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APRIL, 2011  This thread currently has 17,589 views. Print
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Elsa Peters
April 9, 2011, 4:33pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 9th April

So this morning I was full of beans, well not literally.  I was out in the lane at 8.10 sorting out all the rubbish that had been left behind after the digger did its stuff and my fence construction.  How many lightbulbs does it take along with polythene sheeting complete with old jumpers and odd shoes to construct a three foot high bank.....I failed to count but I decided that that was my task for this morning...my man that takes his cow for a walk helped me pull out some suckers that had grown to about four feet high and he is most impressed with my work on the lane.  In fact it looks better than it did before the digger arrived.  Not content with the lane I set about the front hedge and my neighbours hedge....I'm just hoping that I shame them into making the street as tidy as their gardens and houses.  If they can't see it, it doesn't exist and one good wind on the rubbish tip and I get it but they merrily cart their wheel barrows along to it and I think I'm going to put up a sign saying that if they dump their rubbish in my drive it will be disposed of properly....little grrrr.

Bonfire....had to be done and I've got rid of all of the tree trimmings, trees and the roots that I have dug out and the digger removed.  It is still going now but I've fed it until there is nothing left.  I've sawn up enough wood for a couple of days and both fires are going.  It's a lovely night but it as a habit of turning chill quite quickly so I thought I'd be prepared.

Now my little neighbour arrived when I was dirty from working in the garden and sawing wood with some supper.  She came with banichka and baclava for a desert.  Now it's my belief that dental decay is due to this desert...you can almost feel it attacking the dentine so, at the ready, eat, eat, eat and then out with the toothbrush.  I moved them over to my dishes and washed hers, her telephone went and then off she toddled.  So for supper tonight I have spicey sausage with pasta, banichka and baclave but firstly must dry my hair after my wonderful shower.  I feel scrubbed and am a little shade of pink after the day in the garden.  It's not been too hot, slight wind but that's the quickest way to colour up.....hair drying time....supper time....drinky time....and then bedtime....that's the life and tomorrow I think I am in to Kardjali...LN....let's see what tomorrow brings....and promise some pickies....I've been a bit too busy to take them....LN
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Elsa Peters
April 10, 2011, 5:19pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 10th April

Again I was up with the lark but went to bed with the sparrows at 9.00pm.  I did a couple of sudokos on my DS and a few germs and then set to work.  I had this idea that the outside toilet would look better with a door and after my visit the other evening decided that despite that it is only used by the men, that it needed a makeover or rather a lot of hot water pouring down it and a bottle of bleach.  job done.  It now has a door on hinges, a toilet roll holder and a fastener so that if you are in...you can secure the door.  Not that there is much chance of any interuptions in this part of the world. My avatar came round and asked why I had only a three-quarter door so I took the male stance and said ....why?....and took the female stance and said ...why again...????  She laughed and considering it has been made out of old wood from the roof..cheap as chips.

I had a mercy mission this morning....Gouljan cancelled our lesson which was OK but then phoned to ask if I could take her into Rogoche so that she could meet a new man from Assenograd in Kardjali.  Now Assenograd is a long way away even as the crow flies so I don't hold up much hope for this one.  I just reminded her that the taxi was off this evening if she is coming back from Kardjali....it's been a beautiful day in the garden and the beer was out at 5.00 and I do not drink and drive.

So my other neighbour came round with some ....pumpkin and stood in the kitchen while she talked through the procedure.  Now I have used up all my sugar and I have put it to cook on my little woodburner.  I asked how long and she said until it is soft and it's still cooking now.

So tonight I have my other spicey sausage with potatoes and that baclava.  I've not even tasted it yet...my toothbrush needed recharging.

As for pickies....the ones that I took didn't do it justice so my camera is out tomorrow....promises....LN....I'm off for a shower.
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Elsa Peters
April 11, 2011, 5:43pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 11th April

Well up at silly o'clock, like 4.30 but no like 4.30 so played with my DS, tried to go back to sleep and no could not do...losho..really bad so recognised that today was going to be a day that just panned out...accepted it.  So if you remember yesterday, my neighbour decided that the last of my sugar had to be put into my pumpkin and boiled for three hours and I still don't take to it....(but I did it)  so my trip to Djebel this morning was to get sugar so that I could brew some coffee for the lads.  I phoned D of S and he said that he was on his way to Djebel in about an hour so I popped in and he arrived home just before me with the Japoica 'stolen' from the school grounds in Samodiva.  I did bring him to task..his email said that he had been digging and had 'got me a bit' and by golly it was...one rooted but I'll work on it and it will produce lots more babies.

Went to Velicdenche, the next village following Dom to a market garden.  I got tomato plants, two varieties, peppers, two varieties (hot and normal) and cucumbers (despite the fact that I don't even like them), well someone might.  They were in a warmed polytunnel and I had the idea that they would be OK in the garden...wrong...with that wind blowing I potted them all up and they are in one of my yet to be finished bedrooms...poor things....

Well the men were impressed with my fence but not so sure about the Clochmerle door on the loo...I think I have to add more planks but considering that they had a net curtain before that swung in the breeze, it has to be better...in my opinion anyway.

They have spent the day working on the balcony and the roof applying insulation and doing the under eaves woodwork and at one point I though Sally was up for rescue.  I think the work is so fiddly that Bekir was losing it a bit but at 7.15 tonight I suggested that they went on their way and since it was pay day....it put the icing on the cake....unfortunately the local in their village was not open for trade so they couldn't get to spend even a stotinki....well there is always tomorrow at breakfast.

No photos....and again sincere apologies....I had to saw enough wood for tonight and a little in reserve....Bekir did offer to bring his chain saw and do a couple of hours for me but I said that I would rather him get on with the job in hand.....makes more sense really.  The sheep farmer told me that I was mean because I wouldn't give him my sunbed....and I accepted the complement with good faith....there is another one but I have to get it back and then he is welcome to it....it's in someone else's garden so the men are going to investigate...

Now supper, brandy in hot water....the wind has been bitter today but when it dropped it was pleasant....it's from the north....and that sounds as if I am having brandy in hot water for supper....no....spicey sausage, pasta and it should be about ready now.  LN and I'm sorry to have let you down with pictures...tomorrow is another day
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Joanna
April 11, 2011, 6:39pm Report to Moderator
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I am not that keen of pumpkin in dessert but dried or roasted it is much better.
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Elsa Peters
April 12, 2011, 6:06pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 12th April

Thanks for the tip Joanna but I think I'll give it a miss in all it's forms...it holds nothing for me.

I had to dig the car out this morning...there was frost all over the windows and was it cold.  I fell asleep in front of what was a fire when I went to sleep but when I woke up at one in the morning in front ot the wood burner I was frozen and looking at the white grass this morning I know why.....thank goodness I potted up the plants that I bought yesterday and brought them inside otherwise that would have been a waste of eight leva

Picked up the men this morning and straightway they were into the upstairs outer blanket and today the scaffolding went up again only this time it is to scale the heights of the south front.  I did suggest that we just put Sally on the pulley and move him along but Bekir took pity on him and decided that we would do it the easy way....looking at the contraptions they have built to get up there, I think I would prefer dangling from a rope.

I did Djebel to fill up with fuel, bought a new pick axe handle since the last one seems to have gotten broken when the roof came down and got back to the house and found some inner tubes for something as I unpacked the car....I knew not where they had come from, scratched my head and assumed that I had picked up somebody else's shopping and was confused as to which shop would have had that on the counter for me to have picked up a bag.  I started to explain it to Sally and Bekir and problem solved.   Bekir had got them that morning and left them in the car until I took them home......phew....I really didn't understand how I could have acquired them.

Had a good day in the garden.  I have weeded and reconstructed the one that had to be dismantled because of the digger coming in and the plants will go in when there is no danger of frost....not going to get caught out.

Hamburgers and fried eggs on toast for supper tonight.  Not healthy but quick and with the big woodburner going I have moved my arm chair back in front of it with my footstool but I am not going to let myself go to sleep in front of it tonight....mainly because it looks like it might be another frost.  Now to post some pictures that's if the connection stays up...we have had a new mast put up and everyone raves about it....I seem to have had more problems with 'dropping off' and then having to reestablish.....let's see how we go on....LN in anticipation.....



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Elsa Peters
April 13, 2011, 6:19pm Report to Moderator

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Wednesday 13th April

Woke up at 6.10 and drew the curtains looking out on to the garden, went to the kitchen, made coffee and got back into bed and noticed that there was a cow in my garden.  Leapt out of bed and saw that there was not only one...there was a bl**dy herd of them and where had they come in?  They must have tiptoed right past my new cesspit dug out.  So I tried to get them to break through the bottom fence but it shows how good my fence building skills are....they couldn't find a way out and I didn't want to spook them with that 'pit' in the garden especially since there was a calf with them.  Eventually one broke through the fence half way up the garden, a couple followed but the rest just lay down as if they were declaring squatter's rights.  I went off for the men leaving one cow and a calf, not belonging to the cow but they had gone when I got back....So the sheep farmer came into my garden and saw that I was mending fences so I let him have it....his theory was that this is Bulgaria and they have a right to roam, I declared that only the Italians have a 'right to Rome' but straight over his head.  It was declared  by the EU that on 1st April all cows should be escorted at all times.....so I told him this and he said that it was my responsibility to provide a stockproof fence and that he didn't have cows in his garden and my response was that if your cows were escorted I needed have a fence at all.  His response was that it was an EU ruling and I reckon he should stop taking the subsidies if he doesn't want to play by the rules...just my way of looking at things and I'd love to march an errant cow back to his garden and let it in just for the hell of it...

So today I ended up going into Kardjali with Bekir to source some outside tiles for the window ledges...it was mentioned yesterday and suddenly became a priority today so off we went.  I picked the best of a bad bunch and they don't look too bad.  I was looking for brown but then thought about it with the dust and the way that it swirls....I think I made the right choice.

Men home, supper cooked and eaten, first brandy and hot water on its way down....fire going and house lovely and warm despite the wind whistling outside and it looks to be heading for a storm.  Most of the house is now wrapped in the white stuff and tomorrow  it will all be finished and then on to the wrapping and finishing.  I want to post some pickies of 'before' and 'after' to show you how far we have come.  I was looking back at some of the earlier entries this morning and it even surprised me....I'm so please that I have the diary.....you just forgt the detail.

Anyway....LN.....I'll be off to bed soon.....tomorrow is another day, another start and early alert for 'cow watch'.  LN
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Elsa Peters
April 14, 2011, 6:10am Report to Moderator

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Thursday 14th April

And we thought we had left it behind and turned the corner into spring....wrong...there is snow on them there hills and sleety rain down hre.

The cows spent a very pleasant night protected by my fence having found one gap where I thought they wouldn't.  I had five little ones in as well....the upside....my garden is now mown and I can see where the ones that they don't like are left so i suppose I could plant the garden with only those and ....no problem.  Men are not working today since it is raining and cold....with the promise of work tomorrow if the weather is fine.  Looking at the long range....I think we are in for a wet spell and there was thunder and lightening this morning which showed the cows up well.  I threw a few bricks but didn't make much of a difference.  You would think that if they saw one making a getaway that you would just follow but they just stood staring hoping a hole would appear in front of them....hammer and nails later...firstly breakfast.



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Joanna
April 14, 2011, 6:33am Report to Moderator
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Cows aren't a problem here as they are on chains, not that really stops them if they want to wander. We were having an evening meal at a friends house and suddenly they all got up and raced away, the cows had got fed up of waiting outside for folks to come and collect them to take them home for bed and so they decided to make a move for themselves.  . Pity there isn't a ruling about all wild boar have to be led or in a stock proof place that would help
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Elsa Peters
April 14, 2011, 6:25pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday continued

So about another kilo of nails of various sizes and half a ton of the wood that I thought I had for my woodburner and I think I've strengthened it enough.  I'll let you know tomorrow...   Had a phone call from my restaurant lady and I think she was bored.  Her son that runs the restaurant with her has decided to go and work in England since there is nothing to be found here.  I watched Bulgaria/Turkish dubbed TV for a couple of hours, we communicated of sorts and then I headed home since I was cold in the restaurant and once my fire is going, home is warmer.  As I pulled up in the car my next door garden neighbour wanted to show me something and the blasted cows had got into his garden from mine and trampled down his polythene things....I told him whose cows they were and I think he is gunning and I'll help him....in theory his border with mine should have been protected....just because they come through mine it's not my responsibility.

Any way home, warm fire, Will Young doing his stuff and supper over.  Pork in tomato/brandy sauce sauce with pasta and chilli sauce.  

LN...I have an invitation to an early supper tomorrow but dependent on whether the men work or not I might not make an 'early' supper so I have left the acceptance pending until I look out of the window and get a phone call from the men...

LN.....I'm into the evening and am now on cow watch...so far so good....
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Elsa Peters
April 15, 2011, 7:16pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 15th April

Have my boys worked hard to day or what....they have put in 11 hours work.  I picked them up at 8.00 and dropped them off at 8.00 tonight and so we all have done a 12 hour day.

I now live in a white house, not the White House but for the next few days it will be a white one.  They have applied the new tiles to the window ledges and i'm still not sure if I like them or not but perhaps they will grow on me.  I must remind guests not to put things down on them assuming them to be flat.  They are purposely angled just off 'flat' so that the rain runs off them and away from the windows.  There was a lovely conversation between Bekir and the sheep farmer and the bet was placed and it was all to do with whether the way that Bekir was tackling the job as to whether there would be water entering the house.  I think the odds of one sheep and five leva were placed but I'm not sure who placed what and I don't really care.  I trust Bekir to have made the right decision.

So I decided not to rush the lads into an early grave and go for my early supper at Nikolovo....I would have made their early supper late which for a first meet up isn't good.  Formulated a plan and the proposed curry is in the fridge and will come out tomorrow and is supposedly much better the second day.  I have warned my avatar that I shall not be home tomorrow so if there is no car she knows not to worry....almost like a mum she is.  My other neighbour had some bad news today.  Apparently her grandson has bought a flat in Kardjali, has had lots of work done on it and has found out that the 'notoralian act' or official legal stamp to own a property is a forgery and they have lost lots of money on it....so it just doesn't happen to the English....they do the dirty on their own as well...

So I'm off to bed.....I settled for cheese on toast because it was too late to cook, my hottie is in bed waiting for me, not that it's cold but just comforting even though the zebra is warm as toast without the cheese.  Lazy day tomorrow...shower, hair wash, pedicure, hands need sorting, so it is a morning for me before I set off.  LN...my bed calls...
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