Wednesday 1st August

So a new month and let's hope that this one is drier than the last two,  It's been bastard weather.  Seven thirty start and the sun had almost broke through.  I somehow gravitated to the downstairs sofa with my coffee with my DS and had to start a new sign in,  Apparently I'd used all the memory slot so deleted my history and now charting a new course.  The joys of old faithfuls.  I settled for toast and delivered a small water melon to my Avatar well I would have done if she hadn't have been gallivanting round the neighbourhood. so I handed it to her DIL who promptly secreted it in the house.  Spies are everywhere. I eventually tracked her down in Beyser's garden along with Zelinger and I had to relate the story of my champion dive from the bath to the bathroom floor and we all ended up having a laugh about it...and I can laugh now.  I said that my God decided that he didn't want me yet and had sent me back which they thought funny.  I went back with Avatar to her garden and the topic of the wedding came up and she mentioned that it was Saturday not Monday which I thought it was,  Now me being in Plovid airport on Friday evening it makes more sense to book a hotel in Assenovgrad which is where the wedding is taking place and I can have a gentle stroll to the reception and drive home in my own sweet time...so I booked one.

So back home and the rest of the morning just went by.  At twelve I got the urge to mow the grass in front of the terrace...it's still very wet but it was looking very unkempt.  I went out, cleaned the mower underneath and fired it up.  By one I'd managed to achieve quite a lot but it was getting hot out there so I came in for a rest and to take water on board and went out again.  I ran out of fuel and thought it was a reprieve but found there was enough in the can to fill it one more time so in for another rest and then out at three and back in and finished by four.  All the borders strimmed...it looks ace.

It suddenly occurred to me that I didn't have the venue address so I went back to see Avatar and her grand-daughter has investigated and I now have the address.  Just heard that Mrs D of S has been busy selling gladioli bulbs so I've asked her to put some on one side for me.  I need a different colour...mine are all yellow and red and hers are baby pink..exchange is no robbery.

Quite a heavy lunch of corned beef and toast so not in to cooking tonight.  A little fruit juice and half a box of real Turkish locum (delight) stuffed with nuts should suffice.  LN....And relax,,,,LN

Thursday 2nd August

Lovely start to the day...six start and the morning just drifted by.  I got washed and dressed, that bath that I was going to have last night never materialised....I woke up in front of the computer and at midnight it was much too late and drop another Kindle into the water...

My first job was to print copies of a lion puzzle that I'd got for baby G of S and laminate it so that when it came out of the wrapping the parents would know how to put it back together again to check that all the pieces were there and not shoved down the back of the sofa.  That done I checked out the  new plant that I'd put in and gave it a drink, weeded another part of the vegetable patch although yesterday's exercise on the grass with the mower had left me hardly able to manipulate the fork.  Looking over to the cucumber plants I spotted one reasonable sized one partly hidden by leaves so I checked and found five others.  I gave them a wash and headed down the road and handed two to Haciber, one to Beyser and my Avatar had the others.  Why is it that what I don't eat grows surprisingly well...but this year, everyone's tomatoes and grapes are rubbish...we've just had too much rain.

So I packed up the car and headed for Djebel with a mini-shopping list from Mrs D of S, the cash machines were empty, got more pain killers from the chemist, completed the shopping and set off for Samodiva for an expected cheese sandwich lunch and was most surprised when D of S decided to cook us lunch.  A very restful day and the little one is such a sweetie ...she even gave me a hug as she set off with D of S for an ice-cream from the local ale house.   What a lovely excuse a child can become.  Home for four thirty more or less, washing in and was surprised by a visit from the Librarian for a catch-up.  I'm taking her and the family to Plovdiv airport tomorrow and she was checking on times and venues and we agreed four at the garage.  Her jeep can stop there for the duration since there's not much room in my drive and I didn't want to leave it outside because of the cows.

Eight thirty and tonight I'm having that bath that I promised myself last night.  Only thing on my agenda in the morning is to get up, get the Beast in by two for a check over before we leave for the airport and get the insurance for Baby transferred into my name .  It just needs a photograph of the car registration document being sent over to the insurance company and all handled by my student's mother at the shop....Shimples.  No pickies I'm sorry to say....I'll do my best tomorrow from Assenovgrad to post an update otherwise it will be Saturday evening when I get back.  LN....Bath water at the ready.....LN

Friday 3rd August

Early start but everything was leisurely.  I had my bath last night and watched my hair so the first thing was to comb it out and let it dry naturally instead of blasting it with the hairdryer.   I gave the plants on the terrace a good watering...no water yesterday and while the ground holds it, the pots don't.  Coffee on the terrace and it looked to be a good day so the final washing went in, the wind got up and it was dry in quicksticks.  I didn't hear the bread van so I made myself a bacon omelette and it kept me going all day.  I cleared the kitchen rubbish and had a bonfire and it was goodbye to a pair of old trainers that my guest had said could go and a pair of mine that the sole had come away from the  top on one of them.  I stood watching it as it got very fierce at one point but it all ended well.  I had a bit of a shock though...Avatar's son has bought his grandson a toy electric car and the son was walking up and down the road trailing after his grandson.....I'm wondering if he was still pleased that he'd bought it...

I started my packing ready for tonight and cleared out the back of the Beast and dropped the rear seat so that all could travel in comfort.  As I said last night we'd agreed four o'clock so there was no real pressure on me today.  Finished my packing, put my dress for the wedding folded in a bag and loaded everything in the Beast.  Washing came in from the line and I changed into my jeans, closed up the house and headed for Djebel and the garage at twenty passed three.  I stopped off at the car shop to hand in my Baby documents so that the insurance could be transferred over to my name but forgot the original document issued to the previous owner. so it will get done another day.  When I arrived at the shop, my student's mum said that she had been trying to phone me and that the Librarian was waiting for me at the garage saying that I should have been there at three.  I told her that we had agreed four last night so I set off for the garage to be told that the Librarian had left.  I tried to phone her and got no reply, my student left a message on her son's Facebook page but no response so I went home.  First job was to cancel the hotel that I'd booked, second was to try to rearrange a lift for the wedding tomorrow in Assenovgrad and now my place in the car had been taken so I'm joining the ladies on the bus at nine in the morning.  

I was feeling very disappointed but I've reread my posing from last night and I know that the time I had in my head was correct....In fact we'd worked out the timing...the plane didn't leave until nine tonight so if we'd have left at four, and it's a two hour journey to Plovdiv, it still left three hours before the plane left.  Shame.  LN...Camera batteries full for tomorrow....LN

Saturday 4th August

I suppose better late than never.  Up at six thirty and it was a beautiful morning and hardly a cloud in sight.  The music started to greet the day and the wedding guests to the house and there were lots milling around, so I went out and joined them.  My Avatar was putting the final touches to the car, I took a few photos and we arranged that we would leave at nine thirty so I was back to the house for final touches.  The coach left at nine and appeared to be very full as most of the village and the surrounding villages had been invited...it's the norm here.

We left as arranged, stopped off in Kardjali to get breakfast for them and I explained that I'd had mine already but half way on the journey we stopped in a truck stop and had breakfast of banichka and the coach was already there and the ladies trooping to the toilets while the men started on the beer in the cafe.  It was going to be a good wedding.  We eventually found the venue leaving a thoroughly confused SatNav in the car and the seating arrangements had all gone to pot.  They'd got the tables numbered but no one from our party had been advised of the seating plan so people were sitting anywhere so when the family of the groom arrived, their seats had been taken.  Eventually it got sorted with people carrying salads from one table to the next.  The bride and groom arrived, the vows were said at the reception in front of everyone, the book was signed, rings exchanged, champagne and the braking of the glasses, first dance and fireworks and again it was difficult to get a clear shot of the couple.  Haciber's last is off her hands at least despite the face that he's been working in Sweden for the last ten years or so.

Food was plentiful as were the drinks with bottles of whiskey on the table and I must say it's the best wedding I've been to lately...soft drinks were topped up and the empties taken away and everything efficiently achieved.  Festivities over we headed back to the car for five thirty stopping for a coffee on the way and it was then that we heard that they couldn't start the coach.  My lift decided that he didn't want to get involved and who could blame him....it wasn't his work.  We got back around seven thirty stopping off for foodstuffs in Djebel.  I got in the house, changed into casual clothes and promptly fell asleep on the sofa and woke up in the dark at ten taking ages to come round and I'm still wondering if the coach has arrived yet...

Just a few photos from the wedding and tomorrow I have a baby party and before that a trip to see my student's family...it's been a long time and then I'm off to Lidl for butter...I'm fresh out of it and a few more things.  I'm also going to fill the Baby up with gas to see how much I've used since I've had it.  It's going to be a full on day and I might, just might head up to my swimming pool above Kardjali if i'm there anyway.  LN...Fingers crossed for good weather....LN

Sunday 5th August

What a full on day...well morning at least.  Six thirty start and it was coffee out on the terrace.  I had some watering to do which included the bougainvillea and the smaller potted daisies so first me and then the rest.  I was wide awake last night and didn't get to sleep until about three last night.  I tried to get my head down at two, realised it wasn't happening and tried to get the Kindle fired up but I'd left it on so no go.  I ended up reading the little one and eventually hit the sack remembering to put the big one on charge.  

All systems go after my coffee.  I printed out and framed two of the photos from yesterday...one of the happy couple and the second one of one of my ladies with her mother that she'd asked me to do and I'd loaded up photos of the wedding on the Kindle,  Washed and dressed and made toast for breakfast remembering at the last minute that I'd used the last of the butter yesterday so it was Marmite on dry toast so the birds had the majority of it...it didn't work for me.  I also decided to take one of my baby Greek plants for my student's for their garden...so I split up the two that I have growing and potted one up.  I was visiting my student's and her parents before the twelve o'clock baby party and especially looking forward to seeing the grandfather again.  He lives in Turkey and is such a beautiful soul and gentleman that you would be proud to have him as a grandfather and they are.  

I set off at ten delivery the first photo to Haciber's house and was surprised to see that the bride and bridegroom were already there having spent the night in an hotel in Plovdiv.  I handed over the photo to the couple, she commented how quickly they got their first photo and I explained that I liked it and hoped that they did.  It was more in silhouette showing their profiles...it seemed to go down well and the frame is pretty if they don't like the picture...   On to my other neighbour and she was cleaning the yard when I arrived and she was utterly thrilled with her framed photo and then on to my student's house.  I took Baby and I never been to their house before in it and they didn't know that I'd got a new car.  The younger daughter came out and was telling  her neighbour that she didn't know who it was and that it must be for them...no one goes down their dead end but then I got out and bearing gifts had a super squeeze with the daughter.  I haven't seen the family for ages, they've had lots of guests from Turkey with weddings and things so it was brilliant to catch up.  We sat on the terrace and grandfather appeared carrying a chair with a cushion on it and insisted that I had the one that he'd got for me and then it was catch up time with the family, they loved the plant insisting that they were going to bring it in for the winter but I confirmed that there was no need,  My first two survived and have flowered abundantly all year.  

Fond farewells at twelve and over to the baby party in the square leaving Baby at the council offices.  I found the table with most of my villagers on it and there was salad for starters, soup, a huge portion of chicken with rice and cake....pretty normal fodder.  Everybody wrapped up the second portion of chicken and not to be outdone mine's in the fridge for later.  A novel twist...no fridge magnet but a pot of bath stuff I think with the birthday date on it.  A decoration for the bathroom.  I thought about going to Lidl when the party broke up but instead went home , gave the house a general tidy and settled down with my book on the sofa and was about to nod off when Haciber appeared with a plate of baklava that's sitting in the kitchen.  She said that the wedding party and guests that had stayed at her house last night had gone off to Makaza swimming pool so she'd got busy in the kitchen.  Off she went and I did get my head down for a couple of hours, I've watched some of the European championships and congratulations to Laura Kenny and the cycling...a second gold and potentially a third to come later.

I've had a very fulfilling day and I realise how blessed I am with neighbours and most of the locals, I appreciate that I'm accepted not tolerated.  A quick update on the transport from yesterday....it arrived back in the village at nine fifteen last night.  A really long day for some of the oldies.  LN...Chicken is calling from the fridge...LN

Tuesday 7th August

So I was reliably informed that my blog for yesterday went AWOL...and sure enough it has...sorry.  I posted it early before the cycling started but I didn't check on it as per normal...perhaps I was just too excited about Laura Kenny and her golds.

Quick update on yesterday,  I tried to get the Baby insured before the other expired and it was fortunate that I did.  Someone along the line had registered that the driver was 'foreign and resident in the UK' and it suddenly shot up to an astronomical amount.Fortunately I get my insurance through my student's mother and not only my cars but my house so the insurance company know that I live here.  One phone call, the records were changed and it came down to an amount that I was prepared to pay.  Sorted...Off I went to Kardjali to be faced with a bleeping alarm, my gas had run out so I went to the station in Kardjali and had a lesson from the petrol attendant and even got my windscreen cleaned and now I know and again running on gas.  Cheapy shop and picked up a couple of dresses for the little one for stotinki and all washed and ready for delivery tomorrow.  

As for today Gouldjan was round at mine for eight more or less so that I could scan in a document that she needs to send to Germany.  She explained that she was going to get a taxi to Djebel and the bus to Kardjali but I took pity on her,  Twenty minutes and we were out of the door and heading to town.  First stop post office to send the document registered, second to the translator but she didn't arrive until three so that went on the back burner, a quick pit stop for lunch. shopping Djebel and home for three but absolutely shattered.  It's been very hot and humid today.  I checked FB and there was a message from my other student asking if the family could come over this evening with the grandfather.  The last time they came the wall wasn't built and the bottom of the garden looked like a bombsite.  They were impressed despite the face that I need to get the lawnmower out.  They've just gone, I've tidied up the drinks and goodies and it was so funny, the little one was driving her sister's car and you could almost see the fear on her face.  She'd parked about a meter and a half from the stone wall and as she was about to set off hadn't got up sufficient revs so started to roll backwards.  I shouted to her to put the handbrake on, to increase the engine revs and suddenly she set off in a could of dust and all it needed was a hearty 'Hi Ho Silver'.  She stopped the car and the father got out to check that it was OK and it was...so much for driving your sister's car.  Thew washing up can stay for tomorrow, I don't need food since I had lunch out and have munched on biscuits and it's been a good day.  Grandfather for eighty two is wonderful and will talk about his visit to the English person's house and what a beautiful garden to all his friends and neighbours when he get's back to Turkey which is where he lives.  

'Ladies what Lunch are out and about tomorrow with the little one in tow.  LN....Tired but content....LN

Wednesday 8th August

This is going to be a quick one...the power has only just come on again after going off when a gigantic wind blew most of my flower pots away and some of the others with plants in over laying them flat.  

I had a pretty sleepless night.  I'd decided to leave off the tablets to see how much pain I was really in and whether any progress had been made in the healing department.  What a wrong move that was...I was almost frightened to move in bed last night because I knew it would hurt and it did.  I was up and about at five, went down and found the last of my tablets and took one and within half an hour I was moving without dreading the pain..it had abated.  So my mission today when I was out was to get some more if I could using the same prescription.  Gouldjan was supposed to come round this morning at eight to use my internet but my phone went and she had to call it off.  She's home and has quickly fallen into the routine of having to catch up on the normal work that goes with having ten cows and a mother who hasn't been well.  I told her to leave it for another day.  At nine I sat on lay on the sofa with my Kindle and promptly fell asleep again and waking at ten fifteen.  I had half an hour to get ready ...today I was out for lunch with Ms D of S and the little one and another newby to the area.

I was out for ten forty five and over to theirs for just after eleven.  I forewent coffee and we swapped the child seat over and off we went.  My friends are doing their house up so we went to catch up on the improvements and we set off for the restaurant at about twelve fifteen and it was hot, hot, hot.  The restaurant was busy, with people swimming in the pool and we hadn't any swimwear at all.  Of course the little one wanted to go in the 'puddle' as she calls them and started to take her clothes off and couldn't understand why she wasn't heading for the pool.  Instead she was put in the play area while we ordered but wasn't very happy about it...outside looked far too tempting.  Food was good, catch-ups were made and we set off back to home for about two.  We dropped off the third partner in crime, checked out the chemist in their village and managed to get more tablets so that I take away the pain and hopefully heal, Coffee in Samodiva, home for three thirty, settled in to watch the European Championship and it was at this point that the wind got up, the clouds gathered it started to rain and the electricity went off.  So out with the Kindle and Game of Thrones and I promptly fell asleep but this time lying on the bed.  

So it's not long been on and by now it is time for bed so with fond farewells and a tablet at the ready....LN...Hopefully out for the count....LN

Thursday 9th August

Well a good night's sleep did me a power of good.  Out on the bedroom terrace with coffee at six thirty to watch the sunrise and moved down to the lounge terrace for the second cup.  I kept looking over at the grass in front of the little house and it was truly a wild garden and great for the insects but not good for me.  It's not that mine is the only fields, I'm surrounded by them.  It had to go.  

By nine I'd had no message or phone call from Gouldjan so I took it that she has still plenty of work to do in the house now that she's back.  I think she sees corners that no one else sees.  I didn't bother with breakfast and I was out with the mower at nine more or less.  I did one down run and another up and at that point I realised that it was still very wet underneath and that it was so long that it was fairly impossible to do so I took the box off the back and just went for it.  It was hard work but by ten I'd finished the main part of the grass and went back to putting the box back on to do the areas where it wasn't so thick and wet.  I almost got shrapneled when  I mowed underneath the cranberry tree without the box...those stones really do hurt when they get ejected through the machine.  Down the bottom of the garden there are a few more stones hidden in the grass so I felt better protected and the battery strimmer took off the grass and weeds against the new wooden surrounds of the new gardens.  There are still some weeds that could do with spraying but it instead I'll get the electric strimmer out tomorrow and finish the job off.

I had an early lunch or late breakfast at eleven thirty.  I made tuna mayo and three slices of buttered toast and sat watching the European Championships and well done to the swimmers.  We seemed to feature in all of the medals today and the final one was the men winning the gold in the relay tonight.  The afternoon was spent on the sofa watching the triathlon from Scotland and again well done , we got the silver behind the Swiss who was just magnificent,  I just love my sport.

So garden looking OK and will be finished tomorrow, I thought about going to the pool tomorrow but Monday has a much better weather report so it can keep until then.  Nothing else on the agenda for tomorrow except for a bonfire and nothing for this weekend....I've been so busy of late that it's a very pleasant change.  I've just had a shower and washed my hair, into PJ's and soon be time for bed.  LN....And relax.....LN

Friday 10th August

Five thirty start and there was the tzzz of a mosquito in my ear. I jumped up, grabbed the spray and went wild in the bedroom.  I heard it no more but while I was down getting the spray I stopped to make a coffee and I settled to find the Soda Crush bears and to spread the jam and that wasted an hour of my time until my life ran out.  It was a pretty dull morning with clouds over the mountains and it took quite a while for them to clear.  I stripped the bed down and washed the quilt cover and sheet along with the other stuff that had collected in the laundry basket...it's amazing how it mounts up.  I was pegging out by seven thirty and what a start on the day.  I had my bonfire and cleared the rubbish and spent time down the bottom of the garden removing he weeds.  I was going to get the strimmer out but we had another power cut and when the power came on the internet went down and it was all to do with the onward journey of the servers.  I gave my daughter a quick ring since I'd missed her call yesterday and caught up with the latest from home and it was good news.

I had a late breakfast and opened my last jar of marmalade that I'd forgotten I'd made from clemantines....delicious and I should really get on and make more.  The rest of the day has been made up of 'cuddas and oughtas' but after doing the weeding this morning my shoulder was starting to ache so it was a tablet after breakfast and then I rested it.  There was nothing really pressing except I normally drive myself on but today it just wasn't happening.

Lunch at four thirty so no need for supper tonight.  I'm about to go out and water the pots....the sun did come out around twelve thirty and it's been a warm one despite the cool breeze that made me think at one point that the washing was going over to Greece.  Now switched over to the evening athletics....LN...That's my evening sorted then...LN