Bit of a to-do today

Ahh Sunday, the traditional day of rest and today, despite the dog kicking off again at almost exactly 7am (maybe that is why I haven't really noticed it bothering me recently as I have not tried to have any lie ins for weeks) I was able to roll over and head back under the covers and get another two hours sleep. You have to love being able to do that, I have been so busy recently it's nice to not have anything booked in the diary.

The fire finally catches hold

Anyway, about 9 I realised I was gasping for a brew enough to rouse myself and, with the sun once again glinting through the windows encouraged me to think that maybe today is the day that the weather finally would change and stay changed rather than the overly changeable and then fixedly-rainy weather that has typified the past few weeks. I had my usual cup of tea and then started to think about my day. I had a few things on my list to achieve but the first thing that intruded was a slight smell from the burnable waste that has been building up as it has been raining too much to burn recently. I threw it in the drum and tried to light it. The clicker lighter thing didn't work so I resorted to some matches and pretty soon it was blazing away happily and so I left it go for it.

What is this?!

After lighting the fire I went to Rambo to feed and water him, and let him have a good run around (once again I haven't taken him for an actual walk, but he has been running around the land loads so I don't feel too bad) and I saw something a bit strange just by his gate; it looked like the hoof from an animal and it looked pretty fresh. I am not sure where this came from but I have picked it up and brought it inside to stop Rambo from chewing on it. He was happy for food and water but as I left him to go back inside he decided that playing with me was more important than breakfast and who was I to refuse so I had a bit of a tussle with him and then went back upstairs for my own breakfast.

Play "spot the woodpecker"

I washed up, made another brew, and then realised that my frying pan was now wet and I couldn't be bothered to dry it so I had cornflakes instead. I am so lazy. It seemed that only Saturday was a hibernation day so I had a lovely chat online while I was eating and then I headed out for one of my most important chores of today; getting cash with which to settle up my uber expensive start to the week. I had decided to go into town so I could visit Bila and Kaufland to get some stuff from those shops. On the way I happened to look to my right out the car and spotted a woodpecker climbing up a tree. I grabbed the camera and snapped a load of shots, though sadly (and as usual) I hadn't brought the long lens so it's a bit distant. I stayed parked on the track until it flew away with a distinctive dipping flight. I love the wildlife here.

My shopping trip was a success, with a few things on my list purchased, and a few things that weren't. I got myself a toaster, some inner tubes to fix my bike up with, some car fuses so I can make Thomas' hazard lights work again and fly spray, amongst other things (including some plants; I have SO many now I really need to plant them out soon.

I did skip a little bit just now, because I'll talk about it all at once as it has pretty much defined my day today. When I was leaving today I noticed that some of the old metal that had been stripped out of my fence had been taken, and also the wood had been sorted into piles by size. I definitely had not done this and, as I was going through the gate, I saw that the old man from the farm below was going up the lane with an axe over his shoulder; had he been on my property doing that before and legged it when he heard me driving down? The gate had been fastened in a different way to that which I did it, for sure. I grabbed some wire and when I pulled out of the property I wound it round to make it clear that I was not willing to have people coming through there without my permission. I did think though that I was being a bit paranoid.

Wood loaded into Thomas

When I got back from the shops I backed Thomas up to the piles of wood and loaded as much of it as possible, along with the last remaining roll of fencing, into the back. At least, I thought, I was moving stuff that I wanted to dry and chop for firewood, or maybe even use for Hugelkulture, closer to the target areas. I didn't bother to unload and reload Thomas because I thought they wouldn't be so brazen as to come back and anyway it was pretty much lunch time and I was hungry.

My first marmite of my time here

My new toaster was unpacked, plugged in (initially placed on the shelf but then moved to the desk next to me as I worried about the heat on the power cable for the printer above) and I put a couple of slices in with the setting on 2. After smelling burning (it wasn't too bad) I reduced that to one and my second slices were perfect. This was the ideal opportunity to open the marmite sent me by my parents and my wasn't it tasty.

As I was just biting into my second, much better done, slices of toast I spotted sat on the curtain rail above my head a swallow. I got up to shoo it out the door, open the door to room 13, and jumped. The old man from the farm was standing outside my door. He started talking to me and I shut him up by pointing at the bird and making it clear that I was trying to get it out of the room. He stood to one side and I managed to encourage the little thing out of the door, and then I turned to deal with his problem. He had come to complain that I had moved MY wood and MY fence from where it had been and it was now in the back of Thomas.

I went downstairs with him and explained (the first of many times) that it was mine, and that I was going to keep it as it was mine. Quite simple. We walked over towards the gate and I could see the younger (normally lazy) one was in and removing the tires. Now this I wasn't too upset by so I left that to it but I stood watching for a bit, told them that the wood was mine and that if they didn't like this they could talk to my men the next day then I went back inside to finish my (now very cold) toast.

After eating my toast, and putting a few other things away, I started to worry (and was advised to as well) that they would be just cracking on without me being there so I popped down to see if they were still on my property. They were. The young one was still removing tyres and the old one was, despite what I had said before, still taking my wood. I made a decision that I was not going to leave them alone again until they were off my land. I immediately got stuck in extracting the tires and passing them on to the young one to stack outside. This was good hard work and I actually enjoyed it, apart from when I soaked myself a couple of times with the water that was inside the tyres from the downpours we have had.

All this time the old man was taking wood from the pile and I had several conversations to explain to him that he wasn't to and that if he didn't like this, talk to my workmen tomorrow. When he took his axe and started to chop apart a tree that I had taken out from my land I lost my temper and shouted at him to stop and not do that! I was starting to feel a lot like they were taking the piss out of me (as he had run away before when I had almost caught him on my land he must know he had no leg to stand on) and I stood my ground now, getting irate and expressing myself very forcefully. Fortunately the young one came over and told the old one to stop and back down. I would have laid kicked them both off the land if he hadn't have done and I think he realised and wanted to get the tyres at least.

After this I continued to help move the tyres and the old man started complaining again about the metal (that was mine) that had been removed. He also continued to pick up sticks and then, when the young one started lobbing more wood over the fence into his own land, I decided enough was enough and I told them both to get off my land, and to come back tomorrow when Bekir could talk to them. I closed the gate and went to let Rambo out.

What a kerfuffle!

I went back inside, soaked and covered in mud and scratches, but very satisfied with myself. I had communicated, stood my ground, ended with a hand shake, and protected myself from what I am working out is a family who are willing to try and take advantage (as you could see from the EU50 price for free shit). This is the sort of thing that I wasn't sure how I would deal with and hopefully now they have seen that I won't take any shit from them they will back down a bit?

I changed into shorts, put my sandals on, then went out to double check they had gone. Rambo was hanging around as per and he came for a cuddle and as I went down on one knee I saw the old man walking up the lane. I am sure he is not very happy with me but he should have cleared out what he thought was mine before March when I agreed with them when I first bought the place. Never mind.

Chicken going into the oven

Happy that I was not going to have any more intrusions from them I returned inside to start to think about dinner. I had bought a huge bird from the shop yesterday, and today picked up cabbage and broccoli from bila for my dinner and I was going to roast it REALLY slowly. It sat very nicely on the tray and the oven was set to 170 degrees and it was only 2pm.

Rambo patrolling the perimeter

As I was preparing dinner I saw that Rambo was making a circuit of the property; maybe I will make a guard dog out of him in the end. I was just on another call when my bulgarian phone went and it was the other neighbour. I didn't answer and I noticed that the kids were hanging around the fence, looking through, but scared because of Rambo. He actually chased them off but I think he was probably really disappointed because he just wanted to play. Bless him.

Tatties going in to roast

I had a lovely conversation then decided that I should achieve the other things on my list. First of all the task was to chop and start to roast the tatties. Even by the time, only an hour or so into the roast, the smell was starting to drive me wild and the juices that had been expressed into the tray were amazing. I chopped three small tatties and basted them, then put it all back into the oven at the same temperature.

My favourite tree

From there it was outside to demarcate the area of the final humanure collection point. I make no excuses for interjecting this picture; I so love that tree it really is my favourite and the digger machine had BETTER not knock it down or damage it! I love how it makes my pictures look so much better than they would if it weren't there. It's colour is amazing and even if it doesn't give me any fruit I don't care.

The trench for the top of the humanure collection point

Despite what it looks like in that picture the sun was out and it was quite nice using the pick axe to dig a shallow line as long as the humanure collection point will have to be, just a couple of inches wide and deep but enough to allow the digger machine operator where to go. The bedrock is quite close to the surface here so both machines would be needed. I will only be getting this done after all the other digging is done as it is not a cheap do having both machines on site and this is a luxury and not actually needed til next year as I have my temporary collection point sorted.

Sheep past the fence

The sheep were once again hugging the edge of my fence, watched over by both the sheep dogs and I snapped a picture this time as I had missed this the last time. The so obviously wish they were on my side!

Wood moved safe from looters

My next task was to locate a bike lock that I know I have with me to put on the gate however I couldn't find it so I'll just have to hope that there are no more attempts this evening; I saw some bike locks in Kaufland so I'll be popping back there tomorrow I think. I then started my final task which was to pull all the trees we had chopped down round to near the house so, even if the old man does come in, he will have to walk past Rambo (who does bark) to get to these. This was another physical task and I could feel myself working up a sweat (which I like) as I dragged the sizable limbs up and round to by the house.

Read the name of the file

I then turned to Thomas and cleared all the wood out from his truck bed. I now wished I had done this earlier and gone and cleared all the wood that was down by the gate but never mind; you live and learn. While I was emptying it I selected six good sized limbs which serve very well as stakes for the silver birch trees. I have arranged that the digger machine will be removing the sand and gravel first thing tomorrow and then I will be going out with my pick axe and shovel and planting them. I am very excited about this!

This was my last chore of the day so I headed inside to relax and listen to music (I have been listening to an Andre Rieu concert most of the day on and off, though when the old man had appeared outside my door that had spoiled my mood so I stopped the music for a bit) when I heard the kids again and looked outside to see them and the little lady walking round the track and along towards my gate. Sure enough soon I heard Rambo barking so I went down to speak to them; she was in wanting more of her straw from the outbuilding and I was happy enough for this. I then agreed that once my plants were established she could have some cuttings (she was happy about this) and then waved goodbye to her and her little gaggle of children.

Fantastic Sunday roast

The smells emanating from my cooker were starting to make my tummy rumble quite loud so I put the veg on and then, once it was lightly boiled, poured some of the copious juices from the bird into the frying pan and finished them off in there. I loaded my plate to the brim (but only took one wing from the bird; there is SO much meat left) and sat down to eat. The gravy you can see is actually the juices I fried the veg in briefly. So tasty, and the meat was just falling off the bone. Thanks for the tip about the veg by the way; you know who you are :)

Evening sun on the hills across the valley

So I have sat here and written this blog listening to Guns n Roses (proved a bad choice as it totally distracted me for ages as I played air bass) and now Metallica. the skies have really cleared today and it bodes well for tomorrow; I may even set a load of washing going tonight or tomorrow night. I am about to turn the music off, and have my lovely long telephone conversation now, and then to bed with tomorrow being a super busy one planned.