Wednesday 1st August

No hares in the garden, no white rabbits and it was a pretty slow start.  I was into one of those recurring dreams that you can't seem to get out of and I was pleased when it was seven and I could get up.  Don't ask me what it was about...I really can't remember...but you know what I mean.

Tomatoes on toast for breakfast, watered the garden and plucked two of my four melons that were ready for picking.  The other two will last a little longer on the plant but the weather has been so hot that they have ripened so quickly.  The cabbages despite the assault by one bovine bastard look to be sprouting again so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some sort of harvest.

Today's journeying was to find a house that was for sale in a village about thirty kilometers from here.  We knew the village and the house number and that was about it.  We arrived at the road sign for the village, the road disintegrated into a track that the car we were in couldn't hope to navigate so we turned round and headed for another village hoping that there was another way in.....wrong....so we tried another village and wrong again so we had lunch, settled for another couple of ice-creams and headed back to Djebel and home.

Checked out the BBC weather for Kardjali and it said that rain was due at six tonight....it started at five fifty so for British weather predictions I call that bloody good.  Unfortunately it stopped after about fifteen minutes...threatened the garden but really it didn't touch the sides but watering can wait until tomorrow now.

Gouljan came round when I was half way through preparing supper so started the rice and it cooked itself while we chatted.  She said that her holiday wasn't a great success but now she doesn't go back until 15th September  so she has plenty of time to wind down before she has to wind up again.  Finished supper, chicken livers with rice followed by melon......a little beer on the go again....it just has to be done to keep up the fluid levels....LN....time for another....

Thursday 2nd August

Broke up for the weekend again...I so love Thursdays.

Into Haskovo this morning to buy a new strimmer cartridge and to get the men to take the old one apart since the old one seemed to have jammed.  He used brute force and ignorance and a bloody great hammer and didn't seem to replace the washer that seemed to have been the problem.  As it stood they had no replacement so I asked why they were still selling them and go no reply....looks like another trip to Haskovo when this cable runs out now that he has re-theaded it.  Will probablty last all of twenty minutes....  

Back in time to get lunch, prepare questions to go with the lesson this afternoon, pick up Gouljan and her nephew and head into Djebel.  Did my student and he was feeling down in the dumps today.  The weather is so hot and the atmosphere oppressive but I made him slog it out until the end and we are still speaking at the end of it.  Met up with Gouljan in town and we went for a coffee in town.  Dropped her off at about six....supper cooked for my guest and went down very well.  Washing up done, biscuits are taking a hammering as we speak and there is a bloody fly flitting round and creating havoc....I hate the buggers.  Chasing him around the light and he seems to be winning...arrrgggghhhh.  LN....I have business to sort....must say though...my Avatar's tele is useful for Olympic coverage  but I must get her to turn the sound up higher.

Friday 3rd August

Early start...breakfast was back to my poached eggs.  My guest was very satisfied with hard boiled and toast.  Dug up some of the reluctant weeds this morning but the ground is so hard that they are difficult to remove so gave up on the chore....

Beds stripped today and I had the feeling I would be rescuing my sheets and duvet covers from the Greek mountains but the pegs held.  There was such a wind blowing.  My guest set sail just before lunch and we sat for about an hour trying to do the Daily Mail Sudoko which was a bugger today....I am pleased to say I eventually did in in about fifteen minutes but that was after about four resets.

I am now ready for the next visitors or returners....beds made up but mine didn't last long.  It was so hot that I took to my virginal pit at two thirty or thereabouts and got up at five thirty but am wondering how the night is going to fare.  Just watered the garden for the night but it seems to be going nowhere.  If you scratch the soil it seems as dry as the proverbial bone but short of letting the hose stay on all night, not a lot I can do about it.  The hillside is bare and the poor sheep are not finding much to whet their appetites so thank goodness I fortified the fences otherwise they would be in.  As for the cows, they've had anything worth eating so they are avoiding me like the plague.

Fish finger sandwiches tonight....forgot they were in the freezer but they jumped out at me tonight....LN....I'm about to get the pan out....

Saturday 4th August

Early start this morning and it could have had something to do with the taking to the virginal pit yesterday afternoon.  This time the mosque didn't wake me at five thirty...I was waiting for the 'hodger' and the dogs that join in the morning prayers with him by howling along.  This isn't a whinge....it's a very pleasant sound even if it is at the crack of...sunrise.

I've lifted my onions this morning and dug over the bed.  They're now spread out on the terrace to dry off in the sun before stringing.  My soil is just so naff that I am going to put the sawdust lingering in the wreck on it to give it more bulk and hopefully that will help it to retain what moisture there is around.  Not that there's much....it's going to be another scorcher so what's there will soon burn off.  Looks like that area might remain unplanted but looking at my Avatar's garden...she has only a quarter of it being productive at the moment.

Tail of woe yesterday from one of the 'blog' members.  All I would say is that some 'helpful' souls might just be helping themselves to your hard earned cash....stay alert... :-/

So a whole day ahead of me...sawdust first and then I'll see what I can get up to before the heat really kicks in....I think it might even be a sewing day...or watching the BBC text messaging service from the Olympics....all I seem to get on the live streaming is ....this cannot be shown in your area...bummer....but many congratulations to the golden boys and girls in the cycling and rowing to date and now on to the athletics and fingers crossed for Murray in his final... :o

Saturday continued

So I made my duvet cover, washed and ready for guests, supper tonight was chips with ham and tomato sauce and mayo and it was eaten while watching the live texts on the Olympics.  

I was fairly active today despite the weather which clicked in at close to the ninety mark.  I have got my picture ready for erecting.  It is in three sections and I have screwed eye hooks between the sections...tomorrow it will be hung or thrown on the hillside in frustration.

Loads of people trying to sign up for my website where the name and the email address show not correlation...they're destined for the rubbish bin and so they should be....why oh why do they try to sign up when all they want to do is add adverts....not on my diary you don't!!

Super Olympics this afternoon and good luck to J. Ennis in the final stage ...and to the cyclists that are still chasing gold at this late stage.  Now is the time that I was back in the UK...there is just no coverage out here at all. :-/

LN...time to get showered...I would just add...the sherry has been opened....

Sunday 5th August

What a night....there was a mossie in the bedroom and I could hear the dzzz but could I see it....Blasted thing.....I hope it found its way to the insectocutor that it should have found its way to before it woke me up.  Mosque, but no dogs this morning on our singalong session and then went back off until eightish.  Had this weird dream that I was digging a plantain out of my eyebrow and there is still some sherry left in the bottle....so it can't have been that.

Finished putting my three part painting together ready for hanging but I think I need someone else in the house before I start my grand ascent of the landing.  Somehow there is safety in numbers.

Well the idea of taking the Beast to the library this afternoon to double as a caravan tonight has fallen into difficulty.  Its MOT ran out on Thursday and I forgot about it so Beauty will take its place and I might not even stay the night.  I'll put in a foam mattress, pillow and sheet but if there is a shortage of space....it's not that far to come home.  They're having a lamb roast tonight for their relatives over from the UK and I have been invited to partake and it would be rude not to.  

So tomorrow I'm picking Gouljan up at eleven by the bus-stop and we're off to Kardjali.  Firstly the Beast, then the bus-station to see if I can find out the times of buses to Elhovo should I decided to go to the UK having been offered a lift leaving on Thursday.  Heck of a decision.  I'll keep you updated.

So grab washing from the line, bundle stuff into Beauty, wallet, phone, couple of bottles of beer and away I go....update tomorrow....have a pleasant afternoon and I envy you coverage of the Olympics and thanks OH for the suggestion..... ;)

Monday 6th August

Well what a twenty four hours or so this has been.

I set sail for the library yesterday afternoon and everything seemed to be going OK.  I'd packed a few bits and a bedroll but thought I would abstain from the demon drink and drive back...for no other reason that own bed is best.  My plans were thwarted by the gods.  Drove into the yard, decided to put my car into the garage backwards just in case there was a problem with the battery on the Beauty, started to turn it round and then the car wouldn't go into reverse at all.  Now I felt a little bit of that little bit of male anatomy that females don't have as I tried desperately to find that elusive reverse gear but it just wasn't there.  

The librarian has two sons currently visiting and they were rapidly summoned to sort out the car.  I think at first it was a belief that there was this dippy old bird that hadn't a clue about the gear box but after a few attempts, they couldn't find it either so a little bit of a tow from a larger beast, one of the guys used the fall of the land to turn in, up the hill in first and pushed it back into the garage.  Went in the house and watched Murray win his gold and the car would be worried about tomorrw....I have a lamb roast to attend.  

Met the rest of the family and we went down to the village.  Chip, cheesy chips, salads and lamb and rice were the order of the day and a little beer to help it along.  Did make a point of asking the restaurant owner who also runs a garage if he would look at Beauty in the morning so it was agreed I would be down there between ten and eleven. Back in the back of the jeep and sat out and put the world to rights until one in the morning and then into bed and slept OK until eightish.

Breakfasted, took my car down to the village and we identified the problem but it would take a day to get it from Kardjali to the garage and a day to fix so we were looking at late Wednesday before it was back on home turf.  I apologised to the man but said that I would risk it in forward gears to Djebel, into my garage....part ...fifteen leva...labour...three....tip....two...jobsaguddun for twenty leva.  Problem, it was the cable from the gear lever to the selector box.

Phone call from my previous guest to say that he was heading back with his wife to the area and could we meet up for supper so into my favourite restaurant after finding them a bed for the night in one of the hotels in Djebel.  Very pleasant evening....home now and a little beer on the go....I don't sniff the bottle when I have the car outside.  I am threatened with a breakfast delivery in the morning.....LN...I have some sleep to catch up on...other people's beds are never the same.

Tuesday 7th August

Hot as you like last night and didn't have a really good night's sleep so out in the garden watering the estate by sevenish.  Everything is looking really parched and the nights are almost as hot of the days and whatever water you put on evaporates as quickly as it is distributed.  Had good intentions of going out to start on the bed this morning but I got carried away with the Olympic live updates at Chris Evans doing his stuff on Radio two.  My breakfast arrived at about nine thirty...my guest and his wife carrying the plastic bag containing with local filo pastry filled with white cheese and I provided the coffee.  We sat around until half eleven and then I threw them out to go see things while I got on with hanging my on the stairs and the one in the lounge.  The original from the stairs is about to be recreated to go into one of the bedrooms....that's creativity for you.

So out to my student this afternoon. As I said I was deeply concentrating on the Olympic  BBC live update and that's the best I can get without a TV.  Today's lesson was all about computer system logons and passwords and how to protect yourself.....useful if you are interested and I had to struggle for the last ten minutes or so with him but he was due a dental appointment to replace his brace that he had broken eating local hedgerow fruit with stones in....I don't think mother was too pleased.

Went to the shop in Djebel to pick up a few things and my guest from the morning had spotted my car and I had yet another invitation to supper tonight in Djebel since that it where they are staying...Home by 10.00 and out with the bottle.....not good for a girl to drink orange juice and water just because there is a car outside.

More guests tomorrow for lunch....so salads and just a few simple dishes round a big table (well it would be if I had one).  Mine has gone off for its hols to the library so out with the hammer and nails to see what I can come up with at short notice.  LN...just need to post a couple of pictures...I'm in for an early night....

Wednesday 8th August

What a dilemma...I have the opportunity to go back to the UK tomorrow and I don't know what to do...one part of my brain says yes...the other...what for...and I have to travel three hours in the opposite direction to get to my lift.  It doesn't help that he says that if he didn't have to go back he wouldn't ...and I think well I don't have to go back so why am I...decisions, decisions...deep thought session tonight.

So what sort of a day have I had?...lovely.  I had six guests for lunch and it went very well....coleslaw, mixed grilled meats, potatoes since the little one only eats boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, cucumbers fresh from the garden, tomatoes and tomato sauce for the little one with a little bit of meat.  Her father is not a gigantic gastronome and I think it's rubbing off.  The rest tucked in though and most of it was demolished and it was just as I hoped.  Not much left for the canine villagers.  Fanta lemon, beer, fruit juice for those not imbibing and water for the latecomers.

Settled in this evening for the updating of the Olympics and sad that the jumpers have knocked fences down...commiserations for them but at least they have gold in their back pockets.  Interested in the BMX stuff since I watched her go out last Olympics and maybe four years have added to the experience.  Good luck to her.

Beautiful night...hot as you like...my avatar has offered to water my garden should I go to England but as I said ....in the lap of the gods as we speak.  The decision has to be made tonight though so perhaps I should have another beer...it might help....LN...I'm about to meditate....

Thursday 9th August

The decision was made at six this morning.  I sent the text which said sorry and that I would not be joining him on his homeward bound trip to the UK and I received the reply that he would let me know when he was returning in case I took a flight and wanted the return overland trip....and I just might to that.

Reasoning...things are happening on the  16th /17th in France and I didn't want to impose on preparations.  Also, it's a long way and very hot at the moment....my tomatoes would have fried in the heat and the rest of my garden would have disintegrated despite my Avatar's best efforts to revive it.  I'm also very tired.  It might not seem much to have visitors for the last two weeks or so but it takes its toll.  I have this natural instinct to help and I find myself doing more than I should and agreeing to far more than I ought.  Back to sense and sensibility now.

My Avatar's daughter has arrived from Turkey for a holiday and she bought me another evil eye wall hanging.  Not sure what she thinks of Bulgaria but I now have three to keep them away from my door.  It's with the others facing the front door...the ideal place for it.  We are off to Kardjali tomorrow with her son and cousins so that I can get my Beast MOT'd.  It is over, I know it and despite the fact that I don't need to use it...I want it done.

My lesson today was a story of Hans Christian Anderson and as we started it he declared that he knew it.  We got to the end of where I had printed up to so I asked him to tell me the end of it....he's forgotten so at lest I have my text for next week...the continuing saga of.....

Home and plugged into the live updates from the Olympics and well done to the female boxers and equestrians...it will be interesting to find out how many women won gold against the gold....now there's a thought.

Early night tonight....it was a late start for me this morning....I woke up at six and then went off again until ten....and I must admit I felt much better for it.  The heat is stiffling both during the day and at night and at five this morning the perspiration was just dripping off.  My student said that he took to the balcony and spent the rest of the night under the stars.  It hasn't come to that yet in my neck of the woods but never say never as they say.

LN....still following the Olympics on the BBC...but shan't be long before I hit the sack...eight thirty my end....LN.... ;)

Friday 10th August

Don't know why I put yesterday's entry as Friday but it just felt like it I suppose.  It's all to do with my student and me breaking up for the weekend.  So now it is Friday and not Saturday and my Beast is MOT'd and good for another year so he tells me at the garage.  Everything was assembled to go except for the local tax document and so twenty minutes of searching found it where is wasn't suppose to be but for this time I had all that the man required.

My Avatar's daughter is over from Turkey so it was a job lot this morning into Kardjali.  I picked up the daughter and three of the grandchildren, stopped off at the granddaughter's house in Djebel for something and off we set.  I pulled into the parking lot and we agreed that two o'clock would be a good time to assemble the troops and I've had a very nice morning thank you.  As I said Beast done and they even take photos of the vehicle via the computer...so sophisticated....and all details entered into the computer.  It's a step forward from the old days when you could have an MOT without even taking your car to the garage.  Job done, went to Billa to top up on coffee, over to the Leva shop for some pegs and a couple of other items that I couldn't live without, went to my second hand dress shop and picked up a couple of tops for eight leva.  Moved the car to the parking meeting place and down to the market stopping off at my art shop to check out my next future purchases and on to the market for some peaches, red onions and tomatoes and a couple of English books from the bookshop.  Found the Mayor of Casterbridge that I had read ages ago and Phantom of the Opera that I have never read.  Two weeks out of mischief.

Everyone safely gathered in at two and down to Lidl for a few essential supplies.  On to Djebel where they had to have a document translated but because the name had been written over it was thought to be a fake so they wouldn't do it and as we were leaving Djebel there was a request to go to the end of village supermarket and who should I see there but Bekir.  He looked very well and is obviously not pushing himself too hard but to be honest it is far too hot for them to work for me.....I don't want three hour siestas....I'll wait until September or October for the fun to start again.

Shopping unpacked, five of the clock, first German Premium Pils underway from Lidl and it looks like it's sweet and sour pork and potato wedges tonight when I get my act together....I'll maybe take a photo if it turns out alright.

Weather today...close as you like...we could do with a thunderstorm to clear the air....here's hoping. :-/ :-/   D.V.

Saturday 11th August

Lovely lazy start and the promised rain and thunderstorm weren’t imminent at nine of the clock.  Caught up on last night's Olympics and phoned the Library to say that I hadn't gone back to UK and the librarian came up with the suggestion that they could pick me up at ten thirty and we could head into one of the hotels around Kardjali Lake for a spot of lunch and a swim.  Now this seemed like a really good idea to me...exercise and weather permitting all seemed possible.

Ten thirty we were on the road, straight up to one of the hotels that I haven't been to before, the sun came out, lunch was ‘bitsas’, where we all picked at each others washed down with the inevitable beer.  After that we gingerly moved down to the pool area and one by one headed up but the junior member of the family we got in.  It was cold but as with most pools, after a while it was OK and as the clouds came over and the wind from the lake increased, it was warmer in the pool but in dribs and drabs we exited, ordered the coffee and sat around.  Lovely afternoon.  We did the tour of the lake and the village that I had never been to before but when I noticed that one of the houses was called 'Casa...' I wondered if I had slipped to the other end of Europe and the design looked very like those of that particular country.  Saw a very funny bird on a perch down from the hotel.  It allowed me to get very close and opened its eye, dropped a poop and went back off again.  I was amazed at the length of its beak.

Drove into Kardjali and we found ourselves in my art shop and yes....I have the two metal pictures that I have looked at for a while.  I am now on bread and water for the rest of the month but pictures will be taken later when they are in situ.  I actually got commission from the lady....she likes me...I am a good customer and I bring other English in there.

Lidl stop off on the way home and all that I could afford was a packet of biscuits and some washing up liquid.  I have realised that I have already paid the telephone and internet bill delivered on Thursday by my Kmet so I am quids in.  I've been threatened with another swimming regatta before they go home...will have to go into training.  As for supper...not interested in much...lunch was good.  The clouds seemed to be rolling over tonight so perhaps I need to get my onions under cover....it's supposed to be heavy rain tomorrow but it was supposed to rain today which hasn't happened yet.  

LN…this is a mare to try to load so I am hoping it will do it this time….LN

Saturday update

Can I just add my congratulations to Mo Farah for a fantastic gold medal in the 5000 meters to add to his gold metal in the 10000...Well done you....LN

And continued

Fantastic....

Sunday 12th August

Early start...and it's raining but not enough to do any good to the soil.  Went out with my trusty weeding fork and dislodged a few of the really deep rooted ones from the vege patch and the top garden but my crava mush was waiting in the wings so I invited him to attack my plum tree and provided him with a bag for the use of.  There are loads on there.  Last year I made jam and I still have it in the kitchen unused so what is the point of making more.  I don't eat enough of it.  I must also check out the pear tree and see if he wants some of those as well.  That has done much better than last year.

The weather cleared up this afternoon but I have been inside catching up on the final count down of the Olympics with the finale this afternoon in the modern pentathlon.  Verbal coverage was good but why can't they show the videos...all I get is that it can't be shown in my area....I'm a Brit you know... :-/

I have a grudge against Mtel...why do they want to charge me extra for a speedier service when it means nothing to them.  All they do is connect me...surely it costs no more and they want five leva...which is very little ....but if it is so little ,,,,why do they want it.  I don't remember signing up for any speed when I took out the connection.  Some days it was fast, others it was slow but it all depended on weather.  Now for some unknown reason they are offering me a fast service but if you read the small print....it might not be as good as anticipated.  Tomorrow I must phone them and ask them what it's all about.  The Google translate paints a picture but it's more like looking at a Picasso....takes some unraveling.

Supper was spicey sausage with honey, tomatoes and pasta followed with almost a packet of crunchy biscuits which I have just managed to turn aside from.  The peaches that I bought on Friday after trimming were desert but a lot of 'trimming' took place.  Bruised very easily they did.

Back to the Olympics count down.  All the competitions are over and now it's just the hand over for Rio....think I might make it to that one...well what a holiday that would be.

LN.....early to be....that swimming yesterday took it out of me....

Monday 13th August

Which feels a lot like Sunday.  So what have I achieved today...sweet bugger all.  I did water the garden this morning even though it looked black over Pamporovo, ran a line of washing though the machine and played on the computer until lunchtime.  Unfortunately a half packet of biscuits got in the way of breakfast...well they were breakfast and after playing in the garden for a while the heavens opened and down it came but even though it seemed to be coming down heavy...I've been out there now to dig up a few weeds and it seems to only have scratched the surface....we need more rain.

At about three this afternoon I could hardly keep my eyes open so I toddled from the computer to the bedroom, snuggled up and woke up about two hours later.  I really felt disorientated and looked at the clock and it said five forty and I thought the battery had given up the ghost since it was daylight.  Went downstairs and thought they had both gone the same way and then realised that it was daylight and afternoon not morning....that's Bulgaria or old age for you.

Supper over... fish fingers and chippies but no decent bread to make butties so had to settle for mayo and tomato ketchup...tough out here.  Lost without the Olympics....I'll have to find something else to do and I know where there is a huge heap of stone that wants moving and the floor of the little barn needs my attention before the men return.   Another day me thinks...

Lovely night after the rain...calm, tranquil and the sun is shining....

It's not a bad life out here....LN

That first picture from saturday is beautiful - it almost looks like a Cezanne painting because of the light.

Tuesday 14th August

Thanks Tabs...must remember to get the Cezanne painting back to the gallery before they miss it.... ;)

Silly o'clock start and it's all due to having a nap yesterday afternoon.  I did remember to put the quilt on the bed last night and as expected, the temperature dropped but I was snuggled up so half asleep and half awake but cosy with it.  Started to circulate at six thirty and the morning seemed to be on a go slow.  Out with my trusty English garden fork at about seven thirty and started digging up weeds from the top bed and some sort of galloping weed that sends out foot long sprawlers and has a deep root. Found lots more of them down the bottom by the septic tank so had a good digging session and burnt the lot.  Polythene bottles are now out for burning...my garage man wants them so that he can sell his oil and now I have an outlet.  Must say though it's a tad embarrassing on how many I'm accumulating but I do need to keep my fluid intake up... :-/ :-/

Came in about twelve and prepared for my student.  Had a shower and washed hair and scrubbed up well.  Went to visit my neighbour to see if the daughter wanted to go into  Djebel but I think they had a lot of work on.  She did mention that she no longer is going to keep a cow....it is just too much work for her...I only hope she won't miss the income but as she says...she has no children at home that are interested and the grandchildren are more into Facebook....way of the world.

Went to start Beauty to get into Djebel and nothing...just a click but the Beast started first time...So off to see my student armed with a text from Hans Christian and told him the ending of the story that we had last week.  We did a big of moralising on it or rather I did. The man killed the old hag...had loads of money given to him, there was a genie that he could summon at will, he married a princess and the dogs that were guarding the money in the old tree killed her parents and all of the courtiers and they live happily ever after.  Where's the moral in that?

Came back with my student's dad and he started the little one and drove it back to the garage.  I want it sorting was the cry.  Supper was sweet and sour pork sticks with boiled rice washed down with a little beer just so that I can have another bottle for the oil bank.  I sat outside and realised what a beautiful evening it was.  Took some pickies of sunset and now the crickets are chirping their little socks of if they had any to start with...I'll say LN....I'm about to enjoy a beer outside...

Tuesday continued

My finished supper didn't post....and that was much better....

Is that the same glass of beer or a refill? ;D

Kingdom

Wednesday 15th August

Oh KingDom....check out the head on the top, it was only taken seconds later....no time lapse photography in this house.  It was just that the pickie didn't post...or maybe I posted the wrong ones in my rush to get back to the bottle..

So the morning was disturbed by one hell of a kick off of dogs at five fifteen this morning.  It was eastwards and Tommy (Socks) was involved in some way or other but to date no update.  He came yelping back to the house, Avatar's house had all the lights on and the family were outside.  Her grandson was calming things down but I did see one of the white Kangols sloping off towards the farm.  I think it's all to do with boyfriends and girlfriends and maybe Tommy has stepped on somebody's toes and suffered for love.

After that there was no going back and I decided to pick up 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' so to speak and try to get into it.  I read it in my youth after the television series of the same name but I am having difficulty second time around.  Maybe I've read too much drivel recently and I've forgotten what literature is or was.  It does have a glossary in the back though to explain the phrases of the day that were used....think I might have to make use of it or put it down and pick it up again when I have nothing to read. :-/

So nine thirty and a blank canvas presents itself.  I must admit though that I have just finished a half box of chocolates that was lingering on the desk from last night so that's breakfast over and I think I might have to work it off by creating a surround for the top garden from some old beams that are lying around.  My next great achievement will come by moving the stone from the walkway between the little barn and the wreck....ready stead...well one more coffee won't hurt....catch you later ;)

Wednesday continued

Just back from the Library.  I had a phone call this morning asking if I wanted to go down with the family swimming and I declined but offered to cook a huge pot of spaghetti bolognaise and garlic bread and deliver it for when they got home.  They'd made mention of the fact that they were missing not having it so there it was...delivered to their door hot piping hot.

Settled down and all enjoyed and now back home and sipping a little port before I take to my couch.  The Beast is safely ensconced outside the gate.  I really couldn't be bothered to open the gate, reverse it in only to take it out again tomorrow.  A very pleasant leisurely day....in very pleasant company.  LN

Thursday 16th August

Demob happy again..my student is no more until Tuesday of next week so I can slum out, drink as much as I want and generally take it easy until next Tuesday.  It's very silly really...I don't have to answer to anyone but it's purely a state of mind.

Woke up at seven this morning after a good night's sleep...the sleep of the just so they say and it was just about seven when I woke.  Coffee would wait, played a few games of Freecell and then went out to view the morning which was stunning.  So calm, a little bit on the cold side but lovely with it.  Watered my garden despite the fact that it had a little of a dew thing going on and there was mist on the mountains...every little helps so they say.

Didn't do much this morning.  Generally tidied round...put up the picture that was in the hall in the bedroom, laid the carpet in the first bedroom and generally prepared for working getting my bedroom being back to as it was.  I need my bedroom back!!  The bed must be purchased over the weekend and the frame sanded and planed to a silken finish.

Over to my student this afternoon....Can't say that he seemed very interested but the fact that the songbird got its head bitten off by the chicken did make him perk up a bit.  Thanks...Hans Christian...not the way that I expected it to go.  His homework is a little more complicated but he does have four days to do it in.  

Story with my Beauty...apparently the seepage from the battery is all due to water getting in the light consoles at the rear of the car....not sure I go along with the theory but I will bow to better judgement.  Tomorrow I am in on the nine o'clock bus and will deliver it home to await the final conclusion when it doesn't start when it gets back here....

Supper tonight was sweet and sour belly pork and my Avatar arrived as I was preparing it.  She came round to see if I would take her up to the spring to fill up her bottles with water...she has family with car but they seem to have their own agendas....I'll take her up willingly and I have a promise that we shall go to visit her daughter in Bursa next spring for ten days....now never thought that I would hear her say that...

So LN...the beer is empty...the port is about to be attacked and if there is any energy left the sherry might take a battering...it's all to do with the frame of mind.  LN...I have business to attend to.....

Friday 17th August

Boots blacked, showered, shampooed and didn't bother with the rest but I was off on the bus to the big city...not Sofia...Djebel.  Only two days a week do we get the nine o'clocker...Mondays and Fridays and today is the day.  So I signaled my intention to the driver that I wanted to be picked up when on his return journey and it was pretty full at this point with only about four seats left.  It is small, only about a twenty seater but we did well this morning.  Full to the brim with several standing and I acquired a four year old on my lap for the journey,  Chivalry is dead though.  There was a thirteen year old sitting down while a lady with a toddler had to stand and if it hadn't been for the four year old ensconced I my knee I would have made my statement.  His grandfather was with him and didn't encourage his to get off his backside and into the standing room only slot and if I'd had the words I would have said something but....he's one that I shall pass if he's waiting at a bus stop or I shall make him stand with his head through the sunroof all the way to Djebel.

So down to the garage...picked up the car and back to the shop to pay.....I get paid for the language lessons....he hands me the money...I pay half back for the car repairs so the money again finds its way round the system.  Picked up a couple of pairs of cotton trousers in my leva shop for just under five pounds, a little bit of shopping and then back to my Avatar's house so we can fill her water bottles from the well in the next village.  She had prepared breakfast so I sat on the floor and polished off my first couple of pancakes with all of the trimmings and off we set returned with about forty litres of spring water.  Saw Gouljan's mother on the way down looking after her ten cows and then back to Byser's house where I got given tomatoes, marshmallows and she told me that she is off to Davidkovo for ten days rest and recuperation because her knee is again giving her gyp.

Tried to get my head down this afternoon since it was so hot but I had yet another couple of pancakes delivered....it's that time of year and KingDom will know what I mean and this evening I had another visitation from the pancake fairy so that is ten in all today.  Now you tell them that one is enough but no...you have to have two....normal....normal.

Beautiful evening...garden watered....supper is non existent tonight....eaten far too many pancakes today.  Tomorrow is definitely the bed day.....LN....I'm expecting the children round tomorrow for the bonbon gathering.....I think the local dentist would like to put a stop to this practice but it's all in the cause of religion.....LN....must find out my sweeties for the kiddiwinkles for tomorrow. ;)

Saturday 18th August

Beat the mosque to it this morning...I was waiting for the dawn chorus but I think the dogs were having a lie in.  No coffee for me this morning...I've decided I really must change the brand...the old heart starts a thumping so I'll leave it off for a couple of days.

Out and watered...it looks like being a thumper again today and check out the forecast for the rest of the week....hot...hot and bloody hot.

So my first visit from the 'Bombom Byram" was at ten thirty this morning when Semile's little ones came round for the goodies.  The really little one was obviously on his first trip out with the big boys (nine and ten) and they had given him a rucksack and when offered sweets he turned round so that I could put some in...bless.  This must account for the massive tooth decay but it's their religion isn't it.  Played on the pc for a while and decided that I would take to the lounge with a book since it was a tad warm out there even for me.  Next visitation was Byser with a couple of the fermented pancakes.  She came into the lounge, sat for a while, looked longingly at the village where she lived with her parents, told me that they were both dead and promptly burst into tears.  Now she speaks no Bulgarian and my Turkish is really limited so consoling her had to be by instinct.  I'm not sure I helped much when I said that that was life and she and I were on our way to join them so I sent her on her way and thanked her for the pancakes.

Went back to sitting in the lounge with my book and dropped it signifying since that there was no alcohol involved at this point, it must be tiredness.  Again I was interrupted by two more ladies from my village and I am now the proud owner of six giant pancakes.  It's a bit like 'War of the Worlds'......'and still they come'......Went back to my book and my body did that involuntary 'jump' where the muscles take on a life of their own so knew it was definitely time to went my way to the bedroom for the afternoon nap.  No sooner had I gone off than there was a yell of 'Bonbon Byram' from my yard and about ten children descended demanding sweets so up I got and satisfied their demands, chatted for a while with them and then back to see if I could get a few more zzzeds in and I did...six fifteen when I woke up.

Garden attended to...feel pretty refreshed and probably will have tuna mayo with toast for supper with maybe a pancake or two..... ;)

Hi Elsa,

Thanks for validating my account. We are still reading through your previous entries but have to say that we are both hooked on your website and the progress of your home and plans. I will get the email to you shortly.

All the best,

Joanna & Aarron

We arrive Weds shall I bring my coat? 8)

KingDom + Ginger

Quoted from KingDom

We arrive Weds shall I bring my coat? 8)

KingDom + Ginger

I think you might just need your birthday suit though I doubt the easyJet hosties would be in agreement...The immigration might have a word to say about it as well... ::)

Thank you for your kind words BGBound if you think this is exciting...maybe you should get out more...or get out here sooner....

I don't know whether I have done something rather foolish.  There was a super offer on the internet for a thirty six day cruise around Australia and New Zealand and I have only gone and booked it.  Well it was such a good offer at the time and having relations in Australia sort of swayed it for me....I was a bridesmaid at my cousin's wedding when I was a seven year old and it would be good to see her again and her family.  They're in Perth and the ship happens to be calling there for all of one day so it will be a quick visit but very worthwhile.  So still working out whether I have done the right thing.  I have spent the double glazing money on a cruise...sucks doesn't it....I shall just have to save up my pension.  List to myself...tell the men that I shall be away and that they can work up until I leave but that their wages until Christmas will be reduced because I wont be here.....leaves them free to do all the other jobs that are on offer.

So today....made contact with BGBound and as I explained, I have had so many silly people wanting to join the blog with hideous names and email address that I have been deleting for all I am worth.  What is it with these people and unfortunately he was one that I overlooked.  He is now a fully paid up member, that's when he pays his subscription (I jest).

Hot as you like today.  I went into the wreck and removed the sawdust that was left by my guest and deposited it on the garden and dug it into a few places.  I thought it might hold the soil together especially round the plants when I watered them.  I think at the moment it is just disappearing into the great unknown and on to the hillside.  

The afternoon has been receiving phone calls about my booking, on to easyJet and getting my flights to the UK sorted and generally panicking about the clothes that I have here.  I have lost about two stone in weight since I was in the UK so everything is going to be falling off me (hopefully) so I will have three days to buy and pack enough for thirty six days overseas.  Should just about be enough.

So drinking beer and deciding that this is the last I shall have before I head out for the UK but then I realised that I have guests over the week end and KingDom is darkening these fair shores so not a hope in hell's chance.  Mrs Gud is somewhat more refined up to a point but I have found more places to spend a penny with her than any other femail so I'm really not so sure.  

So the box of chocolates that was left out in the car in the sun yesterday fell this evening and I was digging it out with the fingernail to get to the bottom of the plastic tray.  Not terribly refined but adequate...needs as needs be so to speak.  I did look at the packaging and thought that one of the images could be of Che Guevara and pretty unsure about the rest but I'll let you make your minds up.

LN....supper is not on the cards.  Beer and chocolate reaches the spot especially when I am wondering if I have done the right thing in booking such a long holiday....ahhhh well.....tis done.  LN

Quoted from Elsa Peters

I don't know whether I have done something rather foolish.  There was a super offer on the internet for a thirty six day cruise around Australia and New Zealand and I have only gone and booked it.  

Do you need/require a house sitter? I'm sure in 36 days I could have you a super little Kangal puppy all trained and ready for "watch duties"!!! :)

Monday 20th August

In answer to that Bob...Kangol off.....I have enough neighbours around here that are twice as observant, much more subtle, bright as buttons, really fierce and can explain why they are using shotguns on the blighters that might be intending to darken my doorstep. I wouldn't like to go a round with either My Avatar or any of the others.

So what have I done today....silly o'clock this morning I was reading the Mayor Casterbridge and I really don't know why I'm bothering.  It's supposed to be a classic and I intend getting to the end but hey...what a slog.  Watered the garden, Avatar came round and left with some pears from the tree and I looked at the plum tree when she had gone and took her round a big bowl of freshly picked.  Had a couple of Byser's tomatoes on toast for breakfast and they were so sweet and I told her so in Turkish. Since she'd watched me carry the plums round to Avatar, I was back up the tree to make another delivery.  So now as a thank you, I have more tomatoes.  I suppose I better get back up there, Hacibar will be back from Djebel soon and she will be on the lookout for hers.

Twelve ten...think I'm going into Kardjali to order the bed  and see if my window man can come and measure up.... :-/  Catch you later.

Monday continued

Well the best laid plans of mice and men and me in BG......I did nothing this afternoon.  I'd made my mind up to go tomorrow instead and now plans are set in concrete. Gouljan has just phoned and my little Cinderella is overworked with all of this four day holiday so we are off to Kardjali at ten.  Now I'm not sure why she phoned because I sort of hogged the conversation but I think it was hopeful that I would rescue her from the kitchen.  Her mother has ten cows and some sheep to look after, makes yogurt, cheese, butter and sells her eggs to make a living so yes, she is busy.  Her other daughter is over from Turkey with the grandson that tends to play up when mother is around. 'Rods for own backs' springs to mind when you make children into Princes and Princesses..

So the girls are out to play tomorrow.  I've got to break it to Gouljan that I wont be around for a while so she might want to move in for the odd weekend to keep the place lived in.  She would have a bolt hole and I would have a guest who is no trouble at all.  Boots blacked in the morning.....student worksheets knocked out early, lunch in town and a little mooch around for a few clothes for my get away.  

Supper was a deliciously hot spicey chicken curry with rice....although I say it myself, and there is enough for tomorrow.  Out of beer so this is the first day of abstinence.....I have about a stone to lose.  It's all uphill from here.  LN

:P Hi Elsa, Hope to see you in the New Year then, all being well. Shame its not a couple of days. But never mind, it will be awesome just the same. Linda x

Quoted from linda g

:P Hi Elsa, Hope to see you in the New Year then, all being well. Shame its not a couple of days. But never mind, it will be awesome just the same. Linda x

Thanks Linda...I've emailed you with the actual dates and again I would add that it's a shame it's not a couple of days but I don't think I could swim to catch the ship up if I miss it no matter how hard I tried. ;)

Seven o'clock start this morning and again the best laid plans of mice and me went awry.  Gouljan phoned to say that she could not come into Kardjali and had obviously had a better offer so I went round to check with my Avatar to see if her grand-daughters were off to Djebel or lingering in their pit.  Ten fifteen was set and during the journey it transpires that not only have the parents absconded to Germany but she is only going to study at Munich university for four years.  The die is caste.....Angela has one more babe in the fold.  The other little one is due to live in Kardjali until she is eligible for university so that will be the whole family off leaving mother on her own with no cow to look after.

Made it to Momchilgrad after dropping the daughters off and have arranged for the men to measure up my windows tomorrow and it makes sense that they should be done before I leave.  I shall phone my men either tomorrow or the next day now that their religious festival is over and ask if they want work until I leave these fair shores.  Also managed to order my bed which is being delivered tomorrow.  Who's been a busy girl then????

Little bit of shopping.  Managed to but three pairs of cotton short trousers and three tops for twenty one leva...bargain...and got home just in time to turn round again to head off for my student.  Discussed chapter one of Les Mis and showed him the trailer for the film.  Got home at about six and the procession of guests arrived to view the changes to the house from when they knew it.  Suitably impressed and I might have an English student on the back of it who has currently finished his social media degree in Turkey.  Why go to England to speak English...most of them don't speak it anyway.

So supper was the remains of the chicken and rice...delicious...Brought a bottle of grapefruit juice and the vodka mixed with it makes a good cocktail.  Ten thirty my time...I am late tonight and I owe it all to a telephone call from the UK about the cruise.  Sorry....I promise it won't happen again....well not today anyway...LN....my glass is empty and I'm thinking chocolate of which I have none...aaarrrggghhh...LN

Wednesday 22nd August

What a stupid night.  

I'm in the land of Nod when the 'tzzzz' of a mosquito wakes me from my slumbers.  Such a little thing and such a loud noise at two in the morning..........so it's light on and I am standing over the bed trying to locate the blasted thing.  No joy.  I am now holding out the insect zapper hoping that it will home in on it instead of me, still no joy and I still couldn't spot it.  Out comes the fly spray and I'm consoled by the fact that there is no reason to believe that one of the solutions hadn't worked so again, lights out, zapper now suspended from the open fly-screened door, I pulled the covers up to get back to that part of the dream that I was enjoying.  And there it was again.  In desperation I decided to swap beds. I negotiated the stairs and went into the downstairs bedroom thinking I was entirely safe  Unfortunately I'm coming to the conclusion that the spray had sent it downstairs a little quicker than I had made it down, it must have successfully negotiated the other zapper hanging in the hallway and it thought it was safe from me while I was thinking I was safe from it.  I got into bed, pull up the covers and then it came again.....tzzzz.  At this point I am a little beyond reason and out came the spray can again but this time I fortunately picked up a 'non-smelling' one and goodness knows what it did to my lungs during the night but never heard another sound.  I am now searching for the bodies and they will be buried with full ceremony.....ggrrrhh.  Don't you just hate them.

Wednesday continued

I have my mattress, I have my bed frame, I have a bed but the journey to the bedroom was not to be repeated.  The man arrived with the mattress.  Now usually Bulgarian delivery men deliver...they do not help into the house etc.  So him and I lugged the mattress off the van and into the house and I asked him whether he could give me a lift up the stairs with it.  We viewed the stairs and decided that because of the windows and the tight corner there was no way Hose...The light came on and I said 'Balcon' and we both thought it was a plan.....we managed to get the overlong ladder from the 'soon not to be such a wreck' and wedged it against the main bedroom  balcony.  Now this mattress is large, almost five feet wide and is build of a wooden construction and is....well there is only one word for it....heavy.  We secured a holding strap round the mattress, the delivery man got underneath it and pushed it against the ladder and upwards it started to go.  Now the temperature today was well into the thirties and I could see the rivers of perspiration beginning to gather on his t-shirt and the absorption was really very obvious.  He told me to go upstairs and out on to the balcony and I managed to grab the support strap and was directing operations from the top while being told to hold it, wait and considering that there was a mattress between us it began to get quite comical.  Eventually it was at the point of no return and I dragged it onto the balcony and he appeared at the top of the ladder and we wrestled it into the bedroom.  He was then about to leave by the ladder but I suggested he took the stairs instead....it was so much safer than having to go back down the ladder.  I almost felt a Victor Borge moment coming on but we managed to complete the job unscathed.  He did earn a little money for his effort...I couldn't let the moment go unrewarded.....there might be others at a later date.

The next catastrophe was the ladder that had been up to the roof in the wreck was now lying down on the floor where he had left it.  My problem now was that I was having the window's men call later for measuring up and they would need to go to the second floor.  Now I maneuvered it through the hole but no way was it going in straight so two support pieces of wood and I reckoned that someone would do it later if they really wanted to get up there.  

Went back to making the bed frame and got out the plane and took the old wood off and left it looking good.  Planed one of the side rails and unfortunately, this had warped and I thought, bugger it, tomorrow I will make it properly but tonight it be in place, dressed in its finest and will provide a resting place for my head and the rest of me.  It is done.  Not far away from the original design that a little bit of interpretation will correct and cheap at half the price...take one chunky beam, one chain saw, one man and a little bit of women's intuition.....sorted.  My Avatar arrived with supper of meat and rice so I had no cooking to do at all today...sheer bliss and it was a welcome break from planing.  The skies darkened, it looked to be raining over Samodiva and why ever not....KingDom and his lovely lady are descending on us today from Wales and we really like them to feel at home so...hence the rain.  We avoided it or rather it avoided us....little thunder, lots of dark clouds but not a drop was spilt,

So my men came...we measured up and there were only a few question marks and most of it depended as to where the floor would be raised to so they are going to do their plans, give me a quote, back for final design and they should be in in a couple of weeks....that's how good they are.

My librarian paid me a surprise visit this evening returning the outside table that she had borrowed.  We had a very pleasant evening sitting outside with a bottle of beer between us and she left about half an hour ago.  We've made a date for Friday to 'do Kardjali' and now after my update, I'm about to get my book out...I need to have an early night and chill out but in these temperatures it does make it nigh on impossible to do so.....anyway...LN....I've got a drink to get and a bed to try out....LN...

Thursday 23rd August

And I am ready for my guest so to speak.  Just need to clean through in the morning, beds done and tomorrow night I have had an invitation to a pre-wedding occasion.  I think it's all to do with henna-ing the bride so I'll be there with my proverbial boots blacked at eightish along with KingDom and his lovely lady.

Had a change round on the terrace this morning and moved Mikey B's bench further to the right as you are looking at the terrace, moved the activity centre down towards the walk through to the wreck and moved some of the logs so that the plastic chairs can go under the kitchen window in the shade for my local guests.  It was all a matter of sweeping it off, umbrella up and then down with the Mayor of Casterbridge for a brief session.  Played around in the garden and weeded various weedy zones leaving them now weed free and bonfired the departed.

Lesson this afternoon was a bit slow.  It's at the point where I'm now asking him what he wants included since I remember with Gouljan where I thought that some of the words I was expected to learn I would never use so what was the point.  Lessons need to be more relevant...I must do better.

Cooked a chilli con carne and the beans are in the slow cooker as we speak.  Librarian is about tomorrow so we may have lunch or it could be freezer fodda.  I have four days of a guest.  Gouljan came round tonight telling me the saga of her nephew and the swing and deciding whether she should take him to A & E.  Bit late now...real problem and he would be kicking up daisies apart from the fact that there aren't many of them here...much too dry.  I asked her about Istanbul for a few days but she is really short of funds after the fiasco on the Black Sea and won't take charity.

Dropped her home and it was a bit like your life in their hands...the bottle of beer that I started at six is well on it's way to oblivion so maybe I shouldn't have taken to the wheel....but hey...done and dusted and home now so no problem.  Cooked a couple of sweetcorn just before she arrived and on her departure covered them with butter and salt and munched my way through them...delicious.

Enough for tonight....almost ten my time and now it's cracking on for bed said Zebedee.....LN.....I have an early start tomorrow.

Friday 24th August

Up at seven this morning...had cleaned through by eight thirty and was just coming out of the shower when my librarian arrived so that we could go to Kardjali.  We did the ride of death in my little Beauty and she seemed to be hanging on for grim life...not used to a small car.

So over to immigration to get her documents sorted and she needed yet another piece of paper.  She has the local passport with photograph, mine is numbered seven and is without so I inquired if my has to be updated and the reply was that it was valid until 2014 so why bother and bearing in mind that the system will probably change and yet again....I'll leave it as it is.  So she had already paid eighteen leva towards it, had to get another document and that set her back seven leva but she was short of a declaration to say that she has something in the bank that is regularly received from England, namely pension.  This she has to get on Monday from her local bank.  So back she goes....another day in town,

Walking from bank to bank we managed to find this super shop with lots of big pillows in it so I've got two and so has she.  I think the girl thought that Christmas had come early or Byram a little late because I also bought three sheets that manage to fit the new mattress and the old one.  On to the leva shop and I picked up a pair of trousers and a blouse to match at the princely sum of seven leva fifty...grand total for just under four pounds and the joke is that I shall be flying over China with that in a suitcase on our way to Australia and it is probably from whence it came.  

Home made chili con carne, sweetcorn and crusty bread for supper.  We picked ripe plums for pud and I sent her home with a bag of pears to do her stuff with.  

Out tonight for the hand painting with Kingdom and leave here at about seven so need to get a move on.  Andrew should be arriving round about eleven thirtyish from Plovdiv...all being well.  I haven't had notification that he has been delayed so I am working to the earlier schedule....

So into the shower and get hair washed...pick up camera, phone and wallet and off to see what the evening brings.  Not been to one before but there appear to be lots of guests invited ...going to be a bun fight I reckon.  My invitation was through facebook....and we know what happens to those... :-/

I'll update if I get time.  Otherwise, see you tomorrow....LN

Friday continued

Back at ten thirty or thereabouts and still waiting for my guest to arrive.

Got to KingDom's house at about seven thirty as planned and we sat about until eight thirty and started the walk down to the bride's fathers house.  We were immediately ushered into the house and sat down on the floor with the close family and had a quick supper...not so much quick but the courses arrived swiftly and it was cleared away equally as swiftly and then it was outside with the music, dancing and beer.  What a send off.  The bridegroom arrived with his family and they exchanged a hug and flowers were given and the happy couple had the last waltz first and were quickly joined but several other on the floor and now the celebrations began.  What a night...there must have been about three hundred people there.  The cars were still arriving as I left to wait for my guest but had I have know that he would have been this late I would have stopped longer.

The photos really don't do it justice but under the moon, on a beautiful summer's night, there was a lovely atmosphere and I wish them both well for the future.  I have been invited to the wedding but wont go because I have a guest and am unsure what we are doing over the weekend but the memory of that night and the couples transition from boyfriend and girlfriend to husband and wife was a happy affair.  They certainly know how to party.  LN

Saturday 25th August

Managed to sleep in until eight since my guest didn't arrive until one and we had to have a couple of beers before lights out....as you do.

Breakfast over....boiled eggs and we set of the see the house that is for sale at the end of the lower village by the river but nothing doing.  Of touring this afternoon and we walked for quite away to find a couple of the villages...the property company didn't want to come out to play so we kept ourselves amused.

Supper was sweet and sour pork with red cabbage and before anyone asks, a couple of spoonful of each. The wedding went off so successfully so I hear and everyone is peaceful and sitting out under the stairs.  Catch you tomorrow...tiredness has over come me....

Sunday 26th August

What a lazy day it was but it picked up steam by the night time.  We were going swimming but there was neither the will or the desperation so we decided to chill if you could possibly do that when the temperature reached forty five degrees.  My guest sat in the sun and read his book until he was forced into the shade and I played around with photographs until I decided that a little sun would be a good thing.  Over at five to pick up Kingdom and his lovely lady since they are car-less, we got out the beer, I headed for the kitchen and came out with the goodies, the water melon remains intact which is more than can be said for the beer and the wine box.  

I was the first to leave closely followed by Ms Gud and the boys followed on after that finishing the night with little tots of whiskey or so they said but there was an air of 'well who'd have thought it' hanging over the place this morning.  I left my car key with them so that they could get home this morning / afternoon at their leisure and we went off house hunting for my guest at eight this morning.

Just a few pickies....from the last few days

Monday 27th August

As I said, we were off at eight this morning and met up with one of the sales people from one of the bigger companies.  Very impressed, he arrived on time.  

So off we trundled forgetting all about breakfast until we had seen the first and was on out way to the second property near the town of Ardino.  We'd looked round this town on Saturday when the other sales person had let us down.  So stopped off for breakfast and settled for hamburgers and yogurt drink while the sales person did a little 'business' at Ardino council offices, then on to one of the properties over near Devil's Bridge and finally to the other properties where we had also visited on Saturday.  The hike to the last two was carried out in the rain and I stayed in the car.  After the visit they reported back that the road had ended abruptly and the rest of the trip should have been aided with a machete which unfortunately wasn't to hand.

Back to Kardjali, one dropped off but another sales person standing in the wings in Momchilgrad so we found ourselves looking at a property that we had knowledge of already and we were surprised when we were taken there.  Having said that I got talking to one of the locals and I'll publish the results at a later date...just a little more work to do on it.

Dropped off the man, drove to Kingdom's house to retrieve my car, supper was underway and ready within an hour of arriving back.  Wind has got up tonight so the doors are closed and the temperature sure has dropped and there was even a touch of thunder and lightening this afternoon.  All cushions have been brought inside tonight just in case and I'm really hoping for a good downpour.  LN....just a few more pickies from Saturday.

Hiya Elsa, Just some Aussie advice................ spray the bedroom about 1 hour before you go to bed for the mozzies, and when you hear the tzzz they have already bit or got at you somewhere.... so prevent this prior to going to bed. If you get bitten, a small MUM rollon works a treat for the bites and its more inexpensive than the other bitey products if you can buy in your village or town. If not yell out and I will send you some. lol. But they must be getting in somewhere, they are attracted to body heat....hehehehe. bit hard not to be hot in summer months like here.xxxx

Tuesday 28th August

Thanks Linda...I didn't know that the dastardly deed had already been done when you hear the drone....as for being sweet...I think it's the alcohol that they can smell... :-/  Thanks also for the advice on Mum deodorant...never heard of that one before.

Didn't mention it but the night of the little shindig I went into the bathroom and slipped on the bathroom tiles cracking my back ribs on the edge of the toilet.  Not such a good move.  Didn't complain much at the time, left the gathering and headed to the bedroom but had a bit of a rotten night last night even after dosing myself up with pain killers but the trouble is that over the counter things are just not strong enough for that sort of pain.  Had to steel myself to get out of bed this morning and spent about twenty minutes trying to work out the best way to angle the body to evoke the least amount of pain and in the end it was soddit....and suffered for my art.

I was doing alright and gently moving until my guest decided to give me a hug as he left thanking me for the time he spent here....I screamed out...he was saying sorry, he had forgotten but there was a smile on his face and so my immediate response was to ask him if that was how he looked when he was sorry.  So at two he left, at two thirty I was in my car and off to my student who was in a playful mood, had done his homework or at least part of it saying that he had missed the second part it....

Wind has died down tonight and it's beautifully calm after a very windy and at times, cloudy day but it refused to rain.  I was hoping for a good downpour to give the garden a good soaking, this morning felt positively 'autumn' but now it's summer night again.  The wind removed a lot of leaves but six weeks of drought conditions can't be doing them much good.  Several people have lost fruit trees because of it.

Not feeling up to much tonight.  Got some Arnica from the chemist and gave it a liberal dosing...two lots of tablets and on translation one is suitable for gout so maybe I'll print off the instructions in English and leave them in the box...well you never know do you Norman as the advert goes.  The others are anti-inflammatory but they don't seem to be touching it at all so tomorrow I might wend my way to the hospital for an X-ray just to see if any real damage was done....at least then I'll get tablets to ease the pain.  X-rays delivered on demand for about ten leva privately and then down to the pharmacy.

Supper is going to be a simple affair...I am back to cooking for one.  LN...off to be inspired.

Wednesday 29th August

So at two thirty this morning I was up and taking more tablets for the pain and in complete agony.  So much for over the counter drugs...no power in them at all.  Decided that I had to check out the local hospital and my librarian who has taken more locals than she cares to think about through the procedure came round at nine this morning and we were on our way to Kardjali by nine thirty.  Into the main hospital, I handed over my residency card, my passport and my English health document and offered to pay for anything that needed to be paid for and expected to be treated privately.  As for the service...fantastic.

I explained what had happened and showed the area that hurt to the doctor and I got prodded, poked, my spine fully examined, blood pressure was taken and a water sample handed over in a coffee cup.  Out came the wheelchair and I was taken up to X-ray, and two were taken.  I had to wait for the doctor to arrive and he went through the X-rays on the screen, he did an ultra sound scan of kidneys, liver, lungs and anything else that is stored in the cavity, did several screen grabs that he printed out for me, and typed up his notes using a very fast two fingered technique.  Out with my docket and X-Rays and back to the admissions desk.  The paperwork was completed, I saw the specialist who confirmed that I had fractured rib number seven and I was given an injection to dull the pain and asked if I wanted to be admitted under observation.  I declined the offer but was told that if there is any problem with my breathing that I am to go back immediately and take all my documents and X-rays with me.  I was also warned that I am not to do anything for the next couple of weeks that might cause it to impact on the lungs.  Impressed!!  I was and I was handed a prescription for two weeks of tablets that I took to the on-site pharmacy at a grand cost of twenty leva for the two boxes.  Cost for the treatment....absolutely nothing.  Everything so organised and it might not be a new hospital but everybody worked with urgency and it was really clean.  So the injection has kicked in and the pain is now manageable...food tonight and then a tablet to go to bed with and hopefully a better night will be had.

I forgot to mention that we also had lunch in the hospital and two Fanta lemons, two bottles of water, pan fried pork and potatoes came to ten leva...cheap at half the price.

Now for supper...it's beginning to hurt a bit and I've checked it out and I have two beautiful bright blue / purple bruises just above waist level but nice to know that everything else seems to be working OK....LN...to the kitchen and the apothecary.   I wonder how long it would take me to go through the system in England?

Sorry to hear about your fall but very Glad to know your ok Elsa  :o and the fantastic care from the hospital  :)
On a lighter note as my old grandma used to say" try taking more water with it "   ;) only joking I know it hurts like hell  ??) take care and look after your self  love and best wises to you  :) Jackie

Thursday 30th August

Thanks for the sympathy Jackie.  My daughter always used to say that it you wanted it you could find it between sex and syphilis in the dictionary...just out little joke. It wasn't more water that I wanted with it, there appeared to be too much on the bathroom floor hence the death dive into the toilet and without a safety net.

Managed to sleep until five this morning and got up, ate a slice of bread since these tablets have to be taken after meals and I thought that would put down the ballast, did a couple of Sudoko on my DS and then back off again until eight.  Just managed to water my garden using a length of plastic to pick the hose pipe off the floor and now necessity has become the mother of invention in my humble abode.  I'm going to have to think of ways of doing things to cause the least amount of pressure and distress to that seventh rib and the surrounding tissue.

Caught the moon just going down at five this morning... beautiful and it should be more or less full when it rises tonight.  Tried to take a picture of the bruising but it came out looking like a space shot of a different galaxy and so I'll leave it to your imaginations.

Onward and upwards so they say...let's see what I can manage to get away with today...

Thursday continued

Decided not to go to see my student today....just didn't feel up to it but I did manage to get a line of washing out though and very gingerly pegged it out.

I phoned Bekir about the windows and I'm picking him up at the cafe with the intention of checking out the height of the doors bearing in mind that they still have to screed the floors.  After that I suppose we'll go to Momchilgrad to adjust the measurements that they took the other day.

Sat outside at about seven tonight and had chilli bolognaise with pasta accompanied by a glass of ....water.  I've got to shed a few pounds before holiday and so out with the beer, in with the water and now that I can't exercise for the next few weeks I really will have to watch my food.

So off to bed.  I've had my horse pill and hoping that it does the trick and I'm able to sleep through until sevenish.  I was right...that moon is beautiful tonight but unfortunately I left the camera on the PC and it doesn't recharge the battery, only drains it so it's on charge as we speak.  LN....Another water before I go....and the tablets don't even say to avoid alcohol... :-/ :-/  

Friday 31st August

Now I had a really rotten night but I was just settling off beautifully when there was a car radio at full volume and a crunch of tyres outside my house.  So much so that I got out of bed to see what the racket was all about.  Now it's not normal but this individual has been working in Sweden, land of the midnight sun and seems to have lost his regard for others.  It was Hacebar's youngest and if he carried on like that she might just lose him and not just to Sweden working, for a lot longer and permanently.  I wasn't at all amused and if he tries it tonight....I'll be waiting with a fire cracker or a breathalyser.  Moan over.

Boots blacked, took another tablet this morning just to make the day go round and got out to watch the morning sun come up with a coffee at the ready.  Lovely time of the morning, peaceful and calm and no bloody radios blaring out.  Came in and did my emails and checked out Facebook, into the car and to the restaurant and Bekir was like a shot out of a gun and into the car.  Back to the house, measured the windows and the doors as a double check, down to Djebel to see if the wood there was any good but found out that the man selling it was the one that stitched me up with rotten wood and high delivery charges my first winter here.  Back into the car.....over to Momchilgrad and sorted the windows....through to Fotinovo via the river bed which was exciting and where is that camera when you need one......to the builder's yard and I have ordered eight cubic of oak at eighty three and ready for burning.  With going away I won't be here to organise the chainsawing etc....so I want it ready cut and stored so that it's here for when I get back.  I shall still order some acacia from the Gorska but I am told that even that has gone up in price and so it's worth the extra.  

Saw the man that has a house for sale at the edge of one of the small villages near to Bekir's house and went for an impromptu viewing.  Nice location, wouldn't take much to pull round and he deals in leva.  Unfortunately no documents but Bekir let him know in no uncertain terms that no documents, no deal so he is waiting for a firm offer and then he will set about getting them so he said.  Down to Bekir's village cafe and had a little chinwag, home and surprised how the day had gone.  Avatar came round and I have a shopping list for Monday for lots of kilos of fruit so that she can 'compote' it and then on the PC to get insurance for my holiday which was cheap at half the price.

Eight o'clock now....can't say that I am all that hungry but I suppose I have to have something before I get my next tablet.  The pain has eased until I sneeze and I hear the shout from those very close friends,'well don't sneeze then'. :-/ :-/

Garden watered since it has been another scorching day. sun's down or will be in a few moments. moon's up and another biggie but last night's pickies were crubbish.  I'll be looking out for white rabbits tomorrow....or the 'hare' of the dog.  LN...I think it will be 'fish to fry' or their fingers at least...well it is Friday...LN