Lots happening here now that the plants have decided to grow...along with the weeds, of course!

Every day the young trees are getting plumper and little buds are beginning to burst forth.

Another 2 weeks and the village will be awash with pink cherry blossoms all up my street...

A night out with some expats from Germany, Switzerland, Holland, UK and OZ, of course!

From the other end of the table...This evening out was on my son's birthday, but he was in OZ! Happy Birthday Peter...27th Feb!

The meals were simple, but nicely prepared.

I didn't get to everyone before they began eating!

Have no idea what they all were, but as I don't like this sort of food...I'll never find out, I guess!

Mine was a huge Greek salad and mashed potato balls with onion. really nice on a winter's night.

This one looked interesting...

So did this one...

Up at a Dutch friends place. She has 2 alpacas and 5 of the weirdest sheep ever...they look like a cross between a goat and a buffalo and are huge! Forgot to photograph them, but will next time I visit...

We had a super winter...it did all the right things. Snowed on cue, was warm, with clear skies for about 90% of the time.

Imre had to cut a bit off the bottom of the shower guard due to the floor tiles adding height. We couldn't lift the shower up as there was no height in the old chimney space where I put it. No room to jack it up and slip the floor tiles under it...dohhh...

So, he had to cut the tiles around it, which have all been grouted...in white, of course!...Bathroom fully painted white and all working. Only have to get matching mats and towel and toilet paper holders etc.then add some hand painted tiles to the vanity splashback.

Meantime, I'm testing out some shelf lining in the other old fireplace, now a bathroom cupboard. Have to finish painting it, but it should be nice.

Imre putting on the base cover of the shower cubicle. He fitted the washing machine and the vanity. The poor vanity is full of stuff out of the cupboard as I was painting them...

There you go...27Euro return ticket from Fuzesabony to Poprad, return, by train. Valid for a month. Bargain. Approx $40 Ausd, there and back...then 5 euros return from Poprad to Zdiar, by bus...which is a lovely 50 min or so, trip through the mountains. Ski hire about $10 a day and ski lift passes ranged from about $10 for 2 hours up to about $30 for a full day...Ausd. Ginger Monkey, right on the mountain...14 euros a night...about $20 Ausd, with a hot breakfast, eggs, toast, cereals, cocoa,  coffee, tea etc. So, if you come in winter...you can really have a nice snow resort holiday, and not break the budget.

Had a bowl of soup as I waited the 40 mins after getting off the bus from Zdiar, for the train back home at Poprad. What a view!

Filling in time in Kosice to Fuzesabony...This was one of those neck pillows, with a unicorn hoody on it! Too cute...

A really pretty store selling all pretty coloured things...this was a craft wall...

I meant to get one of these! Great idea for a practical fun, gift.

Everything in the shop was dainty, pretty and made you want to buy something...

Sunset and how quickly the sky changed...In Kosice

It was raging red and by the time I turned on the camera and framed the scene, it had almost gone. but it is still lovely. Just as I was about to catch the train to Fuzesabony.

Back home Imre drilled some holes and I put the little knobs I bought in OZ on the doors...but the back plates are too small...or I'll use the larger knobs I bought in Prague at Xmas...

Front floor all down, now to go to town to get the sander to sand it and stain/oil/paint... or whatever it! Have to paint the walls first as so much saw dust has gathered on the walls and ceiling, Imre said not to paint them until after sanding. OMGoodness...SOOO much sanding dust. 5 buckets of it...very fine. It got up my nose, in and on everything!

Had to go to town by bus to get the sander and at the bus stop there were 2 adorable babies...

This little one was smiling in her sleep...I watched her to see if it was wind...but no, she kept the smile and did not move a muscle. So cute...

Imre halfway through the first room...

Testing the levels...

All done...looking great...well, I think so! He said to leave it for a week or so for some reason, before treating it...So...Guess what? I had a brain wave...do the other 2 rooms at the same time! Sooo, all the stuff from the entire house is being bundled into the front room...Also, skirting boards have to go around the edges...but guess what? the 2 main shops I went to today, don't have any, or haven't got it in stock...Sighhh...

So, after the sanding day...I was full of saw dust, so I lit the fire for the last time before taking the stove and everything out, and snuggled down and watched 3 Hallmark Xmas movies on my phone. It has fabulous volume and I'm so thankful to Peter for buying it for me. I have my own, free, on demand, TV !

So, here I go, next day...I emptied out all I could, now just waiting for Imre to come on Monday to help me clear out the rest of these things. Then this end room and the middle room get their wooden floors...Then it gets painted, new curtains go up...finally, next year after a Xmas trip to Prague...some nice chandeliers.

This room is half way emptied...

All the stuff will be piled up here in the front room, until the other 2 big rooms are completed...hopefully by the end of the month.

Kitchen area...just about emptied...

Family room...just about empty...and he's already measuring up!

Outside the grass is popping up...nice and green and my little orchard is growing well in the background...Apples, pears, plums, cherries, apricot, nectarine and peaches. Blackberries, a mulberry tree and raspberries are out of view, as are the strawberries I bought today.

I'm moving the fence out 1.2 mtrs, to give me some private sun baking yard...not that I have time for that...but it will be nice to have a garden to sit in without being in a half acre paddock for all to see! Sooo, I had to pull out all the garden edging and redo it. The old edging was near the wooden base of the fence. The new fence is coming out to the blue string on the ground there and will kick back in at the well, which will be used for irrigating the gardens. Have to get a pump for it about May...ish.

This oval garden is going OK...I just replanted gladdies and dahlias in there too. No tomatoes will be allowed to grow wild this year in the flower gardens! The tree in the middle of the garden is an elderberry tree...

Then my lovely herb garden had to be relocated...so, up came all the section bricks for it too...Am having a go at striking some of my lovely red roses in the left lower garden area there...The concrete in the left front corner is coming up for the new garden paths, once the fence is re-positioned. So, all of this will look very different in a month...then all the yard will be basically organised and all it has to do is grow and look pretty. The patch of dirt there will be my private yard...with possibly fake grass, or maybe I'll pave it? Then a 6 metre by 5 mtr pergola goes over the privacy yard, joined onto the house...all painted white.

Lovely sunsets at this time of year...over the end fence.

It changes so quickly...

Was like a bush fire...

Cracked up laughing at this walking stick and survival kit in my girl friend's shop! It has a bicycle bell on it, a flask for whatever and a first aid kit on the handle! hahaha...

Walking around to see my other friends, I saw some nice front fences. This year, after moving the fence inside, and straightening it up, the front gates will need to be moved along a metre or so, as everything is out of alignment. Therefore I  have to redo about 6 metres at the front, on the street,  where the house is...so am looking now to find a pattern I like. I rather like this one...I like the bumpled bricks, the nice wrought iron etc. As I'll only need a few metres, it will be lovely to have a nice fence at the front. I'll paint the wrought iron a colour to match the house trim, probably???

This was different...had never seen this pattern before.

So, after all that walking and deciding...I found an elderberry/flower and lime cider!

It was a weird day for photos today...bright and sunny...but they came out milky?

The bike shop up near the Police station. Love the name of it. It's a Tisza Bringa...A great name for a bike shop...it bringa you here and it bringa you there!

The Police station in Tiszafured...

Had to take the window out of the end room to get the flooring in for the middle room...Only 3 robes and the couch there to take out now...

Stay well and enjoy the cooler weather and shorter days.

Lots going on but it doesn't seem that much has got done when I cover it here!

Cheers and see you next week after the last 2 rooms are all sanded...hopefully!

Formatting issues here at the end...sorry, I can't remedy it.!
Cheers,
Love to all,
M
xxxx