Monday 1st May

Another early start at my friends house, I played Angry Birds, was out of bed by seven making coffee.  My packing was done and eventually I settled down on my new computer to again try and master the set up....and one part of the code cracked.  We didn't bother with breakfast but set to on the final preparation to leave the house with all the safety procedures in place...water off, electricity off, gas bottles disconnected and cat and dog food taken to the neighbours house for the duration of my friends time away.  Eventually everything sorted we put the luggage in the Nipper and headed back to mine.

The weather started off misty, it changed to bright blue skies but as we headed towards my village over the hills and far away you could see the storm clouds gathering.  It got progressively worse and we ended up with rain yet again. The plan to get started on my returning neighbour's garden faded into the distance...the grass was once again far too wet to mow so I spent the afternoon trying to contact her in Germany.  Eventually I got to speak to her daughter and confirmed that they will be arriving at one o'clock tomorrow in Sofia so should be down here for around five tomorrow afternoon.  I should manage to be back from Plovdiv airport around two thirty so should be back before they arrive.

So tomorrow we shall leave around eight in the morning, not rush through the mountains since the roads will probably be very wet so I'll take it slowly.  Not much to do before hand, fill up with gas in Kardjali just to check how many kilometres we managed to do on one full tank of gas...just for the record.  ping away.  So no photos again....I've got some of our trip to Greece to resize, it's too late now as my friend has gone to bed and I don't want to keep tapping away,  NB......Welcome May...the year is cracking on.....LN

Tuesday 2nd May

Well another full on day. I was up at six thirty, washing in the machine and despite the fact that the hillside was hidden from view by overnight mist, it got hung out.  It had all day to dry.  I washed and dressed fairly quickly, I was taking my friend to Plovdiv airport for a one-ten flight to Stanstead and didn't want to miss the plane so to speak so got on with my chores.  I delivered coffee to the desk on the landing, I didn't want a bad review on Trip Advisor although it does stop people coming I suppose...much better at my age.  We'd set the time for departure at eight knowing this would slide a little and it did but we were there in plenty of time.  I had toast for breakfast but she didn't want anything just lots of coffee where I abstained after the first.....it was a two hour drive and pit-stops through the mountains were only situated behind trees.  We eventually set off just before nine, I drove down to the garage to get my tyre pressures checked, stopped for gas in Kardjali and then it was 'the open road for me Toad' and once we'd cleared Kardjali there was very little traffic.  I decided to take the mountain route, it's very bendy but I enjoy the drive and we were soon approaching my little café that I usually stop at on the journey but I thought it best that we carry on and I intended to stop on my way back from the airport.  

So deposited in good time and I didn't stop to say farewell, I dropped her off in the carpark at departures and she could now relax and contemplate what she has to do in England or her naval whichever suited her.  My journey back was magic....not much traffic, only a few to overtake and it took me back to the days when I would finish a long stint away from home and was driving home after the completion of a contract.  I was relaxed, my promise to a dear friend had been completed and now the time was my own until the next project.  My student's lesson had been cancelled, he was playing football in Stara Zagora so a quick stop at the supermarket in Djebel for a few items and I was home for just after one thirty.  I made some tuna sandwiches, ate a complete bar of white chocolate and settled on the sofa and went to sleep....and why not.

Washing in and put away along with the other from yesterday, I'm not really planning supper the tuna and chocolate combination is sitting heavily and at eight o'clock I'm sure I can manage until morning.  I've just spent time getting photos over from my phone and was quite pleased with myself....I used the download function, I wasn't able to connect the phone to the PC.  They're the ones from Sunday when we went to the market and beach in Greece.....a very pleasant and enjoyable day.  LN......Gardening tomorrow for Avatar I think.....she's supposed to come back today but I haven't seen her yet.  Also my Cinderella is returning from Germany for two weeks and has already contacted me for a day in Greece.....LN.......And off we go again....LN

Wednesday 3rd May

Well it looks like I've been misinformed.  I though Avatar was back from Germany yesterday but no sight nor sound and I'm now led to believe that its the thirteenth she's back.  If it dries up...and that's not a strong possibility looking looking at the clouds right now...I might be able to organise or do something towards cutting back her weeds.  Although, looking at my garden, I'm going to have my work cut out dealing with mine.  There was a full moon last night and I anticipated a sunny day....wrong...it was throwing it down this morning and it's been intermittent all day.

I was up early, stripped the upstairs bed and my downstairs bed, everything into the washing machine and I intend moving upstairs tonight....the first of the year.  I do like waking up to the view of the mountains and garden, curtains left open at night make it alright with the world.  It's even better when the sun comes up but looking at the weather forecast for the next few days....there looks to be April showers arriving late.  I dried most of the washing inside and it's now ready to be folded and put away including the quilt covers and l lit the fire about three this afternoon to keep the temperature up in the house.  It's ticking along now.  I did have to go out and chop some starter wood and that was a job and a half, most of the wood left over from the builders years ago have been used as shuttering so have a thin coat of cement on them that has hardened over time....poor axe.

TV this afternoon, I moved it back into the winter lounge and settled on the sofa and of course you can guess the outcome of that but with only me here....no worries.  Steak taken from the freezer this morning has thawed out so that's going to get griddled with onions and slapped on two slices of bread for supper and tonight I'm going to linger in a long bath before I get into a new clean bed.  Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow so far...just the way I like it.  LN......Back to being 'one in the bed and the little one said'......LN

Thursday 4th May

I woke up early this morning having spent the first night upstairs, I slept so well, the bed is so comfortable and I'm in to sheets and out of the 'nest'.  It's my bedroom but because it has the best views to wake up to I normally give it up for family and friends but I might not be doing that so much this year.  The other bedroom looking out on the same view has the balcony as well but only the door has the window in that direction but still views over the western mountains and the yard....you just can't see the eastern view without getting out of bed.  It's another rainy morning.....again last night we had a moon but with light cloud and I was surprised to see the terraces wet over and it didn't really clear up until late this afternoon and then only briefly.

I did my usual morning tidy round and went down to cook breakfast and remembered that I had steak from last night that I was too tired to make for myself so I used the skillet and fried off an egg to have with it between two slices of bread....nothing fancy....and again it was very tender.  I must remember to buy more from Lidl the next time I'm there.  I couldn't work outside so decided to play around with Ancestry and have printed off some of the history ready to hand write it onto a huge sheets of paper that's just waiting to be written on.  At around eleven thirty I ran a bath, stretched out in it and promptly went to sleep for an hour or so.  I know some people think it's dangerous but I've been doing it since I was a teenager so it's second nature to me now.  Clothes for the day was sweatshirt and leggings...  the rain had stopped so it was time to stroll round the garden mainly to keep my Fitbit happy and to check on the tortoise and I found Rosy first under the front wall in the grave garden, stretched out in the sun.  I carried on walking the short wall and was surprised to see Little Purple and I could only just make out the varnish on it's back so obviously I had a paint job to carry out.  Back into the house for nail varnish and the camera, Rosy got painted first, down for Little Purple and then I resumed my scouring of the garden for others.  I walked down to the bottom wall behind the last bed and came upon Cracked Shell and as I've said before.....no need for nail varnish....this one is recognised immediately.  It's the first time this year that I've seen it.....now all accounted for.

I've felt very tired today...I think I've stretched myself over the last few days so need to recharge my batteries and part of the process is achieved through sleep.  The television went on this afternoon and I took my horizontal position on the sofa and must have been out for an hour or so and felt much better for it.  I woke up cold though so lit the fire, was intending to put chicken wings on for supper tonight but didn't really feel hungry so they're back in the fridge for tomorrow but this time not for breakfast.  Nothing so far on the agenda for tomorrow, the fridge and freezer aren't really screaming out for anything, it's raining again and the forecast for tomorrow isn't good.  Probably another day on Ancestry to commit to paper the information held in the computer which makes if far easier to understand.....the lines and sizes of family makes it difficult to see gaps and where to go next.  LN.....it's almost time for bed......LN

Friday 5th May

Well it was another cloudy morning. the terraces still haven't dried out and again we had to wait until this afternoon for any sign of the sun.....and then it didn't last long.  I was having to fill my day under my own steam, I got logs in, tried to split a couple remembering to keep my legs wide apart as I swung the axe.  Fortunately there were no accidents and I didn't even have to light the fire tonight...the logs will keep for another day. I made toast for breakfast and walked the garden to check on the boys and girls.  I found Rosy and Blue in the grave garden, Little Purple was half way down the garden and Cracked Shell was down the bottom near the low wall.  I realised that Blue needed repainting so now they're all done and set up for the summer.

I then had a mare of a morning trying to place an order with the Penshop in Sofia for some Lamy and Parker cartridges.  I can get the Parker in Kardjali but they don't stock Lamy and I really wanted other colours.  I managed to put the order in to the system but then if got really complicated.  It was asking me which shop I wanted to pick the order up from but I didn't, I needed it to be delivered to the courier shop in Djebel.  I'd tried to sign in to the site but it didn't let me so in the end I made a phone call and the person on the other end spoke English reasonably well but didn't know his products.  It also complicated it because I was using a VPN pointing to England so when I entered my Bulgarian phone number it complained and when I followed his instructions to add my address I had to take the VPN off.  Eventually I sent him screen shots of the items, he phoned me back and I placed the order and it will be delivered to the Econt shop in Djebel....and I pay the courier company when it arrives,,,,,not a bad system.

The rest of the afternoon I was cleaning out fountain pens and nibs and also calligraphy pen sets.  Some of the cartridges were old so they've been given the heave-ho and will be replaced when the new ones arrive.  Curried chicken wings tonight courtesy of the slow cooker and I thickened it using a tablespoon of lentil soup powder,  It really did the trick and I wonder what the cats will think of the bones and rice in the morning......probably be there the day after tomorrow.  Lovely phone call with my daughter tonight, we do managed to make each other laugh and it was good to catch-up with the gossip.  We have a full moon tonight, a few clouds about but hopefully it will stay dry for tomorrow, my student has a football match in Momchilgrad and I might just go and stand on the side-lines to support him...weather permitting.  LN.....a little Netflix and than an early night....LN  

Saturday 6th May

Five thirty start this morning and my restful sleep had come to an end.  I did try to get back off but no go so the little Kindle came out for a few games of Sudoku and then the big one when the battery was running out on the little one.  I made coffee using the spare kettle on the landing and only ventured down to start up the cleaning process in the kitchen after the efforts of last night and was putting the remains of the curry and rice out for whatever wanted it at seven. I've just checked and a lot of it still appears to be there, guess nothing likes curry.  The taste was OK, I did burn the rice a little and this morning's task was to get the saucepan clean again and it did, almost like new thanks to Cif and an extra rough washing up thingy.

I messaged my DIL after finding out from my daughter that she'd had a knee operation after a skiing incident and was still incapacitated and on crutches and a wheelchair was mentioned.  I'm not sure how long this is going on for but I advised her to 'milk it'....her opportunity to sit back and let the young adults help out.  I also had a reply and confirmed that my student was playing football in Momchilgrad at eleven this morning so I arranged to meet up with his mother by ten-ish and either I would drive there or go with the family.  I also had a text message from Econt advising me that my parcel had arrived from the Penshop, only ordered yesterday so I went in to collect it from where I thought the shop was but it had moved and seeking directions from workmen along the way I eventually found the new place.  I'd parked up outside the car-shop and elected to walk to the couriers but it would have been quicker to have driven there instead.  Never mind...it keeps my Fitbit happy.  So back to the shop and unfortunately the garage was busy so we shut up the shop and only his mother and myself drove to the stadium.  The match was had started and we realised that our protégée was only to be brought on for the second half and was doing well playing mid-field until someone elbowed him on the nose but he came up again fighting.  Our team did win against Plovdiv, three nill so game over, we waited for him to emerge from the changing room, the three of us started walking towards the Nipper but a coffee and cake bar drew us in and I bough profiteroles for this evening.  We had another call to make at the courier company, my student's mum had ordered new trainers for the boy and they were ready to collect...and this time I knew where the shop was.

I dropped them off at the shop, called in to the little supermarket and bought fresh bread and a few other items, I've got chicken wings and jacket potato for supper tonight and it should be ready around seven thirty.  I settled down on the sofa and was looking for something on Netflix and came across Derry Girls...I'd heard of it but not seen it before and two episodes in I think I might like it.  The fire is lit and crackling well, it's not cold but comforting,  Dark clouds rolled in and rolled out again so I'm hoping that the rain stays away, my clover covered top of my grass is looking very verdant and getting longer as we speak so I really need to be out with the mower tomorrow at some point.....weather permitting.  If the mood really takes me...I could make a trip over the road to Avatar's house, she's not back until the thirteenth of this month so I have a few days but it really does depend on the weather.  So now back to the kitchen, oven, fire and sofa ...unfortunately the profiteroles took a hammering this afternoon so it looks like ice-cream for tonight.  LN.....I've had a very affable day......LN

Sunday 7th May

Slept through until seven and had a good night's sleep.  The sun was shining to welcome the day and I was ready to get started on the garden.....now all I needed was for the morning mist to dry off the grass,  I made toast for breakfast, put in a washing load, washed and dressed and it was only eight thirty and the grass still wasn't dry.  I played around with the small electric and put in a couple of screws to hold the handle in place....they were supplied but I'd run without them last time.  I also added a cable holder that I'd only seen when I'd finished the first assembly and now it's all set to go, everything back in place.  I pegged out the washing, fired up the big mower and started on the grass in front of the main house.  I could feel it clinging to the blade and the inside of the machine, I was using it without the grass box and it was flinging it everywhere.  I left the grave garden and concentrated on getting down to the mulberry and found Rosy sunning herself near to the short wall about a foot from the garden so I mowed round her.  I thought she'd move with the noise of the machine but no way, she was there for the long haul.

I called a halt to it, I was running out of steam and realised that by now the underneath of the machine was pretty clogged up so I switched it off, cleaned the underside and after half an hour or so started it up again and headed back to the grave garden and finished that off.  Back to the main grass, I continued until the fuel ran out so now I could really go for it and give it a good clean. I managed to avoid a small frog that seemed to be hopping further into the longish grass as I mowed the one row so I stopped the machine and ended up clapping my hands to move him towards the short was an garden and it eventually got the message.  So back to it.. I topped the machine up with petrol and used it with the grass box to complete the task, I've only got the very bottom to do and I'll used the small electric for that...but not today.  I'd had enough.  Tools away at give thirty, washing in, fire going eventually, it was really slow to start.  

The starlings haven't been very happy today.  Unfortunately they don't like it when I'm working outside or sitting on the bench on the terrace.  It's not as if I don't know where they're nesting and I always remember the film, The Starling, and I imagine them dive-bombing me to protect the nest.  Fortunately thy don't seem that aggressive.  I noticed that the parents had difficulty getting into the nest, youngster has taken to waiting near the hole in the log and is becoming so demanding that he won't be long before he's finding his own way in the world.  I had to take the pickies from inside the house and with the window in between....so not so clear as could be but still not bad. More gardening tomorrow if the weather remains as good as it's been today, it's time to get the electric strimmers out and do some running repairs.  The battery strimmer is neither use nor ornament...the battery is getting old and I get about thirty minutes from it.

Supper time but not really interested, I'm not hungry so will settle for more water to drink, a soak in a hot bath and then off to bed.  I've fond a new series on Netflix, another hospital drama but it's getting repetitive so back to the drawing board Cecil.  LN......Fingers crossed for a good day tomorrow.......LN

Monday 8th May

Five thirty start and I couldn't understand why it was light inside and dark out and then I realised I went to sleep with the light on...I must have been tired.  I felt quite awake so played a few games of Angry Birds and in the end just got up, washed and dressed and it was only eight o'clock...the whole day in front of me.  I'd taken a few pickies of the sunrise and it looked as if it was going to be a good day so I was going to carry on with the grass...sort of make hay while the sun shines but it wasn't to be.  It didn't last all day.

I made toast, cleared the kitchen, put my Timberlands on....I meant business.  I firstly mowed the yard, there wasn't much grass but what there was was pretty long.  I really should have put my safety glasses on before I started, the mower was picking up grit and flinging it mainly because I was using it without the grass catcher so I put the catcher on.  That done I went into the house and noticed that there was a packet of chocolates, a watering can and a couple more presents and I guessed immediately that they were from Guldjan from Germany and I though that she'd left them last night.  I gave her a quick call and apparently she'd come round at half past nine and that would have been when I'd moved to the back terrace and despite her calls, I'd not heard here.  So I've made arrangements, I'm seeing her tomorrow and unfortunately the chocolates have had a bit of a hammering.  I set about the workshop terrace grass, moved down to the flower bed and cleared that but was bugged by Green God and Cracked Shell.  I think GG has the hots for anything that moved and was chasing CC round and appearing in various spots near the wall making it impossible for me to strim the grass.  Eventually I gave up and moved to the other side of the garden and cleared the weeds from one of the beds.  Suddenly it all kicked off, the starling from the nest was going mental, chirping really loudly so I made my way over to see a scruffy brown cat up on the wall.  It jumped off when it saw me and I looked round but there was no sign of the baby in the area.  Mother/ father shot off, came back but without food and were still in a state of panic.  I couldn't see the chick so sat on the bench and eventually I heard a cheeping, one of the parents came back and out popped a little beak...it was OK.

So back to my weeding and I was doing well until I felt the first spot of rain so it was all tools away.  I came in at five just before the deluge and I really must get someone to  sort the gutters out, the rain was spilling over the top.  Just over twelve thousand steps today so I've done well.  I came in, stripped off and went for a bath and washed my hair, I'm going to Kardjali tomorrow so need to be presentable and my student in the afternoon.  I had tuna mayo for lunch so not too bothered about supper...probably settled for the rest of the chocolates.  Just noticed that the bee-eaters have returned and are sitting on the electricity wires.  Only two so far and not sitting near enough to get them in one frame at such magnification.  LN.....Time to relax....I've had a good day in the garden.......LN

Tuesday 9th May

Five thirty start and I woke up having had a very bad dream.  I've been recalling snatches of it all day and chose to forget most of it.  Miserable start to the day, raining, cold and it looked like we were back to February weather all over again,  one and a half days of sun and it's all over and we're waiting for the next.  I meandered around for the morning, made toast, watched the starlings, printed off the text for my student later today and was putting everything in the Nipper when a car pulled up outside.  I thought it was Guljan but instead was my postman from Rogosche with a letter for me that required a signature.  I thought it odd so I opened it in front of him and he said that it was 'a globa' which I knew to be a fine...I thanked him, he left and I took the letter inside to read.  Now it appears that last August I drove at sixty two miles per hour in a fifty zone in Sofia and the letter has only just got to me.  Nine months to deliver a letter, it only takes that long to deliver a baby.  The fine was for fifty leva but if I paid it within the next thirty days it was reduced to thirty five leva.

At this point my visitor appeared, her husband continued on to Kardjali with her mother who was due at the hospital and we set off in the Nipper.  I showed her the letter and she decided that I could pay at 'Easy Pay' in Kardjali but that was for later in the day.  We managed to park up near their new apartment, I was there to see it and maybe give them some ideas as to what they could do.  The structure is find, there is lots of furniture in the apartment that wants removing so that the dog can see the trees so to speak.  Their plan is long term, they're both working in Germany currently with good jobs and good pay so my advice was to carry on working, save money for specific things that need doing to the apartment and use holidays to come back while it's being done.  There's no rush...they have time on their side.  I came away with a large glass that they were about to throw out and a lampshade made out of glass, not sure where it will go but I couldn't bear for it to be thrown away.  I said goodbyes, not sure if I will see them again before they go back, we were anticipating a trip to Greece but that's entirely weather permitting....it's no fun in the rain.

I carried on to A1 my home phone provider and was assured that the phone would be working after I'd paid two bills.  I'm home and that's not the case, the phone isn't working and not sure why.  Maybe another trip into Kardjali tomorrow.  I carried on to Kaufland and did a little shopping and paid my fine for my speeding ticket then on to Lidl and was heading back to Djebel arriving at two this afternoon.  I parked up and went to my student's shop to sit with his mother until lesson time.  Lesson kicked off at three thirty after he'd been for a check-up on his teeth rail tracks as I call them and we carried on until just before five.  We did another chapter of Witches and he managed to tell the story back to me in front of his mother as we sat in the shop.  I left the shop at six thirty, drove home and firstly lit the fire, I'd been cold all day.  Secondly put the shopping away and thirdly cooked beans on toast...I was too lazy to do anything else and followed it with a chocolate pudding and half a packet of biscuits.  I settled in to Netflix for a couple of episodes of my new series and am about to think about getting in my PJ's and enjoy the rest of my evening.  LN.....Starling is still successfully feeding the little one......LN

Wednesday 10th May

So another damp and miserable morning and then I looked over to the log with the nesting birds and shock, horror, it was on its side and being held up by the metal plant support.  The starling was trying to get into it but the angle was wrong so in my PJ's I went out and put it upright again.  I'm not sure what could have heaved it over, may have been a pole cat since we do have them here and can't imagine a cat would have done it without it got all its mates to help it.  Any way, I waited to see what would happen.  The starling came back and went inside the log, came out again, went back in and then flew off.  I thought I saw movement through the hole but couldn't se sure but moments later one of the starlings came back and a beak appeared....everything in the garden looks lovely but I'm not holding out much hope for the little one.  It's making really loud chirping noises when it's waiting for food and drawing attention to the log but I suppose it would be the same in a nest except that this is accessible.  I must remember that nature is nature.

I made breakfast, bacon, egg and baked beans and sat at the table in the stairwell eating them and then remembered that I couldn't lay my hands on the folder I use when I go to my lesson with the boy.  I'd stopped off at the supermarket last night when I went to buy bread on the way back to the car and I don't remember putting it down but maybe I did.  They didn't have bread so came away with cake so in the end I drove into Djebel early afternoon to solve the mystery of the missing folder.  I asked in the shop and it wasn't there so went on to the supermarket and there on the shelf where customers are encouraged to leave bags before they shop was my folder.  I went over to the owner's daughter and told her that it was mine, she sad that she didn't know where it had come from and pleased that I'd claimed it.  I must have put it down on the checkout when I was finding the correct money and forgotten to pick it up.  Anyway...problem solved.

Back home by three, it looked like it might pick up weatherwise but it was still cold so there was no chance I was going out gardening today.  The rest of the afternoon was spent watching Netflix, sleeping through some of it and at six I lit the fire so that the house is now warm and toasty.  Barbecue ribs and jacket potato for supper tonight, a load of washing is whirling its way round the machine and will dry on the airer in the bathroom overnight.  I'm off, the kitchen needs my attention.  LN.....Let's see what happens to the nest overnight.....be prepared for an update......LN