!st June 2018

So no white rabbits but one painter at eight thirty this morning.  I heard him speaking to my Avatar and thought he was off working somewhere else but ni, he appeared and said that he wanted to get my 'critter stuff' finished and dusted while it was in his mind....so skin off my nose.  I was still in my PJ's but helped him get the big ladder out of the workshop and erected in the little house and found him the piece of water pipe he needed to get the moth ball powder into the 'gap' which is supposed to do the trick.  When he was established I went in and got washed and dressed and into work clothes.  My Avatar appeared in the garden with cheesy breads and chocolate drinks for painter and myself but I refused the drink for me...it's not one of my favourites so suggested she have it.  I walked the garden eating my breakfast and went into the little house complaining that there wasn't a lot of cheese in my bread so I was eating 'bread' without much cheese and eventually the birds got it.  We made out way up to the second level of the little house and the rest of the powder was delivered to the under eaves level and so far so good...no sound of the critter but I did find another week's work for my painter.  The roof wood hasn't had insect inhibitor painted on the roof timbers so the work is there when he wants it....so when it's raining he has work.  He also mentioned my well that needs cleaning out and with the aluminium ladder it's also on the cards...he needs a friend he can trust.  He'll go down with a hard had while with a bucket and rope, the mate can haul away.  Let's see what or who he comes up with to do the job.  He also mentioned that he had found some baby hedgehogs that appear to be abandoned so he's feeding them with cow's milk three times a day and they're in his garden...and I wanted pickies and the next question...was I heading into Kardjali and the reply was affirmative if he wanted to go.  He 'uumed' and 'arrghed'...complained that he always spends money when we go but I got changed into town gear, locked up and we left once the tools were away.

We set off down the back lane and we went straight to Kaufland and meandered round.  I bought more plants that had been reduced, meat, yogurt and lots more items while he settled for a couple of bottles of Tuborg beer, a small bottle of rakia, potatoes and that was about it.  We played the game where I guess the value of the trolley.  I was one lev out on his and guessed mine at being seventy five leva and it was seventy six and my painter was fully impressed....I paid up and we left and headed home since in the trolley was ice-cream that was on offer.  Back up the lane and I stopped off to take pickies of the baby hedgehogs.  He'd left them under a huge pile of straw just in case the mother looking for them but I suggested he put them in a box with the hay and into the shade. They were so small and I recommended that fed them more often but he wasn't impressed...three times with a hypodermic case with the needed removed and he was doing his best to maintain life.

I set off for home, put the Beast in the yard, the ice-cream in the freezer and the rest of the shopping away and the plants into water.,  They will be sited tomorrow.  The rest of the afternoon was spend sleeping on the sofa, it was really hot and thundery but it appears to have cleared away and settled into a lovely evening.  Nothing on for tomorrow so far but there again there was nothing on for today but it didn't work out that way.  Fingers crossed for the hedgehogs but I don't hold out much hope.  I picked up a steak reduced for quick sale and mushrooms so I'm making a steak, onion and mushroom baguette tonight.  LN....Kitchen bound.....and I'll update on the hedges.....LN

And the pickies

Hedgehog pickies not very good, it was so bright out there today...ignore the shadow and I'll get more if they survive.  

Saturday 2nd June

Five thirty start and sat out with the first coffee of the morning and watched my little world come to life.  The sun wasn't up yet but not far away, the bee eaters were busy, the moon was still out and a pair of golden oriels flitted into the walnut but were far to quick to get the camera on them.  They are such nervous birds.  The sun came up, time for the second cup and then maggies put in an appearance and nosily told the rest of the birds that the walnut was hers.  They weren't having any of it and she descended to the grass and strutted until more reinforcements came and then they headed for the burning bucket.  There was another largish visitor but from the distance and the leaves I wasn't and still not sure what it was.  It appeared to be black with a reddish tinge to the breast but couldn't identify it.  It should be back tomorrow.

As for the rest of the day.  My first mistake was to try to locate the storage bags that you can suck the air out of with the hoover.  They weren't where I thought they would be but now they're sitting on my bed upstairs and awaiting filling with winter sweaters.  The second mistake was to find out the clothes that my imminent visitor leaves here and get them washed and on coat hangers in the downstairs bedroom but prior to that, I had to remove my winter jackets and again, they're sitting on my bed upstairs.  That seemed like a big job so I pottered in the garden, planted up the newbies that I'd bought yesterday, found a very tired looking weigela that the poppies had swamped by the plum tree so the poppies are no more and the plant is sitting in a bucket of water and will be found a new place tomorrow.  I punctured holes in one of the little containers that I bought and now the snapdragons are having another fight for life on the terrace.  I've got loads of them so many seeds from such a little packet.  I also washed out the large plastic box that was sitting in the garage and now sitting on the terrace.  Now the patio cushions have somewhere to go if it rains.

My five minutes rest turned into an hours snooze and then I made my third mistake deciding to hoover the guest room and then that would be finished.  Both hoovers, big and small needed cleaning and the little one's hose was blocked so remedial measures were required....like a piece of wire to dislodge the blockage.  Eventually I was good to go, clothes are back in the room one less thing to be concerned about.  The next mistake was to wrestle with the outside table that spend it's winter indoors and put it back where it belongs and when that was outside, the carpet came up, I washed the stairs down and decided to apply a coat of lamp oil to put some life back in the wood.  Done dusted and I've had enough for one day.  Tomorrow I'll be moving small tables and chairs and finishing off the winter lounge area and they might even include taking the pipes out of the pechka juts in case we have a cold spell while my guest is here.    With a week to go...nothing is desperate yet...

So just after eight my time.  I'm not hungry but feel I need to eat so I'll probably resort of natural yogurt and have a clean out day.  I had yogurt for breakfast but it was hot on the heels of three slices of toast with butter and strawberry jam so not such a good start.  Last night's supper that I'd really looked forward to was a complete disaster.  The steak was tender but on the first mouthful it tasted sour despite being in date so I settled for fried mushrooms and onions on a baguette.  Not quite what it was suppose to be but filled a gap.  Lovely evening but still got to sort my bed out or I might be back on the sofa tonight.  LN...I joke when I say 'my mistakes'....they're all opportunities for me to shine and be resilient.
LN....An hour should do it....LN

Sunday 3rd June

Five thirty start again and was up to see the sunrise and by seven I was out in the garden fiddling around.  I spotted Harold heading for my neighbour's veg garden and he was closely followed by the farmers dog but I reckon he lives on the edge every day...rather like Peter Rabbit and Mr Mcgregor,  It was a day of doing a little inside and then outside, I had a bonfire, met the bread van as I was walking over to see my Avatar at eight thirty to ask her if he was due to come today or not and he stopped and handed me an uncut.  I paid up, my Avatar shouted that she wanted one too and without money she got one....and I joked that mine had cost two leva not one.  She had the gossip to tell me...it's quite nice being in the loop but it only compounds what I know about a certain person but karma is a wonderful thing...you just have to wait for it to kick in.  So breakfast for me was yogurt and jam on the terrace in the sun and then the work commenced.  I removed the carpets from the winter lounge and scrubbed them with household floor cleanser, hosed them down and the lighter one was put on the line and the smaller heavier one on the sunbed to drip and dry.  At this point another neighbour arrived and again I was helping to pick cherries and in the little house she spied potatoes that I'd been given but not eaten fully chitted and she took those to plant up.  And she hadn't finished there....eventually she left with petunias, snapdragons. spider plants and she had her eye on a few more babies that were coming on but I told her no until they were bigger.  She's one of the daughters and takes 'no' very well unlike some of the older ones that are persistent.  Ten minutes later she was back with some plants for me...I'd tried to grow them but they'd come to nothing so I have more planting tomorrow.

Floors washed over downstairs apart from the kitchen, I stopped for lunch, finished a huge bowl of ice-cream and promptly fell asleep waking up at three.  I checked out the carpets and they were both nearly dry and I was keeping a north eye on the weather.  There were a few claps of thunder and the sky was getting darker but it seemed to blow over but then came back with a vengeance.  Meanwhile I'd got the carpet in and laid, sorted out the under stairs now that the table was no longer there, removed the seat pads from the benches outside and put them in the dry and then it was all systems go to close the door to the terraces, switch off the electric to computers and the house phone and wait for the storm to pass.  Things were flying around again, the heavens opened and the garden looks much greener and fresher for it....but I really don't like thunder and lightening when the power keeps going one and off...but at least it come on and stayed on.

Boiler on for a bath...I need to linger after wrestling with the carpets and some of my heavier furniture.  Lunch was pretty substantial so not in the running for anything yet.  The washing up has been done, the kitchen is tidy so I'm resting on my laurels so to speak tonight.  No bee-eaters around because there are no bees...all tucked up in the hives for the night if they have any sense at all.  LN...I shall be tucked up in mine soon enough....LN

Monday 4th June

Silly early o'clock start and the man with the loudspeaker at five singing out his prayers to his almighty only had the dogs in the next village for company.  Now I love the mosque and the gentle chanting but I get this straight across the hillside at a fairly high volume and it's not even coming from a mosque but from a CD player.  Bahhh humbug and it seems to taker ages for the dogs to settle but I'm up and at it...no more sleep for me.

There was no need to water the garden, the overnight rain had worked wonders and there was this lovely glow of morning through the mist as the sun came up.  I was fair energised to get some washing in despite the weather. I cleared off the winter lounge table and sorted out the 'might come in useful' bits that have accumulated there and removed the tins with candles for the  'we might have a power cut' and put them in a less visible position.  Everything now is down to a much more streamline look.  Breakfast of toast and marmalade while walking the garden and the decision was made to head to Kardjali to replace the printer cartridges purchased in error and to see if they would exchange them for me.  I didn't have the  receipt for them but thought it worth a try.  I stopped off at my Avatars on the way and asked if she wanted anything but she declined.  Another neighbour came into the garden and demanded to know where I was going but I wasn't having any of her bully tactics.  She told me to sit down in the garden but I said that I was off and because she only speaks Turkish I made out I didn't understand and my Avatar played along and didn't translate.  The new neighbour in frustration told me to go and I said I would when I was ready and where the others jump and say 'how high', I don't.....that's just me.

Off down the back lane and I didn't see the heap of grass hiding the hedgehogs in my painter's garden which either means that mother has found them or they are no longer with us and I fear the latter.  Unfortunately he wasn't around to ask.  Over to the pay car park, into the cheapy shop and picked up three working t-shirts and a lovely dress for the little one and a pair of leather shoes which might fit Cinderella all for a total of four leva.  Silly money.  Back to my bank but unfortunately I hadn't brought the correct documentation with me to sort of a better interest rate for my 'just in case' money so that can be sorted next week. I walked down to the market and bought three tomato plants to replace the ones that had gone to an early grave and headed for M-Tel and tried to get a new contract for my house phone and put it in my name not the company name.  Unfortunately I can't port the number over so I told them to leave it as it was and finally to the shop with the wrongly purchased printer cartridges to see if they would change them for me without a receipt.  All seemed to be going well, the man on reception said that it was OK and understood how I had been given the wrong ones and then we arrived at the cash desk.  Eventually they scrabbled round and found a way round it and I paid the difference.  Great customer service.  Lidl for a few items and diesel for the Beast, back home via the lane and the rain started but was over by the time I got back but an hour or so later, it clouded over and the thunder rolled in and it's been a grim afternoon for most of it.  

Head down for an hour or so, Avatar arrived with a dish that I'd taken food over in and the biscuits from under the cardigan and I sent her off with a couple of bananas which again got tucked under the cardigan for the return trip.  They all seem to like to know what's going on.  The tomatoes are in where the old ones once stood, I reckon they're going to get watered naturally and I'll check up on them in the morning.  Half nine my time and soon be time to lay my weary head to rest and fingers crossed I don't get my early morning alarm call and manage to sleep through it.  Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow except the get stuck in to the upstairs leaving the kitchen as the only thing left to do.  LN....D-Day approaches...LN

Tuesday 5th June

And my man down in the next village was playing his 'prayer' at what seems to be an increased volume again and the dogs love it.  It doesn't help that he's deaf and can't really judge the volume....I'll have to send my painter round again and even my Avatar is complaining and it's her religion.  I can't say anything being an outsider and wouldn't...I'll leave others to do it.  So this morning I'd done washing and pegged it out, pottered in the garden all in PJ's when I heard the bread van.  I headed for the gate, shouted to Avatar to see if she was going down to the van and she was so I put in an order for a sliced loaf.  I quickly got dressed by the time she'd gone down and got back, and got out the lev to pay for it.  She didn't want the money but I insisted and even offered her the ten stotinki change for getting it.  I'm generous like that...   She then asked if she could have some more cherries and we headed for the tree with the carrier bag and we filled it up for her.  I had toast for breakfast after she left and then headed out to move plants around.  The soil is too rich for the nasturtiums and there's no way they're going to flower...just put out lots of leaves so they've been re-sited.  They're in and around the garden, in their place are the small pretty cactus type flowers that seem to last for ever and fingers crossed they take root and last out the summer.  

I moved inside and attacked the kitchen.  I was surprised by another visitor from the half house next door with a packet of coffee and some sweets so I invited her in and we sat for a while with coffee.  Apparently she's over from Turkey for two weeks and the son and her husband arrive at the weekend.  Their plan is not to do much with the house this year, the fence needs securing to keep out the cows so I might sell them some barbed wire that's left over from my wall build and the house can come later.  Off she went delivering gifts to the rest of the villagers and she actually said that she didn't know why she did it...I suppose it's an old custom.

And then clouds came over, there was a clap of thunder so I got the washing in at speed and then it started.  It was pleasant at first...I sat out in the rain but then it really started throwing it down but I forgot to take in the chair cushions....I'll leave it for nature to sort it out.  I was pretty surprised to see birds congregating on the  roof of the little house and the sheep were standing completely still in the next field...it was almost as if they were anticipating something to happen which it didn't.  It's stopped now and the garden looks exceedingly green and it must have done my new plant transfers the world of good.

The rest of the afternoon was spent putting winter clothes away and summer clothes out.  It's made me realise that I have to do a drastic cull and find a local charity to hand them over to but at least the hard work is done...sorting it.  No sleep today despite my five start, I should sleep well tonight...fingers crossed.  So far there's no great urge to head for the kitchen and get cooking.....maybe later.  LN....Just got to find my bed......LN

Wednesday 6th June

Five thirty start and it was a damp old morning and that wasn't all....the sun came up, the sky was blue and the heavens opened from virtually nowhere but at least my garden didn't need any attention.  I was doing 'bits' again....I'm doing my spring clean late but I am going into corners.  

I was still in my PJ's when I heard a rattling on the outer door and it was my Avatar complete with black plastic bag.  I unlocked the door and she handed me the bag and told me to be careful it was hot and it was.  I had home-made banitsa for breakfast.  We walked the garden, the fain had stopped by this point and off she went and I escaped to the upstairs landing and to the computer and devoured the lot.  I quickly got washed and dressed and was heading back with the washed dish back in the black plastic bag but heard voices coming from Beyser's garden and saw that Avatar was there.  I didn't venture in, there was a little group so I indicated that I was returning the 'bag' and hung it on the fence and skipped back home.  

I removed the woven rug from under the log basket and got it in the washing machine and generally swept the area and on my way back from pegging out I noticed that one of the plants in the veranda was struggling.  I took pity on it and and repotted it and while I was at it I did the other little one that's been hanging around.  Both of them I took for being blue poppies but they're obviously not the same....maybe one might produce a blue flower but I'm not taking bets on which one it will be.

The rest of the day has been taken up with cleaning the bedrooms and finishing off the sorting out of the clothes.  The twin guest is now pristine, the bathroom is finished apart from the idea that's niggling me that I might make a new blind,  It's only for me...my anticipated guest always uses the bathroom downstairs.  Just my bedroom to do and I'll change the bedding tomorrow morning, kitchen shelving wants wiping over and the vegetable rack needs the once over.  I suppose I spent too long in the garden and neglected the house but this week it's all been back to shipshape and Bristol fashion.  LN....Getting there.....LN

Thursday 7th June

Five thirty start, coffee and back to bed until the day got going.  It was a damp start to the day with mist in the valley and the poor sun had to work its way over the clouds over Kardjali.  I went out with my coffee and sat listening to the birds, my hiccupping woodpecker is still around, the magpies were having a right old tussle on the grass and squawking really loudly.  There was no victor…they all shot off in different directions.  I had a shower and washed my hair, scooped it up and headed down to the bread van. Avatar had heard my gate and emerged from Beyser’s garden, we said our good mornings and she mentioned that Beyser had asked why I hadn’t gone into her garden yesterday morning so I made a point of going in accompanied by Avatar.  We sat berating each other for not speaking each others language,  I understand Avatar well and she understands my Bulgarian but despite always living in the area, Beyser really only speaks Turkish so Avatar becomes the translator…Lord help us….

Five minutes later the van came so I got a sliced and unsliced and a packet of biscuits just in case Ms. D of S arrived with the little one.  I skipped home, put another of the rugs in the washing machine, pegged out the one that I’d washed last night and stripped the bed.  I also set to with hammer and nails and the tomatoes are now supported as are the cucumbers and despite the wind…the device is still standing.  I carried on with the cleaning, only the kitchen floor to do, shelving sorted, bedding washed and back on the bed and fortunately everything was dry before the heaven opened.  It started off by getting darker and the cloud over one of the range to the south looked like a pyroclastic surge was about to take place. At this point the wind got up so I was closing doors and getting things in and then the rain came along with thunder and both sheet and fork lightening.  I was a little concerned, the farmers’ wives were driving the sheep home huddling under umbrellas and with the lightening…I was waiting for them both to get poofed into eternity but they obviously got home OK or I’d have heard by now.

All back to normal now, the wind as dropped, a few high clouds and the sun is heading home.  Ms D of S is heading over tomorrow at some point so I better take the fridge magnets off and move the breakables up a level.  I was going to cook but I really can’t be bothered….I can make a sandwich.  LN…Achieved a lot today….LN

Friday 8th June

Five thirty start, washing in and it's a wonder that my machine isn't waving the white flag...enough, enough.  Last load in in the morning and that's it for a while and back to normal.  Pegged it out by seven in the morning mist and it ws probably wetter than when it came out of the machine after half an hour on the line but the weather was destined to improve so I didn't fret myself.

I check emails and messenger and there was a suggestion from Ms D of S that we headed for the indoor pool today and I took her up on it,,,I needed a day away from it and on my final countdown list I had only the kitchen to finish and that was really only a five minute job.  So I confirmed that I would be round at hers for ten and bang on time I arrived.  I had breakfast before I set off and set off in the mist but got better as I neared her village.  Little one was looking pretty cool, we had a little catch up and then set off in her car to the indoor pool.  There was no one else in the water and it was warmer that the last time we were there.  The little one was being a little whingey in the changing room and we were anticipating that it would be a very short visit but after a while she settled down and ended up enjoying it and even confident enough to stand up on her own.  We were both surprised.  The nice thing about the pool is that there is a baby pool and with no one there it's even better.  We stayed in the water for about an hour and a half and I was doing leisurely lengths of the pool and looking out of the back window I noticed that there is another outside pool for hotel guests.  That's one to remember...a night's stay is only forty leva with a free pool and is a bit no brainer when we pay ten leva each for entry into the pool.

Back to the changing room, quickly into dry clothes and over to the restaurant for cheesy chips and drinks and joy oh joy, there was a mini-indoor play area and again, she had this to herself only stopping for chips and more squash.  Into the car and within two minutes her little eyes were going southwards and when we got back she was still flat out so deposited on a big comfy chair until she came back to planet earth.  She was a little star today...another couple of visits and she'll be with arm-bands and sorting herself out,  I stopped for coffee and got home for about four and was really disappointed with the state of the new containers.  These are supposed to be emptied weekly...I'll check on it over the next few days just to see that the firm is sticking to the contract.  It's costing enough...I've just finished the kitchen and washed the floor over, last flash with hoover in the morning and then it can go away for the next five weeks or so.  Time I got the washing in and put it away, nothing much else to do apart from try to find something for supper.  LN....I'm now ready for my guest....LN

Saturday 9th June

Five thirty start and it was all systems go from the beginning.  I had my mental list but it needed converting to paper to ease it along and so I did.  The only thing not achieved is dead-heading the roses and that will save for tomorrow along with picking the remaining cherries...

Last of the washing was done,  pegged out and dry in quick sticks and at eight I saw Avatar coming back down the road with Remsier's husband in hot pursuit and there appeared to be a problem with the donkey.  They both went into the field and the donkey was lying down and wouldn't get up.  Drastic action was taken,,,the poor thing was hit with a stick for encouragement as if that would work and shouted at.  Eventually it must have got tired of all the 'encouragement' and got to its feet and nonchalantly started its breakfast...everything normal in its book of life.  As it walked away I noticed that it had a large scratch on its back flank and apparently it had caught it on the fence.

So back to my own area of concern and working my way down my list ...but ended up doing Sudoku which wasn't scheduled in and I ended up doing the Saturday DM one in record time.  Saturday and Sunday usually pose a problem but today ...no sweat.  So a phone call from my to be guest to say that he was in arrivals and waiting for his luggage.  Apparently there wasn't enough space on the plane so it had to go into the hold.  A few seconds later he rang to tell me that his suitcase had been raided and all the electrical stuff was missing and five minutes later to say that he'd picked up somebody else' luggage, his was locked and this one wasn't and there was a very confused young lady who couldn't understand why hers was now locked.  Any way...all back to normal but it delayed him getting the twelve bus down to Kardjali which gave me another hour or so.

Showered and hair washed, dressed and then decided to sweep the little house workshop floor and that definitely wasn't on the 'to-do' list.  So Kardjali for four this afternoon and went to Kaufland with my list in hand and got most of the staples that I needed.  I parked up in the bus-station car park  and my phone went...he was in the cafe next to the car park so we soon found each other.  Luggage loaded and it was the correct one, Lidl for a few essentials like wine and beer and home for around six.  Shopping put away, suitcase unpacked, supper of pork thingies with wedge potatoes...everything easy tonight.  Washing up done and now quick update and it won't be long before I hit the sack.  No photos tonight..it's been a funny old day and tomorrow will be a potter day.  LN....Eventful but with a good outcome....LN