Wednesday continued

Must admit I didn't get up to much.  Didn't want to push number seven too much under the circumstance, the bruise has almost gone...and the tablets seem to have done their stuff.  Trouble is they don't appear to be much in the way of pain killers but having said that...would I have rested as much if I couldn't feel the pain...I think not.

Well I received my case for my Kindle from a new postie that I haven't seen before. It's a little thank you for putting up with...sorry...putting up...one of my guests.  I've told him that his beer and whiskey is safe with me for the next few weeks.  Unfortunately I shan't be here when he visits next time with his lovely lady...so it will be after Christmas when they arrive next time.  I also mentioned that I had tried to track the Kindle that was wending its way over the pond for me (another pressie) and I suggested that it was probably in a shed in Sofia and they were trying to work out import duty on it....and that could take some time.  Here's an update....apparently it is in Kardjali at the post office but I have to have, a power of attorney (notary signed) and a copy of a EORI number (issued by Bulgarian customs).  Otherwise I should release the shipment at regional customs office Kardjali 6600, BG.  Now I don't know what this document is so tomorrow I shall make my way to Kardjali with my passport and then it's down to them whether they release it or not.  I'm assured that all monies have been paid but knowing the way that it works here...I reckon Shylock will want his pound of flesh......present or no present.  I should now be singing Vera Lynn's song...'Wish me luck as I go on my way'....

Supper was a chicken curry with rice and very nice it was too.  Intended opening the melon but forgot all about it so I'll be having it for breakfast.  Weather kept good all day and I had to water the garden this evening.  Poor plants don't know what's hit them...I have new seedlings starting already.  Funny old summer it's been.

So off to my bed...water to wash down my tablet and hope tonight is as good as last night.  LN....student tomorrow and text already prepared...result. LN.

13th September

Well it wasn't ....I was awake at two thirty this morning and ended up playing Freecell for an hour...no sleep in me.  Went back eventually and just after four and managed to sleep in until seven twenty.  Now that would have been brilliant apart from the gap in between.

It was cold this morning...autumn is back.  I left in the Beast to go to my lesson with the intention of heading off to Kardjali to try to get my Kindle from UPS.  I went to the post office...wrong place but they were so helpful and told me the address of the office that I had to go to.  Off I toddled, knocked on the door and nobody at home so another kind lady phoned the number scribbled under the sign (I didn't spot it bus she's obviously local) and then it started.  They didn't have it in the office, no it was still in Sofia, I had to pay duty on it because it came in from America and was told that I had to blame Europe for the paperwork.  The man drove me to the Customs and Excise office which appeared to be half way back to Djebel and I had to provide my passport, Bulgarian permit to live here and copies of the emails that they had sent via the one who had purchased the 'gift' for me.  Went to another office and they provided me with the form, took this to the first office and handed it over and now we had to have another form make out just to have the 'pressie' released from Sofia,  I have to present myself tomorrow at the office at eleven and hopefully it will have arrived from Sofia and then I have to go to a designated bank and pay the duty and then back to the office to collect the item.  Good egh.....I hear the way round it is to put the value as under thirty leva or mark it as a gift and then it might get opened...it might not.  So hopefully tomorrow I shall be the proud owner of a Kindle...worth it's weight in documentation and import duty....   I would just add...thanks boys....it would be quicker in future to shop at Amazon UK....

The head of the department has to sign everything and official stamp it.  He had his full insignia on his shirt as did they all and he kept telling me that it would take five minutes, and five minutes later another five minutes and he even went to the man processing it and asked him why it was taking so long.  I could have told him....too much information and this is where I wondered if the inside leg measurement would be taken by him, the form filler or the secretary....Tomorrow I shall take my camera....that should make them smile....NOT.

I forgot to mention...I arrived in Kardjali round about twelve thirty and back at Djebel at just gone four thirty.  It was a long four hours and silly me parked on a one leva an hour car park thinking I would be an hour....total bill ...five leva but the man did apologise....

Fish fingers and chips for supper which hit the right spot.  I also lit the fire to take the chill off the house and remembered to shut all of the doors and windows.  It's toasty....first time this year and my pj's are warming on the bathroom radiator.

Twenty after eight my time.....I'm going to curl up in front of the fire and read a book....leaving it as late as I can to go to bed...I don't want a re-run of last night. LN....now to find a book and get comfy....with a glass of fruit juice...still being a good girl....LN

Friday 14th September

Didn't curl up for long last night...my little eyes were going so it was a goodnight from me at just before ten and went straight through until seven so it was a result.  Picked the last of my tomatoes for breakfast, washed hair and showered ready for my eleven o'clock appointment at the Customs and Excise office.  

I arrived in good time....not a UPS representative in sight, started to take pictures of some kittens playing in the yard and realised that I was being viewed suspiciously by a lady and was approached as to what I was doing there.  I tried to explain in broken Bulgarian so she telephoned her boss and I explained that I was waiting for a man who obviously wasn't coming.  So into the office I went, the man from yesterday said that I had to release the parcel from customs by letting them know the details of the forms that I had received yesterday and by this point I am very close to tears with sheer frustration.  I was then shepherded up to another office and no one seemed to know the process but UPS didn't have a very good name by the sounds of things.  The lady came out with the phrase that the men downstairs were like Tikva....like no help and translated means...pumpkins....so now I have a new insult

So I thanked them for their help, went back to my car, drove to Kardjali, shopped for a while and then went round to the UPS office and let them know that their non-show was not very professional so I asked them where my parcel was and they said that they didn't know.  Now I thought giving an item a tracking number meant something...wrong...do you know how badly UPS are performing in Bulgaria?  And I hope that a Google bot picks this up.  The outcome....it should be here by Monday so you'll have to come back...looks like that's me sorted.

Popped into Lidl and back to Djebel for two o'clock so went round to Gouljan's office and had a few minutes with the girls.  It appears that the head of department has a new job as a headmistress of one of the local schools so Gouljan is headless.  Decided to get my head down for a short nap and it was short.  There was a banging and clattering and a bloody cow had squeezed itself between the house and the small stone wall and headed for my little barn.  I was out of bed like a bullet from a gun, headed it off, found it in the barn and smacked it round the backside with my cow stick.  I'd opened the gate thinking it would take the easy passage....wrong....it clattered over the wooden fencing.  So in place I've put some of the bricks from the heap and just now I heard it again....it's my sheep farmers and one of my neighbours is now chasing it down the road.  I think I'm going to get my bangers at the ready.

Now this neighbour on her way back told me that she has a new calf and there was so much love in here eyes.  So I went round and took a few shots of it passing my Avatar's grand-daughter complete with face mask so I nonchalantly asked if I could take her photo.....all she did was giggle and run off so I took it as being a no.

Supper is belly pork slices with potato wedges....just on my way to start it now and it will be followed by vintage bottled water..........and no aperitif while lingering over a hot stove.....LN...I have work to do.

Saturday 15th September

So last night one confused cow, and it wasn't me....although after the antics of UPS it could well have been.  It appeared in the dusk and viewed the newly constructed Berlin wall and made an attempt at the other end of it with no joy may I add.  I opened the bedroom window and told it to go away and it headed for the bus shelter...oh well...any port in a storm.  I've got the distinct impression that it now believes my little barn is it's home so hence the confusion.  No...it is mine..it might look like a cow stall to you my little love but it has the makings of a workshop for me.  About half an hour later when it was really dark it was back and all I saw this time were its cow eyes so I yelled again and eventually it sodded off and I haven't been troubled today.

Again yesterday one of Gouljan's cousins who is known to imbibe came round while I was watering my garden and offered help with the fences, the garden and anything I wanted.  He asked to sit down but smelling the faint odour of rakia I declined and said that I was busy and was cooking supper so off he tottered.  Blow me down...eleven at night he was knocking on the window and I'd adjourned to my virtuous couch but was suitably attired to answer the door.  This time he was asking if Gouljan was here only this time there was more than a faint aroma.  In no uncertain terms I told him that she wasn't here and he was to go.  It's not the done thing to go visiting at that time of night.

Bedtime was not so good...two o'clock I was not comfortable so read and played a few games until five this morning and then managed to get my head down until seven twenty.  Not much of a sunrise...it's been cloudy on and off most of the day, still no rain but that's due tomorrow according to the local weather reports.  Got really hung up on Freecell 617 and after about two hours I Googled the solution which got me more frustrated because it still wouldn't come out but suddenly...inspiration took over and out it came.  I had similar problems with the Daily Mail Sudoko....another bastard which really put my deductory skills to the test. So head down for a few hours....I might suffer but am I catching up to making up?  Now that is the question.

Not in the mood for supper....I'll look on it as a fasting day apart from a couple of rice cakes so that I can take my tablet...not quite bread and water...which is what I say after paying a large bill but then you might just be able to afford a little onion and a tomato if you have any growing...that's austerity for you.   So it's goodnight from me...and if I have any late night visitors....it definitely wont be a goodnight for him...LN...rice cakes call.  

Sunday 16th September

Dull start to the morning but fortunately I saw nothing of it until twenty past seven....so yesterday's nap was catching up.  Down for coffee, breakfast was scrambled eggs on toast and while I was in the kitchen I thought it prudent to get supper into the slow cooker so that I wasn't thinking about it later.  Got the rest of the belly pork out, fried it off with onions, carrots and then added honey and tomato paste and just finished it with pasta...well not finished exactly, there is enough for tomorrow.

Now I've been pretty quiet about number seven but the bastard has been giving me gyp.  I get the feeling that it is just about to knit one but then I sneeze and all that hard work was in vain and the process starts all over again.  Went out into the garden and got the tomato plants up and fed them to the sheep.  They never did put really deep roots down and my ground has been neglected for years so I really need to get bucket loads of animal droppings on to it but with number seven as it is...it's a big no...no.  Also removed the bean poles and generally had a tidy round taking out quite a few of the hardier weeds but spotted the sunbed and thought ...why not.  I spent a couple of hours out there with my book and even got my swim suit on but kept my trousers handy in case visitors...can't shock the locals you know.  Heard the telephone while I was out there and yes...my men are working tomorrow.  It's a pity that it has forecast light drizzle for tomorrow afternoon so that should please Bekir but not poor Sally.  I wonder if he'll be wearing his new teeth...the locals wont recognise him...

Gouljan's mum appeared with a bucket of home made yogurt just as I was finishing watering the garden.  She's indicated the seeds that she wants for next year and we sat down and had coffee and biscuits.  She was heading back to milk the cows and make some butter...I think she takes orders for it and sells it in Djebel along with her eggs and cheese.  She's a busy little bee.  I mentioned that I had had a visit from her 'little bit drunken' nephew and she apologised for him.  I just told her to explain in any language that he might understand that I require no visitors at that time of night.

Supper finished, Sudoku was a doddle today and in record time for a three star. It's pretty cloudy over the hillside, the wind has got up and it looks like there is a storm brewing.  I really hope so, as I said yesterday, my garden really needs it.  Time to batten down the hatches and get into reading mode,  LN.. I think the bed looks a safe bet for this evening's comfort zone...LN

Monday 17th September

Boots blacked and ready to fetch the workers this morning by seven thirty and was praying that Beauty's battery was fully charged and it was.  The men were outside the cafe waiting but they didn't get off their bottoms until eight on the dot and with Bekir in new overalls and Sally with his new teeth.  We sauntered the estate....and without a f** packet in sight we worked out the plan for the little barn and that will be roofed before i go on holiday.  The materials will be ordered tomorrow, the site has been cleared and let the work commence.  I've had a burn up of all the rubbish that they thought we should use at some point and didn't and I ended up putting water on it because I was taking them home.

But now I've skipped a bit.  I almost lost the will to live...I got the message from UPS that they had the parcel in Kardjali and could I meet them at eleven.  I was there and they eventually turned up and writing up the paperwork on the bonnet of the car.  The import duty was calculated, the transport documentation paid for, another tax that I still haven't got a clue about was paid and it cost me six leva to pay the money ...IN.  I think it would have been cheaper to refuse the package and send it back to the states and probably wiser but big thank you for the gift...they don't seem to know what the word means over here.  I was told that you are allowed a gift of 50 dollars and no more so I said I should be paying the import tax on anything greater than the fifty dollars...a lead balloon and there were others believe me,  It is charged, I don't have WiFi so I'll have to be paying a visit to the free connections at the well and do my business there.

Men did really well today.  The site is clear, first day back and we can see where we are going and I reminded them that they have been here three years on and off...Not a bad record of employment and they still keep coming back so I can't be that bad to work for...

Quick update...it started raining at about seven this evening and the thunder is rolling about so I'm not on here for long.  LN...I know my little plants are very thirsty so drink up for free lads and lassies...LN

Tuesday 18th September

Two of the clock start, played silly games until four and then got my head down until seven thirty and awoke with a start.  Ten minutes to get up, washed, teeth, and didn't even manage time for a coffee in this mornings performance and then off to get the men,  Down to the materials yard and I am not the proud possessor of lots more metal, twenty bags of cement, more hardboard and roof bitumen, lathes for the roof and several hundred concrete blocks for building the wall which came into play today.  I was going to take a photo tonight but by the time that I got home it was heading for the dark side of the block so to speak.

A couple of visiting friends came by unexpectedly today and we are looking at houses tomorrow with them.  I've got Bekir out for the negotiating if it gets to that stage and Sally for the technical wizardry and he does know the inhabitants of one of the villages extraordinarily well so it might be an advantage.  I'm not just any old English woman...I'm one of them.

Student has learnt all about the London buses and it's surprising what I learn while I am going thought it will him and I never knew that it was legislation that forced the closing doors instead of the platform and the one man operation instead of the two.  The things you learn when you are supposedly educating others.  His opinion of my kindle is that it looks like a toy.... I managed to get it registered at the free WiFi by the well and so I shall be able to download any books that I purchase there.  I still don't know how to get the ones that I have on disk and on my pc over and I think that might mean reading the book.  I thought I'd sussed it last night but it didn't work so back to the drawing board Mildred.

Taking the men home tonight was fun.  My Avatar was over here and she told Bekir that one day she was going to see where they lived.  Bekir told me so I managed to persuade her that tonight was the night so she put her stick in the bus shelter and off we went.  She hadn't locked the door so I had this vision of her neighbours thinking that she had been abducted by aliens since no one saw her get in the car and Tommy home alone.  We almost got her into the cafe but she only had her little rubber shoes on and said that she wasn't dressed for the part so I didn't push it.

So supper tonight was a toasted cheese sandwich with brown sauce and I've got a coffee with the milk and sugar already added and I notice that I need to get some more.  It's the little packets that I leave for the men when I'm out and about.  So early shopping in the morning to refill before I have more guests to drink me dry....LN...I have Freecell to play and pictures tomorrow...

Tueday night Wednesday am update

Not an ounce of sleep in me and don't know the reason why...  Just gone for the cocoa and keeping fingers crossed.....

I'll suffer for this I know.

Quoted from Elsa Peters

I still don't know how to get the ones that I have on disk and on my pc over and I think that might mean reading the book.  I thought I'd sussed it last night but it didn't work so back to the drawing board Mildred.

Plug kindle into the PC using the USB cable, open windows explorer and you will see the kindle as a drive letter, there are four folders on the kindle and you need to drop the books into the correct folder
The folder is called Documents just ensure the books are either mobi or azw format and not epub or some other weird file type

Wednesday 20th September

Thanks for those words of wisdom...I'll give it a whirl tomorrow and again, thank you for the gift...

Sorry for being so late tonight....visitors, a bottle of wine and good food and lots of lovely chat.  I'll post my pictures tomorrow and I have some photos of the houses that we went to see today. My guests are just hitting the sack.

Men have had another good day and we are now up to the concrete pillar part of the project.  We've discussed roof lines but I think that cigarette packet might need to come out again.  LN...I'm off to bed...I've got men to pick up in the morning...Sleep tight everyone...LN