Monday 8th April

Late start again and I'm definitely putting it down to the tablets.  I've never slept so well.  I got ready for the day....putting on yesterday's trousers and the same sweater...I didn't intend going anywhere so nothing to dress up for.  Another day without coffee and I'm not sure that it's doing any good but worth a try.  Breakfast was a mushroom omelette, the electricity had gone off so my time with the internet was disturbed and it's amazing that you still go into a room and turn on the light even though you know that it's not going to come on.  I cleared up the kitchen and started to think about new curtains between the winter lounge and the stairwell.  The material has the same colours as the painting on the stairs but it was put on to another day without electricity I needed the sewing machine for that.

I put the remains of the chicken into the slow cooker with onions, potatoes, carrots and parsnips and that was going to be supper.  I remembered that I'd had a phone call from the post office so got into the Nipper and headed for the next village.  She'd saved them up for me...two from the pensions department and I have to proved that I'm alive again so I;m off to the bank tomorrow so that my lovely lady can compete the form.  I had two from the bank and a very belated Mother's day card from my daughter....as for my son...perhaps it's got lost in the post.  The weather was cold and I put on a thick cardigan before I settled down on the sofa with the Kindle.  As expected I had my afternoon nap and the first hob was to light the fire that started off very reluctantly but is now doing what it does best.  

Supper was ready when I was, I made gravy, served up and there's plenty left in the pot for tomorrow.  The complete chicken is far better value that buying the wings and legs but I think I'll buy a smaller one next time....this could have fed the five thousand.  As for the weather today...it's been cold and miserable, not worth going anywhere but tomorrow I'm making the effort to go to the hospital for my blood test and to get the lifetime form filled out and in the post.  The threat is that they stop the pension if they don't receive it in time.  LN....Now to settle in to the evening......LN

Tuesday 9th April

What a dreadful evening.  I'd settled down to watch my favourite Monday programmes on BBC2, Just Connect and University challenge and twenty minutes into the first one and the internet went off.  I can't tell you what profanities emanated from my mouth, I'd probably have to ban myself.  It came on again when they'd both finished and I was left with Mary Berry so I switched off the computer and headed for bed.  It was time I went anyway.  

Six thirty and I was awake and ready to face my busy day.  I had my first tablet before food and grabbed a couple of bananas that substituted for breakfast...wrong.  I got told off when the doctor saw the blood test results and indicated that I should have turned up 'empty'.  I'll know for next time.  I arrived at the hospital at ten and found the correct department with the help of the receptionist and handed over my form from the doctor and the authorisation document that I'm entitled to treatment at Bulgarian rates.  I think it was the first one that they'd seen but I was called in.  The young lady prodded around with the needle and eventually managed to get three phials of blood out of me.  She plastered me up and told me to come back for the results after twelve.  I went for a coffee, on to one of the cheapy shops but not on its cheap day but bought a goose down continental quilt that looked brand new at a very reasonable price.  I made my way to the bank and asked my lovely lady if she would complete my life confirmation form for the Pensions in the UK which she did in five minutes and straight to the post office and sent it registered post.  The date on the letter was the tenth of February so it took ages to get here...I hope it's quicker going back.  Back to the hospital for twelve and results handed over and straight down to the doctor whose surgery is in the same building.  It was then when I got told off and warned that my cholesterol was a little high.  The next thing she suggested was an x-ray of my back and with the appropriate forms I headed for the main hospital, registered and had to pay one leva...forty pence roughly...and carried on to the next reception and was told to wait by cabinet four.  I was called in within five minutes, the x-ray taken and I was handed it fifteen minutes later to take back to my doctor.  She studied it and now I have tablets to take., a diet to follow which includes grating celeriac in yogurt.

I headed to my material shop and bought enough lining for the curtains that I played around with yesterday...and that was at a really good price.  It's two meters thirty wide, one hundred percent cotton and bought six meters for forty two lev....another bargain.  Back to Lidl, they didn't have celeriac but I managed to spend enough to make me blink.  Stopped off at my student's mum's shop to check out why my arm had swollen up where they'd taken the blood out.  I'll see how it is in the morning.   Unpacked the car and put the shopping away, lit the fire, mashed up the remaining vegetables from yesterday, placed the chicken in a pie dish and put the vegetables on top of it and into the oven with it.  It was very palatable.

Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow...I'm going to have a lazy day since there's no way that any gardening can be done.  It's thrown it down all day, flower pots will need to be emptied again if it rains overnight.  LN....Ah well, something to do.....LN

Wednesday 10th April

Early start again so lingered in my pit with a glass of water...still off the coffee and feel better for it.  I made a ham omelette for breakfast and decided to make a cup of drinking chocolate and it was...horrible.  It went down the sink and I went back to the water.  I'd decided to  have a shower and wash my hair and went upstairs to get the bath towel and suddenly thought that a bath would do me more good so I went down and locked the outside door again, grabbed the Kindle streaming ITV and headed up to the bathroom.  One hour later, my hair was washed, I felt very relaxed and squeaky clean.  I got dressed and had two phone calls to make...one to the bank asking them to send my renewal card to my home address and my next visitor will bring it over.  The second one was to the Pensions people to confirm that I'd returned the 'life certificate' and asked them to make a note on my record....it took eight weeks to get here and if it took the same time to go back to the UK...they'd be stopping my pension.  It has been noted that 'it's in the post'.

I messaged OH offering him a tourist guide of Istanbul since I thought he was off this weekend.  It's been delayed...the weather is just so rubbish at the moment.  An hour later he appeared on my doorstep, I made coffee and we sat chewing the fat and he asked me if I could shorten some curtains for them.  I said that he had to cut the material and pin up where he wanted the hem to be, he produced them from the car and a measure and all was needed was a pair of scissors.  Two curtains shortened and the bottoms that were cut off I hemmed to make table cloths.  Job was a 'goodun'.  He also managed to download the film that my daughter had recommended ...'The Zookeeper's Wife' and that filled in my afternoon.  I had two phone calls which I chose to ignore, paused it to light the fire and then went back to it.  The calls could come later and they did.....both from the same person and Gouljan who's currently living in Germany is thinking of coming back for a holiday.

Fire going well, I went out and had to get more logs in to see me through the evening.  I'm having yogurt for supper...my lunchtime tuna and beetroot did it's job and filled me up well.  Might have to go into Kardjali to pick up a yoga mat if I decide to go to Pilates tomorrow night.  It could be a giggle.      LN....Just to wet for pickies.....LN

Thursday 11th April

Silly night.  I went to bed at eleven and was awake at two thirty and it was the kindle until five.  I did managed to sleep through until eight thirty though so a caught a few hours back.  I'm down to three tablets a day now and after the first one, before food, I managed a very crunchy portion of French stick with cheese spread on it.  Not exactly on the list of 'good to haves' but no one was looking.  I put a load of washing in knowing that I would have to dry it inside, there wasn't going to be a window of opportunity looking at the sky and listening to the rain throwing it down.  

I sent out a couple of messages to see if anyone had a yoga mat that I could borrow but none forthcoming so I headed into Kardjali around eleven this morning and to Kaufland to see if they had one.  Joy oh joy, only one remaining on the shelf so it was blue or nothing.  I poodled around the hardware section and bought a plastic thermal compost maker which I'd been looking at for a while and they'd come down in price...so winner, winner.   I added things to the trolley and some how my bill was a little higher than normal and I hate it when that happens.  You go in for one thing and that's it.  I filled up with gas on the way home and tomorrow I'm going to the garage to get my summer tyres on and have a little mini-service.  I'm taking the family to Assenovgrad...we are on the hunt for mother's clothes for the wedding...in September.  I think it's early...they don't.

I'd bought a brown loaf in Kaufland and my goodness is it solid.  I did managed to eat a couple of slices with ham but it was a struggle.  I'm going to sit and watch the birds with it tomorrow...and bet they struggle to take off again.  I had a sleep or rather cat napped.this afternoon while I was watching television on the computer and was in the Nipper by six twenty to get to Djebel for my first Pilates lesson.  I stopped on the drive in to take pickies of the rainbow and there was a man who was having to walk his bile up the hill and he asked me to take his picture so I did.  I'll print if off and keep it handy in case he calls for it.  He knows me more than likely but I don't know him. I met up with my student's mum outside the shop and we walked to the venue and I recognised the other girls from last year's trip to Cappadokia so I didn't feel like the new girl on the block.  We unrolled out mats, I joined in and the leader was so good, helping me out when I just didn't get it as the instructions were in Bulgarian.  I've stretched bits that haven't moved for ages, rolled up my bed and paid my dues although she didn't want to take any money from me since it was my first time.  I insisted so she relented and we walked back to the car.  She popped up to the apartment and gave me two pots of her home made vinegar with the culture inside...one of apple and the other of elderberry so I can make my own.  Home for just before nine, yogurt for supper and then more or less straight to bed. I should probably have a bath to soothe the muscles but 'tempus fugit'.  LN....I'll see what sort of a night I have....LN

Friday 12th April

Out of bed by six thirty and opened the curtains and saw the start of what could have been a brilliant sunrise...wrong.  It was a glimmer and no more.  I went out on to the balcony to take the last shot and I heard the first cuckoo of the year.  It wasn't my stammering cuckoo...I'll have to keep listening for it. The mist was hanging in the valley, clouds hanging over the mountains and storm clouds gathering 'John Snow'.  

Washed and dressed fairly early on, the bread that I'd bought yesterday had softened up since I put it into a plastic bag overnight so I toasted it and made two slices into a ham sandwich.  It wasn't enough but it held my tablets down.  It was chill in the house but decided not to light the fire for a while.  I collected the rubbish determined to have a bonfire but changed my mind and the pipes to the woodburner were coming out, getting cleaned and returned.  I started by cleaning out the woodburner, made my way outside to start the bonfire and got distracted by the drowning plants in the overnight downpour so I was moving plants from the containers on to the terraces to drain.  Eventually I made my way down to the burning bucket with the garden fork in hand and got it going in quicksticks.  It was spitting with rain when I got down there but it suddenly changed and I had to come in and resume my pipe cleaning exercise,  All out, all brushed, all replaced and no escaping smoke when I lit the fire.  So far so good for the day, got another load of logs in so that I was prepared for the night.

I made tuna,sweetcorn and beetroot salad for lunch followed by a few jelly chocolate biscuits and cut up the beef that I'd bought yesterday and got three portions out of it.  Two went in the freezer and the third I tossed in flour with salt, pepper, ginger and a chilli mixture that my student's mum had given me.  I browned the meat with the spices, added water, tomato paste and a small tin of tomatoes and into the oven with it.  As a gift to myself I played on the Kindle and in the warmth of the fire nodded off for an hour or so.  

It was a late sleep so I was in to the evening before I was ready for it but noticed that the gymnastics were being televised.  I served supper with a jacket potato and moved up to the top landing and the computer and then down for a bowl of yogurt.  I've had so much foot today.  Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow...the trip to Assenovgrad has been cancelled at my suggestion because of the weather.  Sunny one minute and not so much showers but downpours and I didn't want to be running from shop to shop and you can't try clothes on with a soggy bottom.   Washing up done and kitchen all cleared away for tomorrow, washing put away.  LN...A day of achievement....LN

Saturday 13th April

Late to bed and yet again.  I woke up in front of the computer at one and goodness knows what I'd been watching.  The last think I remember was Monty Don pinching out his sweet peas and then it was off I went.  Straight to bed, off into the land of nod pretty sharpish and through until seven twenty this morning.  These tablets are doing there stuff,  I made coffee with milk which is not usually on the cards for me, took my remaining tablets before food and decided that food was imminent so made two toasted ham sandwiches using the brown bread.  I was still in PJ's whet the bread van tooted its horn so had to make do.  

I went upstairs to get washed and dressed and realised that I'd cranked up the thermostat on the boiler so decided to have a leisurely bath instead.  Made another coffee, ran the bath and lay there for around an hour and a half topping up as required and reading my book.  What a nice start to a Saturday morning.  Got dressed and put on a pair of my father's sock that I'd bought back from the UK last time I was there and they brought back fond memories of dear Harry.  Whether it was the energy from the socks or not I don't know but I looked at the grass in front of the terrace and the clover that was leaping ahead and decided to see if the lawn mower could cope with it.  It had rained many times over the last week but at this rate I was going to have sheep in if I didn't do anything about it...and it was worth a try.  

Wellie boots on, I fired the mower a few times, it coughed and spluttered and eventually sprung to life.  I didn't put the grass box on and opened up the back of it with a plank of wood so that the cuttings could stream out of the back....and they did.  I almost looked like I was dressed in camouflage gear after a few runs.  So in front of the terrace completed and I set about the side garden and round the vegetable patch ending up at the mulberry tree half way down the garden.  So far so good.  I moved it over to the grass in front of the little house and again, keeping the mulberry tree in sight cleared that and in front of the workshop.  The clouds were rolling over and it was looking a little dark over towards the west so I decided to come in for a drink and that could have been it except that I got another burst of energy and finished the little house grass completely expecting either the rain to start or the mower to run out of petrol but it didn't.  I decided to move on to the rest of the grass on the other side and after a couple of runs on the surrounds there was a flash of lightening and an almighty clap of thunder and then rain stopped play.  Mower away, no other tools out, I stripped off in the conservatory leaving dad's socks on the floor and headed upstairs to find more clothes and socks.  With the rain the temperature dropped and it wasn't long before I'd developed my own pond at the bottom of the garden and the sheep trails were running on the hillside.  All I needed was another thirty minutes but it wasn't happening today but I'd done well.

On to the sofa with a cup of coffee to warm me up a little and despite the thunder I put the television on and watched the European gymnastics.  Such skill and dedication...and seemingly impossible contortions and twisting.  I lit the fire and that warmed the house up and have just spent half an hour on a catch up call with the UK.  I've just noticed the time...almost nine my end and soon be time for bed.  I'm going to have to come to the end of these tablets soon and then I can go back to normal and just watch the grass grow but after today's downpour, I think it's started already....get back, get back.  LN...Kitchen bound to find supper.....LN

Sunday 14th April

Six thirty start this morning but I was soon back to bed and cosied up.  Despite the fire last night there was a chill in the air and I was lighting the fire at eight and feeling warmer by sitting on the coffee table and just watching it.  Breakfast was a bowl of muesli with milk and yogurt and it appears to have set solid since I've had nothing wince that for the rest of the day.  I cleared the kitchen from last night.  I did find something to eat.  I added curry powder to the remains of the casserole from Friday night and made fresh rive and that was the sum total.  Because it was late I didn't do anything with the kitchen so that was my first task after breakfast and there's been no movement ever since.

So today I was intending finishing the grass but I went out there full of good intentions but soon came in again..it was very damp under foot and very cold.  I checked on the seeds on the workshop terrace and the sweet peas are making good progress and will soon be tall enough to pinch out the middle.  Seems such a waste of effort, they work their little roots to put on leaves and then you come along and undo all their hard work.  That's man or woman for you.  

I managed to go out and bring in some of the old wood and that kept the fire going all day.  I might have to invest in a couple of cubic if the weather stays like this.  I have old wood which I should really keep burning to get it out of the way...just laziness on my part.  I think I'll get my painter chappie in to stack it in the porch of the little house to  a) empty the bedroom so I can think about start again on the renovation and b) have some free wood.  I had my afternoon snooze, it would be rude not to and woke up and finished watching the European gymnastics and we managed two golds on the final day.  

Looking at the sunflowers they really need to go out and start to get established outside and I've a few more that need to go out.  I've got a strange one called 'Forking larkspur' and I suppose that's what you should if they don't do well in the garden.  I thought it was a mistake on the packet but having just studied my gardening book...they're for real.  As for the new seeds from Greece....I think it might still be a little too cold for them...I think I'll get them going in their own pots.

Not sure about supper.  The remains of the curry has been turned into a thick soup now I've added the rice but not sure about the taste buds.  I might go for something lighter and at the moment am not really hungry at all.  Market tomorrow and I think I shall be buying my tomatoes and cucumbers otherwise I'll never get them in and I have to pick up my driving glasses from the restaurant where the girls left them the other night.  I have more so it's not too big a deal.  Seven my time...fire still ticking along nicely and I've managed twenty four degrees inside and it's only ten out.  LN....Time to cosy up and find something to read or watch....LN

Monday 15th April

It started off sunny and I though I might be out gardening today.  I went outside to drop the rest of last night's curry over the wall for the dependants be they foul or feathered and realised that I wouldn't be spending long out there.  The wind was howling from the mountains and boy was it cold...not a day to be toying with the elements.  I settled for muesli for breakfast with milk and yogurt and settled in to watch morning television after I'd done my emails and FB.  I do have a task that I need to complete but my mind wasn't in the right place for it.  Tomorrow's list.  I remembered that Guldjan had told me that she'd left her toothbrush in Germany think that she had one here but wrong...perhaps her mother used it for something else...and that was on the list if I made it to Djebel.  I also had my glasses to pick up from the restaurant and decided to go for as many birds as I could with one stone so I opted to winter to summer tyres and a general check over of the Nipper.

Into the car for twelve thirty and I headed for the wrong restaurant and left them completely perplexed when I asked if any one had handed a pair of glasses to them for collection.  I moved on to the garage and they found out the tyres that they'd been storing and changed them over for me.  One bottle of anti-freeze was required for top up and two of screen wash and a little oil.  We viewed the winter tyres and one had a nail so it was repaired and two are good and the others need to be replaced....when it's winter tyres on at the end of this year.  Into the car shop and it was then that I was told the real place to go for my glasses and I hopped over there and success...I moved from there to the supermarket for the toothbrush and bread and headed home and carried on to Guldjan's home to deliver the toothbrush.  Her father was there but her mother had been busy delivering a calf so we decided to walk down to the paddock to see it...three hours old and really unsteady on her legs but beautiful.

My phone camera was playing up so Guldjan came back with me for her pickies and internet access for her so she could do a little updating.  I'd also been given some of their home made yogurt and eggs from their chickens so it was thank you's all round...we do a bit of tit for tat and I ran her home and I think I shall be taking her to visit one of her friends in a village that's difficult to get to some time this week...she's only here for two weeks.  I might also be taking her mother to the hospital when I keep my appointment on Thursday.

I drove her home and put the Nipper away and I thought about how wonderful new life is....up and walking around in three house even on wobbly legs.  I lit the fire, think it's going to be cheese and biscuits for supper or an omelette...nothing too strenuous and tomorrow I've got nothing on my 'must do' list.  LN....Time to check on the fire....LN

Tuesday 16th April

Really late start to the day....almost eight when I woke up and even later when I got dressed.  The sun was up and shining, it was a little cold out there but as the morning wore on the temperature increased.  I managed another bowl of concrete. muesli, milk and yogurt, and it took a while before I felt like digging and walking the lawnmower round the rest of the garden.  I didn't know how much petrol was left in and thought I wouldn't have enough to finish it and I needed to empty it so that I could clean underneath...onwards and upwards.

I started out by repotting the Greek seeds...they weren't looking very happy in the single pot and the fuchsia was rehoused as well.  It came in a small pot from Kaufland and was destined to failure from the start and fingers crossed for it's onward journey.  The lawnmower fired first time and it didn't take long to do the majority of the remainder and as suspected it ran out with about twenty square meters to go so I tipped it over and gave it a clean underneath and headed into Djebel to fill up the container.  I also stopped off at the hardware shop and bought more seeds for the vegetable garden but I have to dig it over first and it wasn't the day for it.  

So back home, lawnmower topped up and the remainder finished.  Next task was to get the strimmer out and complete a battery's worth on the front grass, around the surrounds of the grave garden and the long garden.  there were a few spots of rain but I worked through them.  I had a bonfire when the strimmer ran out and set about weeding some of the gardens at the bottom of the garden but broke the handle of the fork...handle away from the shaft so that's in the workshop awaiting hospital treatment.  

I managed a late lunch of tuna, sweetcorn and beetroot so shan't be having much tonight.  The boiler is on, I'm going in the bath.  No need for the fire tonight...it's not as cold as it was last night.  More gardening tomorrow....it's out with the electric strimmer tomorrow...I have real work to do. As a sideline, a starling is nesting in the hole in the cherry tree...I saw it going in and out today.   LN...Fingers crossed for good weather....LN

Wednesday 17th April

Lovely bath last night and in bed by eleven and straight to sleep.  Not a peep out of me until seven this morning and the sun beat me to it...not that I could see much of it...even the mountains had gone into hiding behind the veil.  I lingered in bed with my coffee and eventually got into action.  It was a really slow start but when I eventually got out there it was all systems go.  Washed and dressed and then breakfasted on toast spread with cheese triangles and wasted time on the Kindle until the sun broke through.

Eventually I was out in the garden by twelve, out with the seventy metres of cable, the strimmer and a coil of the nylon twine for refilling which I knew I would have to do.  I started off in front of the workshop and gradually worked down the long high wall but it was slow going.  Where the grass was long it was very wet and I had to keep stopping to clean the strimmer.  It's only a small one but boy is it effective.  I think I only paid about seven pounds for it from Kaufland and it's been a godsend.  So by three I'd had enough, my back was aching and I needed a rest and when I realised the time I opened a tin of salmon, added mayo and made toast to have with it.  I'd not bought that brand before and I don't think I shall be buying it again...not my favourite....tuna is a much better bet.

Out I went again and gave myself a target of the bottom wall.  Surprisingly enough I found a wild philadephus that I'd planted at the end of last year that I'd forgotten about.  It's now standing in its own space and has a chance to breathe.  By six I'd really had enough...it was just too wet down the bottom wall and the grass is long so that's a tomorrow job.  Not really thinking about food....the salmon is lodged somewhere in the middle gut so I think I'll give food a miss tonight.  I might indulge later....I'll see how the evening pans out.  LN....Another productive day.....LN