Wednesday 1st January

Well Happy New Year everyone, hope the heads of cleared for those that imbibed and that it's been a day of sheer indulgence finishing off the chocolates and goodies that Santa left.  I woke up to lashing rain, gale-force winds and felt sorry for my daughter who was heading over to Gloucestershire for a New Year visit. I've spent the day answering FB messages, phoning friends and everything was going swimmingly until I tried to change the bulb in a ceiling connector and goodness knows what was holding it up for the last few years.  

As I rotated the bulb, the connector fell to forty five degrees, the screw fell out and as I stood on a very bouncy bed holding on to the ceiling to steady myself, the whole unit came away in my hand.  Joy oh joy.  Now for some reason there is fiber board on the ceiling and I needed a rawl plug to fill the hole.  A hammer was brought into play to knock the rawl plug home, I was given instructions to attempt to screw in the screw without the unit in place. I did about three turns with the screw and there was no purchase and as I unscrewed the screw the rawl plug came away with it.  I've given up, it's dark outside and the lamps in the bedroom are providing intermittent light and shadows making it difficult to see the wood for the trees.  I've down-tooled, I don't want to start 2025 with another accident and am now going down to watch television.  As I said, I don't know how it managed to stay up there fas long as it dis.

I did have a nice long bath this afternoon, there was nothing else to do so I lingered for about two hours.  I washed my hair and did two long plaits and should be all right if the Red Indians attack overnight and hopefully take me hostage.  Shopping tomorrow with my daughter if the weather holds, we'll take a rain check in the morning.  LN......Now back to the Toblerone.....thank you Santa.......this could take some time.....LN

Thursday 2nd January

So it was a good job that my daughter read the blog last night, she let me know that she was going visiting today not yesterday and that our shopping will take place on Friday.  This holiday coming in the middle of the week has confused me no end with the current day of the week and weekends.  I did remind her that I do know that we've moved to 2025.....

The weather was better this morning, cold but the sun was at least shining if only for a short time.  The wind was still gale forcing around the place so I did the next best thing....snuggled down with my book not breaking surface until ten when I went down for more coffee and settled in front of the television with toast and marmalade.  Nothing much that grabbed my attention except someone going on about the state of education in England, the fact that private schools are going to be taxed and that there are no child places left many schools if you move areas and are forced to go private.  The comments were that if half of the things that this government have carried out since they have been in power would have been quoted in the manifesto....they would never have come to power....namely the removal of the fuel benefit.

I switched off the TV and went back to my book and now I'm warming to it.  This morning's chapter was about the relics that have been dug up in Mongolia buried around three and a half thousand years ago.  It reminded me that the daughter of one of my friends was a Russian translator and worked for ten years in the Altai region.  I must get in touch with her to see if she's read the book.  There's such a lot I don't know about that period of history, Egypt is well documented along with Turkey but not much about Russia makes the headlines.  I'm at thirty eight percent read....onward and upwards and I should be quite well informed by the end of it.

Supper is ready to go into the oven so I shan't be going on for long tonight.....and we have chicken and bacon thingies with jacket potatoes.  I'm amazed at the things that you can get here but not in BG like tins of soup.  You can get it in packets but it's not the same as opening a can of Heinz and finding real chicken at the bottom of the bowl.  Time for me to move downstairs and put the supper in the oven or it won't happen, the lamp in the bedroom has been put off for another day....we've moved to plan B.  LN....I have kitchen duties to attend to......LN

Friday 3rd January

This morning I was awake at five and delved into my new book on the Kindle.  I've reached the part now where the author is writing about the neolithic sites in England around the year ten thousand BC naming Stonehenge and Starr Carr near Scarborough in Yorkshire and that was worth a Google to find out more about it.  I find it completely fascinating and wonder why I've never heard of it before and now I need to find out more than the book that I'm reading gives me.  The title of the book calls it 'magic', I call it the evolution of natural 'religion' that everything has a purpose and a reason for being here and when that purpose ceases to exist, extinction occurs.

I managed to go back to sleep for an hour or so and had a really vivid dream that stayed with me for a while but faded as most dreams do returning to the dream pool.  I got dressed and started my day, found out enough clothes to take to my daughter's house for an overnight stop and have had a very enjoyable day.  She picked me up around ten thirty, we went shopping to the local dinky-do outlet shop and she introduced me to the things that you can buy to create journals for treasured memories.  It's all changed since I was making birthday cards.  She showed me a small printer that links to wifi and has a very agreeable price tag and so I have one on order to take back with me since it's only about twelve centimeters by twelve.  It also has rolls of adhesive paper and prints the image in black and white so that you can colour it however you want to....I'm going to have something to fill the winter nights!!

We shopped in Lidl, she made leek and potato soup when we arrived home, had lunch and then set off for a walk round the hills and fields at the back of her house.  It was still crisp, puddles were frozen over and children on the walk were jumping in them and it reminded me of when I used to take my two when they were small 'up the lane' back in the UK.  When the snow came we used to take the garden spade and dig tunnels through the snow drifts....great fun and my daughter was talking about it today.

I've had a lovely day and am staying the night cosied up in another little bed but not such a great fall to the floor as when I stayed with my son.  At last I've got some decent photos to put on this evening.  LN.....Time to get on with it......LN

Saturday 4th January

Much quieter day today, special day with my daughter and family yesterday but didn't want to outstay my welcome and was ready for the return to my second home by eleven.
My bag was packed, the holidays this year have come at difficult times and on Monday they are back to work with a vengeance.  They had things to do.  I had toast for breakfast, did the Telegraph Sudoku quite painlessly for a change and even solved some of the clues in the Telegraph crossword for my daughter.  Some of the clues were more easily solved by 'ancients' and I'm certainly one of those.

It was a fristy frosty morning, my grandson was up and about taking his car in for a service, caught the bus to the area and had walked up from the coast road and looked frozen when he arrived.  As I drove back to mine with my daughter we were aware that the roads were a little icy....not many local council workers out and about...probably go back on Monday.  I made toast and sour cherry jam and sat on the sofa in the lounge, there was no sign of life from the rest of the house and then snuggled under a blanket and went back to sleep for a short while.  I watched a very interesting program this afternoon about conservation work on National Trust properties and the reasons why they came into the possession of the National Trust.  Two women who inherited a property and made it their lives work to create a shell gallery at the top of it and another who had brought an obelisk from Egypt and erected it in his grounds.  Sadly he was banished from England and never saw what he had achieved but continued to send artwork which included a couple of Reuben's and must be worth a small fortune now.  

Time to think about supper, I came back from my daughter's house with a pot of leek and potato soup and that is going to be warmed up for tonight.  It was delicious yesterday after the walk and will save me starting anything from scratch again.  Church tomorrow providing the weather is not too dreadful....cold I can stand, cold and rain I'm not too keen on and I will have to catch the bus there and back. LN...... Better get my warm, wet outer at the ready.......LN

Sunday 5th January

Really bad stormy night, no snow but the wind was howling and the rain lashing and I was in two minds whether to go to church or not.  It's a thing that I do when I'm home and thought about it seriously and decided I would do it.  I was reading until round about eight this morning, snuggled up in bed but bit the bullet around eight thirty, made toast and coffee and hit the trail to the bus really wrapped up warm.  It's not a long walk to the bus stop but I wasn't sure what time they ran on a Sunday so I headed out just before ten and saw one going in the opposite direction.  The bus goes down to the village, wait for ten minutes or so, at least I knew one was imminent.  I was joined by a lady at the stop, she was off to church too but a different one than mine and we had interesting conversations about where she lived before and it was very near to where I was born.  She'd moved down here about eight years ago to be near her daughters when her husband died but she's not sure that she made the right decision as a final resting place.

I reached my get off point, walked across the road and was at church for around ten thirty and only a few people were already there.  I walked into the church hall and it was quite warm in there but only about fifteen people made it this morning.  It's a church I've been going to for about forty years on and off, I've seen the hierarchy all die off and the new breed take over and their aims seem very different to the original.  We sang modern hymns that I neither knew the words or the tunes to and some of the nostalgia is missing.  I suppose it's new ideas and new people and they're doing their best to keep it going against all the odds.

I left the church and made my way to the bus stop and it wasn't long before the bus arrived to take me to the end of the road and home.  I had a message from may daughter to let me know that a mini-printer that I'd ordered would be with me from Amazon between three thirty and five thirty and it arrived around four.  My daughter had one already and I wanted one.....it's wifi and works with Fun Store and prints black and white images on to sticky paper that you can stick into books to embellish your own journals.  I charged it up, switched it on, paired it with my phone and printed out an image.....how clever am I!!!  Nothing on the television tonight worth watching so shall be taking it my virginal couch around ten to settle into my book.  I'm half way through it and feel that I shall probably have to read it again, there are lots of theories about ancient tribal procedures, early bible history and doctrines from all religions.  At last the heating has come on upstairs, it's going to be another cold night.  LN.....Think it's time for a cocoa......LN

Monday 6th January

Awake at seven thirty this morning, the wind was still howling outside but at least the rain had stopped.  I carried on reading my book and am now being initiated in the rise of magic in Africa and there are some real eye openers.  I think I might start looking out for some of the figurines and bring them into play when life gets difficult to contend with.

I sorted out my washing, put everything that needed to go into my luggage home into one of the plastic bins that I have and decided to book my taxi for the journey to Gatsick only to be told that I would have to pay up front and they would send me a link.  It was going swimmingly until the authorisation code to confirm payment was sent to my phone and then I lost the link to the taxi firm.  I phoned the bank and they couldn't help me so I phoned the taxi firm, they confirmed that payment hadn't gone through and some very kind man on the other end advised me to pay for it on the day and confirmed that that would be OK.  Problem solved.  Normally when you are using a confirmation code the information is entered into a screen....I'll know for next time.

Washing done and my next job was to remove the sand from my toadstool present from my grandson so that some bright spark at the security at the airport didn't insist on it being taken apart.  It was strange, it appeared to be in a polythene bag but it all came out and now it's much easier to pack without the pressure of the chance of taking it apart at five in the morning.  My bag is more or less packed, I've only got my kindle to go into my bag, presents from my daughter are already stashed along with my new little printer.  I'll leave any clothes that won't fit here....I'm certainly not short of clothes over in BG.

I had good news today, both cars are fixed and my student's mum asked which one I wanted on Friday so I asked her to surprise me.  I've given an expected arrival time of four in the afternoon and again it's weather dependent.  Looking at the weather reports for BG, we're up to fifteen degrees today but rain all next week....no change from here then.  I must remember to apply for my road tax when I arrive and print off the details to store in the cars.  I've received the link already but I'll do it from BG, much simpler.

Monday night quiz night including Just Connect....it sends my brain out at a tangent which stretches it somewhat.  I might follow it up with a bath, get relaxed and settled down to my kindle.....I've got rather involved in this book despite not thinking too much of it at the beginning.  LN.....Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow so far....maybe chase a few more relatives of my old work colleague........LN

Tuesday 7th January

A sleepless night last night....I was awake at two thirty and read until three thirty and then back off to sleep until seven and felt below par all day.  I think it's because I'm on a countdown to going home, my bag is packed and the weather is such that I'm not in the mood for getting windswept over the Downs.  My daughter is back at school, there are things that I can do but no my place to get on with them.

Toast and marmalade for breakfast, I bought two jars last week so have replaced in advance.  It's been a horrible day.  I was in my PJ's until eleven and the postman caught me out when he delivered a parcel which I'm still trying to work out.  Last week mine host purchased a battery tester from the internet and asked if I wanted an all singing and dancing watch since they were only about one pounds forty to purchase so I said yes.  I put it one to a USB to charge it up and haven't managed to do anything else with it at all.  I think I need to download the program and then I might see the wood for the trees.  The instructions were very 'pale' on the paper so I might get them up with me by the computer and see if I can get anything out of it......not expensive and I didn't buy it.

The rest of the day has been spent in front of the television, inertia set in but I did catch the programme of Shirley Ballast 'Who do you think you are' which was very interesting.  It fitted in nicely with the book that I'm reading documenting the movement of peoples around the world especially round the time of the slave trade.  Apparently her grandmother several times removed was taken in Madagascar and moved to South Africa but the family originated further south and were Muslim.  A document was found where the mother and children all converted to Christianity....what can be discovered with so many documents still around is amazing.  I know with my family history, I've come across last wills and testaments for the seventeen hundreds.  Most are still there if you know where to look.

Half seven my time and I'm about to run a bath.  I'll take my kindle with me and make sure that it doesn't end up floating like so many before them.  It would be such a shame since I'm getting used to it but my only complaint is that when changing the font size, you have to use a slide bar not set numbers like we used to have.  It's either too big or too small...nothing is 'just right'...baby bear.  No photos today....just too stormy outside to take any.  LN.....The heating has not come on upstairs yet so it's either bath or lounge.....where's that coin.....LN

Wednesday 8th January

I woke up early, read for a while, made coffee and was just to settle down again when there was a knock on the front door.  I went downstairs in my PJ.s and remembered that a nurse was coming to take a blood sample from mine host so I invited her in, she followed me up the stairs and I woke the patient and eventually he came into the bathroom and the sample was taken.  I explained who I was, that I was here for Christmas from Bulgaria and that I used to live here.  The blood was taken, I went down and made more coffee and then sat watching morning television.  I had a weird episode when I went exceptionally giddy so I took one of my blood pressure tablets....it seemed to calm everything down and after an afternoon on the sofa I'm back to normal.

And now for the exciting bit...we have snow which is a little too close to comfort for my departure but listening to the news, it should clear tomorrow.  I've also been told by my daughter that the roads between the house and the main airport road is blocked because of snow and my comment was that there was no preparation...we've had no advance warning.....NOT.  It's typical of the UK.....no one seems to take adequate preparation.  Pictures were shown of bags of wood being delivered to houses when the temperature dropped, my lorry arrived with three tons on it in September.....forward planning.

I've had a mare of an evening....I'm trying to take photos from my phone to my laptop and I'm still struggling.  LN.......So maybe later....if I manage it......LN

Only photo that I've managed to get across....doh

Thursday 9th January

Well according to the local news this morning the roads were utter chaos last night.  Vehicles were abandoned and I'm sure that some of the drivers have probably never driven on snow before....it's been a while since we had it so deep and so sudden.  It took me back to when my daughter had a Citroen and I had my Calibra 2.5 SE....she sailed into Brighton where we both worked, I drove very tentatively, my big fat tyres filled up with snow and ice and her smaller ones skimmed over the top.....and I was worried about her being a new driver.

Today I received two notifications that I needed to apply for road tax for both vehicles in BG that are expiring tomorrow.  I had problems last year, my BG bank has a duel security system to guarantee the payment which I always seem to fall foul of but I thought I would give it a try and it failed so I reverted to my English card and I have both cars with road tax.  Two cars ready and legal for one hundred and seventy leva.....what's not to love about BG except some of the potholes and lack of road surface in some places but having said that, most of the ones that I use are good.

Most of the snow had gone this morning, just a few patches of it lingering on the grass but with the temperature dropping tonight, my taxi to the airport a three this morning might be taking it a little bit steady.  The flight isn't until six so I've allowed plenty of time for check-in and security.  My bag is packed except for my computer and make-up....that's the last thing to go in.  My clothes are loaded on the coat hanger in the order that they are applied to the body.....and I've even polished my boots.  I've finished the book that I was reading on the Kindle and just by luck I found a piece of paper with a book title scribbled on it after watching a book review programme on the television.  I'd tried to order it before but it didn't seem to be available electronically but today tidying up I thought I'd check again and Amazon had it, it was down to two ninety nine and 'whisper-synced' to my device and ready to read.  This afternoon I lay on the bed and managed to read the first chapter....I have a new book to read on the four hour journey from Sofia to Kardjali tomorrow the book is called 'The God of Small Things'.

I've not had to do much today and feel much better for it.  It's been an odd time in the UK this year.....the festivities came in the middle of weeks which seemed to make the 'going back to work' come even sooner for my daughter and family and I was here but they were working so didn't see them as much.  I posted a 'memory' on FB this morning and it made me realise how much I miss cruising and that's my late new years resolution.....I'm going to investigate Egypt and the Nile Cruise.....the write up on the new Cairo museum is very impressive.  LN.....Next installment hopefully is tomorrow evening n BG if all goes well.....fingers and everything crossed....LN