Mum, just managed to sit down for half an hour and read through your blog. You'll be pleased to hear that the sun was out today, and the pool is up and ready for swimming~ we can of course just lie by it~ we don't want to wear our selves out! I'm thinking that we have 6 weeks so we had better pace ourselves!! See you Thursday, ~Moon and back, Princess xxxxxxxxxxx

Wednesday 15 th July

Well packed up everything that needs to be packed and heading off to Sofia this afternoon.  Exciting or what. Thanks Princess for confirming that the pool is up and running hopefully not down the hillside....  Moon and back...me you too!!

Anglia tomorrow and my own little bed tomorrow.  Got the joys of the Holiday Inn tonight.

Update tomorrow when I've sorted the washing and hoovering.  The joys of being home are already beginning to crowd in.

Thursday 16th July

I got Suzi off her mound of mud and off we set in the MG for Sofia.  We kept to a very economical speed and were even overtaken by a Lada but because it was a blue on it didn't matter.  Brown...now that would have been a different thing.  

We found the Holiday Inn straight away.  Suzi asked if I remembered the route on previous visits but as I said, I was always in a taxi and too busy watching the meter to worry about the road.  So the ladies made it...got in the room, showered, dressed for the city and went to dine.  This was interupted somewhat by a photographer who insisted that the umbrellas on the terrace had to be facing the same direction for the photoshoot.  Apologies abounded and we were very close to getting up and arranging the others that were already in a line just for the fun of it......but we kept ourselves in check.  Steak and garlic mushrooms and then to bed.

I woke up at 6.20 and went down to the pool at 6.45.  I got changed for swimming, and yes you've probably guessed it....that photographer again.  I was now asked to sit while he managed to finish his shots so I suggested that he could have started earlier and reminded him and the pool attendents that the, POOL OPENED AT 6.30.  The attendents agreed, the photographer shot back that he started and 4.30 and I reiterated that the pool times were 6.30 and perhaps he should have started earlier still.  Good sport.  I eventually got in at 7.10, did my 30 lengths of the pool and woke up 'sleeping beauty' at about 8.30 with a cup of coffee.  She obviously enjoyed her stay and wanted to keep a few momentos which I grabbed from her and whisked her to the terrace for another coffee.  Eventually I got my courtesy bus and 10.00 foolishly leaving her with the room charge card.  I'll await the outcome.  

Now for a few shots....

Here you go

Evening update


The plane arrived on time and I got the high speed train to Brighton and used my faithful bus pass to Rottingdean.  The sun was shining and it was a very hot afternoon but guess what........it rained this evening and there was a....thunderstorm.  Perhaps it was trapped in my rucksack and escaped when I opened it to sort out the washing.

Princess popped round after her day at school and we hugged as mother and daughter should.  We complemented each other on the weight we had both lost.  I've taken off almost 4 kilograms and feel so much better for it though who's to say if it was lack of food, lack of alcohol because of the tablets I was taking or just sheer willpower.  I'll settle for the tablet theory.  

Into my own bed now.  It's only 10.30 here but add on two hours time change and yes, I do feel that it's time to lay down my weary head.

Lecka nosht...tout le monde

Friday 17th July

What a good night's sleep.  My own bed......but the downside I woke up at 5.30 which would be 7.30 BG time.  Two cups of coffee and I'm almost human again and I'm waiting for the doctor's receptionist to phone me for an appointment/ cancellation.  I just wanted to have an English translation of the buggly that I experienced in BG and I'm taking my BG tablet boxes along.  What a difference.  In BG I get to see someone that day.  England....'Well we have no appointments until Monday unless it's and emergency'.  Well yes it is.  I have no tablets and the head is swimming and it's not in a pool or in 'De Nile'.

My car angel is back in BG so the beast will get some love and attention while I am away.  Timing perfect for me...not so good for my angel.  Apparently that Lada that overtook us on the way to Sofia got it's own back on Suzi when he wasn't looking.  She is visiting the insurance company today.   More later after my doctor's visit.

Saturday 18th July

Did not receive a phone call to go to the doctors so decided to walk there and if no appointments to book one for Monday.  So I went and stated my case and got 'Oh we don't phone patients and there's nothing left for monday!!'  Now me being without any tablets and a swimmy head was a little bit put out by this and didn't take too kindly to the tone of voice.  Now she might have been put out by the number of calls for suspected Swine flu but I hadn't got that.  'Oh read this she said and you'll just have to wait'.  This was a dislaimer where I had to convince myself that this was an emergency and state that I still wanted to see the doctor and the inference was 'be it at your peril if he decides that you weren't an emergency'.  Forgot...this is the UK.  So I wait, see the doctor, very nice chap, explained the situation, he came up with the same thing diagnosed in BG but he did reassure me that it wos viral and would probably take 2 to 3 weeks to clear and gave me the prescription.  I didn't get shouted at or chastised so he must have thought it was worth seeing me.  When I emerged, I went to reception and said that I was sorry for the confusion and they said that it was all their fault and that I should never have been told that I would get a phone call.  It makes it better for when I want to go next time.  Friends now.

Road taxed and insured the Calibra yesterday so where shall I go today and what shall I get up to.....I'll tell you later

Well it wasn't much.  Went into Brighton on the bus again using my trusty free bus pass but I couldn't get over the number of people.  Everywhere was so crowded.  The weather started off very hot but degenerated into cold winds and spitting rain.  Managed to cook a half decent supper using the oven.  In BG .....no solid fuel heater in the summer......no cooker.  Missed the night...fell asleep on the settee, woke up and headed for my little bed.

Sunday 19th July

Still got this insomnia thing going on...5.30 again.  Church at 11.00 and Princess and company for lunch if I can remember how to cook the lunch thing.  Rushed into Asda for potatoes, chicken, milk and puddings and bought the basics ready to get going on the lunch which I promptly did when I got back from Church.

It was good to see Callum John again and he is almost as tall as me now.  I think that they stick him in a growbag overnight just to make sure that he catches up with me in height.  All the good intentions of dieting went to the wall with two carefully designed frozen puddings from dear old Asda and a pot of double cream.  Thank goodness for Asda!!

Monday 20th July

Still up early but not a lot of action about until 9.30.

I am now having Callum for a few days when he finishes school on Wednesday lunchtime so thank goodness that I taxed and insured the Calibra.  Today I sent off for my plastic photo driving licence giving up on demand my old paper one issued for the second time in 1976.  It was with regret .  There was a certain amount of nostalgia associated with it but at least with a photo ID the BG police will have something that they understand with a picture on it.  My Brighton bus pass served the same purpose but not under close scrutiny by the BG police.

Tuesday 21st July

It's amazing how quickly you fall into the routine of washing, ironing (well almost), dishwasher emptying, food shopping, cooking and cleaning.  Sad isn't it.  Last week I was living on a hillside and threading tobacco leaves ready to be hung out to dry.  This week it's bus passes, sorting out paperwork, cars, driving licences and insurance.  No TV in BG and yet here it goes on as a matter of course but nothing really changes.  I tune into East Enders and it's as if I haven't been away.  No need to catch up on storylines but redeaming programmes are 'Hotel Babylon' and 'Who do you think you are'.  It is rather sad that there was no one of interest in Michael Parkinson's background but I suppose that's about the same for most of us.  I think investigating previous lives is much more fun.....mine has a lot to answer for.   Only 10.30....the rest of the day to go so what shall I do now....decisions, decisions.

A couple of conversations on Messenger this morning from two would be BG residents.  Both taking different paths at present.

Had a little tea party with Princess and a work colleague today and they were telling me about the new measures for children misbehaving in school.  We joked about how I used to administer discipline before it was considered inappropriate to do so.  Used to bash with the beat and Princess remembers it was at the top of the leg where it really hurt.  What a bad mother I was........

Now supper's already prepared and I'm just waiting for someone to come and eat it otherwise it's in the dog...   lucky dog...