Saturday 10th December

I know I'm late.  It's been one heck of a day with so much being achieved.

I started off at silly o'clock and didn't manage to get off again and have felt jaded all day despite the beautiful weather and the work done.  I was out to pick up the men and they were waiting and it was only minus three when I set off.  It wasn't so white over and the journey felt much safer than it had for the last few days.  

So no breakfast for the men but I went down to the bread van and had a few words with my ladies who were out in force.  Back for boiled ham on fresh crusty bread and then it was out to see the steps go in.  They almost put a small step up on to the top step of the downward run but I put my foot down and said that it had to be level with the ground.  I've met small steps before and your vision is on the end point not on the start and I got my way.  We've also increased the wall height at the side of the steps so that the rain will get diverted and not put too much pressure on the siphon exits at the bottom.  I left them to it most of the day but did provide them with a couple of spicy sausages from the freezer so they could have a cooked lunch...none of us is used to working on a Saturday and more bad news...I have them back tomorrow.  A little bit of a set back...the ballast man will not deliver on a Saturday or Sunday but we should be able to fill in the day tomorrow.  There is a door to be made and the rain guttering to be put in under the upper terrace.  

Fully wrapped up tonight but it's only going down to minus two according to the internet.  I dropped them off early and was home for five thirty, fish finger sandwiches for supper...I couldn't be bothered cooking anything else and confirmation...the gas bottle is back in situ and there is no smell of gas.  I reckon the bottle was just too full yesterday so Bekir let some of it out.  

I've just watched Strictly and I'm not sure how the voting will go...they were all brilliant tonight...so tune in tomorrow folks.  LN...I'm early to bed...I have work tomorrow...LN  

Sunday 11th December

So I was straight to bed at the end of Strictly and sleep the sleep of the just...just until five thirty but then I went back and woke up the second time at seven twenty so it was a rush to the finishing post.  Washed and dressed in record time but putting on everything I'd taken off last night and with thermal cup in hand I was out to the Beast by seven forty.  I little slow to thaw it out and made it to the men's village by three minutes past eight so not bad going.  They were full of beans and raring to go.  Bekir works much better with a deadline and with the break in the weather giving us twelve degrees plus when it warms up...we all seem to respond to it well.  

The unveiling was done and the insulation stacked for tonight and Sally's job was to get the cement mixed and the rest of the terrace wall was completed with a little wall bonding it against the little workshop terrace and they'll be a step down with stone in between to keep the theme going.  The next job was to clean up and get the terrace ready for the hard work tomorrow.  The old grape vines were removed and the soil dug over for a little mini bed against the wall for a rose was established and it's all been tamped down.  We did have a mini-sojourne into Djebel for a lock for the door to the underneath, a guttering corner so the down-pipe can go in, more bags of cement and a box of mini eclairs...it had to be done.  Bekir has taken the wood surround for the door frame home with him...he has the kit to rebate it and it's much too big to bring here for such a small job.  So the boy has homework...

Today's efforts gift wrapped for the overnight drop in temperature and then I took them home early.  Interesting photo shoot of two moons tonight but before anyone challenges it....it was reflected in the little house window.  A man and his tractor was very lucky when I was driving back tonight...not a light to be seen until he put a spotlight on facing in my direction as if to say...'I'm here'.  I followed him until it was safe to overtake and he only had one light pointing forward so I'm thinking that he manually turned it round as I approached his rear.  This is Bulgaria .

My supper of barbecue spare rib chops with sliced potatoes cooked in butter is almost ready and it's the Strictly update later tonight so I want to be fed and in my PJ's for that and then an early night.  My Princess has just phoned ...and what a lovely surprise that was and my calendar for the UK is starting to fill up already...And so for supper...LN....it looks delicious...LN

Monday 12th December

So Strictly results and disappointing for me.  I just got the impression that it was a stitch up...the best against one of the ones that were from the bottom of the results board.  It's time that they shared the people's votes...it would make it more realistic.  I'm a fan on the nineteen year old.  They tackled lots that the others didn't and youth and exuberance should have got them there....they were brilliant.

So as for me.  I went of into a beautiful sleep only to be awakened at one thirty this morning with excruciating cramp in my top left thigh.  I've never had it there before and I was hopping around like a goodun and swearing to boot.  It took about ten minutes to clear and then straight back to sleep until six thirty.  I slumbered and eventually came out of it by seven twenty and then it was a rush to the finishing post and with coffee in hand I took the photo of the birds in the poplars, opened the gate and took the second...

Straight back to mine....I went down to the bread van and Haciber is back...my local news lady so I gave her a big hug...I've missed her.  She called me in as I walked back and she gave me some mixed nuts and raisins from Turkey...she's been away for a month.  She'll be the next one exiting the village....I'll be on my own soon for winter...   The terrace was unwrapped, the third worker arrived, the sand and gravel and metal was delivered and they were straight to it.  It's a big day today and fortunately the weather has held, it's going to be zero degrees tonight and we have a cloud covering which is supposed to bring snow for tomorrow morning....We'll wait and see.

I finished wrapping the presents and Santa's workshop is closed for this season.  I think I mentioned that I had go a large deep splinter in my little finger so it was wrapped overnight in a bandage with Sudocreme covering it.  I'd poked it with a needle and fiddled with tweezers but I eventually showed it to Bekir who poked and prodded and managed to get it out.  It must have been a quarter of an inch long and going downwards and now he has acquired the title 'Dr' and well as 'Maester'...the head just gets bigger.  

Eventually the terrace was finished...we hummed and arghed about the wall at the side of the terrace to stop the water going down the steps and  it is done.  The boards of the white stuff were applied along with the polythene covering and everything wrapped up and secured for the night.  Bekir's off to the hot springs in Greece tonight with his mates from the village and I had great fun trying to describe that with the water at fifty five degrees, he would probably be like the proverbial lobster.

Home by six and got the fire going again so that the boiler is kicking in.  It's really toasty in though and with the temperature out at zero there's no real panic to keep the home fires burning.  So supper is in the oven, sweet and sour pork with a hint of chili and then down time with Filmon.....LN...Another good day...LN

Tuesday 13th December

Five thirty start this morning with my little head buzzing.  There was so much work to get through today.  I didn't go back to bed until I'd cleaned and cleared the kitchen.  On with the kettle and coffee and another attempt at a book my a new author.  I was up to eight five percent this morning, went through to ninety three percent and asked myself the question....why am I reading this so I switched it off and it was time to get my backside into gear and get out for the men.  It was on zero but a little bit skitty under tyres as I went through the forest so I took it easy.  Just the other side of the second village that I go through on the main road there was a car parked the wrong way behind the crash barrier with another one parked in front of it.  I flashed a few cars coming the other way to get them to slow down since it was on a bend and carried on to pick up the men.  On the way back, both vehicles were still there but had been joined by others and four men were trying to lift the car over the crash barrier.  I kept going even though I felt a twitch from Bekir wanting to save the day.  There was a big day in front of us that he had to save first.

They unwrapped and removed the insulation from the terrace but kept it stacked near the cherry tree.  I'd read that there were going to be snow flurries this morning and that the temperature is gradually dropping overnight to minus ten plus by tomorrow morning so I wanted the  insulation to go back down despite the fact that Sally poo-pooed the idea but I've got my way.  So the door is made and hung, the wood is all cleaned and stacked along with the metal, I've cleared away the flower pots, my chimneys are cleaned out, the cement is all packed away and the terrace insulated for tonight.  The snow started at about ten thirty so it's been coffee after coffee for the men and along with the snow came a really cold wind that went through to the bone.  In my mother's words...it was raw today.  

Emula came round at lunchtime and we were having to make a special trip into Djebel to get new hinges for the door and he asked if he could come along.  Bekir teased him somewhat but we took him in, I had to go to the cashpoint to pay the men, enquired about another mini milk churn and she thinks she has one at the warehouse so I should be in luck.  Back home and back to it and my parting shot was to mention that they hadn't tidied the hillside and there'd been complaints from the sheep farmer so I suggested that it they didn't want their names dragged through the mud...it needed to be done.  Two bonfires later and at close to five, everything was packed away, keys sorted for the holiday, wages paid and presents for their families delivered we were on our way.  I dropped them off headed into Djebel to put some diesel in the Beast so that it won't freeze overnight, emptied three buckets of old stuff and bottles from the hillside into one of the rubbish containers as part of the clear-up and now I'm home, waiting for the boiler to warm up and then I'm diving in the deep end.

So the men have finished for this year and I'd set three tasks and all are completed even though as per normal....we have a rush to the finishing post.  The wall is done, the corner of the house has a new concrete pillar and the terrace is complete and I have more than I originally asked for.  I have my new storeroom opened up and with a new door and key to keep things out.  There's nothing in there yet but it means that next year, the little house can be emptied and work can begin.  Tomorrow is a down day for me to get my head round what I need to do before I set sail and I'm now going to soak to think about it.  LN...I'm heading for the deep end...LN

Wednesday 14th December

Well my first day of freedom not having to pick up the men but I was still awake and up and at it by five thirty.  I don't quite know where the morning went though...it was eight by the time I'd managed to get two poached eggs on toast done but at least I was ready to finish the tidying by nine.

Garden furniture in, remainder of the pots in, bonfire and house rubbish burnt, new door to the underneath room painted with old engine oil for protection finishing off with a good log chopping session and a general tidy up of the things the men had missed.  I also removed the insulation that was left on the terrace overnight and had the clever idea of putting it in the little house in the old tool store but through the window instead of walking round.  It's all neatly stacked away for the next time.

I eventually came in at three thirty and made myself a coffee realising that I hadn't stopped all morning and well into the afternoon.  Out with the Kindle and on to Candy Crush until I nodded off eventually waking up at five this afternoon.  Supper this evening with my student's family and I do feel at home there.  The father sells lottery as part of his job as a postman come bill deliverer and was trying to tempt me into buying one.  At this the mother insisted that he put them away and no one would let me buy one even though my horoscope said that I should be lucky if I did.  Oh well, we'll never know...I came home two leva better off and can only dream of the million lev that never came my way.  

Lunch date tomorrow with the girls that's if the weather holds.  It's supposed to be snow showers so we'll see how it goes.  Lovely moon tonight and I spotted it driving into my students and was cursing myself for not taking the camera with me.  I'll have to look out for it tomorrow.  LN...Achieved a lot and should sleep well...LN

Thursday 15th December

Five thirty start despite the fact that I was up late watching 'The Wives of Henry 8th'...fascinating insight into the man.  Back to sleep though until seven thirty and then got my brain into gear.  I got the hoover at the ready, washed the floor over and generally sorted out the house, put last night's washing away and finished wrapping the presents.  Christmas preparation is over.

Shower and hair wash and ready for eleven waiting for my luncheon guests...two biggies and one little lovely lady of three months old.  We settled in for coffee and then headed into Kardjali, Kaufland for cash points and I headed to the bus station to pick up my ticket for Saturday which is where I really came unstuck.  Normally there is a bus at one thirty but I misjudged it...not on a Saturday so I'll have to take the ten thirty which is much earlier than I needed to go for a nine at night flight.  Ah well....

So we set off for 'Ctenata'...'The Wall' ...restaurant which is a favourite of ours.  We have our specials and the food just came...thick and fast and nobody had to share chips...we all had our own and were completely stuffed at the end of the meal.  Quick stop off at Lidl on the way back and we all seemed to fill up with chocolate and we're blaming it on the festive season...Back to mine as the weather closed in and presents were exchanged....we had a snow flurry which amounted to nothing so it looks like we've missed it again.  Let's hope it stays that way until Saturday.  

Packing tomorrow and delivering pressies to my ladies....and getting ready for what will now be an early start on Saturday.  LN..I've my list to work through tomorrow....LN

Friday 16th December

So I've been up ladders, down ladders removing cables that were put outside for easy access and storing them away safely.  I've had nothing taken from here but why put temptation in anyone's way.  All is safely gathered in and I thought the snow was going to come down in buckets but it's been those flurries again.  I managed a bonfire this morning to get rid of the last few bags of house rubbish and the ever hungry cats are still trying to get at the last mouthfuls of anything....They have their routines and they appear to walk for miles.

Remse came round this after lunch today and I handed her her gift bag.  She seemed so surprised but I've done it for the last five years so I'm not sure why she looked surprised.  She was having a problem with her internet and wanted to know if mine was working.  Off she went with her grandson and that's another lot of presents that are probably open already.

So I've packed, unpacked and am just about to finally throw a few things in the small suitcase and lock it up.  I've just come back from my student's house and finished playing Santa but I have the distinct impression that the packages will be open well before Christmas....after all it's not their celebration but mine.  Tomorrow I have the last few to deliver in the village, the Beast to leave at the garage and then either bus it or get a taxi into Kardjali for the ten thirty bus.  A nice surprise though...my daughter phoned this evening and they want to pick me up from the airport tomorrow night....very kind gesture and with the rail strike on at the moment...I could have had a difficult onward.  

Gas bottle switched off, fridge emptied, freezer contents stored into large polythene sacks, it's still running and I'm going to risk it.  Boiler to be unplugged and enough wood in to be extra dry for when I get back.  The steps we have to take when we rely on wood fires.  There might be an update from the airport tomorrow....or there may not.  I shall be missing Strictly final....fourteen weeks of watching it and on the last day....the timing is all wrong with such a late flight.  LN...The case for the prosecution calls....LN

Sunday 18th December

Nothing yesterday....such a lightweight.  It was an early morning start, presents delivered to my ladies and the Beast into Djebel for its holiday home over the festive period.  I was on the nine o'clock but to Kardjali, the ten thirty to Sofia and shared a taxi to terminal one with a friend of one of my students.  We'd sat next to each other on the Sofia but not realised that we had mutual friends until the drive into the airport.  So the flight was showing that there were no delays and everything seemed tickety boo until I went through to airside.  I checked the Easyjet website for details of the incoming and that's where the fun began.  Eventually it was confirmed that the flight would be delayed and so we sat around waiting, free sandwiches appeared with bottles of water and by this time it was well on it's way to midnight.  Eventually we boarded, more free coffee and chocolate bars and I  slept for the next couple of hours and we landed at approximately one fifteen and it was lovely to see my daughter's little face when I walked through the arrivals gate.  Home for two and bed for two thirty....the end of a very long day.

Woke up at eight thirty to a very mild day.  After the many minus temperatures of the previous week it was positively balmy.  Off to church this morning to catch up on the news of the rest of the congregation,  Some old friends have departed to a higher realm and it was good to see the smiling faces of some of the others.  Stopped off at Lidl on the way back home....strange to think that I do the same thing in two entirely different locations...some things just get everywhere.  Over to the lunch restaurant with Princess, her husband, my number one grandson, husband's son from his first marriage and son's girlfriend....went 'big' on the carvery and we all came out thoroughly stuffed to the gills.  Strictly final this afternoon even though I'd caught up with the result earlier in the day and managed to fall asleep but at the end of the dances.  

Seven thirty my time more or less....I'm still settling in and despite the fact that I'm surrounded by lots of 'things', it's strange being in what was my previous home.  There is nothing much planned for the rest of the holiday except for spending Christmas day with my daughter and family...the rest of the time I want to play it by ear.  I have cards to buy, write and post tomorrow...and some photos to take.  I haven't today...I'm just feeling jaded after yesterday's marathon.  LN...Promise to do better tomorrow...LN

Monday 19th December

So I was awake this morning at five which would have been seven in my currency and I decided to get my head down again and eventually came to at seven for real.  Down for coffee and I think it must be the water in that it tastes different....not unpleasant just different but I'll be getting Gold Blend tomorrow.  Boiled ham sandwich for breakfast well before my host had stopped snoring and I was washed and dressed ready to face the day in good time.  Not a lot seemed to be happening here and at ten thirty I made the decision to walk over the Downs and down to the sea.  It was a pretty damp morning and light fog but off I set taking the long haul up to the ridge so was huffing and puffing at the top but then it was a slow meander down to the sea.  The Rottingdean Preservation Society were erecting the electric fences which signifies that the sheep are about to be reinstated and I noticed that there were more nature signs erected.  One of the benches on the way had been adorned by a flowered cross but I couldn't see any other information as to rhyme or reason for it.  The windmill was still standing....I was in my second home again...I love the Downs and this walk in particular.  Unfortunately....not much chance of seeing the sea....as I said it was a pretty grey morning so I went down to the beach and noticed that there were several improvements.  An enterprising lady has opened a cafe which definitely wasn't there before and there is a new children's soft ball court dedicated to someone and paid for by local donations.  If it was left to the local council, I doubt it would have happened.  

So I went to the post office and bought a pack of cards, stood in the queue for the stamps and spoke to one of the local artists who also managed to sell me a pack of cards that he'd had printed up from his paintings, bought the stamps and that was goodbye to almost thirty pounds....so I swallowed hard and paid up.  I'm going to have to get used to Britain slowly.  Walked back along the High Street and saw more of my old compatriots and even got invited for a lunchtime drink that I managed to refuse.  Point one is that I've not had a drink for the last twelve months and point two is that I'm not sure the effect it would have after such a long time and point three, it was lunchtime and I had cards to write to get them in the post.

Cards done this afternoon and posted, made a phone call and arrangements have been made for Friday afternoon and evening with good friends of ours and it looks like an evening of television although my Sudoku will be close at hand.  Brighton or Lewes shopping tomorrow to get my head round presents for a select few...it's only family ones to do here.  One birthday present to source...and I think I might be in the Lego shop for that.  Supper calls....it's nice to have someone to cook it for me but I suppose I'll assume the mantle as the holiday wears on...LN...Down for food...LN