Monday 1st April

White rabbits, pinch and a punch and any other phrase that you might like to come out with.  This year is really getting underway and a walk round the garden confirms that life is really returning.  Up at seven and walking the garden at eight thirty checking up on the sleepy ones warming up in the sun.  Rosy was on a mooch and I followed the path that she'd trodden.  The weeds are so soft that when she walks over them they stay down.  I didn't catch sight of her at first, went on to where I saw Blue yesterday but no sign at all so carried on to find Cracked Shell but also had gone AWOL.  Followed another depression in the grass and I thought it was one of the other but no, Blue had made it underneath the high wall and was near the stack of tiles and heard more scrabbling in the dried leaves behind the bed nearer the wood store terrace and this time it was Cracked shell looking extremely dusty.  There's lots of moisture in the weeds this time of year but I filled up two of the dustbin lids with water just in case they fancied a bath to remove the soil but they probably don't even notice it.

As for me, the day was paved with good intentions but I'd had a heck of a day yesterday and was still my PJ's at twelve wandering around the garden doing things so got dressed and it suddenly struck me that I'd not had any breakfast so took a couple of slices of bun loaf and spread it with butter.  That was enough to see me through until I made a couple of ham sandwiches which unfortunately didn't really sit well.  Sofa and Netflix and an afternoon nap left me feeling much better and at three I was repotting some of the house plants, digging up cornflower pants from one garden that's about to get weeded and transferring them to the one that's already done.  They seem to have self seeded all over the place so I've got work to do before they really get settled where they are.

No supper for me tonight, those sandwiches are still sitting heavy so best not to.  Student tomorrow and more of Willy Wonka, some of the jokes in this book need more explaining than the first one in the Chocolate Factory.  LN.....A less energetic day but still some achievements.....LN

Tuesday 2nd April

A disturbed night last night, didn't appear to be any reason for it but this morning I had my botox bottom lip and chin more prominent than when I went to bed last night. I found the anti-histamine tablets and took one with lots of water, didn't bother with coffee but gulped down another glass of water to get the toxins out.  The only thing that I can think of was a handful of mixed nuts, I'd not bought this type before, I normally go for the ones with raisins but these were on off.  I did think about giving the other packet to one of my neighbours but can't think of any that have enough teeth to enjoy them and sucking would only remove the salt.  

I went back to bed and played a few games but I felt incredibly sleepy and realised that I'd woken up early so got my head down again for half an hour or so and the second awakening was around seven thirty so now I was in for coffee and settled on the sofa.  I felt more active so I washed up, put a couple of sausages in the little slow cooker with passata and baked beans for supper and had the rest of the can on toast and boiled up the last of the three sausages.  Breakfast was sorted.  I thought about it and didn't really want to show my face around town so I cancelled my visit to my student and explained the reason why.  His mother is so kind, said that if I needed anything to let them know and I explained that I felt OK, just didn't look it.

Eventually I made it outside to get on with some gardening.  My intention was to clear the weeds and the self-set cornflowers and poppies and unfortunately most of the little gardens are covered with chickweed which I hate.  It's got such deep fine roots which are difficult to remove and after a day working spasmodically through the day, I only have the middle one left to do and the others to tidy.  Some of the cornflowers have been moved to other beds though so I didn't throw all of them over the wall.  I came in at four, went out again at five and came in again at seven after putting the tools away.  At least I've uncovered the shrubs, and given them a chance of appearing in all their glory.

Almost eight my time and I think I need to make a list of the gardening jobs to do and tick them off when complete otherwise it seems never ending and you need to see where the effort has gone.  I did manage to spot Rosy this morning and she really does seem to be the most active along with Cracked Shell.  As for the others, they've been missed, maybe sleeping in or sticking to the overgrown bottom of the garden which is due to be sorted some time this week,  I'm just going to leave the runs at the base of both walls so that there's plenty of food for them and undergrowth.  LN......Supper time and fingers crossed there's nothing in this that's going to upset my system.......LN

Wednesday 3rd April

Another disturbed night.  I was awake at two, slept until four thirty, tossed and turned until five thirty so decided to get up and start my day.  The little Kindle refused to boot, the other tablet had no electric so I turned to the television for company watching more of Mr Monk.  I watched an episode, found my new breakfast cereal, watched the second and it was still only seven thirty, washed and dressed, put the washing away and I was out in the garden setting up for a day of clearing the weeds.

The sun was out so I walked the garden and came across Rosy on the other side of the garden from where I was intending to work and walking back I spotted Green God walking underneath the short wall.  It's the first time I've seen this one so I went into the house to find the nail varnish to refresh it and by the time that I got back it had gone.  So now I had Rosy and C.S. and Green God making a full charge on Rosy and it reminded me that last year this was the one that always seemed to be in hot pursuit with Rosy successfully fending him off.  I'm hoping for Rosy's sake I've got it wrong.....she doesn't go back to sleep until October.  I did spot Blue when I was starting to clear the next big bed with the Choisya in it so found the Blue nail varnish and that one hadn't moved, it was catching the late afternoon sun near the top of the low wall.

I did have a brief interlude this afternoon in the workshop.  The handle of my trusty English fork had started to swivel when I was using it and I really have to do some serious wood work on it but cutting a new square hole in the handle and inserting a dowel so the handle doesn't twist round.  That looked like a lot of work and I found a plastic handle on the broken snow scoop, unattached it and tried it for size but it means I have to reduce the size of the body to fit into the handle.  I think I might have to do it on the grinder since the wood is very old and dry and a chisel goes nowhere near it and now the repair is rescheduled and I used the fork without a handle....and it still worked.  I cleared up at seven, weeds over the wall and tools into the wood store and me into the house.  More of the same for me again tomorrow I think as it stands at the moment or maybe some grass mowing or strimming now that I seem to have the little yellow one working.  LN.....It's a busy time of year......LN

Thursday 4th April

Beautiful sunrise, beautiful morning and it stayed that way until around four thirty this afternoon.  I fed Ms Cat with the remains of the ham that I knew I wouldn't eat and a boiled egg that had been in the fridge too long, she ate the meat first and eventually the egg leaving the white until last....can't say it's my favourite part.  I settled for chocolate wheaty things with milk and so good I went back for seconds.  Probably not good as part of a slimming regime but there will be other times.

I was outside for eight thirty with a short sleeved t-shirt drinking my coffee and taking in the morning.  I love the views and the open space of my garden, the mountains and the way that the sun plays on the mountains.  And so to horse.....the tools came out onto the little house terrace, both mowing machines, the strimmer and the electric cable reel and the reciprocating saw.  I had work to do.  I'd made a decision, the large root that was left after I took out the shrubs for the new bed was going, it didn't look pretty and no way to camouflage it.....hence the saw.  It was a long job and must have taken me around forty minutes to remove it but it looks so much better.  Strimmer came next, I got it to work but the cable doesn't release when the old one is used up so that needs sorting but I trimmed round the bed against the long wall and then cleared the weeds from it.  I did have CS and Blue hampering execution but eventually they took the highway back to the lower garden.  I did stumble upon another Blue, I'd remarked one yesterday but this one had the pale blue colour.  I was a little confused.....maybe I had two blue ones last year and never noticed.

Lunch was a packet of crisps sitting in the sun with bottled water and then the real work began.  The electric mower was up first clearing round the new bed and I was ducking the flying debris.  I managed to get down below the Lonesome Pine and then the big electric came out but this time with a catch box.  I managed to do down to the bottom of the big house grass, Rosy was dicing with death but I kept an eye on her and eventually she went down to the bottom wall where no mower has been this year.  By now the sky was clouding over so I decided that the toys would come in, if the rain stayed off I would use the big machine to finish the grass but the wind got up, a few spots of rain descended.  The wheelbarrow with contents went into storage under the balcony of the little house, I could burn it tomorrow and the mower went into the wood store.  I filled up the log carrier for a fire tonight, realised that I had a lot of dry pots that would benefit from a downpour so heaved they out onto the terraces, locked up, came in and lit the fire.  Supper was a jacket potato from the microwave and a chicken leg from the air-fryer.....first time I've used it for anything other than processed foods.  The rain didn't arrive but the clouds were still very dark overhead.  I noticed a rainbow and on the photo it looks very much like there is a very faint second one.    Fire going well, I remembered to go round and close the windows that I'd opened this morning.  LN......Grass to finish tomorrow if the weather is good, investigate the strimmer issues and clear the long grass from the bottom wall......LN

Friday 5th April

Horrible night's sleep.  I was up at three this morning making drinking chocolate, tried to go back off to sleep and nothing happening so stripped the bed at five, first load of washing in, followed by the second and the third went in at seven and it's been all go ever since. I had chocolate breakfast cereal, watched some of the series I've been watching and was pegging out the washing by nine.  I'd tried to phone my ex last night but there was no reply from his mobile.  He's been having medical issues and so I decided to put keyboard to email and get a message through to the doctor.  To back this up I wanted to speak to the surgery but with the two hour difference and the practice has now changed the system that you can't get to speak to reception until after ten which is twelve my time. I phoned at ten and was surprised that I was third in the queue, eventually I spoke to someone and I have answers to my questions and some of the issues will be resolved on Monday with a medic attending the home.

Job done. I took the petrol mower out to the garden and started my quest for the day, I had three quarters of the little house grass to finish, the bottom of the garden where it's got very long and slow,but steady won the race.  The trimmings went over the wall and the cows had a field day so to speak.  Why search for your own patch when some kind person has cut it already to size and presented it almost like uncooked silage.  Quite a breeze had got up and i fought with the sheets to stay on the washing line, the pegs were pinging until eventually everything was dry enough to bring inside.  The winter bedding was going away, summer sheets and quilts were found in the chest in the bedroom and I'll probably know by three this morning whether it was a mistake or not. If I'm roaming the house cold I can always make my way to the upstairs bedroom, that's still got the winter duvet and bottom sheet on.  

Fire going well, not sure what to have for supper if I bother at all.  I'm really tired so think I might settle into a warm bath and ease out the aches and pains before they develop.  Tomorrow's work involves the small electric and the strimmer if I can keep it going, only a few flower beds to sort out and the pot plants.  LN.....Spring has definitely sprunk........LN

Saturday 6th April

So it ended up being a very late bath, dried off and switched on the TV, Monk is no more, cheese and crackers at one and bed by two.  I slept well though until seven thirty so maybe the plan worked out OK.  Lovely start to the day, the wind was a little brisk but I had a good day in the garden, a few more plants transferred to other locations, some pots cleared and cleaned and seeds that I'd put into kitchen roll are planted up in trugs to see what develops. Most had got the root out already and some had put up the first leaves, I find it a good way to start them off and they seem to like it....well they never said but they give me good foliage and flowers.

I did manage to finish the grass with only the stimming left to do. I did my tortoise hunt and found Red and that's the first sighting this year, he is much bigger so might need more sleep than the others and was down the bottom of the garden warming up in the sun.  He did knock shells with Blue so not sure if they were fighting about territory but I've left the grass and clover at the bottom of the bottom left corner of the garden so that least they can hide from each other.  Rosy was way up the garden, did saunter down to where I'd seen them but soon came back to her end of the garden while CS stayed away from everybody.

I came in and watched a film this afternoon but was out there around three and more of the same except I did wash out the cushion box and that's now on the terrace.  Another wooden trug is washed and ready for preservative tomorrow and I've found a container that fits perfectly in the top of it so no need to fill it up with compost and ruin the wooden staves.  Everything locked away by seven, chicken in cornflakes is in the air-fryer and should be ready anytime now with Duchess potatoes.  LN.....I've had another good day......LN

Sunday 7th April

Slept well most of the night but at around three I was sleeping with my leg out of the bed, trying to cool down a little.  Eventually I got back to sleep and it was seven thirty when I surfaced. Coffee and back to bed and at eight thirty, I was washed and dressed, washing put away and enjoying my chocolate breakfast cereal on the terrace.  We'd had rain overnight, the cushions on the bench hadn't been affected due to the overhang of the roof and the brisk wind had cleared away any dampness.  

I did my morning search of the garden and found Rosy with a very damp shell down the bottom of the garden in the sheltered corner.  There was no sign of any of the others but I must admit I didn't stay out there long.  That wind was cold and it was much more protected in the house despite the sun doing its best.  I went out around eleven and decided that the geranium pots were going to have a spruce and tidy up, they still had last years growth on them and this years had started out but they looked week and bedraggled.  I not have about twenty five new shoots in water, ten of them are from last week and have all rooted and so fingers crossed I shall have new plants in a couple of weeks or so.  I found some old seed that I'd collected and thought I'd give them ago, I've got two long containers with red and yellow daisies and they have two choices. either they will or they won't, the tobacco plants from last year have been transplanted into the new reclaimed garden and some into the garden between the two sets of steps.  There was a space so I thought I'd fill it.  The aloe vera plants have been deweeded along with the pretty red clover looking plant that has pretty pink flowers and never did find out the name.  Unfortunately I was in and out of the little house dodging the rain and moving in when I got fed-up of the barking dogs in the next village.  Don't know if you can do a nuisance report here and would anyone listen?   Might be worth a try, after all I live in the next village so their own neighbours mist be tired of it too.

Came in at two and finished off the brioche and the cream cheese, put the television on and promptly went to sleep for a couple of hours.  Not a problem here....no one to complain.  Checked my phone and responded to a few messages and at six, locked up outside and lit the fire around seven so the house is toasty and warm.  I just hope I'm not regretting this about three this morning.  I shan't be needing supper, I'm still stuffed from a late lunch, I've got more clouds gathering to the west so we could be in for another rain burst.  We did have a few rumbles of thunder and that was about it.  LN.....Nothing planned for tomorrow..more of the same I guess.....LN

Monday 8th April

Early to bed and early to rise but I went back until a more sensible time was showing on the clock.  I've given up with the Fitbit, I'm fairly convinced now that I'd got an allergy to the metal or the pulses from it.  I checked it out on the internet and apparently it can cause t-cells that attack your own body or maybe it's senile decay or a food allergy.  It's good to have options at my age.

Breakfast was not quite what I had in mind, the bread had gone mouldy and there wasn't any more in the freezer and there's no mobile shop on a Monday.  Instead I used up three of the eggs and had a cheese omelette and the last two were used as target practice over the wall.  I choose a stone and aim for it, first one was perfect and the second one was a fraction out but fifty percent success rates not bad.  Kitchen cleared and washing up done, I sauntered out, still in my night attire to check up on the garden and tortoise corner and only found Green, all the rest must still be asleep.  The sun was out, the wind was keen but the absences were noted when I took the register.

I washed and dressed to go into Djebel for bread, realised it was Monday and parking was a complete pain.  After two trips round the main central car-park I managed to find a spot and parked up.  Djebel was heaving....everyone that has relatives here has arrived from Turkey, it's party time and there was a children's' concert in the square.  I went to the flower shop and bought petunias...for some reason I've not grown them this year, left them there while i walked the market, watched some of the concert, went back to the shop for my flowers, bought more and called into the car shop.  Again she was busy, my young student was manning the fishing tackle shop since there's no school and tomorrow we shall have a lesson unless something happens his end.  I went back to the Nipper to find that I'd got a puncture so out with my trusty cigarette lighter compressor and soon there was enough air in it to get to the garage.  The nail was spotted by the father and taken out, the bung was filled with rubber tubing and glue, they put air in the tyre and for eight leva I was good to go and did, stopped at the supermarket leaving Djebel and that was full to capacity so two loaves of bread, no fishes since it was a Turkish holiday and back home.

The flowers are in water, I've planted up the wooden trug between the two sets of steps with some of them but I need to clear out more of the pots,  Supper is going to be something on bread now that I have some, probably chicken fillet, I watched the cows heading home and some of the newbies were looking too tired to drag themselves home.  It's a beautiful evening, the birds are still dipping in to the bread that I threw out this morning and hopefully the weather will be good tomorrow.  LN.....The kitchen calls, hunger pains are beginning to appear......LN

Tuesday 9th April

Another silly night....I woke up at two fifteen and hadn't an ounce of sleep in me so I started to read and it was five when I put the book down and went off again.  This time it worked, it was eight thirty when I woke up.  Coffee and I took to the chair in the stairwell, checked anything that I had to check and noticed a message from Princess telling me that she'd had a super day in the garden yesterday and thanking me for the shredder that I'd bought for last year. First run out with it and said that the garden looked really tidy, she'd also moved the Giai since the chosen  spot seemed to have got very boggy.....my girl is learning.  I was still in my PJ's when my neighbour arrived with two Mekitsi or fluffy pancakes that get traditionally handed out at Bayram and that was breakfast sorted.  She asked me about local buses, she lives in the village but told her that the bus only comes on Monday and Friday so I asked her if she had a problem.  We solved it, I had my student this afternoon so I could take her into Djebel at one thirty so that she could go to work tomorrow.  I filled the morning planting up more of the petunias that I'd bought yesterday, I also cut back the shrub that is swamping the hydrangea near the low wall to the little house terrace.  

I suddenly realised that it was twelve thirty and that I would have to get a wiggle on so tools away, everything locked up, I swept the terrace and headed for the shower and to wash my hair.  I was ready for one fifteen, went out to check tyres and my neighbour and Haciber were sitting on the steps to the little house.  She was early, Haciber complained that the step was cold so I said I would move one of the benches round for them for next time.  I dropped her off in town, I went to the car-shop and we sat in the shop chewing over the fat and having a few girly giggles.  My student arrived from Kardjali, he'd played a game of football that morning and had come back with an almighty egg on his forehead.  Apparently he'd gone up for an aerial ball, his opponent was much taller and came down virtually on top of him clashing heads.  That's football for you.

We had the lesson, the book had lots of peculiar things in it that needed explaining and I think Roald Dahl was having an off day when he wrote it.  Suggestion...don't use Charlie and the Glass Elevator as and English tutorial book.  Lesson over by five, I went back down to the shop and the boy joined up and he did become the butt of a few jokes including including his mother covering the egg with a plantain leaf while I went and bought cream containing Arnica to bring out the bruise.  Home for seven, the garage had worked late and I didn't realise the time, supper in the air fryer, I lit the fire and now in for the night. Definitely gardening tomorrow, the mower needs to be brought into action on the outside grass and the yard needs doing.  Of course it won't stop there.  I need to do down to the mulberry to get the grass all looking the same and then it's more weed clearance.  LN......Hopefully a better night's sleep......LN

Wednesday 10th April

Seven when I woke up after a good night's sleep.  I poached a couple of eggs for breakfast and sent photos to the garage as a thank you for providing the eggs and my daughter to tell her that I had pirates lurking so I needed to be careful.  She new the story, I told the children that if they got egg yolk on the plate they the pirates would get them and it became a joke that got passed down.  She updated me on her antics for the morning, we sent silly messages backwards and forwards both finishing off with love hearts. Before I started the daily chores I walked the garden and followed the tortoise trails along the short wall and I was surprised what greeted me.  There was a threesome going on between Rosy, Red and Green and I'm not sure if I have to rename Rosy.  Green held his own for a while and then decided he was best out of it so shot off towards the bottom of the garden and I left them to it.

I knew what the day held, cutting the grass from the mulberry to the top of the garden, the lane outside the property and the summer ditch / winter stream.  I used the little electric mower for the yard and outside and inside the front wall but the petrol one came out for the grass down to the mulberry.  I got shrapnel-ed quite a bit outside, I wasn't using the grass catcher and the grit from the road was getting picked and thrown out so I put the flap down to cover the exit.  This meant that the grass and grit collected in the back of the machine but at least I came out of it intact and two eyes working.  I stuck at it and swapped over to the petrol when I was on the straight and narrow and it was back wall to the mulberry.  There were a few water stops, the temperature was up but it was tools down and petrol back in the 'garage' and the rest of the cable and electric back in the yard.  Next job was to repot the red oleander that I've had for ages, the pot that it was in split as I put if away for the winter and now it has fresh compost at the bottom of it's new container, in it went and got padded out with more fresh stuff.  I gave everything a good watering, sorted a few more pots out and felt good after a day in the sun.  I did the rounds before I locked up and as I walked down the garden and arrived near the walnut I heard a clattering sound, couldn't see anything for the weeds sheltering the highway to heaven but I suspect that Rosy might become Roland.

Not thought about supper yet but I think it might be tuna mayo salad, not in the mood for cooking.  This morning's washing dried successfully in the guest room and I've just put the washing away.  I did speak to the travel company regarding a holiday in Egypt and at the same time complained about the website.  The young lady said that they've made changes which has really screwed it up, I could see the holiday for three days time but nothing after that even though one of the other screens said that the holiday goes through to late April and early May.  It's one of these A-Z tours that includes a three day Nile cruise and a train journey down to Aswan and an overnight journey back to Cairo.  I have the details and will cost it out tomorrow, single cabins and hotel rooms all the way.  The tours included are the pyramids, Luxor, Valley of the Kings and even though I did it about twenty years ago, I'm still keen to do it again.  LN......Now the kitchen is really calling....I need food.....LN

Thursday 11th April

Woke up on the sofa at twelve last night....it must have been the hot tuna and potato salad that put me to sleep.  Staggered off to bed, didn't bother playing any games on the iPad but in retrospect I probably should have done and I'd have gone straight off to sleep so I suffered the consequences.  Light on again, then it was time to play games and it was four before I managed to get off to sleep and awake by seven.  In total I probably got more than my eight hours but it was in dribs and drabs.  I made coffee, toast and marmalade for breakfast out on the terrace, the sun was up, it promised to be a beautiful day again and I enjoyed my morning although there was a head on breeze from the mountains and it was a little cold.

Back in the house where the temperature had risen considerably, even now it's twenty four degrees in and twenty one out and at least the breeze has dropped.  A few tortoise out this morning....Green was in the sun nestled in the ground honeysuckle and the two Blues were down the bottom snuggling up together.  I thought I knew the sexes of all of them but now I'm beginning to wonder.  Yesterday was quite an eye opener and looking at the tail end of Rosy when I spotted her later in the day, I think that I might have got it wrong and it's now definitely Roland the Rat.  The shell at the back is a little more pointed and curls under and it was showing aggressive behaviour.  Red was also down the bottom of the garden where I've left the weeds alone and I think I need to put up a 'Love Nest' sign.  I've been clearing out the remaining beds, the under terrace is free of clover and sticky willy as we used to call it and it's left a few patches of bare earth that need filling.  I've got a huge clump of red hot pokers that can be split and it I can always find space in other garden areas.  

By three this afternoon I'd had enough but I left the tools out just in case I had another burst of energy.  I was hungry, I'd worked breakfast off so made myself some local corned beef and brown sauce sandwiches followed by tinned peaches and cream.  As they say a full stomach deserves rest so it was on with Netflix and two hours of mind numbing  television.  By now it was heading for six so I cleared up outside, tools away, tried to water the plants with a hose where some of the connectors need replacing, got frustrated, tidied up the hose and came in....jobs for another day.  I did notice though that the maple that I brought over from England planted against the wall between me and the old lane is looking as if it really needs a good drink.  It's attempting to put leaves on so tomorrow that's my first job for the day.  No need to think about supper, I'm still stuffed from my late lunch.  LN.....Time to tidy the kitchen for the morning and get settled in for the evening......LN

Friday 12th April

Six thirty start and I was slow off the mark.  I took some food out for Ms Cat, still in my PJ's, the sun was up but that wind was coming from the north and was cold and quite fierce.  I soon came in again, made more coffee and came up with a plan....I would go into Kardjali today, I had a telephone bill that needed paying and I wasn't going to debtor's prison for the sake of a few leva.  I made toast for breakfast with blackcurrant jam and I've not had that for ages. It was a family tradition that grandmother and mother would make it, I never did develop the 'provider' mentality except for my weekly trips to the supermarkets and buying stuff in.

I tidied the kitchen, got washed and dressed but that was after my second cup of coffee on the terrace out of the wind.  I put a blouse on with jeans and boots, a sweater but I should have remembered that Kardjali is always 'out of the wind' and I roasted, perspiration beginning to seep through even in an air-conditioned supermarket.  I managed to park up more or less outside the phone shop, the bill for two months was fourteen leva which is roughly six fifty so not so bad.  I then decided to leave my car where it was and walk down to the garden machinery shop to see if I could buy a new battery operated strimmer with plastic blades.  I'd seen one on the internet that morning, I was doing research, and it looked OK.  Unfortunately the shop didn't carry any stock, the assistant didn't live up to her name, not a lot of assistance so I gave up and will probably order from the internet.  Went into the cheapy clothes shop on my way back to the Nipper and bought a navy blue very fine cotton shirt for one lev.....it will be good for the hot days to come.  Next stop Kaufland, then Lidl and I have a few more plants and some potting compost, made a mistake and bought electric string lights and I thought they were sola so might have to try and take them back to Lidl or knock a hole through so that I can plug them in somewhere.  I used to have two outside plugs but then the conservatory went in.  

It was four when I got back, shopping unpacked and put away, walked the garden and remembered that I needed to water the Maple and walking round to the passage between the wall and the house I almost flattened Ro(land) so moved him back to the grass.  I did a bit more research on the Stihl website, I'd seen a machine that's got and internal battery and it can be plastic cord or blades so needs further investigation.  Supper in, tonight I have Chinese style ribs with jacket potatoes, I've just turned the oven off before it all ends up cindered.  LN.....Gardening tomorrow if the weather is good but the clouds are gathering as we speak.....LN

Saturday 13th April

Up at six thirty this morning, made coffee, went back to bed, made more coffee and sat at the table in the stairwell and suddenly saw this green woodpecker having its breakfast on my grass.  I thought it would have probably gone when I found the camera but no, it was still there,obviously something worth waiting and digging for.  It must have been there for about five minutes and eventually hopped over towards the lilac and then off over the wall.  The cuckoo was out as well, it's been here for a week or so but this morning I heard my cuckoo with the stutter.  It's been around for a few years now unless it is 'son of' with the same dialect.  Now time for my breakfast....I'd bought bacon yesterday from Lidl, real Irish smoked so had a couple of slices with fried bread and fried egg to set me up for the day and it did.  Food went out for Ms Cat, the remains of last night's ribs and jacket, washing up done and now to decide where I applied my efforts today.

My efforts went in a totally different direction for the first hour or so.  I realised that my winter wardrobe was still out and normally by now the sweaters are away and t-shirts are out so I dug in the chest in my upstairs bedroom and found some of the things I was looking for.  I've got my eye on a holiday for May and was test driving a few outfits that I could put into a suitcase quickly if I decided to go.  Job sorted and then on to the garden.  It was such a good morning that I sat out in the sun putting my boots on, this wasn't a crock sort of day.  The strimmer might come out if I could get one to work, I really do hate them and my fingers aren't as nimble as they used to be to load them.  The long cable came out along with the electric mower and I headed down to the bottom of the garden.  Also in my arsenal was the old engine oil, paintbrush, loppers, nails, hammer and garden fork,  There was work to be done and done it was.  As predicted the strimmer played up instead of playing ball so I used the mower to edge round the wooden surrounds on the gardens, nailed them back together where there was enough wood to do it and painted over them with the engine oil.  I removed the weeds from the beds and tomorrow I'll add some of the mulched wood to stop the weeds growing and maybe some compost....the soil is looking very poor but the weeds still grow so it can't be that bad.  The clouds came over, went away again, I'd had enough by five so tools away, I'd managed to avoid the tortoise, they were catching the last rays of the sun and they knew what I didn't.  The clouds came over, there were a few warning shots of thunder, no sign of rain at this point and it was only when I was sitting on the terrace around five thirty that it started to rain.  I didn't come inside I just sat there, it was pleasant enough and it was raining from the odd clouds, not a deluge.  Eventually I went in, noticed the rainbows and took photos.  I settled on the sofa with Netflix for half an hour or so, put the boiler on and went in the bath at six thirty and woke up when the water was cold, in the dark, dried off and just realised how late it is.  No supper for me, I finished off one of the cream cheeses with dip sticks and I'll manage until breakfast.  LN....Back to construction and maintenance gardening which I love, weeding I hate.....LN

Sunday 14th April

So last night I woke up ion the bath, water was cold and it was dark....I'd started my bath in the daylight.  First job was to guide my toe to the hot water tap and slide it on, top it up somewhat and then get out, drop the blind and put the light on...in that order.  I stayed there until I'd warmed up, went downstairs, sofa, Netflix and bed waking up at six this morning for the first time but dog-dozed until seven to start my day.  Mountain to mountain mist this morning but it swiftly burnt off and became a beautiful day.  It's not so good for the grass though, you can visibly watch it grow.  I made an early breakfast of bacon, mushrooms and a fried egg and sat in the stairwell at the table and looked out and noticed that two tortoise were intertwined and one being shoved round the garden so went out to investigate.  I think I'm back to calling her Rosy since she was on the receiving end and Green was the pursuant left stranded as Rosy put on a rapid dash and escaped into the undergrowth of the Frog garden and green slunk away towards the low wall.   I really must check out the possibility of strange happenings in the tortoise world.  

I went out to do some hand weeding, the intentions were good today but the interpretation of the intention faded.  I did plant up the fuschia that I bought yesterday and the new lavender went into the reclaimed garden.  I watered everything well, cleared out a few more pots but it was a big temptation to sit out in the sun on the terrace and just enjoy the day and temptation got the better of me.  I really should have got some shorts on and stripped down to my underwear on the top, my face and hands are really quite brown but the rest hasn't had the opportunity to catch up and I'll be getting a farmer's tan if I'm not careful.  Not much chance though next week, Wednesday cloudy and the rest of the week we're in for rain so guess I'll be doing the grass for a couple of days next week.  I got very sleepy sitting in the sun so took up position of the sofa and promptly fell asleep for an hour or so, remembered that I had photos to print and frame for my friend along the road so at five I started, by six I'd finished, looked up and noticed the deer that runs with the cows going home for the night.  The sheep were also wending their way home along with the sheepdogs and the shepherd and I'm amazed how many of the sheep were limping.  There doesn't appear to be much animal husbandry here sometimes.  

I'd had a reply to my message to my friend along the street  so I headed down with the three framed photos, one of her mother and two sketches done by her son.  We sat in the mother's garden while my friend finished digging a patch of ground to plant onions and then went on to cover the wood ready for the deluge to come in the middle of the week.  Her mother is very frail and she does a lot for her but the daughter has to work in Kardjali and has an apartment there so can only come when she's not working.  Back home for eight, not too hungry so might be tuna sandwiches later with chippies in the air fryer.....that sounds like a plan.  LN.....A plan that needs to be put into action.....LN

Monday 15th April

Another six thirty start, slept OK but this was a little early so did emails in a horizontal position with a coffee by my side.  It looked like it was going to be another good day and I had to get a wiggle on with the rain due mid week.  I was putting off clearing the weeds from the grave gardens as the side of the main house and I managed to put it off until two this afternoon filling in the morning with attacking and burning the evidence.

First job was to clear the bits of wood from the garden that I played around with at the bottom of the garden.  I had soil in the big red container left over from the repotting of the oleander that had burst it's pot when I was putting it away at the end of last year,  So this was back to me in-box exercise where the way that you tackle a project is all about getting things in the right order and this is more or less how it went.  First job remove wood from garden and put into the red bucket. tip the soil from the broken container on to the garden, take wood to bonfire in the wheelbarrow, get the fire going and this is where it came unstuck.  The fire was so reluctant to start, the large container is almost full with unburnt rubbish but eventually it started. I put the lid on since it was very full, went back and smoothed over the soil taking the surround away from two sides of the garden and then back to the bonfire.  I broke up the plastic bucket, put some of it in the bonfire to get it really going, replaced the lid and left it to its own devices.  

I suddenly realised that I'd not had breakfast so cooked the rest of the bacon and fried and egg and was amazed that it was only ten thirty and lots had been achieved.  I went out again, the bonfire took more rubbish and it's still burning now.  I'd noticed that the laurel near the front wall by the well had died off but new shoots had come up from the base so I removed the dead branches, scooped up the new growth and attached it to the railing with plant support coated wire.  I also moved the juniper from lying over the path and that's now attached to the wall and not leaning on the maple so two birds and one stone.  By now I couldn't put it off any longer, the grave gardens are cleared, more or less, I didn't risk frustration with the stimmer but used the little electric to go round the surrounds and ended up mowing the rest of the grass down to the end of the terrace and the wild plum tree.  Tools away at six, not sure what to do for supper or whether I actually need anything, it's been a hot day but the wind did pick up a little this afternoon.  Eight my time, just about to put the boiler on for a quick bath, I'll wash my hair tomorrow in the shower, student in the afternoon.  LN...Cheese and biscuits might suffice.....LN

Tuesday 16th April

Another bath night but this time no falling asleep, I got out before the water was cold so success.  It was pretty late through, so no Netflix and straight to bed and woke up at seven this morning ready for the day but did nothing with the morning at all.  I made toast with blackcurrant jam for breakfast and sat out on the terrace to eat it out of the wind and only found Rosy, I've reverted to her original name after the antics of the other day.  I was still roaming around the garden in my PJ's around eleven, I needed to wash my hair for this afternoon but in the end I decided against it, I combed it through, put it in a plait and then up with a hair clip and reckoned that my student wouldn't notice. It was another good day, the wind was still blowing a gale but comparing it to what is forecast, I'm thinking that I shall have to be doing the grass tomorrow, the next five days look pretty bleak, rain every day until after the weekend and temperatures are dropping into single figures.

I'd taken a chicken leg from the freezer this morning and I intended to put it into the slow cooker with potatoes while I was at my lesson.  I prepared it around two thirty, into the slow cooker it went, I turned it to high and then had this dreadful thought that something might happen so turned it off and put the dish in the fridge.  The lesson was good, we've got only twenty nine pages left in the book and my student commented that he's read more English books than ever Bulgarian and I think that's quite an achievement.  We obviously had twenty minutes of indoor football before the lesson and ten minutes after and we both had a good workout.  I'm getting to understand his game and tactics, he talks to me hoping that I'll look up so that he can shoot but I've learnt the lesson, my eyes are firmly on his feet and the ball.  That's what playing for three years does to you.  I sat in the shop with his mother until six after the lesson and we worked out how much the repairs to the Nipper will be.  There's nothing drastically wrong with it but the noise from the front wheels drives me up the wall so to speak, I'd rather pay and get it sorted....so it's in hand.

Home for seven after a stop at the supermarket for bread and a few goodies for the goodie box, more chicken drumsticks and they're already in the slow cooker pot with curry powder and in the fridge, they'll go into the slow cooker tomorrow morning.  The original chicken and potatoes are in the oven and should be ready any time now so that next on the list, serve up and eat supper.  As I said gardening on the agenda for tomorrow, I want to cut the grass, it looks like I've acquired a new strimmer head and I'll try to fit it in the morning to get the job done before the rain arrives.  LN.....Kitchen calls....let's see how it's turned out.......LN

Wednesday 17th April

Supper was delicious last night except that I woke up at three this morning, couldn't get back off to sleep so I was playing silling games until five eventually laying down my weary head at five and woke up at seven.  I felt a little jaded but the day was already mapped out, the grass had to be cut, rain was on the horizon so it had to be done today.  I didn't bother with breakfast until much later in the day, everything was flying around, pots all over the garden, little pots getting wind scorched so battened down what I could and watered what was in desperate need.

I walked the garden looking for tortoise to see patches of garden that I had to avoid but only found Blue hiding in the honeysuckle facing into the sun.  I did manage to locate shiny Blue and CS but the others have been noticed by their absence.  I got the mower out from its home base, put some petrol in it and started the garden slog and working my way round the rest.  That wind was strong and it was difficult emptying the catch bin from the grass mower, the wind was lifting it back over the wall but I persevered and kept at it.  I finished the big house grass, wheeled the mower back to the top of the garden and switched it off, I needed water and a few minutes rest. That minute turned into half an hour and I know had something to aim for, I'd been invited for supper to my special family's home and then on to the sister's house in Kardhali for tea and bits and the invitation was for five thirtyish.  I worked out I needed to be in by four with the job done, shower, wash my hair and be ready to leave the house by five thirty to have time to stop and buy chocolates.  I went back to the mower and primed it, pulled the starter, it tried but no go.  I stopped for a moment and checked the fuel and it was empty,I must have switched it off just before it gave up the ghost.  I moved onto the little house grass, steadily worked my way through it and the engine seemed to be sounding rough so I found the special oil and topped it up, so much better and the rest didn't seem such a hard job.

Tools away by four, I remembered to turn the slow cooker off with the curry that I'd started that morning, had my shower and did my hair and was ready by five and in the Nipper by five twenty.  Parked up at the supermarket and bought three boxes of chocolates, one for the family, one for the sister and one for me, all the same but different contents and I've got half a box left of mine.  The sister and husband have moved into a new apartment, the other was small but this was large enough to swing around anything you fancied.  Husband was shift working, the almost namesake daughter (same four letters but arranged differently was playing with lots of toys and eventually got over her shyness.  We left at nine thirty, back to Djebel just before ten and I was home for ten fifteen, absolutely knacked after a hard day in the garden and a very busy evening.  Just a few spots of rain this afternoon which threatened to stop play but it went over very quickly.  I can rain and do its worst for the next few day.....I'd finished what I set out to do.  LN......It might be a Netflix day tomorrow.......LN

Thursday 18th April

Sleep of the just last night, no night sweats, no silly games at silly o'clock, coffee at seven minus ten and it's been a gentle if not busy day all day.  I didn't bother with breakfast until later in the day, it had rained overnight but now the sun was shining, the wind was up and the terrace was drying off but would get rained on later in the day and would dry off again.  Typical April showers.  I walked the garden in my snow boots since they were the easiest to put on, didn't want to get my feet wet in my Crocks, only foundBlue, Shiny Blue and Red all hunkered down in individual places out of the wind facing all there was to see of the sun.  They must be most confused....not much winter for them, we've had very hot days early on and now we've reverted to typical seasonal weather.  Tomorrow's forecast is full on wind wind and really wet but maybe they've got it wrong again...I'll wait and see.  I did bring the bench cushions in though, they'd dried off mostly from overnight but didn't want them to get sodden again.

The curried chicken went back in the slow cooker and that three drumsticks became lunch.  I made soup out of the mushrooms in the fridge, it was either that or lob them over the wall and that's possibly going to be supper with the rest of the drumsticks.  Today's work was unplanned but once started, it had to be finished.  The winter sweaters are in the chest and the summer sleeping and gardening trousers and t-shirts in the shelving unit, spring has officially arrived. I took off the winter zebra bedding from my upstairs bedroom, put on the summer sheets, washed two others from the linen chest and they're on the landing drying.  I also washed the clothes that I'd put to one side as potential take on holiday stuff and that's not on the airer.....in fact the place looks like a Chinese laundry but it will all go away tomorrow.  

My work all done I settled down to watch Netflix and Baby Reindeer and that's now history.  Did I enjoy it?  Not sure and again the recommended 3 Body Parts, by the man who brought us Game of Thrones, and there's absolutely no comparison except that he brought one of the actors from G of T over to play in this one which spoilt it for me...to soon after the original.  I did close my eyes for about an hour this afternoon so I'll have to recap on Netflix, I think the state of mind might be classed as 'tired but content'.  Might go into Kardjali tomorrow unless it's really gale force out there and in which case, I'm sure I will be able to find something to do.  LN......Sleeping upstairs tonight....Eli won't be falling out of the super large kingsize......LN

Friday 19th April

My first night sleeping upstairs, the bed is different as it's huge, the mattress firmer but I sho0uld be OK tonight.  It was good to wake up to a view and the big windows, I would have been out on the balcony with my first morning cup except that the bench is still sitting in the bedroom and it was too cold to go out despite the sunny start.  The weather for today didn't work out as predicted, it had rained overnight but had dried up but those strong winds and  heavy rainfall didn't happen but most of the day I've been working inside not out so it mattered not.

I was up and about just before seven, made poached eggs on toast for breakfast and sat in the stairwell at the table to eat it.  It was then that I noticed a wagtail sitting on the roof of the little house singing for all it's worth obviously trying to attract a mate.  I think they are fascinating birds and funny to watch when feeding on the grass but it went off to greener pastures just after I grabbed the pickie.  I put some music on from my old collection that I'm gradually bringing over from 'My Book' now that my Apple iPod has given up the ghost.  I think it needs a new battery but I must have had it over twenty years five ago and there's not anywhere in Kardjali that I could probably take it for repair....so I might try the next time I'm in England.  Checking my emails and I have visitors tomorrow mid-morning so it was spring cleaning today.  It gets a little neglected and the wood fires do make things dusty and I ended up washing the inside filter of the hoover this afternoon.  I'd finished downstairs by lunchtime and the whole house by three thirty, settled down for a coffee when my supper of meat and rice arrived in a plastic container.  He explained that he was delivering for 'Mevlit' which is a thanks to Allah for any reason you want but normally to remember the passing of a loved one.  I went to the gate to collect it and I recognised the man from Turkey who is working here, in the car but didn't know the driver.  We have so many new people who have returned from Turkey when the cost of living there ran out of control.  Pensions didn't go as far any more.

So Netflix late this afternoon and as predicted I slept through the end of the one that I was watching so need to do a recap again.  It's been very busy this week, the grass in one day because of the weather forecast, three loads of washing yesterday and moving from winter to summer wardrobes and the house today.  I've promised myself a gentle day tomorrow, just got an early morning trip into Djebel, the packet of biscuits that I thought I would be able to bring out for the guests is no more. I had the rice and meat early so no supper required and the biscuits were a top up just prior to going to sleep.  Somedays biscuits are the answer to everything.

Almost eight my time, not much of a sunset to write about and there has been a distinct lack of tortoise today.  Not one to be seen on my first early morning trip round the garden and this afternoon I only managed to see Red in the rose bush bed near the bottom wall and Blue cowering at the base of the bottom wall.  None of the others to be seen.  LN.....We've gone from non-seasonal to seasonal....topsy turvy world......LN

Saturday 20th April

Another disturbed night.  I was in bed by midnight but I couldn't settle at first, eventually I did and in my dream state had problems running round my head that I could not find a solution for.  I woke up at six and went to the bathroom, back to sleep and was amazed when it was just before eight and I had to get moving.  I was expecting guests mid morning, had eaten the only biscuits in the house last night so was in the car at half eight, supermarket ten minutes later and home for nine ten realising that I had forgotten to buy milk.  I don't take milk but realised that my guest might, thought about making another trip to Djebel but found some creamer in the cupboard and that had to do.  It was cold outside so I lit a fire when I got back, it's warm enough in the house but that extra level of comfort is so important.  I did have to go out to the wood store and chop up a couple of logs to make sure that it would burn, the logs are so dense that they need smaller stuff round them to ensure a good burn-up.

They arrived around ten fifteen, mum, son and daughter and she was clutching a new pot plant for me.  I showed her the one that she brought last time but I don't think she remembered.  We caught up on people that are supposed to be coming back and haven't made it yet, his wife's visit to relatives that I didn't know about and he was left with the little one so hence Mum was over to keep the little one amused while he was working from home.  We had a very pleasant interlude, walked the garden and she was intrigued by a couple of trees that she's not see before and we worked out that they were probably native Bulgarian varieties.  She said how much the garden had come on and maybe it was just the time of year and I didn't cut the shrubs back last year so that could be the other reason.  Off they went, I went back to the wood store and chopped up another few logs so that it would be easy to keep the fire going this evening.

I went back to Netflix establishing myself on the sofa, managed to stay awake and watched the end of The Gentlemen which seemed to get more confusing but in the end I think I got it.  No supper required this evening but for some reason the camera doesn't want to upload the pictures I took today so they might have to be an afterthought on the other computer, I'm on my new laptop in the stairwell.  LN.....Another gentle day but I really should make lists when I go out early morning shopping.....LN

Sunday 21st April

Another horrible night.  I woke up at two and still found myself playing games at four thirty...just no sleep in me.  I think it was the noise of the rain that was unsettling, it was throwing it down and has been dull, cold and miserable all day.  I felt obliged to provide myself with ample sustenance so got bacon from the freezer and fried and egg and a slice of bread and felt much better for it.  I also swapped the duvets over and brought my other feather pillow from downstairs to upstairs hoping that might help me stay asleep.  I took the remains of the curried chicken legs out for the cat.  I didn't see her when I initially went out but she appeared from nowhere before I'd even finished putting it out for her and she was there ten minutes later still gorging on it...one day old and it's not for me.  A load of washing went in the machine and upstairs to dry.

First job on the computer was to order a card for a dear friend who has her eighty first soon.  We became friends when I took my first job after leaving school and we've remained friends ever since.  She's the one that I went to stay with when I flew into Manchester Airport for a Christmas visit and try as I might, she's not willing to travel out here.  Next job was to do the circuit to see which tortoise were out and about and I found three of them, hiding under the greenery trying to keep warm.  It's been such a change from the last couple of weeks, I didn't bother with a fire today but wished that I had but at eight o'clock, it's now worth lighting it now.  I'll put extra thick pj's on tonight.  This afternoon I spent curled up on the sofa watching films, I seem to have run out of series for the time being.  I did nod off for an hour or so catching up on lost time overnight and the rest of the afternoon has been spent transferring more music over from my old p.c. to my old external drive and I've got Jacques Loussier playing in the background now  Takes me back a few years.

I'm eating supper as I type, chicken fillets in cornflakes cooked in the air-fryer with a side dish of mayo......very tasty but I think that they are now off Lidl's offerings, I couldn't see them in the shop the last time I went.  I'll be regretting it tomorrow and cleaning the keyboard...ah well.  LN.....No pickies, nothing worth capturing and no sightings of any unusural birds......LN

Monday 22nd April

Late bath last night, straight to bed and straight to sleep....result and slept through until six thirty this morning.  I made coffee and took it back to bed, played Sudoku for an hour or so but my brain hadn't woken up so not very successful so at seven thirty I was ready to start my day.  I was cooking breakfast by eight, the bacon is no more and the eggs are depleted by one and followed it with brioche with butter and orange, lemon and ginger marmalade which sat very heavily until twelve.  I did the usual computer house keeping and then settled on the sofa, it was too cold for me outside and I was waiting for the sun to break through even slightly and it took until twelve thirty. just enough time for me to finish a short Netflix that I'd started yesterday.  Unfortunately, I think I'd not been paying attention so missed the punchline and the reason for producing it..may be another shot at it later.

I ventured out around one and worked through until five this evening.  The lemon is now repotted along with the bougainvillea and I dfid have to investigate how to get rid of chaffer grubs that have overwintered in the pots and the simple solution is to shake the old soil from the roots, dispose of the compost and renew.  That looks like it can be a costly exercise so I settled for the alternative which was to use diluted washing up liquid to upset them...so let's see how angry they get.  I also tidied up the workshop and cleared the table.  I'd left quite a few jars with screws in on the table and they usually live on the shelf so now they're back home.  I keep looking at the cacti that are still over wintering....Spike lives up to its name and I dread moving it in and out and the other things that I inherited from D of S are longing for some sunshine but there again, aren't we all.  Haciber came round this afternoon with four photographs but A4 size.  I thought she wanted them reducing but no, she wants me to get her frames for them when I go into Kardjali so looks like I'm going tomorrow before the student's lesson.

Everything tidied and locked away by seven, I came in and lit a fire, it is cold and I need comfort.  I' cooking spicy kebabs tonight in the air-fryer with chippies and they should be ready in around five minutes.  Time for another log on the fire just to make sure that it ticks along nicely all evening and then all that's left to do is settle in for the night.  LN.....Time to plate up supper....LN

Tuesday 23rd April

Yesterday evening seemed particularly long and by eleven I was ready for bed and sleep so I climbed the wooden hills as my mother used to call the stairs and straight to sleep.  I suddenly woke up, bot sure of the time but thought it was about five but no.....it was half two, no sleep in me so settled for Sudoku for what turned out to be the rest of the night and early morning.  I made more coffee at six, it was pouring down with rain and had been all night and it wasn't much to look forward to.  At eight I made beans on toast for breakfast and that was the sum total of my morning.  I did manage to put the washing away, settled on the sofa and carried on with the programme I was watching last night, thought I might get a few zzz's in but didn't and have kept going ever since.

I thought about going in to  Kardjali and getting the picture frames for Haciber but the rain was still falling so that went on the back burner.  I was in the Nipper for two, stopped off at the dinkydoo shop to see if I could get the frames for Haciber's photos and found four rather jazzy ones in black and white A4 and two for me.  I wasn't sure about them so I carried on to another shop and found four plain black ones so I thought I'd give her the option of mix and match.  I arrived at the shop before I went up to see my student for the lesson and everybody was in a sombre mood.  One on their relatives suffering with cancer had passed over and it was all rather sad so I carried on upstairs, we finished the book and now need to find another.  We ended up talking about the last book that Dahl wrote which was Esio Trot and I explained the story to him about a middle aged man who was in love with the lady downstairs who kept a tortoise on the balcony and it took me ages to realise that the name of the book is 'tortoise' backwards.  I might try and get the book for him.....and now to find another or maybe we'll just concentrate on football...I'm getting much better.

Home for five thirty and noticed Haciber walking home so went over to her house and showed her the frames and she asked me where the photos were.  I told her that they were in the house, I showed her both types of frames and we settled on two black and white and two black ones and I arrived home and framed the photos for her and took them over around six thirty.  I lit the fire and it's going well, made tuna mayo sandwiches and that was supper over and done with and I've just realised that its just after nine my time so the posting is late.  Hopefully I shall sleep well tonight....I need a whole night.  LN....Nothing on the agenda so far for tomorrow without I head into Kardjali to top up the fridge and the goody box...it's like Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard.....LN

Wednesday 24th April

I had a better night last night and woke up at six this morning.  Coffee, back to bed with the phone and sudoku and my real morning started at seven thirty.  The plan to go into Kardjali faded, the weather was still dull and cold, the terraces were drying up but I didn't hold out much hope for much of an improvement.  I made beans on toast for breakfast to use up a half can that was lingering, washed up and cleared the kitchen, walked the garden and had a bonfire.  No sign of any tortoise on the first lap and it took until around twelve before there were any sightings, four present when the register was called but two AWOL and who could blame them.  There was a lot of activity round the nesting log this morning, battles ensued and while one was preening itself one snuck in behind him and went into the log.  There were three hanging around it at one time, birds with nesting material in their beaks so I centred my activity this afternoon around the grass area to leave them to fight it out.  The beauty of it is that it's watertight.  There's a baking dish that cover the top entirely and its placed under the roof overhang so doesn't get much rain down on top of it.  We did raise chicks successfully last year, fingers crossed we'll do the same this year.

Around twelve I made a tuna mayo sandwich to use up leftovers and thought I'd settle on the sofa and watch Netflix.  Apparently it has changed it's login and even though I'm listed as a user, you have to be at the same address.  So now I'm stuffed and might have to take out an account in my name, especially since Transponder TV went to the wall 'due to the war in Ukraine blowing the servers up' and tell that to the marines.  I think that was a scam, licences not paid and haven't heard anything about it since and would love my money back.  Anyway that's water under the bridge but I had this black mood come over me, I sat on the sofa and got my sudoku book out and knocked about three off but then realised I had to get out into the garden and get going....so I did and feel much better for it.  The sun had broken through and it was quite warm in the sun but the wind had a nip in it.

The forsythia in the frog garden had grown too well, had finished flowering but was blocking the rest of the garden so out with the hedge trimmer.  The japonica was turning more into a tree so now it's cur tight back but I have put some of the shoots in water to see if I can get some going,  I also attacked another couple of forsythia and dug out the weeks round the escalonia at the base of the little house terrace and hopefully it should flower this year, it's looking very healthy and should do better now the weeds have been removed.  Tools away at six thirty, I split a few logs to make the fire easier to light but not sure that I need it tonight.  I had trouble with a couple of the logs though, they are from the bottom of the pile and probably been there for quite a few years.  I brought the axe down onto it with a fair swing and it did absolutely nothing and didn't even make a mark.  I gave it another go just for luck and again nothing so that's gone back into the log store, I'll put it on when the fire's going well.  Not sure about supper or even if I want anything and now to think how to fill my evening....I might even have to take out my own subscription.  LN......Boiler going on for a bath......LN

Thursday 25th April

Slept really well last night, had a late Badedas bath and nodded off which is the norm, put myself to bed, slept with the light on, glasses tucked under my pillow and tablet on the floor.  Thank goodness my bedroom is carpeted with a thick rug otherwise, goodbye tablet.  Mist was obscuring some of the mountains but it soon burnt off until we were overtaken by a very thick cloud around two this afternoon.

I made coffee and got partly dressed.  I'm in two minds whether to book the holiday to Egypt that goes out next week so I spent the morning parading and checking out clothes that would work, working out which would need ironing and clothes for versatility.  Three days are spent cruising the Nile, two near a beach and one night on the sleeper train back to Cairo and all the tours included.  Pyramids, Valley of the Kings, Cairo museum and although I was there about thirty years ago, I'm so tempted to go again.  Eventually I made toast for breakfast with lashings of blackcurrant jam and felt much better for it along with more coffee.  

I had a bonfire and went out to check on the tortoise and all were present and correct in various parts of the garden.  There was only Rosy and Blue getting close and again I'm thinking there might be a name change coming on.  I was pretty startled by a lizard sunning itself in the bush I cut back near the little house terrace.  I was about to pull a few dead leaves from the top of it where I'd used the hedge trimmer on it and spotted it.  Taking the photo was another issue, I seemed to get it's body and no head on a few of the shots and you really have to look very closely to see it on the one that I took.  I sat on the bench in the sun for a while until a very large cloud rolled over, there were a few claps of thunder, a few spots of rain so I moved inside, settled on the sofa and went to sleep waking up at four thirty.  About half an hour later Haciber was at the door complaining that one of the pictures had fallen and I gathered the frame was damaged.  I asked her which one but she didn't understand since she only speaks Turkish so I grabbed one of the black ones and went back with her and changed it.  When she took it into the other room I worked out that it was the black and white one so I'll change that tomorrow.  I also had another problem, my lady with the garden next to the house couldn't get the key to turn in the badlock on the garden gate, it was thoroughly rusted up, so I found the machine oil in the little house, drenched the key and lock with it and eventually I got it to open so that she could go to work on the garden.  I came back and thought about it and made a cover for the chain and padlock to protect it from the really heavy rain, wnt back and fitted it and all's good.

No supper for me, the toast is sitting heavily and it's half eight now and soon time for bed.  It's been a funny old day, thinking about that picture frame, I brought it back and it must have fallen on the corner and pinging the joint because the glass was OK unlike the one that I took over as a replacement.  LN.....I did come back with biscuits though as a thank you.....LN

Friday 26th April

Six thirty start this morning, no light on, tablet on the bedside table and glasses next to it....result.  It was a dull morning but what else can we expect in this topsy turvy world of weather, it did pick up later but there were still clouds around.  I was late with breakfast, I was still deciding what to put in a suitcase if I ever booked the holiday so eventually I checked out the holiday website and all places were taken so the decision was made for me.  I checked the websites again for others and came across one touring Sicily, I've been there before but not done the tour of the island, I stayed in Taormina up in the mountains so thought it was worth investigating and I did.  It's better in a way, it doesn't leave until the twelfth of May so gives me more time to put things in a suitcase, take them out again and have a last minute meltdown.  So tomorrow I formalise the arrangements, send off my passport details and my Bulgarian registration information and receive documents in Bulgarian that I don't have a clue about but have got the old ones from when the tour to Morocco was cancelled and I developed Covid.  They should help me to understand what I'm signing up for and where I have to fill in the gaps.  I will go to the bank on Monday and pay for the holiday..no luxury here of handing over a card and payment is taken, the transfer has to be made from my IBAN to the company.  I've decided which suitcase I'm taking and my hand luggage carry on, the remainder have been sorted and stacked until I have too much for the one that I've selected so all change.

I made a late breakfast of boiled eggs and toast, cleared the kitchen, listened to music and played Sudoku...it's been a very gentle day.  I noticed one of the tortoise walking across the grass so went out to check which one it was and did a lap to find the rest of them, four out of six isn't bad.  I heard clattering and thought that Rosy was at it again but she appeared to be having trouble negotiating where she's managed to get herself and there were some steep rocks involved.  I left her to it and went back to watering my seeds that have come in in leaps and bounds and I've made a special mix that I found on the internet for sorting out non-flowering pot bounds and it means that you don't have to change the compost every year.  The recipe includes, beer, sugar, white vinegar and water and I've made a couple of bottles up and I'll be reporting on results.  I also went over and swapped the picture frame for Haciber and she's under strict instructions not to break this one...damages will be charged.  Next job was to wash the windows of the Nipper, the last rain we had looks like it came from the Sahara and there is sand over everything, shrubs, flowers and house and car windows.  Fairy liquid on a sponge and a good dousing of water sorted it out, the house will have to wait.

At four I ran a bath and luxuriated for an hour and a half while replying to Messenger, did a few Sudoku, had a nap, dried off and lit the fire. It's not strictly necessary but very comfortable and supper is ready to go into the air-fryer.  Tonight I have spicy kebabs and chippies so now the kitchen calls me and also time to throw another log on.  Shopping tomorrow, out for lunch on Sunday, bank and Haskovo on Monday, student on Tuesday.  LN.....That's some of my little life sorted.....LN

Saturday 27th April

Six start this morning and it seems to be getting earlier.  Note to self...go to bed later, get more exercise so that you are more tired and sleep longer....let's see if it works.  Didn't do much apart from make coffee and play games for the first hour or so, it's been a reasonable day weatherwise but that wind has been cruel.  I made toast and blackcurrant jam for breakfast and sat out on the bench on the terrace eating it, Cat was looking longingly for anything so I threw out the crust of the loaf which in Bulgaria is about a fifth of the total but she utterly didn't move for that.  It's not my cat and if I have scraps it gets it but I don't want to make it dependent on me...I just don't like cats.  I noticed one of the tortoise sunning itself so took the first photo but didn't go on the tortoise hunt this morning, more interested in writing my shopping list, the fridge could definitely be likened to Mother Hubbard's Cupboard.  

I was just about to set off for Kardjali when I heard a strimmer and Mincho was attending to Avatar's garden or rather field with the length of grass on it.  I walked over to make sure that he had enough benzine and as I was approaching the gate, Haciber was out of her house like a bullet from a gun and involves herself in everything. The main gate into the property is locked, Avatar gave me a key but I didn't make it public but when asked I owned up, Mincho had to climb over the fence and I think he was going to involve his friend to take the grass away for his animals.  He also asked me if I had any grease, he'd forgotten his and needed it for the machine so I offered to take him home to get it but I think he didn't want to work all day so I left him to his own devices.  Looking at the work still to be done, it looks like he's coming back tomorrow to finish the job so I'll get the key back then.

I stopped off at the garage shop on my way through Djebel and had five minutes with my student's mum and ended up with a dozen eggs from their chickens.  I thanked her, headed on to Kardjali and think I missed getting caught by a speed camera on the way into town...we shall see.  Kaufland car park was a nightmare, it took me ages to park and the shop was absolutely rammed so I picked up what I needed and ended up with a sixty leva bill.  I did buy four pot of marigolds, two for me and two for my student's mum as a thankyou for the eggs.  On to Lidl, parking was much better and again I picked up what I needed including more solar lights for outside....some that I have outside have had their day and need throwing.  I also bought two jars of blackcurrant jam that on special offer, again one for my student's mum as a thankyou and I had a strange thought come into my head.'Exchange is no robbery' but played on the word 'eggs' and I smiled.  How do you explain that to a Bulgarian even thought she speaks and understands a fair amount of English so I gave it a go when I arrived back in Djebel.  I think she got it and then down to get bread and home, unpacked the shopping and put it away and by now it was three more or less.  Mincho had gone and the gate was secured so I wouldn't start looking for where he'd hidden it.

I made coffee and got my head down for an hour or so, I woke up cold so lit the fire and got it to the point of being able to put a very large log on and so nothing to do for the rest of the evening. I put a chicken in to the oven and that's ready now so chicken with bread for me tonight....can't be bothered with vegetables since I'm out for a late lunch tomorrow.  Seven thirty my time, if it stays dry overnight I'll make a start on the grass, the grave garden has started to get quite tall and it's better to do it before rather than leave it.  It's quite shady round there and out of the wind...perfect growing conditions.  LN.....Supper calls and then relax and find a film to watch on the laptop since Netflix has sussed me out....LN

Sunday 28th April

Seven start and it was a beautiful morning.  I put the remains of the chicken out for the cat but at the last check, it was still there....and hope she's alright.  I didn't bother with breakfast only the statutory cups of coffee to get the engine going, got dressed and sat out on the terrace listening to the cuckoos and there are lots of them around.  I decided to start on the grass, I heard Mincho's strimmer as he worked away on Avatar's garden and I went over and we discussed whether or not he was going to get someone to clear away the grass that he'd cut but apparently the guy wanted thirty leva for taking it away and Mincho refused.  Not quite sure of the conversation that went on between him and Avatar's son but the upshot was that I was to pay him and they would give it back to me when they arrive.

So out with the little mower and I did the outside of the property, then the yard, the grass between the house and the front wall and the grave garden.  It was still damp so I had to empty the grass box fairly frequently.  Not content to leave it there, I did almost down to the mulberry trying not to leave too much of a line across the grass.  Hopefully I can finish it all on Tuesday before my student's lesson otherwise it will be Wednesday since I'm out all day tomorrow.  I drove into Djebel to go to the cash point so that I had money to pay Mincho and then a visit to the cake shop was in order, a gift for later when I went visiting Fotinovo for Sunday lunch.  I carried on to the supermarket and bought a bottle of red and one of rose as a thank you for inviting me and all gifts were appreciated and came in useful.  Lunch was ready for four thirty more or less, cooked by the daughter and what a good job she made of it, chicken with every veg you could think of, apple crumble for afters and then we all tucked into the cake, some of us more than others.  The humour continued and at nine forty five I said farewells and into the Nipper and home.  The road was empty except for one stupid idiot who overtook me where he shouldn't have done, he had the power to finish the job but it was just where I was about to take a right off the main drag and onto the side road.  No other cars were on the road as I drove home, uneventful fortunately and I was home for ten.  The temperature has dropped in the house but it's much too late to light a fire so it's fleece PJ's on, a hot chocolate and straight to bed.  LN....lovely afternoon filled with lots of British humour......LN

Monday 29th April

It's been a particularly long day..or so it seems.  I woke up at four, went back to sleep from six until seven and then started my day.  It was a reasonable morning, I did a tortoise hunt and only came up with three of them, 'Rosy' sunning itself and still undergoing gender re-assignment and Red getting a little too close to Green but who knows....they've really confused me this year.  I made more coffee and completed the details required for my holiday and sent the email off fairly early...I how had to wait and see if there were any places lift and it was the end of the day that I received a telephone call asking me to pay up as soon as possible and an email advising me which documents had to be signed and sent back tomorrow.  It's all a bit confusing since the documents are all in Bulgarian and the letter advising me which documents have to be signed and sent back, I need help with so I shall be asking my older student for help after I've been to the bank tomorrow morning.  I have to scan and process around sixteen documents...nightmare.

I was on time to take my friends mother to Haskovo this morning and pulled outside the house at exactly ten thirty.  We sat on a new bench that her son has bought for her and installed it at the top of the garden giving her a really nice view of the hillsides.  A couple of trees have gone in to provide shade but that will take a little while and we were in the car for eleven and heading out.  There were a fair number of roadworks going out of Kardjali with cars ending up on the wrong side of the road but we came out unscathed.  As we approached Haskovo I noticed that lots of things had changed but I managed to locate the market garden that I used to go to years ago but that's changed too and we came away with nothing.  We went into the local hardware depot, I wanted to look at strimmers but nothing of interest there and again, everything stayed on the shelf.  Next job was to find the Italian restaurant that I'd been to but I've not really driven much around the town.  We followed the signs for the town centre but suddenly there was no right turn where I think there should have been one and we ended up on a track until we ran out of road so turned round and got back on route.  Eventually I recognised a dual carriage way so I took a right turn, saw a Lidl and we made use of their carpark.  We stated to walk to where I thought it was, eventually asked two men with a van apologising for my broken Bulgarian but he got the gist and told me in broken English more or less where it was and we found it.  The menu was extensive and all Bulgarian but we settled for a couple of pizza and eventually worked out way through them.  Back to the Nipper, out of the carpark before anyone had noticed we'd parked there, managed to find the signs for Kardjali and we were soon heading home.  Dropped her back, I came home for find the documents for the holiday in an email and have just spent the last hour working out which ones need to be signed and scanned.  Google translate only does so many characters but I think I understand most of it.

I don't need supper, the pizza is sitting a little heavy but it will make sure that I don't eat any rubbish between now and breakfast but I did stop off in Djebel and buy a large bottle of Coke.  Fire going well, it was the first thing I did when I got home and ran around the housel closing the windows that I'd opened this morning when the weather was good.  Lovely rainbow on the drive to my village, dark clouds have come over and it's threatening rain but so far not much has happened.  LN....Short on the pictures again....promised for tomorrow......LN

Tuesday 30th April

Bed at eleven last night and slept through until six so not bad at all.  It was a dull cold miserable morning and it's a dull cold miserable night so very little has changed except that the rain is at full pelt here.  I think that our spring came early in March resembling summer at times and my suntan was definitely something I would normally acquire in May.  Today it could be looked on as 'rust' and I've dug out the fleece jumper and a sweatshirt for good measure.

I was in the Nipper for eight thirty heading for my bank in Momchilgrad, I was paying for my holiday this morning.  Only one person being attended to and that didn't take long to deal with and I think the cashier was dreading what my next query would be.  As it was, she was able to deal with it very efficiently, the payment went through swiftly, I signed, was handed the documentation and all I had to do was to send a copy of the payment to the travel company.  I got a little confused last night as to which documents had to be scanned and sent back so I decided to stop of at my old student's home, she's on a paid sabbatical at the moment and I knew she would help me.  Mother and father were at work so we got down to business pretty rapidly and identified the said documents but she I asked her to phone the company since my passport details didn't appear anywhere on the contract documents and no start or end date was noted even though I'd sent her this information in our first email.  When my friend phoned, and it was much better that it was conducted in Bulgarian, the lady issuing the first one I think was working from home but the message was passed on to her so she sent me through another contract but this didn't solve the matter.  This time we got the passport number but not issue and expiry dates and I don't want any problems at the airport when boarding passes are issued.  

Her sister phoned to say that she would be coming for lunch and asking what was on the menu and she prepared three cheese omelettes and we had lunch together.  Sister went back to work and mother arrived so another omelette was prepared. I offered to wash up but the suggestion was refused so I sat talking to mum discussing her medical problems.  Father was coming back at two so my student was on kitchen duties for two hours more or less....I think she's ready to go back to work.  I drove home for one thirty, spoke to the travel company again pointing out that there were no issue and expiry details and was assured that there was another contract on its way.  Booking holidays in England is just so simple....here it's a nightmare.  Tomorrow I'll check them over again, scan them in and send them off and hopefully that will be the end of the admin.

Back to Djebel for my student. we started the new book, James and the Giant Peach and managed forty pages, he reading and me listening and correcting some of the words that he mispronounced and explaining the jokes to him.  One was that someone said to the centipede that he was having his leg pulled and someone questioned which one.  It wasn't obvious to my student at first but when I explained that the centipede has a hundred legs, which leg was being pulled?..Lesson over I rejoined his mother in the shop, my student followed me down from the apartment and I said that he'd managed forty pages and him mother asked him to pracie what he'd read and he did with very little prompting from me.  I happened to mention that my windscreen wipers were making a heck of a noise so she went out to look at them, found they were in stock, fitted the new ones for me all for nineteen leva...they're so cheap here.  Home for six thirty, I'd set the fire so torched it, cold chicken and frozen chippies in the air-fryer, supper was served, now eaten and the rest of the cold chicken can go out for the cat.  

It's been a busy few days and tomorrow is finalising the documents and making sure that the company has all it needs for me sail through the airport.  Only thing to arrange is whether I go to Sofia by car or on the bus which depends on the time of the flight or if in fact I need an overnight in Sofia.  All will be revealed next week, Friday and Monday are bank holidays rather like in the UK but may be some one is working somewhere.  I don't go until the twelfth...so I've got time.  LN...No pickies...didn't want to depress you all......LN