Sunday 1st June

My first night in my upstairs bedroom and what a lovely night's sleep I had.  I'd forgotten what a good mattress felt like and with a five footer there's so much more room to spread.  Six o'clock when I came too and I can see the clock on the landing from my bed without glasses and realised that I could turn over and it was seven when I eventually felt the need to get a coffee.  It wasn't so good to wake up to.  It had rained again in the night and was still raining when I went out on to the balcony to view the estate and take stock of the morning but I soon came in and struck up the pc to see what the world had to offer and as it turned out, not a lot.

Decided to print out the photos that my student's mother had asked me to do and I took the two photos of her parents and put them together and framed them for her.  The father's photo was taken when he'd been in the army for only six weeks and it was quite poignant.  It was of his parents and his younger brother but unfortunately the brother died but to capture them all together in their youth was worth printing up.  I'd also cropped and enlarged the one taken in the army so that their faces were really showing their emotions....and when the photos were handed over there were tears from all the recipients.   Don't you hate it when that happens...   Came out of the gate today and looked towards where I normally park my car on the outside and it wasn't there.....Because I'd been concentrating on heading down to my Avatar's house to deliver a photo for her I'd not engaged my brain and yes...my car was in the drive where I'd left it...doh.

My lesson today consisted of discussing the world problems and it's enlightening for them to have a different point of view.  We discussed  Mr Farage and the English stand on Europe and talked about the contributions made by Spain, Greece and Portugal to name just a few...and with Bulgaria going with the GERP party for what it's worth.  After all this is Europe we're talking about.  Lunch at their was chicken wings with various salads and the older daughter had made a layer cake with strawberries from the garden and it was delicious.  The father is still going through the pangs from his operation and I know we shouldn't laugh but we really can't help it.

Left at about four and home for about four forty five after stopping off at the supermarket and collecting essential supplies like a wine box and some beer....pork steaks and spicy sausage but I don't think I shall be spending long in the kitchen after what we put away at lunchtime with some lovely new potatoes from their garden.  We still received several visitors to see the invalid and it's out with the chocolates and on with the coffee for all guests.  Nice touch...

Ticking towards seven my time.  I lit the fire when I got back and now the temperature of the house is about right but goodness it's cold for this time of year....what has happened to Europe's weather?  As I said, no supper for me but the winebox is open...and that could spell disaster....Acknowledgement received from the recipient of the poppy picture...I believe she's heading this way someday...it would be nice if it were sooner rather than later....LN.....I have things to do but then out with the book and relax.....and I have to post pictures on a new posting....all to do with the software I use...LN

Tuesday 2nd June

I decided to have a bath last night and soak away my cares and woes and what did I wake up to  at two this morning....lying in cold water but clean as the proverbial whistle...And this morning?   You've guessed...rain again...this is Bulgaria now bugger off...  It came down in buckets until about five this afternoon so I went out and did some clearing and moved the concrete pole that has been bugging me for a while now.  The buys looked at it and thought that they needed at least three people to move it and to move it to the bottom of the garden they probably do but to move it so that I can put Beauty under the tree and not bash the tyres on a concrete post...jobs a guddun so to speak.

As for this morning...I set to and cleaned everything that stood still and saluted everything that moved...and not a lot moved.  The house is now cleaned to accept guests and it's not for their benefit...it's for mine believe me.  The only job left to do is to empty the toilet waste bins and what's the point since there will be an accumulation tomorrow...so job left for tomorrow.  Floors all done, windows were given a miss since the rain will insist on coming down and all I have to do is collect from Kardjali at the allotted hour and that can be any time dependent on easyJet and the speed of delivery of the luggage on the carousel.  

As I said..the rain came down this morning while I was doing my Cinderella routine and out came the sun at about five.  Out I went, had about a couple of hours doing 'stuff'.  Came in and started supper which was to fry off some pork fillet that I'd thawed out, fried off thinly sliced onions and potatoes and with a good dollup of mayo and tomato sauce supper was ready in quick sticks and was delicious.  

The sky's not sure what it wants to so.  It has now clouded over again and it looks like rain and the forecast says that we have this crap weather for the next two weeks.....I'm going to find me a place in the sun......Turkey seems like a cool choice...or a hot choice.  I've finished the Sand Queen and I have no comments to make....it needed an ending and didn't have one.  I'm now back to Mr Rutherford and his New Forest....I'll let you know.

So I've a little red Merlot on the go....no fire tonight but I'm thinking that I should have lit it since the temperature had dropped as has the cloud base.  I'll persevere and suffer for my art.....little to do tomorrow except clear up the weeds that I've dropped everywhere today and get a really good bonfire going.  LN...sleep well all you good people....and I'm hoping that the sun starts to shine on the righteous....LN

Tuesday 3rd June

Six o'clock start and there was a hint of sun all be it hidden by the morning mist....and it shone...eventually.  Finished most of my list but realised that the quilt cover I had for the single quilt was on my headboard on my bed so out with the sewing machine and by seven thirty this morning I had a new cover made out of one of the white sheets that came with a set.  Downstairs guest bedroom finished, towels in place, toilet and kitchen rubbish burning...bring them on.  

Had a shower and washed my hair and even had time to do my nails before I set off at just after one.  I'd already loaded the plastic bottles for the garage to recycle and the bottles for the bank into the car and so I delivered the plastic bottles to the shop and stayed talking to my student's mother for about an hour.  Went into my first supermarket and filled up with bottled fruit and some plants that were desparately in need of a new home.  From there I went to get a pair of black shoes like the ones that I bought the other day for fifteen leva and then over to the bus station to pick up my guest.  I got a text saying that the bus was experiencing problems but they were still moving and a little later a second text to say that he was sitting in the cafe.... I joined him for a coffee and over to Lidl to get in a few provisions, back to Djebel for the bread and mayonnaise and then home sweet home,  Unpacked the car, plants into a water bath, trout with lemon in the over while we sat outside having a mastica while I sliced the beans and peeled potatoes.  Supper was delicious and to follow peaches with yogurt for the health concious and I had cream with mine.....A little more mastica to follow...he's unpacked and the settled, the fish bones are being consumed by yet another fire and the sun came out to say goodnight.  LN...let's hope the good weather comes back for another day...LN

Wednesday 4th June

I was awake at four hearing my guest go to the loo and again at six  when the light began.  I'd say the sun began to rise but it didn't and never did all day.  What utter crud weather all day...rain in the morning. rain in the afternoon and it's still raining now.  My down pipes from the guttering are creating pools of water and I'm expecting tadpoles any day soon and I know someone has stolen my mountains and believe, they will pay....

As for the rest of the day...I have been upgraded from XP to Windows 7 and there hasn't been a hair turned.  I got a little stressed at one point but that's situation normal for me with my ex in residence.....we can't live with each other but at least we acknowledge it....   Breakfast was tomatoes on toast, lunch was cold meats with my beetroot and onion preserve and supper was roast chicken with jacket potatoes, peas and carrots....and it's early days...the novelty for being a domestic goddess will wear off as my friends know....

As for tomorrow...I'm on my knees as we speak facing Mecca for good weather.  I have gardening to do and he has to go measure up wood and go woodworking...I have the list ready chiselled in stone and woe betide him if some of it isn't achieved by the end of the first week...I'm a hard task master.

As for the weather....it's till not nice....I'm going back to my wine box and the box of chocolate biscuits...LN

Thursday 5th June

Seven start which was good for me.  It was a little chilly though this morning and try as it might it took ages for the sun to make an appearance but it was short lived.  The mist was hanging in the valley but the mountains had been hidden from view....so much for summer and I know that I'm going on about it...but it's not what we expect.

Anyway on to better things.....I decided to move more of the soil from my Zinnia bed and the tomb garden and stick in down the side garden nearest the sheep field.  Out with the trusty rake and the wheelbarrow, moved it around a bit and the tomb garden is beginning to take shape at long last.  It's all because we moved the boundary....it needs a bit of creative thought and slowly but surely it's coming round.  I really need to drop the level and take away the bank that was there and I suppose you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs or so they say.

So the fun and games today.  I was working away and a helicopter came very close to my perimeter fence, shot off towards Momchilgrad and I thought that was the last we had seen of it and not a camera within striking range.  Ever hopeful I went and got both of them and went back to working and was rewarded.  We were well and truly sprayed but I don't know what we're now protected against.  A couple of years ago it was to rid us of Colorado beetle that had infested the tobacco crops but this year I've only seen them in the allotment next to me on the potatoes and none in my garden.  My usual hand spray is called Attaka and by golly does that work.  One thing I found out about them though is that they are laid the previous autumn and over winter in the soil.  I must have taken adequate precautions last year.  Excitement over... it set off for Kardjali so I took to digging up dandelion roots using a new technique that appears to work but it could be down to the fact that the soil is waterlogged.  I think the record for the root was just over a foot long but I didn't record the happy scene...I put them straight on the bonfire but I think they'll need ignition again tomorrow...everything's pretty damp.

Supper was the remains of last night's chicken in curry sauce.  I got out my new jars of lime pickle and mango chutney hand delivered by my guest but I shan't tell future guests about it...the lime pickle has to last a year or thereabouts.  Beer out, washing up done, fire going gently to keep out the damp...LN....my glass is empty and the curry needs a gentle push down...LN

Amazing pictures of the helicopter Elsa. Hope the weather gets better there soon, all it does is rain here at the moment and expecting thunder and hail tomorrow,  what joy! That wall you built should keep the cows out now and the garden looks like its coming on lovely. Take care. Sarah.

My word the place is looking absolutely awesome! I can hardly wait till we are over and will be sure to plague you with multiple visits!

Friday 6th June

Thanks Sarah and not long now before you see the real thing...as for you my lovely Bob..bugger off and stop threatening me....

Glimmer of sun this morning and it has been a day of variances.  I was out there this morning and generally ended up as dog's body to my guest as we argued about how I wanted my new headboards for the third bedroom to look.  He has fixed ideas and so do I but I pull rank on 'it's my house' and rest my case.  The designs are done in power-point and we'll see how alike the original conception they turn out to be.  Now as for me....it could be designed on the back of a cigarette packet and the design becomes moderated as I hit obstacles....not so with this man but I'm sure I'll get what I want with  the sword of Damacles hovering!!

In for a late lunch and I was out there again clearing up the rest of the scythed grass andthrowing it over the fence for the animals and generally clearing so that lawnmowing would be a joyous occasion.  My guest took over the easy bit throwing the lawnmower around and I went back to taking out the bindweed from the bottom garden and clearing the crap so that I could plant up some more seeds that are supposed to be...spread, rake and water...and there is supposed to be a million and one different seeds in the box to give me a beautiful looking display....let's wait and see.  I spread, raked and watered...I expect miracles by morning...

So as we sat out with a beer and six I noticed that the sparrows were having a field day in one of the newly covered grass patches and dusting themselves off and some were even feeding young at the same time.  The bonfire was recognised as being a good spot for bread and the likes and then back to the covered area.  We must have sat there for about thirty minutes watching them until supper was calling which was a mixture of last night's curry, with a few additives turning it into fodder for the troops.

Gouldjan came round tonight apologising that she hadn't delivered the home-made yogurt I'd requested from her mother and assuring me that it will be arriving by second post tomorrow...ie after ten when she manages to raise her weary head.  I also think that I have offered to take her to the UK for a holiday in September/October.....and I would ask...why do I do it but she deserves it...she is a good friend.

Nothing planed for tomorrow...we'll see what tomorrow brings weather wise....nothing is particularly good at the moment but having said that, the thunderstorms promised for today never happened.  So the beer is all gone...we've now moved on to a glass of Mastica and at just after nine thirty it's getting time for Angry Birds or my book....LN...I think I'll let the Mastica decided...LN

Saturday 7th June

Such a beautiful sunrise...well worth waking up for and just had to be captured.  We have had such a dirth of mornings like this....maybe we're back on target.

Angry birds for breakfast, played computers for a while and then into breakfast from the mobile shop.  He tooted his horn and I realised I was out of bread but he had 'tout manic' if that's how you spell it and I bet it's no, but it's bread with white and yellow cheese in it during the baking process and it is delicious and straight from the factory along with the bread.  Waiting at the van my neighbour came out with the chocolate cakes and so pudding for breakfast was sharing it with my guest as we sat with coffee on the terrace and no cooking this morning....Gouldjan's mum brought the yogurt round saying that she thought the delivery person deserved to linger in her bed....namely her daughter.  We sat and had a coffee in the lounge and exchange is no robbery so she accepted one of my garden plants for her yogurt and wouldn't take a stotinki.  She did admire one of my pot plants so next time I'm in Djebel I'll get her one.

Got some washing on the go since the sun was shining and out to the garden to clean up the Frog garden and did some more digging on the new top garden.  Emula came round this afternoon and told me the story of the pregnant cow that went out into the forest and came back not pregnant and without calf and no one knows where it's cone.  I think they've done the search but to no avail.  The lawnmower has been thrown around some more and the garden is looking good.  Another day on it and then we start again...bit like the painting of the Forth Bridge.  

Watched the starling bouncing up and down on the electricity cables and boy did they go for it.  At one point it was entirely covered but by the time I got the camera most of them had found somewhere else to settle.  Into Djebel this evening to get beer and some chicken wings for supper and we had it with onions and potatoes in one great pot and we fought over who got the last one.  Out came the yogurt with plums and banana and I must say Ms Guldjan knows how to make yogurt.  A little beer on the go with Neil Diamond singing his little heart out.  It's been a good day..LN and let's hope for good weather tomorrow...LN

Hello how is the 'Guest' ?  Just think you are off to Bottocellie in a month or so.  If you fancy a beer I am out 4 July ish weekend.  

King Dom

PS cool pics of the helicopter

Sunday 8th June

Quick update tonight...it;s thundering like billy-oh and lightening and I've got a drink getting warm.

Busy day...I've been in the garden all day and had to get out the reciprocating saw and get three trees brought down in last night's wind into logs.  The little stuff is sitting by the bonfire and would have been burnt but for the wind that's still rocketing around.  Got a new little garden that now shall be known as the Toilet Garden since it's in that general direction.  It's got a box of seeds on it that said that inside were seeds and a 'carrier' and I do believe there was more carrier than ever seeds but it was a 'Shake, rake and water'....and I've left that to nature...It's throwing it down.

Food wise a good day...pork chops with home-made sweet and sour sauce....with the obvious little beer to wash it down.  Bit of sad news today.....Remsir came round and said that her dog had died over night ...he was off his food yesterday but this morning was no more.  She then told me that Tommy was no more but didn't have details so tomorrow I must ask my Avatar,,,,,hope it has nothing to do with the stuff they sprayed on the fields.....strange that two popped off on the same night.  I'll report back.

Neil Diamond still going strong....LN...let's get these pictures posted...LN

Monday 9th October

Early start sevenish and then to make the fires for the rest of the debris.  Breakfast was bacon and eggs .....lunch happened much later.....now that the powers that be have decided the amendments have to be made in Bulgaria...

Mission of mercy this morning.  The school master had a car in the garage and he can't manage to drive two at the one time so I was the chauffeur.  Car delivered...my guest saw the state of the school master's house and quivered....Back home from the on the third class road and by golly was it a bit of a bumpy ride....but safe and sound....lunch and out into the garden

Set about clearing the rest of the strimmed garden interspersing it with a pedicure and a manicure and now I have my nails and toe-nails done and I'm feeling almost civilised again.  Decided to cut down some of the hedge so that I had a better view of the mountains,,,Just had a visit from My Avatar and her daughter in law complete with a box of chocolates....they brought it and I opened it and we ate them...No photos tonight..It's been a busy day....

So supper was Weiner schnitzel with chippies and baked beans.....not so much gastronome as essential,  LN...I'm back down to yet more Neil Diamond by popular request....LN

Tuesday 10th June

Really early start and noticed that I'd left the terrace door open last night and that was the reason the dog down in the next village had woken me up.  Any way, sat out and watched the sun come up and the pile of hedge clippings that had been collected the previous day was calling to me from the garden so by six I was out there polluting the atmosphere.  This morning there wasn't a gale blowing which seems to be par for the course out here at the moment so I took advantage of it.  

Made a coffee and crept out so as not to disturb my guest and set to with my matches and really got a good one going and by seven thirty most of it was cleared.  Came in and got boiled eggs going for breakfast and then out again pottering.  Remsie came round delivering my electricity bill and asked me if I was busy.  She needed to go to the school in the next village with her grandson to collect his school report and when I looked at it...he has some fantastic results.  He's such a gentle ten year old and appears to have a good brain.  So home for eleven thirty so back to the garden and that's where I've been all day cutting and burning.  I made a request to my guest to replace the hinges on the garden toilet door and he now reckons that the hinges are worth more that the entire building but it saves me having to come inside when the mood comes on  pretty sharpish.

Slept this afternoon when I felt the fire could be left to its own devices...supper tonight was a Lidl crispy duck with oriental rice plucked straight from the freezer.  Exotic but not of my doing but a little soy sauce and a couple of bottles of something worked well,  Peaches and cream for supper or for the health conscious, yogurt ....never felt the need for substitution.

Lovely evening in the garden, lovely sunset and skies...and the beer is still flowing as it has been all day....eighty six degrees ....and still high tonight but I've remembered to shut the door already...that dog is not going to disturb me tonight...although there is thunder rattling around...so that might....LN

Wednesday 11th June

And again I'm not going to be lingering long...it is thundering and about to drop its load on my thirsty garden.  Early start and watched the sun come up and listened to the hodja calling his little following to prayer and the dogs joining in with the chorus.  I did make the video and intended to put it on to Facebook but once I'd started in the garden I never gave up until this evening.  

I had a mare of a day with the bonfire.  I took it all apart and put the metal work back into new bricks and I think I put them in at a different height so that as it burned it did not drop low enough to stay ignited...so Friday back to the drawing board mother.  Eventually got it going and got rid of yet another heap of brushwood trimmings....two of the trees that have really gone for it on the hedgeline are now down to respectability allowing me to see the mountains from the kitchen.  Important?  Yes to me it is...

Semile came round mid morning to see if Martin, in the absence of Bekir, could manage to manufacture a new part for his tractor.  My tools weren't strong enough so off he went.  Slept this afternoon...it was well into the eighties but now it's dropped right down, as I said the thunder is rattling round and the moon that is now full has disappeared in the clouds.  I feel sorry for the locals...the tobacco harvest is really hit and as for the hay making for the animals...that too is having a raw time of it.

No supper tonight...lunch was late and rather large so it's cheese and biscuits with a little beer to wash it down.  I'm about to go for a shower...the feet are showing signs of all that hard work and as for the pedicure from the other day....complete waste of time.  So LN....Kardjali tomorrow and it can rain all it wants here...my garden will appreciate it if no one or nothing else does...LN

Thursday 12th June

Well awoke with a bit of a start...my guest knocked a glass off the side table and it got me out of bed but he slept straight through it.  I left if for a while and waited for other sounds and ended up shaking rugs and out with the sweeping brush to make sure it was all cleared away...  What a start to the day.  There were a pair of woodpeckers ground feeding until the magpie decided to strut his stuff and upset the equilibrium of the morning....such quarrelsome birds.

Toast for breakfast while the guest did scrambled eggs and out in the Beast by about nine thirty.  The weather today started off slowly but it burnt off and has been beautiful for the rest of the day.  Went to the market garden but it was closed.  I rang the bell and nobody came so it was a food top up day with basics and a few odd tools that I could easily live without but my guest is insistent that I can't.....same record being played.  Into Kaufland and picked up a Bougainvillea...tiny but repotted it when I got home so I have my fingers crossed.  It's destined for my balcony and will be out until I have to bring it in for the winter.....

Back to Djebel and picked up enough beer to feel the troops for the next few days.  It's about thirty stotinki difference in price from Kardjali but those stotinki mount up.    Seven bottles of beer and with the savings you can have another bottle....and that took some working out,  Just about to go and sort cars...they're both sort of dumped ....Beauty this morning when I was getting it in the drive and out of the way so that I could get the Beast out.  I think we have windows open so I shall have to go and shut up shop...LN.....I'm out on a mission....beautiful night...full gentle moon...LN

Friday 13th June

Well what is a girl supposed to do on Friday the 13th....duck from adversity or tackle it head on so I tackled it.  So full up with last night's supper that I decided to abstain and showed my guest where the kitchen was.  I went out into the garden and swung a spade around for a while, did two loads of washing like stripping the beds completely, and pottered in the garden repotting various things and ditching others that I realised wouldn't make it.  Got my swimsuit on and found the sunbed and had an hour on it dutifully sluiced down with factor 30.  Dug over the rest of the little veg patch and tomorrow in goes more beetroot.  That and broad beans seem to like the climate out here and are both doing well.  So quite and eventful morning.

Had a ham sandwich for lunch and then got my head down for a couple of hours.  It was just so hot today and I'm not complaining but having a six a.m. start means that by two in the afternoon you are ready for a nap.  I did save beer time until six this evening though...now that's showing great restraint.  As for supper....I can't say that I'm particularly hungry but I suppose I better head for the kitchen and see what I can scramble together in the salad department.  Thems that want the most can complain the most...LN

Saturday 14th June

Out in the garden at six this morning and what a beautiful morning it was.....not too hot and I was out there until I could do no more and it was time for a sit down with a cup of coffee.  Cooked breakfast of bacon and egg, on to the pc and had a go at my Daily Mail Sudoku and sodded it up big time so cancelled and decided to tackle it later.  One of my geranium pots had disintegrated due to the sun so I attempted to extract it from said pot and drop it into another of same dimensions and bugger me if it didn't collapse completely so it was more of a job than I'd anticipated but eventually got there.  I decided to put the soil that I'd taken from the old pot on to the sunflowers that I'd buried under the wall of the little house terrace to give them a little encouragement but instead found a long plank and have now created a new little garden namely the yard garden.  I had a pot of seeded petunias and now they adorn the said garden with some more of my self set zinnias and don't you just love instant gardening.

Took away the rain screen from  the house door now that I thought summer had finally arrived and my did I get it wrong.  It went dark as anything to the north, the thunder and lightening started and down came the rain but fortunately just after I'd made a new wooden step for by the door using the old planks and some new side runners.  The old ones had a habit of tilting if you caught them wrong since it was made up of three different sections.....now it's one big one and is a darn lot safer.  The wind became gale force and I moved swiftly round the house closing windows and doors and got out Kindle for a go at Angry Birds but this was one angry bird since my guest had unplugged mine to put his on charge.  Humph.

Lay on the activity centre and started to nod off when the thunder really started and it went on for a couple of hours of so.  Out to sit on the terrace once it had finished but it was really short lived and the temperature had really dropped.  Back inside.....printed off the Sudoku that I'd attempted online and managed it on the second attempt.  Shower, hair wash and off we went to my favourite restaurant in Djebel and it was duel purpose.  We were out of eggs and bread so now we're topped up for tomorrow.

Back home...thunder still rumbling around so that's all from me folks...LN.....I need to catch up on a little alcohol since chauffeurs don't drive out here if they have any sense...LN

Sunday 15th June

Very quick update.  The thunder and lightening is really rattling around and I don't like the look of it or the sound for that matter.  Over to my students today and bought a packet of serviettes for fathers day for her father and the joke is that he always cuts them in half to make them go further...I told him that today I wanted a whole one but promised to have a half one thereafter...and it caused a laugh anyway.  Over to her mother's shop today and bought a couple of white t-shirts, a green top and a super evening top trading as HM.  They make them in the factory and it was one that never got to location.

Home for about three....lit a fire since it was cold, damp and rainy and tonight it is super in the house and with the thunder outside, it feels very cosy in.  Gouldjan came round with some eggs and for a chat and apologised that the new yogurt was still in production.  I shall take delivery at six thirty in the morning.  Now I really must say bonsoir...it's fork and sheet lightening and it's really time this computer was put to bed...LN...I'm off.....to try to get my head down but what is it with this weather...LN

Monday 16th June

So tonight at least it is clear and the thunderstorm was this afternoon.  The is the calm, and no storm,,,,but after this afternoon...it is now quiet.  Early morning start....I was awake at six eventually came to about seven after giving angry birds a grilling.

Down for a cooked breakfast and the clouds were rolling over about eleven and the Librarian arrived around eleven thirty much to my surprise.  I did say that I thought she has died a natural but there she was.  She's been to the UK and ahd her relatives over from teh UK so has been far too busy to grace me with her presence and so it should be.

We chatted for a while, worked out a plan for heading to Greece for a holiday in August for a family name reunion.....and decided that it was cheaper to fly down than to go overland...we now need the details of when the reunion is to take place,

Worked in the garden when the rain and thunderstorm had abated and my golly was there a lot of rain.  When it stopped I cropped some of the bushes from the north garden but the fire wasn't  a goer....It's very damp tonight and the mist is hanging in the hillside.....it's not June....

Tomorrow off to Benkovski market and Zlatograd to sort out a few things for my guest....I shall phone the Librarian when we are leaving for a meet-up......Fish fingers with chippies and peas for supper tonight...nothing cordon bleu but adequate.....it filled the gap...LN....I have glasses to fill....I have guests...LN

Tuesday 17th June

Six thirty start and played Angry Birds until I got really frustrated and couldn't solve one of the games so up for a tootle round the garden to check out the temperature after last night's rain and thunder.  Not too bad but not what it should be for June but I think this seems to be the refrain of the month.  Shower, over to pick up the Librarian and we headed off to Zlatograd so that my guest could get some leather work done on a belt.  He'd brought his own buckle from the UK and the little man in the leather shop changed the buckle for free but there was another belt purchased.  Over to the pottery shop but there was nothing that caught my eye this visit and the lovely glass shop wasn't open fortunately.  

The mission in Zlatograd was to find a couple of pairs of Crocs but to no avail.....I think they're out of fashion this year and so into the shoe shop and his needs were satisfied.  Found some shrub trimmings on the car park and these have spent the afternoon in water and now they're planted up.  I think they are from a climbing hydrangea so we shall see.  Back to her village and we had lunch in the restaurant there.  The pool looked very tempting but none of us was suitably turned out to turn out.

Back home for just after two and I pottered with the shrub things, got a load of washing out while the weather was still good and the wind was blowing and within an hour it was back in the house and dried.  Gouldjan came round with the yogurt and she has had an attack of something which she called pneumonia but I would dispute but she's not working and the tablets came to over thirty lev including Ibuprofin.  She was coughing and hacking a bit but they do seem to go down hill pretty quickly here where we tend to soldier on.  As she left I looked at the lawn and decided that it needed to be done and it has been....I'm completely knacked.  Just need to go round the edges tomorrow and it's good for another couple of weeks...it's been raining so much that I didn't want it to get in the same state as before.  No supper for me....I'm still full from lunch but it's self service tonight...I'm on strike.  Emula came round and told me that he has to take my Avatar to the hospital tomorrow for her new dentures....top and bottoms and they were going to ask me but instead he will drive the family car but I might still offer to go with her....just to hold her hand.

So...evening almost over and I think a shower before bedtime might stave off some of the aches and pains that are probably heading my way after pushing that lawn mower for a couple of hours...I think a packet of bacon crisps might find their way into my hand and a glass of beer in the other....LN....the rain stayed off but it can come down tonight....it can please itself now the lawn is done...LN

Wednesday 18th June

So five thirty start this morning but it had been raining yet again but at least I don't have to water my tomatoes and the rest of the dependants.  Coffee at six and then out to the garden to get the bonfire from last night started and eventually it but died a natural while I was out.

But as for this morning...bacon and egg for breakfast and then off to do my Florence Nightingale routine with my Avatar who was off to the dentist to get a full set of plastic noshers,  I helped her up the stairs and in she went with gums and came out but not smiling.  Having spent four weeks or so without any teeth at all she must feel that she has a box of marbles in there and she definitely wasn't a happy bunny.  So I told her that two weeks and everything would be fine but she's really not convinced.

Anyway back at the ranch.....changed out of my glad rags and out to the garden and decided that I would get that fire going come hell or hight water and eventually it struck into life and cleared the debris but by the end of the day I have another lot.  I cleared some of the stone from the heap and worked my way round to the well and removed the old hawthorn bush, a fairly large old stump and the soil level is now being raised down the wall so that it's beginning to look like a walkway and a garden.  The honeysuckle has been slaughtered and I have to take lots of cuttings tomorrow and the other flowers in the top bed have now been distributed into my old vegetable bed and will be sorted eventually.  I just needed to get them into the soil.

Tomorrow we have a mercy mission.  Gouldjan has asked if I have a machine for going through concrete so I think the hammer drill is out for a trip but my guest will be doing or at least supervising the work.....hammer drills are not for the feint hearted or those careless with tools.  Supper tonight was chicken with onions and potatoes and red cabbage and it went down well.  There's enough chicken left for tomorrow so I shall have an easy night tomorrow.  No photos tonight.....I'll take some of today's exploits tomorrow...LN.....I'm going to get a drink and relax...LN

Saturday 21st June

So I owe this now to my wonderful American guru...I'm back on line in the format that I so love,,......he#s a superstar that knows his stuff...LN....need I say more...

As for you Bob...the updates will come....

But with no photo.....technical micro-merging...LN..maybe there for tomorrow ....depends on the American clock....L whatever.....I'm off to bed Bulgarian time....LN

Sunday 22nd June

The Saga and I don't mean holidays....

Thursday 19th June

Haven’t a clue why I can’t get into my website tonight but I’ll write it up anyway ever hopeful that I can post it later.

Early morning start and then over to Gouldjan’s with the hammer drill to attach the pipes to her outside toilet and her father now has to continue to use the outside loo since there was no help from that quarter.  Work finished over there and a stone was spotted on a heap of gravel that now does as a lid for the remains of my electricity pole.  I now have my own mushroom.

Worked in the garden this afternoon despite the thunder and lightening and rain storms but having said that it was quite pleasant,  Last night’s chicken was cooked with the remains of last night’s veg and served up with spaghetti but it was very late.  One of my web friends is over viewing property and came over to view the estate and we had a very pleasant evening.  Her comment was that everything was more colourful than comes over on the web so maybe I have to get a new camera….They've gone back to Djebel and tomorrow they might be viewing some properties in the area….I'm off to bed…LN…it’s been a long day….and now let’s see if I can get into the web…LN

And I didn't so I reported it to my hosting company and that’s when the fun began.

The initial problem was that Google timed out before it would load so engineers in their wisdom decided to transfer it to a new server.  Now my software doesn't like that.  It complains by resetting permissions and really does like love and attention afterwards before it settles down again.  So the next morning I opened my mail from the hosting company and it said that everything had been fixed….so I tried to open it up only this time I got the Internal error message so on to them again.  At two that afternoon they said that they needed to escalate it to their second tier and so I asked whether it had been moved to another server and the question was not answered despite several requests until much, much later.  Now I'm getting more angry and my communications are getting more to the point and vitriolic.  Eventually I'm told that it’s back on line and that their engineers have reset the permissions and everything in the garden is lovely.  So I log on and probably most of you saw it…no formatting, no pictures and raw data.  In the meantime I've contacted my super hero in the States who says that he would probably be able to look at it on Friday night so at first I wasn't sure if he’d cured some of the problems or not but he said that he hadn't had time but I gave him my access codes and in he went late on Saturday afternoon here and Saturday morning for him and within a few minutes he’d fixed it until I noticed that there were no photos displaying so two seconds later we were back to normal.

So this morning I have another message from the hosting company and yet another person is involved saying that they appeared to have been successful except that it wasn’t displaying the photos and did I want them to look at why.   I mentioned that there was a big difference between what I considered ‘success’ and theirs. There was a big NO from this quarter, I explained to the new person that I felt they didn’t have the in house expertise to deal with it and had already had it sorted.  The new person did say that they’d read the history and apologised for any frustration I had felt at how they had handled the whole thing.  I did say I forgive but that I rarely forget and should they have to move it again they should contact me in advance so that I can have the appropriate people on standby…probably with a shotgun to hand.  

So now for today…I felt pretty worn out with all the stress in that you can’t do anything and there was little continuity with the people handling the problem.  They thought they’d fixed one and created another bigger one but thank goodness that I have the ‘fixer’ on the end of an email even though our nights and days vary somewhat.

Lazy day today….I got out on the sun bed for an hour until it clouded over and now everyone is probably blaming me.  I took my Kindle out and finished the second book by my latest author but probably not going in for the third so it’s back to my disk to find someone new, my bonfire has finally burned its way through and I have nothing now to burn so better start chopping.  Supper was Cajun chicken with rice with spices brought over from the UK. Have a good evening everyone…peace now descends on Tree Tops until the next episode.  LN...I'm off for a refill...LN

Nice to have you back on line Elsa  

Trev

Monday 23rd June

Quoted from tcinbg

Nice to have you back on line Elsa  

Trev

Thank you Trev...it's so nice to be back on line.....

So what happened today.  I woke up at silly o'clock and opened the door to the balcony and beat the hodja to his morning repertoire.  Sun wasn't up, crescent moon was out with a planet that I really must investigate but what a lovely start to the morning.  There was a nightingale singing its little heart out and a couple of birds that I still have to identify what they are.  The hoopoes were out there as well and a couple of jays were feeding on the grass.  One click from the fly screen and they took off instantly...very shy birds.

Electricity went off this morning so it was find out the camping kettle to get coffee under way.  That's the beauty of a half gas-half electric cooker, if one fails you always have the other.  It's amazing though...you know the electricity is off but you still want to turn on the light to see what you're doing...doh.  Stuck to my plan this morning and went into Djebel for nine and met with Ms Kingdom and we sat having coffee and putting the world to rights for an hour or so.  Then on to the shopping run for various DIY bits for her, coffee for her neighbour, I bought a reel of string for hoisting up my sweet peas to the front fence and a new sink drain since the frost and high temperatures had knackered the downpipe...Now fixed and all working as it should.

Took Mrs Kingdom back home as she was starting work at two threading tobacco onto twine so that it can be hung up to dry.  She's offering her services free of charge to the neighbours and they think it's Christmas...well maybe not, since they're Muslim, but the closest thing to it.  She gets fed for her work and has the opportunity to learn Bulgarian at their pace with a smattering of Turkish thrown in,  Joked with one of the locals that I was looking for yellow paint and a Taxi sign...he said that he'll look out for some.

Home for about one....eggs mayo for lunch on fresh baked bread, lazed away some of the afternoon on the computer since it was well up into the eighties and only came out to play when it had dropped.  Replanted my Japonica Kerria that I'd dug up a couple of days ago and it's now in direct line of sight with my Avatar's toilet ...her secret is safe with me.  Supper was spicy sausage with onions fried off with last night's rice followed by peaches and Mrs G's home made yoghurt. I'm feeling replete......I think there is a bottle of beer that is about to bite the dust but as for the rest of the day...chatting with Mrs Kingdom eased my troubled mind.....it's good to talk.

LN....I've had a good day and a bonfire got rid of all of the garden and toilet rubbish.....the sun has shone all day which is a first for a while....and tomorrow promises the same...LN

Tuesday 24th June

Beautiful start again to the day and again I beat the mosque so I sat on the balcony for the sing along.  I miss Tommy joining in the chorus and he is up with the others in dog heaven.  Breakfast this morning was poached eggs on toast with fresh boiled ham that I haven't had for a long time and then into the car after pegging out the washing and over to Momchilgrad Market taking in a couple of silly little bridges that take only one car in one direction and one point five tons...I almost asked my passenger to walk and risk it on his own.

Nothing to be gained on the market except for a couple of pairs of crocks for my guest and I managed to pick up some zips for when I make the covers for my cushions.  Had a phone call from Bekir while I was walking the market and he can work at the school masters tomorrow so I went over to deliver the good news and we say out on his terrace and chewed over the fat.  Over to my little house above the eagles just to check it out and it has been about a year since I paid it a visit.  Now much has happened to it...it has lost the front door and windows and a little more of the roof but basically it's still sound.  I managed to drive all the way over to it which was a surprise because it's a bit of a topsy turvy lane but on the way over there were what appeared to be grasshoppers over the windscreen and it suddenly dawned on me that these were the locust that the helicopter was fighting hard against the other day as it clew over the hillsides.  Quite creepy...whenever you put your foot down they all raised into the air and as we drove away I got some good shots of them in the air.

So now over to the Librarian's motel for lunch and possibly a swim and the weather changed and the clouds blew over so we settled for a late lunch.  She came down to join us for a beer and then we sat in the garden and had an ice-cream and then back to mine and managed to get the washing in just before the rain started.  Fortunately it stopped just as quickly and we sat out with the beer and brandy and no need for food since lunch was hanging heavily but now the rain has started and there is thunder in them there hills.  It's been a busy day but I missed out on the swim so if the weather is good tomorrow, I'm now psyched up for it but at the moment it's blowing a gale out there.  I'll dream of lying on a sunbed and sunning myself...it might turn into reality later if the weather holds but the forecast doesn't look good for my two super heroes tackling the roof tomorrow.

So tonight chip sticks and beer on the go....LN....I have some serious munching to do...and drinking...whene were out for lunch as driver I abstain but now I'm home...time for catch-up....LN

Hi Elsa, your house looks very sweet and amazing views.

Wednesday 25th June

Thanks Sarah...one night I will be up there at sun set...I think it will be amazing...no...I know it will be amazing....

So this morning I woke up and took pictures of the morning and then promptly went back to sleep as you do.  I eventually got up at about seven thirty with the intention of getting Beauty in to check out the brakes and the rear lights but it was too much to contemplate.  Instead after breakfasting on fried tomatoes on toast I was out there  chopping down and de-rooting a couple or three wild plums that are so prolific round here.  I worked on them until lunchtime more or less then took myself off to my summer bedroom with a book and enough said....the mosque kicked off at lunch time and the sheep were making it hard to sleep through but eventually I went off again until fourish...what a good rest.

Back outside...there was a rumble of thunder but nothing great materialised and worked through until six removing the said plum trees until I went in to get supper of chicken wings with potatoes and onions undereay.  Everything came to fruition...bonfire, supper and now off to have a shower so that I don't smell like a bonfire when I hit my pit tonight.  I'm just hoping that my guest has left me enough water...we shall see...If I don't have a guest tomorrow...you'll know that he didn't.

LN...I'm on the red wine, the bonfire has burnt itself out and it's been a good day....hope yours has too...LN

Thursday 26th June

Beat the sun this morning and watched it creep over the hillside and there was only one very small cloud in the sky.  Went downstairs and grabbed a coffee, took my bedroom chair onto my terrace and got in a half an hours sunbathing before the rest of the world was awake.  It was hot from the onset this morning and I was planning early morning gardening and an afternoon of rest and relaxation but as with most well laid plans...it was scuppered at nine fifteen just as I was finishing off breakfast.  My Avatar arrived and I knew she had a problem but she didn't want to ask me.  It's almost like pulling teeth but in her case it's already been done and we discussed her new uppers and downers and I told her how good they looked.  Again I asked her what the problem was and she said she didn't want to tell me but eventually she came out with it.  Her grand-daughter had received a telephone call from the school in Kardjali about her university placement in Plovdiv and she had to get her backside up to the school to sign some documents.  Now as you know, we have two buses a week, Monday and Friday and today being Thursday, not a snowball in hells chance of getting there and taxi's are out of the question....not a lot of cash around.  

So at ten we set off, into the school and she was only ten minutes or so, back to Lidl so that I get a few necessaries and came to leave and turned the ignition....nothing.  I'd rushed in and left my lights on and the battery was flat as.  Now I carry jump leads and the young man next to me looked fairly intelligent so I tried to explain using the leads as a prop what I wanted him to do but unfortunately I'd probably picked the only man in the car-park that knew zilch about cars.  Brainwave and phoned the schoolmaster for a favour and he said he had to come into Kardjali anyway which was good so we sat in the car and opposite was a garage so off I trotted and made them understand what I wanted but they said that he would be a Bulgarian five minutes and in that time the schoolmaster had arrived.  I went back to the garage to say that everything in the garden would soon be rosy again and that I didn't need their help and in quick sticks it was going again.  Dropped my passenger off and unpacking my shopping when my Avatar appears carrying rice and lamb and a dish of yogurt for out lunch.  Sat down straight away and it was delicious....

Played on the computer this afternoon after assembling a stupid little footstool from Lidl with the instructions...'Do not stand on it'.....but it does have a beautiful little carrying handle and it did only cost ten lev. Heard a bit of a rumpus and saw that Semile's cows had got over my lane and into my neighbour's garden and there was lots of noise from the cowherd and the neighbour and felt it best to hide away with the camera.  A little later I watched Semile's son shaking down the wild plums for the sheep by bashing the tree with a stick and desperately trying to get the sheep home.  Out to the garden and since it looked like rain I decided to get my trusty mower out and at least trim the top of the excuse for a lawn in front of the house and to the side.  A few drops of rain fell and there were several claps of thunder but I persevered and managed to get most of it looking like a lawn again.  Poked around in the little house garden and got some thumping good weeds out, into the house and supper was a bit of a cold affair using up lots of left overs and things with sell by dates that were rapidly running out.  Did make some fresh potato salad though so I did put a little effort in.  Lit the bonfire and got rid of today's garden and house rubbish and now about to go play Angry Birds to chill out a bit.....Beer on the go but not really in the mood tonight...feeling pretty tired and am thinking that it won't be long before my head hits the pillow....LN...I'm off to chill....LN  

Friday 27th June

Early start this morning but not much sun to see.  It was clouded over and the breeze was cool.  Just the day to get stuck into some gardening and so I did.  The bushes that I was grubbing out are all grubbed...the bed is dug over and now it's a matter of seeing what I can plant in it to hide the bare patch but it does look so much better.

Breakfast was a fry up yet again and the rest of the bread was thrown out for the birds so it was out to get some fresh stuff this afternoon and a late lunch produced two very sleepy people but I refrained while my guest snored.  Out I went to the garden to finish off the job but the clouds gathered and then the rain came down very slowly at first but the thunder started so hence the quick blog.  We've just had one strike that took the power off so don't want to tempt fate with another...it's a few pickies and then down to start on the beer.  The evening light is fantastic and the sun is setting against the storm clouds .....the rest of the sky towards Greece is tinged with blue and bands of clouds that I don't believe the camera truly captures.....But one more strike and I'm off...it's too close for comfort.....LN

Saturday 28th June

Up before the man in the mosque and watched the sunrise but I think he's either got a new loudspeaker or the volume is turned up...I'm not liking it ...I'll have to have a word.

As for the rest of the day I was determined to get the garden rubbish out of the way but my guest decided that he would tackle the hedge line towards the bottom where I said it was blocking out my view.  So one job done and I now had about a ton of tree trimmings to get rid of but omelette and eggs spring to mind and you definitely can't have one without breaking some.

Planted my new garden out with petunias and the mahonia that I took from Momchilgrad and threw poppy seeds over the rest and a packet of wild seeds and we'll see what comes up.  For this year is doesn't matter just so long as it self seeds next year.  Working away and there was a sudden call for the camera and under the woodpile my guest had discovered the big daddy of the toad world that was now pretending to be a stone.  What a warty creature..Also got pictures of a rather lovely beetle and for those of you who know me...I had the zoom lens on....I don't get that close to toads or beetles.

Had a visit from Reemsie with her grandson and she wanted a photo of her grand-daughter in her ball gown but despite trying various sites I didn't manage to find it...it's supposed to be on Facebook but I don't know whose and neither did they.....I gave them my email address and I might just get it tomorrow.  She also attacked my 'lipen chai' for drying to make linden tea I think it is.  Went home with a carrier bag of the stuff and I'd left off trimming it to see if any one wanted it and sure enough....someone did.  Bonfired all that needed to be burnt and I even trimmed the hedge this afternoon and that's gone to the great burnt pit in the sky.....Collected some wild cherries for supper with fresh yogurt and I've got barbecue pork chops coming to fruition with potato wedges and peas.  Not exactly gormet but I've had a busy day too.  So Premium Pils on the go from Lidl and just about to open my third....LN...down for supper...absolutely knacked...it's been a good day...LN

Sunday 29th June

Early start this morning and I've found out why the mosque it kicking it out at several decibels higher than normal...The fast season is upon us and breakfast comes at about three in the morning and nothing to eat or drink until nine at night.  Now that's something to look forward to and this goes on for a month.  I also found out today from my student that if you are fasting and observe all the rules, the rich people of Djebel give money to the local restaurants so that most people can eat out at nights for free....but in my book it'snot really worth it.

So over to my students this morning and another thing I found out...the hot thermal springs in Djebel have been commandeered by one of the local ladies and the frogs have been given notice to quit and it's now available for swimming as a 'resort' for two lev for a day.  It might be worth taking a look at it since they are thermal springs, it should be theraputic and at a  couple of leva...well worth while.  Interesting day today at my students, one visitor coming to pick up a saw so that they can attack a cherry and a 'lipen chai' tree for its fruits.  Lunch was chicken and rice with some very hot peppers followed by home made yogurt and after lunch father decided to get out his Toto or Lottery cards and we all had one for one leva.  I won a jackpot of two leva and reinvested and when that came up again I reinvested in another two leva card and promptly lost the lot but the little faces as I was scratching away were to behold.  We sat around in the garden for a while and the neighbour who was watering her garden asked if we could speak in Turkish to that she could understand what we were talking about....you just have to love them.

The elder sister decided it was time to wash the hall runner and so out to the yard with it and with bare feet she was happily scrubbing away while the younger one watched and fetched water on demand.  The neighbour came around and offered instructions, she got a fire going out in the yard and was bottling beans ready for the winter.  I think the husband commented that the supermarkets sold them but it was pointless...she'd done it for years and would still keep doing it.

Home for four and yes I was late today...only to be told that I'd had four visitors while I was out....namely one asking if I wanted a kitten because the mother had just died...and that was a big no and three cows.  I seem to recall mentioning that because my guest had gone a little wild thinning out my hedge instead of just taking the top of....I'd foreseen the event or maybe it was a premonition.  So new post concreted in and tomorrow it's off to buy some more barbed wire...just to keep the beauties out.  

Gouldjan came round tonight to help with the translation of an email that I've received in English and I wanted it in Turkish and Bulgarian just to make sure....and if you're reading this, the wheels will be put into motion tomorrow (and you know who you are).  

Such a good day...very rested and relaxed...as I've said before they are a lovely family and we have such fun and as for my original Gouldjan...I gave her a little of the red stuff and she went off happy...LN...I need something to eat and maybe a little to drink...LN

Monday 30th June

Slow steady morning and over to Momchilgrad via the garage to meet with the schoolmaster.  Before we left though there was a clatter, clatter that I could not understand and thought that there was a very loud woodpecker that had attached itself to the mosque loudspeaker.  I eventually realised that it was a stork on the electricity post taking stock of the situation and suddenly it was taking to the air.  We met the schoolmaster in Djebel... the car was going in for repairs for a thermostat problem so we set off for his home and our job was to collect the cement floor tiles and deposit them back to my home...I want them to edge the lawn.   Off we went....Bekir and Sally were working away and it was lovely to see them again,  I set to helping them with their work but there was still no water in them there hills. The wood was delivered for the roof, the men set to to create the bedroom/nest for when his visitor arrives but they ran out of materials to finish the job,  I spent some time clearing down the walls so that it could be whitewashed...but there is more work to do before the surfaces get finished.

Bad news for the car...it has new gaskets to be fitted in all the major engine places and the news came through when I was working away on the roof and paying in kind for my lunch.  The men worked but the temperature was now hitting the heights.  They should have found other places to play but I went out and joined them...beats singing for your supper any day.

Home via the garage to get my horn fixed since it had stopped working, the paving slabs that I'd collected are now stacked in the drive, the barbed wire that I picked up from Momchilgrad is already in my little house to sort out my cows tomorrow and I acknowledge it's been a very busy day.  Lot of activity and very little reward but you get days like that...LN....I'm out for tonight....LN