Thursday 18th June
Apparently there is a problem with the water inlet pipe.  I can’t say that they have gone metric because they have always been metric but one size does not fit all.  We did go down to Fotinovo though and collect enough wood in the beast to get me this ‘gypsy proof’ water house that is now being reinforced with steel wires.  The cement we purchased from the local hardware store and then off to the river bed to get five bags of ballast for making the concrete.  I’m told that …..in Dzebel you pay…..river free so I’ll go for the river every time!!

This afternoon I am going to take to my book and let it all wash over me….

Friday 19th June

Well off we go again to try to get the beast into BG number plates.  First stop to get my company stamp which now makes me completely legal and can be used to identify any property, book etc, and then to the KAT office to complete the removal of the English number plates replacing them with the BG equivalent.  This was held up slightly because it was their lunch time so the procedure was slightly delayed with another lunch on the Kardjali Lakes consisting of fresh carp, chicken, chicken livers, local mushrooms, vegetables on the grill and the inevitable plate of chips with fruit juices to wash it all down.  At approx £9.00 per head, it just had to be done.  Then back to KAT and the BG plates were applied to the Beast.  Here are the photos to prove it.

In town I also managed to buy a bikini and some stripy Denis the Menace underwear so tomorrow I have plans for the bikini.

Saturday 20th June

Well the best laid plans of mouse and women all went to pot.  One border left at silly o'clock and so we decided to take the MG out ot Asenograd to visit of all things a Market Garden.  We came back with one Fuscia and four Buzy Lizzies at a total cost of about 12 BGN and only used about half a tank of petrol.  Now that was really worth it.  

At the end of the day we decided to go for a Chinese but it didn't open until 7.00 and so we ended up with the old favourite of egg, chips, mushrooms and fried onions in our favourite 'Chez Nous' restaurant.  Maids day off so I ended up the day washing up.....

Sunday 21st June

Sunday was a non-day.  Too hot to sit out, too windy in the shade and just too tired to do anything.  It was a day of inertia.  Read a book though so not all bad.

Monday 22nd June

Went down to the local hardware store today and decided to buy a preformed bathroom sink to save using the white porcelain one that I got on my way to the Black Sea.  Too many builders hands and too much dirt for that one.  And the cost....10BGN so got some nails, screws and went into the second hand wood store and came out with enough to make my first piece of furniture for the house.  A wash basin stand.  It is now primed with wood preservative purchased before I left from Lidl and standing outside awaiting installation.  Nice one.  No windows to date but somewhere to rest my sink now that I have water and a Voda Kushta (concrete house).  Bez pari....without money and I think I shall take a photo and get back to my German buddy in the hardware store and ask for more offcuts!!

I have three houses to furnish!!!!

Tuesday, 23nd June

What a thunderstorm last night.  It had rattled around all evening and we even had hail stones beating down on us.  The dogs were hiding in the house so we battened down the hatches.  It eased about ten so I mad my way to the caravan and wound up the lamps since we had put the electric off because of the storm.  I had let in a couple of fireflies when as I opened the caravan door so I thought I had flashed before my eyes until I realised what they were.  They eventually ran out of steam so I read for about ten minutes by torchlight and then put my head on the pillow.  I could only have been asleep for about an hour when it really started.  Crashes and bangs from every direction and I was almost tempted to leg it down to the house but because the caravan is fitted with a lightening deflector so I stayed put.  It must have gone on for about a couple of hours and it must have been stupendous to watch but I just didn't feel that brave.  Under the quilt I went and eventually went off.

This morning there was a covering of mist which lifted leaving a gloriously hot day.  We went into Kardjali and to the lakes again so that Suzi could look at a plot of land.  The area really is very beautiful.  We then made our way to the 'Hospital' and had lunch of shish kababs, potatoes and salad followed by creme caramel and visited the local village mayor who has had to take up residence there for a short time.....he didn't look well but I suppose that is why he's in hospital...doh!!

Early night tonight and going to the house tomorrow to measure up windows etc and get some metal bars fitted so that I don't have burglars, even though there is nothing to take.  I'll take a few pictures of the Voda Kushta just so you can see what a splendid job has been done.  Now the winds are lifting again and I'm hoping that we don't have what we had last night.

Thursday 25th June

Had a bit of a funny last night.  I think it might be down to not enough water and a very hot day yesterday.  We decided that we ought to eat early so Suzi made a chicken broth just as her mother used to make it.  The thought of it makes me feel better already.  I spent this afternoon in the caravan lying down and reading to be disturbed only by the phone and Suzi asking if I was dead yet.  I responded with 'Well who's answering the phone then?' and was informed that she had prepared spag bol and if I didn't get there soon mine was going to the ever hungry dogs.  I think I'm going to spend the evening on NHS direct to try to identify the cause of my distress.

Lecka nosht.....

Friday 26th June

At last I'm feeling a little bit better and taking mineral water like it's going out to fashion, crisps to replace the salt and drinking OXO cubes again to lift the salt content.  I just reckon that I had too much sun and sweated buckets. NHS Direct had similar symptoms for the things I looked up and I was none the wiser.  Back to the drawing board.

The weather again is thundery but I managed to sleep through it this afternoon as part of the recouperation process and this evening I feel much better.  I was anticipating a trip to the local docs and using Pepe as the translator with her pidgeon English and my sparce Bulgarian but instead have sent out a message to my niece who is a nurse in the UK.  I await her reply on Facebook.

Well Pepe has just phoned and is worried about me so off we went to the doctors at 9.30 last night without an appointment.  I had my blood pressure taken which was a little high and a full stomach investigtion since I said that I had been sick.  We had two phrase books between us and managed to get over all of the symptoms.  No charge at all but if there were tablets to be had you could go next door and pick up a prescription even at that time of night.

What's this about Britain's NHS.  I could have waited three days just to see the doctor.

Saturday 27th June

Still feel woozy so I think it needs more water, rest, fresh fruit and salads and for those that know me it just about sounds right except that if it's green, I normally don't touch it putting it into the catagory of rabbit food.

Back to the docs on monday if I don't make a full recovery by then to see the usual not the locum.

Again it's thundering. Don't they realise that we've put in an order for summer.

Sunday 28th June

Nearly another month gone....well I felt better when I woke up but then went downhill for the rest of the day.  Whatever I've got needs to be sorted.

Last night we were invited to a Women's Party at the school in Fotinovo for the local political party leading up to the elections and what a good night it was.  There were about 150 local women of all ages and a few men were sitting on the bank observing the evening's entertainment.  I'm amazed me at the genuine warmth and friendship there is between all of these women from the villages and toward Suzi and myself who are the outsiders.  Some of the women only speak Turkish yet a smile and a nod speaks volumes but you have to remember to nod the right way, that's from right to left not up and down.

There was Fanta and Coca Cola on the table with the odd bottle of white wine and we were served hamburgers and salad in individual dishes followed by an icecream.  The dancing was to Turkish music and it was fun to watch.  The last time we went to a smaller version I got up and danced.  This time with this dreaded lurgy I had trouble even getting to the event.  I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning and it can't come soon enough.  Photos of the event to follow... couldn't dance....