Monday 1st June

Well I'll swap that cat for the man in the mosque whenever you're ready Mrs. D of S.....he kicked off at five thirty this morning...just before Dave/Alan....and again...no snooze button.  Having said that I went back to sleep and woke up at seven twenty and checking the watch to make sure...quick wash and coffee and out to pick up the men.

Stopped off at the magazine this morning and got breakfast and bread for me and the men were outside today with their friends at the restaurant and there seemed to be a lot of activity with a cardboard box but you don't ask...it can be too complicated.  Back to mine and coffee and breakfast, Emula came round for a chat and in doing so missed the bus into Djebel it being market day.  I offered to drive him to catch up the bus at the next stop but he declined and caught a lift in with another villager at about nine thirty.

The men carried on with the top to the wall but it was a little too hot to work today...the productivity wasn't that high.  Again we were promised Semile's help to straighten out the metal for the wall but it never materialised.  Sally was bang, banging with my big hammer and I think we have a few sections of wall complete.  I started stone shifting to the bottom of the garden and want to clear the wall so that I can start some landscaping, also worked on the lawnmower and now it goes like a dream.  I think there was an airlock in the oil chamber which I cleared when I checked it and instead of thumping like a goodun...it now runs.

Into Djebel today to go to the cashpoint to pay the men....filled up with fuel and now the men are not working for a week or so.  Bekir is off to his niece's wedding in Turkey and Sally has lots of his own work to do so they'll give me a call when they want to start again.  We do have to throw in a Muslim holiday into the mix...it's the start of the month's fasting which in this temperature...doesn't exactly go down a bomb.  Men home and paid...Emula decided to come along for the ride....Pointless and Eggheads and now time to go down to the kitchen to see what I might come up with...just a few photo to follow...LN

Tuesday 2nd June

Fell asleep in front of the computer last night and eventually staggered to bed.  Not sure of the time of departure but arrival came round pretty swiftly at seven this morning.  No men but I got up just the same.  I'd not got round to watering the garden last night so it was the first job on the list so by eight it was all done and dusted.

As I walked into the kitchen to get the coffee on I realised that there was a damp patch by the fridge.  And where is Bekir when you need him...getting ready to go to Turkey for a wedding and why didn't I notice it yesterday.  It's rather like the dropped toast that always lands jam side down.  So while I was mopping the floor as part of the investigation as to which bit is actually leaking, the rugs came up and into the washing machine with them and that's a reminder to self to go get them in from the line.  Out to the garden and cleared out some of the old flower pots and generally moved stuff around from the different beds.  I planted out the two spirea in the tomb garden as I call it and a trip to Haskovo is on the cards next week to get more for the long wall.  Tobacco, zinnia and marigolds have all found new homes in different parts of the garden and there is just one flower bed to weed now and that will get done tomorrow.

Spend another couple of hours tidying up from the men.  The wood that was scattered in the yard is all stacked, the one remaining bag of cement is up the corner and the garage has been swept out so that I could put the Beast back in and bring Beauty back into the drive.  Tomorrow's job should I choose to accept it is to collect up all the other wood that's lying around and get that stacked and get the reciprocating saw out and clear the workshop terrace of the storm and wall fallout wood and get it stacked.    

It's been a lovely day apart from a chill in the wind and and it's quite cold for June.  I've just finished watering the garden and it's time to put a sweater on...it should be an evening for sitting out with the magical full moon over head but no way...I'll view it from inside.  So another day clearing tomorrow...LN...early night for me to get my strength up...LN

Wednesday 3rd June

Drew the curtains last night to make sure I slept in and did...until six...so that worked then.  I expected to get wet feet as I walked through the kitchen to the kettle but no...I'd done something to the connecting pipes last night from the wall inlet to the tap and it seems to have cured it.  I am now looking for a job as a plumber.. ;)  Walked the garden with coffee in hand and watched and listened to the morning....it's so peaceful except for the birds that seemed to be going full throttle.  

Poached eggs on toast for breakfast and kitchen all tidied and wash up by nine and then it was downhill from there on.  The jobs were progressive...bathroom cleaned, kitchen floor washed over, downstairs bedroom, lounge and hallway all sorted and winter boots moved upstairs.  I think we all seem to be coming out of winter slowly this year.  The weather has really only just started to settle down and then we get a cold spell like yesterday and it's out with the fleecy PJ's again.  

Sorted out the old glass that was removed from the debris from the wall and it's now in the back of Beauty to be deposited in the skip when I go in next, changed the blade on the reciprocating saw with the intention of getting going on the wood pile but my heart wasn't in it so I came in and started on the third bedroom putting the new quilt covers and sheets on the beds....guests can turn up unannounced...I'm ready.

Nine my time....it's turned into a very gentle night...no moon so far as there is a cloud base and very undramatic sunset....all's quiet in my neck of the woods.  Early night but no real plans for tomorrow...I'm sure I'll find something to do... No photos sorry...my camera is being a pain and won't connect to the pc.....LN

Wednesday continued

Fiddled and fiddled and eventually got the pc to recognise the camera...phew....I was thinking I might have to buy a new one...and it just so happens....As for the moon...I was premature...it's up and big and beautiful but is now disappearing behind the clouds....that might just be the last I see of it...and now to bed...LN

Thursday 4th June

Beautiful start to the day but that only lasted until lunch time.  Woke up at five thirty and decided that I would do the washing at cheap rate so in it went and out on the line for seven which was just as well.  Breakfast was a bacon sandwich and I sat out on the terrace with that and a coffee and lowered myself gently into the morning.  I'd looked at the main terrace little zinnia bed and the weeds that had sprung up there but I hadn't managed to get at it because of the ramp that had been constructed to take the wheelbarrow down to the lower level.  Today I tackled it carefully.  There is lots growing there and I didn't want to disturb the things I wanted to keep but there was lots of grass.  Not to bad...only a few casualties and they were planted up immediately so should be alright.  Why is it I think that I should save all flowers and their little souls...I suppose it's because they put such a lot of effort into starting out that I need to protect them.  I shan't be so gentle with the yellow flowers that seem to have overrun everything...they will be culled in the autumn.

So by twelve today  I felt really tired after my five thirty start so I went to bed and woke up at two thirty...there was little air around and obviously the storm was gathering.  I managed to get the washing it just before the first huge raindrops fell and then came the hail.  Not a lot of it this time but suddenly the wild wind went through, empty flowerpots were flying everywhere and so I was closing doors and windows with a vengeance and battening down the hatches.  Thunder and lightening going hell for leather and there appears to be a few casualties...the rose on the front wall needs to be tied up by the looks of things and the grass seems to be growing before my eyes....so that job is crawling towards the top of the list as we speak.

Electricity up and down like a yoyo so I'm not going to spend long on this as the storm is still rattling around and when it's up, so to speak, take advantage of it.  LN....I'm going to put this thing to bed...LN

Friday 5th June

What a night...the storm raged and at one I was wide awake after an early to bed...and it was too early to rise.  I read until about two thirty and at last got back into what was a bit of a fit full sleep and at two the moon came from behind the clouds so I had to close the curtains...it was almost daylight out there.  Came to at about five thirty and the clouds were really hanging on to the mountains and in the valleys.  At one point it had hidden everything but by nine I'd breakfasted, didn't have to water the garden as nature had done it for me, cleared the kitchen and was ready to go back to bed by eleven this morning.  Tried to get my head down but at twelve the Librarian gave me a call for a catchup so it was out to the garden, survey the storm damage and tie up the roses that were flattened.  The white one in particular had been hit badly as you can see from the photo from yesterday.

Weeded the vegetable garden, tied up the tomatoes and meant to stake the cucumbers but it's now on tomorrow's list.  I have felt ridiculously tired all day with not a lot of energy.  I was full of good intentions, like taking in the car to get the tampons fixed, getting into Kardjali to pick up the hedge trimmer that is on offer at Kaufland and what did I end up doing...zilch...but there's always tomorrow.

So over to my student's family for supper and they are managing without a kitchen.  I did offer to take them all out for supper to one of the local restaurants but they wouldn't hear of it.  Their kitchen has been stripped out and is up for a refurb and I really love the tiles that they've chosen for the wall.  The units are being picked up tomorrow from Kardjali but my offer of using the Beast was not taken up...the father had already asked the neighbour.  I added my two pennyworth saying that the first job that needed doing was to redirect the water supply inlet to beneath the level of the worktops so that they can get a tap fitted over the sink which they haven't bought yet and then I decided to leave them to it.  Apparently a man is coming to fit it and he should know what he's doing...hopefully.  I eventually decided to leave when my student was being force fed honey with butter and some bee powder that smelled awful since she'd had a tummy upset the night before.  I maintain it was a bug, the rest reckon that she has a chill and they knew that they had the perfect solution despite her protestations.  I left...and wished her luck.  

Stopped off at the shop on the way through Djebel and the lady at the cash desk commented that I was late tonight.  I told her that I'd been out for supper at a friend's house and yes, it is late for me.  Drove back through the forest and the fireflies were really obvious tonight flashing away and hopefully they'll get lucky.  LN....I'm off to bed and he's to a complete night.  I have a little mastika on the go that just might do the trick....LN

Saturday 6th June

Well it wasn't raining this morning but it might as well have been.  The wind was, blowing a gale yet again and not much of a hint of summer.  It did clear up a bit though and I got the strimmer out and cleared the yard of the long grass where I normally park Beauty.  I'd dumped her in the lane last night because I got home late so I took advantage to chop it back.  While it was out I went round the outside of the veg patch and one or two areas where the lawnmower doesn't go very easily.  Then the mood took over.  The sky was looking really grey so I thought I'd get some of the lawn done before the rain started but it never did start.  I managed to do two thirds of it before the mood wore off and tomorrow is another day so to speak.

I started to read a book that was recommended and I'm struggling.  It's someone writing about Bulgaria but I don't like the style, the storyline seems very childish but I have to report back.  I sat for a while and realised that I was a little chilled so out with a firelighter, some kindling, a couple of logs and it's still going now.  And it's June.  I decided that it was now time to be creative in the kitchen so I dug out the mince that Bekir had given me and made a shepherd's pie and there was enough for today, one for tomorrow and I used the rest up putting the remains of a tin of beans with the mince.  I topped it with potatoes and that's going in the freezer.

So lunch over, every full tummy requires rest so it was head down for an hour or so and the thunderstorm that was supposed to happen never did.  It stayed grey though for the rest of the day but I did manage to catch the last few rays of the sun.  As for doing what I was going to do today...not a lot of it was achieved but I've had a restful day.  So many people are complaining about feeling tired...and blaming it on the weather.  Come on sun...we need to see a little more of you...LN

Sunday 7th June

Five thirty start this morning and was surprised when the sun came up.  It was a cloudy start and I think that the early morning start was all I've seen of it all day.  Straight behind the clouds and again there was a chill wind blowing.  I lit the house and garden rubbish at about seven thirty and stood guard over it making sure that I didn't light up the hillside.  In for breakfast of a couple of boiled eggs with toast and then played on the internet for a while until I was out and making a start on the garden.  I'd looked at the pink tipped willow and couldn't decided where to plant it and today I made a decision and put it at the back of the frog garden staking it to made sure that it didn't get broken first day out.  I decided to clear the bucket of forsythia trimmings and go for the experiment.  The last time I went to the market garden the owner had planted very large branches of forsythia laying them on their sides and banking up the soil around them and so I thought I'd give it a try.  I normally take only a small cutting with a little of the hardwood but this means that if it takes I get a much bigger plant to start with....and there are two experiments underway....one at the bottom of the garden and the second near to the outside toilet....watch this space... ;)

Into the house for a bit of a rest and switched on the athletics from Birmingham and watched it for about an hour.  Then back to it.  Out with the reciprocating saw...sorted out the ones to be cut up and the others that are too big for the saw and need the likes of a man and a chain saw.  I also need some of these to use as supports for climbers on the wall.  I cleared the terrace, cleared out the burning pit and laid it ready to light it but no way...still too windy.  Put supper in while I finished off outside...and forgot about it but just about salvaged it.  Watched the last of the athletics while I ate my supper and then the first few drops of rain fell but I think I shall still have to be out there with the hose....not much fell.

So just put the boiler on...it's a night for lounging in the bath and clearing off the dust of the day.  A shower will not do it tonight.  No plans for tomorrow....I might just have another day in the garden weather permitting.....LN

Monday 8th June

Caught the morning sky but not much to write home about.  There was a hint of pink but nothing else.  I was out to the garden with the intention of making a name for myself but it was the sort of day where it was better to be inside than out so I came in and made breakfast.  I got involved in one or two conversations on messenger and it was eleven thirty before I knew it and so I got dressed for town and took Beauty in to check out what was really wrong with her.  The rattling had finally got through to me so into the garage, over the inspection pit and I went down to join my student's father to investigate underneath the car.  I'd broken one of the armatures and this was the noise that I heard when I went over bumps.  So two new ones ordered and they came down on the bus from Kardjali, fitted and repaired by three thirty that afternoon.

So the other part of my quest in Djebel ws to go to the Architect's office in Djebel to see what they intended doing about the bus shelter that had moved it's position in the storm.  I'd printed off the photos that I'd taken and the reception I got from a blond headed lady was far from acceptable.  She screeched that she couldn't understand me and I was convinced that she wasn't trying and eventually a man joined in the conversation to see if he could help out.  I thanked her for the help she had given me, my tongue in my cheek and eventually another man appeared who tried to speak English to me.  I showed him my photographs of the resited bus shelter and he said that it would be necessary for the department to come out and survey the scene so I'll wait and see with baited breath.

Home for five having stopped off at the supermarket and bought a chicken so straight into the oven with it.  Haciber came round and asked me ifIcould reconfigure her telephone settings so that she could only see the clock giant size on the screen and I didn't managed to work it out.  Supper was delicious served with jacket potatoes....A full stomach desires rest and I fell asleep in front of the pc and have just woken up...and now it's time for bed.  LN.....too late for photos...tomorrow is another day....LN

Tuesday 9th June

Cramp woke me up and I was hobbling around and trying to stretch the tendons....Don't you just hate it when that happens.  Morning was nothing to shout about and I couldn't decide if it had rained or not but it was not good enough to peg out the washing at cheap rate electricity.  Meany me!!

I had a message that threw me on Messenger so I wanted to go out for the day.  I messaged Mrs D of S and we arranged to meet and would she have the kettle on..and she did.  I took over with me my fisherman's smock to collect the dust, a pair of rubber gloves and a scraper to help her out with one of the rooms she was working on but as it happened ...she didn't want to get me working.  We went off to the local village, hit the market and the local shops and on to a local hotel and ordered lunch.  Lovely food and it was a place that she hadn't been before...success.  We shared a pizza but no way would she share her chips with crumbly cheese...so we didn't.  Two portions were ordered.

We sat there and chewed over the fat and then over to her garden and we carried on.  We have had a lovely day...and on Thursday...we will carry on with our sojourn.  As for tomorrow...the mastika is on for tonight and she had a bottle of beer on the go... lovely day and evening.  Last might on my way home I stopped off and chatted to men that are renovating a house in the village.  They have done a really good job on the property and worked really quickly on it....They've got another twelve days or so on it so maybe they can help Bekir and Sally out with the wall....who knows.....LN...

Wednesday 10th June

Went through until six thirty this morning and it really couldn't decide it it wanted to rain or not so I was out to retrieve the washing.  Up to the bathroom with it and onto the airer and then it could please itself.  No breakfast this morning...I wasn't in the mood and then it was out to the garden firstly to burn the house rubbish and then to get rid of the branch and tree cuttings left over from the wall clearance.  

It's been a gardening day to day.  The damp warm weather has made the weeds spring up everywhere especially in the newly created gardens.  Most of the established ones have been cleared several times this year but the I headed for the rose and honeysuckle garden and really gave it a good going over.  The sun did come out briefly and I worked up a bit of a sweat but am still wearing a sweat shirt and not a t-shirt.  I hoed the vegetable garden and planted an old dead branch in the top garden as the sweet peas were starting to come through hence the dead branch to resemble pea sticks.  Unfortunately, haven't got any photos today as it really started to rain and it was just too damp out there to show anything at it's best.

A slight mishap in the kitchen tonight.  I'd peeled the potatoes to make chips to have with the cold chicken, went to pick up the chip pan and it tipped over and I lost about half a litre of oil on to the kitchen floor.  What a mess...I used up about three quarters of a kitchen roll clearing it up.  Unfortunately I only had about a fifth of a bottle of oil left in the bottle so I sort of made chips but they were more shallow fried.  And now it's really coming down but I've just been out to lock up the workshop and I have fireflies in the yard again.  They just make you jump when they suddenly flash.  So half nine for me....I want an early night tonight, it's a girls' day out in Kardjali tomorrow...I think it's a trip for the Beast.  LN....a little time with a new real book....it might draw me in...LN

Thursday 11th June

Now this really is going to be a quick update.  The thunder has been rattling around since round about two this afternoon and I want to get it done before we lose the electricity or I lose connection to the internet.

Six thirty start this morning and straight through and felt better for it.  Hair washed and showered and out with the girls today.  Switched the cars around as we were taking the Beast out for the day, sat and had coffee in the sun when they arrived and it was a tour of the garden to see what what new out there.  Of we set at about ten, up to town for just after ten thirty and Mrs D of S to sort out internet banking and the Librarian and myself into the shoe shop and then on to the cheapy clothes shop.  Bit of a joke really...I found a dress that I thought Mrs D or S would like and it was a bit like a mother buying for a daughter and my intuition was right.  She tried it on, perfect fit and purchased in quicksticks for little money.  I picked up a canvas handbag, a blue over top and a very fine cotton pink blouse for the princely sum of seven lev...

Kaufland for my hedge trimmers, almost bought a pair of sun loungers but the offer had finished despite the advertising material and they wanted twice the price so they were told in no uncertain terms where they could put them and it wasn't on the terrace.  The advertising was clear...just out of date....poor data management.  Lunch was hot dogs and chippies and three of us ate for seven lev...not bad for a snack.

Down to Lidl and hit the reduced bargain basement and topped up with potatoes and veg, back to mine for coffee and we sat and watched the storm brewing and it hasn't stopped since.  The heavens opened around four so no need to water the garden at all today.

Went over to see my Avatar to give her some apricots that were on offer at Lidl.  Her son was barbecuing some three month old calf and it was delicious with her home made bread.  I'd got chicken wings in the oven, I asked if there was any smoke from my roof and she insisted that I rushed back and so I took four out of the pan and returned and handed them over.  That's what I love about this village...it's give and take.

So now I'm going to wrap up ...the storm is coming back over the top...LN...nothing planned for tomorrow so if the weather is still like this it could be a sewing day...providing we still have electricity...anyway for now...LN

Friday 12th June

Woke up at six and noticed that the sun was up and shrouded in mist so obviously grabbed the camera and caught it.  As it broke through it was really pretty as a picture and almost looked stage set.  Washing in, washing out and felt that there might be a chance of rain later but it turned out to be a really good day.

Noticed this little black lizard on the terrace as I was going down to the bonfire and so again I had to get him.  The word skink came into my head and he really was a slow mover but perhaps he hadn't warmed up enough to run.  I Googled him and came out with a blue tongued skink but I really didn't get that close...not to check out the colour of his tongue.

Pottered in the garden and dug up the broome.  It has really suffered in the snow and a lot of the branches were doing nothing on the growing front and starting to turn yellow.I've pruned it severely and have managed to take several branches with hardwood and they're going in tomorrow to see if I can get some going.....and replanted the remains of the bush and it has two chances.  The roots looked alright ....we shall see.  Also edged the long flower bed and got rid of most of the weeds.  The couch grass is the worst...the roots go like wild fire and are a good match for the bindweed.  Tomorrow I have to finish it off, plant some more zinnias and marigolds and then I only have the frog garden to sort...this rain just makes it all go wild and if the weather is good and it dries it out....lawn needs doing again.

Over to my students and took the Beast and their kitchen is still in the throws of renovation but it should be fixed this weekend.  Home for ten thirty and I have to send them a message to say that I'm home safely but coming back through the forest was a little slow.  The road builders if I can call them that have taken the surface off a lot of it ready for the new asphalt and it's down to bare earth in places...but better that the flaming big potholes that knackered Beauty's suspension.  Off to bed....I have a new lot of books on the Kindle...le's see if I can get stuck into a series...LN...I'll keep you updated...LN

Saturday 13th June

Well it is the 13th and I've had a heck of a job trying to get his posted tonight...Let's hope this is a success or I shall scream and you'll probably hear me......

I missed the sunrise this morning...it was up before me and what a day it's been.  It's still twenty eight degrees tonight so it looks like being door open tonight on to the terrace.

Showered, shampooed by nine, I'm off to the send off ceremony today for Crava Mush's wife who died a month ago.  I was invited to the house along with the world and all its friends and when I look around there are a lot of old ladies who are probably asking themselves who's next.  I got my headscarf out and had it round my neck in a way that I can pull it onto my head in a backward headscarf...and it worked.  I arrived just after ten and we sat outside the house waiting for the hojja (or top prayer man) to arrive.  The three rooms were packed, two for the ladies and one for the hojja and the men and we all sat on the floor except for the odd few that managed to find a seat.  Now getting down is OK, getting up is OK but there comes a point where your bum goes numb and you try to squish around to get a little more comfortable and it hit me about an hour into the proceedings.  I'm getting used to these occasions but I was not with my usual gang so I didn't join in the chorus and wipe my face at the appropriate times.  You firstly get your drink of clove flavoured cherry juice which I must learn how to make, you get a serviette and just before they're going to wind up you get rice with meat or liver, a yogurt drink and a small cake.  The hojja then winds up again...a few more prayers...a lot of 'Amin's, we all stagger to our feet and home we trot normally clutching a bag of rice and stuff to take home.  I was handed two bags, refused them on my behalf but was ordered to take it to my Avatar who had got guests so hadn't made it.  I find it a very safe atmosphere to meditate in....lot of like minded people and being the only non-Muslim there...I feel very privileged that I'm accepted as one of them.  A few speak Bulgarian but mainly Turkish especially the older ones but I manage.

So home and stripped down to working gear and planted out a version of honeysuckle that I came back with last night from my students.  I tried to start the lawnmower but it was having none of it for a while.  I cleaned the filter, given up as a bad job, came inside and added some tonic to last night's wine and thought I'd give it one last try and it started.  Managed to do a few ups and downs and sideways and the blasted thing failed at the third hurdle.  Tomorrow's task is to strip it down unless I get a call that there is water in the pool at the Librarian's village and it will be down tools and diving in at the deep end.  The weather's supposed to be really good tomorrow.

No photos of this morning....it seems wrong to take them....but some of this afternoon in the garden.  Lovely evening and this is what summer should be and the starlings are going their aerial acrobatics and it amazes me how they avoid each other.  So, I'm about to see what I can find in the kitchen.....I know I have slices of salami type ham.  I'm off to be creative...LN

Interested to see you mention language - one of the nurses I met last week was Bulgarian , and said she had visited near Kardjali and found herself feeling a stranger  by the number of Turkish speakers. At least I know now how to say Kardjali  but I hope I spelled it right! Just checked - OK!

Sunday 14th June

Quite right Jean but it's normally the older folk in the villages that speak Turkish.  All official business is conducted in Bulgarian but there has been an influx of original Bulgarian families that moved to Turkey when the Bulgarians put pressure on them in the late eighties.  A lot of those receive a very good Turkish pension when they're in their fifties so are coming back to renovate village properties or their children are especially if they have been working abroad and earning good money.  I think it's more natural for them to speak Turkish but some of the locals do try to communicate with me in Bulgarian....but it leads to an interesting life at my age... ;)

Now one from last night that was too late for the posting.....

Sunday continued

What a productive day.  I had the intention of finding a swimming pool but it's finding one with some water in.  The weather has been so bad that nobody has filled them up yet but after the last couple of days where it seems to have settled down...many next weekend.

So having said that I went in search of jobs to do.  I was sorting out some of the winter clothes from the bathroom pull out drawers and took them into the bedroom.  Now you know that I get a small problem with one or two munchies that were in the beams before they were in my house so out with the brush and the gas fluid that's been recommended to me and I ended up painting the beams and I'm hoping it will sort out the problem once and for all.  Apparently though you have to do it each year but it didn't do my lungs any good so I'm hoping it will annihilate the beasties.  Having finished my bedroom I moved into the third bedroom, took down the hanging clothes rail and painted those beams.  It's made a mess of the bedroom, the bedding is sitting on the landing, the clothes are all over the beds, the floor needs cleaning now that I've been into the corners and I need some more furniture to finish off the bedroom.  My material is in an old green outside storage box that I acquired...it's time it went.

Having taken the water pipe down that the clothes hung from, the next job was to clear the old cement from it so that I can get it painted tomorrow so that it can go back up.  It was a quick job to get it up but now it will go up properly,  I've put one of my outside chairs from the corridor outside and it was good to sit in comfort out on the terrace.  I've also cut up the wood to make a leg rest/table to use with the outside chair so that I can stretch out and that will get done tomorrow.  

So just after eight my time....the men are back tomorrow to carry on with the wall so it's back to normal.  I'm going to have another go at the lawnmower tomorrow morning and if I can't get it to fire and stay going I'm going to take it into Kardjali for a service.  It is three years old and works its little socks off all summer so it deserves a holiday.  Meanwhile...the strimmer will have to earn its keep.  Not really in to food...it's too hot tonight.  Lunch was a huge slab of Brie with cheese biscuits and it seems to have wedged solid in the gut so I think I'll be fine until tomorrow.  LN....I have to sort out the downstairs bedroom, I'm moving in...LN

Monday 15th June

Well I didn't sleep downstairs last night I made my way to the guest room and managed there.  It's so nice I have a choice of bedrooms and vistas.  Five thirty start and walking downstairs I noticed that the sun was tying to sneak up on me so I grabbed the camera and got it bang to rights.  I sat out on the terrace with my coffee and viewed my surroundings and what a peaceful morning it was.  The birds were chirping away and I had nothing else to think about in my little world.

Out to pick up the men at seven thirty and switched the cars around so that I took Beauty.  The Beast remained in the lane, I wasn't sure if I had to fetch bags of cement or not.  As it happened, it the first job for tomorrow and I need another thirty meters of hose pipe so that they can get the water down to the wall and not have to mix it half way down the garden.  I suggested to Bekir that we got another workman in today to mix cement and carry stone down to where it's needed.  Emula was not in the offing but his brother was and what a good worker he is and he's back tomorrow.  I was out with the strimmer and cleared some of the high weeds at the bottom of the garden and came in once my battery was flat...well not mine but the one on the strimmer.  It's looking much better down there.

So what have they done!!  The trench is halfway dug and we have stone footings in place.  We're not entirely sure that we have enough to do the wall entirely of stone but we shall see.  There is lots around the garden and on the hillside so we might have to go looking for it.  It will be a shame to finish it off in breeze blocks...and it might be down to me to insist and I will.  Fortunately this afternoon the clouds came over and the temperature dropped.  It was up into the thirties around lunchtime but then the wind got up and it was pleasant apart from the fact that the thunder rumbled and the lightening struck out on the hillside.  I finished sanding down my clothes hanging pole and painted it ready to go back up...it's now sitting in the garage drying off.  More wall building tomorrow and I'm hoping that the cows are in for the night...there is no barbed wire between me and the hillside....On the way home though we did see Semile and I think Bekir suggested that he keeps his cows in tonight so that I'm not troubled by them....we shall see.

Chilled tonight with high clouds and tomorrow is supposed to be manageable....but I'd love to know what's happened to our summer...LN....I think I have found a new book series and I'll report back...LN.

Tuesday 16th June

Five start and the sun was up and then it was gone....and it was playing hide and seek,  Over to pick up the men and we were into Djebel for just after eight.  I stopped off for fuel, over to the cashpoint and forgot and put my expired card in and.....transaction refused...so used the right card and had money to get the cement that they were needing today.  I'd only got Beauty so it took two bags in the boot, stopped at the bakers and got breakfast for all of us with yogurt drinks and home for about eight thirty just as my third workman was arriving.  I think he was most surprised to breakfast provided...I think he's getting to like it here.  I'd forgotten to get bread while I was in Djebel so managed to stop the magazine and ended up in my Avatar's garden with another neighbour and spent a very happy half hour with them.

The men chugged on with the wall and I watched them for a while.  We came to the decision that there wasn't going to be enough stone for all of it so I want the bit that I see on the inside to be stone, the outside can be breeze block which matches the rest anyway.  Those blasted martins have been working hard to get their little homes established on the under eaves on the back of my house.  I was out there shooing them off but tomorrow we're going to hang a CD so it buggers up their flight and frightens them off.  Poor Bekir needs to go up on the roof armed with hammer and a couple of nails in case he drops one to get it dangling and there is no fnar...about it.  If it stops chirpy, chirpy cheep cheeps then I'm up for it.  My solution was to remove the stuff that they've started with, spray a cloth with fly spray and clean what they've built already....I'll know by tomorrow if that worked or not but the CD might just be the solution.

Thunder and lightening and torrential rain hit us about twelve thirty so rain stopped play for the men more or less.  I went into Djebel in the Beast to get another four bags of cement, over to the car shop and picked up clothes that are going to charity and delivered them to Gouldjan at the school.  More fuel for the Beast and I seem to have pushed out a lot of cash today.   Delivered Gouldjan home...now that school has finished and there is no school bus...she's grateful that we managed to get her home in quicksticks.  I made nardenitsa, onions and chili as a snack but I ate it with bread and I'm sure it will do me until morning...

Just had an outage...power went off and back on and I thought I'd lost the post....thank you Google Chrome...you saved it and restored it...I love you.

Rain stopped and men started, wall is cracking on and same again tomorrow with my third worker.  Dropped the men back and bought a couple of bottles of beer and one of them was for the travelling bottle that goes between Mrs D of S and myself...as it stands I'm two in credit.  Chewed the fat with her in the garden for a while...took the photos of the sunset as I drove back through the forest.  I love this country for its sunrises and sunsets and all in between.  Snacking on cheese biscuits with a little mastica....almost time for bed said Doogle....LN from my Magic Roundabout...

Wednesday 17th June

So the thunder is still thundering and the lightening still sending its conductors to earth and I won't be long on this update.

The morning started off well and it looked set to be a good day.I fetched the men and Bekir got in the breakfast from the van and I provided the coffee.  It got gradually warmer or rather hotter and the wall continued.  I got the strimmer out and got more of the bottom of the garden tamed until I ran of juice and so I started on the garden under my special tree, cleared the weeds and put in a couple of nasturtiums.  Off they went for lunch and at two it started.  It got black over Joe's mother so to speak, it looked like it was raining over Kardjali and then it hit us.  Torrential ran, thunder and lightening and hail....and so much for my vege garden.but looking it at it post downpour...not much has happened to it.

I got the coffee on the go and we sat in the garage until it got so cold that we moved into the workshop.  And it poured and it poured and I almost suggested that they start building an ark but it would have got lost in translation.  Avatar came round in a bit of a state.  The rain had forced its way through the roof tiles and she was waterlogged again.  She wanted Bekir and Sally to mend her roof...I think they have too much on but I've insisted that Bekir tells her that.

Men home...if it looks feasible then they will be here tomorrow otherwise we all have a day off.....Paid off my third worker ...I think he needed the cash and may I say he is worth paying...Even when the men can't work I shall be calling on him.  I had a good lunch so I'm on cheese and biscuits tonight, I've just put the boiler on and I'm going for a leisurely soak any time now...my feet are a disgrace having spend the day in the garden in shoes that I should know better than but they happened to be handy.  LN....I'm looking out and everything looks remarkably green but I wish it didn't when I'm trying to get a wall built...LN

Thursday 18th June

Well what a lovely day.  Slept well until six thirty and didn’t hear the mosque chanting out this morning and it’s the start of the no food and drink during the hours of daylight.  Some will try it, few will fail but they are normally the very young with conviction or the very old that are soon to be facing their maker.

Got my phone call from Bekir this morning to say that the weather was not good and so I decided that I didn’t want to pay for them standing around again.  I think in the UK we would multitask and look for the next job on the list…here it’s very much tunnelled vision.

With no men to worry about I phoned the Librarian to see if she wanted to come out to play.  My plan was Haskovo and the nursery and she was up for it.  She arrived just before ten and off we set, it was hissing down with rain and heavy mist on the way there but we went through all of the obstacles and arrived at the nursery …in a torrential downpour.  We were given a lady to go round with us that remembered us from the time before but I was left to my own devices when the rain really started to come down.  Bulgarians don’t do well in the rain…English don’t mine…it’s what we’re used to.  So bought lost of plants and shrubs mainly for planting along the new wall and I had a lovely time.  Absolutely soaked we carried on to our friend’s home that we hadn’t seen before in one of the villages along the route and had coffee with them.  Stopped off at a fish restaurant and we had carp, salad and cheesy chips with drinks for the grand total of twenty one lev…..approximately nine pounds…fantastic.

Back to Lidl in Kardjali, Djebel and home…Sorted out the plants and sent the Librarian on her way, unpacked the Beast and tomorrow I have lots of planting to do.  

We’ve had a lovely day despite the weather…men are with me tomorrow and I reckoned what I spent on my plants would have been the same for them sitting around for the day because of the weather….Bonus all round for me.  I’ve just had supper of spicy sausage cooked in the pan and eaten with bread…it will do for tonight.

So LN…I’m off to my bed to prepare for another day…LN..but it appears that my service provider has other plans…sorry if you’ve not been able to get in…I’ve been doing my stuff at this end…LN

Friday 19th June

Woke up at six but dog dozed and sprung to life at seven thirty realising that I had ten minutes to get washed, dressed and out for the men.  I was a little late...the road was fairly washed out now that they've stripped the asphalt off it with all the rain we've had and it was a mud slide down in the forest.  I was only about five minutes late but they were up for action and Bekir had filled his day yesterday with sheep work and Sally had done home work...It was too wet to be out in the fields.

Back home and opened up shop and it was on with the breeze blocks, no third worker today since there was a lot of 'bitsa' work and I think they wanted to start the next part of the wall on Monday.  If they'd have cleared the site today it would have been very open to the bovine beasties and as it was, I had a couple in when the men took lunch.  I got the strimmer on the go and cleared part of the grass until my battery ran out from plantain heads that bash on you legs as you walk down the garden.

Planted up the new lavender and the 'Bleeding Heart' from the ones that I got yesterday.  I'm a bit stuck with some of the others since they're going against the wall so they'll be fine for a week or so in the pots.  I did tackle the lilac bed and got rid of some of the poppies that were beginning to look very straggly and in their place I've put the new big daisy plant that should take over the bed nicely.  There's still some work to do on it but I've uncovered more zinnia, marigolds and hollyhocks and  they've now been re-sited...after they've spend all that effort growing, I have a hard job just getting rid of them.  As I was digging over the bed I came across some buried eggs.  They weren't very big but I haven't managed yet to find out what they are or rather were.  While I will save the souls of plants...I have no qualms about getting rid of what Bekir thought were snake eggs.   As the men were working down the bottom of the garden on the wall ...I stood and watched for a while and had a little chuckle to myself,  They were on the outside of the wall and first one popped his head up then disappeared, then the other.  Sometimes there were two of them and sometimes none and it rather reminded me of a Punch and Judy show and I kept waiting for the policeman to turn up or a butcher with a string of sausages...now that would be nice.  The concrete pillar went in to finish the corner of the wall and then they both started on pointing up the blocks on the long wall so that I can get some planting going.  I thought I'd have a go at it and did...very therapeutic.... but I wouldn't make a living at it.... ;)

Washed and changed, pen home and over to my student's parents house for supper.  Lovely evening with the family working in three languages and all learning a few words of the other.  The elder sister is an enthusiastic listener and wants translation of everything.  She didn't eat with us, she's doing her daily fasting so we watched for the light on the mosque to signify that she could now sit down to supper but can't eat after three ten tomorrow morning.  She gave me a chart with all the details and the prayer times...I'll be sticking to that then....

So home...a lovely drive through the forest and there isn't a cloud in sight...stars out, fireflies out and soon it will be lights out.  Nothing planned for tomorrow...rain is forecast but they've been wrong before and I'll just have to wait and see.  I'm putting plants in so it's as well really.  LN...my bed is calling...LN

Saturday 20the June

Such a gentle morning.  I was still awake at six thirty but I had nothing to get up for and even the coffee didn't drag me out until seven thirty.  It was a lovely morning and it looked like it might be another hot one and it was until the clouds started to role over at about two this afternoon.  Went out on the balcony and noticed that the cows were coming over the hill and it made me smile knowing that the fence was doing its stuff.  They were going along at a gentle pace when suddenly I noticed one going hell for leather and realised that it was being chased by Jaylan's horse.  The horse raced down to the lake and suddenly the rest of the cow in front were off and there were shouts from the ones leading the sheep down to the man who was heading the cows up to stop the cows careering down the hillside to the new Greek road, totally the opposite direction than they were being driven.  He eventually turned them and now they were running in the opposite direction and nobody had opened the gate to where they were supposed to be going.  More activity ensued and the horse was moved away from he herd and told to go home but it just stood there wondering what all the fuss was about.  Meanwhile there were more verbal exchanges as the sheep farmer who also owns the cows was viewing this from the top of the hill as he brought the sheep out,  Fun and games at OK Corral,  As all this was taking place the stork flew overhead and I managed to catch it.

So I was out with my strimmer by eight and used it until the battery ran out again and cleared another third of the lawn,  It was very wet underfoot and not from the rain but from a heavy dew and it was hard going for the strimmer and the bits were flying everywhere and sticking.  Breakfast was fried tomatoes on toast and that's the first time this year.  Got a load of washing in and pegged it out and decided that the cucumbers needed a cage so that they didn't loll everywhere so out with the wood, nails and measuring stick and constructed the frame for it.  Finished it off by lashing heavy duty string round it held in place by hasps.  It looks to be working well.  

Next job was to try and get the mower working but it failed to start so after lunch I looked for the engine manual and managed to find it and the intention was to take the machine into the garage but I managed to find a telephone number for a service centre in Kardjali.  By this time the battery had recharged so I did some more of the lawn and then went to Djebel taking the manual with me and asked my student's mum if she would phone the service centre for me to find out where they were but the telephone was dead and 'nobody home'.  I sat with her for a while and yet again she's suffering from the pollen and sneezing her little head off, I borrowed a tool to remove the plug from the mower, over to the cash machine, chicken and jacket in for supper, watched the tennis until rain stopped play and fell asleep watching Gardener's World.  I think it's down to the early morning starts and it won't be long before I'm tucked up tonight.  

Nothing on the agenda so far.  If the weather is good I might head over to the Librarian's village for a swim at the local hotel or maybe work on the mower, get the spark plug out of it and get that sorted.  LN...I'm heading for bed...LN

Sunday 21st June

This could be a quick update...the electricity has only just come back on and it might just be one of those nights.  There was a bit of a panic since it had got so cold this afternoon that I lit the wood burner but when the power went off I had to transfer to logs to the little burner in the kitchen and it's fire irons and a metal bowl and I always dread doing it but anyway....it all worked out OK.  As it stands it can finish off in the kitchen, I'm not moving it back in case it goes off again...it would be just my luck.

So what an eventful night last night.  I was awakened at about three thirty this morning by drums banging and people shouting and I wondered what the heck was going on.  There was no fire engine or police car in sight so I thought someone was having a heck of a party and wondered where my invitation was and went back to bed.  I managed to get off again but was up at six thirty, saw a little pink in the sky but apart from that it looked pretty drab.  At ten I thought it was about time that I did something so another battery of the strimmer was emptied and back on charge to finish the top of the lawn.  I went and go the scythe from the workshop and attacked the bottom of the garden but it was all too wet, tried a bonfire to get rid of the cement bags and that wasn't really successful so I settled for sorting out the tomatoes that had put on so much unnecessary growth that I ended up being very ruthless with them.  They look rather like the sheep in spring when a blunt knife's been used.  A few tomatoes have set and this should give them more of a fighting chance and then I hoisted the cucumbers onto the supports and I have one that I plucked today of a decent size and three others that just need to fill out a bit.  It's such a pity that I don't like them but the men will eat them.

Suddenly the clouds came over and the wind built up into a raging gale so I battened down anything that needed it, put my toys away and came in and it was then that I lit the fire.  I made a coffee and sat reading my gardening books that tell me where I'm going wrong and decided that the television and the Andy Murray final from Queens was quite a good bet and it was going well but Filmon froze on the last point of the last set played and then the power went off and it was action stations with the wood burner.

Just had a shower in daylight just incase it didn't come on and I can now get the hairdryer going so that I don't go to bed with wet hair.  Cold chicken for supper but I've not done so bad today...my breakfast was bacon, fried potato left over from last night with an egg...Sunday treat but there again everyday could be a Sunday for me.  Men in the morning and down to the materials yard to pay the last bill and order more breeze blocks and cement and it's the big push to get the bottom done, stone faced and capped.  LN...I've managed it and keeping fingers crossed while I post the photos...LN

Monday 22nd June

So that bloody tin tray was out again at three thirty this morning telling my Muslim friends that they better get their breakfasts quick before the sun comes up...I'm going down to Semile's house in the morning at two thirty and to tell him that the party was great and I won't be eating for a few days....I've never had this before but apparently they are getting paid for doing the banging of the whatever it is they bank...I am tempted to go go out in the morning to capture it on video.

Eventually back to sleep again and woke up at just before seven.  The sun had beaten me but it was closely followed by mist and I set off in fog to pick up the men.  Firstly into Djebel though and the cash points were so busy that it delayed me by five minutes or so but I wasn't too late.  Down to the materials yard and paid my last bill and the men were so impressed that I calculated it straight to the stotinki...well Sally was impressed any way.  Into the office and ordered the cement, on to the shop and picked up enough of the coffee for the men and into the cafe for free coffee.  Comes of being a good customer.

Home and the third was waiting by the well at the top of the village and I picked him up and out we got to set them to today's task.  We are half the way along the short wall and the canal had to be dug and we are at the stage that the stone can be laid.  I had a brilliant day in the garden.  The lilac bed was full of weeds and now it's weed free.  The poppies had hidden te bindweed...no poopies so the bindweed had to go along with all the other weeds.  Planted it up with zinnia from the bottom stash and others from the market garden and it's looking good.

Got the bonfire going eventually and it's still chugging along now...Men home, no barbed wire on the perimeter fence tonight so I pity the poor buggers that get in...The shotgun is primed.  Came home and strimmed until I ran out of battery...I really must get the biggie out to see if I can manage it.  Fish fingers and chippies for supper with mayo and tomato sauce and suffice to say I'm stuffed and ready for bed and my three thirty alarm call....LN....it's been a good day...LN

Tuesday 23th June

So the banging of the drum to signify that breakfast was over at 3.30 this morning was obviously not given to the village inebriate...it was a much quieter event but unfortunately I still woke up at four this morning and ended up playing with my DS until five and then spent the next couple of hours trying to sleep but still be awake to pick up the men.  Six fifty start and walked the garden with my morning cup of coffee and then out on time.

Back with the men but realised that when counting out their wages for last week that I was twenty lev short because I paid for the cement yesterday.  Ordered some sand and gravel and gave Bekir the money to pay for it and into the Beast and over to the cash machine.  I do not like any debt hanging over me.  Into the garage shop and laughed and joked with my student and his mother and mentioned to the father that I'd come in the Beast to see if he could take it for a test drive.  He was about to but then pressure of work and he gave me the advice to lay off the accellerator if I thought that it was having a problem changing up and to reapply and that should correct the issue.  It's all to do with horses under the bonnet so to speak..

Men still working on the wall and I was out there with the strimmer and my new machine for trimming bushes ...fnagh, fnagh.  It did a good job and the trimmings went on to the bonfire that is still going tonight.  The third workman is really good and despite the sun today ...he kept at it.  Hot today....Bekir took his afternoon nap and I sat with Sally and chewed over the fat....Sally has soul....

So men home...I have three again tomorrow so that they can get the breeze blocks up and then we are on to the stone facing of the breeze block wall with a concrete topping.  After that there is other work but the last side of the wall won't be completed in this session.....it is too hot to be wall building at this time of year despite the fact that it's not like normal years.  

Dropped the men off and went to see Ms D or S since it's on my way home.  It's nice to have a conversation in English where you don't have to think about converting it into another language.  The sun on the way home through the forest was fantastic and I managed to catch the last rays....and out in the garden tonight my fire was still going so I stayed and took a few photos of my garden and sky at night.  The mosque kicked off as did the dogs joined in with the chorus...there's something magic about this place in the world...LN

Wednesday 24th June

Well I slept through the Ramazan 'put the food away' reminder and made my way into the world at ten to seven.  I took my coffee out to the garden and just enjoyed the morning, the morning was gentle and there was warmth in the sun for once.  I gave myself ten minutes to get washed, dressed and out to the car and off I set to fetch the men,  They were ready and it was the normal greeting of 'Dober sutrine from Sally and his normal response of so-so when I asked him how he was.  I said that if he told me that he was fantastic then I would probably have a heart attack...I just wouldn't be expecting it.

Straight into the wall building with the third man delivering stone, mixing the cement and supporting the men,  I supported them all with coffee and I had a couple of visitors this morning who are pensioners moving back to the village from Turkey.  They were some of the ones who left as part of the exodus but are coming back to renovate old family properties.  

This morning I started sorting out the third bedroom and decided that the old bathroom shelf was destined for downstairs and I'm making it into a proper sewing table with a sliding basket to take all the bits.  Bekir did come to my aid with the electric drill to take the screws out while I knocked seven bells out of it to remove the nails.  This afternoon I cut up the wood to make the other legs and supports for the top and Friday is the day for planing the wood....I need to make it better than it was before.  Work continued on the wall and by the end of the day we are there with the breeze blocks.  Tomorrow it's getting the stone down to the bottom of the garden and the frontage doing but at least it is cow and sheep proof...the bovine bastards are out...yeah....and then its the concrete lid to go on it and then it's down to me to make it look as I want it.  

Men home....I went into the shop in their village and bought a bottle of Ariana and as I saw the local boys buying choc ices...it had to be done.  Lovely drive home, got in just before seven, watered the garden and turned round and notice the sunset...it was beautiful.  LN....supper was a half tin of beef pate and toast...it fitted the bill tonight...LN

Thursday 25th June

Woke up this morning by torrential rain and wondered whether it would clear up for the fetching the men and going shopping today.  As the morning wore it, it stopped and cleared up so there was no question of heading out.  They're chugging on well with the wall...another couple of weeks should sort it out and then back to the list to see what's next.

On the way back with the men ensconced, the Librarian was sitting in the pick up point for Ms D or S....and it we'd have worked it properly she could have saved me the journey....as it happened I was home and sorting out the tray for the men for the day....coffee, kettle outside and clean cups for them to help themselves.  

My guest arrived at nine and we sat out in the garden drinking and we commented that we were all wearing cardigans....the staple of the English (and Welsh) where there is a chill in the air...The men cracked on with the wall and by nine thirty we were off to the city for the day each with out shopping lists and mine only consisted of Domestos bleach and nail varnish remover where others had different agendas...like Sim cards, bank cards and internet banking.  All were successful.

I found a couple of mower repair places and I'm taking mine in either this week for next for a full service....I think it's something to do with air getting into the system so the fuel isn't delivered correctly but we'll see what the man says.  Lunch was pita wraps with loads of stuff inside and we all had trouble finishing them but we managed.  I think it was the messiest thing that I've ever eaten with the combination of yogurt dressing and chili sauce....delicious but you don't normally tackle it in company.  Bought some mole deterrent tablets to get rid of the mounds that currently make my excuse for a lawn like a mine field and the girl said that you had to be sure that you handled the tablets with plastic gloves on..they must be highly toxic and I hope so.  .Found some more plants for the garden namely a jasmine and then over to Kaufland to see if they were giving anything away which they weren't and finally on to Lidl with equally poor bargains.  

Home for three more or less and again out with the tea and coffee and they left roundabout four.  I went down to the garden to see how the men were getting along and they are working well on the cement capping for the wall while the third man has had a good day delivering the stone from the original excavations to the new wall for the stone facing which will then be capped to match the rest of it.  It was hot today and the cardies came off around lunch time but the men were able to work in the shade so not so bad for them apart from the one pushing the wheelbarrow.

Home  they are....home I am....cheese and biscuits for supper since that pita wrap was a biggie...Lovely skies tonight over Greece with high building clouds and at one point it looked like the start of a rainbow which didn't amount to anything.  The temperature is dropping tonight so it's time to shut up shop.  Tomorrow is a woodworking day I think.  I moved the sewing bench down and need to reassemble and put it back upstairs to regain a sense of organisation.  LN....I'm back to Filmon...they're might be something that interests me...LN

Friday 26th June

So I was awake this morning waiting for our little lady to pop her head over the mountains and she didn't disappoint.  YUp she came at the allotted hour and it would have been totally wrong not to have the camera handy...  There was lots of mist on the mountains but the sun itself came up with no shadows at all...Marvellous morning.

Over for the men and Emula caught me in the garden and decided that he wanted to come with me to pick up the men from their village.  They were really surprised to see him and so was his brother who has been working for the  week as we pulled up in Beauty.  I stopped the mobile shop and we purchased breakfast and it was a real coffee morning this morning,  Five of us sitting down to foodstuffs from the mobile shop my coffee,,,

Wall building and cement mixing was the order of the day and I was digging out a new flower bed and putting stone round one of the others which met with derision from Bekir and so much so that I left it to find other work and I'll finish it when he's not here.  He did explain that it was my work and it should be as I want it but by that time....I'd moved on to pastures green or greener with all this rain.

So the next high light of my day was the road technic man appearing in my garden and asking me what had happened about the bus shelter.  Yesterday I'd had a conversation in French may I add and thank you Grammar School...Mr Draper and Miss Andrews for that...insomuch that I remember it after all these years.  The' technic' had come back to me asking me what had been decided about the bus-stop.  I've spoken to the local Kmet..(mayor) five times now and gone to the municipality to no avail...Everybody turns their heads sideways to I told the technic man this.  He tried to phone the Kmet for a resolution but nothing so they carried on anyway, and I have a fully functioning wall.  The bagger machine pulled the bus shelter forward so that it was no longer resting on my wall and then the digger machine man I think got a little carried away...and it's a level playing field for tomorrow...I'm really not sure that he needed to flatten the bus shelter and my joke about being like a flat-pack piece of furniture went out into the ether....so one really understood so I left it.

Gouldjan came round at about five thirty and we chatted until it was time to get the men home.  I've invited her and her boyfriend for supper on Sunday and again....how did that happen.  I paid the third man who informed me that he's off to Belgium for three days on Monday so my men are flying solo so to speak.....He's up for work after that but by which time there will be little cement work to do....took the men home, my Avatar stopped me and gave me some pancakes that I brought in, warmed up and had with lemon and sugar for a snack while I was waiting for chicken wings to cook...Served up with mayo, after a little honey dressing...delicious.

Boiler on and about to rest my weary bones in the bath tub...I'm gong to say LN...I've enjoyed today...LN

Saturday 27th June

Late night bath last night and ended up reading for an hour or so and as I was just nodding off those noisy revellers that purport to be awakening everyone so that they can get the first meal of the day over by three thirty am were bashing out the beat on a drum.  I don't think it is going to head me in their direction especially when they put the knife, fork or spoon down they aren't allowed to lift any of them up until nine ten the following night.  No water is allowed and I found out that Sally's wife and Bekir's wife are also sticking to the rules.

The sun actually beat me this morning but not that it stayed around much today and there was a chill in the wind.  The martins were out and I tried to get some shots of them but they move pretty swiftly so to speak.  I was out in the garden and planted up the new bed that I made yesterday and lumped more stone round and put it in place but I'm not happy with it.  I'm going to take it up and do it again when I have the strength to lift some of the blocks.  I've got a good technique for getting it towards where I want it by rolling it using my Bulgarian gardening tool but it's still hard work.  Did more strimming until the battery ran out again and had the intention of recharging and heading out there again but instead I watched the Eastbourne women's tennis, went down and lit the fire since I felt chilled to the bone then nodded off until sevenish and felt much better for it.

So it's turned into a lovely evening, the wind has dropped and I think it's back out into the garden to try to get that stone looking the way that I want it and I really must get out tonight and water those that I planted earlier...LN...down to the kitchen to be creative, topped the fire up and find a little drink....LN

Saturday continued

Managed to catch the sunset or what was left of it after I'd watered the garden and one of my new hollyhocks against the front wall...LN

Sunday 28th June

Awake just before the sunrise this morning and had to go out and capture it on camera including upstairs and shots from the little house terrace.  Having said that, I went back to bed for a while taking my coffee with me and eventually emerged at eight.  Out with the strimmer since the grass is still too wet to cut with the mower and managed to do the top section of the lawn before shut down.  I have my original student and her boyfriend over tonight for supper and I thought it best if I gave the house a going over and in all, hoovering through and washing over the floors it was still only half twelve and by this time the battery for the strimmer had recharged so I was out there again.  Dug over the old window flower beds and planted up tobacco plants that have rooted on the paths.  New homes in different parts of the garden.    

Shower and shampoo and by this time the heavens had opened and it was chucking it down.  We'd had thunder rumbling around most of the morning but by the time I got into Djebel in Beauty, it was a beautiful day again and the pavements had already dried out.  Into the first supermarket and got a few things then down to the second one and picked up the rest.  The fruit and vegetables always seem fresher in the second one.  Home for four and set about preparing supper.  I picked four cucumbers and dug up four beetroot and considering that I only play at the veggies and prefer flowers and shrubs, I was quite chuffed with my efforts.  Everything went to plan, they were supposed to arrive at seven and it was more like seven twenty when they got here and I was reminded that this is the Bulgarian way.  I reiterated that they were now on English territory and that if I'd had a dog...that's where they would have found their supper.  As it was, the garlic bread was just at the finishing point so there was no problem.  They came bearing gifts of eclairs from Turkey and a pot of yogurt so they can come again.

So the rain has set in for the night...time for bed...men to be picked up in the morning, weather permitting that is...I must check out the internet.  A little more wine as a nightcap and on that note...LN

Monday 29th June

So this morning I could see nothing of the mountains and it was fog all the way to Greece.  I was cat napping from five thirty to six thirty and had a strange dream about two black squirrels and they were obviously squirrels by the tails.  I need a good analyst or a book of dreams but the only one I know of is in Turkish at my Avatar's house and try translating that one.....not an easy task.

Out to the terrace for my morning coffee and it had begun to lift a little.  Got dressed and ready for the world for seven forty, out to Beauty and picked up the men on time.  Bekir was carrying a box with an homing pigeon in it and the intention was to let it fly off at elevenish to see if it makes it home...we shall see.  They were straight at the wall....I cooked a bacon sandwich for breakfast and felt much better for it and was reminded that I hadn't delivered coffee since I was faffing around redistributing plants that are growing where they shouldn't.  The pigeon was released so watch this space, coffee delivered at ten thirty and there has been a succession of different cups all day, .  Because they are working at the bottom of the garden I get different cups for them and some come up and I believe some of them could still be down the garden...I'll do a full reckie in the morning.

So what did I get up to?  I looked at the bottom of the tea tree and realised that the succours had taken over so got my new billie bean machine out and took it back to ground level more or less.  It then struck me how the metal on the table and benches in that area had never been painted so I was out with the wood preservative and then went for a pain brush and realised that they'd been used for other purposes and there weren't any left apart from one fat one that would do the first part of the task but not the second.

Into the Beast...there was a demand for more cement and picked up my paint brushes at the same time.  Went down to see the windows man that Mrs A or S has selected and asked him why he hadn't been down to quote for the job...embarrassed was he and I managed to get a new date and time out of him and the details have been forwarded.  

Painted the metal on my wall seating and it's looking good.  I also got some marigolds and put them in troughs to make the area pretty...aaahhh.  Horrendous rain at five of the clock and the men rushed in to the workshop.  Bekir reckoned that it would be all over by five thirty and we sort of took bets on it but he was more or less correct...a few minutes either way.  They went back to the wall to use up the rest of the cement so that it didn't get ruined overnight...Lit a fire before I left, men home and now it's back to chucking it down so I shall have a foggy journey in the morning if I have a journey at all.  I'll check out the forecast for tomorrow...it's no use paying them to sit around if there is more rain than sunshine.  

Turned on Filemon for my usual programmes and realised that Wimbledon is going to supercede everything that is normal.  Finished off the rest of the chicken wings from last night and a few of the roasted veg followed by melon but I think the rest needs to be made into a soup.   Just topped up the fire...it's not cold...it's comforting and I'm going to say LN...I can hear the fire crackling and it might be time to throw another log on it...LN

Tuesday 30th June

What a ridiculous sleepless night.  I fell asleep in front of the computer and woke up to a television programme that I enjoyed in the UK and off I went to bed at about one thirty to be awoken at two by some local with a tin tray or drum waking up my neighbours as part of the local religious celebrations.  They were about to eat breakfast.  So tried to go back to sleep and it was a no-no.  I managed to dog doze and at six I was wide awake and brimming with enthusiasm...for a little more sleep and it was just after seven thirty when I came to with a vengeance....I had ten minutes to get out to pick up the men...and I made it.

Men back and wall building...I plucked another couple of my cucumbers and I only wished I like them.  I got the woodworking tools out and demolished the old bathroom table for good with a few swift bashes with the hammer.  The electric plane came out and I cleaned up the legs that I'd cut and unfortunately I had to provide a couple of new ones...The legs from the old one was too short and Bekir was denying all knowledge and blaming Sally.  Me thinks he protesteth too much.  Set to with the sun-lounger extensions and  again planed the legs and cross pieces but the joining of the parts will only happen tomorrow.

Thunder has been rattling around all day and I decided to strim the bottom of the garden...well not quite the bottom but the centre panel.  There are a lot of brown stalked things growing on the grass and I hate them.  Every time I walk down to deliver coffee to the men they bang against my legs so I reduced them considerably with one strim.....tomorrow there will be others...they have to go.  Tidied up the garage that had been my workplace for today and bagged up the shavings.  Strimmer battery again on charge ready for tomorrow but we'll see what the weather brings.  It's destined to be thunderstorms as is Thursday...what is this weather ...it's almost July.

Men home and decided to stop of at Ms D of S to take coffee and generally chew over the fat.  Lovely drive home via Djebel to make sure that I had enough fuel to pick up and deliver the men tomorrow...Lovely sunset and we haven't seen many of those lately...I managed to get home to capture some of it and realised that we also have a full moon.  Supper was the remains of Sunday night's food fried off and it was delicious.  I've never had beetroot that way before but it gives a beautiful colour to anything that it comes into contact with and it's mine...  I grew it from seed,  

I've set my alarm to be out there with my tin tray and wooden spoon at one this morning...(Joke)...but I'd love to and now I'm preparing for bed to get a few hours in before they start calling everyone to breakfast...LN....I'll update you tomorrow...LN