Wednesday 20th July

Late night, I stayed up following the world championship until two this morning and another early start, woke up at six thirty.  Out watering the garden after drinking my coffee on the terrace but had a mare of a morning with the garden hose.  For some reason the sprinkler head kept popping off and I got absolutely soaked with really cold water so resorted to the watering can to finish it off.  I shall wait until everything is completely dry before I attempt another joining of the 'unjoinables'.  

Poached on toast for breakfast, I was thinking of having a bonfire but we've has so many warnings and the ground is exceptionally dry that I might even take it all down to the container at the bottom of the village.  I pay for it so I might as well use it.   I packed my bag for the pool, washed and dressed and was out of the house by ten fifteen to meet my student from his football training at ten fifty and thought I'd timed it just right.  As I drove towards Djebel my phone rang and I noticed that it was the garage and the boy's mother was on the phone but since I was only a couple of minutes from the shop I didn't stop to phone back.  I met up with her and training had finished early and he was waiting for me in Kardjali so I told her I would be with him in twenty minutes and I arrived at the venue at ten fifty precisely and saw him in the distance so I flashed my headlights and he started walking towards the Nipper but very slowly.  I thought he'd got injured while training but he said that his legs were tired after a difficult work out on the pitch.  He got in the Nipper and soon cheered up, we were at the pool by eleven fifteen and there were only a few people there so chose the sunbeds we wanted under a large umbrella with extra beds that we could pull onto the grass and I could read my book in the sun.  

We managed three sessions in the pool, had what we thought was a very expensive lunch for what we had as we compared prices against what we normally pay in Djebel, I did a little dog dozing, got pink in places especially my face but to use one of my favourite sayings...'it will be brown tomorrow'.  We left the pool at six, I stopped for gas for the Nipper and back to the shop by six thirty, relating the exploits of the 'pool people' and we all had a few giggles.  The boy has training again tomorrow and he suggested that we did the same again but I said no, we will do it again but just not yet....I have a grass day tomorrow that I really do have to get on with.  Crisps and coke for supper but we did have lunch of sorts so I shan't go hungry.  LN....I've had a very lovely relaxing day with my young companion......LN

Thursday 21 July

Another early start after a late night with the worlds. I was outside at seven when Avatar came over to pay for the eggs that I'd bought for her from Djebel and didn't want me to change the fifty leva note, she'd found forty in tens in her purse...better off than she thought.  I was mending that challenging hose when she arrived so went back to my task and as she was leaving she spotted the tomatoes that I'd grown from seeds taken from the fruit and after that I was determined to plant them properly...so I did later.  

I settled for toast for breakfast with spread cheese, had great plans to mow what's left of the grass and did nothing about it.  Instead I took down the curtains that separate the stairwell from the winter lounge, managed to get them in the washing machine and that's another job taken from the list.  It's such a wide curtain made up of two widths that in previous years I'd unpicked them and washed them up singly.  This time I risked it and put them in the machine, they fitted Cinderella. and no damage done to the machine.  It was pretty hot out there so I did a lap on tortoise watch and managed to spot Green God and Blue but the others were obviously having a sleep in or finding a cool place to longer.  I had the same thought so ended up on the sofa and felt really tired so decoded tp catch up on lost sleep and renew my energy bank after putting three tons of wood away and a very busy day swimming yesterday.  

The television has switched itself off, I turned it on again and came across four house of catch-up t.v of the overnight action from America from the worlds athletics and that's been the sum total of my activities apart from watering the plants tonight, getting the curtains in from the washing line and cooking hamburgers from scratch.  So supper was hamburgers with fried egg, the two bottles of tomato sauce have been relegated to the rubbish bin, they must be two years old.  They've now been added to the list of 'must buys' for when visitors are here.  Clouds are gathering tonight and hopefully it won't be so hot tomorrow and I'll eventually get the grass done.  LN.....I'm going thought the phase of 'one off the list' and one 'back on'........LN

Friday 22nd July

Another early start so at six thirty I was out watering the garden and getting soaked by the hose that insists on detaching itself from the spray nozzle.  I did the rest of the flower beds without it only bothering to reconnect it when I came to watering the pots.  Next job was to connect the hoses running down the garden and watering round the bonfire bucket before I had a bonfire and once it was going I put the lid on for safety, connected the hose to the one with holes in it so that the shrubs had a good soaking since they were looking a little sad. After fifteen minutes or so I removed the holy hose and force fed the rest of the shrubs on the bottom garden and the two buddleias look so much better for it Having finished one job it was time to sit and ponder what I should do next.  The wisteria growling over the wall with my garden neighbour was getting very leggy so that had a good cutting back and also the tree next to it. The bench against the long wall appeared to be peeping out of the shrubby so not it's all been cut back, cleared up and deposited over the wall,  I also attacked the new walnut that's put on a load of growth so that I could no longer see the hillside so three big branches removed, the cows have had a field day.

It didn't stop there.  The tomatoes that I grew from seed are doing OK and are looking so much better after only a day in the new bucket and I also weeded the pots where the grass appears to have taken over,  It's been a real problem this year with so much rain in May and June.  I went to the loo and realised that a bird had found its way down the chimney and usually I would close the curtain between the stairs and the winter lounge, close all the doors and it would find its way out through the porch.  Slight problem, there is no longer a curtain, it was the one that I washed yesterday and I'm not putting that one back until autumn ready for the winter so I'd put it away.  Fortunately it had come down the soot removal pipe so I removed the fly screen from the bathroom window, opened the door to the flue box, shut the door of the bathroom and it seems to have found its way outside.  There are no more flutterings so fly screen back and everything put back in place.  

I made local corned beef with baked beans, beetroot and silver skin onions into a sort of salad for a late lunch, settled down to watch the athletics catch-up and had forty winks waking up to catch the remainder of the events.  Started again at six and cleared the rest of the honeysuckle and jasmine that are covering the wall on the workshop terrace, popped over to see Avatar since I noticed her out in the garden and we chewed over the fat for half an hour or so.  I mentioned that I thought that Rosy one of my tortoises had been acting a little queer and I think she'd been eating the fermenting mulberries that had fallen from the tree and she seemed a little drunk,  I know that Avatar has plenty of  cucumbers growing in her garden so I asked if I could have one for the tortoise tomorrow and I found an exceptionally large on that Avatar had missed so they're in for a treat tomorrow.  

I came back and finished the back terrace, it's swept, tidy, the cut off branches are over the wall, tools away and it was nine my time when I came in.  Tomorrow I'm cleaning off the old varnish from the bench by the long wall and applying some wood stain and Mikey B's bench is going to have the same treatment.  LN.....Another good day.....LN

Saturday 23rd July

Five thirty start and I slept part of the night with the light on, I'd heard the 'zzzz; of a mosquito, not managed to find it and obviously gone off to sleep again.  I forgot to plug in the electric mozzie machine last night but I'll certainly remember it tonight.  It's just hot and humid.  I sat out this morning with a coffee on the lounge terrace and used the mosquito coil setting fire to it in a metal dish and the ones lingering under the umbrella shot off towards the hillside so it works.

I went over to see Avatar and to change the fifty leva note for her so that she can pay her dues around the village.  She offered me breakfast again but I declined, pancakes sit heavy when you have a full day planned which I did.  I made beans on toast for breakfast which is probably just as heavy as pancakes but it was self imposed, washed up, put my lightweight quilt in the washing machine so I was on track.  Went on a tortoise watch armed with a knife and a cucumber and a watering can to fill up the watering stations and only managed to find little purple and it wasn't interested in cucumber or water. I was standing in the yard and heard one of them heading along the front wall under the shrubbery and noticed that it was Rosy and not long after she was heading back.  For some reason I went and looked behind the Beast in the garage and noticed one of them flailing around on its back so I flipped it over and it was CS (cracked shell) and I've found out that I have two males not only Green God.  

Now back to business, I sanded down the woodwork on the first bench, tightened the nuts to secure everything,  I used the electric sander after starting off with broken glass but it was just too slow, found some walnut coloured wood stain and one down and one to go.  The other bench which is getting on in age and has had numerous bits replaced underwent the same treatment. wood stain applied and that's not back on the woodstore terrace looking very good indeed.  

Athletics this afternoon, hair wash and shower around six, garden watered and what a good day I've had.  Not really bothered about food at the moment so will head for the kitchen later and see what needs starting or finishing.  LN.....Maybe a book day tomorrow on the sunbed on my bedroom terrace......LN

Sunday 24th July

Very disturbed night, very humid and despite having a late shower it didn't do a lot to cool me down.  Because of that it's left me feeling jaded all day.  Toast for breakfast and went on a bit of a tortoise watch this morning, heard something moving in the honeysuckle on the workshop terrace and eventually there was something falling and it was Blue who landed against a concrete pipe at floor level at a very peculiar angle.  I always wear rubber gloves when I rescue them so I went to find them and by the time I got back it had made its own escape and was heading down the garden behind the shaded area and coming the other way was CS seeking out fallen fruit from the plum trees.  I didn't stop around for the fireworks, now that CS's make identity has been discovered there was likely to be a clattering of shells so I left them to it.  The long handled loppers came out and the mulberry branches hanging down have been cut and dropped over for the cows and the acacia has also had branches removed since they were hiding the views of the hillside.

I stripped out the lounge today and removed the carpet to the washing line to be dealt with later.  The summer curtain has gone up in the stairwell mainly to shield the sun from my eyes if I linger on the sofa to watch the television.  I washed the floor over, was having five minutes when I'd finished the job when I heard a bird flapping about in the little solid fuel cooker in the kitchen,  This isn't as simple as it sounds, everything has to be removed from the top of the cooker to help the thing out if it's frightened, the window and fly screen have to be opened  along with the porch door and fly screen and the entry door to the house has to be closed so that it doesn't double back on itself.  I opened the door to the burner box, the bird didn't shoot out as expected so I took the top cover off and there it was, I nudged it with a wooden spoon and it was out of the window, got its bearings and headed back to freedom.

Back to the sofa and Haciber was outside and calling my name.  She handed over a plastic bag with a container of meet and rice, two halva sweet cakes and a bottle of yogurt drink....apparently someone from Bursa in Turkey had paid for a 'mevlit' in memory of a departed relative and I was the recipient of the gift.  I shall never know whose life and death I was celebrating so I picked out the meat, had some of the rice and that was lunch.  As they way, a full tummy deserves rest so I caught up on sleep this afternoon and thank goodness for the breeze blowing through the house, it's been a scorcher.  The terrace umbrella had to come down though before it took to the hillside despite being weighed down and the washing had to come in before it did the same thing.  Washing away, tools away and everything locked away.  LN.....I didn't made it on to the sunbed with a book, maybe tomorrow.....LN

Monday 25th July

A rreally horrible night last night.  Despite spraying with mozzie spray there was one lone survivor who I eventually tracked down and put paid to its endeavours.  It was three before I settled and seven when I woke up to horrendous downpour and thunder.  At least I didn't have to water the garden but I did have to go round and empty the pots so that the mozzies aren't able to multiply.  Don't you just hate them.

I had coffee on the terrace and did my usual tortoise expedition once the rain had stopped and found Rosy down the bottom of the garden trying to get dried off in very lukewarm sunshine.  Blue was also down there so I walked back up the garden and picked up some red and yellow wild plums and delivered them to them both.  Rosy was interested and attacked with enthusiasm and Blue just CBA.....maybe it was taking longer for this one to enter the world on such a rotten morning.  I came inside and checked out the bread and it was tinged with green so the last two eggs were whisked up, the frying pan cleaned out, cheese slices unwrapped and an omelette was soon on its way to the kitchen table.  I caught up on the overnight results from the athletics and we have more medals, did emails, FB and decided that the bed between the steps needed sorting.  I haven't the usual array of zinnias this year, I put in plants that didn't have much going for them despite the instructions on the packets so I dug up what was there including the weeds and now I've planted the contents of one of the pots.  I should have put it in the garden from the onset but didn't, kept looking at it and now I've done it.  

It's been hot and humid all day and it's time I had a shower to freshen up.  The bench that I bought the other day from Kaufland has been a mare to put together and I'm still struggling with one of the bench seat fixings.  It's one of those where you put an insert into the hole and screw down from the other end and the two meet in the middle so to speak.  I think that the wood has warped or the hole wasn't drilled properly but to take it back is a pain so I'll have another go tomorrow.  Not in the mood for supper, it's too hot to eat so time to get the spray out and fix those beasties...better early that later.  LN....The shower calls......LN

Tuesday 26th July

A cooling bath last night worked wonders despite the heat of the day.  I slept well awoke at seven and had had a very leisurely day.  Tortoise watch found CS in the little garden by the bonfire bucket Blue was not far away in a very shaded spot.  I suppose with a shell on it soon warms up and it's essential that they find shady corners to hide in.  I suppose I should have done the same thing but I carried on trying to get the final screw fitting on the bench done and it's still eluded me.  I was working on it on the terrace in the sun and should have really moved it into the little house where it is cool to work but instead I left it where it was on the terrace and came inside.

I washed and dressed, no student this morning she has got herself a job and I wasn't too displeased about it.  I might have shown her the path to self improvement using the internet so my work is done.  Seven years of learning English at school and nothing and now it's down to her.  I opened the doors upstairs, found myself in my sewing room and decided to make one of the beds up which made me move into the guest room and check out the bed linen that's in there.  The quilts that I have are going to be too warm so I found out some sheets instead of relying on quilt covers and washed everything white, sheets, quilt covers and pillowcases.  Beautiful day for drying and I had nothing to do, or so I thought until three this afternoon.  A telephone call at one thirty from the garage put an end to my afternoon plans, my student had asked it he could go swimming with his pals instead of the lesson so I immediately agreed and haven't committed to the rest of the week....it's mine all mine.

Lunch called so it was tuna mayo with grated carrots, beetroot and chopped onion and that filled the gap and so much so that I'm certainly not feeling the need for food tonight.  Too hot to be doing anything outside this afternoon so I checked for concluding episodes of Blacklist on Netflix and watched them and fell on another detective series and watched tree episodes of that.  Washing all in and folded, it was heading for the ironing board, not my favourite occupation but I might just manage it.  Time to water the garden, it's been full on all day and they can top up overnight.  LN.....Kardjali in the morning.....LN

Wednesday 27th July

All go this morning at this end.  Seven start despite staying up last night to finish off a series of Netflix and heading for bed at two thirty this morning.  I'd had such a good sleep yesterday afternoon that I suppose I'd had enough.  Fitbit doesn't know where it is half the time.  Coffee made, washing in, watered the garden and pots, bonfire and another attempt at the bench final fixing but the thing will not go into the insert.  It appears to be attacking it from the side and pushing it over so I might just have to drill it out again or put some blue tack in the hole to lift the insert back in line.  I've tried by lining everything up with a nail, lifting the nail and replacing it with the screw and holding the insert in the correct position with a screw driver and it still twist it.  The screw is just not in line with the insert so back to the drawing board Cecil and it was too hot to play around outside.  Washing pegged out, another load in and watched the news while that cooked and then that went out.  Well done to the England Women's' Football team, battered the Swedish team with a four nil unexpected result and now on to the final.

I eventually got washed and dressed when I decided what to do with the rest of my day.  I wrote my list for Kardjali and I've added to and ignored other items but on the whole another good day.  First stop was the new Mall and I bought a few items and a new swimsuit for me but I think I was rather ambitions going for the medium.  I suppose I could always use it as an incentive to shrink into it.  I carried on to one of the other shops and found that the 'prices from' poster was OK but when you actually looked at the price tag they bore no resemblance so everything went back on the rail.  First stop Kaufland and  they were selling an electric mower at a reasonable offer so that was the first thing in the trolley, well under it.  I also found a tree lopper but with a saw attachment so I can at last attack the acacia that' s rubbing up the side of the house and that was reasonably priced too.  I carried on with my other shopping and the bill was really good and then over to T-Max to see if they'd reduced  the garden umbrellas which they hadn't.  I did find a mirror on offer though for fourteen leva and that's destined for the shower room and I might even go back for another for my upstairs bedroom to replace the one that's currently there.  Over to Lidl and first stop to check if my printer is back from repair and it was.  The dialogue insisted that it was operator error, I maintained it wasn't but it was too hot to stay for a discussion so it's in the car.  Lidl for a few items and I really am going off that store.  They've stopped some of the usual lines and filled the middle two aisles with an odd selection of items interspersed with  various alcohols.  Bring back potato salad in a huge pot that will last me a week.

Bread from my local supermarket and then home by six.  Unpacked by six fifteen and all put away, washing in and a welcome sit down with some fizzy water.  I shall have to review the list tomorrow or maybe try out the new little lawn mower and find a six inch nail to finish the bench.    LN.... Just joshing...I'm persistent if nothing else.....LN

Thursday 28th July

Early night, early start, action from the beginning and the end of the day.  Green God was the only one spotted down the bottom of the garden and no sightings for the rest of the day but I've just been...too busy.  Hoovered through, was going to wash the floors over but then realised that I still need to buy the mop bucket...it's on the list...but I forgot it yesterday.  Noticed this morning that the water heater light was glowing and it was time to move over from cheap to normal rate so it required investigation.  Unknown to me I must have had a power cut yesterday so I readjusted the clock, no one needs or likes to pay more.  Thank goodness I didn't have one this morning with washing and hoovering to get done.

Bacon and egg for breakfast to set me up for the day and it did until I had the urge to sit down at about one.  I'd just settled down to Netflix and the phone went so I paused the tv and stayed with the call.  It was a catch-up with a friend advising me that he hadn't booked yet and had been trying for a few days to upload his Covid vaccine details on to his phone and complaining that it was a very complicated process.  We discussed my progress with the bench or lack of but I was determined that it would be done today and it was.  I completely took it apart, turned the seat section around, started to attach the legs again to the seat section and managed to get the difficult one in but when I started to attach the other legs it wouldn't line up so I put the right way up on the floor and realised that the seat section was stopping it so I found a chisel and too a slice off the final baton towards the back, gave it a bang with the rubber hammer, the joint came together, the last screw went in, on with the back and it was finished.  Tools cleared away, another job done......and it's been a long one.

Another really hot day and noticed that I had a little mole hill starting so I've moved the mole deterrent to the middle of the garden so let's see if it does what it says on the instrument.  There are four positions, vibrate or sound and you can have them both going at the same time but this time I've set it for vibrate only.  The other just makes too   much noise.  I forgot to put supper in the oven so I've now got to go down and pan cook two pork steads with barbecue sauce already impregnated and a jacket done in the microwave should finish it off nicely.  LN.....The kitchen calls.....LN

Friday 29th July

Started off at five thirty this morning, coffee, bonfire, shrubs tidied up and old flower stalks from the lilies removed and burnt.  The shrubs at the bottom of the garden were watered and finally the pots.  Poached eggs on toast for breakfast, kitchen tidied and after that the rest of the day was mine all mine.  Avatar came over to deliver a wedding invitation for Wednesday of next week and when I asked whose it was I was told that she sells milk from the lower village and to date, none of the ladies are going so I don't suppose I shall either. It's the norm here to invite the village and provide a coach but when you don't know the parents or the bride or groom for that matter....it's a Turkish thing.

This afternoon I was doing OK until I realised that the Commonwealth Games had started and  I got sucked in to the Triathlon and watched as we won our first gold of the championship.  Shower, hair washed and dried, I'd remembered that I was out for supper tonight with the family of my student and I had to leave just before six.  Meanwhile it was the women's triathlon where we won a silver medal registering the same result as the Olympics.

Restful day, it's been a hot one though but tonight the sky is as clear as a bell with lots of stars shining down as I drove home from my supper date.  It was good to catch up with them all, home grown veg salad, meat and rice and watermelon on the menu and watched the parents sitting out on the terrace shelling haricot beans. Still need that mop bucket....the shop was closed as I drove through Djebel this evening.  LN....Looks like an early start tomorrow....LN