Monday 1st November

White rabbits everyone and it was a pretty dull old morning.  It looked like we'd had a little rain overnight, it had dried up but looked to be threatening more.  Black as pitch this morning which it is going to be now that the clocks have been messed around with.  I stayed in bed where it was warm , eventually got out and made coffee, I wasn't having much success with Sudoku so gave up, got dressed for Kardjali, made boiled eggs for breakfast with toast and sat in the stairwell at the table.  I threw some bread out for the cats and the black one was looking longingly at me as if to ask if that was all it was getting and I felt really bad but I'd nothing else to give it.  Washed up after breakfast, changed my sweater and put a thicker one on, I'd noticed how cold and damp it was when I'd put the bread out....wrong.

I set off for Kardjali around nine thirty and took the main road not the lane.  It had started to rain and as I drove through Djebel it was heaving mainly due to market day.  We have so many more people her at the moment, most of the ones that normally work in the rest of Europe are here or others are over from Turkey and working on houses here.  Unfortunately they expect European wages which is not good for the locals.  I parked up outside the Home Phone shop to see if there was a bill to pay but it's not due for a couple of days.  It's a very silly system, you can't pay in advance so I'll probably end up paying over the internet or the phone.  I legged it down to the key cutters for another couple of main door keys which he was able to do, couldn't manage to do the outside door key and doesn't do car keys....I only have one for the Nipper.  I carried on to the top of town and visited my cheapy shop and managed to pick up a zippy cardigan for my female student.  She complained that I never buy her anything when I see it in her size so now I've spent just under two leva on it and I hope she likes it.  Over to Kaufland for a few things including cat food and don't ask, then to Lidl and then home for three thirty.

I'd been a bit stressed in town......I'd dressed for cold and damp and it had turned out hot and sunny, a beautiful day and I'd got far too many clothes on and no chance of taking any off.  Shopping unpacked and put away, log basket filled up and I sat watching Transponder TV and eventually nodded off waking up cold, in the dark so first job was to light the fire which is now going well.  Supper is in the oven, I picked up a cheesy macaroni bake from Lidl and it's three portions so I'm hoping I leave two for another day.  I would have taken it over to Avatar but it's got ham in it and not fit for human consumption according to her religion.  House is beginning to warm up and so am I with a huge cardigan on,  Student tomorrow afternoon but otherwise it's going to be a morning of collecting the rest of the leaves from the yard and garden.  LN....Let's see if cat likes cat food....LN

Tuesday 2nd November

Rain, rain, go away...it was throwing it down.  Not a bad start though, there was pink sky, gentle morning but the dark clouds were lingering over Greece and I think those were the ones that delivered their load.  I played around for a while, dressed for the garden and work and the first job was to turn the water off and that uncovered another job that I have to do.  The covering for the water meter has rotted and so needs replacing but that's a job for tomorrow.  As I walked to the water clock pit I notice the black cat so I thought I'd try it on the food that I'd bought yesterday.  It munched and crunched on it and I left it to it, back to the job in hand.  I tried to removed the old shut off valve and it disintegrated completely leaving the screw end in the wall connector which meant that I had to drive to Djebel to get a new one. While I was in the shop I bought one of the plastic fittings but there was no way it would do the job and I decided to remove the complete cistern now that I could cut off the water supply.  

By now it was heading on for one so I settled down to watch some tv, Avatar came round to try one of the socks that she's knitting for me to see how much more of the foot she has to do before she starts on the heel turn.  She stayed for a while which was nice, she told me that she'd gone into Djebel yesterday with some of the ladies from the village, two of them went to the doctors and they were ages and Avatar said that she almost came back in a taxi but eventually they all got together again and made their way to the village.  I had my student at three this afternoon so took the lid from the toilet cistern attached to the plastic insert that makes everything work and the part that he'd let me bring back to see if it fitted.  He hadn't got any others so suggested that I took the whole cistern in tomorrow but it would make it a standard toilet not a double flush.  I left the shop, went to the shop for my student, mentioned the problems with my toilet and her husband came down to one of the other shops with me, they had loads of different types and I came away with one of them and according to the instructions, tighten up the screws and all should work.  I suddenly noticed when I came to the lesson that I'd left my folder on the table so the lesson was 'interesting' but we spent a lot of time on his homework, he'd done loads.

Lesson over and homeward bound, I put the bits together but I think I need to have another go when I'm not so tired and I need to spend time cleaning the debris from under the rubber grommets to make sure that they don't leak and that's a job for tomorrow.  Supper time and I'm not sure what I fancy.  The rest of the cheese and macaroni bake might be for what I now know to be two black cats, it's the first time I've spotted them together.  Toilet is the focus of the day tomorrow and the leaves if I get round to it although a whole lot of new ones have come down with the wind and rain today.  LN.....Another skill for my CV...water maester.....if I manage to fix the leaks....LN

Wednesday3rd November

It was an early start and at seven I was once again tackling the toilet.  Last night it appeared that the holes had been blocked but as they say, I lot of water can get through a little hole.  So I knew what I had to do, firstly make sure that all the screw and washers needed tightening until they could tighten no more.  No visibility of the bottom of the garden this morning, it was dull, damp and I thought it was set for the rest of the day but at lunchtime it started to brighten up and it's been a cracking day giving up a beautiful sunset.

So I took the toilet apart, changed the washers, moved everything round including the big washers between the cistern and the toilet bowl.  I put the two parts together and ended up taking them apart again...the water sprung forth from different places and by now I was getting tired of the whole performance but determined to achieve success/  My mood went even lower, I noticed that the smaller of my two diamond earrings was missing from my right ear.  First search was tight roll neck jumpers that I put on and taken off, the bed was given the once over.  No luck so I put it to the back of my mind and on my way t the bathroom I spotted it on the carpet and a wave of relief overcame me.  I found other earrings out and took one of the backs and used that to secure it where it belonged.  So back to the work in hand and now I had no leaks from the toilet but I'd replaced  the water inlet pipe coming out of the wall and going back to the bedroom I spotted the back of the earring on the carpet.  How lucky am I.

Of course all this taking apart and putting it back together entailed turning the water on and off and unfortunately the wooden surround had a white mould growing all over it and before winter, I really have to insulate.  The wooden boards are all removed and burnt, I've had an epiphany moment, I'm going to use a plastic crate upside down to cover the water clock. it's going to be insulated inside and out with polystyrene and have a handle at the top so that the people that read the meter can remove and replace with little effort,  The crate is cut to shape so that the pipes are free and not under pressure and I shall probably fix the polystyrene with spray glue.  Where do these ideas come from?...Haven't a clue and pictures to follow.  Avatar came over and delivered a pair of socks that she'd knitted for me out of the wool that I'd given her when I was having a sort out.  They fit really well and will only come out when it's really cold because they're not very hard wearing.

So to sum up the day...the toilet is done and without leaks, the water inlet has to be done again but I'd had enough to it for today, the water clock cubby hole will be finished tomorrow and I know how I'm going to do it.....and that's half the battle.  I came in at five thirty, bonfire was going well, I lit the fire and that's going well, supper isn't going to happen so that goes towards the diet and those leaves still need gathering up but looking at my tree in the yard, there's still a lot to come down.  LN......It's been a good day despite the frustration......LN

Thursday 4th November

Again another five start but at least I went to bed early so got most of my zzz's in.  I made coffee and played a few games but at seven I was outside, turning off the water and about to tackle the overnight leaks.  I knew that the water inlet had to be done again and fortunately I put a towel under it last night so it didn't spread everywhere and the second one was down one of the screws that takes the rubber bung / washer that's screwed in place and then that same screw goes through the holes in the cistern and into the toilet bowl.  Easy, water off, bolts undone from underneath, cistern removed, removed the offending bung/washer, replace washer and screw into place, reattach to the toilet and job's guddun.  As for the inlet pipe there are three areas that can leak and the problem was getting it horizontal but instead it's now vertical.  I'm going to wait for a water specialist for any reason to slip this on to the 'jobs that need doing' and he'll never notice.

This took me until twelve thirty more or less, the outside water clock hole is covered more or less and I set about starting on the winter insulation idea that I'd had yesterday. I went up to the second level of the little house and found the sheets of polystyrene insulation and threw three sheets down along with some gutter supports that I though of using for handles so that the operatives can get it out easily to read the meter.  I started to look for the spray adhesive to attach the polystyrene sheets to the crate but could I find it?....could I buggery and I guess I've put it somewhere safe so I phone my supplier, she had it in stock and I drove into Djebel for a new lot.  I bet I find it tomorrow when I'm looking for something else.  I stopped off at the supermarket for bread and noticed that they'd started stocking profiteroles again so this afternoon has been very pleasant.  It was three thirty when I got back so I made coffee, rationed myself to four profiteroles and managed to log into Netflix which for some reason had gone AWOL. I selected my name and it came up with 'suggested for you'....and it's season nine of the Blacklist and you can guess what I did this afternoon... totally rude not to.

Chicken legs in the oven at five, veg just about to go in for roasting and tonight I'm feeding my Avatar.  The weather has been so good today that I should really be gardening, the leaves are going nowhere without I intervene.  The yard is covered and so is most of the lawn and I've also got a very invasive weed that's doing very well that needs attention and burning.  I'm a little early tonight but at least the toilet saga has come to an end for now.  I still have to replace the water shut off part of the kit but it appears to be an intermittent fault on the existing. Only need to use the cut off valve to access the part and no screw to the cistern only the water inlet hole.  I might even uncouple it and see if they've got one tomorrow...maybe I'm a little too confident....I'll let you know tomorrow.  LN.....Another successful day and the Blacklist is back.....LN

Friday 5th November

Five start but I settled down again for an hour or so but like yesterday, I didn't feel too good so went down and took my blood pressure, it was up on normal so I made the decision to go see my doctor.  I was washed and dressed and in the Nipper by eight thirty and arrived in Kardjali for nine, found a free parking place which was just as well.  The nurse that usually helps the doctor and keeps her from frizzling out completely was sick so she was whizzing around and being very authorative.  I normally 'catch her eye' and I dragged in but some patients  seemed to have tickets with times written on them so I waited, and waited and waited.  I think the system in place introduced since my last visit and probably bought about by Covid is that you now have to phone up for an appointment and if you don't, you're lucky to get seen and I was lucky.

She took my blood pressure, said that it was high and asked me what the name of my tablets were.  Obviously they don't take a record of the prescription and I didn't know so we went through the process of her trying them against my back to see which would suit me best....and she came up with one and I've got to regulate the dose to meet my needs and take a baby aspirin to see if they do the trick.  If not it's back to the drawing board Cecil.  I picked my tablets up from the chemist, dropped them off at the Nipper. paid my home phone bill, a quick visit round the cheapy shop, chicken legs for Avatar since they were on offer and back to Djebel for two or thereabouts.  I  stopped at the plumbing shop and got the water inlet part for the cistern, the other one was playing up and water was pouring down the pan so to speak, now everything works as it should so well worth the effort.

Chicken legs delivered, fire going well, made a chicken sandwich from the remains of last night's chicken so really don't need anything else tonight. High blood pressure makes me think very carefully about my diet and I really should take more care and cut down on the cholesterol goodies. LN......Leaf clearing tomorrow, lots more down....  LN

Saturday 6th November

Not a bad night's sleep, six thirty start and the inside/outside weather station managed to keep the right time after I adjusted it yesterday.  It was linking with somewhere overnight and changing it by an hour but fingers crossed, I've managed to sort it.  I stuck to water this morning and didn't bother with coffee, it's my new regime after going to see the doctor yesterday for my blood pressure...time I started taking care again now that I'm not knocking up the necessary steps to keep my Fitbit happy.  Cornflakes for breakfast and followed it with my new tablet from the doctor and around eleven ten thirty I looked as if I'd had one to many Botox on my lower lip and I decided to get a translation of the instructions that came with the tablets and possible side effects and yes...this was one of them.  The instruction was to consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately and as I read further through the likely side effects I headed into Djebel to find the chemist and fortunately even the girls behind the counters are all trained and knowledgeable.  I settled her nerves by asking if she spoke a little English which she said she didn't but I find it makes there more aware that the verb tenses might be off but I'm doing my best.  I showed her the packet and said that I'd had the tablets yesterday from the doctor, lifted my face mask and she said only one word....allergia....and her instructions were not to take any more and to drink lots of water to flush it from my system.  She said that it looked like I'd had Botox but I replied that it the top lip was done it might look alright but the current situation wasn't good.  

I drove home, drank almost a litre of water through a straw since it kept dribbling out of the sides when I used a glass and it's gone down quite a lot but it is six so it should have done.  I got on with some jobs, raked up the leaves and deposited them over the wall and the cows might like them.  They're still falling and won't stop until the first hard frost and they'll all be down and that's destined to happen on Thursday according to Accuweather.  The leaves from the lawn I've piled up against the wall which should rot down nicely over the winter putting back into the soil.  I came in and settled down on the sofa watching a new found Netflix and obviously nodded off for an hour or so and felt much better for it.

I went into the little house and started filling the crate with polystyrene cutting it down to fit the crate for the water clock hole.  I found some plastic line that I've used to secure the polythene to the crate and so far so good but the light was failing so I locked up and came in at five thirty.  Fire is lit and I had to remember to close the windows since they've been open for most of the day and supper is in the oven.  Strictly tonight, let's see how the television behaves itself.   LN....or rather now Transponder behaves itself.....LN

Sunday 7th November

Usual morning routine.  Fortunately the lip has subsided but I've still got slight swelling along the jaw line to the one side. It was a very misty morning and stayed that way until around lunchtime but the sun didn't really break thought at all.  Cornflakes again for breakfast and no coffee today and can't say that I've missed it and am sticking mainly to water and some apple juice.  I lit the fire and the house felt very cosy, it wasn't really necessary but made me feel better.

Visitors around ten thirty and they stayed for an hour or so and I settled down to watch Netflix.  I'd started to watch Downton Abbey before they arrived and finished that off and then fell upon the story of Freddy Mercury and Queen and it was a film I'd not seen before despite the hype surrounding it.  Fascinating character.  Had a nap this afternoon and was surprised when my Avatar came on to the terrace and I saw her through the lounge window. She'd come to check up on me to see how my lip was behaving today.  We chatted at the gate and at that Haciber came to join us, she doesn't like to miss anything. I went on to the computer this afternoon and wrote and email regarding my subscription to my ancestry lot, they've not comeback to me about taking the payment and it's getting on for a month now and again, my account has been suspended.  Let's see what they come back with this time.

I watched Strictly results and Adam has gone over Gordon Ramsey's daughter and unfortunately it's got to the point of anyone could go out of the competition....and still I don't have a favourite.  Doctor's tomorrow early, I tried to book online an appointment for the Polyclinic and it looks like an American system has been put in place requesting insurance details which no one will understand since it has to be completed in English.  Another pot of money to someone.  LN....Funny old day.....LN

Monday 8th November

Shower and hair washed and in the Nipper by seven thirty and heading to Kardjali and the Polyclinic.  I was looking forward to tackling the doctor booking system and I did.  Quite a queue formed as we worked through the process and eventually I came out of it with a telephone number for next time and a ticket for my appointment....result.  Unfortunately it was for eleven twenty so I filled up the time reading the Kindle and playing Sudoku and relaxing before she took my blood pressure again.  I actually got pushed forward by a local so was much earlier, I told her that I was allergic to the tablets she'd prescribed on Friday and obviously to the others because I'd only had a slight reaction before but I'd only taken half a tablet.  I showed her the photograph that I'd taken of my trout pout and now she was finding more tablets and again putting them against my spine for suitability but after the last fiasco, not sure it was the method to use.

Back in the car and stopped off at Djebel to get the Nipper winter checked and it's fine, the chemist provided the new tablets and the assistant asked me how I'd got on.  I said that it these gave me a problem like a swollen upper lip then I'd take one of the old tablets to have a real trout pout. I carried on home, parked up and walked over to Avatar's house and sat in the sun with her and Beyser.  It was a beautiful day.  I made my phone call to my ancestry company to follow up my email and got another, 'I'll escalate the problem' and I let fly.  I asked to be transferred to her supervisor and she replied that she worked from home so couldn't.  I said I expected this to come to a conclusion today and it has....the supervisor sent me a link, I entered the details and the card went through and I didn't pay for the last month of pathetic attempt to resolve the issue.  I emailed her and told her that it had worked that she should pass this info on to the rest of the team and I would be pleased if the whole fiasco could be used for training purposes.  Cheeky and then she told me that she was giving me a month's free and I checked my account and there it was.  Some decency at last.

No student tomorrow, he's playing football for Kardjali in Plovdiv, he's so proud to be playing for the team.  LN.....Stress has lifted today......LN

Tuesday 9th November

Five thirty start, games and Sudoku and bottle of water.....Coffee is kept for later in the day now, taking a blood pressure tablet with a cup of coffee is not advised.  A load of washing in the machine while the cheap rate is in operation and it's been on the airer all day, no chance of putting outside, it's been a dull and miserable day.  I phoned my daughter just after seven to wish her a good morning and I got her answer phone.  I left a message saying that it wasn't a mistake, there was nothing wrong and it was just to wish her a good morning and hope she had a happy day.  She phoned me back and my beautiful sleepy offspring told me that it was just too early and it took me back to when I virtually had to heave her out of bed to get her to college.  She told me that she was thinking about me last night after a phone call from my son saying that he'd had a super chat with me a few days ago so obviously the vibes had got through.

I washed and dressed and was cooking my poached egg on toast at seven thirty and washing up by eight and the day was all mine.  I tidy the house and untidied the chest in the downstairs bedroom looking for bubble wrap to complete the water clock insulation and found plenty.  I wonder at times why I store such stuff but it eventually seems the light of day and comes in useful.  So I headed into the little house clutching the bubble wrap and went to the yard to pick up the part completed insulation pack.  I must have spent a couple of hours or so threading plastic cord through the polystyrene and  bubble wrap securing it in place and used some glue to hold in the edges.  Unfortunately I noticed that the glue was melting some of the polystyrene so it was used with caution after that.  It's all done and I even made a lifting handle out of cord so it's easier for the clock readers when they come round.  Unfortunately my plans for the lid have had to go on hold.  The polycarbon  sheet that I had was too small after I took the old wood from the surround so it's back to the drawing board.  Instead I renewed the middle plank that had rotted away and used the existing covering it all with wood preservative and nailing on old car rubber mats.  The new lid will be done but I need stronger nails, the wood is so dry that it's bending nails as I'm knocking them in so I gave up and it's for another day. If the temperature goes down as predicted, it's frost proof.

I sat down for five minutes at the table in the stairwell and heard a clunk.  It was a new robin redbreast who didn't know about windows and that he couldn't fly through them.  I went out to the conservatory and there he was lying very crumpled on the concrete so I went out, got my cow stick and gently prodded hi and managed to get him on his feet.  Worried that the cats might get him I got him into a plastic box and put him on the bird table and he must have sat there for a good twenty minutes so I went out again and this time he flew straight for the window again and ended up on the window ledge behind the bench.  I went back inside so I could watch him, thought about moving him back to the bird table and suddenly, he took off, landed on the little house balcony rail and then off to the mulberry not to be seen again.  I thought about the kiss of life but the stick did it and helped bring him to his senses although he might never be the same again.

So out again and tidied the workshop, raked up the leaves that had fallen in the yard and threw them over the wall.  I also moved a small pile of logs that had sat close to the little house porch and they're now drying off in the garage and will be the first to get burnt...it's called tidying for winter.  Next job is to empty the water container in the yard into plastic bottles to water the plants overwintering in the little house, dismantle the pipework and store the container in the little house. It's strong but I normally bring it in, don't want it to freeze and split.

Tools away in by four thirty and I was heading with the log container for the wood store when I was surprised by a young lady in the yard who handed me some pancakes.  She said that they were because her grandmother had passed away forty days ago and it's the a tradition so I thanked her in Bulgarian, said that I understood the reason behind the gift and off she went.  I brought them in the house and went back, filled up the log basket and noticed that she hadn't put the latch down over the gate and then forgot all about it and  I've just remembered and been out to close it properly and my goodness, it's blowing a Hooley out there.  I've just picked up one of the large lemon trees that the wind's blown over and put it by the lounge window out of the wind.  It's going to be a rough night.  I lit the fire at four thirty and it's going well.  The house is so cosy after the wood burner's been going for a while.

No supper for me...I had the pancakes while they were still warm with pine tip syrup made my one of my ladies.  It's an acquired taste and would have had cream with them but I'm regulating my fat intake.  Student tomorrow so I'll find some new texts for us.  LN....As a side-line, I slept through University Challenge again....doh....LN

Wednesday 10th November

So managed to stay awake last night and even stayed awake for the 'Who do you think you are' and the amazing thing about the program was the amount of outfits that she managed to get into an hour.  I think it hits home when you find that some of your relatives ended up in the workhouse, infant mortality was rife and somehow people survived.  I was in bed for midnight and woke up at three thirty with not an ounce of sleep in me so did my usual on the Kindle and eventually got  my head down at five waking up for the second time at seven thirty.  The rest of the morning was a mishmash and I achieved a lot like cleaning off the kitchen window sill, moving the candles for emergency power failures under the table by the woodburner and tidying up the hidey hole where I store my rubbish sack roles and kitchen foil.  I fancied breakfast and decided on poached egg on toast and then despite taking the freezer apart, there was no bread so I made a cheese omelette instead.  Sun shining this morning and beautifully warm where I sat eating my breakfast,  

By now it was getting on for ten thirty so I remembered that Avatar had asked me for paper for lighting her fire so I delivered technology in the form of fire lighters and she'd never seen them before.  She was making bread in a pan over the soon to be extinguished fire.  She hadn't got any starter wood so I opened up the packet, took a firelighter out, out the wood she had round it and lit it and within minutes it was warming up the oven to put the bread in.  She was determined to pay me for them so I suggested that she saw how she got on with them, it she wanted more then she would pay for them and this was agreed upon.

I came home and started to search for a suitable text for my student and all I could come up with was 'The Little Red Hen'.  It worked and I already had one other that we went through and the homework was to write an essay on he difference between the humming bird of the text and another bird that he knew of so I advised him do five differences between the text and his budgie and he'll manage that.  He's off to play football tonight again and I think that was on his mind but I hope he's wearing thermals tonight, the temperature has really dropped.

Called at the supermarket and bought bread and a box of truffles, sturdy nails from the hardware, picked up my shepherd on his way home, parked up, lit the fire that I'd laid this afternoon and put the chicken leg with onions and potato in the oven for supper.  Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow but I'm sure I'll find something to do.  LN.....Supper should be ready soon......LN

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

Sunday 21st November

Well today worked out as planned...a very lazy day. I had an early start but I didn't check the time and went straight back to sleep until seven and stuck to hot water avoiding coffee.  I washed and dressed and put the same things on as I'd taken off last night, it was a cold start to the day so wrapped up warm.  I found ham in the fridge that I'd forgotten about and it tasted OK so decided to make poached egg on ham for breakfast.  I'd found earlier some pouched egg pouches that I'd had for ages and thought I'd give them a try.  I cracked the egg, dropped it into the pouch, slipped it into the boiling water and watched it.  Meanwhile my bread was toasting, the toast got buttered, I turned out the egg and it had the pattern of the paper on it which really put me off so I did another on in the conventional which turned out to have a hard yolk.  The cat had a field day this morning, the rest of the ham that I thought would no probably last another day and a half poached egg with some cat dry food added. I think black cat did better than I did.

I went over to see Avatar and took over the gas canister that I had for refilling the fire lighters, she said that she had one but it had run out of gas but unfortunately after searching the garage she thought she'd probably thrown it away.  While I waited in the garage she said that she was plagued with 'big mice' which I took to be rats and she'd put some poison down but obviously not enough.  I went home to put the gas back in the porch, found my rat poison in the little house and took over my jar of the stuff and said I would get her some when I was in Djebel next and now that she's got my container I need some for myself.  Back home and I got on with the things I'd put on my list and the job in hand was to tidy up the underneath of the little house balcony and dump the old dry grass over the wall. Next job was to remove the old cherry tree wood that had sat on the balcony for a while, so into the wheelbarrow with it and it's now sitting in the garage next to the Beast and I'll use it up this winter.  I gave the yuccas, waiting to be planted out and awaiting collection, a good water and I've just put them back into the little house, it looks like it's going to be another cold night.

I've had a very lazy afternoon, television on on, eyelids closed, a little more Netflix and now waiting for Strictly to see who didn't make it though and I have an idea, based on last night's performance who I think it might be but I'll have to wait and see.  No supper, I have had another 'picky' afternoon and found a packet of roasted shell on peanuts so fiddled my way through a third of the packet.  Curtains drawn, hatches battened down and I'm in for the night.  Not sure if I'm going to go into Kardjali and the doctor's surgery tomorrow, the tablets have the same ingredients as the last lot so hence the swelling and hives and I think I'm going to change my doctor.  I have to wait for December but I might just check with the new doctor to see if he can take me on.  Alternatively I might just have a trip to Djebel and another lazy day.  LN.....Feeling very chilled and it's nothing to do with the outside temperature.......LN

Monday 22nd November

Early start and then back to sleep again and it was seven when I faced the world.  It was a cold start, the sun was up but the sky was cloudy so not sure how much I would see of the sun all day.  It did well until lunchtime and it reached twenty eight in the stairwell and thirteen outside but the wind was cold.  I made toast for myself, bread and cat food for Blackie but it was chased away by a grey and white one so I had to intervene and move the food to another place where I couldn't see it.  It ended up by the concrete area by the garage, Blackie started to eat it but I didn't see what happened next.  It might be the original 'scardy cat'.

I eventually got dressed at around ten thirty so had made the decision not to go in to see the doctor, I want to keep tabs on my blood pressure myself and see how I fare without any tablets.  I did take a couple of readings, it's a little higher than normal but still in the green zone and for my age I'm being told that that's OK...I forget that I'm clocking on a bit.  I filled up the log basket from the log carrier and then filled up the log carrier from the woodstore.  My wood is so dry this year that the fire always seems to start first time and keeps going which is so unusual.  The wind must always be in the right direction.  I settled on the computer and did 'stuff; and at around twelve thirty there was a knock on the door and I assumed that it was my Avatar.  Wrong...it was a young lady from the village clutching a 'mevlit' bag of goodies including meat and rice for lunch so by one I was having my lunch.  The meat was good in this one, sometimes it isn't and the meal was very tasty and set me up for the day.  I shan't need much for tonight.

Tomorrow paying a visit to deliver the yuccas, student tomorrow afternoon so I'll have to get thinking about another text that we can work our way through.  Monday night is my quiz night and last week was the first episode I've seen of University Challenge, I've normally nodded off by then so let's see if I can manage it again.   I suppose those sort of programs keep my brain active, it's really important and surprises me what I know and remember, age has its benefits.  LN....I'm on the hunt for a text.....LN

Tuesday 23rd November

Silly night last night.  My brain was in overdrive, I couldn't settle, lousy results timewise at Sudoku and eventually it must have been three when I got to sleep.  I woke up at the usual time of six and straight back to sleep and woke at seven thirty to a damp terrace, we had had rain overnight.  I think this giving up my tablets and leaving my body to heal myself has upset my brain a little but at least the hives have gone from my arms and from the back area of my knees and I've put up with them for around two years.  No one thought it could be the tablets, even the skin specialist thought that it was down to eczema and I'd gone seventy odd years without have any skin problems.  This is my fourth day without without my tablets and my blood pressure is around normal....I'm good to go.

For some reason I didn't make breakfast, I'd found an old text that would suit to use with my student and set my leaving time at just before tens so moved the Nipper out on to the grass, cleared with my Avatar that I would be busy for the day and we agreed to make the leek and cheese dish tomorrow and she needs money from the cash point so I'll take her tomorrow to Djebel.  It was a bit dicey down the back lane but the rest of the journey was uneventful and I arrived at around ten ten, clutching my box of yucca.  I'd remembered to take my Covid paper proofs and that was his first job to update my two phones with the Booster details.  He's my technical support. We chatted about their trip to England and the comments were that England was damp. grey and expensive and I also learnt that cars and driving them are not what they used to be.  They've added more buttons than were there when I passed my test.  I was invited to stay for lunch and she'd made delicious tomato soup from the summer crop and just before two I said farewell and set off for Djebel for my student's lesson at three.  I did stop off and collected an armful of teasels from the verge for decorating my lounge, I threw the old ones out last year and was surprised to see so many at the side of the road.

Brilliant lesson and he'd even gone on to the internet to answer part of the homework that I said he could leave since we hadn't covered it. He has more research to do to do this week's homework which is about the Channel Tunnel and it's history.  I popped into the hardware shop as I made my way to the car-park and bought the mice/rat poison for Avatar and it's sitting in the car and I'll take it over tomorrow.  Not sure what time I'd doing what with Avatar and I'll play it by ear.  Arrived home at six and lit the fire, the meat that I'd fetched out of the freezer wasn't what I thought it was so I browned it off in the frying pan, added leeks, carrots and onions and it's all sitting in the slow cooker.  Supper was a chicken fillet and it was made into a sandwich with mayo.  LN.....Nothing apart from Avatar and her wishes and wants tomorrow........LN

Wednesday 24th November

Better night's sleep and a seven start and felt good.  It was damp out but I started my chores. washing in the machine. fire cleaned out and laid for tonight, logs into the log basket and log carrier filled and sitting in the conservatory.  I had a bonfire and threw away the walnuts that had sat on the terrace for some time and despite their use as missiles for the roaming cats, they had to go otherwise the mice would have been at them leaving a mess everywhere.  Tea this morning and enjoyed it, the coffee jar has now been relegated to the back of the kitchen cupboard, I didn't bother with breakfast and was surprised to see Avatar at my door asking if I was going over to watch her make the leek pastry dish that she'd made the other day.  I asked her to give me ten minutes and I'd be over and it just gave me time to get the laundry on to the airer in the bathroom.  It had more chance of drying inside than out, I remembered that I needed to take my blood pressure now that I'd given up on the tablets and it was getting better all the time.

I found out the rat and mouse poison and took it over with me, I let myself in and she had everything prepared.  She had flour in a dish, I asked how many grams and she just looked at me and I realised that it would be a watch and learn session and the only thing that came as a 'must have' was two eggs.  A dash of oil, chopped leeks, crumbled cheese, water and some filo pasty and a dash of salt.  The frying pan was lined with filo, a little of a egg and flour mixture was dribbled over the pasty along with some oil, next came the leeks and cheese and more of the eggy mixture was put over the top and it was finalised with a layer of filo.  Frying pan on the woodburner and left alone for ten minutes, the contents were turned over and the other done for a further ten minutes and there we have it.  She turned it out onto another dish, it was mine to take home and half of it was breakfast with another cup of tea.  I went outside again and carried on with the clearing and turned the bench over that supports the outside sink to work out how I can repair it.  The legs have rotted and need replacing but it looks an easy job and I was about to tackle it when Avatar appeared again and the van that she was waiting for hadn't got what she wanted so we agreed to head into Djebel so that she could get her money from the machine, or rather I could get her money from the machine for her.  She also wanted to do a shop to prepare herself for winter so I parked up we called at the shop that she wanted.  I didn't realise that she was going to get twelve bottles of cooking oil otherwise I'd have parked nearer so I left her in the shop and went to retrieve the car.  Shopping complete, we headed home.

Shopping unloaded and I almost had to fight with her as she wanted to pay me for taking her.  I don't do it for money, I do it because she's my friend but I did go back to take the dish that I'd brought the leek thing back in and I told her that I would have the money for the mouse 'food' but that was it....and we ended up OK again.  By this time it was heading for five so I topped up the fire, turned on the slow cooker to get my meat and veg, supper ready for tonight, watched a little television while it was all happening, had supper and have now settled in for the evening, the boiler is on and I'm going to enjoy my bath tonight.  Nothing on for tomorrow except that I'm going to sort out the legs on the outside bench, and get that re-established even though I shall be soon turning off the outside water tap for the winter.  LN....Time to switch off....LN

Thursday 25th November

What a really stupid night.  I woke up at three, tried but didn't manage to get off to sleep again except for dog-dozing, up out of bed and dressed by seven and so my day began  early...very early.  I'd managed to keep the fire going, it was minus two outside and comfortable in and eventually that central heating came over the hill and it became very comfortable inside.  I settled for toast for breakfast and was ready to face the day, the hammers and the nails and I think it would have been easier if I had started from scratch and made a new bench not try and repair the other that had stood the test of time.

It was fairly easy to take apart, it was going that way without much help from me and then it was down to finding enough wood to make four new legs so that it would do another few years.  I dressed up warm, complete with hat that I'd had to remove the pom-pom from.  I bought it in a fit of peek last year but this year, not so much in fashion and the bobbing about bothered me.  I was amazed at the amount of birds out and about, the tits have taken to the feeder and the cats seem to be leaving it alone this year so far.  I fed the black cat and it was happily munching away and then the white and black one, the bully of the outfit chased it away and got it's head down over the container and so human intervention was necessary.  It hopped over the wall, I went to the wall and it was hiding underneath it and I chased it further away but it was soon back.  I appreciate that it was hungry too but please don't chase away the one that I try to feed.  

I found what I thought was good wood and top and bottom of it was that it looked good from the outside.  I cut the legs to side, worked out how I was going to do it using the same planks for the top but it really didn't go to plan.  I adjusted one of the legs and it virtually turned to dust in front of my eyes so two legs removed, I found more wood in the little house and made one more leg.  They're all attached but I'd painted the whole thing with old engine oil and so it's sitting in the yard currently, the second bench from the terrace is now in its place under the lounge window while the other dries off but I doubt the new one will go back in place.  I'll end up buying new wood and start again in the new year.  It filled the morning thought, I cleaned off the terrace and decided to have a bonfire to get rid of the old and what a good blaze it turned to be.

I came in at three more or less, settled for water again and still no coffee has passed my lips nor tablets and I'm pleased to say that I have no more red blotches on my arms.  I've obviously been dosing myself with prescribed tablets that had side effects that weren't attributed to them and this is my own little experiment and so far so good.  The blood pressure is a little higher but still within the range for my age....no longer a spring chicken.  I had a little nap in the lounge watching while watching Countdown, warmed up the rest of the efforts of Avatar and myself from yesterday and finished it off and by this time fatigue had set in and I woke up at nine, the television had switched itself off.  I'm now trying to stay awake so that I can go to bed at the usual time and hopefully have a decent night.  Shopping day tomorrow, I need to buy my bus ticket ready for the trip to Sofia and I suppose get the hotel booked for the night before departure.  I'm also finishing off my Christmas purchases for the ladies and getting those packed up before I leave.  I might not distribute until I come back but it will be done and dusted and less to think about.

So the kitchen preparation I'd done at four this afternoon namely a potato, carrots and an onion ready to peel and chop to go into the oven with the unfrozen chicken leg and the plans went out of the window.  The leg has gone into the fridge and the veg back in the rack and that will all go into the slow cooker for tomorrow instead.  It's now ten so time I posted this, same weather again tomorrow please.  LN.....Time to boil the kettle ....LN
  

Friday 26th November

So much better night last night and hopefully I'm back in sync.  Beautiful sky this morning, predawn reds and blues interspersed with the wispy clouds rising from the river and it got better as the sun started its climb.  Minus three this morning, I did make it out on to the balcony to take one of the photos but I was soon inside again and snuggled up under the duvet with my cup of tea.  Out again to take more of the morning when the sun was breaking through and it was downhill from then for the rest of the day.

The chicken went in the slow cooker with the veg and that was supper sorted, I had a shower and washed my hair so I was sorted, I phoned the UK to wish my SIL a happy birthday but he'd already left for work but the card has arrived and his present will be delivered courtesy of the bank of my daughter, I put the money in her account earlier this week.  I laid the fire ready for tonight and everything seems to work like clockwork when you have a routine established.   I was into the Nipper by ten, Avatar didn't want anything from Kardjali but I did stop to check and I decided to use the back lane, it saves going through Djebel on market day.  

First stop was the leva shop and I filled up two very large plastic bags with goodies so tomorrow I shall be parcelling up and filling bags for my ladies.  Next stop Kaufland and a quick whiz round and my best buy was a small white rose bush with lots of buds on it.  Someone had obviously picked it up from the plant section but it was with near the stand where you can check prices tin the toiletry section. I found out the price and suddenly remembered my student telling me that his mother buys flowers by they die so I've given her another one to kill off.  Next stop the three story dinky doo shop and I went in to buy a larger shower head and a pair of lower strength glasses for use on the computer.   I nipped into the bus station and bought my ticket for Sofia from a very rude lady but she sells the ticket that I want so you have to put up with it and finally Lidl.  Quite a few items reduced for quick sale which ended up in my basket on wheels but ran into a problem, you used to be able to wheel the basket to the car but now an alarm goes off, I asked the security guard to watch my shopping while I went back in the store and found an empty box in the veg department.

Back to Djebel, handed over the gift and my student's mum was very surprised and promised to look after it, shopping unloaded and put away, fire lit, supper demolished, washing up can wait.  The temperature is dropping and that lovely cold, clear morning has turned into a drab, cloud filled sky with rain lashing down.  We're back to rising clouds from the river but this time contrasting with the dark grey sky not the rising sun.  LN.....Lots to do tomorrow, need to fill Santa's sack.......LN

Saturday 27th November

Six thirty start, we'd obviously had rain in the night and the terraces were very wet,  It was an OK morning, quite a few clouds around, not too cold but there was a pretty stiff breeze.  Black cat got the rest of the chicken bones, skin and some of the flesh from last night's meal and this time I sprinkled dry cat food on it and it gobbled it up before it was taken away.  No other cats seemed to be around this morning, I suppose at seven thirty the others were holed up, we had some scraggy cats around later but it only gets fed once by me and then it can fend for itself.  I've notice another trail of mole hills in the top garden, if it really wanted to earn it's keep, it could have a go at that,

The fire was still going from last night so I revived it, put a load of washing in the machine and by seven thirty it was on the airer in the bathroom and is now ready to put away.  I made soup from the veg in the slow cooker, made bolognaise sauce for tonight, cleared everything up, beans on toast for breakfast, more washing up and then the rest of the day was mine.  I collected up the pressies that I was going to wrap, found some old wrapping paper in the back bedroom, made a ribbon dispenser having seen how to do it on FB and it's saved getting all tangled up and ribbon everywhere.  I found some table clips and attached fire plastic carrier bags to the table for the presents and one for the rubbish and as I wrapped five of the same items, one went in each bag so that it's all very organised this year.  I've wrapped about twenty five presents, ran out of steam so decided that I would fill up the log basket and keep the home fires burning and Avatar was at the gate with some home made yogurt, she stayed at the gate and when I invited her in, she said that she had lots of work to do so I smiled.  I asked if she had supper planned and she hadn't so I'm delivering spaghetti bolognaise around six tonight.

I've just brought the fire to life again and about to start the supper and what a lovely day it's been.  I had a brief interlude with Netflix and the 'Crown' and went back to the pressies and all I have to buy to add to them for delivery are chocolates and biscuits.  I managed to get most things that I wanted yesterday, the only thing missing is more gift bags which I can get locally.  In fact today has seemed like a Sunday and I've got the added bonus that tomorrow is Sunday.  Also forgot to mention, I'm watching snooker and Ronnie.   LN.....Kitchen calls, Avatar ordered a take-away......LN

Sunday 28th November

Well a late phone call from the UK kept me up and I found myself watching Queen and Freddie Mercury until very early in the morning. I'd not learnt much about him in the seventies and eighties but after watching the new film I became very curious about him and his music is very deep.  Eventually I went to bed at one thirty and had trouble getting off to sleep so it must have been around three when my head hit the pillow.  A short but deep sleep and I woke up at seven thirty and my day had begun.  I didn't leap out of bed, I settled down with my Kindle and a few games of Sudoku and I hit the bathroom at eight fifteen.  The washing was put away, I washed and dressed and settled for lighter clothing. I wasn't in for much outside activity today.

I messaged a friend to find out where to buy a substantial mask for my trip and was given the advice.  I also checked out the website of the company that I'd ordered my test from now that the rules have changed yet again and they seem to have their finger on the pulse and are taking active measures.  I'm assuming my test hasn't been dispatched yet so will be able to upgrade to the PCR and we've been advised to keep checking the website for updates.  Beans on toast for breakfast, I'd got a half can left from yesterday, Cat had to settle for dried food since last night's supper was mostly demolished and what was left I've just reheated and had it for tonight so supper time over.

I settled down and finished the pressie wrapping for my ladies and tomorrow I'm heading into Kardjali to do the rest of my shopping.  Some have become routine to buy but I'm beginning to have a rethink and some might even be struck off this year.....I'll see how I'm faring tomorrow.  I cleaned out the fire, decided to clean the inside pipes of my wood burner by bashing the up pipes and then removing the lid of the burner, cleaned the plate and got a brush up as far as I could manage and cleared out quite a lot.  The wood's so dry this year that most of the smoke turns into soot not clinker.

My 'flower scrounging' lady from the bottom of the village appeared and it's a bit of a joke when she sees something growing in a pot in the conservatory and she asks if it's for her.  I tell her it's not ready and she can have it when it is....she's not very green fingered.  She really wants some photographs printing off, they're on her phone so I suggested that she emails them to me so that I can see the quality and make a decision which ones get printed and framed.  She wants about four doing and I think that's excessive, she'll get what she's given.  Off she went but she did give me a helping hand to move the bench that I repaired back to it's resting place.  The second one was moved in front of the stairwell window but I'll put it where I want it tomorrow.  It was getting chill out there.  Next visitor was Avatar returning my dish from last night and she said that she realised that she would be able to make it using a local tomato and pepper paste of 'lutenitza', I might even try it myself.

Not much activity from me today but I've achieved what I set out to.  Lit the fire and it's going well, supper over, about to search the freezer for pudding and then the evening is all mine.  LN.....Strictly results...Who's going out tonight or went out last night?.......LN

Monday 29th November

Six thirty start and the wind was still blowing a holey out there and this morning I was wondering what damage I would find when I surveyed the estate.  Mot too much damage but I had a slight panic last night when the fire had just settled in for the night and the electricity went off. Now the UPS only does around two hours and so I made my way downstairs in the dark, found the candles. lit a couple so that I could see what I was doing.  I had the firelight of course which was the last thing I wanted just now and made my way into the kitchen and removed the items on top of the little wood burner just in case I had to do a quick move of the logs and embers to the new site.  The electricity came on again after five minutes but I still finished off clearing the burner, it could go off again as quickly as it had come on.  As it happened I went to bed and it could please itself, the fire had gone down a little by now.

So back to the damage, I'd lost the lid of the cushion storage box that sits on the terrace so I went out in my PJ's and move the box into the little house.  I emptied it out and hung the cushions at various points and watched the water draining out but in there it doesn't matter much.  I checked the box over, it appears that one of the eight lugs that connect the lid to the box has been damaged but out in the damp atmosphere in PJ's, it could wait for later.  I locked up the little house, cleared out the fire and reset it for tonight, put the little wood burner back to normal and went upstairs to get washed, dressed ready for the day.  Poached eggs and ham on toast for breakfast, washed up the debris from yesterday, old bread out for the birds and there was no sign of black cat today.  I'm thinking it's found a windproof, dry spot to hole up in and why wouldn't you.

The rest of my day has been very leisurely.  I didn't bother going in to Kardjali, there were intermittent showers and they included white coverings of hail which soon dissipated, the temperature has been almost up into double figures .As for the clouds I was amazed how many different hues of grey there were in the sky and the many types of clouds.  There were bright glimpses of sun that soon disappeared....it's been a funny old day.

Quiz night tonight if I can managed to stay awake for it although at the moment I'm watching Ronnie making his way through to the next round of the snooker competition....and he's made it, he's through to the next round.  Barbecued ribs tonight for supper and tomorrow I'm hoping for more clarification of the new restrictions that have come in.  I've got two weeks before I go so panic hasn't set in but it's like juggling knives and it's in the hands of the gods and Boris.  LN.....I'm moving on to kitchen duties......LN

Tuesday 30th November

So guess what.....I slept through all of my quiz programmes again and woke up to something I had no intention of watching...c'est la vie.  Downside is that I have no sleep in me around eleven so it was one before I got my head down and a six thirty start so a little jaded this morning.  It was another damp morning, there was a chill in the air but at least the wind had dropped.  I got the food ready for Black Cat and just as I was about to deliver it, the white and grey brute shot into the garden, chased Blackie away so the food stayed in the conservatory and never made it to the garden.  More for it tomorrow, there will be chicken bones to go with it.

I made a toasted cheese sandwich for breakfast, cleared the kitchen and went up to the landing to fire up the computer to see if there had been any changes to the travel arrangements that hopefully I'm about to make.  I emailed the testing company, they've refunded me the money for the LF test so I emailed asking when they would be taking bookings for the PCR.  The company responded very quickly, the website had changed and I booked the PCR, printed out boarding passes etc. for the flight and only two things yet to do, one urgent and the other can only be done two days before the trip...ducks are beginning to line up.

I decided to watch Netflix, I needed some light relief and by twelve I was having forty winks and woke up at one thirty which was OK.  It suddenly struck me that I hadn't printed off a text for my student so dug deep and found one suitable on, another article where you had twelve paragraphs that had to be organised into a story and that was fun to do but didn't take long at all...such a bright spark.  I had another text so filled in the time quite well, it's his birthday tomorrow so I shall be seeing him again with his pressie.  I did ask him to take more care with his writing and letter formation on the next homework, the thought of a drunken spider struck me but try explaining that to a twelve year old.

Home for six, fire lit for six and five, chicken wings in the oven for six fifteen, caught Tipping Point and now supper is ready so I'm on kitchen duties.  The temperature has really dropped tonight and there could be a hard frost.  I should have got the rest of the pots in but we'll see how they do overnight and in for tomorrow.  LN.....The aroma from downstairs is tantalising......LN