Still no Ralf

Well the headline here says it all. It is now closing on 8pm and still we are down one doggy and it is really starting to get to both of us. It is so frustrating to know that he could be out there somewhere but when we have searched there has been nothing; no bark, yelp or howl that sounds like his. There are so many wild dogs (and owned dogs) that a barking dog is something you hear all the time. We have not even heard a single sound that is from Ralf since he vanished.

Trying to keep productive

We are both really trying to not let this whole thing drag us down and make us mope however it is so tough. A spent a large amount of time today looking for him all around the boundary and hoping against hope that he would be the thing moving in the distance and today, once again, I almost crashed when I saw a small dog running along beside the road but it wasn't him. Anyway, we both slept last night, against all odds, but I woke up with the alarm feeling completely exhausted, like my dreams had been tiring. A got out of bed before me, just, but I followed her, cuddled a brew, then when she headed off for the men (it is that time again today) I pulled the saw out and cut the wood which I had brought in last night. At least it felt like I was doing something other than worrying about our little man.

This chimney is being rebuilt

Shortly A returned with the men (only Bekir and Sally today however my irritation with Orhan has diminished as apparently he has found a job in Belgium and that will obviously be hugely more profitable than working for me) and they expressed a lot of sadness about Ralf. There is not much that can be said about this, however, and so they went and got on with their jobs. Today they were rebuilding the chimney which services Room 13 so they were pulling the old bricks down and rebuilding around the metal chimney tubes.

Lucy full of sawdust

Due to the return to England we had decided that Thomas should get a full service prior to the travelling and, because of attempting to sell Lucy at lunch time tomorrow we realised that we should hurry ourselves to get this done as we may have no reserve vehicle pretty soon. For this reason as soon as A got back (and even though I had boiled the kettle for her return we didn't wait for a brew) we were straight over to the garage to get Thomas booked in as early in the day as possible. As we drove past the carpenter's I saw that he was there so I stopped and jumped out and made a plan to return later to collect more sawdust. He was really friendly again and I have a very good feeling about him making our kitchen.

Stored for the winter

Thomas was dropped off fine and we explained about needing a full service and the few little things that were definitely wrong with him and then we went in to town to see if we could talk to the shop who apparently also run a building firm. The young girl on checkout (who speaks some English) didn't understand our question but then A had the idea of popping down to the garage shop where the lady speaks very good English. She was able to, after a bit of toing and froing, arrange for us to go and speak to the manager of the building firm. He spoke Bulgarian and no English but I was able to pick most of it up, with a horrible feeling that they wanted to meet me back there at 11.30, not come to the school.

We headed back to their shop and wouldn't you know that was exactly what had been arranged. When it was suggested that we should stay in town until then I demurred and we went back home. I wanted to drop A off in case Ralf showed up, I wanted to pick up the bags for the sawdust but mostly I wanted to talk to Bekir before this other builder turned up on his turf having a look around. I am really glad I did this as at first I am sure he thought I wanted to get this new builder to do the roof terrace but with a few conversations we understood each other and he was happy again as was I.

I had time for breakfast (bacon and eggs cooked by A and very nice it was too) and then it was back in Lucy and over to town. I had lost my mobile phone and we had both looked for it everywhere which was a problem as I was expecting a call on it to confirm the meeting time and place. No matter I just headed in that direction. On the way I stopped again at the carpenters but he was not there. He had shown me where he stored the sawdust the first trip though so I took my empty bags, left them in that store room, and collected the same number of full ones and fit eight of these in Lucy.

I found my phone by moving the passenger seat forwards and then a minute later it rang and it was my meeting being arranged; great timing. I arrived and a minute later so did the chap so he followed me in the car back to the school. He took some of the project documents which Lubo had provided me with and also we made contact via skype and email and he said he would be in touch with the quote soon. Bekir was really helpful as usual showing him what I want and talking and it really brought home just how much I hope he can put a team together to work next year; I resolved then to talk to him about this on the journey back.

With the builder man gone, and A having returned from her searching-for-Ralf-trip with Rambo going back up the mountain past the lakes which Ralf loves to swim in but no luck, we unloaded Lucy and stacked all the bags of sawdust in one of the small rooms (actually the one which may end up as the toilet).

Sassy getting petted

After this I set myself in front of the computer and did a mix of paid work, and typing for my legal preparation. This took almost the whole of my day and I don't really have that much more interesting to say about it. What did happent hat was lovely was we went to see Sassy while feeding her and I picked her up, groomed her (she had some matted fur which we dealt with) and she was really lovely to hold. Maybe she is getting more used to that idea. I have determined that I will groom and hold her every day now until we take her to S and S, which is only a few days away of course.

On the roof, rebuilding the chimney

A was outside a lot today calling for Ralf and later, when we found the dog whistle, blowing it for all she was worth and rousing every dog within a few miles but never any that sounded remotely like Ralf. I was stuck to my desk however and couldn't really get outside. The men were working away really hard trying to get the chimney finished before they left for the day and bless them they achieved this. I haven't got an end of day picture as the light faded too fast but here they are, on the roof, doing their thing.

We received a phone call from the garage saying that Thomas was ready so immediately headed over. I almost left Lucy for a quick service (and now wish I had) but they did everything for Thomas and even cleaned him. On the way back we saw that the train is running again and also a taxi had pulled onto a side road and was stuck with only three wheels on the ground. Madness.

I finished off my document and got A to proof read it for typos (of which she found a few) and then I sent it to the solicitor and rested a bit. I had a few more conversations with Bekir as I felt bad about getting someone else to quote on a job and then after a while, and some more looking for Ralf, it was time for the men to head home. The drive back was uneventful apart from the amount I was able to communicate with them. I found that the digger machine will probably be back on Monday, it will come with a truck to take the spoil away, the window people haven't been in touch and that Bekir will certainly try and put a work team together for me next year. All good things. They only horrible thing was as I was driving back I saw the same dog running by the side of the road as yesterday and once again I thought it was Ralf and almost crashed.

Dinner was a tasty pasta thing and today we did put Father Ted on after neither of us being slightly in the mood for that last night. A took the dog whistle out onto the balcony at my suggestion and once again roused every dog for miles by blowing it long and hard. Still nothing from Ralf. This is sad. I have taken ages writing this blog, but that's been no bad thing as I have been playing civilisation and talking to old friends at the same time. I had better get these pictures in place and head to bed now though; I am exhausted.