Hi Elsa
enjoying the photos and D said no whales today or not in the water anyway, damn he said he always misses them.

Maybe tomorrow ha ha

Thursday 13th December

Five thirty this morning...my body clock is getting nearer the mark...just a few more zzz's tomorrow please but having said that I am on the nine o'clock city bus to pick up Beauty with the hopefull fixed horn.  Bit like the cows round hear...horns but no beep, beep.

So what did today hold?  Flaming freezing as I walked the estate this morning  but my did I appreciate how warm the house was when I went back inside.  KingDom has been heard to say that when you are cold inside, take a trip ouside and you soon realise you weren't cold at all...it was all imagination that your fingers were turning blue.  As for you and Ms Dom, the lift is on weather permitting.  I would obviously come the scenic route over the mountains but we are talking about January.  Let's see how it pans out.  As for your quip about Wales / whales...since when have you been D?  I do have a few other friends you know!!   I'll let you know when senility strikes...I'll know it first.

So this morning's panic...I'm sitting at my computer generally doing nothing in particular and the back of my very expensive earing falls on the table in front of me.  The diamond is no where to be seen.  Now when my mother passed over, she'd left me a bit and I thought if I put it into the bank it will go and nothing for it...hence the investment.  Quietly I run through the options.  It is in the bed so I check and nothing.  I did the floor in the bedroom, kitchen but then I remembered I'd walked the estate and thought how beautiful the grass sparkled with the frost.   I'd removed one jumper so I checked the polo neck,  Not there and went into my bedroom doing a quick calculation of the loss and removed my scarf and something fell onto the bed.  Joy of joy, I almost nailed it into the earlobe for safety's sake and checked the other for good measure.  I am complete again.

One visitor this morning with a Christmas card.  It was Semile my sheep farmer/postman for the day and he told me what a hard life he has with the cows and sheep and the many women in his life that I take with a packet, yes a packet of salt.  He asked me about Australia and I briefly explained what a wonderful time I had there and I'm sure they wonder what I'm doing in Bulgaria....

So finished my book....the author was Hugh Laurie...the Gun Seller..as I said yesterday not sure of his style but the story was good and it came good in the end....he got the girl.  Sorted out my numerous chargers today and now I have a semblence of order...I get fed up with trying to find where the different ones are.

Fire going, red wine out...I've just been outside to take some pickies of the sky and surprised Semile's cowhand as he was walking home.  I surprised my self...I asked him how he was ...in Turkish and he responded accordingly....life's good.  Supper tonight...more beans and hamburgers that are now warming up...post pictures, supper and fire...LN

Friday 14th December

Six thirty start and the temperature was down to minus eight overnight but the house felt warm enough.  Lit the fire, had my lemon, honey, salt with hot water this morning before my coffee and breakfast was a non starter this morning.  The intention was to catch the 9.00am bus into Djebel this morning but deciding to take the washing out of the machine and put it on the airer was a mistake and I really should syncronise the clocks and watches so that I have a fighting chance of catching things like buses.  So I went out and stood for about ten minutes and fortunately I was informed that it had already left so back to plan B.  The next one was at two this afternoon so I was just delaying not aborting.  

Didn't do much this morning, got the logs in ready for tonight and found out the christmas tree support for the planned raid later in the day.  Sat in the sun contemplating what a good idea big windows are when the sun's out as it hit twenty five degrees.  Managed to catch the bus this time, I had company for part of the journey as one of my neighbours was visiting a friend in the next village but then all that was left was the driver, conductor and my good self.  Walked down to the garage on the sunny side of the street and picked up the car and they have put in two litres of anti-freeze so I can go down to minus forty, siliconed round the sun roof and the windscreen so that the rain no longer creates a swimming pool on the inside and fixed the horn which the second in command at the garage had great delight at proving it to me as he took it for a test drive round the yard.  Thanks for that.

Phone Gouldjan and she was ready to come home so picked her up from the school where she works, carried on to her house and I waited while she turned into a cabbage (by adding layers of clothing) for our forey into the forest with chopper in hand.  We gave her mother a lift down to find out where her nine cows had got to and they were coming towards us so she got dropped off to walk them home.  We carried on a little further, parked up and headed in, took what we needed and headed homewards.  I dropped her off so she could walk in the back way to save prying eyes and mine is now sitting outside the front door.  Tomorrow it will be in and decorated and I'll say that Santa delivered early should anyone ask or make out that I don't understand.  I didn't take any photos of the event...it could be used in evidence against us.

Supper tonight was a couple of already cooked hamburgers broken up into the rest of the baked beans, put into a casserole and topped with mashed potatoes crusted up under the grill....delicious.  A little beer on the go tonight.....just stated to read Iain Banks.....my son used to read him but it's a first for me.  Closing now...need to see to the fire...tonight is not the night for it to go out since we are threatened with the same low temperatures as last night.  LN...I have something important to do...

Saturday 15th December.

I'm going to update early since the beer came out at four o'clock and I want it to make sense.  Silly o'clock this morning and biological clock appears to be going backward...bastard.

Christmas tree sited and erected, lights and balls arranged, string of outside lights around the grape vine but maybe resited tomorrow..not sure yet.  Not much happened today apart from the tree and the lights.  Lit the outside fire to get rid of the trash but that was about it.  Bugger to get the tree perpendicular but I blame it on he gravel.  It's up...as the art mistress said to the engineer...it's up and that's all that matters.

Fabulous day today...minus nine this morning that went up to minus two but in my atrium...that's what the stairwell is now to be called...it was twenty six degrees.  Now that's what I call smokin...but it's back to twelve tonight now that the sun has gone.  I've lit the little one in the kitchen now that it has really dropped.  That seems to keep the house warm when all else fails.

So nothing much today apart from the tree and the decorations...supper tonight is lamb with honey and tomato sauce with carrots and there might be a touch of curry spice and rice.  Quiet down this neck of the woods....I've made my list for the presents I have to get and Monday looks like a good day for shopping.  

Down to the fire. beer on the go and supper in the slow cooker...what could be better... LN

Sunday 16th December

So at one o'clock this morning or thereabouts I thought it was time to get up...silly me...so I ended up reading until three and then back down until seven this morning so I got the end time right...just got to sort out the middle now.

And the weather has changed again.  Yesterday beautiful and today it has still been cold and we had freezing rain this morning which made the Beast very pretty if you like icicles dangling off the side window plastic vent things.  Trouble is...not only is it cold but it's damp and it seems to go through you.  I went out this morning to empty the ash can and that about as far as I ventured today except to the house to get the logs in.  The little woodburner was doing its stuff and has kept going overnight and still ticking along nicely.  

So tomorrow...I am going to the dentist first thing.  I've found out that one of the ones in Djebel has x-ray machines so no need to go to the dentist first, go and have an x-ray taken and with negatives in hand go back to the dentist.  I understand he is a little more expensive but hey...needs as needs must.  It is now painful and I've realised it will not go away.  Supper is the remains of last night's curry and it's in the slow cooker already...  Spent the morning trying to work out a crochet pattern and in disgust it's sitting on the side table until I work up the enthusiasm to have another go at it.  I though it was ambitious when I started it.  Forgot to mention yesterday that I really did try hard with the knitting machine but to no avail....I have even put it back in the back bedroom until I work up the enthusiasm to that again...not having much success with my arts and crafts at the moment.

Log time, supper time, my time...LN..

Monday 17th December

And again it was silly o’clock but read for a while and then back to sleep again until five thirty when checked out the fires and topped up one and lit another.  My tooth was giving me gyp and so this morning I left at eight thirty and stood in line and established that no one spoke any English.  I was told to go back at two thirty which I though was quite appropriate (yes tooth hurty) but try translating that into Bulgarian and I did to my student’s mum but it did take some time but we got there eventually.  

Home for the interim, walked the market but didn’t see anything worth buying despite I have a shopping list for presents.  So back for my appointment and my is he the butcher of Dushinkovo.  Not a lot of bedside manner and I think he was trying to get out of me how long I have been in pain.  I told him for about a month but I excluded Australia in that.  Joy of joy, x-rays taken but with a camera and no one had to leave the room,...what is technology coming to?  So my forward appointment is made…it is for the 25th December at 8.30 so I know what I’m doing for Christmas.  Perhaps Santa will be there and it will be fitting if I take round a present…not that I think it will be appreciated…didn’t sense any fun or bonhomie there.  Called in to the school to pick up Gouljan at the end of her working day and I’ve been invited out for supper with the ‘girls’ on Saturday night.  There with my boots blacked.
Made arrangements for tomorrow.  Wednesday is supposed to be heavy snow so off to Kardjali with my librarian to get my goodies for my ladies and some coal that is supposed to be only ten leva for twenty five kilograms…and will fill up with ten of the beauties.

Supper tonight was chippies and eggs…there appeared to be nothing else that wasn’t frozen.  By tomorrow that that was purchased today will be available in the kitchen.  LN…fire and beer…LN…

Tuesday 18th December

Ten minutes to seven this morning.....first eyes open at five but thought I'll just lie here and it worked.  Today I've had Radio 2 on all day and it so Christmasy.  Today's plans went out of the window.  The Librarian was supposed to be over and we were off shopping in Kardjali but she got very involved with neighbours and getting them to hospital but they had to milk the cows before they left and at three she phoned and I called it off.  Got the wool out while I was waiting for her and I've managed to knit one fingerless glove...no that's for four fingers and a thumb but I think I mistook the size of the needles.  I thought it was a six and I think it was a nine so it is now destined for someone with big hands, well that's when I manage to do the other one.

The weather has been horrible all day....raining, cold and miserable.  It was supposed to snow at five according to BBC weather for Kardjali but to date nothing but once the temperature drops it might start.  It got quite windy this afternoon as well.  A little bit of work...I fixrd up a light in the other house so that if I need to get in there for anything after dark at least I don't have to find the torch.  I'm normally quite good though...the routine is logs in the morning and using yesterdays first and the new lot have a time to air so to speak.  Supper tonight was roast chicken with roast potatoes and onions, peas and carrots...a real roast.  Washed up, kitchen tidied and chicken is on the menu for the next few days.

Looked up today and there is half a loaf of bread on the old wall between the houses.  I can only assume that some great big bird managed to get it up there and now has forgotten all about it.  It's now looking very sodden and not even worth eating but if they're desparate...needs as needs must.  It's seven my time....back to the fire...toasting my pretty little toes and on to the second glove...LN...and still no snow...the BBC lies I think.

Wednesday 19th December

So it was not to be...no shopping with the Librarian...there was about four inches of snow this morning and the temperature was about minus two but it wasn't nice snow...wet and soggy.  Went and had a bonfire and got rid of the kitchen rubbish, the little fire was going like a dream but the biggie was very reluctant.  I talked to it nicely but eventually reasoned with it and told it that it wasn't doing anybody any favours and then it did it stuff.  

Fried egg for breakfast this morning and the remains of the toast headed outwards for the birds, got in the logs and the snow was still falling but only lightly.  Got stuck into the second fingerless glove and it is now complete but as I said I am looking for a man with hands like spade so that they'll fit.  I know now that the needles are sixes not nines.  I'll know for next time.

Went out eventually to move the stuff that the tractor had left in clumps outside my gate and now I can get out if it holds off for the night but Semile came by in his van and said that there had been a 'catastrophe' in the village and apparently there has been a fire in the school in the centre of the village and he has lost his winter hay.  Not sure how it started...I didn't get to that part but he mentioned about somebody being in custody in Djebel...photos tomorrow and the full story to follow.

Now still listening to radio two, my DS battery has given up the ghost so I'm checking it out on Amazon for a replacement but it needs to be fixed.  It fills gaps in my day.  Fires going beautifully, chicken stew waiting for imput from me...like a spoon and bowl and then I shall be replete.  Out of beer, I've got a   quarter bottle of dark rum lingering so it may go tonight....LN....chilled as you like and it has nothing to do with the weather.....LN....

Thursday 20th December

It was a cold one overnight and the thermometer said minus seven when I went out this morning at just before seven.  I went out to get the spare ash can to sort out the little one in the kitchen but when I got it inside there was snow in the bottom and the little one burst into life so obviously...no need for drastic action.  Biggie still going so on with a couple of logs and the pump was up and in action is quicksticks.  There was a cold wind blowing this morning and not much snow on the terrace but it was heaped up against the wall.  It had obviously snowed overnight...the road was covered again.

Finished Iain Banks and the hero got the girl in the end.  My son always used to read him but it's the first one I've managed.  I'll look out for others.  Had a visitation from my Avatar and my other neighbour this afternoon.  We sat around talking about the fire and I knew that they wanted something but didn't come out with it.  Eventually we got there.  Apparently my other neighbour has a problem with her roof and wanted to know if my workers were available.  I said it was winter and that they didn't work if it was cold but I suggested others from the next village.  It would mean me going out to fetch them and take them back and in this weather...I don't even go out unless I really have to.

Back on this tooth lark...I have had the most excruciating pain all day and aspirin doesn't seem to do anything.  Gone for the dark rum treatment tonight but checking the internet it suggests that you pinch the v of the thumb and first finger for about five minutes so as soon as I've posted I'm going to give it a whirl.

Weather for the rest of the day...didn't get above minus two but it's going down now.  The moon's out and according to the oracle...it's supposed to be minus eight tonight so winter draws on so to speak.  Right off now to pinch the pressure point...didn't go to see the remains of the school fire...couldn't get the car out....I'll let you know if the treatment works....it's a better option that chewing a clove of garlic...LN..photos do not want to post...manana....LN