Friday 20th November

What a funny old night.  I had a reasonable sleep but woke up at five thirty, went down and made coffee, read for a while but then put the light out, watched the dawn and promptly nodded off again.  I did get up and get washed and dressed but made my way back to bed and read some more enjoying the sun streaming into the bedroom.

I heard a few noises outside, looked out from the balcony and saw one of the men that I know from seeing him walk down to the mosque walking the length of my bottom wall.  Eventually I came downstairs at around eleven and went out to check out the temperature outside and there was a black bag hanging on the door knob and it was full of garden goodies and I thought that my painter had been round since I lobbed him a five litre bottle of wine for his work yesterday on the driving licence.

I opened the bag and saw that I had potatoes, peppers, beans, garlic, peanuts, onions, medlars and a jar of preserved peppers.  At one thirty the mystery was solved…the gentleman who had been walking my perimeter was the donor who was now knocking on my door.  .  Now in the grand scheme of things and being the sort of village that it is I had to cut him off so went outside and he made a move to come in the house.  It’s a funny old village and I had to explain that I was a woman living on her own and the it would not be a good idea for him to come into the house.  I thanked him for his gift, shook his hands and saw him out of the gate.  I just hadn’t got a chaperone.

The rest of the afternoon was spent reading and snoozing on the sofa in the sun and eventually lit the fire at five this evening and the house has reached a very comfortable temperature.  The boiler is on…I’m going to linger in the bath tonight.  LN…a very restful day …LN

Saturday 21st November

After a delicious bath last night I lay my head on the pillow at ten twenty and at three I was reading.  Tried again at three fifteen but back to the book and at three thirty I eventually managed to sleep through until six thirty.  Dawn was just starting and I had to follow it through.  There was front over in Greece / Turkey and the clouds were scudding and forming unusual patters but the colours in the sky were just beautiful.  I went down for coffee, out on to the balcony to take a few of the morning but that wind was really cold and it wasn't long before I was inside again and wrapped in the duvet.  So between the duvet. balcony I think I captured morning rather well.

Seven twenty and it was all over.  The colours had disappeared and morning was the same as any other.  The sun had poked through for a while and then gone back so it was time to get going, another coffee, a little longer with the book, washed and dressed, washing in and I made the decision to go into Kardjali to get my glasses.  Washing pegged out and despite the strong breeze I was hoping that it would still be there when I got back.  I know that I'd said last night that I was going to get my glasses and I decided to follow through with the intent.

I saw Hacibar and asked if there was anything she wanted and we settled on a kilo or so of clemantines. I stopped off at my student's mums shop and handed over a few items including the silicon cake cases and she told me that there had been an accident on the Kardjali road and her daughter's bosses wife had died in the accident.  Such sad news.  As I drove to Kardjali they had blocked off part of that duel carriage way and there was obviously an accident investigation being carried out.  It's a wonder they're aren't more...the Bulgarians do not appreciate what a solid white line in the middle of the road means...they overtake in hatched areas too.

So picked up my glasses, went to Kaufland and got the clemantines for Hacibar, over to Billa and bought nothing and finished at Lidl where I got more bacon and just to amuse my Librarian...some more packs of toilet rolls.  The road blocks were still in place and the cars in the same position and I carried on to the bottom road and made sure that I indicated well in advance that I was off roading...the cars following don't believe that you are taking to the hills.

Shopping delivered, unpacked, wood and washing in, fire lit and chicken and chippies for supper.  Strictly dancing tonight from Blackpool so I shall be settling in for that.  Apparently the weather is going to close in for tomorrow and there is supposed to be rain about.  Perhaps out super autumn is over...LN...and tomorrow's job is collecting the leaves from the yard...and that should be the end of it with this wind...LN

Sunday 22nd November

Really stormy start this morning and the wind was rocketing around and lots of clouds scudding across the sky and there was a humungous front over Greece.  There was a touch of red in the sky but nothing to write home about…

So my biggest concern was that my super tree was going to survive.  Watering cans and pots were being moved around and my supply of seeds had taken to the air and was being well and truly distributed to the winds.  

I went out and battened down what I could…picked up the bench from the grave garden and pushed it against the fence so that it couldn’t be upended again…I dragged the sunbed over to the workshop terrace so that it would not take to the hillside.  My tree lost its fir cones and they’re now scattered over the garden.

Hacibar was my visitor this afternoon and brought me home made yogurt and as she entered she headed for the wood burner but the fire wasn't lit and she couldn't believe it.  My house is warm because of the sun shining through the windows.

Not much for me today….book, sofa, television filmon and that was about if.  I lit the fire at around five.  Had a phone call from my daughter this afternoon…lovely to catch up and had a conversation with my grandson…my lovely C.J. on Messenger.

Stormy day today and the wind is still rocketing over the hillside.  Fingers crossed there is no damage overnight and that it subsides by tomorrow.  LN…nothing to do tomorrow so far….things could change overnight…LN

Monday 23rd November

Well it wasn't a bad morning.  The only thing that had moved place was a watering can that found itself half way down the garden.  I'd gathered several bags from the local rubbish heap so I was round clearing and because the wind had dropped, I could burn my own rubbish this morning.  It was a grey old day and stayed like that for most of it.  After the burn up I decided to fork over one of the flower beds throwing the weeds over the fence for the animals.  I came in for breakfast of sliced apple and pear and got the book out at with only ten percent to go, I settled on the sofa and got stuck in.

Lying on the sofa put me in direct line with the porch on the little house and I noticed that wind had taken out most of the polythene from the old windows.  Out with the hammer, wire, nails and pliers and it's all been replaced and now appears to be watertight and currently wind proof.  We'll see how well it stacks up if we have any more storms.

So another of my neighbours was walking by as I got out the wall insulation material to insulate my water clock before the weather really sets in.  He decided that he was going to do it for me so I let him and after he'd done it and left he appeared again.  This time he was clutching his rechargeable lamp explained that he had no electricity supply to the house and could he plug it in which he did and off he went.  I looked at the amount of leaves that had accumulated in the yard after yesterday so three barrowsful later...it was looking OK again.

So back to the sofa with the book after setting a 'spag bol' on the cooker for supper and at six thirty it was ready.  Absolutely delicious although I say it myself.  I was just finishing off and Gouldjan and her mother were at the door bringing with them a large pot of home-made yoghurt and my terabite drive that she'd used to sort out her computer.  The left at just before ten and as they were leaving my other neighbour came round to pick up his lamp.  He was very proud of the work he'd done on my water meter box and had to show it to Gouldjan and her mother.  

Ten o'clock and all quiet on the home front....What a busy old day but despite the dull weather and intermittent light rain I've got a lot done.  LN....Dentist tomorrow and then I'll smile at the world again...and sorry....no photos today...much too busy here....LN  

Tueday 24th November

So it was a six thirty start and it had rained in the night.  The clouds were now lifting and there was a hint of pink in the sky but nothing to write home about like the earlier mornings.  I took some morning photos but straight back to bed with my book and watched the morning come to life.  The mist hung in the crevices and over the new road to Greece and eventually the sun broke through.

I was up for my dental appointment at twelve so decided to have my shower and hairwash so that I was all fresh when he got up close.  Boiled eggs for breakfast with soldiers, in to the shower and after getting dressed for the day, the telephone went and my dentist’s receptionist was struggling with her English language so I told her to try it in Bulgarian and we settled on that he couldn’t see me today and that my appointment is now tomorrow at twelve thirty.  

That put me into a gentle day and I read for a while, walked the garden, got the wood in and helped Hacibar chase the cows down the road so that they didn’t break through gardens to demolish gardens.  Supper was the remains of last night’s spaghetti and pasta and it was just as good tonight.  It was a little vodka and tonic to help it on its way….not usual for the dish or me but it is sitting very well.  

Fire going…the temperature ticked over at just under twenty five all day in the house but the fire keeps it all topped up for the morning.  There is a lovely full moon that seemed to creep up on me…it was already in the sky when I spotted it.  It’s still there now…it could be a really cold night.  …So I have the dentist in the morning and I know why he couldn't see me today…he was out shopping at Mango according to his FB…I’ll tease him about it tomorrow… LN.

Wednesday 25th November

Well it was another cloudy, misty start along the mountain range.  The way that it hung in the valley made the two pointy mountains look huge.  I stayed in bed reading until eight, moved on the computer and did emails and facebook and around nine thirty saw my Painter in the garden.  So down the stairs I went and he’d come to work on the water meter box which unfortunately I’d done yesterday.  I did suggest that he started painting the beams with the five litres of my new concoction but instead he’s coming tomorrow as I had the dentist later and he didn’t want to be left in the house on his own. So off he went and one of my other neighbours who watched me replace the polythene on the little house porch arrived clutching silicone, putty and a glass cutter.  Apparently he has lots of glass that he was going to throw away and he wants to reglaze the little house porch….and I thought …why not.  It’s on the list for renovation but there are other things that can come before it.

Off to the dentist for a scrape and polish and no holes to report but I came away with a prescription for the chemist for a mouth wash to be used morning and night for one minute and not a second less.  It’s for gum improvement.

My next challenge was a phone call from KAT inviting me to visit the office in Kardjali and it appears that there was a problem with my documentation.  As it happened it wasn't with my documentation, their system had crashed and the barcode at the top of my form was not recognised by the system and they anticipated having to complete the five pages again.  When they came to check, the barcode only appeared on the first page and all they needed to do was to replace that and circle the statements to confirm that they were true,  I pointed this out to the officer who obviously realised this too and I smiled and told him that it was only a round trip of sixty kilometres for two minutes work.

Called at Kaufland and grabbed a hot dog and chips for lunch and a few bottles of wine and then off-roaded following the cows home for the last hundred yards.  I swept the leaves out of the garage before I put the Beast away, lit the fire and got my book out for a little relaxation.  No camera out today….it’s been really busy.  The weather has changed…it’s chucking it down at the moment and thank goodness it’s not cold.  No supper…not hungry at all and my mouth feels a little on edge after the torture.  LN…I'm off to pour some anaesthetic…LN

Thursday 26th November

And did it rain in the night?  Did it ever….I stayed up to watch Master Chef and the Apprentice and Jack Dee’s appraisal of the happenings.  Trouble is…England is two hours behind or I am two hours in front but whatever which way….it’s a pain.  

I was lingering in the yard at eight this morning waiting for the breadvan and my  painter arrived at eight twenty more or less fully kitted out for what we were about to do today.  He said that he’d been up half the night thinking about how he was going to reach the high beams on my landing but reach them he did….Clever thinking…he’d selotaped a paint brush to a double extending handle and it worked a treat.  He started in the bathroom and while he was doing that I checked out the product on the internet….highly toxic so we both prepped up with rubber gloves, masks and safety goggles ensuring that we were both wearing long sleeves.  This is the stuff that cost me one hundred and sixty leva for five litres and according to the internet it stops, woodworm, local munching beasties, dry rot, wet rot and any sort in between.  
My upstairs timbers are all complete and any other wooded furniture has been coated and tomorrow we do it all over again.  It needs two applications, we’ve decided on three for my one foot by one foot ceiling beams and then we go round any holes with the syringe and another preparation.  I could just imagine the beasties fully coated up with goggles and face masks the same as we were shouting …something like ‘what the …..’.Ever hopeful….So off he went at around two and I swear he swerved down the road and it’s an exceptionally strong solution.  Two glasses of wine tonight and he’ll sleep the sleep of the just.  

This afternoon I decided to tackle the metal windows in the little house and remove the old glass and putty armed with a chisel and hammer and I’ve succeeded.  It’s all done but I thought why stop there so I removed the old plaster from the inside of the wall, the loose wood that was lying around and chopped up that could be chopped so that it’s all ready for my return from the UK.  Monday I will be glazed and it should only take one day according to my painter and if it takes two….what the heck.

My reward for my work today will not be in heaven.  The chicken wings are in the oven minus mayo….I forgot to buy some …and the wine is already in the glass.  I opened a two leva bottle of Merlot from Kaufland and it’s OK.

Boots blacked for tomorrow and it’s onwards and upwards with the beam stuff….I’ve had a lovely day and achieved loads….LN….it’s nice when a plan comes together…despite the opposition….LN

Friday 27th November

Woke up to more rain and it hasn't stopped all day.  My yard is flooded and it's still going strong now.  Yesterday I put my outside table up on its end so that the underneath would dry out enough to bring it into the house...wrong....it's now saturated again and now under the lounge terrace.

So my painter arrived at eight and we set to not long after that.  Today was a second coating of the magic beastie killer on the beams and we stretched that out to my bed frame and that in the guest room.  It got to the point that I was reminded of the joke about the soldiers...if it stands still paint it....if it moves salute it.  Since most of it was standing still we painted it.  So much so that tomorrow I'm heading into Kardjali for another five litres.  So since we were painting bed frames I stripped the beds down and stored the pillows and quilts in the bathroom after that had been done and we became very organised about it.  By three this afternoon we'd more or less run out of the jungle juice so I sent him on his way and I got to trying to sort out some of the house.  The bed frames need a second coat so tonight I'm moving downstairs....

Hacibar came round this afternoon clutching her home made bread and gave me a huge chunk that I devoured this afternoon with cheese spread and freshly sliced onion so no food for me tonight...full as a little tick.  The fire's being going since about eleven this morning and my painter said that I should be putting more clothes on not lighting the fire.  I responded that this makes the difference from a house into a home and while I have wood...I'm going to keep the home fires burning...

Six thirty my time and going down to get stuck into my book.  I'm on sixty eight percent and it's hotting up, it's a new guy Terry Goodkind and a mixture of ancient wizardry and good versus evil.  The first book didn't go down too well since he seamed to drag it out but he gets better.  So not much left to say tonight except that despite the rain I have a date with Mrs D or S tomorrow in Djebel and then on to Kardjali.... LN....book and beer...LN

And a quick update

Thunder, lightening and gale force winds...time I put this little beauty to bed...LN