And a few pickies from today

Forgot to say that the moon is up and the stars out but it's much too cold to get out there in my state of health to take a pickie.....LN

Tuesday 11th February

What a good night last night.  I slept through from midnight to seven this morning and felt much better for it.  I've also decided to finish with my tablets, I've missed two and my head feels much clearer to day and I've had a much better day.  We're given these things and again I came up with red marks on my arms and if I share this with a doctor the response is that 'you've got an alergic reaction to them, and my own doctor decided I was too difficult to treat so now point in looking for new.  The pain has got less and hopefully will ease, sciatica is an awful one to treat so just need to rest it and stretch out the muscle to try to untrap the nerve...well that's the theory any way.

It was minus eight again this morning so I stayed in bed until eight, made coffee and settled on the sofa.  I didn't bother lighting the fire the sun was up and the temperature was rising which is so good, it means that I'm using less wood.  It's not that I don't have enough, it means I have less to bring into the house from the porch and I've taken to carrying one under each armpit while I go back into the house.  Haciber came round with food for me in the form of five sweet rolls with marmalade jam inside, an apple and another sweet biscuit and was telling me that Germany had had some very heavy rain.....international new delivered to your door.  

I cleared out the woodburner and it's ready to put the gas lighter to and there was enough wood that was only partially burnt so it should start first time...fingers crossed. Another achievement, I've managed to sign up to BBC radio player and have listened to it most of the day and now I have radio two program playing and it's just so restful.  I've also listened to a couple of pod-casts and it's just different to spending time reading...and far more relaxing.  I had a phone call from my 'angel' who's been really looking after me just to see how I was today.  Another message from my student's mum and unfortunately her husband has had to go back into hospital for a minor operation because they didn't do a good job last time.  You hear this a few times....so nursing for me is much better at home.  

Just lit the fire and so far so good....it's gone down already to two degrees outside and the sun is heading downhill towards the mountains.  It's still maintained nineteen inside so I'll be adding another sweater over my pyjamas and the truth is, I haven't managed to get out of them today.....too much effort and I'm getting a little lazy but there again, going nowhere in a hurry.  LN.....Just checked tthe fire and it's burning brightly....time to bed down for the night.....with Netflix.....LN

Wednesday 12th February

Not such a good night last night, giving up the tablets was probably not such a good idea.  I really should go to see the doctor again but getting to the surgery is difficult, I might even have to call in a few favours.  As for the rest of the day, my next door garden neighbour came round with more yogurt, fluffy pancakes that she'd made that morning and she was going digging for victory despite the fact that it was minus eight over night and it was only just hitting one degree.  She is so hard working, her husband has had an operation on his arm so she's not having an easy time of it.

I picked for breakfast and had some of the yogurt she had brough round with sour cherry jam.  I remembered that I had taken chicken wings out of the freezer last night so put them in the slow cooker with curry powder, a small tin of tomato paste, potaotes and water and it was ready for anytime after three today and I was having supper at six after I'd lit the fire, watched the robot hoover clean the carpet and go back to it's base station.  It wasn't such a hot day today, there were clouds up there that blocked some of the rays out but it did reach twenty five in the house before I lit the fire so that's not so bad for February with continuous low night temperatures.

I've just washed up and tidied the kitchen, ready for it to dry overnight an put it away in the morning.  There's enough chicken in the slow cooker for tomorrow so that's one job off the list thinking what to have.  Now to get the otherside of the curtain back into the warm, it's already minus two out so it could be another cold one.  LN.....I won't be long before I'm in bed, it's the most comfortable place to be at the moment......LN

Thursday 13th February

Nasty experience last night,  my head started swimming as I set off on my walking frame and it was a toss-up whether I carried on forward or went back from wence I came...carried on and made it back to base.  I snuggled down into bed and this morning I felt like rubbish and so I phoned the emergency line again and out came a knight with tools of the trade.  He took my blood pressure and that was way up, wired me up to the mains and printed off a full body check and while he was at it be checked if I was diabetic.  The most embarrasing thing was that I knew this man...he runs the local chemist, speaks to me in German sometimes and I reply in German but this time it was serious.  He said that there was no need to go to the hospital, went through the tablets that I have and I have everything I need but recommended the rubbing cream that I asked the hospital to prescribe.....I have half a tube and will get my angel to get me more this weekend.  He also gave me an injection to dull the pain.

I've spent today in bed and despite the drop in temperature have managed without lighting the woodburner today and I've just been round closing the curtain so I don't loose the robot when it strikes up tonight to do it's daily routine.  I've had phone calls from the garage and my angel who is back in the village to see her mother tomorrow, but the bad news is that her mother's sister has died in Djebel so she has other work to do.  

I forgot to mention that it's my first born's birthday today and it reminded me that I was aching about fifty years ago almost as much as I was today....but for totally different reasons.  I'm hoping Moonpig have delivered on time and to my son, the cheque is in the post.  LN.....Typing this in bed, I've just heard the robot strike up so at least one of us is able to get around.  LN......Only hope he makes it back to base successfully.......LN

Friday 14th February

So I woke up at three thirty and I'm not sure what time I went to bed last night since I didn't even get out of it yesterday.  I went to sleep to the mellow tones of BBC live, I'm so pleased I managed to download it and it's free.  I've not checked whether or not I can get iPlayer, I do still pau for a television licence so maybe I can give it a try.  I managed to get back off to sleep again and it was seven thirty for the second time and that was much better.  I've started the pill regime again, I've felt much better in myself but still have lots of aches and mains and not sure how much it's supposed to hurt or how long it's gong on for.  I feel I would like another x-ray incase they missed something or something that was just holding together has just snapped but to get to Kardjali would take a lot of effort on my part, I'll have to get the doctor to enter a referral into the system and then I have thirty days to appear in the department at the hospital.  Maybe I could work on one of my strong males to give me a hand or a leg up so to speak.

I did the chores this morning, washing, water bottle into the bedroom, added more curry powder to the sauce in the slow cooker and this time it really tasted like curry.  First time round it was rubbish but needs as needs must.  I've had a visit this afternoon from Haciber and Emula's mother and for some reason Haciber is the one that can't seem to manage the key to open the main door.  She was trying yesterday morning and I just wasn't up to getting out of bed to open it.....the man from the chemist shop managed it and it's a simple turn mechanism but it frustrates me, she must have been trying for a good few minutes.  I did check when I eventually surfaced just in case she'd left some goodies but found nothing.  Gloriaous day today, the temperature without the woodburner was up to twenty six degrees abut I'm going to light in anytime now.  I've cleaned it out ready and just have to put a torch to it and it should be away first time. It still had unburnt wood in the fire box and just needs a few more to make it last until  ten, I shan't be much later than that.....it's better lying down that sitting in a chair.

My angel should be arriving this evening, she comes to visit her mother every weekend and  then comes to do any jobs that I can't manage.  I did have a pang on guilt, she'd made me an extra large filo and cheese pasty thinggy but I just couldn't manage to get through it all so I froze the rest of it this morning.  I was huge, had eggs in it so I'll sample it when I take out a slice and will quietly get rid of it but it was just so big....one portion would have been enough.. I've washed out the dish and it must be twelve inches in diameter.  My wood man is coming in the morning or so his mother said this afternoon...the containers are just so deep and I have trouble lifting them up to get them into the fire box.  It's much better when they're topped up to the brim.  So supper was early at twelve thirty and now I shall manage with fruit until the morning.  LN.......Now which hat shall I wear tonight in bed....as the temperature drops, the exposed bits need protecting......LN

Saturday 15th February

Well two birthday tributes today, one to my grandmother and one very good friend.  It seems that lots of my friends are Aquarians too.  Another really cold start to the day but I didn't notice it too much....the windows soon magnified the rays of the sun and it wasn't long before it was just over twenty in the house despite been around four degrees outside.  Few birds about first thing but there was a new to me cat that was hiding on the terrace looking for game for breakfast so I rattled on the window and sent it packing.

I was up and about quite early this morning and when my 'angel' phoned it was only nine thirty but it felt much later.  She arrived around ten thirty bring a food parcel, I'd written out my shopping list in Bulgarian for her and mentioned that the woodburner was smoking last night and she sad that she would take out the pipes and give them a clean.  It's not a big job, I can do it start to finish in around one hour but I know my way around it....she didn't.  So out came the pipes and I showed her the way to make it easier so that the soot doesn't go everywhere and she managed exceedingly well.  She was also going to the cash point for me so that I don't end up forgetting who I owe money to. She stayed until one, a friend was going to take her to Djebel to do the shopping and it was three when she got back, with her friend and thay but the pipes back in, she finished cleaning, offered to light the fire but I said that I'd do it later and did.  I't surprising it's how warm it gets shen the wood burner is running efficiently and she even filled up one of my log carriers for me.

I've just done an hour of Netflix, had a chicken and cabbage mix in two slices of bread with tomato sauce and that will do supper for tonight.  I'm going to have to cut this short, I'm sitting at my desk but the main from my sciatic nerve is shooting down my leg so I need to raise it to take the weight from it.  She achieved a lot today, I have money so that I'm not going to be thrown into debtor's prison and my woodburner is sorted.  Now back to the other side of the curtain, back to the woodburner and the sofa.  LN.....Only just sorted, apparently the snow starts falling on Monday and lasts for around three days....pleased to say, my freezer is full......LN

Sunday 16th February

Slept OK but the pain in my back and legs seems to be getting worse and I'm really thinking a second x-ray might show more than the first.  Snow is forecast for the next three days and today has been two degrees outside and raining and snow has aready fallen in the north of Bulgaria....and it should arrive in the south tomorrow.  Thank goodness my woodburner was sorted this morning, my angel popped round but has her mother to sort out before she goes home to Kardjali tonight.  I made toast for breakfast and covering it with Bulgarian white cheese and then sour cherry jam, it was rather like eating a cheese cake in a sandwich....original and I'll probably do it again tomorrow.  I also but a couple of meatballs in the soup that she brought me yesterday and it was in the slow cooker all day and I'm about to set to now, I have to close the curtain between the lounge and the stairwell before I sit down to supper.  The robot strikes up suddenly and it's a dash, that I don't really need to the finishing post so that it doesn't get stuck anywhere but I'm really grateful for it.

I've been on the sofa all afternoon listening to the BBC radio, almost went to sleep but I made the mistake of turning over and the pain started up again.  The trouble is I just don't know the best position to put myself to stop it hurting.....maybe the position hasn't been invented yet...and now to slap on more cream.  No photographs today.....it's been a grey old day and even the birds haven't been out and about to peck at the new 'old bread' that my angel put out for them.  I did notice black cat sitting on the bench on the lounge terrace but I really couldn't manage to get out there to feed it.....I had pangs of guilt but it was just so cold out there.

The deadline is near, the robot is working up to it so I'm heading to the other side of the curtain, closing it behind me and settling down to supper that's on the table waiting for me.  LN.....I'll give you an update on the weather in the morning......LN

Monday 17th February

This is going to be a quick update tonight.  I've had the fire going all day, it's lovely and warm the other side of the curtain and that's where I need to be.  The temperature outside has dropped to minus one so it's going to be another cold night, we had some snow but I wasn't tempted out to make a snowman, and snow angels were not on the cards for today either.  My daughter was quick off the mark this morning to wish me a happy birthday sending also greetings from my grandson who was busy working keeping the country safe.  I didn't expect a phone call from him but e texted me late this afternoon and then followed it up with a call when he finished his work for the day.  I made breakfast of toast, cheese and jam, made a coffee and forgot all about it as I made my way leaving it on one of the staging posts.  It was soon brought back to life in the microwave and this time I remembered where I left it.

Around twelve I had a visit from my student and her father and they came bearing gifts.  She brought me a peace lily, an individual cake with a candle that was really appreciated.  I questioned her about sciatica, her mother suffered from it last year and I remembered that she had physio and it turns out that it's in Djebel so I might see if I can book some private sessions.  The father was very kind and filled up one of the log carriers for me with oak so that the fire burns slower and much hotter and I've got enough for tomorrow. It also gave me the opportunig to hand over their Christmas presents.  It's a little late in February but I have more to hand out when I can get round and about again.  Another phone call from a lady I used to work with when I was sixteen and she was nineteen, it's one of those friendships that has stood the test of time.  An email from my son and then a phone call later to follow it up, he'd not heard about the fall so I gave him and update.  He also said that my grandson would love to come out and visit in the summer and that's fine by me....we got to know each other better when I stayed at theirs before the first fall.  I also had a phone call from my grandson and I think we spoke longer on the phone that we die all over Christmas when I was in UK.

The snow has all gone now but more is expected over night and also tomorrow.  It's been a drab winters day but the activity surrounding my birthday has kept it busy.and bright and that's another one been and gone.  Now I'm getting cold in the stairwell, time I moved locations.  LN.....On the whole, a very pleasant day.....LN

Tuesday 18th February

Well this morning I woke up to four inches of snow but by this afternoon it had all melted away.  Last night there was a funny incident.  Robot the cleaner got cleaned out yesterday and I think I missed the evening slot for it's day time rountine and thought that we would be alright until today.....wrong.  At half ten last night it decided to set off on its travels and do the evening shift and unfortunately I left the bedroom door open and it invaded my space.  I could hear it moving around, it was on uncharted waters and suddenly it went quiet, I thought it had gone back to base station but instead I heard this beep, beep, announcing that it was stuck.  I put the bedroom light back on and followed the beeps and there underneath a metal shelf stack system it was stuck.  I got out of bed, not sure if I could sort it, and with much tugging and inflicting self harm on myself, I got it out, sorted it out, set it to home base and off it went.  Now much as I like it, it's become a little personal and I didn't feel too good about it today.  I've seemed to have more pain in my back today....but the little beauty didn't play up this evening, went about its business and then back to home so looking for forgiveness I guess, and he got it.

I had a clean out in the kitchen this morning, both slow cookers are back in action.  I made a cheese omelette for breakfast, two cups of coffee and then back to bed, read for a while and woke up at three thirty this afternoon and that could be the other reason I ache.....not enought activity and in one position for far too long.  At three I made more coffee, lit the fire, it was just on two degrees outside, answered a few emails and messages, topped up the fire and settled on the sofa.  Neflix went on and I carried on watching my current series but it's time that I started looking for another to get involved in.  I panfried a chicken breaded fillet for supper having it on two slices of bread with plenty of mayo and it did the job and filled the gap, more t.v. and now it's time I thought about heading for my bed, assured by the fact that robot is settled for the night.  LN.....It's down to minus one tonight so I think I should put some wood on the fire to raise the temperature of the house....time to stoke the woodburner.....LN

Wednesday 19th February

Silly night, I woke up at four thirty and read for a couple of hours until it was time to start moving.  I think I slept a little more upright than I should have done and I felt odd twinges that I wish I didn't have.  Still...it is what it is and I know it's going to be a slow process.  I made toast for breakfast and coffee and generally tidied round, took the yellow leaves off the Peace Lily and found a pot for it and I've just remembered I should give it some water.

The rest of the day has been enjoying the sun when it came out, the temperature hasn't got up to much outside all day and managed to get some wood into the house from the porch knowing that I would need to light the fire around four this afternoon for when the temperature really drops.  The sun on the mountains was very dramatic...and the big one with the internet mast on it was very beautiful.  I tried to catch it on camera, think I did it justice but we'll see when I post it.

I've been binging on Netflix and am still watcing Parenthood.....it's a bit like the Gilmore Girls in that there seems to be snapshots of activity based on several families but it's anesthetic for the body and numbing for the mind and pain.  I'm going to give it this weekend and then see if I can get another appointment with the hospital via the doctor or see what she suggests.  I have some improvement but the tablets don't seem to be doing much for numbing the pain and rest is a beautiful thought but when you live on your own certain things have to be done.  Now back to the fire, I'm the other side of the curtain again and on the wrong side, the fire is on the other.  LN.....Back to Netflix for an hour or so and the to bed with my book......LN