Thursday 23rd February

Lovely sight when I looked out this morning...the crescent moon and it had to be photographed.  No fire going but not needed, the sun was just hiding behind the mountain and about to raise her little head so it was straight on to coffee, internet and the washing up could wait for a while longer...and it's still waiting.  The rest of the birthday cake went over the wall for the animals, I didn't bother with breakfast and I was determined this morning to find a photograph of my painter that I took early last year.  I'd searched before but not located it, I wasn't sure when I'd taken it but I found it...and immediately saved it to the desktop so I wouldn't lose it again.

I went outside to take a few photos and generally do my tour of inspection, decided to empty and tidy up the burning barrel and empty what hadn't been burnt down the bottom of the garden.  I grabbed the wheelbarrow, managed to manoeuvre the barrel into it, rescued the metal spade from the Beast and headed down the garden dumping the rubbish along the base of the wall.  I did a bit of digging down there removing some of the old builder's rubbish and left the wheelbarrow down there.  My work was done when I returned the barrel to its home.  I watered the plants in the little house and noticed that some of the potted daffs were coming through and on my way out noticed three beetles on the porch window ledge.  Out with the camera again and they looked as if they had either just hatched or woken up but the size of them should mean that they should never take flight...they are huge.

Back in the house, I put some music on and the Kindle came out.  The lids did head southwards for an hour or so, I collected the wheelbarrow from the bottom of the garden putting the spade back in the Beast just in case the snow returns and prepared supper.  Tonight I'm having sweet and sour barbecued pork with oven baked potatoes and onions and there's a baked apple lingering in there as well.  I can smell it from here and it won't be long before I'm enjoying it and it's time I checked it out.  LN...I have other fish to fry...LN

Friday 24th February

Lovely night's sleep, the sun was coming up, the sky was blue and I was full with the joys of spring.  So much so that I washed what was in and around the sink in the kitchen, cleaned the cooker, cleared and degreased the worktop next to the cooker, washed down the cupboard doors and the kitchen tiles and it was downhill after that.  I didn't have any breakfast...it wasn't a priority so I made made my way upstairs to the pc and slummed for the next couple of hours.  I was disturbed around twelve...Remsier was out there with a letter from my UK bank advising me that the interest rate had dropped yet again...so what's new.  She stayed for about half an hour and she complained about her health, her eyes and her husband and as a parting shot she mentioned that her gas bottle was empty and if I was heading into Djebel maybe I could take the bottle in with me and get it filled.  I'd toyed with going into Djebel but I really need to go into Kardjali to get some admin done but nothing is pressing until next month.  I'd apologised for being in my pj's so as soon as she left I got washed and dressed to face the day, well what was left of it.

I finished off my address book sitting at my table in my stairwell and then remembered that I'd been teetering on the brink of buying a tablet from Argos so I was on to the internet, bought one and arranged to have it picked up from the outlet in one of the towns in West Sussex.  I would have bad it delivered to my UK address but they were out of stock at the depot so I chose the back of beyond store knowing they'd have stock.  And I have it....except that it's in England and I'm not....I might have to book an adhoc flight.

The afternoon was spent on the sofa with the first in another book series.  I'll let you know but not a very exciting start...I fell asleep,  Had a burst of energy, peeled potatoes and put them on to boil, opened a tin of local corned beef type stuff and mixed it with some baked beans....topped it with the mashed potato and popped it in the oven.  It should be ready anytime now so I'm going to sign off, go down and check it and settle in for the night and swimming tomorrow with my students.  LN....Perfectly relaxed day...LN

Saturday 25th February

Seven twenty start again, kitchen immaculate, I did it last night so it was a straight run to the kettle and coffee.  It was a pleasant enough morning, sat contemplating the world and the rest of my day.  I didn't bother with breakfast again...I was still stuffed from last night...the shepherd's pie that I'd made was enough for two nights or so I thought but have you ever tried to leave the other half in the dish and head for the fridge...it didn't work.  I put the empty dish into soak last night and thought I'd never get off to sleep....too much food.  I did spend time watching my scraggy old cat in the burning barrel, went out on to the balcony and two shot out and I think I'd disturbed scraggy trying to have his wicked way with a youngster.  He chased her round the burning barrel and I think managed it but she soon went back to eat.

So at eight thirty I had to step up a gear.  I hadn't a clue where my swimming gear had been stashed at the end of last year but it was in my summer clothes box that get's renamed at the end of the next season.  In may it will become a  winter storage box.  It's big, it's long and it's deep and it's been suggested it would make a very good coffin.  Washed, dressed, winter coat taken off the legs, swimsuit on, top layers and then into the Beast for nine twenty for my meeting at ten at my student's house.  I stopped off at the supermarket and put some money on my phone...it's a new system where they take the money, phone up the phone company for you and you pay the assistant...clever...they've done away with vouchers.  

On time, they were ready and the younger one decided that she would sit around with a book while the older one and myself practised swimming.  We logged in, we were shown to our changing room with hairdryer and lockers, stripped off and headed for the pool.  This was splendid for me, useless for my student, the water was warm as you like but the bottom wasn't graduated.  I could just manage to put my feet on the bottom at the shallow end and my student being six inches shorter that I was...not a snowball in hells chance.  She got in once when I found her a swim ring but she hadn't got the confidence so she headed for the steam room while I managed twenty minutes of backwards and forwards and until I was joined by one other...I was the only one in the pool.  Then a family arrived determined to throw a ball around and make noise....I was out...we both got changed and headed home.  Coffee and lunch at their house and home for two thirty feeling squeaky clean..and refreshed.

Fire lit...rugby is on and only a few pictures from my student's phone.  I forgot all about taking them.  No supper except for a box of chocolate biscuits that I happened to find in the kitchen when I was making my coffee.  It's just started raining so the trip into Greece tomorrow is definitely off....it is a festival day in Zanti but no point in getting cold and wet...too old for that.  LN..Looks like another day of rest and relaxation.....and rugby...LN

Sunday 26th February

Silly night last night...I couldn't get to sleep and at two I decided that the book was the better option than lying there.  Eventually got off and was awake again at six thirty so up with the lark,,,not that many birds were out it was a rotten morning.  Layering clouds that eventually decided to drop their load and then as quickly as it started it stopped.  I lit the fire...I hate damp and cold ...and it's been chugging along all day.  I went out to throw out the old bread for the birds and stood in the yard waiting for my mobile shop but after ten minutes came in again.  No sooner had I settled down with a coffee than I heard his car horn and headed down with what I thought was enough cash...I only wanted bread.  So when I got there he asked me if I wanted a cheesy bread and I questioned it...normally there aren't any on a Sunday...the bakery doesn't work but there it was...he had one for me.  I was now in debt to the tune of fifty stotinki so I went home, picked up the money out of my change pot and waited for him on the return journey.  Breakfast was sorted...I sat at my table in the stairwell with a fresh coffee and headed up to the PC on the landing to waste a few hours.  I was going to clear out the flower beds but it was cold, damp and not the day to be out there slogging...there's plenty more of the spring left.  

I settled down to Monty Don's world gardens, the Andrew Marr show and Sunday politics.  I managed to stay awake for all of it and from the top landing watch my scraggy cat and the tabby younger one skipping up the garden.  They must have already checked out the burning barrel...there was nothing in it so I headed out and the little one shot up a log against the wall and shot over it...scraggy couldn't manage it and took an easier route stopping at the top to glare at me eventually going down the other side.

There was a bit of a concern this afternoon.  I thought I heard a noise and a gypsy was knocking on my window.  I went into the guest room and looked out and there was a yellow car parked outside my house.  It was obviously her transport into the begging ground.  I wend down and opened the door and she was definitely begging.  I got the story about the need for an injection and an operation and I was a little upset, she'd obviously looked in the kitchen window and asked for oranges and apples that were on my kitchen table and then came out with the fact that I live in a big house.  I reckon that they should sell the car and pay for anything they have to pay for.  I followed her to the front gate and neighbour wit the garden next to my house stopped and commented on the car and we both had the same opinion.  There's my heart and my head...sometimes I have an internal battle and at the end of the day I felt OK with my actions.

Rugby this afternoon and surprising tactics from the Italians...confused the hell out of every one.  Second session of The Voice tonight...I better check my eyes out...they might be changing shape...turning square.  Before the match I made a spag bol and that's on the wood burner and should be ready or burnt...maybe I should go and check.  Relaxing day....I think I'm heading into Kardjali tomorrow morning to get my company business and car admin sorted and taxes paid.  LN...Supper time for me..about to get the spaghetti on....LN

Monday 27th February

Silly early five thirty start so I read for a while and then got my head down again...eight thirty when I roused the second time and felt really good for the extra few hours.  Went back to bed with a coffee, attended to a few messages on FB deciding that I had to get washed, dressed and out into the big bad world if I was to accomplish the things that I'd written on the 'to do' list.  Most I've done, the last few have been carried forward on to the next one... ...and soon and so forth and so shall it be.....

Getting the horsepower ready to go into Kardjali, I noticed that the front driver's side tyre was looking a little bald and not wanting to have a thumping fine descend on me I decided to do something about it and that entailed having two new tyres.  Needs as needs must....it is done.  I went down to the garage, they were ordered, fitted and the Beast valeted inside and out and ready by two this afternoon.  I think it was partly my fault...I'd been driving with not the correct amount of pressure in the tyre or it hadn't held the pressure since the others were fine but at no point did I think that it might have a puncture.  Anyway...the deed is done soif anyone is using the Beast...can you please wipe you feel before you get in not like on the way out as you usually do.  I made my way to the river while I was waiting but the kingfisher wasn't around today...I did look.  Ionly had chickens in the yard and another couple of puppies.

So in to Kardjali by two thirty.  I managed to get the new bulbs for the bathroom light fitting and they have the most absurd connection.  They were difficult to get out and difficult to put in so I'll do it when there's some natural light in the bathroom.  Over to pay my car tax and I was told to go away...it was too early...over to submit my company declaration that the company is inactive so there's no tax liability but I was directed to the statistics office down by the museum.  I found several official looking buildings and eventually after climbing to the forth floor...I found four ladies, explained why I had been told to come to see them and the hadn't got a clue what to do.  Eventually after a few giggles they issued me with a document and I took it back to the first office, they looked at it and said that it was mine and I should file it.  I attempted to complete the second for in Bulgarian and eventually after much scratching of heads, the form was submitted and I have another receipt that I was told to file with the first.  The company was formed in order to buy the house with land...if you didn't form a company you could buy but I think that the new people aren't taught the history of land and house purchase...I think they were more interested as to whether I had paying guests staying so they could calculate revenue which wasn't even in existence.

Kaufland for a few goodies and then on to Lidl.  It's been an expensive day but at least I'm legal on the road and in respect of my company declaration.  Home for just after six thirty...it's been a long old day but at least it's been sweater weather and very pleasant out in the sun.  More of the same tomorrow please....I've bought potting compost so I might have a gardening day tomorrow.  Might be spaghetti bolognaise tonight if I can raise the effort...otherwise it might be a cheese sandwich ...and that seems the easier of the two options tabled in the last minute.  LN...Kitchen calls....LN

Tuesday 28th February

Ten to eight this morning and couldn't be bother to go get bread from the van and I had a healthy tropical muesli and if I have much more of that I think I shall be spending too much time at the dentist.  I need to put more milk on it and for those that know me...I don't do milk usually.....black coffee, black tea, etc.

Washed, dressed by eight thirty and managed to put the stupid halogen light bulbs in the bathroom fitting.  I was standing on a chair with my arms over my head and you can't even see where you're supposed to put the two prongs.  It's a press and twist but they never seem secure but they're in and they light up...result.  Kitchen tidied, bed made, muesli, first load of washing in and pegged out, second load in and pegged out and then came the hard part.  I washed a couple of 'hand wash only' and then put them in the washing machine on the rinse and spin cycle and they've turned out a treat.  It's been such a lovely day so it was all dry and ready to bring in at four and I was able to put if straight away.  Another sweater day..  

Gardening this afternoon and I was amazed how many bulbs I've got coming up.  I used the rake to clear the old leaves and last year's debris and they wheel-barrowed it to the bottom of the garden and dropped it at the bottom of the wall.  I've still got lots to do but at least I've made a start on it.  I've also cleared under the cherry tree and removed the old bricks and stone chippings again dumping them.  I didn't come in until five thirty...it was such a super day.  Fire lit...not really necessary but nice to look at...jacket potato in the oven at six to that should be ready soon and it's a big one that will be lashed with cheese and butter.  

I'll be round the village early with my Baba Marta wrist bands for my neighbours and then off to Haskovo with the Librarian.  They've got some good offers on and I need some of the bare root shrubs to get in at the base of the wall.  We're hoping to head out for nine thirtyish so we'll probably visit our market again and we might have the pleasure of our German shopkeeper who sells antiques out of his van in a layby and insists on speaking German to me.  No pickies today...I've been far too busy but there should be lots tomorrow....I can smell by potato...it must be ready...LN...Kitchen bound...LN