Sunday 1st April

Another early start and late arising...well it is Easter Sunday.  I didn't bother with breakfast we were in for a fairly hefty lunch but I had a few things to do before I left.  I'd bought a selection of goodies yesterday for my ladies...it's my celebration so as they include me in all of theirs it was showtime with the eggs.  So they each had three fondant eggs with three fondant nests and a packet of chocolate eggs and a card.  Now my three ladies have now become four again even though one has left to live in Germany with her family and I made up a couple of 'others' just in case they had visitors from the village.  I'd primed myself to be shampooed  and showered for ten thirty so complete with goody bags I set off for Haciber's house and outside there were propped up three walking sticks and the appropriate number of little black shoes.  Haciber came to the door and I confirmed that two of the other ladies were visiting so I went back to the Beast and procured the appropriate number of goody bags.  There was one more so one of the standby packages was delivered leaving me with one standby and one original for lower down the village.  The ladies all came to the door and it was kisses all round but by this time the wind had got up and the rain was lashing so I didn't linger long on the door step.  So down to the bottom to deliver the last two and off I set for Mrs D of S's with their gifts and also one for the Librarian.

I arrived by eleven and both of them had had a pretty rough night with the startings of a cold. The parcel was opened, the head was bitten off the chocolate bear and it set the tone for the day. We remembered the high chair since this restaurant doesn't have one for the little one and I sat in the back with the little one to save changing over the car seat...it was throwing it down with rain.  We arrived on time for the Librarian who was waiting in the next village in her car, loaded up and off to the restaurant.  We weren't sure if it was going to be open and it was good that we were early before the rush started....it was heaving.

The food was up to it's normal standard, the little one ate well, drank most of her mother's Fanta lemon and her face was a picture.  Unfortunately there was no ice-cream for her to finish on and again the heavens opened as we left the restaurant.  It was sad to see the swimming pool empty but come the summer....I'm sure we'll be back to the infinity pool.  Librarian back to her car, the three of us back to Mrs. D of S's for a coffee, more chocolate for the little one (well it is Easter) and I set off for home at three thirty.  Home for four, head down for a short while, fire lit, no need for supper since lunch was substantial and I think it might be Game of Thrones tonight.  The wind has at last died down and the clouds are hanging there.  The forsythia is out and there are five bushes cheering up the garden.  Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow apart from thinking about packing for Istanbul and doing a little research on the internet since most of the commentary of the city tour will be in Bulgarian.  LN....Better get a wiggle on....LN

Monday 2nd April

I managed to wake up before the sun this morning but it's been the normal activity from the sun swinging across the sky, sometimes visible and at others obscured by clouds but for me it's been a very lazy day.  I've had my Bank Holiday Monday working to the UK calendar.  I was doing OK until eleven, breakfast of poached eggs on toast, I cleared out the fridge,  emptied the rubbish bins with the intention of having a bonfire but they say that the way to the devil is paved with good intention and after today I think I'm on my way. The washing is waiting by the machine and my day has been used up, and I mean used up, by watching Game of Thrones, reading, Sudoku and anything that didn't entail work.  I did managed to start the fire and get enough logs in to keep the home fires burning from three onwards....the clouds came over, it got cold and why suffer...I've got enough wood.

Supper is over...I had a chicken leg left over from last night and that sufficed with a slice of bread.  Not gourmet but adequate....I'm not exactly going to starve.  So as for pickies...just one of this morning and one of tonight.  I just love the way the sun is shining on the forsythia making it really vivid.  I love the views of the evening sun on the mountains...such a variety of colours.  Nothing set in stone for tomorrow....I'll see how the day takes me.  LN...Off onto the evening...LN

Tuesday 3rd April

So Monday night is my night on TV Catch-up. It's all about brain stretching...Tipping Point, The Chase, Egg Heads, Connect and University Challenge and to round it off we had a double shot of Dave Allen....What a character he was and what a shame that he went so early to the other side and I don't me BBC1.  And how civilised that the children from both marriages spoke highly of him.

Straight to the land of nod and this morning it was in my brain to find out how much they would charge me for leaving the Beast In Kardjali bus station car-park when we went to Istanbul.  I ws in the car by nine thirty and decided to try the back lane with fingers crossed.  We've had some pretty wet weather.  Heading to the next village I noticed that my painter was working in his garden and mentioned that he'd been round to the garden when I was out.  He always leaves the top fastener off but puts the inside hasp over just to let me know that he's been.   He confirmed his visit and said that he wanted to look at the garden but while I had his attention I've asked him to bring his strimmer, or to use my big one, and take down the clumps of clover that are sprouting up every where and he said that he would.  

The back lane was very wet but I managed it OK without having to drop into 4x4.  First stop the bus station car park and before I questioned the price I went in to see the travel company to ask if it was possible to leave from Djebel not Kardjali to save having to leave the Beast lingering for three days.  She changed the booking but then mentioned that in would be going at five and I didn't understand since it was originally going at four in the morning from Kardjali...and so the 'thot plickened'.  The tour was now going on the fifth not the sixth and it would be leaving Djebel bus station at ten thirty and travelling overnight which means that we get longer in Istanbul...great.  I'm so pleased I went in...they don't speak English and I' not sure I would have understood all the changes...anyway...sorted.  Over to the leva shop and picked up a few items including a pair of pyjamas, over to one of the cheapy clothes shop with a Tuesday bargain day and I got a denim jacket, a spring lightweight ski jacket and a long sleeve t-shirt all for seven lev.  Bargain...rude not to.  Kaufland and found a metal and wooden bench on offer and filled up with goodies to take to Turkey with us as pickings if we get peckish.

Home for one, unpacked the car, got the clothes washed and out on the line, had a bonfire and did a little digging in the large flower bed.  I also took my strimmer apart thinking that the problem that I was having with the batteries could be something to do with the connections to the battery.  Put it back together again and found the problem was with me.  There is a switch in the guest room that isolates the outside sockets...and it needs to be moved to the 'on' position for it to work.  I'd turned it off for the winter and not turned it back on again...doh.  I now have both batteries charging and weather permitting will be active with the strimmers tomorrow... ;) ;)

Packing to be sorted tomorrow and chargers for camera batteries, etc put ready.  I bought a little travel kettle from the leva shop today so now have to think about cups, coffee and tea-bags....I'm going prepared this time.  Beautiful evening and it's been a beautiful day.  Really warm in the sun but there was a chill to the wind.  The bonfire is still going, the clothes are in and finishing off...I've had a productive day.  LN...Nice feeling when things come together...LN

Wednesday 4th April

Late to bed last night and late out of bed this morning....no one to complain about it except me....and I didn't.  I had a meander morning....my clothes are ready to get into for the trip to Istanbul, I sorted out money and passport, make-up and soaps and 'things'.  I really should keep all this ready with my gadding about. I went out on to the terrace and watched the day unfold and took several pictures of what I though was a bird but loading it on to the PC tonight it was nothing but a clump of leaves but it had a lovely call.

Breakfast was really late but I made scrambled eggs and sat in the sun with yet another coffee.  The intention was good but the execution was weak.  I somehow found myself watching the opening ceremony to the Commonwealth games, ate a packet of chocolate peanuts but at three thirty guilt overtook me and I headed out into the sun and started work.  Both strimmer batteries were fully charged so  I started on the grass between the front wall and the house and ended up digging out the weeds from round the plants and making a job of it.  I worked my way along the wall to the grave garden, cleared the chickweed of which there is lots from the bed with the tulips and at least they can now breathe.  I need to dig the roots out but for the time being it looks fairly clear.  I took the wheelbarrow down the garden and started a bonfire with the wild plum trimmings to free up the wheelbarrow and took it back up the garden and loaded it up with the rubbish I'd removed from the beds.   So as one battery was used up, I started on the next and continued strimming the grave garden and over towards the big bed against the wall and carried on until that battery died on me as well.

I came in at just after seven thirty and it's been a good day. It's not what I intended doing but I should sleep well tonight...I forewent my usual afternoon nap thanks to the TV coverage of the start of the games.  Tools away...the doors and windows have been open all day and the weather sure makes a difference.  I missed sunset tonight...too busy strimming but loved the sky tonight...gentle not harsh at all. Sleeping on a coach tomorrow so packing lots of nibbles.  LN...Wish me luck....LN

Thursday 5th April

So I've just had a phone call from the tour company to confirm that the bus goes at ten thirty tonight from Djebel...that's service for you.  

As for the rest of the day....the strimming will have to wait but I have emptied the wheelbarrow and tidied away my toys.  A good breakfast of poached eggs so I'm stocking up on calories before I just in case there isn't anything I like or I run out of money....it depends on my time round the bazaars... ;) ;)

Just showered and shampooed and a bit of a shock when I came to dry my hair...sparks shot out of the plug but the rest of the electrics seem to be OK....I've combed it through and it's in a pigtail...it can dry in its own time.  It's my own fault...I was looking at the dryer the other day and trying to remember when I bought it and how old it was....and as is the case...there is always failure pretty soon afterwards.  I should have told the memory to go away..

The Librarian arrived early afternoon and we sat out in the sun and watched a bloody big brown bird on the hillside.  I took photos so I'll share them with you...it was a long way away and it was difficult to find it because of the sunlight...anyway...think it's an eagle by the looks of things...must look out for it again if it thinks this is home.  Lunch was tuna mayo with the full trimmings and that should do me until later this evening.  We''probably pick up something in Djebel.

Wish me luck..  LN...Istanbul here we come....  LN

Friday 6th April

So last night we set off at nine, I parked the car in my student's parents lane so that it would be safe from prying eyes.  We wheeled the suitcases to the local restaurant, settled for orange, water and a plate of chips between and got down to the bus station by ten waiting for anyone else to turn up...and they did.  I#d worked out a plan with the Librarian...I'll handle the cases and you get on and bag the front seats and we were foiled in the attempt,,,it was a minibus which was to take us to Haskovo and on to the coach down from Sofia and the front seat was already 'bagged'.  We found other seats towards the back of the bus and were charged with 'being in someone else's seat' and unbeknown to us, each person had been allocated seats.  We received our seat confirmation, that was already occupied and the couple wanted to stay there....they were the seats directly behind the back door coach exit.  I simply said that we wanted them, we'd been moved once and wanted the ones we were allocated and with heavy hearts and some black looks....the couple vacated and we took up our allotted seats.  Splendid.  The journey went well but it was a long old slog crossing the border into Turkey.  Only one position working and it reminded me of a day in Lidl where they have the checkouts but only one is in operation.  Eventually we cleared the border by seven thirty and joined the rush hour traffic into Istanbul.

I'd had several 'nod offs' on the journey down and the rest of the way into Istanbul proved the same. We dropped off the Sofia travellers at their hotel and we stayed on the coach having a full conducted tour. We'd gained drivers and guides, lost a few on the way but all in all we saw lots of the sights.  Eventually some of the older ones on the tour started complaining and the guide took it upon himself to appease the be-moaners and change the programme.  I'm not sure how this is going to impact us tomorrow...we've booked a boat trip on the Bosporus  and might miss out on some of the sights so I've got to be on my guard tomorrow.  Old and infirms shouldn't be allowed out....out.  As we waited for a decision to be made we noticed that the sun had a halo round it and yours truly suggested to the Librarian that it might be a portent of the end of the world as we know it....and it was going to be one of the first things I looked up when we were connected to the internet at the hotel.

There were one or two puffing as they heaved the suitcase up a gentle hill to the hotel...and eventually we are settled in to a very reasonable three star for two nights.  We went out and found a restaurant and topped up to keep us going for breakfast and back at the hotel I checked out the halo and halos around the sun or moon happen when high, thin cirrus clouds are drifting high above your head. Tiny ice crystals in Earth's atmosphere cause the halos. They do this by refracting and reflecting the light.  So now we know,

The Librarian has showered and is having forty winks, I'm about to have a shower and get into clean comfortable clothes and then hopefully we will catch up on sleep and be refreshed for another day of 'tourist stuff' tomorrow.  Superb day and well worth the money.  LN...and now for a few pickies...LN

Saturday 7th April

So despite the fact that I was in bed early last night I managed to go through until four for my first wake up but then went on until six thirty and beat the alarm.  We were down for breakfast for seven fifteen and beat the rush and down to reception by eight thirty for the tour to begin.  As it happened it was all head over heels today and the boat trip that was due to happen first thing was put on to the afternoon so we piled on to the coach and went with the flow.

The Blue mosque was first on the list but it was closed for renovation so we could only see the outside and surrounding outbuildings.  The gardens were beautiful, there were hyacinths planted everywhere and the aroma was overpowering at times.  We had a forty minutes to spare before our next tour began so the Librarian and myself headed to a dinky do shop and bought a few items as pressies but I'll see how many of them get handed on and how many I keep again.  Remember Cappadokia.... ::)  One of the sights today that caught my attention was a Muslim lady from head to foot with only the eyes showing but she had on her head a red baseball cap to show that she belonged to the group that she was travelling with....looked a little odd.... :-/

Onwards and upwards to the Palace and Museum and was there a lot to see.  We didn't pay extra to see the Harem's area though but one man was seen being dragged and screaming from the area by the guard.  Only women allowed we reckoned.  Next we were back to the coach and we made out way down to the waterfront but some bright spark put fish and bread sandwiches in someone's head and we were dragged along with the locals to feed before we went on the Bosphorus cruise,  Mackerel and salad on a roll for ten lira and then on to the boat for our river cruise.  We sat on the top deck but boy was it cold....it was the wind that was nippy.  So back to the coach and we were dropped off at four thirty and tonight's activity is not to our liking so were going to head our for a meal and again an early night for us.  I've knocked off eleven thousand on the Fitbit and the sparks did fly.  Not sure how many rises I've been up but I'm sure it's a lot...my calves are having twinges.

So tomorrow the luggage has to be in reception by eight thirty and we say goodbye to Istanbul about mid morning and head to Erdine for more mosques and shopping.  Sounds like one of my days.  Time for a shower...there are no pickies tonight...the program that I use to reduce the pixels has gone awry and it's too late to sort it ...it's getting near supper time.  LN...I'm full of culture....LN

Sunday/Monday 8th/9th April

Full on day yesterday starting with breakfast at seven, coach by eight thirty, tulip festival gardens and my favourite shopping mall to pick up some of my favourite chocolates.  I bought them last time and wasn't sure what they were like but ...hey...it had to be done again.  Onward to Erdine where it was bazaar shopping at it's finest.  I picked up sweet goodies for my ladies, a few more pressies for me...and why not, a loaf of bread to have fresh for the morning and we were on our way to the border by seven and thought we were making good time exiting Turkey in quicksticks but the entry in to Bulgaria took ages and we didn't clear until nine thirty so back to Djebel by midnight. I'd left the Beast at my students parents house so left the Librarian caretaking the luggage at the bust station and went to fetch the car. We were back to mine for half past twelve and she chose to drive home...I think her bed was calling her.

I woke at six thirty this morning and two loads of washing done and out on the line by eight.  I'd stripped my bed and now the weather looks pretty still...I'm thinking on moving to my summer abode....up the stairs.  I had the fresh bread with butter and homemade grapefruit jam and out to the garden and strimmed until my two batteries ran out.  I did a bit of weeding, came in for a rest and by this time the batteries had recharged so i was out again until they were empty again.  I dug over one of the small beds and put some small zinnia seeds in and also put some into a pot to start off in the conservatory.  The cosmos that I put in last week have shot up and are about two inches tall already.  I think I'll move them out of the sun before they out grow themselves.  I'd picked up a really cheap electric strimmer from Kaufland last year and only put it together not tried it out so I connected it up and low and behold...it works a treat to tomorrow I should be able to finish the garden to make it more manageable for the mower.  The clover is so juicy that it clogs it and it should dry out over the next few days.  

Good day all round....I really enjoyed being away but it's good to back and refreshed.  LN....Same again tomorrow please...24 degrees....LN

Tuesday 10th April

First night upstairs and woke up at five thirty with the moon really shining brightly...not to self...close the curtains. Second awakening was at six thirty and I was up and at it fairly quickly, dragged the bench that has sat in my bedroom on to the terrace, found a couple of cushions, down to make a coffee and I listened to the morning coming to life.  The cuckoos are back, well one at least but I'm still waiting for my one with the 'speech' impediment.  It's the one that puts in too many cuck's  and it's time he was back.  Breakfast of Turkish bread again, washed and dressed quickly and it was full throttle with the strimmer until both batteries were exhausted and then out with the electric one until I was exhausted.  Beautiful day but you can have too much of a good thing.  Having done almost half the garden now it's getting there but this time of year for me is always hard...the weeds just rocket and Haciber was having a moan up again today about it.  Looking at the middle of the garden I thought the lawnmower might manage it so I got it out of the woodstore, checked the oil and it seemed to be OK, filled it up with petrol, primed it and though it was reluctant, it eventually fired up....result.  I made a few passes with it on the top lawn and the grave garden and had three empties of the bin and thought it had done enough for one day and so had I.

So I came in for a rest and started  to watch the Commonwealth games while topping up on bottles of water.  I really had done too much this morning  so got my head down and was out for the count until four thirty. Up and at it straight away though, I put a jacket potato and two chicken legs into the oven and decided to use up the new charges in the batteries for the strimmer and knocked off a few more patches of clover.  I think the mower can go over the same ground tomorrow and I'll give it a whirl on the grass that the strimmer seems to have problems with.  It's really tough stuff.

I was in by six fifteen and watching tv when Haciber appeared to check me out now that I was back from Istanbul.  I found a box of goodies that I'd brought back and gave them to her but they had to go in a bag to walk over the road.  Allah forbid that anyone should see them.  The chicken was ready by this time so I had supper...it's almost nine my time so I shan't be long before my little head hits the pillow.  I shall just feel happier when the first pass of the garden is complete. More of the same tomorrow and managed to knock off nine thousand steps and my Fitbit was on charge for the morning.  LN...I'll wear it out if I'm not careful....LN

Wednesday 11th April

Not such a good night last night ...I was awake at three and it took me a while to get back off again. Seven fifteen when I got my brain into gear, coffee and I sat out on the terrace working out a plan for today.  I went in and grabbed the camera...the cuckoo was in the tree to the left of the terrace, I managed one but then he moved to the electricity cables surveying his patch.  The old one isn't back but I'll keep listening out for him. ;)  

I was a bit slow off the mark this morning, more coffee, I made scrambled eggs for breakfast, washed up and tidied the kitchen. Despite my plan...I didn't get as much strimming as I wanted to do...the intention was good but the back wasn't.  I forced myself through the pain for two rounds, reckoned on getting the mower going over the grassy areas, I started it up, hit the first patch of long grass and it petered out.  Not one of my better ideas...I'll clean the filter and raise the wheels tomorrow to give it more air space...and instead took to weeding.

The grave garden is finished along with the mulberry garden half way down the garden but it's a slow old process.  I came in for a rest, watched the boxing at the Commonwealth games and at three decided to go out again.  I was tired but not enough to get my head down, made my way over to the west wall garden and got stuck in.  Checked out the time on my Fitbit and was amazed to see that I've knocked up a new record of over twenty thousand steps and apparently I've burnt off two and a half thousand calories....now where's that Turkish Delight?

An excellent day but the garden seems never ending...I'm just eager to get the grass down.  I might even be tempted to invest in a bigger electric strimmer and it's a bit like the story of the three bears.  Daddy bears is too big (petrol) and heavy, baby bears is to small but one for mummy bear would be just right.  Investigation is called for.  Cold chicken for supper, I hear the bath calling me to stretch out and relax if it's to be another day like today.  LN...Knacked but calm....LN

Thursday 12th April

It's been another good gardening day and there's not going to be much text tonight..Normal start to the day, down for bread, jam sandwiches for breakfast, bench out of the little house and box for the cushions washed and ready for operation. It's been a beautiful sunny day.

So what have I done?  The strimmer stayed where it was...I had the Deep Heat on my hip joint last night and I thought I'd give it a rest.  Instead I took the daffs out of the big pots and they're ready for planting down the bottom of the garden when I've cleared a patch, I bought the shelving unit that's been sitting in the little house into the porch so that I can put the germinated seeds out of the sun and in to the shade. Zinnias that I planted a couple of days ago are already up and the cosmos are putting on secondary leaves.  The Himalayan poppies have gone in today and we'll see what colour they turn out.  Last years happened to be pink so Mrs D oif S was very lucky that I didn't sue her for misrepresentation...the seeds came from her collection.

I watch a little of the hockey this afternoon and the diving but i was out there at four thirty again and finished clearing the side garden bed.  I chanced it with the lawnmower and I must have got done about ten square meters....I have to empty the box regularly but my method of lifting it up at the front as it cuts appears to be working...more again tomorrow.

Supper is ready soI'm going to wind it up.  I was going togoto Kardjali tomorrow but if the weather is good tomorrow...I'm going to carry on with the garden now I'm in the mood.  LN...Beautiful calm evening....LN

Friday 13th April

Seven start, up and at it, washed and dressed fairly early on and I used the remains of last night's onions to knock up an omelette for breakfast.  It was supposed to set me up for the day but I got the urge to open a tin of tuna, mixed it with mayo and had it with toast for lunch.  I sorted out the geraniums and potted up the newbies from last years and now they're out on the terrace.  One load of washing pegged out and I turned my attention to the long wall garden and finished it off. planting up a honeysuckle that had sat in a bucket for the winter in the little house.  It should do well...ginormous roots.  Now the pot was freed up now that the geraniums have their now home....snapdragon seeds are in their place and in the conservatory for 'hatching'.

I think I was putting off starting the grass.  I'd got the cable out ready and cleaned up the electric strimmer but it was with little enthusiasm that I tackled it.  I knocked off an hour of strimming but then decided I'd have a go with the lawnmower to see if it would make the job easier and it did until the grass was just too heavy for it and despite my efforts at lifting the front to get more air through...it died on me.  So I left it out and decided to try a little later...it doesn't start immediately after it's cut out.

Any way....it was stop and start for the rest of the afternoon but I can see an improvement....I'm getting there.  There was the urge to create a crop circle just for my neighbours but I was running out of juice at this time.  Washing in, tools away and it was seven fifteen when I eventually made it inside and I'm knacked.  Same again tomorrow I'm thinking...another couple of days and it should be time to start again....No need for supper....I've had enough calories for today she said finding the Turkish Delight that I came back from Erdine with.  LN...Two squares down...time to put it away....LN

Saturday 14th April

Beautiful sunrise...and I was lucky to catch it.  I was up last night watching the final of Masterchef and was pretty late hitting the sack and when I got there no an ounce of sleep in me but eventually I dropped off.

I was washed and dressed early and had decided that it was going to be an all out effort on the grass until the hairdryer that had packed up before I went to Turkey drew my attention.  Now I read the words 'fused plug' so decided to take it apart and it was pretty black inside and I replaced the English plug with a Bulgarian but I haven't managed to get up the nerve to plug it in yet....silly old me.  The unfortunate thing was that I dropped the screwdriver and as I leaned over the chair arm to reach it I head one of my old fractured ribs give way again with a gentle crack.  It's only one by the tinge of pain I'm getting but I have to hold the area when I sneeze....I'll see how it does over the next couple of days before I throw myself into the hands of the professionals...not that they can do much...it's a rib.

So out I went with electric strimmer in hand and I was doing well until twelve when the cable ran out.  Now remember this is Bulgaria and Djebel.  On the box it said that I need a 1.2mm cable to replace it and the closest I got was a 1.5 and it was expensive so I tried another shop and could only get a 1.6 but she's going to try to order me the size that I want and it should be in by Tuesday.  Well maybe.  I almost drove into Kardjali to see if they had it but I had nothing else to go in for today so gave it a miss. So with plans foiled, I settled down  for a couple of hours with my  student's mother in the shop and we took the world apart and put it together again.  

So a little bit of shopping in town, back for three thirty and settled down on the sofa for an hour or so watching the Commonwealth games and particularly enjoyed the netball and what an exciting climax....such a close game with only one point in it.  Well done England.  Finished off the day with the old strimmer and did the grass between the front wall and the house and the main terrace lawn where the clover had started to gain strength again...dreadful stuff.  Tools away just before eight and I'm in for the night.  I'll see what I can do with the battery strimmer tomorrow and might even clear weeds instead with fork and hand power...it's pretty effective with the big stuff and there's loads of that down the bottom of the garden... :-/ :-/

Supper calls so I'm off to see what I can find.  LN....It wont be spare rib...LN

Sunday 15th April

So I woke up this morning at four and tried to watch the Commonwealth Games final in the netball but there was no way that I could stay awake so I got my head down again and it was just before nine when I woke up.  Really late for me but was amazed when we had won the gold medal for netball and smashed the reign of the Australians.  Well done England.

As for the rest of the day, the sun didn't break through a heavy mist until around eleven and when it did there wasn't much heat in it.  I had a shower and washed my hair this morning but  still haven't plugged in the hairdryer...I went 'au naturel' and now have a very wavy style....but with no one to see it...what the heck.  Spicy sausage for breakfast with fried egg and fried bread and it's stayed with me all day and so much so that I don't really feel like anything tonight.  I went to get a load of washing together, went to fill up the kettle and realised that the water was off and it's remained so all day.  I didn't bother checking with anyone else but hopefully it will be restored tomorrow otherwise I'll be heading down to the spring to fill up a few bottles tomorrow.  Without a strimmer I was a bit stuffed with regard to the long grass but it was really wet so I wouldn't have achieved much anyway.  I deadheaded the daffodils, removed the finished ones from the 'fridge' garden on the terrace and that's now ready for planting up for the summer...I just need something to plant it up with,  I moved to the long garden and dug out some more of the weeds from around the old toilet area but didn't put a lot of effort into it.  It was cold out there.  I did manage to have a bonfire to get rid of the rubbish but then came in, settled myself on the sofa and haven't done a lot for the rest of the day.  I think I need to catch up on my energy levels....Istanbul and the week in the garden have reduced them and my floating rib has been twinging a little today when digging so the answer is...stop digging.

Nearly nine my time, the water is still off, Kardjali tomorrow to see if anyone has any 1.2 size chord for the strimmer,  water from the spring so it could be a busy day.  No pickies....I'll take the camera to Kardjali tomorrow to get a few different ones and might even come back with a new hairdryer and a larger strimmer...who knows how the mood will take me... ;) ;).  LN....Time to get a good night in....LN

Monday 16th April

Rubbish night last night...my rib was giving me nightmares of its own ...big aches...and I eventually got off again about two hours later and it was seven thirty when I came round.  Last night I'd written my list and I was determined to knock off everything on it and I've succeeded.

I didn't bother with breakfast and was in the Beast by eight thirty, stopped off at Haciber's house to see if she wanted anything from Kardjali but she was no where in sight but there was a pair of little black rubber shoes and a stick so maybe she had a visitor and didn't hear me.  Off down the back lane and first stop was the big hardware shop and picked up three coils of strimmer chord and it was the right diameter and cheaper than I anticipated.  Second stop was the leva shop, I wanted another pyjama set or lounger set like the one I picked up the other day and I bought two....one pink and one peacock blue so they'll all mix and match and now the winter pyjamas can go away.  Next stop was the doctor's surgery in the Polyclinic and I only had to wait ten minutes before I was dragged in screaming.  I related the incident of the rib and that for a time now I've been getting a little dizzy when I get up quickly.  Her only comment was that she could deal with the rib but the other thing was down to age which made me laugh. She's very thorough and got me to strip for checking me out with her stethoscope but chastised me for having no socks on, flesh showing and no vest.  Considering she made me take my clothes off...I reckon it was down to her.  She confirmed that my blood pressure was a little high and then suggested a ECG and asked me if I minded if she took some blood to carry out some tests.  I was taken to a room across the corridor by the nurse and she wired me up, stuck the suckers on and printed out the results.  Back to the surgery, she checked out the results and said that everything was fine, I followed the nurse to another office, the blood was taken and I had to pay two leva tax, another visit to office and  I was handed the documentation to take to the main hospital for an extra.  Up to the second floor for registration, I handed over the form to the assistant and asked her in Bulgarian if she could speak Bulgarian slowly so that I could understand the instructions and she took me to a seat, said that they would just say my first name and I would be processed.  Two extras taken, processed and handed to me to take back to my doctor.  She followed up on the results on the telephone with the consultant who couldn't see a fracture so she gave me a prescription to a homeopathic tablet and a pain killer and I phone tomorrow for the result of the blood test.  My next stop was the chemist and she refused to issue me with the painkillers that had been prescribed and told me to take aspirin or similar since there had been rumours in the west that there had been adverse results with them....apparently Bulgarians were used to the contents but not any of the others.  

I stopped off at the bank where my student's sister works and took her out for a coffee at lunchtime, paid my phone bill. bought some more flowerpots from my other leva shop. stopped off at Kaufland for a top-up and back home via the back lane. Unpacked the shopping and by this time it was almost five.....It had been a long day.  The temperature has dropped so I lit the fire tonight, it makes everything a little more comfortable.  The water was still off but we've just had a trickle through which was enough to flush the toilet but it seems to have stopped again....there was so much air coming through initially....I think they still have issues.

Dependent on the weather tomorrow it might be full stretch with the strimmer.  I've loaded the chord on to the spool but I'm not sure if I've done it correctly...I might have to go back to the drawing board with it or check it out on the internet.  One thing I did forget when I headed out this morning was the camera...so again I've failed.  LN...Time to throw a log on...LN

Tuesday 17th April

So I watched my Monday programmes....Only Connect and University Challenge and then swapped over to watch the Queen and David Attenborough walking through the gardens of Buckingham Palace and outlining the Commonwealth vision for tree planting.  What an initiative and it was lovely to see the grandchildren spreading the word.  So bed at midnight and straight through until seven thirty this morning and woke up relaxed and drowsy.  I put a load of washing in hoping that the water supply would last the pace, cooked a spicy sausage and egg for breakfast so that my tablets would have something to sit on, pegged the washing out and still in my pyjamas sat on the bench outside in what little sun we had.  I'd only been out there a few minutes and I heard a car pull up, didn't move to see who it was and the Librarian had arrived.  We moved to the shady seats under the lounge balcony, I made coffee and tea and it was at that point that I thought it was about time that I got dressed.  

I moved inside while she stayed out and phoned my doctor for the results of the blood test from yesterday.  The cholesterol is a little high so I was advised to stay off the fatty foods and to have a glass of red wine each evening and I wondered if this was the excuse I'd been waiting for.... ;) ;)  and decided it wasn't.  She also said that she'd checked for sugar, haemoglobin and anything else she could think of and everything was find so no need for another visit.

In to Djebel and the soup kitchen for lunch, I went round to the shop that had promised to order the strimmer cord for me and they were closed so not sure if she's got it in or not but I'll try another day.  I bought some extra strong Aspirin instead of the painkillers that were prescribed and not delivered and we headed for home and down to the lake and the water spring to fill up seven ten litre bottles of water for the plants.  There's too much chlorine in the delivered supply.  Back home and we struck up hers and my computers and I transferred some of the photos that I'd taken in Istanbul onto her computer and posted some on her timeline for her so that her family could see them.  She left at five thirty after attacking the rhubarb....I shall expect either a pie or some jam...we'll see.

As promised I went out to the garden and took a few pickies of the ones that are flowering...it's amazing how much is in bloom even though it's early season.  That's why I love shrubs though...they can always be relied upon to perform.  Nearly seven my time....another lovely day in Narnia.  LN...Gardening tomorrow.....LN

Wednesday 18th April

What a day...first wake up at five and then back until seven.  The sun was up, I just managed to catch it, coffee on the terrace but it was cold despite the sun so I came in and made breakfast, it was only toast but it did the trick.  

Washed and dressed for the garden, long sleeved t-shirt and I lobbed my woolly cardigan over the top until it had really warmed up.  So everything now is out of the little house, old pots have been emptied, refilled with new compost, four new pots have been planted up with seeds and charcoal has been put in the bottom since there are no holes in the bottom. It's a trick that I picked up along the way and it seems to work.  I've got nasturtiums, campanula, some sunshine dailies that only come out when the sun shines, the seeds came from last year's plants, the lemon is out and on the terrace and I've noticed that there are lots of buds about to come out.I really should have removed last year's harvest but they do look pretty. I picked up a poly carbonate frame that needed to be screwed together into a cold frame but I realised that it needed another pair of hands to make a success of it so instead I've used one of the panels over two of the pots to bring them on quicker.  It was a very busy morning.

Next task was to rewind the cord onto the strimmer and I decided that it would be wise to try to find a you-tube masterclass but they all seemed to require an arrow pointing on the reel to show the direction the cord had to be wound,  Unfortunately there wasn't an arrow....so the videos were pretty useless.  Now winding two cords and holding on to them while you try to get the end of each cord through two little holes on the outer casing proved to be fairly testing and eventually I managed it.  I plugged it in, it worked and it was only when I needed more cable that I came unstuck.  It didn't release so back to the drawing board, I tried it the other way, it seemed to work this time but I'm thinking that I need to get more cable and do it properly when I've got more time.  I was too busy strimming...I was on a mission.

I came in at six for a coffee and decided that I wouldn't put my tools away just yet and was out there until seven thirty.  Toys away, I want another good day tomorrow, it's called making hay while the sun shines except that I won't be making hay....it can dry where it falls.  No supper....not in the mood yet but might come up with inspiration later.  LN...What a day...LN

[b]Thursday 19th April/b]

Well last night was another night for Game of Thrones and it was one thirty when I laid my weary head to rest.  Silly really but I' started watching series six and it's really kicking off.  So head down. up at six thirty this morning. washed and dressed and the garden was beckoning and I made it outside with strimmer in hand by eight thirty. I didn't bother with breakfast, that would come later when I'd woken up my digestive system.  

So you can guess what I was doing...it's pretty slow going, once you get stuck in the grass is just so wet inside.  At the strimmer hits it you can see water mist rising over the rest of the garden...tough.  I laboured and came in for my cardigan...it looked at one point as if it was going to chuck it down but it blew over and eventually the sun came out.  I was having a little trouble with the cord and i had to keep stopping to clean out the cord guard.  The grass was sticking to it and stopping the cord from doing what it was supposed to.On one of my maintenance sessions I looked up and noticed a male lizard taking in the sun and very kindly he stayed in situ until I came back with the camera. I should really carry it with me.  Photo session over, it was back to it and it I stop and look how much more there is to do and back at the strimmer and it reminded me of Johnny Wilkinson sizing up the goal and I had a little chuckle to myself.

At two I came in, settled on the sofa and it was head down until four and it was hard to summon up the enthusiasm to get out there again....but I did and i came in just before eight after putting my toys away and watering the pot plants.  I've just watched Eggheads and it was a close run thing but the jackpot remains. The water heater is on, a bath is written into the agenda for tonight, my back is killing me and I need to wash away the aches and pains.  The upside it I've forgotten any pain from my rib. Every cloud has a silver lining!!  Another full day tomorrow and I should be there.  LN...Fingers crossed....LN

Friday 20th April

Six thirty start, coffee, opened up the estate, put my nose out and soon brought it in again.  I headed upstairs and got into outdoor clothes, despite the clouds and grey skies I thought the rain would hold off but it didn't.  The heavens opened as I headed down to the bread van for fresh bread.  Had a little chat with my ladies and headed back, I skinned a spicy sausage, sliced it and put it in the frying pan...it was a morning for a cooked breakfast. Into the pan went a couple of eggs and I fried a slice of the new bread and it went down well.  

The morning plan had been foiled and secretly I was pretty pleased....the grass is a chore.  I settled in to Game of Thrones and knocked off a couple of episodes and by that time the clouds had rolled away, the sun was in and out so I unreeled the cable, plugged in the strimmer and off I went.  At three I watched the sheep come over the hill and the sheep farmer hopped over the wall to check out my progress.  He tried it with the strimmer realised how wet it was underneath and said that I needed to do it with a scythe.  I showed him that it was propped up against the tiles and fetched it for him and he told me that it was not set up properly and needed sharpening so I got him the kit out.  He did about two rows said that the head of it needed to soak in water overnight...and so it will.  He popped back over the wall and went to tend his sheep.  I was tempted to say...'same time tomorrow'....but thought better of it.

Went back to the machine and managed to make a track down the middle of the grass and now it's in several smaller chunks that have boundaries....it also helps with achieving the goal....one large chunk just gets attacked but the end seems along way away.  So tools away by six thirty...it's turned into a reasonable night. I packed up because the cord broke off and that seemed a good time to stop.  I sat on the bench and re-threaded the head....ready for tomorrow...weather permitting.  

My Avatar is returning tomorrow morning from Germany where she's been 'wintering' with her son and family.  It will be good to see her again.  LN...Better make her a Welcome Home card....LN

Saturday 21st April

Six thirty start this morning but I couldn't hear the tick of my clock on the landing so my first job was to find a new battery for it.  I always wonder if it is significant, that time has run out for someone but I've had no adverse reports from anywhere and I'm still OK.  One load of washing in and out on the line for eight thirty and I was beginning to wonder how my Avatar was doing.  I settled for toast and marmalade for breakfast that was after I'd done an hour's strimming and I heard a car pull up and I had a visitor.  I wasn't expecting him until next week, so I made coffee, finished my breakfast and he suggested that I head off to Kardjali with him but being the guardian of the keys for Avator's mansion and not knowing when to expect her I declined the offer.  Off he went and I set off down the road, my old ladies were sitting on the side of the road taking the sun and they offered to fetch me a stool. I said that I had to get back to the garden but I asked them if they had any news on Avatar.  As it turns out, I think Avatar is in Bulgaria but her daughter in law has gone to her mothers house first depositing her mother there and Avatar is due at ten tomorrow.  

I went back to my task for the day...yes you've guessed it...and at two I came in and settled in for the Snooker and promptly went to sleep.  My guest came back, I'd stuck a load of washing for him in the machine and pegged it out so it was ready and in return he brought two muffins which I've just had for supper.  Off he went and I went back to the garden and it was eight thirty when I came in....I'm knacked, I have only two patches left to do and should finish it by tomorrow lunchtime if I have a good start then I only have the borders to sort but that's no so important.  You could almost watch the grass grow,

So no pickies...it was just too dark when I finished but I'll update tomorrow.  LN....Same old....LN

Sunday 22nd April

Another late night for me...I'm a  Game of Thrones addict when there's nothing else on.  Today was different though...I now have the Masters to watch and today I caught Ronnie O'Sullivan and he seems to be on form.  He didn't start off too well but a surge to the finishing post and there you have it. He now becomes the bookies favourite and mine.

Six thirty start and I was out there with strimmer in hand by eight.  I decided to save breakfast until I'd finished one of the last two remaining patches  but first off I started on the base of my special tree.  I'd done half of it but now it's clover free and waiting some plants to make it look pretty.  The forsythia has finished and the potentilla is doing its best but it needs something more vibrant using the juniper and cotoneaster horizontalis as a backdrop.  Tomorrow's work.  I moved on to the next project, finished it by ten thirty and came in for breakfast and sat out in the sun with toast and coffee.  Out again and finished the second patch and what a relief it is to see it all down and I made a start on the perimeters against the long wall uncovering a plant with a label that I'd forgotten about and a kerria that's flowered but you would never have spotted it.  

So watched the snooker, settled in to the chocolates that I'd bought back from Istanbul and was very close to nodding off but I managed to stay awake.  I was still waiting for my Avatar, rumour on the street was that she was due this morning at ten but still no sighting.  I headed down to the bottom of the garden and did a bit more until I completely ran out of steam by the burning box and the wood stashed against the wall.  I've left it down there and am thinking about making a fence between the trees so that the bushes don't take over....let's say it's still in the planning stage.

The next thing my Avatar is standing on the terrace and I was a little surprised by how she looked. She's obviously very pleased to come back but found that she has no water in the house...the valve has seized up so she was on her way to see Remsia's husband to see if he could fix it.  Fortunately I had some water left from my visit to the spring so i offered her a couple of bottles to see her through...she carried on up to Remsie's house and I delivered the ten litre bottle to the house.  I made my way to the bottom of the garden again and sat on the wall at the bottom.  There were a couple of cuckoos letting others know they were there, I checked out my other little house in the mountains and it still seems to be standing, and realised that I could just see the road down to Greece through a gap in the mountains.  I looked back at the house and realised that I'm a very lucky lady....I love my house and village and my life and even though some of the chores like winter wood and spring grass seem arduous....it would take a lot for me to give it up.  One more day of strimming and everything should be down to manageable size and then just run over it with the lawnmower and maintenance.  I might even do Kardjali tomorrow and have a meander day...I'll see how I feel.  LN...On the hunt for supper....LN

Monday 23rd April

Six thirty start and I'd had an early night and fell good for it.  I went over to see my Avatar to deliver some chocolates as a gift from Istanbul see if she wanted anything from Djebel.  I was  wrong,,,she'd travelled back with her DIL's mother and without DIL and she said that she'd really enjoyed the flight but the taxi from Sofia was not to her liking.  She was about to cook eggs for breakfast and invited me to join her and there's no bread van today so she had about three slices from Haciber and that was about it. She'd cleared the house completely and didn't have sugar so I hopped back home, found a kilogram of sugar, half a loaf of bread that I'd taken out of freezer that morning and a tin of Bulgarian corned beef just in case.  I also arranged that we are going into Djebel in the morning and to Kaufland to top her up with everything that she needs.  A nice early start and we should be back by lunchtime.  She mentioned that she had to go into Djebel first to get money out of the cash point and I said that we could get it in Kardjali....Bless...

Next was a phone call from the Librarian and her car needs to go into the garage.  She said that she'd be over by twelve but she didn't appear so I phoned her this evening and there's a change of plan....it's now moved to Wednesday.  As for this morning...I didn't feel like tackling the bottom corner of the garden so I didn't.  I put a bench together that I'd got from Kaufland and stated sorting out cushions and realised that I have to get the machine out and make a new lot.  The mouse has attacked the swinging chair cover so that's another job on the list...it's getting longer.   I came in when it got too hot to be out and settled in for the snooker.  I was just about to nod off when OH appeared and came bearing gifts from Greece.  I made coffee and we sat chatting for a while and we moved on to the terrace and a large bird settled in the walnut.  I nipped in to get the camera and it wasn't until we looked at the shot close up that we could see it was a cuckoo.  I'd never seen one that close before...only heard them.  Off he went and I got the lawnmower out and managed to do about half of the main house grass and the side garden and it's the first cut of the year with the machine. What a difference it makes and it didn't take too long.

In by eight, Kardjali tomorrow while I guide my Avatar round the shops.  I hope she's made a list and checked it twice, closely followed but 'naughty and nice'.  LN,,,Wish me luck...LN

Tuesday 24th April

Seven start and it was shower, shampoo...I was off to the grand 'metrolopes'  with my Avatar.  I don't think that she'd told the other ladies of the village where we were going and I made it a nice early start.  She'd been down to the bread van to stock up bread, I'd taken the Beast out of the drive at eight to check that it was all set to go and she thought I was ready to leave so I confirmed the time with her.  She came over at ten to nine and sat on one of the logs by the side of the house and I asked her if she'd made a list just to make it easier when we got in the supermarket.  She's not used to progress.  She came into the house and we sat down and I wrote a list of the priorities mainly to make it easier for me.  She's not too good on her pins so I could nip round and get some of the things and it was only when a decision had to be made that I dragged her down the aisles.  We went down the back lane and unfortunately there was a lorry in front of us depositing hardcore that had obviously been removed from somewhere.  The Kmet was aiding and abetting the driver to make sure it was dumped in the right place so it took us a while to get to the main road but once there we were fine.

I parked up, helped her out and went round to my side to lock the Beast and I couldn't see her.  I eventually spotted her on the other side of the street and told her that we needed to be on the other side of the car park .  I had a little chuckle...there was nothing slow about her movement in Kardjali.  First stop the cash point and I got her money out for her so that she could pay for her shopping and the taxi-fare down from the airport as we came back through Djebel.  We more or less filled the trolley, she's got lots to go at and chicken for the freezer and I picked up a few things for me.  Back to Djebel and we spotted the taxi driver as we drove through so we paid the man, down to the little supermarket at the bottom of the village and we managed to get her a voucher to put money on her phone.  All in all...a very successful trip. I unloaded her shopping and put it in the house, she offered to help but it was much quicker with her standing watching and I parked up by the wall, unloaded my shopping and have had a very lazy afternoon.  I did manage a bonfire and a few weeds out of one of the flower beds, sliced up a lump of pork and put it in the freezer and used a joint of lamb to put a casserole in for supper tonight.....which should be about ready.

Looks like there might be rain tonight...there's been thunder loitering and I'm not sure which way it's going to go....over to Turkey or drop its load here.  No photos...I've been far too busy but I've been told that the one that I labelled as a maple is in fact a acer....I stand corrected.  LN....Supper calls....LN

How many benches can a lady have... You're becoming the mad bench lady of the hills!  ;D :K) :P

Wednesday 25th April

Yes Mikey B but the one closest to my heart my sweet is the one that you though I might put on the wood burner and never did...I'm saving it for a really cold spell.... ;) ;) New terrace...new bench...that's the theory....

Eight start this morning and I was having a very lazy time...I was trying to plan what to do and with all the options...I was finding it difficult.  I didn't bother with breakfast, got dressed and decided that the veg patch needed love and attention so dug over the first two patches and planted them up with beetroot and carrots and then settled in to the rest of it and put in a cross piece of wood and I now have another two beds that will be planted up tomorrow and only one left to go.  The strimmer came out for a while but wasn't put to too much use but the battery is on charge for tomorrow.

The Librarian appeared mid morning, she'd taken her car into the garage, bought breakfast in Djebel and arrived by taxi thus saving me the effort of fetching her from Djebel.  She settled down with her Kindle after out late breakfast and she started watching a video in the lounge and promptly nodded off so I went back to digging and tilling the soil.  I came in at one thirty...it was just too hot out there, phoned the bank, answered a few messages on FB and we had a late lunch at three. We walked the garden, I suggested that we went to a restaurant in Momchilgrad for supper so it was boots blacked and ready for the off at six thirty.  Lovely supper and we were home by nine.  She's stopping the night since her car isn't going to be ready until tomorrow.  Very restful day and achieved a lot in the garden...runner and broad beans going in tomorrow...tomatoes and a couple of cucumber plants by the weekend.  LN...Eat your heart out Monty....LN

Thursday 26th April

Well I think I feasted a little late last night and they must have been magic mushrooms...well they were stuffed with something.  On the menu it looked like a jacket potato and we were amazed when the mushrooms appeared and we thought at first they were small potatoes sliced in half and stuffed so we sent them back and back they came...We'd ordered them from a picture...we'll know next time.

Five thirty start this morning and I've been tired all day mainly because it's been a corker.  The Librarian's car was in overnight so I phoned the garage for an update but there was no replay.  Knowing that they had issues themselves which included a trip to the hospital we decided to head into Djebel so see if the shop was open and fortunately it was.  The tyres wouldn't be delivered until lunchtime so we headed into Kardjali for a little shop up.  Lidl had not opened it's doors to the public and there were two work vans on the car park...maybe it's a freezer problem and not safe for the general public.  We headed into our leva magazine and i got two more water pumps for watering the plants from ten litre bottles.  Until I get the hose pipe out it's a bind walking backwards and forward to the taps.  I also bought a new t-shirt...I'd put a long sleeved one on that morning so  got a purple one and a pair of scissors to take off the banding round the neck....makes it more trendy.  Over to the cheap electrical and pot shop at the top of town and I managed to get a hairdryer to replace the one that blew up.  Down to Kaufland for a quick trip round and bought some more plants for the garden, hot dog and chippies for lunch and then back to the garage.  The tyres were on and all switched around as instructed and the Librarian set off for home.  I lingered a little longer and mentioned that I have a s mall oil leak so they cleaned the engine and I'll take it in early next week for them to have a look at it.

Home James and the Beast was put in the garage...it was so hot that I nestled myself on the sofa watching the snooker and promptly went to sleep catching up on my early morning start.  I've just spent  the last hour trying to work out the settings on my Sony camera. For some unknown reason it had started taking three of everything and I can only assume it was inadvertently changed when I handed it to one of my guests to capture the cuckoo the other morning.  It nearly sent me cuckoo trying to work it out but in the end I managed it.  Gardening day tomorrow and then it's out for supper at my students....and then a weekend off.  LN...Long live Le Weekend....LN

Friday 27th April

Fairly late start, I made coffee, sat on the terrace and finished it, toast for breakfast with blackcurrant jam. washed up from the last couple of days and it was a day of washing, clothes and curtains.  I did head over to speak to my Avatar and sat in the sun for a while, the village was having prayers said for it and four hojjas were singing their little hearts out in the mosque in the village.  Apparently we have to pay fifteen leva each for the privilege and a bowl of rice and meat is the reward.

I did the usual washing that was sitting in the laundry basket and pegged out on the line and because it was such a good drying day, I washed my two wool cardigans by hand and put them in the washing machine to rinse and spin.  The winter covers came off the sofa and they were next in the machine and finally, my bedroom curtains were washed.  No sooner than the next were ready but the first lot were dry.  It was a really good day for getting stuff done.

My Princess phoned as she was on her way to work to give me the update of life back home and she's off to a murder mystery party this weekend and has to go as Ms Scarlet and she's wearing an evening dress that she bought out here for around thirty five pence from my cheapy shop....a just have to have...which at last is having its day.

Out to my students this evening and on to her sister in law's house for supper.  The mother and sister in law were full into the Turkish soap and I was more into talking to the  youngsters.  Father fell by the wayside pretty early and made his way home.  We said farewells at around ten, the mother and girls insisted on walking home and I set off through the forest with not another car in sight.  The Beast is safely stashed in the garage, I've realised that Ronnie your actual is fighting hard for his place in the snooker next round so I'm going to wrap this up and watch him.  LN...I just love all sport....LN

Flowers are looking lovely. I like that striped iris, does it have a name? I think that Vania would like that as well. Must see if I can find it here for her. The 'greek' plant I thought might be a penstemon, after looking at some photographs probably not.

Saturday 28th April

Thanks Trevor...I love this time of year and follow the seasons with the shrubs.....April has done me proud with the Forsythia,Japonica Kerria, Potentilla and now the annual iris in so many flavours so to speak. The Greek plant is Gaura lindheimeri and my two from last year have reappeared but not flowering and the ones that are came via a friend from Greece last week.  As for the stripy iris  it' either Iris pseudacorus or palida....it could be either.and needs no special treatment...it did the hard winter.  My biggest problem this year was all of the grass, clover and lot of other weeds. I live next to the field and mine was a field before I started to tame it....hard work but the grass is down and now it's out with the mower....still ....worth the effort.

As for today....it was a misty start to the morning and the wind was pretty brisk as it whipped over the hillside. I went out with the coffee cup but soon came in again and ventured out again with a washed  lounge curtain that covers the stairwell in the winter to stop the heat from the woodburner leaching itself out into the great beyond.  It's such a big heavy cotton curtain that in previous years I've unpicked it and washed it in two loads...CBA this year...it all went in and the machine still works....the theory had to be tested.  I went over to ask my Avatar to order me eggs from her village supply but found that the village ladies were sitting in Beyser's garden having meat and bread for breakfast.  I was asked to join in but had just finished poached eggs on toast and the idea didn't fit ...dipping bread into a dish of cooked beef.  I'll have it tomorrow when it's mixed with rice...the village is in for a mevlit .  I asked Beyser if she had any eggs and she managed to find me five which I insisted on paying for and I walked back to my Avatar's house and she insisted on giving me another five.

So today I cleared the cut grass and slung it over the hillside for the animals.  The lawn mower will pick it up but then I have to keep emptying the grass box and clearing it was the lesser of two evils.  I was very hot out there so I worked on it slowly but fairly thoroughly and it took me about an hour. The intention was to mow the grass but it was just too hot today so I came in and watched the snooker, then promptly fell asleep for a couple of hours and then resumed with the snooker.

I've just had a visitor who has a house in the bottom of the village but lives in Germany.  She wants a staircase apparently and wanted to see mine but it didn't stop at that....she managed to do the whole house in two minutes flat and has invited me to go down to her place tomorrow to help her plan the staircase.  Off they went and I looked down and the cows were meandering home and had found the late night buffet. ...and they're still there now.  Not sure about supper for me....not really hungry but I'll have to find something to make sure I don't wake up at three in the morning with hunger pains. Mevlit at ten but if I have a good start I could knock off some of the grass....LN..Better have an early night....LN

Thanks for the names.

Sunday 29th April

You're very welcome Trevor....next time you're over this way or on your way to Greece...I will have cuttings and roots available... ;) ;)

Six thirty this morning and the sun beat me to it again....don't you hate these early risers.  I didn't jump too much this morning...I had to be ready with boots blacked for the mosque at tenish so I watched a couple of gardening programmes on TV Catchup, didn't bother with breakfast since there would be loads of rice for an early lunch and headed down for the mosque at about ten fifteen.  On my way down a couple of my neighbours were peering into the boot of an old car and I stopped to look and it is full of nougat and halva and he has a little set of scales.  I'd only got my money for the mosque with me so Haciber offered to lend me some but when I offered Beyser the fifteen lev she told me to keep it so I could buy my own goodies.  One lev's worth of each...I took it back to the house and tried it this afternoon after the earlier fun and games and it's delicious.  I'll have to look out for him again.

So I took the photo of 'the body' which it always looks like when the vats of food are wrapped up to keep warm. Ladies came from far and near and there is a newby who wanted to tell me where to put my shoes and I said rather sharply that I'd been coming for years and that I was OK.  She came to my house yesterday with my Avatar and asked me to have a look at her house which i promised to do after the mosque.  Now I know that it's not my faith but I have the belief that there's one power and no matter what you follow, I use the time for a little peace and quiet but with four head men going for it, I think I get closer to heaven sitting on my terrace.  Meat and rice served, a yogurt drink and a chocolate cake thingy and I found out that there was another mevlit at the main mosque in the village but I declined saying that my God was happy with one visit from me and didn't expect two which cause a laugh with the ladies.  I headed off to the lady's house to see if I could help with planning her stairs but it got a bit much...she was asking me for professionals to go an look at her place but in the next breath was telling me that she had no money to do anything, no man, no one to help her and that it was difficult on her own.  I decided that I would be pleasant but was going to sidestep it pretty quickly but blow me down she appeared at my door when I was relaxing on the sofa with the snooker and demanded coffee which I made for her.  Again I heard the same complaints but this time she had no petchka or washing machine here and I'm going to get a padlock for the front gate.  That sort of company I don't need.... :-/ :-/

She left and I soon carried on with what I intended...I've half cut the lawn with the mower but I reckon it needs the blade sharpening so I shall have to make a phone call.  I did tip it over when it ran out of petrol and cleaned the underneath to help the airflow, tried it again but it was still reluctant hence the diagnosis.  I came in at seven after watering the outside plants.  It's been another hot one and we could do with a good downpour but only a brief one.....Tomorrow I'm finishing the bottom of the garden with the strimmer, planting out some of the zinnia and nasturtiums and putting my two Greek plants into big terracotta pots for the terrace.  I've got a few little flowerbeds to weed and see what flowers are hiding there that might need moving.  I haven't seen many marigolds to date or tobacco plants and there should be some.  Eight o'clock...LN...Time to relax....LN

Monday 30th April

Six thirty start and I beat the sun.  I took my photos and sat out on the terrace enjoying the morning and the birds.  There was a bit of a tussle going on with the swallows. I thought there was a pair already established but they still have to fight for it.  The cuckoos were singing their socks of and there was a jay already attacking the cherry tree.  Seems it can't wait for them to be ready for a feast.

Poached eggs on toast for breakfast, two loads of washing done and out on the line and it was only eight thirty.  It was a bit of a funny old day in the garden.  I got the strimmer out and set about the bottom of the garden, came up for the garden fork to remove some of the big clumps and ended up clearing out the little frog bed.  It had been neglected and I wanted to clear it before the lilies come out...they would have been swamped.  I eventually managed to get back to the bottom again and worked on it until it got too hot to be out and i needed a drink of water.  I put TV Catchup on and watched Loose Women and when that ended I had a phone call from the UK and again straight out again and I have managed to find a couple of conifers. an hypericom and a spirea with several marigolds.

By six I'd had enough so reeled in the electricity cable and put my tools away.  There was enough power in the battery strimmer to edge round the backside of the frog garden but then it ran out so that was another one to go away.  I got the washing in...the clouds had rolled over and i thought we were going to have that downpour I'd ordered but they went over so I water the pots instead.  Bath night....I need it to ease the aches and pains away so the boiler is on.  LN...More of the same tomorrow....LN