Wednesday 30th August

Six thirty start, made a coffee and sat out on the balcony watching the morning unfold.  Lots of bee-eaters soaring high in the sky making lots of twittering noises and too busy eating to settle anywhere that I could photo them.  I'd made no plans to do anything, the pool was on the list of 'maybe's', I made boiled eggs for breakfast and sat in the kitchen at the table to eat them with toast 'soldiers', washed up, walked to the table in the stairwell and sat down and noticed that my receipt for Monday's shopping was on the table.  I'd thought at the time that it was a high bill but hadn't checked it as I left the till area, put it in my purse but now I really looked at it.  One single line for forty six plus lev stood out, I looked closer and saw that I been charged for thirty three bottles of soda water not the three I'd picked up.  Now things were getting serious, complaining isn't my usual forte but this couldn't be ignored and it sort of planned the rest of my day.  I dressed for the pool, into the Nipper and heading for Kardjali preparing my story as I went.  I suddenly occurred to me that they would have had to be counted by the cashier and didn't need to be or I'd have picked up multipacks and then odd ones to get this amount.  I had my story and waited for the outcome.

I spoke to one of the assistants and she took me to another aisle where someone looked very busy and really didn't want anyone interfering with her day.  I explained the problem, the first thing that she came back with was that it happened two days ago and why didn't I come back earlier.  I replied that I didn't live in town and that probably I should have checked it and come back earlier but that didn't change the issue I was reporting.  She heaved a sigh, got out her telephone and phoned the store manager I presume who eventually authorised a repayment and she told me to go and stand at any checkout and it would be sorted.  Clutching my receipt I joined one of the three queues, I handed over the receipt, she tried to scan in the barcode for the till receipt and eventually had to enter the details by hand.  She took out the payment for the thirty three and finished the transaction then put another through for the three items and handed me the money and not even a 'sorry about that' passed her lips.  So much for customer service.  

I carried on to the swimming pool and only a few people were there.  The barman welcomed me, said that if I wanted anything to let him know, lots of sun beds to choose from so I settled myself at the far end of the pool, set my Fitbit to work on the exercise program to record how long I spent swimming.  I've learnt the hard way, the manufacturers say that the watches are waterproof but I'm not convinced so I chose the record option.  The day looked as if it was going to be cloudy as I set off this morning but it turned out to be a beautiful day with very high clouds and enough breeze to keep blowing them over and keeping the flies away.  I stayed until four, stopped for gas since I'd run out on the way in, got served by one of the usual men who asked me where I'd been since he hadn't seen me for a while.  I said that I'd been to England for three weeks and had just got back and he asked me about my trip.  Total bill for fuel so that with the cost of the swimming had come to less than I'd got back for the overcharge on the bottles of water......money well spent.

Rosy was in the yard when I got back so I lifter her down to the garden and put her in a patch of greenery and she settled and started to eat the new crop of grass.  I had a shower and washed my hair, washed the swimwear and other stuff that was around, made some cheese sandwiches, had a yogurt and an ice-cream and that was my supper over and done with.  Netflix went on so that I could finish the programme that I'd been watching last night and off I went to sleep waking up an hour later.  I've just noticed that it's nine my time, the moon was very orange when it came up tonight and has now settled to a very pale yellow, not even one cloud in the sky.  Gardening day tomorrow, I need a revealing sun top so that the tan lines that I've encouraged today with my swimsuit get diminished.  LN.....Not much of this month left. autumn is on its way......at least my wood is in already......LN

Thursday 31st August

Seven start, played silly games for an hour or so, just couldn't get the hang of difficult sudoku this morning so gave up in disgust and got up to face the day.  The was a message from my ex-student giving me the dates that she is available for holiday but unfortunately everything is for seven night if you go by air and she only has five days in total.  Paris was on offer but I think that would be quite busy and expensive so it's either going to be me driving down to Halkidiki or taking a ferry over to one of the islands....I'll see her tomorrow and we can discuss it.  

It was about twelve by the time that I'd trawled the travel agents, so I went out there with a vengeance and started to attack the old vegetable garden bed that had been completely overcome with grass in the time that I'd been away and watering the shrubs in said bed only made the weeds and grass stronger.  It's in sections so easier to complete one and move on to the next but the spirit was strong but the flesh weak, it was getting really hot out there so I gave up around two thirty and settled on the sofa with a bottle of water and promptly fell asleep.  Two hours later of interrupted sleep consisting of dozing and then thinking I should be doing something else so at five I took myself back to the vegetable garden and finished it.  I'd got the mower out earlier and filled it with petrol and carried on the good work finishing the grave garden and down to the mulberry on the big house grass.  I think I picked up more dead leaves and dust than grass cuttings and it all went over the wall including the grass that I'd pulled up from the beds.  Tools away at seven thirty, I'd had the hammer and nails out to repair the surround to the bed but it really needs love and attention, all replacing and maybe I'll get round to it now that I'm back and the autumn is approaching.

Nine my time and not really thinking about food.  Breakfast was a honeydew melon, it was getting soft so I cut it up and cubed it, the outer went out for the tortoise but I noticed tonight that the ants have infested it.  I did spot Rosy in the yard as I was putting my tools away so I air-lifted her to the garden and landed her on a grassy patch, she raised her head and set off towards the high wall as fast as her little legs would carry her obviously thinking about a safe place for the evening.  Rain clouds seemed to be gathering but I've just noticed that the moon has begun to make its journey across the sky so it might not even rain tonight so more watering tomorrow.  LN......The holiday search is on.....and more gardening tomorrow......LN