Wednesday 24th November

Spent time on looking for easyJet flights to satisfy all needs and came off thoroughly despondent....Christmas here or UK....both got benefits. The men are still digging for gold and as I said no smiles although Bekir is still whistling or maybe that's just the wind howling through the stonework.  They keep coming up with all these goodies like an empty bottle of Coco cola that was three feet down....why????

Now for a few pickies as promised....a woman is only as good as her word....

Wednesday continued

So my delivery came this afternoon and looking at the amount of stuff I think I am going to set myself up as an offshoot of the local builders merchants and have the hoardings up tomorrow.  My house vaguely resembles like what it useta....but I am assured it's only a temporary measure since most of it is either going on the outside or up in the loft space to get this little pad toasty for the winter.

Had a good afternoon with the hand saw and all of the old wood from this roof and I am starting on the other roof timbers tomorrow.  It's amazing what you can burn in a woodburner and most of it isn't damp at all and burns beautifully.  Mix that with a few lumps of coal and jobsagudun so they say.  

Supper was just missing something so I made my crockpot into a sweet and sour.  A little vinegar, ten more minutes and it'll be ready to eat.  LN....going to find some tonic water and fruit juice, I've decided that a week without the booze won't go amiss.

LN....supper calls and if you listen carefully, you'll probably hear it....

I assume that the picture "runs the length of the house" is the North wall that used to be the cow shed and store room?  Front porch looks terific.

Thursday 25th November

This has to be quick....my connection is like that slow boat to China only on its return it's bringing lots of goodies that the shops here sell and when anything breaks after the second time in operation.....the cry is heard....China rabote....China workmanship.

A day of achievements by all of us.  My first tick in the box....I did my homework and was already for my lady today.  Our lesson was writing a short passage in the past tense, writing one in the future tense which became my Agenda for tomorrow and my homework is to write my life in Bulgaria in the present tense and a one point in the morning it was very tense.  Stone walls have a tendency to bow slightly and when they finished digging out the long run on the north wall and they put a line across it, there was some consternation on Bekir's face.  Now they both like to do exceptional work.....and in some ways this has been a learning curve for both.  They realise that I don't mind spending on the place to get it just right.  Yesterday afternoon we were all upstairs and Bekir was making sure that the door to my balcony was closed and he just stood there and looked at the view and said one word....hubavo.....beautiful....and it is.  I think they have not had the opportunity to do something like this house, most of their stuff is functional not pleasing to the eye or thought through and they appreciate it more everyday that's why everything has to be right.

The trench on the north wall is deeper and the plan is to put a concrete support wall along the stone to make sure that nothing budges.  They dug this out from under over a meter of stone, soil and rubbish and the wall obviously got damp so they are taking appropriate measures.  

Now for the other ticks in my boxes.  The heap of wood is sawn up into stuff that will fit in the petchka and stashed under the porch balcony.  The wood stored in the other house is under the balcony as well and the store room is now cleaned out ready for the 3 cubic meters of oak that is being delivered tomorrow which should make sure that I don't run out.  I was also reminded that I have another pile that I'd forgotten about and I have the roof of the other house should I run short...it's got to come down anyway before the rain, snow or high winds does in a short time what my men would take a day to do but I think it's a job for them since the wood would be in one place not through my other windows.  Concrete wall going in tomorrow and then the insulation starts....and I'll post pickies tomorrow....I don't want to risk blowing it all away tonight....

LN....back to my History of Britain...

Friday 26th November

Beautiful sky, I just had to get up and take a pickie and then down to the real business.  Coffee, salvage the woodburner from last night and get it going again with a couple of logs just to tick over.  The house maintained about 18 degrees overnight so I'm pleased and that's without the insulation in the loft and on the outside which has already started this morning as the pictures proove.  Now it's out to the garden to get rid of the other pile of wood, the wind's in the right direction so I can have a bonfire and I'll catch you later...

Here you go...photo shoot....much more interesting than reading the script

Saturday 27th November

Well this morning I woke up with a list of things that I could do and guess what....I didn't do any of them.  It was dull this morning.  I watched the sheep on their daily pilgrimage to find fresh grass, watched my crava mush taking his cow for the morning stroll stopping off at the dew pond for a drink (that's the cow not the man), chased a couple of cows off the estate and remade the fence so that the beauties couldn't jump it again.  Bastards, they surely are athletic.

So what did the rest of the day hold.....nothing.  I finished the History of Britain, kept the fire going most of the day, have just wax polished my new desk and am about to have supper which is sausages with leeks, onions and potatoes from the slow cooker with garlic croutons.  This will be followed with homemade yogurt provided by my Bulgarian language teacher.  You have to be careful what you mention.....the container is very large and I have lots to get through but she did also provide me with minced veal from the same calf that they killed for their meat Byran.  Delicious the last time and a special reward.  We talked about drop (liver) and I said yes that I liked it but that they also have white drop (lungs) but I said that I would give this a miss......I might need a new set but I'll have them supplied on the NHS.

Anyway, off for supper.  It has just started to thunder so I better get this posted.  Just a couple of pics of this morning.....LN.....Eric Clapton at full volume tonight....just me and the hillside....LN

Sunday 28th November

Dull this morning, brightened up a shade this afternoon but a perfect day for stashing the remainder of the delivery from my supplier.,  So two men arrived at about 1.00 and asked if the men were here.  I said that they weren't so they said don't bother moving the car we'll put it here.  Now I thought that they would 'put it there' and then move it into the house.  It was seven x 10 packs of 4meter lengths x 5cm and they said the equivalent  of 'Cheerio' and that was it.  It was up to me to move it from 'there' to where it would be dry and ready for use.  Don't go much for the customer service with a smile...I shall have to have a word with the owner.

As for the rest of the day...I've been tidying the garden ready for the winter....I didn't have too good a night..I had some sausages from the freezer and it was on the hour every hour so the rest of them have gone into the bonfire which is puffing away beautifully.  The empty bottles that I was saving for the garage for oil have been burnt along with the remainder of the polythene.  I even went along Stara Mush hedgeline and rescued margarine cartons, old buckets and polythene bags and they have gone too.

As for the evening...I am just about to make myself an omelette since I haven't eaten all day to be on the safe side.  I might just happen to force down a beer (well it has been a day of bonfires) and then and early night for me.  I have work tomorrow....like men at 8.00 from their village....LN...

Monday 29th November

So there I was waiting in the car and Bekir came out of the cafe to tell me that Sally was ill and that his wife had gone down to the cafe and only just let him know and did I want him to work.  I said that there were jobs for one but then another man was walking by and Bekir shouted to him and the next thing I know, I have two men.  I took him to his house, he ran home and came back with his 'uniform' and ready for the day.  Don't know his name, really should ask, but he takes his coffee 'normal' with no extra sugar so that's the main thing sorted out.

There's a very warm wind blowing and today the men are constructing 'something' and then concreting so I'm reliably informed.  I think it's so they can reach under the eaves to get the final insulation on and the under eaves woodwork.  All go here.

I'm off to the garden.  Firstly to collect all those things that got scattered overnight by the wind and secondly to dig in a few more big shrubs that I dug out....just growing in the wrong place and I have to stop that high-jumping cow somehow...

Monday continued

Well the new guy saw the day out but if Sally is fit tomorrow, then Sally it is but I've said to Bekir that if he is not well then I don't want him and the new guy is in for a second day...don't want to be responsible for flogging the poor man to death if he's not up to it.

The weather topped at 20 degres today and I decided that the shrubs would last another day out in the open so I set about the second polythene mine but I couldn't have a bonfire because of the high wind and I bet my neighbours were pleased.  I turfed out lots of elder roots, a sort of 'mint' root that went on for miles (slight exaggeration) and lots of asbestos that was part of a garage that was burnt down (way before my time).  It's all going into the footings of the terrace from the lounge so jobsaguddun as they say.  I'm making it into a flower bed eventually....well that's the plan.

I went into Djebel and managed, using some sign language, to get some press studs so that I can make a quilt cover out of two fleece blankets and I've worked out that, a) it will be snuggly to get into and b) quick to wash and dry...   and I've found a new shop in the process, so yes, you live and learn.  

Now for some pickies from today....it's my local 'tease' that is posing by the beast....but he still won't clean out my well for 20 leva a day.....and neither would I

Well hello there Mummy Moo Mar, we seem to have your weather here.....Snow, snow and then a bit more. Callumazoo is a bit poorly today so I am at home. School is open but the snow is falling and I am keeping my little pingies crossed for a bit more overnight.

The house is looking fab and you should be really pleased with what you have achieved.

I have started my christmas shopping. We went to Braintree at the weekend so I went shopping. I peeled a kilo of shallots last night ready to make pickled onions...... check my bad self!. Rob came home and asked if I was peeling any more and I said "No, that's shallot!"
Hope you are well.......miss you, moon and back,
Princess xxxxxxxxxxxxx