Saturday 19th January

Another sleepless night unfortunately, three thirty found me reading and skipping over certain chapters of Game of Thrones on the Kindle to go with the characters I know not the ones that just drift in from various island groups.  Now I'm getting selective,  I kept going until five when I turned the light off and got my head down again and it was just before seven when I surfaced for the second time to a beautiful sunrise with nature coming up with a beautiful colour palette.  Snapped for a while, tried to get a few of the woodpecker but it was really flitting around but managed on just as it was leaving the Acacia half way down the garden...and at some speed.

I'd kept the fire going all night since I was up and active so I emptied the ash can and had a very lazy morning after that.  I put the computer on upstairs and watched breakfast time and then realised what a waste of time it was so put the machine to bed.  I've not eater very well for a few days now.  Everything tasted the same that's if I could taste anything at all with this stupid cold and the head's OK now but the coughing just comes on in spasms and it's quite tiring.  So I sliced up a couple of onions with the intention of making onion soup but then it got a little more complicated.  I fried them off in butter, added bacon, a tin of baked beans, a couple of OXO cubes and some water and let if stew very gently.  I had onion soup but not as you know it.  It tasted OK and at least I could taste it but it left me with indigestion...jut too heavy for a  hardly used stomach.

On tot he sofa by twelve, slept between more chapters on my Kindle and I was ready for three thirty for the start of the snooker match.  Ronnie was playing Ding and the first three games flew by but then it all seemed to go pear shaped for him and from a four love match it suddenly turned into a four three match and I'd lost interest at this point.  Anyway I stuck with it but managed to get chicken wings, potatoes and onions into the oven, two loads of logs in and the fire banked up while he sorted himself out and I watched the last frame demolishing the last of my Cadbury Wholenut chocolate from the UK.  He fortunately without me hanging on to his every attempt at potting balls....he came through.

Supper won't be ready until eight so at least my lunch should have gone down and I'll sleep with a full tummy so hopefully...I shall be weighed down.  Finals day tomorrow so another afternoon in front of the computer.  LN....And relax....LN

Sunday 20th January

Well an even stranger one last night.  I fell asleep on the sofa in front of the fire and woke up at one thirty and full of the joys…..not an ounce of sleep in me.  I’d watched the snooker to see who would be in the final with my ‘looks to be departed hero after today’s efforts’ but the internet had been playing up…so hence the sofa with the tablet for a few games.  I’d made it to bet and turned out the light ready to settle down but decided to check up who’d managed to get the second final place and instead of turning it off immediately I carried on until four thirty.  Straight to sleep and it was seven thirty when the great awakening occurred but I shouldn’t have bothered…it was raining, cold and damp and it’s remained that way all day. As I woke up I thought it was Monday and was cancelling my planed day in Kardjali, then brain power kicked in and I remembered that Sunday normally follows Saturday…silly me.  As for the internet,  I think my provider has too many new recruits without the infrastructure in place it’s been like a bride’s nightie….very frustrating and I’ve just had the same problem.

Lazy day, yesterday’s soup went into the slow cooker with the uneaten chicken wings from last night, doused liberally with curry powder and they’ve provided a delicious supper.  I was invited this morning to a mekitzi pancake party at Zelinger’s house, she was having visitors that she wanted me to meet and I had to refuse…I still feel bug laden.  I’d settled back into my computer and tracking down a few more relatives and noticed that there were two strange people in my garden so I went down stairs and they were with my coffee lady from the bottom of the village.  These were Zelinger’s guest clutching pancakes.  I went to the door, explained that I would prefer that they didn’t come in but they weren’t taking no for an answer and wanted the conducted tour and it’s difficult to stop some forces when in action especially when you don’t really feel up to it.  They loved the house and the big windows, the natural wood of the staircase and the general layout and off they went after about twenty minutes.  Not my fault if they catch it…they were warned,

Ronnie is getting thrashed and I think he might give up playing now, eight my time and I’m hoping that the internet is up so that I can post this and I’ve had success on the relative front and I think I’ve found the parents of my ‘many time great’ that was stopping me from going even further back.  Still cold and miserable…and if the weather is like this tomorrow….I’m staying home.  LN….I want snow and cold…LN

Monday 21st January

And what a lovely day I've had.  It was grim this morning and I decided that I wouldn't go into town...it was raining, cloudy, not worth getting the camera out for but I was at that point 'to light or not to light' the fire...but I did.  It was a mare to get going, when the damp clings it really does and there's not much draw now that the new conservatory is on.  Before I had to have a curtain up at the main door with a draught excluder of gravel enclosed in a felt material to stop the wind whistling.

So back to my day.  Fire eventually going and making a name for itself, I stripped the nest out and got the duvet cover and bottom sheet in the machine, the curried chicken was delicious last night so I added sweet potato and carrots to the remaining stock and that's tonight's meal.  I think it's turning into the Irish stock pot that just keeps giving.  Toast with Marmite for breakfast, kitchen one hundred percent sorted and now the rest of the day was mine.  Washing over the banister to dry, boiler put to high and now that the decision had been taken to stay home....I was in the bath by twelve thirty, Kindle at the ready, hair washed, headrest in place, Kindle down before a thirty minute nap...I have had one found floating and I emerged from the tub at two thirty,  I'd left the boiler on and was able to top it up...the nicest bath I've had in ages.  Second load of washing in and now drying on the airer in the bathroom, I've made the bed up so a clean nest for tonight, just about to get a bowl of my curry soup, fire going beautifully and the sun came out this afternoon and dried up all the rain.  I didn't manage to get out and check Incy Wincy but I guess he's doing just fine.  LN.....Fire duties are in order.....LN

Tuesday 22nd January

So the relax state that I went to bed in didn't really do me any good.  By three thirty I'd filled my sleep basket so I played Soda Crush, read for a while and eventually decided to get my head down at five again but this time I went through until eight thirty....well worth it.  The rest of the day has seemed to rocket by and I don't really think that I've achieved very much at all ....there again....I didn't set out to set the world alight today.

I laid the fire but didn't light it.  It was very dull outside again but dry and at ten thirty when I looked out if had started to snow, not hard but it was soon scooped up by the rain,  The temperature outside was around four degrees and I've felt cold all day.  I hadn't bothered getting washed and dressed but had got a thickish sweater on with decent trousers and at around eleven thirty I had a visitor.  I made the first of a few coffees, lit the fire but there wasn't much success with it at first.  It's because it was so damp outside...no draw.  He stayed around for around an hour or so and after the second coffee he headed out.  I've offered help on a few fronts and we've set Friday as a possible day to get a few jobs done in Kardjali.  The furthest I've been today was to the log store to full up the log carriers and the cold seemed to pass right through me and I was soon back to the fire.  I did intend a bonfire but that didn't happen either and the only thing that I have done is remove the house plant from the bathroom and it's now sitting on the landing waiting to go downstairs.  I'd set it to grow in an olive tin, it's been in the bathroom for about six years now and I've noticed that the tin has started to rust so it's time I found a new container for it and it needs to be done soon, the bathroom looks empty without it.

So a little more of Kindle this afternoon, just about to sort something out for supper since the chicken wings that I took from the freezer this morning are still not thawed out enough...they'll go in the slow cooker tomorrow and made more delicious soup....yet again.  And now into the evening stint...television awards are on the TV tonight so I might absorb myself in that until it's time for shut eye.   Just one pickie of somebody's cat surveying the territory....not a bad vantage point.  LN....Fingers crossed for a better night...LN

Wednesday 23rd January

I did wake up at three thirty yet again but then rolled over, work up at six and rolled over again....seven twenty when my dawn broke.  The sun was out so I grabbed the camera and headed upstairs to get some lovely shots of the mist in the valleys and hanging on to the mountains.  It was such a surprise after the last few days of rain and with fingers crossed I sent a message to my student and made plans to go and visitor her this morning.  I had brought a present for the family from the UK and for her...belated birthday present...some perfume.

I grabbed my list and headed out around ten fifteen stopping of firstly at the post office to pick up my post from December.  A couple of Christmas cards, bank statements and other official documents that will be sorted over the next few days.  I picked up the parts for the toilet repairs that will be done tomorrow, coffee and biscuits and she was over the moon with the gifts,  We caught up on the news and our first stop was to the hospital in Momchilgrad to visit her cousin.  We carried on to the Lev shop and I filled up on pens and other things I could probably have done without and then on to my parking place near my bank.  I paid my telephone bill, went into one of the other providers and moved my pay as you go phone over to a contract phone.  Under the new legislation, if you don't top up they can remove your balance...and they do.  I did question it but there was very little acknowledgement that they were doing anything illegal and they;rer probably not...it's in the small print.  So the change is happening, it should be completed on Monday, a have the new SIM to put in so another thing crossed off.  We headed down to my expensive stationery shop and I bought another pen since they didn't stock the refils for my original one from there.  

We headed to a lunchtime restaurant and I ended up with beef soup while my student had mousaka, back in to the car, a quick stop at Lidl and I dropped her off to go for another coffee with her aunt.  I was invited but again I refused...I'd been out too long for my first day.  I doubled back to the garage and I'd noticed that when I tried to spray water on the back window to clean it...there was no water on the outside of the window but plenty on the inside.  Now it's fixed.  Home and parked up, lit the fire and supper is in and should be ready in quick sticks.  Lovely catching up with my student again and I might even have the pleasure of her company at the weekend with more of her cousins.  LN...Hoover at the ready tomorrow....LN

Your lonesome pine!

Cue for a song.

I prefer the Laurel and Hardy version.

Thursday 24th January

I have no intention of recording the song and loading it on here and I hope to goodness you don't either Trevor.  Let's just keep it in our heads.  Alternatively if you ever make it to this neck of the woods...we could stand out in the garden and sing it to the tree...

What a night....I got the plans out for the ark and am keeping them at the ready.  It will be the neighbours going in two by two....the animals can find higher ground.  The winds were horrendous and I had this weird dream that the trees in the garden came down and I was convincing myself that it would go towards the road and leave the cars alone.  It had stopped by the time that I came to this morning.  The first thing that came into my head was bread from the van and as I was pulling on my padded trousers I heard the horn so I wiggled a bit quicker and got down there just as he was preparing to leave.  Tow loaves of bread, no fishes but half a dozen eggs and that was breakfast...scrambled eggs on toast.  I'd messed around this morning with my home phone...it's never been right since I changed it and keeps going into emergency mode.  Tomorrow it's going back.  I get one hundred minutes to the UK included in the price and had to phone the bank.  One of the letters yesterday was that they were taking the money from dormant accounts and giving them to the government.  I could reclaim it but if I wanted to stop the process I had to phone...so I did.  All seventeen pounds over the two accounts is now winging its way to my other account.  

I'm still not sure where this morning went to...it was one before I realised it.  I did make a bit of a name for myself...I replaced the seal in the toilet and that appears to be working, I had a bonfire but got dressed for the Antarctic...I don't want another bout of what I'm just getting over and got a load of logs in.  The rest of the afternoon has been spent playing Soda Crush and I was fair whipping thought the games...got bored so took to the Kindle for a short while and I was just nodding when the grand-daughter from on of my ladies appeared and has invited me to a Mevlit on Saturday and ten and it's in my diary already.  

Kardjali tomorrow helping out with some admin, my only job is to deliver the phone back to the shop and demand another.  It's not expensive but it's the principle.  LN..On the hunt for supper....LN

Friday 25th January

So it rained all night and was still pouring it down this morning.  I thought the day in Kardjali might be called out but everyone arrived spot on time.  I'd got up at seven thirty and not bothered with the fire since I was out today, washed and dressed and even had time for scrambled eggs on toast looking out on to the sodden hillside.  I washed up and cleared the kitchen, polished my boots and was ready for the off.  I suddenly noticed a lot of activity in the garden,  There were a few jays knocking around, different types of woodpecker but unfortunately there was so much mist around and the birds were pretty spritely and belting around that some of the shots just didn't do them justice.  At this point we were off so I grabbed my M-Tel phone and we headed out.  I was tired of having it available for Emergency calls only and since I wasn't planning any...I wanted it for normal use.  

So in to town and the boxes on the list were ticked off.  I took my phone to the shop and they tested it saying they could find nothing wrong with it so that was to become another problem for another day.  We had a trip round the market, stopped off and bought vegetable and herb seeds, on to the next shop and a couple of fruit trees were purchased.  She was such a sweetie in the shop, trimmed the roots and the trees, full instructions as to how and when to plant them including making sure that the graft on one of them was facing north.  I'd never heard that before,  We headed to a soup kitchen for lunch, back to the car and picked up the goodies from the tree shop and the lady even delivered the items to the car giving us a wave as she went back in the shop.  Lidl for a shop and a few items for me, home for three thirty, the home phone still didn't work, coffee made, fire lit and there was a message to my other phone that I was to put the new SIM card in so that they could port the number.  No success...and the shop has just phoned asking me to go on Monday to sort it out.  I just hate it when things don't go as planned....but this is Bulgaria.  Out of curiosity I carried the home phone to the top landing...and it's working so it has a new home.

Toasted ham and cheese sandwiches for supper, I want and easy evening.  Mevlit in the morning at ten at the top end of the village...I shall wrap up worm if the weather is like this tomorrow and I shall be taking a very thick cushion to sit on...needs as needs must.  LN...Time to switch off...LN

Saturday 26th January

It was another cold and miserable day and I thought my flu was heading back and about to give me another hit.  I didn't bother going to the mevlit.  My neighbour called round for me, I made my excuses and promptly settled back on the sofa and went back to sleep.  By lunchtime I realised that it had been a false alarm, sneezed it out of me but nestled b ack on the sofa with my Kindle for the afternoon.  As for birds in the garden....I think they're all hibernating...there was been nothing all day.

My student confirmed that she would be visiting with her sister and her new fiance and her cousin and we agreed on ten ten thirty.  She said that her father might like to come too and I said...enough...and I hope he will take it as my joke.

I watched the tennis highlights and settled in to watch 'The Voice' and I really like the mix of judges.  Sir Tom actually did a surprise duet with one of the contestants and she was over the moon.  Their voices blended so well and she was over the moon and almost crying  to her mother....'I've just dueted with Sir Tom'... I watched Mrs Brown's Boys chuckling to myself.  Very risque but fun.  LN....Snuggle time....LN

Sunday 27th January

First off a big birthday wish for a happy day to my eldest grandson...twenty today and where have those years gone.  

Another cold miserable day with just a small window of sun around twelve this lunchtime.  I'd got up at seven, I'd kept the fire going all night since I had visitors today and without sun the house get's marginal.  By the fire in the winter lounge it's fine but when you come to sit for a while and are relying on radiators, you have to stoke it up.  I finished off running the hoover round, got showered and hair washed and was caught out...the supposed arrival of ten thirty was brought forward by thirty minutes so I laughingly told them to go sit in the car for half an hour....which they were close to doing until I told them it was a joke.  All that I had left to do was touch up my nails so that had to wait.

I love my little student, she takes over and does the full guided tour but she did ask if it was OK to take them upstairs.  She hadn't been since the new stairs have been installed and it was the first thing that she commented on.  I stayed in the kitchen and put the kettle on for coffee, tea and biscuits and followed them upstairs.  Obviously the sisters have been here before but her fiance has or her cousin and my little student was pointing out 'her bedroom' for when we have snow and she comes to stay, the balcony in the second bedroom so that her sister can come as well with her boyfriend.  She loves the house and has asked that if she gets engaged in spring or summer, she wants the engagement party in the garden....she's got to get a boyfriend first.    So we settled in the lounge and talked about the boyfriends plans to go to Germany to work and when he gets settled I think she has plans that we go out for a visit.  He's heading for Dresden since he has friends there, I know nothing about it so better get reading up.

Off then went at twelve, I cleared up the cups and settled down on the sofa for thirty minutes in the sun and yes, you've guessed it, the cat was reclining.  There's been little to do ...when the guests have gone, the house is clean and tidy, I got enough wood in for the next couple of days, not really interested in anything for supper since I've been picking and grazing most of the afternoon on 'stuff'.  I was so bored this afternoon I settled in to watch the crown bowls championship...not my usual sport and I think it's a shame when the best player has his bowls and the jack removed just because he's not able to position is balls as accurately as his opponent.  There was a first prize of fifty thousand pounds though...maybe I can sort the grass out and start a club for the locals.  Now there's a thought.

Dancing on ice tonight...not really been watching it but it's OK when I get tired of reading.  Kardjali tomorrow to get my new contract sorted for my mobile and it looks like the solution I found for my home phone was not a solution at all.  I moved it upstairs to get better reception but I've noticed that it's gone into 'Emergency Calls Only' mode again.  Firstly I shall complain on the internet, if I take it back to the shop they have such a huge antenna on the roof that it's always going to work there.  I'm just being bombarded with crap technology at the moment...grrr...don't you just love it.  

Again no photos...when the birds were out the camera was downstairs and off they went...never to return to the garden.  I could see them very active on the hillside but they didn't make it this far.  So yet again to Kardjali...wish me luck.  LN....Teletubby time.....LN