Thursday 10th November

Not a bad start to the day, it was down to zero on the thermometer this morning but twenty two degrees inside.  The sun was up quite early, and eventually it ended up at twenty four in and six out so I knew where I wanted to be.  I made beans on toast for breakfast using the bread that my Avatar had delivered last night and fed the remains of last night's chicken to the black cat adding cat foot to it.  I washed up and cleared away and collected the house rubbish and had a bonfire and felt quite pleased with myself.  I settled down to sort out my family chart so that I can take it to the UK since my grand-daughter, I've been told, has an interest in ancestry.  I sat at the table in the stairwell and my mobile went and I asked her if she had the correct number,  She replied that she had meant to call me, that she worked for Kardjali radio but she had very little English and very perfect Bulgarian, so said that she would call back in half an hour.  It was getting on for an hour when she called again and said she would call again soon and about fifteen minutes later she phoned again and said she was in my village and outside the house.  I still wasn't sure what was happening so I went out. invited them in and we said in the lounge and in a mixture of Bulgarian, English and the use of mobile phones I gathered that they had heard that there was an interesting lady in the village that did a lot for the village and was an interesting person.  Oh dear, now to ruin my reputation.

They were keep to get me on radio but I managed to avoid the phone explaining to them that I'd managed to stay incognito for a long time and I wanted to keep it that way and fortunately one of the men understood,  I showed them the old photos of the house and questions such as why are you here, what was your work in the UK, what do you like about Bulgaria, what do you not like in Bulgaria and my responses were pretty average except that I did say  Bulgarians could actually drive better, put phones away and keep both hands on the wheel.  They also asked what I did all day and I showed them the garden, my ancestry charts and said that there was always things to do in a house.  I offered to show them the house and one of the men was impressed with my computer on the landing and the views.  We went outside so they could have cigarettes and I suggested that we walked to the bottom of the garden and look back at the house...they were impressed.  As they were leaving, Emula was riding his bike along the road and the lady suddenly ran out to grab him for a few words about the 'English woman that live in the village' so I shouted in Bulgarian not to say anything....and laughed with the man.  I think Emula was confused by what was happening but he'll get over it.  Off they went, I lit the fir and felt quite amused over the whole afternoon.  I'm not sure how they got my phone number and who lined me up but what a surprise and it's a compliment to be known as a pleasant and agreeable person.  

Hamburgers for supper and what a day it's been. Nothing to do tomorrow, blood pressure well within the prescribed limits when I checked it this morning, I'm feeling much better, the toilet is still working and not leaking so life's not too bad.  LN.....Looks like another cold one is on the way tonight......LN

Friday 12th November

Three a.m. start but head down again and it was six when I raised my head from the pillow for the second time.  It was minus two on the temperature station and twenty one in so the house had held the temperature overnight,,..,that fire had 'done' good.    Out on the balcony to take a few photographs of the morning but soon came in again, it was too cold for me so bathroom, washed and dressed in combat trousers, I was on a mission to clear the flower pots out, put the keepers in the little house and generally tidy up.  I made breakfast first using up the beans left over from yesterday, washed up and went over to see Avatar to tell her about yesterday and to find out if it was her or her family that had contacted the national radio.  Eventually we worked out that it was either the local mayor or the sheep farmer since I've stopped twice to see if he was ok when I saw his car stopped at the side of the road,,,,,but we really don't know.

I eventually got outside and started the task,  I filled up the log basket first so the wood would dry through and warm up for tonight's fire, I was drawn to the water barrel that collects the water from the roof and started to fill water bottles so that I've got natural water in the little house over the winter.  I managed to fill eight then got bored, managed to get the barrel off the breeze blocks and dragged it to the gate and tipped the dirty water outside on the grass.  I was heading for the drain under the drive but never made it.  I cleaned it out with the mop, poured another bottle of water inside it and emptied that out and put it away in the little house for winter.  Geranium pots are all collected on the little house balcony along with the Oleander, the Oleander need cutting back and I want to take cuttings from the geraniums, both jobs for tomorrow.

I swept the terraces and cleared the leaves yet again, collected up the rubbish and had a bonfire and eventually locked up and came in at five thirty, struggled getting the fire going, the logs I was using were just too big but it's settled down nicely.  Supper is in the fridge and only needs warming through so that's my next thing on the list.  It's been a good day, winding round for winter but with the sun shining down.  LN...Same again please tomorrow.......LN

Saturday 13th November

Another funny old night and it was five thirty when I woke up.  The washing was in by six thirty, out of the airer in the bathroom by seven thirty, bacon and egg for breakfast by eight, washed up and tidied away by eight thirty and was waiting for it to warm up before I went out and started gardening. I'd had an influx of flies yesterday that had settled down in the roof space but had come through the boards to the bedrooms in the afternoon when it got hot up there so I hoovered through collecting them all up from the window sills.  So while the hoover was out the rest of the house got done,  By now it was only ten fifteen and I was knacked so I settled down on the sofa with Netflix and started to watch what I though was a series but it was a film with the title of 'Starling' and I sobbed my way through the end.  Well it is the thirteenth.  

At twelve decided that it was time to make a start on the day and I carried on clearing out the pots on the terrace, looked over to Avatar's house and there seemed to be some activity in the garden so went over to see what it was all about.  Haciber was standing watching her empty out one of the concrete tall flower containers , it was on its side so I asked what it was all about.  Avatar had decided to move it from the corner where it had been for the last twenty-five years and decided that it should be symmetrical and on the other side of the garden near the front door, hence she was clearing it out.  Now these things are very heavy and I knew she couldn't do it on her own so I hung about to see where I fitted in, she certainly wouldn't ask for help.  I checked out where it was to go and decided that it had to be rolled, if you can roll anything that's square and we set about it together.  I pulled watching that it didn't land on my feed despite my steel toe capped boots I was still taking care and after ten minutes it was in its new place.  The final step was to dig up five of the six yuccas, she only wanted to leave one in place but she wanted the root out and that was more difficult than either of us imagined.  She eventually resorted to pickaxe, great chunks came out and the five that had been removed plus some really baby newbies I put in a sack and they are sitting on the terrace. A couple are for me and the rest are going to a good home.

I carried on with my own work, cleared round the pots in the yard and removed the big geranium pot and that's sitting on the little terrace wall until I get the strength together to move it into the house and the Christmas tree is in the tyre that it came out of.  I planted up some wallflowers from a flower pot into the wooden trug at the edge of the terrace and that certainly looks better.  The rest of my time was taken up by removing some really horrible big weeds that seem to be taking over the grass...I must have dug out about forty but gave up at four thirty, my work for today was done and the Fitbit agreed, I'd managed my ten thousand again.

The fire was still ticking over so I brought it back to life, I felt cold so made coffee and settled down with a blanket and Beeb two and watched the second half of Half a Sixpence with Tommy Steele and I think the bath calls to ease out some aches and pains.  Pulling on that pot was hard work and also lifting up some of the bigger ones from my garden required some effort,  Just got more of the same tomorrow with the weeds, the garden looks very much like someone has been clearing landmines.  Seven so the boiler is going on, Strictly tonight and  L think I've found my favourite who shall remain nameless,  LN...A very productive day in the garden.......LN

Sunday 14th November

So I watched Strictly last night and my favourite didn't have such a good night so fingers crossed they were saved by the telephone vote.  Midnight to bed, three o'clock bathroom break and six thirty for the revival.  I opened the curtains and it was still dark and not much to see out there.  I eventually burst into action, put the remains of yesterdays meal out for the cat, which ever cat got it there wasn't a black one around until much later.  I think it's got a sleep joint under the little house balcony by the mower and that will be coming to an end soon.  The mower is coming in tomorrow. the old winter cover for the veg garden is about to be revamped so it will be a cold empty space.

I was making a bacon and egg sandwich at seven thirty, eating it with lashings of brown sauce soon after.  I lit the fire. it was eighteen degrees inside and two out but it was really damp and miserable and no way was I going outside or suffering inside.  I'd promised myself that I would dig up the rest of the horrible weed that seems to be getting established but it was only a promise to myself and my fingers were crossed at the time.

I opened up the old computer to finish charting my family tree but I had a few gaps and thought I'd leave it for another day/  I'd had information this morning about a family I'd been researching for a friend but had trouble with the name since it's a very common one.  I managed to find some of the records that I'd been directed to but I prefer to go from present and back track, the other method it's quite easy to make things fit and it's just not my way.  After two hours or so I'd not progressed much so it off with the computer and get more clothes on.  Sitting around doesn't help so the padded trousers went over the tights and I found my sheepskin slippers out and that resulted in cosy toes.  

I took to the sofa this afternoon, the weather was getting better but the mood to dig had passed.  I watched rather a sweet film which was quite short, took a break and made tuna mayo sandwiches and then made a decision to start watching another series and selected The Crown.  There have been lots of reviews and I've avoided it but after the first episode, I'm thinking I shall enjoy it,  Curtains closed to keep the heat in, doors locked to keep the villains out and the boiler is on so that I can wallow in the bath either before or after the results of Strictly.  Seven my time, nothing on the agenda for tomorrow.  LN.....The day's all mine.....LN

Monday 15th November

Six thirty start and that was after an early to bed last night but I didn't rush out of bed and start my day.  Washed and dressed by eight, washing in, washing on the airer and toast for breakfast and then I was looking for something to do.  It was cold and miserable again outside and I didn't want to be out there...the weeds could wait. I think I've got the November blues.  I did manage to sort out the curtain poles for the two small windows openings, take down last years twinkly lights ready to put them back where they started, on the opening between the stairs and the lounge.  

I should really go shopping, no bread left, the goody box is virtually empty and this weather makes me really 'picky', raiding the fridge at every opportunity.  I filled the log basket, toyed with getting the mower into the little house and servicing it and then put it on the back burner but I did bring the yuccas into the little house from the terrace, might be frosty tonight.  Spent more time on the ancestry that I'm trying to sort out and couldn't even get one lead.  I left it alone for a while and decided that I'd watch 'The Crown', two episodes later I went back to ancestry and still no further on.  It's not an easy name to research and when the chimney is cold and the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, it's difficult to get the fire going again when it's very low....but...I managed it.  I also spent time writing a review on my 'saga' with my ancestry company at their request. I only gave them one star and a rotten review but felt that it was too lengthy so cut it back but then came the suggestive criticism that they were a 24/7 operation and should provide an adequate Support function since they normally all say 'have a good weekend' and leave it to answer machines.  Unfortunately the message boxes get full and obviously no one is looking at them over the weekend.  Pretty poor service

Tomorrow I have my morning sorted, I have to get a suitable text ready for my student at three.  LN..... Let's see what I come up with.....LN

Tuesday 16th November

Another dark, damp, drab morning and it was almost like very fine snow that was coming down.  It was blowing a gale out there and when I went out to feed the cat, cats, or whoever got there first it was the sort of wind that went straight through you and I was dressed for inside not out.  I soon came in again.  I was fresh out of bread, didn't managed to get to the bread van so used the last three eggs to make and omelette with triangle cheeses.  Of course that also meant that I was out of eggs now.  I didn't bother getting dressed, I had the lesson with my student this afternoon and spent the morning playing around with ancestry but this time mine and entering it in the computer.  I've found out that grand-daughter is interested in the family history so there you go, she can have her own copy when I go over.  I also found a good site for English texts and printed off a selection so that I was prepared for later.  Another hour of my morning was taken up with finding a pair of socks that my daughter gave me last year for Christmas and we'd made a pledge that the wearing of sprout socks was going to become a ritual.  I hate them, made my children eat them on Christmas day, they both love them and I still hate them and used to hide my one under the turkey bones on the plate until I was rumbled.  Kids egh....

I had a shower and washed my hair in preparation for going into town and eventually got dressed with very warm layered clothing.  I set off slightly early for my three o'clock, stopped to by two more gas fire lighters at the leva shop, parked up and walked to the shop.  I sat talking to his mother, he arrived back from school and then said that he wanted a visit to the loo and we both knew that this could take some time and it was three thirty when I went up to the flat.  I decided we should do a text on Howard Carter and the moment that he found Tutankhamun's tomb and it went very well.  I told him that I had been there in Egypt and in that tomb, seen the mask in the museum and when we were going through the words at the end we both laughed when I suggested that he shouldn't wear that sort of mask for Lidl the next time he went shopping.  We went through the homework which proves that he understood the text and there were two other pages of homework which I said it was his choice whether he did it or not and he said that he would do all of it.  He's such a good little student.

Home by five thirty, parked up, lit the fire and it went first time and was soon rattling round the radiators.  The phone went. it was a catch-up call from England and a few final arrangements over things that I've planned for my visit...which is absolutely nothing.  It's probably tuna mayo with toast for supper, I don't feel like being over creative.  LN.....Might try for the booster jab tomorrow if I can get through to the Polyclinic.....LN

Wednesday 17th November

Another six start but I didn't jump out of bed immediately, I had a plan but not sure if it would come off or not.  I dressed for town, eventually made coffee and started phoning the Polyclinic hoping that I would strike lucky but I didn't.  It rang, and rang, then it was engaged, then I was told in English after continual ringing that there was no one answering it which was pretty obvious and by nine I guessed that I would get more attention at the Polyclinic face to face.  I made a bacon sandwich for breakfast and popped over to see Avatar to check if she wanted anything from Kardjali and this time she did.  I had a shopping list of clementine or oranges and bananas and headed into town at nine thirty.   There wasn't a lot of traffic on the road and I managed to park up near the clinic and headed for reception and asked in Bulgarian if she spoke a little English and her face dropped and she said that she didn't.  At this point it sorts of jogs them into 'help' mode, I told her that I wanted my Covid Booster, she told me it was on the third floor and gave me the name of the doctor which I didn't understand.  We were both wearing masks so she wrote it down and off I toddled.  

A patient came out and I went in, two doctors and a lady at the computer so I explained what I wanted, was told six months and said that I thought it had been.  I handed over my identity card, my previous Covid passport, a form came out, one of the doctors left and the remaining one completed the form and I still wasn't sure if I was making an appointment or it was being done today.  I slipped my arm out of my sleeve, was told to sit and it was done.  I put my arm back in the sleeve, was issued with a new document showing that I'd had the booster and left the room.  I stopped in the corridor to put my identity card in my purse and as I was leaving the doctor called my name and handed me what he thought was my telephone.  I was a bit of a daze and thought it had dropped out of my bag so accepted it and set off for the car.  Back in the car I took out the phone and realised that it wasn't mine so locked the car up and started to make my way back to the hospital when it started to ring and I just didn't want a confused conversation in Bulgarian and just as I got to the room, the other doctor came out, I explained that I hadn't checked when he handed it to me, we laughed, shook hands and I went back to the car smiling to myself.

I called at Kaufland and only bought a few items, carried on to Lidl and stocked up with goodies including oranges, clementine and bananas, parked up in Djebel and bough more mayo and carrots and headed home.....my work for the day was done, main objective achieved.  I lit the fire and filled up the starter wood container, made a late lunch and watched an episode of the Crown.  At four I went over to hand over the fruit, it came to almost eight leva so I took the change over for a ten leva note and she tried to insist that I took the note and didn't leave the change.  I said that if I'd gone in specifically for her things, I would accept it but I hadn't, I'd gone in for my benefit.  

Fire going well, I put the boiler on and went in the bath just before six and emerged at twenty past seven and had a wonderful snooze in there.  I know it's wrong but I've always done it  and suppose I always will.....my mother always used to bang on the bathroom door asking if I was asleep and I always said that I wasn't.  I've got a bit of an achy arm tonight but the bath I think as helped.  I've got a list for tomorrow but I'll see how I feel as to whether I will tackle it or not.  LN.....All topped up for the UK......LN

Thursday 18th November

Not a bad night's sleep bun my arm and hand were really itchy and I'm not sure if it was down to the jab yesterday or whether it's the new tablets.  I settled for water, left the coffee in the jar, washed and dressed, collected the rubbish for a bonfire, had said bonfire, toast and jam for breakfast and it was still only nine thirty.  One of the side effects of the jab is supposed to be tiredness...in my case it's the opposite.  The fire was still going from last night so I put a large log on and it had two choices, I went to the computer on the landing and caught up on emails and FB and nothing much seemed to be happening this morning so I put Netflix and the Crown on and watched a couple of episodes and for me it's rather like filling in the gaps of the early years of Queen Elizabeth.....I didn't know the fuss surrounding Townsend.

I switched off and went to fill-up the log baskets. banged another big log on and it ticked away nicely until early afternoon.  I got the chopper out and prepared another starter wood container that will be ready for when I come back, still more to go in it but then my attention was drawn to the old garden cover that I used to put over the broad beans in the winter.  I dragged it out from under the little house balcony and that area really needs tidying now.  The grass that grew under it has died so tomorrow I have another job on the list along with servicing the mower before it gets put away for the winter.  The polythene cover needed repair but as I carried it out I realised that it would probably been easier to have made a new one and I still might.  I was trying to knock nails into rotten wood so the nails got bigger, I did managed to get purchase but it's really for the bonfire, it's done its job for the last eight years.  

I made a phone call to the UK, I'd had an email from someone who'd had their jab yesterday and they said that they had a leaflet stating the likely side effects.  We don't have that luxury here so I Googled it and came up with nothing constructive.  I have no swelling around the entry point but I have swelling on the  arm, red blotches and the arm is very hot and even my hand has swelling so I leave it over night and I might be back to the clinic tomorrow.

Lovely catch-up with my daughter today and we were making plans for Christmas. shopping. restaurants and snuggles.  She's started wearing her sprout socks early for Christmas and I joked that I would be hiding mine under the turkey bones on Christmas day.  I really hope that the  symptoms disappear. I don't relish another doctors' visit. LN....Fingers crossed or......wish me luck....LN

Friday 19th November

So another sleepless night, out solid until three and then wide awake.  Now this I understand is one of the side effects of the Booster and since I've not felt sleepy all day, does it for me.  I did eventually go off at six for an hour or so but I've been up and running all day with no side effects except that I've got some strange itchy bumps which I've now put down to the new heart tablets after I googled them.  They have the same ingredients as the last lot the doctor gave me and the one that I took at eleven tipped the balance and up came some more on the other arm that itched like made.  I took loads of water as recommended my the last visit to the chemist to flush it out of my system but it's a slow process.  I made bacon and egg for breakfast, fed the bones and skin of the chicken from last night with added dry cat food to what I thought was my black one but I just can't be sure these days.  There was another one hanging around mid morning but I'm not sure if it's the other one or it's incredibly greedy and wants feeding all the time.  There was a bit of a cat convention going on around twelve but they were soon sent packing with a few walnuts still in the shell, they're last years and I was going to dump them but they make good missiles.

So at three this afternoon and when I was tired of itching and confirmed that the side effects of the new tablets were the same as the old ones. I got in the Nipper and headed to the chemist in Djebel.  I stopped off an my student's mums shop which is next door to the chemist, she used to be a nurse and dishes out good advice.  We checked out anti-histamine tablets and creams and settled for a cream so I went to the chemist next door, she immediately recognised the problem, told me to stop taking the tablets and to see my doctor on Monday and gave me a strong gel to stop the itching and hopefully get rid of the lumps and bumps.  Chemists here are brilliant.

Supper went in the slow cooker this morning, the remains of last night's veg was made into soup, I washed the pot and the barbecue ribs went in with a little water and they've cooking all day until I came back from Djebel and they're not in the oven finishing off.  Early for me but hopefully I'll get a good night's sleep in, not too early to bed that means for me too early to rise but a seven start would be great.  So we'll see what happens when I stop taking the tablets  and now for supper, the aroma is very tempting.  LN.....The cats will have to settle for dried food tomorrow, they're won't be any meat left on these.....LN

Saturday 20th November

And it was a beautiful seven start this morning.  Minus two degrees outside and still twenty in and that was before the sun came up and everything in my garden soon became rosy as the sky brightened up.  Lovely skies this morning, I ventured out on the balcony to take the pickies without shoes on and was very quick to come inside and snuggle down for a little longer.  I made coffee and remembered that I'd read somewhere that coffee creates histamines and since I've got anti-histamine cream to put on this rash that the tablets have created it made sense to put the rest of the coffee down the toilet and stick to water.  And today has been a good day health wise although I've not really challenged myself very much.

I stripped the bed down and got every out on the line by nine thirty, settled for toast for breakfast, popped over to see my Avatar and thank her for the pair of socks that she'd knitted for me and left on the window sill yesterday.  It was to late to see her yesterday when I got back from Djebel and the chemists, she was probably tucked up in bed already.  I came back and really hadn't got a lot to do.  I could have found loads outside but hadn't got the get up and go, maybe I'll find it tomorrow.  In fact it's felt like a Sunday so I've got another restful day to look forward to.

Netflix and the 'Crown this afternoon, a couple of calls from the UK and that's been the sum total of my activity apart from getting my testing kit ordered and paid for to be delivered to my UK address for when I come over.  I checked out other paperwork that needs to be done and think I have all my ducks in a row and nothing to panic about.  Of course there's bound to be something and also transferred funds to my daughter for her husband's birthday, he's saving for something obscure which he obviously can't do without but it's good to have a goal.

Strictly tonight and let's see who will live to fight another day.  I do wish that it all took place and over on Saturday, the Sunday program really feels like a sham.  Nothing for supper, Avatar gave me a portion of filo pastry that she'd made herself stuffed with leeks and cheese in an egg mix.  It was delicious and I really need the recipe from her...very tasty.  LN......I've got a fire to keep going.......LN