Job

Three weeks is a long long time in Havran. The sudden gush of several inches of snow at the beginning of the month has given way to yummy warm weather now. From snow shovels to sun cream, yippee!
But panic has spread. So much to do with no snow excuse! Lists of jobs made up during a cold evening one month earlier are being ignored as each day never want's to end with new missions to complete. 
For example it is a long standing battle we have with our mouse friends in the cellar on who should eat the apples first. We know there was a good harvest as we still have two crates to get through. But despite the Spring warmth our furry rivals haven't considered venturing further for food as yet from the evidence of the occasional nibble marks on the fruit. So a clearout was in order and a coy decision to move the un-touched fruit to our bathroom, the coldest place inside the cottage. If the mice want to continue biting their bits of apple they can find them now on the compost heap. This whole operation took an hour of the day to do it. It wasn't planned for and so it takes an hour away from what was planned. So far this week this has happened on numerous occasions. A neighbour friend gave us good advice the other day, don't expect to finish anything you have started out here in Havran. And with that we have decided to have a day off on Saturday.

Baaa

Off to our neighbour for a favour. Within two minutes of sitting down a pre-prepared plate of delicious homemade slices of apple cake and is placed within easy hand range. It's a Slovak tradition for cake to be always on hand in case of guests and it always looks as if you are first person to try any of it too. 
Coffee, conversation, four or five shot glasses of homemade are drained down and we are as happy as our neighbour's sheep. 
Time to escape before we get too settled, back home through the sun-drenched woods. Mission accomplished, favour met with approval. Unfortunate reminiscing of the A-Team tv theme until the springtime birdsong reminds us we are in the countryside, please be respectful!

Be Prepared !

The last remaining truffles from last week's chocolate weekend have been scoffed and as the snow fades we can finally move stuff back out from the 'under construction' kitchen/social/eating hub of the cottage. 
I trip over a misplaced frying pan whilst searching for a clean teaspoon and an over ripe kiwi fruit. We hate clutter in Havran! 
Springtime sunlight beckons us for more productivity outside rather than in. And now reluctantly the kitchen/social/eating hub becomes work in progress during twilight hours instead of daytime.