Welcome, Guest.
Please login or register.
NOVEMBER 2015
Forum Login
Login Name: Create a new account
Password:     Forgot password

Elsa Peters living a new life in Bulgaria    General Boards    My Diary by Elsa Peters  ›  NOVEMBER 2015
Users Browsing Forum
No Members and 23 Guests

NOVEMBER 2015  This thread currently has 9,434 views. Print
4 Pages « 1 2 3 4 » All Recommend Thread
Elsa Peters
November 10, 2015, 8:54pm Report to Moderator

Diary Admin
Posts: 6,110
Gender: Female
Posts Per Day: 1.08
Location: Mobile!
Tuesday 10th November

Seven start this morning and it was going to be a lazy day.  I stripped the bed down, got the washing underway, made coffee and got the Kindle out and settled down to read for an hour or so.  The day started well but by the time I came to peg out it had clouded over and there was hardly any wind and I had visions of having to light the fire and dry the stuff inside.  I didn't bother with breakfast, I really wasn't in the mood for it.

Read until I could read no more so cleaned out the wood burner and removed the soot from under the hot plate and the base of the pipes.  I was surprised how much had already accumulated and guess that I'll have to get the pipes out before the winter really sets in.  Decided that I was going to make chicken and vegetable pies out of the thick soup that I'd made on Sunday so got some frozen pastry out of freezer.  I managed to roll it out with a large spoon handle not being in possession of a rolling pin, put the chicken and veg into three dishes, put them in the oven and when they were piping hot I put the pasty topping on each of them.  One for tonight, one for tomorrow and the big one goes back in the freezer.

Washing in and it was more or less dry and is now on the airer in the bathroom.....as I said it's been a lazy day....and the most activity was taking shots of the sunset this evening.  It changed so much and it was so dramatic...mornings and nights here are stunning most days.  LN...I now have to decided on the photos to post....LN



Attachment: this_has_been_my_day_today_5296.jpg
Size: 46.76 KB

Attachment: turning_yellow_8185.jpg
Size: 122.56 KB

Attachment: and_so_is_my_garden_6527.jpg
Size: 79.70 KB

Attachment: always_changing_5343.jpg
Size: 60.41 KB

Attachment: and_still_later_5845.jpg
Size: 56.54 KB

Attachment: and_this_4624.jpg
Size: 58.35 KB

Attachment: love_this_one_5942.jpg
Size: 78.49 KB

Attachment: not_looking_good_for_tomorrow_2047.jpg
Size: 54.74 KB

Attachment: and_inside_8579.jpg
Size: 37.67 KB

Attachment: chicken_and_veg_pie_6198.jpg
Size: 86.38 KB

Attachment: pink_tinge_to_the_clouds_1187.jpg
Size: 49.53 KB

Logged Offline
Site E-mail Private Message Reply: 10 - 32
Elsa Peters
November 11, 2015, 7:23pm Report to Moderator

Diary Admin
Posts: 6,110
Gender: Female
Posts Per Day: 1.08
Location: Mobile!
Wednesday 11th November

Very silly night last night.  I go into a very serious FB discussion with the daughter of one of my old friends which turned into a message session and at one thirty my time we were still going strong.  She's a very beautiful lady who's just going through a dark patch....men egh...So I was not ready to get my head down so took to reading and eventually put the light out at three thirty.  It did mean that I slept in though until seven this morning and the sky was already pink and blue and then up came the sun.  

Coffee, a general tidy round and then onto the sofa with a new book.  It was such a glorious day for this time of year.  Read for about an hour or so and then out with the strimmer to take down some of the new growth at the bottom of the garden.  By this time we've usually had a couple of heavy frosts that's stopped the weeds but this year every thing has gone topsy turvy.  There are so many new flowering plants that have seeded since around September and are very health and looking to seed again before our winter really sets in.  Strange.

Had a bit of a lazy day after that....showered, washed my hair and gave myself a pedicure and applied lashings of foot cream and tarted up the nails before it's out of the gardening clogs and into wellies.  Looking at the long term weather though...it seems to be continuing like this for the next few weeks.

Not much need for food today...I've not really done much to use any calories.....so it's been a bit of a 'grazing' day.  Kardjali tomorrow to pick up my new glasses and Gouldjan's computer from the repair man.  She's got students until one and will be free after that so it's an afternoon visit.  Early night for me and hopefully I'll get a good night.....LN.....fingers crossed...LN



Attachment: gentle_start_421.jpg
Size: 37.34 KB

Attachment: then_up_it_came_9957.jpg
Size: 27.58 KB

Logged Offline
Site E-mail Private Message Reply: 11 - 32
Elsa Peters
November 12, 2015, 7:42pm Report to Moderator

Diary Admin
Posts: 6,110
Gender: Female
Posts Per Day: 1.08
Location: Mobile!
Thursday 12th November

I woke to a beautiful morning and yet again but a bit of a shock when I was watching Filmon last night.  There was a fire going but my legs didn't stay warm and it wasn't until I went into the bedroom that I noticed that I'd left the door to my bedroom balcony open so no wonder it was cold.  

Stripped off into PJ.s and snuggled down and soon back up to temperature but the last thing I want is another cold to settle since this one is only just beginning to lift.  Woke up to a beautiful sunrise again...such a lovely long Indian summer.  Waited for the bread van and cooked poached egg on toast, cleared the kitchen, dressed and onto the the terrace with the Kindle and enjoyed the sun but had to take a layer off to sit out there comfortably....it was hot, hot, hot.  The Librarian arrived at eleven as planned we stayed outside but moved benches into the shade and at twelve fifteen set off for lunch in town before I picked up Gouldjan at one from the school.  We went to the soup kitchen which is a cheap local lunchtime venue...two bowls of chicken and pasta soup with bread and Fanta....five lev for the two of us.  

Into town to pick up my glasses,  Gouldjan has gone off to pick up her computer, but the shop was closed and it took a telephone call to the number printed on the door for the man to come down and open the shop when  I'd explained in Bulgarian that I'd come to pick up glasses.  He opened the cupboard and came out with a delicious pink and green box and they were mine.  I tried them on and they are absolutely superb and I'm so pleased that I've decided to take care of my eyesight.....we seem to forget certain basics.  Into the old Mania across the street and found a red jumper, a bronze coloured evening top, a canvas belt for the Librarian to match the jumper she was wearing and another long sleeved t-shirt for working in and the total cost...two lev.  Over to a restaurant for coffee and we again sat in the sun waiting for Gouldjan to reappear and in the end I phoned her to find out where she was.  She was now at the top end of town so we got back in the car and went to the top car park stopping off to get some winter bee supplies for one of the Librarian's neighbours,  phone Gouldjan again and we eventually met up again, piled back in the car and over to Kaufland for a few essentials.  

We dropped her off just before six, the Librarian loaded up her car and off she went, I put my back in the garage since there's nothing on the agenda for tomorrow, unloaded the shopping and settled for toast with cream cheese after I'd lit the fire.  Got back into the Kindle and it's now a joy to read again...a difference of .25 between the eyes meant that off the peg ones were no longer viable.  A little Filmon and then it's off to bed for another good night...I still feel that I need to catch up...it must be age.  LN....just after nine thirty my time...it won't be long...LN



Attachment: gentle_predawn_sky_6344.jpg
Size: 40.93 KB

Attachment: autumn_colours_9770.jpg
Size: 71.75 KB

Attachment: sun_up_but_behind_the_tree_5393.jpg
Size: 56.47 KB

Attachment: with_my_special_tree_7419.jpg
Size: 52.92 KB

Attachment: new_glass_case_382.jpg
Size: 75.87 KB

Attachment: and_my_prescription_glasses_8450.jpg
Size: 72.97 KB

Logged Offline
Site E-mail Private Message Reply: 12 - 32
Elsa Peters
November 13, 2015, 8:02pm Report to Moderator

Diary Admin
Posts: 6,110
Gender: Female
Posts Per Day: 1.08
Location: Mobile!
Friday 13th November

So this morning I woke up to a misty morning and went out onto my bedroom balcony to take a photo and then I saw them.  Bastard bovine had got in…some were lying down obviously having spent the night, others were munching their way through my flowers, grass, shrubs and anything else they could find.  I put the outside garden light on, went out with my cow stick to try and find the hole in the remaining fence and saw that it was by the mulberry tree.  Now this is half way down the garden and you have to get one of them through and the rest follow but since there were thirteen of the things so I stood a snowballs chance in hell of getting them through.  Into Beauty, down to the farm and spoke to Semile’s mother and managed to tell her the problem and then spotted the cowherd so he was scooped up and we drove back to mine.  Now he knows cows, I showed him the hole in the fence and he herded them through….result so ……out with the old wood, in with the new, bendy wire, wire cutters, nails and hammer and by eight thirty it was repaired, and then to inspect the garden.  What a mess….so boiled eggs and toast before I tackled anything.

Forsythia stripped, bottle brush with a smashed pot pulled from the little house terrace, beetroot pulled out, peppers stripped, tobacco and marigolds beheaded and piles of shite everywhere.  I pulled the roots of the peppers out, dug over the bed and the really small beets were replanted and we’ll see it they take.  The rest of the baby beets were boiled and are now sitting in vinegar…..every cloud has a silver lining and I repotted the bottle brush and that’s ready for wintering in the little house.

Read for a while today after the activity and an early supper was on the horizon.  Chicken with jacket potatoes and roasted parsnips with a couple of glasses of the red stuff.  I’m now watching Rick Stein making his way through Istanbul and some of his recipes look so easy to achieve….Here’s hoping I am cow free tomorrow morning.  The problem lies in the fact that once the cows have got in they have the memory for retrying and since it is the only side of the rectangle that is incomplete…it’s really annoying.  It was promised for October but I’m still waiting and it’s the middle of November….but that’s all I’m going to say about it…LN…I need to top up the glass…and Rick is making Turkish delight….LN….



Attachment: out_there_somewhere_copy_6377.jpg
Size: 54.91 KB

Attachment: beautiful_morning_copy_7077.jpg
Size: 43.80 KB

Attachment: trail_of_destrucion_copy_5797.jpg
Size: 153.93 KB

Attachment: peppers_beheaded_copy_3054.jpg
Size: 147.64 KB

Attachment: beets_uprooted_copy_2853.jpg
Size: 159.13 KB

Attachment: hole_by_the_mulberry_copy_1012.jpg
Size: 114.09 KB

Attachment: left_their_mark_copy_7401.jpg
Size: 182.06 KB

Attachment: yet_more_of_the_morning_copy_3126.jpg
Size: 69.67 KB

Logged Offline
Site E-mail Private Message Reply: 13 - 32
Elsa Peters
November 14, 2015, 5:08pm Report to Moderator

Diary Admin
Posts: 6,110
Gender: Female
Posts Per Day: 1.08
Location: Mobile!
Saturday 14th November

A normal magical start to the morning but this time…no cows.  There was one lingering looking for the gap but it didn’t stay for long….and just as well.

I had a very lazy start….I was waiting for the Librarian to arrive and we were off to Kardjali for a meander and a lunch date at one with a couple of friends,  She arrived at ten more or less, we had a coffee and set off stopping first at the market and then off to the cheap shops to see what they were giving away and it was worth the trip.  I picked up a leather waistcoat, a wool mix jumper and a lightweight summer one for the princely sum of five leva and I work on the theory that Gouldjan can have them for the needy if I haven’t worn them by next year.  The Librarian came out with a few more than I did…I was very careful today.  We did a circuit of the fruit and veg market and went to what used to be a little old man selling sock but now his wife was there and she took great pride in telling us that it was all her own work.

On to the restaurant and the food was superb.  We had a selection of dishes and all dipped in and came away feeling quite stuffed.  We said fond farewells and I introduced the Librarian to another small supermarket that has lots of choice and she found a bottle of HP brown sauce and she was over the moon.  

Home just after five to find a birthday card on my door step that I’d sent to England ten weeks ago.  There was a note on it ‘return to sender’ but it appears that the post office in Djebel stamped it with all the official stamps including ‘Priority’ but that they failed to put the stamp on it.  Doh….I’ll have to point it out….  Made a phone call to tell my English friend the saga of the card and apologised…I’ll take it over next time I go ready for next year.  Fire going…lovely sunset again tonight….this is such a magical place.  I had a good lunch so no food required but a little beer might be on the cards for tonight….LN…A very relaxed and enjoyable day in good company…LN



Attachment: crescent_moon_over_the_garage_2348.jpg
Size: 83.93 KB

Attachment: so_beautiful_3328.jpg
Size: 37.87 KB

Attachment: russet_garden_3130.jpg
Size: 108.07 KB

Attachment: view_from_the_yard_6440.jpg
Size: 121.77 KB

Attachment: through_the_flyscreen_4831.jpg
Size: 55.12 KB

Attachment: big_yellow_streak_8253.jpg
Size: 129.79 KB

Attachment: dramatic_3975.jpg
Size: 132.11 KB

Attachment: so_beautiful_4815.jpg
Size: 37.87 KB

Logged Offline
Site E-mail Private Message Reply: 14 - 32
Elsa Peters
November 15, 2015, 5:59pm Report to Moderator

Diary Admin
Posts: 6,110
Gender: Female
Posts Per Day: 1.08
Location: Mobile!
Sunday 15th November

Woke up at four thirty this morning, read for a while and they went off again until more or less seven.  There was only a glimmer of the morning and it took a while for the pink to come to the clouds but it took ages for the sun to burst through.  Bacon and egg for breakfast and decided that it was time to get the wood burner pipes cleaned out so on to the stool, pipes removed to the terrace, scrubbed out and replaced.  There wasn’t a lot of soot and debris in them but it’s better that way…..Chicken, onions, tomato and beetroot in the slow cooker….my supper is cooking.

The sun eventually broke through so I cleared up the debris from the wheelbarrow that the cow had knocked over and got the bonfire going.  The big wood I put into one of the big buckets and it would get burnt in the house and the sawdust, leaves and little bits were better go rid of in the garden.  My next job was to remove the cowpats and put them on the gardens and as I was doing it one of my neighbours was looking for the usual places the council put the sand ready for the snow but they haven’t been round this year.  She was having a little work done so I said she could have a wheelbarrow from my heap.  It was ordered to complete the wall but as the year wears on…I have the feeling that it’s not going to happen.  She offered money and I refused…if it’s left on the heap the wind is probably going to blow it around so I’d rather she had it and used it.

I decided that the afternoon was mine so out with the Kindle and lay out on the sofa until it was time to light the fire and tonight is the first night of the year that I’ve drawn the hall curtain to maintain the heat downstairs.  The temperature has really dropped tonight so it could be a frost.  Off to the kitchen to sample my long cooked supper with a glass of the red…LN…shopping with Mrs D of S tomorrow….LN



Attachment: first_light_9759.jpg
Size: 46.18 KB

Attachment: which_tinged_up_a_little_4964.jpg
Size: 47.47 KB

Logged Offline
Site E-mail Private Message Reply: 15 - 32
Elsa Peters
November 16, 2015, 7:09pm Report to Moderator

Diary Admin
Posts: 6,110
Gender: Female
Posts Per Day: 1.08
Location: Mobile!
Monday 16th November

So it was a five start, I read for a while and at six went down to make coffee and then went back to reading.  I did manage to take a couple of shots of morning but there wasn't much to photograph…only a hint of the pink stuff.

Didn't bother with breakfast since I was meeting Mrs D of S and we would chew over the fat over coffee and whatever we could manage to order.  I picked up three passengers on the way in…I beat the bus….and as I dropped them off I picked up  Mrs Dof S.  We made our way to the post office, parked the car up and walked to the restaurant for breakfast…Down to the market but there were no purchases made so down to the hardware shop where I picked up some more bendable wire so that if I needed to keep the cows out I would have the where withal to do it.  

Off she went in the taxi and I drove home and parked the Beast in the garage without any adjustments getting it in there…result.  Lovely afternoon in the sun reading, my painter came round and I’ve already booked him to do the preservatives on the beams before I head of to the UK.  Fish steak with chippies for supper eaten in front of a super fire and little beer to wash it down.  LN  it’s been a calm day..LN



Attachment: very_red_start_7109.jpg
Size: 31.94 KB

Attachment: and_then_mellowed_1355.jpg
Size: 47.99 KB

Attachment: and_it_changed_again_2040.jpg
Size: 39.81 KB

Attachment: leaves_all_gone_now_7843.jpg
Size: 130.10 KB

Attachment: and_scattered_2994.jpg
Size: 93.96 KB

Attachment: beautiful_compositon_3715.jpg
Size: 66.45 KB

Attachment: with_poplars_5742.jpg
Size: 50.89 KB

Logged Offline
Site E-mail Private Message Reply: 16 - 32
Elsa Peters
November 17, 2015, 7:18pm Report to Moderator

Diary Admin
Posts: 6,110
Gender: Female
Posts Per Day: 1.08
Location: Mobile!
Tuesday 17th November

Today would have been my sister’s birthday so a few memories coming your way and lots to love to my nieces and nephew….

Six thirty start and it’s getting nearly time to move to the downstairs bedroom and as long as I don’t close the curtains in the lounge I can still catch the morning.  That’s what I love about this house.  Beautiful sunrise yet again and watered the bathroom plants and am really pleased that one of the plants I bought from my lady in Kardjali is coming into flower again.  I haven’t a clue what it’s called but it’s very oriental looking.  Next job was out with the brush and shovel to clear up the leaves that been blown off the trees in the yard yesterday.  They’d accumulated by the front door and under and around Beauty and I managed to collect three wheelbarrow’s full and dumped them on the compost.  That was about the height of activity for today….the book has drawn me in and I’m into the last ten percent of it and it will be back down to it later.  

Late lunch was some of the remains of yesterday’s slow cooker mixed with spicy sausage remnant from the freezer, curry sauce added and it worked.  It had to be a little glass of the red stuff to help it on its way and lying in the sun reading took up most of the afternoon.  I lit the fire at four thirty to keep the house ticking over for the evening and again it looks like being a cold one tonight.  

Just after nine my time…nothing on the cards for tomorrow except for tomorrow night when I’m off to my student’s house for supper.  LN….going to sort out the fire and get comfy on the sofa…for the last ten percent..LN  



Attachment: just_a_glimmer_6640.jpg
Size: 33.10 KB

Attachment: and_up_it_comes_8847.jpg
Size: 33.73 KB

Attachment: bathroom_oriental_6970.jpg
Size: 68.06 KB

Attachment: likes_it_here_4625.jpg
Size: 40.40 KB

Attachment: not_for_me_2313.jpg
Size: 68.76 KB

Logged Offline
Site E-mail Private Message Reply: 17 - 32
Elsa Peters
November 18, 2015, 8:46pm Report to Moderator

Diary Admin
Posts: 6,110
Gender: Female
Posts Per Day: 1.08
Location: Mobile!
Wednesday 18th November

Very misty start and it was a tad chill on the balcony this morning.  Not much to see of the sun and it took quite a while for it to burn off but burn off it did.  Out to the mobile shop for two loaves and a cheesy bread for breakfast and I must remember to take him ten stotinki tomorrow I threw myself into the red with the cheesy bread.  I'd only thrown a sweater over my pj's this morning to head down to the van and a shower and hair wash was on the cards before I really faced the day and it took a couple of cups of coffee to get there.  There really wasn't any rush so I lay on the sofa and read for an hour after breakfast before the urge to clean up and get ready for the day came home to roost.

On with a new pair of legging things after my shower but didn't bother with a jumper in the house...it was ticking along at twenty eight even though it wasn't that warm outside.  I had tuna mayo for lunch on the fresh unsliced bread and settled down again with my book and at four I was surprised by a visit from Gouldjan so I provided her with a coffee and we put the world to rights.  Out with the Beast at five thirty and I dropped her off at home and continued on to my student's home for supper.  Her mother's uncle was there from Turkey and what a lovely man he is.   They really are a lovely family.  Home now and I've confirmed that I got home safe joking that Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood sent their regards.  They expect a funny.  

Tomorrow I'm off to Kardjali for my residential documentation and attempting to sort out my driving licence renewal having completed all the medical checks.  LN...I'll let you know how I get on...LN





Attachment: mulberry_is_still_pretty_green_1587.jpg
Size: 86.11 KB

Attachment: leaves_gone_from_the_wild_plum_5784.jpg
Size: 70.07 KB

Attachment: pretty_petunias_6394.jpg
Size: 92.27 KB

Attachment: worth_a_closeup_9745.jpg
Size: 70.32 KB

Attachment: temperature_in_1183.jpg
Size: 45.32 KB

Attachment: and_out_7571.jpg
Size: 43.07 KB

Attachment: and_one_from_the_yard_3069.jpg
Size: 69.24 KB

Attachment: another_stunning_sunset_4976.jpg
Size: 37.55 KB

Logged Offline
Site E-mail Private Message Reply: 18 - 32
Elsa Peters
November 19, 2015, 7:34pm Report to Moderator

Diary Admin
Posts: 6,110
Gender: Female
Posts Per Day: 1.08
Location: Mobile!
Thursday 19th November

So today was the day that I picked up  my Lishna  card and it was a day of Narnia as the clouds rose up over the mountains and I posted the photos on FB which resulted in lots of ‘likes’.  Lovely morning.

I phoned the Librarian and asked her if she wanted to come to play and after ten minutes my painter arrive in my garden and he was coerced into joining in the fun and with his Bulgarian…we had more chance of attaining the objective.  He could fill in the forms for me and he did.  So firstly I picked up my new residential documentation and then over to KAT for my new driving licence and that was a job in itself.  I think mine was the only one that had been done that year so we got others officers into the fray and eventually overcame the restrictions.  At the end of the day…I’d completed the documentation and the classifications seemed to be the high hurdle.  Eventually I signed the five page form and apparently I can pick up my new licence in January….Success…

Into the opticians and selected and ordered new half glasses so that I can wear them to drive…Over to Kaufland and coffee at cheap prices purchased to go into my shop so that others might take advantage,,,,Chicken for supper with roasted veg and now I'm chilled with the fire gong and a little red on the go….not a bad life out here…LN…tomorrow nothing on the agenda…Let’s see what crops up…LN



Attachment: and_this_is_my_morning_7209.jpg
Size: 40.60 KB

Attachment: love_my_tree_4048.jpg
Size: 40.58 KB

Attachment: up_it_came_9164.jpg
Size: 42.45 KB

Attachment: my_tree_on_my_house_9304.jpg
Size: 63.89 KB

Attachment: supper_1109.jpg
Size: 62.36 KB

Logged Offline
Site E-mail Private Message Reply: 19 - 32
4 Pages « 1 2 3 4 » All Recommend Thread
Print

My Diary by Elsa Peters (only location)

Thread Rating
There is currently no rating for this thread