Saturday 1st June

Yes Chris...it is and I read the first ones around two years ago and was surprised to find so many more in the same series.  Started on book four a couple of days ago and have trouble putting it down but I'm thinking that since some of the characters have gone a little hazy...I should start it over again.

So despite the sun being out for the day this evening is considerably colder than it has been.  We've been at the Librarian's for most of the day who now has to have a name change since she forgot her logins for the site and I couldn't be...well you know the rest...to sort it out so we have a new member....

Her computer has been rebuilt or rather one of the one's that she uses has been rebuilt by my guest.  All is sorted, she can get on to her favourite sites with little or no effort and our internet connection which sometimes leaves a lot to be desired has behaved itself very well today.

Lovely lunch...Lidl pieces of fish with salad and tonight I can't say that I'm in the mood for much to satisfy my hunger so it will probably be cheese and biscuits or toasted sandwiches if I rise to the challenge.  Just made up the guest bed and I'm surprised that the sheets were still on the line when a gust of wind from somewhere near the Sahara raced over southern Bulgaria during the afternoon but at least they're well aired...

So fire going...student tomorrow since Turkey has been called off because Gouljan has health problems and we're off to the hospital at seven on Monday morning for blood tests...that's for her not for me....  I made the joke that she should drink more red wine and instead of blood...it eventually evens itself out so it's more fifty fifty and all problems evapourate.  Down to face the kitchen, make decisions as to what to serve at table and fill my glass.....what a hard life...LN

Sunday 2nd June

Woke up by the weather this morning...absolutely throwing it down but at least it made up for my lack of watering last night.  I'd had a bit of a sleepless night, settled into my book between the hours of four and five and had some pretty violent dreams post reading session.  I think I was pleased to come to.  What were the dreams about?  Haven't got a clue but I just woke up with an uneasy feeling.

Didn't bother with breakfast and printed off the seventh grade English exam for my student this morning.  It was still chucking it down as I set off but my student's neighbour was there to greet me....I've a certain novelty factor.  Another of their neighbours was also out hiding under a raincoat but news has obviously spread.  So into the house....the family had been banished to the little house so that we could have the lesson inside since it was so cold today.  Lunch was being prepared as we worked through the text and the exam and I learnt that her sister was running her own teaching session in accountancy to nineteen hairdressers as part of their course.  All so that they could get there tax returns organised.  Pretty thorough I thought and they also are learning basic English as well.  I tried to evade lunch but there was no joy...chicken and rice with yogurt as a side dish followed by Turkish black tea.  The session was eventually broken up by a telephone call from my guest telling me that I had had more guests arrive from Holland and that they had left but would be returning in about an hour.  It's now five thirty and I'm still waiting and I haven't a clue who it could be.

Rain has stopped and it's looking lighter.  I took a trip round the garden, my lily is one of the original that I rescued and has started to flower.  It is so pretty.  The hibiscus has put out two new flowers and the fuchsia is looking very healthy and the yellow flowers are really coming into their own.  I just like flowers that take care of themselves.  As for my runner beans....four of them have showed their heads but some dog or cat has had a lovely time rolling in the bed, the rhubarb has put up lots of new stalks but needs a good input of animal droppings, the lavender is about to flower and the new herbs I planted in the strawberry pot have started.  Unfortunately I can't remember which one I put in each hole so I'll have to identify later.

Heading for the fridge to work out supper requirements. It will probably be something to go with beer....the wine took a bit of a bashing last night.... is it true that abstinence makes the heart grow fonder?....or have I got that quotation wrong!!!!  I'm thinking yes....LN...I have things to do...

The quote is "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" or was that a rhetorical question?

Monday 3rd June

Quoted from 38714

The quote is "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" or was that a rhetorical question?

Definitely rhetorical Chris.....

Gouljan at the hospital today and at seven ten I was at the bus station to make sure that she was on time.  At ten to eight the hospital was buzzing but she was seen promptly at eight ten.  Now I like this hospital.  The NHS type doctors work in the basement, she was given a full examination, the doctor decided to give her a cardiogram so took her along to the room and she was back in five minutes and ten minutes later we were on our way so that they could take some blood samples.  She has to go back for the results or she can phone on Wednesday and we were out of the hospital and eating breakfast at nine o'clock.  Just like the NHS I hear you say.

So a little shopping, stopped off on the way to see Bekir's niece who has just had a baby and is in hospital in Momchilgrad....met the father and her father I already know.  Into Djebel to top up on all those things that are a little low and my student at two....it's been a busy old morning....

Monday update

Student sorted and his mother and I had a conversation about 'want' and 'won't' and the pronunciation which is difficult for Bulgarians.  We eventually worked it out and where she was applying the logic of verb tenses I was trying hard to get the point over....worked for me.

Supper tonight was liver with rice and onions and it was delicious.  So tender and it was more like a risotto.  Getting the washing up out of the way and there was a knock on the window and my neighbour's daughter wanted me to open my shop and supply four barrow loads of ballast which I did.  The son is over from Copenhagen and is enlisted to provide the labour for two concrete pillars as gate posts.  The joys of having a holiday with your mother.

Bit of a drab sky tonight and looks to be threatening rain despite the wonderful sunrise.  It has been a slow decline all day with just a hint of rain around four o'clock.  Good for the gardens though as I keep telling myself...nature is taking care of it's own so to speak.  Off to have a wee dram and get back to my book....it's been a really long day and I'm hoping that I sleep the sleep of the just tonight...let's wait and see...LN...the wine is out....

Tuesday 4th June

Beautiful morning when the morning mist had lifted and left us with a few clouds playing on the mountains.  My first visitor at nine thirty was a man I call my 'malke mush' since disability has left him only about four feet tall but with a lovely face and voice.  He lives in Turkey and is over here for a wedding on Saturday and I believe he is the brother of the two men that used to own my houses.  Normally he comes to talk to Sally and Bekir about the work that is being done but I think he is very pleased with the improvements to what he considers his family home.

Showered and had a bonfire...not sure that I did those two tasks in the right order and went out armed with pick axe, shovel and garden fork to remove some of the wild cherry succours that occupied the bank between the two houses.  The are no more and are now sited down by the bottom fence and have two choices...either they will or they won't.  Hung out the washing realising that I had a narrow window of opportunity to get it dry and I was right....one hour at the most as the clouds came over and the heavens opened but just before that we had a fly past of somebody's air force fully loaded with missiles so I was informed by my guest.....I wouldn't know....I was too busy trying to focus the camera to even see what was underneath the delta wings.

And open they did...it has poured all afternoon but has calmed down now.  I had a visit from Gouljan late this evening with her six year old niece who welcomed me in English...they are already learning it in her nursery school but unfortunately also have to learn Bulgarian since Turkish is spoken at home.  Children have a tough time here...

Now for supper...fish fingers tonight...the creativity bug has departed.  LN....I'm off to the kitchen...I have a hungry guest...LN

Wednesday 5th June

Five thirty start and then dog dozed until seven thirty watching the mist over the mountains or rather looking for the mountains in the mist.  It took a while to lift but got breakfast of tomatoes on toast organised and ready to take Gouljan in at ten for the results of her tests.  Dropped her off at the hospital and paid my phone and internet bills, headed for the second hand clothes shop and came away with two pairs of linen trousers, a shirt and linen blouse for just under three pounds.  Can't be bad.  Met up with Gouljan and all her tests are OK.  Her blood and sugar count are on target and the light headedness has been put down to stress.  She catches the bus at six thirty each morning to start at eight and doesn't get home until four thirty in the afternoon....reminds me of the hours I used to put in for TM but I didn't get home until six.  Maybe she doesn't have it so bad .

Lunch in town at a local restaurant and don't think we shall need to eat tonight.  Soup, main course and pudding for three for under twenty leva.  Picked up a few other things in town.  Organised the tickets for our Friday visit to Edine and I've just checked the weather and it looks like we are going to have sun and showers.  Order of the day though.  It absolutely poured down in Kardjali today and it seems par for the course.  Let's give you good mornings and lousy afternoons although when we got back to Djebel they hadn't had a drop.  Dropped Gouljan off, picked up a big pan for loading bottles into for bottling cherries tomorrow.  I have loads of the things and the jam making will be on Saturday.  I know how to do that without help but she's coming up tomorrow to go through the bottling process with me using their techniques.

No supper so far but it's a little early.  I came back with some zinnia plants and while the garden is damp I'm going to get them in tonight.  The new additions to the wardrobe are washed and waiting hanging out or decorating the upstairs bathroom.....LN...I have things to do....

Thursday 6th June

Lazy start and didn't feel much like breakfast since I'd cooked chicken wings with honey served with french bread and mayo last night quite late so they were lingering this morning.  Not uncomfortably but still quite sufficed.  Two cups of coffee and then out to the garden to check up on the plants that I put in last night and then the cherries became the priority.  I'd arranged for Gouljan to give me a hand this afternoon so I had to get some down to work with.  I decided that the best way to get them down was to prune the branches so that the tree looks in a better shape now that we've taken two meters off the top.  Still loads there though but they'll have to wait for another day.  Bet the birds think that it's Christmas or Byram knowing that it's a Muslim area.

Finished digging up the wild cherry that insists on working its way through the supposed lawn and plays havoc with the lawn mower.  Replanted them down the bottom of the garden to hide Gaudi's fence.  Two chances...they'll take root again or they won't.

Three texts for my student and we settled for one about the Vikings.  Sat in the shop with his mother until just after four and headed home in time for Gouljan.  We completed ten bottles of compote and she took the rest of the cherries home to make some jam.  Had a deputation from one of my neighbours this evening and I have been invited to her grandson's wedding on Saturday in Kardjali.  Her son had asked if I had been invited and she said that she had forgotten so it was with great insistence and it's imperative that I'm there.  Beautiful and alongside was my other neighbour reminding me that on Sunday I have to go to the party to celebrate the birth of twin girls to her daughter in law.....and by popular demand... take a bow....

Spag Bol for supper...kitchen tidied and the jars are upended after boiling.  Cooker cleaned and everything ship shape and Bristol fashion.  Fire lit and water heating so that I can get a shower tonight....off to Turkey tomorrow...money, phone, camera charged and passport already for lift off at six forty five tomorrow morning...LN...early night for me.

Friday 7th June

Out of bed at five thirty...shower and hair washed and woke up my guest at just before six telling him to get his ar** into gear as my Librarian and now known as Buddy would be arriving soon so that we could go to Kardjali and catch the bus for Edirne in Turkey and become tourists...

Everyone in the car for six forty five, in the car park for seven twenty...on the minibus for eight and over to Haskovo to pick up the coach just before nine.  We were tourists.  By about eleven I was picking up tourists Visas and promptly getting ripped off to the tune of a few pounds but the theory was...if you want to visit my country you promptly pay up or stay out.  I think an email to the Turkish tourism association might be in order but I was rescued by the coach driver who decided that it was cheaper to pay in Turkish Lira than in Bulgarian Leva in the absence of English Pounds.  Hey Ho....

The coach was thoroughly searched on the way in and two bottles of Mastica were smashed together over the rubbish bin so that if they couldn't have them ...nobody would.  I think there is an element of smuggling...drink is expensive in Turkey and so is meat but on the way back it was cigarettes.  There were more disappearing into the duty free and cartons being disposed of than I care to think about.

Anyway...back to the main thrust of the day.  The coach driver took us to the main street despite the fact that he was motorway only and gave us instructions that we were to catch a mini-bus at three twenty and one of the ladies that had travelled with us would make sure that we caught the right one back to where he waited on the motorway.    Works well for me so we had four hours to amuse ourselves and today was really exploratory.....never having ventured to Turkey before on the bus.

So over to the main mosque and it was beautiful inside.  It has such a calm atmosphere with family happenings, people praying and children running around.  I picked my spot as you can see by the photo and off to the museum for a bit of culture and then on to a restaurant for lamb kebabs with fabulous salad and the most amazing pitta bread that I have seen coming home at one foot six in length and ten inches across....and I failed to photo it.

Almost time to leave...we walked down to the bus station and the heavens decided to open....on to a mini-bus....back to the main bus that was returning from Istanbul and back to Kardjali for about seven thirty.  It has been a long but enjoyable day.....and will be done again but with an overnight stop in Edirne.  And now after a little wine to my virtuous couch...LN

Great photos, Elsa. Reminds me of a trip I took to Morocco. I guess you weren't bothered by protestors where you were.