Saturday 8th June

No Chris, no protesters just loads of tourists and yes, I did the Mosque in Casablanca if that's the one you were thinking about...quite beautiful.

So today.....weather was calm and hot once the mist had cleared so last night's washing was put out so that I had a choice of skirt or trousers for the wedding today.  Dug up loads of dandelions and took off the extra greenery from the grapes so that you can actually see them and I'll have to get the powder for spraying them but there is just so much rain about.  The wind got up so I didn't even manage a bonfire this morning but my Avatar came round with some home made soft cheese and filo pastry slice for lunch so that stopped play and I looked at the clock and realised that I had roughly an hour to do everything......shower, shampoo, legs scraped, toe and hand nails varnished and at two forty I could hear the band signifying the start of the 'sladbar' and calling the people to assemble.

Into the mini-bus and on to Djebel and we waited for the same performance of the trio to get her neighbours out and ready.  The couple with the families went to do the legal bit and eventually there was a cavalcade or about fifteen cars and three coaches heading for Kardjali to the reception.  It started at about five and at nine we were having our third course and the music and dancing is non-stop and no speeches.  I did manage a jig or two and was complemented by one of the young local girls with a gentle 'bravo' in my ear.

Back on the coach and home for just before eleven so sorry this is late......now got a drink since it's a pretty non alcoholic affair....most of the ladies don't.  LN.....I'm ready for bed.....I've got another party tomorrow for the three month old twins at lunchtime....LN

And now for the rest of the pickies......it appears to be playing up....

Sunday 9th June

Seven thirty start....cold morning and sat out to enjoy my coffee but with a sweater on.  The cloud didn't seem to know which way it was going and the sun was trying hard to burn it off but to no avail.  So breakfast of scrambled on toast...washed up...tidied the kitchen and went out in the garden to despatch dandelions which I carried out successfully until it was time to get ready for the baby ceremony.

Emalau was shouting me from the gate at ten to twelve and advising me that the bus was waiting.  Walked down with the boys and found out that it was an all women gathering and off we went to Djebel.  We arrived at the restaurant and goodness...what a lot of women and most of them from Benkovski which is a village to the south.  The salads were on the table with a selection of fizzy drinks...we managed to find places in a line so that we could sit with the Dushinkovo crowd...the babies were wheeled in and hoisted in the air, one kicked off with gigantic decibels while the other slept and they were taken out again.  They made a further appearance and the other one still slept and the television still belted out some sultry seductive dance moves...situation normal.

The courses started coming....chicken soup with chunks of bread followed by chicken legs with potatoes and at which point I gave up.  I refused the meat and rice, I was full as a little tick and only just managed to sink a slice of chocolate cake.  The mother came round and thanked us all and the donations were duly made welcoming the two little ones.  

Home for half past two and decided that a bonfire was the order of the day and got rid of the old cherry tree cuttings and trimmed the mulberry tree.  Had the bonfire humming, cleared the garden and am now smelling like a bonfire.  Neighbour came round and gave me a bag of meat which I think has been identified as lamb which is in the fridge for tomorrow. Supper was fish fingers and chippies.  Gouljan brought round another pot of yogurt and snaffled one of the fish fingers.....I gave her a lift home with her mother's big cooking pot, ate my supper and am now about to shower.  The is no photo of the babies...today was much too hectic.

LN....I need to smell sweeter than I currently  do....but I do love bonfires...LN

Monday 10th June

Rotten night...I was disturbed by my guest paying a night-time visit and then one of the little beetles that has been attacking one of my beams was gnawing its way through waiting for enlightenment and it's next life span but boy was it interrupting mine.  I moved into the spare bedroom and this morning sprayed it with everything insight and hopefully it is no more...Watch this space.

Two loads of washing out by ten thirty....gardened until one removing loads of dandelions.  Potted up some seeds and gave liquid feed to the others and dropped some peat on to some of the plants on the bottom garden where the ground is not so fertile.  Quick shower and on my way to my student with a text that was quite funny but involved demons and wicked women and I think he got the gist of it....his homework is to tell me about the spook..baba iaga...though the letters are not the same in Bulgarian.

Carried on in the garden when I had left off when I got back.  Washing dried and beds remade.  Tree trimmed and bonfire started but unfortunately it didn't materialise to anything worth writing home about.  Supper was the meat that was delivered yesterday as a memorial of one of my neighbours whose father past over.  I served it with sauteed potatoes with onion, grated carrots, tomatoes and onions with mayo and the meat was delicious.  I went out afterwards to sort out the bonfire but to no avail.  Emaula came round and insisted on eating my mulberry berries and I suppose I should make some jam out of them.  He sat with us and drank a can of turkish beer and now...nine thirty and he's set off for home.  The lightening has moved from the valley to over head so it's time that I shut up shop.  It's getting noisy here....LN.....I have my connection to think about...LN

Tuesday 11th June

Busy day doing nothing but chopping at the hedge, putting up the curtain rails in my bedroom, washing curtains and rehanging.  It has been very hot today so there was a brief shut down of activity while I concentrated on my book.  Book four in the series...we went through a dull patch but at seventy percent it burst into life again.

I had a zizz this afternoon realising that the eyelids were going south and when I had dropped the Kindle it was time to get comfortable in the lounge on the sofa and my guest was taking up the other one at the other side of the room.   Woke up at  about five and then burst into action taking down the lilac and the other stuff that was removed yesterday that the sheep had a good feed from the mulberry tree and the residue was trimmed and tost back over the hedge into my garden.  Tonight I had a good bonfire to get rid of it but had to resort to a fire lighter to get the thing going and then it was 'chop and burn' so to speak.   It now means that I can see the horizon.

Supper tonight was only toasted cheese sandwiches.....we had had a good lunch and the beer bottle has taken a hammering but bonfires are hot work at the best of times.  Clouded over tonight and started to rain about eight tonight......not so bad though...I don't have to water the garden.  Now down stairs and back to my kindle.  I have heard that the road to Greece is open so I think it is a trip to the Librarians tomorrow so see if she is up for it...LN....I'm about to chill....

Wednesday 12th June

Horrific storm last night..thunder and lightning going ten to the dozen and me wondering if the house was safe.  There was sheet lightening over the hillside and fork in the valley and me shivering under the quilt.  Not much rain but enough for me close the doors onto the terrace and unfortunately I was awoken this morning by the wind blowing over the photos in the lounge and me wondering what the heck was happening.  At one point I though it was possibly a poltergeist.....

So phoned the librarian this morning and asked her if she fancied a day out in Greece going over the new crossing point despite the fact that the signs said that the road was closed.  So we ventured along it and lo and behold....I think if we had we been Bulgarian or Turkish we would have been allowed...three English and we were advised that the nearest crossing point to Greece was via Zlatograd....so back over the road that we had travelled....went on to Zlatograd but decided to visit the old village and it's treasures instead of heading to Greece.  Lovely day despite the rain and lots of new friends made.  

Back to the librarians and decided that to tidy up for her visitors in the next month we had some serious work to do.  Cleared the patio and had a bonfire and it's a start.  Back home eight thirty...unpacked some lovely vases and dishes from one of the shops in Zlatograd....I've had a lovely day and we stopped off at the road side and dug up some super plants for adding to the garden.

Home and supper over and done with......down to the serious stuff ....a bottle of red...LN

Thursday 13th June

Rain rain and more rain.  What a day and night...thunderstorms that kept me awake and rain downpours that did the same.

So out this morning to plant the shrubs that I dug up yesterday from Zlatograd and it was rain clouds all the way.  The rest of the garden was damp, clouds overcast and there was not much to write home about.  My guest has developed webbed feet all in the space of a couple of weeks,  So didn't do much apart from light a fire to keep the home fires burning, went into Djebel for my student at three thirty since he had a dental appointment earlier, chatted to him mother and home for six and got supper of chicken wings, potatoes and onions underway and opened a five litre wine box to keep us company.

Everything sorted...read for a while and suddenly realised that I hadn't given out the daily journal.....now you have it and now I'm back downstairs...this book at 94% is getting to the cliff hanger stage.....LN

Friday 14th June

So what did it do today!!!  Rain to start off and I believe we will have rain to finish.  Not a bad day....the cherries are all removed and they are boiled to oblivion and I'm not sure that they are in a fit state to make jam.  Picked three cucumbers from my four plants and they are now made into Tarantor...cucumber, yogurt and garlic.  The petcha pipes have been removed and cleaned and reassembled and not much muck over the winter was gathered.  I've only had the pipes out once this winter so it shows that if the wood is good there's no need.  

Decided that the garden to the north of the property needed clearing and it's now done,  The grass seed goes on tomorrow and it has acquired a new name....the grave garden.   So now I have the Frog garden, the little house garden. the hedge garden and now...the grave garden since I found a window frame and sunk it in.  The weeds are all being taken from round it and the grass seed goes in tomorrow.

Supper was fish with sweet and sour chilli sauce with fried onions and potatoes,,,,,Absolutely delicious,  If the weather holds we might go to Plovdiv tomorrow...we'll take a rain check in the morning.  Finished my book and now on to the next.  My guest has finished the first three so I might be relinquishing my kindle since he can't download to the Kindle fire...what sort of piece of 'kit'.  So LN....I've got washing up to do and a kitchen to sort....it's been a good day....

Saturday 15th June

Well that sun was shining when I woke this morning and the mosque kicked off at the same time.  Worked on the pc for a while and then decided that since I was cold that I would take to my bed and get in a few more zzz's.  Eventually came to at about seven thirty, shower, hair washed and dressed ready to become a tourist and do Plovdiv.  Into the car and picked up the bus from Kardjali and arrived in Plovdiv at about twelve thirty.  Walked to the Old Town through the park, beautiful old trees and the blossom of the trees was amazing.  Lots of people about and a book market going on which seemed aimed for children and huge sheets of paper on the floor so that the children could try out their artistic talents....

Got on the tourist trail, super shops on the way to the Old Town that might need investigating at a later date.  Retail therapy.  One lady covered in gold frightened me when she moved...I thought she was a bronze statue.  I carefully approached a man sitting on the wall but this time it was a bronze statue and whispered in his ear.  Saw lots of Roman remains, walked to the Citadel via lots of old houses that were open to the public and on which declared on the gate....'I am not one on the tourist trail.  This house is NOT open to the public'.  Had lunch in a restaurant just below the Citadel, walked back through the park to the bus depot and managed to catch the six o'clock special which deposited us back in Kardjali for eight of the clock.  Back to the car, home James...supper not required tonight....only a couple of beer until bedtime.  LN....and guess what...it's raining again.....and it's supposed to be summer...Pah...LN

Sunday 16th June

I'd just like to say a Happy Father's day to my own father who is no longer with me in body but very much in spirit....Mr P and the current Mr P and my son in law....hope you are having a special day....and of course to any of you that are fathers.

The weather looks like it has done a turnaround and summer is back.  The forecast tells me that we are going into the thirties from now on so siesta time looms.  My student today and lunch with the family.  They are such happy people and I stay because I have such a good time with them.  That one hour's lesson seems to stretch for about three and we discuss the whys and wherefores of English grammar and it seems like a three way conversation at times with translations from the Turkish to the Bulgarian and then over to the English with the elder daughter asking the younger one, my student for instant translations.  And the phrase...here we go, it's tennis again...is heard to rumble round the room.

Gardening on the cards for the rest of the day once it cools down a bit....much too hot to be out there just now....I hear my Kindle calling....