I see the kettle has come back into use

Wednesday 15th December

Well was it cold overnight????  Was it heck as like.  Bed was toasty with my zebra stuff but I was up throwing a log on the 'still going' fire at 5.30 this morning.  I've just got into the pattern of going to bed at 10.00 so obviously wake up early and wish I could sleep in until 7.00ish....now that would be nice.

Today I am off shopping to Kardjali to get seasonal goodies and taking Gouljan with me.  I had go give her a little lesson on being able to say 'NO' and 'OK' and got her to repeat these words to me.  Some people put you over emotional barrels sometimes and you just have to stand your ground.  Not only did this person want help....she wanted her to do it for her.....not on and this 'but you are my friend'.....arggggg.

The tree has dried out and will be 'done' later today when I get back.....now to find a suitable container and this time without ice at the bottom or water that would soon turn into.  I'm looking for a small child to shin up the biggies with light bulbs clutched to his / chest but to date....no takers....but there again, it's pretty tall.

Update you later with the purchases.....

So now I'm unders strict instructions that the tree can't be decorated until Gouljan is here since she supplied it and that's happening tomorrow morning as part of my lesson.  I managed to get lights, a Santa and mini wreath for my front door, tinsel for the tree from the Leva shop and who was like a little kid in Santa's grotto?  We went backwards and forwards to find gifts to put in the gift bags that I bought and Gouljan said that it was my own fault because the bags were too big.  I've got 'useful' items that the ladies would like to buy but are considered luxuries and I was guided by my mentor.  I even was introduced to the second hand cloths shop and spent three pounds on a super long multicoloured pashmina scarf and a red fleece overjersey that I mush get Bekir into with a red hat on sitting under my tree.  Well it was his idea but now I've got the outfit.  Just have to get some cotton wool to make something that looks like a beard.  Ho..ho...eat your heart out Santa.

Well we managed to get onto the new Lidl's carpark, did two trips round the store, queues were really very long so came out with nothing.  Good to see that they have an element of non-foods, like glue sticks for the hot glue gun that I brough out from England and one or two other Parkside goodies.....

It got much colder while we were shopping and by five tonight it was about -3 and the moon and stars are out so I have the feeling that it is going to get much colder.  Just have to keep on stoking and tomorrow I have to go into the loft and lay the insulation since Bekir and Sall ran out of time before the snow set in.....just can't get the staff these days....

LN...Brandy, hot water and a little sugar looks to be tonight's beverage and then in for another instalment of Hitler.  Let's hope I manage to sleep in a little later tomorrow.....

Thursday 16th December

BBC weather for Kardjali Bulgaria was correctly predicted.  Heavy snow started about eight this morning and the temperature was -5 overnight....why don't they get it right in the UK???

Wood in, pump going, destined to knitting and finishing Hitler off during the day.  The tree is in but I'm thinking the Gouljan is not going to make it up the hill and she would be silly to try but having said that, I really should do my homework....just in case.  

Thursday continued

So yes, I did have my lesson and it was Demonstrative Pronouns closely followed by soup and a funny noise that I thought was coming from the cooker....now that I am cooking on gas I thought that there was a slight reverberation but then I decided to check the rest of the house and the electricity was OFF and the alarm was the UPS....well yes it;s nice to know that it works but that set about my resolve to get the old petchka installed in the kitchen so that if the electricity does go off, there is always another means of heat.  So in came the petchka and the old metal pipes to the kitchen but I was short of an elbow to go into the chimney so off I went and managed to scrounge one from my little lady.  At this point it is snowing for Snowdonia, my avatar is clearing a path to the loo and we managed to get the 'elbow ' across quite nicely and yes I now have one.....only problem is...these pipes come in predefined lengths and I am short of 6 inches.....so I either have to cut down an existing pipe or get one ready made from Dzebel when the weather breaks.  I'll see what tomorrow bring but currently it is still snowing....

There is two foot of snow between me and the road and now the snow plough has been down there is a three foot bank between me and the road.  Now I was warned today about driving in the snow....can I categorically state that I can't even get out of my parking space parallel to the road and why should I, I've not run short of anything yet.   Anyway up....I have written my christmas cards to the family today but fat change of posting them so it's special delivery and fingers crossed that I manage to get out.  I have decided to stay in BG for Christmas.  I would have problems getting to Sofia, I would have problems getting to Sussex and then if I went visiting, even more problems....so ...easy option is to stay.  My tree went up this afternoon and got decorated.  Poor Guiljan is still without a tree thanks to the ever vigilant forestry men but the least said about that the better.  My camera battery is flat so tomorrow I will take pictures of the tree, the garden, the cars and anything else worth potographing.  As for the woodburner, the electricity came on after about an hour and so everything in the garden is rosy....now that's a lie....everything in the garden is white over....

LN....off to stoke my woodburner before the electricity goes off again.

Friday 17th December

It was really cold in the night.....I wasn't but 'it' was.  Again I rescued the woodburner this morning and it had to be poached eggs on toast just to get the circulation going.  I have two robins fighting over the scraps that I put out and both very territorial.  This morning there were about fifteen bluetits in the walnut tree and I think how I used to thread peanuts and watch them devour them in England.  I might even get some and dangle them for the balcony....let's see if they understand the principle.

Well I cleared the snow between me and the road this morning and most of the drive....and blow me down...the snow plough must have come round about lunchtime and dumped me another lot.  I did think that would be the case but I've removed it again so let's see.  It started to thaw earlier, the sun was quite warm but I think it has dropped again to freezing.  I just hope that's as low as it's going to get tonight but I doubt it....heading for the snuggly zebra quilt, not yet though, I've got a lamb casserole to get through.  As I said, put something into the slow cooker when I'm interested, out of the slow cooker when I'm not.

My ladies came round today I know not for what....just checking up what I'm up to.  They peered around beautifully and commented on how warm the house was....and that was just before I was working outside and let the thing go out but it was soon up and running again once I had given it a good talking to.  I've made some Christmas cards today for my four ladies to go with the silly gift bags that I have for them.  I found that by inserting 'symbols' in Word I could write the greeting in Bulgarian and copy the Turkish that Gouljan had written out for me.  I used the photograph of my snowman from the top of my little Christmas tree.

So tomorrow I need to go into Kardjali / Djebel for Selotape, post the cards to England and I have seen some zebra print cotton material in Kardjali that I want to get (not that I think there'll be a rush for it here).  It's 6 Leva a meter for 2.20 wide and I thought I could make curtains and a summer quilt cover and pillow cases.  Cheap as chips....approx 10meters ...£28 ish for curtains and quilt cover, that can't be bad.

Now for a few pickies.....

Saturday 18th December

Startling skies this morning....if a red sky is a warning for a shepherd, it should also serve as one for me...it could be rough later.  Well the sun rises in the east as we know but to the north I detect really dark clouds and it depends how the winds blow is my reckoning.  Must check out the BBC website for Kardjali...it's been accurate to date.  Last night was recorded at -9 in Kardjali.  Thought it was a bit nippy. Now it has changed again.  The snow is glistening with the sun shining on it....fairytale..

Yes today I am venturing out....Gouljan's PC is ready for collection so we can kill two birds with one stone so to say and get all those things that are now on the new list made up of those that we forgot the other day and others that I just can't live without like....butter.  I'm down to one pack and for me that's serious.

Boots blacked by 10.00 at the bus stop near her house....morning sky pictures....I took so many that it was hard to choose....

Beautiful

Saturday continued

And now the thaw has set in....+2 and horrible....just the sound of water running....but at least the woodburner is doing its stuff and heating the house at last.  I didn't manage to get up into the loft and sort out the insulation...tomorow's job I fear but I did get in to Kardjali and buy my zebra print cotton for the curtains so that could be another job for tomorrow...keep lining them up....and as they say...tomorrow never comes

LN.....time I hit the sack....

Sunday 19th December

So this morning I decided that I wasn't going to leap out at silly o'clock.  The weather had warmed up quite considerably so I watched the sunrise and wasn't rushing around photographing it.  I stayed in bed.  It was different from yesterdays dramatic start.  There was just a hint of pink that kept moving around the sky as the clouds shifted.  There didn't seem to be any wind batting them across the sky.  It was very gentle as has been the whole day.  Different story in Gatwick I hear.  Today would have been the day I took off for the UK if I had bothered to get the ticket....so pleased I didn't, I'd still be in Sofia.

Achievements?  I did manage to get eight rolls of rockwool type insulation up into the loft and ready stored for when I get either a man to do it or somebody else in the house while I'm up there.  The ladders I have look suspect and finish half way up the wall meaning that you have to have the leap of faith.  I might get it done tomorrow if the mood takes me and ask Gouljan just to hold the ladder while I take that extra step up and then again down.  I'm not quite as agile as I used to be.    I should hate to get stuck up there for Christmas without a bottle of the hard stuff or my chicken drumstick

Second achievement...I've measured and prepared the curtains for sewing.  The linings are ready too so sewing machine at the ready....I should have them up for Christmas...my present to me in my zebra bedroom.  I suppose I have not been that dramatic before but I just liked them and there is enough for a summer weight quilt cover of the same material.....

I had a surprise delivery of food today.  I don't know if it is special in my neighbours calendar but it was rice with kidney beans and lamb delivered by my lovely avatar lady.  Came at the right time so no need to cook tonight.

So out with the beer tonight.....the woodburner is going and doing it's stuff....LN....I'm still with the Hitler book....he's just taken Austria....and not even a mention of the Von Trapps yet.

Monday 2oth December

Didn't mention it on Saturday but on my way back from Kardjali I had the battery warning light come on and I though...that thing that charges up the battery....a...and the word escapes me for the minute....and I'll come back to it.  I called into the garage on Saturday night and was told that they were shutting up shop and Monday it had to be so I have been planning and working out what I should have to do if no go....ALTERNATOR...I knew that I would remember.  So this morning the car started perfectly, no battery light and I though 'bulb' so I did my shopping round the market and you've guessd it. I started the car and yes...red battery light so straight round to the garage....new alternator and completely fitted....35 Leva so I don't feel hard done by by that.

Rest of the day very mellow.  Bought the material for making the book covers and pencil cases for the children of the village so that's my task for the next few days....I've also desiged a special gift for Gouljan so we'll see if I manage to make it before the 25th.

The wood burner is behaving itself beatifully tonight.  I'm up on the landing and the rest of the house is toasty.  There is a wind getting up though.....just wait and see.

Now did anyone tell me about using that spray can that fills up all cracks and crevices and sticks on fingers very heartily.  Now I have read the instruction but nowhere does it say to use with extreme caution.  Spent the evening picking it off my fingers....I've watched the men before and no problem...seeing is believing....will read the instructions again.   Bulgarian  doh....

LN.....off to my little pit with Hitler,,,,Chamberlain is forging his place in history at the present time....