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Elsa Peters
November 10, 2019, 7:15pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 10th November

So I had a word with my body last night and said that I wanted seven hours of sleep and no excuses would be accepted...and it worked.  It was seven when I opened the curtains to the rain and wind and I almost shut them again.  I was out of bed by eight thirty, buttered toast for breakfast and that did me until this evening.  Last night's curry was sitting a little heavily but that's what probably gave me my good night's sleep.

I dressed for town but keep imagining getting in to the Nipper and heading out but that's as far as it got until I suddenly upped sticks, put on my purple Ugg boots and went for it.  I set off just after one heading for my favourite lev shop armed with shopping list for the presents for the ladies for Christmas.  As you know I make up bags for each of them and what started out as a 'thank you' to the four main characters has taken on a life of its own.  It almost became 'one upmanship' so now it's been expanded and is more inclusive not exclusive.  I think lst year I gave out around twenty presents, not expensive but they take a long time to wrap.  I almost thought a  'bran tub would be a better idea bur that's for another year.  It will be my first here for the last six years so Christmas will be on the twenty fifth not on any day around it.  My poor student will have to wait...she's normally wearing the present the day after I deliver.

So I parked up in the street behind the shop, walked through the arcade and it was closed.  Plan B....Kaufland for a few items and on to Lidl for baked beans and six tins of tuna since that was on offer.  As I was leaving the store and heading back to my car, the heavens opened, most of the locals stood under the canopy and I stoically carried on and unloaded my shopping basket.  I returned to my car after taking the basket back and there was the most beautiful complete rainbow in the sky and where was the camera...on my desk at home.  The rain was so heavy, deep pools had formed on the road back and I had to drive very carefully which is more that can be said for the locals.

Hope for three thirty, shopping unpacked and I settled in to sort out my other small duel boot laptop that I've never really bothered about.  I'd put it on last night and it had automatically updated Windows and now i had to negotiate Windows ten without a mouse...not an easy task.  Eventually managed to get Transponder TV running on it and  I'm amazed at the life of the battery.  I think when I get my head round it, it's going to become a firm favourite.  Chicken wings and roasted vegetables for supper tonight and all over by seven thirty, fire going and David Attenborough commentary going on while I'm writing this up.  Nails at two tomorrow afternoon and I'm off to the market in Djebel tomorrow on a search for new underwear.....it's the best place for choice.  Lovely colours in the sky tonight and eventually the moon came out and it's almost full jut another day or so and it will be.  LN....Strictly results and then bed....LN




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Elsa Peters
November 11, 2019, 6:08pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 11th November

Six thirty start and my Fitbit battery was flat so my sleep details won't be accurate.  Not to worry....I felt OK.  I woke up from quite a detailed dream and I wasn't going anywhere without my mother which, considering that she hasn't been around for a good few years, seemed an impossible task.  Strange what the brain gets up to.

Coffee and back to bed. it was raining. so much mist I couldn't see the bottom of the estate so didn't get out of bed for real until eight thirty.  I didn't bother with breakfast and spent what seemed like several hours trying to get access to this blog from my duel boot laptop.  It came back with the message that the log in didn't match the details held and it eventually sunk in that the letter 'l' on the keyboard didn't want to play especially when I was trying to put the password in.  Obviously it came up with asterisks so I wasn't aware of the faulty keyboard until it could only have been that.  I tried once more, watching the asterisks as they appeared in the password boy and eventually...success.  The downside is that if the keyboard doesn't work while I'm away the laptop might find itself somewhere in the Atlantic.  I also had a phone call from my Princess regarding arrangements for my trip to the UK.  I'd promised to email her and hadn't and now have.  I've also let my son know that I shall be in the UK and hopefully we'll also be able to get together as a pre-Christmas bash.

Late breakfast and at one thirty I was in the Nipper heading for Djebel to get my nails done.  I was dead on time for my appointment left the salon an hour and a half later feeling so relaxed.  I think it's being pampered.  I sat in the car parts shop with my student's mum and we put the world to rights.  A few items from her shop, some batteries and fire lighters so that's another thing off my list of things to do.  

I bought a packet of smoked ham from the supermarket and that made supper very easy for me.  I'd not bought this before so I put it in the frying pan treating it as bacon, when it was cooked through I opened a tin of baked beans, lobbed them into the pan and had all of it on a couple of slices of buttered toast. Monday night is quiz night for me...so that's me settled until around eleven tonight and then to bed.  Potentially Kardjali tomorrow..undecided yet....Ill see what the weather brings.  LN....And still relaxed.....LN



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Elsa Peters
November 12, 2019, 9:36pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 12th November

Early start and I wasted away the rest of the morning until I made bacon and eggs for breakfast.  That went down well but then it was downhill for the rest of the day, well not exactly downhill but slowed down somewhat.  The batteries for my camera have needed charging more than average so I spent some of the morning finding, ordering and letting UK know that they would be arriving on the 14th November.  That was one job off the list.  Next lengthy procedure was to re-register to vote in the up and coming elections and was amazed how quick the process was on the internet.  I'm only waiting now for forms to arrive from my base in the UK but then I require a postal vote because of the cruise.  Complicated but it seems to be going OK so far.  I'd put bacon and chilli beans in the slow cooker so supper was underway so another thing not to think about.

I lit a fire, it was dull, rainy and as soon as it got going the sun came out but it was still a 'lie on the sofa with a book' day and a fire was really necessary.  I had my afternoon nap, picked up the book again after putting another log on the fire and the house managed twenty four degrees.  I got another load of logs in, walked the garden, sorted through the crossed out password changes for various things and updated the entries ready for taking with me to the UK.  

Supper over with, I've just run the bath and am about to soak myself for half an hour or so.  The blogs late...the internet went down and only came up about ten minutes ago.  It's much faster now though...they must have had issues.  Kardjali tomorrow...I didn't bother today....I wasn't in the mood for it.   LN....Bath and bed....LN
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Elsa Peters
November 13, 2019, 7:41pm Report to Moderator

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Wednesday 13th November

Seven start this morning so much better than normal.  I did have my bath last night and felt very relaxed when I went to bed.  I still needed to wash my hair though and the perfect excuse came when I opened up the PC...there was an invite to a private art viewing in Kardjali and did I want to go...and the answer was yes.  I'd been to the venue last year for another private viewing and I was looking forward to seeing the same group but with a different artist.  We weren't going until four in the afternoon so I had lots of time to do what I wanted to do.

Breakfast was a bacon and cheese omelette and it went down very well.  I cleared the kitchen of the washing up from last night and this mornings efforts in the kitchen.  I had another run through of clothes that I want to take on the cruise with me and most of that is put to bed now.  I played around on the computer and created next years calendar and eventually managed to get showered and shampooed to get on with the rest of my day.  I got dressed for the day, took the camera out and noticed how much was actually in flower.  I think it's due to the mild wet weather and I have a perfect mushroom ring in the grass.  I loaded up the log basket in the house and filled up the log carrier and noticed that the recent winds had brought down yet another lot of leaves and fortunately there aren't many left.  I scraped them up and collected them in the garden waste bag and threw them on the bottom of the garden against the wall so that they'll rot down over the winter.  I also collected the ones that had fallen outside of the wall into the ditch and put them on the road and fortunately the wind was blowing in the direction of the lower square and the wind did the rest taking them away from my wall and the ditch.

Ready with boots blacked for three thirty, I made coffee for my guests and we set off and parked up in Kardjali and headed for the venue.  We met up with one of the main guys, were introduced into the group and the artist and her husband.  I wasn't sure of the artist and her work,  To me a lot of it seemed 'constructed' and not very artistic but it takes all sorts.  We stayed around for an hour or so and ended up at the Turkish restaurant for supper and had a very enjoyable meal.  We did make the mistake of ordering what we thought were potatoes in their skins topped with cheese...wrong...they were mushrooms topped with cheese but still very enjoyable.

Home for eight, lit the fire and the house is warming up.  It;s not cold but it just makes it more homely.  Kardjali definitely tomorrow....my specialist from the bank was at the viewing so I made an appointment with her for tomorrow...I have a few things to sort out and I really have to get my ticket for the bus journey to Sofia for my trip to the UK.  LN....A very enjoyable day....LN



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Elsa Peters
November 14, 2019, 8:12pm Report to Moderator

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Thursday 14th November

Seven start and didn't bother with breakfast.  At nine I was ready to head to Kardjali, I'd written a card that I wanted to get into the post and I really wanted to get my bus ticket today...without fail.  There was quite a lot of traffic on the road, I parked up at Billa car park in the centre of town and walked over to the bus station and on the way, my local bus driver spotted me and signalled, did I want him to stop to get picked up so I signalled that I was shopping and he waved and carried on to Djebel.  It's quite reassuring that I'm looked after by my neighbours.

I went into the bus company office and had the third degree after I'd got my ticket and paid over my twenty lev.  We covered all topics such as how much was my English pension but I answered her like I answer everybody else...'it's enough'.  I also mention that I worked for forty five years or thereabouts and paid in regularly for my pension so I paid in and I deserve to be paid out and I am.  She mentioned that her daughter has married and Englishman and is living in Nottingham and she's going over for Christmas whereas I'm back here for the holiday.

I carried on to the centre carpark and sorted out my dealings with the bank....headed back to the carpark and moved on to Kaufland...I needed to go to the loo.  I did a little shopping, the store was heaving and I was out as quickly as I could.  Now over to the lev shop and managed to find the basis for my presents for the ladies of the village...I've made a start.    On to Lidl and again just a few items. the advertised items from the emails didn't appear to be in the store...they must be featured on another day not their usual promotion day.  I'd had the warning 'bleep' my gas had run out so I stopped off at the garage. twenty three lev on gas and twenty lev on petrol.  Under fifty lev and the Nipper topped up and good for over three hundred kilometres can't be bad.

Home for two thirty, fire lit but didn't seem to want to go. again into Djebel, I had my student this afternoon.  We managed one and a half hour of lessons and we concentrated on building sentences and communication and he's getting really confident with me which his mother is finding hand to believe.  I commented that she's mother and my relationship's different with him...I take no prisoners.

Gog back just before seven, the fire has only just come to live after quite a lot of effort on my part.  I had a rack of ribs 'reduced for quick sale' for supper followed by a chocolate pudding.  The brain is now settled after getting my bus ticket and now I'm packing tomorrow and writing my checklist for house close down.  LN....I'm getting there....LN
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Elsa Peters
November 15, 2019, 7:40pm Report to Moderator

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Friday 15th November

Silly night again.  I woke up in front of the computer so decided to stay up and watch Question Time and I never learn.  It was from Brighton but I didn't see anyone I recognised and didn't expect to but you never know.  Eventually got to bed and after twenty minutes of Soda Crush eventually got my head down and straight through until seven and didn't even bother going down for a coffee...I was taking too many pickies of the dawn.  Grey clouds were around with an orange tinge on them, lightening was over the Greek mountains and mist in the valley and eventually the sun came over the hill and the clouds became brighter and the sun blasted forth,

I collected up the house rubbish and had a bonfire, put a load of washing in and my morning had started.  I checked my emails and there was a message from Princess so I phoned her but she was on her way to work and she phoned me back.  She was looking for ideas for a project she was doing for college so I spent some of the morning looking for ideas.  She was shrinking it and I was expanding it so I searched through an old external drive that I had from my work life and ended up not finding what I was really looking for.  I stopped for a while and made myself a ham sandwich and that was my breakfast over in quicksticks.  

I had a couple of calls from the UK about the new batteries that I'd ordered to be delivered to the UK and it was actually late but confirmation tonight that they've arrived, Nobby the postie was clutching it in his sticky little hand as my guest arrived back from the shops.  I went back to my sifting through the external drive and ended up writing what I thought was required so my daughter can pick the bones out of it and take what she likes.  Washing i and on the airer in the bathroom and I looked at the clock and it was almost six...where had the day gone?  

I headed down to the kitchen to make another coffee and pulled a large chicken escalope that I'd bought yesterday from the fridge .  The second one I took from the packaging and that's now in the freezer.  The bread was smothered with tomato sauce and mayo and the chicken was really too big for the bread so I ended up nibbling round the edges and then attacking the sandwich.  I've sent the missive over to my daughter and I'll get feedback tomorrow I'm sure.  I've not lit the fire tonight...I somehow forgot but I have put socks and slippers on....I've been bare foot all day.   Soon be time for bed....it was strange looking back on policies, processes, timescales and training timetables.  LM...Surprised how much I'd forgotten and how much I once knew....LN



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Elsa Peters
November 16, 2019, 5:01pm Report to Moderator

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Saturday 16th November

Another silly night when I found myself watching something and without a hint of sleep in my body I ended up playing Soda Crush until about three this morning.  I still woke up at seven and didn't feel as if I'd had a restless or disturbed sleep and have felt fine all day...until around four this afternoon when I had a customary nap.

I'd toyed with the idea fairly early on this morning that a trip to Kardjali for a suitcase could be a possibility.  I got washed and dressed for town, decided to remove my bus ticket from my purse and put it with my travel documents and looking at it , the departure time was for four thirty in the afternoon.  Now maybe it got lost in translation with the lady in the office but I know that I'd asked for the one thirty giving me time at the other end to get comfortably settled in the hotel.  This confirmed the idea I was off to Kardjali to get the ticket changed.

I didn't stop for breakfast and was in the Nipper by just after nine deciding to have breakfast in town when I'd done what I needed to do.  I parked up at the bus station, the lady confirmed that it was for the later bus and said that if I wanted to change it I could and the cost would be two lev.  Not exactly an earth shattering amount so she updated the details in the computer, issued the new ticket, gave me the old one but with the time crossed out and confirmed that I would have the same seat number.  From there I walked to the new department store next door to look at the luggage and low and behold, the sales assistant used to have the dinky do shop as I used to call it in the centre of Kardjali.  She came over, I recognised her but at first couldn't place where I knew her from and then it dawned on me as she plonked a kiss firmly on my cheek and went for the second encounter.  I said I missed her shop but she said that, it was not better here but what can you do without money.  She was on the fourth floor but sent me to the fifth where they had more luggage but I left it at that I went back to the car.  It seemed to have edged forward and got its nose firmly in the shrubbery and when I got back in I realised I'd left the handbrake off in my hurry to get into the bus station.  Thank goodness there was a decent hedge between the parking and the road.

I parked up in the centre of town and walked towards the luggage shop.  Two cups of coffee and no breakfast made a visit to the loo by the market important, I said good morning to the lady and as I left she said 'thank you'.  They're all learning English for my benefit...I smiled and carried on to the luggage shop.  Found a suitcase that was suitable at a reasonable price, they kept it for me while I went over and had pizza and yogurt drink for breakfast and then back to the car with the case.  Down to the cheapy shop and found a couple of lightweight jumpers for the cruise and a zippy fleece for home use.   Paid my dues, quick trip round Kaufland and home via the back lane which was a little hairy but manageable.  I had to look twice...on the car park next to Kaufland there was ...a camel...in a corral.  Obviously left over from the fair from the previous week but I did do a double take on it.

Shopping unpacked, new purchases washed and on the line but there was little change of anything drying so I lit the fire and after an hour or so brought the washing in and it's almost ready for putting away.  Chicken wings and veg are in the oven for supper , Strictly tonight at nine my time so thank goodness for my kip this afternoon.  I'm out for a late lunch, early evening meal tomorrow so I reckon I shall break the back of the packing tomorrow morning....this isn't normal...I'm usually buying my ticket around now with days to go and panic ensuing.  LN.....Time to check on supper....LN
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Elsa Peters
November 17, 2019, 9:12pm Report to Moderator

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Sunday 17th November

Cold miserable damp day so the activity has been mainly inside. what activity there's been.  Breakfast was a ham and cheese toasted sandwich that didn't take much preparation at all and I did managed to clean the roasting tins, throw the old bean chilli out on to the hillside and put everything away.  At least it looks good.  Again I tried to get the little dual boot machine into readiness for my trip on the high seas but to no avail.  I need a program to shrink photographs so that I can post them on the blog but I couldn't manage to get it to work...back to the drawing board Cecil.

I started my packing and assembled the shampoo and conditioner that I want to take with me, made a list of the other jobs that need doing prior to departure and then ran out of steam.  I laid the fire...there wasn't any central heating from that great big ball that should have been in the sky and because I was going out at two thirty, I didn't set fire to it.  Dressed for visiting by two, in the car on time, over to Fotinovo and have spent a very pleasant afternoon and evening with them.  A home made curry for supper with poppadoms and lime pickle, the likes of which you can't manage to buy here.  I have a recipe but it seems to be a long drawn out process so on my list of things to bring back from the UK...two jars of lime pickle...it's a must for curries.

We put the world to rights. I left just after ten so have messaged to say that I didn't meet with anything untoward on the way home.  There was only one near escape for a low flying ...I'm not sure who was more surprised.  Nothing so far for tomorrow....I might head into Djebel market for one or two things for the suitcase.  LN....A very relaxing day.....LN
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Elsa Peters
November 18, 2019, 5:33pm Report to Moderator

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Monday 18th November

It looked like it might be another good day so I had breakfast, sorted out the underwear that I have and realised that I didn't really have to go on a spending spree at all.  I tried oon outfits yet again and have started to pack my case and everything that was identified as needing to go but needed washing was put in the machine .  As the tub went around the weather started to change somewhat but it was still good enough to hang it out when it had finished.

I've not mentioned it before but a pair of shoes that I have with velcro fastenings just don't stay 'velcroed' up any more .  The original fastening was put on as part of the manufacturing process so it would mean that there was over stitching on the outside of the shoe so I reckoned that I could over stitch velcro that I'd bought from Lidl.  I'd just settled myself to start the project and my painter appeared in the yard.  I went out to see him, he didn't need anything in particular from me but asked if I wanted any mushrooms. He'd collected loads of them, they're growing everywhere this year because of the weather but I said no to his offer.  It was at that point that I noticed the weather closing in and there was a rumble of thunder so the washing came in.  I asked if he'd had any further notification from the hospital since our last visit regarding his eyes and nothing.  As he left, it started to rain and then the heavens opened, more thunder and it's hung around all day.  No way was I heading out this afternoon to Djebel.

Washing up on the airer in the bathroom, I sewed the velcro into the shoe fastenings and it works Cinderella.  They will not fall off when I'm rushing home just before midnight.  I lit the fire so that the washing would get dried upstairs, settled down on the sofa, had the statutory afternoon nap,  I fed the fire, the temperature is not bad for the time of year and holding twenty two inside the house.  As for tonight's weather, the rain has stopped but the thunder is near and the lightning is sheeting over the mountains with the odd fork thrown in.  I shan't be surprised if the electricity goes off tonight but fingers crossed we'll be OK.  I don't need any supper.  I had some fruit loaf before I went to sleep and it's set solid.  Only one picture of the woody taking his picking from the lawn..lazy bones.  Maybe he had a hangover and didn't fancy bashing his head on a tree.  LN...My night on the tele tonight....LN



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November 19, 2019, 6:53pm Report to Moderator

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Tuesday 19th November

So I missed my two quiz programmes last night...slept through both of them. woke up, went to bed and slept through until five thirty this morning.  I opened the curtains eventually to a very drab, wet, misty morning and eventually got out of bed for the second time at seven thirty and I was firing on all cylinders.  There were a few embers still left in the wood burner but not enough to get it going again so after throwing the green speckled bread out to the cats and birds, I lit the fire. I set about breakfast, I opened a packet of bacon,  fried it off, added a couple of whisked eggs, made an omelette and sprinkled smoked cheese on the top of it.  It filled a gap until six this evening and I've now topped up on toasted bun loaf and salted peanuts.

As for the rest of the day it's been well and truly filled.  My packing is finished and I managed to find my swim suit that's been on my brain for the last few days.  I washed both of my body warmers, they're not on the 'to-go' list if they get there they're ready to go.  I hand washed my grey woollen short coat but got it into the washing machine for rinsing and spinning.  I tried yet again to complete registering for my mobile phone site and again it bombed out on me.  At twelve I decided to head into Kardjali and on the drive in the weather improved, the sun started to shine and I should have done it earlier.  First stop the mobile phone shop and there were only two remaining, and the queue kept growing.  I was determined to face it out and get answers.  I waited for about twenty minutes and eventually a very pleasant assistant handled my payment but didn't charge me enough so I explained that that didn't cover the extra payment I wanted to make for the time that I'm in the UK.  I also asked her to check if my account had roaming on it which it didn't and she handed me the phone to the help desk and I should be receiving a confirmation text...eventually.  I paid my landline bill so that was another thing off my mind and I was told not to worry if the payment was late...it wouldn't be cut off.  Back to Lidl for a few items, filled up with gas at the exorbitant cost of twelve leva and made my way back to Djebel, firstly to the cash point and then money exchange and into my student's mums shop for a quick catch-up.

I got home just before six, rescued the fire and unpacked the shopping.  Outstanding challenge should I accept it is to set up my mobile account sign up...I'm determined to get it done.  Nothing else on the agenda for tomorrow so far.  There's a threatened visit from my Fotinovo friends and without timescales.  LN....Weigh in time for the suitcase tomorrow.....LN
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