We have workers!

I am back again with another update and as the title suggests, it has been quite a busy start to this week. However, back to last week to begin with.

As is my routine again now, I was working Thursday as I am back to a three day week until Himself arrives home at least, but most likely for good. The only exciting thing I have to report for Thursday was that whilst working on the house next door, the cement truck which turned up had slight difficulty in getting up the newly created lane. I think this was down to sheer weight and the afact that the land is so dry and dusty that he was unable to get a grip.  However, it turned out that as his wheels spun at the bottom of the lane, they were spinning on the pipe which carries our mains water from the main supply onto the land. Not ideal at all! The young worker was pretty good and when I told him it was my water (which was not now coming through), he got straight on the phone to the water board.

Ooooops

The company arrived in absolutely record time and the young worker brought some of his plumbing supplies down so they could get it fixed.  not a bad spud, that one.  However, it very quickly became apparent that these guys from the water board had actually only come out to read the meter. What perfect timing. They were here for a further 30 minutes or so and then they were gone, with my fully restored water pumping away happily. Excellent.

Perfect timing

Then it was to Friday. What did I do on Friday? Ah yes, the dreaded weekly shop and for some reason, I think I hadn't slept very well and had a bit of a lie in, which in turn meant that watering was later and all the other bits and bobs, so I arrived back and was starving.  A plate of cheese fixed that. I do love cheese and these are just fantastic.

Say cheese

Himself is to bring me back more of the ones I like best, so as instructed, these are those, love!

My favourites

The weekend arrived. On Saturday morning I decided that the chickens should be given a bit more freedom. It was a risk, with the dogs, but I carefully had the dogs under relative control and held all of their attentions whilst the chickens and ducks edged their way out, looking wary.  It was apparent that neither Rambo nor the puppies actually cared. Thelma had her ball, so that was predictable, Rambo sniffed and turned to walk back to his bed and Louise was the only curious one and tried to sneak up on them a couple of times, which I suppose is natural.

Free range chooks

Sneaking up

My memory is shocking, but I actually think I did very little in the way of outside work on Saturday. I know I had done a bit of a tidy inside and a couple of loads of washing, but beyond that, I was particularly lazy.

Sunday, I started out to make up for that and having emptied the pond on Saturday overnight, as it was absolutely horrid with algae and duck poo and I cleaned it out and refilled it. You can actually see the bottom (well not now, but then you could!).

Clean water

I also had a task to go through and be ruthless with all of the seeds that we have and bin anything that is out of date. Turns out that the majority of them were, but I could not bring myself to throw them away as Our Little Lady may actually be able to do something with some of these - she has a magic touch for growing - so I am going to see if she wants to try.

Many seeds

On Sunday I did the watering round a little earlier than normal so that I could grab half an hour at sunset just to relax and see it. I don't think I have actually watched a sunset in a good couple of months, not just because I am busy in the evenings, but also the evenings are much shorter now as well. Beautiful. I was happy as.... well. Happy.

Finally, a sunset

On Saturday, I think, the carpenter had called to say that he was coming with the final batch of internal doors that we ordered with him at the end of May! There were ten in total and a couple of concertina style ones for the guest room (which I do not seem to have a photo of, but I will ensure I get one for the next update). Here they are arriving. How exciting.

Doors!

They wasted no time in unloading and letting the driver get away and leaving the man himself to do his work. Now, normally the old frames would have been removed and our men would have helped him with knocking through any additional brickwork etc. but sadly he had to do it all himself. No complaints, he asked for a crowbar and away he went!

Unloading

They are all slightly lower than the originals, about 10 cms, but this was, from what I gathered from his illustrations, because the wood came in 4m lengths and therefore each door was 2m high. Made sense not to add 10 cms to the height and therefore leave the remaining wood too short, creating more cost. They like to be cost effective, these Bulgarians.

First one in

I was pretty busy with the carpenter around, just because he was clarifying a lot of stuff and having quickly discussed a few things with Himself in Belgium, we agreed most of them early on.  However, I was back and forward a lot of the day with him.  I also had a very welcome visit, eventually, from Chaz and Ivan who had been down doing a little bit of shopping locally.  They were due around 10.30am and so by 11.30 I called them to check all was okay. The lazy blighters weren't even within an hour of town and still had to go to the shops.  So much for my promise of lunch! I scoffed some ham from the fridge to keep me going and finally we sat down at about 3pm! for lunch, Needless to say, I had a small snack that night and went to bed early. Was good to see them though.

The reason I was in bed so early was that Bekir and Sally were coming back for the rest of the week to tile our roof terrace before he real rain, wind and cold starts. This is a high priority so that no moisture gets down behind the insulation which is not sealed up top yet and won't be until all the tiling is complete. So great to have them back and they understood when I said on the phone that it was very important to finish that one job. Excellent.

Of course, that meant that not only did I get to see the sun set this week, I also had the pleasure of a beautiful sunrise (and an hour of pitch black prior to that).

Red skies

7.30am on Tuesday and I set off on that familiar journey to get the men. It was great to see them looking so well and they were pretty spritely after their break away. although Sally was still "Goray dollo". He does make me laugh. Literal translation is "up,down", which would be the equivalent of our "so,so".

Whilst I was away, some little brats had found a packet of cotton wool pads, hadn't they. And they looked so pleased with themselves as well.

Cheeky imps

Until I told them it was not what cotton wool pads were for.

Sorry imps

I had started on the Monday evening to clear off the metal shelving units that we had in the corridor and which held all the preserves from the last few years. The carpenter needed the shelves moved before he could tackle the door frame, so I got on with finishing that first thing so I would not be holding him up. There would have been the same again if He had been here this summer. I freeze stuff, I don't do jams. It's the processing of fruit that I hate, so fiddly.

Preserves

Tuesday arrived early and so did my hunger, so once I had got the men back, after a trip out to the builder's yard to get some materials, my tummy was growling. I decided on eggs, because they are such a treat and we never have any in the house at all (this is a blatant lie and the fact is I cannot keep on top of production, so I may end up freezing some for baking).  Poached egg on toast.  There is no better breakfast, or brunch as it was at that stage.

Breakfast fit for a Queen

It had threatened in the forecast that there would definitely be rain, 100%, and it was not wrong. However, it barely managed to wet the dust. Never mind, it meant I was not let off with the watering again. Shame!  Thelma was less than impressed as well.  She went outside, squinted at me then ran back between my legs and into the kitchen.  Fair weather puppy. Louise didn't care at all. She was lizard hunting.

What is THAT?

So the men were back. Sally was systematically following the carpenter around and prepping the gaps around the doors for cement and also, bless him, clearing all the dust and additional rubbish created when the old doors were removed. Such a tidier.

Sally!

Bekir on the other hand was up and on the roof terrace starting the tiling as requested. He wasted no time and thankfully, the rain did hold off and he was able to crack on.

Bekir!

This was the almost offender. Impressive colour, but sadly, full of hot air and it passed by without many droplets.

Incoming storm

The last two doors were in and Sally had done a quick brush around before they left for the day. What a couple of days!

Svershi

I am not going to update about today just yet, but there will be more photos to follow showing the progress throughout the week and hopefully, the final look at the weekend.  Stay tuned.

Leka nosht.
A xx