Thursday 19th July

So another sleepless night in ....Sofia.  The air conditioning had been left on and I was a tad cold but I hate the hum that is bringing me the cool air.  Tonight I am in my own bed, under my own duvet with the window open and the nightingale singing its little head off....or will be soon.

I left my guest to the hotel free bus service to the airport and I set off at nine thirty more or less to head home.  It was less complicated than I'd imagined to get on to the Plovdiv highway...I did a U turn like the three in front of me did at the first set of traffic lights and then up the slip road and I was away and burning rubber.  There were the usual autobahn drivers with flashing lights and a couple tail gated me but if you are overtaking lorries and there are only two lanes, where do the plonkers think you can go.....I rest my case.

I stopped off after Ascenograd for a coffee and a plate of cheesy chips which was both breakfast and lunch and was back in Kardjali and parked up by two more or less.  I went to the bank and Kaufland for a few items and was home for three thirty.  I had a piece of string tying my gates together and it was my lovely Avatar who was keeping tags on the house while I was off on my travels.  If the string was missing, she had a Miss Marple's to carry out.  I'd had a good journey and hadn't had to stop for fuel at all.  Tomorrow I'll sit down and work out the readings to try to get some idea of kilometres per litre...and that could be fun.

Bags and car unpacked, washing done, guest bed stripped down, mattress protector, sheets and duvet covers all washed, out on the line and dried.  I had to empty the flower pots, it looked like there had been torrential rain yesterday which was confirmed buy my Avatar when she brought over a couple of letters that had been left with her...letters delivered and in payment she left with my baby buddleia that had just come in to flower.  She's going to put it in the garden so that only she can see it not between the fence with her neighbour as I suggested.  Good girl.

No supper for me I'm on peanuts and pineapple juice, my guest has arrived safely and is going through his pile of mail and junk mail and thank goodness Bulgaria hasn't got into that yet.  I'm having an easy day tomorrow as far as I know but things change....LN....It's good to be home....LN

Friday 20th July

Six start and it was a dull old morning.  I made a coffee and went back to bed and lingered until around eight and eventually got up and dressed to meet the day.  I made toast for breakfast, cleared the fridge out, heard the bread van but didn't need anything today and spent time looking and photographing at a very large bird on the dead branches of the walnut.  There were two of them, the second one was up and away but the one that remained was taking its time.  It made lots of noise, peered round quite a lot, had a few good stretches and eventually flew off to join its pal on the hillside.  The golden orioles were about but not visible and last night I heard the hoopoes but not seen any.  The baby bird from yesterday must have made a meal for something, there wasn't a trace and as I headed down the garden for a bonfire...Mr Mole has been very busy and if I catch the blighter, his coat won't be so glossy with spade marks on it.  He appears to like the tablets that I leave for him along the runs....and reminder to self...must get some more.

I left for the garage at twelve thirty after removing the fly screen from my bedroom balcony.  The part that covers the door handle had left the surround and the world and all its friends could have got through...Hey boys and girls, there's a meal over here. hence the door has been closed.  Into the Beast with it and I got to the garage and made arrangements to go back after the fly screen was sorted and it was in quick sticks.  The man removed the single panel and replaced it and jobs a guddun and all for free. Back home and refitted the fly screen which allows me to leave the door open all night, into the Beast and back to the garage and at three we picked up the garage man and his wife and we headed into Kardjali.  The first solicitor wasn't available so we found another who completed the paperwork and cleverly checked that they could use my local identity card in the new system that's been introduced and it went through like a dream.  We made our way to Kat to register the new ownership but it was getting on for five by this time so the man suggested that I go back on Wednesday morning at eight thirty and I shall be first in the queue.  The documents will be in my name .....I shall be legal.  Beauty will be taken to the garage to be used for parts and I've not exactly replace her...this one is called Baby.  

I drove home in the Beast and waited for Baby to be delivered and it was at seven fifteen, I drove the family back to Djebel and took possession outside the waterboard offices and managed surprisingly well considering it's been a year since I touched a gear stick...no crunching and I managed to get up to fifth.  All safely in drive...Beauty will go next week when I've charged the battery and pumped up the tyres and I should be able to drive it there...trying to avoid any boys in blue and kamikase pilots...well this is Bulgaria.

No supper required....it's been a hot sultry day with the odd flash of lightening, thunder and heavy rain but super for the gardens.  It's a calm night now....time to get my feet up and my kindle out.  LN....A good day's work....LN

Saturday 21st July

Just before eight this morning when I woke up and I had a really slow start.  Coffee on the terrace and back in for a second and then dressed for Djebel...I was unsure about a light on the new Baby and had printed off the appropriate page from a manual in English and drove down to the garage.  No problem...the light was showing orange not red and was also showing on the garage owner's car and all to do with the pressure of the gas in the tank.  I am now reassured.  

I left the garage and went to the shop to check up on my student's mother.  I haven't really sat and chatted to her for ages with having a guest here and we did a general catch-up.  I did buy some new seat covers for the Baby to protect the seats...the previous owner kept it immaculate and that's a challenge for me.  I also bought a pack containing a new fire extinguisher..I've had the old one for about seven years so probably about time.  I just need to fond a first aid box..you never know do you Norman....   A quick visit to the little supermarket for juice and spicy sausages and I'm all set for the next week or so.  Shopping unpacked, I lay on the sofa checking on emails on the Lenova and thought about having an eyes closed session but instead went on to the big machine and switched on to the athletics which was surprise...I didn't know that they were on.

So seven my time and looking forward to the children's Voice final tonight.  I've caught it for the last two nights and I have my favourite.  It's a beautiful evening but looking at the grass I know what I have to do tomorrow that's providing that there's no rain overnight.  Exercise with a lawnmower...what could be better.  LN...Short tonight..still catching up ...LN

Sunday 22nd July

Another seven thirty start...I must need it.  So last night I watched the children's Voice and was very disappointed with the end of the show.  The announced the winner and that was it....no conversation with the winner although he was reduced to tears so it might have not been much of an interview...it ended suddenly.  Straight to bed and sleep, very vivid dreams but they didn't really disturb me and I jumped into action as soon as my eyes opened.

Washing gathered and the machine set going, my bed stripped down and waiting to get uploaded, guest bed made up and I thought I might be using it tonight.  When I came to put the second load in I realised that there was no water and it's been off all day.  Apparently the news is from my Avatar that one of the neighbours was doing some work today and went straight through the pipe.  I think they've had someone out to look at it but there was a shake of the head and off he went so maybe tomorrow.

It's been a hot old day today and with the grass in mind I left it until about twelve to burn off the overnight dew but it was a hard slog.  I should dry out now that I've cut it all back so tomorrow I have only strimming to do and put mothballs down the mole holes until I can get into Kardjali to get the proper tablets to get rid of the darn things.  I've got little Vesuvius all over the grass, the tobacco flower bed looks as if it needs the plants all treading in again so that's on my list for tomorrow as well.  My garden is looking good although I say it myself.  I've had my first white multi-headed lily come out and it smells divine.  I should really have left it in the pot and brought it in to the house....maybe it will have babies that I can pot up and bring on.  I thought I was going to have no luck with the passion flower this year but it's laden with buds and they open one by one along the stem.  Really beautiful flowers,  The humming moth was very busy on the zinnias in the fire-pit garden but the light wasn't good enough to catch it.  I need the Canon out for that and to be in a sitting position so that I can hold the camera really steady.

So with no water I boiled up the kettle and had a complete wash down after working in the garden.  I really needed to freshen up and get my feet sorted from the dust.  I went out to take a photo of sundown and my Avatar is still working away on her lawn.  I might have to buy her one of those helmets with a lamp on the top if she's out there for much longer.  Gentle gardening day tomorrow with the strimmer and a touch of weeding and then I'll see how the rest of the day unfolds.  Once the grass is done...it's off my brain.  The longer it's left the more difficult it is and by this time it's normally brown and I'm thinking about watering it.  I found sheets for my bed so won't be heading down to the guest room.  LN....Achy day today....LN

Monday 23rd July

First time awake seven thirty, second time eight thirty so I thought I better get up and face the world.  The water still hadn't come on and it's automatic to wash your hands and flick on the water and doh....you know it's not there.  The washing still lingered in the machine,  I sat out with a coffee and went in for a second and as I was walking back I heard car doors slamming and then I heard my gate catch go.  I walked round the corner and there were three waterboard people standing round my meter box and the lady explained that they were fixing a new meter for me.  I guess this one has a different way of calculating the usage and it's probably going to be more expensive from now on.  The older man came over to me and asked if I spoke French and it surprised me so I confirmed that I did, in French and then he followed it up by asking if I spoke Bulgarian and then asked me about Turkish.  I followed it up and asked him if he spoke Spanish which he didn't......couldn't let him get away with it.  Off they went and off to Avatar's house...and by now...the pipe had been mended and the water was back on.  Wash day could now commence...firstly that in the machine and secondly...I could have a wash, clean my teeth and really get the show on the road.

I spent the morning catching up on jobs at a leisurely pace and ended up lying on the sofa reading....back to the Game of Thrones.  I hung the washing out, got a second load in and out and went back to my sofa.  Another surprise, my neighbour that has the garden next door arrived and brought me a pot of home made yogurt and three eggs.  I invited her in but she said that her socks were dirty, she'd automatically taken off her shoes so I grabbed her hands and dragged her in.  She'd never been in my house before and she stayed in the hallway while I went to the kitchen and transferred the yogurt to one of my pots.  I thanked her and off she went and the eggs really wanted testing out so I made a bacon and egg sandwich and headed back to the sofa but the egg squelched out of the bread so I took myself to the kitchen table and did it the proper way.  It was a very tasty breakfast.

By this time clouds were building and the wind gathering speed so it was time the washing came before it ended up in Greece.  I settled down again, heard a car pull up and the banging of a door and it was another visitor who'd read about 'Baby', my new acquisition, and had come to view.  Thumbs up all round, we caught up on news and off he went and then the heavens opened.  It started slow at first and then gathered momentum and in quick stick, the rain was coming off the little house roof and cascading over the yard.  The accompaniment was thunder and lightening and it's still batting around now.  The upside...I don't have to water the garden, the downside...I shall probably be doing th lawn again early next week.  

Tonight's supper was spicy sausage cooked with onions and potatoes with tomato paste and tinned tomatoes and I took a bowl of it over to Avatar for her supper.  I came back and eat mine following it with yogurt and strawberry jam and I feel stuffed.  If it's like this tomorrow I shall be doing some sewing...I have a new bathroom curtain to make to fit in with the bathroom colours.  It should keep me out of mischief.  LN...Where's my summer gone...LN

Tuesday 24th July

Six of the clock this morning and I've suffered for it all day.   I cleared the kitchen, made my coffee and took it back to bed...there was mist on the mountains and in the valleys but after last night's storm I was surprised that it had cleared up.  The terrace was close to dry and you could almost watch the weeds and grass grow.  Joy oh joy...

I got washed and dressed and toyed with the idea of going visiting but in the end I settled for taking down the blind from the bathroom and set to to make the new one.  Unfortunately it was wider than the current one and I need to get some longer metal at some point tomorrow.  If I put the shorter ones in it won't fold over properly.  I played around with a new way to raise the blind and hit one or two brick walls and settled for the way that I'd made the last one.  Time to stop being inventive.  At this point there was a torrential downpour and again water was pouring off the roof but it was short lived and eventually the sun came out again.

At one I gave up and went downstairs and cooked spicy sausage and an egg and breakfast was served.  I went back to the curtain, got the sewing machine into action and turned the hem to take the wooden pole at the header, lost interest and lay on the bed reading Game of Thrones.  Unfortunately the eyes went south and I woke up when I heard the phone going and spent around thirty minutes on the call, back to the curtain and then got everything together for a bonfire.  I took the garden fork down with me, did some weeding while the fire burnt down to a reasonable level and even though the ground is wet, I'm still very aware of the risk of fire.  The hedge trimmer came out and all the spheres are neat and tidy...

So tomorrow I shall be heading out early to the vehicle registration department in Kardjali to get the documents for the Baby transferred over to me.  The man said to be there at eight thirty so eight thirty it will be.  I think he had a couple of days holiday so he might be fully fired up for tomorrow morning...fingers crossed.  I have a shopping list so will top up on the essentials and if the weather is really good...I might pack the swimming togs and again...fingers crossed.  LN...Down time....LN

Just in case you didn't know...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooded_crow

Garden is looking fine, amazing what a little drop of water does, isn't it?  

Wednesday 25th July

Thanks Trevor.....I did know but I was being a lazy and what's this about 'a little drop' of water'...if only.  More rain again today but not so much as yesterday thank goodness.

Lovely start to the day but there was only a glimmer of sun between the clouds and by the time that it climbed in the sky it was very pale yellow.  I sat out on my bedroom balcony and watched the rest of the day come to life and this time with camera at the ready.  The garden was pretty quiet this morning...only pigeons on the wires and my only real visitor was the woodpecker on the lonesome pine....my special tree.  It wasn't obvious until I looked at the computer copy of it that it was the green woodpecker...there wasn't much light about.

I was on a mission today, didn't bother with breakfast but had a shower and washed my hair and headed to Kardjali just before eight.  I parked up and was surprised to see so many people already waiting so I joined the queue.  Now the man had said on Friday to get there for eight thirty so by nine I was still standing ready my Kindle and I took my chances by leaving the queue and going in through the door and saw the same man and reminded him that I was here on Friday.  He handed me over to the lady next to him, she began to process the document straight away but I had a bit of a panic when I went in to my wallet to get out my debit card to pay...I couldn't find it.  I searched my bag, was able to pay in the next office so no real problem but I knew that I'd had it on Friday and hadn't used it since.  I checked my phone and nothing had been recorded against it so it was just a matter of finding it.  I was asked to wait for my documents to be provided and ten minutes later I had my official document that the baby is MINE....in my name.  I didn't bother going to the bank to tell them and headed for home via Djebel and bought a few items including more broom handles for finishing the bathroom curtain and chicken wings for tonight.  I checked the Beast when I got home in case I'd dropped it in there on Friday, took everything out of my wallet and lo and behold it had gone inside the plastic wallet of one of my other card...relax and breathe.

I've had a lazy afternoon, super put in at six thirty and eaten by seven thirty.  Haciber came round with banitsa and cake so I had pudding and now I'm feeling very chilled.  Might have a day out tomorrow....somewhere...I'll take it as it comes.  LN...Little TV and bed.....LN

Thursday 26th July

Six thirty start, back to bed it was a pretty damp morning out there and there was water on the bench.  I'd brought the covers in fortunately last night so no sodden messes to move.  Washed and dressed by eight, the bread wagon was late and I had to run down there before he moved on to the next pit stop.  There were a few ladies down there and Avatar was on her way back as I was on my way down with my loaf and cheesy bread.  Avatar had left the gate to her garden open so I went in and had five minutes with her before she set off with Haciber to visit her sister in the next clump of houses.  Every body takes tomatoes to houses when they visit...they've all got loads of them and as for mine...I have one turning and the others are still green,  The only thing I seem to grow is cucumbers and beetroot and my one carrot is still going strong.  It's probably going to be as tough as nuts but at least I managed one.

I came back and made a bacon and egg sandwich with the cheesy bread and breakfast was made.  I washed up and tidied round and then headed up to the landing and removed the blind from the bathroom.  I've tatted and played with it for most of the day and toyed with heading into Djebel to buy enough cord to finish it off and it's still waiting and lying in the bath.  I did made a list for tomorrow though and will head in tomorrow morning and top up with the things that I'm running low on.  As for going swimming today, the thunder has been knocking around most of the day with clouds building but it didn't amount to much, we only had a few drops of rain.

I had my little nap this afternoon and it seems to becoming a habit...I obviously need it.  It's been a disappointing day with regard to achievements but I suppose we all have down days.  I'll make up for it tomorrow and if it looks anything like good weather I'm off to my hotel...I need it.  LN....I'll just check out the weather.....LN

Friday 27th July

Lovely moon last night but very white and the face wasn't clear at all.  It's supposed to be a blood moon tonight but as it stands at the moment I don't think we shall see much of it looking at the cloud base...I'll just have to wait and see.  Three fifteen start this morning and not really sure why.  I read for a while and played silly games, got my head down at four but out came the Kindle again and it was almost five before I went off again.  So much for me saying that I must have needed the rest...life pivots and yet again.

Raining again this morning and it's been the code of conduct for today for most of the day.  Even the birds were looking fed-up but at long last I got my golden orioles.  By eleven it was chucking it down and the thunder was rattling round...it's wearing very thin,  I'd decided that Kardjali wasn't on the cards.  No use paying for parking, getting soaked through and sitting for thirty minutes for the drive home.  There was nothing I could live without so I went to Djebel instead and only wanted the cord for the bathroom blind and found a cheap alternative in the leva shop in the square since the sewing shop didn't stock anything.  Any way two packets purchase, twenty meters, plenty for the job in hand.  

Stopped off and had a few words with my student's mother and it amazes me how competent she is.  Not only does she know most of the car-parts and can wizz her way through the computer programs but they also have a fishing shop and she knew what the man, new to the sport, wanted, but put most of it together for him, chose his hooks and weighted his float explaining it all to him.  Further more...it's all at normal prices.... .  I headed home, knew what my task for the afternoon was but fate has a horrible habit of turning things round.

Up in the bathroom, the blind was up but I had to made another hole to put one of the screw eyes in it, I'm standing in the back, begin to lose my balance, realise there's nothing to hang on to and did a perfect backward flip on to the tiled floor.  I lay there for a moment to catch my breath but realised that I'd knocked it all out of me and everything inside had to sort itself out so I stayed where I was,  I managed to sit up and started shallow breathing, I wasn't sure where I hurt the most so headed for my desk and sat down on the chair.  Shaken and stirred.  I started to take my t-shirt off to see if there was any redness and that's when I thought I might have damaged my shoulder.  Everything seemed to be working but the gears were out of sync.  so I decided to gram my health insurance documents and head for the little hospital in Djebel despite not knowing what facilities they had there.  Any way I registered, they understood what antics I'd been getting up to, I was examined by the doctor who said that he thought that there was nothing broken but suggested I went to Kardjali for an x-ray.  I drove to Kardjali, parked up, got straight in, described that it was a Tom Daley special but without the water, he gave me an injection for the pain and  off to x-ray and everything OK.  One lot of tablets and cream for massage though how I'm going to reach the parts that only others can...I'm really not sure.

The blind can wait...the injection really did it's stuff and I'm guessing that when it wears off I shall be a little sore.  Ah well...I shall live to fight another day and for those that believe...send out a few healing thoughts.  LN...The sun at last came out....LN