Wednesday 21st April

It has just struck me that it is only one week since I arrived back in BG.  I must apologise for no updates...not sure where the time has gone but I'll try to fill in some of the gaps.

Sunday was a day of rest for all of us.  I had a late start, went to the house, played music and generally chilled.  Monday carried on with the barn and tidied the living room.  I think when I went off to England I just left it having other things on my mind but I just hate living in a mess.  Tuesday off to get some more white tiles for the bathroom and brown ones for the floor.....but no brown ones but the lorry arrived today so again I have been to Kardjali and delivered on schedule.  Can't believe that I have a tiled bathroom and part tiled kitchen in only a few days.  They really are stars.

As promised the little barn is fully cleared out and ready for the concrete floor and we have enough wood and tiles for the roof.  I think they prefer this kind of work but they are under threat that in two weeks I want to move into the house and exit the hotel and to do that I need a bathroom and a one room/kitchen/bedroom with electricity and water thrown in.  The bathroom is just awaiting grouting and the toilet and hand basin fixing and that’s about it.

Took time out to view nature between shifting earth from the barn to the bottom of the garden.  Beautiful creatures.  Star mush is noted by his absence.  We think he’s busy either looking after someone’s sheep or he has taken the hump and gone off for a few days.  We reckon he should be back in two or three days and back to his usual form.

And yesterday....another nine windows in place.  LN...got a busy day tomorrow....

Friday 23rd April

No update yesterday...the men worked really late so that they could get some of the tiling finished and the same rule applies.  I had tidied the (to be lounge) and suddenly it was decided that the dining / temporary bedroom / sewing room should be emptied so that it could be tiled....so ....my once tidy lounge is not so tidy any more even though we stashed a lot of the wood in one of the bedrooms up stairs if I only had stairs.  We still have that nearly vertical ladder but it's good exercise.

The washing machine and cooker were delivered today but still sit in the cardboard boxes.  Grouting takes such a long time but todate....bathroom and kitchen floor and walls are complete.  We had a wonderful session this morning trying to decide which was the best colour for the grout mixing pastes using coloured pots until we got the mixture just right said Goldilocks.  It has been a beautiful day and in the absence of suntan lotion I got out the virgin olive oil so am about to have a shower before I stink out the place.  Anyway up...off now and will include some pickies tomorrow.  LN.

Sunday 25th April

Early to bed, early to rise so I've read a few chapters of a very good book that I am struggling with.  It is all written in the present tense so sometimes difficult to comprehend and means you have to go back and read it again.  Worth the effort?  I hope so.

Yesterday was a day of digging out and today a day of filling in.  I decided that I have nowhere to sit for that early morning coffee so now I have the selected area ready for crazy paving and the bench in my mind's eye.  I'll let you know later what happened next when it will be in the past and I hope I won't be tense.....too much reading...

Can I have a Hammock please?  

I don't mind which Mountain view you give me  

Sunday continued

Mikey B you can have whatever you want...your choice of rooms...

It suddenly struck me as I was washing out my not so smalls that I had a washing machine fully cardboard boxed but unfortunately no water supply and no electric...so why was I doing it the hard way???? All a question of timing I suppose.

I had a really good day moving the earth from one place and returning it to its original position but minus the half house bricks and the light bulbs....I believe the word 'bulb' was misinterpreted....they do not regrow.

Tuesday 27th April

Well yesterday was a failure with the internet at the hotel...I had posted and then the connection dropped so no post and I got tired of repairing same.

Today it was a beautifully sunny day but the wind was cold but I still managed to drop off for a little nap in the middle of the day.  It could be something to do with that glass of beer from the bottle purchased for my workman from the mobile shop...yes only one, the other one is planting up his tobacco.  Old habits die hard.

I have a washbasin installed and a shower in my wetroom.  The hot water boiler goes in tomorrow and the washing machine gets plumbed in as well so no longer the three dipping buckets.  Of course we are only using it from an extension lead at present but what the heck....I am just in need of washing cloths properly.

So today I took some photos of butterflies and where is my camera???  At the house.  I was so insistent that my man had an early night since he seemed to go on for ever without a break that the camera and my phone are sitting in the house...pickies tomorrow....and now I'm posting while the connection is still up and running....LN

  

Wednesday 28th April

And yet another glorious day...weatherwise warmer despite waking up to a frost and white windscreen that needed to be scraped before I could set sail.  My second builder decided to join me not the ladies in the field so I told him that he wasn't in the budget and if he came in today it was 'without money@.

I have a working washing machine, working toilet, working wash handbasin and working shower...what more could a girl want.  Funny one today though...my little builder said that he could not find a place for one of the bits from the toilet cystern to fit.  They read the paperwork, I read the paperwork in Bulgarian with pictures and it suddenly came to me that it was a plastic screwdriver to get the thing on the road....and behold there was light....it was what I said it was.

I got my first load of washing out today and there is something quite soothing about a washing machine about its business.  It has that gentle whirring sound that only a woman appreciates.  Perhaps it's the reminder that there is no manual work attached to it.

Anyway..pickies attached...LN

Tuesday 28th continued

This one i sort of forgot but it just has to be included

Friday 30th April

What a beautiful day.  The sun is shining, the wind had dropped and changed direction.  For the last few days it has been coming from Russia so I am told but now it is coming from Greece and will be for the next few days so who's going to be in shorts and tshirts.  And the good news is that the men are not working until Tuesday so I can get on my sunbed without feeling guilty about it....now there's a first in my liitle pad.

Today has been a day of clearing brambles from the side of the house and digging up tree stumps and I mean tree stumps.  My bonfire has been going nearly all day but I think the locals are impressed that Anglechankas actually work with hoe to get gardens sorted out and just don't pay for it.  I have two of the three rooms floor tiled and the hallway is drying overnight and will be ready to walk on tomorrow.  My washing maching and cooker all work and I am still attached to the electricity pole for all my needs and extension leads....this is BG.

I'm off for cheesy chips and pork with onions and mushrooms now at my favourite restaurant where I might just have to force a couple of beer down....and...

Now for a few pickies just so you don't all nod off....and by the way....welcome Jackie....