and so the noise begins.  

I cleared up outside and put everything away, I sat on the sofa and promptly went to sleep....the grass had been a hard slog.  Woke up and lit the fire and for some reason it was smoking from everywhere.  I'd used really old wood to get it started and a chunk of bark and I think this forced the thing to smoke more that normal and the chimney couldn't take it because of the cross wind.  Eventually it got going and everything calmed down and back to normal, radiators hot and although not really necessary, it make is very comfortable.  I locked up outside and stripped off in the kitchen reminding myself of the tv add of someone doing it in the launderette.  Long shower, washed my hair, moved up to the upstairs bathroom and dried off, into my pyjamas and cut a couple of inches from my hair.  

Not sure if I'm going in to Kardjali tomorrow, the chemist didn't have my tablets in Djebel so Kardjali might have them.  I'm assuming that the shops will be open despite the  fact that it's the Easter holiday for Bulgaria....Alternatively I could get the eclectic strimmer out, replace the cord and get stuck into the bottom of the garden.    LN.....Let's see how I feel in the morning.....LN
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Elsa Peters
April 25, 2022, 5:56pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 25th April

Well it was such a beautiful morning that I decided that Kardjali wasn't on my agenda for today but gardening was.  I watched the reflection of the sun from my bed it came up, went on to the upstairs bedroom balcony and watched the swallows that have returned to nest under the eaves of the little house.  They were late this year, I've seen two go in there and there's lots of chattering going on.  They've had the visitors welcoming to their home and it's good to have them back.  There was a heck of a noise from my neighbours that have come back.  A tractor arrived and has turned over the whole of the paddock and goodness knows what they're going to fill it with, they'll need a lorry if they're growing that much food to take back to Turkey.  

I settled for toast for breakfast, put a load of washing in since there was quite a breeze blowing so it was dry in quicksticks.  I planted out more of the seedlings that I'd brought on, put new ones straight into the soil to take their chances with the elements, weeded some more of the beds, said good morning to Rosy who was sunning herself but as for the others, no sightings today.  Not that I've really been on tortoise watch, I've been much too busy for that.  As for cat watch, I saw the black one lingering by the cotoneaster under the lonesome pine, one quick dash and that was it for the lizard and after playing with it she took it off to eat quietly at the bottom of the garden...that's nature for you.

The morning ticked along nicely and I came in at twelve to see if the snooker was up and running and it wasn't.  I made a coffee and got the peanuts out and put on the next session of the Netflix I'm watching and fortunately put my coffee down before I nodded off.  Outside again and sat out in the sun catching the rays exposing my torso for the first time this year but then it was on with the top and back to it.  All of the pots are outside now, I cleared up the workbench and started to throw out things that should have gone a few years ago.  The table has come out into the middle of the room and I can now get out on to the little house balcony and planned the steps to go down to the little house terrace.  I then got my second wind and planted up the rose that I bought about three weeks ago under the front wall by the big trees.  I want it to go along the fence on the top of the wall since it's supposed to be a rambler.

Washing in, went back into the little house and brought out the swinging bench and I'm thinking that that needs new support on the seat.  Material does tend to rot so I'll have to give it some thought.  The base for the umbrella for the terrace is out but again, the cover for the umbrella needs replacing so I'll probably have a look on line or set about with another repair....it worked last time.

Choice of supper, lamp curry or cold pork with salad...it's yet to be decided.  The strimmer didn't get sorted today so it's the first job for tomorrow so that I can get the bottom of the garden cleared looking out for tortoise as I go.  I have to follow the tracks in the long grass to find out where they are.  LN.....Kitchen calls......LN



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Elsa Peters
April 26, 2022, 6:48pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 26th April

Six thirty start, a little bit cloudy but it seen burnt off.  I stripped the bed knowing that it would dry the bed linen quickly, walked the garden and only saw Blue sun bathing down the bottom of the garden.  For me I had a lazy morning, toast for breakfast, general tidy round, washed and dressed and was on my way to see Avatar to check if she wanted too get her any money from the cash point and she was already in the garden to ask me if I was going into Djebel for the same reason.  She was down to her last ten leva, the equivalent of a fiver and owes me thirty and it plays on her mind if she doesn't pay up.  I wasn't due into town until three for my student's session so settled on the sofa, Ronnie your actual was starting his campaign to get through to the next snooker session and after stopping up last night and watching the top seed go out, I've got hooked fairly early this year.  Having said that, I did not off for an hour or so, realised that I needed to think about getting ready for Djebel and preparing a text for this afternoon's lesson.  I found one about an old footballer from a Turkish club and it had lots of exercises with it so lots to go at afterwards.  

The sky was OK and it was a hot day but I noticed clouds building and thought it was best to take the bed linen in from the line, no good if it got soaked before I got back or even damp.  As I was about to set off I noticed that two tortoise were going hell for leather over the grass towards the bonfire.  I went in the house to get the camera, realised it was upstairs by the computer but managed to get down to the pair of them and Green god was trying desperately to mount Rosy and she was running like mad.  As I got near they both stopped, sort of 'coitus interruptus'.  Rosy guessing that she was off the hook so to speak so started leading towards the long grass near the high wall and Green go started to go back from whence he'd come and as I went back up the garden, I noticed he was retracing his footsteps, once again on hunt for Rosy.

My student was ready for the lesson, I picked up my tablets from the chemist and didn't have to ask, they were presented to me and I was very surprised that they were cheaper than I'd paid when I bought them from Kardjali.  The lesson went well, he's got lots of homework and he does it showing me his rough version before he does the one that he submits.  Suddenly the thunder and lightening started, the heavens opened and it threw id down and at this point I was so pleased that I'd got my washing in.

Lesson over by half five, cash point for Avatar, bread for me from the shop, over the road to give Avatar her money and declined the offer of payment, it was late and I wanted to light the fire.  Fire going well and supper made from the remains of last night's lamb curry with pasta, washed up and kitchen ready for the morning.  And now...back to the snooker.   LN...It could be another latish night....LN



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April 27, 2022, 5:25pm Report to Moderator

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Wednesday 27th April

I didn't wake up this morning until eight thirty and that put me into a slow start mood.  I spent about an hour trying to get my colour printer to work going through the online assistant and what a waste of time that was.  It is only printing using green ink and apparently someone else has had the problem but when I tried to access the screen following a link, the page was not available  I eventually gave up and went out to the garden, I got the little electric mower out and the first obstacle was that the plug had come apart in the extension cable where I plug it back into itself so that it doesn't get broken so I was out came the screw driver and I was getting it sorted and Avatar came into my garden to pay her dues.  She insisted on giving me thirty and not twenty seven and I said it would cover the chicken legs that I gave her for the mosque and she got quite irate and reminded me that I had three chicken legs in her freezer...there's no room in mine.  My returned next door neighbour joined us in the garden and was asking me about an old concrete post that was under her hedge in the land between them and my wall.  I said that all I knew about it was that a man had asked me if I could take it and I said no and that I didn't have the telephone number of the house owner who was now in Turkey and he'd left in his car.  Avatar chipped in that she saw someone form the next village about six days ago rolling it towards his van but didn't know who it was.  I'm exonerated!!  My neighbour wanted to see the garden so we walked it together, Rosy had to be rescued from near the well as she got into a difficult position...after her exploits yesterday, I'm hoping she wasn't feeling suicidal.  The neighbour vegged some white and purple lilac to take home with her and she went home a happy bunny.

I went inside for a break after clearing the yard and the passage between the house and the wall, I'd had enough and wanted to get back to the snooker.  At four I went back into Netflix and finished watching three episodes of the one I'd watching and feeling very guilty that I'd not really achieved much in the garden. I went out again with the mower and the strimmer and, worked my way through some of the undergrowth, cleared round my topiary bushes at the bottom of the garden and eventually came in at half seven.  If the weather is fine, I should be able to finish it tomorrow and then it's on to the flower beds.  I need to get on top of it and remembering the fact that Ronnie is starting his quest tomorrow to get into the final of the snooker.....let's see how it goes.

And now the hunt is on for supper and I've just put the boiler on for a bath, I've been using different muscle sets today.  LN....It's been a good day thought......LN



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Thursday 28th April

Seven start and it was almost full on from the beginning and I've hardly stopped all day.  Washed and dressed straightway, toast for breakfast and I was unwinding the electricity cable by eight thirty and moving the mower and the strimmer to the bottom of the garden.  No visits from neighbours today and it was as well, I didn't need any interruptions, I'd worked out what I wanted to do and managed to do most of it.

Today I was carrying on where I'd left off yesterday.  I firstly had a bonfire to get rid of the rest of the broad bean protector that had deteriorated over the winter and I'd taken most of it apart and I'd just got a few lengths left to burn.  I fetched the saw and the Stanley knife and realised that some of it was held together with the polythene, the nails were doing nothing, the fire started well and the wood joined it and with the lid on to keep the longer lengths in the fire barrel.  While it was burning I strimmed round the area and along the bottom garden surround and with the mower.  I went with care and was very careful in the longer grass, the tortoise use the long grass near the walls as motorways so I've left longer grass near the wall for their protection.  I came in at eleven for water and emails, had a message from my soldier grandson telling me of his current location. I replied and told him that the elephant that he bought me for Christmas has settled well in Bulgaria and he replied that he had found the photo of the house pre-renovations and I don't think he'd seen it before.  He's been out here twice but I don't think he realised what work had gone into it.
He said he's really impressed.  

I checked out  the offers from Lidl and I'm interested in a window cleaning contraption and phoned a friend in UK to see if he had the same piece of kit.  He confirmed that it was and I'm probably going to get one when the offer starts.  So back out to the garden and more of the same, use the mower until it blocks because the grass is too long, clear it out and throw it over the wall.  I was using it without a grass box, it was still very wet underneath, hard going but at least most of it is done now.  I've managed to work my way round the beds and only got a few patches near the walls to sort and then I can concentrate on the shrub beds.  I've made a bit of a decision today, I think I'm going to do away with the annual flower beds, highlight the shrubs and be able to mow in between them, I'm getting older and the annual weed hunt is getting to be a real chore.  Of course I'll have the daisies, lilies and things that appear each year and rely on them to show their faces and beauty, but some of the other ones that I grow from seed will be only in certain areas.

I came in at six, tools away. felt shattered so had a shower and washed my hair. cream cheese and breadsticks for supper and now you are going to forgive me for making it short and sweet......Ronnie's bid to get through to the snooker world championship has just started and needs my full co-operation.  Computer off and I'll be watching it on the TV downstairs, it makes the pockets bigger and easier for the balls to pot.  LN.....May the best man win......LN
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Elsa Peters
April 29, 2022, 5:37pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 29th April

What a change in the weather.  Yesterday I was stripping down to my undies between stints in the garden and this morning I was digging out a fairly substantial sweatshirt and put my leather body warmer on to keep out the wind.  Washed a dressed anticipating a day in the garden, in preparation I prepared scrambled eggs on toast setting me up for the day but activities outside were limited to just before one this afternoon,  I was cold.  I did have a visitor who disturbed me from my strimming, one of my neighbours that I don't know very well but seem to remember that he borrowed the foot pump for his flat tyre and returned within two minutes of being in possession saying that it was already broken.  It could have been but I'm not telling him that I've bought an electric one to replace it.  He'd come round with his grand-daughter to introduce her, she has come from Turkey and intends building a house here and why pick on me?  is what I thought,  The grandfather only speaks Turkish and a smattering of Bulgarian but the grand-daughter has a reasonable command of English and again we were down to personal questions which is pretty normal in Bulgaria such as where is your husband? Where is the other family that live in the other house? and me...there isn't one and I don't have a husband.  At least she didn't ask me how old I was.  Off they went on their journey to Turkey and lots of Turkish people are returning to Bulgaria now that the currency has taken a substantial downward spiral.

So in I came, I'd put in a reasonable effort outside but my heart wasn't in it.  I've strimmed one of the two beds at the bottom of the garden exposing the shrubs, the second one will have to wait until tomorrow.  I also delved into the weeds against the low wall and found the wooded garden surrounds and noticed that some of them need replacing which is another job added to the list.  Three tortoise were out and about, Cracked Shell, Green God and Blue and for the last few days I've not spotted Rosy.  I think she is still in shock after Green God's amorous approach a few days ago.

Television this afternoon watching the snooker and Ronnie has had a brilliant afternoon leading John Higgins by ten-six with a more confident aura around the table with some tremendous clearances,  I picked on biscuits and half a jar of cherries so not really into much food tonight.  It's half eight my time so I think I can manage until the morning.  I looked at the laundry basket this morning and thought the rain might come later, it didn't so I put it in the machine this afternoon and it's now decorating the bathroom upstairs and since I'd lit a fire late this afternoon, the house is warm and the bathroom radiator is doing its job.  

I've just checked tomorrow's weather and it's supposed to be sunny with the chance of a thunderstorm so may be a day for running over the lawn with the mower just in case it rains and we have another spurt of growth....after all, it's in the planning.  LN.....Computer off and....relax.....LN



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Elsa Peters
April 30, 2022, 6:14pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 30th April

Six thirty start, dull morning and anticipating rain so back to bed with sudoku for an hour or so.  I put the morning news on and shouted at the Beeb for a change, made Marmite on toast for breakfast, dressed for the garden but still not sure whether I wanted to or not,  It looked cold out there and the wind got up so I tried Netflix and couldn't find anything that drew me in so at eleven I switched it off and headed out and just then the sun came out.  

I unreeled the long extension lead. took the strimmer and electric lawn mower down to the bottom of the garden and set about clearing the two flower beds that have been overrun with clover, grass and a very bossy little white flowered weed and sticky willy which I absolutely hate.  I've decided to reduce the size of the larger bed and plant a new shrub type trip with red tips on it and I know the name but I've forgotten...it's new to me and begins with a 'p' and I shall have to look it up, I've got two of them now.  I came in for a break around eleven and realised that the snooker was on and I'd missed the start of Ronnie and John Higgins.  Ronnie was making a monumental come back and leaping a head and tonight's match he has to win two frames to go into the final and that's about to start any minute now.  

I went out again and had a really good afternoon in the garden.  I used the little mower to finish half of the grass on both gardens and was doing well except that I think there's something wrong with the switch on the mower and it gives me intermittent faults.  It goes OK. then it cuts out, starts again so if I can't get it repaired I shall have to think about buying another one.  The petrol does a good job but it's very heavy to use and I'm fairly knacked at the end of a session with it.  Tools away just before seven and I was surprised how late it was.  The snooker was still playing and I watched the end of the Trump -Williams match and really enjoyed it.  I lit the fire, it's not cold but it's cheery with it going. demolished chocolate and Trump  has made it through by one frame.  And now to see who goes through and I'm hoping it's Ronnie, it's about to start any time now so I'm not going to linger long.  I didn't take any pickies today but I'll be out with the camera tomorrow and show you the new reduced garden if I manage to finish it...weather permitting.  LN.....The television calls.....LN
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My Diary by Elsa Peters (only location)

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