Mainly toilets plus a nice walk

It's been another good day here, and a great after school/work, but let's get into the update so you can hear all about it.

The sun is rising

Rosie in her new birthday outfit

A new puppy at the farm

I was up early this morning and managed to catch the really dramatic sunrise before heading downstairs. Rosie was dressed in her birthday outfit from Angela's mum and she really loves it; it is very awesome indeed! I took her to school today and saw the new puppy from the farm up close for the first time; she came running over and gave me lots of licks.

Bekir test fitting (it didn't fit)

The new fridge is delivered

Sat in the sun at lunch time

This morning was dead time for the men. They started the day looking into fitting the cleaning/inspection junction for the upstairs toilet pipe however the parts they had bought didn't fit right. They headed into town and went to all the shops before finally finishing up at the CNC shop where a nice man made them the perfect part custom made. Brilliant, but it took hours. While they were out our new fridge was delivered which was very exciting and I got a ten minute break to sit in the sun between working too much.

Bekir showing how the new part will work

The old fridge is removed

The new fridge is in its position

Fixing the cleaning access in position

Testing the pump over and over again

When the men finally did get back they showed the part they had made (and it does look very good) before helping us to get the old fridge out onto the patio and the new fridge into position in the kitchen. It is a really nice size, and fits perfectly. Angela is very happy. The men then spent the rest of the day fitting the new part into the pipe, having cut it out from the insulation. We then worked together to make sure everything works and now the upstairs toilet is working again. After this they spent a very frustrating hour or so trying to work out why the downstairs toilet pump wouldn't shut off. At the moment this is now working again but we will need to keep an eye on it.

Heading off on our walk up the hill

Rosie following Grandma up the stream bed

Looking out over the pond with the sun setting

Rosie and Grandma playing on the way down

There's home, in the distance

As I said at the beginning we had a lovely time after work and school. As soon as Rosie got back I took her right back out, with Grandma, for an epic walk up the hill towards the pond. Rosie did very well, with a few very minor complaints at the beginning that she wished "mummy was here" but then she really got into it with walking up the dried out stream next to the track and when we did finally reach the pond she was really impressed and insisted on staying there as long as possible. It was lovely and we were all pretty tired when we got back.

So there it is; another day done. Thanks for reading and back tomorrow.

Windowsill Progress

Today I found out why it had taken the men a day or so longer than I expected to do this job; basically when they went to remove the insulation from the top of the windowsills out side of Room 13, two by the Games Room and Angela's Art Room they found that there actually wasn't any windowsill there at all! So they have found extra work that needed to be done. Ah well.

Friendly little Patch dog

Preparing for cement

Pouring the cement

Halil painting the pool trolley with bezir

Working away on the windows

On the way back from dropping Rosie to school today the farm puppies were out and they came to say hello; this patchwork one is particularly friendly but he's also a boy so would not mix well with our three girls as we don't want continually puppies. Ah well. The men were in when I got back and spent the day working their way along the rest of this task. First of all they had to pour the cement on the final windowsill outside Room 13 and after that they went and picked up some more mesh before getting started on the plastering. Halil also pulled the pool trolley out and sealed it with a couple of coats of bezir however we have now run out of bezir so will need to buy some more tomorrow. It was a good day of progress and also Halil's friend (family member, I think) came over to look at Julian and he will be going next week I think. We also spoke quite a bit about the car port and I've had the crazy/expensive idea of putting an electric roller shutter on the front, and sealing the sides as well with a thin green temporary mesh, to keep birds and other creatures out. We should get a quote for that soon.

Rosie's hair before the trim

Angela cutting Rosie's hair

The end result

We had great fun watching the cycling during dinner and after that Angela has sat down with Rosie to cut her hair. It is getting very long and starting to dry out a bit at the tips so she has just given it a couple of inches trim. Awesome.

So there it is; thanks for reading and see you tomorrow.

Three years today

Facebook, good for not very much as I'm sure you'll agree, proved some worth today as it reminded us both that it was exactly three years ago today that I went and collected two tiny Jack Russell puppies to take home with me to Northwich. Now we clearly cannot imagine life without them and all day I've been saying "three years!" to them in a very happy voice and they obviously understand and celebrate along with us.

Obviously.

First day, and they are snoring asleep

First dinner time, they were very obedient

From the first they understood "IN YOUR BED!"

Louise with the sheep toy, and she destroyed that toy

They don't fight like this as often any more

Proof that the girls were spoiled right from day one - SO MANY TOYS

Down by the canal, attracting all the passersby

Louise steals some beer - alky that she is

Thelma begged some bread, and loved it

Some things just do not change

Fast asleep and cute as two buttons

So here are a bunch of photographs taken that first week, three years ago, as these bundles of awesome entered our life. Including Louise stealing beer and Thelma stealing bread.

Taken today; very cute still and still cuddling

And here they are today. See, they're even cuter than they were!

Set up for a game for the evening

Night sky, taken with the camera phone

However back to last night. After finishing the blog I did a little bit of painting and then headed to play Battle Companies with A. The first game was over very quickly and was disappointing but the second was awesome and didn't finish until 11pm and we had such fun playing it. We did break for a short while to sit on the balcony with a brew and enjoy the evening and marvel at how bright Venus was, while the Moon was also beautiful.

A lovely clearly early morning sky

It was actually quite chilly

A banitsa for breakfast from Mesut

Bekir smoothing out the "small mountain"

Mesut carries on in the Art Room

The floor is really starting to come together now

Sunshine and clouds all day

Evidence that the birds are trying to nest again

It was a chillier morning this morning, the early promise of the sunrise passed quickly as it clouded over and threatened rain. The puppies were in the mood for none of it and so they hid on their chair covered in blankets. I did my chores but forgot my extra one of bringing the stored wood out into the outside storage; I'll need to remember tomorrow for sure. When A got back it was without Hikmet who had to rush to Turkey for some family issues, and I do hope everything is OK. Mesut had bought us breakfast of banitsa which was really lovely of him and we enjoyed that for a change. They were back to tiling and split the rooms between them with Bekir in the Games Room and Mesut in the Art Room. It was a noisy start with Bekir chiseling out a bump between the two rooms but after that they got stuck in and made good progress. The clouds were thick and then thinned and then came back heavier until I eventually gave in and put trousers and a jumper on instead of shorts. While I was outside taking pictures I noticed that the swallows who lived in the entrance porch are back and once again trying to build a nest - they yearly battle recommences.

Mesut pushing ahead with the tiling

Bekir is cracking on as well

Strawberry flowers peeking out

Louise sleeping with her nose tucked

After lunch, which for me was some left overs of the paella from last night and for both of us was eaten in Room 13 as it was still too cold to sit outside, I was working and watching the progress as the men put more and more tiles down. Mesut was getting really close to finishing all of the Art Room that would be possible today; tomorrow they will move the units and he will finish this room in a morning. Bekir had the bigger room so his apparent progress was less however in truth he was also powering ahead. A had noticed that the strawberry plants, growing in humanure, have some flowers showing already; here's to hoping we get some juicy fruits from there this year. Thelma has been really loving being outside in the heat and barely coming in apart from for a drink but Louise was inside much more and curled up asleep on the chair. She's so cute!

Very low flying military plane

Heading up the valley

Time for relaxation

The last few tiles of the day go down

Bekir is getting very close to half way

State of play at the end of the day

Earlier on I'd heard a military prop plane flying over but very high so didn't bother getting the camera. Mid afternoon, however, there was a sudden rush of engines and it flew right over the top of the house at very low altitude. I had time to grab the camera and snap some shots out of the window of Room 13 before it disappeared from sight and then I ran at top speed onto the Roof Terrace to capture another few pictures before it banked sharply and headed up the next valley. A was sat out on the front garden on the swinging chair when this happened and was as surprised as I was. The workmen didn't pay any attention and carried on with their tasks. By the end of the day the Art Room is ready for the units to be moved while the Games Room is very nearly half done. Awesome.

Sat on the balcony in the warm evening sun

A plate full of awesome

Lots of cuddles with this little puppy

Clouds forming in the distance

Lovely sunset once more

First sign of spud growth

The large vine is thriving again

The journey back was uneventful but I talked a bit more than normal, getting my Bulganglish practice in. When I got back I had a short while to start this update then dinner was served which we ate on the balcony in the lovely warm evening that today has turned into. It was such a gorgeous meal, really tasty, and the setting and company completed a perfect dinner. Afterwards there was the traditional puppy cuddles with Louise doing her best to pretend to be a human. The forecast threatens rain tomorrow and there was certainly a front of clouds approaching from the north. Once we decided to go inside I got some pictures of the sunset, A shouted me down to see something she was very excited about - the first sprouting spuds, and I was equally pleased to see that all three of the vines that are in the garden are growing well.

The sun has now gone, the gloaming is gathering, and I'm going to spend some time hobbying before bed. Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow.