Friday 21st July

Six thirty start this morning and I was off the mark at seven thirty after playing a few games and getting nowhere.  I've just got one elusive Bad Piggy left in the Angry Birds game and gave myself only until seven thirty before I began to call the shots.  Washed and dressed in work clothes finding out my old fisherman's smock.  It's big and lots of air space and it's cotton into the bargain and it and I go back lots of years...and I love it.  The Beast was removed from the garage and parked up ion the grass outside the wall thinking that the man would have more space to bring in his lorry and I would have more space to sort the wood as to how I wanted to stack it.  Lots of leaves had collected under the Beast so that was the first job along with cleaning the floor in the woodstore.  Wood carriers at the ready, mowers out in the garage and room to swing a cat so to speak.  The Nipper also went out, didn't want anymore dents in that one, it's got enough.

The man didn't arrive until half nine so to fill in my time I set about cutting back the winter flowering jasmine and the honeysuckle on the workshop terrace.  That also got swept and tidied and it was in one of my breaks from stacking wood that I noticed the tortoise all gathering around the area.  I'm still not sure what it's all about, the cranberry has got fruit but it's not ripe yet or whether they'd all got the urge to merge and only Little Purple was missing from the party.  At one point CS was eager to come from the little garden onto the grass, lost it's footing and landed on its back but I was there to turn it the right way up and later it had made its way into the woodstore and was lucky not to get stacked or trodden on so out it went.

It didn't look a huge pile of wood on the lorry but the man said that it was very heavy and it was.  He picked up a log, handed it to me and I dropped it but he'd made his point.  Because of this I've ordered another ton and that comes tomorrow and it's quite good splitting the load.  I didn't realise his lorry would take two tons or I would have ordered it together but it's worked out better this way.  There were some large logs that I've managed to split, the rest are a reasonable size and this year I have no rubbish.  The seem to listen to me now when I state what I want and get it.... don't mess with the Anglechanka.....Wood away and the base is down for the next load, everything tidy and I finished off by clearing the cuttings from the terrace shrubs and they're all over the wall. Everything was finished by twelve so now it was time for lots of water and ploughman's for lunch...cheese, biscuits and small Silverskin onions followed by ice-cream.  I had a call from the UK and we were on for an hour catching up...another dear friend has gone into a hospice....dropping like flies in he road where I used to live.

Time for a rest so I put on Netflix, it was too hot to be outside without a purpose.  I watched the rest of the Lincoln Lawyer based on the books by Brian Connolly, and then watched The Pianist that I'm sure I've seen before but a long time ago.  There was a nap between the two and at ten minutes to nine my time, it must have been a long one.  The cars are locked and are still outside on the grass by the wall....no point in bringing them in, I'll only have to move them out again tomorrow.  So hopefully a nine o'clock delivery to get it done before the sun gets any power into it.  LN......It's a nice feeling when one of the jobs for winter is out of the way, or half out of the way.....LN

Saturday 22nd July

Well I was up and prepared for my wood delivery, no sign of it at nine so I decided to do breakfast and at nine thirty I phoned to see what time I could expect the delivery.  The phone was answered, I asked the man what time it would arrive and he told me tomorrow stating that it was Djebel's 'praznic', or event day so I accepted it and tomorrow it will be.  I'd been over to borrow ten lev from Avatar so that I had the correct money for the man, she'd looked at the wood and said that it was very good for the money and some of my neighbours had paid more...so I was very pleased.

I was now left without an agenda, I bought the Beast back into the yard and parked it in the garage, the little one I left outside knowing that I was going out later this afternoon.  I didn't do much, I put the washing from the other day away and loaded another one into the machine, it get's dried inside these days to save the little bugglies attacking it and me at a later date.  I had a shower and washed my hair around lunch time, dried it and was in the Nipper for three to head into Djebel, I was out with my student's family later that day.  I was early but it didn't matter, I sat in the shop and talked to her but she was very tired I can tell.  The hot weather though really saps the life out of you, I'm lucky that my house has lots of air going through it with the windows and door open and fly screen protecting the inside.  They closed up the shop and we set off to see what was supposed to be a collection of old cars but when we got there there was nothing to see....not an old car insight so we bought drinks and headed back to the shop.  The other people that we were meeting up with arrived around four thirty.  I've known this couple for a few years but we don't get together very often and it was good to see them both.  I've actually picked his brain on how to get the music from my old Apple ipod and I'm sending him the item number and we'll take it from there.  We carried on to the café in the square near to where the music was going to take place, ordered drinks and everyone sat around until seven when the next event was supposed to take place and of course, it was in Bulgarian time.  We de-iced that it wasn't worth hanging around to see what happened next, the visitors on towards home, we meandered back to the shop and I persuaded the parents that we should go to the car parking and buy a chicken and bread and  make something out of what was turning out to be a rubbish day.  So we bought a chicken, got seated under a giant umbrella just before the cloudburst and the three of us tucked in quite nicely.  Supper over, we walked back to the shop, hugs all round, they wouldn't let me pay so I got in the Nipper and drove home.

I left the Nipper outside the gate, it would have to go outside anyway and was surprised to see and envelope tucked in the door handle behind the fly=screen.  I'd had a phone call from Bekir while in the restaurant but slippery chicken fingers meant that the phone stayed in my bag and I phoned him back when I got home.  It's an invitation to his son's wedding on Tuesday at seven at Makaza and since the invitation was written in Turkish I had to refer to my dictionary to confirm the month and time.  So looks like next week will be busy.  Wood in the morning, Nipper into the garage on Monday, MOT Monday afternoon and bank and now wedding on Tuesday.  LN......I so love my quiet life....LN

Sunday 23rd July

Another hot sultry night, I woke up at six after a night fight with the over sheet and decided to start my day.  I hung the wet cushion on the balcony to dry and settled down to a few games with a coffee before I started my day proper.  I was downstairs at seven thirty, made another coffee, moved the Beast on to the grass outside of the gate and opened up the woodstore.  I didn't bother with breakfast, that could come later and went round to the woodstore terrace where the tortoise were hanging around yesterday and CS and Blue seem to have taken up residence in the area unless they have a 'thing' going.  I noticed that CS was trying to get into the water dish that I've put near the terrace and she succeeded and must have been in there for five minutes.  Blue was hanging around and I remembered that the wild plums are falling from the tree on the other side of the garden so I legged it over there with a bucket and gathered quite a few for them.  Blue was the first to get them, sniffed the air and then dived in, CS n the other side of the terrace, wasn't interested at all and went to hide under the winter jasmine.

I noticed Avatar outside the gate so I went over to see what she was about.  She was covering the outside of her double gates with barbed wire, mainly to stop the cows and she asked if I had any more wire that she was using to attach it.  The neighbours all know that I have as much in my workshops as the hardware shops in Djebel so I went back and came back with a coil so that she could take what she needed.  I sat with her for a while, went back and five minutes later my wood had arrived.  The driver backed into the yard but had to have a couple of goes at it, maybe he had a better 'prasnik' in Djebel that we did last night.  So dropped the load, I paid the man and off he went and then I got to work.  I'd only been at it for a while and suddenly there was lots of screeching and raised voices so I put my head down and carried on with the wood.  I'd find out later but it was village politics and I didn't want to get involved.  Around eleven I strolled over the road and asked Avatar what it was all about.  Apparently Avatar cleans the garden chairs and one of the ladies got the knock thinking that she was cleaning them after they left.  Avatar was challenged and she said that she cleans them to get rid of leaves and bird droppings and I believe her.  Not satisfied with this explanation, this information was taken by the screecher to the next neighbour, again Avatar was challenged and said that it was all nonsense and it was one of them making trouble.  It stayed all calm on the western front for the rest of the day....but those decibels were high.

I finished the wood just after twelve, brought the cars in and tidied the yard and noticed that the top rail of the gate was rotten and so I attempted a minor repair on it which needed a lot of glue and sawdust and a really good bolt and nut.  This nut must have spent an hour trying to find one to fit and nothing doing and when I did, the bolt wouldn't go through the hole in the gate. It's a job for tomorrow when I've finished the rest, I'll get the bits in Djebel on my way to the garage.   I made a late breakfast-early lunch of tuna mayo and must have drunk a litre of water with it.  The temperature was hot, hot, hot and I was replacing fluid.  I found some music on my iPod that I'd forgotten about and played it at full volume until I got bored and tried Netflix and found a series that I hadn't seen before and rationed myself to two episodes.

Not bothered about supper, the tuna did the job and now I'm going to rest my weary bones in the bath to ease my shoulders.  I've moved two tons of wood in the last few days and that's one winter prep. job off the list.  Almost eight my time, my schedule is written for tomorrow so all I have to do is stick to it.....I'm on my countdown.  LN.....The clouds have gathered, looks like rain again, to water or not to water....that is the question.......LN

Monday 24th August

So this mornings wakeup call was the small dog that belongs to everybody and nobody wants it.  It get's fed of course and probably has a better life than those chained up and fed bread but it really does bark very long and loudly.  From six onwards I played a few games, drank coffee and waited to start my day.  I knew the outline plan and at eight thirty I was in the Nipper heading for Djebel after loading the large strimmer into it.  It's much too heavy for me to use so it's been deposited with the garage since theirs has given up the ghost.  My only clause in the contract is that if I need it back at any time that they have to send a man with it to do the job...and that's been agreed.  Nipper prepared for it's MOT....the handbrake was a bit dodgy and was almost out of the roof before it became effective so now I only have about ten centimetres play in it and what a difference.  It actually works and after a wash and brush up it was looking good.

I set off for Kardjali and changed plan and went into Momchilgrad instead to sort out money on my debit card.  The rest sits in a deposit account and the bank that I use won't make changes over the phone, I don't like internet banking so hence the struggle to communicate with people that only start speaking English towards the end of the transaction.  Anyway I got what I wanted so now I don't have to bring over funds from the UK.  That done I drove to the garage for the MOT and wife and grandson were helping out today.  I was offered coffee that I refused, decent toilets are as scarce as hen's teeth so best not to fill up the tank.  It sailed through, cost me sixty leva and then I made my way to the hospital to see the dermatologist and again, not working but I did spot my doctor having the usual cigarette.  I walked down to the surgery and the nurse from the practice was back.  She's been absent for about a year but she has a beautiful soul, I welcomed her back and we gave each other a hug.  My doctor is quite 'spikey' but the nurse evens it all out and does all the admin efficiently and without fuss.  I did get the results of my blood test, cholesterol is a little high and I was recommended to eat garlic and greens and that's definitely going to happen...not.  I stopped at Lidl and topped up on dairy products...another no-no and drove back to Djebel intending to get the insurance sorted but realised I needed to go to the cash-point first and couldn't be bothered.  

I was home for two, settled down with a bottle of water and Netflix and I slept through until four more or less.  It has been exceptionally hot today and Wednesday is supposed to be another corker or so my holiday lady advised me.  We have to meet up to discuss the holiday to Turkey.....it's working out more expensive than anticipated and I'm not sure she'll get a bus load together.  So tomorrow I'm taking Avatar to the supermarket and to the cash point, she mentioned money and food needed topping up and then meeting holiday lady at twelve to discuss plans.  I've just watered the garden and must turn the hose off on the old veg garden.  LN.....A woman's work is never done.......LN

Tuesday 25th July

Six start again but at least I felt like I'd had a good night's sleep.  My morning was going to be pretty full and timetabled but things change as you know...and it did.  The plan was to take Avatar shopping at nine thirty and she saw me as I was putting the new bolt in place in the gate and shouted to me so I went over.  By now she was inside the house so I knocked and went in and she was mithering about getting breakfast.  The usual van had not saved her any cheesy bread so she was making eggy bread for herself and I was invited to join her.  I refused said that I had breakfast ready at home and that I would see her as arranged at nine thirty.  Ten minutes later she was over, a neighbour had told her that someone from the council was coming round this morning advising them that they would be paid a winter allowance for coal and that she had to sign for the amount that was being paid to her so I suggested that we leave it until she was free and off she went.  Only twenty minuets later she was back, the woman had been, she'd signed the documents and the money would be paid into her bank.  She went home, I got the car out and off we set to the supermarket and just as I pulled into the car-park she reminded me that she needed money so I said I'd pay and she could give it me after we'd been to the cash-point.  She didn't want much, tomatoes and fruit and chicken legs, wings and a whole chicken for the freezer, she started adding chocolate biscuits to the trolley so I added a loaf of bread again for the freezer and when we got to the checkout, i Paid, put the change in her handbag and she then owed me a straight hundred lev.  I drove to the cash-point took the money out for her, gave her the receipt and the money and it reminded me of when I used to do home-helping when I was first married back in nineteen seventy seven-ish.  I was still doing the same thing...care in the community.  I dropped her off and put the shopping away for her and stopped off to try to chat to Beyser who was sitting outside her house.  As I went back to the car, Avatar shouted to me from the house, I went in and she asked me how much money for petrol I wanted and it was almost a stand-up fight....she's as independent as I am and I got away with it.

So at eleven thirty I set off to me the lady who was arranging the holiday to Turkey and we arrived together at the Djebel Hotel.  The date has changed again to the 1st September which is good for me, three nights in Bodrum, two night below Izmir and one in Chanakale (Dardanelles) and Gelibolu (Gallipoli) Battles Zones in the First World War.  These are World Heritage sites and apparently are really worth visiting.  At the moment she needs another three people to say yes and then it's on, as it stands not sure it's going ahead but fingers and toes crossed.  The rest of the afternoon it was too hot to do anything, thirty six degrees so I watched Netflix and rested and hair washed and ready for tonight and realised that I have too get ready for the wedding.  Photos will follow.  LN....I'm running late.....LN

Wednesday 26th July

It's been a none day.  I watered the garden early, attempted a repair on the hose to tap connector and I'd been sold the wrong one or ones...she insisted I took both.  The hose pipe is really narrow so tomorrow I'm going to see if I can get one in Kardjali.  It's just been too hot to do anything and we had high summer winds, stronger than breezes whipping up over the fields, if it had been cooler it would have made it more bearable but hey...it's summer.

Last night's wedding was a complete success.  I was made very welcome by Bekir and his wife and she actually came over to the table and forced me on to my feet and the dance floor.  I stuck it out for around fifteen minutes, the hypnotic Turkish music goes on for a long time but I made my apologies, my feet were hot and my shoes tight and a girl knows when it's time to quit.  The organisation has improved greatly at the venue.  I've done about five weddings there but the waiter service couldn't be faulted, the food was traditional, salad, liver and rice, chicken and potatoes with a sauce and cake but all well cooked and served properly.  The empty plates were taken away immediately, before they seemed to have trollies that they stacked them on before wheeling them out and they appear to be no more.  It was good to catch up with the people from the village where I used to pick the men up from when they were renovating my house.  Sally and Bekir go back a long way with me and I'm so grateful that they gave me a strong house that I'm very proud of...there's more to do but Sally wont be joining in the fun...it will be Bekir and his son who is the one that got married.  He used to come with his father at odd times when he was about fourteen but never really settled to doing anything to help.  I was introduced to Bekir's sisters mostly from Turkey, seven in the family and he was number six and the only boy.  I made my fond farewells around ten thirty, it would go on but I wouldn't be sharing in the fireworks, I found my car and was home for eleven.

I did managed to book my hotel in Kardjali for next week so another job off the list and I can leave the car at the hotel.  Tomorrow I'm off to Kardjali to try and see the elusive dermatologist.  My own doctor has given me a prescription already and I'm to show it to her to confirm that it's right for the job and in the afternoon I'll see if my student is available, he was playing football yesterday and goodness knows how they manage it in these temperatures.  Saves dieting I suppose.  No supper for me, just more water, I've got to remove my packing from the bed, it will be shower and then relax.  I might even have to get the fan going tonight to circulate any air that's available.  LN.....I hope I've got more energy tomorrow.....LN

Thursday 27th July

Late shower last night cooling off before I sweated the night away.  I shut the balcony door last night, the fly screen needs a new mesh on it, only little holes but there again mosquitoes aren't very big.  The last thing I wanted was the 'tzzz' of a mosquito and me running around trying to find the beastie and the fly spray before any  damage has been done.  I'm aware that everything is entitled to a life but not in my house....anything with more than two legs has to be forcible removed.  I was awake at six which is par for the course these days, made coffee to kick myself into gear but the little Kindle became the key focus along with the coffee and eventually felt ready to face the world at seven thirty.  I was out watering the pots at eight and I'm not really sure why, there were a few spots of rain and it could go either way as this point and the jury was still out.

Dressed and ready for the hospital today, no appointment but my doctor told me to be there at nine and I was.  I tried to park in the hospital car park and that was a complete joke so I went to the park behind the Poly Clinic and paid one lev for parking.  I walked to the other hospital and those spots that I'd felt earlier had multiplied, quadrupled in size and like everyone else was running for cover.  The heavens opened, Jesus had got his boots on and lightning  was flashing all around.  The roads in Kardjali were flooded but that's how it goes here but by five it had all dried up.  

I made my way to registration, received a ticket with number seven written on it and waited my turn outside the number one cubicle as they call the consulting rooms.  I went in following number six, started to explain why I was there and I was stopped in full flood.  Apparently the doctor that I needed to see didn't start until three this afternoon and now it was ten in the morning....I had time to kill...big time.  I walked back to the car just when my parking had run out, I'd bought a cheesy bread and water from the shop to ate that and tried to plan the rest of the day.  I ended up in Kaufland where the parking was free, then to Basmar to try to get the connector for the hose-pipe, moved and again had to pay for parking at the leva shop and finally to the opticians to see if they could mend the driving glasses that broke yesterday. It wasn't possible to repair the frame so I chose a new frame, they confirmed the prescription lenses with a machine, made them up and I paid ninety eight leva and it took all of thirty minutes from entering the shop to leaving.  I carried on to the hospital arriving at two thirty, went to the room and apparently he'd started seeing patients at two thirty and as number six came out, me at number seven went in.  So the two specialists looked at the infection under the boob, it was decided that they would freeze it, I was warned that it growth would drop off and all would be well.  I was surprised when a large metal container was brought into view, the stick in the neck was removed and placed on several patches under my boob.  No waiting around here, no sooner the word that the blow and I was free to go carrying two prescriptions, one to continue treatment on the yeast growth and the second for the rash that I get on my arms.  I thanked them both and back to the car and back to Djebel to pick up my prescriptions and renew the insurance on the Nipper so that it's all ready for when I get back.

Not much to be sorted before I start on my travels, I bought a medium sized hold suitcase while I was in Kardjali to day, just need to add it to my booking.  The insurance will be completed tomorrow, they have to make a phone call because I'm classed as a foreigner but after the call I'm local.  LN.....I filled my hours in Kardjali very constructively.....LN  

Friday 28th July

Another early start so opened the terrace door to let some cool air through.  Made coffee and played games for a while and eventually made my way over to Avatar's house to return the cheesy bred that she insisted that I brought home last night.  I thought we'd have it for breakfast but she'd already had hers and I finished off the rest of a cheese omelette that they add a little flour to.  It was delicious and Fanta orange for breakfast....I don't do the trimming here followed by lots of water melon which I love the flavour of but why can't it be like melon with the seeds in the middle...it's so fiddly to eat.  Left around nine and had five minutes with Zelinger and Beyser but didn't sit down and make a morning of it....both of them don't speak enough Bulgarian whereas Avatar does.  We both search for the words occasionally and I supply the Bulgarian but it's done with good intent and we laugh about it.

So home and my first job was to collect the household rubbish and take the hosepipe down to the bottom of the garden to have a bonfire,  Precaution is the word, I hear that Greece and Turkey both have fires ravaging the countryside and Europe is helping out as much as they can.  It explains the planes that have been going over to try to douse the fire with water.  Any mine was OK, well under control and so I went on a tortoise hunt and in the very overgrown shrub garden by the long wall and the bonfire I saw Blue and another that was only identified as Rosy by seeing the others elsewhere in the garden.  CS was coming from the garage and Green God was down by the stone wall and almost got watered when I did the shrubs down there.  Little Purple was hiding somewhere, but much too small to be part of the sexual activities taking place.  I went back for another look and as I walked close to the long wall behind the garden I noticed Green God had moved from the stone wall and was obviously following the scent and joined in the fray.  I'm not sure whether Blue had scored or not but eventually Blue was removed, Green edged his way in, there was a clatter of shells and I think Rosy made her escape or burrowed her rear into the undergrowth so nobody was getting it.  As for the pickies, you have to look really close for three shells in a line and the dappled shade didn't really help.

It got very hot today so I've been mainly on the sofa thinking about packing and doing nothing about it but I did manage to recharge the power pack that I bought yesterday and worked out how to use it and this morning I added hold luggage to my booking so I was setting combination locks etc and remembering to write them down so I don't forget.  Beautiful evening...time to water the pots again so that they'll take up the water overnight and as for that funny connector, I solved the problem by using one from the new hose that I bought yesterday.  It's the same size but the new hose doesn't stretch as far as the old one so hence the bastardisation.  Not hungry, I've picked this afternoon and maybe later I'll become creative when it gets cooler.  LN.....Hoses at the ready....I have work to do......LN

Saturday 29th July

Six thirty start and the usual routine, coffee, open the balcony door to enjoy the breeze from the hillside and games on the tablet.  It was eight before I surfaced, made my bed and walked to make more coffee.  Washed and dressed and wanted to get out there and cut the grass before it got too much heat in the sun so after a yoghurt to fortify me.  I went on a tortoise hunt and found two of them snuggled in the same patch of garden I'd seen them in yesterday but not sure if it was the same ones or not but at least the heap of three was reduced to a twosome and there was no clattering of shells.  I struck up the mower and managed to do the little house grass completely in two stages stopping for water midway.  I forced myself to go out again, it's so dry that I felt I was getting pebble dashed as I went with grit in my ears and sticking to my skin with the perspiration.

After the effort I had a rest of the sofa which last a couple of hours, went back to sorting things for the UK so that I'm not rushing at the last minute.  I've charged the computer, gathered the chargers together in a bag and not a hint of panic yet at this end but I know it's going to set in soon.....it always does.  Everything is organised including insurance on the Nipper that runs out while I'm away and I pick up those documents on Monday.  I also sorted the fridge and threw out what would have been thrown out on Monday, the cats had a field day, tortoises benefitted from tomatoes and some water melon that I put down by their water containers.  Not sure if they like it, checked about an hour ago and it looks like both have been nibbled.

No supper for me, I made a tuna mayo with beetroot salad up and had it with bread wiping round the bowl and leaving nothing hardly to be washed up.  Water has been flowing all day, it topped thirty three this afternoon so it was as well being inside having done the grass fairly early.  I'm not sure that the other half needs it, I'll check it out tomorrow, no way was it getting done today.  LN.......Time to water the pots.....LN

Sunday 30th July

So early to bed and at eleven thirty last night I felt as if I'd been asleep for ages, I eventually settled down again and went through until six thirty this morning.  It was promising to be a very good day and it was even though the sky was interspersed with fluffy clouds I managed to get in an hour in the sun this afternoon.  I settled for yoghurt for breakfast and looking at an almost empty fridge I decided to empty it further....and switch it off.  Defrosting it and cleaning it is a job that I'm not too keen on but it's done.  I shall be living out of tins for the next day or so, beans on toast for breakfast, tuna mayo for supper....I'm sure I'll not starve.

Only managed to catch sight of CS today, the others are definitely keeping out of the sun and who could blame them.  I watered the plants giving them a good soaking and tomorrow I'm moving those without solid containers to catch the water into the big blue bowl that I've got.  Avatar is coming round to water them every other day or so and I've just found out that her daughter in law is coming to fetch her and take her to Germany for the winter the week end before I get back.  I've said that the pots will be OK, if I lose some of them so be it, it's getting to the end of the season so I'll see what survives.  I'm tempted to move some of the shrubs into the shadier parts of the garden where hopefully the water won't evaporate so quickly but on the other hand, if we have rain, they might not get much of it.  Seems to me they'll so to speak, take pot luck.....I wonder if that's where the phrase originated.

I spent the afternoon packing, sorting keys and finding cables and chargers to go in the suitcase.  The case is almost full but I'm having problems weighing the case.  I've got two weight scales that you suspend the luggage but I think they're more for bags of potatoes.  You need muscles on your muscles to use them.  Both of them came up with eleven kilos so what else can I ram in them...I'll have to do the washing up before I can pack the sink.  

Final run round the garden to check on the tortoise.....and to check out the food stations that I've set up.  They've got watermelon, tomatoes and nectarines that I thought were apples when I bought them, it was only when I cut into one that I discovered the stone.  Some have gone over the hillside, no point in feeding the ants as well.  Local corned beef and baked beans for supper tonight....not that I'm getting creative....I'm having them both cold straight out of the tin.  LN.....Well I might do something with them....LN