Thursday 1st September

A bit of a disturbed sleep so I was out of bed at six fifteen, washing in and pegged out by seven and the grass mower was pushed down to the bottom of the garden to carry on where I'd left off yesterday.  I'd replaced the primer last night so was surprised when I tried to strike it up when it didn't do what it was supposed to so I wheeled it back up the garden and balanced it near the steps to the little house under storage.  I grabbed a screwdriver from the little house, removed the primer that I'd fitted yesterday and realised that there was a narrow pipe that was supposed to attach to the primer and it had missed it altogether.  I removed the filter cover, loads of dust came out of it from yesterday's efforts, fiddled around with the pipe and held it firm behind where the new primer was to be fitted, attached the pipe and replaced the primer and bingo.....all worked well.  I replaced the filter cover, took it down to the bottom of the garden and it was all systems go.  The sun had only just come up so I was working in the coolest part of the day and treading down the mole hills, I finished the main house garden, ran out of fuel so refilled it and started on the other side.  I'd finished everything by eleven, mower away, me in the shower since I was filthy dirty from the dust that had been picked up and thrown out, washed my hair and it's been a very pleasant day for the rest of it.

Breakfast was the remains of the boiled ham and Cheddar cheese while watching Netflix carrying on from where I'd left off last night.  The crisps and chocolates have taken a battering. I've felt very lazy, the preparation for the family coming and the driving I've done have all taken their toll and it really was an effort to tackle the grass but now it's done, it's ticked off the list.

Message today to say that the Nipper is finished and working OK so it's on the early village bus to pick it up to save phoning for a taxi.  It's anytime from eight onwards so I better set the alarm....it I miss it on it's way to the other two villages further along the road I can always get it on the way back to Djebel.  It sometimes gets crowded so to ensure a seat, much better on the upward journey.    Eight my time, I've just watered the pots, not really needing anything for supper, too much rubbish has been consumed.  LN.....I should sleep better tonight......LN

Friday 2nd September

Another disturbed night . three until five I was playing sudoku, back to sleep and woke up at seven thirty remembering that I was catching the bus this morning at around eight.  Quickly got washed and dressed, put a brush through my hair, didn't bother with coffee but was out of the gate and walking towards Avatar's house around five to eight.  She was in the garden with her son and DIL and they offered me a lift to Djebel which I refused.  I like to be seen on the bus occasionally, I meet more of the villagers and I take the bus up to the furthest village, it turns round and I get more of a trip out of my two lev fifty for the fare.  This is what I told her son anyway.  As the bus approached I checked my purse for change and realised that I had only got fifty lev notes in my purse and one fifty in change so I asked Avatar if she could let me borrow one leva towards the journey and I shouted that she could have it back with interest when I returned from Djebel after picking up the Nipper.

I got on the bus and on the way up we only picked up one person and on the way back my ex student got on and she sat by me.  We had a few words in Bulgarian, she's now working in the local supermarket and I didn't ask her how her English was coming along.  In the final visit before the main road seven men got on obviously on their way to the mosque since it was Friday and as I got off the bus one of them engaged me in conversation asking why I didn't speak Turkish and I explained that I preferred to use the language of the country and I think that went down like a lead balloon.  So over to the garage shop for a chat, cash point for money and stopped off at my flower shop and have made plans to visit the lakes of Rila with a few other likeminded people.  She also mentioned that one of her friends likes travelling and is looking for a travelling companion so I put myself forward.  Let's see what comes of it.  I bought a linen carpet from the curtain shop for seventy five lev, made my way to the garage and the owner insisted that I started the car.  I mentioned that it sounded different and he pointed to the old exhaust that had been replaced and didn't need to say any more and we both laughed.

I stopped off at the supermarket, drove home, parked outside and walked over to Avatar's house to pay back the one lev and added twenty stotinki interest.  I heard a noise from her garden but couldn't see her and as I approached she was sitting on the floor with a large water bottle between her legs and was filling it with a dried breakfast cereal that they make here.  Apparently it's going to Germany with the, on the plane.  I handed her the money which she said she didn't want and the interest and we laughed about it, in the conversation she told me that Zelinger had a problem with her back and no one could take her to the doctor so I suggested that we walked down to Zelinger's house and I could run her in this afternoon.  When we got there she told up that her son was going to take her that afternoon but was extremely grateful for my offer.  So back home, unpacked the shopping, some of it went in the freezer and I settled down to a late breakfast of cheese and biscuits battering the Brie.  The clouds gathered this afternoon, we had a thunderstorm and eventually it rained, not much but enough that I don't have to water anything tonight.  I've now got supper of Turkish kebabs to cook and chippies that will probably give me indigestion and have another sleepless night in Dushinkovo.  Nothing on the agenda so far for tomorrow but as you know things change rapidly.  I'd like to get one more swim in before they close for the season.  LN.....Please let it be a good day weatherwise.....LN

Saturday 3rd September

So that day to the pool didn't materialise.  It was quite a pleasant start to the day but as the day wore on the clouds gathered and eventually we had the thunder and rain.  I thought about going into Kardjali but really couldn't raise the energy and most of the day has been spent doing very little.  I started to move my clothes back upstairs then realised that it's September and normally I would be thinking about moving them downstairs in preparation for the departure nearer the petchka.

Food has played a big part in today.  Bacon sandwiches for a delayed breakfast and chicken wings and mayo for tonight.  Ms Cat will benefit in the morning. she was waiting this morning but all that I had on the menu was bread and she turned her nose up at that and obviously found pickings elsewhere.  The Voice starts tonight but doesn't start until ten my time so I might very well be watching it in bed.  Bad day for happenings and photos, nothing much to report in.  I was going to chop my starter wood and start putting the garden umbrellas and sun beds away.  I also have to put more support straps on the swinging sun lounger, that never got done before the family arrived and nobody made a move to use it anyway.  LN....Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow.....LN

Sunday 4th September

Five thirty start, too early for me so head down and managed to go through until seven thirty.....much better.  As for the rest of the day it's been another of very little activity and beating myself up about it yet doing nothing about it.  I spotted one of the tortoise heading for the walnut tree and checked on its travels and it was Green God sunning itself in the big buddlieh bed beyond the walnut.  I went back up to the house to collect the rubbish that needed burning and found Rosy near the bonfire container on the other side of the garden from Green God....staying well away from the amorous hard nut.  There was a breeze blowing so I added the lit to the container as soon as I got it established, despite the recent rain everywhere is still very dry.

Bacon sandwich for breakfast but it's been another picky day as far as food is concerned.  I finished off the Netflix series I was watching, thought about the pool but the sun was intermittent, too many clouds around and they might have even closed for the season with the weather changing, children going back to school and students heading back for university.  Also the exodus had more or less ended with families returning to Turkey or other seasonal employment.  Djebel is quite empty.

Looked at the grass today and there is a very rampant weed that despite cutting it back with the mower has sprung up so tomorrow I'm going to look for a gel weed killer that I know I have somewhere in the workshop to see if it will suppress or kill it.  I know it's got very deep roots so might have to end up digging it out and will probably have to put grass seed down to fill in the gaps.  I also noticed that the mole was very active half way down the garden so I might be having to buy some more of the mole smokes, the mole deterrent seems really ineffective maybe I'm supposed to dig them out and smack them over the head with it.  I know I should have read the instructions more thoroughly!!

Brie and digestives for supper and I'm still eating up the goodies that were bought when the family was over.  The house still seems really empty without them so time to make plans to go visit the UK in October for half term.   LN....Now where were those motivational tables or exercises that I need to start on....LN

Monday 5th September

Somehow I was still watching television late into the night but slept really well and not waking up until seven thirty this morning....and felt really good for it.  Washing went in, the sun was up, the mole had been very active and two tortoise spotted.  I didn't bother with breakfast until much later and settled for poached eggs on toast, the bacon from yesterday went out for Ms Cat and it's now responding to my 'clicking' noise with a 'meow' when I take food out for her.  Don't tell any one about my softer side regarding cats, it will ruin my reputation.

So washing pegged out and by now the wind was blowing quite strongly.  I put the clothes prop in place and it didn't take long for it to be blown to the floor and the peg bag with it so I left them both on the ground.  The clothes stayed on the line but were scrunched up by the wind but a good shake when I took them in sorted them out.  It was mainly cotton PJ's that were washed and t-shirts so nothing really to worry about.  I popped over to see Avatar this afternoon but the house was shut up and the garage was shut so I reckoned they were having an afternoon nap so I came home again and settled down with Netflix.  Again I didn't feel like doing very much, I thought about going into Kardjali, my butter cache is looking a little slim but it can wait until tomorrow and I really don't have a lot to go for.

I went back to see Avatar around five, noticed her nephew's van outside and the garage door open so let myself in to the garden and asked if it was OK to go into the garage where they were sitting.  She called me in and I moved one of the plastic chairs nearer to her and away from her nephew, was offered food from a plate but declined, there were too many flies about for me.  So she's off to Germany and has only one day left, she made a point of reminding me that I said that I would go and visit her but I reminded her that the only thing putting me off was that her grand-daughter said that she snores and we had a good laugh about it.  I might very well go, Gulcan also lives near them in Germany so I could kill two birds with one stone and not outstay my welcome in either venue.

I came home around seven, her son and daughter in law had arrived back from Djebel, her DIL had had her hair coloured to cover up the grey and it looked very good.  Here it cost fifty leva which is really good, it's so expensive to get it done in Germany and England.  Fortunately mine has got all colours in it, is natural so costs me nothing and I don't want to start doing things to it.  We started joking about my going over there and were laughing quite loudly and two of the neighbours came out to see what was going on.  Fortunately they only speak Turkish so didn't really understand what we were laughing about.  So eight thirty my time, I am having a visit from my friends in Varna and exact dates are yet to be arranged.  I emailed this morning to check on whether upstairs bedrooms would be accessible and I believe that the thought of a bath would encourage him to climb the stairs.....not many houses with baths in Bulgaria, mainly showers.  Tuna mayo for supper tonight with beetroot and I'm on my way once I've posted this.  Clouds around at sundown but it made for some reasonable shots tonight.  LN......It put a rosy glow on the hillside and terraces......LN

Tuesday 6th September

So last night I was taking photos of the sun going down and this morning of it coming back up again.  The rest of the day it was windy, cloudy and promised twenty degrees but I put a body warmer on.  It was OK in the car but not outside.

I walked the garden to get my step count up for the day but only managed just over four thousand for the entire day...pitiful.  The moles have been very active and I'll pop into the hardware shop this afternoon to by some mole smokes to get rid of the things.  It's not for the soil that they leave on the top, it's the depressions that they leave in the grass...pretty dangerous when walking the estate. I arranged to see my student this afternoon, the family were going away but hadn't fixed hotels and he was available.  I think sometime it seems like hard work to arrange things but once plans are in place, things go smoothly so I encouraged her to sort things out.  I logged online and sorted out a few text that I could use later on, a couple of them were too long but I found and printed out a smaller one about cruise ships, it had pictures, questions and texts that I thought he would find interesting.  I went to the shop and the ex-student's girlfriend was in the shop, at first I didn't recognise her but then things fell into place and the three of us had an interesting conversation.  My student was upstairs in the apartment waiting for me but instead his mother suggested that he go with his brother to take the girlfriend to catch the bus to Sofia and off they went.  I had an interesting phone call, my daughter is coming out again in April, they've been offered tickets at reduced rates and decided to take up the offer.  There was a flurry of phoned activity, she's sent me the dates, I managed to get her a couple of GIF that were appropriate and she was amazed that I'd managed it from her instructions yesterday.  'Mummy sent me a GIF!!'  It's a bit like 'Dobby got a sock' from Harry Potter.  My student returned but by this time  it was heading for five thirty so I made the decision that it was much too late to start so it's been postponed until next week.  They go back to school then so we'll fall back into the normal pattern.

I drove home, tomorrow is another day so I'll catch up on the things that I wanted to do.  I managed to find the documentation for the printer for the first time I took it back and made my complaint so it's back to the store tomorrow clutching printer and documents so let's see what we can manage to sort out.  This time I'm going got the manager.  Another phone call and this time it was from Germany, Gulcan was letting me know that she's going to Turkey in September and then last coming to Bulgaria to see her family.  She's making arrangements to have their apartment in Kardjali renovated, I said I'd give her a hand in the design so it looks like it might be busy end of September and October.  I popped over to see Avatar and her family to check what time they're leaving tomorrow and they're off at twelve heading for Plovdiv.  I was invited for supper, they'd cooked fish but not for me tonight...I ate too much cheese last night, giving my stomach a rest.

Kardjali tomorrow, I need a few things from the supermarket but not a lot of things to do and I'll leave it until Avatar and family have left.  LN...It's been a day of surprises, nice.....LN

Wednesday 7th September

Slow start to the day, the weather looked promising and was and the intention was to get a final swim in which didn't happen.  I settled on toast for breakfast, hoovered through with the chance that I would have guests later but that didn't happen and has been rescheduled after a chance meeting in Kardjali late this afternoon.  Avatar was leaving at twelve today so I hung around to say final goodbyes for the journey and in the end I missed it.  I'd popped over earlier to see if there was anything that she wanted me to do but she and the family had everything under control but all was safely gathered in.  The DIL did mention me going over to Germany to see them there and I didn't make any firm plans but it is possibly going to be in March and then I might bring Avatar back with me.....it's up in the air at the moment and that's next year.  

Before I left for Kardjali I did managed to do one little job,  The top hinge on the main small gate on the boundary needed attention.  One of the bolts insists on coming loose, the lower ones support it perfectly well and my repair from last time using toothpicks to fill out the drilled hole in the column hadn't lasted well so this called for serious action.  I removed the bolt, removed the packing for the hole and replaced it with another chunk of wood, a dowel and a rawl plug is a belt and bracers approach but this time it really worked.  I re-inserted the bolt and bingo, seems as solid as a rock so fingers crossed it's another job done and dusted.  I got ready for Kardjali, put the printer into the Nipper and off I went.  I parked up on Lidl car-park and decided that I would go into the electrical store and not to the repairs section.  Eventually I spotted my English speaking assistant, he carried the printer to a workstation and set about trying to identify the fault.  It took longer than expected and eventually the manager arrived and he took over the job and one black cartridge removed and replaced, one colour cartridge that wasn't empty was removed and replaced and the machine worked.  I asked why the colour cartridge that had ink in it wasn't working so it was put back in the machine and it transpired that it must have been a faulty cartridge so damaged one left in the machine, new one repackaged, I paid for the black one and the other was free of change.

I left the store and literally bumped into my buddy from Fotinovo who was heading for the cash-point.  I invited him for a coffee but he'd left his guests in Lidl but eventually we both had cokes in the small restaurant outside the store.  Eventually his phone rang, we both headed for Lidl car-park, I was introduced to his guests and arrangements have been made that they will come over tomorrow.  Off they went, I did my Lidl shopping, carried on to Kaufland where I managed to pick up four more tall solar lights that had been reduced for my garden.  Home for six thirty and doesn't time fly when you're having fun.  French stick with ham and potato salad from Lidl for supper, watched a little television and promptly fell asleep and then forgot completely about writing up the events of the day.  I know it's late but it's done and I feel better for doing it.  LN....And now to bed......LN

Thursday 8th September

Seven start and was up and at it from the word go, washing up done from last night, two cups of coffee and a ham roll for breakfast and the rest of the day was all mine to do what I wanted with it.  It was confirmed that I would have a visit this afternoon between four and five of the clock so I meandered through the morning, strimmed the yard and gave it a going over with the scarifier and got rid of the rubbish.  I also moved two plant pots so that they were against the house between the old logs and I set up two of the new solar lights so that they could charge up during the day.  I swept the terraces off and got rid of the leaves, spray painted the plant support that was near the grape vine in the yard and planted up a trumpet flowered climber that's been sitting in a pot since I bought it.  Fingers crossed it will do well where it is and brighten up a corner of the little house.  Joined the houses together and watered the shrubs that looked like they needed it, never got round to watering the pots, my guests arrived, we sat and had tea which was very civilised and I followed them to the restaurant in Djebel so that they didn't have to bring me back and then double back on themselves.

My favourite waitress wasn't working tonight but was sitting with friends when we arrived.  The one that took our order tried her best but got one of the pizzas wrong, substituted alcohol free beer with cider which didn't go down well but she tried her best.  I think the problem is that once they are faced with taking an order from an English person, they stop listening and panic ever so slightly and then it goes wrong.  We had two of the same pizza but generally it was a good evening.  We finished early and I was home just before nine and was surprised to see that the Queen had died.  We'd been following progress in the restaurant and understood that the announcement would be made at eight tomorrow morning but by the time I logged on it was all over the internet.  

Nothing on the agenda so far.  If the weather's as good as it's been today I'll be swimming at my favourite pool and getting that last swim in that I promised myself.  LN....Rest peacefully....a life of service well lived......LN

Friday 9th September

Funny old night...too much going on in my little brain and I ended up at two thirty playing sudoku for a couple of hours or so.  I went back to sleep and it was eight before I became compos mentis and had this feeling of loss and dread.  I'd also woken up with a swollen lower face, I'd obviously enjoyed something that I'd been allergic to and that was the result.  On waking I took one of the anti-histamine tablets that started to sort out the problem and took another one later that brought my face back to normal proportions.  It must have been something in pizza but it was such a mish-mash of peppers to sweetcorn and spicy meat that it could have been anything.  

I'd sort of grown up with the royals, remembered the coronation well, joined the police force in Gibraltar and had lots to do with the military during the disturbances with Spain in the early seventies.  The Queen was always there, I'm not a Royalist in the true sense of the word but admire the way that she stuck with the job until the very end......because that's what you have to do.  The television has been wall to wall and very sycophantic.  I don't do fawning well and the most amusing story to come out of the political ramblings was from Teresa May about dropping cheese on the floor at an official event.  The incident was spotted by the Queen who gave a wry smile and nodded so Teresa did the same and the incident was over with just an acknowledgement,  That's the fun side of the Queen that I'll like to remember....the finding humour in most situations which allows you to cope with the stress of the situation that you find yourselves in from time to time.  I so recognise the trait.

As for the rest of the day, I did a load of washing and the weather has been perfect for drying, a gentle breeze and wall to wall sunshine.  At around twelve I made a ham sandwich for a late breakfast, thought about going to the pool but just couldn't be bothered and felt flat as a pancake so took to the sofa and went back to sleep for a couple of hours to catch up on the missing sleep from last night.  Washing in at five thirty, lip completely back to normal so giving food a break tonight and if the weather is good, I'm definitely pool bound tomorrow....my tan is disappearing!!  Not even a hint of a breeze tonight, almost like the quiet before the storm, the garden was well watered at lunchtime so no need to be doing it again tonight.....washing in and my work is done.  LN......And relax...and fight off the urge to sink into a box of chocolates......LN

Saturday 10th September

Six thirty start and suddenly remembered that I'd promised to deliver five bottles of water from the spring to my neighbour down the way.  So still my night attire I opened up the little house and climbed the ladder and found five new empty bottles that had been slung up to the top storey and descended the ladder carefully holding on to said bottles.  Into the Nipper with them and at half eight I was getting the car out of the drive and heading down to the spring down by the lake to carry out said task.  I did say that I would do it yesterday but somehow it went to the back of my mind.  When I arrived at the spring, there was a woman and what I assumed to be her son using both spouts to fill their bottles and they had lots of them and had only just arrived before me and only three filled.  I said good morning to them in Bulgarian and received no reply so sat down with my five bottles and was surprised when they offered me one of the spouts so I put my first bottle under.  I thanked her, smiled at her and not a glimmer was received back so I asked her which village she was from and she told me Djebel and that was the end of our conversation...a lady of few words and the son had disappeared and was playing with a stray cat by the trees.  We carried on filling bottles and I was filling one for her two and eventually I'd finished, put mine in the Nipper and carried five of hers down to the son's car and did manage to get a thank you out of him.  

I drove back to the village and stopped outside my friends house, didn't see her in the yard so gave a should and she appeared from down the lane.  I carried the water bottles to her house and noticed two reels of masking tape in the bus shelter and eventually found out that we're due an election and the Cmet of the village was about to put up the posters.  My friend made me coffee, I asked for more water and if I'd have finished it I would have been bouncing off the ceiling for the rest of the day.  Job done I headed home, got into my swimsuit, I made the decision to go to my pool the other side of Kardjali, delivered empty coke bottles to the garage shop in Djebel where my ex student was holding the fort for his parents.  They've gone away for a few days taking my young student with them.  I carried on to the pool, no one home and no sign of any bathers so I turned round and headed back into Kardjali and headed for the cheapy shops and picked up three curtains with metal rings on them that I've got a use for and a t-shirt for a total of five leva.  I walked on to the next, bought a pair of jeans that don't fit and a top that does and they all went in the washing machine when I got home.  I was tempted to stop off at a pool in Momchilgrad but decided not to bother.....I might find another tomorrow...I need the exercise.

A little of BBC TWO this afternoon and it looks like it's wall to wall Queen on the rest of the channels, I also made friends with that box of chocolates that I was given and really shouldn't have done.  It's turned out very muggy, it had a few rumblings of thunder this afternoon which didn't come to much but we could really do with a good downpour...the garden needs it.  Not much into supper this evening partly due to the chocolates...it's eight so I might feel like something later.  LN.....Unfortunately the day didn't turn out as expected, maybe try again tomorrow.....LN