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Elsa Peters
July 1, 2012, 8:04pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 1st July

Yes I know I'm late but what a super day I've had.  Pottering in the garden after a silly o'clock start and at 11.30 I got a phone call from my student's mum asking if we would like to go to one of the hotels on the lake for swimming, sauna and steam room and my boots were blacked, my legs defuzzed and into the car by twelve to meet up with the family by 12.15.

Off we set for the lake, it wasn't too busy so we stayed, ordered drinks which were poured down the back of my shirt as the waitress lost control of the tray, so I was wet before I had got anyway near to the pool.   Sun was hot, table was in the shade and the water was cold but I braved it twice, the steam room once since by golly was there a lot of steam, learned that I am known by an English student who is second cousin to my student's father and generally had a good time.  We had plates of cheesy chips and princessers which are bread covered in ham and cheese and toasted and drinks.  Came in from the pool when I couldn't feel my fingers which I put down to a cold wind blowing over the cold water and have started sneezing tonight but goodness did I enjoy my swim.

So left the pool and went further along the lake and had a picnic with the family, down besides the lake and my student and his father began to fish and the next thing I know my student was bringing in a small fish close to my left ear and I can't say whether it was his sense of fun or his directional abilities need improvement.   So into the keep net for it and speedily there were three others to join it which were later let free...no supper for me then.  Drove back to Djebel and ended up in one of the coffee bars and remember I am driving so my lips have not touched a drop of the hard stuff all day.  Maybe a day without can be fun.

Home now.  Washing done, chlorine filled clothes are now awaiting outside attention which will happen at silly o'clock tomorrow....LN....I might just manage to get a snifter....it's been a beautiful day.




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Elsa Peters
July 2, 2012, 5:16pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 2nd July

Late start...woke up at five thirty and thought better of it so settled down again and it was eight before my eyes opened.  Down for coffee, watered the garden and then wondered what I could get up to and the lawn mower called me but that was after the kitchen.  Gammon and poached eggs on toast saw me off to a good start and did I need it.  Primed the lawnmower and first time it burst into life and now I have almost a complete mowed garden.  Dug out the stones to the side of the wreck and got rid of a lot of the weeds.  Tomorrow I am going to plant it up with something so that it looks pretty.   Now I don't usually do 'pretty' but it just needs it.

Doing the lawns took most of the day so don't ask me where the day has gone...it just has.  Supper was a chicken done yesterday in the slow cooker, stripped from the bones so that Tommy if he was a Christian dog would believe that it was Christmas, took the stock and the meat and added it to rice that had been fried off with an onion, added curry powder, ginger and chili and it was superb.  Washed up, had a shower and washed my hair and now it is time to sit down with a little of the brown stuff and settle into a book.  Latest one is Blue Men Falling by Frank Barnard about RAF pilots in the war.  Just started it so no opinion to date but will keep you informed.  So LN....I'm going to enjoy my evening....



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Elsa Peters
July 3, 2012, 6:44pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 3rd July

What a morning.  I woke up at eight aware that I had to be out at eight fifty to take Gouljan to work after she phoned last night.  So I rushed a boiled egg before I set off for my student, my car was going in for a brake check so I knew that I would fill the time well before the lesson at ten.  Got down to the bus stop and Gouljan walked over and asked if I would take the other three people complete with luggage to Djebel along with herself and I said that I would take two, looking at the amount of luggage that I had and no more.  They w;ere obviously on their way back to Turkey.  At this point they were still standing in the bus stop and Gouljan came over and I reminded her that I wasn't a taxi.  The next move on her part was when she said that she would make her way using and that I could take the three to Djebel.  I was not amused and was in a situation that I couldn't get out of without driving away and taking no one.  Not my style so I put up and shut up and drove the three to Djebel.

Went to the garage and they checked my brakes and my 'tampons' since they had started grinding with the extra Turkish baggage.  Everything fine at the cost of five leva and we struggled through a lesson on bathtubs and decided that an infinity pool was necessary in my house with the eagles or a hot tub in this one.  Home for twelve thirty and prepared potato salad and coleslaw for a cold feast with ham, tomatoes and cucumber followed by fresh apricots.

Decided to purchase a plastic petrol can for the unleaded for my lawnmower and headed off to Kardjali to get it filled since all in Djebel has leaded fuel.  Found the picture shop and saw and purchased a three part oil painting that is destined for my hallway to replace the material covered polystyrene tiles, and a new swimsuit now that I am getting into the swing of things.  There will be other trips believe me.

Supper tonight was pork kebabs with the rest of the salad stuff and that's enough cooking for one day.  There moon is up tonight and is magical.  Hiding at the moment behind my lime tree from the bottom terrace but really obvious from my bedroom.  Sat out until the drone of a mosquito drew me back indoors....and the call off the wine box made departing such sweet sorrow...LN



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Elsa Peters
July 4, 2012, 8:28pm Report to Moderator

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Wednesday 4th July

Later still tonight.  I've just got back from my restaurant in Djebel after sampling the delights of cheesy chips, chicken wings and chicken livers but unfortunately I was driving so all washed down with fruit juice and water but I've got a red wine on the go as we speak.

So who's had a busy day in the garden then?  I decided to make a step from three bricks and a huge slab of stone, create a bit more garden and dig in a couple of shrubs that were hanging around in pots.  Looking good and really has tidied up the area.  So my next venture was to dig out the access to the cellar under the wreck so that I could get my lawnmower out of sight.  Three quarters of that job done to be completed tomorrow if I get time but it looks like it might be a busy one.

I've had an invitation from Emaula's mother to celebrate the start of the fasting at her house tomorrow and I have my student before that so the garden might just have to take a back seat but it will always be there for another day.  I've come to the conclusion that I prefer creating to maintaining...weeding just doesn't do it for me.  So as I said, I've had a most enjoyable evening at the restaurant and there was a volleyball game on between Germany and Bulgaria which when we left was Bulgaria two games and Germany one and it looks like it could go the way of the football....shame.  Note to self...check out the result on the internet tomorrow.  

Have a little of the red thing going on with my back tonight...I should have covered up sooner but it should be brown tomorrow as I always used to say to the children when they complained of sunburn....LN.....I'm  off to bed.....busy day tomorrow...

  



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Elsa Peters
July 5, 2012, 6:08pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday, 5th July

Seven thirty start this morning and it must have something to do with the lack of alcohol last night....slept the peace of the just.

Watered the garden and it has to be done twice a day now...it is just so hot.  Prepared my student's study material and on my way into Djebel was hailed down buy the local who thinks rakia for breakfast is normal and he wants to go to Djebel.  I'm not really understanding because he is slurring his words somewhat and the hat that he has on his head is covering two huge plasters that are probably covering one huge gash.  I ascertain that he is going to the doctors probably to get it redressed but he tells me that his head wasn't too good last night and I can probably guess why.  He's seventy and puts it down to luck....I'm a little bit younger but put it down to the fact that home made rakia is cheep and available.

So late for my lesson but not badly.  The lesson today was about pollution and included whales, navigation by sonar and global warming.  Not sure if the message gets through but I learn a lot from the texts.  Picked up a little shopping from Djebel and then home to get ready for my lunchtime date with the village.  The men were sitting outside in the square....the women were in the barn minus their shoes but retaining long coats and headscarves so I thought I would join the women until I realised that there was hardly anyone that I knew in there so I exited, put my shoes back on and headed back for the men's table.  My neighbour Byser was dishing out the food, I took along a couple of boxes of biscuits/wafers to add to the gathering but I had a plate of rice and meat with a drink of sorts and a chocolate cake.  I would think that there were about forty people there and me and my guest the only English.  Nice touch being invited...I am now a villager.

My librarian visited this afternoon with a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates so she can come anytime.  It was a thank you for erecting her shelves that she had slung up the  corner in disgust.  We chatted and have agreed that she is to come to lunch on Saturday/Sunday so that she can bring over the doors that are being removed so that she can fit plastic double glazed.  I shall find a place for them in my abode/

Supper tonight...chicken wings pan fried with curry, chilli, ginger and honey and served with tomato salad, baked bread and cucumber and yogurt.  Delicious and there is a water melon that is looking to get munched but there wasn't any space tonight.  Ready for a beer now....something must help my chicken wings down and Tommy has already finished off the bones....I walk in the gate and he starts to lick his lips as if he knows that something good is on the way...if only all my guests were so appreciative of my cooking....
  
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Elsa Peters
July 6, 2012, 5:06pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 6th July

Five thirty start so out quietly so not to waken my guest.  Coffee alfresco and in for a second at six am.  Just got to keep the fluid intake up and the caffeine as an afterthought.

Company arrived at seven thirty but not much life until eight thirty.  I watered my garden, hung out the washing, did another load, breakfast was tomatoes on toast and then I played computers.  Emails, my other favourite website and my weekly letter from a spiritualist website and they had a very interesting article about a girl of seventeen that has been drawing and writing poetry from a very early age.  I'm very impressed by her artwork but not convinced that I could afford one of them.  She has a vision of empowering young people to be themselves and good luck to her.  I believe she is donating part of her income to charitable causes so good of her.  If you get the change, look up http://www.artakiane.com/
some of her poetry is really impressive.

So played around in the garden, got rid of more weeds and prepared the garden for the lawnmower.  Problem is there is still a lot of builder's rubble that has to be removed before you can go for it.  Lunch was toasted cheese and onion sandwiches using my new toasted sandwich maker.  So it mentioned a green light of which there is none and a red light which also seems to be missing, so the instructions meant sod all.  Tasted OK though so it will come into play again.

Did a killer Sudoko today, spent part of the day chasing butterflies with a camera.  It was twice round the zinnias and two round the tobacco plants but eventually got a reasonable shot.

Supper is pork in sweet and sour sauce and is ready and smelling delicious so I shan't be lingering long.  I've got into the habit of coleslaw and potato salad so not much to cook except the meat.  LN....supper is so enticing along with the wine ...you all come a close second....LN ....sorry...



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Elsa Peters
July 7, 2012, 6:34pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 7th July

Five thirty start and out to sit in the sun and watch it come up....it sorts of lifts your mood from the beginning of the day.  Helping guest to create outside table from an old door and then decided that breakfast was on the cards if we intended that the day should really start so poached eggs were prepared from the three remaining.  

Library phoned this morning and my invitation for lunch was taken up so got my a into gear, into Djebel for more potatoes for potato salad and cabbage for coleslaw to go with the pork sweet and sour, pan fried chicken and nardenitsa.  Not a carrot to be had anywhere in Djebel for the coleslaw so it's a must for the next reasonably size place that we get to.  Chatted with my student's mum and had fun with his little brother, bought the coach bolts and big screws for the table and found a meter and a half piano hinge that I had to buy for approximately four leva.....a girl never knows when she might need a piano hinge...

Arrived on time...lunch was served at about one thirty and was delicious although I say it myself.  We followed it with water melon and there is still loads of food left for tonight and loads of water melon to see us through until next week.  You can only eat so much of the stuff.  Off they went at approximately five, I printed off instructions for pool maintenance since they have put in a metal framed above ground thing for expected visitors and I think it should have some chemicals since the air temperature here is high.

Just checked BBC sports and good luck tomorrow to Andy your actual.  He's got a bit of a tough climb but you never know.  Watered my garden despite the fact that we had a few spots of rain and bursts of thunder but it didn't come to much.  Supper tonight is what you can find in the kitchen or the fridge so bread sticks and cream cheese seem to be on the cards.  The beer has already been found so one down and as many as it takes to go.....no photos...it's been a very relaxing day...LN.....Haskovo I think to take my strimmer back that doesn't seem to work properly since there is no way to rewind the nylon chord.  Probably pop in and see my pot man on the way to see if he has anything different....another pleasant day looms....LN
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Elsa Peters
July 8, 2012, 6:46pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 8th July

So five thirty this morning I was awakened by something falling on me.  Now I don't like creepy crawlies and I immediately thought of a great big thing that was threatening my life and on the dark brown sheet I could see something of a white / beige colour.  Went to turn on the bedroom light and nothing happened.  Went down stairs and the UPS for the central heating is issuing forth the warning that the pump is being driven from the battery but since there is no fire going...blasting away for nothing.  It was a little of the cement stuff where the beam meets the ceiling and goodness knows what loosened it but it certainly got me out of bed in a hurry.

Walked into the kitchen and decided to put the kettle on for coffee...how long does it take the brain to realise that all things electrical cease to function when no power is being received from the electricity board... doh....  Watered the garden, took my book outside and sat in the morning sun despite that fact that it was a bit of a cool wind this morning.  Moved inside and realised that the air-raid warning had ceased and so straight to the coffee and up to check on my emails, etc., reset the timer on the boiler so that it comes on during the cheap rate period and now the morning had started for real.

Scrambled eggs for breakfast courtesy of my guest, washing out and decided to clear out the tool store where the old plaster had fallen off over winter.  Found numerous paint brushes in several states of decay and that's a job for tomorrow.  My outside table is now complete but at first it looked as if it was made for Daddy Bear and fortunately it is now down to Mummy Bear size without much ado......need to make a couple of outside benches to go with it but that will have to be done when my guest has left these fair shore...he likes screws...I like nails and ne're the twain shall meet.   Rain this afternoon...I was playing on the PC and suddenly looked up and there is a smattering of raindrops.  Rushed out and got in the washing and then the heavens opened and we had April showers all afternoon interspersed with thunder and lightening and really hot spells.  Good lawn growing weather.

Supper was pla plaid prik (white fish with sweet chilli sauce) with sauteed potatoes and onions with peas and followed by water melon.  Replete....blog update and wanted to take a photo of the clouds tonight....dark and mountainous but the bloody battery on my camera needs charging and I need to buy a second one so it's one in and one out.  Ordered two on the internet and the buggers wanted to charge me twenty two pounds for delivery.  It'll have to wait for my guest to get back to England and it will probably cost about four pounds for two o them.

Just checked on Andy Murray...didn't make it and better luck next time....need to have a look at Silverstone so I'll say LN for now...my tummy is full, glass is empty so I need to head to the kitchen for replenishment...
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Elsa Peters
July 9, 2012, 6:47pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 9th July

Early start...five thirty and the sun was already up.  Took out my coffee and viewed my world from the terrace until the urge got me to pick up my gardening fork and start digging up the dandelions and thistles.  Didn't need to water the garden...we had rather a lot of rain last night and this morning it felt really fresh.

Organised boiled eggs for breakfast and decided that I was in the mood to tackle the hedge and bring it down to size.  Originally there were four trees at the bottom of the garden and I took out the middle two.  These turned into ten foot high bushes but with the use of several pieces of equipment leaving the kitchen sink out of it for this time, it is now reduced to approximately five feet with the bonus that I can now see the houses on the hillside.  There was hedge trimmer, long handled pruners, secateurs and a step ladder, heavy duty clogs so that the rungs of the ladder didn't dig into my feet and a cushion so that as I was precariously balanced I could rest my knee without the rung digging in.  Old girls do what old girls must to get the job done.  Result.

Lovely selection of moths of the terrace this morning...I loved the green one...it is so delicate.  It was so hot today that I decided to get my head down after lunch.  I was on the pc and my eyes were beginning to droop so off I went and it was going swimming until I realised that I was dreaming about a tsunami and advising myself to stay under the wave....not sure what that meant but I decided that it was time to get up so I was only there for about thirty minutes in total.

So back to the hedge trimming.  Gouljan appeared this afternoon to apologise for putting me in a difficult situation the other morning when the whole of the bus stop wanted a lift into Djebel and I only had room for three and luggage.  Nuff said....she made her point and I made mine and we are still the best of friends,

Supper tonight was chicken curry with rice and washed down with beer and is still being washed down....   Life's tough.



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Hwlffordd
July 10, 2012, 9:12am Report to Moderator
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The garden is looking gorgeous and I love the new bench and seat!

I hope they are robustly constructed for "normal" sized Welsh people to be able to sit on them

Quite excited now to be heading over on Thursday!! Arriving Ruse Sometime Sunday all being good (fingers crossed)
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