Saturday 1st January

HAPPY NEW YEAR......

Home safe and sound at 10.30 thereabouts carrying my zebra quilt with me.  It is strange waking up in someone else's house.  Dom played the perfect host delivering coffee and then we stood out in the garden enjoying the morning air and the view.  He was removing the self imposed tar from his little lungs and I was doing the same with everybody else's smoking.  The ban has come in but in a portacabin next to the local jamir in the middle of a little village in the south of Bulgaria....not many inspectors will be around.  We let the fireworks off at midnight.  It was such a beautiful clear calm night and the sky was lit up for miles around. It was so peaceful with millions of stars and no light pollution except for the rockets for miles around.

So I'm just about to start the fire....not that I need it, the sun shines throught my big windows and it's about 20 degrees at the moment down there.  I'll just get it going so that to have it roaring tonight will tick the house over...it's supposed to be going down to -10 tonight according to the locals so back under the zebra for me....  update with photos from last night to follow....fire first...

Saturday update

Just a few from last night....

Sunday 2nd January

I can't get over how beautiful the mornings are here.  I didn't wake until 7.00 this morning and the sky was pink over the mountains and the crescent moon was still up with that very bright something by it.  Now I'm not one for knowing the stars and the planets.....I only appreciate what I see.  Beautiful.  It then changed as the sun came up and then I realised that the ground was white over and I checked the outside thermometer and it was -8.  Inside 19 with the sun now up and outside has settled at a -3 when I've just checked it.

My avatar has just paid a visit and delivered 6 eggs.  The people are so kind here and I joked that I had three cats that came to visit.  Her response was that I had everything and I replied that I didn't have a cow and she had two.  She reckoned I could have one in the spring....I questioned why and she just said 'because'...and we both laughed.  I don't know much Bulgarian but I still manage to communicate and that's all that matters.

Fires.....mine has been a bit of a b...this mornng....now the phrase is that if you've slept with a gypsy, your fire goes first time....obviously not doing the right thing ;).  Just a few more sticks and it might ....GO....not that it's cold in the house....it's just pleasant to see the wood burner glimmering and not just 'smoking'.  Now I really must get dressed. :-/

Monday, 3rd January

So I've decided to post yesterday morning's sunrise...this one is cold, was raining earlier that has turned to light snow coming from the north so little bit on the cold side.  Now when the wind is in that direction, it seems to blow down the chimney and my fire was a bugger to start this morning.  Two hours with messing around it when I should have really taken it apart and started from scratch...but some days are just like that.  Where's that gypsy :-/.

Today holds nothing more that settling my first 'credit' in Djebel.  I got two diaries, one for Gouljan and her new job and one for me insomuch as I always have one and never make any entries but just nice to have.  The girl didn't know how much they were so she said for me to take them and pay when I was next in town.  I guess they know where I live :-/.  This diary has become a compulsion and it's good for me to look back on to see how far I've come and I don't just mean from UK to Bulgaria.  I look out each day and can't believe that this is mine and I look up and say thank you if you know what I mean.  

So I spoke to TC and heard the full gory details of the demise of the last company I worked for.  Such a shame and although we used to slag it off something rotten when I was there, there were good people who are now looking for other avenues for their many talents.  Let's hope that some find work quickly and that others use the opportunity to find some new paths to explore.  I've told her that she still owes me a picture that she promised to paint for me so now she has no excuse......

Now, yesterday's start to the day....and I really should think about getting dressed and taking to horse...well horse power....not the real thing....

Tuesday 4th January

So the UK is in for another blast while I am still waiting for it to happen here.  It's been just under 0 on the thermometer the whole of the day but it is dropping rapidly this evening.  We had a dusting of the white stuff overnight but nothing to write home about and by the time that anything arrives by snail mail from here to the UK I swear you could walk it there faster.  My cards still haven't arrived but since it was going to cost 40 leva for 'special' for four cards.....I phoned to wish happy whatevers and the cards will arrive all in good time...for next year.  I think I should be posting the February birthday cards about now just to make sure. :-/

Had my Bulgarian lesson this morning and tried to get over that some of the words are just so long so what's the point of learning them.  I'm never going to have to read them and just wouldn't compose sentences with them in.....back to the drawing board...Basil.  So today we concentrated on verbs in the past tense... :-/ but in Bulgarian it all depends whether it is in direct or indirect speech as to whether it is in past or present tense :'(

Had some guests this afternoon from the restaurant and fortunately they brought an interpreter with them.  His English was very good and said that I spoke Bulgarian very well and then he turned his deaf aid up and changed his mind.  I'm sure Gouljan would not agree....anyway it's time that I got a glass in my hand.  I was going down to the restaurant to eat this evening but I've just seen the time and the thermometer and I've changed my mind....too cold to go out...

LN....going to get by the fire instead of sitting over my laptop....and have a drink...after all it's 8.30 here....

Wednesday 5th January

It is freezing....the thermometer may say -4 but it feels like less to me.  It is that raw cold that seems to get into your bones no matter what you wear and my feet have not been warm at all despite two layers of socks and slippers so much so that I have gone back to my clogs with the thick rubber soles.  I want some heated slippers!!

Well my gift voucher got lost in transit so I tried to log into Amazon to find out where it was only to be advised that my email address was not valid....joy of joy....eventually got in and had to resend the voucher again....it has now arrived but I'm waiting for a response from customer services.  No mention that it 'could not deliver' but the money went out of my account fast enough.  Bahhhh----humbug  ;)

I have just had my first photo assignment.  One of my ladies came round for her bucket that she delivers my home-made yoghurt in and showed me a photograph of her grandchildren and asked if I had a picture frame.  As I matter of fact I have but it wouldn't fit so I asked her to leave it with me.  She looked at me warily afraid of what I might do with it but I sent her on her way promising 'one hour' and you'll have it back.  Well she got more than she bargained for.  I scanned it, cropped out the borders and managed to get the two little faces into a 4 x 6 and delivered it framed.  Now this is the neighbour who only got one picture frame where the others got two and now she has three....sorted...and her yoghurt is delicious but I told her not yet....I still have a pot from Gouljan to get through first....Looks like I need another visit to the Leva shop to get in a supply....of picture frames....not yoghurt.

Now Cinders is off to the kitchen.  Firstly for a hot drink and secondly to get something sorted for the slow cooker before I lose interest in preparing anything....

Thursday 6th January

Another cold night and another layer of the white stuff but only a light dusting.  My fire was well and truly out for the count this morning and I played around with a box of matches, bits of paper and wood in the end knowing that I was going to have to take it apart and start from scratch.  Some mornings are like that... ;)  And now it is glowing, the pump for the radiators is purring away and the house is at last worth staying in for.  I'm breakfasted, two poached eggs from my lady across the way and I'm going to try and negotiate that she supplies me with some every week.  Why pay the shops when I can pay her because they are much nicer.  The yolks are yellow instead of some of the pasty ones that you see staring back at you and they taste divine.  Now to work out how to carry out the proposal/transaction.

Washing machine is doing it's stuff and it's a reassuring sound...something being done with so little effort on my part...put in the clothes, washing powder, select the programme, up the spin speed to maximum and press the button.  Thirty five minutes later, remove, on to clothes airer and bingo....another job completed.

Ten of the clock....I'm off to Djebel to pay for the diaries before they send the baliffs round...catch you later...

Friday 7th January

My curtain pole man cometh...I shall have to update later.  Now he speaks German and has worked in the Netherlands....I don't so it could be fun...let's see......Well that was a waste of time...he doesn't do curtain poles and there are none in Kardjali or Haskaovo since there is no demand.  We did discuss the balcony surrounds though and he has a place in Momchilgrad where I can see them. The catalogue I was told was 'expensive' but I saw a picture on his mobile phone of the others.  I might just happen to produce him a catalogue of his own with prices so that he doesn't have to use his mobile to work out the cost...He could apply discounts as and when.  Lovely chappie though....will have to speak to our contact to see if he wants a catalogue or not...Sorry didn't give you a weather report...BBC website stated -2 for Kardjali....at 11.00 o'clock the Kardjali weather station reported -5....and didn't I know it and freezing fog to boot...pretty but not good.

On to breakfast....haven't managed it yet so it looks like toast....with butter and my homemade jam...I get the feeling that Lidl calls......and it didn't call loudly enough....I got into my sewing and made my zebra curtains though not yet in situ and decided to make the summer zebra quilt cover.  I'm just hoping that the mood still lists towards the zebra as the sun gets warmer and I take to the summer weight fabrics.  I'm liking it now...hey but it didn't cost the earth and no zebras were killed in the making of and it's all cotton so no polyesters died in the process either.  

Now tonight I was planning to go down to my restaurant in Djebel but the trouble is, it's cold outside and warm in so I think I shall put it off for another evening.  I have to drive down there and it's only fruit juice when I get there.  I suppose one night I could push the boat out and stay at the Djebel hotel and visit my 301 (the room that I had for about six months) but it will have to be for an occasion...oh...maybe my next birthday ....it's a big one.

At last my mate from Gibraltar has managed to get into my website to take a look. For some unknown reason there are comments on Facebook about the pickies I posted a year ago so I suggested that she looks at more recent ones.  She has just received a gold star....she clicked on my link from the bottom of my email and joy of joy....got in first time and itsn't it simple....sorry....shimpple it you watch the adds with the merecats...  So now into the kitchen to search for food.  

Saturday 8th January

Beautiful day...sun shining, no wind and now it is starting to get a little chilly. Fire is going but need to get it stoked, I think we are in for another cold one.  It was white over this morning with frost though not snow but some of it is still lingering on the mountains so it's been warm inside but the sun hasn't cleared it all away.

So what have I done today?  I have made one slipper, without a pattern and unless I can remember how I did it I have a present for a one legged man.  I started off with my crochet hook and cast on 35 stitches and it was all down hill from there.  I think it's called 'tatting' but it ended up with casting on 38 stitches on four needles and working so many rows of rib and casting off loosely.  I know that much so I've just got to work out the bit in the middle.

My little neighbour brought round a goody bag this morning with onions, pototoes, cabbage in vinegar and something in something else which I think was tomatoes.  They don't freeze stuff here, they preserve it and it's two jars of preserves.  I've added it to the collection since I did some of my own as a gesture towards self preservation but I used red cabbage which is not usual here.  

So again I was going into Kardjali and again I didn't manage it.  It just seemed like a lot of effort and I only need a few things.  You get to ask yourself if your journey is really necessary and today I decided it wasn't.  It's just so nice to sit in front of the fire and 'tat'. ;)

Sunday 9th January

So it' Sunday morning and what was facing me in the fridge...bacon, eggs and it just had to be done along with fried bread.  Not healthy but I did use olive oil and the rest of the bacon is already in the slow cooker with onions, honey, chilli flakes and tomato paste and will be ready whenever I am this evening.

There is no present for the one legged man....I managed to work out the middle of the other slipper and I am wearing them as we speak with my down boottees ...inside them....yes, they looked a little large in the making but every cloud has a silver lining so they say but my boots have a 'duck down' lining.  Good for padding around in having tiled floors, great for cleaning, lousy for warmth where there are no carpet laid down.

The day is before me....I have finished Genghis and for those that didn't know he was knifed by his second wife and Hitler is just about to go into the second phase of the war against the Russians. I didn't know about this war and how many countries were involved.  I suppose I grew up as a post war baby knowing there was a world war and sporting a poppy on the appropriate day.  This book has opened my eyes about the man and his war.  Pretty heavy going in places so it's one that I pick up, do a few pages and then find something else to do but it is quite fascinating.  On towards the day....it's freezing fog again, so I'm hoping that that sun will burst through and liven the place up....fingers crossed. ;)

Monday 10th January

Frosty again but last night I fell asleep in the chair infront of the fire and woke up about 8.30 and thought, too early to go to bed to sleep but I'll take Hitler and see how far I get.  As it happened, Hitler was put down at about 8.35 and I thought that if I woke up at silly o'clock I could take to my book again. No need.  I had the most interesting dream that I didn't want to come out of and didn't until 6.30 this morning.  Now as you know the hardest think I've done is to crochet a pair of slippers which were widely applauded by my ladies on their visit yesterday afternoon.  They do the full tour and wanted to see the new curtains that I had made for my bedroom so up we all trotted.  On the way down the stairs, I asked them to be carefull since I didn't have insurance.  So my avatar who saw the funny side of this comment translated it into Turkish for the one that doesn't speak any Bulgarian but she did appreciate my Turkish comments on another topic.  They were all intrigued by my fleece duvet cover and am amazed that I have a sewing machine out here.

Now going back to those slippers.  Princess would comment that I look more life a pair golf clubs that ever and thinking about it, they are rather like the club cosy covers that you see advertised...bovered....not in the least ;)

Just a couple of pickies...I'm not taking orders yet this pair is the prototype and note the new landing carpet...3.5m x2.5m for 35 leve...that's about sixteen pounds to you and me

I think the phrase 'Ooh you are awful but I like you' is better than the golf club.......... Max Wall wasn't it or am I thinking of private Emery?........ If I am then it's really not as funny as I thought!!!.........Hope you are well....... have to say that your slippers look a little like cornish pasties but I bet they keep you toasty warm.

Feeling a bit poorly so think I will go home in a minute once the little darlings have gone. Love you, big kisses to the moon and back again, Mrs Kirtons xxxxxx (Princess )xxxxxxxxx :K)

How did private Emery become Private Emery?........ Think it has been auto censored by the P.C police? Ha ha ha  :X

Monday continued

I am a photographic studio....confirmed.  So one of my ladies appeared this lunchtime with hot food, rice with lamb wrapped in cabbage leaves, with a friend visiting from Turkey to look over the house and on her way out produced three photographs that ....well if you could possibly make them bigger.....and as she was leaving she handed me another....scarf and in my favourite colours of brown, cream with a hint of yellow so today I've been Turkish and this has been commented on in Kardjali and in Djebel.  So why was I in Kardjali....didn't have any picture frames and neither did Djebel of the right size so off to Kardjali I went to my other leva shop where I am now being recognised.  I also popped into my second hand shop and again they know that I am living in Dushinkovo and it is now established that I have a car......just had to call into Lidls on the way through and no crush for once and on the way back went into my restaurant in Djebel.  My lady was there and the four year old granddaughter who share's my birthday.  I was teasing her that it is grandmother Christmas not Father Christmas and she joined in the fun.  I have been invited to her birthday party but I might even have to invite a few friends of my own....so tonight and home and no fire but I bought some firelighters in Lidls so easy peasy...I have lift off.

As for you Princess...Max Wall....how very dare you.....'You are awful, but I like you'....but wasn't that 'Richard Emery' and yes it probably was the pc police that 'tidied' it up.  Moon and back and my pasties are really toasty and at some stage must be washed to stop them being meaty... :-/

Tuesday 11th January

So today I delivered the photos that I went all the way to Kardjali yesterday for the photo frames.  My poor lady was overcome....I do not know the full story but the photo that she wanted enlarging was one of her son that died several years ago and the others were of her husband and herself and one of them both with their cow...that's what they feel for animals over here.  She asked me if I wanted coffee and knowing that I had attempted no Bulgarian homework and Gouljan's a stickler, I declined the offer, but had some Halva forced upon me and a box of Turkish Delight and later in the day she arrived with potatoes and meat wrapped in cabbage leaves, still hot and so I decided to eat them there and then.  She must have waited for Gouljan to leave before she appeared so that she didn't ruin my lesson (as if).  

Today I have been inundated with stray cows.  There are four of the beauties and I know not to whom they belong but the gun comes out tomorrow if they are back and I care not.  They were out there in the misty morning at 7.00 so I chased them off and then dragged the metal pipe that the lads had dug up and replaced with plastic as my main water supply and heaved it up into the hedge so that even the cow that jumped over the moon couldn't have got over that and blow me down, they were back at 8.00 and had trampled down part of my hedge.  They are buggers.  So I thought I had repaired it sufficiently and during my lesson, there they were again.  Now the ruling from the EU is that any livestock has to be supervised, were they?  If they were he was so small that he couldn't see over the grass height so no imput there then.  D of S has been 'attacked' several times by the cmet's  (mayor) cow so much so that I think the freezer is the next stop off for the beastie.  So later I got a plank of wood, nailed one end to my walnut tree and put in supports....they haven't been back since and one stood and looked at the metal work and decided not to tackle it...good thinking.

So Gouljan left after trading the secrets of the village and we have arranged to go to Haskovo on Thursday as long as she hasn't got 'education' for her new project.  I really want her and it to succeed and I have introduced her to NLP for those of you who know what it is...Neuro Lingquistic Programming or telling the lies, by watching the eyes......and I have managed to print off some notes in Bulgarian for her from the web....I think she might find it interesting.

D of S has been approached about filming 'purchasing a property abroad'.  Now if you knew him and his aversion to telly you could guess the response.  Mine is...if the price is right, come on down....so we'll wait and see.  

Any way...tonight I am knitting a hat the pattern of which was demonstrated to me in the restaurant last night...I seem to have lost one stitch already but what's one amongst friends....I'm sure I can make it up before the end of the project and now I'm off to put another log on the fire and tomorrow I must organise more....they seem to go like hot cakes on my petchka....LN...I've some knitting to get sorted...

Firelighters, you need a Roma!  First time every time!

Buy a roll of fencing mesh and use that nailed to the trees that'l stop the Moo Moo's

Wednesday 12th January

As for the Roma, if you know one with a white stick I might give it a try but the firelighters seem to work everytime for me and for 32 for 2 leva....cheaper than medical treatment if you know what I mean ;).

Now my wood burner has been playing up and it was almost necessary to use an oxygen mask so this morning I thought, this is it, I'll take all the pipes out leading to the chimney and clean them out.  Now these were put in in a bit of a hurry and they had a strange lean to the right where Bekir had to cut one since they didn't come in the right length to make a good job of it and I was dreading taking them out and not managing to fit them in again.  As it is they go through the bathroom and I though it looked a little too tight to get them out but in for a stotinki in for a leva as they say in Bulgaria.

First off I tried the 'lever' principle but nothing would budge, then my Heath Robinson brain kicked in and I found a piece of wood and thought that if I damaged them to replace the lot would only cost me about a tenner so again, not going to break the bank even if I broke the pipes.  I hit it where I thought there would be a bit of give and it moved a little, so I hit it harder and bits of the pipe seemed to fall but onwards and upwards and hey presto, I'd separated two of the beauties.  Now it was uphill all the way and eventually I managed to get the wood burner pipes out into the yard.  Now to sort out the bathroom end.  So this was easier than I thought and the end that goes into the chimney came free but it seemed too long to remove it without taking that apart but with a bit of jiggery pokery and a little bit of twisting, out it came.  Firstly I set about cleaning the wood burner and the blockage appears to have been where the damper is sited.  So I cleaned that all out, managed to work out the smoke path, cleaned all the pipes and put it all back together again but this time using a smaller pipe so now it has a slight lean the other way but not so pronounced as before.  Game on....and the new pipe that I found was from my emergency wood burner in the kitchen so.... wanted....one new small pipe.  Tested it with a small fire to see if there was any smoke escaping and jobs a goodun.  I'm a heating engineer.

So today my neighbour had the cows...the work that I did yesterday was successful and so today I was mending her fence.  I then was invited into Avatar's house and I watched her cooking vine leaves and cabbage stuffed with rice, onions and herbs...I've put in a local sausage, chilli, onions, honey, potatoes and tomato paste into my slow cooker so I'm all prepared for tonight....and I think a little beer to wash it down...sorted.  

Now I can go stoke it up....and put the oxyen mask away for another year and at least I've done it once, so can do it again ;)

Wednesday continued

So Microsoft asks 'do you want to update now'....  just when I am about to post and so one picture missing...my response to Microsofe....bugger off .....NO.....but it did anyway so here is the missing picture.

Supper time and where's that beer I promised myself..... ;)

Thursday 13th January

So yesterday I finished Hitler...he commit suicide in the end in case you missed it and we won the war with the Americans and Russians.....I also read another book and this time the twist was in the (tail) tale and I never saw it coming...the lawyer murdered all of them and then defended the one that he has set up :-/ ....nice one so at 7.00 this morning with nothing to read, I had my shower and washed my hair ready for my trip into Haskovo with Gouljan.  I know where this lighting shop is and it was told to me by a couple that I met at their pig farm about a couple of years ago.  So I parked and paid 4 leva for 2 hours, we found the shop, nothing to my liking but I discovered that the male of the couple was still here and I already knew that the female had left for the UK, looked round a few more shops and then make our way back to the car but we were one minute over.  Now this strikes me as 'jobsworth'.  We got back late so I laughed when the attendant said 'one leva' and I said what one leva for one minute.  She humped about a bit and said in a louder voice....one leva...so I smiled and paid up and asked for a receipt....and that got her going.

So on the way back, I decided to drop of at the pigfarm and see if Gary was still there and he was.  We had coffee, Gouljan was absolutely enthralled by the conversation between two English people and I could see her making mental notes to ask me about the phrases used when we were back in the car.....and she did.  On leaving Gary gave me several jars of pickles made by his own fair hands and this she couldn't get over....a man who can do all that so I begged her not to judge English men by what she had just seen.  With my goodie bag in hand we got back into the car and headed for Kardjali where she insisted that she paid for lunch and then headed home. I had to pop into home to pick up some printed sheets from the PC about NLP and I couldn't open the door....the key turned, but the door wouldn't open so out came the ladder, I hitched it on to the flat roof to balcony number three and all the time she was telling me to be careful.  Now my intention wasn't to fall so I threw myself from the ladder to the roof, opened the balcony door with the key that I had placed on the key ring for just such an occasion and got into my house.  I think Gouljan is secretly amazed at the resorcefulness of this ageing English person who doesn't seem to be phased my much.....outwardly the duck on water, inwardly, legs going ten to the dozen... :o

Calm night tonight, have eaten,  so nothing to do, fire going, brandy and hot water at the ready and going to get into my gymjams any time now....what a lovely day.

LN tout le monde....a demain...

Friday 14th January

I have 'em, I hate 'em, I hate em   Bloody cows...The day started well, my wood that I ordered yesterday was delivered and the man was unloading before I notice he was there.  I stopped him and told him that we could remove the gate and unload them nearer to where they were being stored and so we did. Between us we removed a ton of oak from the van, I signed a piece of paper for his records and off he went on his way.  Now this looked a huge pile of logs but in for a penny in for a stotinki....it is all safely stored in my other house.  Well done me.

Now back to those cows.  They're roaming lose which is against the EU directive for livestock.  They should have a man with them to make sure that they don't ruin fences or go to places they are not welcome.  Do they have a man/woman?...do they buggery.....and as quickly as I mended one fence the little beauties had careered through another.  Three sections of my fence down today, two of the blasted beasts were watching me with nails and hammer at the ready.  Crafty blighters.  So I know who they belong to and tomorrow I am going to find firstly the mayor and then the owner and threaten legal action....shouldn't be allowed to roam and why should they get away with it.  I know it was market day and the day of imbibing...no excuse.

Got a friendly black and white cat that scours my garden for whatever...beautiful little thing so I think I'm going to semi-adopt her or let her adopt me.  You don't own cats.  She stalked something in the garden and if only she were bigger....she could attack the cows...now there's a thought.

So tonight I'm off for a shower....I think that I have done a good days work what with stashing a ton of wood and rebuilding three sections of the fence....LN....the kitchen calls..feed me ;)

Saturday 15th January

Not a cow in sight....perhaps someone is translating my diary to the owners but we'll see how tomorrow goes before I make any judgement.

As it happens today has been a lazy day....I started reading a James Herbert and he is someone I always avoided before but it was one from my Samodiva library.  Not sure if I enjoyed it or not.....rather laboured just before the end but the end came quickly if you know what I mean.  It was called 'Others' and set in Brighton which I found quite interesting....following on from the other books of the area by Peter James.  So I think tomorrow is another trip to the library.  I understand that there is one destined for me about the life of Stalin which will probably be a pick up and put down sort of book.

So after reading most of the day I'm feeling that it's time I got my head on the pillow.  I should have been out in the garden today, frosty overnight but once the mist cleared it has been a beautiful if chilly day but I think I did a little too much yesterday.  A ton of wood is quite a heap to move and then there was the fence building and the frustration of one fence after another falling prey to the white cow that just bulldozed it's way through as if it was cardboard.   They are big beasties.....

So tomorrow I am definately out there if the weather is good......that's unless the selection from Samodiva looks interesting.

LN....off to my virtuous couch.....

Sunday 16th January

The month marches on and my intentions of going out in the garden because it was such a lovely day yesterday have fallen at the first hurdle.  After I posted last night, down came the rain, in buckets (well that is a quite exageration, no real buckets) it just pelted it down.  This morning, light rain which went against the sun predicted by BBC weather, and a very cold wind coming from the north east so ....straight from Siberia and don't we know it.

My last lady that I haven't seen since I dropped the present off at her house with her daughter, visited today and thought the photograph that I gave her of herself was really good.  Now my ladies obviously talk to each other and yes.....she has another photograph that she would like copied if I wouldn't mind.....I am the official photographer for Dushinkovo....that is my title, I won it, I like it.....I'm keeping it.  Must get some more photograhic paper...running a bit short but I did stock up on the frames while I was in Kardjali.

I didn't go to the library today (Samodiva).  It is just too cold....my house is ticking along nicely but I must admit I was looking for that gypsy this morning.  The fire is so difficult to light when the wind is coming from that direction but once it's going.....it's fine.

So what have I done today?  Had a shower, washed my hair, played Freecell, cooked my supper (half of which I have just eaten with a chunk of fresh bread from the disco mobile shop and just demolished a half bar of chocolate.  Comfort food.....and just sitting here on my landing watching grey clouds rolling over the sky.  There were five magpies earlier that seemed to be playing tag or perhaps the sap is rising early.  A flock of starlings or short winged somethings have just descended into the garden and are pecking at goodness knows what but then one of my semi-resident cats has just arrived and they took off on mass.  I love my garden, I've now seen all the seasons and still am in awe of how beautiful it is....

Sunday continued

Just finishing off and the setting sun has caught the mountains to the east...thought you might like it....

Monday 17th January

And what a change from yesterday.  Bit of a cold morning but promised sun and did not disappoint.  The zebra is out of the bedroom and after a trip through the washing machine is out on the line.  It just had to be done and there's nothing nicer than getting into freshly laundered bedlinen or in this case zebra fleece blankets.

Now I had good intentions.  Despite the beautiful day I decided to do some Bulgarian homework but it hasn't gone to plan.  Yes I translated what I had to do and highlighted certain phrases and then I though, let's scan in a page of Pippi Longstocking and try a bit more....the OCR didn't recognise some of the Bulgarian letters so I'm flicking between book, OCR'd and dictionary and so I've......given up.... and the weather is just so good that I've decided to go and do a bit in the garden.  Catch you later..

Monday contnued

What a beautiful day...the weather continued in the same vein as morning and I was out there all afternoon and got rid of the mountains of builder's rubble that had collected against the hedge line.  They have all gone. It is now as flat as a lunar landscape (not that that's that flat) and the tiles and slates are ready to be dumped in the foundations for the lounge patio.  Jobs a guddun as they say.  Just realised that I have left my tools out there but I suppose a rake and a shovel are safe until tomorrow.  My bed's made up and it won't be long before I am in it tonight.  Fresh stable for the zebra.....pillowcases are on the radiators just to finish off but almost there.

Lovely phone call for TIP this evening...they may be out in the school holidays....I really hope so, it would be good to see Evie P's little face at having a cow in your back yard, and chickens and sheep on the hillside and cows in your garden that you chase out....fun and more fun for a five year old.

Anyway...LN....I've got one hundred songs from Neil Diamond tonight blasting away....and some of them I don't even remember,,,,back to the past...not back to the future...LN

Tuesday 18th January

Now I have a distinct aversion to tax at any time.  I don't understand it, never have and never will and so when a form came and it was emailed to me from the UK...I panicked...the final box stated the the figure dispayed was either what I owe them or they owe me and there was no (R) in the box at all.  Now what this meant to me was that I was either going to string myself up on a beam or dance in the square at midnight.  So today I had another missive from the UK saying that a cheque had arrived so to save the natives embarrasment I would dance round the .....lounge and if I had had curtains I would have drawn them to save the sheep and the cows embarasment.   Oh what it is to live on a hillside!!!!

So I now have to go to the bank to calculate the interest that is payed on my Bulgarian account because this has to be submitted to the UK.  Now in Bulgaria it's easy...they tell you the interest rate, they tell you the tax payable and it is stopped by the bank...easy peasy  (got that Gouljan, it was one of the phrases from last week's lesson), my lesson to Gouljan, homework, read the diary, list the phrases that you don't understand and you will speak the most coloquial English of any Bulgarian.... :-/

At the bank one of the statements or agreements was filed....not only do they file it but they....stitch it up so that no one can interfere with it...joy of joy.....so to get the document that I wanted copied they had to unstitch it and I bet it is being stitched as we speak....two photocopies, stamped and submitted to the UK but to get to this stage today I had to cancel my lesson which is rescheduled for tomorrow at 11.00....she's a hard task master.

So before we got to the bank we did the secondhand shop and I got a summer blouse for 1 Leva ( 45p thereabouts), a fleece jumper for £2.40 and a down jacket for £6 thereabouts...do I need them????  No but they were such good bargains....had to be done.  After that we did the Leva shop and Lidls where the bananas just had to be had for 90stotinki for 2 Kilos.  

We also paid a visit to the post office.  Gems and Baby frogs birthday cards are in the post and I decided to road tax my cars and the first question was ....what are the car numbers....how should I know....so left for another day....Gouljan was not impressed.  Hey what's my mobile phone number.....who cares...I don't phone myself.

LN

Wednesday 19 January

My golly is it cold this morning....freezing fog and the hillside is white over.  There's a glimmer of sun and I'm hoping it's strong enough to burn it off so that it turns into a beautiful day again.  So I have the starting of a cold and last week's lesson was 'A visit to the Doctor' and I think I have picked up all the symptoms.  So I can now say, I have a sore throat, a headache, my muscles ache and a high temperature.  And from the text I know that I have to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, drink hot tea take a tablet for my headache and think about buying multivitamins.  All this from one language lesson so who needs a trip to the doctors??  Gouljan brings the most obscure things for me to translate but this was a gem. I wonder if the text contained the germs....now there's a thought.  On to homework.  She'll be here soon...

Wednesday continued

So I coughed and sneezed though the lesson and I suggested that the germs had come in with the script for the visit to the doctor.  I complained of everything that 'Mike' (the guy from the text) had.  So my lesson for today was about a man, waiting for his girlfriend outside a restaurant and he was extolling her virtues to a random radio interviewer while clutching a bunch of roses and her birthday present.  So it came to pass that on the 17th February.......I think not.

I have just received an invitation to a local wedding on Sunday and I've asked D of S about the protocol for a present to which he replied that you have to pin a 20 leva note on the bride.  Strange custom I though but I'm hoping it goes on the dress....I can't stand to be the inflictor of pain and I don't think she'd have a very good first night full of pin holes.  I wonder if they spend the first night counting it. :-/

Early night for me with a hot toddy and some paracetomol.  I just hate colds and I'm hoping that it's not a full blown one that lingers for ages.  Just a few pickies tonight.  The moon was just so beautiful as it came up and seems to be surrouded by a halo.  I've included one of a guy that took my fancy in Haskovo....couldn't get him to come home with me though....no sense of adventure I thought ;)  And I've just noticed that Gouljans camera needs the time and date changed...no way were we there at 8.30 in the morning and it was this year...honestly.

Thursday, 20th January

What a horrible night's sleep or lack of it.  You know what it's like with a cold, you want to sleep with your mouth open because your nose doesn't work and then you forget.  The polyroll that I took took to the bedroom with me kept getting lost in the bed and I think I was running a temperature of ....silly degrees.  I went to sleep at about 8.30 and looked at the clock at 3.15 and then went off again until 6.45 but no.....I didn't sleep at all according to my senses.

Fire going, breakfasted on toast but I can never remember if you feed a cold and starve a fever but what if you have a high temperature with a cold....just eat norally I suppose.

I think I have a pure white dog that has adopted my garden.  I saw him a couple of days ago playing with Socks so perhaps Socks has a girlfriend.  Wonder if Avatar knows...she'd soon put a stop to it ;)  Anyway he appeared from the back of my old house so I must go and investigate if he's made a bed in there but only when the outside temperature moves up into sensible figures....I'll just wait a while....

Thursday continued

Well didn't manage to get out to find out if I have a resident dog or not....just felt too poorly.  Only thing that I did...rebuilt the fence from one determined cow.  It was funny though.  I had used part of my dug up and replaced water pipe to protect the hedge and bully beef had this hanging from his neck as he struggled through and deposited it about ten meters from the hedgeline.  Unfortunate thing was I was out there like a shot and he had about two mouthfuls when I chased him out.  Metal bar replaced, cow outside....for the time being.  I'll complete it tomorrow when I'm feeling more up to it.  Now I'm normally stoic.....this time no....I even got my head down this afternoon for a couple of hours.

Just before this update...have found a site....Krazydad where you can download / print sudoko eight at a time.  This should keep me occupied tonight....LN....I have things to do ;)

Feed a cold starve a fever? Hope you get better soon.  Must be Angela passing down the line!
Buy wire mesh thick gage that will stop the bovines :P

Friday 21st January

The weather is cold and miserable.  I'm cold and miserable despite the house being warm.  My solution...I brought out a hot water bottle for Sally from England when his back was troubling him so now I have it poked into the pocket of a super large fleece that I bought from my second hand shop. Now this was going to be the outfit that Bekir was going to wear under my Christmas tree but since I haven't seen sight nor sound of them ....it's mine and it might not even come off my back till this evening and then it might just have to double as a nightshirt.  Cosy but I wish I could stop sneezing and having to blow my nose every five minutes.  I just don't do colds but it's time to top up my water bottle.  

Saturday 22nd January

Well I suppose I knew I was in for it.  My dozing yesterday next to the radiator covered in a blanket with my hottie meant that I was awake at 3.15 with not much sleep in me at all.  So out came my DS....set a new record for adding the plus, minus, multiply or divide signs and only still up to airplane speed.  The rocket is illusive.  Did manage to go off again at about 5.00 and slept in until 7.45.

This is going to make you smile.  I turned to look at the garden and yes, you've guessed already, there was a solitary cow hiding behind the brambles.  As I approached, she looked up and she was wearing a....metal pipe necklace (and where is the camera when you need it!!!!!).  She turned, it remained in situ, she went back through the hedge from whence she had cometh, set off on the hillside and it was about twenty yards before she shook it free.  I had visions of her arriving home with it still in place and the owner thinking that this was a bonus.  A cow that could also collect scrap metal while on feeding duty.  Never thought....there is an old fridge in the other house, perhaps I could just attach it to her horns.

So I've repaired the fence and done quite a good job on it but I'm going to see if there are a couple of men in the village that want a little job.  It's OK saying nail some mesh onto the trees.....there are no trees at the bottom of the garden so first it needs some supports and then the rest is easy.  I'm just wondering when the next invasion is planned and from which direction. :-/.  Perhaps I should just station myself on the balcony with shotgun, fire crackers or the catapult or all three.  Choose your weapon Black Knight.

Sunday 23rd January

I have just come back from my full blown Bulgarian (in true Turkish style) wedding.  Three hundred guest and I walked in after the bride and groom but no one told me that I should have been there earlier.  What did I wear..it was supposed to be smart casual so I got out black leggins, a black top and with my secondhand multicoloured pashmina and my long black coat also from my secondhand shop, did I feel cheap-shop chic.  Something nice about knowing that things don't have to cost the earth to look good.

It started at 12 ish and the 'ish' was where I got it wrong with my arrival.  As I walked in I was faced with 300 people and only knowing a handful made it rather scary, but I saw the bridegroom's father who was funding the bash and he shook my hand, made a few people move up and put me next to D of S and I realised that I was the only woman on the table of about one hundred men.  The music was very loud, very Turkish, clarianetist belting it out and obviously wired for sound and conversation was almost impossible.  There were three long tables.  One for the brides family, one for the bridegrooms (mainly men) and the centre table for women and children.  Men dance, women dance but not neccessarily together or at the same time.  It went on until 4.30 and what a sensible time for a wedding.  Brandy, Mastica, beer and soft drinks were free and the courses just came.  Salad, rice dish, kebabs and halva (sweet stuff to remove teeth in a flash) and the food is taken more like blotting paper, to soak up the alcohol.  I was on coca cola, my car being on the carpark and it was jus as well.  Apparently there was a coach from the village but there were...wait for it....approximately 75 on a 45 seater coach and it was doing about five miles an hour and maybe that is an exaggeration...could have been slightly more, or maybe even less up the hills.

So back to the wedding.  She was sweet sixteen, he was a very youthful looking twenty year old and she was surrounded by her trusty maidens.  I asked permission to take photo which they agreed to and I also have D of S dancing but the nice thing here is....no one's posing when they take to the floor....it's for sheer enjoyment.  There wasn't the option to pin the money on the dress...it was collected in a couple of boxes and there looked rather a lot to me.  Good luck to the happy couple....lovely day and now for the photo shoot....

and you danced!

Monday 24th January

And so I did D of S and has that video of you dancing made it to U-Tube yet?

I wish that I felt like dancing today.  I think I've had a relapse and am seriously considering the options like....bed or sofa.  I wasn't even tempted by the market in Djebel today even though I have to go in to get my road tax.  I thought I had until the end of the month but I have been reliably informed that it should have been done by the 15th so if I'm stopped by the men in blue I shall have to plead the fifth amendment or the old favourite that I don't understand.  

Today the weather is cold and damp again and there just doesn't seem to be any heat in the fire.  There probably is and it's me so I might have to do my impression of the kangaroo and stick the hottie in my pouch again.  Made for the job this fleece was....now I'm going to make a few decisions starting with tea, coffee or Oxo and then bed or sofa.....

Tuesday 25th January

Went to bed early last night and at silly o'clock I was full of beans and doing Sudoko and playing with my DS until 5.00 this morning.  I just didn't get out much yesterday or feel very active with this cold bug and my furthest journey was to the bottom of the garden to mend some of the fence that one rather smart cow managed to limbo under....bastard being....Razor wire is on order along with two local men and there are going to be machine gun posts on every corner. :-/

So this morning we have a return of 'the white stuff' and yes it is warmer than it was yesterday.  Not exactly blizzarding down but a steady fall that looks like it's set in for the day so logs at the ready, breakfasted on poached eggs and meat ready to go into the slow cooker (that's if it thaws enough) but if not I have got some fish fingers, I repeat fish fingers from Lidls and they'll be on the plate with chipies tonight or maybe a fishfinger sandwich.....nursery food and with a cold....what could be nicer.

I was right about the white dog.  I think Socks has acquired a girlfriend and he successfully fended of the three farmers dogs this morning.  They were in my poor Avatar's garden when I heard all this noise and looking out of the bathroom window it was Socks ...not quite barking his little socks off....but making one hell of a racket  protecting his 'beloved' when I think she was thinking any port in a storm and they look healthy specimens to me.  They are big, they are bold and they protect sheep where as Socks is only really a puppy but I say 'poor Avatar' because no one wants four dogs in your garden chasing one female even if one of them is your dog.  I've seen it before and it can get nasty.  

Time to throw another log on the fire...top up my never ending coffee cup and see how that meat is doing....

Wednesday 26th January

Woke at 6.30 this morning and boy was the moon bright.  Almost like daylight it was outside so I thought I'd go out with the thermometer for a laugh since it did look, bright and crisp and even....minus seven it was so I salvaged the fire from last night's embers and had it roaring in no time.  

So today there was a beautiful sunrise that just had to be captured and then bright sun as the day moved on and I just had to get out there and take a few pictures...rude not too.  Nestling in the snow I found my first crocus...now I didn't plant it there and on further inspection, I have found another three now that the snow has melted.  Had my Bulgarian lesson and shame on Gouljan, she didn't manage to do her homework (my joke) but we do have a few laughs.  Sun has gone in now but I just had to go out and do cow patrol.  Four were approaching and the white one that I seem to have a few problems with (few...) was eying up my reinforcements and low and behold, she couldn't get through so is that a result?  I'll wait and see on her way back to her ranch later today.

So just to post a few....a picture paints as they say....

Wednesday continued

Two more that didn't upload properly a few minutes ago.  I wasn't tempted to hang out in the cherry....I'll save it for when the weather is a little warmer ;)

Thursday 27th January

Happy Birthday CJ.....twelve today and going on...well you know what it's like with the youth of today. ;)  And many happy returns and yes...the cards in the post and has been for the last two weeks so I'm hoping it has arrived.  I should really take a photocopy and send it email so that at least one of them arrives in time.

So as to the weather....minus eight overnight, minus eight as we speak and freezing fog.  Very pretty trees, that's the ones I can see but my is it chilly.  I haven't checked up on my crocus yet but the snow has gone from around it which made it look like a goldfish trapped under the ice.  Hardy little things aren't they. To horse...have to go into Djebel to get my road tax and this time I will remember to take the car numbers with me ;)

Thursday continued

So I was fed duff information and even avoided a police stop by turning off early when I needn't have bothered.  I have until the end of the month to renew my road tax if I oringinally took out a year...not the 15th at all Dof S.  stop spreading false paranoia.  Anyway I have purchased road tax for the two for the year and the bill...134 leval which is about £68 for two but the sh*t has hit the fan...bread has risen and before anyone says, it normally does, can I just add, in price and there is an uproar.  Since it's the staple diet of 99.9% of the polulation down here...it is a big controversy.  I paid 10 stotinki more which is about 4p but if your pension is only 100 LEVA a month...not a lot to live on is it.  That's why they all have chickens, gardens and cows and some of the wealthy have sheep so that those EU subsidies are worth claiming.

So paid my telephone and internet bills.  The last time I went in to the shop in Kardjali I asked them if there was any bill outstanding and nishto...nothing ...so why then do they deliver three in the short space of a few days.  Well not really in the short space....mine are held at the post office until someone is 'coming my way'.  I've tried to collect but never found him/her at home....must work out the system but there again...they always seem to find me.  So my cars are legal and can go on the road, my phone is all paid up so perhaps I should look at flights.

Called into my restaurant and my lady was there along with my birthday junior.  I kept teasing her that the picture on her jumper was Mini Mouse not Micky but the children just don't seem to do 'teasing' over here.  If I'm in Kardjali my lady wants several kilos of bananas from Lidls...bit of a standing joke.

Anyway...LN...I'm going to see what my lamb curry has turned out like.  It's been bubbling all day and am about to do the rice....and then ...just have to wait and see what I can get up to next.... ;)

Friday 28th January

The rice stuck to the pan but I managed to salvage enough....the lamb was a little fatty and hung rather heavily for some of the night at least.  Went to bed at just after midnight...slept really well and woke up at 7.00. Good for me....no good books to wake up for at present....must get to that library.

It's really cold this morning.  Unlike yesterday there is no sun to speak of.  It was 'watery' when it showed its face briefly this morning but has done nothing to warm the place through.  You do put the extra sweater on automatically in the morning and my woollen socks, fresh from the wash and the bathroom radiator went on along with my cornish pasties as Princess refers to them....so today I am faced with all the things I can do and I can't decide what I'm in the mood for.  I'll have another coffee and then try to put my mind to something.

Hi mummy bongo, the cards arrived safe and sound. Callumazoo loved his furry frog and mine was open when it arrived so I had a sneaky peek! Callumazoo had a good birthday I thnk, got lots of presents, aftershave, a hoodie,  £100, and a kite from grandad. I took him and his friend ollie to the golden arches for a burger and then they wanted to go to the new petshop in newhaven, random I know but free entertainment and I'm all for a freebie.........

He is just out now on his scooter and off to the roller disco tonight. He has a better social life than me! Hope you are feeling better and your pasties are keeping your toes toastie!

Big kisses, moon and back,

Princess xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  :K)

Saturday 29th January

The Bulgarian postal system works but I'm sure that I sealed down your card Princess..they must have found the money that I enclosed ;)  (Not really, I do it by bank transfer.)  So pleased he liked his card....special choice for a special boy.....although not really 'special'. As for his social life being better than yours, I used to think the same thing when you two were growing up.... :-/

I'd got it totally wrong....I think Socks has found herself a ....wait for it...boyfriend.  They were scampering over the hillside this morning full of the joys of ...winter and I though that it was a bit too cold for it at minus 6 but there was a certain amount of 'excitement' there and off they ran again.  The time...7.30 so morning people egh.  No photographs...this is a family site and I know that you have all got vivid imaginations but there was one black one and one pure white one so we'll see the outcome in a few months.

It is cold this morning.  I have the woodburner going and I have even thought about lighting the one in the kitchen to see if that improves the overall temperature.  It's the first year that the house has been lived in for ages so the two foot stone walls in the kitchen are taking some heating through.  Someone did tell me that the first year in the house is always the worst.....not that it's so cold that I'm resorting to scarves and gloves....they're in reserve.  

So what did I get up to yesterday?  Not a lot....I had the remains of the lamb but added leeks and potatoes which absorbed the fat so that it seemed to sit better.  I was going to remove it but then thought...internal heat ...so left it as it was and it was OK. I had a little fun on the CSH website....I haven't contributed for a while but now I'm back in the swing, some would add 'unfortunatly' but there are just a few of us who look out for the 'unusual' in some of the posts and keep others on their toes.  Strange isn't it...the friendships that seem to form when you don't even know very much about people.

Enough....I'm off logging, lugging and loading.  

Saturday continued

So my lovely Avatar has just arrived with a dish of yohurt and when I say dish, I mean dish.  So as you will see by the following, they don't do yoghurt deliveries by half....I'm just about to get some in the freezer...well what else do you do when you have such a lot....invite the neighbours in....noooo....that's where it came from in the first place.  I've taken a picture of it sitting on the worktop so that you can judge the size of the containers. :-/  It's a good job I like yoghurt....

Saturday continued and continued

What a good day....I went upstairs to hang my new curtains and guess what....madea blind for the bedroom, two super large pillow cases for the bed and a bottom sheet. Have to use up this zebra print on something but I've run out so off to Kardjali on Monday...can't be without you just never know what a girl might need. ;)

One of my ladies had just delivered....hot cheese and onion rolls and they are bliss.  Now out to the shops for them...she has made the and they are delicious.

Pickies.......I've got a beer getting warm....but at a predicted - tonight...it won't be warm for long...LN

Sunday 30th January

So last night I checked out the BBC weather for Kardjali and it specified -8 and I thought....I've got a wood burner in the kitchen doing nothing and I seem to sit in a cold spot at night and it seems be coming from the kitchen.....and.....I lit it and hey presto....it has made such a difference and maybe now those two foot thick walls will warm up a bit....I also think that it was sucking in the warm air from the hall and hoiking it up the chimney before....that's stopped its little game.  Beautiful morning, the central heating came over the mountain at about seven thirty and my hall and lounge temperature has settled at +18 and it's only 9.45.

Today I have been invited to Gouljans for tea and cake.....so I thought 4 o'clock....nothing of the sort...noon and don't be late....early for tea so in case lunch isn't forthcoming....had poached eggs and some of my ex-pig farmer's mulled wild plum jam on toast.  No not together....eggs first and then jam...dohhhh.  I'd tried to get the lid of the sodding jar on several occasions and whether I was strong this morning or what....off it came, onto the toast it went and it was worth the wait.  

So shower time....bring in the fuel and then out to tea....that's the morning sorted... ;)

Sunday continued

What a beautiful, beautiful calm and restful day.  I received my text to make sure that I hadn't forgotten my tea time treat and said that I was just leaving.  I was welcomed as a guest and not only was it 'cake' but soup,spinach banitsa, meatballs, preserved meat from the sacrificial calf, salad, home made bread, home made plum juice, and fresh yoghurt and that cake to die for. So welcoming and I was even offered a bed and to stay the night if I was so comfortable.  I declined after all it was only half a mile to home and no alcohol had been necessary to enjoy the day.  

The filo pastry for the banitsa was rolled by hand in the traditional method on a long low table and I couldn't get over how you could manage to get into that position on the floor with legs placed that you could still work at about six inches from ground height....I didn't take my camera thinking it would be rude but Gouljan went for hers and I have a lovely picture of her mother working away and this will be removed from her camera and posted on Tuesday.  On my way back to the car, I had to stand still while the Cmet's mother struggled over the garden saying that she had seen me once but that she wanted to see me again.  We had a brief conversation, well I don't speak much Bulgarian and neither does she being of the Turkish leaning but I understood that she had seen me in November at the village fete and that her son has spoken about me.  The other neighbour came in just as I was about to leave and again, they all seem to know of the English woman and the house.

So back home.  My kitchen petchka is still going, the central heating one needed a little encouragement but it isn't so cold tonight as it was last night (well at the moment at least) and there is a cloud covering where last night there was none.  So the mosque has just struck up calling the faithful to prayer.  I'm going to pay it a visit one of these mornings but not on Friday, that's when all the religious old men get in there and it's not the day to go visiting.

LN......fully rested, I've just got to unpack my doggy bag of home made bread and walnut cake.  I declined the other things on offer......I feel so stuffed....so into a chair with a book I think....LN and thank you Mr and Mrs and Miss Gouljan for a lovely day. ;)

Monday 31st January

Well it only went and caught me out didnt it...minus 9 overnight and still minus 7.  Must check out BBC weather for Kardjali, I'm sure it's lying to me.  The crescent moon was hanging there in the sky this morning and has just been chased away by the sun.  The garden is white over and twinkling.  

While the cat's away the cows will....there was a large dropping towards the top of my garden pathway. I have already been out to inspect where the beauty gained access and can't find a gap in the fence or hedge where the bastard beastie came through so I may be on cow patrol today.  There's a hoof print on the cinder path that I am creating so I might just have to run it through forensics to see if it's logged on the computer..I thought about downloading the database (and there's bound to be one somewhere) with all the cows numbers listed and then I could go to the owner with the proof before I required the said beast to be slaughtered as a danger to the mental state of a woman alone on a hillside and demanded that it be freezer fodder ;)  Might be worth a try.

Socks and his/her mate have just been in the garden looking for anything that might be worth eating....zilch...the birds got there first.  They've just set off up the road (probably to do the rubbish tip) and I expect them to be frollicking on the hillside pretty soon.  Still not sure which is which in the marriage department.  Need to get a telephoto lens me thinking.

Monday continued

I've had it verified.....Socks is a male so there are some very confused dogs on that hillside.  Socks is Avatar's dog so I asked her about the white one and apparently it's from the next village about three k as the crow flies or the dog walks.  I think she's a bit concerned because Socks goes off with the other and apart from having him all the time tied up which she is loath to do....she might have to start.

So reinforced my fence to make it cow proof, had another little whinge at one of the locals with his barrow of rubbish that he was about to deposit on the 'dump' but he did promise to set fire to it.  My point is, why don't they burn it in their own gardens, a little and often like I do so that there is no build up and you're not littering the village.  They think it would be solved by a container, but half of the containers in Bulgaria are overflowing already and making more of a mess.  Oh well....let's blame the cmet. :-/

Beautiful weather today and a pleasure to work outside. The white dog decided that he would take to my garden for his afternoon siesta and virtually ignored me when I told him to be on his way....obviously doesn't speak Bulgarian or English....I must find out the Turkish for 'Go away'.  Now the weather has plumetted....there is no cloud base so I'm expecting mega-minus tonight.  Both my fires are going and it's confortable to sit about mabe fortified with a brandy and hot water.  Supper was.....fish fingers and chips with bread and butter so I just had to make a fish finger sandwich.....with the odd chip thrown in for good measure....washing up finished, everything done for tonight so LN.....I'm off to bed with a good book.