9th October 2013

Another hot and sunny one! With the pressure easing, our work pace was more leisurely, yet we still managed to finish cladding the other end of the barn. Despite the maddeningly complex angles, it fitted, almost as if we knew what we were doing. Flushed with success, we turned to the back and finally fitted the rear fascia board, a task we’d been studiously avoiding since last year.

As the sun dipped lower, we optimistically hauled up some capping tiles for a trial fit. To our great relief (and only a touch of swearing), they slotted neatly into place. A sight most satisfying.

In the afternoon, David made a supply run to Dryanovo while I took Banjo out for what was meant to be an adventurous walk. I’d spotted an old road on Google Maps, starting in Ritya, skirting Balaleya, and winding up to the main road in the north. Shorts and a T-shirt seemed fine at the time, foolish, as it turned out. The “road” was now more jungle than track, a gauntlet of thorn bushes that quickly turned me into a reluctant blood donor. After a mile of bending branches and cursing, I admitted defeat. Banjo looked disappointed, but given his size, the biggest obstacle he faced was the odd walnut shell.

Back at the house, with David still absent, I collapsed into the sunshine and let the countryside wash over me. Silence, broken only by the relentless rat-a-tat of a woodpecker hammering away at the same tree he’s been attacking for three solid weeks. Clearly, a fellow with commitment.

I caught up with Sue on Skype and got the latest news from back home. I told her I’d finally booked my return flight: the 17th of October. I’d hoped for something sooner, but EasyJet’s fares were scandalous, and WizzAir’s only slightly less so. Still, at least it’s sorted.

The evening ended in familiar style: another hearty hotpot and a film. Slowly but surely, life here is beginning to fall into its own cosy rhythm.