Thursday 7th February

Really quick update.  We have had torrential rains all day today and a couple of thunderstorms and I think I've just heard a rumble in the jungle....

Water went off until lunchtime today and I didn't envy the men working on it as it would have been filling up any holes they were digging faster than they could have dug them.  We've also had gale force wind again so please can we have more snow and winter weather.....we know how to cope with that.  How do you expect me to build an ark single handed...

Time for shut down I think.....don't want my computer to get shredded....just a couple of pics of yesterday and two of today...what a contrast... ......LN

Friday 8th February

Guess what......the water is off again so what they were doing yesterday they didn't manage to complete.....Let's hope it's not too long or I'll be collecting rainwater.....between building the ark and sorting out the animals.....and remember...I only want two of each.

So just to cap it all the electricity went off this afternoon for a couple of hours.....and believe me ...we pay our bills here.

Finished another Jack Reacher novel and thinking that I have become addicted but I do wish that he would lose the word 'tan'.  Don't know what it is  about it and another surprise for me.....I am beginning to like Timothy Sprules and I don't know what I didn't like about him in the first place but he was on Chris Evans this morning...I'm listening to too much Radio 2 and my opinions are changing and I'm to old for a transfiguration.

So electricity back on, water on but at a reduced pressure which makes me think that I shall be using the downstairs toilet not the upstairs and no danger of doing the washing tonight.  Managed to open a tin of tuna this lunchtime and dolloped mayo into a bowl and had them on toast so not really in to doing much tonight.  One meal is enough these days....it's not that I'm very active turning over the pages of my Kindle.  

Haven't received a winter fuel allowance since I was out here so decided to chase it and four twenty on a Friday afternoon when they finish at four thirty seemed about right.  I've been advised that a memo is on its way to the appropriate department and checks will be made and very pleasant they were about it.  All donations will be gratefully received.  If they can manage to write to me telling me that they have sent me ten pounds then things are looking up but I had to go through security before I could change the 'V' to a 'D' where some plonker had written it down wrongly.....all sorted now.

LN...Jack Reacher calls......I've found another.  Forgot to give you a weather report...it went up to thirty degrees in the sun in my stair well today....and a beautiful day was had by all as it dried up the slush from my garden...LN...time for a little red...

Saturday 9th February

So what a day....everybody denying that it is the 9th February...such is life...... think it is all to do with the book that I am reading....the umpteenth Reacher novel....and it's getting exciting....

My Librarian came over today for another lesson in Facebook and we had a good day......she's a quick learner.  Lunch was bubbling on the cooker, the bread was warming in the oven and the pasta was boiling in the pan......sounds almost like a plot but it wasn't.. ..she settled down to do her emails and I did my Facebook.

Seriously had a good day....very relaxed and at the end of the day she had to pop into Djebel for a M-tel card and some cheese for one of her neighbours so I went with her for the ride.  As you know I don't get out much these days.  Two cars and one hand......

Fire going, supper cooking, shopping gathered, wine open.....what could be better....LN....I'll concentrate on the wine,,,,,

Sunday 10th February

Well a Happy New Year to some of my readers and I've caught up on my horoscope in the year of the Snake.....not bad...not bad at all.

Weather OK today.  We had a fifteen minute gale force wind that rocked my special tree and as I did my lap of the garden I realised that I should have worn wellies since it was very wet under foot.  Checked out the base of the tree and there were so many fir cones under it.....didn't know there were that many up there.  This year I'm going to get a few seedlings from it started and thinking about it I should start a few other things off as well.  It doesn't feel like winter at all.  Yes today there was a nip in the air but it wasn't cold.  My stairwell was up to twenty six in the sun.  Not normal for February.  Bet it will come back and bite us in the bum.

I have no more Jack Reacher novels and hopefully his tan will fade along with his tan raincoat.  He loves that word.  I'm now going to settle in to Bernard Cornwell again.  Need to get rid of the violence from my thinking patterns.  Supper was the remains of yesterday's lunch...well not actually the remains....it was what didn't get eaten yesterday.  The sky has been a peculiar mixture of clouds today.  There appeared to be several layers and we were surrounded by 'fronts' on all sides.  Let's see if the red sky at night means anything or our usual red sky in the morning.  Perhaps I'll ask my sheep farmer about it.

Downstairs I go and put this thing to bed.  Eventually managed to do yesterday's Daily Mail Sudoko after several attempts and ending up the same rabbit hole.  It was a five star one but today's three star...eight minutes using only one hand.....good going and now the good 'is' going.....back to the warmth and the wine....LN....

Monday 11th February

Very bad connection tonight and very bad coverage so the message is simple....I am fine...tomorrow I have the plaster removed and I'll be updating you as soon as I know the outcome...

Two birds bashed into my window today...I heard the thud and found the bodies on the concrete.  They obviously thought they could fly through plate glass...wrong.  I lit the bonfire and gave them a good send off...sad...but nature has it in its grasp.

Wood in, fire lit, all of the normal stuff....supper tonight was spicey sausage with home made baked beans with a touch of chili with pineapple added....worth travelling for....LN...it's back to the fire and the wine....

Tuesday 12th February

Beans on toast for breakfast and the prisoner ate a hardy meal.......I was trapped in that plaster caste but bring it back, all is forgiven.  

I was unveiled at eleven thirty, scissors at the ready and he was very gentle......and the good news is that it will take a lot of squeezing of a rubber ball before I come bouncing back to you....and don't you dare join in the chorus.  Sport is out but there again was only 'in' up to the age of forty when our rounders team was called the 'Roundabouts' because we were all round about forty.  Driving is out for a few weeks even though it's an automatic so its buses and taxis for a while.

Well I think my slow release painkiller has just kicked in but I wish it had done it sooner.  As the man said....a lot of damage was done and now I've got to set about repairing it.  Looking up the tablets on the Internet it tells me to avoid alcohol so I'll have to change my route round the supermarket.  Physio was recommended but I'll start with the ball first and see how we go after that.  I'm dreading my first sleep....the protection has gone and I know that was a pain but I'm envisioning rolling over in the night..................I'd like to say...sweet dreams....not thinking it will be tonight somehow....LN...I'll update tomorrow...

Hello Elsa,
Hope you manage to sleep tonight ok. Our neighbour has a broken leg and has had a nightmare like you. Hope fully get to meet you for real soon if all goes to plan. Take care and LN. Xxx

Wednesday 13th February

Quoted from scarahfluff

Hello Elsa,
Hope you manage to sleep tonight ok. Our neighbour has a broken leg and has had a nightmare like you. Hope fully get to meet you for real soon if all goes to plan. Take care and LN. Xxx

Thanks Sarah.....better than I thought it would be....I was reading from four until five this morning but went off again until seven and have had a very quiet day.  I must admit though I bandaged up for a little bit of protection and it seemed to work.  I slept on my back with my arm resting on my chest.

Happy Birthday to my first born. It also snowed on February 13th all those years ago. Hope you've had a good day and that my card got there in time.  I found out my favourite photo of my little ones and added it....i love it.

Stripped off the bandage and gave it a good massage with soapy water and applied lashings or the prescribed repair gel, put on a very light bandage mainly so the gel will stay in place.  I haven't used the ball today.  I think it's still early days...don't want to any more damage....it needs constructive not destructive exercise this early on.  Checked out You Tube and there is a good selection of physio videos.  I liked the idea of using Theraputy.....must try to get some.  Two lots of wood in....rain has been forecast for the next couple of days and my left hand is coming more under my control every day....must practice handwriting though...looks like drunken spiders crawled over the birthday cards that I sent to the UK.

Pancake season is upon us and I had my first delivery this morning and they did me well for breakfast,

Fire going, supper over, I used up the baked beans that I had made with spicy sausage and a little chili.  Reckoned it would be a good platform for my slow release pain killers....LN.....back to my book.

Thursday 14th February

Went off to sleep at nine last night so at one I was wide awake so went back to my book....two thirty thought it was about time that I got my head down and tried again and at two forty five I was making coffee and back to my book again.  The slow release had released all that it was going to and the next shot wasn't due until eight in the morning and I had a pain that wouldn't seem to go away no matter where I tried to rest it.  Eventually at five I tried again and woke up at seven or thereabouts...

Got the fire going...emails and Facebook, toast for breakfast since it was all I could manage to achieve, miserable weather and rained all day.  This afternoon was better, I have been exercising the wrist sort of pushing it that little bit extra since that's how I think it's going to work for me.  I'm even managing to type this using both hands so that's a definite improvement.

Supper was a bit of a challenge.  I got a piece of pork out of the freezer this morning and thought I would check the middle basket to see what was in it. Couldn't lever it open with one hand so ended up taking out a sliced loaf more or less piece by piece so that I could manage to open it...and I succeeded.  Next challenge was to hack the meat so that I could curry some of it and that was difficult to do but followed that with some karate chops on an onion but all in all....a delicious pork curry and something again for my slow release to bed down into.

Quiet day all in all...there was a yell at the door and post lady was on the evening bus, hopped off, delivered a letter and hopped back on the bus.  I shut the gate after her since the rain has swelled the wood and it's difficult if you're not sure how to manage it.  Back to my book now.  The washing up can wait until tomorrow....one bowl, one cup and one pan....not worth running the water for.  LN....I think I'm on the bus tomorrow...I have cards to post and a few things to get but I doubt I'll be around for the one thirty back again...taxi will do it for me...LN....back to my water.

Friday 15th February

Happy Birthday to my maternal grandma today.  Lots of lovely memories of her and her budgie.....she got it to swear which surprised the doctor that visited her each week to give her her injection for anemia.

Silly night last night and finished the third of the Saxon books by Bernard Cornwall and have started the forth book today.  Went back and eventually came round just before seven, emails and website and deleted the forty seven pages if trash that want to sell items on my website.  I've just checked now and I have another one hundred and sixty applicants with ridiculous names with stupid email addresses....grrrrr.

Into town on the bus...I was waiting by the gate as it was heading up to the furthest village, so it stopped, I got on and we took the scenic route and came back via our village and into Djebel.  Went into my student's parents shop and we put the world to rights.  She was suffering from some virus that was creating profuse down pouring from her nasal cavity and complained that she had run out of tissues so I hopped off to the supermarket and made her a gift of four toilet rolls, Mountain Fresh, that should keep her going for a while.  On to the post office and got my road tax for the two cars which cost me just over one hundred and thirty leva for both...(just over sixty pounds) so at least when I can drive again I shall be legal.  A little bit of shopping and taxi home and I didn't have to tell him where I lived and he knew the house as well.  Got my fire going and eventually it seemed to warm up....cold and damp again today...not pleasant.  Head down for an hour or so this afternoon and hoping for a full night's sleep tonight....the wrist was just a little bit painful last night...just knew it was there if you know what I mean.

Down I go...back to my fire and the book....had the remains of the curry sauce and rice as a soup for lunch with a good chunk of bread so not up for much tonight....LN....going to stoke up, get in my jimjams and stay warm and chilled...LN