Friday 19th February

Seven start so I made coffee and went back to bed.  It was a cold damp morning, just on minus outside but the thaw was definitely on.  I lingered in bed playing games until nine and thought of myself as a sloth but the day was mine to do what I wanted with so I wasn't too bothered.  I didn't have that bath last night, I thought about it but I didn't fancy washing my hair at nine and then having to dry it so I remain uncleansed and my hair went under a hat today so no one really saw it.  I got dressed quickly, another coffee and my morning tablet and then straight into writing the shopping list making note that A1 were chasing me for the home phone payment.

I was in the Nipper for ten fifteen and headed to the dentist to make an appointment.  I got called into the surgery after explaining to the receptionist/nurse what the problem was and despite having one inspection three weeks ago he decided to take another x-ray to confirm that the other tooth hadn't shown and the old one was still there.  The problem is that I keep sticking my tongue underneath it, my tongue gets sore but it's a bit like picking a scab.  As I returned to the reception area the nurse was taking the blood pressure of a man and obviously he was being refused treatment because his blood pressure was high and he proceeded to phone his doctor,  The nurse decided to take mine since I'd mentioned that the doctor had put me on half a tablet a day, measured it on my left arm and said it was high, so tried it on my right and it had come down...so don't know what that means.  So now I have to be at the surgery by ten so that I can sit in the reception for half an hour before he does the extraction provided that the blood pressure is OK.  I can take my normal tablet but he reminded me that I shouldn't take aspirin which I don't anyway and not to have anything to eat.  So it's coming out hopefully.

Next step was the garage to ask them to check out the gas supply since I appear to be running on petrol and it's not changing over.  They checked it out and once again I'm at the beck and call of the expert from Plovdiv with the computer and he's supposed to be coming down this coming week so I shall expect a message from the garage owner's wife.  Last time the man was coming, then he wasn't, then he was and finally he didn't.  Hope we have more luck this time since the brother of the garage owner has a similar problem and needs the expert for his car.

I drove to Kardjali and stopped off at the leva shop and bought the tights that are such a good bargain and comfortable to wear that I'm going to throw out all my others.  Back in the car and paid my phone bill and then walked to the stationery shop and bought Tippex, a new stapler and more staples and a staple remover all for the costly sum of ten leva.  I carried on to Lidl, completed my list and a few more items, put the items back in the basket on wheels and took it to the car and got told off by the security man for taking it out of the store as I was taking it back.  No one's stopped me before but maybe he was being shirty or they've lost some of the new ones already.  Back to Djebel, bought bread for the freezer and another giant box of After Eights...rude not to.  Shopping unpacked, fire lit, coffee and a ham baguette and that might very well do me until morning.  LN.....A day of achievements......LN

Saturday 20th February

Seven start and what a miserable day it's been.  I did managed to get my bath and wash my hair so started off clean and lovely and my only other achievement was to drive into Djebel.  I lit the fire before I went in the bath and I could hear the water circulating through the central heating system and by golly did we need it.  I took my Kindle with me and settled into reading my new book and when the water got cold I topped it up, I switched the boiler on and could have stayed there all day but didn't obviously.  It lingered on freezing outside and inside was hovering around the sixteen mark but it soon crept up to a comfortable level but I've been sitting around for most of the day binging on Netflix and Outlander.

I made ham sandwiches for breakfast which was a mistake...a cooked breakfast makes you feel better for the whole day but I'll remember for tomorrow.  In front of the fire on the sofa was a good place to be, I'd layered up to make sure that I stayed warm.  At three I decided that I would go into Djebel to buy my birthday cake for the neighbours and I'll cut it up in the morning and take it round.  It's a little bit late but at least the cake is fresh.  I also went to the cash-point to make sure that I've got the cash for the dentist on Monday and filled up with petrol now that the gas is waiting for a service.  So back home for five, I filled up both the log basket and second log carrier, the wood has more chance of warming up before it's put in the burner.

Supper tonight was going to be hamburgers but not really sure that I'm going to bother cooking anything.  I just don't feel hungry at the moment and will probably end up with cheese and breadsticks.  I do have it on good authority that vaccinations have already started and I'm on my doctor's list already.  Not sure how she will contact me, they have my number but are sometimes unsure about communication even though she speaks relatively good English when I have an appointment.  Monday is out because of the extraction so I might go up on Tuesday and see if she is willing.  LN....Back to the fire, the curtain is drawn and it's warmer on the other side....LN

Sunday 21st February

Seven start so I snuggled down again and it was eight fifteen when next I opened my eyes.  I'd stopped up to watch the Voice on ITV and this year it seems better than last...the contestants are all singing their little hears out.  It was a good night's sleep and I felt refreshed but it was another cold start outside, just on the minus and inside was only fifteen and I was willing that sun to come out and despite Phoebe showing her little face a few times, there was no heat in it at all.

I set the fire and toyed with the idea of lighting it but left it for a while.  I dressed warmly again, I was off round the village later delivering cake to my neighbours.  Poached eggs on toast for breakfast and tidies the kitchen for the cake cutting ceremony and out it came from the fridge.  It's one of those that you buy frozen and it's probably best cut when it is but it had spent the night in the fridge so had thawed considerably.  I opened up the box and took out the knife that I thought would best suit the job, found the plastic packaging, serviettes and poly bags and went about my job.  It was a real job to cut through the hard chocolate on the top and as soon as you'd negotiated that the inside was soft as and then the outside broke off.  It didn't look pretty but by the end I had fourteen pieces wrapped and ready and a reasonable chunk left over for ME.  It's probably the best cake that you can buy in the area, not cheap but delicious.

Into the Nipper and first stop Beyser and Zelinger was with her, Haciber came out of her house to see what I wanted with Beyser and the jungle telegraph system was in full swing.  I drove down to my young neighbour on the square who comes to see her mother each weekend and handed over two, back to the Nipper and Haciber had informed Isher and she'd come out so I handed a piece to her.  Another package from the car and I found Beyser, the lady who has the garden next to my house and we had a few words with each other....she's not been in her garden and I have really seen her for a few weeks.  All of them seemed well, all seemed Covid free but as for having the jab....no one seems interested.  My young friend said that she's not going to bother so I mentioned that no way could be be going to Greece if she didn't have it since they might very well be insisting on Jab Passports so that might persuade her.  Back in the car and I went down to see Gulcan's mother and father and then home only stopping when I saw another neighbour that I know but don't know where she lives and having a spare cake in the car, I pulled up and shoved one in her pocket.  My work was now done, home James, fire lit and I settled down to my first coffee and cake.

Netflix this afternoon, a few games on the iPad and have made arrangements to go to Kardjali on Tuesday to investigate how and when I get my jab.  I closed up shop around five thirty which means for me to closed the curtains and bed in for the night.  One load of washing done and sitting on the airer in the bathroom, it will be ready to put away in the morning.  Dentist at ten tomorrow to.  LN...Wish me luck.....LN

Monday 22nd February

So today was the day that the tooth fairy was about to remove one.  I'd slept badly and didn't realise how much pain it was inflicting upon me.....and now it's gone.  I woke at seven and stuck to water with my morning tablet, no coffee or breakfast so I went back to bed with the Kindle and filled in an hour or so. It was a better morning than we've had for a while but the air was still pretty cold out there so I dressed up warm and was in the Nipper by nine fifteen and heading into Djebel.  I stopped off and had a few words with my student's mum in the shop and she gave me a belated birthday present...the first one thanks to the delivery service in Bulgaria.  I peeped in the bag and saw what it was and she told me that there was another little present within the first present so I left it until I got home.  

I arrived at the dentist early, parked up and sat in the corridor until ten reading my Kindle.  The nurse receptionist came out and called me in to the office and immediately took my blood pressure which was normal and well within the range for extraction.  I'd had no coffee and realise that I'm doing myself no favours by probably have two or three cups each morning.  Into the chair, I was given two tubes of aesthetic to warm up in my hand and I was slung back in the chair and at his mercy.  One needle went in, then the second and I was left to freeze for five minutes or so and then on with the work in hand.  My dentist is not a man of many words, he sort of fires them out in Bulgarian expecting me co-operate immediately and 'open' and 'close' when your not really concentrating with two fists more or less in your mouth.  It too a few minutes to get it out, it didn't bleed much and a wad of iodine was put in the hole that was the nesting place of my tooth.  I asked for and received the tooth wrapped in white gauze and put it in my back trouser pocket, was given my instructions, no aspirin, no hot drinks or food, paid my thirty leva and left.   I stopped off and bought the pain relief that was recommended and then home after buying leeks to make soup later.

First job was to phone my summer guest, it was his birthday today but there was no answer.  He phoned me back and so we spoke for about thirty minutes.  I'd left the wad in place but it came out clear enough and I ended the call that I was going out to do some gardening which never happened.  During the call I noticed that one of the ginger cats that seem to be colonising the village had jumped up onto the bird table so i grabbed the camera, didn't have tome to focus it properly but frightened it out...bastard being.  Instead of action I lit the fire, took up position on the sofa and promptly went to sleep languishing in the pain free feeling.

I slept until five, stoked up the fire yet still felt cold, maybe it's something to do with the injections and the relief of the day.  I haven't made any supper yet, keep poking the space that remains with my tongue and with it being the on the top I can't see in either.....perhaps best no to.  Tomorrow Kardjali for maybe another injections but this time for Covid or at least to find out when I can have my jab.  There's not going to be much take up by Bulgarians, they really don't trust anything going in to the body but I think I might have tempted a couple of them by saying that they might be refused entry into Greece if they don't have it.  Monday night quiz night for me and I should managed to stay awake for it all after my marathon session this afternoon on the sofa.  LN.....Healing process in process, do not disturb....LN

Tuesday 23rd February

I've just found out that my birthday is tomorrow....cards and presents have arrived in Rogosche post office so I'm having my celebration then.  Snow I think delayed the postal service and as for the parcels...not a clue.  I'd been advised that they could have been held up in customs since the UK post Brexit is a 'distant cousin' except for the fact that there are still lots of Bulgarians working in the UK.  We give them a social security number and leave them alone as long as we have no adverse reports.  In some cases we are treated as the third world incomer....despite having been here for quite a few years.  It only matters to me when it's a direct insult...the rest I skirt round.

So seven start and I had three ours to get my derriere into gear and was quite laid back about it until nine fifteen.  I washed and dressed quickly putting on the same outer clothes that I'd worn the day before....the sun was up but it was still only one degree outside.  My visitors arrived at nine forty five, fifteen minutes early and we decided to abstain from coffee and head into Kardjali.  I remembered to take my picture in that I need framing...it was either that or to tone down the pale yellow and I believe the frame will do it.  We had a list of things to do and managed to park up outside the Polyclinic.  We went to queue outside our respective surgeries and the message came back that the doctors had run out of vaccine but that they were doing it on the third floor.  We made the climb, found the office, secured the forms that had to be completed and managed it in Bulgarian and were trooped in one by one.  There wasn't a queue waiting and we were in an out including the waiting time in thirty minutes.  We have dates for out next appointment and everything went swimmingly.  So we walked to the picture framers and I selected a template and they make it within a week.  It was costed out and came to thirty lev, I offered to pay in advance and the offer was turned down.  Back to the car and we headed to Momchilgrad and I sat in the sun while business was completed and then back to Lidl for a quick shop.  Mine solely consisted of dark chocolate to help my cholesterol and something to cheer me up in case I have adverse effects tomorrow,,,,chocolate and Netflix.

Home to mine by four and I served the rest of the birthday cake and coffee on the terrace and we sat in the sun and even at this late hour there was still heat in it.  Off they went, I put a jacket potato in the oven and a belly pork seasoned slice and that was ready by five thirty so I ate it while watching Outlander.  I have the remains of the cake waiting for me when my supper has gone down a little...and what a good day it's been.  First vaccine out of the way, date fixed for the next, picture getting framed and the restaurants and coffee shops open on the 1st March.  LN....Bulgaria is opening up.....LN

Wednesday 24th February

Horrible night last night.  I went to bed at midnight and woke up at two with not an ounce of sleep in me.  Light on, Kindle open, played a few games, watched a documentary of Francis Bacon and an art program and read for a while.  At five I thought it was about time the light went out and I went off again until seven.  I'm not sure if it was the vaccination or the stress of having it but so far so good today....my arms a bit sore but that's it.

Beautiful sunrise this morning  and white over with a frost and it looks like it might be going that way again tonight.  I dressed for the outside temperature and this morning was my second birthday, I was off to the posta to see what she had for me.  Before I left I made leak and potato soup and put it in the slow cooker for later, tidied the kitchen and washed up and off I went at around ten thirty.  So what did I have....two letters from my bank in the UK, a thank you card from my grandchildren, one birthday card and a book from my Princess...or I should really say...BUK....which is our little joke.  I drove home and sat on the bench in the sun and opened them all up and when I saw the book my heart melted.  It it beautiful and written in script with fabulous pictures and I can't recommend it enough and in the carton was a private message dictated obviously by my Princess and typed out by Amazon and that's now cut out and stuck in the front of the book.  When I go on to other pastures it's so other people know the important people in my life.  I sent a text thanking my daughter but working it had to wait but I had a phone call from her tonight and thanked her for the BUK....

I had a bowl of the soup that I'd made for lunch and this afternoon I caught up on the sleep I missed overnight and feel much better for it.  A couple of messages from Mrs D of S currently in the UK regarding the virus and apologising for the lack of video from G the reason being that she's now become camera shy....it's a phase that she's going through I'm sure.  I've also had another one to let me know that the 'expert' from Plovdiv will be at the garage from nine in the morning and will stick his computer on the Nipper to check out the gas connections.  I think it's working OK now...they took everything apart and checked the relays last time I was in the garage, I flicked it over to gas, filled up the petrol to the top and it seems to be still registering full.  Anyway...I'll wait to hear from the expert tomorrow ...that's if he turns up.

Fire going before I went to sleep so the house is cosy and warm.  I'd opened the windows this morning to let the air through but after lighting the fire I'd shut up shop and wrmed it up for tonight.  Might have more soup for supper, I've still got a pot full or it's destined for the freezer.  Still more post expected and with Mother's day pending....come on Moonpig...get your act together.  LN....Time to relax......LN

Thursday 25th February

Another restless night and not really sure why unless those strange bugs floating around the system are making themselves familiar with the territory.  I woke up for the 'n'th' time around seven so read until eight and then began my day.  I had to be up and out by eight thirty more or less so washed, dressed, made coffee and toast and slathered it with my apricot jam and was still out for the allotted hour or half hour.  I remembered to take my present from Princess to show to my student's mum....she likes things meaningful and beautiful and that met both criteria.  Her husband was still in the shop and hadn't made it down to the garage so I sat down with her for a while and got an update on the man from Plovdiv and 'the gas man cometh' to quote an  old English phrase.  I went down to the garage and put the Nipper in for a clean...it was long overdue and I sat in the garage in the warmth reading my Kindle and watched as they brought the Nipper into the inspection bay and a man approached it with a computer so I stayed where I was and left it to the men.  My student came down to reclaim his car, he'd parked it in front of his father in the drive so the father had taken it and he'd brought his father's car down.  He asked me what I was reading, we talked Netflix and I suggested Bridgeton to him and he's earmarked it and off he went back home.

The men kept themselves busy and after about ten minutes I went out to see if they had discovered anything and apparently a sensor was duff, they'd replaced it and everything was now working perfectly according to his computer.  I asked how much I had to pay and was told that twenty lev would cover it...I baulked a bit and had expected more but there was a wink and I paid up, went to say thank you and pay for the carwash which was another six lev and then drove home.  I'd no more business to to in Djebel and was home by eleven more or less.

The rest of the day has been a very pleasant experience.  The day was sunny but not warm, it had been down to minus overnight and was slowly climbing outside but rapidly climbing in and we soon reached twenty four in the stairwell.  I lay on the sofa with my book, felt exceptionally tired and went to sleep for a couple of hours, catching up on lost sleep overnight.  I lit the fire at four, turned on to watch Countdown only to be faced by the cricket live from somewhere so turned on to ITV and watched Judge Rinder some very delightful crap.  Chicken leg in the oven with a potato at five and that's ready now, I suspect the leek soup will go over the wall tomorrow.  I'd made it with milk and don't risk putting it in the freezer.

Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow so far, don't need shopping and no tasks to do except make a Baba Marta card for my friends in the UK....no chance of sending any with the post being what it is.  I've earmarked Saturday for a trip to Kaufland since they have some good offers on so will buy special wrist bands for friends for the 1st March, Baba Marta day.  Gentle sunset tonight and a full moon up there.  LN....Supper time....LN

Friday 26th February

Silly night again, I woke at three and played games until five and eventually back to sleep until seven thirty.....Beautiful morning but cold so I lingered in bed until just before nine.  I got washed and dressed, put the washing away and went down and made breakfast.  I had some frankfurters in the fridge so I took three, fried them off and made an omelette and added two cheese triangles and it went down well.  The soup went over the wall along with the chicken bones and the chicken skin and the black cat was the lucky winner.  None of the other cats came round this morning until much later.  

I cleared the kitchen and decided that it was a day for being inside, despite the sun it was pretty cold so I finished my emails, sent a few messages and went on to Find my Past to continue where I'd left off chasing the relatives of my brother in law.  He's no longer with us and neither is my sister but it's for my nieces and nephew.  I've managed to get back to eighteen sixty four with positives and back two more generations with 'possibles' but 'possibles' are not good enough but i found myself in a loop so I gave up at one thirty with the intention of heading outside and getting on with a few jobs.  I took the rubbish down to the bonfire and got that going, collected the saw and the hedge  clippers intent on taking out the tree that had come down in one of the storms.  It was covered in honeysuckle, I managed to unwind enough to put over the trees at the back of the bed, took the saw and left about a foot in the ground and took the rest down.  It took quite some time but I managed it, the original bonfire had now burnt itself out, I seemed to spend ages trying to get it going again but to no avail.  I did managed to clear the bed throwing some of the branches over the wall on the tall side so that I don't even have to look at them.  It was such a lovely day that I sat on the wall at the bottom of the garden just watching the hillside and listening to the cows in the far pastures and their bells.  Of course you still have the chainsaw and the barking dog but it was still a nice place to sit.

I came in about five, filled up the log carrier and locked up the little house after putting tools away, lit the fire, closed the windows and drew my bedroom curtains and the hot water boiler has just gone on.  I'm not used to this outside work yet so I'll have a Badedas bath and soothe the aches away.  I did collect one injury, a thorn from the berberis ended up in my ring finger on the right hand so it's been the devil's own job to get this typed.  Not sure about going to Kardjali tomorrow, I was only going in to Kaufland to buy an electronic heart monitor but perhaps it's best not to know.  Just had bred sticks on cream cheese for my attempt at supper...it will fill the gap.  LN...Now to soak my finger and out with the Germolene....LN

I

Saturday 27th February

Another night when I went to bed, no sleep in me and was playing games until three this morning.  It worked well though, when I got to sleep eventually, I slept well until seven thirty and have had a very good day.  The weather was beautiful, the clouds were hanging in the valley this morning and all was well in my little world.  I intended sorting the bonfire out and didn't manage it, I was going to weed one or two of the beds and move pots around on the terrace and I didn't manage that either.  Bovered....no.....I've had a very good day...different that I intended but the day was mine to waste...but was it wasted?...no.  I didn't even make it to Kardjali.

Toast for breakfast, washed and dressed by ten, fire ready for this evening and it was only ten thirty.  What I have done is go on to confirm the people and dates in my latest delve into ancestry and draw up the family tree.  I've gone back to seventeen ninety one and have printed out the supporting documents and I'm fairly sure that all the leads are correct.  I had a brief spell on the sofa with the Kindle and played a few games, intended going outside and starting but despite the sun, it was still fairly cool outside. I changed my sweater from the one that I'd put on this morning and stayed inside and went back to the computer.  

A brief moment of activity, I lit the fire, went round closing the windows that I'd opened up this morning, looked at the floor in the porch and got out the broom and swept it to make it more respectable.  It's still shedding dandruff where the snow on the balcony has soaked through and the cement has powdered but this year, the tiles are going down on both balconies and the underside/ceilings will be finished properly.  Spare ribs already in the oven for supper, just about t start watching England - Wales rugby game and it's 'The Voice' tonight so that's my evening sorted.  LN....Spring is definitely on its way....LN

Sunday 28th February

So I watched my program last night and realised that the songs the 'experts' had picked for the contestants were nothing I've ever heard of before....I must be getting old.  I don't really get rapping, it's normally people that don't have exceptional singing voices and make up for it by shouting whatever they want to complain about.  I might be doing them an injustice but I'm allowed to...I can have preferences.

Seven start, lingered in bed with a coffee but was washed and dressed by eight thirty.  Well I say dressed, I put my tights on and that was as far as it got on the bottom end but  I did have an extra thick sweater on.  I was trying to make my mind up if I was going into Djebel to buy enough Baba Marta bands for the ladies or have my old trousers on to tackle the bonfire but as it stands, I'm still in my tights and will stay that way until the PJ's go on.  I had bacon and egg for breakfast and laid the fire for later and decided to remove the top plates from the wood burner and see what caused the smoke yesterday.  It appears that now I've put the radiator between the flue pipes that it causes a clogging up of the through put and lots of soot had collected in the wood burner.  I've now removed it, got soot on my face in the process when my nose began to itch and lit it at five and it's going like a dream.

As for the rest of the day, I went out to throw food over for the cats and that's when I decided that I was going to nest in front of the fire.  I did have one sojourn into the wooden chest in my bedroom, found out some wool that I've promised to give to one of my neighbours to make some thing for me but that was as far as it got.  Everything back in the chest and back in place and I got the call for Netflix and watched one film about Henry the fifth and one about Elizabeth 1st and the Spanish Armada sinking by Raleigh.  Just thrown another log on the fire and it should do me for tonight and as for supper, I got a pork chop out of the freezer this morning but having said goodbye to half a box of After Eights and half a packet of peanuts, there a danger that that's all that's going to happen with regard to food today.  

Djebel tomorrow and then it Baba Marta bands for friend and for the ladies in the village.  It's a happy time for everyone.  LN....March 1st tomorrow, who'd have thought it.....LN