Sunday 6th February

One book down and several more to go.  I started a James Patterson last night and it was good to be reading again.  I've missed the 'getting into a book'.  Nice ending, easy read.

I was right about the weather, minus 11 last night but both fires were still going this morning so bonus all round.  The sheep are in the meadow and the cows are out of my garden and all's good with the world.  Off for a shower, I'm late today and then let's see what the day holds....I do have to measure up for my curtain poles though so that could be a chore in itself.  Brandishing a metal tape measure for that distance could result in any sort of injury....I'll keep the first aid box handy

Sunday continued

I am so sad..the pictures of the white dog are the last we shall see.  Apparently the sheep farmers dogs..those bastard creatures that roam the hillside apparenly protecting sheep have mangeled him and he is no more.  We are all upset...the ladies of the village have protested most vehemently against the sheep farmer'dogs.  They roam, even Gouljan took the bus the other day so that she did not intercept them and they are the ones that frightened the life out of me when I was driving to pick up my men and the car windows were open and they went for it...bastard dogs.

On a brighter note...the men from the village helped me set up the battery charger on the jeep but I think they chose the wrong battery...I have two and as I said the wrong one was connected.  As I turned it over all I got was a ....zzzz...a sleeping battery.  I've tried the internet but zilch.

So off to the garage tomorow to sort out Beauty..the Beast comes later since it is not top of my priorities..

Supper tonight...rice with chicken drumsticks with Garrys's curry stuff to die for...I'm off, supper beckons and I will sort out the cars tomorrow....

Just connect charger to other battery. Red goes to + black goes to -  But depending on charger it could take a while.  Check the meter, if it has one, shows a reading if no meter just remove one clip and repeatadly touch lightly the terminal you have taken it off it should spark. repeat the otherway around.  This is to ensure clips are making good contact.  Good luck.

Monday 7th February

Beauty sorted....the batteries for the Beast are going to the garage tonight...one of the mechanics is coming to pick both of them up and sort them out tomorrow.....thanks for the advice Martin but I think my idea is best...red to black, black to red....black and blue and fingers soldered together............the lad will sort it.

So I went to my metal man to give him the dimensions for the curtain poles and guess what....he has just appeared with the prototype for the supports and all is good.  What service...I did pay him upfront and I think they are used to getting it months later but it's not my way....it's a bit like tipping on the first day for the rest of the holiday when you get into a hotel....they've got the money up front and by golly do they have to earn it.  So I took him pictures round this morning but he obviously wanted to see it for himself.  The wife came with him but she stayed in the car even though I invited her in.  I got asked whether I was out here alone...they just can't get over that there is no man out here with me....and it's because I'm into the realms of measuring stuff and working out dimension.  So I'm told everything will be ready by Friday....

The carpenter is not at home so that will have to wait for another day....Fires going....remains of last night's supper is being reheated and will be ready soon.  So have now to find another book to get stuck into and tomorrow I am off to Kardjali where I am told I can find a second hand PC with 2.00 speed USB ports for little money....I only want it so that I can run my high speed WD Book with films on it.  The USB ports on this laptop just aren't up to it and so then I suppose I'll have to buy a monitor and the bigger the better.  In the UK I have a projector and I thought....blank wall...surround sound....invite the neighbours in now what could be nicer......

Curling up in bed and going to sleep in front of the monitor....now that reminds me of England....and the television.  May be I'll forget the idea and stick to books

Update at 7.00pm....my battery has been collected and is on its way to the battery hospital (garage) and will be returned and installed tomorrow...now that's service....LN...sleep tight through peace of mind not alcohol....LN

Tuesday 8th February

Well did it catch me out....-6 overnight according to my thermometer but the sun is up and it's creating a beauiful morning mist in the valleys or maybe everyone's just got their wood burners going and it's smog....I know I have.  The big one went out and thereby a saving of two logs and four lumps of something that is supposed to be coal but it's nothing like my dad had delivered for free when he was a miner.  I remember the coal wagon dropping a heck of a lot at the bottom of the path and it had to be put into the coal shed and the last thing dad wanted to do after working on the coal face was to start again so yes...mum and I would try to finish the job before he got back from his shift.  Sometimes we did, it depended on the time of the delivery but other times...dad stoically shifted it.  Nice perk...free coal but there again the wages weren't that good for what they did.  So back to my lumps of coal dust and cement....only five leva a bag and they slow down the burning process or in my case last night, stopped it completely but the little one coped beautifully and the kitchen is very comfortable this morning.

Now a clear day ahead of me....battery is being charged as we speak....curtain poles being manufactured, Beauty up and running and all seems well with my corner of the world.  I had my post delivered yesterday and the man who delivered it told me that it came 'samolet' by airmail and I opened it and it in front of him ad explained that it was a birthday card from Angela....and they know Angela since she has been out here and he was overjoyed that he knew who it was from and what it was....and so I suppose most of he village know by now....they just take delight in my little life...and I don't mind a bit.  Shower, dressed or maybe breakfast, shower and dressed....I'm feeling a bit of a lazy tyke...

Tuesday continued

I got caught out ...big time....just after I posted there was a tinkle of my cow bell by the front door and when I opened it...surprise, surprise, my carpenter was there.  I was stll in my pyjamas at this point but they are pink fleecy things so nothing too glamourous so I thought...act normal...so I got the picture of the chest that I want him to make....showed him the new dimensions, asked him for a rough estimate which was acceptable, showed him where the chest was to sit so that he could be sure of what I wanted, told him not to put any surface finish on it that it would be hand-polished with beeswax and off he went...result and then out of sheer embarasment, I went and got ready for the day just in case anybody else turned up unexpectedly....So I shall see the standard of his work and then decide if I want him to do the other one or put that to my man in Dzebel who never seems to be at his place of work.

So far so good today....I decided that Kardjali wasn't on the cards....I emptied out the little woodburner and got rid of the ash and then relit it.  For the amount of wood that it burns the return is fantastic and even though it's 20 degrees, the kitchen doesn't get that much sun unlike the rest of the house so it ticks it over.  Had the balcony door open today and moved one of the chairs out and sat in the sun but then I thought it was a little lazy so sorted out some more wood from the old house, sawed up a few logs, chopped some sticks and then got on the sun lounger.  Just a hint of coolness to the breeze but otherwise super.  Now back to it...more wood to sort.

Wednesday 9th February

This the third time I have posted this messag.....connection doesn't get dropped...just times out when you are up loading.....it's a bummer when that happens.

Sunbed and garden covered with ice cystals today, beautiful morning.  We're still maintaining about -4 overnight but the days are just stupendous for February.  Walked the garden when it had warmed up, found my first snowdrop, had a bonfire and got rid of my polythene rubbish and sat in my blue and white chair and just enjoyed the sun.  I had a conversation with the neighbour who has the allotment next to my house and I'm understanding more each day...as they say....leka por leka....little by little.

Looked in my icebox in the fridge and I believe I had the foundations for an igloo in there.  I have no longer and using the trusty tools namely a knife, a wooden kitchen implement and a ...hairdryer, the ice is now sitting in the garden and now I can sqeeze my lemons, put them into the icetrays and go back to my usual routine of lemon juice, honey, salt and hot water every morning to kick start my metabolism....guaranteed to get the system moving.

Supper is last night's spagbol converted to chilli con carne, garlic bread and a little of the red stuff to wash it down....can't be bad......now off to finish chores, like getting the wood in and starting the other woodburner off. I have had windows open all day to get some fresh air into the house.....beautiful....LN...

Thursday 10th February

What a lazy day.....I had a late shower and was sitting in the sun doing nothing with wet hair and my avatar arrived .....with guest....when she saw the wet hair she said that she would come back later but I insisted that they came in.  It was her sister's friend who was on holiday from Turkey and yes, I am a talking point in the village as to what this English person has done to the house.

So the full conducted tour and she loved it.  And my avatar is proud to show off my house as if it is her own.  She is a true friend.  I was asked the inevitable question that passes all of their lips...how much did it cost and my reply is always the same....I don't know.....I do know but finances out here are different.  What seems good value to me is extortionate to them...it's the 000's on the end.

I read my book in the sun until I was so sleepy that I decided to read it in the comfort of the lounge and yes, you've already guessed it, I went to sleep and didn't wake up until 5.30 this evening.  Sorted the fires out, central heating buzzing round the radiators so went back to my book and came upstairs to do my daily update when there was a toot toot outside and.....my battery was back from the hospital (garage) and the man was here to replace it.....job done, started the Beast so all back to normal....joy of joy....I need the Beast to get my new piece of furniture tomorrow and my metal curtain poles.....

Anyway supper time.....just a few kind wishes to Mikey B's young lady who is about to deliver their first, a little girl who already has a name and I hope she 'fits' it or it's back to the drawing board for both of them....my thoughts are with them and guess what....it will be an Aquarian....as are my two, my grandson and so am I.  Brilliant star to be born under....and for the none believer (and you know who you are)....February's good too

LN....

Friday 11th February

Well I suffered for going to sleep yesterday afternoon. I was reading 'The girl who played with fire' until 1.00 am and then woke up at 3.00 full of beans and read until 4.00.  It wasn't such a good book.  I'd tied it up by page 450 but I just had to carry on and confirm that I had got the ending right.  Had to put it down sleep called but I was awake and 7.30 and finished it.  Yes I was right, reasonable ending leaving it open for a continuation but unfortunately the young Swedish author is no longer with us.  Ah well I'll just make up an story I like.

Haven't been thoroughly motivated today.  I think you get days like that when you haven't got enough to do.  I have lots of things that I could be doing but nothing that is drawing me in at the moment.  I've got the wood ready for an armchair and I did go into Dzebel today and purchased enough foam to make a cushion for my rather uncomfortable wooden bench in the kitchen.  It's alright for a time and then it just gets....wooden if you know what I mean.  So project for tomorrow.....slice the foam, make the covers for the seat and the back rest and now I'll start to visualise the finished item (no pattern) and let my brain work it out.  It's got until tomorrow morning

Wood's in, kitchen wood burner still going, ought to sort out the central heating one, I'm feeling chill.  Sun's still shining and casting that beautiful pink glow on the white houses on the opposite hill and it's misting over slightly so yes, probably in for another cold one.  It was -4 this morning, went up to +15 in the sun but there was a cold wind that went through you.  Off to work...on fires.

Saturday 12th February

Firstly let me welcome into the world Katie Ava Bardsley born last night to Dawn and Mikey B.  A little Aquarian and one of a special kind.  Congratulations to the proud parents...she looks a little smasher.

Now what have I done today?  I have had an infinitely better day than yesterday when I just couldn't get focused.  Now that foam that I got yesterday has made a cushion for the bench in the kitchen and I have 'readjusted' the cover that came with the mattress and job is done.  There is enough foam left to make the headboard for my bed and also a backrest for the sofa downstairs. This was only achieved may I add with the use of a bread knife (it was a thick piece of foam) and in the absence of an unpicker (sewing machine terms) I had to use the vegetable knife.  Now in the middle of all this, the 'disco' magazine came and fortunately I was able to flag him down since he always looks this way when he is passing in case I'm just late and running to get there.  So returning with my treasure of two bottles of the local beer, well not quite bottles in that they are two litre plastics, I thought 'Nice sunny day, working outside, how about a beer'.  Suddenly occured to me, not such a bright idea as I was wielding a bread knife and a kitchen vegetable knife as the tools of my trade.  Maybe later and yes the tools are away, the glass is sitting on my desk as I write this but the bottle is downstairs so I'll just have to sip it.  The armchair is on the agenda for tomorrow.  I'm really fired up and I don't know why.

Another thing I have achieved.  I have given my little local lassie her English lesson and I made her read all of the book that I let her borrow back to me....no...it wasn't War and Peace....it was The dog with the Terrible Itch.  She arrived with her brother who hasn't started English lessons yet but she asked if I had any more books so I gave her Peter Rabbit and she is going to read it back to me next time.  She loved the pictures and she comes from a Turkish family so the chance of speaking English or Bulgarian for that matter is virtually nill.  I also let her brother borrow a book on Big Machine and he was 'WOW'.  Same time next week....it's my bit for the village.  If any of the children want any help, I'm more than willing.

So fire going, supper in the slow cooker (Hungarian Goolash tonight), all's well with the world.  Number one son's birthday tomorrow....I shan't say how old....it makes me feel like a stara gena (old woman)....OK he's .....  watch this space...or maybe he'll tell you in a post.