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FEBRUARY 2015  This thread currently has 8,993 views. Print
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Elsa Peters
February 21, 2015, 6:38pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 21st February

Well I had very vivid dreams last night and woke up feeling not very rested.  The sun was more or less showing her face by the time I came to so I grabbed the camera and caught the rising.  Toast for breakfast, out to the garden and did a tidy up of the old plants from last year and put them in the burning pit and because there was no wind...set fire to it and almost smoked out my neighbours,

Decided to tidy up the shelving system on the landing getting rid of some old documentation and things that I'd put to one side to keep even when I shouldn't have.  Found the athletics on BBC1 and congratulate Mo Farah on his new world record.  Got caught out by the husband of the post mistress though...I was heading up to my computer clutching a glass and he asked me what was in it....so I said, a little cognac and he congratulated me on my choice.  Unfortunately when I opened the late birthday card I found that the husband of one of my best friends has died.  I knew there was a problem but she never opened up but now I'm going to invite her out here. My thoughts are with her and I've been asked to light a tree in his memory....I'll be getting one on Monday.  I lit the fire at six more or less and it was quick to get the water belting round the system.

Supper was chili con carne with toasted bread....and it was delicious.....I caught the crescent moon as I went up the stairs so grabbed the camera,  so atmospheric.....LN....I'm down to the fire...it's got pretty cold...LN



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Elsa Peters
February 22, 2015, 5:10pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 22nd February

Birthday greetings to a friend today...seventy and counting and I hope you've had a lovely day.  

So that delicious supper last night woke me at two thirty this morning and I don't like lying there willing myself to sleep so out came Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire for an hour or so and then back to it until seven this morning.  I think my thermostat went a little adrift with the chili last night so it was leg out from under the duvet but it was white over as I opened the curtains and at first I though it was snow but it had been a very hard frost.  I was out with the ash can and salvaged the fire.  I knew I was out today at my students but for the sake of a few logs..it was well worth it and I loaded it up before I went out and it was still going at three this afternoon.

I picked up Gouldjan at ten at the bus-stop as arrange last night when she phone but as I pulled up to wait for her two of her neighbours were struggling to secure their property and I reckon that had had marauding cow creating mayhem and it could have been their own.  So I jumped out of the car and gave them a hand bringing all my project management skills to the fore and they were most grateful.  Gouldjan bounced up the lane carrying her leather boots and depositing her little rubber running shoes with her mother.  She's had a few pairs stolen from near the bus stop so now she takes precautions....mother to the rescue

On to my students and we chatted before lunch and they gave me a pretty primula for my birthday present.....lunch was a liver banichka that I'd never had before and mother had stewed three calves feet for about five hours  which I passed on.  They were extolling the virtues and I couldn't believe they had anything going for them but it reminded me of when my mother used to do pig's trotters but they seemed to have more meat that those of the calves.  Mother and father were working in the garden but came in when the wind got up.  Father sloped off to bed and mother eventually came in and settled on the sofa and the eyes headed southwards.  I left at two thirty thereabouts and remembered to phone Gouldjan so that I could take her home.  

Missed out today...I should have gone into Zlatograd or Kardjali as there were processions for Mummer's day....I've already put it in my diary for next year....it looked like fun from the photos on FB.  So temperature dropping again tonight....no chili to mar my sleep but I'm not sure if the liver (drop) has worked its way down yet.  It might need a little encouragement with a touch of alcohol.  Tomorrow I'm into Djebel to post letters for 1st March martenitsa.....and hoping they reach there in time....LN....I'm down to the warm...LN



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Elsa Peters
February 23, 2015, 7:20pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 23rd February

Stupid night last night.  Fell asleep in front of the fire on the sofa, woke up at eleven and not an ounce of sleep left in me so I was reading at two thirty this morning, had an attempt at sleep, went back to reading and woke up at seven.  It was raining, no chance of missing the sunrise, there wasn't one and even the starlings looked very bedraggled as they stomped around the garden pecking at goodness knows what.

Onto the computer and designed a couple of cards that were for posting today, got everything ready for the post office, down for breakfast using up the last of the kippers on toast, washed and dressed and ready for the off my ten.  Yesterday I had trouble and the Beast wouldn't start and I suspected another glowplug had bitten the dust but decided to try it to see if there had been a miraculous recovery but it still coughed and spluttered and refused to burst into action so out with Beauty.

First stop the post office with my four letters and was guaranteed that they would leave at lunchtime with a 'Priority' stamp on them, then down to the garage to sort out the flashing battery charging light and to check out a bit of an oil leak that I found on the garage ramp at home, over to the garage shop with the intention of renewing my insurance only to find that it's not due until the end of next month...result.

Made my way to Kardjali for a few items from the supermarkets and after adjustments at the garage the flashing red battery light had changed into a permanently displayed light so I mentioned this to the shop owner and the next thing he had disappeared back to the garage in my car returning after about half an hour and saying that everything was working properly, he couldn't find the cause of the fault and reckoned it must be caused by the damp but that he'd had to put some air in the brakes...I think he'd tried to stop quickly and had his heart in his mouth.  I'm to try the Beast tomorrow morning and if it goes, I'll take it in and if it doesn't he'll come out and do home assist...you gotta love it here.

Home for four, fire going, chicken in and all systems go by four thirty.  Miserable day today...dull as ditchwater all day and it's still raining now.    So Beast testing tomorrow and we'll see how it pans out...LN....I'm tele watching later with a little of the rose to wash down the chicken...LN



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Elsa Peters
February 24, 2015, 7:23pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 24th February

Such a lazy day today...I've done very little.  It's been damp, dismal, hills clouded over and not a day for setting the world on fire.  Having said that it cleared up a little but no chance of sunlight at all.  The starlings were out though and sorting through the garden for whatever they search for and the magpies were soon out and feeding on the last of the chili con carne that I threw over the fence.

I went to get the wood in, the fire was going even though it was only damp not cold, but I decided to tidy the wood store and sweep the floor to get rid of the dried moss from the logs.  Moved the uncut logs and restacked them and I was checking out how much of the eight cubic I have left and there is no panic....I have enough unless winter sets in again.  I did notice that the cranberry tree is just coming into flower and more bulbs have broken through.  Spring is springing but the temperature has dropped tonight again and that crescent moon is out but surrounded by a halo.

I had a bath tonight and it is such a nice feeling.  Showers are ok but there's nothing like taking to the tub with a glass of the good stuff and coming down to a roaring fire....well I will be down there as soon as I've finished the update.  LN.....I'm off to the fire...LN




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Elsa Peters
February 25, 2015, 4:04pm Report to Moderator

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Wednesday 25th February

Very lazy morning....I watched television last night and there was a very interesting programme about Romanians and their assault on the UK.  It outlined how they live at home and can you blame them sometimes for wanting better for their families.  A lot from here go out to find their fortune but never fame in the rest of Europe and I have to feel sorry for split families.  If they make the more and a life in the UK...good luck to them.  If the grandparents are having to look after the children...that's not so good for the grandchildren especially if the new found freedom for the parents means that they have a better life abroad and leave the rest to their parents.  I'll sit on the fence...not my place to make judgements.

Eight thirty start this morning and didn't bother to light the fire and had the intention of getting the pipes out to give them a clean.  I was in the kitchen in my PJ's when there was a knock on the door so I put my pyjama top outside my bottoms to hide the winter bulges not knowing what or who I would find on the other side of the door (well it could have been Richard Gere) but instead it was the Librarian.  She said that she'd tried to phone me to no avail, had visions of me falling and breaking a leg and no one managing to contact her so had come to see.  My phone was sitting in my bag and out of juice and asked the question why she hadn't checked my blog and she explained that she hadn't had her computer for a couple of days and had strange messages on the screen.  The outcome....I got dressed, followed her back home, pressed a few keys and hey presto...she's now live again.  I explained what I'd done so next time...she should be OK.

Sandwiches for lunch and then the rain really came down.  I left at just after four, checked the Beast and still couldn't get it to fire so need to take measures tomorrow, fire thumping out, packet of Ritz biscuits being nibbled as we speak and about to go down and get some spicy sausages into the pan with onions for supper.

Took a few photos around the garden this evening.  I will be good when the rain goes so that I can get out there again...it's needful of love and attention...there again...aren't we all...LN



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Elsa Peters
February 26, 2015, 5:21pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday 26th February

Watched the Brits last night and the fall of Madonna.  She was playing with the clip to the cloak as she strutted her stuff and I was shocked but not surprised it happened.  Trouper that she is though, she got straight up and that has to be admired.  As for Jimmy Carr…that bloke is a liability…he wants removing from the tv with his agist jokes.  I hope old age isn’t good to him…

Seven start this morning and got the fire going despite feeling the need to get the pipes out and give it a good clean.  It was a beautiful morning, the mist was rising on the mountains and the clouds over Greece were rising and falling and giving the sun a hard time at breaking though.  Eventually it made it though and it was good today but no sunset to write home about.

Toast for breakfast with blackcurrant jam from Kaufland but it’s not a patch on the one that I used to get from Lidl in the UK but beggars can’t be choosers.  Lidl haven’t bothered to export it to here.  I ate it outside on the terrace but came in again.  The flies decided that it was their day in the sun.  Goodness knows where they hide out in the winter but at the first sign…they’re buzzing around but if luck holds and the temperature drops tonight…that should get rid of a few.  Read for a while and the eyelids were determined to go southwards and so I let them.  Came to with a vengeance and removed the pipes from the wood burner now that it had burnt itself out, gave them a clean and all replaced within the hour.  Salvaged what was left of the log and it was all systems go.

A little gardening and general cleaning of the kitchen and wood burner area….chilled afternoon…LN….I’m in for the night and not sure what tomorrow will bring yet….probably the same as today…LN



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Elsa Peters
February 27, 2015, 7:18pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 27th February

So I wrote my blog a few minutes ago and I managed to lose it all.  So let's go for it again

Cats and yet more cats were squawking all night  and I could have got up and demolished all of them except that it was silly o'clock in the morning. I would have got up and thrown noisy bombers  but one of the cats is Hacibar's almost blind kitten and so I didn't throw the bombers to move them from the perimeter.

So I had a a last minute sleep today..I just couldn't wake up but bearing in mind that I went to bed at just after nine last night, I managed a few hours.  I was most surprised that it was just after six when I woke up this morning.  Toasted roll this morning for breakfast, out to the garden and moved a few things round.  I ended up tidying the kitchen and sorting out the shelving and threw out a few items so that now I have space for the electrical items that I've accumulated,.

This afternoon was a mixture of television and tidying and very leisurely it was.  LN...not anything planned for tomorrow...LN



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Elsa Peters
February 28, 2015, 6:09pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 28th February

So this morning it was out for the bread van so that I could have breakfast.  I missed the first toot of the horn and only caught the second blast thinking that it was further down the main road.  I started to head down there and Haciber told me that he was onto the next village so I carried on down to check and there was no one there except Emula working in the garden.  On my walk back Haciber shot out of the house and handed me a dish of her homemade yogurt...they don't have much here but what they have they share so I went home clutching the dish, popped it into one of mine, washed the dish, grabbed a couple of mandarins and popped them in the dish.  It's an unwritten rule that when you hand the dish back it shouldn't be empty.  She was really pleased for the gift.

So I caught the van on its return journey...the only way out if the village is the way that he came in and it was toast and jam for breakfast.  Got a load of washing in the machine and out on the line and it was dry in quicksticks.  The next job was to clear out the fridge of stuff that should have been emptied out before today and I threw it over the fence into the field for the animals.  Unfortunately I lost the bowl along with the goodies and had to use the extending window cleaning brush to retrieve the said bowl which left a very sticky brush giving me another job.  

Lost the electricity this afternoon for a couple of hours so I lit the little fire in the kitchen just in case it didn't come back and it was six before we were connected again.  There must have been emergency repairs or someone wanted a new connection.  So now the big fire is going, I'm half watching the Six Nations rugby.  There are no photos today.....and I have no excuse....I didn't get round to it.  Tomorrow is going to be a fun day.  March 1st...Baba Marta and everyone will be giving each other wrist bands that we'll wear until we see a stork or the first new fruit tree in blossom.  Personally I shall be looking out for the shepherds frolicking in the morning dew....LN...I need an early night to catch those shepherds...LN
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