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Elsa Peters living a new life in Bulgaria    General Boards    My Diary by Elsa Peters  ›  OCTOBER 2011
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Elsa Peters
October 19, 2011, 4:39pm Report to Moderator

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Wednesday 19th October

My first thought this morning...it would have been my father's birthday today so happy birthday father and I'll raise a glass to you tonight.  We'll I'm doing it now...sorry no Highgates here (his favourite tipple) but a drop of the local beer will have to suffice.

White all over this morning and it took me a good five minutes to thaw out the car before I could set sail.  I woke up at about six thirty then dog=napped until I really had to get out to get the men.  Quick coffee that I popped into my T-Mobile thermal mug then off I went.

Good day today.  The men brought with them some posters for one of the more obscure political parties and decided to nail it to my five-bar gate just to get Semile the sheep farmer going.  They all had a rant about local politics yesterday and this was just to add salt to the wound but he never turned up so I have been apologising all day to the locals trying to explain that it wasn't mine and that it was up there for a joke....ah well...it's been taken down tonight and will go up again tomorrow no doubt.

What have the men achieved?.....Brilliant day.  They have been working 'down under' and the columns are in place.  The stone has been taken away from the original wall and replaced with new concrete and tomorrow the beam goes in under the existing concrete floor and bricks start going up tomorrow.  Things move very quickly.  I had to go into town today to get four kilograms of small wire for holding the big stuff together and my lovely lady in the shop was surprised at the quantity I quickly explained that we were putting up ten concrete columns...I'll rephrase that...the men are putting up the columns and I am watching with camera in hand.

This morning I made tomato sauce with my red tomatoes.  One jar went OK but as I filled the second and lifted it to put it on the freezer with the other, the bottom exploded and went everywhere...back to the drawing board Cecil...I've got about ten kilos of green tomatoes to process next but I hadn't the heart when the bottom fell out of my world so I'll do it tomorrow...promise.

Men home....fire going well....tuna for lunch so not really thinking about anything yet...first beer on the go...Happy Birthday dad and I'm having another one just in case you missed the first....LN...and now for some pickies....




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Elsa Peters
October 20, 2011, 4:31pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday 20th October

What a rubbish night's sleep.  Stupidly last night I decided that I was hungry and the chip pan came out, the remains of the tuna mayonnaise joined it and a loaf of fresh bread...sooooo...tuna sandwich while I was waiting for the chips to cook and fresh bread and butter, mayo, salt and vinegar on the chippies and I think enough has been said already.  Two o'clock this morning I was suffering for my sins and I spent the next few hours reading what would have happened to Britain if the Nazis had taken it, Sudoko and Germs on the DS.  At five this morning I thought I should really try to get my head down and the most vivid dream woke me at six so back to my book and eventually got up at seven,  I was ready at the pick-up point at eight minus five and shocked the men by going in to their refuge and ordering a coffee to go into my thermal cup.  My original awakener was cold.

Men worked hard today in the Batcave and out of it and I now have the supports in place for them to start the brickwork tomorrow.  I had my English student today but it was so cold in the apartment that I think we were both pleased when it had finished and we had a funny moment when he had an attack of the hic-cups and I just couldn't get it out in Bulgarian to satisfy him so I promised to practice until our lesson next week.  Went to see my restaurant lady, decided that I would give Gouljan a lift home and good news, their project is continuing.  Home to find out that I can order my Acacia wood tomorrow, ten cubic at a superb price so I shall be all set for the winter...bring it on.  That with my already two cubics of roof timbers and more to be cut if needed...I should be fine.

Men home, Neil Diamond doing his stuff, supper tonight is spaghetti bolognaise with a hint of the red wine and my first glass is under-way.  There are photos but tonight my connection is not good so you'll have to wait until tomorrow....LN....supper calls....
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Elsa Peters
October 21, 2011, 7:58pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 21st October

OK second post I've lost...first post Timed out second post...I think I nodded off waiting for it and there lies another story...

Beautiful day today...one of variances.  Morning sun tranquil, traffic issues down to two vans and three donkeys when I went to pick up the men but safely arrived back at the house and off they went wall building.  I pottered in the garden until my Avatar's daughter whisked me off to the woods to get my ten cubics....As Hansel and Gretel, breadcrumbs first and then pebbles, I was tempted but there was no need...it all went well and my Gorska (forest)  man did me proud.  The tractor and trailer were put aside for the lorry (vintage unknown) that made it to Dushinkovo with me being returned to my village in the passenger seat.  My original chauffeur seemed to get lost leaving me to the whims of the locals but now I am the proud owner, be it outside my gate and on the road, of my winter wood that I am assured will last for two years.  I am ready to prove them wrong.

Tomorrow I shall head towards Remsier's house to see if her husband is inclined to do a few hours with the chainsaw to bring it down to the 'stackable' size in my newly established wood store.  Sorry AM....this room has been reassigned.....and is next to my workroom that now has a wall to block it from the outside world thanks to my men.

So wood home, men home, into drinking a little of the gravy of my supper that is the remains of last night's warming in the slow cooker...LN...this has taken a long time to post thanks to technology....



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Elsa Peters
October 21, 2011, 8:09pm Report to Moderator

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Pictures continued....

What a pig the internet has been tonight....I'll try again tomorrow...LN...I'm about to drown my sorrows....



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Elsa Peters
October 22, 2011, 5:37am Report to Moderator

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Saturday 22nd October

Let's see if we can get a few more pickies of yesterday on without too much trouble....



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linda g
October 22, 2011, 3:33pm Report to Moderator
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Hi Elsa, Photo's are great the house looks very grand. And yes I dont think the wood will last that long, I say 6 months...hehehe. Glad you got the little parcel. Hope they come in handy for you. Take care and happy chopping & stacking.
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Elsa Peters
October 22, 2011, 4:06pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday continued

Thanks Linda....the tea towels will definitely come in handy unless I decide to frame them...now there's a thought.  As for the shopping bag as soon as they start charging for them here as they do in England....I promise I shall carry it everywhere.

So I looked out at that pile this morning and decided that it had grown bigger overnight and I heard this little rabble outside and four of the locals including my Avatar were standing surveying this huge heap.  I put a pair of shoes on and out I went and joined in the fun.  They say that if you have two women together, that's a bazaar, three and it's a fair and when there are five together like there was this morning,,,what a day....

Went to see Remsier and her husband was painting the lounge but he is available tomorrow.  Avatar's son also wants to join in the fun so tomorrow I have the chainsaw massacre going on and I'll be doing the stacking then.  I also decided that this afternoon it was down to me so out with my trusty reciprocating saw and my workbench and I must have got through about two cubics of the two meter lengths and they are now awaiting stacking in what is to be the wet-room in the wreck.  I've decided that AM's bedroom is going to stay as AM's bedroom...well for the time being at least.

So here are the pictures of my efforts today and I have just dug out some bean and tomato thingy from the freezer, added a load of curry powder so can you guess what I'm having tonight....bet you can't!!!!  I am on the last of the beer, the wine is no more and I'm down to half a bottle of brandy and the same of gin but no tonic...if anybody is coming out...do let me know....supplies are only five kilometres away...and cheap   

So it's election day tomorrow for the whole of Bulgaria.  My local cmet (sort of mayor) might not be my cmet tomorrow.  There will be new ones for Djebel, Kardjali and Sofia...let's see who they put in this year...I might even wander along to my local polling booth and take a few pickies if I'm allowed...we'll see....LN...off to have curry and rice...



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Elsa Peters
October 23, 2011, 4:11pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 23rd October

What's this about a day of rest...and believe me it wasn't.  Now one man I can keep up with...two while wielding chainsaws I had a real problem.  The first one arrived at nine thirty and I was ready with my work boots with the steel toe caps just in case.  My job was to load the wheelbarrow and move it off the road and into the yard hard against the wreck but leaving enough space for the men to work tomorrow.  And I worked, and I worked and as of tonight I am well and truly knacked.  The cavalry arrived at about eleven but by one thirty it was all done and I was all done in.  Ten cubic is a lot of wood.  My Avatar came round with her wheelbarrow and helped out as did Remsie and even thought it was towards the end it was really appreciated.

At nine this morning I was clearing out the old bathroom in the wreck and have started to stack it already but asked Remsie if her husband is available tomorrow.  Yes the men can do it but they have more important work to do like getting a roof on the wreck before winter and I don't pay them to labour....I can do that with a little help.  I think I mentioned that it is election day throughout Bulgaria today and the local cmet has been wearing his little car out getting people to the polling station.  Let's see if he is still cmet tomorrow...

Well I was going into Djebel for some supper but I just can't be bothered.  If I really look I know that I shall be able to find something or make a big fat omelette....I'm too tired and should sleep well tonight....so here come the pickies...not the same without them...here goes....LN....I'm off to the kitchen....  



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Elsa Peters
October 24, 2011, 5:03pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 24th October

What a bugger it rained overnight and I didn't cover the wood but that's the beauty of Acacia....you can burn it damp and what a treasure it's been today.  Cold damp and the men were working where I needed to be working so I only managed to move about a cubic of wood into the store but the men have decided that before the ballast can be delivered for the concreting that they have to remove the wood so three of us on the job tomorrow...fnagh, fnagh.  I'll be please when it's out of the way but you can't image what a godsend it has been getting it in this early.  Last year I only had the room to store about two cubics and I was ordering it in dribs and drabs but my first winter here...having endured one...you don't do it again and I haven't...ten cubics of easy burning wood...result.

The men have been busy in their metal work class making the supports for the columns.  It amazes me...they cut the metal, bend it, attach it with fine metal and that's in....bang it in place and fill it with cement...and jobsa...guddun.  This morning they came without breakfast forgetting that the mobile van has one day off at least so I managed to rustle up fried tomatoes and toast forgetting that there aren't many teeth left for Sally but the dish came back empty so someone enjoyed it.  It also meant that they had nothing for lunch but I delved in my cupboard and came out with some mackerel in tomato sauce and a fresh loaf of bread from Djebel did the trick.  I brought back some nardinitsa giving them a choice of providing themselves with a spicy sausage barbecue but they chose the fish.....I settled for the sausage tonight in the slow cooker with chilli, honey, onions, tomato and red wine....with rice which I left cooking while I took them home.  I did give Sally a glass of the red stuff since I had no beer left.  It was only the cheap stuff but he seemed to like it.

So eventful on the way home.  The windscreen wipers took a turn for the worse and seized up completely so I stopped, jiggled them around a bit and got one to work....garage tomorrow and if it's raining I'll have to take the beast out to fetch the men...they'll think it's sheer luxury.

Settled in with Neil Diamond doing his stuff as only he can...house is beautifully warm throughout and so into my armchair that has come in from the cold, padding added to the arms and has been covered with a fleece blanket.

LN....I'm into the evening with either knitting or a half interesting book of submarines in the second world war.  Trouble is the font is very small and I seem to have been reading for ages and I'm only on page fifty five....let's look on it as an experience or and experiment in endurance...LN



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Elsa Peters
October 25, 2011, 4:28pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 25th October

What a day!!  Fortunately it wasn't raining so I didn't have to dig out the Beast, I could use Beauty.  I tried the wipers and one worked briefly and then packed up so I hoped that there was no cloudburst for the next forty minutes and there wasn't.

First job was to clear the yard so that they could order and have delivered the ballast and so we set about it.  They bought me a 'thing' for breakfast, Sally said that I needed to keep my strength up because we had a busy morning to get through....and we did.  Bekir on the axe, Sally on the wheelbarrow and me on stacking and we did have a little help from Semile who was insistent that he had been elected the new cmet of the village in Sunday's elections.  So we go along with him and his ramblings and I say to Sally at the end...true or not true....and Sally's response is not true......well the words were actually stronger than that but a few of my readers are of gentle dispositions.

Cleared the yard by lunchtime, some of it stacked by the front gate so that the lorry could get in, some on the kitchen terrace so that I can get it in the house and the rest in the what is to be bathroom in the wreck.  It's now approximately six deep and five foot high so that should keep me going.

Rapidly put an English lesson together for this afternoon and finished off at the garage so that the windscreen wipers could be fixed and I could have my winter service for Beauty....she can now go down to lots of minuses on the thermometer without a hiccup and the Beast gets done on Thursday....all precautionary but winter seems to have come early.  The wind today was cold but it's the fine one day and cold the next that buggers it up.

Ballast delivered as I was leaving for Djebel.....men have put up the shuttering and metal work for the columns for the 'soon not to be a wreck' and tomorrow they are cementing so we can anticipate rain.  Why is it that at the first mention of 'cement' out weather changes...sod's law.

Men delivered safely, glass of red wine on the go, house as warm as toast, supper finished in the slow cooker and I'm about to serve up when I have posted the latest saga.  Sorry no pickies today...much too busy but I'll make sure that you have some tomorrow of my nice clean yard.  I did joke with the men that I had ordered another ten cubics of wood but I think it went down like a lead balloon and Bekir did look slightly shattered after three hours with the axe and the rest thinking out and administering the rest of the proceedings....LN....the kitchen calls and my glass is close to empty...
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