Tuesday 8th April

Six o'clock start and it was four thirty when I finally put my mop and bucket away and sat down for a cuppa knowing full well that I had to get my act together and get into Djebel to see the man about the food requirements for Friday night.

The lamb is running its last evenings free as a bird and Bekir is doing the necessary for me and asked me if I wanted pictures of the poor thing so I said I'll leave it for this time....I don't really want to see it's little face at every mouthful I consume.

Headed off for Kardjali after requirements had been committed to paper but the owner of the restaurant insisted that I had the wife of the garage down for confirmation of the order.  Now there was nothing difficult about it but I feel that he just had to make sure that everything is going to be alright and believe me, I'm leaving it in his capable hands.

So the boys have been working away and I got a phone call from Bekir this lunchtime and I thought they had a problem but he was just checking that I was OK....he's so sweet.  He said that they were getting on well with the work in hand and I think it makes a change and the coffee is probably more regular than mine has been of late....it's been a bit of 'I'm off and the kettle's there'.....the school master stops for 'a brew' more regularly than I do.

Lidl shopping complete and list sent over to daughter so that we don't duplicate....boo-boed in Kaufland...got nothing weighed up and caused confusion at the checkout to some real 'humphs' from people behind.  I apologised profusely....and home now, shopping away, red wine on the go, Weiner schnitzel  for supper and almost ready to get my head down.....LN....Tomorrow Princess and co arrive.....we are all looking forward to it but unfortunately SatNav doesn't list the 'Anglechanka Dushinkovo'....Directions have been sent via Hotmail....LN

Wednesday 9th April

Beautiful sunrise this morning and checked emails and things.  The school master wanted to arrange to pick up the trailer but he didn't answer so I ended up asking Bekir to pass on a message. Eight thirty they were here, Bekir wanted the phone number of the ballast man so that he could order some for the school, the trailer was attached to the jeep and off they went.  So today I had the last of the work to do and I got a text to say that they had arrived but had to pick up the hire car from terminal two not terminal one and one kind bastard taxi driver took them the four kilometres for ...and wait for it....ten EURO.  Such a kind rip off merchant.

Work finished, got out the lawn mower and did the top half of the garden and the rest can wait.  It's the clover that seems to grow quicker than anything.  Decided that I would  shower and change before they arrived and I was expecting a text telling me that they had arrived in Djebel but no text and a car stopped outside and my family had arrived.  Such a wonderful reunion and on my turf.

Did the estate, supper was pork with roasted veg and potatoes wedges.  Number one grandson has taken to his bed since it's ten o'clock but they did have to start at three this morning.  In our corner of the world it's been a good day....LN....we're all having an early night..LN

Thursday 10th April

Beautiful day.....everyone slept in late and my first guest to arrive downstairs was at eight thirty this morning.....my grandson slept in until nine thirty and we had a selection of fruit salad and yogurt, spicy sausage, baked beans and fried eggs and sat around until ten thirty with various people disappearing for showers and reappearing wrapped in towels.....this is the joy of family life.

So off we set for Kardjali despite the downpour that lasted until well into the afternoon and it was definitely not a shower....over to my favourite shop and down into the  basement for the Thursday bargains and my daughter found it hanging on the rail.  A fantastic evening gown which she shot into the changing room and tried on and emerged looking absolutely beautiful,  The assistant smiled and mouthed 'One leva' and back into the changing room, on to the scales with the dress and the young lady reminded me that there was a twenty percent discount,  One dress, thirty five leva,,,,,what a surprise. Next shop the shoe shop and pink trainers for Princess and then up to the restaurant on the lake despite the rain,  Chicken skewers for everybody with cheesy chips and salad and then back to Kardjali town and the gun shop just to see what was on offer.  Over to Billa for a few supplies, Lidl for lemonade and to check out the offers and back to Djebel for an introductory tour showing off my family.

Got the fire going again and the boys went out with the gun and set up a target and shot away to their hearts content.....I sat around with my daughter and it was just like the old days, The camera is not to hand,,,,but will be in the morning and the light should be right to capture the beautiful bargain in the morning.  LN...it won't be long before we all head off for the wooden hills....it's been a very relaxed day...LN

Friday 11th April

Breakfast is over...the sun has just made itself known to my guests and at last it's looking more like the Bulgaria I love and adore.

So before you all die with frustration at not really knowing how the DRESS really looks...I'm posting the picture....After that we're heading for a fun packed day, we need more cartridges for the air rifle for target practice later and a new challenge has been set.  At forty meters my grandson has to hit one of the baked beans printed on the label from the can we opened this morning....such is life on a hillside.  Now to get on with the day.

Saturday 12th April

Yesterday off to Kardjali so that we could get more pellets for the air rifle and another purchase was made...another air rifle and so father and son faced each other and it was pistols at ...well three o'clock in the afternoon.  The afternoon found us at the school that we were pipped to the post at an auction by a local.  It was what had turned my daughter and co away from moving here but it was good to go back eight years later and bury the past.  We came back over Mishevo, settled in while the boys were playing and there was a deputation from the ladies of the village;e that came bearing gifts.  We soon realised that we had to get a move on to get to the restaurant in time for the other guests.

The party was for family and friends that are part of my life here.  A private room, a brilliant chef, a lamb selected by Bekir and food served by what was my first student here who unbeknown to me was the daughter of the chef.  Beautiful table with salads, yogurt dips, cheesy chips, drinks both soft and alcoholic and a full cabaret on the sheep preparation and deliverance.  Wonderful night...I'm sure everything worked well but unfortunately some guests didn't arrive and despite a telephone call we couldn't managed to track them down.

We eventually called it a day at about eleven thirty leaving with doggy bags and some lucky doggies got some of the offerings at the Librarians.  Mine is still in the fridge and tomorrow I'll look at it with a view to doing something with it.

Late start for us all this morning and we went for a spin to Zlatograd despite the rain.  Home for early afternoon and Gouldjan came round and delivered a couple of bottles of plum brandy for the boys.  Off to deliver goodies for the ladies of the village this afternoon while the boys shot at targets and everyone showered and shampooed, packing done and supper over and my family leave at five thirty in the morning so there isn't much humour going around this evening but if they don't go...they can't come back.  LN...four days have gone very quickly...LN

Sunday 13th April

The visit is over....packed them off at five forty this morning for the drive to the airport and the home seems remarkably empty.  I've come to realise that it is a home not just a house.  The status has changed ...my family have made the trek and they love it here....they didn't want to leave and there were tears and 'grab Nan' was heard as they pulled out of the drive.  They've got to come back...they've left things here that they have to come back for in the form of hair straighteners, an air rifle, perfume and a pair of jeans.  I did suggest leaving the boy to do the lawns for me but they wouldn't dream of it.  

So on to today...there's a hint of pink in the sky but I think that's about all we'll get for today.....I'm going to miss them all...moon and back Princess..xx

Looks like you had a lovely time Elsa, and are missing them dearly already. The meal looked very flash and they were all spoilt rotten. Take care. Sarah. X

Sunday continued

Over to my student's for ten thirty more or less and sorted out the confusion about Friday night.  I was waiting for them and they were waiting for me to confirm...what a shame but there will be other nights...it was such a success that we shall do it all again.  Stopped off on the way and bought five litres of oil and my other student was manning the shop and I call him Mr. Ten Percent...while he's working ...this is his wage.  He asked why CJ hadn't been to see him yesterday...I said that three days were not enough and they we spent it together...He reckons that he should go to England again this year....we shall see.

Not much of a lesson...had lunch and took the family to the father's grave.  It was a three year anniversary so they went to pay their respects.  I carried on with the father to my furniture manufacturers but as we approached the lane there was a digger digging up the lane and laying a water pipe.  So I jumped the ditch, over to the house, the chest was ready and a couple of lads carried it down to Beauty and I secured it in the back with bungee ropes so that it didn't bask against the back window.  Back to Djebel and dropped off the father.  I must really buy him a gift....he has been so good with his time.

Home and managed to get the chest in the house more by hook than by crook and it now sits in the lounge until I can get Bekir and Sally to get it upstairs.  Text from Princess to say that they had just found their car in Gatwick and to thank me....No...I should be thanking them.  Fire going, beer out and got my head down for an hour or so this afternoon.  Fire still going and I'm about to run the bath and linger with another beer in the bath....Oh it's such a hard life that my daughter now fully appreciates....

LN...tomorrow is a down day as it stands at the moment but the vegetable patch beckons.... ...LN

Monday 14th April

Earlyish start but I decided that my bed was as good a place to be as any and my Kindle served me well.  Coffee at about seven, the weather appears to have settled down a little....no rain but very cloudy start with no sight of the Greek mountains to start my day.  Found some bacon in the fridge that was beckoning me and fried off an egg and with some HP brown sauce make one heck of a breakfast.

Eventually the fog lifted and I could hang out washing that I'd done overnight and as I said my challenge for today should I choose to accept it was the vegetable patch....and I chose to accept it.  Worked for a while and made the mistake of looking up and seeing how much there was still to do.  I'd done about a third of it and practicalities took over and out came the lawn mower and I hacked down the other two thirds to manageable proportions.  Trouble is that having seen the size of what's left the thought came to mind ...did I really want such a big veggie patch.  As it stands now...half of it is completed and double dug over, and the rest is mown.  I'm very tempted to do the last quarter and leave a tract of grass between the beds,,,more than enough for me for tomatoes, cucumbers, beetroot, some garlic and onions.  After all I only play at it.   Moved on to the flower beds at the side of the patch and almost cleared the long bed but the back was giving up a little at this point so moved on to the easy second bed.  The rest I'll complete tomorrow and I felt that I'd done enough for one day.

Brought in the washing, put it away and went upstairs and lay on my upstairs bed for a while taking in the view.....unfortunately I nodded off for an hour...so now supper is delayed and might be non-existent....the beer is out, the fire is chugging along nicely and I'm so relaxed...I've had a good day.

I really must check out the contents of the bowls that we brought back from the lamb night.....and either use them or ditch them and return the bowls to the restaurant...LN....I'm back to my book and my glass...and a few more pickies of the visit...LN...