Christmas Eve!

I wasn't expecting to be doing a blog today as it is Thursday however yesterday we were without power all day from 9am until after we went out for dinner (it was back by the time we got home) so there was no way of doing the update, or any work. I've actually got quite a lot of pictures to go through, for a first "half" of the week, which is why I am doing one today and not just leaving it all for a super long week one done on Sunday. Anyway, onwards.

Nature

As ever we have been treated to some pretty special sights in the nature around the area. We haven't yet got to go out for another exploration of the region, unfortunately, but we only have to go onto the balcony, or sometimes just sit right in the chair, to see amazing things.

Evening light turns the hills red

Mist in the valley, and the morning fire in a villager's house

Crisp, cold and gorgeous

Final sight of the sun for the day

Before the sun comes up

And there it is, shining across the misty valley

First of all the sunrise and sunsets that we love so much. It might be horrible, how late the sun is currently coming up and how early it is going down, but it does mean that we get to appreciate the sunrise as we're up before it comes up normally. Sunsets being so early are more of a problem, particularly when the power is off like yesterday, but we're managing to get all our chores done before dark still - I suppose you just do what you have to. It hasn't been as cold this week so far, and the forecast is for it to not even drop below freezing at night very much before New Years Eve, however the fog has been thick in the valley in the mornings and the road down the hill has been quite icy in places.

Beautiful ice patterns on the balcony

Permafrost on the balcony

Talking of ice the patch on the balcony has been getting thicker and thicker and hasn't melted all week. It does highlight where the tiles aren't draining quite as well as they should which is a bit of a pain however the patterns it is causing are beautiful and the fun we've had throwing the ball onto the ice for Thelma to chase more than makes up for it. Sassy's bit of the balcony gets plenty of sun and so is not freezing, though her water has had a thin film on it a couple of times this week.

The moon in the morning

Dusk moon

Tomorrow a very rare thing will happen; it will be a Full Moon on Christmas Day. All week I have been admiring the moon and getting pics of it when I can and last night, with the power out, it was almost bright enough to read by. When I let the puppies out in the night it was so sharp but I didn't have the camera with me, of course. I've taken to leaving the curtains open in the living room while the sun is going down so I can enjoy the changing colours on the mountains across the valley and see the moon as it swings around the front of the building. So many beautiful things.

Quick snap in case it decided to flit

Showing off his belly

Caught in the pecking act

Grabbing a tasty bug

Looking very fat and very healthy

Finally for this section I was sat at my desk the other morning, while A had a lovely long lay in, and my eye was caught by movement in the tea tree (Lindens) across the patio. Sure enough it was the woodpecker hopping around from branch to branch and tapping out his tune. I snapped a couple of pictures with the stock lens and then ran for my zoom but I needn't have been in such a hurry as it stayed there for ages. I took plenty of photographs on automatic focus but almost none of them came out as it focused in on the branches in front. Eventually I swapped to manual and got the best pictures of the lot. The plan is to trim these trees down next year which we definitely need to do but it will be a shame to disrupt this lovely creature from its feeding patterns.

Progress

Last update I said I was going to grab any time I had free this week to get into the roof and put the insulation up along to roof terrace corridor. Of course I haven't even been up there since as the thought of putting that boiler suit on, covering up with goggles and a face mask, and getting hot, sweaty and REALLY itchy just didn't appeal. I also have another more valid sounding excuse which is it does make sense to do it all in one go and not in bits and pieces. I don't know which you believe. Anyway, just because I haven't done that doesn't mean we haven't made progress and particularly with the enforced day off work yesterday there is a lot to describe.

Getting the wood ready

The three frames made up

Cutting sod

Digging a trench

The frame fits perfectly, I checked

Assembled in place

Metal fixings this time

In place of doing the insulation is a really excellent bit of progress. Since we shifted all the wood to catch the rat last week the building of a new raised bed went higher in our priorities. I spent my bits and pieces time to cut the correct lengths of wood and then yesterday, as the power was out, rigged it all up, dug the shallow trench, fixed the layers together and finally shoveled the spoil back inside. There is still some work to be done on it; I didn't have quite enough of the metal fixing plates and we will need to get many wheelbarrows of manure from the village pile to finish filling them up, but that can be done later today and then we'll leave it with the glass on to warm up ready for the first seedlings which we will be starting in trays on the balcony.

A starting to clean out Sassy's old room

All swept and tidied

While I was doing the digging A was up in Sassy's room giving it a good sweep out and clean. It got very dusty so she came down at just the right time to help me lift out the frames and get them stacked up. I think I did this on my own for the last one so I was very happy of the help; they're heavy. While we were there the Little Lady came over with the Kmet's daughter with a flower for us to plant, and she asked for a lift into town. We of course said yes however she never came over so I don't know what happened there.

Hiding a hole with a picture

Sharpening kit on the lawnmower

Present wrapping for Rambo

Other than that I finally got round to hanging the oversized photograph of a flower in front of the unsightly hole on the half-landing where the old power box was ripped out while the building was empty. I have also got round to putting the sharpening kit onto the lawnmower so that was fun as I walked it in circles for about twenty minutes on the drive. It has definitely made a difference though I think I will use the napping fluid next time rather than this attachement. We're all ready for Christmas now, too, as A wrapped the final presents which are for Rambo. Thelma has had her nose in them all week.

Other stuff

I want to wrap this update up now so I'm just going to stick everything else under this last section and be done with it. This includes food, puppies and candle lit comfort.

What do you mean, this isn't our chair?!!!!

The puppies continue to be sun loving creatures and have been really appreciating the fact that it's actually been quite warm in the sun, even when the air temperature has been rather low. Inside they continue their love affair with A's chair and this picture was taken about 20 seconds after she had left to go shopping; they were straight up there in the sun-patch. Right now they are both sat on my lap, making typing this rather difficult but it is basically impossible to say no to them.

She cannot wait to eat this, and neither could I

Excellent hot chocolate with flumps

Sunday roast last week was a triumph of well done tatties and beautiful sauteed turnips and cabbage. There was so much that we got a paella out of the left over chicken as well. We're still listening to records during dinner time and have continued the varied selection through this week with some classical guitar music, then some 80s pop and finally an LP of honky tonk piano music in the old London pub style. Brilliant. As was the hot chocolate that we had for afters.

Before dinner, by candlelight

Dinner out, again

Last night with the electricity off, while we were waiting in vain for the Little Lady to come over to be taken shopping, A lit a load of candles in the living room and we sat in there watching the flames (and I was dozing on and off) and playing with the puppies. It was a very nice thing to do and I was almost disappointed when we got back after dinner at our favourite restaurant to find the power back on. I was to bed early as I was really tired still and A sat up watching a film but I didn't sleep well, sadly, so I'm out of sorts today. I'm hoping that a bit of fresh air will sort this out.

So the next update will come after Christmas day and thus I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and hope you enjoy your days as much as I am sure we will.