Wednesday 18th May

So I went to bed last night at twelve and was fast as a little rock when I heard the home phone going downstairs.  Now having a guest I got up and went to answer it but it had finished by the time I got down the stairs so I unplugged it and took it back to the bedroom just in case I needed to make a return call to the family in an emergency.  As it was I didn't know the number, it had no name registered against it so wasn't in my address book but blow me down five minutes later a text bleep went off.  So in to Angry Birds until the sleep bug hit me again...two fifteen before it was lights out.

My breakfast was a ham sandwich...I was expecting a call from friends over from England so it was a quick wizz round with the sweeping brush and a dash round the toilet just in case and I left my guest to concoct his own breakfast.  I was far too busy.  The call arrived and they would be with me in thirty minutes so it was on with the kettle and out with the strimmer to clear the outside parking area.  They arrived shortly after I'd finished so coffees made and on to the terrace, a quick trip round the garden and then it was out of the work clothes for me and into jeans since I'd promised them I'd help them with the minefield that is...Immigration documents.  So into Kardjali, round to the translator who completed the forms, into the bank to get the required documentation but we had to wait for the director's signature so it was on to the restaurant for lunch.  The bank phoned and then it was off to the Immigration Office to see how much we'd managed to achieve before they sent us back for more.  Not bad...only needed photocopies of certain documents that we did at mine later and a trip to their local property registration people tomorrow for another letter confirming their property number and postcode and one more trip into Kardjali and this time without me....and it should be sorted.  Not bad in one and a half days.

Home for four thirty and we lingered over a coffee and off they toddled at five thirty.  We walked the garden and checked out the concrete hole that looks like it can be made into a standpipe, I lit the fire since the temperature has dropped with the early hidden setting sun.  Supper was some pork schnitzel things from the freezer with chippies and baked beans...comfort food and with a good chunk of Swiss Roll I'm quite stuffed.  Gardening tomorrow......my guest set too in my absence and has done half the lawn so the rest is mine and I really have to get some of the bigger plants in before the hot weather arrives......they need to get their little feet down.  No photo's tonight...sorry it's been a day of frenzied actiity...immigration is like that.  LN...I'm going down to appreciate the fire...LN

Just Googled your 'normous dandelion-alike - all I could think of was Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon so put that in and got the proper name - Goats Beard. Youngest daughter saw one, aged six, and said -"That's not a dandelion" which I thought was a lovely bit of observation. Had to look it up that time too.

Thursday 19th May

Thanks Jean.....I forgot all about searching for 'a big dandelion thingy' but it's nice to know its name.  Apparently they're wide spread in Minnesota...goodness knows how it got here...

Seven start and slept like a little top again and my guest was already boiling the kettle when  I got down.  That's what guests are for.  Breakfast by eight, dressed by eight thirty and out into the garden by nine.  I did spend some time taking photos of my resident Strike....it does love it when the lawn's cut so that it can see food easily.  Not sure if it's the grasshoppers it's after but it was using my tree as a staging post, down to the walnut and back to the tall tree.  It's a very beautiful bird but noisy...not such a good call.

On the clearing eventually but firstly we were messing about with the new exposed watering hole.  We need a special tool to remove the plug from the pipe, the isolation valve works so we won't get flooded out but the plug seems to have seized up.  We tried the garage eventually.  I forgot that it was Djebel day so parking was out of the question in the town and driving though was such mayhem that to get home we went down the old road onto the new Greek road and came up the back lane.  No way was a running the gauntlet of the town.  I'm thinking that tomorrow I might have to go to the water-board to see if there is a man with a tool who can.

So back to my clearing and bonfiring and I should finish it tomorrow morning and then I can start planting up some shrubs.  I might even put some grass seed down which is very good for the ants...they love it and some might take root and surprise me.  My guest finished off the lawn and it's a job well done.  The morning mists are so heavy that it takes until about two in the afternoon before you can get the mower out.

In for seven tonight....the full moon is up but it's late rising so not so dramatic....I missed the sun but caught the tail end and it did cast a lovely glow over the garden and the surrounding hills.  Supper was fish fingers and chippies.....I'd forgotten to get anything out of the freezer so we made do...and there was yoghurt for pudding.

So tomorrow water board in the morning to see if they can help me out.  I'm hoping that it's a free water supply...if it's attached to a meter I don't want it.  Fire going to keep the home fires burning...I think the temperature is going to drop tonight.  LN...I'm down to enjoy it...LN

Friday 20th May

So last night there was banging and the fireworks were the finale of the Djebel day.  I tried to take some pickies of the event but not many came out.  A good day was had by all talking to the neighbours today....my only excitement was trying to drive through the town yesterday without killing anybody.

Six thirty start this morning and I crept around, got more volume to it, showered, dried my hair and it was ten thirty before my guest managed to get to the kitchen.  I managed to speak to the Librarian despite phones playing up and we arranged to go out to a restaurant this evening.  She was going to appear between four and five.  I cooked breakfast and got changed into scruff gear and headed out to the garden.  I managed to put one shrub in near the long wall and moved the stone pile so that you could see the shrubs that were already planted from the grass.  I moved a lot of the weeds that were covering the stone and cut back the saplings that won't be required when the stone heap goes to form the base of the new little house terrace.  I didn't do much else....it was almost lunchtime by then so I grabbed my Kindle and played a few games.  I'd stripped and washed the bedding from my guests bed so I remade the bed and got ready to party.  

She arrived at four, we set off and stopped off at Kaufland for a few top ups and then on to the restaurant by Kardjali Dam about seven,  It was beginning to fill up as we were leaving so we didn't have to wait long for service.  Salad, cheesy chips, chicken in cornflakes, spicy meatballs and extra spicy pork with vegetables served in a mini casserole.   Photographs were taken of the restaurant but my printer with the card slots is in the little house under repair and my camera cable is not the same as the Librarians so I shall have to post them later.

Stopped off at Lidl on the way back for an ice-cream and some fizzy water ...I was out of it and we took the back lane home.  The Librarian should be home by now....no fire tonight since the house is warm...it's been a sunny day and it's too late to light one.  Nothing for tomorrow so far...I'm going to try to get stuck into my new book....I've started it but not sure if I shall finish it....LN...Watch this space...LN  

Saturday 21st May

I have nothing to report...I was watching Filmon last night for a while, went downstairs with my book, up into bed and suddenly the heavens opened and it rained most of the night and was still throwing it down this morning'  Both up and dressed by a reasonable time and used the bacon that I'd bought from Kaufland last night but it really wasn't worth the extra money.  I'll be back to the stuff from Lidl.  So bacon and eggs and it was a toss up as to whether we went out for the sake of or got a good fire going and enjoy the day of enforced rest.  There was no need to toss the coin the fire was lit, the Kindles were out and we cosied in.  I did have a tussle with the Daily Mail Sudoku...three tries on the computer and ended up printing it out, completing it and entering it online...guess what...it actually knocked about  five seconds off my average score....cheat I hear you shout...cheat...

I did manage to get out to the wood store to load up for the day and found a couple of turkey drumsticks in the freezer that went into the oven with a sweet and sour sauce.  There's something good about putting the main in the oven...you just have to get the timing right.  Jacket potatoes went in and carrots were chunked and everything was ready by six thirty.  My guest had wine...I had water and that's another month without alcohol.  It's not that I've given up but I'll start when I'm ready.

Photos of rain you don't want....the rest of Bulgaria is on yellow alert and Linda in Australia is almost having to swim home avoiding the logs on the way....They're having it rough so stay safe anyone whol's having to face the elements.  I'm going down to the fire and there's half a bar of hazelnut chocolate calling me...I can hear it from here...LN....A thoroughly lazy, decadent day...LN

Sunday 22nd May

Four start for a toilet break and then back until seven....I heard the kettle go on so I thought I'd leave him to it.  I should have made it to the bread van this morning but instead found a sliced one in the freezer which served the purpose.  Bacon, fried egg, fried potato for breakfast...this is the last one that I shall be cooking.  Tomorrow morning we head up to Sofia via one or two recommended pit stops and let's see where we end up.  I am remembering to charge both camera batteries and clear down the memories so that I shall have space to capture anything worth recording.

My Avatar came round this morning to ask me for my painter's phone number.  She needed the grass from around her vegetable garden cutting down since it was too long for the lawnmower.  I mentioned that my guest could do it with my petrol strimmer and despite the protests, it was done in about an hour.  She's so sweet...she came round with her money box to see how much she had to pay so I took five stotinki out of it and said that was enough,  She gets quite angry with me when I play silly b's with her but then I laugh and she laughs.  I made a performance of telling my guest that his hourly rate had gone up since I don't pay him anything...and fortunately she saw the funny side.  I carried on with my new garden at the bottom of the garden and there are now several shrubs planted up.  Hard going though....after all it was the builders' dumping ground.  

We had rain and a rainbow at about six this evening just as I was finishing off and putting my tools away.  Just a short sharp shower and now it's turned into a very gentle evening after it's been blowing a gale most of the day.  Lit the fire...minced beef and onions in gravy with mashed potatoes and carrots for supper and there's enough left to go into the freezer for when I get back from Sofia.  Washing up done....and now to get my feet up with my Kindle....LN.....Down to the fire....LN

Monday 23rd May

Six start but I lay in until seven until I heard the kettle go on...getting lazy in my old age.  Cooked breakfast and it's the last one for a time....it's going to be a weekend treat not the norm.  

We were in the car by ten thirty which was the deadline I'd set.  The plan was to end up at the Rila Monastery....well that was the plan.  The journey to Assenovgrad was uneventful and I know the road, I negotiated the road avoiding the motorway successfully but then someone wanted to practice map reading skills and I'm not sure if it was upside down or not.  The way to Rila went through Borovets the ski resort and on through Samokov and there were mumblings about the road to Velingrad and on to Bansko.  Now I've only done this route a couple of times but never in the direction I was being sent.  I questioned it and at one point it became a little heated so we stopped for a coffee and I took over the map.  Not much out of our way fortunately...so we were able to regroup and eventually we hit Borovets....The last time we were there was with my grandson CJ when he was five and skiing so it was a jaunt down memory lane.  I recognised the hotel we stayed at but there are many more and the shops cater only for the winter season.  There were posters stating that it was an all year round destination....they lie and two ice creams cost mega lev.....tourist trap.

So on to Samokov and picked up the road to Sofia.....Again we had 'turn left here' I think and as the lights changed there was a request to turn round which I ignored.  I took the next right....went up by Lidl and Billa and realised that I was near to the hotel but had to do another left on to a duel carriage way and there it was....a sign for the Holiday Inn and we're checked in.  Not sure what tomorrow will bring....I've checked out Vitosha but unfortunately the cable car isn't working even though it's a National holiday....Tomorrow we applaud the Cyrillic script ....ABG day for the locals.

Time for a swim....I'm heading down to the spa centre.....LN....I need to linger in the hot tub....LN

Tuesday 24th May

Swam for about forty minutes last night but didn't managed the hot tub...back to the room and dried my hair and down for a bar snack...at these prices you rarely hit the dining room unless you're on company expenses.  Chicken burger that I think had seen the inside of the microwave and not a grill but it came with loads of chippies, mayo and ketchup so it filled the gap.  Comfortable night's sleep but it was so warm in the room despite the air con....I'm just not used to it and they have these rubber mattress protectors for the incontinent...and I'm not there yet..that almost make you believe that you've had an accident..

Late start for my room mate...I'd already finished a shower and the first coffee when he became compos mentis....and by this time we decided that it would be a late breakfast in IKEA by the time that we'd negotiated the ring road and access to it.  It was very empty when we got there but heaving when we left....and the number of Bulgarians that open wardrobe doors and drawers was amazing....I remember what we experienced thirty years ago....the advent of IKEA.  So Swedish meatballs for lunch and it's kept us going all day.  We managed to negotiate the ring road yet again and eventually found the cobbled road to the top of the mountain that overlooks Sofia.  Snow chains were advised and we were OK on the way up....it started to rain while we were up there and there were a couple of crashes of thunder and I thought we might have got caught without snow chains for the way down.  As it was ....we slithered down the cobbles beautifully.

We eventually made the hotel after yet another mix up with the ring road and the hotel entrance and now it's a toss up between sleep and a stroll out to the Italian over the way for supper or another swim....it might even be on the toss of a coin.  My guest flies out tomorrow at eleven....I'm then heading home in a leisurely fashion....taking home any dirty washing that won't fit in his case.  LN....Hotels are all the same aren't they....LN