Still no sign of summer

Wow the blog yesterday was hard to write. I'm doing this one in fits and starts through the day to avoid another struggle like that. Also, my plans for scything today have been disrupted by another storm blowing through; when will they stop and when will the summer finally arrive?!

The moth from last night

The first picture that I am building this around was, however, taken last night while I was on the phone and is of a very large and pretty moth that was flying against the window outside for quite a while. Unfortunately I had to use the flash which has washed out a lot of the nice colours, and picked out just how dirty the windows have got since they were fitted. Just trust me, it was pretty.

Really misty this morning when I got up

I slept well again and woke at 6.45 but then blinked and it was 7.30 so I had to jump out of bed to try and get things done before T arrived. The weather was truly dire this morning with low mist and a dampness in the air but the sun broke through a few times and then suddenly it was warm. Upon getting up I went straight to make my brew and then went out to feed the boys. I had pulled Ralf's bowl inside the night before so I put food in it before going over. It was a major struggle to get Rambo out, put the bowl down and then stop Rambo trying to take it however I managed it. Ralf scarfed the whole lot down without spilling any of the pellets and then, when I finally went in to feed Rambo, was jumping and bouncing around everywhere trying to get my attention to give him more. He really was very bouncy and T, who arrived as I was doing the second feeding run, was laughing a lot at how enthusiastic he was.

T redoing his wall

I was able to get my washing out on the line first thing even while it was still misty and it was gratifying that the sun broke through to dry it. T had spotted, however, that some of the bricks he laid by the internal window were a bit loose so before going outside he knocked them out, made a small mix, and set to chipping the bricks so they would sit more easily in the wall. It didn't take him long and then he was waiting for me to be ready to go and get some more cement.

Zinnia seedlings looking good

While he was doing the wall I spent a little time walking the land with Rambo and Ralf mainly to get them used to walking with me but also as the sun had come out and I wanted to make the most of it. We went round by the fenced garden and up onto the top and across, via both the Magnolias (which are looking great) and the Zinnias which are growing (though only in a couple of clusters; most of the seeds have not germinated, or were taken by ants) and which I snapped a picture of, though both Rambo and Ralf went on the flower bed and had to be moved.

Ralf playing with T

After this myself and T sat on the porch for a bit playing with both of them. Ralf is an interesting proposition in that he is sweet and gentle but I think he must also have been deprived quite badly as he has a bit of a growl and a nip about him when he isn't happy; he may have anger issues I think. He was playing very well but then when Rambo chased his kong he was going for a snap at his heels and growling and, at one other time, when I was stroking him he started opening his mouth very wide and trying to catch my hand with it. It will be a challenge.

It's RAAAMBOOOOO!!!

Anyway, it was a really lovely way to spend a little bit of time while I waited for someone to reply online and then, once that was done, we put the boys away and headed, in Thomas, to go and see the window people and to pick up the extra cement which T needs to carry on with his task.

Flat tyre on the roller

As we turned the corner onto the cheren put that will soon no longer be one we saw that the huge roller had run into trouble and was leaning heavily to one side with a flat tyre. The men were stood looking at it and looking concerned and I don't blame them at all. I hate to think what one of those tyres would cost and the challenge of changing it would defeat me as well. They had diggers around so presumably, we thought, they would use one of these to ease the switch. More of this later.

This is what counts as a morning rush hour hold up

Our first port of call was the window place however it was all locked up and no one around - very strange on a Thursday but maybe there is a public holiday I don't know about (there does seem to be them a lot around here). No matter, we then headed to the builders yard and I picked up six big bags of cement for 51 lev (about £18). Bargain. We headed back towards the house but were held up by what counts as a morning rush hour over here; a flock of sheep on the bridge. They cleared the way quick enough and it was up the hill again and then past the still stricken roller. I do not know what they thought they were doing but they had almost removed the wheel but had no supports and it was leaning even worse - they were, as we drove past, attempting to put some wedged underneath it but it was tilting alarmingly. Rather them than me!

Ralf having a snooze again

My day today has revolved around writing a report for work, and avoiding writing a report for work by spending time with the boys. At one point I stretched my legs and saw that Rambo was up with T so I went to sit with Ralf for a bit. He was in their house and came to say hello when I went in, then went and lay down while I sat on the bench next to him. He let me stroke him, wanted a belly scratch, and was all round lovely at this time.

Rambo (with rock visible past him)

A few minutes later I heard the hoof-pounding sound of Rambo coming towards us and in he bounded with a large rock in his mouth. Standard. He ran around the room with it then went for a drink, dropping it with a thunk on the floor. It is still there, I think, as when he left again (following me) he didn't pick it up again. He was also really friendly and allowed me to continue giving attention to Ralf while also fussing him. This is how it should be, but I knew it couldn't really last.

The boys on the top field

For a fair while the now familiar (boringly so) sound of thunder had been rumbling around the valleys and I took a walk up to the top and where T was working away, followed by the boys, to see what was going on and also to watch the weather as it built. All around were dark clouds and there was the rumble of thunder however it was not yet dropping any rain, or actually doing anything that close, so T was cracking on as fast as he could.

My lunch was the remains of the pasta from last night, reheated and poured over toast and it was really tasty, though there wasn't really enough to completely satisfy me. I was still working away and sent the report shortly after. It was then time for T to have lunch and he sat on the sofa for a bit but then, as the weather was still good, he went and sat with his legs dangling over the edge of the balcony, looking at the weather and chilling out. I joined him for a couple of minutes but then left him to his peace, as I had been on my way to the loo when I caught sight that the door was open. I went past the front door and saw that both the boys were asleep on the porch  but I didn't have my camera with me and, by the time I went back upstairs and grabbed it, when I came back down they were awake and looking in (probably because of the sound of my feet on the floor of Room 13 above their heads). Never mind, another time.

After this it was on with working and a bit of reading to let me lunch go down and then more working and then I suddenly realised that the rain was starting and so T would be coming in so I went to see if he wanted to go with me back to town to see the window people. In the time it took me to walk down the stairs the heavens opened and there was more water pouring off the roof than you would believe. I shot this video for a bit, as none of the photographs came out, then went upstairs to get my rain hat and lock up. In that time there was a flash and a bang and T said it looked like the lightning went down just past the farm and it was a perfect forked strike. We walked to Thomas and by the time we got in him the storm had already passed and the rain was easing. What an intense, but super short lived, downpour that was.

The window people were still not there on this trip however I was unwilling to waste having dragged myself out so we went via the main town and Kaufland so I could buy some more meat for the dogs and some baked beans for me. This was completed easily and by the time we got back the storms had passed and the sun was breaking out. They had managed to change the tyre on the roller and it was back in business. They really are making good progress now with road stone almost the entire length and it is quite smooth too in places.

That is not blue sky - it is a cloud

When we got back T went to check the concrete he had poured just before the storm hit but it was still too wet to move the forms so he went into the attic and continued clearing stuff down. He really does work hard. I snapped a picture mid afternoon of what looked at first like blue sky but is actually the storm which had blown over us and was still carrying on away. While I was shooting this Ralf noticed me on the balcony and ran over and looked up at me, putting his paws on the wall. He then ran away a bit then turned and charged at the wall, jumping and scrabbling for a grip and getting a fair way up before falling back. Poor little fella just loves company.

T going to check the forms

T kept popping up to the top to check on the forms as he wanted to get another couple of sections done today but the volume of water which fell in that short space of time has meant that he has been unable to remove the forms to set them across the next section. Rambo as always follows him everywhere but Ralf is more circumspect and just keeps an eye on where they are going before turning back to stay near the front door.

Looking down at Ralf

Just after this I sat as I had earlier with my legs dangling and Ralf came again to see me. I hoped that he might do the jumping and climbing thing but he didn't; he only came to say hello then looking up at me growling a little because he couldn't get to me. I went downstairs and let him in for a bit while trying to train him to sit and he does appear to be slowly learning, though he snatches the food you offer to him and got quite close to my fingers a couple of times. After a while I put him outside and he was yapping and barking to be let in really badly so I went and grabbed him and put them both in the enclosure. They have been quiet since so hopefully they'll start tomorrow a bit calmer.

Finally a lovely evening

It was so lovely out that, while I did a little on this blog, I decided to go outside and read in the sun on the balcony. The remnants of the storm were still visible as a band in the distance and what looked like the next one was building the other direction. For now, however, it was gorgeous and I read for about 40 minutes before deciding to come in and start cooking my tea.

Dinner was planned as chicken and chips (thanks for the recommendation) and I put two chicken thighs in to cook and chopped some potatoes for my chips and covered them to wait for the time to put the oil on. While I was cooking I could see the huge cloud building outside my window and then, on queue, there was the sound of thunder rumbling. I was listening to some cool jazz while I was typing and couldn't really hear it and while I ate my dinner (which was very nice indeed, thank you very much) it blew past, missing me, with only a couple of rumbles and no rain (yet).

Tomorrow I will be trying to contact the window place again, hopefully doing some more scything (none was done today as the rain came just after everything was finally dry again from yesterday) and a fair amount more paid work. I will also be hoping against hope that I hear that Bekir is ready to start on Monday - this roof needs done. I'm just hoping it starts soon.