Sunday 9th July

Six start but then I went back to sleep until eight...well it is Sunday.  Took out the poppies from the little bed under the wall on the main terrace and discovered an hydrangea that I'd totally forgotten so gave it a good watering.  I went down to the bread van...the remains of my last loaf had been scattered on to the hillside for the animals...there was a feint hint of green about it....and I refuse to pick it out.

Last night was strange.  We were settled down for the night when there was a rattle on the door at ten thirty.  My guest went to find out what it was about and one of my ladies from the square down by the little mosque was delivering some weird pancake type things and kept saying that they were hot and should be eaten straight away.  So today at the bread van I mentioned it top my Avatar who said that she was really frightened, had been asleep and had to get dressed to open the door.  I'm still not sure if there was a religious significance to it...but please can we have it earlier in the evening.  As it happened I pan fried them for breakfast with bacon and an egg...did it for me.

So today's task was to get the lawn mower out and finish the grass that I'd left from last time in front of the little house.  That done and put to bed it was out with the bowl of hot water with washing up liquid in it...Fairy of course..remove old nail varnish, soak the feet in the bowl, take out a couple of printed sudoku that I'd not managed to do, clean the said feet and apply new nail varnish.  Jobs a guddun...now I have green toe nails.  

There's been a steady flow of neighbours today.  My Avatar was round this morning, Gouldjan's mother appeared with a huge bucket of yogurt and a present from Gouldjan who came over while I was in the UK, Byser brought round a wedding invitation for and Haciber arrived with a bucket of tomatoes from her garden and another invitation to a baby party for the nineteenth of this month.   The rest of the afternoon was spent watching the athletics and then the rowing from Lucerne.  Jacket potatoes for supper with a gammon steak topped off with honey and roasted tomatoes.  I'm now heading downstairs to get some of that delicious yogurt with some peach jam in it...rude not to as it came as a gift.
After that I shall be running round with the hose...it's been a corker of a day again...those flowers must be thirsty.  LN....A woman's work is never done...LN

Monday 10th July

Not a very good night last night...the moon was very bright and I'd forgotten to draw the curtains but it was just too warm to settle.  I slept under the quilt at first and then found myself on top of the quilt with only a sheet over me but it was disturbed until six this morning.  Anyway...onward and upward into the day...I got out the sprinkler and moved it about the garden covering all bases so that everything got a good drink....and it's been a corker for most of the day.

Normal bacon and egg for breakfast followed by toast....it can't be doing me much harm...I tried on a dress that I'd got from one of my cheapy shops and it fits me better than when I bought it.  Just a few more pounds to go and it can be put into the 'available' group and I love the colour...emerald green cotton and looks great with a suntan.  

Had myself a bonfire and cleared the debris from yesterday and the kitchen waste and it suddenly struck me that my neighbours still know that there's  life in the old bird when they see the smoke.  I stripped both beds and got the washing out on the line when the smoke had cleared and the rest of the morning was spent pottering in the garden weeding beds, strimming the grass between the house and the wall and then I walked down and had a few words with my Avatar sitting in her garden.  Several of the neighbours had gone into Djebel for market day...I prefer to leave it until it's less busy so I'm going in tomorrow.

At one this afternoon I felt incredibly tired so got my head down on the sofa waking up just before three.  I got the washing in and made up the beds, took myself outside and sat watching the world.  I settled myself in the garden and cleared the weeds out of another couple of beds.  I dug up a couple of beetroot, peeled and chopped them ready for roasting, cut up a red cabbage and peeled a couple of onions.  Everything went into the oven with the large potatoes and all that was left to do was to pan fry the bacon chops when everything else was ready.  Don't like work me...

I realised that the tennis was on and tuned in to watch Andy your actual beat the French guy.  He was interviewed by some silly female after the game and he looked totally fazed by the questions...it's a wonder he bothered to stand there and answer them.  Supper is over and was delicious and I followed it with Gouldjan's mum's yogurt...it's just so creamy and now I'm watching Nadal who's made it back from two sets down.  Tomorrow I'm taking the Beast in to the garage...that pesky oil light is still flickering occasionally and when I check it there's not a problem with the oil.  I'm thinking that there is a certain vibration that just upsets one of the contacts.  Into Kardjali after that...we have a bus ticket to buy for the thirteenth...my guest is homeward bound and we'll probably end up at our new found swimming pool.  Only one photo of last night's moon taken from my desk...I've been far too busy today catching up on my sleep and weeding.  LN...Promise to do better....LN

Tuesday 11th July

Six start and a brilliant night’s sleep despite the night time heat.  It’s been chugging along at the high thirties all day.  I was down for coffee at seven, washed up last night’s offerings and took my coffee on to the terrace to watch the morning.  The martins were invading, squadrons at the ready and I'm not sure why they all head for the one nest and you never really get the perfect shot. I planted up some things that I dug up yesterday and put in water over night next to the tobacco under the main terrace wall, gave everything else on the terrace a good drink and deadheaded the geraniums to give the new ones a chance.

Tomatoes on toast for breakfast and I always feel that that stays with me for a long time.  I think it’s something to do with digesting the seeds.  I headed over to see my Avatar to see if she wanted anything from Kardjali but nothing was added to my shopping list.

Into Djebel for ten more or less, picked up the mini bolts and nuts that I wanted for my climbing plant supports and the polythene for the adjustments to the garden propagator that I’ll be photographing when it’s finished.  As it sat on the vegetable garden it was too tall, I couldn’t get inside it to dig the garden over and weeding it was a nightmare so it went back to the drawing board.  Into Kardjali and picked up the bus ticket for my guest for Thursday, saw a child’s chair in one of the leva shops that had to be purchased, on to my cheapy shop and got a couple of bargains and then back to the swimming pool overlooking Kardjali.  It wasn’t too busy and shaded sun beds were available.  Good exercise for me…in two sessions I managed about twenty widths of the pool and I should make it twice a week on a regular basis…I’ll put it on my ‘to do’ list.

Lidl for a few items…that pesky oil light is still flashing on and off so it’s going into the garage tomorrow….there’s nothing wrong with the oil volume and pressure but it’s just worrying.  So watching the tennis and the internet connection has gone down….I’m putting this together in word and hopefully I can post later.  No supper for me…..we had lunch at the pool and it’s sitting heavy.  LN…Yogurt should settle my gut…LN

Internet came back up obviously and I'm absolutely thrilled that Jo Konta has got through to the semis at Wimbledon......LN

"that pesky oil light is still flashing on and off"

A little internet investigation, possibly one of two things. Insufficient oil pressure, possible wearing out of the oil pump.

Or, an intermittant wiring problem between the oil pressure warning switch and the fuse.

Internet forums don't mention much else.

Needs fixing though before it becomes a more expensive problem, such as new crankshaft bearings because of no oil pressure, and , or, the cam shaft at the top of the engine block.

By the way I did send another facebook message about cancelling our meeting.

Wednesday 12th July

Thanks for doing the investigation TC....your words of wisdom have been noted....

I couldn't get off to sleep last night.  There was nothing tazzing around in my brain but maybe it was the full moon and the heat.  Down for coffee at six thirty and got the hose out to get the ball rolling.....moving it round the various beds...much less hassle than standing there with the hose.

I didn't bother with breakfast and gave my guest free run of the kitchen.  I wanted to get the Beast sorted before the others got in there first but my garage guy was having a lie in but his brother was there.  I explained the problem, his solution was to give it an oil change and change both the filters and guess what...it's worked.  No flashing red light on the dash....I suppose it's that hot that it goes like water and does nothing at all.  It also didn't help that I'd missed the due date for the work to be done....so black mark to me.  The other thing that I'd missed by four days was the MOT so I went home, I made myself a bacon sandwich, finished off some work in the garden and set out for Kardjali complete with swimming gear.....it would have been totally rude not to.

I sailed through the MOT...they're almost sticking the tag on the window before they put the car on the rollers to check the brakes.  Everything now is computerised though....pictures of everything....but they didn't take my inside leg measurement but perhaps they have that already.  Then over to the swimming pool that we seem to have adopted and even though it looked like thunder was pending, it was beautiful in the pool.  We were lucky according to the internet...that thunder storm has brought gigantic hailstones to some parts of Bulgaria.  I also managed to get some photos of what appears to be a hotel complex starting and the bungalows look really impressive.  The roof tiles look very original...two tone and not the usual red or red.

So home for six twenty...the chicken is in along with potatoes and onions and I'm just waiting for supper to finish cooking.  So Andy your actual is out along with Nadal so I have to find someone to support alongside Jo going in to the last few days.  Early start...I have to get my guest on to the six o'clock Sofia bus from Kardjali.  LN...I've now got to remember how to set the numerous alarms....LN

Thursday 13th July

So after setting the alarm on my phone and on my new Lenovo for four fifteen this morning, I woke up in a panic thinking that I'd missed both of them, came round quickly and heard noises downstairs.  My guest was out and about and it was only four.  I read for a while and went down at four thirty, made coffee, went back upstairs, got into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and I was ready to leave.  There was obviously the last minute panic, I managed to turn my alarms off quickly but my guests seemed to have the alarm on his farm on repeat but at five ten, we were ready for the off.  We went down the back lane and within twenty minutes we were in Kardjali...it really does cut time and kilometres off the journey.  He was on to the bus, had a single seat at the front of the mini-bus and I confirmed with the driver that he wanted to be let off before the terminal...it makes it easier to get into the airport and he phoned me at nine thirty to say that he'd got a taxi straight away and was waiting for security to open...So far so good...

As I drove home the sun was coming up and boy was it big and very red and where was my camera?  Both were back at the house.  There was very little traffic, back up the back lane, parked up in the drive and straight into the kitchen for more coffee.  I set about getting the bedroom sorted, I stripped all the bedding and got the washing machine into action, five loads were out, five loads came back in dry just before the thunder and lightening, colossal winds and driving rain.  Meanwhile back at the ranch...I sat on the sofa and got my head down  and woke up just before the storm started.  I made the bed up feeling refreshed after my forty winks, sorted the bathroom, washed up from last night's supper and got back into my book.  I'm still on the same one I was reading when my guest arrived...it's boring me but I'm determined.

So tennis this afternoon and I was sad to see Jo out but Venus played well so deservedly through to the final.  Unfortunately I had two visits to the wall....a bastard bovine was heading for my large sunflower against the wall...I managed to chase it off but it stood watching me, I came back in, it doubled back and had the top of it.  I was out again but it was too late.  I should know better by now.  Few clouds in the sky but I think the rain has gone over now....another lazy day tomorrow...LN....Back to home alone....LN

You need a Spud Gun!!  

Friday 14th July

Well it's like this Mikey B....why settle for a spud gun when I've got two of the real things hanging about the house...    I did intend getting out there with my 'bangers' but I have this dread that I could be minus a couple of fingers all for the sake of a sunflower....ooopppsss....but thanks for the advice

Now at two this morning I was wide awake and not even sure of the reason why.  I played Soda Crush for a while, realised that I was falling asleep at that so did manage to close it up and get back off again.  Six start and down for coffee at six thirty and went out to the garden and viewed the estate.  The ground was so good after yesterday's downpour that I decided it was time to plant up the new fire pit bed and I'd got a bowl of baby tobacco that had to go somewhere.  I finished it off with a very pretty berberis that I found in Haskovo and surrounded the edge with petunias from a very overcrowded pot so all my plants are a little happier today.

I caught up with my sudoku from the last couple of days and didn't bother with breakfast.  My telephone rang and it was the lady from the Rogosche post office...I had two letter awaiting collection.  I left it for a while, washed, dressed but unfortunately there was no spare parts from Germany for my strimmer...they were only letters from my English bank.  After that I headed for Djebel and caught up with my student's mum from the garage....and spent about an hour there.  Did a little shopping, car put away and settled down on the sofa, waves of tiredness swept over me so I headed off into the land of nod for about an hour.  I think the tiredness is seeping out of me and with the lawn that has suddenly taken off again...I need to get my strength up...

I didn't wake up naturally which would have been nice...there was a drummer going for it big time with a clarinet player filling all the gaps and I suddenly remembered that it's the wedding tomorrow and tonight it's the henna ceremony in Djebel where the man claims his bride and they have a gathering in the centre of town with music and dancing.  I suppose some of the younger villagers are going but I've made no arrangements so far...but there's still time.

At the moment I'm watching the Federer match....and it's exciting so I'm off.  LN...A very pleasant evening...LN

Saturday 15th July

It's been a dull old day today, I felt out of sorts with the weather and generally flat as a pancake.  For me that's not normal and I wanted to shut my door, leave the key on the inside and generally receive no visitors and not really get up to much.  So I didn't.

I sat out on the terrace watching the morning and got my book out and eventually finished it....and thank goodness for that.  There's two more in the series by the same author but it's going to be a while before I start it.  I made breakfast and checked out the garden and the plants that I put in yesterday seem to be getting their little feet down.  The new bed has a good amount of soil treated to a good deal of 'vitamins' last year and a bag of sheep droppings went in as well so they should do OK.  I kept looking at the lawn...it was overcast so it wouldn't have been a hard job doing it but it's like they say about ironing, the hardest part is getting out the equipment and plugging in the iron.  It's a job that can go on the top of the list for tomorrow along with the weeding since that last storm really made them spring up again.  I didn't even get that bonfire going...lazy or what.

It's been a day of tennis.  I watched the women's final and I was disappointed, I wanted a game of it and it didn't turn out that way.  I'm watching the men's doubles final and that's proving to be a match at least as did the men's wheelchair final and 'the boys done good' by retaining the title.  No supper for me tonight....breakfast is hanging heavy, I can pull on my reserves ...I shan't starve.  So the camera hasn't been out either...I promise to do better tomorrow and hopefully will have a good night's sleep and get my mojo back.  LN..Back to the tennis...LN

Sunday 16th July

I'm back.....yesterday was an anomaly....I don't normally get down but I'm up again.  I woke at six but stayed in bed until seven, got my coffee, and sat out on the terrace and worked out a plan of campaign.  As I heard yesterday...a battle plan looks great until the battle starts and then you have to be prepared for the changes that have to be made.  I came in and managed to catch Monty Don and picked up some interesting gardening facts...I'm always willing to learn. Stripped the covers from the lounge sofa...it was looking a little grubby and there was a fairly swift wind blowing so I knew they would dry quickly.  The bonfire was lit and roared into life and then I set about clearing the remaining old poppies that had no life left in them and to chop back one off the old trees on the long wall that has lots of suckers growing from it.  These were swamping the berberis and wasn't letting it show its trued colour....and now it is.  I got the washing out even though the clouds were gathering and crossing my fingers at the same time and realised that I was hungry.  Bacon and egg sandwich and yet more coffee and managed my Sunday Sudoku in record time and I heard a car pull up outside, there were two and I didn't recognise either of them and the next thing there are visitors at my door.

It was a lovely surprise....two of the ladies are from Turkey and the third from Holland and they come round when they are visiting their mother in the next village.  The older lady has three amazingly pretty girls but only two were with her today.  We sat outside, the little ones were in the garden and playing with the pottery animals and they handed me a present which they insisted I opened and it was a covered cake stand from Ankara.  The little girls insisted that they saw inside the house so everyone followed for the conducted tour.  Off they went and not half an hour later there were three teenage girls that I'd never met before, they were typical giggly, spoke very little English although they'd have several years learning it.....typical....we only teach grammar so that you can read it and write it.  Eventually they left and at last I could get to the computer to watch the men's Wimbledon final....but not much of a contest was it.  The amount of times the one playing Federer bounced the balls, it's a wonder there was any fuzz left on them.  The mixed doubles is on now but TV Catchup has been a real pain in the proverbial...it keeps freezing and I'm not sure if a blocker has been put on it.

Jacket potato already in and chicken wings thawing and about to follow the potato into the oven.  Nothing concrete on the agenda for tomorrow....I'm going to continue down the wall and then get some cuttings underway.  Best laid plans again....   So back to the tennis.....LN...Serious viewing to be done.....LN