Sunday 1st July

Yes I know I'm late but what a super day I've had.  Pottering in the garden after a silly o'clock start and at 11.30 I got a phone call from my student's mum asking if we would like to go to one of the hotels on the lake for swimming, sauna and steam room and my boots were blacked, my legs defuzzed and into the car by twelve to meet up with the family by 12.15.

Off we set for the lake, it wasn't too busy so we stayed, ordered drinks which were poured down the back of my shirt as the waitress lost control of the tray, so I was wet before I had got anyway near to the pool. :-/ :-/  Sun was hot, table was in the shade and the water was cold but I braved it twice, the steam room once since by golly was there a lot of steam, learned that I am known by an English student who is second cousin to my student's father and generally had a good time.  We had plates of cheesy chips and princessers which are bread covered in ham and cheese and toasted and drinks.  Came in from the pool when I couldn't feel my fingers which I put down to a cold wind blowing over the cold water and have started sneezing tonight but goodness did I enjoy my swim.

So left the pool and went further along the lake and had a picnic with the family, down besides the lake and my student and his father began to fish and the next thing I know my student was bringing in a small fish close to my left ear and I can't say whether it was his sense of fun or his directional abilities need improvement. ;) ;)  So into the keep net for it and speedily there were three others to join it which were later let free...no supper for me then.  Drove back to Djebel and ended up in one of the coffee bars and remember I am driving so my lips have not touched a drop of the hard stuff all day.  Maybe a day without can be fun.

Home now.  Washing done, chlorine filled clothes are now awaiting outside attention which will happen at silly o'clock tomorrow....LN....I might just manage to get a snifter....it's been a beautiful day.

Monday 2nd July

Late start...woke up at five thirty and thought better of it so settled down again and it was eight before my eyes opened.  Down for coffee, watered the garden and then wondered what I could get up to and the lawn mower called me but that was after the kitchen.  Gammon and poached eggs on toast saw me off to a good start and did I need it.  Primed the lawnmower and first time it burst into life and now I have almost a complete mowed garden.  Dug out the stones to the side of the wreck and got rid of a lot of the weeds.  Tomorrow I am going to plant it up with something so that it looks pretty.   Now I don't usually do 'pretty' but it just needs it.

Doing the lawns took most of the day so don't ask me where the day has gone...it just has.  Supper was a chicken done yesterday in the slow cooker, stripped from the bones so that Tommy if he was a Christian dog would believe that it was Christmas, took the stock and the meat and added it to rice that had been fried off with an onion, added curry powder, ginger and chili and it was superb.  Washed up, had a shower and washed my hair and now it is time to sit down with a little of the brown stuff and settle into a book.  Latest one is Blue Men Falling by Frank Barnard about RAF pilots in the war.  Just started it so no opinion to date but will keep you informed.  So LN....I'm going to enjoy my evening....

Tuesday 3rd July

What a morning.  I woke up at eight aware that I had to be out at eight fifty to take Gouljan to work after she phoned last night.  So I rushed a boiled egg before I set off for my student, my car was going in for a brake check so I knew that I would fill the time well before the lesson at ten.  Got down to the bus stop and Gouljan walked over and asked if I would take the other three people complete with luggage to Djebel along with herself and I said that I would take two, looking at the amount of luggage that I had and no more.  They w;ere obviously on their way back to Turkey.  At this point they were still standing in the bus stop and Gouljan came over and I reminded her that I wasn't a taxi.  The next move on her part was when she said that she would make her way using and that I could take the three to Djebel.  I was not amused and was in a situation that I couldn't get out of without driving away and taking no one.  Not my style so I put up and shut up and drove the three to Djebel.

Went to the garage and they checked my brakes and my 'tampons' since they had started grinding with the extra Turkish baggage.  Everything fine at the cost of five leva and we struggled through a lesson on bathtubs and decided that an infinity pool was necessary in my house with the eagles or a hot tub in this one.  Home for twelve thirty and prepared potato salad and coleslaw for a cold feast with ham, tomatoes and cucumber followed by fresh apricots.

Decided to purchase a plastic petrol can for the unleaded for my lawnmower and headed off to Kardjali to get it filled since all in Djebel has leaded fuel.  Found the picture shop and saw and purchased a three part oil painting that is destined for my hallway to replace the material covered polystyrene tiles, and a new swimsuit now that I am getting into the swing of things.  There will be other trips believe me. ;) ;)

Supper tonight was pork kebabs with the rest of the salad stuff and that's enough cooking for one day.  There moon is up tonight and is magical.  Hiding at the moment behind my lime tree from the bottom terrace but really obvious from my bedroom.  Sat out until the drone of a mosquito drew me back indoors....and the call off the wine box made departing such sweet sorrow...LN

Wednesday 4th July

Later still tonight.  I've just got back from my restaurant in Djebel after sampling the delights of cheesy chips, chicken wings and chicken livers but unfortunately I was driving so all washed down with fruit juice and water but I've got a red wine on the go as we speak. ;)

So who's had a busy day in the garden then?  I decided to make a step from three bricks and a huge slab of stone, create a bit more garden and dig in a couple of shrubs that were hanging around in pots.  Looking good and really has tidied up the area.  So my next venture was to dig out the access to the cellar under the wreck so that I could get my lawnmower out of sight.  Three quarters of that job done to be completed tomorrow if I get time but it looks like it might be a busy one.

I've had an invitation from Emaula's mother to celebrate the start of the fasting at her house tomorrow and I have my student before that so the garden might just have to take a back seat but it will always be there for another day.  I've come to the conclusion that I prefer creating to maintaining...weeding just doesn't do it for me.  So as I said, I've had a most enjoyable evening at the restaurant and there was a volleyball game on between Germany and Bulgaria which when we left was Bulgaria two games and Germany one and it looks like it could go the way of the football....shame.  Note to self...check out the result on the internet tomorrow.  

Have a little of the red thing going on with my back tonight...I should have covered up sooner but it should be brown tomorrow as I always used to say to the children when they complained of sunburn....LN.....I'm  off to bed.....busy day tomorrow...

  

Thursday, 5th July

Seven thirty start this morning and it must have something to do with the lack of alcohol last night....slept the peace of the just.

Watered the garden and it has to be done twice a day now...it is just so hot.  Prepared my student's study material and on my way into Djebel was hailed down buy the local who thinks rakia for breakfast is normal and he wants to go to Djebel.  I'm not really understanding because he is slurring his words somewhat and the hat that he has on his head is covering two huge plasters that are probably covering one huge gash.  I ascertain that he is going to the doctors probably to get it redressed but he tells me that his head wasn't too good last night and I can probably guess why.  He's seventy and puts it down to luck....I'm a little bit younger but put it down to the fact that home made rakia is cheep and available.

So late for my lesson but not badly.  The lesson today was about pollution and included whales, navigation by sonar and global warming.  Not sure if the message gets through but I learn a lot from the texts.  Picked up a little shopping from Djebel and then home to get ready for my lunchtime date with the village.  The men were sitting outside in the square....the women were in the barn minus their shoes but retaining long coats and headscarves so I thought I would join the women until I realised that there was hardly anyone that I knew in there so I exited, put my shoes back on and headed back for the men's table.  My neighbour Byser was dishing out the food, I took along a couple of boxes of biscuits/wafers to add to the gathering but I had a plate of rice and meat with a drink of sorts and a chocolate cake.  I would think that there were about forty people there and me and my guest the only English.  Nice touch being invited...I am now a villager.

My librarian visited this afternoon with a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates so she can come anytime.  It was a thank you for erecting her shelves that she had slung up the  corner in disgust.  We chatted and have agreed that she is to come to lunch on Saturday/Sunday so that she can bring over the doors that are being removed so that she can fit plastic double glazed.  I shall find a place for them in my abode/ ;) ;)

Supper tonight...chicken wings pan fried with curry, chilli, ginger and honey and served with tomato salad, baked bread and cucumber and yogurt.  Delicious and there is a water melon that is looking to get munched but there wasn't any space tonight.  Ready for a beer now....something must help my chicken wings down and Tommy has already finished off the bones....I walk in the gate and he starts to lick his lips as if he knows that something good is on the way...if only all my guests were so appreciative of my cooking.... :-/
  

Friday 6th July

Five thirty start so out quietly so not to waken my guest.  Coffee alfresco and in for a second at six am.  Just got to keep the fluid intake up and the caffeine as an afterthought.

Company arrived at seven thirty but not much life until eight thirty.  I watered my garden, hung out the washing, did another load, breakfast was tomatoes on toast and then I played computers.  Emails, my other favourite website and my weekly letter from a spiritualist website and they had a very interesting article about a girl of seventeen that has been drawing and writing poetry from a very early age.  I'm very impressed by her artwork but not convinced that I could afford one of them.  She has a vision of empowering young people to be themselves and good luck to her.  I believe she is donating part of her income to charitable causes so good of her.  If you get the change, look up http://www.artakiane.com/
some of her poetry is really impressive.

So played around in the garden, got rid of more weeds and prepared the garden for the lawnmower.  Problem is there is still a lot of builder's rubble that has to be removed before you can go for it.  Lunch was toasted cheese and onion sandwiches using my new toasted sandwich maker.  So it mentioned a green light of which there is none and a red light which also seems to be missing, so the instructions meant sod all.  Tasted OK though so it will come into play again.

Did a killer Sudoko today, spent part of the day chasing butterflies with a camera.  It was twice round the zinnias and two round the tobacco plants but eventually got a reasonable shot.

Supper is pork in sweet and sour sauce and is ready and smelling delicious so I shan't be lingering long.  I've got into the habit of coleslaw and potato salad so not much to cook except the meat.  LN....supper is so enticing along with the wine ...you all come a close second....LN ....sorry... ;) ;)

Saturday 7th July

Five thirty start and out to sit in the sun and watch it come up....it sorts of lifts your mood from the beginning of the day.  Helping guest to create outside table from an old door and then decided that breakfast was on the cards if we intended that the day should really start so poached eggs were prepared from the three remaining.  

Library phoned this morning and my invitation for lunch was taken up so got my a into gear, into Djebel for more potatoes for potato salad and cabbage for coleslaw to go with the pork sweet and sour, pan fried chicken and nardenitsa.  Not a carrot to be had anywhere in Djebel for the coleslaw so it's a must for the next reasonably size place that we get to.  Chatted with my student's mum and had fun with his little brother, bought the coach bolts and big screws for the table and found a meter and a half piano hinge that I had to buy for approximately four leva.....a girl never knows when she might need a piano hinge... ;)

Arrived on time...lunch was served at about one thirty and was delicious although I say it myself.  We followed it with water melon and there is still loads of food left for tonight and loads of water melon to see us through until next week.  You can only eat so much of the stuff.  Off they went at approximately five, I printed off instructions for pool maintenance since they have put in a metal framed above ground thing for expected visitors and I think it should have some chemicals since the air temperature here is high.

Just checked BBC sports and good luck tomorrow to Andy your actual.  He's got a bit of a tough climb but you never know.  Watered my garden despite the fact that we had a few spots of rain and bursts of thunder but it didn't come to much.  Supper tonight is what you can find in the kitchen or the fridge so bread sticks and cream cheese seem to be on the cards.  The beer has already been found so one down and as many as it takes to go.....no photos...it's been a very relaxing day...LN.....Haskovo I think to take my strimmer back that doesn't seem to work properly since there is no way to rewind the nylon chord.  Probably pop in and see my pot man on the way to see if he has anything different....another pleasant day looms....LN

Sunday 8th July

So five thirty this morning I was awakened by something falling on me.  Now I don't like creepy crawlies and I immediately thought of a great big thing that was threatening my life and on the dark brown sheet I could see something of a white / beige colour.  Went to turn on the bedroom light and nothing happened.  Went down stairs and the UPS for the central heating is issuing forth the warning that the pump is being driven from the battery but since there is no fire going...blasting away for nothing.  It was a little of the cement stuff where the beam meets the ceiling and goodness knows what loosened it but it certainly got me out of bed in a hurry.

Walked into the kitchen and decided to put the kettle on for coffee...how long does it take the brain to realise that all things electrical cease to function when no power is being received from the electricity board... :-/ :-/ doh....  Watered the garden, took my book outside and sat in the morning sun despite that fact that it was a bit of a cool wind this morning.  Moved inside and realised that the air-raid warning had ceased and so straight to the coffee and up to check on my emails, etc., reset the timer on the boiler so that it comes on during the cheap rate period and now the morning had started for real.

Scrambled eggs for breakfast courtesy of my guest, washing out and decided to clear out the tool store where the old plaster had fallen off over winter.  Found numerous paint brushes in several states of decay and that's a job for tomorrow.  My outside table is now complete but at first it looked as if it was made for Daddy Bear and fortunately it is now down to Mummy Bear size without much ado......need to make a couple of outside benches to go with it but that will have to be done when my guest has left these fair shore...he likes screws...I like nails and ne're the twain shall meet. ;)  Rain this afternoon...I was playing on the PC and suddenly looked up and there is a smattering of raindrops.  Rushed out and got in the washing and then the heavens opened and we had April showers all afternoon interspersed with thunder and lightening and really hot spells.  Good lawn growing weather.

Supper was pla plaid prik (white fish with sweet chilli sauce) with sauteed potatoes and onions with peas and followed by water melon.  Replete....blog update and wanted to take a photo of the clouds tonight....dark and mountainous but the bloody battery on my camera needs charging and I need to buy a second one so it's one in and one out.  Ordered two on the internet and the buggers wanted to charge me twenty two pounds for delivery.  It'll have to wait for my guest to get back to England and it will probably cost about four pounds for two o them.

Just checked on Andy Murray...didn't make it and better luck next time....need to have a look at Silverstone so I'll say LN for now...my tummy is full, glass is empty so I need to head to the kitchen for replenishment...

Monday 9th July

Early start...five thirty and the sun was already up.  Took out my coffee and viewed my world from the terrace until the urge got me to pick up my gardening fork and start digging up the dandelions and thistles.  Didn't need to water the garden...we had rather a lot of rain last night and this morning it felt really fresh.

Organised boiled eggs for breakfast and decided that I was in the mood to tackle the hedge and bring it down to size.  Originally there were four trees at the bottom of the garden and I took out the middle two.  These turned into ten foot high bushes but with the use of several pieces of equipment leaving the kitchen sink out of it for this time, it is now reduced to approximately five feet with the bonus that I can now see the houses on the hillside.  There was hedge trimmer, long handled pruners, secateurs and a step ladder, heavy duty clogs so that the rungs of the ladder didn't dig into my feet and a cushion so that as I was precariously balanced I could rest my knee without the rung digging in.  Old girls do what old girls must to get the job done.  Result.

Lovely selection of moths of the terrace this morning...I loved the green one...it is so delicate.  It was so hot today that I decided to get my head down after lunch.  I was on the pc and my eyes were beginning to droop so off I went and it was going swimming until I realised that I was dreaming about a tsunami and advising myself to stay under the wave....not sure what that meant but I decided that it was time to get up so I was only there for about thirty minutes in total. :-/ :-/

So back to the hedge trimming.  Gouljan appeared this afternoon to apologise for putting me in a difficult situation the other morning when the whole of the bus stop wanted a lift into Djebel and I only had room for three and luggage.  Nuff said....she made her point and I made mine and we are still the best of friends,

Supper tonight was chicken curry with rice and washed down with beer and is still being washed down.... :o :o  Life's tough.

The garden is looking gorgeous and I love the new bench and seat!

I hope they are robustly constructed for "normal" sized Welsh people to be able to sit on them :)

Quite excited now to be heading over on Thursday!! Arriving Ruse Sometime Sunday all being good (fingers crossed)

Quoted from Hwlffordd

The garden is looking gorgeous and I love the new bench and seat!

I hope they are robustly constructed for "normal" sized Welsh people to be able to sit on them :)

Quite excited now to be heading over on Thursday!! Arriving Ruse Sometime Sunday all being good (fingers crossed)

It's been tested by a twenty stone English person Bob, so I think you are going to be OK.... ;) ;)

Lovely day today...my student didn't take too kindly to the text that I prepared for him and I think he was only just awake when I arrived for  the lesson....I almost walked out at one point saying that there was no point in my being there and I think he got the message.  Talked to his mother after the lesson and they said that they had been to Greece for the day on Saturday, ate Taramasalata and salads on the beach and I envied them...One day I shall be there.  

Very hot today until the weather took a turn for the worse this afternoon and the heavens opened.  It was at this point that my guest decided that he wasn't sure of the time of the bus journey to Sofia so off we trotted to Kardjali and confirmed that it is a five a.m. start from here to catch the five forty five to Sofia.  That should get him to the airport in time for the lunchtime flight.

Supper al fresco on the outside table was chicken livers, pork kebabs and potatoes that went down a treat with ouzo and water.  About fifty fifty makes it right.  Washing up can stay for tomorrow, sandwiches made for the journey just in case easyJet doesn't have a bacon sandwich left from the outward haul and water from departures.

Early to bed...early to get my guest to the airport....I shall come back...sort out a few things and ...rest....having guests is a busy old time....

Wednesday 11th July

Morning and yes it was a very early start to catch the Sofia bound bus at five forty five.  My alarm went off at four thirty and it was straight into action and we arrived in Kardjali at five thirty five.  Now if it's one thing that I hate it's someone telling me that their watch is five minutes behind mine when three clocks in my house and the one in the car say the same thing so my response was...'tell the bus driver that' and I refuse to drive to Sofia. ;)

So back home at about half six...stopped for petrol and the man thought that I was on my say to somewhere....bed did come into my head but it might be a siesta at about lunchtime.....

Anyway reason for being on this early....I'm about to post the pictures from yesterday....the keyboard decided last night to give up the ghost when I was about to name the pickies so I gave up as a bad job.  This morning....everything loaded as normal...so here goes.

Wednesday continued

Bit of a none day today.  Stripped the bed down and washed the bed linen including the pillows and I went up for my siesta at one but didn't sleep at all.  Those bloody seven from yesterday have told all their mates and there were about forty of them on the electricity wires at lunchtime all chattering to each other.  Now I'm not adverse to birds of any description but they are just so noisy.  They were bombing inside the 'soon not to be so much of a wreck' and popping out again through the upstairs terrace.  Red arrows / Black sparrows eat your heart out....

So as I said not much of a siesta....too hot to sit out...guessing about thirty six this afternoon so stayed in and did a few Sudoko and started to train my brain once more.  My guest forgot to bring his DS so mine was sort of commandeered and I've taken back possession.... I've knocked off another chapter of the Blue Man Falling by Frank Barnard and it's getting better.

Just watered the garden.  My plants were looking a little the worse for wear except for the cucumbers...if only I liked them... :-/  I must look up on the internet to see if I can make a face or hand cream with them.....I've left it a bit late to pickle the latest or else I'd need thumping great jars.  No food today....I think I've eaten for the starving millions in the world for the last month and I know it's hot and calories in this heat don't stick....but I read somewhere that it takes three weeks to come on and three weeks to start coming off so I'll be checking the scales at the end of the month.

LN....a little beer maybe and that should do me for tonight.  As an afterthought....my guest has arrived safely in the UK to a huge downpour at Gatwick and is absolutely knackered after a fourteen hour journey.  I'm absolutely knacked and I only took him to the bus stop and drove home again... ;)

Thursday 12th July

Seven o'clock start and straight into emails and coffee. I knew I didn't have to be anywhere until 9.30 this morning and I made Gouljan promise that she wouldn't speak to anyone in the bus shelter at pickup time so that we didn't have the world and all his /her friends filling my little car.  She arrived in her flipflops carrying her day shoes and changed them in the car.  She stated that she couldn't and wouldn't leave them in the bus shelter since her little black rubber shoes had been...stolen.  A theft in Polianitz and since everyone wears them...try and prove it...impossible.  So as we went through the village we had a few words with Avatar and my other neighbour, headed onwards and I ended up with yet another man who wanted to go to the next village.  We had sweets donated and the offer of a leva.  The sweets we accepted, the leva I refused but I came up with the idea that if I collected all the offerings I could paint my little Beauty yellow and become a real taxi.

In for my student and I came up with one of the Hans Christian Anderson texts.  It was quite a long one so we only did one page and his homework is to write the story up in his own words,  The second page we will tackle next week.  Went into the leva shop and picked up a couple of tools that I was told I couldn't do without and apparently neither could the customs at Sofia Airport.  My guest had put one of them into his hand luggage and was told that he could not carry them onboard...I think he tried to argue the point but not really speaking Bulgarian for the sake of one pound fifty he abandoned the idea and the tork wrenches with the customs officer.

Really hot today and decided that I would cook this afternoon and have a late lunch.  Ended up with chilli and onion pork kebabs, chippies, mayo and tomato sauce and that got the better of me.  The thunder and rain didn't arrive but by three I was ready for a siesta and woke up at seven thirty with the sun streaming through the window.  I forgot that this bedroom gets the evening sun and boy did it.  Downstairs I heard a beer calling from the kitchen so at seven thirty I took a little refreshment and out to water the plants that were equally in need of a good soaking.  Eightish my time and still very hot so I'm thinking it's time for a shower to cool off a little and freshen up then back to the Blue Man Falling.  I think he's got about another one hundred pages to fall.

Demob happy now......I've broken up for the weekend and it's very psychological.  No students, nothing to go into town for, no commitments except one and that's to take the little one into Kardjali for an MOT.  Probably do that tomorrow and get the monkey off my back.  So my haul from the garden...one tomato and four giant cucumbers....if only I liked them and you can't give them away...they all grow them....LN....I've got other things to do.... ;) ;)

cucumbers are doing well you must be well pleased...books on route.....

KingDom(ofS)

Friday 13th July

Quoted from KingDom

cucumbers are doing well you must be well pleased...books on route.....

KingDom(ofS)

Now you and I know that cucumbers are really plentiful and you know that I hate them with a passion.  I only grow them for guests and now that he's left...I'm left with the cucumbers... :-/  Thanks for the book...I look forward to reading it since it made a terrific impression on you according to your blog....and I still do not know who the man is but I'm sure it will all make sense after reading it....

So this morning was a fitful start.  Those three hours of sleep yesterday afternoon buggered up the night and at four I was reading, at four thirty the mosque and the accompanying dogs kicked off and at five the thunder, lightening and rain started so down with the book, off with the light and I settled down for another couple of hours.  Straight on to the pc and out in the garden by eight thirty working on the principle that calories burnt off before breakfast are taken from stored fat and that breakfast could wait for a while longer.  Heard a good one today though that I am going to repeat...shampoo runs down the body and clearly printed on the label it reads...for extra volume and body....it is recommended that you change to washing up liquid when taking a shower ....it dissolves fat that is difficult to remove.....bit of a no brainer... ;) ;)

The garden this morning was full of tortoise.  The first one to get spotted was down by the walnut tree and making its way across the lawn, the second one was hiding under the cherry tree and was very lucky that he didn't get smashed to smithereens as I was raking up the remains of the strimmer assault and the third one, a little one, was munching on my tobacco.  I think it's the rutting season coming up so I'll listen out for the jockeying for positions over the lone female.....quite good sport according to last years pickies....but not for the female.

As I said I raked up the trimmings and burnt what I could and lobbed the rest over the hillside, I weeded the two little gardens and got rid of the ever growing bindweed, dug up a couple of beetroot that are now boiled and lingering in vinegar with onion for tonight and dug up the garlic and that is drying on the terrace.  And that was all before lunchtime when I decided that scrambled eggs would replace the burnt off calories and boy was it hot...I was melting out there.

Afternoon had been a bit of a none day...cut out a piece of foam for the new bench and tomorrow I am making a cover for it and for the rest of the outside furniture.  Just cooked two pork kebabs and the potatoes are on for potato salad to have with them.  It is so hot that you don't want to eat too much...it's a pity it doesn't put you off drink but the beer lake is empty, the wine lake is full, the vodka rum and ouzo are available and where's that four headed coin when you need it.  

So into the evening...let's hope it's a better night's sleep....the pilot is still falling from the sky....LN...

Saturday 14th July

Melting in my bed at five thirty this morning so got up, grabbed a coffee and went out on to the terrace to grab some solitude.  Despite the fact that I live alone here...just to get out and sit and look at the mountains and gardens does wonders for the soul.  I happened to glance to my left and there it was...that red orb gently finding it's way over the mountains and the bugger has been pressing down on us all day.  Thirty nine degrees it got up to this afternoon so I'm pleased that I got my stuff done this morning.

Sitting reading my book but this time under the umbrella on the kitchen terrace, I suddenly looked at all the brown heads of plantain bobbing away and thought that it was time they were in the grass box of the mower so out it came with no more ado and I threw it round the garden, was vaguely conscious of someone to the left of me while I was down by the tomatoes and it was my Avatar wanting to borrow the foot pump.  I switched it off, felt sure that I would never get it started again although now that I've found the primer I don't seem to have any trouble and first time is go time... ;) ;)  Out to the car, off she went to pump up something and I know not what since the tyre on her wheelbarrow is long gone and she returned it five minutes later but I didn't switch it off this time.  

So I hit a few bricks, chopped some wood into matchsticks, sent up clouds of dust from the molehills but this beauty was made for me and my garden...I just love it. I ventured into 'unmown' as opposed to 'unknown' territory and the 'lawn' gets bigger every day.  Just need to rake a bit more to remove the worst of the obstacles and then it will be down to the rough garden and everything in my garden will be lovely...I spotted a couple of moths on the lounge terrace wall and reckoned that they should never be allowed to fly and would be a hazard to civilian aircraft.

Not content with gardening I decided to push the hoover round inside until the thing stopped and I realised that the dust-bag was full and the filters needed washing out....job done...one hour later I was back in business but I put it away...don't want to push the boat out too far on such a fine morning.  I looked at the clock...it was only twelve so I sauntered up the road in all of my filth from the morning's endeavours, gave my surplus cucumbers to my Avatar for the cows and thought I better shower and wash my hair since even the sheep were staying away from my fences.  

Played on my PC this afternoon...decided to cook supper early since I hadn't breakfasted so I breakfasted, lunched and suppered all in one go and cleared out the fridge at the same time.  Washed the dishes, cleaned the kitchen and jobsaguddun.  Marvellous what you can achieve when you don't make a plan but tomorrow I am down to Gouljan's parents cowsh*t heap and collecting bags so that I can pot up the plants from my nursery beds...I've got some lovely roots formed.

So, a little ouzo tonight.  I was toying with the idea of driving to Djebel to get some beer to save me getting dehydrated but CBA.  So update almost complete and I have a whinge to make...will all those ba*t*rds who try to sign up to my website so that they can put advertising on here....bugger off.  If your details don't look anything like your email address I shall decline your application...it's a little site that I enjoy writing and I hope you enjoy reading...nuff said.

LN...the rant would have been more but I've only had one drink so far.... ;) ;)

Sunday 15th July

So what have I done today...nothing...it has been too hot to hardly venture outside.  I've done the usual like water the garden twice, dug up a few weeds around the tomatoes so that the weeds don't suck up the water that I put on the garden but the activity level has been very close to zero.

The man in the blue uniform has hit the ground but I think there ought to be a sequel...there are so many unanswered questions like...what happened to the girl that made off with the thousands of cash by taking over somebody's identity, did he actually go back and return the toy soldier to the boy and did he 'get it on' with his French bird....questions that need answering.  As you can see today I have finished my book and on to the next but this time I move to South Africa....as the story unfolds I will relay it to you.  

Sat on the terrace this morning and soaked my feet in fabric softener and got rid of the old nail varnish and dead skin......and this is where a grater comes into its own.  Trouble is that wearing sandals and rubber gardening shoes doesn't do much for those things dangling from your ankles but they are now looking a prettier sight than they looked before.  The nails have yet to have applied the colourful varnish but I'm letting them air for a while.  

Today I am covered in bites...I know not from where but I slept without PJ's last night because it was so hot and I don't know if there was something in the bed or in the room but I've sprayed both.  Napalm would have been the obvious choice but in the absence I went for the green can and held the nozzle down firm and hard...the ants in the hall didn't like it when I saw a stream of little ones heading from one nest to the other....bastards.

So tonight I am on call at ten my time and eight UK time to chat to one of my ex colleagues.  We worked together for about six years so good mates so to speak and tonight we shall speak.  Another friend has made it down overland and and is experiencing the delights of the north of the country...he's in possession of a bottle of sherry and another of port that I can't get in BG plus some citronella candles.  

LN....I thought I had lost this piece of prose but Google saved it....you beaut....so LN....I have other fish to fry....and pickies tomorrow....can't risk it tonight with my connection being dodgy...

Monday 16th July

Am I late tonight and what's my excuse.....I haven't got one.  Bit of a late start this morning....out watering my garden when I saw my cow man taking his cow down to its private pasture and the hills have been alive with the sound of jingling cow and sheep bells most of the day.  It has been a hot sultry day and so I've stayed in for most of it and my energy levels have been at rock bottom.  Some bastard insect had a good feed off me last night despite fly-screens and insectocutors around the place.  I've been itching so much that at one point I thought I would have to start taking the antihistamine tablets for a little comfort but I'm using the cream at the moment.

So at three this afternoon I was holed up the lounge on the settee in comfort reading when there was the rumble of thunder which got progressively worse.  And then it started.....the wind hit gale force, huge claps of thunder, my garden umbrella was closed but horizontal and I went out to try and secure it and got sand blasted from my own heap.  Then the rain came and again that was horizontal, I had given up outside trying to secure the umbrella, went back into the house and I was covered in a fine layer of grit sticking to me now that I was soaked.  As quickly as it had come, the sun came out and it subsided.  Saved me a job though...I don't have to water tonight.

Back to my book.....I have put one of the insect thingies in my bedroom tonight so that we shall see what we shall see.  My poor body at the moment looks more like a red dotted dot to dot page and I think if I joined them all up.....it could be an interesting exercise.  I think I just might go and get creative.  Only one picture to post tonight....I was too busy protecting the property to be bother with the camera during the downpour but just managed to catch the sun going down on me..... MOT tomorrow and I think I'll check myself in for one as well..... :-/ :-/

Tuesday 17th July

Back to being me again...woke up at silly o'clock, read for about an hour or so, went back to sleep but I think it was the insectocutor with its disco coloured light and I thought myself back to my youth,  So it did the trick.  Virtually out of coffee and it was on my list for Kardjali today so managed with just the one and a half cups of the black stuff.

Did I have trouble getting out of the village.  You know I mentioned that there was a huge wind last night and it appears to have taken down a huge tree but fortunately no one was hurt.  It came down across the road from west to east taking out part of the bee keeper's wall.  As I approached it I thought I was in for the duration but a chicane had been cut through it obviously with a chain saw but as I moved further along the road there was a thumping great fire engine coming towards me with a police wagon on its exhaust pipe and goodness knows how they managed.  My spies told me that they were there to put out a fire in a rubbish tip that had gotten out of control but I saw nothing of it.

The book is no more.  A nice rolling book covering three decades and two continents, entitled Sunday Morning by Ray Connolly.  Jumped about a bit time wise but some nice characters in there.  Left it with fifty pages to go before I went to my student and to get my car MOT'd and took to the sofa to finish it off.  My student this morning had done loads of homework....not necessarily what I asked him to do but he seemed to enjoy writing the story down of the Little Red Hen.  I think the fact that she told them to go away at the end while she munched through the cake she had made made him chuckle.  

Got to the Garage in Kardjali realising on the way that I had forgotten to pick up my passport as identification.  The white copy of my insurance documents was missing so goodness knows where that has gone and he hummed and arrgghed and then asked for my passport which I told him I had forgotten so I handed over my residence permit with the stupid reference number seven on it....that's in a computer then!!...So I reckoned he would ask me to come back another day but no...it was done...thirty five leva and I'm all set for another year.  Tomorrow I insure the Beast and that has to be MOT'd before the end of the month.  I should have all the documentation that he needs for that.  He might even raise a smile...

Phoned Gouljan to see if she wanted a lift from Djebel which she did and arranged to go down tonight to collect the cow droppings for my plants.  The Kmet was down there and complained that no one had called him when the tree went down but perhaps they wanted men of action not smiles to resolve the situation.  Stopped off at Gouljan's house for melon ice-cream which is a first and last for me....my visitor was Emaula to pay me for the petrol that he borrowed the other night and to return the container.....and could he please use Facebook for five minutes which turned into twenty so not really into cooking tonight.  Another beer will give me all the calories I need for today.  Tomorrow doing that potting up so long as it stays reasonable and not scorching out there....LN....I've had a much better day...

Tuesday continued

Why wont the 'diet pills' and other advertising people leave me alone...I do no harm to no one and want no one to do harm to my site....I am just going to delete you...get the message.....

Wednesday 18th July

Up at a sensible time this morning and worked in the garden trimming tomatoes, getting rid of weeds that seem to spring up at the slightest hint of rain and strangle them.  Now the art is to keep the tomatoes well trimmed so that the goodness goes into the tomatoes not into the green growth so they tell me and forget to mention yesterday that I'm luck to still have them after a rogue sheep got into the compound despite the gun turrets etc.  Could I get her out, could I buggery so I let it carry on munching the weeds at the bottom of the garden and I must admit, she did a fair job but then panic set in when her mates started to disappear over the hills and far away.  She tried several exits but the barbed wire held but then found her way out the way that the cow managed to get in so word must have got around.

Suddenly caught a glimpse of Spike, Kingdoms orphan and realised that he didn't look at all happy and it was time that he was found a bigger home.  Let's hope he likes it there...he has actually quadrupled in height since he was taken into care towards the end of last year.....update to follow as to how he's settling in,

Phoned up about my insurance document and what was in the back of my mind was correct.  They do it all on computer now and so I wouldn't have had a handwritten white notice attached to it so I was probably searching for something that I hadn't a clue what it looked like but I can have a reprint tomorrow so that I shall become legal once more.

Cut the slats for the sofa today and nailed one lot in place.  All I have to do is to attach a back rail and nail the back of the slats into place but play was rained off today when I saw the tail end, literally of a snake disappearing into the stone pile by the wreck.  Not sure who was more shocked, the poor snake or me but it put me off working in that area for the day.

Early supper then decided to get my head down for an hour or so....it's been another of those hot days but at least I managed to work through it.  Phone calls tonight hence the delay in the update and almost time for bed again.  Not such a busy day tomorrow.....my student is swimming in the morning so we have a date for three tomorrow afternoon so I'll probably take the Beast in tomorrow and get the insurance sorted and a new MOT for it...busy time July for me on the car front.  All for now...got to sort out a new book....LN....got to make the bed before I get back into it again... ;) ;)

Glad to see 'Spike' is doing well, 12m (36ft) when full grown.  Still raining here.............. :o

Quoted from KingDom

Glad to see 'Spike' is doing well, 12m (36ft) when full grown.  Still raining here.............. :o

I'll be sticking him next to my special tree in the garden then.... ;) ;)

Thursday 19th July

So out into the garden this morning looking for the snake that put the wind up me yesterday.  I even had the binoculars out but didn't spot a thing.  It is probably one of the children of the one that was dispatched last month....this way boys....she is the one that got our dad or mum :-/ :-/

No student this morning....as I said I have moved the allotted hour to three o'clock so that he can have his swimming lessons and it worked for me.  I tidied round this morning, sorted out towels and stuff and my guest arrived at about eleven with a little bit of a hangover from partaking of a little of the liquid nectar with some hairy bikers that he met yesterday on his travels.....apparently they had a few old comrades in common....as you do after a few bevvies.

Lunch was salad and stuff which went down very well and I left him to read his book and probably snooze while I went to drag words of wisdom out of my student.  I asked him where his homework was....and the reply was that I didn't set any.....so I rephrased it and fortunately remembered what I asked him to do and then he remembered.  Ah well and his homework for today is to investigated the names of the nuts and seeds that we have and I want a list of Bulgarian and English names.

So out to supper...at my favourite restaurant....and you can guess what the fare was...salad, cheesy chips, chicken wings and chicken livers with onions.  I was fortunate.....I wasn't driving...I managed two beers but bought two bottles so that he can top up now that we are home.....I'm off to get my share of the bottle now.....LN....we have a little drinking to do....

Friday 20th July

Six thirty start, guest slept OK and was forced into making the coffee while I watered the garden and generally on the look out for snakes.  Despite last night's watering it's still very dry and the zinnias along the back hedge are not looking too good.

Into Djebel after a breakfast of fried tomatoes on toast and to the car shop so that they could reprint another copy of my insurance document for Beauty in case it is demanded by the police and left the Beasts documents so that it could be processed ready for when we came back from Kardjali.  Business in Kardjali completed, had lunch, paid my M-Tel bills and back to Djebel via the shop to pick up the documents.  Both cars fully insured and documents will be fully complete when I get the Beast MOT'd and I have until the end of the month to do it.  

Now my guest drives a Toyota Prius and I have never seen a battery and petrol driven car before and neither had the garage.  Lyubo and my student had a rice in it and couldn't get over the technology and I sat in it waiting for it to start when we set off and didn't realise that the engine was actually going since it was on battery only....really weird feeling.

Arranged to meet the family for supper tonight and just got back....the food was not as good as last night but it was adequate and five and the little one eating for thirty leva (about fourteen pounds with drinks) seemed about right.  Off to bed soon since I'm feeling a little jaded tonight...it's was a busy day in Kardjali and it was well into the mid thirties today.  Tonight the starts are so clear, not a cloud in the sky and no moon at all...crickets going ten to the dozen.....a beautiful night.....LN

Saturday 21st July

Early start....garden watered by six thirty, arranged for my garden to be watered for me for a few days and I am off on my travels.  My guest has opted to drive to our special website get together and celebrate a splinter group gathering.

Set off at about ten and programmed the location into TomTom and the arrival time was set at approximately one forty and we were met at the centre of the village.  A good time has been had by all....I have taken photos but forgot to bring my connecting cable so they will have to wait until tomorrow.  Ended up having a swim and watched the sun go down from the pool.....Supper at a truck stop and ready to sleep the sleep of the just.

LN....it's short and sweet....my internet connection is a little fragile so back to the red wine and into my jimjams...LN

Sunday 22nd July

Awakended this morning not to the sound of cow and sheep bells but two rather loud male voices bellowing in the lounge....just what a girl needs on a sunday morning.  Now I'd threatened to visit the local church if the bells rang.....they did last night but not a peep was heard apart from the clatter, clatter of the storks on the telegraph pole.  These have now been threatened with an elastic bands on beaks to stop the noise.

Breakfasted on the terrace and we made a decision to head off into the unknown guided by some silly female on Tom Tom that hadn't a clue.  Unfortunately I had forgotten the book of maps so it was left entirely up to her to screw up the journey plans.

Lunch in Tryadva, tea close to Veliko Turnova and supper back in the homestead.  Had a delicious desert made out of Buffolo yogurt with mixed berries ....something that needs to be had again and again and again....Shipka speciality.

Tom Tom kept telling us to turn round again private and they must have felt like complete dicks when the distance from home and time to location increased not decreased with miles travelled....bloody thing.

I'm on the last of the summer wine, home James tomorrow I am missing my little pad on my mountain top...I do promise to post pictures....didn't manage to find a cable...LN...the other lightweights are drinking tea... :-/

Monday 23rd July

Such a busy day today and tonight I am absolutely knacked....I'll update tomorrow if you'll all forgive me...I have some funny stories to tell....and loads of pickies...

LN....I'm just starting on the Ariana now....

Tuesday 24th July

This morning showed the full extent of the damage done by one cow in my garden yesterday....My Avatar was so upset when we got home from our travels and she said that she had blocked up the hole.  As I thought, that small hole by the side of the outside toilet that I thought I had blocked wasn't and through it came.  So what did it eat....all my cabbages, green beans and beetroot and flattened tomatoes and cucumbers.  Bastard bovine and today to add insult to injury I had three sheep in the garden so tomorrow it is guests out on their travels, me getting back to routine and fence building and securing the perimeter fences against attack, up with the drawbridge and fill the moat.

Really cool wind overnight and it didn't get fully up to temperature until the afternoon.  Lunch was potato salad, coleslaw, tuna and mayo with tomatoes with fresh crusty bread from the mobile shop.  I moved upstairs glass in hand but when the eyelids rested on the cheeks, I decided that it wasn't conducive to hitting the correct keys on the keyboard so a slight diversion was called for.  Yes I got my head down for a couple of hours and woke up at six, headed into the garden with the hose and then into Djebel for supper.  Arrived back about twenty minutes ago from my favourite restaurant....guest headed for the downstairs bedroom after a cooling shower and is in for an early morning start with a six hour journey ahead of him.  He's off to meet a solicitor for document signing....Did I want to go?...it took me a few seconds to decided that it was a big NO....I'm about to catch up on my peaceful life again, sheep and all.

Stories of the Shipka, Communist deserted head offices, wind turbines and man with gun will be divulged tomorrow....it was quite fun.  LN....I need some beauty sleep and I'm just about to take a bite out of this apple that a lady with a cloak gave me....LN  

Tuesday 24th July

This morning showed the full extent of the damage done by one cow in my garden yesterday....My Avatar was so upset when we got home from our travels and she said that she had blocked up the hole.  As I thought, that small hole by the side of the outside toilet that I thought I had blocked wasn't and through it came.  So what did it eat....all my cabbages, green beans and beetroot and flattened tomatoes and cucumbers.  Bastard bovine and today to add insult to injury I had three sheep in the garden so tomorrow it is guests out on their travels, me getting back to routine and fence building and securing the perimeter fences against attack, up with the drawbridge and fill the moat.

Really cool wind overnight and it didn't get fully up to temperature until the afternoon.  Lunch was potato salad, coleslaw, tuna and mayo with tomatoes with fresh crusty bread from the mobile shop.  I moved upstairs glass in hand but when the eyelids rested on the cheeks, I decided that it wasn't conducive to hitting the correct keys on the keyboard so a slight diversion was called for.  Yes I got my head down for a couple of hours and woke up at six, headed into the garden with the hose and then into Djebel for supper.  Arrived back about twenty minutes ago from my favourite restaurant....guest headed for the downstairs bedroom after a cooling shower and is in for an early morning start with a six hour journey ahead of him.  He's off to meet a solicitor for document signing....Did I want to go?...it took me a few seconds to decided that it was a big NO....I'm about to catch up on my peaceful life again, sheep and all.

Stories of the Shipka, Communist deserted head offices, wind turbines and man with gun will be divulged tomorrow....it was quite fun.  LN....I need some beauty sleep and I'm just about to take a bite out of this apple that a lady with a cloak gave me....LN  

Wednesday 25th July

So, the story of the gun....we went to see the Communist Headquarters deserted and sitting desolate on top of Mount something beginning with B.  Now I had travelled this road a few times and not once had it emerged from the clouds and I had no knowledge that it was there.  Over we went to Kazanlak towards the Shipka pass and it was on the road that A and myself had gone up when it was hissing down almost two years ago heading for the Shipka and because of low cloud and bad visibility we had neither found the Shipka Memorial tower, the other road down the mountain or this particular building that we were in search of now.  We made our way past the humungoulsy tall man without a name plate and off into the hills, spotted the brown 'point of interest', came to a t-junction and turned left.  The right was signposted to the hotels.  We parked the car and set off up the long climb huffing and puffing all the way and when we got there the car looked amazingly small in the lay-by but there was an amazing view of the wind farms.  We joked on the way up that there was probably a road leading to it with Taxis and we were half right...there was a road.  Made the descent, got in the car and decided that we would try to chase down the road which we did but it had a barrier across it which with care you could negotiate but I had visions of the road being mined.  Up to the top and from the top I saw a white van moving around and joked that it was probably a security car watching our movements.  We made a quick descent to the car-park but carried on on a road that appeared to be an army training ground but then the road opened up and yes...the white van was blocking our way and we were flagged down.  My companion thinks that the answer to everything is to say 'English' and it makes it alright but I was surprised when the man after getting out of his car asked if we spoke German.....so I said that I did in German but then added that I appreciated that it was a dangerous area with huge wind turbines rattling around us and said that we were about to turn round and retrace out footsteps.  I think the security guard thought it was a wise move on our parts and it wasn't until he was getting back in the car that we saw the gun....a real wise move.

Back to the Shipka tower and the Shipka Memorial church and I am now a travel guide again....stopped off at the fish restaurant in Black eyes...Chernoochie or the likes, and home by about nine on Monday and so the lack of posts.  Yesterday was a down day, out for supper last night and today my guest left at seven for his journey north and I'm back to my usual life.

Went to the library taking with me my new outside table realising that she had family coming out and needs somewhere for them all to sit for breakfast.  Tried Beauty and there was no sign of life so loaded the biggie with the table and off I set.  Got part way along the road and realised that my new insurance documents were still in the house along with my car documents so about turn before the dreaded traffic cops decided to fine me for non-compliance.  Unloaded table, sat and chatted, sorted PC, had supper, home eight fifteen, watered garden, saw the telltale sheep mess on the garden and little footprints and without I have elves with lose sphincters I can guess that I have had a visitation from my hillside friends.  First job tomorrow...fence.  Ariana is keeping me company tonight since I have no guests....must sort out the battery on Beauty tomorrow....there is no place for sheep in my garden...LN....pictures need inserting tonight.

Wednesday continued

I didn't actually chart my weekend away with my friends in Elhovo and it is in reverence to my other favourite website.  There was a get together in England and we decided that the Bulgarian arm of the forum would have it's own away day so this was set for Saturday the 21st.  I left home, we had a journey of a few kilometers and my friend was in the square to greet us.  We went to the house, lunch was 'pickies' and I'd managed to get some local cheesy bread and taken that with us and it was sit around time with a bottle of the red stuff and some beer and the pool was very inviting towards the end of the day.  Now the swim suit I borrowed shall we say fitted where it touched and it didn't touch in many places.  Getting into the pool was OK...getting out of the pool was rather like you have visions of knitted swimsuits.  I have left instructions that he is to tell his wife to lose weight so that I have a suit that fits when I visit next time.  We decided out for supper and the next day we set sail for one of the ethnological villages and had a super lunch and went on to Veliko Turnova.  We stayed the night and had pickies for supper, slept the sleep of the just and were heading for home until the urge for visiting monuments struck my guest.  Hence Shipka and the Communist Building.

Thursday 26th July

Six thirty start and on my own in the house so meander time.  No breakfast to think about so the day started with me deciding to take the flowers out of the old plastic sink and distribute them around the garden.  This being emptied my next plan was to take the routed cuttings from the lounge and transfer them to secure homes in either the said emptied container or into their own flower pots.  So how far did I get?   I didn't plant them up, the shrubs are still in the bowls waiting to be set free, I headed for the 'soon not to be a 'wreck' and finished off the sofa which is now in the lounge, ready dressed.  Fortunately my Kmet passing by in the car saw me struggling with something large, stopped his car and helped me to get it into the yard but he is so immaculately turned out that I was loathed to ask him.  Never mind....he was delivering my electricity bill so that's down to him if he feels neighbourly.

Strange one today.  I little old lady let herself in and sat down in the middle of the hall floor and I hadn't a clue who she was.  I gave her water since it was a hot day which she drank straight back but then I asked her what she was doing.  She proceeded to empty out her pockets and told me that she had Euro, Turkish and Bulgarian and that her daughter was ill, in hospital and needed an operation.  I had the feeling that her children had sent her out to do the business.  She wasn't from this village so I told her that I didn't understand what she wanted and that it was time she left.  She eyed up my box of matches but didn't pocket them but the thing that got me was that she walked straight in ignoring the fly-screen barrier.  I have enough to feel charitable towards in my village....hard but outsiders I don't consider.

Into Djebel and the Beast was again reluctant to start since I knew there would be no joy from the other.  In for my student who was so pleased to tell me that he has two new pairs of Adidas trainers with the one pair on promotion and the other for one euro if you bought two.  He's being taught the value of waiting for the right moment and that's good.

Arranged with the husband of my student that when we finished the lesson he would come back with me and pick up Beauty and take her back to the garage to find out what was wrong with her.  The plan was good but then it all started to go wrong.  Jump leads at the ready, wired it all up and then the Beast had developed its starter motor problem so wouldn't start at all.  So now we have bonnets up on both, two wired for sound and not a beep between them.  We go back to beating stick to bang the starter motor and heyho...the Beast starts but there is something still wrong in that Beauty will not fire....more fiddling...and we're off.

Now the plan is to take the little one in but now it is a toss up as to which one is designated to the sick bay and the Beast drew the short straw and left with my mechanic.  I ran Beauty down the road for a mile or so and I'm just hoping that there is enough charge to start it in the morning, not that I have anywhere to go....it is 'le weekend' but it's nice to know it's there should I need it.

Watered the garden, haven't a clue what I'm having for supper since it's been hot and sticky all day and I can't say that there is a lot of hunger lingering.  I did clean out the fridge and there were several small chunks of cheese way past sell by dates so it is destined for the bonfire tomorrow and Tommy's tummy if the burning isn't successful first time.   Just spotted three sheep in the garden so shunned out immediately, knocked together about four meters of fence that will be erected tomorrow to make sure that the buggers don't trespass again, beer glass topped on my way back to the pc and now heading back down to the kitchen now I have had a little exercise to raid the fridge for something to eat...the mood has now overtaken me.  LN....I have things to sort... ;) ;)

Friday 27th July

Woke up this morning at three of the clock and decided that it would be better if I was in bed and undressed instead of sitting in front of the computer....happens sometimes so closed it down and off I toddled and at six thirty felt as bright as a button.  Straight into the garden, everything watered, breakfast was boiled eggs so not effort there then and came up to the computer and it was then that I noticed three sheep about to demolish the stuff that the cow had missed.  Legged it outside, got them out quicker than they had probably come in and the fence was hoicked into the space back of the compost heap, nails at the ready and with my guest giving me a hand from the other side it was firmly fixed in place and no further visitations were made.  The did come up and view the new fixture, no comments from the assembled crowd and they sidled away to look for pastures greener than that on the outside of my fence.

Got some good shots of the humming thingy and a new butterfly that has only just started coming, potted out my rooted cuttings so let's see how they survive in the real world.  Decided to run into Djebel to top up the battery but those plans were soon scotched when the thing wouldn't start so off we went in my guest's car, down to the garage and now the Beast has a knacked solenoid and the new one is expected tomorrow and will be ready for collection at about one.  It will then be swapped for Beauty and we'll try and work out what's wrong with that.  As they say, it never rains but it pours but rain is what we could do with right now...it's been a humid scorcher all day.

Supper was honeyed pork kebabs, potato salad and stuff....a little beer to wash it down and I don't think I shall be late to bed tonight but this time straight to bed, no dropping off tonight.  LN....time I became reasonable company again..

Saturday 28th July

Woke up at six thirty and decided that there was more sleep to be had and finally made an effort to join humanity at eight thirty.  Making coffee and noticed my Avatar at my kitchen window so went out to join her.  It was obvious that she had a problem but it's like drawing teeth to get it out of her.  Eventually I found out that she was out of gas in her cooking bottle and that Djebel had run out as well.  I thought about it for a few moments and it came to me that the house that her grandchildren rented in Djebel probably had a gas bottle and bingo......we went along and brought it back so that she could get on with her cooking.

Went down to the garage and the Beast is still in bits and they were expecting the parts this afternoon...so it looks like Monday for its return.  Lunch was bitsa this and bitsa that and we finished off with some very sweet sticky biscuit thingies...nice.

Afternoon found us reading and generally chilling but then boredom overtook us and off we went to find my little house in the mountains that I hadn't seen for a few months or even longer...It hadn't moved....there was far more rubbish in it than I though there ought to be and I reckon that some gypsy family had taken out a letting without letting on.  One day I shall get up there with my workmen, sort the place out, work out what windows and door are needed and get them to patch the roof.  Waited around for the sunset that was spoilt by one great big cloud that insisted on diverting the last rays but managed to catch them as we got back to the car.  Supper more pickerty bits and washed down with a little of the local beer...it's been a hard day.....not.  LN ;) ;)

Elsa, the photographs are all good, but the last one is quite spectacular. I just love it.  Also love the storks from earlier in the week.     :)

Sunday 29th July

Quoted from 50

Elsa, the photographs are all good, but the last one is quite spectacular. I just love it.  Also love the storks from earlier in the week.     :)

Thank you for your kind comments....you do realise that the storks were especially for you since you said how much you liked the birds. Big hugs for you at this sad time.....but next year you'll be spotting your own storks hopefully... ;)

Lovely photographs - how high (in the mountains not stories!;))is your house because those are some lovely views.

Was a very interesting piece in the paper today(holiday section) about some pop star and his family holidaying in a villa in Gella (www.villagella.com)

Sunday 29th July

Not sure Tabs....it is just a lovely place and one day I will give it the attention that it deserves.  I'll get my tape measure out and thanks for the article...I'll give it the once over.

So today...It was a six thirty start and just couldn't get off again so out into the garden, gave it a good soaking while my guest lingered until eight thirty approximately saying that he had been doing Sudoku since seven thirty but not a sound was heard,  Eventually emerged at eight thirty and we sat about having coffee until the urge to cook breakfast took over and then we looked at ebay properties for Bulgaria, laughed at the descriptions of the properties that you know are absolute crap and the photos bear no resemblance to the area designated and you move on to the next.

Eventually we get out and head for Mishevo with the intention of going to the Devil's Bridge at Ardino.  Tom Tom behaves itself up until this point but I know where I'm going and I know who's going with me.  Eventually we start the climb to the bridge and my guest chickens out.  In my 4x4 I managed it with A and we had a lovely time.  The beauty of the bridge will remain hidden to my guest...

I ordered lunch enough for the five thousand and the bill was a staggering seventeen leva....hhhmmm.  Off we went again and headed for Nedelino but Tom Tom at this point keep telling us there was a road onwards from there to Djebel and the children of the village laughed, said it was a 'Cheren Put' which roughly translated means 'crap track' but that it was only three kilometers long.  We started the climb, got up about twenty feet and chickened...we rolled back and went back from whence we came.  I said we could do it, he said we couldn't and wanted to prove me wrong...I let him off this time.  Back via another Cheren Put to Ustra and home for about eightish....Supper was toasted cheese and onion sandwiches...not original but sufficient but we are both running short of beer...I fear a calamity about to strike.

Nuf said....I have a bonfire burning and have to check it out.  I've already sprayed the surrounding area so that I don't have to call on my neighbour, Hotfoot to stamp it out....out to the bonfire...LN...catch you tomorrow.

Monday 30th July

Six thirty start and out into the garden to tend and water it and then on to the computer and wait for my guest to surface.  Now he's getting later and so much so that I almost had to knock on the door just to check if I had to get the local hojjer out to bury the body feet first towards Mecca but the only problem being that he hadn't given me full instructions as to how to drive his half electric/ half petrol thing that sits outside my drive.  Eventually he emerged and hard boilers with toast was the order of the day.

So found him a few properties to look at from another website, and eventually we left complete with my Avatar's gas bottle and went to pick up my Beast.  Gas station did not have gas for another hour, down to the garage and handed over ninety eight leva for new solenoid and all the trimmings including an oil top up and on to the restaurant until the gas station was in business.  Picked up cash, put twenty levas worth of gas in the bottle and that should do her until January, home via the water fountain and faced with four puppies that had been abandoned.  Absolutely beautiful, black and white patches all over them but how can I manage a dog...such a shame but this is Bulgaria.  We have seen several sets just lately and what can you do about it....I don't have the resources or the inclination to take them all in...you just couldn't.  Got home and jump started Beauty and hopefully it will be OK for tomorrow or it is in for a holiday down at the garage.

Delivered the gas bottle...left with rice and meat for supper and a bag of tomatoes and that is bartering.  Added and onion, mushroom and soya sauce to the meat and rice for supper and it was delicious. My cow man has just arrived with a letter from a girl I used to work with when I was sixteen...we have led entirely different lives but the friendship remains and I love her and her husband to bits.. ;) and just started on a pack of very light biscuit thingies filled with jam....wrong move....so moorish....can't see them surviving the night.  

So tomorrow a trip to Momchilgrad in the morning providing my little one starts and then on to Billa to top up with beer.  It has taken a bit of a pasting tonight so supplies need to be got in.  Gouljan has reported that her trip to the Black Sea with her sister and nephew was not as it should have been....I'll catch the full story tomorrow when I pick her up from the bus stop for a lift into Djebel...the saga is to be continued...LN....I have to check out that my guest hasn't nobbled all the beer while I've been busy...update tomorrow.....LN

Tuesday 31st July

And now I'm suddenly thinking...where has this month gone!!!

Normal time this morning but something that I ate last night had me up in the night a couple of times and it was a touch of Montezuma's revenge.  Still up at six thirty though and left the garden and concentrated on the PC....Now the weather for Kardjali had stated that we were due for several bouts of showers for today and I was counting the Stotinki but all we got was a brief short downpour which lasted from four thirty until four fifty....and they call this rain.

My guest's tyres were looking a little the worst for wear after four thousand miles and a lot of them on Bulgarian roads.  Into the garage, priced up a couple of front ones and it would take a couple of hours to get them down to the garage.  Went over to Momchilgrad this morning to show my guest the delights of the local market and we ended up at the Makaza hotel for lunch.  The waitress dragged out the man who spoke English so that we could order and I continued to order in Bulgarian which made his journey something less that useless.  Hey I thought his English was good and I had no complaints on my Bulgarian.  Decided to go home after that and he set off for the garage while I set off in Beauty for my student and then down to the garage to sort out my flat tyre that couldn't be sorted by my knackered foot pump.

Lesson today was the Mayan culture and he had actually done his homework from last week.  We spent time talking about the Olympics and the fifteen year old's achievement in the swimming and that impressed my thirteen year old.  Went down to pick up my car and yes it had a puncture...all fixed now so home James via the supermarket to fill up on essentials like beer, eggs and bread.

There is only one of the puppies left at the spring fountain and it is the one that I said that I would have picked....but please, let someone else have it.

Home and supper was pork chops with sweet and sour sauce with potatoes, carrots and peas....the cakes are going to be left untested tonight...I had a sugar overfill last night......and didn't rest comfortably in my little pit.

Just about to check up on the Olympics....LN....and on to a new month tomorrow...where does it all go....LN... :-/ :-/

Hi Elsa, great photos as usual. Hope u ok. All seems well. Mum sends her best. She wanted to know how many kids u have and how old they are. Shes abit dulally some days, and others as sharp as a tack. Anyway I said id ask.  lol take care. Linda.x