Saturday continued

Forgot to post pickies so here goes....nothing great...workspace, office desk and liquid refreshments....and northern views....

LN...the bottle is downstairs, I'm upstairs, worth the trip....and let's hope I don't

Sunday 13th February

Good morning and happy birthday son.....I did phone but no one home.....

So this morning the sun woke me up....well not so much the sun but the reflection on the hall window so I just had to get up and have a look....very dramatic....red and black and so once awakened there is no going back to sleep.  I looked at the thermometer and hardly believed it.  It said -20 so I rechecked and yes, it is broken and the real temperature was about -2 but this morning it seemed to be damp with it.  Not so crisp as other mornings so it was fires all round.  I lit the big boiler since it was my Bulgarian lesson today which not so much became a lesson but Gouljan telling me all about her new job and showing me the pictures of the training that she had received, or rather the group had received.  So I just had to get a couple of the pictures....she's so proud and so she should be....difficult job but she'll manage it I'm sure

So she used the internet to retrieve her mail, I went outside and lit a bonfire to get rid of my rubbish, she left and the next minute there was a young girl at the door with a ....wait for it....a census form in her hand in Bulgarian.  I explained that I was English so off we toddled to her car and we had....an English translation and she left it with me saying that she would return to pick it up..  Well this was fine but when we came to some of the questions about which standard of education you had received and if your children were not living with you when did they leave Bulgaria and when are you expecting them to return....I lost the will to live and was just about to slash my wrists when she came back and together we completed the rest and where I hadn't got a clue, with her experience, we filled in the gaps.  All that it will probably mean is that I will have my yearly rates upped....grrrrr   The final question was...who did you buy the house from?  How should I know!!  I know my documents are legal since I had my solicitor look over them and yes, they have the 'blue stamp' so she had to wade through the documentation to find out and yes, the documents and her paperwork confirmed the name of the person.....result, I am legal.  

Fun over for today........into a book and trying to work up the enthusiams to think about supper.....trouble is if I don't get it in the slow cooker, when it gets to this time, I really can't get to think about it.....let's get the cook book out and dream.....LN

Monday 14th February

As for the rest of the day?  My intention was to go into Dzebel this morning and then on to Kardjali but at about half past twelve today I was still in my pyjama top since it was snuggly.  I must add that the rest of it was washed and prepared for the day but the brain was into looking for wooden furniture on the internet that I can dazzle my local carpenters with and the only thing that I came up with was the idea that I could make a Mexican hammock out of local materials so watch this space.  This is going to be short and sweet tonight.  I have potatoes cooking and am about to make a potato and onion omelette.  Again I was playing with the idea of going down to the restaurant and in for cheesy chips and chicken wings but to be honest, it is just too cold to be out and the fires are going and it's nice and warm so why would I want to get the car out and be bothered to drive six kilometres to sit in a smoky restaurant.  I have to go sometime this week.  It is my little 'adopted' granddaughter’s birthday the same day as mine so I have to deliver a present and a card although I haven't made it yet...where's that list for tomorrow?????

So what have I really done today?........I've emptied most of the wood out of the barn and stacked it ready for sawing / chopping, finished a fingerless mitten so at least one hand will be warm and started the next, cleaned out the little wood burner which is now going like blazes and had my music going full blast.  I'm getting a liking for Barryman but Lilly Allen is about to be deleted.  Rubbish words and I apologise in advance for anyone who likes her.  Not my style.  I've downloaded lots of furniture images and have the design for the armchair that I need for the kitchen.  It's just somewhere to 'plonk' if the rest of the house isn't warm enough and it can go outside in the summer.  I've also used some of the foam to 'pad' my computer chair on the landing since I was getting back ache.  I've had this 'funny ache' in my back and I suppose I should get someone to 'look' at it.  It's not a pain, more of an ache that just comes in from time to time which started last summer but it seems to have moved from the right side (looking at my back) and has now found its way to the left....how long for this world   ah well....can always come back again.  Another thing I have done....posted some pictures on Flicker for the CSH Photographic society.  The theme this month is 'Gold' so I got a couple of my crocus pictures and they are added to the other beauties on the site.

Now potatoes are sure to be ready so let's go be creative.  LN.....I've just found a bottle of red that looks lonely so it's by the wood burner and breathing...OK how much air does it need.....I'll resuscitate it...

A Freudian slip?  Lost ten days!  Did you copy census form?

Quoted from 8

A Freudian slip?  Lost ten days!  Did you copy census form?

Response to the above.....If you remember...someone was going to mend the number 1 key on my keyboard and didn't.....   

So today we have snow but it feels warmer than it is.  It's -2 out there  and the wind is cold so I think I'm going to finish my fingerless gloves.  I might be needing them now that spring has gone and we're back to winter.  One down and one to go and the pictures will be posted later.  Let's get knitting....

Tuesday 15th continued

Well it really is a quick update tonight.  It has remained cold all day...the fire has been in and has been out, in again and out but eventually got it with the pump really moving and the house is warm at last.  The little on in the kitchen just does its stuff without much imput....ah well, can't win them all.  Talking of woodbuters though, I have run the big one today on the wood that I salvaged from the little barn so free today....I'm a little concerned that I shall have to order another load unless I bravely get up onto the roof of the old house...there's lots of wood up there so I might have to ask one of the lads from the village to hold the ladder steady while I go up, up and hopefully not a way.....

It has now developed into freezing fog and the hillside is white over.  I'm tucked up for the night and tomorrow....I can go out in the cold with my two fingerless gloves....yes I have finished the second apart from having to sew in the ends so pictures will be posted tomorrow....LN....back to the warmth of downstairs...this landing can get a little chilly....

Wednesday 16th February

Wow what a difference in the weather.  We are white over again and still -5 this morning....and not a hint of snow last night.  

Well it's not Sunday but last night I got a small gammon joint out of the freezer and it was staring at me this morning as it sat on the worktop and yes, it just had to be done...bacon, egg and fried bread and it was delicious.  The rest of it is already in the slow cooker with a hint of chilli, onions and some Indian curry spice and I shall throw in a handful of rice with about one hour to go for supper.  It's by far the best way to cook it so long as you rinse it thoroughly first...not gloopy at all.

So what does today hold?   I am going into Kardjali to look at cheap pc's with USB 2.00 ports.  I have this thing full of films and my laptop is too slow for it so no can watch nothing.  I'm going to buy myself a birthday cake and take it round to my ladies in the village tomorrow and look for  a pressie for Seeka's (my restaurant lady) granddaughter.....same birthday as mine as I have mentioned before...she's four going on twenty four.

Just a few pictures from this morning...the fingerless gloves are complete and feel very warm but will get road tested today and just a few that I thought you ought to see....

Thursday 17th February

So my birthday cards are on display, I have had a phone call from Princess Gemski, a text from my CJ and one from Gouljan and her nickname for me...Mrs Bricolage...from that French 'do it yourself hardware emporium'.  She just loves some of my creations.  The Bulgarian post apparently is hanging on to cards from the UK so my birthday could last a long time....Thank you Angela and Martin...your cards arrived two weeks ago much to the delight of the postman (someone who just happens to be coming my way).  You have to open it in front of them and explain what is is for and who it is from and in the case of both of those, they have been out here so are 'known'.

So I didn't get into Kardjali but I did make Dzebel...eventually.  I had to get to the post office and since it seems to close to allow them to eat a twenty course lunch, I decided that late afternoon was best.  Didn't have a cake that I liked the luck of and nothing for a little girl's present seemed to jump out at me so I am going to get to Kardjali, by hook or the proverbial crook today.  Paid my month's water bill but it had to be estimated since my 'clock' was buried by the workers and haven't seen hide nor hair of them so it remains buried.  Water for the month...£6.50 approx and on that note, shower, dressed...well I am dressed but undressed, shower and then get ready for the 'big' city....catch you later..

Thursday continued

I found a party....well it was for a four year old but it was just as good.  I was welcomed, I found a lovely stuffed donkey with big floppy ears for a present which sat well with the pile of Barbie dolls that she had acquired but I hope mine last a little longer and sits on her bed and gets big cuddles...That's what I really hope.  Grown up food for the grownups and children's food for the children with logs of suggary stuff for those inbetween.

I was invited to stay on after the thirty or so mothers had disappeared with their offsprings but since I was not drinking because the car was sitting outside, I declined but I was actually offered a bed for the night by the couple that own the restaurant and again I declined.  There's nothing like your own bed.  

So home and sorted fires out...it's a little bit on the chilly side tonight and tomorrow I am picking Gouljan up at 7.45.  I need to get into Djebel to get some money out of the cash machine which I forget to do before I left so up with the lark....and I suppose bed with the ...well whatever goes to bed at ten fifteen.  LN...off to my virtuous couch...

Friday 18th February

So I really didn't share with you the true excitement of yesterday which threw all my plans askew.  Here I was yesterday extolling the virtues of my little wood burner in the kitchen and it has only just occurred to me that I have my two cars, Beauty and the Beast and my little wood burner and the biggie which I also refer to as the Beast...this house gets more like a fairy story everyday.  Well as I was saying, after bulling it up and praising it to the high chimney (well it would be heavens) but that's what I thought, what's that noise and the brown pipes connecting the little one to the chimney were 'singing' or 'hissing' and there was liquid soot oozing out of the joints in between.  So I'm only half dressed at this point, fresh from my shower with a towel wrapped round my hair and dressed in my thick black tights and my always to be worn Bulgarian vest looking remarkably like a ballet dancer but without the tou tou.  I decided to go and see what the chimney is doing and it's belching smoke for all it's worth.  My neighbour is looking my way and I shout that I think I might have a 'little problem' and when I get back into the house it's full of smoke and I believe the problem has escalated to a 'bloody hell, I'm concerned' phase and my heart was going ten to the dozen.  At quickly as it started it must have burnt itself out, the oozing ceased, the smoke eased and my neighbour appears and says that everything is OK but I should clean the pipes tomorrow.

Five o'clock this morning I was up and this time my brain is going ten to the dozen. I lit the biggie and started the warm air circulating, looked at the little one and it was still smoldering so removed the ash bucket and took it outside and then work began.  I removed the pipes, took them outside and cleaned them and how long did it take....ten minutes and so it as now been added to the list of 'must do's' every month.  All back together, fire going and back to normal (well as normal as things ever get.)

Now silly me yesterday had ordered wood knowing that I didn't have much left and forgot to get to the cash point.  The thought of demolishing the other roof single handed had found itself on the back burner.  So last night I phoned Gouljan knowing that she normally catches the silly o'clock bus to get to Dzebel for this new job, to see if she wanted a lift and so this morning I picked her up at 7.45.  As I dropped her off she left a white bag in the car and explained that it was for me.....I have a present...a beautiful plain glass oval dish, a scarf and some special Turkish hair shampoo.  Who's the lucky girl then????

Wood came at 9.30, unloaded by 9.40, thrown into the old house....not stacked, cheaper than I thought it would be and I think he made a mistake but it's locked away now....tough. Only half past twelve and the rest of the day is mine

Now for some pickies....