Wednesday 23rd November

Quick welcome to Jackie and Danny and thank you for being so kind about my blog....and you are more than welcome to share some of the red stuff if you make it this far south....   But you'll need to carry your passports, we are almost in Border territory.

So I was out on the terrace this morning just to check out the temperature and where the mist had frozen I did a slight skid on the concrete and reckoned that it was going to be a dodgy morning fetching the men.  We don't grit roads here...so be warned.  I set off gingerly, concentrating on the road not what sort of roof I want on the wreck, felt it go a couple of times on my way to the main road and thought better of doing more than thirty round the bends and it is a twisty road.  Again felt it go on a new bit but I know the 'road well travelled' and got to the coffee shop in one piece.  I explained to the men that the road was not good so I was taking it slow and low and behold, going just past KingDom's village there it was, a white van upside down in the ditch and the driver looked OK but a little dazed.  He'd obviously thought 'Winter tyres, I'm alright Jack'.  Wrong.

Men working their little socks off on the roof putting the final touches to the metal work, I'm playing on the internet and realised that I have enough pipes to get the wood burner active today.  Decided to get up on the roof around lunchtime just to keep the men hard at it and we hear the siren of either a fire engine or a police car.  Not much of either do you hear around these parts so it's a bit of a novelty.  Well eventually we see that it's a fire engine and up on the roof you can see for miles and no sign of any smoke.  So it stopped outside of the house and I'm not sure if Sally's wood burner which by this time was belching forth, was a hint for them but we assured them that we had made no phone calls and couldn't help them further.  So they carried on down the village and a couple of minutes later the boys in blue were following on and I could see that they had stopped in the square about a hundred meters further on.  So Avatar was ready for the off as was Bekir.  Such a novelty but I decided to wait for the reporters to return with the story which they did.  Now Semile and his mate had stopped by for a coffee break with my boys this morning and it was a man I hadn't seen before.  So rumour has it, he'd gone to bed with a cigarette on and now his bed was out in the yard doused with water and the police taking statements.

Wood burner installed and active and it makes such a difference to my kitchen.  It's more like a welcoming wall of heat and it means that the biggy which runs my central heating needn't be lit in the mornings.  It's amazing how much heat those little things pump out.  I also put some more stick on door insulation around the hinge side of the entrance door...working on the theory that every little helps.  This house will be so airtight that one day I'm sure it will implode.  Big day tomorrow concreting the ceiling where all the metal work is and I took the weather reports for the next ten days and tomorrow has got to be the day or March....especially if I go back to England which might still be on the cards for the festive season.

Men home, I'm home, not wanting food yet, tuna mayo on toast for lunch and it's sitting heavy.  Wine box tapped...though with the roads being what they are....a couple will be sufficient.  Oh and the picture of the Cornish pasties is specially for my Princess...the difference this year...they have 'Crocs' inside for extra insulation....LN....I'm on to different things...

Boo!  

Just thought I'd say a quick hello, and to say that I'm still here every day having a little pre-dinner read whilst Dawn slaves away in the kitchen!   (I think Mr B senior might have also found his way here too... not bad for a man who still can't send a text haha)

I can't believe how much things are changing since we came out to see you! The wreck is coming along nicely, and we won't be able to call it that for much longer either! Miss you loads...

Mucho love from the B's xoxo

P.S. Mini B says hi...

Quoted from MikeyB

Boo!  

Just thought I'd say a quick hello, and to say that I'm still here every day having a little pre-dinner read whilst Dawn slaves away in the kitchen!   (I think Mr B senior might have also found his way here too... not bad for a man who still can't send a text haha)

I can't believe how much things are changing since we came out to see you! The wreck is coming along nicely, and we won't be able to call it that for much longer either! Miss you loads...

Mucho love from the B's xoxo

P.S. Mini B says hi...

Mikey B ...much as I try I can't get out of my mind if we 'geled' her up a bit.....I'm sure she would look the spitting image of daddy....love to all of you and tell Dawn that I hope she's got shoes on in the kitchen and that number two isn't on the way yet...or do you have something to tell me?

So I picked up the men and the third man from the village wasn't able to work today so Emaulau drummed up one of his mates from the lower village so I have a full complement.  I got a phone call from my damsel who is normally in distress, yes you've guessed, Gouljan and she has been standing at the bus stop in her village and hasn't managed to thumb anyone down so I'm the last port in the storm.  I've told her, everyday I go to pick up the men and if she would get her backside down here for 7.35, she could have a lift to the next village bus stop...no problem.  As it happened it was her lucky day.  The lorry bringing the ballast could only manage ten bags of cement because of overloading so I went in the the jeep to get the other five that we need and so I could take her all the way to Djebel.  Went down to the banichka shop and came back with breakfast for all of us, made the coffee so I have happy men from the start.  Not sure what they'll be like when they've moved twenty bags of cement and four cubits of ballast.... it looked like they were putting up a gibbet at one point and I thought it had all gotten too much for my Sally but instead it was a hoist...one filling the bucket, one hoisting, one emptying and I must check out what the forth man is doing??

Supervisor and official photographer is back to work....

Thursday continued

Official photographer and reporter almost had that camera shoved where the sun never shines.  I could see it in Sally's face at about 5.30 this evening when he was adding the last bit of concrete to the ceiling/wall surrounds, it got so close to the mark that I pub it away out of respect for those that had slaved all day.  The lads were doing well by lamp light and Bekir reminded me that they will need paying because it's Friday tomorrow, holy day and they are off to Djebel some would say to the mosque and others would add that they are off to the cafes looking for tottie.

Emaulet asked me if I would consider him staying in my house if I sent off to England.  I said yes that I would consider it but the answer would probably be no in that I want no one in my bed but me....if he wants to buy one for the other room, OK, he could have his love shack there but a big NO, NO for mine.

So supper is almost ready.  I got chicken wings tonight with honey, onions, tomatoes and stuck some curry in for good luck with a little chilli.  The rice is finishing off on the wood burner and the lit is off so that the moisture will escape...cooked but a bit soggy.  

Going back to my saga of the bottle of brandy...I was advised yesterday that the bottle was successfully collected from City Link and did this get my back up...so much so that I had to catalogue the events surrounding the 'present' and I don't think it was so much 'successfully' collected but that they couldn't get there ar**s into gear and organise a 'drop' at the patio doors.....I look forward to receiving their reply if I ever get one.

LN...my rice is bound to be ready by now....and let's see what the pickies are like....

Thursday continued

Official photographer and reporter almost had that camera shoved where the sun never shines.  I could see it in Sally's face at about 5.30 this evening when he was adding the last bit of concrete to the ceiling/wall surrounds, it got so close to the mark that I put it away out of respect for those that had slaved all day.  The lads were doing well by lamp light and Bekir reminded me that they will need paying because it's Friday tomorrow, Holy day and they are off to Djebel some would say to the mosque and others would add that they are off to the cafes looking for tottie.

Emaulet asked me if I would consider him staying in my house if I went off to England.  I said yes that I would consider it but the answer would probably be no in that I want no one in my bed but me....if he wants to buy one for the other room, OK, he could have his love shack there but a big NO, NO for mine.

So supper is almost ready.  I got chicken wings tonight with honey, onions, tomatoes and stuck some curry in for good luck with a little chilli.  The rice is finishing off on the wood burner and the lid is off so that the moisture will escape...cooked but a bit soggy.  

Going back to my saga of the bottle of brandy...I was advised yesterday that the bottle was successfully collected from City Link and did this get my back up...so much so that I had to catalogue the events surrounding the 'present' and I don't think it was so much 'successfully' collected but that they couldn't get there ar**s into gear and organise a 'drop' at the patio doors.....I look forward to receiving their reply if I ever get one.

LN...my rice is bound to be ready by now....and let's see what the pickies are like....

morning Elsa

been reading your other blogs i am up to may 2010 WOW what a woman you are   you got some B**l's girl & a great bunch of men hope i get some just like them to do my work must admit i don't  have as much as you had or have ,
it must be a pretty funny sight in my village right now my other half  (6 foot 3 from  Jamaica wrapped up to high heaven & guess what    lighting a bonfire) O0 my !!!!!

look after yourself Jackie & Danny
  
PS still trying to upload pic   hope i can work this thing out  

Quoted from createdbyme4you

morning Elsa

you got some B**l's girl  

Just checked, haven't grown any so my passport is still valid in the UK.

So what did today hold....it was cold with a northerly wind but there was no frost overnight so the men marvelled at my ability to go to the internet, print off the ten day weather forecast and state that if you don't do it tomorrow..forget it for the next ten days....and thank you long range.

Men were out early from their restaurant and we were home by eight thirty.  We hummed and arrhhed about the wall.... was to stay or go.  We talked it over as much as I could in a mixture of Bulgarian and Turkish and I suddenly said...if it's gotta come down take it down...we all looked at each other and the word was 'Da' so that's what we did.  Now I had been promised a 'column' or two when the wall had come down but there was a bit of tidying going on and I knew something was afoot.  At 2.00 Bekir got a call from the Gorska....wood people... that his wood was ready for collection.  Now I know what it's like down there...you stand around and generally wait for things to happen which is what we did.  Suddenly when we were down there Bekir suggested that I go with Semile and the tractor to the main road and I tried to ascertain where he was going. I climbed up into the tractor cab and I have never been so frightened in my life.  Bekir had just announced that he had to go back to his house with the lorry so end of play for today and I broke the good news to Sally when I got back.  It was obvious that he was not sure what was going on...

Going back to the tractor ride...the woodland track had been run into ruts by the tractors, trailers and lorries and the poor tractor that I was in was going all over the place.  I had my arm round Semile clinging on for all I was worth and where is the camera when you want to record the happy scene....at my house......

So back home.  Ordered Sally that he was homeward bound at four thirty so I delivered the obligatory glass of red wine and sure enough, we were in the car for five o'clock and I was home for five thirty only to find the lorry with the wood had only just finished at Bekir's house.  Supper tonight was chicken wings and there is a funny story attached.  This afternoon my ladies came round and I was showing them what I was having for supper and Socks (ako Tommy) was with them.  He obviously could smell the chicken and he sat down on the terrace and his little tongue came out and he licked his lips.  I felt so sorry for him that I almost, I say almost gave in but no...this was my 'Coq au Vin' to be had later.  Got home...mashed potatoes for a change from pasta and rice and I found a red cabbage lingering in the veg rack and so it was broiled in oil and butter...delicious.

Now feel fully satiated.  Kitchen tidied, house warm, red wine looks like it might last the night...I can sleep in tomorrow, no work except working out the windows and the roof lines for the soon not to be a wreck...

LN...that wine needs seeing to...

Elsa no offence meant   what i should have said is you have got some determination        

Friday continued

No offence taken.....you should have realised..takes more than that...

Saturday 26th November

Happy Birthday to my son in law...it's his XXXX birthday today.  The bottle of brandy fraught with mis-delivery instructions was for him and it's only thanks to my daughter that it got there at all...Happy Birthday Robs...xx

Beautiful morning...I wanted to sleep in but could I?.....NO....it's all because I have to get up during the week and there's no peace for the wicked so they say.  Seven thirty I was rescuing the fire...I just don't seem to get it to go through the night so I think I need to practice more...well winter's almost there so by March I should have got the hang of it.

Played on the PC for most of the morning and have found a new site that I don't quite know what to make of.  Dr Tom Campbell and his book 'My Big Toe' and his videos on YouTube.  Interesting thoughts from physics, metaphysics and the rest of the is-ics.... Now KingDom is against religion and all psychic media stating that he is a physicist and all else is rubbish...I almost sent him the link but he'll look at this site so I needn't bother.  I've had all of the ladies of the village round to check on the yesterday's demolition and they think that the house is 'Choc guzell'....beautiful.  Now I don't call it 'beautiful' but one day....

Had a roaring bonfire of the empty bags of cement and it was so lovely this afternoon that I moved some of the lounge cushions on to the only remaining outside chair and enjoyed the sun and the view.  As I said...I don't think that I will get fed up with it for a long time yet.  There is so much of interest in the mountains and how the sun moves over them.

Got my wood in.  Both fires are going strong and I'm shut up for the night.  I may revisit Tom later tonight, he's putting interesting thoughts my way.  Not sure I like his delivery style but in one of the videos he goes through meditation and exercises into that collective records (deep egh).  You had to try to do a medical diagnosis of a Mr and Mrs and I got the man's symptoms for the woman so I was going ahead of myself and where you had to imagine what was in a box...I got a ball and instead it was an apple corer.  OK so they are both round so I was part way there.

No supper tonight.  I found a half used pot of mayo so decided that it had to be a chips and mayo snack and that will do me for today...it was poached eggs on toast at 10.30 this morning that put everything into late mode.

That wine lake is empty....I used too much of it for cooking ( ) maybe....I do have a supply of vodka and tonic with ice and a little lemon so that might come into play tonight.  I can hear the fire downstairs and I really should look what's going on down there.  LN....I think it might be time for a snifter....