Tuesday 20th June

So the rain last night put a stop to my grass cutting this morning.  I heard water, thought I'd left a tap running, switched on the outside spot light and it was chucking it down....so much for the prediction that it would be sunny for the rest of the week.  The mountains were missing this morning hidden by the morning mist and it was pretty dull up until lunchtime.  I took my morning stroll around the garden and noticed a solitary tortoise near the mulberry tree and it was Rosy so I picked a handful of mulberries and dropped them in front of her and they were gone in quicksticks.  She was also enjoying the clover flowers, they were very near the ground so were obviously new ones.  The grass isn't that long but there are a few long stalks that need to be chopped back but no way was it happening this morning....it can wait until tomorrow.  I stripped the bed and into the washing machine it went and by now it was OK to put it out.  Avatar came round and paid her dues for the tomatoes and brought me round cheesy bread but unfortunately I'd just demolished poached eggs and ham on toast so no room but will have it later with the chicken that I'm cooking.

I printed off the next two chapters of the book for my lesson today and headed to Djebel for two thirty, sat with his mother for a while in the shop and then went upstairs where he was waiting for me with the football.  Five minutes of letting him score and beat me and then down to business.  I do love the little chap, he reads with such enthusiasm and intonation, it's The Witches and in lots of places the High Priestess rolls her 'r's' and this amuses him so we giggle about it.  We managed to do the two chapters and then we discussed what we think will happen next and I had to promise not to read the book before him.  He said that it's fun when we find out together.  Tomorrow he's going away with twenty other footballers to the Black Sea, the under fifteen Kardjali team that he plays for has come top of the junior league so this is a reward for them.  He's done well to get in the team....it must be all the practicing we do!!

Home for six thirty, I sliced my chicken up the backbone and put it in the oven and added a jacket potato so cook at the same time.  I've just turned it over and the smell from the kitchen is making me feel very hungry, just after eight my time so should be ready soon.  Just made my bed up so a clean bed to get into tonight and despite the clouds, I think we should have a dry night so it will definitely be mowing and strimming tomorrow.  LN.....Better get an early night to build up my strength....LN

Wednesday 21st June

Early to bed, early to rise....means that by the ends of the day you're knacked.  Clear blue skies all day, too hot to be doing the grass but a woman's work is never done.  Breakfast was the cheesy bread from yesterday made into sandwiches with the boiled ham.  I was a little concerned about Avatar.  I'd taken chicken over last night but all was locked up and noticed that there appeared to be a light on in the room facing the road which is not where she sleeps and I wondered if she had guests.  The front gate was locked so there was no getting in there so I toddled back over the road and put the chicken in the oven with the remains of mine, it was too hot to put into the fridge.  So at eight this morning I toddled back over the road and still the gate was locked, no sign of anyone about so I went back home still carrying the chicken leg and breast,  Around nine I looked over at the house from the guest room and noticed that the garage door was open, so neighbourhood watch could rest assured and I went about my day.  I did pop over and chastise her for not being available and she said that she'd not slept well last night so had overslept this morning and I told her that she had chicken for tonight and I'd drop it over later.

First job was to cut back the spherical bushes that I'd created, nature had done its thing and they had lost the shape.  I used the small hand trimmer and worked on them until the rechargeable battery was exhausted and also lopped off a couple of branches from the Acacia against the back wall,  It was completely shading the little bed and the shrub under it so now it has light.  Over the wall it went for the cows and then the hard task was about to begin.  I checked the mower and the petrol was empty so I turned the machine over and gave it a good clean underneath.  I was going to use it without the grass box so wanted a clean start.  I was surprised how long and thick it had become but I worked on it from twelve to one thirty and the big house grass was complete and it was time for a break.  I sank around two litres of water, a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar and started to watch Netflix and found an interesting series.  I watched two episodes, went outside again and started on the little house grass.  

It was a hard slog, I ran out of petrol and thought about finishing it off tomorrow but bit the bullet and managed to do all of it.  Tools away, hose pipes out of the little house, I noticed that some of the shrubs need watering so that my job for tomorrow along with some hand weeding.  I've managed to knock off over twenty one thousand steps today on the Fitbit and don't I know it.  Chicken delivered and I'll have mine with bread and mayo,,,nothing exotic tonight and then I'll go back to Netflix and continue watching the new series.  I'm thinking I must have picked it up from my SIL's account....it wasn't presented against my listings.  LN.....And now for supper, hopefully I shall sleep well tonight......LN

Thursday 22nd June

Half six when I woke up this morning....an improvement but I still felt jaded....I'd done lots in the garden yesterday and today was the day for getting over it.  I made coffee and took it out on to the balcony...it was a beautiful morning, birds chattering away, swifts swooping and fly catchers taking up position on the lonesome pine.  What's not to like about the start of the day in my neck of the woods.  I brushed out my hair and put it back into a scrunchie....I'd gone to bed with it wet and when it dries naturally, nature takes over and since I wasn't going to show my face outside my gate, it would do for today.  I dressed casually, was drawn to a tortoise strolling across the grass and stopping under the mulberry....it doesn't take long for word to get round....they probably do it by telepathy or a few squeaks....but I didn't stop around to look to see if it was joined by others.

I cleared the kitchen from yesterday's debris, made toast for breakfast and remembered that I had some ham left so finished it off.  I went outside and sorted out the garden hoses that I'd brought out from the woodstore yesterday and also the sprinkler and set it up to water the garden near the wild plum with a couple of shrubs that needed a good soaking.  Also a few of the pots wanted watering so that was the next job on the list.  The bench from the little house terrace was put back in its normal place, I'd cut back the shrubbery and found the paving slabs that it had rested on last year and I strimmed the yard to get rid of the plantain bobbles that smack against ankles.  The battery lasted out for the gap between the house and the front wall but I went out to strim the grass on the outside and then it packed up....rechargeable batteries...pah.

By now it was becoming too hot to be out so I made coffee and settled on the sofa for a Netflix film and woke up after an hour or so.  Hunger had got the better of me so I made tuna mayo sandwiches and not it's supper time and I don't feel like eating anything.  It must be the weather.  I did a final walk of the garden this evening and it's amazing how many flowers are out, coming out or going over.  I've tried to have flowers that come up each year, my days of nurturing seedlings ended last year but I have found a patch of zinnia that need to go into the old fire pit and since I watered it well today, they should transplant well.  Just after nine, the sunset that was supposed to be spectacular was a let down, the setting sun went down behind a bank of clouds so that doesn't bode well for tomorrow.  LN......Be good for my transplanted seedlings though......LN  

Friday 23rd June

Awake at three thirty and managed to get back off but only until five....I obviously didn't do enough yesterday to make me want to sleep longer.  I made coffee and sat out on the balcony enjoying the morning and saw one of the tortoise under the mulberry and guessed it was Rosy....I'm not sure that the others have found that it bears fruit yet.  I spotted CS a little further down the garden warming up in the sun, it was promising to be a good day and one that I was going to take advantage of.  I thought about the pool but couldn't raise the effort, I would do my sunbathing on the balcony putting up a modesty screen in case I had visitors.  I made toast for breakfast, put some washing into the machine, checked on the rest of the tortoise and nothing doing, noticed that the moles are having a field day and I think I'm going to have to bring in the big guns in the shape of Mole Smokes.  I tried the all singing, all dancing, buzzing and gyrating mole scare but it appears to do nothing...it seems to provide a back drop to the digging and tunnelling....aaaahhhhh.

By eleven thirty I was on the balcony in my swimsuit and suitable oiled down.  I'd charged up my little kindle that's easier to read in any light and settled on a book that I'd started reading about the search for the magnetic South Pole.   It's easy reading, historic and written by Michael Paylin and entitled 'Erybus- the story of a ship'.  That kept me occupied and at twelve thirty I heard my name called out and one of the ladies of the village was delivering fluffy pancakes made my one of the ladies further down the village and that was my lunch sorted.  I had to oil down again it was really hot out there an only came in at one thirty because I was being bothered by a wasp that obviously liked the smell of the sunscreen and then I gave up.  I had a shower and washed my hair, dried it, got dressed, fiddled around trying to sort out a connector issue with my large ipod but nothing doing.  I might take it in to the PC repair shop, it might be a matter of taking the old one out and replacing it with a new one so that I can plug in a charger.  I thought I'd fixed it once before but it's not working now.  On to the sofa and back to my book, washing in at five, supper of the remains of the chicken with mayo and there are new episodes of New Amsterdam on Netflix so that kept me occupied until now.  I'm pleased to say that at long last I have started to develop a healthy looking summer glow and will have no problem at the swimming pool.  I mentioned that they had put the prices up to fifteen leva at my favourite pool but I was surprised to hear from my student that the same entrance fee is being charged locally and the pool is not so good so maybe I shall stick to the one that I know.  Washing in but still not put away, one last trip round the garden but I guess that they little beauties have already gone to bed.  Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow so far, I'll see how I feel in the morning.  LN.......I might even make it down to Greece......LN

Saturday 24th June

Another early morning start, got settled into my book from yesterday taking away my focus on games on the tablet.  It was another beautiful day but I decided that I wouldn't spend another day in the sun, I'll let the rays from yesterday get the 'brown' cells rising to the surface, no need to overload the process and I certainly don't want to burn the skin.  I sat out on the balcony for a while and noticed one of the family heading over the grass so thought I'd go down and check up on all of them.  I only managed to find two of them yesterday and morning is the best time when they come out in pebble dashed hot spots to warm up.  CS was the one searching for food under the mulberry so I found a few fruits that had fallen and put them in front of its nose and they were devoured instantly.  In the bottom garden near the buddleia I found Green God and Blue far enough apart and near the bonfire I came across Rosy.  Only little Purple left and that was near the wall in the dappled shade.  All present and correct.

I noticed that my Pyrex dish was on the cushion chest on the terrace so went over to see Avatar and take over two tomatoes that I'd promised her yesterday.  She'd managed to cut her grass yesterday, it looked good but she didn't.  We're both getting on and it takes a lot of effort to stand on the wrong end of a lawn mower for around three hours so I know how she felt.  I'd had my down day yesterday and it turned out that I had another today.  The height of may day's activity was to manoeuvre the sun lounger from the little house, wash down the cover with detergent and hose it down, drag underneath the wild plum tree, test that the repairs I'd done last year would support my weight and they did.  I'd made a new cover but attached it to the existing one and it worked.  

I was reading most of the day, slept through the hot afternoon and started to cook supper around five.  I'd found some turkey burgers with a cheese filling so I put three in the frying pay and slowly cooked them so the cheese stayed inside not splattered everywhere, cooked chips in the air fryer, some for Avatar and some for me and I took hers over to her house just after six.  She looked what I taken over and said that she was going to eat it straightaway and I was going to do the same thing.  Everything locked up and put away except for the sunbed that's now found its place in the garden.  I was tempted to bring out the terrace umbrella but I'll move inside if I get too hot, the house is always cool with the amount of windows that I have open.  LN.....Another restful day, Monday seems like a good day for the pool....no tourists.....LN

Sunday 25th June

Seven start so not so bad this morning.  It looked like it was going to be another scorcher and the day was full of possibilities but all that I managed to get up to was giving myself a pedicure and shave my legs and prepare myself for the pool tomorrow if the weather is good.  I did cook breakfast finding a pack of smoked bacon in the freezer and I fried it off and had it with beans on toast but not quite like the smoked bacon that we have in England.  It almost went for the cat but instead went back in the fridge and I'll fry it up with tomatoes tomorrow and see if it's any better.

By lunchtime it had clouded over and looked very much as though we might have rain and it stayed that way all afternoon so at five I dug up the seedlings that are growing in the wrong place.  I set about clearing the weeds from the old fire pit bed, several out and one in but it was the one that I wanted there.  That took longer than I thought it would but it's done.  I also strimmed round the wooden surrounds to the beds to make them look tidier and while there was still battery power available I did the rest of the beds in the grave garden.  By seven most of the clouds had gone and as I looked out at the road I saw a van in Avatar's garden so I had to have a walk over there to see what was going on.  She is having a new kitchen fitted, it's ultra-modern and hopefully she will cope.  She's not very tall and even for me the units look high and hope she'll manage.  There's an oven going in with bells and whistles on it, lots of wall units and I only hope she can reach them.  

I left at seven fifteen with the empty dish from yesterday and the workmen made a comment.  I joked and said that I bring food over and all I get in return is an empty dish, let's hope things improve when the kitchen is finished and we laughed about it.  LN.....Swimming and a food run tomorrow if the weather is good.....LN

Monday 26th June

So it's not  pool day, I was rescuing cushions and hanging them over the balcony to dry.  Unfortunately The wind blew them down to the garden so another rescue mission was required.  I'd looked out at Avatar's house last night around midnight and there were lights on everywhere so I checked this morning to see if the van was still in the garden but it had gone.  I walked over around nine to see if she wanted any help, she was on her own but apparently the men working on the installation were there until one thirty this morning finishing off.  She invited me in and I expected to see everything ready but unfortunately they hadn't connected the electricity plugs to the cabling, there was no water connected or waste water pipes in place, the gas pipe was in but not connected to the gas bottle.  I felt really sorry for her, she said that she'd not eaten anything so we adjourned to the garage where she is able to cook and she set about making pancakes, I went home and returned about thirty minutes later to join her in breakfast.  I did managed to replace the yard gate back on its hinges, she hadn't managed it but now the cows couldn't force it open.  She didn't need any more help but I suggested that she contacted her son to find her some experts who could finish the work that the kitchen fitters had left.  He's in Germany but sure to know someone he can phone locally.

I had a morning of cutting back trees that have self set in the garden and lobbing them over the wall.  Tortoises were out and about with only Little Purple not able to be tracked down but everyone was in the wrong place.  Green was actually under the bench on the workshop terrace facing the wall but I left him to work it out...he needed a one eight rotation to find grass.  Last night's rain had watered the garden well, the zinnias that I planted yesterday are looking really settled in but I did plant them very deep to make sure. I came in from the garden around two, the sky unsettled so I took to the sofa, put on Netflix and had myself forty winks waking up around three thirty sleeping through the series I was watching.  At four I went back to see Avatar, she'd just woken up too and I'd taken over some empty clean coffee jars that she can use as storage jars when she come to start sorting things out.  I'd been given a small shopping list for the next time that I was going in to town but at four thirty I decided that I would go in this afternoon and what a mistake that was.  Djebel was heaving, lots of people are over from Turkey or back from abroad for the 'meat' Byram, a festive time for the locals.  I didn't manage to park up at my little supermarket so went to the other one further up and went to the main car park, bought everything I needed, chicken wings and onions, I already had potatoes and I would do supper for both of us.  I dropped her shopping off at six and warned her that supper would be ready for seven and when I returned, she was making a salad for herself to go with the meal.

I came home and had my supper, put my Netflix back on and recapped what I'd slept through, tidied the kitchen and again nodded off for half an hour so need another recap.  I've just looked out and it's raining again so I'll be drying things out tomorrow by the looks of it.  The upside, I shan't have to water the garden, the downside, not much chance of me getting in another swimming day.....those extra winter kilos are never going to come off at this rate.  Almost time for bed, nothing else on the agenda so far for tomorrow, most things are weather dependent these days.  LN.....It's in the lap of the gods......LN

Tuesday 27th June

Not much to report in on today.  It was a very misty start, no clouds in the sky and looking as if the mist might burn off and leave us with a beautiful day.  I had a half neglected tomato that I took out for the tortoise, nothing to be seen under the mulberry where I dropped it but then I scooped half of it up and decided to walk the garden to see if there was anyone that I could find that might be interested.  I found Green down near the walnut and put it down in front of him but he was too busy warming up in the sun.  We'd had rain again overnight so obviously they'd hidden away and needed to warm up before they became at all active.  I caught sight of Rosy and gave her the rest of the tomato but didn't hang around to see what she did with it.

I cooked fried tomatoes and had them on toast for breakfast, washed up, tidied the kitchen and went outside to plant up some zinnias that I'd left in water overnight.  I removed a very large dandelion from one of the pots and slung it over the wall and from another on I took out last years sun daisy that hadn't made it through the winter and I'd been ignoring it but now it's sorted.  In it's place I planted the zinnias, the soil was very wet so I didn't have to water them in and they'd been sitting in water overnight so felt they were able to face the day.  I dressed for the pool, there were a few clouds gathering  but I just had the feeling that it would be OK and it was.  I arrived around eleven fifteen, there were a few sunbeds occupied and noticed that they'd now post a sign to say that the entrance fee was twelve leva where last week I'd paid fifteen.  The man behind the counter said that it was all down to me, he'd discussed it with the owner and they agreed that weekdays would be at the reduced price.  I paid my dues, received my swim band and settled myself on a sunbed, worked out how to register my swim time on my Fitbit without me wearing it in the water and had a very pleasant day topping up my suntan.  

I left at five, straight to Lidl to buy bottled water just in case the house supply goes off, potatoes, carrots and beetroot and I've decided that I'm going to try salad stuff apart from if it's green and try to wean myself off the night-time biscuits.  It's easier when the weather is hot, a good breakfast and you're set up for the day.  I really do need to take off a few kilos...but just a few.  I bought another whole chicken, they are good value and once cooked easy to pick at.  Beautiful evening, the cows are wending their way home, calling up wayward calves and all's good in my corner of the world.  LN....Supposed to rain tomorrow so I'm informed, I'll wait and see.....LN

Wednesday 28th June

Went to bed at twelve and woke up at six thirty so not a bad night.  It was another glorious morning but having the warning of rain from the man at the pool yesterday I thought he'd got it completely wrong but he was right....it didn't come until much later.  I put the washing away from yesterday, the beauty of drying it inside the house is that you don't bring in buglies from outside.  I poached eggs and had them on ham on toast but didn't do that until around nine...I was too busy playing games and just enjoying the morning.

At eleven Avatar came over to pay her dues, all two leva and she handed me her purse to take what I wanted so I took the purse and shoved it down my t-shirt.  I was only teasing her and I managed to get her to sit down on the terrace and she looked at the garden and said how lovely it was.  Their gardens are mainly functional, I suggested that we cut a flower garden in the middle of her extended lawn where she used to grow tobacco but she commented that she doesn't want to do anything with it.  I handed back her purse and as I tried to zip it together, the zipper came off in my hand, it needed stitching but she said that she would fix it.  I tried to get out of her how much rice they normally put in the bottom of the dish and how much water when they cook chicken and rice in the oven.  She decided to demonstrate and into the oven went half a chicken on the bed of rice and water, she put red pepper on the top of the chicken, a little oil and salt to cover everything and into the oven it went.  I asked her what temperature but she said she didn't know, I took a guess at it and it appears I was out.  She came back around one and it wanted much longer but by this time I'd found her a new purse and she went away happy.  I said that I would deliver food when it was ready so now I upped the temperature, removed the chicken from the top, added more water and put a lid on the container.  I put the chicken back on top after around half an hour and left it for the same amount of time and then delivered it to her home.  She was very apologetic, saying that she'd got it wrong and I'd spent two hours sorting it but I think it was down to me and the temperature of the oven.

At two I was eating it, OK but not as good as chicken and jacket potatoes in my neck of the woods, the washing up is yet to be done but we've had the mother of all storms, very loud thunder, lightning and torrential rain and now we have rainbows at seven and I had to wait for the storm to finish before I put the internet on.    The end of the rainbow is just too far away to go out with the bucket and spade to bring back the pot of gold, there's bound to be a nearer one at some point.  Don't need any supper due to a late lunch, I think I'll stick to my method of cooking, it did us well when I lived in England.  Nothing on the  agenda for tomorrow so far, fortunately it will be too wet to mow the grass.  LN..... Looking at the mole hills that have appeared, I think I need to do work in that direction...the moles might take up 'smoking'.....LN

Thursday 29th June

So after more rain last night, the lavender bushes are flattened and everything was looking very sad and sodden.  It was only thirteen degrees outside this morning, such a change but there again, this year's weather hasn't followed a pattern.  We had no snow at all in the winter, spring was up and down temperature wise and everything was slow to grow and flower and still the plants aren't sure what to do.

I didn't wake up until six and then went back to sleep until seven thirty, coffee, games on the tablet and eventually I got washed and dressed at nine.  The kitchen was tidy, I'd done my household chores last night, the chicken and rice from last night went out for the cat and the tortoise had a peach that was going over but I only saw Blue to give it to.  I caught up later with CS and Green God in the bonfire garden but there wasn't much activity out of them, it was just to cold for them.  Avatar came over to bring back the dish from last night and we agreed that the rice was rubbish so she's going to do the rice dishes and I'm going to stick to the potatoes and vegetables.  I had thoughts of getting out the long hedge cutter but the mood soon passed.....and as for mowing the grass, far too wet, so I came inside and checked the car schedules for MOT's, insurance policies and the Beast is up for both this month and Beauty next.  

One thing off my mind I looked on Netflix for something to watch and came across 'Ann with an E' based on 'Anne of Green Gables' book and started to watch the first episode.  After the second one I was hooked, tears in my eyes like a true old softie and finished watching the first series.  I did have a brief moment of activity when I put jacket potatoes and chicken wings in the oven and delivered the takeout across the road to Avatar at six this evening.  The kitchen needs sorting, clouds are racing across the sky and it wouldn't surprise me if we get more of the wet stuff tonight.  If this keeps up and the grass keeps growing, I might have to invest in some sheep at this rate. LN...... I think it's time to start the second series......LN