Thursday continued

Delivered Cappuccino vanilla to Gouljan mum, lasagne to my other Gouljan's mum, got Paul's ticket for the six a.m. coach for his flight on Saturday and headed into Ardino for a late lunch...what a lovely day.  The light was too dark to take any photographs as we came over the mountains and the dark clouds were rising.  Came over the top road via Mishevo and down into Djebel and we went into my favourite restaurant for a beer but my little birthday girl was suffering from an ear infection so wasn't up to counting up to twenty in English despite lots of encouragement.

We're both taking to our virtuous couches at two fifteen...we've talked too much but the fire has kept us company and it's still loaded and giving out its warmth.

LN....chilled and cool....it's lovely having him here....

Friday 22nd November

Seven start after a late night last night.  Breakfast was spicy sausage and fried tomatoes and we were set up for the day.  Discussed a few websites and got on to the subject of NLP and yoga, stress, choices and general coping.  At twelve I thought it was about time that I got out of my PJ's and faced the day so off we set for a tour of a few more of the towns ending up at the Librarians for coffee late in the afternoon.

We're both aware that there is a four thirty start in the morning to make sure that we are on time for the bus to Sofia and are busy setting up various alarms.  Now I'm normally quite good but feeling so relaxed that I'm worried that I'll sleep straight through it or those...depending on how many we manage to set up.  

Beautiful weather today but I've seen the threats of blizzards arriving from France on Monday....now that could be fun...LN...I'm going to get my little head down...

Saturday 23rd November

One out.....one in...I woke up this morning at three thirty and realised that I had only one more hour in bed before the alarm went off...that's if it went off at all.  I'd managed to set it on one of my phones but as to the other ...I'd struggled with trying to find where to set the alarm and never managed to find it...but at ten thirty at night...maybe it doesn't really matter.  So read until four thirty and went to wake my nephew up asking him if his alarm had failed to go off.  Apparently he had the same problem as I did...but he'd eventually set it for four forty...so I told him to go back to sleep for ten minutes.

Into the car by five...into Kardjali by five thirty, breakfast purchased by five thirty five and ticket submitted for scrutiny and on to the bus by five fifty five after explaining that he wanted dropping off by the old hospital so that he could do a quick turnaround for the airport.  Made my way home and stripped beds, got the washing machine going, hung the sheet over the banister so that it would dry...there was fog on them there hills.

Set off at nine twenty ...up over the top road to Asenovgrad and the weather was beautiful and on to Plovdiv airport in plenty of time for the arrival.  We recognised each other and then into the car and homeward bound.  Stopped off to get in the beer from Djebel and my guest has delivered a bottle of really good cognac which hasn't the same quantity as delivered...yes it was opened and yes we both had a snifter.

Supper tonight was barbecue spare rib chops with potato fritters and red cabbage and if any one asks me how much.....I shall cancel their membership.  Fire going gently, the rest of the house is warm as toast and fingers crossed that the temperature doesn't drop much below freezing.  Snow is suppsed to be on it's way...Sleep calls...LN                                                          

Sunday 24th November

I know, I know...no photos are boring.  Caught the morning and it's good in a way....guests sleep because of the time difference to the UK.  Problem is, they miss the morning sunrises hence I take photos to show what they missed...Not nice really am I...

Now to work out how to catch the best weather for the day and the places to go to on a brief potted view of southern Bulgaria...the Tourist trail beckons...

Monday 25th November

So my guest is quietly snoozing in front of the log fire so I can get o with my update early.

Seven start this morning and it was fairy footsteps going outside for a ciggie that woke me up.  I haven't relaxed the rules...outside for smokers.  Breakfast was poached eggs of toast and then off on the tourist trail taking in Kardjali, its markets, the restaurant on the lake for lunch, up to Ustra to check out the views, back to Djebel for some fuel for tomorrow morning and some cream to rub in his leg.  He thinks he might have pulled a muscle when he was going to brake.  Thing is...I was driving so no matter how hard he pressed down on the floor....I was in control.  I'm quietly chuckling.

The lorry was out in the village increasing the height of the winter sand to throw on the road.  I stopped to talk to our local road man and he reckons that there will be snow tomorrow night but not very much.  So tomorrow morning my guest back to Plovdiv and we're leaving at eight in the morning.  I should be home for about one o'clock and there's plenty of food and drink in so I shall be battening down the hatches and on snow flake watch during the afternoon.  I think winter might be here.

Winter's sky tonight to the south but to the west there is many a black cloud.  Supper tonight is the remains of last night's chicken, leeks and potatoes in a packet of chicken soup probably served with chunks of hot bread.  I'm about to get a little beer out, it's dark and it must be time although I can't see the yard arm.  LN...I hear a rumbling from the jungle...

Tuesday 26th November

So it was 'name that tune in one' this morning and I couldn't locate where it was coming from.  It wasn't one that I recognised and when I tracked it down it was my guest's phone alarm in his coat pocket set for ....wait for it...four twenty.  I took it back upstairs and handed it to him as he stood half asleep at the top of the stairs and asked him to silence the thing before it never worked again.

Toddled off to my virtuous couch and played Angry Birds which was probably how I was feeling and finished my book.  At six I dimmed the lights and stayed there until seven....breakfast.....emptied the ash-can, prepared the fire for this afternoon since I had Plovdiv airport run to do leaving at eight this morning.  There was sleet up over them there hills so I did the drop and started back almost immediately...no way did I want to get stuck up with the eagles.

Stopped off in Kardjali on the way back...I had a message from 'those up above' that there was something waiting for me in my charity shop and sure enough the vibes were right.  Walked into Mania, down into the basement and there was a super wool zip up sweater and another one in tan coloured wool.  Liked them both so to the cash desk where they weigh them.  Now I was expecting about twelve leva for the biggie and about five for the other one and when she put it on the scales she calculated it at just over three and the small one at about one fifty but she reminded me that I had my discount yet to come off.  Result...both of them...four leva forty...about two pounds for the pair.  I couldn't buy the wool for that.

Back to Djebel....spent a little time with my student's mum in the shop since we hadn't seen each other while I had people here.  Lit the fire and it's chugging along nicely, the temperature has dropped and northern Bulgaria has snow already.  We are expecting a smattering so maybe my tree will be crowned in the morning.  No photos today...it's been dull, sleeting and not nice at all.  Maybe I shall have Christmas stuff for you tomorrow.  LN....I'm going to get in front of the fire with a drop of something...it would be rude not to...LN

Wednesday 27th November

Not white over as expected this morning but the snow has arrived.  At the moment it's melting on contact but we are just on the zero degrees so it just might stay around for a while...while I'm cosy and tucked up with a book inside.

As for last night...fell asleep at about eight in front of the fire and it was all down to my early morning alarm call and not by my doing.  Off to bed, straight to sleep again but I'd had enough sleep by four thirty so got up, made a coffee, set the washing machine going, back to bed with a book, down for the second coffee by which time the washing machine had finished.  On to the airer in the bathroom and some of it's now ready to put away.  

Beans on toast for breakfast at eight, waiting for the Daily Mail sudoku to update and watching the snowflakes build...not such a bad life....

Wednesday continued

Phone call later on this morning asking if I could be a standby translator while the Librarian's son tried to get a parcel that is locked in Customs in Sofia.  We did the carriers, a friendly desk in the Customs office and I ended up talking to my old mate that eventually allowed my Kindle in from America....and the answer was...if you are a guest in Bulgaria...inso much as you have not registered as a visitor and received the appropriate documentations...you cannon. repeat cannot, order stuff from the internet and get the said documentation to allow you to pay the import duty.  It will never get through to the appropriate department.  This took three hours of trailing around to verify...The Librarian was about to kick off and fortunately I managed to calm down the aggression...we might need that man again at some point.  The Head of Customs said that if he didn't have the correct information and tried to process it, he might end up in handcuffs.  I said that there were four people looking on that would see it as a step up the ladder for one of the others but the one that spoke English was very reluctant to do the translation but my bulgarian got better at this point, and I explained it to him.  My suggestion...try and get the parcel readdressed to England....much less hassle.

Home just before six and got the wine out for the Librarian while her son stuck to coffee. They left just before seven and he's now going to get his emails underway to try to resolve the situation.

Snow came to nothing...it's lingering on the mountains now the mist has cleared and we can see it.  Kardjali was cold but in my new sweater I was toasty and all I need to knit now are leg warmers.  Temperature is dropping but there's enough wood in to last and some to dry out for tomorrow,  I've got a packet of sour cream and onion crisps on the go so it might not be much for me tonight...the chicken wings from last night will fight for another day.

LN....down to the fire....and that wine box is looking a little worse for wear but there should be enough to see the night out...LN

Thursday 28th November

Grey morning that gave way to sunshine and so much so that I was out gardening and clearing the old polythene from the lime mix pit that we had when this house was done.  The men had removed the wooden surround but left the base down but it really had to go and so it has.  I watched two cats in the garden singing their little hearts out to each other...now why do cats do that.  The one approached the other rather tentatively with a flickering tail and they ended up inches apart and started the cat's chorus.  Not being a cat person I do not understand the nuances.

I had a phone call from the garage asking if my student's father could come sort out the Beast....and it lives...It has been given the kiss of life.  I followed him back to the garage, sat in the sun reading while it has been serviced and given its winter protection.  So over to the shop to find out the cost for the work, it got added to my list and subtracted from the credit for taking their son to England...and I have some left.  I asked them to keep it which they were reluctant to do but there is insurance in February for Beauty so it can go against it.  

Phoned Gouldjan and asked if she wanted a lift home and she was surprised when I turned up in the biggie.  Back home I put my tools away.  My fire was still ticking along nicely and so topped it up, used the chicken wings from yesterday to make chicken soup, opened one of the large dark beers that I'd bought and after supper promptly fell asleep in front of the fire.  Totally the wrong move because I know that I shall be awake in the night at silly o'clock so let's see what chores I can  find to do in the bewitching hours.  Weather forecast for tomorrow looks promising so I should be able to finish clearing the drive, have a bonfire and I might even make a start on the metal bank that sits in the yard.  Alternatively I can hope that a kind gypsy appears and offers to take the lot.

LN.....I'm back to Jim Butcher and Harry Dresden the Wizard series...book three underway and an exciting read...LN

Friday 29th November

Happy thanksgiving for my American buddies.

Woke up at six which for me knowing that I had a nap early evening is superb.....coffee, book and open to the world at seven thirty.

Breakfast. bonfire. sorted out the bonfire pity to burn the polythene....and sorted out the doorstop via the front door.  Remsier appeared and asked me to take her to the school.  I think her grandson is going up to big school and she needed a consultation.  Back home for two and I was amazed what time it was.

Watched a You-Tube and had this great urge to watch Fiddler on the Roof and it's just finished....so totally what my previous live was all about.  Six thirty now ...cinema over....down to the kitchen to work out what's for supper. Reckon not much in the offing....I'm not hungry and Fiddler on the Roof has heightened my threshhold.....

So LN....I think I might be watching the full version of Yentl this evening...my Jewish leanings have been surfaced.....LN