Friday 1st November

So the house managed to hold the temperature last night but with no fire going today it was a little chilly to get up to.  If I had had been in this evening I would have got it going today but knowing I was out tonight I didn't bother.  It was cold this morning at five degrees and raining as I headed out to feed the birds with yesterday's bread.  I left it in a big chunk thinking that might slow them down a bit,

I was very slow off the mark this morning,  Seven when I awoke and after playing Soda Crush it was eight thirty before I got out of bed and headed for a top up for my coffee cup.  I made only toast since I couldn't find any beans to go on it.  Memo to self,,,check the underneath storage and it's now on the list for the next shop day.   After that I settled in to the rugby not really bothering about supporting one or the other but it was obvious that the Welsh were outflanked at every twist and turn of the game.  They tried hard but the NZ lot were just sharper.

With the weather changing so rapidly I spent the rest of the morning putting away my summer clothes and bringing out winter sweaters and pyjamas.  The shelves are all tidy and we'll see how long that lasts.  After tidying everything away I got the hoover out and did my bedroom first, landing, other bedrooms and bathroom and headed down the stairs still attached to it.  Lounge, corridor, downstairs bedroom, kitchen and conservatory all shipshape and I can have guests again.

Into the Nipper by five and headed out to Djebel to my student's home.  I was meeting her at five thirty and we were going to visit her sister's new home and off we set for Kardjali.  I knew more or less where the house was and the food just kept coming.  Her husband is working in Denmark and she has nothing to do but cook and she's good at it.  Eventually we set off for the restaurant and I felt that I'd filled up already.  I managed to find a parking space quite near, there was live music playing, we ordered, it was delivered and doggy bags were order of the day for the girls but I managed all of mine.....and this little piggy.....and you know the rest.  I drove the sister home, my student came out clutching pumpkin pie for her father, I drove home to Djebel and dropped her off.

Home safe and sound and all quiet on the western front.  Rugby final tomorrow so don't want any guests until the afternoon.  LN....Should sleep well tonight...full as a little tick.....LN

Saturday 2nd November

Five thirty start, back to bed with my book and washed dressed, washing done and breakfasted by eight.  It was a much better start tot he day...the sun came up very gradually eventually shaking off the clouds but the wind was chill.  I pegged the washing out expecting to have to finish it off on the clothes airer but I was surprised, that chill wind managed to get the clothes dry.

I put the computer on so that I could get settled in to the rugby...I got bored with the run up to it so was only half concentrating.  I went down to the kitchen, found the rest of the spaghetti bolognaise and the can of tomatoes that was reluctant to open the other night, opened a can of cannelloni beans, added chilli powder and put it in the slow cooker and that was designated as supper.  Eventually the game began, I got very frustrated watching it and in the end left them to it...they were on a hide into nothing.  Promising so much and delivering very little.  I don't see how a game can be won by forcing penalties and kicking balls between the posts.

So I headed out and started sorting out the plants that had to go into the little house.  The swinging bench proved quite easy to move from the terrace to the little house, much easier than I though....it's long, it's wide but I obviously tried the easy route first.  It proved more difficult in previous years.  I moved the cacti and the succulents in, the rest are line up but my attention moved to the pot plants that could do with planting out.  I dug up a patch of Jerusalem artichokes near to the wild plum and planted a couple of a type of laurel that I'd grown on from cuttings and a very dark purple nameless something and I'm hoping it will withstand the cold.  

I locked up the little house and came in at four,lit the fire , put the washing on the airer to finish off, had an early supper and the boiler is on for a bath this evening,  Strictly tonight and it's going to be an early night for me and so far,nothing on for tomorrow.  The temperature is dropping...I only hope that the plants that are outside are going to be OK.  LN...I need to check out the long range weather forecast....LN

Sunday 3rd November

Slept through until seven this morning...what a good night.  It was very misty, I watched the sun trying to break through and it took quite a time.  I was washed and dressed by eight thirty and went down to get breakfast and today I made an cheese and onion omelette....lots of eggs that need using and it made quite a change.

Eventually I made it out to the garden and first job was to get the umbrella  into the little house.  The wind was getting up and I didn't want to see it over the hillside and now all is safely gathered in.  The bougainvilleas are in the little house ready for the winter and everything that can withstand the cold but not heavy frosts is standing ready to heave in when I get the warning from the weathermen.  After the terraces I swept the little house floor and put an old rug down over the very dusty floor to try to keep the dust down.  Just the benches and the trunk with the outside cushions to come in now and that about it.  I'm undecided what to do with the outside water barrel....I'm tempted to move it into the little house and fill it with water so that I'll have water in there when I need to water the plants.  It will also protect the barrel from freezing.

I came in at one, checked emails and FB and then sorted out the books that I have on the Kindle.  I had lots of old ones and I was reading some over again and in the wrong order especially some of the older ones.  At four I had a half hearted attempt to light the fire.  It was twenty two degrees in the house but outside it was dropping but a firelighter on last night's remnants didn't do much.  I didn't put a lot of effort into it, added another layer and sitting very comfortably upstairs watching television.

Market day in Djebel tomorrow so I might head in and make a few new purchases for my trip to England and onwards to the Canaries and it shouldn't be too busy....the Turkish that came over to vote in the elections have all gone home so we'll get back to normal.  No photos tonight....I used my old camera after charging it up thinking that the connecting cable was the same...wrong....I'm now on a hunt to find it.   LN....Strictly results and bedtime.....LN

Monday 4th November

Seven start for me again...at last my body is adjusting to the change of the clock...It took long enough.  Another change in the weather...it was chucking it down...and it's been the same all day interspersed with gusts of gale force winds and I'm not sure where my watering can has ended up.  I wasn't going out to risk getting blown over the hillside.  Toast for breakfast, I toyed with lighting the fire hut the temperature outside went up to eighteen degrees so it really wasn't necessary. ..well not until much later.  Lots of big bird about this morning....I thought Hitchcock had reincarnated and was trying to recreate a masterpiece.  

Toast for breakfast...I had a real search for baked beans in the tin basket but alas none to be found and I didn't really fancy eggs today.  So tomorrow it will be a trip to Lidl to top up the supplies.  Today I've done more preparation for the winter.  The fleece nests are out of storage and sitting on the beds and the clothes for my guest are already in his bedroom even though we don't fly back from the UK until the middle of December.  I've also remade a curtain to replace the blackout curtain in the downstairs bedroom...I had a dark purple curtain with metal hanging rings from one of the cheapy shops and long enough to double up.  Out with the sewing machine, folded it over and sewed along the header, up it went and that's another job done.

Tuna mayo with toast for lunch and the rest of the afternoon was spent on the sofa with the book.  I lit the fire at four and it must be the direction of the wind, it went first time and has been chugging along ever since and still going strong.  Kardjali tomorrow with my student's sister....early start, she has to be somewhere else by lunchtime.  LN....Early to bed then....LN

Tuesday 5th November

I wonder if Guy Fawkes is going to be out and about tonight...he would sort out Brexit.  Have a good evening everyone....it's not a custom here to burn wood. it's too useful a commodity and fireworks are kept for New Year's Eve.

It belted it down last night.  The sun forced its way through the clouds. the mist over the river won again and the mountains disappeared and about ten minutes later the sun had won through again and mist only remained in the valleys and over the river.  Very pretty.  I was out of bed by seven, washed and dressed and after a conversation last night with my student's sister last night, she cancelled this morning's trip to Kardjali thinking it would be too wet.  Locals don't do well in the rain but as it happened, it would have been OK.  I listened out for the bread van but I must have been doing something else when he hit the village and missed him.  The bread sported a feint hint of green so over the hillside it went and I settled for a cheese omelette which set me up for the day.

In to Djebel for eleven picking the Kmet up on the way to his local council meeting.  I joked with him about sorting the road out on our way to Djebel and he defended his position informing me that it's the responsibility of Kardjali.  I'll remember in future or leave him to walk into Djebel.  Made my way to my student's mother's shop and we had a catch-up and then headed for the leva shop, I needed more socks, most of mine have holes in the toes.  I should really cut my toe nails.  I remembered the bread, hope for one thirty and have took up a position on the sofa, read for awhile, slept for a while, coffee, biscuits and lit the fire at four thirty.  I could have done lots to day but I didn't...tomorrow is another day.  LN....That water barrel needs sorting....LN

Wednesday 6th November

Six thirty start, photo shoot morning from the balcony, coffee, back to bed with Soda Crush and out of bed for the second time at eight.  I had bread from yesterday so didn't need the van, washing in, washing out and toast for breakfast. So last night I wrote a list of things that I had to do today....six things listed and five achieved.  The last can't be completed until I go to Kardjali...I need to book my bus ticket for the airport.  The lady said that a lot of people travel to Sofia on a Sunday so not to leave it until the last week.  Lovely sunrise and I was out on the balcony with the camera and I even posted some of them on FB.  That's the first posting since August....  

I cleared up the burnable rubbish and lit the bonfire and sat on the wall at the bottom of the garden just enjoying the morning.  It wasn't a hot day but very pleasant for working.  I'd planned my day....the water barrel was to be emptied out into ten litre water bottles so that I can water the plants stored in the little house over the winter.  I  managed to fill ten bottles and they're already in place. I attached the garden hose to the barrel outlet tap and the intention was that it would drain into the lane...wrong....there just wasn't enough pressure so I emptied more on to the ground and eventually dragged it to the drain under the main gate and tipped it over and out it went.  It took quite a bit of cleaning out since there was a fair amount of sludge in the bottom of the barrel from the roof but it's acceptable and now in the little house for the winter, I didn't want it to freeze and split.  I took time to clear the area, tidy up the gravel pit and added a couple of tyres that have already been planted up with bulbs.  Next job was to collect up the leaves and throw them over the wall...looking good.

There was a brief lull in proceedings, I stopped for a late lunch of tuna mayo with beetroot, rested for a while but then back out to finish the outside and it's a job well done.  I didn't intend doing it but it was a good way to fill the day.  Washing in at five thirty and it was already going damp so it's on the airer.  Another free day tomorrow so I can please my little self again.  LN....Bath time so boiler on....LN

Thursday 7th November

Six start....that front from yesterday was more prevalent this morning and I anticipated rain before lunch...which didn't turn up.  I was still in bed at seven thirty playing Soda Crush until it hit me that I needed bread so washed and dressed quickly and arrived downstairs as he was driving up the road and tooting his horn.  I grabbed my purse and headed down the street and only Haciber and Zelinger were down there and I was surprised that Haciber was there.  Her new daughter-in-law gave birth yesterday, she was round with the chocolates to tell everyone, her daughter arrived from Turkey yesterday and I thought that Haciber was off to Assenograd to visit the newborn.  Wrong....they'd gone but left her at home and I felt really sorry for her.  Maybe she didn't want to go but that's not the way it appeared.  Anyway....sending good wishes to the new arrival.

I came back from the van with a loaf and cheesy bread and of course there's only one thing to do with it.  Open cheesy bread, fry off a packet of bacon , slap bacon on bun, make new coffee and watch morning TV while munching same.  I fed the old loaf to the birds, came back in and settled on the sofa reading my book waiting for the sun to break through.   First job was to take the wheelbarrow down to the bottom of the garden and bring back the old fence planks that had been propped up against the wall by the bonfire.  That done, they're now in the garage propped against another wall but at least it's dry in there.  I did intend to chop it up for starter wood but I have to get the reciprocating saw out first and saw then up into 'chopable' lengths....job for another day.  I did managed to get the porch tidied and swept, the wood sorted, enough wood chopped for a couple of months and the window sills emptied.  Some of the old wood has gone into the burning bucket...it was almost dust.

I came in just before four and realised that I had my student this afternoon so headed up and got changed.  I made it to Djebel for four fifteen, we started the lesson at five fifteen and finished it at a quarter to seven so not bad.  He spent more time talking to me and I can see an improvement.  I did have a little laugh, the obviously decided to discuss the book that I'd used with his English teacher and he'd picked out a few words and said that she is not very good, she didn't know what 'itch' or 'scratch' meant.  He was very proud of himself.  I should go and read her the story.

Home for seven ten after I stopped off and bought goodies from the shop.  Supper was cheese biscuits and soft cheese followed by a packet of Maltesers....what could be better.  Reciprocating saw tomorrow and the rest of the wood to be chopped.....and bring in the rest of the wood store around the back of the little house.  It's a tidy up that should have been done before at least it's getting down now.  Anyone would think that I'm expecting guests....sorry I forgot....I am.  LN....Soon be time for bed.....LN

Friday 8th November

Five thirty start and it was pitch black out there.  I got settled in with Soda Crush and managed to complete a super-hard one after three attempts and I thought I was in for the long hall but no.  Two more games knocked off at the first attempt and then my life was up and had to think of something else to do.  I was washed and dressed by seven thirty, omelette cooked for breakfast and kitchen tidied and it was only eight o'clock.  I was toying with the idea of getting out there and finishing the wood but fortunately....it started to rain so I was on stand-by.  

It's been a tele-day, the only action was to make curried chicken wings and get them into the slow cooker for supper.  I did make up the guest bed with the nest so that by the time we get back from the UK, at least the bed will be warm to get into even though the house temperature might be down.  We can always adjust later when the house warms up.  I did check out the weather on the internet and we should be OK....early minus figures for most of December and it only ramps up towards Christmas.  I didn't light the fire until five tonight and it's not really been up the chimney.  It's dropped down to ten degrees outside and is still twenty two inside...that insulation is really doing its stuff.

I had a lovely surprise via email today....my super friend G who's gone back to the UK has drawn me a picture for my fridge.  Thanks Mrs D of S for keeping me alive in her eyes...a picture for 'night, night'...which is what she calls me. As for the weather, it's been raining, not raining, the sun came out and went in again and we had thunder and lightening despite the moon being out.  Madness.  Nothing on so far for tomorrow...let's see what tomorrow brings.  LN....Time to throw a log on...LN

Saturday 9th November

Another glorious day after a slow start....that's me and the weather.  Doors and windows open to let the air through and the only fly in my ointment today was a very unsuccessful hunt for a swimming costume that I've probably put somewhere safe knowing that I wanted it for the cruise.  It's that safe that I've just not managed to find it...back on the hunt tomorrow with my thinking cap on.

A moment of success though.  In the UK my guest has a clock that is reputed to have been given to one of his relatives when he was working for the Bank of England in Egypt...well that's how the story went.  I'd done his family tree  last year and we could find no mention of a man of the same first name but looking through the internet this morning I put in the name and it came up with a possibility that this was the name that this person was known by and it was in brackets after his first name of Charles and it gave his date of birth.  It also said that he died in Alexandria, Egypt and I could hardly wait pass this information on.  Another search and it brought up a complete family history which solved another enigma that we'd come across last year to do with Wine Merchants, Oporto and Jerez.  

Toast for breakfast and jam made from my own wild plums, normal jobs done and I must admit I spent a lot of time today reading in the rocking chair in the sun.  I  did manage to get a line of washing out and it's finishing off in the bathroom.  Last night's supper was OK but not a really hot curry so the remainder from last night has now been put back in the slow cooker with added curry powder.  There'll probably be steam coming out of my ears tonight.  No photographs...twenty seven degrees in and up to seventeen outside....no Kardjali and no gardening.  I've just lit the fire though...comfort factor.  LN....Another 'down'day but very enjoyable....LN