Saturday 1st January

HAPPY NEW YEAR......

Home safe and sound at 10.30 thereabouts carrying my zebra quilt with me.  It is strange waking up in someone else's house.  Dom played the perfect host delivering coffee and then we stood out in the garden enjoying the morning air and the view.  He was removing the self imposed tar from his little lungs and I was doing the same with everybody else's smoking.  The ban has come in but in a portacabin next to the local jamir in the middle of a little village in the south of Bulgaria....not many inspectors will be around.  We let the fireworks off at midnight.  It was such a beautiful clear calm night and the sky was lit up for miles around. It was so peaceful with millions of stars and no light pollution except for the rockets for miles around.

So I'm just about to start the fire....not that I need it, the sun shines throught my big windows and it's about 20 degrees at the moment down there.  I'll just get it going so that to have it roaring tonight will tick the house over...it's supposed to be going down to -10 tonight according to the locals so back under the zebra for me....  update with photos from last night to follow....fire first...

Saturday update

Just a few from last night....

Sunday 2nd January

I can't get over how beautiful the mornings are here.  I didn't wake until 7.00 this morning and the sky was pink over the mountains and the crescent moon was still up with that very bright something by it.  Now I'm not one for knowing the stars and the planets.....I only appreciate what I see.  Beautiful.  It then changed as the sun came up and then I realised that the ground was white over and I checked the outside thermometer and it was -8.  Inside 19 with the sun now up and outside has settled at a -3 when I've just checked it.

My avatar has just paid a visit and delivered 6 eggs.  The people are so kind here and I joked that I had three cats that came to visit.  Her response was that I had everything and I replied that I didn't have a cow and she had two.  She reckoned I could have one in the spring....I questioned why and she just said 'because'...and we both laughed.  I don't know much Bulgarian but I still manage to communicate and that's all that matters.

Fires.....mine has been a bit of a b...this mornng....now the phrase is that if you've slept with a gypsy, your fire goes first time....obviously not doing the right thing .  Just a few more sticks and it might ....GO....not that it's cold in the house....it's just pleasant to see the wood burner glimmering and not just 'smoking'.  Now I really must get dressed.

Monday, 3rd January

So I've decided to post yesterday morning's sunrise...this one is cold, was raining earlier that has turned to light snow coming from the north so little bit on the cold side.  Now when the wind is in that direction, it seems to blow down the chimney and my fire was a bugger to start this morning.  Two hours with messing around it when I should have really taken it apart and started from scratch...but some days are just like that.  Where's that gypsy .

Today holds nothing more that settling my first 'credit' in Djebel.  I got two diaries, one for Gouljan and her new job and one for me insomuch as I always have one and never make any entries but just nice to have.  The girl didn't know how much they were so she said for me to take them and pay when I was next in town.  I guess they know where I live .  This diary has become a compulsion and it's good for me to look back on to see how far I've come and I don't just mean from UK to Bulgaria.  I look out each day and can't believe that this is mine and I look up and say thank you if you know what I mean.  

So I spoke to TC and heard the full gory details of the demise of the last company I worked for.  Such a shame and although we used to slag it off something rotten when I was there, there were good people who are now looking for other avenues for their many talents.  Let's hope that some find work quickly and that others use the opportunity to find some new paths to explore.  I've told her that she still owes me a picture that she promised to paint for me so now she has no excuse......

Now, yesterday's start to the day....and I really should think about getting dressed and taking to horse...well horse power....not the real thing....

Tuesday 4th January

So the UK is in for another blast while I am still waiting for it to happen here.  It's been just under 0 on the thermometer the whole of the day but it is dropping rapidly this evening.  We had a dusting of the white stuff overnight but nothing to write home about and by the time that anything arrives by snail mail from here to the UK I swear you could walk it there faster.  My cards still haven't arrived but since it was going to cost 40 leva for 'special' for four cards.....I phoned to wish happy whatevers and the cards will arrive all in good time...for next year.  I think I should be posting the February birthday cards about now just to make sure.

Had my Bulgarian lesson this morning and tried to get over that some of the words are just so long so what's the point of learning them.  I'm never going to have to read them and just wouldn't compose sentences with them in.....back to the drawing board...Basil.  So today we concentrated on verbs in the past tense... but in Bulgarian it all depends whether it is in direct or indirect speech as to whether it is in past or present tense

Had some guests this afternoon from the restaurant and fortunately they brought an interpreter with them.  His English was very good and said that I spoke Bulgarian very well and then he turned his deaf aid up and changed his mind.  I'm sure Gouljan would not agree....anyway it's time that I got a glass in my hand.  I was going down to the restaurant to eat this evening but I've just seen the time and the thermometer and I've changed my mind....too cold to go out...

LN....going to get by the fire instead of sitting over my laptop....and have a drink...after all it's 8.30 here....

Wednesday 5th January

It is freezing....the thermometer may say -4 but it feels like less to me.  It is that raw cold that seems to get into your bones no matter what you wear and my feet have not been warm at all despite two layers of socks and slippers so much so that I have gone back to my clogs with the thick rubber soles.  I want some heated slippers!!

Well my gift voucher got lost in transit so I tried to log into Amazon to find out where it was only to be advised that my email address was not valid....joy of joy....eventually got in and had to resend the voucher again....it has now arrived but I'm waiting for a response from customer services.  No mention that it 'could not deliver' but the money went out of my account fast enough.  Bahhhh----humbug  

I have just had my first photo assignment.  One of my ladies came round for her bucket that she delivers my home-made yoghurt in and showed me a photograph of her grandchildren and asked if I had a picture frame.  As I matter of fact I have but it wouldn't fit so I asked her to leave it with me.  She looked at me warily afraid of what I might do with it but I sent her on her way promising 'one hour' and you'll have it back.  Well she got more than she bargained for.  I scanned it, cropped out the borders and managed to get the two little faces into a 4 x 6 and delivered it framed.  Now this is the neighbour who only got one picture frame where the others got two and now she has three....sorted...and her yoghurt is delicious but I told her not yet....I still have a pot from Gouljan to get through first....Looks like I need another visit to the Leva shop to get in a supply....of picture frames....not yoghurt.

Now Cinders is off to the kitchen.  Firstly for a hot drink and secondly to get something sorted for the slow cooker before I lose interest in preparing anything....

Thursday 6th January

Another cold night and another layer of the white stuff but only a light dusting.  My fire was well and truly out for the count this morning and I played around with a box of matches, bits of paper and wood in the end knowing that I was going to have to take it apart and start from scratch.  Some mornings are like that...   And now it is glowing, the pump for the radiators is purring away and the house is at last worth staying in for.  I'm breakfasted, two poached eggs from my lady across the way and I'm going to try and negotiate that she supplies me with some every week.  Why pay the shops when I can pay her because they are much nicer.  The yolks are yellow instead of some of the pasty ones that you see staring back at you and they taste divine.  Now to work out how to carry out the proposal/transaction.

Washing machine is doing it's stuff and it's a reassuring sound...something being done with so little effort on my part...put in the clothes, washing powder, select the programme, up the spin speed to maximum and press the button.  Thirty five minutes later, remove, on to clothes airer and bingo....another job completed.

Ten of the clock....I'm off to Djebel to pay for the diaries before they send the baliffs round...catch you later...

Friday 7th January

My curtain pole man cometh...I shall have to update later.  Now he speaks German and has worked in the Netherlands....I don't so it could be fun...let's see......Well that was a waste of time...he doesn't do curtain poles and there are none in Kardjali or Haskaovo since there is no demand.  We did discuss the balcony surrounds though and he has a place in Momchilgrad where I can see them. The catalogue I was told was 'expensive' but I saw a picture on his mobile phone of the others.  I might just happen to produce him a catalogue of his own with prices so that he doesn't have to use his mobile to work out the cost...He could apply discounts as and when.  Lovely chappie though....will have to speak to our contact to see if he wants a catalogue or not...Sorry didn't give you a weather report...BBC website stated -2 for Kardjali....at 11.00 o'clock the Kardjali weather station reported -5....and didn't I know it and freezing fog to boot...pretty but not good.

On to breakfast....haven't managed it yet so it looks like toast....with butter and my homemade jam...I get the feeling that Lidl calls......and it didn't call loudly enough....I got into my sewing and made my zebra curtains though not yet in situ and decided to make the summer zebra quilt cover.  I'm just hoping that the mood still lists towards the zebra as the sun gets warmer and I take to the summer weight fabrics.  I'm liking it now...hey but it didn't cost the earth and no zebras were killed in the making of and it's all cotton so no polyesters died in the process either.  

Now tonight I was planning to go down to my restaurant in Djebel but the trouble is, it's cold outside and warm in so I think I shall put it off for another evening.  I have to drive down there and it's only fruit juice when I get there.  I suppose one night I could push the boat out and stay at the Djebel hotel and visit my 301 (the room that I had for about six months) but it will have to be for an occasion...oh...maybe my next birthday ....it's a big one.

At last my mate from Gibraltar has managed to get into my website to take a look. For some unknown reason there are comments on Facebook about the pickies I posted a year ago so I suggested that she looks at more recent ones.  She has just received a gold star....she clicked on my link from the bottom of my email and joy of joy....got in first time and itsn't it simple....sorry....shimpple it you watch the adds with the merecats...  So now into the kitchen to search for food.  

Saturday 8th January

Beautiful day...sun shining, no wind and now it is starting to get a little chilly. Fire is going but need to get it stoked, I think we are in for another cold one.  It was white over this morning with frost though not snow but some of it is still lingering on the mountains so it's been warm inside but the sun hasn't cleared it all away.

So what have I done today?  I have made one slipper, without a pattern and unless I can remember how I did it I have a present for a one legged man.  I started off with my crochet hook and cast on 35 stitches and it was all down hill from there.  I think it's called 'tatting' but it ended up with casting on 38 stitches on four needles and working so many rows of rib and casting off loosely.  I know that much so I've just got to work out the bit in the middle.

My little neighbour brought round a goody bag this morning with onions, pototoes, cabbage in vinegar and something in something else which I think was tomatoes.  They don't freeze stuff here, they preserve it and it's two jars of preserves.  I've added it to the collection since I did some of my own as a gesture towards self preservation but I used red cabbage which is not usual here.  

So again I was going into Kardjali and again I didn't manage it.  It just seemed like a lot of effort and I only need a few things.  You get to ask yourself if your journey is really necessary and today I decided it wasn't.  It's just so nice to sit in front of the fire and 'tat'.

Sunday 9th January

So it' Sunday morning and what was facing me in the fridge...bacon, eggs and it just had to be done along with fried bread.  Not healthy but I did use olive oil and the rest of the bacon is already in the slow cooker with onions, honey, chilli flakes and tomato paste and will be ready whenever I am this evening.

There is no present for the one legged man....I managed to work out the middle of the other slipper and I am wearing them as we speak with my down boottees ...inside them....yes, they looked a little large in the making but every cloud has a silver lining so they say but my boots have a 'duck down' lining.  Good for padding around in having tiled floors, great for cleaning, lousy for warmth where there are no carpet laid down.

The day is before me....I have finished Genghis and for those that didn't know he was knifed by his second wife and Hitler is just about to go into the second phase of the war against the Russians. I didn't know about this war and how many countries were involved.  I suppose I grew up as a post war baby knowing there was a world war and sporting a poppy on the appropriate day.  This book has opened my eyes about the man and his war.  Pretty heavy going in places so it's one that I pick up, do a few pages and then find something else to do but it is quite fascinating.  On towards the day....it's freezing fog again, so I'm hoping that that sun will burst through and liven the place up....fingers crossed.