Final week, then back to blighty

Hey, hasn't it been a while since I updated this. The lack of update has been caused by just having no time at all, what with legging it back to the UK on short notice.

It's early Monday morning now and we're getting Bekir and the boys back today hopefully for at most a week to finish off the final tasks of the year, so I figured I'd better clear this update out the way before more stuff happens.

Moving the big work bench

Production line of wood to be stained

Sun trying to break through

Wahoo Sally is back!

Bekir measuring and working out the humanure work

More tiling happening

Two weeks ago began with moving the big workbench in the workshop out of the way so Mesut could finish the tiling. It's a hefty lump and took four of us to shift. With that done the crew moved to their tasks, with Sally and Okhtay painting all the remaining wood with stain, while the sun tried to break through the fog but failed, and Bekir cleared the brush and worked out plans for the brick wall I am having made for the humanure collection point which, after three years, is falling apart and rotting. Mesut inside worked away as he does, steadily and efficiently.

This room is so badly in need of tidying

They are playing, honest

A martinitsa that was tied to the tea trees

Butterflies still flying around

Back up the scaffold

Grouting done

One of the tasks for the men before they leave is to move the wood store from where it is now, in the old tool room, and fit it up in the new workshop. This is for two reasons. Firstly I need to organise that room so next year the final fit electrics, dust extraction etc can be fitted but also now we have our new arrival on the way this messy room will be turned into a bedroom and play room and a door will be knocked through into the kitchen, right behind where the wood rack is. So it needs moved. I went in and did a bunch of shifting, but not much tidying, to make that extraction easier when it was reached. Outside Bekci and Rambo were having a play, they are getting on much better all the time now and we've even seen them playing together on the back bank on their own (and Rambo has taken her for his rounds of the perimeter which is just awesome). The sun had finally broken through and it was a glorious day, with butterflies fluttering around, while Bekir and Sally were up the scaffold fitting the soffits that had been stained in the morning. Mesut had finished the tiling and was grouting and cleaning where the work bench would be put back; this time it was being rotated 90 degrees and going underneath the window, a far more suitable position for it.

Where this bench will stay

Okhtay starts digging

Up the scaffold as we left

Still up the scaffold when we got back

On Tuesday we were not around much as we had to go to see the hospital and meet the doctor where A is going to give birth. We still had the men in working and before we headed off I helped shift the workbench into place. Mesut was carrying on the grouting in the rest of the room while Okhtay had the task of digging the foundations as we waited for a delivery of blocks and cement for the wall to be begun. We left Bekir and Sally working up the scaffold and when we got back after our visit, which went well and was easy though we did go to the wrong hospital first off and had to be directed down the road to the correct place, they were still up the scaffold but it had been moved to the last position. So close to completed.

Final stretch

Puppies so happy to have the fire

My wood storage rack is removed...

... and shifted through

Mesut's floor is clean, briefly

Wednesday was the final workday for the men, and going to be a short day as well. Bekir and Sally finished the final few bits up the scaffold and then very quickly completed on the roof terrace and that is that task complete. This autumn has actually been quite warm however we're slowly getting to the fire time of year and the puppies are very pleased about this; they love their fire. With the soffits done, and the scaffold stacked neatly waiting collection from the truck bring the blocks and cement, Bekir and Sally went into the tool room and I helped them clear away the wood from the racking before they took it down and shifted it into the workshop. I then struggled for a bit with whether I wanted that racking to be put back up (I was feeling like it wasn't all the well made and maybe a proper construction would be better) and so I thought about it while they paused for lunch. Mesut was cleaning away after finishing the grouting; he laughed to see the dirt being tracked in on his nice clean floor.

Bekir fixing up the damaged door

Wood storage being fitted

Trimming the bottom to fit over the tile edging

We are THIS happy about the pahlenka

Bekir had spotted that the Green Building door was looking very battered - it had been blown off its hinges by wind and that damaged the surround so it was falling apart. He jumped on to fixing this up over lunch and now the building is secure again, which is good. I decided after talking with A to go ahead using the old racking and with that decision made Bekri and Sally spent the rest of the day trimming and fitting up to make sure it would be as solid and much better than before. They got the first upright in place and it is certainly secure and solid. I took the men home at about 4pm and then headed off to town for the scan that we had booked, which was awesome and we even got videos of bubba, and then we headed up the hill to have pahlenka and other lovely food as a celebration meal. It was just a perfect way to end the day. We chilled out, didn't rush, took our time and headed home full of good food and happy.

On the bus and cramped

Raining as I leave

Mum enjoying her chinese takeaway

Fish and chips to finish the week

My absolutely wonderful Nana

And so Thursday came and I was on the bus to Sofia and then on a plane to Birmingham for my trip back to go see my Nana, who has suddenly become very unwell. The journey there was cramped and uncomfortable and I was very pleased to reach my parents' house and get some sleep. The week went very well, as well as could be expected, with loads of visits to see my Nana, and also getting to see some family I don't see very often. We had chinese takeaway, and I teased A with a picture of my mum enjoying it, and then later on we had fish and chips and another tease picture had to be taken. The final day was pretty tough as I was saying goodbye to my Nana; she is comfortable and not in pain and surrounded by family however I will miss her.

I am welcomed home by Louise

A beautiful and dramatic morning

Thelma stretching in front of the fire

Such a glorious view

Probably the nicest steak I've eaten in Bulgaria

I stopped in Sofia in a hotel, having landed late at night, and got the bus back and was welcomed very happily by the puppies; they missed me and so did A. I was pretty tired from the week and am only now just starting to recover actually. The sun came out for my return, it having rained continually while I was away, but it was still cold and the puppies were loving the fire as always. I've just had to light it now actually, and it's raining once more, which isn't what we wanted with that wall to be built outside. Oh well. Last night I went out with a friend for food and a few beers to celebrate bubba, something that I do not do very much, and it was a lovely evening. Bless her we couldn't find any taxis at all so A came out to chauffeur. What a star.

So there you have it. A is heading back with Bekir and Sally, but only those two, and hopefully this week the final tasks can be completed before we pack up for winter. Thanks for reading.

Weekend reached

This update is, as per usual really, being done a little later than planned. I was going to do an update on Friday but just ran out of time and so I have left it until Sunday to start. Sunday Roast is going to be ready any moment now so this may well end up not being published until Monday morning as I want to chill with A and watch a film tonight rather than being sequestered up here in Room 13 as is my usual habit at the moment. Let's see how far I get before I am guldered at...

(^^ That is far as I got on Sunday night before dinner was ready and after dinner we sat and watched Once Upon a Time in the West, one of my favourite ever films, and I just didn't want to come back to my desk afterwards... so now on with the update....)

Scaffold goes onto the balcony

Someone near Greece got some sun

Scaffolding while Sassy watches on

Staining more boards

Mesut onto nearly the final stretch

Hammering up boards

Working away into the darkening evening

I got some hobbying done! Very pleased with these

Thursday seems a very long time ago but I took a few pictures. Bekir and Okhtay lifted up scaffold onto the balcony  ready for the next section of work while I headed out to get some more tarracol for Mesut. When I got back Bekir was laughing because of the difference in tones between the two brands of wood stain we have bought. I am sure it will all fade to about the same colour eventually. Mesut was making great headway but was at the point of the tiling where a lot of cutting was required to do the edges. Outside Bekir and Okhtay had done enough staining to keep themselves going and were up the scaffold, straddling Sassy's cage, fitting the again. I've asked him to leave the outside light in place even though next year it may not be needed any more. It was not the nicest of days, weather wise, and Mesut worked with the door shut to keep the warmth in, bless him. I, for myself, finally managed to get a day mostly away from my desk and did some solid hobbying, getting my WW2 British Airborne troops all painted up.

The sun rises on Friday

Bekir is working alone

Good progress, considering he's not got a mate to help

Scaffold up, stepping down to the back patio(!!?)

Thelma found the sun

Mesut finishing around the edge of the room

This room is going to be awesome for a workshop

On Friday Bekir and Mesut were our only workers as Okhtay decided he had earned enough and didn't want to work - this was a bit of a pain however Bekir really cracked on working alone and made great progress, though slower than he wanted. Mesut helped him to shift the scaffold when needed and other than that he just bashed away and they really are not far off completing this task now. It does look great as well. Inside Mesut finished the large tiles, and all the cuts down the wall and also got about 1/3 of the way around putting the edging tiles in place. It is starting to look really good in there. It was a lovely day, A did her shopping and Thelma spent the entire time sleeping in the sun on her chair. I did a mixed day of hobbying and some coding, which is my aim for today as well.

A chainsawing, and wearing protective equipment!

Venko getting ready to play

Father, daughter and a friend playing an adhoc set

And so to the weekend. I worked during Saturday trying to get something finalised on my website. The weather was back to miserable and cold and so our thoughts of getting up to the Mountain House were shelved; this turned out well as we went up with Emma and the kinds on Sunday. We did get outside quite a lot to get some chores done; A did a load of chainsawing while I cleared more of the tea trees and dragged them round to our storage by the orchard. This was hard work and really tired us both out. I was out on Saturday night to see Venko and his band play and my short nap before leaving gave me the energy to have a really enjoyable night. It was good to see him and meet a few people, like the Bassist's son and wife who spoke a little English and I sat with.

Over cast but still stunning

A gorgeous glorious day

Bekci and Rambo enjoy the sunshine

Thelma and Louise also enjoying the sunshine

The fire is also appreciated

Beautiful sky, with moon

We were up and about and out the house to meet Emma and family on Sunday morning, I did get a little hobby time in before leaving, and had a lovely time in the mountains. It was overcast and cool while we were up there but still beautiful and so peaceful. They then came back for a coffee and a chat and left around lunch time; it was lovely to get to spend time with them again. While A dashed out to get bread for lunch I sat in the sun on the patio and relaxed as it was baking hot with glorious blue skies by this point. I did a little more work on the website and pushed it live then it was time for dinner (and my abortive attempt at writing this update) before we fed the puppies, played with Bekci, and admired the beautiful evening sky. The film was amazing and it was then an early night before being up this morning.

A has just got back with the men so I'm going to sign this off and get on with the rest of my day.