Wednesday 20th November

Six start, I opened the curtains to mist, no mountains, everywhere damp and miserable looking.  I made coffee, went back to bed and got stuck into Soda Crush.  I've a bit of a issue though...I think I've got about three sessions with Soda Crush with the same log in so depending on which machine I'm on, different skill levels required.  Unfortunately though I was doing really well last year as was Mrs D of S when were were both wiped clean and had to start from the beginning and there was no way back except through sheer effort and long hours spent.

Eventually I got out of bed, made toasted ham and cheese sandwiches, washed and dressed and I headed down to the fire pit to empty it out and get the rubbish that wouldn't burn into the container in the square.  I put the debris against the wall, unburnables into the log carrier with the rest from the container by the porch and even some old jars from the little house.  I trundled it up the road and as I walked by the last house, the ladies were all trooping out and were saying farewells to someone who was obviously going away to work.  I had a quick chat with the lady, emptied my goodies and walked back home and I had visitors already parked up.  I'd left a little enigma, house unlocked, wood store unlocked, television playing on the tablet and nobody at home.  I chastised my visitors for not having the kettle ready for making the coffee so we went in and got everything going.  Very kindly he'd come round to get mt little notebook sorted and to get my account set up with the mobile provider.  Notepad done and works fantastically well, the account will have to wait.  Once Google translates it, it appears that the coding in the background doesn't like it.  It ways enter ten digit, ten digits entered and it comes back with an error...doh.

They left around one thirty and I settled myself  on the rocking chair and read my book until I got bored of sitting.  I'd tried to find my chopped off t-shirts and had one last look in the chest and there they were so straight into the washing machine and now they're on the clothes airer.  Than't now the end of my packing, just got to get my travel clothes sorted, on the coat-hanger just to jump into and then it will be all systems go.

A casualty today...one god crest that obviously thought the reflection of the tree in the conservatory was something to head for...wrong...and such a pretty little bird.  I scooped him up and threw it on to the hillside for nature to take its course but while walking the garden, I noticed how many flowers are still out.  The pretty pink ones were scavenged without roots from my student's parents garden  and now they've rooted and are flowering in their own right.  No supper for me....I've demolished a pack of salted peanuts and feel fairly full.  Nothing outstanding for tomorrow....a very pleasant interlude day for me.  LN....Log on the fire time....LN

Thursday 21st November

What a night....the rain kept me awake for most of it, it was bucketing down, eased off slightly around dawn and I eventually got up at seven thirty. I found the same clothes from yesterday, washed, breakfasted and set out to clear the terraces, get the benches and pots in and eventually came in at eleven with everything achieved.  I don't think I shall have to water them before I go away, they were sodden.....and so was I.

There was only one thing for it,I lit the fire, switched the boiler on and when the temperature was really up I settled in to a hot bath, soaked for about an hour and a half, washed my hair and read my book lying in the bath.  Fortunately the Kindle survived.  I drove into Djebel for four this afternoon, I had my student and when I arrived at the apartment I was surprised to see the budgerigar flying loose and even more surprised when it tried to land on my head.  I'm really not into flappy things.

I'm late with the update....when I came to switch on the main computer, the keyboard wouldn't load.  I've learnt one thing though....how to get the on screen keyboard working,,,,I didn't realise that there was one but after much slamming around and trying different keyboards in different USB ports,I eventually managed it.  Tomorrow's task is to clear the leaves from the ditch outside the wall.  I noticed that the water had backed up where the leaves had gathered by the grating over the pipe taking the water down the lane.  Obviously the guys that work on the streets for the local Kmet hadn't noticed them.  I did get a wave from one of them as he cycled home carrying his umbrella and it was a good job there wasn't any wind.  He'd have made it to the next village quicker than he anticipated.  LN....Time for bed....LN

Friday 22nd November

Rain, rain, go away....and don't bother coming back.  Quick weather report from the Canary Islands...fine during the day and raining at night.  Shan't be up on deck much then and must remember to get the washing in from the cabin balcony.  It has thrown it down all day.  The rivers are swollen and ones that normally just trickle down the river bed and gushing.  The Varbitsa is so wide and thank goodness it's got a flood plane otherwise properties would be flooded out.  

So I was awake at five this morning, Soda Crushed for an hour or so, down for coffee, washed and dressed and decided to face the suitcase and dug the scales out from under the bathroom cupboard.  I stood on it, picked it up and shook it, managed to find three batteries of the same voltage, tried them one after the other and they still didn't work.  I put it on the back burner, made a toasted sandwich and waited for the clock to tick round so that I could head into Djebel, with the scales and get a new battery.  I handed it over to my student's mum, in went the battery and lo and behold....they work so I don't have to buy a new set.

So still keeping on the plan for today, I carried on to Fortinovo and presented myself with my old phone and I was in for a technology lesson.  The old phone was being replaced by one of their old ones which wasn't anywhere near as old as mine...and things that have been outstanding for around three or four years have been resolved and many, many thanks.  I'm now moving into the new age at my very old age.  There was a brief interlude, a telephone call in Bulgarian and I found myself heading out to the street, holding the phone and the guy I was talking to was heading towards me.  It's all to do with a big old dead tree which we thought we were able to pin the responsibility tail on the donkey but now we're back in limbo.  Back to the drawing board Cecil.

I left around three and went into Momchilgrad to go to the service provider's shop....we just couldn't manage to get internet working so I handed the phone over and left it to the expert.  He was a man of few words, pressed some keys and just handed it back with Google screen displaying.  I thanked him, there was no response and he was on to the next.  I paddled back to the Nipper, the streets were running and went back via Djebel.  No way was I tackling the back lane.  A Djebel stop for fresh bread and spicy sausages for supper and a bag of hazelnut truffles that demanded to be bought.

First job was to light the fire, second was to go out and remove the leaves from the river that was now running at the base of my wall and getting higher with each leaf that got jammed.  I cooked supper, it's nine thirty my time and almost time for bed considering that I've not had an afternoon siesta today but am feeling OK.  Weigh in in the morning, fridge to be thawed out, chargers to be assembled and hand baggage to be packed.  Nails at two tomorrow ready for the off.  I'm almost there.  LN....Lots achieved today.....LN

Saturday 23rd November

So this morning was a bit of a meander morning.  I'd had supper last night and then suddenly I had the most awful pains in my stomach and thought that I was destined to be worshipping the great white god but I managed to avoid it.  I'd had spicy sausage for supper fried off with onions and whether it was too rich for me late at night, not sure but I've eased off the food for most of the day.

So referring to my list I set about the things I had to do.  I wrestled the suitcase on to the scales and it was as I thought...underweight...and came in at seventeen kilograms so I had wiggle room.  I was just sitting down after a frantic hour and my gardening neighbour appeared with a bag of hay for my water meter underground box.  The temperature had really dropped this morning and she predicted that we would have snow before the end of the day and she got her information from Bulgarian television.  Apparently it was heading over from Smolyan...and so far it's not arrived.  So I took the cover from the water chamber and it was full of water...we've had so much rain that I wasn't really surprised so I accepted the hay and it was a job for later.  I eventually dressed, got a load of washing in and hand washed my Jack Jones woollen cardigan laying it flat to dry and decided that I needed to get the fire going so that I could get it dry.  I was still waiting for the snow.  There was enough ice though...I cleared out the fridge, turned it off and put the blocks of ice removed with a knife and a wooden spoon handle, into the outside sink to melt and drain. Another job from the list.

At one thirty I set off to have my nails done before I go, called in to the supermarket and bought a litre of vodka for the suitcase now that I knew that I had room for it.  The fire was still going so I topped it up and then set about the water chamber.  I cleared it out with a jug on a piece of rope and tomorrow I'll do it again, turn the water off and apply the bag of hay...the local remedy.   The suitcase is now downstairs which was a job in itself and the electricals are all charged and the only thing I seem to have a problem with is the waterproof Fitbit.  I think I might have to sort it out in the UK as it's still under guarantee.

Quick bath tonight before I sat down to watch Strictly....and not really sure who will go out later tonight.  The list is now considerably shorter...bonfire, water off, gas off and checking the lights are all switched off.   LN.....Best laid plans of mice and men.....LN

Monday 25th November

You may well ask where yesterday went...I'm asking myself the same thing.  I managed to do and check off the things on my list, took the Nipper to the shop and my first Bulgarian student, home from university was waiting for me.  It was lovely to see him again.  He did suggest that I meet up with him in the student's quarters in Sofia later that night but I declined gracefully.  Firstly I was feeling pretty tired before my four hour bus journey and secondly...I'd probably fall asleep in front of all his friends.  Not the image I really want to portray.  Catch me after the cruise.  

So I slept most of the way to Kardjali, got off at the usual airport bus stop and found a taxi with the lights off but I asked him if he was for hire.  He knew the hotel and we set off but unfortunately I hadn't checked his rate card for the journey and I got stung...not badly but enough to make me check the random taxi lying in wait.  The hotel was fine, I had a small single room, pizza for supper, caught the Strictly results and a reasonable night's sleep in a single bed.  Breakfast was OK, another taxi journey and I was surprised how cheap this one was.  My carry all including what seems to be the kitchen sink weighed in at twenty one kilos so there would have been room for the extra bottle of hooch for my guest but ...next time.  Murky grey weather for Sofia and Gatwick, the over the clouds on the journey over was really good...sunshine at last.  As per usual, the Bulgarians applauded when the pilot got the plane down safely....what is it with these people...he's only doing his job.

I got through the airport pretty quickly and managed to get to Brighton just before three and my guest was waiting for me....but now the position is reversed....I'm his guest.  We stopped off at Lidl and I'm amazed how cheap the English on is comparing it to BG.  I think we're being stitched up a little over there.  Mince pies were on the shopping list as were crumpets...rude not to and bottles of water...my tipple of choice.  Home felt like I'd not been away....I tend to settle in quickly and BG seems very far away.  Tonight's challenge was to get my little Chuwi Notepad sorted so that I can take it with me on the cruise.  I'd ordered new cable for the specific machine, they'd arrived and worked.  The camera linked with the machine and I got the image resizer working and my next challenge is getting a mouse to work with it.  The mousepad is useless......the display size keeps automatically changing so I've moved on to a machine that I haven't legally got access to yet....tomorrow is another day.

So tomorrow we have to enter passenger details for the next flight on Friday and print out boarding passes but that's after I've taken a walk over the Downs to the sea...even if it's raining and I'll have camera in hand.   LN...It's good to be writing again....LN

Tuesday 26th November

So last night I took to my virtuous couch by ten thirty and it was seven thirty before I saw the light of day....or rather the grim cloud and rain of morning.  What shabby weather.  I'd made the decision that the first job was to add the passenger information for our next flight on Friday and to print the boarding cards...and this proved to be not such a good experience.  There was more information about what you could add to the flight experience and frankly...I didn't really want to know what I could have for breakfast or to book this to enhance your flight.  I just want to get on a plane safely and off safely and my holiday starts there.  So that done and boarding cards printed, the next was a switch over to easyJet to get my guest checked in for out flight to BG on the 16th December.  This again was proving to be an issue...I'd booked the middle seat for him, I like the outside and he likes the window so I had to change his seat both ways and then he wanted his breakfast booked so it gets delivered before the herd get the chance of theirs.  I shall just have a nibble of his until mine arrives....I'd run out of patience at this point and wanted breakfast of the day.  For me I had a sausage sandwich followed by toast and marmalade to keep me going for the day.

Yet more challenges...the waterproof Fitbit decided to lock up and by fiddling with it and resetting the clock face twice I got it going again.  The Chuwi is now set up for a mouse and will charge through a USB connector which took some working out and we also managed to set up some finger print recognition suitcase locks.  I'm not sure if we'll use them but at least they're all set up.  

A guest appeared mid morning and it was a brief interlude from business.  He's a dear soul, eighty six and still game with a lovely sense of fun and humour.  Off he went and I started going through drawers of clothes to see if there was anything else I wanted to take so it was going to be one in and one out of the suitcase.  Lucky to have such choices.

Bath and hair wash and we went out to meet my daughter and her husband for supper at the local carvery.  Brilliant to see them both again, it was his birthday so it was a bottle of Bombay Sapphire and twenty dollars to spend on a drink while they are in America for Christmas.  We have a family lunch for the fifteenth booked just before we all take off in different directions...such is out family life.

More of the same today and tomorrow night we're out for supper again.  I'm going to struggle to get into my swim costume at this rate.  As for photographs today...I'm sure you're all experiencing the same in the UK and it appears the Greece, France and Italy are all in the same boat or wish that they were.  LN....The camera will come out one day when the light is right.....LN

Wednesday 27th November

A really good night's sleep again....I love my English sleigh bed and at least it was until my daughter absconded with it and left me with their frame but  I've still got my mattress.  Sleep of the just.  I was up and about before my host, stuck a couple of crumpets in the toaster and lavishly buttered them and went back to bed with a coffee.  I finished my packing, my large suitcase is padlocked, it has twenty kilograms exactly and I'm only hoping that the airport scales read the same as mine.  

Eventually my host surfaced, I was pretty cruel and kept hounding him to get on with his packing or at least sorting the grain from the chaff and we're more or less there.  In the meantime I managed to write my Christmas cards and after lunch we headed down to the village and I got the stamps and posted an overseas card....bring it on.  We carried on to Asda, I bought a couple of nail varnishes that I thought might be about right to patch any stray  nails but instead trimmed the offending nail and neatened it up.  It's looking OK...so far so good.

So back home and carried on with the item selection.  My second case is more or less full and will be finalised tomorrow and it has to be.  Off we set at
six to the fish and chip shop in Burgess Hill.  We were visiting  another dear friend and arriving with supper and I added a bottle of coke, creme caramel and a packet of mince pies leaving her with the left overs.  Home for ten fifteen, blog and bed....I shall be pleased when the taxi is here on Friday...nothing more to do, catch the plane and up and away.  LN...All completed on the Chuwi....LN

Thursday 28th November

So much for good night's sleeps.  I was awake at three and playing stupid games until four...I knew it was too good to last.  Tonight is going to be pretty short too, the taxi is booked for five thirty in the morning...Alexa...set alarm for four thirty and let's hope she's listening.

As for the rest of the morning...pretty much more of the same.  I woke up at six thirty and went down to make coffee, sorted out the final washing that had been put in the drying cupboard and moved it on to hangers over the radiator in my bedroom.  I succumbed to more buttered crumpets for my breakfast before the rest of the house was awake and was presented with a bacon and egg sandwich around eleven that's seen me through until I finished off the Philadephia cream cheese with biscuits.  Just tidying up the fridge and that should see me through until something gets purchased and delivered on the plane.

We popped out this afternoon to visit a couple of friends in the next close to say fond farewells.  She's a jigsaw fanatic and has found an outlet for the ones she's conquered selling thm on to a man in the market who repackages them and makes a small profit on them.  They have to have all the pieces there and I'm not sure if he stands and counts them to make sure but since most of them have a thousand pieces....he's got his work cut out if he does.  Best to take a photo of the completed puzzle and hand it over to him and he's got to trust it's complete.  We also got on to the subject of old coins and she brought out some very old sixpences and he showed us a commemorative coin that he was given the day that he was born.  It's supposed to be a four shilling coin dated 1889 which I've never heard of, same size as a half crown but no value stated on it.  It will be interesting to google it and see.

My luggage is downstairs and my clothes are on the hanger waiting for five fifteen in the morning.  Hopefully the next update will be from Teneriffe....fingers crossed.  LN...Almost time for bed said Zeberdee.....LN

Friday 29th November

So it was a very disturbed night waiting for morning and a taxi to arrive.  Itl was on, I was on time and my host was running late.  Eventually we got going and ended up at the south terminal instead of the north but eventually we got to the right place, boarded the flight and arrived in Teneriffe just before one in the afternoon.  It was a very smooth transition to the ship and we were soon in the cabin, unpacked and lounging on a very large balcony with a hammock and sunbeds.  Saw cruise ship in port that we had used several times before and thought had gone to Davy Jones locker....quite a surprise.

A tour of the ship made us realise how large it is and after attending a muster, we found a restaurant and 'Showtime' and we are about to set sail.  Here endeth the first day.  LN....More to follow...LN

Saturday 30th November

Fairly good night's sleep with the gentle rocking of the waves. We've just been warned tonight over the tanoy to close bathroom doors....it could be a little rocky....and not on the tree top.n This morning found us heading to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria and I was out on the balcony to watch the dawn.  It wasn't  like home....no mountains for it to hide behind but there was a lot of activity on the water.  

Breakfast was buffet style and we fill up and I used some of the energy in a swim.  Boy was it cold getting in and I was the only one in there.  With a smile on my face I managed it, sea water was clear and I stayed there for about thirty minutes.  Buffet lunch and a promenade to Las Palmas meant  that I could fill  on Cadbury Dairy Milk.  I'd made a mistake yesterday thinking that 'all inclusive' included the small bar of chocolate on the dresser.....wrong...it was charged to the bill.

Full restaurant meal tonight and Fuchal tomorrow....and maybe an organised tour.   LN......So far so good....LN