Wednesday 10th August

Better night but not ideal....it was just too hot last night and very humid.  The thunder and lightening didn't amount to much as as for the rain...a sprinkle but in big drops but not for long enough.

Six o'clock start and I've just noticed that the sunrise is getting later and the sunset is moving round again.  You know it happens but sometimes things don't register.  I was out with the hose and the matches this morning and both jobs finished by eight.  Down to the bread van by eight ten and I noticed that Avatar had a huge pile of old polythene by a oil drum in the middle of her garden.  Later on her daughter was burning it and creating quite a stink but there again.....nobody dumps it anymore on the waste ground on the garden next to my house.  In the garden for my cheesy bread and extras coffee and just chilled for about an hour with the camera by my side but not much happening in the garden.  I saw blue tits and a couple of wrens, the chaffinches left my sunflowers alone because I was out there and the woodpeckers flew over but didn't stop.  Just had a power cut and thought I'd lost everything...Thank you Google for restoring it....the pickies can wait, it might go off again and maybe not so lucky...LN....torches at the ready...LN

I did set to on the hole that I'd dug at the bottom of the garden, put some more leaves in it and loads of water and dug it even more so that I could plant out of of the conifers that appears to be suffering.  You buy them in such small pots and try to do your best for them but I think it's got more chance in a big hole where the temperature is better for the roots.  A second one went into a large pot and the other two get done tomorrow.  I came in at one and settled down with tuna, mayo and beetroot followed by two lots of ice cream.  I did think it was overkill but there again I've finished for the day....too hot to eat.  The Kindle was next and I'm on to the next in the series and I read until I realised that my eyes were closed yet I was still reading so I got up, washed up and tidied the kitchen from lunch and then settled down properly for my afternoon nap.  Two hours on the sofa, onto the computer, was intending to put the new wooden thingy up but it just didn't happen.  I watched a couple of antique programmes on Filmon but it's really bugging me that they are blanking out the BBC and then they don't get their timings right.  

Garden watered and now watching Eggheads and then shower and bed.  Just had a power cut and thank you Google asking if I wanted to restore what I was working on so I did.  I'm going to post and the pickies can wait....LN...Out to sort out a torch and tee lights...LN

Thursday 11th August

Really good night and woke up with a lift in my step.  It didn't last long...I went out with my coffee, sat on terrace and watched the world.  There was a woodpecker out but not pecking...he was ground feeding and then going back to the tree to survey the area and then back down again.  I think there are so many bugs in the dry grass that why waste the effort of head banging...   There was a solitary bee eater that seems to have lost his buddies but he didn't stay around for long.  I headed down the bottom of the garden to check out on the conifer that I put in yesterday and the ground was still very damp so I thought I'd leave it to it's own devices,  The buddleia again is looking good with new shoots on it already.

Breakfast was fried tomatoes on toast and it set me up for the day well until lunchtime at least.  Achievements for the day...I read several chapters of my book, tried to get information on the Olympics from the Internet which proved very difficult and put up my new wooden thingy.  It should have been easy.... but there was a knack to it which I eventually got.  I'd put the top piece in first, which was a mistake, so those screws had to be removed, the shelves had to be fitted next and finally the top four screws tightened. And now it's up I'm not sure what I want to do with it....it might be a surprise present for someone....

Crisps and ice cream for lunch...not ideal but adequate and settled down for my afternoon nap.  Back to the garden and the hose pipe and finished watering by seven making sure that everything got a good soaking.  Evening Filmon but having to negotiate the blanked out service...they've moved my Eggheads...how very dare they.  LN...I'm going to sort out my evening...LN

Friday 12th August

Different sort of sunrise...there was not the normal pinky blue hue to it but is still came up like a glowing ball in the sky.  I haven't mentioned this for a while but imagine how the Egyptians felt when they worshipped it and watched it's rise and fall every day.

Out on to the terrace and the air was chill which made a pleasant change.  I didn't water the garden....I sort of swamped it last night and with how the day has worked out...I didn't need to.  The internet was playing up this morning and I spend a while trying to sort it.  I left it and had tomatoes on toast for breakfast and at nine thirty Haciber was knocking on the door and delivering a filled croissant, a very sweet tasting treat and a bottle of yogurt drink.  Apparently one of the newbies returning to the village either for holiday or home building was having a 'mevlit' or thanks giving ceremony so lunch was sorted.  A little gentle tidy round and then I decided to cut the hedge since the internet was still having its own way.  

Armed with the brushwood cutters I headed down the garden but it was so slow that I thought I'd bring other equipment into play.  Earlier in the year I'd bought a decent electric hedge trimmer from Lidl and I'd never got round to using it.  I'd been told it was very heavy and had been putting it off but nothing ventured nothing gained.  I unreeled my seventy five meters of cable, connected it up and I was away.  It did get precarious when I brought the metal steps into play balancing them up against the hedge and wielding the said piece of equipment but most of it is done,  Fortunately the wind was blowing in my direction which meant that the tall branches were blowing towards me but eventually I left a few of them....at my age it had got unsafe and the girl done good...so to speak.  I scooped most of it up and lobbed it over the wall for the sheep...give them something green to nibble on.  I came back into the house and nibbled on the goodies that Haciber had brought round...that was my lunch.

I played around a little more with the internet and originally put it down to the provider but as it happened...I think it was a cable coming loose my end or just an amalgamation of different occurrences.  I was eventually up and running around two thirty and I'd already got washed and into town clothes to go and complain to the powers that be.  All change...I didn't have to go out.

I spent the afternoon catching up on emails and FB and investigating an alternative to Filmon to catch the rest of the Olympics since they're doing such a good job of blocking it.  Using a contact I was getting ready to order the 'box' but unfortunately there was a five to seven day delivery on it which would have meant the end of the Olympics so not worth the investment.  I really don't like to watch it for the usual rubbish.  Sorry not many pickies today.  I failed to take pictures of the hedge since it came over pretty cold and I was heading into town and at one point it looked like rain.  I think I could have counted the number of drops that actually fell...and then it went again.  I toyed with the idea of lighting a fire but put a sweater on instead and once the doors were closed the temperature started going up as the walls released it into the air.  Final hedge trimming tomorrow to neaten it up....and now for supper....I'm sure I'll be able to find something.  LN...I'm a computer engineer and chief gardener...LN

Saturday 13th August

Six start and beat the sun this morning not that it was much competition.  It was here and then it was gone and was it cold outside....the sweater came out, I went out and then came in again pretty sharpish.  There was a definite chill in the air which after the last heat wave is a surprise to the system.  I went out and watered a few of the favourites but thought the rest could wait until tonight and it's a job to be done after I've posted this.

So I caught up on the Olympics and well done to the cycling and rowing teams.  At the tender age of nineteen my then boyfriend used to race with the likes of Hugh Porter and I got to follow one of the clubs in Wolverhampton.  We lost touch after about a year but I still follow the sport.  At eight I was looking at the day and as social secretary I was thinking that going out for lunch would be a good idea so I made the phone calls.  All delegates accepted so I left home at ten thirty to pick up Mrs. D of S and then on to the Librarian's village, over to her biggest town for a little shopping and a mouch and over to our normal swimming venue for about one.  It was still a little cool but we sat under and umbrella with our cardies on just to keep the wind out and fortunately we just hit the restaurant at the right time.  A party of twelve arrived just after we'd placed our order...good timing.  

The restaurant was very busy and as we were leaving a stag party was just arriving.  We reckon that some of them must have worked in Europe and seen the antics of the English....a stag party for a Bulgarian is not normal.  They were all wearing the same tee-shirts...vary formal and fortunately the pool was cordoned off and out of action otherwise he might have thought it was a baptism.   As you can see from the pickies, the weather cheered up considerably and there was a little foal that was determined to have a mad half hour and belt around the land between the lake and the lodges to the amusement of the visitors.  It's a lovey spot for lunch and the food is good and really very reasonable at just over twenty lev for the three of us and that included drinks.  Try that in the UK...

So everyone dropped off and I was home for three thirty.  It's still not warmed up out there yet even though the sun is out...it's a northerly wind so it's sweater on for the watering.  Sudoku was finished after the third attempt...Saturday is one of the killer ones with guess work needed to achieve a successful outcome and I obviously guessed wrongly a couple of times.  No supper....I might indulge in a little ice-cream later...we'll see.  LN...Out to the garden...LN

Sunday 14th August

So six start, normal routine of coffee, catching up on last night's overnight Olympic results and commiserating with Jessica....but pleased for Mo.  Caught upon the news and my thoughts go out to the Louisiana flood victims.  I had my house flooded once when a dew pond went...takes ages to get rid of the smell but at least the garden had a new layer of top soil.  I  didn't bother watering...there was still evidence of last night's dousing but it will need to be done tonight.

It's been a good day.....I haven't done much after all it's Sunday.  I used up the tomatoes and had them on toast for breakfast and settled in managing the Daily Mail five star sudoku in ten minutes....result.  It was sunny but breezy but I took to may bedroom balcony on the sun chair, took the key out of the door so that I wouldn't be bothered and it was on with the bikini but well out of sight.  I took the Kindle outside and read for a while and then promptly carried on reading the inside of my eyeballs for about an hour.  I enjoyed the relaxation, the sun and the air.  I never seem to tire of the view...my mountains, the Greek mountains and sheep.  Came in and got changed and walked the garden and looked at the different flowers that I have despite the drought.  The bottle brush seems to be thriving on the house martin's droppings that I scoop up and put on top of the soil...it's come into its second flowering and I have a late flowering spiraea.  The highly perfumed petunias are splendid as are the geraniums and really mix with the lavender to flood the terrace.

Thinking about supper and what's in the freezer and I'm sure I'll find something.  Might be a trip to Djebel tomorrow...it's market day and I haven't put in an appearance for ages.  Kitchen and garden call...LN...First work of the day...LN

Monday 15th August

Seven thirty this morning and I think the late start was all down to the late supper of two turkey escalopes on four slices of bread, a late bath and watching television trying to wee the results of the Andy Murray match which I didn't manage to do.  Even my sunburn didn't keep me awake but I do look rather like a Neapolitan ice-cream around the middle so it was no sun today.

Poached eggs on toast for breakfast and lots of coffee.  After such a heavy sleep you need it to wake up.  I walked the garden, did a load of washing and it's still out now where it should be folded and put away.  There's no danger of it getting damp here...it's a lovely sunny night and it's been hot, hot, hot all day apart from a pretty strong wind that's been blowing, so that watering is really necessary tonight.  I haven't done much today and the camera hasn't been out at all.  I'm still basking in the delight of the fabulous medal collection from yesterday...whatever colour they are and today still seems to be a continuation. I did have an afternoon siesta and a double portion of caramel ice-cream when I woke up...you have to keep hydrated in these temperatures.

Tomorrow I'm going in to Kardjali for no other reason that I want to.  I might just happen to take a swimsuit and towel with me and find a pool  ....it's going to be another hot one.  It needs to be a pool with shade though and one that doesn't have too many of the locals there...hence the Kardjali angle.  So supper is in the fridge and is likely to stay there..too much effort to cook and even more effort to eat it...I'll stay with the water.   I changed my mind...I caught the sun as it had gone down colouring the mountains...worth capturing and now... LN....Off to do my jobs for the evening...LN

Tuesday 16th August

Seven thirty this morning..but at five or thereabouts I needed another blanket and was too idle to get out and get one.  I was back to sleep in quicksticks after snuggling down and fluffing up the duvet but could this be the new trend?  Coffee, Olympic catch up, no breakfast, the mood didn't hit me and it was a bit of a lazy morning.  It was promising to be a really hot one today so I packed up the pool back when at last I'd decided which to wear.  Having lost some weight, the bikinis need encouragement to stay put so out came one of my swimsuits but as it worked out......decisions, decisions all in vain....I never made it to the pool.  

I set off for Kardjali at about eleven thirty and used the back lane down to the Greek highway which should really be called death and destruction alley.  The amount of cars that overtake where they're not supposed to especially on left turns which have the arrows for the turn and then the double which lines on it.  One Greek buddy almost got caught but managed to see the police car just in time otherwise he would have been a goner. I wouldn't mind but I wasn't hanging around...with this new engine I cruise without any effort between sixty and seventy and it still has poke to overtake.  This road actually wants more of the police just sitting there.  Anyway got there safely.  Over to my cheapy shop and picked up a pair of black linen long shorts for a leva which is about fifty pence at today's going rate, down the road to the Leva shop and bought some small jars for storing my seeds ready for next year and a wind chime as a present which has just been delivered to my Avatar's daughter.  She happened to mention that she thought it was attractive and now she has one and it's on its way to Turkey tomorrow.  Stopped for a pizza and iran at one of the little street restaurants that we use and had a fight with the yogurt drink as I tried to remove the top to put the straw in.  I ended up wearing most of it.  Over to Lidl to pick up some Worcestershire sauce which was part of the 'English' week and as for the swimming....I drove past the junction and decided that I was still too pink from my last day in the sun so a few more days without wouldn't hurt.  I'd also bought frozen food in Lidl so up the back lane and home for two thirty...just a little trip out.

I had my afternoon nap waking up at four thirty, watered the garden early and have just returned from a little get together in the village.  Some have arrived from Germany and others are going back to Turkey tomorrow it's the end of the holiday season.  So Olympics tonight watching BBC online for live updates and nothing on the agenda for tomorrow.  Lovely early moon tonight and nearly full..LN....A very calm peaceful night.... LN

Wednesday 17th August

What a night last night.  I was following the cycling last night on live feed on the internet and then suddenly the commentary came on and it was live from the velodrome.  Because the BBC had extended the programme to take in the results, BBC hadn't blocked the transmission to Filmon and I managed to see a lot of the race and the showing of the diving.  It was two in the morning before I lay my head to rest and what a lovely talented but committed couple Laura Trott and Jason Kenny make.  Joy to watch...

Seven thirty this morning...sun up before me an yet again and I didn't have to be anywhere until ten when I was picking up Gouldjan and her sister and family from her sister in law's in Kardjali.  I set off at nine thirty and my phone went while I was driving through their village and we'd arranged to meet on Lidl's car park since 'I want you to pull in to the bus stop before the bridge' doesn't mean much to me.  Instructions from none drivers don't normally make much sense.  So I arrived on time and Gouldjan was the only one that arrived about five minutes later.  The children were ruling the decision process so I was now driving to the sister in law's house to pick them all up.  I did a little shopping before we left and while I think about it....I bought a chicken that I'm going to stick in the oven...now...done and dusted.  I went up to the apartment and met the new three month old daughter who was a real poppet.  The all wanted to sit in the front and I firmly said no and I strapped in two of the three children into the back....told them all to stop squawking and we headed home over the back lane that they thought was quite exciting.  All dropped off and home for eleven thirty.  I made a late breakfast of boiled ham in crusty baguette, sat and read my book and it was so hot so time for a siesta.  I woke up at three, checked in for the latest Olympic updates and Mo and then the thunder started, clouds came over and we had rain....I went out on to the terrace and stood out there for a minute or so and then it was over.  I obviously wasn't doing an acceptable rain dance for the gods.

Seven my time and I'm back down to the kitchen to get some roasties in to go with the chicken....the sun is out again and chocolate box clouds have replaced the earlier ones.  Looks like I shall still have to water the garden tonight...that wouldn't have done anything for the plants apart from wash the dust off.  LN....I have things to do...LN