Quoted from Elsa Peters

Saturday 5th July
but the third has a mind of its own..

Maybe you could borrow a sledge hammer and get your guest to break it into smaller bits.  

Sunday 7th July

As my daughter would say...more chance of hell freezing over Trevor.....I'll have a go myself with the sledge hammer later.  Seven on the clock and I've been awake since before the mosque kicked off.  Late supper of fish fingers and chips with loads of mayo sat pretty heavily and still does.  I've watered the newly planted stuff already, it looks like it's going to be another hot one so on with the shorts to even up the tan on the upper legs.  There is probably going to be a touch of the Neapolitan ice cream going on tonight....

Let the day begin....

Quoted from Elsa Peters

Sunday 7th July

As my daughter would say...more chance of hell freezing over Trevor....

I understand!

Maybe less energy sapping would be a SDS Drill with a hammer action and a stone chisel bit, if you had one of course. If you were closer you could borrow mine.

Sunday continued

And the day began with tomatoes on toast and then out to carry on where I left off yesterday.  I shoved earth backwards and forwards and decided that the old cement surround from the well would make a good step down into the garden so out came the logs and it was successfully rolled and put into place and now I know how the Egyptians felt.  They got the Pyramids...I got a step....

There was no visit to my student today....I was half expecting visitors which ever materialised but having said that...I had plenty to do.  Semile and Jaylan's boys were out there today with the cows and I could hear this little voice shouting to them...what a little treasure and not only do the older ones look after the younger ones but they have jobs to do at the same time.  It got very hot today and what was going to be five minutes on the bed with Angry Birds turned into a siesta and I felt much better for it.  I emerged from my cocoon and immediately set to clearing out the side path, digging up self set tobacco from the lawn and they're now looking all the better for it along the base of the wall.

Day of delivery for my guest....What I asked for and what I eventually get are never the same.  My request was for a chair and a table that would double as a footstool / leg rest if I ever had the time to take in the sun without feeling guilty about it.  What I got was a chair with a huge back that would fold down as a sunbed but the arms were far too high and it was so difficult to get in and out of.  Now I'm known to be difficult at times so I made him go through the process until I eventually got an admission that no way was it anything like the original remit so again...back to the drawing board Cecil.  So slight modifications and the table gets made tomorrow and it is now...a chair.

Lit the bonfire to get rid of the rubbish and noticed the sun set...pretty clouds/  I've been too busy today to take shots as it happened but tomorrow I'll photograph the step in the new garden and by then some of the flowers might be out.  Lawns tomorrow....they're looking shabby and nothing much on the agenda except a visit from the Schoolmaster and friend.  LN...I'm down for a bevvy after a very satisfying day...LN

Monday 7th July

Up and about at six this morning watering the garden so make sure that the newbies that were rescued from the lawn and put into newly created flower beds had a good start.  My rose who has now adopted the name of 'Rose' which seemed quite appropriate. also got her roots fixed with a good dousing.....

Bacon sandwiches for breakfast and that was over by just after eight of the clock so back out to it with the lawn mower until it seemed to die on me and had to have a mini service.  Apparently the oil was overfilled which spilled into the filter which choked up the air outlet which temporarily knackered it but all good now.  The School master with his 'special' guest arrived for coffee on their way to hear the good, bad and ugly news about one of his vehicles...Not sure what the outcome was but I had a frantic phone call from Bekir trying to locate the said wanderer since he'd run out of benzine for his chainsaw and machine oil.  The message was passed on but not sure of the outcome.

Back to it after they left and I worked on the flower beds and edging them until twelve when it got too hot to work any more.  Did part of what I intended...I wore a backless top this morning while gardening and I've managed to get rid of the stripes and odd tanning marks from yesterday.  It's a little Neapolitan tonight but, and this is especially for Princess, it should be brown tomorrow.

Afternoon nap and then out to finish the rest of the lawn and got it all watered and the rubbish taken  care of by seven thirty.  Quick showers and out to one of the restaurants in Djebel and managed to catch sight of a stork by the side of the road as we were driving in and got some shots of that and the sun through the forest.  Supper was cheesy chips, salad and pork kebabs and orange juice for me and beer for my guest.  A little on the expensive side for Djebel but there again it was just under a tenner so not exactly braking the bank.  Topped up with beer from the local supermarket and a few more essentials and now home sipping a mastica to me or ouzo, ir you're Greek or Pernod for the uninitiated...LN.....I'm signing off and catching up on my lack of alcohol or I'll never sleep tonight...LN

Tuesday 8th July

Well the mastica didn't do it for me...a bit of a warm night and there was a flaming dog barking in the next village.  Don't you just love them.  My guest was not feeling very well so went back to bed and I was searching out the Imodium more as a precaution than anything else.  So no breakfast for him but I had a couple of boiled eggs with toast soldiers and that joke always comes to mind.....'What can you do with a soldier that you can't do with and airman?  Dip him in your egg.'  and I did.

Out to the garden and noticed that I had similar locusts to those that the helicopter was out spraying against and the bastards were attacking my new petunia grave so drastic measures were called for in a handheld spray bottle.....Attaka ...and they moved off.  Cleared out the poppy bed by the lilac ...they'd gone over and there was nothing to take their place now that the hollyhock has finished so I dug it over, threw sawdust over it, watered it well and lobbed some zinnia seeds on it.  Heard the phone and raced in to find that it was the Polyclinic to tell me that my documents for my health cover are completed.  I think she must have practised the call...it was going well until I asked a question but I'll pick them up tomorrow and then I get to choose my local doctor.  No waiting list problem here.

Came in when it was too hot to do any other and took to my virtuous couch with Angry Birds and found a new level and slaughtered it or rather them.  Dry toast for lunch for my guest which was easy to prepare...I settled for the tuna mayo and rested beautifully for an hour or so.  Found some more tobacco plants in the lawn and now they are in the old poppy bed and it's pot luck....either they will or they won't.....

No cooking tonight.....he;s not up to it so I'll just settle for a beer and a packet of crisps later.....and tomorrow up to Kardjali for my documents and the bus to the airport for Thursday.  LN....I have some pouring to do and nobody to share the bottle with.....he appears to be abstaining...LN

Wednesday 9th July

Early o'clock but suits me....beat the man in the mosque again but my did he go on this morning.  Watered the essentials and had plans to go into Kardjali for the transference of the healthcare registration but it didn't happen.  Stopped off at the school and found the name of Gouldjan's doctor and onto Kardjali.  Into the bus station and bought the ticket for six in the morning for the bus to Sofia for my guest ...so far so good.  My residentia had expired by two days so now I had to go to the police to get my immigration documents updated which took a turn for the worse so that the doctor could register me in Sofia.  The first lady in Immigration chastised me for not having arrived at the office within the time scale but now I had to go pay the dues for registration but she hadn't given me the account details for the said administrations.  So back to Immigration with the numbers and two bills had to be paid amounting to twenty five leva.  So back to the bank and we made the payment from my account producing one slip of paper for the transfer showing the two accounts and when I went back to the office I needed two not one.  I did suggest photocopying but was told that it wasn't sufficient...it had to be two.  So back to the bank and by this time I was loosing the will to live and returned with the said two pieces of paper but the documents will not be ready by tomorrow.  There is also a problem that my UK passport has to be renewed next year so they will only give me a year and a half's permit and so eventually they will run consecutively.    Bureaucracy....sucks doesn't it.

I gave up....without a Bulgarian registration number which is not '7' and not even '007' I cannot be registered with a doctor so I'm going in on Friday to the Immigration and then on to the doctor when all should be in order hopefully.

Back to Djebel to pick up Gouldjan from school so that she doesn't have to wait for the really late bus....deposited her home, back to mine, watered the garden and made enough noise to wake my sleeping guest.  Chicken cooking but with him suffering the hebey jeebies he's having a naked jacket without the trimmings.  I'll go for the full works.  Beer on the go....booked my early alarm call with Sony for four thirty...LN....what I do for guests to make sure they catch the bus and the plane....LN

Thursday 10th July

I was having a very vivid dream and the alarm clock put a stop to that....I was into the world with a thump at four twenty.  There was a gentle snoring from downstairs so I clomped my way down, put on the kettle but subtle didn't work so I shouted that it was time to get up.  It wasn't me catching the plane.   Coffee and tea prepared, I washed a dressed quickly and delivered the hold baggage to the car and started it just to make sure that it would.  It was reluctant a couple of days ago and I didn't want a performance with jump leads this early in the morning...but this morning...everything in the garden rosy.  Got the rest of the luggage and passenger and into the car by five and arrived at Kardjali well in time for the bus but any calamities and it would have meant a three hour car journey for me and that's not what it's all about.  Stopped for fuel on the way back and home about six thirty.  Stripped the bed, put the first load in the washing machine and pegged out for seven thirty.  Not bad going.

Breakfast for me was a couple of hard boiled eggs...I have weight to lose....nobody else notices but it's round the middle and I know it's there.  Princess would call it a Muffin Top.....I call it lazy eating and drinking.  The regime starts today.  Played a few games on the Kindle and got my head down until twelve thirty.  I had a pretty poor night...it's always the same when I have to wake up to the alarm.  I keep checking that it's not time to get up and then about fifteen minutes before it is...that's when I seem to hit the real sleep.

Funny morning weather wise...It was cloudy but hot and the wind got up and it was a perfect day for drying.  Out with the second load by about two and decided that I would clean the downstairs and wash the floors over and remove all of the chair covers and get those washed as well.  Phone calls from the airport and the flight had been delayed so I spent some time following it on flight checker.  I was able to give my guest the departure time...there was no information at Sofia airport.  Eventually it got away at two thirty or thereabouts...a delay of about two and a half hours.  Anyway...he's arrived safely in the UK and is ensconced at home clearing out the pile of begging letter so I better stop sending them for a while..

Supper was the remains of some tuna mayo on toast...a little beer on the go and now the garden is watered...I have nothing to do till the morning...LN....I think I shall sleep well tonight...and Kardjali tomorrow running the gauntlet of administration.....LN

Friday 11th July

Lovely long lie in this morning....I had trouble getting out for seven thirty which for me is magnificent....Breakfast was a couple of bananas while I walked the estate with a cup of coffee in one hand and juggling the bananas in the other....worth videoing but no one to do it so I'll leave it to your imaginations.

As I said slow to start and when the Librarian arrived I was just about cleaning my teeth and ready in other respects and so my job today was to get my residencia sorted and then on to register with the doctor but as it worked out my residency or the formal document will not be ready for another month but I have now been assigned the number 27...not seven but to register with the doctor I need the official document with the unique number with the check digit.  I did suggest that I could have a chip fitted instead of the photo and electronic signature but it got a little lost in translation...or it appeared to do.  So back to the polyclinic and told them that I wouldn't be finding a doctor until I had the 'official' number and she was fine with that.....I have the documents all in order now so it's become a simple process and at least they know my face.

Over to my underwear shop but no underwear but a couple of cotton black cotton tops for sleeping in at two leva each with a bead belt to go with one of them...bargain and then to one of the other reject shops and picked up a king size quilt for sixteen leva that will do as summer weight for the guest room.  They have single ones as well and I'm kicking myself...ouch that hurt....for not getting the single quilts for the third bedroom....Lunch in town....pita bread stuffed with everything except the kitchen sink and stuffed for the day.  The intention was to eat here but it's so cheap to eat out...why bother to cook.

Over to the market square and got another couple of plants from my local lady and I must take her up some of my cuttings so that she can have others to offer her other clients....she's a real sweetie so I give her my business.  Only problem is that all of hers have to come in for the winter...she needs to sell stuff that doesn't.  The Librarian and myself did a tour of the gardens of Kardjali and we have taken loads of 'bits' that need rooting and potting up.....so tomorrow I'm busy and if hers don't go or mine don't....we'll share or swap.    Leaving Kardjali the heavens opened and I was cursing myself for not getting my fifth load of washing in this morning...when it was all dry.  Got back to very soggy floor mats and fleece blankets but all sorted now.  It was a brief downpour but a lot came down but it's turned into a beautiful afternoon and evening and tomorrow is going to be a super moon so I'm informed and looking at the full moon now...it's very big but up already so doesn't have the same impact as a rising one at sundown....we shall see.

Princess  phoned tonight and we talked Christmas and whether I was UK or not....I think she had invited the outlaws and wanted to make sure that I had an invite but after her visit here...not fussed.  I know they all care and they know that I am well taken care of where I am....I'll see how the mood takes me.  I might even make a visit with Gouldjan before then to show her England and France is also on the cards...She wants to go to Paris and no one from England really wants to go there....

No supper for me...my pita wrap is still sitting and being digested.  Smiles from my lady in immigration and the polyclinic so I'm a persona not just a number on a computer.  I do try.  I attempt their language which is now partly my language and I think that this is appreciated.....I smile, I make mistakes but try to correct them and I do care...it's important.  LN...I'm now going to bay at the moon with a little drink in my hand....LN

Saturday 12th July

Slept through the man of the moment and his mosque this morning but I only missed the really early one.  Decided that I would uncover the white bits today so got out on my bedroom balcony in a bikini and no there will not be photos published...it's not a pretty sight but brown flesh is always more healthy looking than white so I'm making a bit of an effort.  I'm guessing that the Neapolitan look will be around in the morning but I'll wear clothes that cover it up.  I kept the brain active with sudoku most of the day...it was too hot to be in the garden and there really wasn't much maintenance today.  It threatened rain early afternoon and there was a rumble of thunder in the jungle and by the look of the clouds over Pamporova way, someone was really getting it but it wasn't me.  I suddenly remembered the rugs that were still out from yesterday and managed to get them in and down and the chair came in from the roof just in time and is sitting in my bedroom along with the table.  

And then it really started.....huge raindrops that have saturated the garden.  Absolutely wonderful for the flowers but not so good for my grass which will probably grow overnight and demand attention.  And note to self...I need to get some more petrol ready for the next onslaught.

Now I've been reading that we have the supermoon tonight....it's supposed to be the nearest to earth it's been all year so I was thinking about it but not thinking about it if you know what I mean.  I went out on to the balcony to take a photo of a couple of Golden Oriels that were raiding my mulberry tree and suddenly noticed a slither of moon.  Yes, it's pretty special or rather it was...it's now hidden behind the clouds.  

Student tomorrow and the swimming looks like being out of the window...the plan was to find a pool but I don't think that will be happening.  Soon to bed.....I've had a very lazy day and don't even feel guilty about it....LN