Monday 1st March

White rabbits....well that was the opening to the month and I feel better for that.  What a good day...the chalky stuff that was ordered on Friday and supposed to be delivered today couldn't be because there was a problem with the lorry...well this is Bulgaria.  I am assured it will be delivered tomorrow.

My little old man was round lots today and brought me another gift of a decanter minus the stopper which it appears he threw up the wall.  I didn't ask why.  He brought round a collection of tools and a huge wooden spoon that he had made and a chunk of wood that he wanted to make into another.  Now my young builder brought along his chainsaw today with the express intention of cutting the said timber into a spoon shape.  This was going well until Stara Mush decided that he wanted to direct proceding pointing at the place he wanted it cut with a chain saw in the offing.  Now this was too much for me to view so I left them to it.  I was ready with the car keys but not having a freezer did not have the statutory bag of peas to wrap the missing digit in so I was best out of the way.  All ended well though.  The trunk cut roughly to size and another fine mess they got me out of Stanley.

Had supper tonight with H and S in the local restaurant and home nice and early to get this done, complete emails and get an early night.  Tomorrow is another day and I'm waiting to see what my next present will be.

I also gathered another plaited yarn to wear round my wrist for the special March festival.  It's for health, wealth and happiness so let's hope it works...

Monday continued

Just a couple of pickies that I thought I should include.  Stara Mush (my old man) with one of his special ciggies on and the workmen bringing out the big guns to get rid of the old rendering from the wet room....

Tuesday 2nd March

Today has been miserable weather wise but apart from that we have had one of the funniest days ever.  Being all confined to the house because it was too wet outside to play, the men achieved a lot with regard to water, water pipes and ripping down the walls they have just erected to get the pipes through for the hot / cold water.  My washing machine can go in and so can my boiler so it looks like a trip to the local department store but maybe windows first.  We had another window man round today and hopefully another quote will be delivered tomorrow.  This one comes recommended by H & S (and that's not health and safety) and he is supplying theirs.

Stara Mush was in fine form and delighted in the warmth from the existing woodburner. We got it really stoked up and pumping out a tremendous amount of therms despite the cold weather.  I reckon if we had asked him nicely he would have caretaken the place for us tonight and bedded down on the floor.  We had a joke that when I had the shower installed he could use the facilities but I don't think he will take me up on it....I reckon that's not been done in years.   :-/
With the work going as well as it is I think it is possible that I could take up residence in Dushinkovo in the not too distant future instead of being esconced in the Djebel hotel.  It would mean that I could get on with things in the evenings instead of everything coming to a halt at 5.30ish.

Any way, I'm off for a shower and a drink and not too sure that is in the correct order....Lecka Nosht tout le monde... ;)

Wednesday 3rd March

Superb day to day.  Sun was shining and all was right with the world.  Down to my tshirt at one point before the wind got cold.  I had a super quote for my 20 odd windows, had my first bonfire of the year to get rid of some of the rubbish that some of the locals are still lobbing over the fence so I am having a sign made...Beware of Elsa the Aglechanka....rubbish not to be left here....I get the impression its husbands returning from a night on the booze and they can't take it home with them and I just happen to be on the way.

I came home from the house a whiter shade of pale.....I have almost finished stripping the kitchen walls and decided to continue with the ceiling.  I used my trusty table to stand on since the builder has acquired my trusty stool and is using it in the bathroom.  It is ultimately safer than the steps that they sell here.

Well ready to face the restaurant and reduce its stock by a couple of bottles of Ariana, cheesy chips and pork and mushrooms tonight I think.  It depends who is cooking, they all have their specialities.  Now time to get ready to walk the 50 or so yards ....bye for now...

Thursday 4th March

Well today was going to be an early night after a stupendous day at the house.  The ceiling is all scraped clean and very white and I managed to sort out the rest of the room so that it is all straight for tomorrow.  The buying spree went out of the window, the ceiling called and I obeyed.

Stara mush was round most of the day directing operations and I just got myself into my iPod and devoured Eric Clapton, Elaine Paige, Leonard Bernstien and a few more and with the scaper at the ready, did my stuff.

I was only going out for cheesy chips and a beer but no cheesy chips so two beers insead.  Met up with quite a good crowd and we covered, rubbish bins  in the area and why we don't have them, the EU and bent police.  Not bad over two beers and one even left half of one when we touched on the drink driving.

Anyway, back in my hotel suite and giving you an update before my weary head touches the pillow.  Don't want to sleep in like this morning..

Night everybody....

Friday 5th March

The weather has turned much colder and with humungous rain in the north of the country which we so far have managed to avoid despite the threat of snow on Monday.

Apart from that I got the wood burner blasting out today and I now have a concrete bathroom floor ready for the connection of a toilet, shower and a wash basin.  Drains fully inserted and good to go apart from the fact that there is no septic tank installed to date so have to be a little bit careful what goes down it initially.  Stara mush was directing proceedings and lay on the floor trying to get the gradient right so that the water goes down the wet room water outlet and I've threatened him that he can have a shower any time he likes but I'm not too sure that water and him go hand in hand.

Just got back from the restaurant.  I was joined by Richard this evening who gifted his grandfather's Readers Digest book of do it yourself improvemets.  He seems to reckon that I shall take far more care of it than any of his own and that he won't be able to look after it properly.  So it's life in an hotel room for the book at present and a move to the country when all the basic amenities are in place and that shouldn't be too long now (hopefully).

So not I'm off to bed before the tiredness wears off.  I've been caught like this before and my next event is at the Restaurant for a ladies get together on Sunday evening at 7.00 I'll be there with all of my bangles.  Lecka Nosth
tough le monde.

Sunday 7th March

Well that white stuff came again yesterday and is lingering today but with the sun shining...beautiful morning.  So today I've tidied my room, done my washing and off to a women's party tonight at the local restaurant....special night for women.

My men decided that they wanted to work yesterday and what a day it was... I decided to give them a hand removing the plaster from the dividing wall to two of the rooms.  Now this is a stone wall about two feet thick and I was wondering if we could have the stone exposed but suddenly there was a brick and that sort of ruined the plan.  A bit more and suddenly there was a line emerging and my miester said...pzoritz...and I took him up on the chant and yes...we had a window from the original cottage...so we just had to chip away...I went into the other room and there we had it....a hole which now is much bigger and staying that way.  When I first bought the house and inspecting it with my miesters I asked if it was possible to remove this wall and was told that it wasn't but there was a concrete lintel in place and I still have a roof so all's well that ends well. I don't think they could understand the excitement....it's just a window but in the back room I was considering putting in a bigger window but now no need.  Pickies obviously included.

Today we all sat around the woodburner and my old man joined us for most of the day....story had it that he had run out of wood so up to my second storey to fill up my Ikea shopping bag so that he could at least stay warm overnight and consider it payment for supervising the job...my project manager.  Now let's give pictorial evidence....

Monday 8th March

And it's a white out....this morning.  I couldn't get to the men and they couldn't get to me...and none of us could get to the house.  There was about eight inches of snow on my car so I uncovered it and managed to get down to the garage to discuss the Beast.  Now I don't like driving in the snow and I remember why....so got down to the garage, dumped it in the yard, stayed for all of about twenty minutes and then decided it was still coming down pretty fast so I got back to the hotel, drove forward into my parking space and decided to walk down to the town for lunch and a little bit of shopping.  Got a pair of knitting needles just incase I get snowed in here and need something to do apart from internet, DS gaming and reading and it's still coming down.  The weather report says that it is in for the week.  I just hope not.  I've got work to do......

It's a far cry from the t-shirt days of last week but at least I have got down to emails that should have been done before and have had a lovely day sending and receiving.  

Tuesday, 9th March

And it's still snowing so there could be little or no activity from me today.  The roads are pretty well unnegotiable despite the efforts of the snow ploughs and some of the holes in the road are getting bigger every day until one day I'm concerned that my Clio will disappear so I'm thinking of fitting a periscope just in case... :-/

Wednesday 10th March

Well I still can't get out to fetch my men so I'm holed up in the hotel.  It was quite a hard frost overnight but only slight snow this morning so it looks like it might be a moving.  I went down to the garage today in the Clio after I managed to get it out of its parking place with much forwards and backwards and over-revving and with offers of help from the neighbours.  Eventually I was clear and English snow boots have just the right soles for clearing it in lumps to expose the road surface for what it's worth.  The gritting lorry came by today with three men with three shovels and not much energy between any of them.  They seemed to lob it indiscriminately in the general direction of what appeared to be a snow heap and the wagon never stopped so all any area had was three shovelsfull.  Effective???  Who knows!! :-/

The garage has been very quiet partly due to the fact that the drive down there is covered with about a foot of snow.  Now this is great for the owners' cars and the 4x4's but my little Clio's wheel base is narrower that anything that they drive so while the two wheels were OK. the other two were dragging their way through the snow.  Yes I got down there but on the slight incline out of there I more or less made it to the top but then, no go but the white jeep confidently overtook me, they hitched up the Clio and towed it onto the main road and off I went to the garage shop to buy a new connector for a radio I had just acquired in the garage.  I mentioned I wanted a new one and someone in the garage had one for sale so job done....with a memory stick connector and CD player so good to go.  The one in the Clio was pretty naff so 'now she shall have music wherever she goes'. ;)

I have an appointment tomorrow in Kardjali to re-register my company.  I think it's a ploy to get more revenue into the coffers but needs as needs must.....now let's think about food, drink and company.  My little restaurant is a good bolt hole on a night like this....Lecka Nosht...

Thursday 11th March

Registered my company.  OK my solicitor was almost two hours late for our appointment but what the hell...jobsagudun...and all achieved.

Bought a 4gig memory stick for the new radio and radio installed and memory stick being loaded with music overnight.  Richard tried to get it finished but with 8 hours to go, the call to the restaurant and cheesy chips and chicken wings was growing stronger by the minute and I decided that the memory stick could wait.

Back from the restaurant and wasn't disappointed at all.  I have my 'local handcream' sourced and paid for and now to bed.  The temperatured has gone down tonight again so I shall sleep with two layers of PJs just to make sure that I don't wake up in the early hours...  Sleep tight...

Friday 12th March

Morning sun shining on the snow covered peaks....beautiful...tidied my room yet again...and can't understand how it can get in a mess with only me for company and no one else to blame.  Internet has been like a bride's nightie this morning so I'm taking advantage of it while I have it.  

My memory stick now contains goodness knows how many albums so today I think I shall just drive round and listen to my newly acquired stereo for the Clio.  It was a toss up whether it went in the Beast or not...but we'll see.  I might get them swapped over later.

Off to the house now to see what I can get on with.  The men have decided to let me know when they will be returning...ie...when the snow goes.  It's a shame but it is still only the middle of march and we are quite high up in the mountains.  Must go and check on my little old man.....catch you later...

And there he was in the bus shelter...not sure if it was warmer and drier than his house but he directed the action when I was removing the snow from the side of the road so that I could park without blocking the road....and what did I forget?  My camera.  I lit the fire, opened up the place to get some air into it and dug the snow from the front door to the road.  The ditch just beyond my boundary wall was running well just like a stream and going into the drain under my drive and out to the path beyond the well.  I just hope it doesn't freeze tonight or it will be lethal tomorrow on the roads.  So tomorrow, camera at the ready and promise will post tomorrow night.

Lecka nosht....it's time to get my head down....

Saturday 13th March

I received my electronic mother's day card for Princess this morning...so pleased she remembered and I wished her a beautiful tomorrow with the frogs.

I have spent the morning researching another part for the Beast.  It's currently in hospital awaiting love and attention and major surgery.  Well only major since I am having difficulty sourcing the part to make it well again.  Parts here are extremely expensive and you need to know the part number to make sure if it coming from the UK that it is the right part.  Needs as needs must though.  I think I might be going into Plovdiv and damn the expense.

Now I am off with the camera....it's a beautiful day and worth capturing....

Saturday 13th cont...

As promised, a few of the snow...

Sunday 14th March

Happy Mothering Sunday to Princess, Luey, Clare, Pepe and other mothers of the group.  May you all have a wonderful day and delight in the next generation knowing that you are loved and appreciate.  Enjoy the moment.  This morning is civilized.  I am drinking a cup of coffee, thanks to Richard's donation of a coffee maker, remembered to put my slippers on as soon as I got out of bed before they got chilled from the concrete floor and my internet connection is staying connected.  Thank you Maureen for the amusing emails you sent and some of them are winging their way to the far corners of the globe.

Now down to business...the exhaust manifold still seems to be a problem but I have a team working on it.  I just need to get the beast on the road and this morning I have called in the heavy brigade to help me break into my own house.  The front door has swollen in the snow and the key just won't turn in the lock so I need reinforcements.  Let's see what the rest of the day brings.....I think I might be lunching out because 'I'm a lady what can lunch' but it's a pity that the one that I usually lunch with is in UK and not here.  I shall just have to organise another luncheon date....

Well I didn't bother...the sun was shining in the room all day so I lay on the bed and finished my book, nibbled the rest of the blue cheese that I had got from Billa the other day, had a phone call from my Princess wishing me a Happy Mother's Day and just had a phone call from my Miester to say they can work tomorrow....result.  Now I'm a happy bunny and I'm off to the restaurant for supper..  LN

Monday the Ides of March....15th

I had men working so for me it wasn't so much beware but welcome the Ides of March.  The road going up to the Cafe where I meet them was slightly hazardous.  It was -2 thereabouts this morning and ice had formed overnight.

Interesting day....the men have been preparing the lounge for plaster and light sockets.  It was a hive of activity since this is the room that needs more preparation than any of the others being the newer part of the building.  Dropped them off at about 6.30 tonight after a hard slog and did emails and the likes and over to the restaurant for cheesy chips and a couple of local beers in the company of the local C of P and one of his cohorts.  

Now for bed said Zeberdee...it's an early start for me after the holiday I have been having...LN

Tuesday 16th March

The Ides came and went and I'm still alive to tell the tale.  It was a cold one this morning must have been about -4 and nearly froze my fingers off just getting the ice from the car windows.  There was ice on the road where the snow had melted yesterday so I gingerly made it to pick up the men and back to the house.  Stara Mush has been round most of the day having a warm and despite the sun, the wind was cold and the chill factor must have remained just on the freezing all day.  The wood burner was belching it out but with the doors open it was a hide into nothing.  I have a new ceiling in the lounge.  The men have been throwing the white stuff around, I have cabling in for my electricity sockets and two overhead lights, and a few big stones are going to be left exposed to confirm what the wall is really made of.  We have compromised on the bathroom and have redesigned the window to meet all needs.  Result.

Back in the hotel now and just considering a shower and food or a shower and bed....I just don't think I can raise the energy to get dressed again and go out.  Now would be a good time to phone for a pizza but a) I don't have a number and b) don't think the service exists. :-/

I'll leave you in suspense....I'm off for a shower....LN

Wednesday 18th March

It was fristy frosty this morning but at least there is less ice on the road surface.  That cold wind is still rattling round though chilling you to the bone.  Star Mush has spent most of the day wrapped in the warmth of my wood burner and the men have been throwing white stuff at the walls.  The idea of leaving some of the stone uncovered was abandoned. The wall is almost 40cms thick and I didn't want it to look like a UK pub conversion so now it's hidden. ;)

At 4.30 there was a bit of a rumpus outside and what was it....the windows cometh on a roof rack.  One car, two men and four windows and now installed.  Tomorrow...another nine windows so let's see those on a roof rack...I can hardly wait.  The house is beginning to look like a home :)

Thursday 18th March

I have this thing that I have forgotten someone's birthday and if it's you, I apologise....

Today has been really cold and yet again so I got out the recipricating saw (not quite a chain saw) and got busy on the old beams from the house getting enough together to warm us all up despite doors still being left open and workmen and Star Mush being in and out all the time.  I did a bit of destruction work and am currently faced with the ...do I want it exposed or not syndrome...it's the wooden beam in the kitchen which would look quite brilliant but I'm not sure it's in good enough shape.  One of the builders thinks that I am stark raving while the other one repeats...ti...in other words...your decision.  I'll sleep on it and perhaps the answer might come in a dream :-/

Well the window's man didn't come today but he did have rather a lot to make and perhaps he's still tying them to the roof rack.. but as the day went on it got colder and colder and I think we were all pleased to leave tonight.

Stopped off and had a word with Pepe who was preparing the ground for the tobacco seedlings.  Rumour has it that BG is  trying to get away from this crop and offering cash alternatives but it is somewhat a way of life.  Both her and her daughter were laying out polythene to cover the seeds when they are planted.  My builders confidently assure me that it is going to be hot for the next three days and thank goodness for that.  Come on spring...we've had enough of winter.

Lecka Nosht...shower and bed in that order.  Made lunch at the house today so not much doing in room 301 tonight or in the surrounding restaurants...LN. ;)

Friday 19th March

And the window man didn't come again but we spent a good couple of hours to find the wood for the door frames since they are very wide (stone walls and all that jazz).  Eventually we tracked it down and I now have one in place and the door goes in tomorrow.  Reason being that to get the last of the concrete columns into the lounge, we have to open it up to the elements so need to secure the rest of the property from would be trespassers.  And secure it will be.

I sat out in the garden today since the wind had died down and the sun was warm and read a book.  Well only a couple of chapters, I have jobs to do like keep the woodfire burning and keep the coffee coming for my troops and the tea for my friendly neighbour.  We have a new code name for him.  If he doesn't get his own was he sort of goes off on one, a little like a two year old having a tantrum.  My newly coined phrase is CocaCola man since he goes off like a bottle of fizzy that has been shaken and the top removed.  I explained it to my men and they seemed to understand and now if I say cola man, they are either smiling because they are patronising me and thinking poor Anglechanka or they get the joke.  Either way, in my ignorance I'm content.

Now to the restaurant for something refreshing and filling....LN ;)

Saturday 20th March

I have my first door.....I told you yesterday about the trouble we had finding the extra wide wood!!  Well now it's in place and filling the door frame beautifully.  The men are so pleased. I found the pattern of the door in the old book that Richard gave me and true to form the copied it.  One problem...I want one of the old fashioned latches and can I find them here, can I buggery so anybody coming over???

I had a really good day.  The kitchen that I thought was ready for finishing has just been taken apart since my wonderful Sally decided that the plaster wasn't really good enough so I suggested that I stripped it off and that's what I was doing this afternoon.  There were whelps of 'stigga'  I've had enough but I did manage to finish it while they were finishing the door.  They get such pleasure out of what they create.

Also spent the morning finishing off a carving of a pear that I managed to find at the wood yard 'bez pari' or free which they looked ascance at me wanting.  I'm going to finish it tomorrow  and I'll get the pictures for you, and I'll show it to the guys at the woodyard on Monday to convince them that there was a method in my madness.  LN tout le monde..

Sunday 21st March

What an absolutely brilliant day and the beginnings of a ...wait for it....suntan.  Weather t-shirt jobbie, no workmen, visitors this afternoon, had a bonfire and got rid of the workmens woodworking rubbish that they didn't have time to clear yesterday and part of my rubbish that was the residue of stripping the wall.  The wheelbarrow is full of something that they use on a regular basis so it looks like I shall have to buy one for me...yes me...and only me, otherwise I would have cleared it completely but there's only so much you can carry down to the bottom of the garden and I considered it men's work so they can finish tomorrow. ;)

I have worked out how to use the reciprocating saw with confidence and now have lots of logs from the old roof timbers so all set for a couple of weeks.  I used the workbench to secure them so that the saw didn't kick back and kept my legs well out of the way.  As I say to CJ, I counted my fingers before I started and I still have the same number so game on.  

My visitors were impressed with the house but shook their heads at the amount of work still to be achieved.  I made a pact with the workmen that the kitchen, toilet and hallway have to be finished before I let them loose on the rest of the house.  I am getting tired of coming back to the hotel, there's so much I could be doing in the evenings.  I have plans to be in there in about a month.  Not set in stone so to speak but a dangling carrot.

Short and sweet tonight....off to Kardjali tomorrow....LN.

Monday 22nd March

Spring has arrived if only for one day....it's supposed to rain tomorrow.  I arrived this morning at the house and the motto is....I think I have one room sorted and then...whosh....it's back to square one.  Well this is how it is / was with the kitchen.  After stripping down to bare rock on the window wall and me deciding that it needed a thin skim so that the kitchen tiles could be applied...it was one out, all out and the room is now bare and everything is now in the room that I cleared on Sunday morning.  There is a lot of splashing the white stuff around again and so I went to Kardjali and left them to it.

The dolly birds were out in force with midriffs on show with the sun tempting them out.  I did my favourite clothes shop, had lunch in the square and listened to the chiming clock and headed to the woodyard to pick up the wood that was promised for today which is now promised for tomorrow.  That's BG for you.  Back to the house with a fair load of other wood that they had got in stock and five men laughed as I filled up the Clio.  That's men for you....

Early evening meal, and back in my PJ's ready for an early night.  Let's hope the rain stays off...I've got lots of old wood to burn tomorrow.  Lecka nosht....

Thursday 25th March

What a beautiful, beautiful day today.  Picked up my men as arranged with wood in tow and made the coffee and got the petchka fired up so that they would have background heat for the rest of the day and all they had to do was feed the brute.  As expected my little old man came round as soon as we had opened up and sat by the fire and went to sleep.  After washing up the coffee cups I set sail for the garage, handed in the keys so that my little Clio could get valeted since the wood shipments had left a lot to be desired and then round to my car guru and off we went to Plovdiv seeking fortune and things that I couldn't possibly do without.  What did I come back with?  An eighty litre boiler fed by electricity and solid fuel, two light fittings for the lounge and one for the kitchen, several litres of white emulsion and screws for the builders as per their order and ......lots of shrubs for my garden.  Cracking place...I have forsythia, honeysuckles, jasmines and philadelphus, geraniums and an azalea.  Not sure what my men thought of it...I had gone out looking for terracotta tiles and loft insulation.  Tomorrow is another day. ;)

Dropped them off and arranged to meet my car guru for supper at the local restaurant since he had done the driving for the day so after a plate of cheesy chips, pork with onions and mushrooms and several bottles of the local brew all for under seven pounds I feel that 'jpbsaudun'.

Tomorrow I'm planting shrubs and gardening so let's hope it stays fine....lecka nosht...I'm off to my bed.

Saturday, 27th March

Unfortunately bad news yesterday so I'm on the easyJet flight on Monday evening and home for two weeks.  My sister who has been fighting cancer passed over yesterday, quickly and peacefully which we are all thankful for.  My thoughts are with her three children and their other halves.  It was strange that I have been buying shrubs and flowers and planting a garden.  It is now dedicated to her and I always wanted her to see this place, I hope she does.  She's welcome anytime she wants to pop round.

The men packed up the house today and yet again but I secretly think that they want the rest.  They work so hard for me and achieve such a lot.  I now have new door frames and wonderful new tongue and groove doors that will be further enhanced by suffolk door latches which I shall bring back with me.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog you just can't find them here.  I have all rooms fully replasterd and bathroom and kitchen are awaiting floor and wall tiles.  Unfortunately I think their wives have lined them up for home renovations so a bit of a busman's holiday for them.  I sat down with my neighbours today and we had a sort of conversation.  She had 12 new chicks and I made a joke that she was a few eggs down that day and then the rooster got frisky and we all laughed that she couldn't afford to loose any more eggs.

Anyway, tonight I pack up my room so that if they want to let it to anyone all they have to do is to move a couple of bags out of the way.  Lecka nosht....I'm sitting down with my thoughts and a drink for company.

Sunday 28th March

Palm Sunday in the UK but I suppose that doesn't mean a lot to most people.  Blasts from the past on Facebook...it's a surprise when you get a message and you remember the name, the face is familiar when you look at the photo and then you start searching the memory bank for facts and figures...fates funny isn't it!!

Today I'm clearing out my hotel room into bags so that if there is a sudden rush of visitors to Dzebel then they can easily wheel my life into one of the back rooms without air/heating conditioning.  They kindly let me stay in the same room and now that I am a fully paid up member of the 301 club I know that I am welcome back anytime.  

I'm off to the house to print off my travel details and to give a final tidy so that it is straight when I get back.  I also want to take more photos of my cultivated patch of my 2000 deca which is about 10ft x 3ft and yes I have no intention of converting that into meters :)

So off I go....I'll post a few pickies later of doors, gardens and things .....BFN...

Sunday evening

Backwards and forwards like the proverbial yoyo.  Got to the house, realised my camera was still at the hotel and head like a seive at the moment.  So lit a fire, dried my washing and then....yes it started to rain so headed back to find a message from Richard that he has sorted out several things that he no longer wants to take back to England so could we take them to the house....So....went and filled up the Clio and off we went again.  So here goes with the pickies.  Newly acquired bike that I'm sure a certain CJ will have great pleasure in winging round the garden, table and chairs for the use of and a couple of pickies of my garden and my new door.  

Tuesday 30th March

Clocks went forward overnight on Sunday and the first I knew about it was when my car guru mentioned that I had remembered....wrong...just a case of the normal insomnia.  Sorted my room out at the hotel and the song 'Another suitcase in another hall' came to mind only I'll change the words to 'several bags' stashed so that if the hotel gets a rush on they can move me out of the 301 club and wheel the next one in.

The bus journey to Sofia was good but now that I am recognised by the booking clerk I have the option of and aisle or a window seat.  Now that's progress.  Easyjet were two hours late in so two hours late departing blaming the failure of the automatic booking system at Gatwick for the delay.  The downside was that it didn't get in until 01.15 this morning so this morning...shattered.  Sorted my mail already, now going to order all those parts that I wanted in BG so that they can be winging their way to my door ready for the 'next bag to leave' on the 13th April.  Busy day....and an update.  Didn't do much at all!!

Lots of emails giving us all support at this sad time and went to sleep this afternoon on the settee and when I woke up couldn't understand why the television that had never worked in the hotel was in colour and working.  Completely disorientated.  Need a good night's sleep so LN....

Sorry to hear the sad sad news Elsa  :( My thoughts are with you and the family.

Lots of love

Me xxx