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Elsa Peters
September 20, 2018, 9:46pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday 20th September

I know...late again but guests need attending to.....

Seven thirty when I woke this morning and I felt really refreshed...my guest didn't surface until eight thirty and said that she had difficulty easing herself out of bed...she was just so comfortable.  We sat drinking coffee, baked beans for breakfast and I brought the car into the drive so that I could clean the worst of the muck off.  I intended taking it into the garage for a wash and brush up but was ashamed of the way that I'd let it go so soon after acquiring it....I moved on to watering the garden and again we sat in the sun watching the birds and didn't manage to get into the car and off to the wooded hills until two thirty.  

I drove up to Mischevo  and we stopped at a picnic spot so that my guest could take some photos.  The view of the surrounding mountains are magnificent and we just enjoyed the view adn the sun for about half an hour or so.  By this time the beans had worked their way through and we were bot hungry so I suggested we went into Ardino where we settled down to beef kufte/ burgers with cheesy chips followed by coffee.   Real potatoes...fried to perfection.  We went down the high street and there were so very beautiful flowerbeds really well tended that just deserved to be photoed.  Back in the car and we went to see the school that we had our sights on that has now been turned into an hotel and settled for a coffee and a brochure to take away with us.  

Back on the road again and into Lidl for a few items, I stopped off and filled up with gas and eventually home by nine.  We were both still stuffed to the gills and didn't managed to make a sandwich until eleven....my guest didn't want to wake up hungry about three this morning....What a bad hostess I am.  Over to see Mrs D of S tomorrow and then on to Zlatograd to see the renovated buildings and the handicraft centres.....What a full programme.  LN...I need my beauty sleep ....LN



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Elsa Peters
September 21, 2018, 3:56pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 21st September

Seven start and out to the terrace with the coffee and into the normal routine.  Down to the van for bread, eggs, biscuits and cheesy bread, frying pan on and bacon and egg on to a section of cheesy bread and breakfast was complete.  Dishes washed, washing done, washing pegged out and in the car for half ten and over to Mrs D of S house.  The little one is a little ray of sunshine and D of S was busy erecting an edifice in the garden.  I made the introductions and it turned out that they knew each other's area of the homeland, juice and water melon and by twelve we were on our way to Zlatograd.

It's a beautiful town and the old buildings have been renovated.  We did the leather shop, potter and the dinky doo shop and then went to the hotel for a coffee.  Back on to the tourist trail and we ended up at the school and church but the church was out of bounds...the door was locked.  Back into Zlatograd town for a late lunch and driving back we stopped off at my plant pot site and I bought another bougainvillea but this time a red one....well it's supposed to be.  Arriving home we settled down to an ice-cream, washing in and now my guest is resting her weary head and the rest of her and now I'm off to cook supper.  It's going to be barbecue spare rib pork chops with sweetcorn and roasted sweet potato and onion.  LN....Wish me luck....LN



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Elsa Peters
September 21, 2018, 4:00pm Report to Moderator

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And there's more



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Elsa Peters
September 22, 2018, 8:34pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 22nd September

Dreadful night with cramp disturbing my sleep and I was hopping around the bedroom cursing and swearing....as you do.  I think I might have to put sock on tonight...the temperature had dropped and I was with the normal weigh quilt and that could have been the problem.  We shall see...My guest was out taking photos of the morning before I was down the wooden hills so I made the coffee and set myself up on the terrace.  Coffeed out I made bacon and eggs for breakfast on cheesy bread followed by toast...I shall be dieting next week or working frantically in the garden firstly to catch up and secondly to drop a few pounds.

We headed in to town with the intention of checking out the cheapy shops and planned to go swimming.  I packed the swim bag and loaded the car stopping off at Djebel to introduce my guest to my student and his mother and heard about their holiday...four days away virtually unheard of when you run a business in BG.  My student had had to hold the fort.  I went to the hardware shop and drew a picture of cup hooks....no way would she have understood without the pictorial additions scribbled by my own fair hand on their adding up sheet.  I bought a selection of sizes for a very reasonable cost.  We carried on to Kardjali to the Lev shop and my guest managed to get a couple of pairs of pyjamas / leisure hangouts in velour like the ones I had donated to a good cause.  The lady in the shop remembered me and found them in the storeroom,  I picked up some hair clips, some Nivea shower gel and that was the sum total of my purchases but my guest also settled for three Bulgarian vests for the winter.  Strange thing to be looking out for on a scorching hot day...

In the cheapy shop she picked up a couple of jumpers and two blouses and I found a green coat that I bought for her.  Designer label with an inner button jacket and an outer zipped jacket which looked superb ...well worth the three leva.  On to the next and there was very little to buy but we both managed to find a jumper each so our journey was worth while.  By this time it was late and it was very hot.  I reckoned that by the time that we got to the swimming pool there would be little chance of getting a large umbrella for shade so instead we headed for the pizza restaurant instead and topped up.  Kaufland for bottled water, chicken wings for tonight's supper and a few more items and home for about four thirty.  

It was very hot so head down time for both of us, supper in the oven by six thirty and a little dose of Strictly after watching the programme of the hidden Istanbul...fascinating bot Istanbul and the way that they photographed it and produced three d imaging.  Eleven thirty and my guest has retired and I'm about to do the same thing.  No pickies today...normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.  LN...Night, night Florence...LN
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Elsa Peters
September 23, 2018, 9:03pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 23rd September

So it was Sunday and still is...the day of rest.  I was late waking up for the second time and out with the hose watering the pot plants and the nearby beds...it was set to be thirty degrees today and didn't we know it.  We sat out with the coffee, heard a noise by the front gate and my lovely neighbour from the garden next door had arrived with two bags of cow manure in the wheelbarrow and mekitsi  or fried fluffy pancakes to you, that she had made that morning and had brought it for breakfast.  I got out the yogurt and the pine tip syrup and jam and marmalade and it was a scrumptious feast and not really expected.  I brought the bags into the yard after breakfast and dumped them on the vegetable garden and now I can re pot  my pot plants ready for the winter.  The current soil is very sandy, very hard and very near the end of its shelf life...it needs nourishment.

As for the rest of the day, we sat around reading and doing very little else until lunchtime and I served up tuna mayo with smoked cheese and beetroot and ti filled a gap.  It was heads down this afternoon, too hot for my guest to be outside and too hot for me to do anything out there so I played Soda Crush until I fell asleep and eventually came to at around five, shower and hair wash and we were ready by seven to go and find the restaurant in Momchilgrad.  It was OK but the service was slow and the food not as good as I've had on a previous visit but it was very busy and the kitchen appeared very stretched.  We'll be giving it a wide berth for a while especially on a Sunday.  

Not quite a full moon tonight and again I've been a lazy mare and not got any photos to post.  Greece tomorrow after we've done the market and maybe try to find a hairdresser for my guest.  I've offered to do it but she shied away. ..I wonder why.  LN....Camera of charge for tomorrow....LN
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Elsa Peters
September 24, 2018, 4:42pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 24th September

Really good night's sleep, coffee on the bedroom balcony and watch ed the sun come up and thought I'd video'd it only to realise that I had to press the record button to start the record...bummer.  Down for more coffee, bonfire, washing, ham and poached eggs for breakfast and then in to the car and we were heading for Greece.

Not many at the border crossing and we were over in around fifteen minutes which is pretty good going.  I took the old road through Komotini and picked up the road for Fanari....there are other beaches but I know this one and the restaurant is good and not too expensive.  We parked up and had a coffee and set off for a walk round the harbour and to the top of the bay.  We'd taken swimwear with us but both decided that and in those area you have trouble reaching would be disturbing for both of us so we sat on a bench , stripped off the top to undies and took the sun.  It has been a beautiful day and the breeze coming off the see made it very comfortable for about and hour or so.  Unfortunately the toilet facilities for what they were worth left a lot to be desired so we headed for the restaurant and had a late lunch.  The meal was OK...we had mousaka but not so good as we both were capable of making but it filled a gap.  We were in the car by four fifteen, took the main road to the Bulgarian road and were overtaken by several cars that we waved to as we made good time in our queue at the border.  Home for six more or less and now settling in for the night.  The moon is up and almost full but unfortunately there are clouds hiding part of it tonight.  

Nothing much on the cards for tomorrow.....we might head for Momchilgrad market to see what they are giving away.  LN....And relax.....LN



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Elsa Peters
September 25, 2018, 6:56pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 25th September

So at three thirty this morning I was awake and playing Soda Crush.  I didn't realise that it was that early but I managed to do one of the puzzles that had eluded me and move on to a couple of new ones so success was at my fingertips.  Fortunately tiredness stepped in, down with the Kindle, lights out and back to sleep until seven thirty.  I think it was the wind that woke me up.....it was whistling  in through the window and gushing past the long windows in the bedroom.  Things were getting blown about and flower pots littered the yard along with the lid from the bucket of stuff that gets downloaded into the village containers.  

By seven it was dull and cold out there and such a change from yesterday on the beach in the sun.  I was hunting out a polo neck jumper and fleece trousers ready to go down to the bread van,  Everybody was complaining about the weather, I came back with fresh bread and eggs and put them to good use.  Two bacon and cheese omelettes knocked up in no time and it paved the way for a very simple day of topping up the base layer.

The morning and afternoon was spent entering information into Find my Past and following the lines on my mother's and father's sides.  I've found names in the family that I've not heard of before and it's opened my eyes a little.  I've found addresses that I didn't know of but it all came to a halt when we ran into an 'oops 500 ' message so we abandoned it headed for the kitchen for a very late lunch.

Lovely moon tonight and yesterday and tonight there were fewer clouds around.  Tomorrow we're off to central BG, Shipka Pass and the Memorial museum that's if the weather is good.  The last time I went you couldn't see a hand in front of you....not that I wanted to but my guest felt happier that way.  And now to settle down for the night and a little more Soda Crush...before bedtime.  LN....Intrepid travellers on the move tomorrow.....LN



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Elsa Peters
September 26, 2018, 9:40pm Report to Moderator

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Wednesday 26th September

I was presented with a cup of coffee by my guest this morning.....getting into the habit just as she's leaving.  What a cold morning it was.  The windows had all been shut last night but it was a really crisp cold day at seven thirty and it has been the same all day.  It's the wind rattling down from the north.

So washed, dressed and in to the car for eight thirty and we intended having breakfast in Djebel which we did.  From there I went down to the garage so that I could have my tyres, oil and water checked out before we set off on out travels.  It transpired that the oil needed changing and so did the air, oil and gas filters and we were still on out way by ten thirty so not so bad.  So off we set to Haskovo, on to Dimitrograd and the first stop was Kazanluk where we managed to see the Thracian burial mound and went to the rose museum.  We drove on from there and found the statue of the unknown guy who looked just the same as he did the last time I was there and it was then that the fun started.  We spotted the landmarks of the things we wanted to see and we started climbing up towards them.  The sky was ominously dark on the other side of the mountains and the Shipka Pass but fortunately it didn't rain and we'd prepared for it with coats and jumpers but at one time me thought we were going to get blown off the mountain and the little car was wobbling a little at the summit.  We'd taken out photos and then it started to ....snow....not much but we felt it was time to quit the summit and get further down on on to the next port of call.  By the time we got there the Shipka tower was looking very stark and there were only a handful of people there.  We did manage to climb to the top....all two hundred and one steps and came down supporting each other as it was really blowing a gale and we counted the same number on the way down,  Back in the car and we ended up at the summit pit stop and settled for chicken soup and bread with a great fat cake to follow.  Onward then to the Shipka Memorial Church....unfortunately it was all closed up for the night so we could only take pickies of the outside....but still very beautiful.

On the road again, it was  a long journey back to Kardjali but we stopped off at one of the restaurants before Djebel and had lamp sticks with salad and chippies,  I settled for the water and orange juice and my guest settled for a...wait for it...gin and tonic...the first of the holiday.  Home for eleven and it's been a full on day and we've seen everything we set out to see.

As for tomorrow it's going to be a down day...a few last items from Kardjali and packing for my guest....and I think I might be having to light the woodburner tomorrow....Winter is coming John Snow...LN...Bedtime and I should sleep well.....LN



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Elsa Peters
September 27, 2018, 9:58pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday 28th September

Sorry Sorry.....I have been researching my family tree tonight with the help of my guest..a new pursuit and I am back to 1832 in only one week.  And lo and behold....I think we have found a landlady of an ale house....so drinking is in my blood.  I've also put names to the two stillbirths that came between my sister and myself that neither of us knew anything about until my dad confirmed what I had been told in a message given to me by a medium in my local spiritualist church.  I'm also wondering if there is any Jewish blood rattling thought these veins...we have a strange smatterings of associated names....

Slow morning on the home front.  My guest is packed and we shall be leaving for Plovdiv around one tomorrow and stopping off in Ascenograd for a meal before the flight.  We went to the soup kitchen for lunch and she had the distinct impression that it was like a soup kitchen in England for feeding the down and outs and was pleasantly surprised by the geraniums that adorned the courtyard and the lack of down and outs.  I suggested that they were all working in England.

On to Kardjali for last minute shopping, a stop off at Lidl and I cooked supper for us....eating out is all very well but roasted veg with pork tenderloin with honey and soy sauce followed by plums and thick cream equalled most of the meals out we've had.  Almost one so it's time I headed for my virtuous couch.  The Nipper...as it is now called is filled up with gas and ready for the last big hike but it's so economical.  On our trip yesterday, I must calculate how many kilometres we put on the tyres, the grand cost from Kardjali to Shipka and the monuments was about forty lev....and I shall be making more trips.  And now to bed....an extra cover on the bed, it was a little cold last night so I'll be applying another quilt.   LN....Bed socks at the ready....LN
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Elsa Peters
September 28, 2018, 7:51pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 28th September

So I've just caught the end of Monty Don....I left the airport in Plovdiv at seven forty, stopped at my favourite restaurant for chippies and a hamburger and another bottle of water, more gas for the Nipper and home for ten fifteen.  A very good journey considering the twisty turns in the road.  I was going to stop off for bread along the way but I'll save it for my bread wagon tomorrow morning.

We headed in to Djebel this morning and I managed to get my guest a hair wash and set so she will be all smart when her son meets her at the airport in about half an hour's time.  Coffee and a little shopping in Djebel, a walk round the parks and another trip to the soup kitchen for lunch.  It was so busy...my little waiter was rushing around working up a sweat, new table cloths where necessary, settling bills and clearing the tables for the next wave of visitors.  I popped into a material shop and found a remnant of felted material that will make me a sleeveless coverall for the winter to go over another sweater...all I've got to do is make it.

We were home for one thirty, two loads of washing done and pegged out and it's still on the line...too dark to get it in and probably damp so fingers crossed it will be fine tomorrow and ready to take in around lunchtime.  We sat out in the sun on the terrace and wound up my guest's ten day break.  I shall miss here...she's helped me get started on the search for my past and given me lots of hints and tips when searching for information.  I think she's really going to miss being here...she can come back next year....bookings are now being taken...

No pickies again tonight...my camera took its life into its own hands, the display was covered in instructions and I couldn't see what I was aiming at.  This morning I played around with it seeming to get no where fast and suddenly, this afternoon, I must have got the button combinations just right, Baby Bear, and I managed to get the screen back.  A little surprise tonight at the airport, I spotted my newbies from one of the local villages who were depositing their guests at the airport for the same plane as my guest.  Their guests had already gone through to departures so we sat for a while chewing over where we'd been and seen and off they set for our neck of the woods but they were doing it via the main roads not over 'high chaparral'....Full moon tonight so a very pleasant drive...time for bed now....I'm shattered.  LN....Preparing for the next wave....LN
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