Monday 10th December

Eight start and what another damp, dreary, misty cold morning.  I was down for coffee for inner warmth, lit the fire for outer warmth and then went back to bed with the Kindle and Soda Crush.   had little do do today unless I pushed myself and at eight thirty I really wasn't in the mood.  I did manage to get my suitcase out to see what I might pack, washed my duvet jacket in case I want to take it with me and also my body warmer that has come up a surprisingly nice shade of dark green.  They're both on the radiator in the bathroom and I've spent quite a lot of time separating the clumps of feathers.  It might be ready for Saturday.

No more of the presents got packed, the fire took a lot of attention...the wind was in the wrong direction and I settled for toast for breakfast.  It was nice and easy.  I took lots of photos of birds in the garden but that came to a rapid halt when the memory card was full and the next hour or so was taking the pickies from the memory card and getting them on to the computer.  It was hard to delete them from the camera but eventually I managed it.  The rest of the day was lazy and I was ready for supper with my family and in to the car by five thirty.   I stopped off in Djebel to get some bottles of soda water and eclairs and we soon settled in for the evening.  Beef and rice with home made pickles and we sat around catching up on events since I'd seen them last.

Quick drive home and the police were active in the fifty limit but I didn't get stopped.  I reckoned it was because they know the car by now.  The Christmas lights were still on and welcomed me home, I caught the end of University Challenge and then the baby development  programme that I recommended to Mrs D of S.  Time for bed now, the fire was out and I didn't bother to light it when I got in and I should have done.  LN....Action day tomorrow....LN

Tuesday 11th December

Really good night's sleep and again it was almost eight when I woke up.  I was a little late getting to bed though after I stopped up watching the child development programme.  I noticed that I had a missed call from last night from Princess and returned the call...they are going to pick me up from the airport to save me having to get the train. I heard the horn of the bread van but wasn't dressed so didn't managed to get down to it.  I settled for buttered brioche  for breakfast and coffee has been on the cards most of the day.  Despite the eventual appearance of the sun, I just felt cold and it's probably because I haven't been very active...The most work I've done today was to keep the fire burning brightly.

I've fluffed up my down jacket and most of it seems to be dried out...it's now hanging over the banister and the rest of the washing done this morning has taken it's place on the radiator in the bathroom.  Everything I want to take to the UK is washed, dried and parked up near the suitcase.  I think there's an element of organisation appearing out of the chaos...I just have to knuckle down and finish wrapping the presents.  My list of things still to do is getting smaller.  LN....An early night calls...LN

Thanks for the location. We will be in the area late spring so definitely will visit, both the market and yourself. I'll tell you more later, we are going on a hunt for something valuable, although I doubt we will find it. Anyway, all good for broadening the mind and having a bit of an adventure.  >

Wednesday12th December

It's OK Trev...we're all 'looking for something valuable' but I normally find that someone has beaten me to it....OK...in the next lifetime....it will be mine...all mine...

Silly night again...three thirty start and I stayed in bed trying to get back off again but nothing doing so I was up and at it at five.  The fire was still going so I breathed some life into it by throwing on another log and got out the Kindle and did a few chapters of Game of Thrones until I got bored by it and decided to take some pickies of the morning.  Venus was very clear this morning and there was one hanging off it...must find out which one it is.  The rest of the sunrise was peculiar.  Just before the sun came up it looked like an atom bomb had gone off and on magnification is really looked like it and then...my secondary central heating appeared and it wasn't long before the temperature was climbing indoors and I wondered why I was burning wood...doh...

I was down for bread at eight and broke the news to my neighbours that I'm off on Saturday.  I brought another loaf for the freezer and walked back with Haciber and boy was it cold despite the early sun.  Inside was fine, outside not so.  I filled up the log carriers while I was still dressed for outside and had a bonfire...breakfast could wait for a while.  It didn't have to wait long...I opened a pack of 'cooking bacon' and I'm still not sure what else you're supposed to do with it, took out about three rashers and fried them off with an egg and made a sandwich...breakfast was served.  I then decided to tackle a dripping toilet and since I have two thought I'd cut off the water supply while I'm away but the isolate key in the pipe wouldn't turn.  I did take the pliers to it and resorted to the rubber hammer but still no go so I phoned my man and he's coming out tomorrow to fix it either by replacing the toilet if the inside workings have given up the ghost or by just turning it off until I get back from the UK.  It drips and continuously fills and  if it were to pop its clogs so to speak...I could be facing a big bill so best fixed.  I next turned my attention to the fridge that was desperately in need of defrosting...and it's done.  The ice is on the garden and I wouldn't be surprised if it's still there when I get back looking at the temperature forecast.

All presents are sorted and ready for delivery...only two more to get tomorrow as top ups.  I was going in to Djebel today to get them but I might be there tomorrow for a new toilet so I thought I'd leave it.  Lovely sunset tonight...best for a while but lots of dark clouds around so we might have a light covering of the white stuff by morning but I'm hoping that we don't.  I have Bekir to pick up at eight.  Supper is in and is almost ready...I can smell it from my desk and I beginning to warm up to it.  It's a cosy night in by the fire and hopefully a better night tonight.  LN....The kitchen calls...LN

Thursday 13th December

Six start and boy was it a cold one..minus four on my outside thermometer.  I coaxed the fire into life, coffee and five minutes with the Kindle, washed and dressed and out to the Nipper to get it warmed up by seven twenty.  The windows eventually thawed out but clever garage put antifreeze into the windscreen washers so I had no problems at all and was just outside the village just before eight and had time to take photos of the sunrise from a different view point.

Bekir was ready and Sally was walking towards the restaurant.  He was a little confused as to why I was there...Bekir hadn't mentioned anything to him and I explained that the problem was with downstairs toilet...which is now fixed.  The situation was assessed, the problem had been caused by a chalk deposit on the rubber seal which was easily removed.  The second problem, that I couldn't turn off the water supply to the cistern meant that we had a trip into town to buy a new switch.   We set off for Kardjali and I also remembered to remove the gas bottle from the kitchen and have it topped up.  Removing it and replacing it is difficult for my poor old hands and Bekir easily managed....it's a yearly event for him.  So the garage first to top up gas and petrol in the Nipper, secondly to the hardware shop for the new water switch, into the stationary shop for note books and chalk to complete two more presents, Lidl for final chocolates for Bekir and Sally's wives and Djebel for a top up for my kitchen gas bottle.  We were home for twelve, the work completed, final presents wrapped and put into the Nipper and delivered after I'd dropped Bekir off in his village.  Fotinovo and left with the builders, the Librarians and we stopped off for a coffee at the restaurant in her village and finally to see Mrs D of S and the presents were camouflaged in another bag so that the little one didn't feast her eyes upon the wrapping paper.

Home for six, fire lit, the remains of last night's supper became tonight's supper, chocolates brought into play for pudding, more logs on the fire, more chocolate and final washing about to go into the machine.  LN....Countdown to lift off....LN

Friday 14th December

What a day it's been.  Packing up and finalising presents is all very exacting...at last...I'm there.

It started with a bonfire to get rid of the rubbish and having toast for breakfast with Marmite and after that I was sorting out what I was wearing for my journey, packing the items that I wanted to take with me, removing items I'd changed my mind on and then replacing it with what I was originally going to wear.  How do things get so complicated. Lunch was something that Bekir recommended to  buy which was frozen and packed in non see through plastic and once thawed out turned out to be the carcasses after the joints had been removed.  I wasn't deterred and cooked them in the oven and nibbled my way through them delivering the bones to the cats over the wall.  I enjoyed it and hope they did.

The cars are switched around...the Nipper is in the garage and the Beast was about to be put through its paces and will stay in the garage while I'm away.  The Nipper does look ever so small and makes me realise that I could have a garage door on it and still have room to walk around,  I may very well do it later on.  I had a visitor this afternoon who stayed for an hour or so and we chewed over the fat, he left at about four thirty, headed in to Djebel and did the last of my shopping.  I remembered to take the presents for my student and the family and delivered it to mother's shop where the presents will be hidden until nearer Christmas.  Usually the younger one opens them well before time so this year I thought I'd keep her guessing as to whether I'd bought them anything or not.  So last presents wrapped and everything is ready for delivery, the boiler is on so that I can have a shower tonight and wash my hair so I don't have to think about it in the morning and I only have to concentrate on getting dressed, delivering pressies to the villagers and heading into Djebel to leave the Beast at the garage.  My bus to Sofia is at ten thirty so I want to be there at around ten fifteen so I'll take a taxi in.  

My check list is made and tomorrow it will be....gas off, water off, computers and wifi off, the phones are on charge along with the Fitbit and the chargers are destined for the suitcase.  There probably won't be an update tomorrow...but the camera will be out on Sunday...weather permitting.  LN.....Shower or bath?....decisions, decisions....LN

Sunday 16th December

Full on day yesterday....I was playing mother Christmas to my ladies and a couple of the men in my village, into the Beast by eight thirty and heading for Djebel,  The Beast is having a holiday at the garage and I took a taxi at around nine thirty to be at the bus station in good time for the Sofia bus.  I had qualms about the taxi...I think the clutch has gone and there were times that I thought we wouldn't make it ...but we did.  It was going to be a full size beauty but they changed there mind around ten and we ended up with a sprinter.  And did it sprint...I was in Sofia in plenty of time to allow me several hours sitting in departures and I did manage to negotiate the Metro from the coach drop off point and the free coach from terminal two, the end of the line for the metro, and terminal one.  The flight was late leaving and the plane had to wait for a slot but he made good time up despite turbulence and Princess and her beau were there to meet and greet.  It was more or less straight to bed and I decided that I would watch the Strictly final in the morning and made sure that I didn't know the results in advance.

I woke at five thirty which is seven thirty my time, read for a while and then went down for coffee.  My host eventually surfaced around seven so I asked him to set the tv up so that I could watch my programme and it's one of the best finals for some time.  It was so difficult to call....any one of them could have won it but Stacey came through.....by popular choice but could have been any of them.  Church this morning and the roof didn't cave in and then on to a trading estate to get myself a presssie for myself, Christmas cards. mince pies and a loaf of bread.  There were just too many people and cars around.  We headed up to Burgess Hill and picked up our very good friend and set off for the Cock Inn for lunch.  The table had been booked, we got settled, lunch was served but unfortunately I ordered scampi and it was mushy so I complained at the end and left half of it.  I should have sent it all back...I've got the feeling that I might be seeing it again later...hopefully not ....but it doesn't feel good sitting in the gut.

Home for eight and we had to stop off on the way and pick up a couple of metal car ramps from the lane opposite.  Apparently the house has been sold and these were not part of the divorce settlement and were left on the road side, spotted by out friendly neighbour and reported as being in need of rehousing...and they are now sitting in our drive.  Neighbourhood watch....who can fault it...

I shan't be late tonight...just late enough so that I don't wake up at the 'crack of' again.  Cards to write tomorrow and I think I may need a canoe to get down to the post office if the rain doesn't stop.  It's chucking it down.  No supper...lunch is sitting very heavily...for the moment.  Even a mince pie doesn't tempt me to partake.  LN....Pleasant first day back....LN

  

Monday 17th December

So I'm still in Bulgarian time in the morning and woke up at five fifteen and my Fitbit told me it was seven fifteen.....first job was to reset the time and this is why the update is late.  It is Monday, my usual quiz programmes on the tv and in BG my blog gets done knowing I have a two hour lead over the UK, here I don't.  Sorry....

Lovely sky this morning after last night's rain and Venus is still shining brightly.  The only thing missing is my view of my mountains but if I look to the right I can see the Downs...not so tall but gently sloping hills.  Bacon sandwich for breakfast, Christmas cards written and posted and then a trip in to Brighton so that my host could fill up with various things from Lidl.  I posted my overseas card at the post office near to Lidl and on the way back saw a shop window of toy stuffed cows and went in to buy some for presents.  The shop keeper was a lovely old gentleman and we ended up discussing and him showing me the fabrics that he was bringing over from Turkey to sell in his material shop.  I recognised some of the designs as being typical.  I did go back into Lidl and bought a small real Christmas tree and will decorate it tomorrow...I have so many decorations as home and this house seems so bare and un-Christmassy.....I'll tart it a little tomorrow.  We went down to the Marina to get the things that he couldn't get in Lidl and then I set off to the luggage shop to catch up with the lady that owns the business there.  They had a mini-sale on and I bought a leather cover for my Kindle...

So home, coffee and mince pies and I seem to have slept for a while, curry for supper and my programmes and I nodded off again and didn't even see the end of University Challenge so I don't know which team made it through.  Gentle day tomorrow so far but if the weather is good I might go into Brighton on the bus, parking is so expensive, and get my Christmas shopping out of the way.  I just have a few pressies to buy.  Now time for bed....awake by Bulgarian time and asleep by UK time isn't good for a girl's beauty sleep.  LN...Going into recovery....LN

Tuesday 18th December

Five fifteen start again and despite my best efforts I couldn't get back to sleep again so the TV went on at six and I watched the morning show with Piers Morgan.  I do think he's a big mouth, talks over guests and is like a dog with a bone sometimes but does get down to basics in most arguments.  Poor Suzannah...she does well as a sidekick.  The sunrise was more or less a glimpse of the sun between the dark clouds and that was the best of the day.  It's been blowing a gale most of the day and very dull and now it's absolutely throwing it down...very stormy indeed.

Kippers for breakfast that have sat on my stomach most of the day and I still know that I had them...I've had nothing since and won't be doing.  Had a phone call from my friend A who joined us at the Cock Inn the other lunchtime and she asked if we had found her gold bangle in the car as she thinks that it's lost.  I don't know what caused me to say it but she uses a walking frame with a basket and I asked her to check the basket to see if it had dropped in there.  It was by her side, she checked it immediately and there it was.....little old psychic me....and those were her words.  I owe it all to one visit to the Spiritualist  Church since I've been back...

The rest of the day has been leisurely....I think I'm catching up on the extra effort I put in before I left and the long journey over.  I had too long to wait before the flight and the person behind on the plane had the sort of voice that you wished would just shut up for a while.  I had an empty row and couldn't get my head down...well I could get my head down but couldn't get him to shut-up even though I was willing him.  Well all better now.  I got a couple of hours in on the sofa under a blanket and feel much better for it.  As for going in to Brighton for the day...the weather was just too miserable....we'll see what tomorrow brings.  Now going downstairs to be sociable....I'm the guest.  LN....I want snow....LN

Wednesday 19th December

Five fifteen start and played on the Kindle for a while and I convinced myself that it had to be heads down again....and it was until seven fifteen.  That's more like it..  I went down to make coffee and decided that I could spring clean the kitchen....my guest leans towards a tad untidiness and I thought I could do my bit.  Washed, dressed by nine...Marmite on toast for breakfast but the box of mince pies seems to be too convenient...they are certainly going down and it looks like I shall have to get more.  

I've been looking through my address book and need some more inserts to add new contacts and my book of passwords for various sites is full of crossing outs and that also needs to be updated.  I had the feeling that I had a similar notebook in the wardrobe in my son's old room and off I went down memory lane.  I found lots of things that I'd forgotten about, my old Suzy doll that I used to take apart and put together again was hiding in the draw at the bottom of the wardrobe.  I had this doll when I was about eight years of age, the joints and head were held in place with an elastic band and I used to enjoy putting the arms in the leg socket and vice versa but unfortunately one of the hooks that held the band in place had slipped inside the leg and was very difficult to get out.  The seem was opened, a washer put on the inside to stop the hook falling out and I could now put her back together again...and at sixty four years old she looks OK.  At around twelve I suggested that we go in to town so that I could get a few things, it had stopped raining but instead I ended up assisting in the repair and maintenance of the built in cooker.  The thermostat on the grill had decided to select its own temperature so a new one was inserted and now we have back control....or so I'm lead to believe.  It's not been fully tested yet but it seems to be working so far.  By now it was around one and the rain set in again so we decided that it wasn't the day to go trailing round the shops so instead we went to visit our friends in the next road, drinking coffee, eating cake and generally putting the world to rights.  She's in her eighties, he in his nineties but both with tremendous energy and zest for life.  We headed home around six and set to preparing supper.  Frozen beef wellingtons were found in the freezer, I peeled potatoes and supper is now over and yet another mince pie to top it all off.

Brighton is definitely on for tomorrow....at some point I have to think about presents despite the weather.  Christmas is not a movable feast.  Come hell or high water or even horrendous downpours, I'm heading out with or without an accomplice.  LN...I think it's bath time.....LN