Friday 11th October

Silly night last night....I decided to stop up to watch Question Time and to be honest...what a waste of time.  As for Extinction Rebellion...what a load of scare mongers...doesn't even bend the ear to reported facts from a reliable source..... and the presenter is just as annoying as ever.  Slept well though and woke up at seven thirty and really didn't need to be anywhere until tenish.  I was amazed...I was told that there would be no rain for the next week and the terraces were all we and it had obviously rained overnight and the skies were very grey.

I didn't bother with breakfast and that was a mistake.....I went all the way through to the gas station when I filled up.  So down to the garage for my winter check over and fitting of winter tyres.  There was a bit of a rush on so I suggested that I go away and come back again so I went up to the shop and pestered his wife for an hour.  It was Friday though and market day so she didn't have much time to spare for me...lots of people from the villages buying oil for the chainsaws along with the additive.  I went back as arranged and two new tyres required, oil checked, anti-freeze allowing me to go down to minus forty but hopefully I never have to test it's advertising slogan.  I sat in the sun reading the Kindle while they were working on my car and I could have nodded off.  I was so relaxed listening to the flow of the river, a couple of chainsaws working on the opposite hillside and hearing the fall of the pines but not being able to see where they fell.  Mood over, the garage owner came over and said that my car was done and all that was left was the bill for the work.  He went of to calculate it, I settled it and he pointed out that the rims that had come off needed some attention.  The journey down the back lane to the Greek road had taken its toll and they're off to Kardjali and will be ready for the next year.

I left the garage and headed in to Kardjali and stopped off to check up on the cost of loft insulation.  Unfortunately they don't sell it by the roll and calculate the cost per square meter and I lost the will to live in that shop so moved on.  Over to the next store and that proved even more complicated and why is it that I could buy the rolls ten years ago..off the peg so to say.  Kaufland for a stroll and a few items including a pack of Mars bars and stop off at Lidl for a few more items.  Leaving Lidl I started one of the Mars but when I got to the gas station I shoved the remainder in my mouth and fortunately I new the attendant so he knew I wanted gas and to the top.  I apologised for being unable to speak so offered him one of the other Mars, told him it was English chocolate and he shoved it straight in his pocked.  My bill was only eight lev so really didn't have to stop but at least I shan't run out.

I came back via the back lane and was amazed that it was just after four thirty when I got back.  Shopping unpacked. I watered a beautiful pink lily that was in need of love and attention and set to thinking about supper.  Hamburgers out of the freezer and a potato sliced very thinly and by six I was eating my fill.  Greece tomorrow and I don't think it will be a swim day even though it's forecast as being twenty nine degrees in the afternoon.  I'll have to wait and see ...I'll take the gear but it will be an on the spot decision,  LN.... Snorkels at the ready......LN

Saturday 12th October

Another silly night...I fell asleep watching Gardner's World, eased myself from the chair and into the bedroom, still sleepy and then settled down and ...wide awake so I was reading until two this morning.  Such is life.  I woke at six thirty, a little Soda Crush, a little reading, out of bed by seven, washed and dressed, passport at the ready, euro purse located and into the Nipper by eight thirty and off to Fotinovo arriving early.

An offer of coffee was on the table but I abstained....I'd had one and a half cups before I left and didn't know when the next pit stop would occur.  The road to Greece was empty and it was so nice to get there without competition and a long waait at the border...only two cars in front of us.  We went round the market in Komitini and picked up a few items and I managed to find a purple shirt with H&M label in it for one euro and a few other purchases were made but not by me.  We carried on to Fanari, stopped for coffee but unfortunately our favourite bread and croissant shop had sold out of everything so we just settled for coffee.  A quick trip round the harbour and then on to another coffee whop where we knew there were toilets so it was one in and one out.  The temperature was climbing at this point so we set off for the beach, chairs at the ready and set up camp, a little stone collecting and then quick change and into the sea.  It was a little cold to get in but once in it was brilliant and not cold at all.  The worst part was just getting the shoulders in but once they were covered the rest was easy peasy. ad I stayed in for about thirty minutes.  

We stayed on the beach until about four and headed back to Komitini, a quick trip round Lidl, the garden centre was closed so we carried on to Ikea and I bought a Christmas present and the unfortunate part was the other item I wanted to buy could only be bought with a loyalty card and for that you needed a Greek telephone number so I'm on the look out...

Home for seven thirty, supper was ham sandwiches I couldn't be bothered cooking anything and I ate it watching the Gymnastic World Championships and we managed to win the  gold medal for the pommel ....well done Max.  Strictly as just started so it's time for me to concentrate.  Sorry for the pack of pickies today...as I got to the next village I realised I'd forgotten the camera...ah well, it won't be the last time for this year...this weather is forecast to last for a while.  LN....Swimsuit and towel washed and drying .....LN

Sunday 13th October

Seven thirty start and it was a gentle beginning to the day.  Mist everywhere and the grass was damp when I went out to walk the garden so I earmarked the afternoon to get out the lawnmower and cut the grass...wrong...the best laid plans of mouse and me.  I put last night's washing away and realised that I had more in the laundry basket so took that down to the kitchen and started the machine.  Without shoes on I realised that some of Fanari beach was on the kitchen mats after I'd emptied the beach bag last night so I took them outside to shake them and my painter came into the yard.  I must have looked a little confused and he reminded me that I'd asked him if he could chop the remainder of the wood and that today was a good day for him to do it.  I manoeuvred the cars so that the Nipper outside the gate and the Beast was out of the garage so that he could get to the ones between the Beast and the wall and far enough out of the yard so he could get to work.  At this point, I forgot about breakfast and joined in the fun.

I got the tools out of the woodstore for him, wheelbarrow at the ready I started to move the logs into the yard for him so that he could chop them.  I also got the log carrier out so that he could load the log carrier with the chopped logs and I would stack them in the wood store and it worked.  We had a few really hard to chop ones and it was obvious by the old chop marks on them that the wood yard had had the same problem and decided just to ship them out.  With the old axe head and the lump hammer and me supervising they were no more and all is safely gathered in.  I'm amazed at his strength but there again I'm amazed at mine and it was around two when we'd finished after sweeping the garage and yard and collecting up the wood chips and leaves.  We'd had a brief interlude when I'd brought out Avatar's peaches that had been left in the conservatory to ripen and he managed to eat four of them leaving me the stones to plant up.....and the rest will go over the wall for whatever decides to participate.  He's very difficult to get to take payment for jobs...I offered a figure and he reduced it by a third so I upped it and gave him a note plus the rest in fifties and twenty stotinke coins from when I'd sorted out the money in the jar the other day.  Fortunately it was in a plastic bag so I put it in the bib pocket of his dungarees...and he went away happy.

Off he went to sleep for the afternoon, I came in and made a very late breakfast of bacon and eggs, lay on the sofa watching the gymnastics and promptly fell asleep to wake up to the British entrant winning the gold in the parallel bars....well done that man.  Washing in, about to be put away and nothing needed for supper...my late breakfast will suffice.  So from my list for today I have to carry forward the grass cutting and now it's on the agenda for tomorrow and what happened to my day of rest...pahhh.

I'm aching, the boiler is about to go on and I'll linger in the comfort of a bath tonight to soak away the aches and pains and accumulate others tomorrow.  LN.....And now relax.....LN
  

Monday 14th October

Dull old day again but it had the potential of turning out to be another stunner.  I crept into the lounge and looked out of the window to see which cat was at the cat hotel overnight and there were two of them...the ginger white and the black one.  I went out with the camera to take a photo and I must have just disturbed them both, the black one shot off towards the main gate through the grave garden and the ginger white shot off towards the wall stopping to look at me before it shot over.  It's not that I like cats...they like me.  Today though I've taken away the cushions form the chairs and the sofa, it's time they were put away for the winter.  The cushions have gone in the plastic garden box so available and the foam has been put away in the little house.  We'll see how the cats do tonight now that the bedding is taken away...they might still like the shelter of the balcony.

Toast for breakfast with ham and spread cheese on it and it was a slow old day for me.  My painter came round and picked up the lavender plant that I'd given him yesterday despite having taken three before and killed the lot of them.  I think his soil is just too fertile.  He didn't bother with any of the peaches today....they#re still waiting to be sent over the wall.  I did manage to wind up the curly hose and hang it up and the long ones on the garden are now sitting on the terrace.  It's so damp over night that I think the plants have enough moisture..they'll get put away tomorrow.

I got stuck into the television today and hadn't really got the energy for anything.  By twelve I was having my afternoon nap, woke up and demolished the remnants of a bar of dark nut chocolate that I'd bought in Greece and again rested on my laurels of yesterday's effort.  The agenda niggled and at four in the afternoon it got the better of me.  I started with the little house grass thinking that that would be enough but them the mood really took over and despite a lot of effort....it's now finished and looks really good and well worth the effort.

Shower time...I made the mistake of removing the grass collector and putting a piece of wood to open up the back flap while I wheeled it back to its garage under the little house terrace and got pebble dashed...grit everywhere.  Tuna salad for supper tonight so I'm off to the kitchen and then early night.  I've done eleven thousand steps today...three days over target...get in there.  LN...Slow start but agenda completed....LN

Tuesday 15th October

Early to bed and early to rise...I was up before the sun and the clouds over the mountains this morning were just beautiful.  I got back into bed after taking the first pickies, intended to catch the sunrise but it snook up on me so you'll have to do with it hiding behind the mist.  After taking the next pickie I went back to bed...Soda Crush was being generous,,,I was on a roll and I had to force myself out of bed by eight...I needed bread.  The old I'd already thrown over the wall for the cats and birds so I really needed it.  No cats in the hotel last night...they must have found somewhere else with cushions to lie on or they'd beaten me to it.

I was tidying up the garden hose when I heard the bread van so I dropped it and it's still on the terrace.  I came back and had poached eggs on toast for breakfast and was just sitting down to it when my painter came into the yard asking me what I was doing today,  He explained the he wanted to go to Momchilgrad and I understood that it was something to do with the Red Cross but at first he said that he would ask his friend but I replied that it was no trouble to take him so I arranged to pick him up at eleven from his house.   I went back to my gardening, I decided to hack through the stony ground at the bottom of the garden so that I could plant the escalonia that was sitting in a pot.  It had rooted itself from the parent plant on the long wall.  I managed to dig down about a foot removing the stones, put some rotted manure in the bottom of the hole and watered it well, planted it up and tomorrow I'll make a wooden surround for it.

So we set off for Momchilgrad and he was still in his work gear.  We parked up and he was hungry so we stopped at a cafe for a cheesy bread. moved on to a cafe and both had coffee and water.  I thought that he was going to give blood but it turned out to be a sit down lunch for about forty elderly ladies and men.  When we arrived, he introduced himself to the deputy organiser who then introduced him to the group and praising him for being the mainstay of Djebel, quite an accolade, we sat down and she approached us and said that he could eat but I definitely couldn't.  He said that we didn't want to and again she said that he could but I couldn't.  Politics egh......

It began to break up around one, we went into a leva shop and I picked up a few items and so did he, back into the car, dropped him off and I headed home leaving the Nipper outside the wall so that I could get the Beast out.  Despite the thirty degrees I was taking it for a winter check-up but having seen the food I now had it in my brain to get something to eat.  I parked up in Djebel and went to the soup kitchen and had chicken and rice before I went down to the garage...everything was fine and my bill was only five lev for brake fluid. everything else was OK.  I called in to the garage shop and had an hour with my student's mum, put the cars away and settled on the sofa, just falling asleep and Haciber appeared inviting me to a baby party on Sunday.  She moved on to the terrace and looked at the garden and said that it looked 'cok guzel', very pretty.

Woodwork day tomorrow and garden edge painting with preservative but that's after I've strimmed round the edging.  I've been promised old engine oil for free this time, I had to pay for it last year.  LN.....It could be a full on day.......LN  

Wednesday 16th October

Silly night again....I didn't get off to sleep until about two thirty and awake at six....so the agenda for today was slightly adjusted.  It took a long time for the mist to burn off so it was still damp and chilly until about eleven.  Boiled eggs for breakfast and today was an experiment.  The last twice that I'd had eggs from the bread van, I'd had very quick leaps to the toilet and I'm thinking that they're carrying a bug of sorts.  Today's eggs came from Kaufland, were boiled and served with soldiers and so far so good.  Washing in and out and I took to the rocking chair in the bedroom and had an hour or so with my book...I felt I deserved.

I eventually got dressed intending to go into Djebel to collect the old engine old and then remembered that I've got the boy for his English lesson tomorrow so I can pick it up then.  The  cats were active smelling the mole tracks and standing as if to pounce but silly thinks forgot there was about six inches of soil between them and the prey.  They headed for the burning pit to see if there were any rich pickings but yesterday's fire had cleaned it all up..nothing to be had here, move along please.  Back to the sofa and caught up on my sleep and at four I headed out to clean up the leaves that had fallen on the outside of the wall.  If we do get a downpour, the leaves block the drain and floods the lane.   It didn't stop there, I started to clear up the little garden under the wall that has had no attention since Sally stone edged it about eight years ago.  I trimmed the rose back and tied it to the railings, got the grass out and planted up a lavender that had been lingering in a pot on the terrace.  My neighbour from the garden next door brought round a bag of potatoes that she'd dug up from her garden and that should keep me going for a time.  The husband was fascinated by the adjustable wire rake that I was using for the leaves and I'll buy them one if I see one for sale.  Tools away at six and it's time to close the windows...it's getting chill and time to get down to the kitchen to find something for supper.  LN....No so late to bed tonight....LN

Thursday 17th October

So I went to bed at a reasonable time but I was awake by three...I reckon last night's supper was just too difficult to digest.  I made a tuna salad using potato, beetroot, sweetcorn, tuna and of course..mayonnaise.  I was playing silly games until five but then slept through until eight so not so bad.  It was another dull start to the day which burnt off and became another super day and I took advantage of it.  The garden hoses are tied up ready for the winter but still awaiting their winter parking place.

Breakfast of boiled eggs and toast again, kitchen tidied and it was a day of not a lot of action.   A lot of the morning was printing off documents for my student for his lesson this afternoon and trying to work my way through my computer filing system.  I'd was hoping to use lot of the stuff that I'd used for his brother about five years ago but locating it was another matter.  I had a break in that I hadn't found what I was looking for so took to cleaning shoes and putting summer shoes away...it will soon be autumn boots and it was about three weeks ago until out Indian summer arrived.

I drove into Djebel and on the way there was a piercing scream from the Nipper that I couldn't locate so I carried on to the garage.  My student's father came over and worked out the it was the heater fan, the noise stopped on the blower when it was on three of the settings and only occurred on the  one setting.  It does entail taking the dash off to get to it so it was shelved...I just didn't use setting number three.  Result though, I was handed a fifteen litre container of old engine oil so no excuses for tomorrow unless I decided to have another day off.  The boy was just about to go out to play since his mother had told him that the lesson would begin at five and that was a wrong move.  I marked his homework, we went through the next text and it was a slow old process and he was eager to be off again and out with his playmates.  Off he went and I went through his lesson with his mother and she's going to add the Bulgarian words to some words of the next.

Supermarket for a few items and home just before seven.  Fish finger sandwiches for supper and I've spoilt myself with three mini eclairs.  Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow so far but things can change......the garden is calling though...such a lot to do before the weather changes.  LN....We're being spoilt......LN

Friday 18th October

Lovely night and woke up at six with no interruptions.  I would say wasted the next two hours playing Soda Crush but is it really wasting?  Not really…I won several games and it does take a little skill knowing when to go for two or a kind or two of different ones and…..I enjoy it, so why not.

I eventually got downstairs to make coffee when my lives had ended and made it down to the bread van by eight and came back with a loaf and a cheesy bread for breakfast.  The old bread was lobbed over the wall for the animals and I sat on the bench with my cheesy bread enjoying the sun.  The wind was a little cool but not a bad start to the day.  I did manage to put the hose pipes away into the wood store and hopefully that the last of them until next year, I filled up one of the log containers ready to bring it into the porch and then took my book outside and settled again on the bench.  I was surprised by a little lizard that belted across the terrace and settled by the bucket by the bench and I reckon he’d used up all his energy in the dash. I went in to get the camera and it was still there when I got outside again and it rested in the sun for a good ten minutes.  He was so tiny.

I moved in and took up my resting pose on the sofa with my book….and yes you’ve guessed it even though I’d slept well.  I was awakened by Haciber with a chocolate and hazelnut croissant and a bottle of ayran and said that it was a present from her son…..I denied being asleep and said that I was resting my eyes but I’m not sure she believed me.  All I remember about my dream was eating a complete box of chocolates and not even offering the giver one of them…what’s that all about!!  

At the temperature dropped I went round shutting the doors and windows.  I love the fresh air but not the cold air that comes after a hot day.  It seems more of a shock to the system.  Supper went in five thirty and was ready for six thirty.  Chicken wings and jacket potato and now I can potentially finish the profiteroles/ éclairs from yesterday.  They just happened to be sitting on the desk last night and that’s probably why I was dreaming of pigging it out with the box of chocolates.

Nothing for tomorrow so far….just the way I like it.  LN….Strictly catch-up calls….LN

Saturday 19th October

Happy birthday dad....he's not physically with me but I know he hangs around the house now and then,  When things get tough it's his presence that tells me just to get on with it and keep at it....he adds the mojo.  He was a miner for fifty years and not an easy life and at the end of his 'career' he was taking on the new recruits and taking them through their induction and training.  Similar life plans but he was underground while I did the work above and sometimes in foreign countries,

So what sort of night did I have...rubbish again.  Playing on my tablet and reading from two until five but it seems to be the way things are going at the moment,  I've just got to try to get back to a sleep pattern.  I woke up again at seven, didn't need bread, scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast, kitchen all tidied and the day was mine.  Before breakfast though I was sorting through my clothes that I think I might be taking on the cruise and putting them to one side and washing what needs it.  I'm not sure what the weather is like in the Canaries...I'll have to look it up but I think I just need one warm sweater especially for getting back here on the 16th December.

I suddenly remembered that the England rugby was being televised this morning followed by the Irish match so my morning was pretty well taken up and I didn't feel at all guilty about it.  Well done to England, fantastic game and shame about the Irish and now it’s England versus New Zealand as we move through to the grand finale.  I then decided it was time that I did something so I moved the long bench from in front of the porch window, swept the leaves from under it and moved the bench from the yard into the space.  Next step was to get the old engine oil that I’d got yesterday, mix it with wood preservative and liberally douse the long bench with it.  It’s a bit suspect in places and some of the planks need replacing but it’s now wintering in the little house and will be used to hold the plants that need to winter inside.  It will save them hanging about on the floor.  The long bench for the outside sink was also removed and the leaves cleared from under it and that will undergo the same treatment but it wasn’t for today.

Good day today…I had a bonfire to get rid of the damaged flower pots and leaves and bits of rubbish from the little house.  The old glass jars will go into the container tomorrow….I pay for it so I should use it.  LN….Strictly tonight so on your marks…..LN

Sunday 20th October

Sleep of the just last night...eleven through until seven without interruptions...more of the same tonight please except that I need to wake a little earlier.  I'm picking up my painter at seven fifteen tomorrow morning to get his to the hospital for an eight o'clock appointment.  Silly old me forgot that on a Monday morning we have a seven six thirty bus and only remembered after I'd made the offer.  I'll remember for next time.

I walked the garden with my coffee and counted the mole hills...bastard beings are still burrowing and leaving there tracks or rather no tracks...bloody great hillocks.  I'm tempted to but down some bangers that we use for stray dogs but do they really deserve it...no they don't.  I didn't stay out there too long....the sun was up but it hadn't really warmed things up greatly so I came back into the fold and refilled the coffee.  I didn't bother with breakfast, I was out to lunch with my ladies for a baby party and there would be food a plenty and yu cn almost guarantee the menu...soup, chicken of sorts and cake.  I waited at the square with the other ladies for the bus and my favourite driver appeared after about ten minutes.  I love him because he's such a happy chappy and there's a big sign which says 'do not talk to the driver' and there should be another advising the driver not to talk to the passengers.  He turned round, saw me and asked me how I was and I replied and then the ladies started asking him why they hadn't asked them how they were.  Favouritism is what they were inferring.

So we all say down, the father ad mother appeared with the baby and I hadn't realised that the two were married.  I knew them individually but didn't realise they were a couple and so happy with their first born.  The chocolates came round along with the money box, the food was served and we headed back to the coach and home for two.  I made coffee, sat outside with it and then got back into the Nipper to be at R and K's in Fotinovo and then on to the restaurant to meet up with my Dutch friend and do a bit of networking.  The spider's web grows.  Cards were exchanged, back to theirs for more coffee and just as I was leaving a lorry arrived bearing topsoil which was dumped near the front wall.  R's work for tomorrow was delivered in a lorry...red lorry not a yellow lorry.  Home for seven thirty, tuna mayo and buttered toast for supper and a chocolate bar to finish it off.

As I mentioned early start tomorrow and I left the Nipper outside the wall for easy access in the morning.  I'm not sure if he is staying in or not but he said that he's taking a suitcase with him....maybe wanting a few days off work.  LN....Strictly results any time now.....LN