Monday 21st December

So woke up at seven this morning, washing in the machine, shower, hair wash and dried and ready for my instructions as to what time I would be picked up to head into Kardjali...and the hospital.  We agreed ten thirty and set off down the back lane and the surface wasn't too bad considering the rain that we've had. I dropped off at the hospital, saw the receptionist leaving the hospital as I was entering and she said that my doctor was ill and not working but did I need another doctor.  I said that I did so went to wait outside the surgery.  She organised that I would see one of the other doctors that speaks English and it took around twenty minutes before I managed to get to see him.  I explained what I thought the problem was and he did a few tests, took my blood pressure and so it began.  I was taken to another 'cabinet' and told to wait outside and after around thirty minutes, I knocked on the door and found it to be locked so I went back to the receptionist and again the doctor was consulted.  My blood pressure was up and tablets were prescribed and then I had to go to another building and find another 'cabinet'.  

Within the system I have a copy of my S1 health authorisation that I have to hand over and all the new doctor said in Bulgarian...'this is so hard, very difficult' and that was entering it in the computer before she would start the consultation.  That over I had to lie on the couch, reflexes were checked, my eyes had to follow a light and I had to remove my mask, smile and stick my tongue out.  It obviously meant something to her.  She moved my head backwards and forwards and I mentioned that I thought that 'arthritis' was some of the problem and we agreed.  So another prescription and over to the chemist to buy them and back to the hospital and again met up with the receptionist and she organised that I saw the doctor so that he could explain what the problem was.  This done, he said that he wanted more test done so I went back to where I'd come from and blood test were taken and I go back tomorrow for the results.  Try doing all of that in England, for an ex-communist country they still do some things very well.

A quick trip to Kaufland and Lidl and home for five.  I lit the fire, cheese and biscuits for supper and sat down to watch a little Netflix, came upstairs to do my blog and my telephone went and I've just had a long telephone call from my son thanking me for their Christmas pressies.  I explained that there was no need to get me anything, just to use the courier system and get me some Cadbury's chocolate bars....he thought it was a fantastic idea...I'll look forward to receiving it.  So no supper required, I shall be doing the final Christmas shopping tomorrow, delivering on Thursday or Friday morning before I set off for my Christmas dinner.  LN......Turkey, stuffing and home-made Christmas pudding......LN

Tuesday 22nd December

Another funny old night.  I woke up at five, played games until six because I had no sleep in me, felt drowsy so snuggled down and woke up for the second time at just after nine thirty....and it was all systems go.  I was supposed to be at the doctors for ten for the results of the blood test so quick wash and dressed, had my first half tablet into the Nipper and off.  There was a lot of traffic as I hit Kardjali and managed to park up behind the hospital at around ten thirty and was straight in to see the doctor.  He looked at the report, shook his head, took my blood pressure which had settled down already and the problem is cholesterol...it's a little high.  His remedy was to recommend a supplement to be taken once a day in the evening so with all my tablets and 'stuff' I shall be rattling around the end of the month.  I've got to go back early January to make sure that all is well when I see my own doctor who will have just recovered from Covid....might leave it for a couple of weeks.

I carried on to A1 to pay my home phone bill and was subjected to a very harsh selling process regarding my home internet package.  She was pretty determined to sign me up but I'm happy with the one that I have.  She jabbered on in Bulgarian, I nodded at the appropriate gaps in the tirade and gently told her I wasn't interested and left the shop. They must be under intensive pressure to sell the service but if I have problems the guys are out within the hour and that's worth something.  I carried on to the stationery shop and bought a new supply of heavy A3 for doing my ancestry charts, retrieved the Nipper and parked up at Kaufland, did my shopping from the list and arrived at the checkout with an item without a barcode and she tried to tell me that she couldn't sell it.  I stood my ground and eventually she obtained the price...it took three telephone calls to 'central control' but I got what I wanted smiling sweetly as I left.  I finished off my shopping in the hardware shop next door and think I've found some tiles suitable in the sale for the two balconies the two balconies.  The damp is seeping though the concrete and it should improve the ceiling in the porch.  

Back to Djebel and updated my student's mum on my condition since she was very concerned, bought a few items from the supermarket, cash point had run out of money so had to find one that had, dinky doo shop for more wrapping paper and home for four thirty.  Fire lit, car unpacked, a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches so that I could take the tablets I should have taken this morning after breakfast but I didn't bother in case the doctor wanted more tests.  Those sandwiches should keep me going until tomorrow morning.

My stairwell look a cross between an off-licence and a mini-supermarket and all will be wrapped and ready for delivery by the end of tomorrow...that is my challenge.  The other one is to calculate how many tiles I want for the balconies.  LN....Christmas is well and truly on its way......LN

Wednesday 23rd December

Another early start but this time I didn't go back to sleep.  It was a bit of a dull start but it improved as the day went on and at least we had a sunset tonight and the moon is out.  Still haven't managed to see the two  planets that are getting extremely close to each other and I don't think this comes around again in this lifetime...maybe in the next.  Strangely enough although it's early days with the tablets I'm feeling much better.  I'm not one for moping around but I really felt rough as the proverbial badgers nether regions but today I seem to have my mojo back, it could have something to do with the weather I guess but at least I've got things done,  Poached eggs for breakfast and supper is already in and should be ready at six...proactive catering.

I lit the fire this morning, the sky looked promising but not that promising and I think I've kept it going for most of the day with only around four decent sized logs.  I stationed myself in the stairwell at the big table and I've only got two more presents to sort out and wrap.  The ladies' carriers are all ready, I've only got presents for Gulcan's parents in the next visit to wrap and that will be it.  Even my cards are done and dusted so tomorrow is pretty clear for me.

Having had that last scare with the blood pressure I'm going to invest in a wrap around machine for taking my own blood pressure.  It's going to be fun trying to put it on but the doctor advised me against one of the electronic finger ones saying that they're not very accurate.  If I really get stuck I can ask my student's mum to measure it when I go to Djebel and I really should be keeping track of it myself not relying on the Fit bit to tell me what my resting rate is and my actual.  It hasn't done a very good job so far...I would have expected bells and whistles.

As for the balcony tiles I've roughly calculated how many I need and when I see Bekir when I the pressies over for him and Sally, if he's going to Kardjali on Saturday I might see if we can meet up to see if the tiles are suitable for outside use.  I don't trust a salesman and since Bekir would be laying them and being responsible for the job, best ask the 'expert'.  It obviously won't be a winter job but the price was exceptional and I could have both balconies tiled for around two hundred leva if my calculations are correct,  I haven't been out there with my stick of centimetres, been far too busy for that today but will probably confirm dimensions tomorrow.  At least if these tiles aren't suitable, I'll be able to strike while the iron's hot if I spot others.

I can smell supper so the kitchen requires my input one way or another.  LN....Christmas can come....LN

Thursday 24th December

Awake at five and made a hot lemon, salt and honey drink and took it back to bed with me.  Half an hour playing games and then it was let the morning begin.  I emptied the fridge and switched it off and there's certainly no global warming in there.  I needed an ice pick, hairdryer, carving knife and eventually it was clear by ten thirty and now the build-up begins again.  I made toast for speed, a load of washing went into the machine and at twelve I was ready to concentrate on the task in hand, just one more family bag to wrap and all should be out for delivery to the village tomorrow, fingers crossed.  It's become a bit of a ritual on both our parts but the old ladies are so considerate for the year supplying me with home made yoghurt, cheese and eggs that it's my way of saying thank you when they won't accept money.

Sun came up, out and over and the temperature rose to twenty four in and around ten degrees out.  I didn't light the fire but laid it ready for when the temperature decided to plummet and it certainly did so it was out with the matches and off it went around three thirty.  Just had the last of the family present to finish off and made a few more card and set off around five thirty having preciously agreed that I would be at my student's home, plus mask by six thirty.  Now this time I was running ahead of schedule, I stopped off at the car shop and handed over the first of the presents and received a goody bag in return.  Exchange is no robbery and with sincere greetings I moved on to the next pit-stop apologising that I was early.  Time for a catch-up, I was force fed despite my protest, they'd all eaten earlier,  They insisted on opening the presents and when the present for the home was unleashed, the mother was reduced to tears.  Unfortunately my student's sister, who is now pregnant, had left earlier so the little one sent photos of the cache, offered to open their presents and they might be intact by Saturday afternoon.....I really hope so.  

Safely home and no incidents on the way home,  the embers were very active so I gave the fire a poke and another couple of logs went on and it didn't take long to get the chill taken from the air..  I'd like to offer my best wises for Christmas day, I shall be spending mine with friends and sill be setting off after the goody bags are distributed.   LN .....Happy Christmas.......LN

Friday 25th December

Well Merry Christmas everyone and all.  Six start and lit the fire even though I was going to be out for most of the day.  I watched a couple of episodes of Mary Queen of Scots and then concentrated on finishing off the wrapping.  I made the decision not too deliver the presents to the ladies of the village until tomorrow, it is Saturday and some of the families that come to look after the aging relatives will be able to accept the gifts.  I made breakfast so that I could take my tablets for the day, washed and dressed and lined up the presents I was taking with me, the others are in the lounge and all the other debris is cleared away and the living area is very presentable.

I was in the Nipper by ten thirty and intended to stop off in Bekir and Sally's village to leave them there gifts and as I drove into the village, there was a crowd of men and it was sorted.  The lady from the shop would take Sally's since she lives next door to them and I walked down towards Bekir's house and met his wife.  We had a catch-up and back to the Nipper and as I was leaving the village I saw Bekir with his sheep and hopefully tomorrow we can meet up in Kardjali to see if the tiles that I've earmarked are suitable for the balconies.  So...tomorrow with my stick of centimetres I'll do a rough calculation.

I arrived at the private restaurant in Fotinovo, fantastic welcoming decorations and really pleasant and enlightening company for the day.  I was designated two sprouts and I managed one (that's a joke for Princess) and after lunch we settled down to a couple of films and a documentary about the Plantagenets and it's amazing what you don't know about your own vocabulary and a book has been recommended to raise my education...well maybe.  On my way by eight, home, fire lit, don't need food I'm stuffed to the gills, get this posted and I'll be opening the pressie from Princess and Co.  I do like to savour Christmas and I joked with her that if I didn't like the present, it could have possibly spoilt my day so this way it only spoils the evening.

So hopefully you've all had a good day.  I feel relaxed and despite this virus, contented with my lot.  LN....Hope it's not raining while I'm measuring up..LN

Saturday 26th December

So six start this morning, coffee, games and sudoku and at seven I noticed that the fire was still going from last night so gave it a poke and threw another log on.  I made more coffee and settled down to my Netflix 'Reign' and even though I know the end, the twists and turns beggar belief.  It's almost comical in places but hey-ho...not long to go now.  It was another pink, grey, blue sky, the sun came up amidst the stripes and it took a while to come through then for the rest of the day it's been cloudy with a cold wind.  I decided to have a bath, put too much hot water in so ran some cold into it but put too much in and then it all went ladies; anatomy skywards...a bit like Goldilocks bears' porridge.  First it was too hot, then too cold but I never got it just right.  I got in, and got out and decided to leave it for another time and got dressed.

I was going to make toast but then I remembered that I had bacon in the freezer so made a bacon sandwich for breakfast with brown sauce.  One of my Chrissie presents from my friends in Fotinovo was a new glass bottle of HP so it's no long rationed so late in the old year and going into the new.  Post breakfast tablets taken and out on the balcony clutching paper, pen and stick of centimetres and quantity required of tiles for the two balconies calculated.  Measured twice to make sure, Bekir phoned to confirm that we would be meeting at eleven in Kardjali so that he could confirm that they were the right sort of tiles for outside use.  On with the sprout socks and I posted a message of FB and waited for the comments to roll in...and they did.

Into the Nipper and arrived at just before eleven and Bekir met me outside the store.  He checked over the calculations and more or less confirmed them so we added another square metre to make sure, tiles purchased and they were put on a flat bed trolley by three men and then the trolley pushed outside to the car-park and then it was down to us to load them in the Nipper.  I then realised my mistake, I should have taken the Beast so I dropped the back seats and crossed my fingers that the suspension would hold, said farewell to Bekir and very gingerly I made my way home avoiding the dips and bumps in the road.  I made it safely, parked up with the back door really close to the entrance door in the little house and found an old pallet, cleared a space and started to unload one at a time....they're heavy old things.  It took me about half an hour to complete the task, the outer protective package layer was very damp and not worth keeping so I stripped it from the tiles, stacked them on the pallet on their ends and had a bonfire to get rid of the damp paper.  I wasn't able to burn it all, the wind got up and so the rest is back in the little house.  Got some logs in ready for the evening, locked up and my work for the day was done.

I decided to open more of my presents from my daughter and found one of the packages to be a box of Brazil nuts dipped in chocolates so back to Netflix, topped the fire up, quick tidy round and then I was settled on the sofa and eyes southwards for a couple of hours and the television switched itself off so I reckon I've got to check where I was watching up and back track a little.  I don't want any supper, I've had too many nuts and chocolates and I guess those things aren't on my list of things that I can eat regularly.....ahh well, it's Christmas.  I'll start getting strict with myself when the New Year comes.  I had a quick chat with Princess and said that you can't keep a good pair of sprout socks down and we've made a pledge that we're both going to wear them over the next few years on Christmas day....bonding.

Just watched The Chase and what a load of money they won for charity and I was really impressed by Colin Jackson...very knowledgeable chappie.  Thirty five thousand pounds each for their charities....not a bad evening's work.  Half nine my time and looking forward to my bed tonight and nothing on the agenda for tomorrow except that I should really run round the village with the Christmas gifts for my ladies.....I've just not got round to it yet.  LN...Tomorrow is another day.....LN

Sunday 27th December

Rain, rain go away come again another day....and it's still chucking it down now.  It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow but let's wait and see.  I have pools in my garden, the yard is swimming and I've had to go and clear the leaves from the drain out onto the roadside...it was getting very waterlogged.  The morning was paved with good intentions but I didn't follow up on any of them.  It was eight thirty when I woke up this morning, I cleared the fire out but didn't light it, it was ten degrees outside and eighteen in but that didn't last long.  I made breakfast and did a load of washing, watched until the end of Reign and my daughter was correct. she did lose her head in the end but I didn't realise that she was a prisoner of Elizabeth for about twenty years....I really must get a good book on the subject matter and read what was fact or fabrication.  Fire lit, washing put on the airer to dry, Brazil nuts finished and a chocolate orange took a good beating.  What else is Christmas for?

We had a brief interval this afternoon when the sun threatened but that was very short lived and now it's throwing it down again.  I hear that England has had very violent wind and rain but that it's sunny as we speak.  A couple of phone calls from and to home with updates especially since one of the family is in hospital with the dreaded lurgi...so wishing her well.  I've got a new series on the go....I've done two episodes of Marco Polo and since he's no one I know anything about they can end it as they like...I have no preconceived ways of how the story is to unfold.  I started working on Ancestry but the brain isn't in the right frame of mind for challenging facts and figures, dates partners and the likes.  I've just checked out Transponder TV and what a lot of tut there seems to be on there so I might very well be revisiting Marco your actual.  No supper planned so far, I might make it into Kardjali tomorrow for another few of the same tiles just in case we have breakages during the laying of them....it would be a shame to be a couple short.  LN.....I still have more presents to unwrap...what a lucky girl I am.....LN

Sunday 27th December

Rain, rain go away come again another day....and it's till chucking it down now.  It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow but let's wait and see.  I have pools in my garden, the yard is swimming and I've had to go and clear the leaves from the drain out onto the roadside...it was getting very waterlogged.  The morning was paved with good intentions but I didn't follow up on any of them.  It was eight thirty when I woke up this morning, I cleared the fire out but didn't light it, it was ten degrees outside and eighteen in but that didn't last long.  I made breakfast and did a load of washing, watched until the end of Reign and my daughter was correct. she did lose her head in the end but I didn't realise that she was a prisoner of Elizabeth for about twenty years....I really must get a good book on the subject matter and read what was fact or fabrication.  Fire lit, washing put on the airer to dry, Brazil nuts finished and a chocolate orange took a good beating.  What else is Christmas for.

We had a brief interval this afternoon when the sun threatened but that was very short lived and now its throwing it down again.  I hear that England has had very violent wind and rain but that it's sunny as we speak.  A couple of phone calls from and to home with updates especially since one of the family is in hospital with the dreaded lurgi...so wishing her well.  I've got a new series on the go....I've done two episodes of Marco Polo and since he's no one I know nothing about they can end it as they like...I have no preconceived ways of how the story is to unfold.  I started working on Ancestry but the brain isn't in the right frame of mind for challenging facts and figures, dates partners and the likes.  I've just checked out Transponder TV and what a lot of tut there seems to be on there so far so I might very well be revisiting Marco your actual.  No supper planned so far, I might make it into Kardjali tomorrow for another few of the same tiles just in case we have breakages during the laying of them....it would be a shame to be a couple short.  LN.....I still have more presents to unwrap...what a lucky girl I am.....LN

Monday 28th December

Silly night watching rubbish on the television and so late to bed.  I woke up equally late so had a good rest.  Coffee, didn't go back to bed, I was determined to get Santa's late delivery delivered so set about tidying up the few presents that still needed wrapping and finding out what was left.  There's a little group on the periphery that are not quite in the inner circle but that I feel guilty about not giving anything to and those were the difficult ones to sort out.  Seven are packed up and ready to go, just another couple of others and then....'He-ho the Nipper is ready to go'.  Breakfast came before anything though, bacon and egg, well the bacon did need using up and fried bread but don't let on to the doctor, I emptied the ashes and set the fire ready for tonight.

Nipper loaded around eleven and the rest of the Christmas paper and ribbon is away into the third bedroom.  There's a loft ladder that needs installing and then I shall be able to get the boxes up in the roof space instead of them cluttering up the bedroom and that's a job for Bekir and Sally when they start over again.  So first drop was at Beyser's house and I found out that Haciber is in Turkey with her daughter so that's one that won't be delivered.  Next stop down to Zelinger and there were lots of shoes outside so thought I might find other ladies there but no, I think it was family.  I left the Nipper where it was and delivered to Emula's mother, other to my lady who has the garden next to my woodstore and then to the 'little lady' whose daughter always tries to con me out of cuttings for the garden.  Not only did I give a present but I actually received on from her.  Back in the Nipper to the next village and my painter was nowhere to be seen and neither was Goujan's family so I came back home, unloaded the 'undeliverables' into the lounge, tidied my presents away and now all is good.  I brought in two loads of wood, burnt the rubbish and settled down on the sofa for the afternoon and played a few games and had a little nap.

The fire is lit, chicken wings are thawed out but I think they might go into the slow cooker for tomorrow.  I'm not thinking about food at the moment, maybe later.  I went out to take a few photos and noticed that we have a full moon and how did that come round so quickly!!  We're heading swiftly to the New Year and let's hope it's better than the last.  I need closure on this bug and hopefully I can be in the running for an injection and again hopefully, it comes with a 'passport to travel'.  Going round the garden I was surprised at the new life and shrubs that are flowering.  Shame that the cold is yet to come and maybe catch them out but for the present...just enjoy....and as for tomorrow...pretty much the same as today.  I didn't go into Kardjali this morning because it was chucking it down,,,,I'll take a rain check tomorrow.  LN....And relax.....LN

Tuesday 29th December

Funny old day, the fire was limping along this morning so I kept it going.  It wasn't cold but I was sitting around doing nothing and it's always better to be warm in those circumstances.  I was awake at five, lingered over coffee and computer games on the Kindle until seven when I made the fire and mooched around culminating on preparing beans on toast for breakfast.  I washed up anything that needed doing, watched the cat from the bedroom window eating I know not what, bringing it back up and having another go at it.  By the time that I went out to have a look there was nothing there and no trace of anything having been there...not even the cat.

The sun was very slow to break through and when it did it disappeared just as rapidly.  The outside temperature has been around ten all day but it really didn't feel like it and inside has been around twenty.  I put the chicken wings into the slow cooker with a packet of chicken soup and that was going to be supper. I sat at the computer on the landing reading postings on FB from a new group that I've been accepted in to.  It was a company site and I first joined the company around nineteen seventy eight and back to full time work after having the children.  It's amazing how many names, people and places crop up and bring back good and bad memories.  I was with them for quite some time and then the first area to go in a crisis is 'Training' and then back on to the 'Open Road Toad'.  It didn't take long before I was on the treadmill again and 'retired' once more leaving me free to make my move over here after retirement.  Anyway, back to the new group.  I've got some manuals that I've hung on to in the UK so I made a phone call and sure enough, some are there and photos have been sent over so I can post them on the site.

I moved down to the lounge and settled myself on the sofa, watched some television, nodded off to catch up with the sleep that I was deprived of from such an early start and have felt thoroughly relaxed all day.  I added more soup but this time chicken and mushroom to the slow cooker, separately cooked pasta, added to the pasta to the slow cooker and gave it a final blast.  All I know is that I shan't be making it again using that sauce mix or chicken wings come to that.  Too many bones, the chicken and mushroom can stay of the supermarket shelf for me and the cat will have a field day tomorrow.  Washing up done, water heater on, logs on, pyjamas soon to be on and an early night is on the cards.  Again, nothing to do tomorrow, I might have a day of ancestry making a new chart on A3 since I bought heavy card for the job.  LN   Tomorrow is a blank canvas.....LN