Monday 8th September

Thanks Jean...I'll give it a whirl and see what I can come up with.  The gravy browning looks favourite since most of it is on white.... and Bisto is in short supply over here....

Lovely night's sleep and woke up at six thirty with the mosque ....well it could have been earlier or later...or I was early and he was late but I doubt it.  Unfortunately no one is brave enough to ask him to turn it down now that they've spent all that money on a new system but I am beginning to join in the chorus which is going to be good with all the 'mevglits' or prayers for the departed which are due to start soon.  Pancakes then prayers.  There was a hint of sun later on and after a pretty poor start it turned into a fabulous day.

Picked up Gouldjan and her mother from the bus-stop at eight thirty and dropped them in Djebel and carried on to Kardjali.  Had a bit of a panic attack when some silly idiot in front of me decided to do a left turn without any signals and it make me realise that my brakes probably want looking at or his indicators.  I'll be taking it in tomorrow to make sure.  Went to the hospital first thing and found what is to be my new doctor.  She was rushing around like a mad woman, she recognised me and said that she was sorry but could I come back after lunch if I had other things to do in Kardjali.  Well I really had nothing to do but managed to fill my time quite adequately buying a new coffee peculator, the lady didn't have the UPS for the petchka in stock and promised Friday but she's done that before so time to find a new supplier, into Kaufland and bought nothing of significance and then back to the doctors.  Now as with most things, the forms for registration do not match the computer screens so did we get in a mess with it.  There were numbers all over the documentation so I believe at the moment I am sixty-seven percent registered which is a start anyway and I have yet one more form to post to the UK so we'll see what comes back this time round.  

Stopped off at the market and bought twenty kilos of potatoes for my Avatar and then on to Lidl where they had my beer on at a really serious reduction so I stocked up with twelve bottles and they were selling spring bulbs so guess what I'm doing tomorrow. Next stop was Djebel to get my gas bottle filled and I asked the man about the valve saying that the last time it was filled it was a little bit dodgy.  He sprayed some water on it, said it looked 'normal' and proceeded to put twenty levas worth in which should do me until next summer.   Supper tonight was chilli beef with roisti fried potatoes and I delivered a dish of the said substance to my Avatar so hopefully she will make the night.  I came back from there with some melon that they were slicing up...give and take in this village... ;)

So...no real sunset to talk of...there are a few clouds gathering and let's hope they clear overnight.  Tomorrow the garage to get the 'tampons' and I always laugh at that word for a damper and the brakes and then to try and persuade him to come over and get the biggie going so that I can head over to the wood yard and organised my winter wood delivery.  Early to bed with a book...it's been a fairly fulfilling day...LN

Monday continued

Sitting at my desk and caught the reflection of the moon in one of my stair well windows....so I thought I'd share it will you...LN

Tuesday 9th September

Funny night last night.  I was really tired at about nine thirty and dropped my Kindle so decided that I would get my head down despite the fact that I would probably be awake at three and reading again.  As it happened....just as I was about to go off with the fairies my phone went so thinking the worst as I always do...I got up and answered it and I should know by now.  So back into the world of the living , finished the call at about ten ten, back to bed and not an ounce of sleep in me so back with my book, Angry Birds for a spell and then down to sleep at about half midnight with that lovely moon making it almost appear like day light.

Got my first load of washing in and pegged out by nine thirty.  The lads were out causing mayhem again with the little red bomber so I waited for them to get back up the village before I got Beauty on to the road.  I completed the form that is heading for the UK for health insurance and off to the post office where I received a receipt for postage and a cheery hello from the postmaster.  He was a little stressed, his female companion was absent so he was having to do it all himself bless him.  Down to the garage and explained the problem and my student's father was up and at it straight away.  He said that there was much left on the first brake shoe that he checked so I was in charge of the garage while he went to pick up the bits from the shop.  The local vet arrived in his absence and I explained that he should be back in about five minutes but he decided that he could use the air supply to pump up his tyres but he couldn't get it to work so he had to wait.....he hadn't removed the safety catch.

So brakes completed, he checked the 'tampons' for me and emptied out two cans of WD40 on the undercarriage to stop it making so much noise when I have passengers in and we laughed about it.  Cost for the work and parts...forty lev....why not have it done!!   Stopped off at the garage shop and had a few words with my student's mum, bought some more fly spray since I'd only got one can left and it's always where you don't need it...either up or down and by the time you've got down the fly has managed to get upstairs.....Back home and ham and pickle sandwiches for lunch of freshly baked bread.  Stripped the bed and got another load of washing in and out and then sat in the sun with my feet in a bowl of water, gave them a good soak and a pedicure and not before time.  I dozed in the sun until may Avatar woke me up with the return if the dish from the food I took over last night and she said that her and her two relatives had set too and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's good when I can give them something that I would make.... chilli con carne with rosti potatoes....went down a treat.

Six thirty my time....it seems there's not much chance of a moon tonight....the clouds have come over and there was an horrendous wind about fifteen minutes ago so I was closing doors to stop everything whizzing off my desk.  Sorry no pickies today...I forgot to take my camera to the garage and the clouds are just clouds tonight and not even pretty ones.....LN....I'm expecting the garage owner tomorrow with his jeep to start the Beast and then I'll be heading off somewhere to charge up the battery fully....oh busy days...LN

Wednesday 10th September

Well the poor hodga got all his loudspeakers mixed up this morning and we had it in double stereo with a reverberating echo....well done...obviously needs a  lesson in technology...   Didn't bother going back to sleep....it was a misty start to the day but I did get up and take some pictures of this morning's moon that had not really shown it's face during the night.  As for the sun...that was pretty slow to break through but break through it did and we've had a super day for pottering.

Biscuits for breakfast with coffee and looked at Kingdom's cactus and realised that it's days would be numbered unless I provided it with a new home.  On with the reinforced gardening gloves and the spines still penetrated the bloody things and was I suffering.  I like to think of it as Spike getting his own back for being disturbed.  Jobs a guddun...rehoused but I have to sort out the gloves.  Out with the spider plant....that needed a good soaking along with the money plant so outside they went and were drenched.  The spider has had babies chopped off it and they're now lingering in the equivalent of a goldfish bowl until the roots develop and then they're off to my lady in Kardjali to see if she wants to pot them up and sell them.  Started on the garden under my special tree again and the paving slabs are in place and I'm getting rid of the old rubble slowly but surely down to the bottom of the garden.  I've planted lavender and a few petunias so that the seeds should come up next year but I need something to go down the bank to stop the weeds....I'll have to get the book out and see what's available here.

In for lunch...the rest of the ham with pickle on a sandwich but two day old bread is not the same as yesterday's....filled a hole but that was about it.  Sat in the sun reading for a while until I realised that I would be more comfortable reading upstairs and yes, two hours later after the eyelids headed south, I was raring to go again.  Eventually came in at eight after watering the garden and digging up some more weeds and dandelions....what a chilled day.  No supper...lunch is still working its way through....LN

Thursday 11th September

Well not much to report today.  After signing off last night I watched Sting's concert in Berlin and some of Robbie Williams in the same place and decided that I wanted to wallow in the luxury of a bath instead of a shower but I forgot....my boiler only comes on for a couple of hours each night on a timer so there wasn't much of the hot stuff to be had....bugger I thought and I'm still kicking myself for not getting in the bath in the showroom and finding out there that it's a little on the narrow side.  Having said that, if it was wider there would be even less depth to it so maybe it's a plus...

Man from the mosque burst forth at just after six and he seemed to get it right this time with not much back wash so to speak.  I got up and opened the balcony door to let some air into the place, down for coffee and was out parading around the terraces and enjoying the morning when I realised that I needed new bread this morning....why should I suffer with the old stuff at forty pence a loaf?  The rest went out onto the hillside for birds. sheep. cats. dogs or whatever else is hungry and passing.  Down to the bread wagon and had chit-chats with my babas and walked back home dropping my Avatar off on the way.  She's got her daughter-in-law coming back from Germany today for the family wedding that we're all off to on Sunday and the pre-wedding bash on Friday night.  I might end up being the chauffeur....we'll see or we could get a mutual taxi at two leva each.....and I can have a wee tipple.  Breakfast was some of the Schoolmaster's mother marmalade on the well buttered new bread....thanks Ruth...same again next year please...

Cleaned the house from top to bottom today, hoovered through,  washed the floors and dusted and that was interspersed with a bit more digging under the tree.  All go here you know.  Took some cuttings from the cotoneaster horizontalis and the other horizontalis that's growing in the little house bed and keeping my fingers crossed.  I need those to grow down the bank and I might even put a honeysuckle in to cover it looking at how the one on the lounge terrace is generally invading the concrete.  

Watched Roald Dahl's 'Matilda' DVD this afternoon and later, out with the sewing machine and played around using some of the fancy stitching to do some embroidery for my lavender bags.  It's all experimental at this stage but it makes me want to buy one of the really fancy ones that you can programme.   As it clouded over this afternoon I reckon that there wasn't much need to water the garden and I'll do it in the morning.  And as for supper...again not really in the mood ...I'll consider it a 'fast' day.  

Angry Birds and a book at bedtime.....had a phone call this afternoon and I've got visitors on Saturday...swimming tomorrow if the weather is reasonable...it doesn't have to be good....she's only there for practice.....LN.....fingers crossed for tomorrow... otherwise I'll imagine the  imaginary list and find a pin...LN

Friday 12th September

Six thirty start and not bad since I'd had an early night.  I messaged my swimming student, the weather looked promising and waited for a reply.   Watered and checked the garden and all my chickpeas have gone...so what eats chickpeas?.  She replied and yes it was on and I was to meet at her's at ten thirty and I was more or less there on time.  Messaged the Schoolmaster and said that I was in the vicinity and did he want to borrow curtains for his guest room and found the rings and hooks out with the firm instructions that I want them all back.....the curtains are for recovering the sofa and the armchair that's when he delivers the sofa at the end of his stay here.

So picked her up and off we headed for MG Hotel in Momchilgrad and despite the water being in the pool, September had hit Momchilgrad and the pool was closed and already dirty.  Undeterred we headed off to Makaza just outside of the town and it was open, I offered to pay and they said that since it was Friday and the end of the season it was free.  We got down to swimwear and business straight away and despite the cold water in we got and started the lesson straight away.  Bearing in mind that she speaks no English at all we did OK and she managed to do ten strokes on her own after a lot of cajoling.  The problem is she forgets her legs, arms and breathing all have to come into play but she's doing well saying that she's terrified of water.  We have a date for next Friday weather permitting.

Over to the Schoolmasters and soon found friends.  Bekir and Sally were working away and I soon put a stop to that.  The window men who made my windows for both houses were also there so we had a little chat...he said that there was a lot of work but I replied that there was also a lot of money and he smiled.  Back to drop off my student, stayed for coffee and a couple of biscuits and home.  I've settled in and made a lavender bag this afternoon and not sure about the pre-wedding bash tonight if I want to go or not.  There'll be a lot of people I don't know and do I really want to make the effort...we shall see, it's a bit too early yet for a decision.  

Clouds gathering but a very calm night and today's lavender bag was quite a little success.....more on the cards for tomorrow....it's the start of my preparing my 'C' word pressies for my four village ladies....LN.....a satisfying day...LN

Saturday 13th September

Seven start and slept through my morning singing alarm clock and was surprised that the sun was only just coming up.  Just had to take a picture and the sun seemed so red first thing.  Out to the terrace with a coffee and satwatching nothing and even the sheep were late this morning but I got a call from Semile my sheep farmer and he was so proud.  He was out with his new puppies which he referred to as his 'little bears' and I managed to get a photo and I'll have to copy it for him.  I think it was the first time that they had been out with the sheep.  Lots of butterflies out this morning and I watched them chase each other round....landing on the Zinnias and these only seem to have appeared in the last couple of days.  There was a Swallow Tail but not sure what the other one is...I better get my book out...

I took to the garden, pegged out a load of washing and got out the fork and started on clearing some more of the builder's debris from the patch under the tree.  I was working away when my guests arrived so it was down tools and coffee on.  We sat chewing over the fat and I made lunch for about one thirty and then we sat out in the sun until it got too warm and moved into the shade.  More coffee on the go and that's when I noticed a new surge of butterflies so out with the camera and managed to get a few goodies of butterflies, the humming moths that were around too and something that should never have managed to get off the ground.  

Guests left at six, washing in, folded and put away.  I'm about to go out and water the garden....I think the clouds rolled by last night without dropping their load so it's out with the hose.  Supper tonight is the remains of lunch.  I have my student tomorrow.....and more guests arriving tomorrow afternoon.....LN.....down to the kitchen and finding something liquid to help it down....LN

Gorgeous butterflies and moths - I envy you having that Swallowtail! I imagine that the chequerboard one is a variey of Fritillary, but which one is anybody's guess - my book doesn't cover European ones anyway, but at least your photo is clear enough that you might be able to find out with the right book.

Sunday 14th September

Full eight hours last night and woke up feeling really refreshed....Sat out with a coffee and watched the sun come up but this morning there wasn't as much red in it and as it came up the mist came rolling in and fell into all the pockets in the mountains.  Then on to the second cup, out into the world and messed around in the garden until it was time to go off to my students.

Lot of the family there today and it was open house and making Lutenitza in the summer kitchen.  I had the opportunity today to meet her very religious aunt who asked me if I wanted a book in English about her religion.  I said I would like to borrow one but we somehow got on to the subject of alcohol, pork and bikinis and since they're all not part of what she stands for I said I'd give it a miss this time round.  At one point we were talking about available men and she said that her father was a couple of years younger than me but after finding out what I couldn't have....his houses by the sea wouldn't have been compensation....

Home in time for my guests that didn't turn up and am now party clothed and heading for the wedding in Kardjali picking up Gouldjan's mother on the way so this is going to be a short update and no pickies but the camera is going to the wedding so I might post some later....LN...it's party time...LN

Sunday update

Back just before midnight and didn't loose a slipper on the way home and the car didn't turn into a pumpkin and not a white mouse was seen anywhere.....so no Prince Charming destined to appear.....

Picked up Gouldjan's mother as arranged and she looked very swish in black sparkly top and we got there just before the allotted hour.   She was actually supporting the groom while I was there for the bride but she joined our table with the rest of the village instead.  The hotel is swish and there must have been about four hundred people there...big do....but as I said we were with the rest of the village 'bussed' in but I failed to see my Avatar.  Again my problem is that I know the Babas but not the underlings so I maybe need to get a family tree or several going with photos so I know who to talk to about whom....it's not safe at the moment.  The glasses were broken, they had their first dance , salad was on the table to pick at at and then chicken with potato salad and cabbage vinaigrette.  Lots of soft drinks around for the women and mastica, beer and rakia for the men and the men got a little raucous and danced while some of us sat around and sipped our Fanta.  

It was pin the money on the scarf time and then round to toast the guests and collect the loot, the cake was cut and served, a little more dancing and it was home time for us.  The bus was loading and Ms Gouldjan and myself got mobile and I've just dropped her off.  Brilliant moon tonight though there's only half of one.  Stars are all out and the temperature's dropped so out of my glad rags and into a sweatshirt and bottoms.  LN again....ten minutes with the Kindle and away to the land of nod...LN