Wednesday 1st January

Well it's here...a new canvas to start painting on.  I hope that you have a new brush or an old one duly cleaned, a pot of fresh water or turps, new rag for making sure that you wipe up the spills along the way and a steely will to do the best that you can with whatever you're presented with.  I wish you all success in whatever you choose to do in the coming year and remember, look at all the choices wisely and choose carefully...unfortunately we're responsible for our own actions...tough isn't it..... ....

The rain is still raining, the wind is still howling and I've got the impression that it will be here until I say farewell to these not so fair shores and head south to intense cold and snow but at least there's variation.  We do see the sun.  Quiet day today and it was quiet last night.   I watched the clock tick round and then headed to the virginal couch with a book and Jim Butcher.....he's off on another adventure....Catch you later.

Wednesday continued

Had to post this that I received from my student...handmade and beautiful....thank you.  And one showing what we have to contend with here.....LN...A sofa. a drink and a book is called for...LN

Thursday 2nd January

At my daughter's again and having a lovely evening so this evening's update is short and sweet. Weather too was so much better.....we saw the sun.  

So now a little drink....a box of chocolates to hand and a gentle relax.  LN.....I wish you all as good an evening as I am having.....LN

Friday 3rd January

What a horrible night again.  The wind was fair rocketing and the rain was falling in buckets and I was expecting the rest of the fence between my daughter's house and the neighbour to be down but still only the one panel is down.  I felt really sorry for my son-in-law who had to battle the elements at six thirty to head out to work while the rest of us lingered in our beds.  My new Kindle battery had died so I was back to the old one to get a morning dose of Harry Dresden but no Internet or Angry Birds for me this morning from the comfort of the bedroom.

Up at eight thirty and down for coffee and the toast came later.  Not much action.  It wasn't worth going out as it was still bucketing it down so we lazed around and the activity was taking down the Christmas decorations that we'd missed yesterday.  The resounding comment was 'it looks bare without them' and it does but it's the same every year.  Son-in-law took a half day since he'd had to hold the fort during the holiday and the ladders came out and Santa was removed from the outside of the building along with the rest of the outside lights and they're now safely put away until next year.  In their house Christmas has definitely finished and packed away in the loft.  

Sat down to lunch and was drawn to the film Zulu this afternoon.  It must have been about thirty years since I saw it first time round or it seemed like it and I knew that they started singing 'Men of Harlech' at some point but I'd forgotten when they were bursting forth.  Still a good film though.  I'm back home now.....a crescent moon was out earlier and I'm told that there will be a meteor shower tonight but I can't see that I'll be out there lying on my back on the lawn....it's too wet and too cold and on that thought I'll say LN.....nine and not a drop has passed my lips yet....I better go and do something about it...LN

Saturday 4th January

Couldn't sleep last night and ended up reading until four this morning.  Eventually went off and it was just before eight.  The weather...well I don't need to tell you about it really....it was the same as yesterday and tomorrow will probably be the same.  I looked at the weather for home and it is sunny all the way through the weekend and more or less the same until the 9th.  The tenth...cloudy so I'm taking it back with me....

As for my website...it was down this morning and so I thought I'd check on my hosting mob and there's was down to.  I emailed them for confirmation that it was them and received and email asking me to log into their site and when I clicked on the send button it went no where so another email and eventually they replied that they had high level network problems but by this afternoon....all was safely gathered in and up and running again.  High level engineers with thumping great ladders maybe.  Off to Lidl to stock up with a few essentials and the bag is down from the loft so that I can start packing.  Tomorrow I have to book a bag with easyJet and print out the boarding card after I've entered the bag so that there's no disputing I've paid for it.

Off to my Angela's this evening and we're off for an evening of clairvoyance in her local town.  I've not been to this crew before so we shall see what we shall see and since Angela has never been before...I think I shall be holding her hand.  Back to her house to eat when we've filled out spiritual souls to the brim....and before we go I've got the job of setting up her ipad and since I've only just got my Kindle I might be looking for divine guidance to do the deeds for her.  Logging off now before it either goes down again or I run out of time....LN....I'll give you an update tomorrow if there are any spooky happenings tonight....oooaaarrr..LN

Sunday 5th January

Sleep of the just last night and just made it by seven thirty and out of the window I saw the most fabulous dawn.  Camera at the ready I captured it so for all those that were sleeping in this morning...this is what you missed.  Now the local newspaper threatened rain at nine thirty this morning and they got it wrong....it has eventually come in at five this evening and now it's tipping it down again.

So last night we went to an evening of clairvoyance and despite having a good medium there, the ambiance for me was not good.  I suppose I'm more used to going to these gatherings in the security of my local church and it just didn't feel right to me.  As for Angela it was her first visit so out with the bucket of scepticism which is always healthy....and then back to hers for a lovely supper of chicken with a very good tomato sauce covered with breadcrumbs and oven baked served with some wilted greens but for those that know me....none ventured anywhere near my plate.  I have this big aversion to greens of any description except cabbage, leeks and peas done in my own way.  So the return match was this afternoon.  As we were leaving last night I said that if they wanted to they could come down and share a chicken and I could get some practice in on the cooking front and the lady from a little further north, she say yes, and they arrived at one, and I served up at one thirty.  She brought the pudding down with her so it was peaches in brandy on cold rice pudding...now what could be nicer.

On their way at just after four so that she was driving home in what was left of the daylight and a telephone call has confirmed that they are home safely and tucked up watching the darts.  I'm finishing off the wine and about to go down and finish the kitchen off...after all it isn't mine so I have to leave it as I found it but maybe that will be hard to achieve...... ....LN....I've had a pretty chilled day despite having to provide the goodies....LN

Monday 6th January

What a day.....I decided at the eleventh hour to get a big box together and take advantage of one of my visitors.  He is going to bring the stuff over with me when he makes his escape to the 'sun'.  Well that's the general idea but let's hope there is some at some point when he 'emigrates' in March.  So I've packed some curtain material that I bought thirty eight years ago never did anything with but I want it for the last bedroom in the big house and since the room doesn't get much sun unlike the rest of the house....it's a Warner's fabric called 'pine trees and peonies' and it should be just the thing.  Also packed a rise and fall dining room light that I bought for the move and never took it over, some very heavy gardening books and a few ornaments from the old days and believe it or not....a decanter and glasses.  It's very unusual...the decanter, shot glasses and tumblers all have dimples on the bottom so that when you put it down the instant reaction is to grab for it because you think it's falling over....well I thought and still think that they're funny.  Total weight of the boxes is 40 kilograms which is shared among four boxes so that the contents may be distributed between my friend's 'stuff'.  And isn't that what friends are for.

Watched some of the darts from Lakeside this afternoon in between packing, unpacking and repacking and what rubbishy games they were.  There was an interesting comment from Bobbie George where he was having a drink with one of the losers and he said to Bobby that he was intending giving up after his earlier performance.  The comment back was that Bobby thought he had given up before his earlier tournament....and I'm not sure it went down very well.

So tomorrow I have about five bags of things for the charity shop, the boxes are to be finalised, put into one big one, measured, calculated, paid for, collected and said goodbye to until I see them in nine weeks time and wonder what the heck I packed this and that for.  But hey...it will be nice to have a few familiar things around me from the old days.  No supper for me....I opened a tin of red salmon for lunch and had it with mayo so there is no space for anything else until tomorrow except for maybe a wee dram.  I'm going to say LN....I want to do my packing tonight as a trial run to see what space I have for other things.  I had soooooo many Christmas presents....lucky me and now wish me luck....LN

Tuesday 7th January

Bag packed ...19.5 kilograms until easyJet tell me that I'm mistaken and then it's down one, carry one and can I wear it over/under what I've got on at the minute.....and I have all that to look forward to on Thursday morning.

My hand luggage is empty at the moment but I'm sure I can find lots of 'stuff' to pack it with....and then to set sail into the delights of customs and it all goes to b*llocks.  Dig you pack it yourself?....well who else would have such a mess of it....was there someone asked you to carry anything....I think not....just look at it if you must and let me on to the plane.

Angela's again this afternoon and managed to sort out a new connection to facebook and she has a profile picture and a backdrop.  I explained how to use it and I think I should have bought her a hat so that it didn't  go over her head....'Nuf said...she's a learner with technology'

Left Angela's and over to my daughters to say goodbye to her and the lost boys as we call them.  Grandson has lost weight and a stiff wind would probably blow him over but daughter and son in law are off to Slimmer's world in the new year and let's see what they manage to achieve.  All pot luck really though.

LN...I have a myriad of things to get up to before it starts again....LN..

Wednesday 8th January

My parcel has gone and is now in Newhaven.....forty kilograms of things that I've managed to live without for the last few years.  I packed it up, left it outside the door all ready labelled and when I went outside it had gone.  Now I did have an immediate panic....I know that it's too big for anyone to 'lift' but I went straight to the website and entered the tracking number.....it has been received and is on it's way via UPS.

Haven't done much else today.....it was a matter of rounding up things like chargers, mobile phones, last minute washing and then finding homes for it in one big red bag and my hand luggage but I'm prepared this time.  If they tell me that it has to go into the hold they I've got everything already in a bag that I can pull out, sling on my shoulder and carry on through.  There's been quite a lot of publicity lately about hand luggage having to go into the hold and unfortunately it's not been insured and doesn't have the official documentation as does normal checked baggage.

Short post....my taxi comes at five in the morning.  I've just had a farewell telephone call from Angela so I said that I'd phone her from the taxi in the morning to let her know that I was on my way.  Her reply consisted of two words and one of them was off and I didn't quite catch the other fortunately.  LN....I'm going to supervise the construction of a lasagne...it seems to be my signature dish...Tomorrow in my bed all being well....LN

Have a safe journey, Elsa!

Thursday 9th January

Thank you easyJet.  Check in was daunting though going through security.  I thought I've got it right but I'd forgotten to put a lipstick in the bag for them to check and they found a shadow of something metal that they couldn't identify in the hand luggage.  She asked me...I told her it was metal and covered in leather that you bend the corners up to make a dish that would normally sit on a desk.  So the whole blooming lot had to come out for her to get down to it and I'd packed it so carefully that I felt it didn't go back properly and then came the next check at the gate and I anticipated some surly senorita asking me to get it into the hand luggage guide line container but there were so many for the flight that all was well.  

Into Sofia just before one, told the taxi driver that I wanted to be rushed to the bus station and he obliged and managed to get the one forty bus down to Kardjali which arrived at just before six.  Unfortunately the ongoing bus to Djebel was going to be in half an hour so I took a taxi instead and went to my student's parent's shop and he was holding the fort until his father finished at the garage.  The Beast was sitting outside the shop so I loaded in  my luggage, picked up the keys to the jeep and the house from his mother and set sail for home stopping off at the local supermarket for bread and a few essentials like red wine, beer and a chicken for tomorrow.

Kept the lights of the jeep on and removed the padlock from the main gate.  Everything has remained the same.....I just have a minor repair on the temporary screen by the door.....it appears to have dried out and is only attached in one place at the top.  Tomorrow I'll get a wedge in there and everything will be rosy.  Unpacked my luggage, water heater on, fire going and radiators are toasty, beer opened and I'll let you have a stab at the order in which the tasks were completed.  I bet you can guess now that we've been together for all this time.

Packet of chipsticks for supper.....cooking can wait until tomorrow...I don't think I shall fade away.  Phoned Princess and logged in that all is safely gathered in and I don't think the bad weather is arriving here until the weekend so I shall have time to get out there and just .....be.  LN...it's good to be back....LN

Sleep well tonight Elsa. It is always good to get back to your own bed!!!    

Friday 10th January

As you said Danuta, it's good to be back in your own bed but there again I was in my own bed in UK.....but Bulgaria makes the difference...   So for the next few days you are going to be photo-less....unless I can managed to get my printer working with the camera card.  The data transfer cable is sitting in the printer in the UK...gggrrrr.....I forgot it.  And no, the printer will not take the card so I'm stuffed...double gggrrrr.

It was white over this morning and minus four when I managed to get out to see the thermometer.  The chill had definitely been taken off the house, I kept the fire going most of the night but I was so pleased that I was wearing my 'onesie' that my daughter gave me but think I frightened my Avatar when she came to bring me back my keys. The word she used was 'bear' and so it was into the shower after she left and thought I better get reasonably clad before the local sheep farmer reckoned that I was a threat to his sheep.  Another neighbour came round with my internet bills saying that she had seen the lights on last night and Gouldjan came round after work this evening to give me an update.  But back to the weather....as I said cold this morning but it has been a beautiful day getting up to twenty five in my stairwell.  The temperature is dropping now though and we are in for another cold night.  

Showed my 'onesie' to Gouldjan and she wants one.  Trouble is she's very tall so she'd have to be there when it was purchased I think....they haven't yet got out to Bulgaria.  Lunch today was spicy (without the 'e') sausage and onion omelet and I think that's me done for the day.....the chicken can wait until tomorrow.  Now back to Harry Dresden and Mr Butcher.....fairy tale plots and this one is about the Billy Goats Gruff.....LN....must get on...I have a beer getting warm....LN

Saturday 11th January

So it's been a steady procession of visitors today and I think I ran out of Bulgarian words.  There's only so many that you can get under your belt.....

I've cracked the photo issue.  I knew that I had a card carrier somewhere so I searched all the likely places and as a last resort thought I'd try the box marked 'Camera bits' created for the Canon and that's where I found it.  Now how organised is that!!  So you have photos, well a few anyway but by the time that I'd found the thing and resized what was in the camera, the sun was just setting in the western sky so I had to go through the who process again.  

Today has been a day of sorting things that I brought back with me and finding places for them.  One present was a superb calendar of 'Fred and Ginger' and it's my intention to start off each month with the photos and I better give credit to Carousel Calenders before I get lynched.  As for the rest of the day I got in more wood and loaded up the wheelbarrow with the next load.  Unfortunately my log carrier from last year has developed a dodgy wheel so until I get it repaired I don't want to put too much strain on the other.  Tried to blow up the punctured tyre on Beauty but there appears to be a nut missing from the thing so everything will be done on Monday.  The battery is flat again so I'm thinking that something must be draining it or I need a new one.  Always something isn't there but at least the Beast is doing it's stuff,

Breakfast was sausage and fried egg and for supper the chicken.  It was going to be with chippies but the potatoes had gone soggy so they are off to the hillside for whoever wants them.  Out came a slice of bread and it was just as good and probably not so fattening.  Fire going well and I'm just about to put this thing to bed and settle in for the night....it's been a relaxing day, if frustrating at times, because I ran out of words, with friends...LN...perhaps I should start studying Bulgarian again...LN

Sunday 12 January

Seven ten start, kitchen for coffee, opened the curtains, back to bed for a few minutes with my book and noticed the start of the sunrise.  Went up to my summer bedroom, out on to the balcony and there it was...morning was on it's way.  So while I was upstairs it was on with the pc and into emails and the likes and at just before eight...that sun blasted forth and morning was here.  It's been a spring day, wall to wall sunshine, gentle chill breeze but nothing to write home about and a good day for completing what I'd set out to do.

My Gaudi fence has hung on for the last four years but now that I have the replacement in breeze blocks there was no need to have it there.  As it was it was only standing by virtue of the fact that either Sally or Bekir had propped it up against the wall.  When I knocked it together, literally, there was no shortage of nails and I hammered for all I was worth since it was a north wall boundary fence and the cows used to climb on the bank and be over in a flash and it did the trick.  Now it was time to go and it's gone...not entirely.  I ran out of steam but the rest will be done tomorrow.  It's also time to replant the things growing there but I did start uncovering the remains of another polythene mine and it was too good a day for bonfires...tomorrow!!  I also found the statutory one shoe and jam jar lids that come with the turf.....and this takes me back to the early days when all the rubbish was dumped in the lane but some of that lane is now within my boundary.

Head down for an hour after I'd put my tools away.  I woke up to a fire that was doing nothing and it was all down to me deciding to put a huge log on it so out with a firelighter and some little stuff and it's ticking along nicely now and the pump's circulating lots of hot water to the radiators.  Supper was leeks and in place of potatoes I used potato wedges to fry off with them, added some chunks of chicken and stuck it on the woodburner until I was ready for it.  

Tomorrow...back to the fence to remove the wood, shift some soil around and think about what I'm going to be planting and where I might have to acquire it from...LN

Monday 13th January

Facebook reminded me that it was Buddy's birthday today so messaged on Facebook, phoned her when I knew she should be up and about and she asked if she could come over.  So got showed and dressed, the washing was ready to be hung inside since the outside temperature was minus four this morning and she arrived at just before twelve.  I had her present and a card waiting for her and she was wearing most of the other gifts from her son...and that's what sons are for.

We went into Djebel in her jeep and I forgot everything that I wanted to take with me...typical.  Lunch was taken at a local cantina at the grand cost of eight lev and that included the tip...she's worth it and then we walked, yes I repeat walked to the shop so that I could pay my internet account and on to the post office where the queue got miraculously short when I appeared and the rest of the people had to step to one side so that I could pay for my road tax for my two vehicles...total cost....134 lev....approximately seventy pounds for one year for both.  Saw my students' father in there and we had a little chat and into my leva shop.  Found some A4 picture frames.  I'd found Desiderata and Mitzva on the internet and I wanted to frame them for Buddy and myself and they were presented to me in the leva shop.  A little seven year old girl was in there and she was trying to convince her mother that she desparately 'needed' a set of baubles for making into necklaces and bracelets and I told her that Christmas was over and that there were no presents until next year.  So the mother gave in and as we got to the cash desk, the lady knows me in there and I told her that it was on my bill.  She smiled, the child was unsure what was happening and the mother was surprised, the child even more so but she said thank you and the cost of the gift...three lev....well worth it.

Back to mine for coffee and some biscuits and as she was leaving there were two men that I've never seen before and it turns out that the family lives over the hill from me and it was obvious that they wanted to see the improvements that the 'English' person had done to the house....and it was a full tour.  It was a father and son, they lived in Turkey and the father was fascinated as to what I'd done as a 'job' in England.  It really seemed to matter.  

So off they went....because we had lunch in town I really don't have room for much more.  Fire is going beautifully and for the first time of being back I need music tonight.  I've just listened to Anastasia and now I have Marti Caine playing away and I'd forgotten how good she was.  Tomorrow is putting the tax on the windscreen, going into Djebel to do the things that I should have done today, checking with the local post office for anything that is lingering since I was away for just over three weeks and sorting out Beauty.  LN..back to my music, my brandy and hot water and my book.  Just to keep you informed, my parcel has left Vienna so is a damn sight nearer than Newhaven....the appliance of science and the internet....LN....it's been a good day...and for those of you that love to see the stars in all their glory in a dark setting...get your backsides over here...LN

Tuesday 14th January

I'm still parcel watching and it has just left Hungary.  It's quite reassuring to know that it's on its way....now there might have been hands in it already but I know the box is being transported as we speak...   Weather has been gorgeous again and spring still appears to be nudging winter over for a day or two...

Woke up at three thirty on the sofa in front of the fire and fortunately I'd got into my night clothes earlier otherwise I would never have managed it.  Took the key from the outside of the door, switched off the lights, headed for the bedroom and woke at seven this morning....my do I seem to need my sleep now that I'm home.  I'm betting that it's the fresh air.  I know I live on the edge of the Downs in the UK and there were a fair few gales blowing and horrendous downpours but maybe it's different here.  

Emails, FB, my other favourite website and then down for a breakfast of baked beans on toast with lashing of butter.  Sank a few coffees and decided that I should really write a letter to my friend who I used to work with about fifty years ago.  We stay in touch...I phoned over Christmas but she was looking after her father in Blackpool and I got the update from her husband.  She's not on the internet so we do snail mail and I did...two pages of font twelve and three of photos.....

Off to Djebel with the list.  Took in the foot pump and that's now fixed, handed over the football annual to my student and I think it was appreciated.  The letter was posted this afternoon and then I sat with my student's mum in the shop and chewed over the fat until I got cold and then over to the shop to get my potatoes.  Supper tonight was chicken, carrots and peas in a mushroom sauce and served with pasta and it was delicious and very filling and there's enough left for tomorrow.  Tomorrow's variation will be into the oven with cheese on the top and come out as a pasta bake.  How's that for forward planning!!  The chicken carcass is in the slow cooker so it looks like soup and more soup in the days to come....how far can a chicken stretch?  

So eight ten, PJ's on only today I'm heading for my bed a little earlier before I actually feel the eyes heading southwards.  Must admit though, the house was still warm despite the lack of fire at that time in the morning so it's no wonder I nodded off.  LN...a little brandy and hot water might just be what the doctor ordered and then to bed...weather forecast for tomorrow is same as to day and the moon is lazing across a star laden sky...LN

Wednesday 15th January

What a ridiculous night...as you know I had an early night last night and so at four thirty this morning I was champing at the bit and wide awake so got settled with Jim Butcher and another one bites the dust.  Unfortunately at three this afternoon I was ready for a nap but I fought it back and now I'm OK to go through until ten tonight as it stands at the moment.

What a horrible day.  It was overcast and dull after what was a promising start and this afternoon it started to rain.  Not that we don't need it but snow would have been good.  My friend has an apartment in Bansko and there is not a 'real' flake of snow there.  There are snow machines that are doing the things for the tourists but winter as I said has been kicked aside by a false spring but I'm sure it will come back with a vengeance later.

My problems today....my wood burner is belching out more smoke than I like to tomorrow the pipes all come out.  I cleaned up as best I could without taking it apart and really it only takes about an hour to have it dismantled and reassembled and so that's what will happen tomorrow morning...without fail.  No way do

Wednesday 15th January

What a ridiculous night...as you know I had an early night last night and so at four thirty this morning I was champing at the bit and wide awake so got settled with Jim Butcher and another one bites the dust.  Unfortunately at three this afternoon I was ready for a nap but I fought it back and now I'm OK to go through until ten tonight as it stands at the moment.

What a horrible day.  It was overcast and dull after what was a promising start and this afternoon it started to rain.  Not that we don't need it but snow would have been good.  My friend has an apartment in Bansko and there is not a 'real' flake of snow there.  There are snow machines that are doing the things for the tourists but winter as I said has been kicked aside by a false spring but I'm sure it will come back with a vengeance later.

My problems today....my wood burner is belching out more smoke than I like to tomorrow the pipes all come out.  I cleaned up as best I could without taking it apart and really it only takes about an hour to have it dismantled and reassembled and so that's what will happen tomorrow morning...without fail.  No way do

Wednesday 15th January

What a ridiculous night...as you know I had an early night last night and so at four thirty this morning I was champing at the bit and wide awake so got settled with Jim Butcher and another one bites the dust.  Unfortunately at three this afternoon I was ready for a nap but I fought it back and now I'm OK to go through until ten tonight as it stands at the moment.

What a horrible day.  It was overcast and dull after what was a promising start and this afternoon it started to rain.  Not that we don't need it but snow would have been good.  My friend has an apartment in Bansko and there is not a 'real' flake of snow there.  There are snow machines that are doing the things for the tourists but winter as I said has been kicked aside by a false spring but I'm sure it will come back with a vengeance later.

My problems today....my wood burner is belching out more smoke than I like to think about so tomorrow the pipes all come out.  I cleaned up as best I could without taking it apart and really it only takes about an hour to have it dismantled and reassembled and so that's what will happen tomorrow morning...without fail.  The fire was going and so today was not the day but no way do I want to wake up with carbon monoxide poisoning....not that I would but that's not the way I want to go...

Into my next Jim BUtcher...I believe I have a fixation but once the series is finished I'll go on to the next.  I'm about to do my pasta bake...well a girl needs to keep her intake up...woman cannot live by bread alone....pasta and chicken is an alternative.  LN...I think I've managed to track down an old workmate from years ago...I'll keep you informed...LM

Wednesday continued

Forgot to mention...I've tracked my parcel to Sofia...it should be here in a few days...

Wednesday 15th January

My parcel has arrived in Sofia...Let's see how long it takes to arrive in Dushinkovo....

Thursday 16th January

For those of you who know Kevin Bloody Wilson...I've had an absolute c*** of a day....those of you who don't...it's very funny but ignore the swear words.  So what went wrong?  I took out the pipes to the wood burner and it went ladies anatomy skywards after that.  So taking the pipes out is easy, cleaning them is easy, repositioning them is easy...so why the problem?   When I put them back there was smoke pouring out of every joint. I removed them, substituted what I thought were the cranky ones with others, put them back, lit the fire and still the smoke was pouring out.  I'd noticed that there was a fair amount of smoke in the bathroom which is where the pipe goes up to the chimney so I hammered that home and secured the others or so I thought.  Lit the fire again and still enough to call out the fire brigade so into Djebel and bought a whole new set of pipes and thought that that would solve the problem...Did it?  Did it buggery and tonight I am sitting with the windows open and thank goodness it's about twelve degrees outside.  Me thinks there is something stuck up the chimney and I might even invest in a callout to Bekir...sort the flippin thing.....

Apart from that quite a good day.  Gave Gouldjan a ring since I was in town and saved her from the four o'clock bus and deposited her at around three fifteen at her lane.  Hacibar came round with a pot of her home-made yogurt and that will be my breakfast.  Supper tonight was a chicken breast dutifully flattened by Lidl and served on toasted bread with tomato sauce and mayonnaise.  Not exactly part of the fat-free easy diet but very substantial for a smoked out individual.......I'm sleeping with all the windows open tonight...don't want to die in my bed...LN.....I'm too young to die...LN

Friday 17th January

What an exciting day.  The weather has been absolutely fabulous for January and I've been out gardening most of the day.  The old wild roses in the little garden have mostly gone and will flourish from being severely cut back.  I've discovered another couple of Japonica Keria so they will be planted out against the new wall.

I left my phone in the car overnight.....by accident and when I checked it I had had a call from an unknown number so I phoned it and it was....my parcel and they were checking whether they could deliver or not so they did...'sled ovet'...this afternoon.  As well as that excitement I had the post lady call and thank you Linda, the calendar arrived along with the card and she made me sign for it since it was recorded and wanted the customs declaration slip from the letter for some reason and I had to sign that as well.  Another parcel...my cable has arrived from the UK so I am back to getting my photos from my camera in the conventional way...thank goodness.

Just to recap on the heating.  I took all the pipes out this morning, replaced them, tested a candle over the aperture to the chimney from the bathroom and there was barely any movement of the flame so I had little faith that the new pipes would work.  True to form, the downstairs bathroom was filled in next to no time and I called Bekir for his take on it and he comes out tomorrow.  My knight in not so white shining armour if there is soot involved.  

Battened down with my woollen sweater on and a book.  Neil Diamond doing his stuff and a glass of red at my elbow and all's well with my world.  Beautiful moon tonight complete with halo...and surprisingly, no heat but the house is holding its own.  LN....back to my book and by the way....I'm on the tenth Jim Butcher...I'm not a slow reader...LN

Saturday 18th January

Beautiful morning, beautiful clouds and sunrise.  As for the rest of the day.  After breakfast I decided to try to unblock the pipe from where the soot is supposed to come out and the flue from the fire is supposed to go in.  Now the soot out pipe is situated about a meter down from the chimney in pipes and I'd reported a blockage to Bekir a few months ago and I'm told that there is nothing wrong with my chimney.  No I take umbrage at this...I have cleaned my pipes and woodburner religiously and the only thing that I see between the in pipe and the roof is your frigging chimney bricks.  

I spent the morning trying to clear the bottom half of the stack and I had this sudden image of Colditz.  I'm there trying to clear the top with a calving knife and the bottom with a length of wire and I suddenly got the giggles.  I interspersed this with a book and more breakfast until my knight in not so shining white armour looking at him when he'd finished.  Bekir was adamant that the chimney was clear..so up he went on the roof with a pole and a flue brush and started to ram down the contents of the chimney and what came down was a surprise to all of us.  Lots of bits of old brick, chimney linings and not too much soot as could be expected from three years of fire burning.  I think he was embarrassed. It was all due to bad workmanship but now everything in the flue pipe is rosy so to speak...no soot...no smoke and everything as it should be.  I rest my case.

As for me now...my fire is going, Neil Diamond is still singing his little heart out and I might even venture in the kitchen to see if there is anything worth cremating.  Tomorrow I am off to see my student and the family...all peace is restored in my neck of the woods...LN

Sunday 19th January

Now I've had a very chilled day and not in bodily terms now that my chimney is fixed.  I did fall asleep on the sofa last night and woke up at one thirty this morning with the fire still ticking over and forced myself into bed.  I tried to go to sleep straight away but it wasn't happening and I know better than to lie there and hope...on with the light...out with the book and I read for about an hour.  Straight through until seven this morning, made coffee and decided that it wasn't worth lighting the fire since I was out for my student at ten this morning.  I've put my newly acquired pet on my desk.  Not new to me but new to Bulgaria....he came over in the box.  My son bought it as a present for me several years ago and he's made of suede, that's the turtle not my son, and beautiful to stroke....

I had a very long lazy shower to get rid of the smoke and grime from the last couple of days, the bathroom tiles need washing down due to the fact that there was so much smoke happening in there.  I'd opened the window to let out the smoke but it seemed to force it to condense so it I have rivulets of dark stuff on the white tiles and that will be my task for tomorrow.  But getting back to me...washed me, my hair and went upstairs by which time the sun had burnt off the morning mist and warmed up the house despite lack of artificial heat.  Dried my hair, went for the black and grey look putting on my leather long waist coat that my daughter insists on calling my dustbin liner but I still wear it....and call it now 'classic'.  

Over to my student for about ten thirty and her parents were working in the garden getting rid of the weeds that are springing up.  As I've said...winter has been kicked out of the way by a very early and unusual spring and looking at the long-term forecasts...there doesn't seem to be any real threat of snow and minus temperatures.  My student was cooking and had prepared part of what was to be lunch.  The family came in and we discussed my trip to England and theirs to Istanbul and my student gave me a gift of a pashmina in a mustard colour.  I think it will become a favourite.  We didn't do much of a lesson but I'd taken a couple of Ladybird childrens' learning books on grammar and spelling that I'd picked up from the charity shop at home and the father and mother set about trying to read one of them and I think my student needs to look out.

Delicious lunch and that will do me until tomorrow morning.  We had beef cooked with potatoes, yogurt, grated carrots with pomegranate vinegar and my students banitsa...all prepared by her own fair hands.  I stayed there until three....back home, lit the fire and got some more wood in, put a load of washing in and at seven, thinking about a glass of the red.  The house is back to what it should be without a hint of smoke swirling around and I did get a call from Bekir this morning to check that all was well.....I think he was more than a little surprised what came down the chimney...LN....I think I'm going to make a work of art out of the chimney droppings and keep it in the little house for when they start on the chimneys....LN

Hi Elsa, Photos are great as usual. Glad u got the calender, It took its time...lol Love the turtle toy. Take care Linda & All.x

Monday 20th January

Thanks Linda...not sure why it took so long but the local post girl is new and she was really unsure whether I had to sign the custom's declaration and she had no idea why she was to take it and capture it for posterity.  Pleased you are all well and I promise to take care this year with the ice and snow but having said that....there is no ice and snow.  I'm told that it's not good since it since it will not kill off the 'microbes' and everyone will have the flu....are that old chestnut.  Hugs to you and gentle hugs for Rachel...

Well it's been a 'bitsa' day.  Six thirty start and the fire was still smoldering so I stick some kindling on it and it took about an hour for it to burst into life.  I realised that I had to get in some wood and for that I needed the wheelbarrow that was resting on its side from the last effort with the rose pruning and burning.  Now to do that I decided to clear out the burning stuff and get the bonfire going to clear the rest of the pruned branches and while I had the wheelbarrow in the garden I might as well remove the fence relics and stack those on the heap at the back of the workshop and so it went on.  The outcome... cleared the garden, burnt the rubbish, also cleared out the new polythene mine that I'd uncovered by the wall, got the wood in and it was more like an 'in tray' exercise that you put infront of students.  I passed.

Came in when the wind got up and I'd worked up a bit of a sweat...I could almost feel a chill starting.  Settled down with my book and before I knew it I'd gone out for the count for an hour or so and woke up from a dream where I was on the telephone to a new prospective employer (and where did that come from) and some one was berating me enough for me to put down the phone and sort them out.

Settled in and made a shepherds pie and delivered half of it to my Avatar and in return I got a dish of home-made yogurt.  That's village life for you.  It's gone really warm again tonight...when winter comes back none of us is going to be prepared for it but in my Avatar's house this evening it was so warm...but only in one room.  Thank goodness for central heating....LN....I'm going to shower, get in my pj's a curl up with my book...LN

Tuesday 21st January

Tonight it's going to be quick.  It's just started to thunder and I'm going to have to put this beauty to bed.

Woke up sixish, read for a while and then the clouds burst at about seven thirty and it was an amazing sky.  Soon clouded over though, we had a little rain, the wind got up and it brightened up.  It's been a cold wind all day with bits flying all over the place but I had some cards to make so I've been up on the pc most of the afternoon.  Two visitations ...one from my Avatar returning the dish so hers went back with some biscuits in it following on from the tradition of not returning it empty.  My second visit was from Haciber telling me that her grand-daughter of one year old have just come back from Sweden for a holiday and my present was a box of Peppercoka ginger biscuits.  What a lovely surprise that was so she sat for a while, she told me that the little ones are now walking around the furniture so they must all have their hands full with two little ones.

Supper tonight was the remains of last nights shepherds pie only tonight it was fried up and served up with...wait for it...HP sauce....delicious.  Harry Dresden is no more ...I have come to the end of the books that I have but the next one is called 'Ghost' but he's lost his magic apparently so maybe he's lost the magic as far as I'm concerned...have to find something else to go at.  LN....one extra large clap and I really must say goodnight....just got one photo from this morning...LN

Wednesday 22nd January

Beautiful sunrise this morning but just lately it seems to be par for the course.  It caught me by surprise...I'd not bothered with the fire since the temperature was ticking over at about fifteen in the house so I went up to sign on the computer, looked up and there it was in all its glory.  I'm just amazed at how different it is so I grabbed the camera, went out onto my balcony from the upstairs bedroom and took the photos from there when suddenly I heard a crackling and I couldn't work out where it was coming from and then I spotted it.  My neighbour in the next village had started one heck of a bonfire and it was that I could hear and a few seconds later I could see.  Took a few more and came inside and thought they were worth posting on Facebook and once into it, there's always the next comment to make but it's rather a pleasant way to pass an hour or so.

Finished making the birthday cards that I started last night and realised that they ought to get posted and not linger on my desk.....so into the Beast...off to the post office and received my official receipt for postage...(they don't have many letters going out) and they put the official stamp on by hand.  Decided that if I got the things on my list locally that I'd be home by one thirty so I had this calling to get myself into Kardjali.  The Mania shop was calling out to me and I managed to pick up a pair of dark grey jeggins, a green linen summer jacket and a merino wool Banana Republic role neck sweater for...total...just under ten lev...that's a fiver to you and me.  It was also a good excuse to go into the bank and demand my annual calendar and to top up my electricity and water account so that I didn't get near the mark again.  All achieved and left with a calendar....I went to the stationery shop and they will order any cartridges that I want for my new pen and managed to get some more 170 gram cartridge paper and the boy was determined to try out his English but it was a good job that I had some Bulgarian...

Stopped off at Lidl to get a few things and back to Djebel to my student's mum's shop for a chat and an update.  Left at four thirty and picked up eggs and bread from my local supermarket, home for just after five and fire going by five fifteen and shopping unpacked by five thirty.  Relaxing with a beer at six and all in all...I've had a lovely day.  It looks like Beauty might have the kiss of life tomorrow....my student's mum is determined that she shall live...LN...that second beer is calling me from the kitchen and I have to sort something for supper...LN

Thursday 23rd January

So it was a five thirty start and made a coffee but I'd left the water in the kettle overnight and it tasted tainted so tipped that one away and got fresh water boiled...much better.  Read for a while and played Angry Birds until it was one real angry bird that couldn't work out how to do one of the puzzles so moved up to the pc at about seven to check out emails and suddenly looked up and it was magical.  The light had just got on to the mountains and the mist was hanging in the valley.  I know I go on about the sunrises but to be honest ...no two mornings are the same and it still amazes me.

So out with the camera, took some of the usual or unusual ones and then noticed that the woodpecker was in the mulberry tree and bombing between that and the garden and stabbing furiously at something that it had found.  Out with the zoom lens on the Canon and I had to get the book out to remember how to change to the biggie lens.  Unfortunately had to take them from the house since it would have been off with the fairies if I'd have gone out on to the balcony.  For a first time...the results aren't too bad..practice makes perfect so they say and I should do more of it.  My Sony is just so good that I rely on it.

Out in the fresh air, dig some digging and planning of the new patch of garden.  It's in my head now so it should come together pretty quickly but snow is forecast for tomorrow night so it probably a little too early to start putting plants in and moving stuff.  Got some washing out and it was dry in quicksticks and managed to get it in just before the rain started.  Acuweather is so good....told me that the rain was happening and it did.  Cleared up again quite quickly, sat out for a while reading a new series of Jim Butcher, chicken into the oven and with a jacket potato but the jacket potato came to nothing...Lidl specials from yesterday.  Red cabbage cooked in oil and butter to my specification and with a little beer to wash it down I feel quite sufficed but I put in a quarter of an apple strudel to cook while I was eating main and I'm about to have that with fresh yoghurt.  Stuffed as a little tick I'll be tonight.

Radio 2 on for most of the day...Johnny Walker is doing his stuff and I'm amazed how many traffic accidents there are ....Off down to get settled with the book and I might even be going back to that Angry Bird that I couldn't manage this morning.  LN....I have birds to pluck...LN

Thursday continued

And the rest that I've just messed up....dohhhh...

Friday 24th January

So up with the lark...well I think I beat him to it.  Five ten for me and not even the moon was there to greet me...fog everywhere which of course sodded up my sunrise and it actually appeared at about one this afternoon.  Not to be deterred, I designed a set of book marks and cards for the local school for children with learning difficulties for our Baba Marta day on the 1st March and there's nothing like being early.  I thought the children could give their mothers the cards as presents and the bookmarks could be sold to aid funds for drawing materials etc.  And it's still only eight o'clock...

Toast and Vegemite for breakfast, tidied my upstairs bedroom, folded my sweaters and promised myself that I would buy nothing else from my cheap shop.  Read for a while, walked the garden despite the fog, set fire to the remains in the bonfire pit and then got my head down for an hour or so.  That's the trouble with waking up early.  I checked the weather report on Acuweather and it said rain at four and it was right.  Fortunately I'd got my wood in for the day so didn't need to dodge the raindrops.

So this afternoon I thought I'd get my new Kindle onto the PC and get a few books over.  So I had to update Windows Media Player and I am told that because of what I am running it's not supported and did I want to buy another version of software at several million dollars...did I buggery....so it looks like my little Kindle is going to suffice instead of my all singing and dancing new Christmas present.  As they say...the old ones are the best.

Supper is chicken curry and it's sitting on the woodburner finishing off.  A little beer is whetting my appetite and I'm now wishing that I had lime pickle and mango chutney to go with it.  Might take a look in Lidl if they have another 'Spice' week or get down dirty and make some...it can't be that difficult.  So LN...I'm off to savour the results of my labour...LN...

Saturday 25th January

Six forty start...it's getting back to normal.  The house was still warm so no need to rush to light the woodburner so back to bed with a coffee but I opened the curtains just in case there was a hit of morning but there wasn't a lot happening out there and the rain was gently falling after it had been throwing it down all night.  Apparently there is snow in the north of Bulgaria but it's not due here until tonight when the temperature drops and tomorrow it's likely to be coming down all day according to Remsie when she came round this afternoon.  She arrived with her grandson and I was handed a mobile and my challenge was to change the language on it from English to Bulgarian so I went into settings and I was only offered English, Netherlands, French and German but not a mention of Bulgarian.  Back it went to the grandson and I suggested that they went back to the shop where they'd taken out the contract to see if they could do anything with it.  They was a button to restore factory settings and if it was my phone I would have attempted it....not mine...hand the problem to something else.

So what have I done today?  Not an awful lot.....I got enough wood in for tonight and tomorrow, messaged my student and said that if it's snowing tomorrow not to expect me, carried on with kitting the collar for the shawl I'm making and got stuck into the new book by Jim Butcher but so far I can't say I'm enthralled.  I've had another day of Radio two and it's been company today.  I think if it's fine you can be outside and 'doing' but it's been a day of bitsas.  I think I need to get the sewing machine out and get constructive...it's much quicker than knitting.

Well there has just been a flash of lightening so it's going to call a halt to this update...LN...and there's the first clap of thunder...I'm off...LN

Sunday 26th January

Happy Birthday to my nephew that came out to stay with me in November.  He's reached the big five oh....and I used to baby sit for him which is making me feel very old today...

So last night it was pelting down with rain and there wasn't a hint of snow.  I went to the little girl's room at three and still nothing of the white stuff but at seven I woke up and checked the garden and fields and there it was.  I'm so child-like when it comes to snow.  There's something about it that brings back happy memories of playing in it, getting mittens wet, coming in for a new lot and then getting hot aches in your hands as you began to thaw out.  I had a very understanding mother...

Coffee, out with the camera before the light was even up and it gave everything a very blue glow but over to the desk as the light was rising and I took the one  with the picture frames from my desk.  The house held the temperature well overnight...it was minus six outside and fifteen inside before I lit the wood burner and only went up marginally after it was pumping away.  Breakfast was toast with the jelly scrapings from the dish I'd used to roast the chicken and it reminded me of Boxing morning breakfasts of turkey jelly.  

Interesting phone call from my daughter which came as a surprise...they have booked to come out here for a few days and I'm over the moon...now to get the house 'finished' like getting the bath installed though I do have the wet room downstairs but I know she'll take me as she finds me.  Got out the snow shovel and cleared the terrace off but looking at it now, you'd never know.  It's been a bit frantic on email and Facebook this afternoon...everybody must have been indoors because of the naff weather in the UK.

Tin of tuna for lunch with mayo so no need for anything for tonight.  Six thirty my time, it's still snowing and the temperature has dropped already.  It's supposed to be minus eight tonight according to my weather station and this could go on for a couple of days.  Shutting up shop downstairs and pulling the curtain...I'm in for the night and it's time the beer came out.  LN....still on the Lidl German stuff....and there are a few more bottles left...I'll see what I can do...LN

Monday 27th January

Happy birthday to my eldest grandson today...where do the years go.  He's fifteen going on...usual teenage stuff but lovely with it.

Late start for me but I sat up last night with my very old laptop to see if I could apply enough updates to it to talk to my new Kindle.  One of the clock when I got to bed and all I had for company while I was working away was a glass of wine....and a box downstairs to keep topping it up with.  I uploaded seventy six updates and the laptop is so old that I think it has a crank handle on the side of it but this morning when I tried the Kindle with it...it recognised it for being what it was and I was able to get the new books on it.  I don't have WiFi in the house as yet....only a dongle connection but come March...my contract expires and I'm over to Momchilgrad where I'm assured I can get a satellite dish and all the trimmings for the same price that I'm paying now and with visitors in April....I need an all singing and dancing connection.

Cooked breakfast for me.  I'd taken out a chunk of bacon last night so this morning it was bacon, fried bread and a fried egg with HP sauce but boy did I suffer afterwards.  Not used to so much fatty stuff so played on the PC for a while to let it move down the alimentary canal until I worked up the energy to clear the terrace, filled the log basket and walk the garden.  Out came the camera and I took a few pictures as I surveyed the estate realising that an new outside toilet door wouldn't go amiss.  It was minus four our there but a glimmer of sun so not so bad.

Settled in for the afternoon and read for a while and generally played around with the other favourite website that I use and Facebook....The fire was stoked up this afternoon as I could feel the temperature drop and it's supposed to be minus seven tonight and I can well believe it.  The curtain is drawn downstairs and I'm building up the heat to make it really cosy for the evening.  My desk get's heat from the fire as it rattles up the stairwell and upstairs is fine but I just need to conserve some of it for downstairs.

So...I tried to take photos last night of the snow but all I got was the garden with the outside spotlight on but managed lots today and I marvelled at the Iris that are pushing up their heads despite everything that nature throws at it.  LN....I'm off for another sample of the red stuff and to see what is available in the kitchen..LN

It's quite a winter wonderland down your way. What's your elevation?

Tuesday 28th January

Quoted from 38714

It's quite a winter wonderland down your way. What's your elevation?

I think it's 399 meters in the yard and over 400 on my top landing.  I love it here and yes, I live with nature.  Sunrises inspire me although not much of one this morning.  I know that yellow thing is up there somewhere Chris...just not visible.  It's so quiet here...the road outside only goes down to the next couple of villages and commuter traffic is normally around seven in the mornings and that's probably one bus and four cars and the evening rush is the same cars and the same bus at about five but if there is only about three people for the bus...the driver brings them back in the car.  That's village life for you.  Of course we have the occasional mad taxi driver and a couple of 'boyo's',  the cows are our sleeping policemen, the odd flock of sheep and the horse and carts stop the rest of the maniacs with the odd concrete 'hump' added for good measure.....As for the sunsets...you've seen enough of those...everyone different.  

Thanks Chris for your interest...  

Tuesday continued

What a cold miserable day with not a hint of the sun. I did the usual chores but had a bonfire to get rid of the rubbish which upset the cats a bit as they tried to forage and nothing for them.  As it happened I cast all of the leftovers over the fence including some rice chicken 'stuff' that was going to be made into a heart warming soup but I forgot all about it and it sat in the slow cooker for a day or so....so not for me any more...the animals are welcome to it.

My student's mum emailed me this morning to tell me that she had ordered some special toothpaste recommended by the dentist and that it had arrived. I let her know that I wouldn't be out and about for a few days unless I ran out of bread or alcohol.  On the bread front I'm down to about four slices and my three litre wine box is so far standing up to the snow quite well.

So we are supposed to have more snow tonight and wet snow tomorrow....I'm not sure what the difference is...if it's cold enough it surely doesn't matter if it's wet or dry but I'm sure someone can expound the theory for me.... and we are supposed to be having between fifteen and twenty centimetres tonight but the afternoon 'flurries' didn't materialise.

Stuffed myself into my book this afternoon but brought out a blanket and got stashed under it...the fire was going but I was not up to much activity...Bekir phoned to check that everything was OK...I think the fact that the chimney was blocked worried him....and I put his mind at ease.  So...spaghetti bolognaise for supper, it's finishing off on the woodburner...just need to do the spaghetti....and some of the wine box went into it......but goodness me....I might be snowed in so I'd prefer it in a glass instead of in the food....well who wouldn't......LN...kitchen duties raise their ugly heads...and I'm off for that wine box....LN

And a further update...

That's why I like Accuweather....it's started to snow....

And that's why I DON'T like Acuweather..... No snow forecast for Brighton right through til March...... No snow days.....  

Wednesday 29th January

Quoted from Princess

And that's why I DON'T like Acuweather..... No snow forecast for Brighton right through til March...... No snow days.....  

Snow days are for 'special' people Princess and people who go out there and make snowmen and things....and so I'll but his snowballs in the freezer for you....   

Silly night last night....couldn't settle and was up playing Freecell at two thirty and watching the snow fall.  Eventually went back to bed at four and slept fitfully until seven fifteen.  Coffee, fire lit and back on the PC until I heard the bread wagon tooting his horn so I was on with the padded trousers over the PJs, on with the woolly hat, snow boots and the Down Jacket and walked down to find four of my ladies there already in just cardies and little rubber shoes.  I must admit it was much warmer today than yesterday but it was still snowing and it was wet snow.  I picked up a couple of loaves of bread, one for immediate consumption (well not all of it) and one for the freezer. Decided to clear the terraces off and get the wood in before I cooked breakfast and found a the remainder of yesterdays can of beans in the fridge.  So my breakfast was baked beans on toast and by three this afternoon, I was ready for lunch.  It must be something to do with the cold weather, a good breakfast and doing something to work it off.

The snow stopped at about ten thirty and suddenly the temperature went up and even though the terraces had completely covered over again, it melted and the sun was struggling to come through.  By one o'clock there was some blue sky and a milky sun but it just got better and the ice from the roof downpipes was melting and you could hear the water running.  I got my snow scrape and moved the snow that the snow plough had left from in front of the gate so that I could get the Beast out if I had to, cleared the snow from the jeep and build a sort of snowman on it's bonnet that looked more like Casper than Casper.  Read for a while this afternoon, had an early lunch by warming up the rest of the spaghetti bolognaise from yesterday, generally spent time in the garden crunching around and took loads of pictures.

Fire has been going beautifully all day...ticking along nicely and everything in my corner of the globe, not that it has corners because it's a globe, is OK....going to have a shower and get out of my PJs and into another lot...slut I hear you say...LN....seven fifteen or thereabouts...and I can have my first wine of the day....LN  

Thursday 30th January

What a horrible cold, miserable day without even a hint of that yellow thing that's supposed to support my central heating.  It hasn't got above minus two all day and it was almost too much effort to get most of the usual things done.  The fire did manage to go all night thought and on my night-time visit to the little girls room I threw on another log and so generally speaking it has been OK inside but I think I like to see the sun at some point.  Yes I know it's winter, but that's no excuse for the sort of day we've had.

It's been a bitsa day again.  I've done some knitting to try and finish the Christmas present that was put to one side when I went off to England and it was all down to a design fault on my part.  Now I have the solution but I'm blowed if I can find the enthusiasm to finish it.  I've played Angry Birds, started reading another of Jim Butcher...the Codex series which again is a SciFi and onto the second book and not sure if I'm enjoying it or not.  I really must find out in which order he did the Dresden or the Codex as to whether he'll improve or not.  Got the wood in late...again I am in last night's PJ's with my padded trousers over them.  There is nothing to do in the garden, Casper is still hanging on to the Beast's bonnet, the road is clear and I suppose I could start an inside project but my heart's not really in it today.  Cabin fever was one expression that came to mind and it looks like we're going to have more snow over the weekend just to top it all off.  I think tomorrow I will take the Beast out for a spin, well hopefully not, and go into Djebel for a few things.  Two day old spaghetti tonight didn't really do it for me and I have other things in the freezer but the roads seem pretty good so it would kill two birds with one stone...fresh stuff in and this old bird out.

So I'm going back to my book and Angry Birds...the fire is going well and the house is warm enough...I think I'm just feeling flat tonight but I suppose it makes you appreciate the euphoria more...anyway...I'm off downstairs....let's see if a little music might lift the spirit or a glass of the red...LN

Friday 31st January

Happy New Year of the Horse..Some of my friends will appreciated the greeting.

Late sleep this morning and the fire was still going so it was top up time and the water in the radiators was going round in quicksticks.  Shower, shampoo, breakfast of scrambled eggs and out to start the car to go into Djebel.  It hit me as soon as I got into the fresh air...it was bloody cold, icy so I checked the thermometer and it was minus six and felt it.  Walked down to my Avatars to see if she wanted anything from Djebel but no little rubber shoes were in sight, Cinderella had flown the nest so she never got to know.

Tried to remove Caspar from the bonnet of the Beast but only managed to remove his head.  The body eventually left the bonnet as I rounded the last bend into Djebel and so I wasn't able to show my student's mum the result of my labour.  Sat for about an hour chewing over the fat, updating her with my comings and goings and picked up the toothpaste that she had ordered for me from the internet.  It's called Yotuel and is supposed to be the dentist's safe guard against tooth decay and anything else that is active in the mouth area.  Picked up another winebox of the red stuff, a loaf of freshly baked bread, a chicken and some eggs and I'm still not sure what comes first....Phoned Gouldjan and she was finishing work at two thirty so waited around until then, filled up with diesel since there was little in the tank and home for just after three,  Lit the fire again since it was in the death throws....got in the wood and it was soon belting hot water through the radiators. Supper was a concoction of spicy sausage, onions and a fried egg on new bread helped down with a glass of the red stuff and I've just realised how late it is for the update.  I was watching live tv and must have nodded off which just about sums up how boring British TV is.  Onwards and upwards...just before eleven my time...it's time for bed.  LN...where did the evening go...LN

Happy New Year, horse  
So have you registered The Beast in BU finally - or is it my flaky memory that it had a UK reg in Nov?

BTW, this snowy scene photo from last Thu (I think) is fairly breathtaking - to me at least. Then again, you can easily blow me over with a feather!
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Hugs hun x x