Saturday 1st November

Well a new month and my goodness this year has slipped by.  Reasonable start off the grid this morning, there is a lightness in the sky that we haven't seen for a while and fingers were crossed that it would turn out fine and it did.  Down for the lemon mixture and I'm still loving my lemon squeezer.  It's so easy to use and does the job very efficiently for under a fiver.  Still made the coffee but it was virtually cold by the time that I got round to drinking it.  Lit the fire and it was very reluctant but once it had caught it has ticked along beautifully all day.  Either I'm getting more into the winter swing or the chimney has warmed up sufficiently but I did find that one of the pipes wasn't quite seated home so out with a small log of wood, a quick bash and everything was sorted.  That's technology for you.

Sorted the leeks that were still on the table, moved the dianthus from one of the pots and out them into the garden leaving the small conifer that had been their centre-point but surrounding it with tulip and crocus bulbs. And my task for today was to remove the fallen zinnias, get rid of the grass and clear the beds so that I could put in the bulbs that have been hanging around for a couple of weeks.  Success....the new terrace wall is clear as is the old terrace but the steps and part of the lounge terrace.  It's marvellous what you can get up to if the weather is OK.  Came in about five thirty, topped up the fire, headed for the kitchen to get supper prepared.  One red onion sliced, several mushrooms halved, the remains of the chicken breast in a cream sauce and served with pasta.  Delicious and not a lot of effort.

It's been a successful day.  I love it when you can see what you've achieved.....a little beer before bedtime...LN and I think I shall sleep well tonight having had lots of fresh air....Fingers crossed....LN  

Sunday 2nd November

Usual start this morning...seven minus fifteen and down for lemon juice and coffee.  I cleaned up the kitchen from last night and took the drinks back to bed.

I circulated downstairs by eight...put the washing ready to roll, toast for breakfast and decided that my hair would do for my visit to my student and so didn't bother to wash it...By nine thirty I was in the car, drove over to Djebel and over to my students. stopped off at my original student's mother..nobody home so I couldn't deliver the gifts.  They'll wait for another day.

Over to my students and had a lovely day.  One of their cousins arrived and we spent the entire afternoon trying to interpret English syntax.  The text book leaves a lot to be desired...Lunch was pasta and the works with chicken soup...I was bushed after the first course but had to keep going...

As for the questions....'Much, many, a lot of' and in the negative...'not much' etc...So one of the questions was ...'How many vitamins did the hamburgers have?'  And my response would have been 'how would I know'!!  So now they have to differentiate the response.  The questions leave a lot to the imagination and I need to ask the questions of the ones that wrote the text book and I will.

Home for four thirty and the fire was very reluctant but now zooming along very well.  Supper was the remains of the chicken with a slice of bread and mayonnaise and I'm duly satisfied for tonight.  I've just had a phone call from Gouldjan asking if I will take her mother to emergency....I've had a drink, I d aren't...but I told her to order a taxi and I will pay.  It's something to do with the livestock and a nail....I can't imagine what that is all about.

So back to my fire, red wine and book.....it's very chilled for me...I puzzle about Gouldjan....but my driving licence is very precious for me...I can't take the risk...LN

Monday 3rd November

Caught the sun this morning hiding behind the clouds and it took until this afternoon before it became obvious.  I lit the fire as it became cold as I sat reading and that's when in all went ladies anatomy heading skywards.  I just couldn't get it to go with an humph...and there was smoke belching from every orifice so I let it go down and dismantled everyone of the pipes from the petchka and found that there was a soot fall in the downstairs clearing hole.  Cleared that out and checked the pipes going up as far as I could and down and even used a lighted candle to see if there was a draft up the chimney and there was so put it all back together again and there is still smoke, al be it not as much coming out of the bottom clearing hole.  I think it needs more investigation but the fire is going tonight and it's as well...the temperature is dropping.

So by the time that all that was done it was getting on for four of the clock so I prepared onions, carrots, leeks and potatoes and into the oven with them for roasted vegetables putting a few chicken wings in another container and eventually popping them on top of the vegetables.  Delicious supper and a little red to see it on its way.  Need a man on the roof to check out the chimney..I might be having to make a few phone calls...LN

Tuesday 4th November

I do not make any excuses for no photos today....my day just didn't turn out as expected!!

It was a dull morning so I decided to take Beauty in for it's winter check and get the anti-freeze and anything pertaining to winter sorted.  I set off at about ten thirty and gave my student's mum her present. She'd ordered and received two small own pressed metal coat hooks from the internet.  On Friday in Zlatograd I found a couple of wooden chopping boards that had lovely markings on them so I'd put some olive oil in them to bring out the colour and wiped that off and polished them with wax polish that I'd made in England a long time ago.  They were perfect for what she wanted to do with them....another success.  I sat down with her for a while and then headed off to their garage for the checks to be made, all done at the cost of five leva and back to the shop and we sat chatting until about twelve thirty.  We left the shop and headed for the bus station as she was expecting a delivery via the Kardjali bus but the driver had nothing to give her.....On the way to the bus station I spotted Haciber with a friend and she asked me if I was going home and I said yes but give me five minutes.  

I found them on the way back and we got in the car and was delivering us to our village when I noticed that the battery light was flashing on and off and guessed that I had a problem.  Dropped them both off, came into the house clutching the Clio manual but unfortunately it's iin German so using Google Translate I was trying to find out if I could drive it safely back to the garage so a telephone call later to the garage resulted in me going back to Djebel.  As I thought...it was the alternator and they also discovered a small hole in one of the water pipes and fortunately I'd remembered to take my Kindle so sat out in the sun until it went down but as it did the temperature dropped severely....I was frozen.  The bill for the work and parts...fifty eight leva....but had to go to the cash point and paid at the shop leaving my money with my student.

Stopped off at the supermarket and got a French stick and a spicy sausage so that I could make a quick supper.  Got home by six thirty, fire lit and I still have a problem with leaking smoke to be sorted tomorrow, supper cooked and eaten and that's not bad in an hour.  There's a beautiful moon tonight...not quite full yet but will be in a few days....and I reckon that there'll be a frost tonight.  I'm now going to pour a glass of the red stuff....and that's something else that won't be going wrong with Beauty over the winter..

There's a quiet day planned for tomorrow.....LN

Wednesday 5th November

And no gunpowder treason or plot or even the hint of a firework tonight.  Strange here...they save them all for New Year's Eve and weddings and I'm sure that a Roman Candle will set fire to a bride's dress one of these days.

Pea souper again this morning and couldn't even see the bottom of the garden.  It was fairly nippy and there appeared to be a slight ground frost.  Took the pipes out again this morning and couldn't manage to get my carving knife any higher up to find the blockage in the chimney so it's still dismantled and I gave in....I phoned Bekir and explained the problem and I'm picking them both up in the morning.  Sally can get started on the trench in the next door's garden to lay the drainage pipe so that my new workshop doesn't get flooded again.  Now that the wood's all packed away in there I just don't want any floods when the snow falls.  Prevention and all that....I've only had the pipe for eight months or so...time it was laid.  Bekir's other job is to sort out the dripping downstairs toilet...we bought those bits must have been a month or six weeks ago so again...time for action.  

Made a huge pot of leek and potato soup this morning and will freeze it down later.  Read for the afternoon in the sun and suppose I could have gone out and gardened but it was a lovely day for a wind down but then realised that if they are doing the other chimney which is what I want them to do....I needed to move the freezer to its winter spot so that I can bring in the other wood burning cooker.  It's a good reserve  if the electricity goes off and I can't run the biggie.  Freezer moved, floor cleaned and little cupboards emptied of all that carrier bags that you seem to accumulate here, they'll start my bonfire tomorrow.

Not too bad in the house tonight with no heating...everything's battened down and the curtains are closed where there are curtains so the heat is retained.  It would have melted icebergs this afternoon.  :-/ :-/  I'm going to get  snuggled up....out for the men tomorrow at eight and it's almost like getting back to normal.  I've lost about six weeks this year by putting out a helping hand to others.  One day I might learn....LN....I think a spicy sausage might be added to some of the soup tonight...time to eat...LN

Thursday 6th November

Happy birthday to my DIL and hope you have a wonderful day....

Last night without the fire burning I still managed to go to sleep on the sofa clutching my book.  I was dreaming so heavily I was unsure whether I was in the UK or Bulgaria...a really strange feeling but eventually came to and wended my weary way upstairs but not much sleep in me by this point so it was back to the book and a little Angry Birds until one this morning and then out like a light until six thirty and I was a little cold.  Fluffed up the duvet but realised that it was time for a coffee and that I had to be ready to be on my bike to pick up the men.  What a lovely feeling.  They've worked so hard this summer which is unusual and they are obviously doing me a favour now.  

So flagged down the bread van as I drove to pick up the men and bought bread and breakfast for me and the boys.  It was a kiss on the cheek greeting from both of them and they were obviously pleased to be back.  Emula came round as did my Avatar to see them and there were various horns tooting as they went past. Bekir's first job was to sort the chimneys out and using various pieces of equipment strung together with metal and dangling from a rope I provided proved to be insufficient.  Eventually we had to resort to two long pieces of wood nailed together so that it would go the whole depth of the building and the tools of the trade needed to appear in the wet room downstairs.  I stood at the ready with a dustpan and brush which proved insufficient too so I got a big plastic container which we filled.  It all comes down to the rain that we had which saturated the chimney and caused the fire to burn really slowly and form great chunks of rubbish up where I couldn't reach them.  All sorted now....I have a fire going and no smoke at all apart from that making its way up the proper channels and out into the ether.  Result and thank you Bekir.  So he actually sorted the second chimney out and this is for a fire in the kitchen not connected at all to the one in the corridor which runs the central heating.  On this one, and the pipes have all been sorted I can cook and I had to have a driving lesson from Bekir on it......There's a lever that you pull if you want to bypass the hotplates and use the oven....technology at the cutting edge.  I didn't get a certificate but might do tomorrow... ;) ;)

Meanwhile at the back of the workshop...Sally is removing the soil backed up against my workshop/garage wall and digging for victory finding yet more polythene mines and bits of concrete.  Sally is a diamond...he just keeps going.  Lunchtime and we appear to be surrounded by three kittens.  Now I know Sally likes them and Bekir hates and we have information that they belong to one of the old guys along the road.  Just got them back to work again and Haceber arrives with a dish of rice and meat and this is for all of us and since Emula has arrived back from goodness knows where, we all sit down to sample from the dish celebrating a month after their meat festival.  Since we've all had lunch it's a bit of a half hearted attack on it but Bekir has taken the remainder for his dogs....nothing wasted.

Into Djebel for more of the black stuff for the water proofing, bought a pair of wellies from the shop, the man had delivered the ballast for the outside rendering of the wall and tomorrow we go down to the yard to collect the rest of the supplies.  Lovely moon tonight taking the men back.  It's full and big but by the time that I got back the clouds had come over and no sign of it now....No need for supper...meat and rice is still with me and a glass of the red stuff is sitting on my desk as I type.  LN..I'm going to get in front of the fire now that I don'e need a smog mask to do it...LN

Friday 7th November

Six thirty start...book at the ready and read until seven supping my coffee.  Checked out on my emails and suddenly realised it was Friday when I had in a specific Friday email.  Watched some of the video's about reincarnation and suddenly realised that if I didn't get my A into G...the men would be left standing and I'd not get any work done today.

Down to the materials yard and got some white porous material for wrapping up the drainage pipe and the men got going on it straight away.  The pipe is in place, the waterproofing is stuck to the wall with metal meshing and some of the var and cement skimming is in place.  Good day's work by the men.  Sally still gets the best jobs like loading and pushing the wheelbarrow while Bekir treads down the stuff but I think he knows this.  It's good that I can joke with him at this level.  Bekir has also trimmed the workshop door so that it now closes and I told him not to take too much off it ...it's damp and it's going to shrink in the summer.

I still have my little kitten that decided that it would go on an adventure and somehow found itself on the upper windowsill of the garage and meowed to get lifted down....Tough...you got up there but the problem was solved when it lost its footing and headed down to the garage floor...eight left. :-/ :-/

Gouldjan paid me a visit and the man in the next village has asked me to see if he can find anyone to buy a property he has for sale....so if anyone is interested...message me.  It's a former kindergarten and does need a lot of work.  Gouldjan is off for three days 'education' in Plovdiv....and the EU is funding it.  Money for told rope so to speak...somebody should be really looking into this.

So lit the fire before I took the men home...toasty when I got back but so far...no need to get supper under way.  I had baked beans on toast and worked some of it off doing gardening this afternoon but not all of it.  Got a glass of the red stuff in hand so I'll say LN....no need to search the kitchen so far...it might happen later...LN
  

Saturday 8th November

Latish start and it feels like a Wednesday and I ought to be picking up the men...only had them for two days.  Read for a while, got onto the computer and did emails and facebook and suddenly the time had flown.  Daily Mail sudoku was loaded late so down for breakfast and went out and viewed the estate and tried to work out a plan of campaign for today.  Remsier called in when she saw me sitting at the table and we chatted for about fifteen minutes until my Bulgarian ran out.

So what could I do today?  The list was endless but I decided to get the bonfire going which meant stripping it out and depositing the debris at the bottom of the garden and then I tackled the wood that was chopped up by my guest and never moved.  The little stuff is in the workshop drying out and the other I shall attempt next week.  Enough for one day.

Eventually the fire lit and got rid of some of the rubbish, cleared out the lilac garden bed where the zinnias had been knocked flat by the wind and moved a wild Philadelphus and found some more baby plants that needed moving.  Planted some tulips and daffodils into the space and we shall see what we shall see.  Good day in the garden but the bonfire still needs a bomb under it...maybe tomorrow afternoon after my student.  Haciber came round today and gave me some Noah's pudding and she was impressed that I knew what it was thanks to my student's parents preparing it last year.  It's to commemorate Noah's arrival on Mt. Arafat and is made with fruit, grain and all the left overs from the voyage while they were waiting for the water to subside.  It's also a very special day for Muslims but the handing over of the dish is to break health and love to the receiver....I am well blessed with my neighbours.... ;) ;)

In at five and lit the fire.  Supper of chicken wings, red onion and potatoes went in and should be ready soon....I like it because it cooks itself.  Seven thirty my time and supper is smelling delicious....student tomorrow and it's been a pretty good day for photoshoots.  LN....I'll post then eat my fill...LN

Sunday 9th November

Five thirty start this morning and settled in with the Kindle,  There was no sunlight, moonshine, starlight  and I didn't blame it on the boogie.  Just a miserable start to the morning and it was raining when I set off for my students.  It's not cold but the dampness makes it appear that way.

So the food started as soon as I got there and my student brought out some spice flavoured bulgar wheat and baklava for afters to have with the morning coffee.  It was actually called Kuftee and I asked if there was any meat in it and why wasn't it cooked but apparently it is kneaded for about ten hours before the consistency is considered correct.  All the food was brought back from Turkey by the father who'd managed to get a week away visiting his wife's relatives over there.  The kuftee is yet again another acquired taste.  

Settled down for lunch at twelve and it was filo pastry stuffed with rice, leeks and white cheese and it was the first time I'd had this.  Pudding was a fresh pomegranate dissected and served in little dishes with a spoon but I just can't managed to get the seeds down and had to deposit them in a serviette.  It was visitors all the way today,  Firstly the mother's brother, then a young friend who is in university in Plovdiv and finally an eighty three year old ex school teacher...We had yet more food arrive from one of the neighbours but this was Noah's pudding but the savoury version and apparently you have to put in seven different ingredients.  The dish was served and the spoons came out but since we hadn't long eaten it was soon moved into the kitchen for later.

Sat around until just before four and headed for home.  Wood in, ashes sorted, fire lit and got changed into my lounging PJ's by about five.  I'm reading Detective Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly and I'm on to number five in the series.  So far interesting story lines.  

Sorry, no photos today...there was only a hint of sun and by the time I got home the light was rapidly fading.  Men tomorrow if the weather holds...Sally has to finish the wall and Bekir has to mend the toilet...LN....it's bish Bosch...off we go again...LN

Monday 10th November

Four thirty start and I was insomnia...where exactly is Insomnia?  Is it a country I've not heard of and are many people there.  So I read for a while, played Angry Birds for a while, more reading and then suddenly realised it was seven twenty and had to get a move on to wash, dress and generally get ready for the men.

Had a bit of a dice with the mobile bread van this morning and kept going from stop to stop expecting him to be at the next but got it wrong...I met him between two pit stops so carried on and bought bread in the men's village. I do like their bread.  I;ve not yet done an analysis as to whose bread is the best and who bakes it...one day.  Men loaded and back to mine...Sally continued on with his wall while Bekir had a myriad of jobs to do from the 'must do before winter pile'.  Toilet fixed, curtain rail in the lounge put up, siliconed where it needed to be applied ad the outside screen to stop the snow and the weather bashing against the front door was erected.  Poor Sally was left to fen for himself.  I think Bekir was supposed to help him but I kept the pressure on.

Emula came round today and asked to borrow the foot pump.  Apparently the tyres on Atatar's son's car were down and the ladies were off to town and Emula was the driver. I joked with him about not being invited for a ladies day out at the market but it was in one ear and out of the other and I'm not sure there's much to stop it.  So pump returned, off they went and they got back just before the bus....They could have gone by bus instead...

Now we joked about the 'lemon'.  The man said that it was a lemon, I've believed all summer that it's a lemon but Bekir firmly believed that it was a Clementine.  So the final test was carried out on the terrace with knife and chopping board on one of the fruits...guess what...it's a lemon so humble pie is called for but not sure it they have any in the fridge...!!

So Bekir's work...curtain rail up in the lounge and I realised that the curtains 'went' but I think the new material for the sofa will go much better so tomorrow into Kardjali with the Librarian to get some more and keeping fingers crossed that it's still available.    Men dropped off, fire lit and supper tonight was fillet steak with red onions on a sandwich and it was delicious.  OK so fillet steak seem expensive but I get five fillets out of a whole fillet costing thirteen leva (about six pounds) and I don't call that bad.

Now down to the fire and my Kindle....it's been a good day and a heart to heart about requirements for next year left me really positive.  He appreciates that four years of working together cannot be swept away...LN

Tuesday 11th November

Six start and managed to get up, get showered and dressed by seven.  My hair was in a serious state of disrepair and I was off to the big city today.  Picked up the men and down to the materials yard for yet more Var to finish off the coating for the wall and only just managed to pay with loose change which didn't go down very well but we had a giggle with it...I think I was about twenty stotinki short!!

Back home and was awaiting a call from the Librarian since the arrangement was to meet her in Djebel.  At nine fifteen her car pulls up and she was looking worried...she said she'd phone three times and there hadn't been a reply so I suggested she phoned again while I stood by her and mine didn't ring. .....I phoned her and it did ring so goodness knows who she was dialing!!  Into Kardjali and to the material shop and bought more of my swirly material and some brown lining to make my curtains and it's a tomorrow job, into my favourite cheap clothes shop, shopping in Kaufland and home for just after two.  Lunch, she disappeared home, the material arrived to insulate the little house and for the under eaves filler and so I had to go back into Djebel to get enough money from the bank so that I can pay for it tomorrow morning after I pick up the men.

Men home, lit the fire before we left and it was chugging away beautifully by the time I got back.   A full stomach of ham and chippies required rest and I fell asleep reading my book in front of the fire and that's why the daily update is late.... I got a few zzz's in before the bewitching hour...and there are no photos...sorry, it's just been too busy a day....LN...  back to reading since I've just finished the first sleep shift and I have to wait until there's enough sleep in me to start the second.....LN

Wednesday 12th November

Before I go to sleep in front of the roaring log fire...I'm going to do my update....it was hard work trying to string two sentences together last night at my midnight... ;) ;)

So after my sleep last night and waiting for the second shift to arrive, I eventually settled off at four after finishing my book and thought that I might possibly sleep through and miss the men but all was well.  I woke at seven fifteen, straight into the routine and I was there for eight.  Bekir comes leaping over which is really unusual and asks me to take my car over to the well because the suitcases thus stowed were very heavy and as instructed I complied.  There was another man with him so I asked if I had another worker knowing full well that I was a taxi to the main road so that the man could catch one of the buses going to Turkey. Dropped him off at the top of the lane and found out on the way to the materials yard that it was his brother in law going back to Izmir.  So down to the yard to pay my latest bill and I handed it to Bekir to check out that it was correct and we headed back home on fresh air and I was waiting for the fuel warning light to come on but it didn.t.  

The men decided that they were going to play jigsaws with the house insulation and it's a bit like cut and paste.  Bekir was caught out a couple of times when he put the adhesive on the wrong side...it's all to do with coupling...the man and the woman and he tried to couple two men....or two women...I wasn't sure which was which.  All was going well until we had to get some of the  lesser width stuff so into Djebel we went and now I have a blue and green house that will be insulated and finished tomorrow.  How's that for business.  We used a new one this time.  The other white insulation is quite soft to the touch this one is rock hard...more expensive but worth it.  Sally meanwhile was using Bezir on the wood which is a great insect deterrent /killer before they cut and put under eaves.  Started the curtains but I think I need a heavier header tape so I'll review tomorrow.

The kitten has been around all day today but tonight it's gone back to where it came from....let's see how long it takes to make it back here.  Emula decided that he wanted to come to the men's village for the ride but I think the men were too knacked to give him much slack tonight.  He was talking all the way but getting few replies.

Home for six fifteen, liver in onions gravy with added read wine and mashed potatoes and I was sitting down to it at six fifty.  Such an easy meal to knock up.   Lots of good work achieved today from all of us. Worked out thought that we've been overcharged for the insulation...quantity was mixed up with area coverage...I am fifty one leva in credit...

Down to the fire...about to start a new book...and tonight I'll make sure that I'm in my bed before my eyelids head south...LN ;) ;)  

Thursday 13th November

Again it was one of those four o'clock starts.  I read until six and then closed my eyes and cat napped until just before seven and prepared to get the men.  It was a dull old morning and took a slow drive there and waited for the men to appear out of the cafe.  We went down to the materials yard to pick up one or two things that they wanted and to claim my credit for the short delivery of one of the items yesterday.  Thirty nine leva back to me but I knew it wouldn't be long before that was gone.

They started work, I went inside and made a bacon and egg sandwich and Bekir called me out to show me that I would need to get some more of the stuff that they coat the outside insulation with because if we used the one that we'd got, it wouldn't be the same colour as my existing house and he knew they'd be issues with it.  The washing had just finished so I thought I'd hang it out before I went to get the new stuff that they wanted but there was an inkling of rain so that went upstairs on the clothes airer.

In to Djebel, got the curtain header tape to make the lounge curtains, took the phone in to be unlocked so that I could change the sim card over from my old phone, bought a new battery for it and headed to my clothes shop to kill some time.  Found a fabulous leather coat and asked the lady to put it on the scales and it came out at fifteen leva and I couldn't refuse it....that's me sorted for winter then.

Back to Djebel and picked up the requirements for the men but by this time it had really started chucking it down.  Fortunately they were working under the roof eaves and not getting so drenched but I said the if they wanted to go early, just to let me know but they stuck it out until five.  I'd put a chicken and jacket in at four and a baked apple so by the time I got back from dropping off the men it was six and my supper was ready. I feel absolutely stuffed and it won't be long tonight before my head hits that pillow but I'm delaying it as long as I can....I'm tired of these silly o'clock starts.

The photo call will come tomorrow...Bekir is going to phone as to whether they are going to work tomorrow or not...the weather forecast doesn't look promising and they have outside work to do.  LN...I'm going back to my fire and my book...sounds like I might have an easy day tomorrow if the weather stays the same as today...LN

Friday 14th November

So this morning I was waiting for a call from Bekir to see if they were working or not and it didn't happen.  Swapping my phone over yesterday I wondered if he was having problems getting through so I decided to phone him only to find out that the numbers had been stored on my old phone not on the sim card so struggled with getting the back off the old phone, changing over the sim card, updating the sim card with the phone contacts and eventually got through to him at just before eight and it was raining there as much as it was raining here so we agreed that Monday would be a better idea.  They would have been wet through in quicksticks and I would have been taking them home early to dry off.

Got the fire going...it was a cold miserable day and had visions of getting loads done and in fact I've done very little.  My unusual sleep pattern over the last couple of weeks must have got through to me and I've had a couple of naps today but hopefully not enough that I don't get a good night's sleep in tonight.  Used up the liver and potatoes putting them in the slow cooker this morning with a can of cannellini beans and chilli powder and having a thick soup with toast for lunch and stuffed to the gills.

Reading this afternoon.  I did attempt the curtains, the iron is up to turn over and press the header tape in place but I gave up on because I really need to clear my desk to get a good run at them.  They are over two meters wide each and two fifty long and tomorrow is another day.  Kindle is out of juice so thought I'd get in an early update and my new Kindle needs to have the books updated to sync with the little one.

So the photo shoot didn't produce any gems...not much to photo today...damp dreary and cold but it should be better tomorrow according to the forecast.  I'll wait and see.....LN

Hi Elsa, love pics, but looks like winter is nearly upon you. Austria have already had some snowfall according to my daughter. nearly a metre in 24hrs a week or so ago. any way take care. Loads of hugs from OZ.xx

Saturday 15th November

Well yes Linda...I thought so too but it cleared up theis afternoon and there was a hint of sun.  The wind was cold though so it could change just as rapidly.    :-/ :-/

Seven start this morning so despite my snoozes yesterday I had one of the best sleeps for ages so I must have needed it.  Breakfast was only toast and I decided to light the little woodburner in the kitchen today to give it a try out before I really need it.  It was slow to get started and that's probably because I haven't got the hang of it but I put the remains of the chicken with a curry sauce in the oven part of it and the bones I put on one of the hot plates to turn into soup tomorrow.  It sort if worked but I need to get the hang of the damper thingy at the front....it sends the heat either to the oven or to the hotplates and I need to get the wood chopped smaller.  Lovely surprise today...Haciber's son who works in Sweden brought me back a tin of Swedish ginger biscuits that I love...such a sweetie... ;)  Looked down the garden and there were five cows enjoying the greenery and I saw red.  I knew that part of the fence down there was a little suspect but one of the biggies decided that it was fair game and managed to break down the defences but got really stuck on the barbed wire as I chase it out.  The others were tentative but eventually they followed the leader and I set about repairing it but using the bush that the locals use to fill the gaps.  I'd got one of them growing at the top of the garden so cut down about four branches of the thing and filled in the gaps.  They came back, viewed the repairs and walked on...I'd done it right. :o

The bottle of wine came out at lunchtime, I got into and finished the book and the curtains still remain sitting on the top landing with the scissors but the side of them.  Tomorrow is a day out with Cinderella and we're out for lunch and so no visit to my student's tomorrow but the trade off is that we go to Plovdiv next Saturday to visit her friends that are at university there.  

Supper was delicious...chicken curry with mango chutney and lime pickle, washing up done, wine is done so it looks like finishing off with a little beer and wood is in.  I got a little confused because I couldn't find the next been in the series so I had to go into the CD of the Kindle books to locate it.  It said it was there but I couldn't find it despite several flashing though the pages.  So it's there now...onwards to the next.  LN....the house is toastie and I'm set for the night....LN

Sunday 16th November

So it was a silly o'clock start this morning and I read for about an hour before I eventually managed to get off again but still up at seven thirty.  Sorted out the chicken stock and it's in the fridge to do something with later, the remains of the chicken and rice is stashed in the freezer for another day, washed up the stock pot and all the things needed to get the bones out of soup and settled for toast for breakfast.

Today I was on chaperone duties.  Gouldjan was examining her boyfriend on his culinary skills after he'd bragged that he did a pretty mean moussaka and creme caramel so he was put to the test today.  I picked her up at eleven and we set off towards Krumovgrad and it's a good way I know the way.  She doesn't drive so I'm asking her which way to go and she knows that she goes through Momchilgrad and that was about it and she'd arranged for the boyfriend to meet us on the main road and we followed to the house.  Now the neighbours were watching out.  The boyfriend lives on his own in his parent's house since they live in Istanbul and I don't think he has many visitors especially in a big four by four driven by a woman who is bringing another younger woman into the property.  We sat in the one room with the woodburner and it makes me glad that I've gone for the central heating.  He cooked lunch for us and he definitely passed the test and he even gave us doggie bags to take home with us saying that there was no way he was going to manage to eat all that he'd prepared.  

So this afternoon she was shown off to grandma and an uncle and aunt with me still playing chaperone.  They're both thirty five but still fairly  old fashioned in outlook and quite refreshingly so.  Grandma was lovely and at eighty three quite chirpy and the daughter in law told me that she has a daughter in the language school in Kardjali and that she could do with some lessons to improve her English.  I might be able to point her in the right direction.

Dropped Gouldjan off and I gave her the doggie bag.....there's more chance of it being eaten there than here.  Avatar and Haciber were out in the street with some other women so I approached them thinking that there was a problem.  No everything was fine and as I set off back to my house my Avatar called me back and gave me one of her frothy pancakes and I munched it as I walked back to the car to get it into the drive.  Fire lit....a little mastica on the go tonight and no need for supper after a good lunch and a mekitsa (pancake).  No photos again sorry....the hills were shrouded in mist and I could have been anywhere....LN...will try and do better tomorrow.... :-/ :-/...LN

Monday 17th November

Sleepless night....if I managed an hour all night that would have been pushing it.  Today would have been my sister's birthday so just sending her a thought.

Thinking this morning that there would be no men again because of the weather but I set off regardless at the allotted hour.  It was spitting with rain here but on the way it chucked it down and I wondered if it was going to be a fruitless journey but in their village it was the same as mine.  There was a little blue sky on the way which eventually turned into a November watery sky but without the water.  It took me back to school days where my compositions for exams always seemed to start with the same phrase regarding the November sun.  And so back to mine.....the men set about filling in the gap between the edge of the roof and the wall with wood and that's taken them all day to do.  It also means that it's not windproof and pest proof.  As for me...the lounge curtains are up and only need the bottoms turning up.  I'm letting them hang for a week or so...they're very big and heavy and probably will fall so no point in doing a job twice.  Soup also in for tonight but it's still in the slow cooker ....I caught up with two of last night's sleepless hours and have just come to...

Winter skies this morning and tonight captured and about to be posted....two toads have been moved on from under the winter decking by the front door and the planking has been filled in so that the little beauties can't get under it again.  I'm sure I moved one of them out before but he came back with his mate.  Men home, fire going not so well but I could feel cold because I've just woken up...going down to tend to fire and dish up the soup....and hopefully the brain will quieten down enough to let me get in my sleep quota tonight...LN and fingers crossed.....in fact...everything crossed...LN

Tuesday 18th November

Finally a good night's sleep coming to at six thirty this morning.  Out for the men, bacon and egg sandwich for me to set me up for the day and their work has been to finish off the under roof eaves and then prepare the rest of the outside insulation for skimming.  Today's was rather challenging for them and lots of fiddly stuff going on.  Round the windows and doors there was plastic edging to put on and I mentioned that it was more like a couple of sharpshooters had been through where they had put the plaster stuff over the plastic plugs.  

I've had a day of bits...bits of this and that and I've repotted the plants from the bathroom that had outgrown what they were originally planted in, rescued a cushion filling from the little house and recovered it, sawn a small chunk of the sofa so that it could be moved along the wall in the lounge and moved the bookcase so that I can have the curtains against the wall instead of over the patio light switch.  Dug over part of the vegetable garden as well getting rid of the old pumpkin and tomato plants and most of the weeds and put the cloche frames over the broad beans so that I can keep the snow away when it eventually gets here.  

Emula came round begging a cigarette from Bekir and he's been enlisted to move the remains of the old gate posts tomorrow and his fee will be more cigarettes and coffee I expect.  Chicken wings out of the freezer this afternoon and into the remains of yesterdays vegetable soup with lots of curry powder and into the oven with it while I took the men home with Emula coming along for the ride.  With three men in the car I really have so sort out what they call the rubber dampers on the suspension tomorrow....it was fair creaking on the way there but not so bad on the way back.

Supper was good...unfortunately I fell asleep over my book in front of the fire hence the late update but nicely relaxed and soon be into my bed and keeping fingers crossed for another good night.  LN..get some photos on and then off I can go...LN

Wednesday 19th November

Six thirty start and it's getting better.....into the car for eight thirty and it was spitting with rain when I set off and it was hoping that it would stay dry enough for long enough for the men to get on..  I stopped the bread van on my way to pick up the men and bought a new loaf and a cheesy bread thingy for breakfast and I ate three out of six portions of it on my way over leaving the other three for their first cup of coffee.  

My Avatar came round this morning and I still don't know why...and despite me asking she never said but sometimes when the men are there she doesn't come out with it.  I nipped in the house and came out with some clementines and snuck up behind her and dropped some into the pockets of her cardigan.  She looked suitable indignant and scolded me and I went inside, came back with the bowl of them from the kitchen and we all sat down and started munching them.  They were very sweet with thin skins but Bekir was the lucky one and came out with the pips where the rest of us were pip free so they've now got planted and are sitting next to the lemon tree and we'll see if anything comes up.  I am the custodian of the pips...haha..  Avatar put in an order for five leva's worth of the same so I went into Djebel to get my car down to the garage and pick up her requirements.  

Bad news at the garage....it's not the dampers...it's the suspension thingies so I brought the clementines back with some teracol for the men and drove back into the garage and coming back on the four o'clock bus.  What an experience.  The bus sets of at four via the school to pick up the school children returning to the village and via the kindergarten and school in Rogosche to pick up those children as well.  By this time there were children everywhere and I know most of them for knocking on my door for sweets at their festivals and I got an 'hello' from most of them.  There was one little tot that I picked up and sat on my knee and her little eyes were going so I cuddled her and off she went.  It's a long day for little ones.  They go to the kindergarten at six thirty in the morning and come back at four in the afternoon.  She is such a poppet with beautiful eyes.  It suddenly occurred to me that this wouldn't happen in England...you'd' have inspectors everywhere quoting H & S at you.

So big car out for men to go home.....delivered them safe and sound and it's supposed to chuck it down tonight but the thunder has just started up again so I won't be long on the pc......Supper was the remains of last nights fried up and really delicious....gin and tonic on the go and the water heater is on and I'm in for a dip tonight.  LN....I've just started running the back and filling up the glass...LN

Thursday 20th November

So last night I went for my bath and woke up at twelve and thought it was time to go to bed....usual for me...back to the womb.

It was hissing down this morning and I lay listening to it and thought that no way was there going to be any sun today and at six thirty Bekir phoned and he had the same thoughts...wrong...at nine thirty the sun was out and it stayed that way until about one this afternoon and then the rain came.

Th e intention was to make my lavender bags for my ladies for their Christmas presents but instead I settled in and read my book this morning after a bacon sandwich and lingered longer than I should have done.  I looked up and the Librarian was in my garden looking at the work that had been done and it suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't got the key in the door to signify that I was in residence and there was only the Beast outside since Beauty is in the garage so out I went to confirm my existence in society.  She'd gone into Djebel to my student's shop and had decided to pop by on the off chance.

So we chewed the fat for an out or so, talked garden and preparing stuff for the winter and I was reminded that my rhubarb was still uncovered for the winter.  Avatar came round and I'm invited to lunch tomorrow so let's wheel out the Anglechanka...she has her relatives coming and I know them from my other students.  Fish finger sandwiches for lunch and they went down well and off she set at just after two to sort her 'stuff' out in Benkovski.  

As she was leaving the rain started to fall so back to my book, the illusive Daily Mail Sudoku that I'd had three attempts on on line and had resorted to doing a paper version of it and that meant that I could rapidly enter the solution and bring down my average time...cheat, cheat I hear the call.  Out to get the wood in for tonight...the fire was ticking over most of the day since it was still going this morning and with a little teasing was brought to life.  Lovely sunset this evening....very chilled day and feeling good about tonight.  Curtains all drawn since the temperature appears to be dropping but all's good in my little world.  I'm saying goodnight now...I have a little beer on the go...and let's hope that the weather is good enough for the men to work and I get good information about Beauty...I do worry about her...she has to work very hard...LN

Friday 21st November

Five thirty start but that's OK..Went down to make coffee after reading for a while and saw the thin sliver of a moon so had to get the camera to capture it....  Back to the bed and back to the book but watched morning shed the dark shadows of night and into the day we went.

Into the biggie and over to the men...it was a beautiful morning but the windscreen was frozen so had to get the scraper out and rely on the screen blast to finish it.  Got to the village on time though and watched Bekir's dogs playing.  They know that he's near so don't stray far but the little one wanted to play with an outsider and no way was the big one having that and moved in to protect him even though he'd been the one to go outside the circle...that's dogs for you.

Men carried on with the insulation and I went to my luncheon appointment at just before twelve with the rest of the village ladies.  Most I knew but I'd not met Semile's mother before but ended up taking her home.  Lunch was the norm of food being delivered and whisked away before you manage to have your fill.  Several courses and out in the hour but this time we lingered over tea and as they all shoved sugar lumps in like they were going out of fashion...I said 'bez zaha'...'without sugar' and I think this got more attention than the rest of the meal.  My Avatar took food over to Bekir and Sally and I asked her not to give them too much...I needed them to work this afternoon and this went down well with some of the ladies.

So as I said..lunch over and from a short list of one I took Semile's mother home to the farm, carried on to Djebel since I knew the diesel in the Beast was running low, called into the car shop for an update and apparently Beauty was awaiting collection.  Drove home, dumped the Beast and saw the one thirty bus approaching my drive, I flagged him down and explained that I wanted to go to Djebel and he asked if I wanted to go inside to get a coat and I said that I was fine....reminded me of England...not.  So to Djebel...she was amazed that I'm made it back so quickly and the garage owner appeared so I managed a lift back to the garage.  Paid the price.....one hundred leva....peanuts...and drove it home.  Fire lit, men finishing off, wine box from Djebel ensconced in the kitchen for later and no plans for supper...I'm stuffed.

Talked work for next week and we are finishing off the under eaves wood in the main house and the workshop.  Have to go to order more wood but that will be done on Monday.  Men home in the little one and I jumped up and down to confirm that the springs were now OK.  I wished them a good weekend and got back about five thirty...curtains all drawn and toasty inside.  LN....I've had a very busy but enjoyable day...LN

Saturday 22nd November

Five thirty start this morning and I think I've been catching up with my sleep ever since.  Opened my curtains to a beautiful start to the day and the sun eventually popped its little face up at around seven thirty but it popped its had back behind the clouds  and that's been it for most of the day.  My fire was still going from last night so I rescued it and that's been going most of the day as well.  It's not been cold but the house has begun to warm up and that's the way it should be before the winter really sets in.  It's supposed to be down to minus one tonight.  

Down to the bread van this morning and most of my ladies are there.  Haciber brought back bread and a couple of small bottles of mastica for her son and now I what to get him for bringing me back the ginger biscuits from Sweden as a reciprocal gift. The van had run out of cheesy bread so I had to make do with crusty bread and butter for breakfast which went down just as well.  

Today was full of possibilities and I did not of them.  I weighted up the options and sat and read my book in the chair near the stairs, nodded off to sleep at around eleven thirty, read some more and put chicken wings, diced potatoes and onions in to the oven for supper and that was done by about five thirty.  Mayo and sweet chilli sauce finished it off with a glass of the red to see it on its journey down.  Reading again and I've just woken up again but now we're heading into night-time but I figure I need it.  It's full on days when the men are here and Saturday is my day for relaxing...it's student tomorrow.

I'm going to say goodnight....as to my book...I'd printed off the order to read them in and had got to what I thought was book eight of the Harry Bosch series but at fifty percent there was no mention of Bosch and I was getting bored with the detail that the guy was throwing at me.  At fifty five percent I abandoned it and went on to the next and he popped up in the first page so now I'm a happy lady.  I might never find out who murdered who in the last one but it really doesn't matter.  LN...I'm going back to this one...it's steeped with mystery...LN

Sunday 23rd November

So another five o'clock start...it seems to be the bewitching hour. The fire was still going so teased it to life again and slammed on another log.  I went back to bed with a coffee and worked my through the latest Bosch book to discover 'who dunnit'.  Nice twist to this one.

Over to my students for just after ten but I was stopped on a routine police check on my way in.  I think the young copper thought he'd bitten off more than he could chew when he found out that I was English but the only problem was that he couldn't see the document for my insurance so I pointed him to the sticker on the windscreen and his number two was saying that everything was OK and that I should be allowed to continue...all in Bulgarian.

So lunch today was liver banichka that I'd never had before and it's sort of stayed with me.  Liver under cooked finds its way through quicker than over cooked. but I suppose there's a first for everything. Home for just after four and again my fire had managed to stay in and I soon got it going again.  I decided on a fillet steak for supper but as I was cooking it, the gas bottle decided to give up the ghost so that's a job for tomorrow but better now that when I've got no men to sort it.  Finished supper off on the electric.....not as good as I'd anticipated but adequate to fill the gap.  I'm on to my next Bosch book...very addictive.  No pickies....the police just wouldn't smile for the camera...LN

Monday 24th November

And this morning I think it was the chill in the air that woke me up....It went down to minus two overnight and the darkest hour and it appears the coldest is just before dawn...as the song goes.  The man from the mosque sang his little heart out at around six thirty and there was no sign of dawn until just after seven and even then there was no sunrise that you could spot.  

I cleaned out  the fire and even though the ashes were warm I decided against lighting it.  Out to pick up the men at just after seven thirty, they both appeared wearing hats today and over we went to the materials yard and on the agenda...more wood for the under eaves work and it was supposed to arrive this afternoon and we're still waiting.  We went into the shop, got more nails and the plugs to hold the insulation on the walls and a pomegranate.   So the last time I had one of these at my students I was castigated for not eating the seeds only sucking and juicing the pips and yet again I was told this was the best part.  

Home, men set to work on the under eaves, lit the fire and got more wood in for the night time, coffee seems to have been brewed most of the day since it has been cold, cold. cold, mainly due to the wind and the hats never came off.  Got the call that the pomegranate unveiling was about to commence and we sat down with it and again I was sucking and spitting out the seeds.  There just didn't seem to be any flavour in it but I now have a pot of seeds and we'll see if any germinate.  I have my little kitten back but tonight it's being deposited back from whence it came....I repeat...I do not want a cat.... :-/ :-/

Men home after they'd supped the red wine that I'd poured for them to get the circulation going again.  Tomorrow they should finish the under eaves and then we'll see how much work is left for the week.  I think we need to find something inside for them to do and there's lots to be done.  Pork chop and jacket in the oven before we set off for home and it was ready when I got back.  I knocked up a sweet and sour sauce and drizzled it over the chop and into the oven it went to finish off while I had a little mastica and time with my book.  Supper over, delicious and now about to go and snuggle in.  It's supposed to be minus four overnight with a dusting of snow between midnight and two and I'm hoping I'm not up to see it.  There will be pictures if I am.....snuggle time....LN

Tuesday 25th November

Full on day...awoke at five thirty and read for a while and then out for the men at the allotted hour.  Sunrise was not so much sunrise as a glimmer where the sun shouldn't have been.....but it was enough for me to get out the camera.

Over to pick up the men, stopped my bread van on the way and got some goodies that I would present to the men for breakfast...and it worked.  The delivery from Esats didn't happen this morning, this afternoon or this evening so I was off with Bekir to track down another supplier.  This was delivered in quicksticks and of the delivery comes tomorrow ...it's going to be refused.  Two days late and no acceptance...

Washing done and dried within the hour...it might be cold but it works.  As I said the men were waiting around for the delivery...they ran out of materials and by the time that they arrived it was time to go home.  Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

Men home..supper was spicy sausage with chilli, soused in red wine and served with pasta but the sauce wasn't thick enough to miss the sweater so that's in the wash too.  Frustrating day with materials...cold...sunny ...and a continual supply of coffee...LN....my fire is superb this evening, my supper was the same and I've a new book series by the same author...I'll fill you in tomorrow...LN

Wednesday 26th November

What a cold one it's been.  The fire was out this morning but I managed to get it going by seven and it's been going ever since.  I went over to pick up the men and it was minus two when I left and it slowly rose to zero but I provided them with hot coffee and hot white cheese bread for breakfast and it went down well.  Both of them were using wood preservative on the under eaves wood and there's not a lot of activity in using a brush.  Emula came round for a chat and to scrounge a cigarette from Bekir and kept hinting at coffee but it wasn't forthcoming.  Instead I knocked up a couple of Oxo drinks for my men and he had some of that.  

I decided that I'd do a tidy up of the leaves that had fallen in the yards since they kept blowing in by the front door and making the place look untidy.  Several large bucketsful later and onto the bonfire they went.  They've almost finished their work for this year now.  We've decided that once the under eaves is finished, that's it for this year.  They were late coming to me and I don't feel that we've achieved much this winter so let's look forward to the spring.  The clouds rolled over this afternoon and the temperature rose a little but nothing to write home about....I just kept the fire stoked in the garden.

Emula returned at five and asked if he could come with me to take the men home.  I offered him the keys to drive them but he refused but kept hinting that he wants to come and work here next year.  Bekir told him that he talks too much to be considered a serious candidate but we'll wait and see.  Home just after six and dropped Emula off at home....fire going, supper was the remains of last nights reheated and almost ready for bed.  Tomorrow could be their last day so I need to make a list of the jobs I want them to do before we say fond farewells for this year.  LN...where's that pen and paper....LN

Thursday  27th November

Four o'clock start this morning and don't ask me why but I'm still; going strong tonight....

Over for the men and met up with the bread wagon on the way so picked up breakfast for all of us, unsliced loaf and some eggs since I realised that I was out.  Four leva fifty for the lot of it...Asda eat your heart out.

Men set to on finishing the under eaves but there was a fly in the ointment.  I didn't like the way they'd finished off the workshop to the house so it was back to the drawing board Cecil.  They know what I'm going to say before I've said it and Bekir knew that it was coming....and so we worked out how to change it and we did.  There was a sprinkling of snow this morning and Bekir shouted me to make sure that I didn't miss it.  I tried to capture it but it was so light that it just didn't show up on the photos....but there you go ...my first snow of the season.

I worked on the heap that was left by my guest to remove the debris from my patio....the wood is being stacked and the debris burnt on the bonfire...Bekir reckons that it will all be good to burn...I'm not convinced but what was thrown against the wall is not being stacked...

After finishing the workshop they moved upstairs to insulate the patio windows and we discussed taking some of the supports down but that's for next year.  It will make quite a difference to the space up there and I'm all for it.

Emula came round at about five and brought me a vase that he'd found somewhere...It's outside waiting to be washed before being brought inside.  He came with me to take the men home and we went into Djebel to make sure that I've got enough benzine for the morning trip...over to the cash point to make sure that i've drawn enough to pay them and coffee from the bottom supermarket so that I've got coffee to cater to their needs in the morning.

Egg and chippies for supper...been awhile since I indulged myself,,,,mastical is helping it down and Peter Skellern is playing on the ipod.  I need to finish the wood pile tomorrow and it appears the men are working though it wasn't in the original plan...so off I go in the morning....Nine my time and seven yours...it's been a long day...LN

Wow didn't realise that you were a month ahead and that you've already had Christmas!  ;D

When I saw Thursday 27th December I had to double check that I'd clicked on the right thread...  :P

Lovely to see the little house coming along nicely! xXx

Friday 28th November

Time travel MikeyB  .....that's Bulgaria for you...edited and now back from the future..xx

Misty start this morning ,,,the fire was still ticking over and it's been rejuvenated but not thinking it's really necessary.  There won't be a sunrise in my neck of the woods this morning....well there probably is but the clouds are obscuring it....Now to get dressed...time to go for the men.

Saturday 29th November

Full on day with the men yesterday and I was absolutely knacked by the end of it.  The last day of the year is always the same.

They finished the under eaves woodwork and the rush to the finishing post was my reminding Bekir that I wanted lights in both the house and the wood store so that there were no hidden surprises if I had to go out at night.  The lights that I put up meant that there had to be two cables running from my outside sockets and no spare for Santa lights etc....well that season is almost up on us.  So now I have one cable into the little house and at my suggestion a hole was knocked into the workshop to take a cable that runs the garage light and the workshop light and it's all indoor....result.

Put chicken wings in the oven when I got back last night, sliced a potato very thinly and made thickish crisps and while that was cooking I got into my PJs and settled into my book.  I managed to stay awake for supper, returned to the sofa in front of the fire and the next thing I new I was cold, the fire was on its last legs and it was one in the morning.  Up to bed and not an ounce of sleep in me so read for a while eventually dropping off to a fitful sleep and finally came too at seven thirty this morning.  Lovely start to the day, magical sunrise and misting clouds.  It's white over with frost and the temperature is just on zero.  It's a day to be out and about somewhere....I'll let you know what I get up to...

Saturday update

Got two loads of washing out and dried...another good bonfire ...rest of the pot plants from the little terrace are in and it turned out to be 15 degree plus this afternoon.  I put it down to the fires that I'm having and it's nothing to do with global warming.  Must admit I did get filmon going and watched Saturday Kitchen this lunchtime for me...remember I'm two hours and I might even catch Strictly this evening after a bath.

The 'nest' has been made up in the downstairs bedroom and the room generally tidied although the house is warm enough so far to still be in my upstairs bedroom with the stupendous views.  Watching the morning come up starts the day off well for me.

Little beer on the go from four onwards, settled in to reading another of Michael Connelly...this time it's Mickey Haller a defence attorney....First book had a nice twist but it took me a while to get into it.  The second is moving along nicely.  Boiler on over-ride....I shall be wallowing shortly so I'm signing off.....LN

Sunday 30th November

One lazy morning this morning....the bath last night did its stuff and I stayed wallowing for about an hour until there was no more hot water and off to bed by about midnight.  I did watch Strictly last night but there was just too much razz and metazz last night in there for me.  Some of the routines would have been much better on Play Away...bring back Brucie...and as for the judges...I would like to have rammed the scorecards where the sun doesn't shine.  Maybe I'm getting too old for British TV.

Eventually went in the shower at nine thirty this morning but that was so that I could wash my hair and rinse it out properly.  I didn't light the fire this morning since I was off to my student and the family so getting dressed was a pretty rapid affair.  Cloudy, wet and damp this morning and not even a glimmer of yesterday's sun.  I was out for ten, the family were all in since it was too wet to be in the garden and we chewed over the week.  The mother made potato salad, cooked some rice and the father barbecued some mackerel for lunch and it was delicious.  The family went off to visit and ailing aunt in the next village, the elder sister went to pay her respects to the family of a work colleague who had died that morning and I sat around with my student generally talking in English which is good for her listening and conversational skills.

Home for three thirty and lit the fire, got some more wood in so that it will warm up overnight for tomorrow and it was a beans on toast night with a coffee and brandy to stoke up the internal temperature.  Almost nine my time and I'm desperately trying to stay awake so that I get a good night's sleep in...two hours on the sofa and then to bed doesn't lead to a good night's rest.  No men tomorrow but looking at the weather forecast they wouldn't have been here anyway....No photos today although the mackerel would have made a good one.  Going down to my fire  to give it a poke and stoke.....LN.....A very restful day....