30th November

What a cold one this morning...outside at least.  The fire was still going this morning so with a little tender love and care it was chugging along nicely at seven.  Back to bed with coffee and finished the third Jim Butcher and now that I am completely into his style I should be starting on the forth anytime soon...like when I've finished my update.  Cloudy start but the sky took on a pinkish glow as the sun tried to break through the clouds but that happened much later and it turned into a beautiful day.

The Beast out of the garage and Beauty into the yard,  Now that the biggie is going again it needs a few trips to bed it in again and a little more diesel going through the works.  Today was day out for my student and her sister.....with the objective of the sister buying some leather boots.  Now the father thought that she could pick some up for about sixty leva but I think he has lost touch with the shoe industry.  We discussed why she wanted leather and I'm not sure that I followed her train of thought but she had her own reasons and to her they were pretty valid...to the father...I think not.  

So off we set and I thought I was going to have to lift both of there five feet frames into the Beast or attach a rope ladder but they made it.  We went to Kardjali and I don't think there was one shoe shop we missed but the younger one found a pair for twenty leva...a girl after my own heart.  Found a really interesting fruit tree going between shops and several of the fruit lying on the ground....I've never seen one before and when we opened it up, it had the smell of melon.  All answers on a postcard please or I'll be trawling the internet and will save you the trouble.

Went to the Pizza restaurant for lunch and I really had to fight to let them allow me to pay the bill.  I even had to threaten the little one that there was no way I was taking her to England if she paid it.  Into one of the little supermarkets and it was a close thing that we nearly dumped everything and walked out.  Two big long queues and two grumpy shop assistants but I'd probably be the same since most of the customers were pretty grumpy too.  It reminded me of Tesco in the old days before customer service was invented.

So back to their house for coffee and chocolate.  The elder one started preparing supper but I made the excuse that my fire was out and it was going to be a pretty cold night by the looks of it but having said that...there was a glimmer of red and it was going in quicksticks so to speak.  Not into food, the pizza is lingering, washing it down with a little beer and then into book four.  I've had a really good day and they really are a delightful family...makes me homesick for my little lot back home but there again...you can't have every thing and in two weeks I shall be over there for Christmas.  That should put things right.

LN....down to the warm....