Tuesday, 1st June

Yes, white rabbits...and I did warn you yesterday.  Today I am having my kitchen sink fitted as I type so then I shall have everything...well not quite.  My poo pit is being dug and then I can have visitors.  I am threatened for the first or second week in July and you know who you are and are both very welcome.  So I suppose I should think about making some more furniture so that we don't end up sitting on the floor...let's go get wood....

Tuesday continued....

Look what I found under my kitchen sink..... ;D and now it's fully functional.  My new builder drew the short straw today and had to dig out the septic tank lined with stone, wooden lid which is later to be replaced with concrete and I've got approximately two years to fill it up before it needs to be done.  Apparently the stone eases the flow of the 'stuff' into nature and my washing machine should help along with the shower water.  I'm told now that I have to look out for biological washing powder and the likes to keep it neutral.  Now I can have people to stay.

Got my Co-op super bargain slow cooker out and it's on its trial run.  Beef in tomatoes tonight which smells absolutely wonderful and it's all of five minutes work in the morning and forget it for the rest of the day.  It might just need the addition of a little red wine or perhaps even better I'll have a glass while I'm waiting for the pasta to cook.  Think I might get my men to go home early.  

And another job off my list...it's just started to pour down closely followed by a clap of thunder and there's lightening in them there hills.  Time to put my laptop to bed...lecka nosht. :'(

Wednesday 2nd June

This morning was an early start and picked up the men, Bekir sorted out the work schedule and I promptly went outside on the sunbed and went back to sleep for an hour or so until it was so hot that I had to move the bed into the shade.  As soon as I had done that the clouds came over, I put my sweater back on, read for a while and decided to start sorting wood to make a drawer pack to house the hundreds of pens I seem to have acquired, stationary, post it notes and other office essentials.  Don't ask me why, just a habit I suppose but all sorted, design agreed and tomorrow is another day.

I've just cooked a potato, onion and whatever meat they put into a skin that tastes like hamburger omelette.  Delicious and washed down with the local brewed beer.  Now I think this is going to take some washing down before I reckon it is time to fluff up those pillows again and specially for D, I've ordered three more to be collected on Friday....what a lot of fluffing I'll be doing.

A bit of excitement....I got my first mail today to my house....bills but what the heck and personally delivered to 'Elsa' so the lady said so now I know my address is correct.  Lecka Nosht....I'm into my book and still washing down that omelette... ;)

Thursday 3rd June

Beautiful, beautiful morning which will probably degenerate as the day goes on into rain this afternoon.  It seems to be the pattern at the moment.  Out with the camera this morning to capture the scene but not a good enough lens to get a good shot of the beautiful bee-eater birds that rest on the electricity wires and swoop down to feed.  Elegant in flight so I did the next best thing and photographed the page of my Birds book just so that you'll know what I'm talking about.  I have also discovered a mole in the garden so just as well that I haven't got a perfectly manicured lawn. ;)  My other visitor...a cat and that's OK if it keeps the garden population down.

Friday 4th June

What a beautiful sleep and ready to pick my men up in good time this morning.  Got back and put everything that was thawed out into the slow cooker and fortunately met up with mate from Samodiva in the builder's merchants and so tonight I will have someone to share it with...

This afternoon was spent on the garden and now it is extended beyond expectation and terraced much to the amusement of my builders.  I must seem to be a novice but hey, I'm learning.

My upstairs bedroom is almost ready to move in to.  Tomorrow I am off shopping with my master craftsman to order the wood for the ceilings for the bedroom and landing and the central heating boiler and radiators.  OK so summer is coming but just in case the prices go up we might as well get them now.  It means that the hall can get finished, tiling downstairs complete and I can run the fire if it get's cold. I have a beautiful house and tonight we had a lady from the village with a friend from Turkey and the novelty item is the dimmer switch in the lounge.  She just had to show the visitor how it worked...they all want one.

Supper was fine, we munched on cherries from the garden and I know what I am doing tomorrow afternoon...picking them and making cherry brandy, cherry vodka and cherry gin.....it's just got to be done.  And so to bed, washing up completed...lecka nosh....

Saturday 5th June

What a spend up...picked up my maestor and off we went to Kardjali for all we needed, namely wood, electricity bits, I needed a mattress for the furniture I'm about to make, cushions to complement the sofa, to top it all I bought my central heating boiler/open fire wood burner and my five radiators and a water storage tank since I understand it went down to -15 during the day last winter.  By 2.00 this afternoon the poor man was 'out of steam' so I took him home to his beloved.  What a bonus...the man who delivers my cement was at the wood yard in Kardjali so he delivered for free my wood to Djebel and it's now ready to go to my wood man for planing to do my door supports.  I offered cash, he said 'Patrone' so I think it's scratching backs which goes down well in my book.

My men are having this next week off except now Bekir has to organise the delivery of enough wood to make the ceilings in my bedroom, bathroom and landing, the woodburner and radiators.  I think he might be working one day only ....but he'll telephone and it will be all systems go.

Tomorrow depending on the weather is cherry picking.  I got another litre of vodka tonight so for those 'soon to be' visitors, at least the drink will be good.  I also managed another meal tonight of chicken fillets cooked in butter and garlic with garlic fried bread and chippies...now this could be a hit...well it was with me, closely followed by a little of the red stuff.  Now with Anastasia going full belt, a raging thunderstorm and downpour outside and most of my purchasing sitting in the car, I'll sign off and concentrate on this glass of red....now there's a thought to end on...Lecka nosht....

Sunday 6th June

What a day...no cherries picked, gale force wind and lashing rain.  Not nice at all so I went to sleep this afternoon and then woke up with a vengeance and decided to tackle a settee using the mattress from Kardjali and now I have something that resembles a lounge.  Supper was a local sausage the name of which I can never remember despite being told several times with two fried eggs.  Not exactly falling into the category of 'Sunday Roast' but there again, this is Bulgaria. ;)

Tonight I have Jaques Lousier and his trio mellowly easing me into the evening and about to get settled into my book on my new settee.  It's beginning to feel like home apart from the fact that the stairwell has been turned into a workshop and is covered in wood shavings and sawdust where I was attempting to create a unit for my printer and a couple of drawers that I salvaged from my other house.  Back to the drawing board Stanley...it didn't quite work so I'll have another go tomorrow.  I think the problem lay in the fact that I was using recyled wood that had got cement dust and the likes all over it and some of it had warped.  It suddenly hit me that timber is so cheap, why use the rubbish and try to create a masterpiece.  More wood please tomorrow.  I have no workmen so it's mine, all mine ;D.

Off for a session with my book before I lay my weary head on the pillow.  I can have a lie in tomorrow....no taxi service in the morning....and hopefully cherry picking and creating tomorrow....LN

Monday 7th June

Just checked up on my new part for the Beast coming from Taiwan...it's in Bulgaria and should be arriving at the garage today or tomorrow.  Best bit of news...no tax to pay ;).  At least then I can get it home and not see it forelornly sitting at the garage.

Sun is shining, mole is moling and the bee-eaters are picking off the bees before they can find my hive.  I suppose if there are enough scouts the birds could get more than they bargained for.  Off to Djebel today with a list.  My top priority, onions so that I can be creative on the food front this evening but it is market day so I could come back with anything but onions.  Spag. bol. springs to mind.  Catch you later....

Afternoon hope you are well, the weather has got nicer at least, the sausages are called 'NAR-DA-NITSA'.  Hope your cushions are scattered correctly!  I got the 'still' going on a test run today!  It works! Hic!  Can't find the Bulgaski phrasebook sorry.

Monday continued....

Special message to the 'still man'....I think I have just seen a flashing blue light heading for Samodiva...get the glasses ready.  I still haven't made Djebel but this afternoon is cherry picking time.

Now I thought those sheep were going at a fair belt this morning...noisy beasties and then I looked up from my book and found out why.  Now I could have sent them packing but then I thought, why not, cheaper than a lawn mower....

Monday continued

Cherry picking and bottling complete except that I ran out of vodka, gin and brandy but there again, tomorrow is another day.  And I've still go loads of cherries but need a small child to get to the top...

Tuesday 8th June

Today has been a day of gardening and woodwork....one after the other.  This afternoon it turned quite cool but the afternoon brightened up.  My marauding magpies are now digging in the channel down the garden where the pipes have been laid for my septic tank.  Let's hope they stop before they reach the plastic or there might be a pyroclastic surge if I flush at the same time...well not me but the loo.

My drawer pack that I am trying to create is proving to be more difficult than I thought.  When it was on my desk pre....renovations it looked OK.  Now it's turned into a nightmare where I believe there shouldn't be one.  As I've said before ....tomorrow is another day and maybe I shall manage it without the use of six inch nails which didn't do any good for anyone or anything.

My next job is to tidy up the mess I have made and I have put all electric tools away after opening a bottle of Ariana...the local brew...so all work stopped for this evening.  I have a very good book that I am into so ...tonight it could be a cheese sandwich and anyone local will know what I mean.....and I'll stick to the beer.

LN....need to get this drawer pack finished so that I can start something more interesting.  Beds, wardrobes, you name it...I need it.  

Evening,

I might take you up on the offer of cherries, I am really busy (Bulgarian busy), so mid morning ok.  Cheese and onion please!

Regards

Dom

Wednesday 9th May

Just a swift message to D, I'm just into Djebel to get the onions and to sort out my parcel from China for the Beast.  Late mid morning would be wonderful....I too am busy Bulgarian busy...with BulPost....and as for the rest of you....I shall catch up later and report whether there will be life in the Beast sooner rather than later..

Well the best laid plans of mice and me in Bulgaria.  D arrived early, worked on middle of the morning from when I get up at 6.00. Most of number one cherry tree has been harvested and I have approx 1 kilo for jam and the rest have gone to the distillery in Samovida firstly to be fermented and then we'll see what it tastes like before we go any further with it.  The tree has been trimmed, neglected for years and too tall to get some of the cherries, so branches were lopped and the operation will be finalised on Friday with a 'decent' saw.  Number two cherry tree will get the same treatment. Guess who found sloes at the top of her garden.....me and no polution on these not like in the UK.  Now what can I do with those???

As for the Beast and its transplant, the news is that ....it's in Bulgaria...but customer services for BulPost weren't at all helpful when we tried to raise the issue of where the part might be.  Needs a local with clout I think...

Wednesday continued

Photographic evidence...just a little bit concerned that in the second picture he looks like he was about to saw his arm off...can I assure you that he went home intact...LN...

Ow!  Can I have my arm back, or shall I call Accident helpline!  Where there's blame.............See you on Friday with a proper saw, Hikmet has offered his petrol one, think that might be over kill though!

Once more 'Nar-Da-Nitsa'

Have fun & thanks for lunch
Dom

Thursday 10th June

Now a missing arm is something I care deeply about.  So before I get charged one of those and a leg I thought I would take all the necessary steps to see if I could find it ;D.  What did I do?  Called in the heavy mob for a wider search of the area as you can see from the pickies below.  I also had a thought that they could have found my septic tank and were taking precautions and spraying the entire area but I've only had it a week.  Leave it a bit longer boys.

So after the haircut I had a very confused bee-eater bird who seemed to be looking for his special branch and by the looks of my big tree, there is a giant hornet after it.  Don't land there.....you'll bring my special tree down. :o

Thursday continued

Well news from the garage...the part has arrived for the Beast...guess what...wrong part.  Now I'm miffed at this so now it's back to the drawing board Basil or square one or anywhere else where I might get the elusive part for my Beast.  Really hot today so I decided to ...do some more woodwork.  My sofa is just chunks of wood, on chunks of wood with a bed mattress on top of one of the old doors.  So now it's going to be chunks of wood planed down and the wood is going to be attached to the next piece of wood and I'm going to call it a sofa and get rid of the door, keep the mattress and use slats.  I've made my bed and it's not given way yet, my stool is standing after several months and six inch nails do wonders when the can't get the screws in and my chest is now adorning my bedroom hiding a multitude of sins.  More six inch nails please ;)

Lecka Nosht....it's getting late here so I'm showering and off to my 'I'm still standing, yea, yea, yea', bed.

I've just seen my first fire flies of the year...sparkling in the garden....so I put all the lights out and watched them flashing away.  And now to bed said Zebedee...LN again.

Friday 11th June

Yet again a lovely sunrise and I decided that all the curtain remained open or not strung up last night.  Brilliant stars out here....little light pollution from the houses dotted on the hillsides.  Noisy bird though that doesn't know when to go to sleep and the crickets were going it for good last night.  Forgot to mention I saw my first lizzard yesterday.  Not sure if he/she made me jump first or I made him/her but I've logged the place close to my washing line and I'll go out with the camera.  He/she was beautifully coloured, about eight inches long and I think in the basement under my other house in the garden.  Today is a day of what I feel like getting up to ;)

My plans were made for me...D arrived with saw in hand and then my phone went to say that my builder was in Djebel and we could sort the wooden surrounds for the doors and that my petchka (woodburner) was arriving with the radiators at 12.00.  Now in Bulgaria if it is arriving, the van is doing just that.  The driver does not unload so you have to make adequate provisions which my man had done.  He had five friends who just happened to be going out on the lush with a barbeque to hand and a sheep so mine was an interlude in business.  Any way....I now that the petchka and five radiators sitting in my hall and since it was about 30 today there is absolutely no rush....Builder went on his way, cherry tree mutilated, cherries picked and we have another 5kilograms off for wine which in total means that we have 20 litres of cherry wine brewing with the threat of the still if it doesn't behave itself.  Lunch was cheese, onion and chunks of bread and then D headed homeward for a siesta.  I thought about it but instead set about tidying the builders heaps and felt quite proud of myself when 8.30 arrived and I was having a bonfire.  Shower and off to bed...

Saturday 12th June

Last night I was trying to post pickies and my did my machine give me gyp.  Not sure if it was the connection or just too many people on in my little backwater....so I'm going to have another try.

Success....just to show my alcohol production area.....to add to the cherry wine that is currently being 'processed'.

Today I am continuing the tidying with the intention that it is going to be as comfortable outside as in where you don't keep tripping over boulders in the garden. I think I might even investigate a 'lawn' mower...sheep are OK but they're too selective....

Saturday continued

Just had my first guests...three wise women, a younger one holding the baby.  No gold, frankin stuff and the other but a huge pot plant (no not that sort), two casserole dishes and side bowls which will make super ornaments and a box of chocolates.  Only two ventured up the ladder to see the rest of the estate but all suitably impressed but baulked at the amount of work still to do.  I did say that Rome wasn't built in a day but it got lost in translation :-/.  I got out the hard copy of my diary so that they could look at the pickies of how it used to be....let me bore you with the ....detail.... ;D

Unfortunately they came with an empty bucket to pick cherries so again I was up the ladder removing the remnants of which there were very few.  I've just made some cherry jam....well one pot....didn't realise that they shrunk down that much with stones removed but suppose I should have known.  Take my skeleton out I would be just mush....but I digress....and now it's back to the garden on the wrong end of a shovel with my wheelbarrow.

Anyway I have promised that I will be at the restaurant tonight.  Cheesy chips and chicken wings...just like the old days.

Sunday 13th June

Chicken wings it was washed, down with peach juice and tonic water mixed....no alcohol, car outside waiting to go home.  Invited to visit my hostesses garden so off we went avoiding the cowpats down the lane and came back home with freshly dug potatoes, the offer of cucumber and marrow but those that know me well appreciate that if it's green it normally stays on the plant or on the supermarket shelf, and some plants for the garden.  Back home for 10.00 late for me and for some reason the front door has developed and almighty creak which made me jump last night so this morning out came my engine oil and we'll see how that works out.  I must remember to leave a light on when I go out, there was no moon, millions of stairs and the garden was booby trapped with left out wheelbarrows and the likes.  Now to empty the car of all the goodies.  The only thing that made it to the house besides me was a bottle of the local beery brew. ;)

And now to work.....

Sunday continued

Well the best laid plans of say...mouse and me didn't last too long.  As you can see fom the pickies, that sun was beaming down and was it hot.  I boiled eight of my freebie eggs, scraped my freebie potatoes, watered my plant nursery (hence the need for a potting bench), got out the workbench and wood that the builders have finished with and set to work.  Now as I've said before, screws are all very well but you have to have the correct drill bit, the right size screws and the strength to get them in.  This is hard when the temperature reaches approximately 28 today so out came the nails and if they are too long, where it doesn't have to look pretty, you just bash them over.  So after a bit of banging and having put the sides together, I decided it was lunch time, turned the freebies into egg mayonnaise and potato salad and fried a breast of chicken and while I was waiting had a pre-lunch drink.  Delicious lunch, wash up, thought I would have a few minutes on my new sofa in the lounge and .....three hours later decided it was time to clear up the mess outside and bring in the tools.  I am working on the principle that I obviously needed the rest and I have nothing to feel guilty about, tomorrow is another day.  LN...it will soon be time for bed....

Hello thought I would show you what I have done with your cherries!

Regards

Dom

PS I see you are getting into siestas too!

Monday 14th June

Now I'm looking at that and working out that we have a lot more than I thought we had....fantastic.  It was worth going up that tree for but I got it wrong in making the jam....I have one little pot and look what you came up with.. :-/

I finished my potting bench today with the help of several large nails and a bloody big hammer.  After lunch (no siesta today) I went into Djebel to pay my telephone bill and try to sort out Global my PAYG phone.  Now every time I top up virtually they take out 2leva and give me special minutes to a special number.  Now I haven't phoned this number since last September so I've tried to get it stopped but it seems to get lost in translation.  My phone works with the English menu and the lady in the shop doesn't speak English and only understands the Bulgarian menu...we laugh, we smile, we tear our hair out but I say 'many thanks' and I'll sort it in Kardjali where they speak English.  The same with my other phone I believe I have been overcharged but I'll sort that out in Kardjali too.

Another very hot day and I have the distinct impression that there is a huge sheep dog using the basement of my little house as a dog kennel.  He delivers his sheep to the pasture, wanders into my garden, I shout for him to go he gives me one of those...bovvered looks, and then disappears until the sheep are ready to move pastures.  Note:  must block off access to the basement..

Shower time....snuggle with a book time...LN

Just had to come back on to tell you that the fireflies are out in force...I turned all the lights off and watched them flitting round the bushes....beautiful....LN.

Tuesday 15th June

Another beautiful still morning....yesterday turned thundery but nothing happened and no rain so out there with my watering can just to set up my plants for the day  My forsythia seems to be the worst hit....struggling somewhat in the heat....no the feeling well when it gets to about midday.  Just gone back to my old morning starter drink...juice of a lemon, dash of salt and a good tablespoon of honey topped up with hot water.  Guaranteed to get the digestive juices running and I used natural Acacia honey from Bekir's bees (just another little gift).  Whose the lucky bunny then. ;)

And yes, it turned thundery this afternoon.  So the sheep farmer's dog put in another appearance in my garden today and yes I believe that he is having his siesta in the basement of my other house in the garden.  I shouted at him, he nonchelantly looked at me as if to say...so...and then he disappeared down under.  As the sheep came back into the field, he came out, stretched and then went to joint the flock and the farmer.  So where are the branches of the cherry tree that we 'trimmed'?  Blocking his entrance.  I also had a ginormouse tortoise in the garden today but by the time that I had got the camera he had trundled his / her way into the undergrowth.  Knew I should also carry it all the time but I did get a good shot of the cuckoo on the electricity cables today.

Worked in the garden, just after 6.00 my time, early shower tonight and into that good book again...LN..

Wednesday 16th June

So my dog came back for his siesta at 9.30 this morning and I have blocked his passage so well that he thought he would come to my front door and so from the safety of my hallway I sent him packing...well he is a big dog.  Not long after his sister (I think) also thought she'd take up residence, they must have discussed it over supper last night but again my plan worked.  They appear to be deaf though and amble off at their own speed.  It must be due to their size.

So I have now found this website, cottage smallholding, and it is taking up quite a lot of my time.  It's a bit difficult to negotiate with so many threads that I find the last posts by time not by subject matter.  I suppose I should remember which topics I have added to and then it would be easy.  I've been brought into line for drifting away from the subject matter already so now have banished myself to the 'Sun Lounger' where you can chat remembering the factor 30 and the shades.  Now off to Kardjali to get another mattress for my sofa.

Wednesday continued

Now I didn't get to Kardjali...the rain came down and the thunder thundered so I decided to stay in my own little place.  My neighbour came into my garden as I was removing the sheep (all 50 of them) from chewing up my flowers and plants and she asked me if I wanted some onions.  Not one to refuse gifts I wheeled her wheelbarrow back to her house. Now she was pulling it behind her in a towing fashion.  I think it's always better to push rather than pull so I took over and as she complained about her knee I did offer her a ride which I think she refused as she hit me round the head.  We don't have much Bulgarian or Turkish between is, now she has both and I have little of everything but I got the message and took it as being a 'No' then.

Anyway, from her small garden I came home with onions, new baby carrots, refused potatoes since I have some and courgettes because they are green, and eight warm eggs that we had to remove from under the chicken.  I don't think for a minute that one laid all those but it was like hot bedding.  So here are a couple of pickies of 'before' and 'after'...and the lady is the one from my avatar.....

As for the one of the dog....he looks much bigger in real life and he was a little upset that I had stopped up his pied a terre for his afternoon naps....

Thursday 17th June

And by golly didn't it rain and the thunder, thundered but this morning is as still as still can be, birds twittering and the mist hanging over the river in the valley...my little garden is so much better now that it's had a good downpour but I think my tomatoes might have got washed away...I've yet to check....no, still there and 'the corn is as high as an elephants eye and I'm'.....no, too early to sing and in truth I lie like a flatfish, it's only about eight inches tall.

So again, today is a blank canvas....nothing pressing, nothing on the 'must do' list so let's see what it can get filled with.  I did get out there last night to remove the debris of old roof tiles and chunks of stone from the other old outside toilet so maybe I should remove the rest before the sun starts beating down. ;)  I'm using it as balast for the terrace from the lounge.

Well I finished at 8.15 tonight and a good day was had by all....I have move loads of the heap and tomorrow I should finish it...quite a sense of achievement and the terrace is getting bigger all the time.  I did disturb a lovely lizard today but he just scurried away and I have been investigating solar mole, not catchers, devices for moving them on.  Since I have no neighbours I won't be just moving the problem....LN...off to bed after a slow cooker special...mmmm

Sounds like you're having way too much fun EP making all this bootleg moonshine :P

So when are the boys coming back from the Tobacco fields, or is that it now until winter?

Friday 18th June

As for you Mikey B...what's with the moving goffer?  Or are you just waiting to be out here and enjoy the fun!! ;D

Men are just taking a holiday from me and making hay while the sun shines, literally but they should be back next week...it's quite good, I've got used to being in the place on my own and settled into a little routine....very necessary or you could start drinking at lunchtime and never stop...as it is I'm just growing the stuff so D in Samoviva can be responsible, or not responsible. for processing the outpourings of my gradina.  Cherries are finished, twenty litres of cherry wine on the go, cherry vodka, brandy and gin...just stocking up for when I have guests.

Now today is cool so a good day for earth shifting...I think my new name should be JCB (just can b'bovered) to get the earth where I want it but it has to be either morning or evening. The day times are for siestas or books and guaranteed it you pick up a book, the second  phase kicks in rapidly...ask D of Samodiva fame ;)

Off with you Mikey B...get some work done...just a few pickies for you....and I've got some to be getting on with...catch you later... ;)

Saturday 19th June

I now know what it's like to be working on a chaingang, a bit like the opening scene from Les Mis...prisoner whatever number he was.  There just seems to be more, much more to move than I anticipated but I suppose I can always move to another part of the garden if I don't like what I'm doing.  This morning I looked at a tree stump that I dug out a while back and on it's end it looks like Willy Koyote...if that's how you spell it so now it is firmly established as a 'feature' pointing the way to my 'gradina'.  Pickie to follow.....

I haven't been into Djebel for the last few days.  The grocery van seems to have everything I need and so you pay a few stotinki more but you don't use fuel.  If he hasn't got it on...he makes a note in his book and you get it the next day...now that's service for you.

My special lady came round today and obviously has taken pity on me. She brought round a dish of home made yohurt and two crispy type pancakes....delicious....so I took a break from the garden.  She's got to show me how to make it but I suppose the bottom line is...take one cow and I believe she has two.

Anyway...onwards and upwards....I found another pile of earth to be moved...

Saturday continued

Well I've not long come in from the garden...I have now dug out what I think is the old septic tank and scattered it on my other garden and now I have the idea that if I line it and run a water supply and a pump....I can have a little water garden.  These things just pop into my head as the project progresses. ;D

Unfortunately you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs and the rest of the garden looks in turmoil.  I really do need another bonfire but I'm giving the neighbours a break.  Not like they've complained and I wouldn't understand them if they did ;)  language problem.

My top garden is looking great and I have now embellished the gradina sign with some rockery and there are more logs and dugouts.  I think I shall have to be taking the roof off my other house just so I can get some long beams to finish my garden...It's a bit like having B & Q on your doorstep but there's no till at the end...I've just been sampling the cherries out of the brandy, gin and vodka and perhaps it's time to go to bed.....well it is 10.35 this end and six o'clock looms...as regular as clockwork so to speak....my internal body clock kicks in...LN

Sunday 20th June

Can I just add a Happy Father's Day to those of you that are fathers and on this day I'm going to have a drink to my old dad (but not yet for those who are little worried about my drinking habits. ;D)    He was a most generous spirited man and  I suppose most of us when we are growing up don't really appreciate what we have until it's gone.  He didn't say much, but when he did, you listened.  He wanted a boy, he got me, and I think he was disappointed that the family name wouldn't live on.  But I bet he's proud of me in this place with my circular saw, router and six inch nails.  It was always mum's little joke that if anything wanted fixing and it entailed six inch nails and a hammer...then he could fix it. ;)

Now I was just out viewing my handiwork of yesterday in my night attire with coffee in hand....and suddenly there appears a man at the bottom of the garden...well it is 100 yards away so no real panic and what is he doing...reinforcing my fence with really spikey branches so that his sheep can't get through.  Perhaps he thinks I'm stocking up the deep freeze with the occasional lambkin......quick breakfast and then back to the chain gang...

We go back to the best laid plans...we have had the big daddy of all thunderstorms this lunchtime...we even lost the electricity and so it has been like this ...'it's rolled around heaven all day'.  Finished one book, started another and took to my little bed to read and yes....well you've guessed....had a lovely nap and slept through the second bout.  I'm just giving this update before I switch off the computer again.... decided that after my gynormous sausage and onion omelette instead of that small breakfast I promised, I can only manage a pot of natural yoghurt topped off with my natural accacia honey....delicious...that's it...LN...I've just heard the distant roll of thunder.

Monday 21st June

And I suppose into each life a little rain must fall and my goodness, hasn't it.  Buckets of the stuff and now the garden is shrouded in mist and I can just about see the fence at the bottom.  So much so that I decided to turn one of my upstairs rooms into a workshop so that I can at least get some furniture underway.  So I'm negotiating that ladder today with all of the tools and workbench and my sweeping brush so that I can tidy as I go....Tomorrow it's Kardjali to the bank so reep my just rewards and then to buy a couple of mattresses so that I shall have something that resembles 'comfort' for my visitors...now let's tackle that ladder ;)

Mattress? I was expecting a straw bed and a donkey!  ;)

You be careful on those dodgy ladders... When is the staircase going in?

P.S. The gofer's coming with us... Dawn has got rather attached to him  ;D

Monday continued

You go steady Mikey B....make do with your girlfriend there'll be no donkey's in my gaff and no straw beds...you'll get what you're given so stop fussing.  Dawn can cuddle up to the Gofer but that's as far as it goes. ;)...As for the ladder....it might be there, it might not...builders in fields again so I'm thinking I've got to get serious...well there's always a first time.

Only just finishing supper which is late for me but I managed to dig out the bush that was growing in the wrong place and part emptied the septic tank full of beautiful compost that is now on my little flower garden.  I intend planting out some flowering tobacco in the septic tank...it should grow well.

Suddenly a tropical storm blew up at about 7.30 tonight so I put out the bonfire just in case it brought the whole village down.  A few thunderclaps and then it went over, the wind dropped, the rain stopped and it's now a pleasant night.

I'm saying goodnight..it's ten thirty here and I'm off to Kardjali tomorrow as I said before with my shopping list already written out...LN... ;)

Tuesday 22nd June

Need I say it...beautiful morning, mist lying over the river and it looks to be a far more settled day than yesterday.  Washing on the line (electricity cheaper overnight) and supper in the slow cooker (beef in red wine with a tomato and onion sauce and potatoes).  Already done a spot of gardening and planted my flowering tobacco and it's only 8.30 in the morning..... :)

Off to Kardjali as I said last night....let's see what gets bought from the list and how it just gets added to as the day wears on....bank is the first stop....

As anticipated the bank was not the first stop.  I had noticed that my front offside tyre had to have air in it regularly so went to the garage and ended up with two new front tyres.  The old ones were a bit bald to say the least but now fixed.  Then to Kardjali...bank sorted, went to my clothes shop and two pair of summer trousers later, a pair of shoes and a new top (not budgeted for...tehe)...and on to the hardware store and two new bowls, cooking dishes, and eighteen matching drinking glasses of three different sizes and then on to Billa to stock up with the things that we can't get in Djebel.

Supper from the slow cooker really good with an aperitif, sweet martini while serving and then more while I had a bonfire to get rid of the packaging from shopping.  Now time to get my head down....my men are working tomorrow so it's back to the old routine of in the car by 7.40....LN

Wednesday 24th June

My men are back...and Sally after a long absence had been release by his woman..for how long??? I don't know.

Today they plastered the upstairs landing and it looks like it will be a palace when MB arives and why would I expect anything else!!!! ;)  Wooden floors and ceilings to follow tomorrow when I order the timber from Ysat.

I dropped off my men and popped in to see D in Samodiva who had just returned from the pub after watching the England Slovinia game.  He has his own key so three beers later and a result from England and I just caught him.  He proceeded to end the game with three red wines while I sat on the sidelines and drank coffee...my car was outside...but he very kindly offered me a tent to which my reply was that I would rather go without a drink than sleep in a tent...so at home I proceed, before the final whistle, with the Martini Rosso and then to slumber.

His girlie arrives on Saturday and I believe they are going ski-ing but I'm not sure if there is snow in Samodiva at this time of the year ;D.

I made a couple of phone calls home...all is fine on the western front...so after a miserable day here so much so that I put on a fleece jumper and watched the rain that washed away all  my new plants....LN   it's time to renew my energies for tomorrow....

Thursday 24th June

So today was just a little trip in Djebel to get a few more nails and to sort out the wood that has sat in the concrete yard in Djebel since the very  kind man brought it down from Kardjali on his lorry.  It has now gone down to carpenter to have it cut ready to do door surrounds for the upstairs.  Now we have had problems getting 10cm tongue and groove to do the bedroom ceilings and we kept getting promised...Thursday...so today being Thursday we were ever hopeful but no so I happened to mention it to the carpenter and no sooner the word than the blow and now have enough to build a grandstand in my lounge for the world cup and that's exactly what it looks like as you will see from the before and after shots.

Today has been a procession.  While the men are not here, I only get the ladies of the village.  When the men are here...they get the men.  There have been more men up that ladder today seemingly forgetting that it is also my home.  The new wood caused a lot of interest and everybody keeps telling me that everything is super and that I have a lot of money...closely followed by an 'I wish'.  So now there are five up there.

Today's task if they choose to accept it is....finish wiring the one bedroom, sand down the beams, try and find a woodstain for the beams and tomorrow ceiling go in in the bedroom and the landing....well that's the plan but as we know they change from minute to minute, let alone day to day....

Let's post a few pictures...oh and get well soon Princess...not in the best of health at the moment xxx to the moon and back.

Friday 25th June

What a pig of a morning....perhaps not fair on the pig...not his fault.  All I want is some oak coloured wood stain and can I get it?  Can I hell as like.  Now they have bezir....wood preservative that gives everything a yellowy tinge and I don't really like it but no it has to go on and the one that you really want can go on later except that I can't find the one that I really want anywhere.  I now have scouts looking in Haskovo because in Djebel and Fortinovo, you can only buy it by the 900ml and we want an awful lot.  So keep your fingers crossed that my scout picks up the trail and comes back with a scalp.

So the roof is being done first and then the ceiling goes down/goes up depends if you are up or down and then I have a decision to make if I go for terracotta on the floors upstairs of wood.  The terracotta tiles are so easy to keep clean but apparently cold in the winter...but the wood looks good... so it might all come down to the toss of a coin.  Where's that coin.....

Hello E,

  Samodiva calling.  Annie has informed me that she has the supplies that you requested.  Will pop round next week some time when the novelty has worn off, got anything planned?

  Good luck trying to source the wood stain.  Can it be made?

Regards

Dom

PS your avatar has disappeared again

Friday continued

Thanks D and see what you can do with my Avatar...it doesn't want to respond to me....how's the snow in Samodiva...good for the weekend I hear. ;)

Now I have had an attack of Colorado beetles and that is what the helicopter was all about.  So they've moved from the tobacco growing in the fields and have come to my flowering nicotina to have a nibble...well a bit more than nibble they've decimated the whole crop and then moving on to my tomatoes....stop...I shouted and then nothing so I sprayed them with a special brew from the hardware shop in Djebel and now they lie amoulding in the beds....no not their beds....my flower beds.... >:(  Have to spray for the next three days so I'm told and I will dutifully obey and so much for my flowering tobacco. :'( :'(

The men have just had a bottle of beer so it must be home time soon...they deserved it today...we've had bezir coming out of poor Sally's ears and Bekir has been trying to contain Spaghetti junction boxes but I think we are there and we should have electricity in some of the upstairs now....not that I go up there much...negotiating that ladder is scarry after dark...onwards and upwards...

AVATAR!!!

Friday evening continued........

Thank you, thank you, thank you...a million fold.  Just cooked a wonderful bacon, onion risotto and it's another one to add to the stable...had to have a touch of red wine to make it just that bit special with soya sauce...

My car is running hot so into the garage tomorrow and no men....rather get the car sorted before the start of the new week...I think they were secretly pleased it means they can have a day on tobacco or a day of rest without feeling guilty...lecka nosht...the wine is now open....thanks D of S...I owe you.....

Saturday 26th June

So into the garage I went and an oil change later and now water in my radiator where there was none.  I obviously thought that there must have been a leaky hose somewhere but it appears that when it was last filled, the cap wasn't put on properly so it just evapourated taking the antifreeze with it so hence....that was why it was running hot.........fixed.  Thinking about it....the last one to put water in it was the one who sorted it this morning...I better check that filler cap again.....Running like new....well not quite 'new' but running as a car should for its age.

It's a sultry day again so we could be in for a thunderstorm.  I'm unsure what to do today...such a lot of choice ...there's a book that looks inviting.... and a sofa that look equally inviting so I might just have to investigate them both.... ;)

Well it rained and no longer sultry but cold.  England enjoys a heatwave....I freeze and I'm goodness knows how much further south ....and the silly thing is I have two woodburners and not one of them connected otherwise I would be stoking up tonight.  Going to have to put another fleece on and settle back into my book...yes that's the one and I can vouch for the comfort of the sofa.... spent the afternoon on it...just testing....

Time to go back to reading....LN

Saturday continued

So my peace and quiet was shattered by two of my neighbours carrying blossom from my big tree and telling me how good it was steeped in hot water as....wait for it...chai or tea to me and you.  They proceeded to put every light on in the kitchen, find my saucepan, put the blossom into it, we boiled it up, added sugar and had a tea party.  It's supposed to be good for your chest and to 'remove any cough' that you might have but I think the cough would be a better alternative.

What did it taste of?  A bit like steeped cow manure to the untrained palette and not to my liking at all but the blossom does smell very sweet.  I think it's also because they almost emptied the sugar bowl into it and not sure if that was to hide the taste or not....anyway it deserved a photo shoot so here is the proof....and now back to that book after I've washed up...

Sunday 27th June

And while England bakes.....I freeze.  I'm cold, thinking about a fleece, changing out of my shorts and putting on some long trousers, getting out my socks that have been put away for the winter and bottoming it off with fleecy slippers.  Maybe a slight exaggeration on my part but it is a tad on the cool side and it is just a dull day. :(

I don't think there is going to be much activity from me today either...it's one of those where you think that there's always tomorrow.  I've got my washing done and it's flapping about out there but that book keeps pulling me so that's where I'm heading now...back to the sofa with a hot drink...

Sunday continued

Oh dear....4-1 and so I shall get ribbed at the mobile shop tomorrow morning.  I shall deny all knowledge and make out that 'oh were Enlgand playing yesterday'.  I suppose we had a bit of a charmed existence even getting this far.....so according to my travel agent friend a lot of families can now get to planning their summer holidays now that they know how much they've saved by England not going further.  

The book had a good ending....they all lived happily ever after and it was a yarn more than one where you 'sit on the edge of your seat' trying to work out who did it.   Again it didn't have too many characters so that you get lost and have to look back or reread....or go to the glossary of who's who at the front of the book.

Supper time....LN...and early to bed....have my workers to get in the morning.  Floors and ceilings tomorrow... ;)

Monday 28th June

Last night I thought ....pedicure...and so I did.  So this morning I was on with the new sandles and doesn't it make you feel better.  Toe nails painted and ready to step into today.

Men are here....going into Dzebel to get that bezir now so with my toe nails on show...off I go...la.di.da.di.da ;)

Well so much for my pretty toe nails....I'm sure the guys in the garage appreciated them...I think not. While in Kardjali I noticed the temperature gauge climbing high again so I thought, oh buggar, went onto the supermarket carpark and lifted the bonnet and tried to look intelligent about motors.  Fortunately one of the guys from TecknoMarket recognised me and said that magic word...problem?  and called over his mate who looked at it and so I followed the Teckno man and we went to his friend's garage.  He took out the thermostat and said that I should be OK to get back to Djebel and I did...just.  I got out my purse to pay and they shook their heads and said that's OK.  It is now sitting with its bonnet up in the garage.

I taxied it back to Dushinkovo and all is arranged for my men to go home in style tonight...And tomorrow...if they want to come to work it will be under their own steam, of course I will pay all dues or they might just have another couple of days off....Sod's law...whoever Sod is!!!!!  Just when you need them most....

Monday continued

Well the men were being so athletic that I thought they were practicing for Bulgarian entry to the Olympics.  They laughed it off but I suspect.....

Monday continued and yet again

LN tout le monde....I have Eric Clapton playing real loud, enjoying the music and a bottle of the good red.....LG to use the mobile phone, fridge, cooker logo...life's good.....lecka nosht...

Tuesday 29th June

Bit of a dull morning but slept in until 7.00 so it's a good job that I wasn't picking my men up.  Lovely surprise D of S came round with A who has just arrived from the UK with a strange story to tell.  She was unable to board the plane on Saturday as arranged since some half-wit BA passenger had picked up her passport and boarding card from the tray at security despite it being with her belt and smellies.  Now easyJet are brightly coloured boarding cards but no, no passport, no card, no board, luggage on board.  So escorted back through security and heard her name over the PA and off she trotted.....returned but too late so she reorganised her flight for the next day.  I then related how I'd arrived at the airport only last year with my passport in my lilac suade cover only to be told that it was my grandson's and that I wouldn't be going far with that only back to Brighton earlier than planned.  When CJ and myself came back from Gibraltar after a jolly, security had made us take the passports out of the covers so that they could be scanned.  So...that's how it happened. :'(

So out came my workbench and my woodworking tools today and then it started to....RAIN.  The temperature has now dropped to something unacceptable in my books so where's those socks again????  I'm just not used to the cold.

Tuesday continued

Well what a miserable day...it thundered so not able to use the computer so I decided to play with my Nintendo and ended up with challenging Arnold to Scrabble (since he's the only one that I can beat but I suppose everybody can) and playing Germs.  I just couldn't get up that ladder with the workbench and the tools...the get-up-and-go had just got-up-and-gone.  My mobile shop came eventually so now I have bread, eggs and nadanitsa which I am just knocking up a nadanitsa (spicy sausage) risotto.  Just one pan cooking for me but looking at the amount of rice that I put it in looks enough to feed the five thousand.  Why don't I ever get the measure of rice...never have....so I suppose I shall just have to invest in an electronic scale and become more professional about it.  Anyway it's cooked...dessert might be a few stewing cherries with yoghurt...the ones stewing in vodka sound about right....it does say on the label that it has to 'marinade' for approximately 20 days.  Doesn't say anything about the cherries though ;)

Off to eat LN...soya sauce and chopsticks that I've had for 40ish years from the Lotus House in Gibraltar (that's the chopsticks not the soya sauce), I've closed the curtains to make it seem warmer... two woodburners and none connected...must speak to my men sharply...LN ;)

Wednesday 30th June

So today looked coldish so I thought I would be well prepared and start the day off warm.  So my army camouflage trousers were donned along with a fleece jumper, socks and work boots and I have just done an hour tidying the remains of the cherry tree that we pulled down and sawing into logs and yes....I have just come in to change into something a little less insulated.  I'm sweating like that proverbial pig that always seems to get the blame for everything....piggin useless, pig of a day but not allowed to keep pigs in a village so I'll stay with the one I've got.

The plan is to remove the remains of the cherry currently stopping the sheep farmer's dog from getting under my wreck of a house to take a nap while his sheep are chomping in my adjoining field.  Think I shall have to make a door of some sort just to stop the little blighter....well not so little...it's a kangol, built big, originates from Turkey and guards the sheep.  Don't go threatening one of his or he'll have you.

Now down to t-shirt and back to the woodpile with the saw....

Wednesday continued
Had a really good day in the garden today and moved all of the old branches that had been lopped and left.  Tried to get a good bonfire going but it wasn't having it today....probably needs emptying and starting from scratch.  Had a little visitor, a tortoise, that I had disturbed.  My star mush decided to drop rubbish on my garden.  I went out and moved his and other stuff into the lane and he decided to tidy it up and put it in a sheet.  Now I though he wanted to put it on the rubbisd heap just up the road so I went out with my wheel barrow to take it up there.  No,no he wasn't having any of it so he struggled, got it on his back and where did he leave it...in the bus shelter so tomorrow..that's my first job.  Glava ne dobre.....his head isn't good.....(Tortoise pickies tomorrow).

Good news they have sorted Beauty out but I don't know the damage yet.  New water pump, apparently it had a small crack so hence no water, new thermostat and so tomorrow I am into Djebel at 7.00am to get the car.  The bus leaves here at 6.45 so I'm going with a neighbour instead.  After that no bus service until later....I didn't find out how much later but I suppose that will come with time.

So pick up Beauty, pick up the men, go into Kardjali to get the tiles for the upstairs now that I have made the decision and then to get the wood for the stairs.  All go isn't it but would you have it any other way.  

LN...I'm off to sleepy hollow.    ;)

I have sent Mikey B full instructions, told him to print them and then to eat them as to how to get here...don't want too many people...it's a hideaway.  Any way,  I have a lift at 7.00 in the morning so it's early to bed, early to rise.