Friday 18th December

So I've still not caught up with the two hours that I'm owed sleep wise...It was a five o'clock start for me again and even though it's my house I still creep about so as not to disturb the resting.  I made it down for coffee at seven, breakfasted by eight and hair washed and dried by nine thirty and then the house came awake.  

Resizer has been sorted and I think it was because I've been set up on this system as a guest and so it wasn't letting me change the settings but now it's been fixed.  Final card to buy and money deposited in grandson's cards....they're off to OZ tomorrow so all donations were gratefully received....and what a lovely day we've had.  A little Proseco for starters, wine with lunch and laced coffee to follow....and it was one of those long, long lunches with a break in the middle for unwrapping presents.  So now we're home leaving them to do their packing.  I've put the remains of the vegetables in the fridge and it will get fried up tomorrow....I have two butternut squashes so I'll be searching for a recipe later....more potatoes...the remains of the Christmas pudding, cream and brandy sauce and a pair of leggins that my daughter no longer wanted.

Nine thirty and it really feels like a Sunday to me...stuffed after lunch and not wanting anything else to eat until tomorrow.  Nothing on the agenda so far apart from the fact that I have some presents to get so I might head into Brighton tomorrow on the bus since parking is so expensive.  I'll let you know what I get up to.

Back down for the tv.....at least it doesn't seize up like Filmon.....LN....I might see all of Strictly tomorrow...LN

Saturday 19th December

Not so bad this morning....I had a seven am start but it was all down to the fact that I started watching a film downstairs and the timer was on and so I lost the end of it.  Went upstairs and realised it was on in my ex's bedroom so continued watching it and then he started snoring...there were three remotes by the bed so I gave up and thought I would try and catch up with the film at a later date.  I'm not into the terrestrial tv of UK and the amount of remotes you need to vaguely try and control the input and output.  Filmon...you are forgiven your hangups....

So I had visions of going into town today to start my Christmas shopping but instead started hunting for a photograph that I wanted to put on Facebook.  I've joined a few sites and some of the photographs are very much part of my childhood and schooldays and there was one in particular that I was determined to find.  Me and the lads on the old rec in a football pose and I eventually came across it and it's been well received now that I've posted it.  I also had photos of school plays that I was in going back to the early fifties and they've got posted as well.  As for the rest of the day I've spent the afternoon tidying and shredding lots of accumulated crap that I really want to get rid of.  This house wants tidying and I do not want my children to have to go through loads of shite it I kick the bucket unexpectedly so it's down to me and my three weeks here.  One of the filing cabinets is empty and half of one of the book cases...I've had a good day.  

Toast for breakfast, tuna and mayo sandwiches for lunch and half a bottle of wine for supper with a chocolate snowman while I was watching Strictly...the final and now we have to wait for the second part of it starting at nine so hence the update before I get ensconced again.  No supper for me...I might just go back for the other half of the bottle if it hasn't disappeared before I get downstairs again.  

Out for lunch tomorrow with two very special friends at a restaurant they use but I've not been there before....I feel that I've achieved a lot today...more to do but five years away leaves it's mark on a property...but I'm getting there.  LN...I can feel Strictly calling me...LN

Sunday 20th December

Well for me Strictly was a let down.....I thought either of the girls should have won....they had scored to well all the way through....

Seven start, jammed the shredder and spent half an hour poking and prodding with a pair of scissors and managed to free it up eventually.  Toast for breakfast and off to church for eleven this morning in my little church, over to the market garden and managed to pick up the first of my presents and made it to our friends in good time for making it to the pub restaurant in time for the allotted hour.  The menu was good...they go quite often bit was my first time there and I was impressed by the food but not the service.  I took almost two glasses of wine before the food arrived.  Steak, ale and mushroom pie for me with chippies followed by a treacle pudding with custard and cream and I feel utterly stuffed....still....

Back to our friends house this afternoon and we sat around chewing the fat.  I think I nodded off for about half an hour but that's what friends are for...they let you.  The church that A goes to was holding a candlelit carol service with brass band playing the carols so I said that I would keep her company.  She knew quite a few of the ladies there....I knew only her but my biggest beef of both churches is that they change the words thinking they are updating carols where for oldies like me, we still remember the originals and it seems quite strange to get happy clappy over them.  The other frustration tonight was that there were nine carols in an hour and we were up and down like flipping yoyos......

Home now after some torrential downpours today...shopping tomorrow to get this remains of my shopping finished and then I'm back to sorting and shredding again...so much to do and so little time.  I've had confirmation that all is well with my home in BG....the little house porch has been finished in my absence and the gaps filled in and is now supposedly water and windproof and apparently I have a 'season greeting card' from Holland.....I wonder....LN and if it is...wonders will never cease and happy boxing day to you both....LN

Monday 21st December

All I could hear last night was the rain belting against the windows so I was awake most of the night.....Welcome to the UK.....and looking at the weather reports we have this more or less until I go home...joy of joy...

Up and seven and washing put to dry in various places in the house...no way that this was going to catch the breeze so to speak....I grabbed a coffee and headed back to bed with the Kindle but I couldn't settle.  The idea of going shopping had left my brain since the forecast wasn't good so I had toast at eight and started to get to grips with all the old documentation that was lying in my study.  I've had a belting time today getting rid of old manuals for the different projects that I'd been involved with and creative material for the companies that I'd worked for.  Some I'm taking back with me and not for my benefit but for Gouldjan's...there's development material that she can use in her job once it's translated.  There's a whole lot of NLP stuff which might help her with her personal development.  So at twelve thirty this lunchtime I was still ripping it up and my ex informed me that he was out to lunch with his boy's club and that he would be back by four thirty more or less....sober or not.  I'm still working in the study and the old music room....it's amazing what get's put into corners and it's quite cathartic to dig and delve.  I did manage to clog up the shredder and yet again and I think I've done the same to the hoover but it does look much better than when I arrived.  The next area for improvement is the bookcase....I have so many lovely books but to get them out to BG would cost a small fortune so they are being parceled up for the grandchildren and the rest can go to the charity shops.  I have a hint of ruthlessness about me...

So despite the weather I'm off to town tomorrow to get the last of the presents.  It has to be done.  There are no photographs....you have probably got your own perspective on the weather if you're in the UK and you certainly don't want to see mine.  If you're in BG...stop gloating...it doesn't become you.  LN....I've missed Pointless and Egg Heads...I've not adjusted to the two hour time difference and forgot all about them....Much too busy shredding and destroying my past...LN

Tuesday 22nd December

Yet again the wind and the rain kept me awake most of the night...does it never stop here?  I made the mistake of looking again at the weather for BG...wrong move...   So at five this morning I was reading which I suppose in the grand scheme of things is seven in my other life so not so bad.  I'm still trawling through boxes of stuff accumulated over a life time and this morning found my old school reports and what a little star I was although I say it myself.  It all seemed to go wrong around the fifteen years of age when I think rebellion for most things set in but it sort of carried me through life tenaciously....and still does.  So bacon sandwich for breakfast, washed, dressed and on the bus to Brighton to do my one day Christmas shopping which has worked out well.  The shopping centre was packed and I refused to go into Waterstones...I'm still not used to crowds when everyone is milling around.  On the whole though, most of the shop assistants were very pleasant...obviously lots of customer service training.  

Back on the afternoon bus complete with bags full and into the local hotel for a pint before we headed home.  This turned into two but we decided to have the afternoon special lunch so that no one was responsible for heading for the kitchen when we got home.  From one of the waitresses I found out that the first girl to serve us was  Bulgarian from Veliko Turnovo and she had been here for five years.  Her English was so impressive that I would never have known that she wasn't local.  We exchanged a few words in Bulgarian and she said that after five years she has trouble speaking Bulgarian when she is in England.  I think she was being polite about my Bulgarian.  I settled for fish chips and mushy peas followed by a treacle and date pudding with ice cream.....it would have been rude not to.  On to the next bus and home, out with the red and have just woken up in front of the television and such is life in the UK.  

The wind is still howling and the rain is still raining..is there no let up?  Present packing tomorrow and a final onslaught to Asda....I have a trifle to make for the festivities at my son's home.  LN....The count down is on...LN

hi my friend you have been getting ready for christmas,   me i am chilling out . sitting in our bulgarian  sun shine.  i am ready for it to . just made stuffing , hassan is coming for dinner  christmas day . he has been in for drinks every day.  one day stopped for dinner .shepherds pie   .have a lovly christmas  see you in january.

Wednesday 23rd December

You and me both my Librarian friend.....I was in Lidl today...so much choice and not so tidy as the Bulgarian equivalent but there was a Bulgarian girl on the checkout so we shared a few words together and she complemented me on my use of the language....They get everywhere...and make me realise what I'm missing

The sun was coming up as I looked out of the window this morning but there was no heat in it.  The washing that I did was out in the conservatory and that is almost as wet as when I put it out there.....I miss BG.  Took the paper rubbish that I've accumulated up to the tip today and the house is looking much tidier.  I've got one more batch of shredding yet to do and that should be it.  Went to Asda and got the contents of the trifle so tomorrow that will get made in preparation for 'the day' and what a lot of people were shopping and so much money being spent.  We did the circuit in the Marina shopping centre and it is such a sad sight.  There are probably only three shops remaining from the originals in the whole centre and they are hoping for an upsurge when the latest lot of properties have been completed and occupied.  As we walked back from the shopping centre to the car, the heavens opened....and so endeth the first day without rain since I've been here.

Back home and it was my turn for cooking so I put my hand to chicken wings with onions and potatoes with mayo....one of my favourites back home....and it was delicious although I say so myself.  Tomorrow is present packing day and I seem to have acquired even more....and worked out it is two weeks before I go home.  I've done well so far....Part of this year's trip was to clear out the things I left behind six years ago and I'm doing it.  Another ten days after the holiday period....you might never know I'd been here....haha.

Unfortunately no photos...they were taken on a mobile phone and apparently it locked up and nothing came out of it...technology egh.....LN...Only one more day....I'm getting there.....LN

Thursday 24th December

And two weeks to lift off.  The weather has been so naff that I'm still spitting feathers about it...I'm really not used to it.

Five thirty start this morning and it was DS and Kindle until the rest of the world awoke.  I went downstairs and by eight I'd made the trifles for tomorrow and all that needs to be done is to get the custard on them and cream and shiny balls tomorrow and that might be done with the grandchildren...So today it was finishing off wrapping the presents, labeling everything and putting the items that are not presents but gifts to the family ready just to pick up and run.  We had kippers for breakfast and they've been with me for the rest of the day.  I really shouldn't have done but I did so there is only me to blame.

The presents are done, labeled and my son and daughter-in-laws present got half wrapped....it was just too difficult...legs sticking out everywhere.  I'll let you know what it was tomorrow...they might be reading this.  My packing is done more or less but it's deciding what I intend wearing tomorrow...I have a new owl jumper but hey...still not sure I'll see what takes me in the morning.

So this afternoon headed in to Brighton and found a shop that is selling Suffolk latches at two pounds each so bought five to take back with me.  I'm thinking I need to book a bag but we'll see.....early days yet.

And tonight I'd like to thank everyone that reads my life in BG and to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year....it means a lot to me that you take time out from your day to read the ramblings of an oldie....LN....and have a happy day tomorrow...LN

Friday 25th December

Lovely day with my son and his family.....I have no photos to post ....they are still in the camera and will be liberated tomorrow.  I hope you have all had a lovely day.....I'm stuffed to the gills....too much food but the drink, fortunately is in moderation.

LN....short and sweet....LN....

Merry Christmas Mrs P to you too!

As you know I always check in to see how you're getting on, and it very quickly became part of my evening routine many years ago. Think I've been doing so since the start almost, and it's been amazing to see what you've achieved in almost 7 years!

I even remember the school house...  

Anyway love you lots second mummy, hope the weather improves and you have a wonderful New Year!

Mikey B