Sunday night continued

I have a bench but I haven't photographed it yet for publishing....later, probably tomorrow.  I cooked pork in pepper sauce tonight as well as local hamburgers in a chilli sauce with carrots.  I found enough for four and after washing and drying went to bed and slept like a log.....Monday we are supposed to be going on a jaunt...we'll see how far we get...LN

Monday 19th July

Took the top road to Ardino today...beautiful journey.  Unfortunately didn't start off until lunch time so the rest of the day went rather quickly.  We missed out Pamporovo and side stepped Zlatograd all to be had another time and another place...

On the way beautiful views and on the way back we found a super water construction/ reservoir....and still functional. Went down to visit the fisherman at the bottom with his five fish in his keep net.  Not big but in his estimation....supper.  

Arrived home at seven to find the cows in the garden, all my tomatoes and sweetcorn munched to buggary, my azalea flattened and my rosemary gone.  There was also a large cowpat outside my front door.  Now I know my mat says 'Welcome' but it doesn't mean it for 'cravas'.  Bastard beasts.....tomorrow I fix that fence good and proper with barbed wire....

Time for bed...my guests go on to Sofia tomorrow at lunchtime...LN....

Tuesday 20th July

First off .....hardware shop -barbed wire....at your peril crava....and visitors onto the bus for Sofia....all things achieved.

Stripped beds, washed sheets, towels etc and now ready to move my little body upstairs and spend my first night in my amazing room.  I've lain on the bed and appreciated the wonderful panorama but not spent the night there yet.  D of S was the first and Mikey B and Dawn vacated this morning and now it's mine....got to be really special to get it away from me now.....I'll get some pickies of the bedroom now that the curtains are up and the bed is in place.  One of my huge timbers cut into four, cross timbers and that's it....the bed matches the roof timbers.  Side tables were again some logs sawn up to make tables....easy peasy and the men just smile when I suggest these things.

Next on the list....bath for upstairs and hand basin, tiles in the upper landing and I really do need some more furniture so I better get banging....LN...I'm pooped...till tomorrow...

Tuesday night

Thought I'd just put a few pickies up of the bedroom....it's all mine now so here goes....

Wednesday 21st July

Beautiful morning waking up to stupendous views.  Decided that the bonfire area looked in need of love and attention so put some effort into having a bonfire to get rid of the rubbish, tidying up the area and changing the fire bin to one that is fairly intact.  The other had done well but was way past its sell-by date.

Put supper in the slow cooker, chicken, onions and mushrooms with a hint of chilli and it cooked all day and I've just had it with pasta.  The windows men arrived at 6.30. five minutes later I have a fitted fly screen on my front door which is such an improvement.  It means I can leave it open now and none of the wee beesties can come in.  It will also keep out the tiny frogs that insist on skipping over my hall floor and find a hiding place in the hall.  I normally spot them and with my witches broom fling them into the night.  None there in the morning so I assume they are OK,  Now a barrier.....saves the hassle.

Fed, showered and ready for a pleasant evening with a book, drink and tonight it's Eric Clapton...if only.  LN..I'm out there with a book.  The wind has got up and I've just spotted a beautiful rainbow yet as of now, no rain....let's just wait and see....LN

Thursday 22nd July

Second morning waking up in my little pad with the sun in the morning and the moon and stars at night.  I don't bother with the curtains since there is no one except low flying helicopters or spaceships that can see in and I do like the light in the mornings.

Weather was wonderful until this afternoon when the thunder started rattling around but that was as far as it got.  It looked like rain and I could see it on the hillside out towards Greece but nothing dropped here.  Really felt tired so got my head down on the sofa this afternoon and called in a few zzzz's.  The computer had to go off due to the thunder and my book wasn't very inspiring....in fact I have run out of good books and might have to hit the bookshop in Kardjali or Amazon.  I did pick up a Bulgarian picture dictionary with a CD and started with it yesterday and did another session just before the thunder set in...just a few more words under my belt.

Socks came round tonight just as I was finishing supper so he was in for a treat.  I had a few pieces of chicken left which he put away rapidly and so I decided to find out whose dog he is.  I walked up the village and three of my Turkish ladies were enjoying the evening so I asked them where the dog came from.  It turns out that it is my lady from my Avatar but I haven't seen her for a few days so don't know if the dog has been left to to fend for itself which is even more reason to feed him.  I sat in the garden with the ladies that only speak Turkish and their grandson who is six and a half did the translating from my sparce Bulgarian into Turkish for the ladies.  She bought me out pumpkin saturated with sugar and turned into a candy. I had a very pleasant interlude.

Home now...Socks was returned to his garden but I see he has followed me home and has taken up residence on my pile of bricks that I call a terrace..LN....I'm thinking about an early night....but I have left a bowl of water out for the little beauty especially now the frogs can't get in under my fly screen...

Friday 23rd July

Had a pretty poor night last night sleepwise.  Dogs were barking and I believe that I am with dog.  Socks was round this morning, still looking very flea bitten and covered in burs and sawdust making me think that he has spent the night on my so called terrace.  I'd love to get him cleaned up...such a sweet little thing...but must find out ownership first as they appear to be away.

I need to get him into a tub of water and bath him but at the first sign of the brush he just scoots.  This mornings food and not ideally suited to a dog were the remains of some potato salad that was about to be binned and a hard boiled egg that I was unsure about.  Mixed with bread, he gulped it down.  Not too keen on the bread but that's what they give the dogs out here.  I suppose I might be tempted to invest in a bag of dog food....I'm weakening but he needs cleaning up first.  Where he had scratched yesterday on the patio I could see the fleas and just had to spray the area....not for me....

Beautiful morning, still early and have downloaded plans for a picnic table.  I think indoor furniture might be on the agenda before outside and I do feel like a bit of the sawing and banging.....I'll let you know later how the day panned out....

Friday continued

Shrub, the wrong type, the wrong place took preference over anything else.  I worked on grubbing it out until I could grub no more and came in and read for a while.  It was very hot today probably 34 ish so somehow I ended up having a little siesta....Went out there at approx 4.00 determined to get the beauty out and onto a bonfire of sorts and even thought of starting a fire under it but no, I kept at it and low and behold, I have a hole where a shrub used to be....now to decide what to do with it

Socks has been round and about all day and is currently lying out on the patio.  He doesn't like bananas, he likes nadanitsa which I found lingering in the fridge and he let me get an old hair brush to get out some of the burs from his matted coat.  He put up with it for a while and then that was it, had enough, a few barks and a couple of quick steps in every direction and off.  

About to cook supper but I've just got a few pickies of today's achievement.  Showered, shampood and about to be fed....what could be better and let's hope for a better night.

Sorry....

One of Socks that didn't post

Saturday 24th July

I am definately with dog...Socks was round for breakfast and crying on the doorstep at 7.00 this morning.  I think the owners are still away and I presume someone is feeding him.  All I could come up with this morning was a hard boiled egg and some Cheerios that my guests didn't manage to get through. He had his breakfast and then let me brush him again but goodness know where he has been but now he has thistle heads embedded in his coat that definately need cutting out....not up to holding him down and trying that...maybe later.  Now he's fast asleep just outside my front door.....now to see what the rest of the day holds....catch you later...