Tuesday 29th October

Back to morning wake ups and as for watching my favourite quiz programmes last night....I went to sleep in the first one and woke up at the end of the second.  I did switch over to a programme about twins separated at birth and the effect on their lives.  I really felt sorry for the Chinese twins adopted by two families and the one mother brought them together and they share holidays....I think I could actually give up my adoptive to the other family to allow them to be together....horses for courses.

So at five this morning I was filling in time.   Down for coffee, washed up from yesterday, watch the first of the last series of Game of Thrones and was out to stop the bread van and handed over the photo of his baby from the baby party.  He was chuffed to bits.  I also tried to reset the indoor/outdoor thermometer and decided to put it to oneside and not throw it out onto the hillside.  I shall ask a friend to do it.  I was in the Nipper for nine thirty and remembered to take my documents so that I could renew the house insurance before I go on my travels.  I also remembered the eclairs that were mouldy that I'd bought on Sunday and that was my first port of call.  I took my receipt with me and handed them over to the daughter of the owner and she was so apologetic and that's not normal for Bulgaria.  I willing took my three leva, headed down to the garage shop with my insurance requirements and left the documents with her.  On to Kardjali and stopped at my Tuesday cheapy shop and found a slip on cardigan, a green leather coat that is so fashionable and a waterproof cape with hood and zipped front pocket that can live in the Beast for emergencies. ...and all this for ten leva.  Kaufland for a few items but I left the plants where they were, two pork chops for supper that now have been relegated to the freezer.  On to Lidl and picked up butter, French stick and ham so that was my lunch sorted and stopped off at the garage to fill up with gas...I really don't like running on petrol...too expensive.  I stopped off at the garage shop and my insurance has been sorted for another year at a cost of seventy four leva and that includes earthquake and other unexpected events...amazing and also burglary.

Home for two, Nipper unpacked and shopping put away and the sofa beckoned as I armed myself with a ham baguette and a coffee.  I finished the food, promptly nodded off, didn't wake until four and I was cold...despite the sun the temperature was dropping.  I lit the fire and the house is now at twenty four degrees...the insulation is kicking in.  

Not bothered about supper.....tomorrow I have the house to clean through...the men working in the roof space has left a covering of dust everywhere, the lounge curtains have to be sorted since they had to come down yesterday and I shall be using a lot of polish.  LN.....Wish me luck tomorrow.....LN

Wednesday 30th October

So last night I was engrossed in Game of Thrones and it was one thirty before I took to my virtuous couch....a little Soda Crush and asleep by two.  Unfortunately I woke at seven with the joys of spring as it heads into winter and it was a gathering of the garden burnables and the washing into the machine.  No way could I put it out though,,,there was a covering of mist that didn't want to move until around eleven thirty.  I'd put the easy 'dryables' on the clothes airer and only two items made it out to the line.  Bonfire lit and was still going strong by eleven, the cans were pulled out to go into the container and that hoover still sat in the corner and still does.  I made toast and applied ham and a poached egg and sat in the kitchen eating it and the rest of the day spread out before me...and I did very little with it.

Only having one episode of G of T's to watch I fired up the computer and watched.  I'm not sure I liked the ending but knowing Mr. Martin he could get something out of it to follow on.  This series was like watching old friends die...quite sad really.  On to the sofa with my book and it was the obvious...catching up on the lack of sleep last night and at three I picked the book up again and continued where I'd left off.  I lit the fire at four thirty and despite being slow to start mainly because I've run out of chemical firelighters and had to resort to rolled up newspaper.  It took about an hour for the first firing of the hot water to the radiators but once the fire got going everything in the garden is rosy including the fire.  At six I had the urge to get supper underway so removed the mince from the fridge, peeled a couple of onions, fried them off and made a bolognaise sauce.  I had trouble with the tab opener on the can of tomatoes and resorted to the electric can opener and it was reluctant.  I decided to try to open a second can and eventually the first gave in to the pressure to reveal its contents.  

Bolognaise made I stuffed cannelloni, put them into a dish a covered them with betchamel sauce, into the oven with them and they should be ready any time now.  Another very lazy day...off to Zlatograd tomorrow for a little bit of 'assist' and I have a belt that I want repairing so will be going to the Ethnographic quarter to the leather shop there.  LN....Hopefully the weather will be kind.....LN

Thursday 31st October

So Happy Halloween if that is your want.  Bulgarian parents don't know much about it but the children have been learning all about it at school and colouring in pictures so it should be an 'event' when this new stream finish and move on onto the next level of schooling. I've got a mini pumpkin in the conservatory but I haven't done anything with it.  My neighbours would consider it a waste of good food and it would probably frighten the cows.

Early to bed and early to rise...I woke up just before six and have kept going ever since.  No snooze for me this afternoon, I've been far too busy.  I didn't bother with breakfast and was in the Nipper for nine.  I'd wrapped up well, it was cold, raining and not a good morning at all and I took it steady on the road.  It hasn't rained for ages so I expected it to be slippery but I was OK.  I refused a coffee at the meeting place and we headed down to Zlatograd to visit the Electricity Board to solve a problem.  The local mayor said that it was the corporation's problem, the response was that it was the local mayor's and since no one wanted to take the responsibility it was passed on to the local Electricity company's so hence the visit.  We got in the queue and a pleasant looking male was dealing with enquiries efficiently and eventually it was our turn.  The man said that he spoke a little English and I said that I spoke a little Bulgarian so between us we should be able to manage. I outlined the situation in Bulgarian and he was soon tapping away on his computer and created a form with the issue fully stated, signatures were obtained and the outcome was that a phone call would be received.  Result.....it seems that there might soon be a resolution.

We drove down to the old town, stopped for a coffee and then I made my way to the leather shop clutching both my belts....the one that fits but needs replacing and the one that was replacing it.  I've been in the shop a few times so recognised the man, handed over both of the belts, explained what i wanted to happen and withing quicksticks he had his knife out, punch, hammer and new fastenings and it was done.  I asked him how much for his work and he told me nothing and I don't do 'nothing' for good efficient work so I found a five leva note in my purse and handed it over.  He told me that one lev was sufficient, the note stayed on the worktop between us while he rolled up the belts and put them in a paper bag for me and I left thanking him for his efforts.  You don't necessarily pay for time but for experience and he was very quick and did what I wanted him to do.  We stopped off at Benkovsko for a few items from the supermarket and I was invited to stay for lunch when we arrived at the finishing post.  One hour later I was on my way, got home and lit the fire and toyed with the idea of cancelling my lesson with my student today but forced myself back into the car.

I had a word with his mother in the shop and went up to find my student in the apartment and he was engrossed in a computer game on line with one of his friends.  I had to be forceful to break it up insisting that he switched the television off and said goodbye to his friend and we had a bit of the sulks and I called him grumpy which he really didn't understand.  Eventually I got him out of his mood and we had a very good lesson using a book that I've had for about ten years.  I've left it with him, explained the story to his mother so she'll do the rest.  Back home and the fire was still going so another log on and the central heating soon came into its own.  Nothing on for tomorrow until tomorrow night when I'm out with my student and her sister for supper in Kardjali.  LN...A very successful day......LN