Wednesday 1st December

White rabbits and they certainly would have been if they'd spent the night outside.  It was minus two last night, white over and c.ccccold out there.  I did venture out the balcony to take pictures of the morning sky but i didn't stay out there for long.  The first light photos were magnificent...there were so many colours in the sky and they changed pretty rapidly as the sun got nearer to starting it's work for the day and eventually, it came up, it went behind the clouds and didn't come out until later.  

I didn't bother with breakfast, I did keep the home fires burning from last night's embers but was pretty slow off the mark to get anything done.  The bruiser of a cat was sitting on the wall waiting for food, Black cat was nowhere to be seen so I left it a little later before I took the food out.  I moved up to the computer on the landing and checked out the hotels in Sofia and eventually settled for booking.com and made my choice.  The hotel that I was originally going for was quoted as being one hundred and thirty but a direct booking with them suddenly got up to one hundred and ninety and I really only want a bed for the night.....according to all report of visits to England, I shall need all the money I can lay my hands on.  Solved the mystery of my Avatar's requirements...it was ginger root or 'gingerfill' in Anglo-Bulgarian and this morning I made a card for my student for his birthday adding money so that he can buy what he wants.

Eventually off to Kardjali, stopped off to deliver the card and first stop Lidl to get a cook book for my student's mum.  If you spend thirty leva you get a token point and need five to get a free cookbook and she only had four so with my shopping I completed the card and received the book.  I didn't find a mask in there which was the main reason for going so carried on to Kaufland, completed my Christmas shopping, back to Djebel and delivered book and home for four thirty.  It's been a long expensive day....thank goodness Christmas only comes once a year.  I was at the stage where some of the people on the list could be ousted but my good nature wouldn't let me do it...maybe next year.

Wood in, fire relit, the rest of the chicken wings are in the oven and should be ready soon.  LN..... Enjoy the pickies.......LN

Thursday 2nd December

Four a.m. start and I've no idea why.  I played a few games of Sudoku, didn't managed to get off again so was up and about by seven putting away the washing I did at ten last night.  The boiler must have been going quite some time keeping the radiators warm so all goo in my little world.  The fire was still going so I coaxed it to life again, the radiators were soon up to temperature and despite the cold wind, it was plus two this morning on the outside weather station and eighteen in the house.  The house temperature soon went up with the fire going so I sat with my PJ's still on and started wrapping presents and have moved on to family specific bags now and only a few other things like chocolates to buy.

Had a late message yesterday to tell me the good new that I don't have to have a PCR when I arrive back in Bulgaria and it was followed up with a 'Can we come round for coffee? and my response was that it was fine, I'd picked up four jars of Nescafe Gold Blend for just under ten leva each so they could have a jar if they wanted.  With impending visitors I decided it was time to get washed and dressed and it was such a lovely morning that I brought in the remaining pots into the little house and gave everything a good water.  I also tried unsuccessfully to mend the outside cushion container damaged in the storm the other night but it can wait for another day.  It's inside for the winter since all is safely gathered in and the cushions all dry so they got stuffed back in it and the lid placed on top.  Next job was to move the Beast out from the garage and sweep the leaves from underneath it and generally clean up the area.  The bricks are stacked neatly as are the concrete blocks, the starter wood is tidied and the wheel barrow with the old wood is now in the wood store and I'll bring it in to get rid of it now that it's dry.  I put the Beast back in the garage and remembered that I'd bought a cover for it so laced it on and it should protect the front of it from the worst weather.  I used a couple elastic bungy cords and some other elastic so there can be some movement with the wind.

My coffee buddies arrived around eleven so we sat inside, chewed the cud, put the world to rights and mainly discussed doctors.  As we started to discuss high blood pressure tables making comparisons, she said that she was on some and had come out in red blotches similar to the ones that I had from the tablets that I'd been given.  She said that she'd seen the specialist who'd suggested eczema and I said that I'd had the same prognosis but I showed her my arms and not a mark in sight now that I've temporarily given up the tablets.  Curiouser and curiuoser....as the Mad Hatter said or was it Alice?  We've made plans to assault the doctors next week to sort it out and I'm taking my three packets with me and the photographs for proof.  Off they went, I carried on with sweeping up the leaves and sawing a few old short planks making it easier to chop them into starter wood.  I now have one complete bin ready for when I come back from the UK and will probably get another done tomorrow.

Little house locked up by four thirty and I caught the end of Countdown, I relit the fire by five since the temperature was dropping considerably and the house is all cosied up for the night.  It was good going out there and getting things done, the temperature was fourteen degrees and the sun shining and inside it topped thirty four with the doors open.  LN.....More of the same tomorrow please.....LN

Friday 3rd December

Another really horrible night.  I went to bed at twelve and was still awake at three thirty eventually nodding off but again awake at six thirty.  Maybe not taking the tablets is suiting me, I seem to have lots of energy, achieving a lot but just not sleeping.  I was washed and dressed by seven and present wrapping and sorting and made my list of everything that I need to get to say ....jobs a guddun.  I have found myself a box of chocolates short though, I finished that off when I was present wrapping this afternoon.

So at eleven clutching my list I headed into Djebel, parked at the top of town and enjoyed the walk to the centre.  I stopped off at one of the little shops that I use for gift bags, cards and ribbon and managed to find every thing I wanted, carried on to the real centre, chatted to a few people that I haven't seen in ages which was nice, arranged to post some cards in the UK for another friend who has the dinky doo shop and then walked back to the Nipper.  I moved to the supermarket car park and picked up a trolley, this was going to be necessary.  I needed three bottles of red, one Smirnoff and nine boxes of chocolates and as I said, I'm not one short but I enjoyed them.  I drove home, unpacked the car and set about finishing the task and all that's left to do are two family boxes that are part done but not finalised.  I have all the components, just got to decided where they're going.

The wrapping paper is all sorted and neatly in a box with the rest of the gift bags, the unallocated presents in another and everything else is under the pot with the Christmas tree lights on in the lounge.  I must remember to find my snowman to put on the top of the teasels, he's gone AWOL this year.  The fire's been going most of the day and has now been ramped up and the house is cosy.  I've just put the boiler on, I fancy lingering in a bath tonight and am feeling very good about Christmas.....I'll be putting a CD on next...not like me at all.

Supper has just been taken out of the freezer and thawing and it's going to be a chicken cutlet and will be pan-fried.  Not sure if it will be before the bath or after and maybe even eaten during, that's the beauty of living alone, you have so many choices.  I've just given up on the Ronnie snooker match, I really don't like the one that he's playing and I don't feel very sporting about it.  I just want Ronnie to win but it's looking very unlikely at the moment.  

Nothing on the agenda so far for tomorrow,  It the weather is good I might finish the starter wood and there are a few geranium cuttings that need planting up.  LN....Kitchen, bath, television and bed, hopefully for a better night's sleep......LN

Saturday 4th December

Another silly start of which I've taken full opportunity.  I woke up at four again, played games for an hour or so. made coffee, ran a bath and lingered there for about an hour and a half, dried my hair, dressed and ready for the day by seven.  I cleared out the wood burner and laid it for later in the day, made toast for breakfast with lashing of jam and wrote my shopping list.  I left the house by eight thirty, stopped off and discussed the present that I'd see with my student's mum to see if he had already got one and he hadn't so that was another thing sorted.  There wasn't much traffic on the road but Kardjali was humming.  There were also lots of police cars parked up in the hidey holes and hopefully I missed all of them...well I wasn't stopped anyway so fingers crossed I'm OK on the speeding. I shall find out the next time I go to renew my licence or when I go over to Greece.

First stop Kaufland and the only thing missing from the list were the serviettes that I normally buy for my other student's family as I joke because the father insists on halving them when I stay for supper and I'm sure he does it when I'm not there.  I also found that the same chocolates that I'd bought from my local supermarket in Djebel were one leva cheaper than the ones in Kaufland so I picked those up on the way home.  I moved to one of the central car parks and went into the Beauty shops and found the elusive masks so bought two of them for my upcoming trip.  Negotiated the back way to the Panda shop and got my student's present from the list, another pair of reading glasses for two lev.  I carried on to Lidl and found some frozen honey roast parsnips and they're in the freezer, the serviettes even though they're not Christmas ones but they're coloured and final stop for gas for the Nipper and back to cheap fuel.  I've been running on petrol since yesterday.

Final stop was the Djebel supermarket for the chocolates and some spicy sausages for supper if I get round to cooking them, fire going and I'm in for the night.  A little minor problem, one of my metal pictures was crooked on the wall and as I straightened it up the little nail shot out into the either so I've just had a visit to the little house and came back with a hammer and a pot of nails, and problem solved and it's back on the wall.  I've decided to leave the present wrapping until tomorrow morning and then I can consider myself finished unless the Santa decides differently.  

I'm now watching the snooker again and the one that knocked out my Ronnie yesterday is just getting smashed out of the next round by the Belgian....and I'm rooting for him.  LN.....Strictly later....my Saturday night entertainment.....LN

Sunday 5th December

What a surprise, it was just before seven when I woke up this morning.  Quite a change for me, I was getting fed up with my four a.m starts and I was pretty slow out of bed and into the day.  By the time I was ready to face to face the day it was getting on for nine so I headed for the kitchen and made a bacon sandwich which set me up for the day.  Kitchen tidied my plan for today was to get the rest of my presents wrapped and I achieved that by one.  Now all I have to do is to put the village ladies presents out of plastic bags and into gift bags and to make up a few more bags for some of the other ladies.  

The other thing that was chuntering round my brain was the recent update to the requirements for entering the UK.  I mentioned this to a knowledgeable friend and we discussed it over lunch.  I'd read the update as a PCR was compulsory but it's an either/or a Lateral flow so I know the one that I'm going for so Monday for me is going to be a very busy day before I catch the bus to Sofia on the thirteenth to get to Sofia ready to fly out on the fourteenth.  Talking about lunch I was treated to a chicken Sunday roast with all the trimmings...a lot of effort had gone into it and a big thankyou to the cook and bottle washer for a very restful, relaxed day.  I'd taken the back lane to get there but decided that the back lane wasn't an option on the way back so I came back through another village and that was enough to cope with.  You sort of run out of road signs and keep you finger crossed and your foot hovering over the brake pedal but there was nothing untoward on the road...the cows were all locked up for the night.

Fire lit and going quite well.  I've just thrown a large log on and that should do me for the night.  Tomorrow's weather is supposed to be a little on the dull side with intermittent showers.  I don't think I shall be going far but I have plenty of things to do.  LN....Christmas has officially started...the 'After Eights' are opened......LN

Monday 6th December

Not such a good night, six start and woke up to a dreary morning.  Last night the stars were out but no sign of any bright sky this morning but on the bright side, I went out empty the ash can and looked towards the mountains over the road and there was a double rainbow.  They weren't complete and by the time that I'd got the camera out there wasn't much of it left and by the time I'd have got the shovel out it would have gone completely.  The treasure will live for another day.

I was up and about by seven thirty, washing away, fire lit and it's been going all day.  I fried off a spicy sausage for breakfast and had it in a sandwich, popped over to see my Avatar to tell her not to bother with supper tonight.  I'd put the other sausages with onions, chilli flakes and passata into the slow cooker and there would be plenty for the two of us and it saves her having to cook supper for one.  I knew that Zelinger's blood pressure monitor's batteries had given up the ghost and I asked Avatar if she knew what batteries the machine took.  She didn't so I suggested that we went down to her house and we could check it out and see if they were ones that I kept in he house. It's only just down the road so we walked down, surprised Zelinger, I checked out the machine and they'd not even worked out how to get into the battery compartment, it was simply a slide lid to access.  I saw that there were two triple AAA batteries in there so I went back home and found new ones in the olive tin.  I went back, removed the old ones, put the new ones in and it didn't work.  I tried them all ways, checked them against the Duracell originals and mine seemed bigger.  In desperation I replaced the old ones and it worked and I seem to think that somehow it had got knocked off kilter....and now it was working again and since she relies on it and so does Avatar, it's just as well.

I came home and most of the afternoon has been taken up with watching the Crown, playing on the computer, emails and Facebook.  The house is up to twenty one degrees, the fire chugging along nicely and I made pasta to go with the spicy sausage, food delivered over the way and I'm just about to serve mine up.  It's raining very heavily now and looks like it's set in for the night....there'll be no going down the back lane to Kardjali tomorrow morning when I head to the doctors.  Quiz night tonight and I'm really going to make an effort to catch it all but I'll see how it pans out....who knows.  LN.....A very restful day.....LN

Tuesday, 7th December

So I got stuck into watching my television quiz games last night, turned over and watched some thing else and Brian Cox appeared on the screen and I find space and how it's being investigated with the Hubble telescope and I stuck with it until two my time.  It was throwing it down, the wind was howling and thunder was rattling around and it took me a while to get off to sleep.  I'd made arrangements for a meet up in Kardjali at nine at the Polyclinic so set my alarm for seven fifteen but the rain woke me up just before seven, alarm cancelled and messaged to say that I thought we were going to get very wet and we agreed to save it until tomorrow.  It did dry up slightly around lunchtime but the fire has been going all day and has ticked over beautifully.  

I didn't bother with breakfast, I knew I still had to buy a few presents so wrote my list and wrapped the remaining ones....this is to sort out the bags for the ladies, they have to have the same things otherwise there could be all hell to play.  I left for Djebel around eleven, only had two shops to go to so thought it wouldn't take long and it didn't.  My main purchases were packets of biscuits, yet more chocolates, pasta, bread and profiteroles for me, lemons for Avatar and Zelinger and from the lev shop it was mainly serviettes to fill up each gift bag.   I dropped the lemons off at the respective houses, drove home, unpacked the car, made a coffee and rationed myself to three profiteroles and watched a few episodes of the Crown.  At three I gave myself a good talking to, switched off the TV, settled in to wrapping and can now say that I've finished with the gift bags.  I went to the computer on the landing, found a snow scene from my old pickies and have printed out the gift labels.  Good to go.

I've warmed up the remains of last night's supper and that will do me until tomorrow morning and it's going to be poor pickings for Black Cat.  Washing up done, kitchen tidied, fire topped up and that's me done for the night.  The wind's dropped and it's still damp outside and I'm hoping it will cheer up a little for tomorrow's hospital visit.  It's been a good day and I'm clattering every nearer to lift off.  LN....Better find things to pack......LN

Wednesday 8th December

I had a late bath last night, fell asleep in the bath and quickly to bed once I'd dried off and straight to sleep.  I woke up at six thirty which was just as well, I'd made arrangements to be at the Polyclinic with a view to changing my doctor and that went quite down the pan.  I checked up on the protocol and was taken back by the young lady in reception who's English was about the best I've heard in an undiscovered pocket of bureaucracy.  She outlined the process and it seemed very easy but principles came into play.  I went to see the new doctor, I explained why I wanted to move from my current doctor but I was hit with a wall of politics in that when he goes on holiday, she sees his patients and vice-versa.  I thoroughly understood the reasoning behind it so made an appointment with my current doctor and that couldn't happen until eleven forty so I now had about an hour and a half to kill.  

We had coffee, my partners in crime had booster jabs, more coffee and I checked up on the best times to get a lateral flow test for my forthcoming trip.  This is going to entail going in to Kardjali at the crack of on Monday, the results will be through quite quickly, drive back home, finalise securing the house, delivering the Nipper to the garage and get a bus or taxi to Kardjali to pick up the bus for one thirty to Sofia....and then relax for a four hour trip.  This will all happen if the LF test proves negative otherwise everything goes to the wind and a shed load of money goes down the pan.

Eventually I got in to see the doctor.  I related how I'd had another allergic reaction to the last lot of tablets that she'd prescribed and confirmed that I'd purposely not taken any tablets to prove that the rash on my arms and other parts of my body was a reaction to the last three lots of tablets that I'd been prescribed.  She took my blood pressure, it was quite high so I have more tablets to bring it down and others to treat the reaction.  I have to phone her in the morning with the results when I take my blood pressure tomorrow.  I'm getting tired of it now...it's all taking too long to get sorted.

I drove home, remembered that I'd  got my student at three this afternoon, I didn't bother getting a new text, I'd got one from last week about the Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersson and it was so long that we did a paragraph each and he did the last two.  We use the phone to translate words into Bulgarian for him and he asked if I could give him another lesson before I go to England.  Such a little star and so keen I asked his mother if I was going into the correct apartment and it raised a smile.

Home for six, fire lit and it's as well, the temperature is really dropping and there was snow on the mountains when I drove into Kardjali this morning.  Please stay away snow....I've got too much to do.  Tomorrow is the day I sort the packing including unusual charging cables and basics....most other things are in the UK including clothes that I bring out year after.  Ten of the clock my time so time to get my head down and hopefully get a good night's sleep, they've been missing lately.  LN.....Fingers and toes crossed......LN

Thursday 9th December

So the sleep started off well but I suddenly developed cramp in my toes and ankle and I was hopping around the bedroom for around ten minutes and almost brought to tears.  I eventually got back off again and it was seven when I woke up for the next time and I didn't feel too good.  I took my blood pressure and it was high so I took my daily dose but before I did I opened up the computer on the landing and printed out the patients' leaflet for both and the side effects are exactly the same that I got with the other tablets so I'm not holding out much hope.  I took my pressure again at ten and it was within the parameters so I was a happy bunny.

I laid the fire, went out and got in more logs and then started doing a final clear-up outside.  The benches are in, the other bench moved to its starting position before the other one was mended, the sitting bench from the long wall is in the wood store and the other from the terrace into the little house. Final job was to pull the final outside patio tub from the furthest possible point on the main house terrace into the little house and it was hard work.  Eventually I made it, gave everything a good watering and that's now finished until I get back.  Gardening fork and spade are away for the winter with only the snow shovels remaining on view and hopefully they won't come into play for a while yet.  I moved inside, my packing is done, documents sorted, money sorted and clothes to wear for the journey are hanging on a coat hanger and only boots to clean.

Television on and I watched around three episodes of the Crown or should I say, I tried to.  The eyelids went southward and I missed a lot of it but not to worry, I know the on going saga if not the ending. I popped over to see Avatar, she's finished the one purple mitten and has not enough wool to finish the second so I'm off to Djebel in the morning to see if they have any on the market in the same colour or a close match.  No supper organised yet so it might even be beans on toast...and there's nothing wrong with that.  LN....I'm feeling better than I did yesterday....just want Monday morning to come to know if I'm on my way or not.....LN

Friday 10th December

Well don't know whether or not it's the new tablets but it was just before eight when I woke up this morning and what a morning it was.  The rain was lashing, the wind was howling, the few things left were flying and the bird table ended up lying against the bush on the terrace.  I looked out of the window onto the road and yard and the yard was under water and the drive was waterlogged too.  The ditch that has a pipe going under the drive was obviously blocked with leaves and the drain from the yard wasn't draining.  Taking the plunge I put on my padded trousers, work boots, waterproof, (supposedly) jacket and headed for the wood yard to get the tool for removing the leaves from the grating over the pipe. I cleared the first drainage pipes from the yard which did more or less nothing since there was so much water outside and then set about the big pipe under the drive leading to the lane.  I prodded and pushed, lots of branches had been brought down by the gale and I pulled them out to and eventually there was a gush and off it went down the lane and didn't take too long to clear the drive once the main exit point was cleared.  I looked over to Avatar's house and she was out there too digging a channel at the side of her house and talking to her later, the water was up around the house and she was concerned that it might go over the door step.  I went over to see if she wanted any help but she told me to go home, we were both soaked with our own problems.

The jacket is drying out, the boots are upside down in the porch in a bowl and I went to the kitchen, stripped off and everything went in the washing machine just as the electric went off.  I carried on upstairs and ran a bath, grabbed my Kindle and soaked for a couple of hours, for part of it I was asleep yet the Kindle survived.  Eventually the wind subsided as did the rain, I lit the fire once the electricity seemed stable and generally relaxed.  I did managed to get the bench and the chair in from my balcony, I'd forgotten about them in the clear-up and now all is safely gathered in.  The bedroom is looking a little crowded but I'll be moving downstairs when I come back, the chair is in the guest room and in nobody's way.  

Very pleasant afternoon keeping the home fires burning and messing around with chargers, batteries for the cameras and doing very little else. I popped over to see Avatar and she told me that this morning she was up in the attic with pots and pans catching the rain coming through the roof.  The wind was blowing in that direction and finding its way between the tiles and that was before she noticed that the garden was under water and dug the trench.  It's been a poor day for us oldies.  

The sun came out and the sunset was quite pleasant but now it's gone, the rain has come back again and so has the wind.  At least I've got nothing that's going to change location over night.  LN.....Now to find something for supper.....LN

Saturday 11th December

Back to normal, four a.m. start, tried getting off again but the brain box was going ten to the dozen so gave up and started circulating at six more or less. I couldn't have a bath, I had one yesterday and didn't want to wash myself away.  Kept the home fires burning, toast for breakfast and started to count the presents for my ladies and somehow I kept getting it wrong so I settled down to a few episodes of the Crown, decided to watch Transponder and Google just couldn't find the link so I gave up and left it until this afternoon.  

At ten thirty I decided to head into Djebel to deliver the presents to both families, I dug my student's mum out of the shop and we drove to the house meeting father on the doorstep.  I was invited in for coffee but I'm staying away from people so back into the Nipper and off to the garage shop and the presents are now stashed away in the fishing shop....it's pretty slow at this time of year.  I then went on the hunt for purple knitting wool but the shop that I found was closed, the lady from the next shop phoned her up and unfortunately she was ill so even though I could see it in the window...no go so maybe if I get time on Monday and she's feeling better.  I stopped off and bought more lemons for my Avatar and delivered them later it he afternoon along with ice-cube trays in case she wanted to squeeze them and freeze the juice.....but she didn't.

The wind and rain has come back with a vengeance and I noticed that the honeysuckle over the bench on the main house terrace has been blown on to the garden and there looks like one of the legs has broken off.  It's not a job for today...too wet, too windy and much too heavy.  Eventually I settled down on the sofa and managed to get the TV to bring up the Channels and the musical Scrooge was showing which I hadn't seen before.  Firstly I put a chicken leg into the oven with potatoes and onions and also some honey roast potatoes that I'd got from Lidl.  It was ready around four so supper is over early and for pudding Avatar had made a thin light sponge that she'd covered in sugar syrup so I shall need nothing else until morning.

Just been out and filled up the log carrier and that wind has really got up again and it's chucking it down.  I'll be clearing out the leaves from the drainage pipes again in the morning.  Just to say that it's a good job that the temperature is holding up otherwise we'd be snowed in.  Strictly tonight so let's see who doesn't make it to the final.  I know who I would like to win but I think popular opinion might be flowing in another direction in a political mood...'nuff said'.   LN.....Time to clear the kitchen and snuggle up on the sofa with a blanket.....LN

Sunday 12th December

Very calm morning after the gale force winds last night and more lashing rain.  I was almost too frightened to go to sleep, there were howls coming from the windows where I should really get one of the window men out and make adjustments to the closing mechanism.  I thought about Avatar so popped over around nine and she was sweeping, mopping, and discovering what damage had been done.  The rain had come un under the window frames and the walls a little wet....it was such a driving rain that no one is unscathed.  I came back and had toast for breakfast, nothing fancy and then cleared out the fridge, another job off the list, brought in two log carriers brimming over with logs and they'll stay in the conservatory until I get back.  I ventured up the ladder in the little house and noticed that there was quite a lot of water on the upper floor and I can only think that the metal valley between the tow sections of the roof is not tall enough when the rain and wind is in that direction.

I'd  made my mind up that I was going to get my test sorted around three this afternoon and at two Avatar came round and asked if I would go down to the spring and get three bottles of spring water to last her until I get back.  I drove down and was surprised to see the water gushing from the pipes and as I tried to get the bottle underneath it splashed everywhere and I ended up with wet socks and jeans.  I came back and got changed and set off for Kardjali around three down the back lane.  I followed a big green van down there, it was very wet and at one point, my front wheel went into a hole and I thought I was stuffed,  Reverse did nothing so I stuck it into first, foot down hard and managed to extricate myself, got back on the tail, missed the ruts since I've got a narrow wheel base, the van peeled off right and I went left.  I parked up in Kardjali, there was no one waiting so went straight in, test completed, fifteen minutes for the result and I'm good to go and a linked certificate for my troubles.  Only one thing to do, my passenger locator form and what a bastard that was,  Before that I delivered a few Christmas presents and headed home, completed the form and added a scan of the result and eventually got the copy to take with me.

Strictly results and my two favourites sailed through to the final next week and the one that I didn't want to get through evaded relegation and I don't think they stand much chance of winning.  It will be a good battle next week,  Washing done and drying overnight, packing complete and only got the ladies presents to deliver tomorrow.  The Nipper definitely needs a good valet after I 'off roaded; it this afternoon.....I think the Beast is more suited to those sort of escapades. LN...It will get valeted inside and out while I'm in the UK.......LN

Monday 13th December

Normal early morning start, it was raining but as I went out to get the bonfire underway, it  turned  to sleet that eventually turned to snow covering the hillside. Breakfast was a frugal  affair and the rest of the bread went out to the animals, Black Cat was hanging around but didn't take a liking to the profiteroles but the magpies did.

Jobs all completed and at ten I  was going round the village with the rest of the presents, final 'bits'  to my Avatar and everything was going to plan except that  I noticed that the ice box of the fridge was full to bursting so it was out with the hairdryer and the ice went  out to the outside sink and all back to normal.  I managed to get the car to the garage on time, managed to get a lift into Kardjali, bus  on time but by now it was snowing heavily and it was a little late into Sofia.  I got off at the Metro station saw a taxi and my first instinct was to look for another but considering the weather, I took it and it cost me dearly.  I complained but it's no use,  sharks linger everywhere.  Hotel very comfortable, Green Pass to use the restaurant and now I'm stuffed to the gills.  Showered and hairwashed, ready for bed and awake for University Challenge.....how unusual.

Courtesy bus booked  for tomorrow,  fingers crossed that I negotiate the hoops.  LN.......I'll see you on the other side....LN

Tuesday 14th December

So I still didn't managed to see University Challenge, I was watching it on the little computer in bed and promptly fell asleep waking up when it was all over......I just don't have much success with this programme this year.  Off with the light. computer closed down. up out of bed with cramp at two and leaping around and back to sleep and woken up by a baby in the next room at five thirty.  We know how to live.  I put Transponder TV on and watched Hard Talk, down for breakfast at seven thirty and on the shuttle bus at nine thirty.  It didn't take long to the airport and it was deserted...more security guards around than passengers.  We were called to the desk and when we got there were told to go away and checkin didn't start until ten fifteen.  All documents were carefully inspected. mine were fine and good to go, through baggage check and what a performance that was.....belt, boots, liquids, computers and chargers and coats and at this point I was getting hacked off...too many trays to look after but eventually I regrouped, everything stowed where it came from and into passport control.

By this time it was snowing quite hard and we expected the aircraft to be late but it was early.  There were few passengers, lots of overhead locker room now that they've changed the system amd I changed seats to a completely empty row and stretched out.  I'd got two lads in the last row and they were able to stretch out too.  It was an uneventful flight and we arrived ahead of schedule and faced with the automated passport control I asked for help before I made a complete pig's ear of it and the same with the train tickets from the kiosks...and again I asked for help and got it.  Managed to get on the Brighton - Gatwick flyer, my lift was there to pick me up, covid test completed and in the post and now just waiting for the results.

Phone calls from both of the kiddiwinkles tonight, I've been checking out the clothes that I left here two years ago and I wonder why I brought so much stuff over.  Some that's here I don't even remember and I wonder why I ever purchased some of it.  Hopefully I should get the results of the PCR in an email tomorrow and then a family get-together at the weekend so I have to get my wallet out or my thinking cap on for presents.  Cards will get done tomorrow to get them out of the way.  LN.....Always something to do......LN

PS....Photos are still on the camera, need to download the program for taking the pixels out of them so that they're easier to post....I'll be doing that tomorrow....LN

Wednesday 15th December

Very short tonight, I have been given the all clear so am out of isolation and can shop until I drop tomorrow.  I have cards to buy, to write and to post and firstly an address book to find.  Today has been a day for setting up other programs on this new computer I've been allocated and I had a lovely surprise this evening.  My grandson that I haven't see for about three years because of this plague that has descended on civilization, turned up on the door step.  

He's been four years in the military and he's tiurned out to be a fully grounded, rounded individual with solid ideas on where he wants to be and who he wants to be in life.  A beautiful evening with a beautiful young man.  We reminisced about holidays, ski-ing, cruises that he's been on in the Med., whale watching in Greenland and drinking Martin with ice from the glaciers.  We also did the slave markets in Zanzibar and a safari, visited schools where the children used bottle tops to learn to count and saw blue bottomed monkeys that would wreck rooms if you didn't keep the balcony doors closed.  There were thanks going both ways and he didn't leave until just after midnight.

No photos again, I'm really letting the side down and this has been a brilliant evening, getting to know my grandson again and what he has become.  LN...And another three weeks to go.....LN

How brilliant, all those memories with your grandson. Super, lovely, and all that! A good start to the holiday!

Thursday 16th December

So true Trervor, family is important.

Now this new computer can't seem to communicate and I'm trying lots of different things when I should be sitting down and watching tele.  I woke up at seven, and lingered in my bed until eight, bacon sandwich for breakfast and dropped a line to my grandson asking if he wanted to have lunch in town but didn't wait for a reply and set off for a walk down to the village.  I love the walk over the Downs down to the sea, along the undercliff walk and I took lots of photographs which now appear to be locked to the phone.  Don't you just hate technology, it moves too quickly for my little brain.

On my way up the steep climb to the Downs' walk my daughter phoned, she again had been caught out by technology and was intending to send my phone number to my grandson and instead got me.  I thought it was a mistake, she was in work, so said we would 'hug' later.  I carried on along the sea walk, stopped at the post office and bought cards and stamps, over to Tesco and a few food items, back to the village and wearily carried on home.  I settled for tuna mayo sandwiches and two chocolate eclairs, settled down for a post mealtime siesta and lo and behold at three there was a knock on the door and this time it was my daughter and grandson at the door and my daughter was demanding a 'mummy hug'.....she said that she needed it.  We are so much alike....love her to bits.

They stayed for around an hour and a half, we have the family pre-Christmas bash on Sunday and shopping in Eastbourne on Monday.  Brighton is out for shopping apparently....too many people not sticking to the Covid rules.  Off they went, no supper for me, still stuffed from my lunchtime dalliance and a block of Cadbury chocolate....it's so wrong but totally delicious.  Lidl shopping tomorrow, let the battle commence.  LN.....Another day of catching up and re-establishing relationships....LN....My baby will always be my baby......LN

Friday 17th December

So I woke up this morning on the sofa at four of the clock, couldn't understand why I was feeling leather underneath and very little coverage over me.  I'd nodded off and had been covered up like a babe in the woods but at four it was a different story.  I dragged my brain into gear, realised that bed was on the next floor, made it upstairs and snuggled down, awakening at seven and feeling top of the morning.  It's quite disorientating though....my own bed after two years.

I didn't bother with breakfast and really didn't do much until ten when I started my Christmas cards and finally managed to push my host into completing his since some had to be to mutual friends.  No need to send two at the cost of first class stamps over here.  They were all ready for posting around two this afternoon but with a little messing about it was four before we ventured out to the village post office and finally to Lidl.  He sat in the car while I went to the post office and when I was in one of the shops the other day, the note that I'd tried to pay with had been removed from service, she confirmed this and said that she would still take it and had a way of getting it back into the system.  Apparently not only was it old, it was very old but at least it's no longer my problem.

Lidl was heaving and not at all like the one in Kardjali.  Eventually we made it to the checkout, only one till operational and most people were opting for self-serve but we'd just got too much to put through.  We packed and were about to leave and I spotted a little fir tree in a pot so made my way to the self serve stopping an assistant on the way to show me what to do.  He did most of it for me and now I have my own little christmas tree and I'l looking for shiny balls and tinsel.  Yesterday's chicken was cooked and it was a quick supper without the trimmings, I've tidied the kitchen  and suddenly I'm no longer on holiday.  I've at last managed to download the program for taking the pixels out of the photos from my camera so let's see how we do.  LN.....Strictly tomorrow and I think I've picked the winner....LN

Saturday 18th December

So an early to sleep in front of the television clutching my bottle of water and apparently I looked so peaceful that he didn't wake me....the question was this morning 'did you spill any of it' and the answer was 'no'.  I made it upstairs still clutching the bottle, undressed and got to bed by midnight, woke up at four, started to read 'Calendars and Constellations of the Ancient World' and that put me out again until seven this morning.  I would certainly reccomend it for insomniacs.

Up and about before my host, washing in by seven thirty, ham sandwich and another bottle of water by eight thirty and then I was doing a final sort of Christmas cards and realised that I'd forgotten to post one to Gibraltar so I walked down to the village post office, called in to the charity shop on the High Street and bumped in to a lady that I'd met four years ago in her shop in the High Street.  Apparently her ears pricked up when I mentioned to the two assistants in the charity shop that I lived in a village in Bulgaria with Turkish neighbours so I asked her in Turkish how she was.  The two assistants were more confused when we started trading Turkish words and full of admiration that we were doing so well together.  I did make a couple of purchases namely a small handbag that will take my big Sony camera and a small leather purse.  I left the shop and took one of the back routes on to the Downs and walked back home adding greatly to my step count for the day.  

Decided to sort out issues with my bank cards and spent around an hour on to them, I also needed to transfer money into accounts for Christmas pressies....I'm not one for cash.  That done, I've now destroyed one card that was supersceded, affirmed that another one is still active, cancelled one and should be receiving a new one in the next few days.  Ducks in a row and all that.  Strictly final tonight and I'm still not sure why the one couple have pulled out leaving only two to battle it out.  Fingers crossed that the one that I picked from the start does the job and pulls the glitter ball.  

Family lunch tomorrow.....pre Christmas bash....I'm looking forward to having my lot together.  LN....Blow the expense...it's Christmas....LN

Sunday 19th December

Another early start this morning and up well before my host.  I made my breakfast, threw the outside of the Tiger bread onto the top of the shed and it was descended on immediately buy some really large birds.  I suddenly noticed the robin so went inside and got the camera and I believe it's got a hidey hole underneath the Calibra and that's about all it's useful for nowadays.  I should really try to get rid of it while I'm over here...free to interested parties.  The time was ticking on and eventually my host surfaced so I went in the bath and my tiumeline this morning was to get ready with hair washed and boots blacked and to be at the meeting point for twelve.

We left at half eleven and on the way over I mentioned that the I wouldn't be surprised if my daughter put in an order for my cardigan I was wearing and as I walked over to her on the carpark it was the first thing she said to my daughter-in-law that the cardigan wouldn't be going back to Bulgaria.....wrong....it is.  It was hugs all round, all Covid tested and hoping that that was enough to keep us all safe. It's been two years since we were all together so we piled into the Carvery, daughter-in-law took the drinks order on the phone and my son ordered the food in the same manner to save any confusion and we were on our way.  Normally I pick up the tab but this time my son and daughter decided it was their turn to split it, I said I wanted to contribute but no one let me get a look in.  It was good to catch up with my three grandchildren ranging from twenty two down to twelve and my beautiful grand-daughter wants to come out and stay or stay on after her parents go back in the summer.  She apparently has lots of Bulgarian friends who thinks it's pretty cool to have a grandmother who lives in their country and I understand they travel over to Greece so it will be interesting to find out where their families live.  She's also into ancestry and we spend time discussing how far I've got back and how far her other grandparents have followed their history and she's asked for my help with her research.

Home for two and settled down to watching a little television.....with eyes closed and woke up for Sport's personality of the year and the end of the Royal Variety which was as rubbish as ever.  Blog is late again.....I can do better and will tomorrow.  Shopping tomorrow in Eastbourne....I'm handing out money vouchers this year realising that my taste is not probably their taste.  LN.....And now to bed....apparently the gas man cometh tomorrow....LN

Monday 20th December

Another disturbed sleep, five o'clock and I was playing sudoku, six o'clock I was falling asleep over the screen, five after six it was lights out and seven it was lights on and I'd not caught up on any sleep.  Washed and dressed and ready to meet the gas man at what was supposedly eight, and no one showed up so after a phone call to the company by my host, apparently the engineer had phoned in with Covid, they'd phoned but not left a message, the appointment has been rebooked for the thirty first of December.  Let's wait and see if that one happens.

Shopping was off.  My lovely Princess said she woke up and had an dramatic start to the day with a loose tummy so had gone back to bed and didn't know what to blame it on.  The rest of the house was OK so she took a Covid test and that proved negative, we'd had the same food at the buffet yesterday but sometimes it doesn't take much.  Also my grandson had some sort of bug on Saturday and was sick so maybe she cuddled him a little too much on Sunday morning.....who can say.

I spent the morning working on the other side of my grand-daughter's family chart.  She hadn't given me much to go on only one name and after starting from the oldest hint that I had I hit upon the name that I'd been given and appear to be on the right track.  It's such an unusual surname that there aren't too many to trawl through when you do a search....not like if it's a Jones or Smith.  In the absence of anything to do tomorrow, I'm going to chart it up properly and complete the families of the brothers and sisters of the one link that I've already established.....it's rather like a jigsaw puzzle but the pieces have to be found from the computer.  I was leaf clearing for a short time this afternoon until the cold and damp got through to me even though I was wearing a huge puffa jacket.

Usual television programmes and as for my quiz night .....I should be able to stay awake to watch them all, we are two hours behind so they start and finish earlier.  Supper has been a picky night of pork pie, pate and malt loaf to finish on with a few nuts and raisins to finish off with.  That should do me until tomorrow.  LN.....I haven't spotted Robin today...probably too cold for him to show his little beak.  LN....Down to the warm...I certainly miss my woodburner....LN

Tuesday 21st December

Another early start but at least I felt that I'd had a good night's sleep.  Played around with ancestry, made bacon and mushrooms on toast for breakfast, did a load of washing and spent what appeared to be hours on the phone and internet trying to contact Argos merchandiser to complain about trying to log in to my account.  The company seem very intent on sales and the completion of orders and very little else.  Princess came to my rescue and tomorrow we pick up the item that I ordered and paid for with old gift vouchers that I have no recollection where they came from but now they are no more.

As planned tonight we managed to get over to see an old friend, picked up fish and chips and sat eating them on plates on our laps as true friends should.  Temperature has dropped to minus one tonight and it was strange being out after dark and a passenger in a car....I'm not used to that.  I've had my first nap of the night, am just about to go to bed and tomorrow shopping with Princess in Lewes....haven't been there for a while but we reckoned that Eastbourne and Brighton are going to be just too busy.  LN.....My bed calls......LN

Wednesday 22nd December

Sleep of the just last night and woke ujp around seven.  I had nowhere to be until ten when my daughter was collecting me and we were off to shop until we dropped.  She'd oredered my new Fitbit and it was ready to collect in Lewes so with boots browned she arrived and we were in the 'Cherry Pop' heading to Lewes.  It took a while though to get comfortable, my grandson CJ had been in the passenger seat before me and at six one he'd adjusted the seat to meet his requirements and with the in-car technology I eventually got settled and comfortable....two buttons and a slide switch and I could see over the dashboard.  Modern cars...egh.  more whistles and bells on it, console where you can choose the colour of the surround light the likes of which I've never seen before, a screen for watching the rear when you're parking and bleeps when you get too near to the cars to the side and any barriers at the back.  Beauty and the Nipper would be totally outclassed.

So we parked up and two hours parking purchased on a mobile phone for a pound in a centre car-park sounded reasonable to me.  Firstly we picked up the Fitbit and the store forgot to take off the security tag and off it went when we went into Smiths to send a parcel and so we split it and it didn't go off again. We walked to the top of the town and went in every charity shop on the way down and I could have contributed not taken away but Princess managed to buy her Christmas day top....at a very reasonable rate.  We did Waitrose, Specsavers and then on to Tesco's and Costa Coffee.  We asked if they had Cappuchino and some bright spark over the counter and behind a shield said in a much too loud voice that he hoped so because it was a coffee shop and almost met my wrath but the screen saved him.  We took a seat and had the drinks brought over to us and he smiled sweetly so I let it go much to my daughter's delight.  So now into Tesco main store and I was stunned by the choices on display and having said that, she had quite a basketful of really nice items and I was surprised at how low the bill was.  She'd save quite a lot using her Savercard.  Time was now marching on so we headed home, there was lots of traffic on the move, we parked up and the next job was to put my new Fitbit on to my account which proved more difficult than we had anticipated so it's gone home with her where she can do it quietly and without interruptions.

Supper tonight was a pizza that I'd bought in Tesco and my mouth is still ringing from it.  It was a smoked prawn with spinach and peppers and boy was it hot.....and I shan't be having that again in a hurry.  I managed to get my little PC onto the house internet and suddenly there was a flurry of activity.  Messages from Ms D of S with a couple of videos of G wishing me a Merry Christmas and thanking me for a little gift that I'd sent.  I miss those two and a thank you from Angela for last night.  Nothing on the agenda so far for tomorrow.....I'll see how the day unfolds.  LN.....Lovely to be back with my daughter again......LN

Thursday 23rd December

Another funny old night that I'dthought I'd got over.  I was awake at four, the Kindle wasn't charged so I read for a while  and eventually went off again at five thirty or so and slept through until just before seven remembering that 'the gas man cometh' and it was my job to let him in.  The door knocker went, I showed him in to the dining room, he asked where the controls were to switch the boiler off and I hadn't a clue so back upstairs for further details.

He did his stuff and had finished by ten thrity so we were in for a late breakfast.  My host's daughter had sent Scottich square sausage, black pudding and fruit loaf for his Christmas present so that was breakfast this morning.  I flet stuffed to the gills by the time that I'd got though it and suddenly the day was slipping away.  My daughter phoned just after twelve inviting me for an afternoon at her house and said that she would pick me up around one thirty which she did.  I've had a lovely afternoon with her and the rest of my family, boys on the playstation and her and I trying to set up the new Fitbit that I'd got yesterday and what a difficult job that was.  It's on my phone but pairing it was difficult not made easier by the boys downloading a fairly big game from the internet.  We had supper early, the boys went back to their game and we sat chatting going though old photograph albums and out came my wedding one which I was surprised to see.  I didn't realise that she had it and the photographs still look quite modern considering that they were taken almost fifty years ago and were really trendy for the time.

Princess ran me home for around nine and I'm so pleased that I tidied my bedroom before I left.....it's nice to come back to a neat room.  I had another telephone call from one of my dear friends today and we're planning to meet up some time next week.  She did come and stay with me in Bulgaria but unfortunately will never be able to make the trip again due to ill health...such a shame that we have to grow old.  LN.....Might make Brighton for a bit of a shop up tomorrow, weather permitting.......we'll wait and see...... LN

Friday 24th December

Pretty good night's sleep according to my Fitbit and after three months of not having a clock face on it, my new one works and syncs with my phone.  Goodness knows what they've done with the software, I've got the feeling that they decided that the Charge 3 was on its way out so they helped it along.  For the last week I was using it without a display it was still gathering information but refused to Bluetooth over and provided me with information.  I wouldn't have bought the Charge 4 except that I had vouchers to use up bringing the price or outlay down.

So my rash is back so I might be doing away with my tablets altogether again.  I've got three very heated patches on my right arm and one on my left, I've been drinking lots of water to flush out the toxins and another visit to the doctor on my return seems very necessary.  My blood pressure is well withing the permitted levels so as long as it stays there....without tablets I shall be fine.  Washed and dressed pretty early on, undecided what to do, I wanted to go into town for pressies for the clan to unwrap...monies not exciting but lovely to spend.....so I set myself up with a bus payment app. and bought my tickets.  I made it to the twelve o'clock bus, hadn't a clue how to present the phone to the screen so the driver helped me out and fortunately I'd remembered to activate the ticket before I set off.  I'm not very technically minded, well I suppose I am for an oldie....but I wish I was more savvy.

Brighton was empty, I found myself i Boots but they didn't have what I wanted so into the Centre, the two perfume shops didn't have what I wanted so out to the main shopping street.  I tried Primark but they didn't have my style in jeggins, I did manage to buy some Christmas 'wrapperbles', tried Poundland but found very little for a pound so the joke about how much things cost in the Pound Shop is no longer a joke but a statement.  Back on the bus for four just as it started to rain, it had only been dull up until then and sat back for the thirty minute journey back to the end of the street.   Spent the rest of the afternoon wrappping the 'wrapperbles' and I'm all set for tomorrow.  The goodies are all in a bag with the cards and I'm ready for the action, Princess and Co. are doing most of the work and the dishwasher will do the rest when we've stuffed till we bust.

To people that have followed me through the year, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and for those that I said to wait to open your presents on the allotted day, it will soon be here.  LN.....Enjoy whatever you get up to.....LN

Saturday 25th December

Christmas day is here.....

Just had the perfect day with Princess, her husband and my grandson.  I'd made a few telephone calls this morning to friends from afar and wished them the season's greetings and then with boots blacked and presents wrapped we set off and arrived more or less on schedule.  We'd had a phone call to say that they'd all taken Covid tests and I'd done mine but were warned that one of the people last night at a gathering had proved positive this morning even though the rest of the family had passed the test and did we want to risk it and I did.  Tests will be taken in the morning and is this the way that we have to live now?  I'm really not sure.

So we settled in and I helped out carryiing the food to the table but my SIL is a kitchen slave, cooks everything and enjoys doing it and serves everything with all the trimmings.  We sat down and devoured lunch, rested for a while and had individual trifles, cups of coffee, opened presents and generally relaxed.  We watched the Queen's speech, very little else on the tele while the boys played XBox games challenging each other and my daughter and myself just were mother and daughter.

The kitchen was tidied yet again, at just after eight I said I thought we should make a move and we eventually got into the car by nine and home for nine thirty more or less.  Food parcel unwrapped and it should do us for two days or so, toast and turkey dripping for breakfast for me and it will be cold meat and fried vegetables.  I've even got a Christmas pudding that they won't use with a pot of cream to go with it.  LN.....I've had a superb relaxing day.....LN

Sunday 26th December

So I was awake at seven this morning, washed and dressed by seven thirty. I love the house when there's not much happening and I took a photo of the soft toy that CJ bought for my Christmas present and sent it off to my daughter complaining that it hadn't really settled and I'd had a sleepless night.  Her response was to give it a cuddle from her and that she thought it would settle down.  All soft toys in our family soon develop personailites and acquire a space in the family and this one, yet unnamed is no exception.  

I went down to the kitchen and made toast with turkey dripping, carried on to the lounge and put the TV on and settled in to watching Country file and it's at that point that the chocolates came out and it's been that sort of day.  I did fall asleep around nine thirty and woke up at ten thirty, munched my way through a packet of chocolate brazil nuts and fell into watching Beauty and the Beast and really enjoyed it until my host came down and started talking over it.  When it came to rustling a packet of biscuits, he had to be silenced and eventually banished to the dining room.  I had a brainwave for supper, the remains of the turkey that we came home with was covered in curry sauce in a casserole dish and went into the oven, the vegetables were put into a roasting tin  and followed the curry into the oven thirty minutes later.  Eventually all was served up and it was delicious, the dishwasher is loaded and now I'm upstairs on my computer catching up on 'stuff'.  I did take a phone call from my son during supper and we caught up on Christmas activities that we'd been up to,  Apparently they'd been down to the beach near where the inlaws are living and got soaked by freak waves.

So back to the TV tonight...not sure what's on but I'm sure I'll find something to relax me.  Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow so far but tomorrow might be the time for making decisions.  LN.....Let's hope nameless gets a better night.....LN

  

Monday 27th December

So another reasonable night's sleep and this time I didn't wake up until seven thirty.  Again I was washed and dressed early, down for breakfast finishing off the turkey jelly on toast.  The weather has been rubbish all day and just now it's started to really bucket it down and it reminds me of the time that we had a flash flood through this house so maybe it's time to put the bolts on the doors.  I phoned Princess to let her know that Elias, the elephant has been named, had a reasonable night's sleep too....as I said any soft toys that get introduced to our family receive names and characters....it's the way that we are.

I didn't do much this morning, I started looking through old photographs and putting names and dates on a lot of them.  I have photos of grandparents that I want to scan in or photograph and add to my family records.  I aslo did some research on a few more of people in my chart and followed a few 'hints' which in some cases are good but in others they do not belong at all.  This afternoon I moved into my old study and came out with another box of photo, two plastic containers of old candles, and a box of post-its that I'm sure Princess will make use of when she goes back to work after the holiday.  I also came across work that I'd done for the phone company I worked for and realised how professional the documentation was that I was responsible for writing.  There's some good sections on customer care which would be good for running training courses in Bulgaria but they's never take off. 'Why do we need that? would be the response.  I aslo found a box of mixed new card and I'll probably be taking a few of those home, I used to buy odd cards with original silly slogans in them but since I do most of the birthdays using Moonpig, it could be a waste of time carrying them over to BG.

No supper for me, I've just had a packet of honey roast cashew nuts and I'm sure I'll manage until morning.  Watching TV has gone to the ether.  I keep remembering the times of English programs that I watch over in BG and forgetting that they start two hours earlier here so in fact I miss most of them.  I think a nice long soak in the bath is on the cards for tonight and then to bed with the Kindle.  LN.....Rain, rain, go away...I need to go for a walk.....LN

    

Tuesday 28th December

So the clear up continues....the little study is finished and I even got the hoover out this afternoon as I moved into what used to be my study and is no more.  I've been delving in wardrobes, found more photograph albums that are virgin and one more that I'd forgotten about that I'd started to put family photos of my grandparents in which is more important now that I've done the chart.  There are such a lot of items that I'd love to take over but now my Princess is going to become the holder of photographs and hopefully will keep it going for the next.  While was tidying my host cooked a full breakfast of items that had had received in a Scottish Christmas hamper and that has done me through to tonight with only a few chocolates to sink into the gaps.

Princess phoned this afternoon and tomorrow we are off shopping to the charity shops in Seaford along the coast and armed with the photo albums we're going to sit down and go through them.  There are the inevitable school photos purchased each year of me and mine that do need dating and I was very fortunate to be taken on some lovely holidays by my parents at a tender age and have photos to chart my progress through my teens.  It's even more poignant knowing that I had two brothers that died shortly after birth, just before I was born and watching how I became a tom-boy for my dad, helped ease the pain of the family name not continuing through to the next generation.

So after shopping tomororw I'm staying the night at my daughter's house and we'll have a chill day.  I think it is more important as time moves on and that's why the family are coming to see me this year.  It's not tyhing up ends, hopefully I've got a lot more in the tank, but it's knowing where the ends are and getting, to use one of my new sayings, ducks in a row.  The kitchen calls, I'm just going to raid the fridge for cheese and biscuits, I've had a scheduled nap this afternoon, woke up and watched 'The Voice' (children's version) and now the hunger bugs are nibbling.  LN......I've achieved a lot today......and will switch off tomorrow.......LN

Wednesday 29th December

Not going to be long tonight.  I am staying with my daughter tonight, I am in the guest room, eating chocolate watching television and waiting for her to come back from fat club....last of the year.

I had a super morning looking through old photographs, I have lost three pairs of boots to my daughter and have won a cardigan....exchange is no robbery.  

I promise I shall do better tomorrow and photos if the weather improves....I'm sure my feet are becoming webbed.  LN.....I think the wanderers have returned....LN

Thursday 30th December

Howling wind and dustbin lorry woke me up at six forty five this morning and considering that we didn't get to bed until just before two...not a lot of sleep was had.  At least my new Fitbit is recording the detail but still not sure that I made the right decision getting one since there are others in the market place.  The upside is that at least it shows me the time.

The rest of the house eventually came to life, l settled for toast for breakfast, my daughter was out for lunch so my grandson and myself babysat each other and caught up on the past.  Today we were going to go through more old photographs when she came back but it will have to wait.  There are just so many.

It's been another horrible day weatherwise and everyone is cosied in so I've decided to stay another night.  LN.....Lovely to spend time with them....LN

Friday 31st December

So last day of this year.  I saw that everyone is supposed to stand on the left leg so that you could put the right foot forward into the New Year but it will be what it will be.  Listening to my daughter completing a diary for one of her clubs and transferring details to the new book, it was when she started to talk about 'lockdown' and how clubs and meetings were closed and I don't think we every felt so restricted in Bulgaria.  Maybe it's because we didn't get so involved in weekly events...it just seemed worse here than there.  I think our restriction was that we couldn't get down to Greece and the beach for a day's visit to the markets.  We were however allowed to visit provided that we filled in the necessary paperwork so that the authorities could 'track and trace'.

I'm beginning to wonder what is on the horizon for next year?  I'm really not sure if the restrictions for entry into Bulgaria from the UK will be lifted.  Both children and families are planning to come, my daughter is off to a wedding in Crete and there are more trips planned.  Will they happen?  We were talking about the flu outbreaks in previous years, was danger to life lesser or greater?  And how long will face masks be in operation?  Society has changed, life has changed, it seems to open up and then bang.  So everything crossed that my family plans come to fruition and so do other peoples, it's going to be a bummer of a year if things don't improve.

So the fireworks have started going off so the prelude to the New Year has started.  I might stay up to watch it arrive but I'll more than likely be tucked up in my old bed here snuggling down with Elias, my new soft toy from my grandson but minus the mictowave pack that fits into its tummy.  I think that's coming into its own in Bulgaria when the woodburner has gone out and I'm too lazy to light it.  My packing will get done tomorrow, I've organised my taxi to take me for the airport and now into departure mode with just a few days to go.  It's not been good weather here this year so no lovely walks over the Downs to the sea, it's been rain, winds and more rain and winds and only one trip into Brighton and that was deserted.

Just a wish that we get back to some sort of normal.  May the vaccinated keep protecting those that don't believe that it does any good and just to confirm to the non-believers that I still haven't started growning horns. I promise to keep wearing my mask to protect the selfish ones that still believe that there's no threat.  LN....Happy New Year everyone.....LN