Cutting the carpet

Here we go again, let's get to this update.

Whisky to try and help me sleep

Last night I did not sleep well at all and ended up at 1am sipping whisky to try and sleep. I'm now very tired indeed.

Starting to take measurements

A really lovely autumn morning, from the roof terrace

Halil uses the leaf blower to clean the patio

Measuring before the cut

Bekir making the first cut

Dragging out another roll of carpet

Underlay going in

Carpet is going down!

The men were in on time and they got stuck into the main task for the day which was to cut all the carpet into shape for the roof and also the stairs. There was a lot of measuring and checking and talking just to make sure that once we got to cutting everything was perfect. It was the time to start the cutting and they got all of the main floor area from the first roll, and then hauled the second roll out to cut the stairs. We were able to get a stairway cut as a single piece right from the top, round the middle landing, and to the bottom. With everything cut (including a section to go into the left hand storage area) they started laying the underlay and then, while Angela and I were out at an awesome show at Rosie's school that she was involved in, they laid out the first section. It still need to trimming and securing but that's some awesome progress!

Finishing touches from our mechanic

Rosie helps while Xena shadows

Pulling Mummy's trolley (with wood in it)

Stacking the wood up here

I was able to collect Thomas from the mechanic today, which wasn't cheap but hopefully he's now fully better and will be reliable for years to come. As I've already said we had an after school show where Rosie did a load of singing and dancing which was brilliant. When we got back Rosie and I went into the garden and she helped me to start to gather and stack the wood that Halil had cut yesterday. We didn't quite get it all done before dinner time so I'll wrap that up tomorrow.

So there you are; that was today. Great progress and I'm looking forward to more tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Long weekend and back to it

I'm finally back after a longer weekend than expected, in many ways. This may be a longer update also so let's get to it.

A lovely view to wake up to

Rosie helps taking the tent down

On the machine at Kaufland

Rosie watering the plants (or me?)

A box to keep the hoses tidy and out the sun

It was awesome camping with Rosie however the wedding that I was worried about ended up being ridiculously loud (clearly it was an outdoor party) and kept us both awake until 11pm which was a shame. It didn't take away from Rosie's enjoyment, however, and once we were asleep we slept well. The next morning she helped me to take the tent down and pack it up and after waving Angela off to her art weekend we settled into more extended Daddy time. I had a few things I needed to pick up in town so we headed in and did our shopping, Rosie was allowed to go on the noisy machine at Kaufland which was great. We did the watering of the garden together and assembled one of the garden storage boxes bought that morning. It was a lovely day indeed.

Rosie heading down to help me

Filling in the potholes

Rosie bouncing high

She really enjoyed the truck train ride

About to set out on the Rollercoaster

Nice and shiny and clean

Watering the garden this time

On Sunday we were up and out just as the sun was rising to do a chore that I identified the day before. The stones by the front gate had become so churned up by stopping and starting on them that there were large dips that needed filling. Rosie and I went down with our tools and spent about half an hour or so spreading some gravel and stones over the bad patches and now it is much better. After this it was play time for a while before finally we headed into town to the fairground that was set up next to Kaufland. This was such a lovely time, Rosie had a great time on the rides she went on and the roundabout was suitably terrifying. When Rosie got off that she said "I was a little bit worried, Daddy". I washed Maisie with my new power washer and the neighbour came past to borrow the trailer and later on we did the watering but Rosie was starting to look quite peaky.

Very interesting cloud shapes

Wasps making a nest in the door hinge

Rosie doing a painting

Watching the cycling while eating dinner

Some time for some games

Yesterday dawned bright enough but very quickly clouds came over and the threatened heavy rain hit just before I bundled Rosie into the car to go to school. About an hour or so after I dropped her I had a call to come collect her as her cough was just too bad. I had to clear away a wasps nest in Thomas that I hadn't noticed first thing before collecting her and they weren't wrong; her cough was much worse. We spent a really nice day painting and drawing and she also was allowed to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with a mid-way nap. Dinner was an easy one as I had been hoping to take her out for play ground and food but obviously she wasn't well enough. We did get to watch the cycling during our dinner however. After watering and chores we had time to play some board games before bed. Even though obviously she was a bit unwell it was a lovely day all round.

Beautiful orange sky

Sun breaks through the clouds

Rosie shows off her awesome art skills

Rosie helping me at my desk

Stood on the roof terrace having a look

And so finally we reach today. Angela was coming home a little earlier than planned so I could get back to work today but before that Rosie and I had the morning to contend with. Rosie woke me earlier and we were up in time to watch the sunrise, which she demanded I take a picture of. It was forecast to be a nicer day today but not over hot and that has turned out to be true. Before even the men arrived Rosie had drawn some awesome faces on her whiteboard, helped me while I worked (she was sat on her chair next to me and I was even able to achieve quite a lot) and then we took a stroll up on the roof terrace which was glorious indeed.

Halil removing old nails and keeping them safe

Bekir sorts the planks

The top blocks are started

Filling in the sides of the foundations

First Sunflower shows its face

Rosie found a wildflower she liked

The men were in yesterday, very briefly, but headed home as the weather looked so bad (I think in the end they could have stayed but it was not very promising so I'm not sad they didn't). Today they were in and cracking on making more great progress. First of all they spent some time finishing up tidying the wood and nails scattered around from removing the shuttering. Then they laid the blocks over the top part of the wall and they did this so quickly I blinked and missed it. Finally they finished the day up filling in the gaps beside the final down part of the wall. They haven't quite got that fully done yet but they are close. Angela got home mid morning and was buried underneath the puppies who missed her incredibly. She had a lovely day with Rosie, who had also missed her, and I was able to get back to my desk properly to work. After work I spent more Rosie time while Angela cooked. We were very pleased to see the first sunflower of the year and Rosie also found a lovely wildflower she wanted me to photograph.

So there it is; a long update but it's been a fun weekend and Angela had a GREAT time while she was away so it is worth telling all. Thanks for reading, back tomorrow.

Spring Storms return

Another weekend and another Monday done and it is time to catch this blog up to date.

Rosie on the trampoline first thing Saturday

Rosie painting

Lovely panorama from the roof terrace

We also played with the model railway

Mummy and Rosie both enjoying the trampoline

A very bright moon on Sunday night

The weekend was an awesome and tiring one. Saturday being Daddy Saturday I had a lovely time with Rosie while Angela got back to her art room finally. With some trampolining and drawing and painting and playing in her house and riding on her trike and going onto the roof terrace and also playing with the model railway it was a super busy start to the day. We then headed out to get a new car seat for Rosie to go into Angela's car and then headed back home to rest and recover. Sunday is Mummy day and they had an awesome and busy day as well, though the only picture I got was of Angela joining Rosie on the trampoline. On Saturday night there was a huge storm which woke me at 2am and banged and crashed around for quite a while but Sunday night was clearer with an amazing bright moon.

Cooler start and getting stuck in

Clearing the trench up the side now

Shuttering done along the front

Making up more shuttering, in the shade

Loads of poppies

Angela gardening, with Xena "helping"

This morning Angela and Rosie were up early and out the door as it has suddenly reached time for Rosie to go up a school! Where is time going to!! It took two trips to town but Angela managed to get the registration done for Rosie at the new "big girl" pre-school! Very exciting! The men were on time and out in the cooler start to the day finishing off the front trench and shuttering. By the time I got down and out next Halil was on with clearing up the next trench going up the side and they had finished all the shuttering along the front, including the step. The sun burned through shortly after and it was very hot and they were happy to be assembling more wooden structures in the shade of the green building. Just before lunch time I popped out to get a picture of the huge number of poppies growing in the fenced garden and found Angela tending to her garden. It's looking so awesome now!

This storm missed us, but made lots of noise

Securing the wooden shutters in place

Struggling to remove this upright

Removing the last fence post on this side

Xena chewing up a chunk of wood

In the afternoon some storms started building around again and there was a lot of very threatening rumbles however the first few skirted us without even dropping any rain. The men were still working away on running the wooden shutters up the trench and then they focused on removing the old fence posts which turned out to be quite a task as they were so well fitted from last time. I can remember them putting these in before we had the big breaker using just the crowbar to dig. They did such a good job! Xena and Thelma were playing with a log chasing it and chewing it while I was spending a few minutes watching. Just after the workmen left, and when Rosie was home, a huge storm suddenly hit with hail and thunder and lots of rain. It has now cleared and there isn't a cloud in the sky. Such is Spring in Bulgaria.

So there you have it; it's been a lovely evening and now Rosie is in bed. Thanks for reading, back tomorrow.