Saturday 1st February

February has finally arrived....yes my birthday month along with both children, my mother, my grandmother...it was a familiy tradition to have an Aquarians child.  It was never planned but that's the way that it seemed to happen.  It was another ghostly foggy morning that broke out of the gloom around eleven but it remained cold all day....well not exactly cold but sixteen degrees out and twenty eight degrees in and I ask you, where would you rather be?

First job this morning was to portion up the food delivered last night and bag it up for the freezer.  I now have food for the next few days without much effort from me.  The meat and vegetables that were left over from last night got put into the slow cooker with a can of baked beans and that was ready for consumption around four thirty this afternoon.  Truth be said, it was ready for any time after two but I've got into the habit of eating a good breakfast and then an early evenng meal to spread out the tablets.  I'm ahead of myself.....I poached a couple of eggs for breakfast and was eating it around ten this morning after doing a few chores, including sorting out the meals for the freezer, washing up and putting the containers ready for the pick-up this afternoon.  My friend arrived with Zelinger, my neighbour and she came bearing gifts.  My Christmas presents to the rest of the village are all packed up in the lounge and no way am I going to break into that area, from the lounge.....the way through is blocked with everything that keeps my life simpler living downstairs.  When things are back to normal I'll invite the ladies round and we'll make an event of it.  We chatted for a while with my young friend doing the translation to Turkish and I was adding the little bits of Turkish that I know and ten minutes soon turned into forty five and off they went.

I read for quite a while this morning, bought a new book from the internet and had it 'whispered' down to me....so simple these days.  It's supposed to be a Viking adventure but on to chapter five and it's about time that it got going.  I'm doing well though with Bill Bryson's book although I seem to have been reading it for ever and have only achieved twenty five percent so far...still lots of go, a bit heavy but I'm finding it very interesting.  My student's mum phoned at three to tell me that they were on their way and I was surprised to see Yusti my student.  She brought the new prescription, fruit and bread and I asked her to check Robo after I'd given it a good clean yesterday.  One of the undercarriage clips holding the brush in place was broken before I got it, I'd renewed the sticky tape but we found more and made a good job of it this time.  I also remembered that the bulb had gone in te porch, Yusti under direction found the forty watt bulb where I'd directed him, brought it down and changed the old for new and it works and saved me risking a small ladder to get up there.  Off they went, the younger son was in Kardjali for football practice and tomorrow he is playing a match over the border in Greece...my little international footballer.

I lit the fire at vice using the half burnt logs from the fireplace and it's not really necessary but it's nice to look at.  I've got plenty in for tonight and tomorrow so that's a job off my list for tomorrow, I'm going to have a gentle day.    LN.....Reading and resting, there's enough food in the slow cooker for tomorrow so I'll have more time for Mr Bryson......LN  

Sunday 2nd February

We had the same ghostly morning but this time it was very damp also.  The terrace have more or less dried up but the mist seems to have lingered all day and the hillsides are still a little murky.  Damp, miserable and cold and the fire seems to have been influenced by it as well.  It seems to have needed more attention than normal.    I had a very restless night, a toilet break at one thirty and I was reading until three and again i just seemed to have settled off and I needed the toilet again....it must be something in the water since that's all I'm drinking and I was up and about at six.  I made coffee and negotiating the staging posts on the way back to the bedroom where I could place a cup, take a few more paces with my frame and move the cup to the next resting spot and back to bed.  I tried to get comfortable, read for a while but it just wasn't happening so I made it to the sofa stopping along the way to get the fire underway.

I seem to have jumped from one thing to another, well not literally.  I read for quite some time going between the two books that I have on the go on the Kindle, tried the television but could find nothing I wanted to watch and bored by Netflix selections.  I did a couple of Sudoku, got up and made toast for breakfast and set the remaining food in the slow cooker to high and that was going to be four o'clock meal.  I remembered to turn it to medium at one so that it wouldn't be so baked on the inside of the dish giving me another problem to contend with.  I ate at four fifteen, two slices of bread at the bottom of the dish and the meat stew with backed beans on top of it.  Two staging posts later and I was sitting on the sofa with my supper, the fire going well and all was well in my contained world apart from the pain that seems to be changing.  I try to have exercise so that I don't seize up solid but have to keep changing my position on the sofa, legs up and legs down otherwise I have a different pain.  I think this is going to be a long process.  

Got a relief parcel arranged for tomorrow.  I raised a flag this morning and on order I have more butter, Nescafe milk coffee sachets, baked beans and mayo that's been outstanding for a while.  I have a pot of the locally produced mayo which is absolute rubbish and I should know by now but desparate times, desparate measures....it was the only one available that I hadn't tried.  Now back to the sofa, fire going well and I'm going to continue reading 'Gallows Born' bought yesterday, the first book and four in the series.  I'm still waiting for it to erupt into a Viking fantasy saga.....maybe tonight.  LN......Waiting for Robo to burst into action, the doors to the other rooms are shut, only got the lounge / stairwell curtain to sort out.  I wouldn't be able to dig it out if it got stuck under the stairs......LN

Monday 3rd February

Bit of a restless night so I've decided to reshedule my tablets so that I take one later in the evening to see if my nights are any better.  I've found that the pain getting out of bed in the morning is really strong and getting around in the morning is painful so tablets are now going to happen around lunctime  and around ten at night to see if I can shift the focus.  All trial and error but nothing ventured nothing gained so to speak and it might just make things better.

I managed to start the fire very easily, toast for breakfast, load of washing done and put on the airer, few logs in to keep the home fires burning and then I was looking for something to do.  I read for a while, realised I needed music in my little life so fired up the PC and had a gentle Barbra Striesand playing in the background while I knocked off a couple of Sudoku and went back to my book.  It was now heading for eleven thirty and my friend arrived with my latest order, the shopping was put away and we sat and chatted as to what she'd been up to and what I had.  I mentioned that I still hadn't managed to get the garden chair into the bathroom and it suddenly hit me that I had the folding beach chairs in the little house and that they would me much easier and less cumbersome that the old garden chairs.  I remembered where they were, we found the key, I explained how to get through the inner door and where the chair was and within five minutes she was back, everything locked away and the chair is now up and positioned in the bathroom and my job tomorrow is to have a shower and wash my hair....it's been a long time coming.  Last job I asked her to do was to deposit the rubbish in the container at the bottom of the village and to bring the container back to me so I could start to fill it again.  Off she went around one and I was back to my book and the sofa.

I didn't get up to much this afternoon apart from phoning a couple of friends in the UK with the latest update on my state of health and theirs, really just a good old catch-up.  They are both long standing female friends, one of them going back over sixty years and in this day and age, not bad.  The fire ticked over all afternoon on one log, Robo started up around five thirty and it's just gone back 'home' to the docking station.  It's obvioulsy deaf, I told it two or three times that it was time he put himself to bed but it just ignored me.  Supper is underway, turkey dippers with potato wedges and real mayo delivered this morning and now I'm getting hungry....it's been a long time since breakfast.  Fingers crossed for a better night and morning.  LN...I've had a very relaxing day, good company both in person and on the phone......LN

Tuesday 4th February

Happy birthday Mum, not with us physically but always with me mentally and my daughter was almost born on the same day but I just couldn't hang on to her until the next day.  The plan to leave it late in the day to take my overnight tablet really worked.  I went out like a light, only had one trip to the little girl's room in the night, read for a while because I didn't go off to sleep easily but when I did it was just after eight when I woke for the second time.  I'd slept soundly, and woke up pain free and I'm doing the same tonight.  I took my tablet at ten thiis morning and will take this evening's one at ten, twelve hours apart as it should be.  

Usual routine but I didn't bother lighting the fire until much later in the afternoon.  Poached egg for breakfast and spent the morning tidying my desk but not that it looks much different but I've thrown lots of bits of paper away and copying in notes into a notebook instead of hanging around on scraps of paper.  I was intending having a shower and wash my hair but lefrt it until much later in the day, the trouble was the bathtowels were all upstairs and I wasn't sure how I was going to negotiate the journey to the upstairs bathroom without taking the Zimmer with me and I saw catastrophe all the way.  I couldn't envisage te handholds so I went through it in my mind and instead took the two small towels with Santa on that I'd had wrapped round the cushions on the sofa and that would have to do and it did.  The beach chair was very comfortable, the shampoo and conditioner were all reachable and once settled on the chair I was fine,  I'd taken the bung out of the shower outlett so that the water went away quicker, made a baracade with the rubber mat so that the water was channeled into the drain so that there wasn't much water hangina about.  I didn't spend long there, shampood and conditioned, onto the Zimmer, onto the dry bathroom mat and complete with two Santas clinging to my frame I headed for the bedroom, grabbed a coverall and went to sit in the sun to dry off.  Went back into the bathroom since I'd forgotten my hairbrush, combed it through and let it dry naturally, the hairdryerr was upstairs too.  

Listened to music most of the afternoon and read my books currently on the go, still not sure that the Viking fantasy is going to live upt to its writeup but don't think I shall be butint the rest in the series.  Robo has just started up so I've had a dash to close doors and draw the curtain between the stairwell and the lounge, I'm in the stairwell listening it going about its business.  Not sure what's for supper tonight, nothing in either of the slow cookers, must take something out of the freexer tonight for tomorrow...Iit's so much easier.  Looking at the cloud base, not much chance of watching the transit of Venust across the moon, can't even see the moon.  LN.....Now to check the fire and settle in for the night, find something for supper and .....relax.....LN

Wednesday 5th February

Not too bad a night last night, I woke up early and it's seemed a really long day.  I didn't light the fire I decided to have breakfast first so that I could take my tablet and then set about my day.  I was aware in the night of moving my legs around quite a lot in bed and don't think it was the best thing to do.  Movement is a novelty at the moment and the walking frame was the best thing invented and my best buy of the season.  I cleared out the wood burner, it was very clogged up but then I made the mistake of removing the plate that catches the soon and debris before it ascends to the heavens and my goodness was that a mess.  I think it comes about when you have a fire 'ticking over' and I've been doing a lot of that lately so that it's been easier to start in the mornings.  I cleared the burning part of it, removed the plate from the top and it was heavier than I though it was and put it down at a funny angle.  Not funny amusing, it caught me off guard and I don't think it helped my back in any way and so tonight my sciatic nerve is playing up so roll on bedtime when I can take another painkiller.  

I got on with the usual chores, I needed more wood in so put that in a bucket and shunted it into the lounge from the porch and I should have enough to last until the weekend if I'm careful.  I think my boy has work all this week so don't really want to bother him.  I got some of the soup that I'd been given and put in the freezer out to thaw in the kitchen but it was still rock solid since I didn't light the fire until five tonight.  Instead I made tuna mayo, had it with buttered toast and made a bowl of chippies to go with it and there's still enough tuna left for sandwiches tomorrow.  

Yes I do feel better but there is still the daily living to contend with....with a woodburner you're always worried about it setting on fire and more probelms I don't need at the moment hence the maintenance this morning.  Sometimes these things come at a physical cost and it sure did this morning.  Never mind, another day another dollar so to speak.....other than maintenance, it's been reading, Sudoku, television and FreeCell.  Temperature didn't get much above five this afternoon and it's already down to zero so it could be another cold night.  LN......Healing is such a slow process and I'm not very good at waiting for improvements. .....LN

Thursday 6th February

Fell asleep on the sofa last night and ended up limping my way to the bedroom.  The fire was out and I felt cold so snuggled up and it didn't take long for the sleepy dust to kick in.  I woke up at six so not too bad but went straight back to bed after a trip to the loo and managed to sleep until seven thirty so what a bonus.  I've not been too good today, I lit the fire this morning but there was no help from the sun in raising the temperature and it's remained outside around one degree all day and inside around eighteen.  Unfortunately the effort getting wood inside last night has left me with more pain in my back that I care to think about, the tablets work over night but it depends on the position that I put myself in when I'm sitting or lying on the sofa.  I think I'm going to move the high backed chair into the lounge and use that instead of lying about.

I did make beans on toast for breakfast and sat in the kitchen at the table to eat.  I also opened a tin of hamburgers with beans and added that to the soupl that had thawed overnight and that went into the slow cooker around twelve and should be ready anytime now.  I moved to the table in the stairwell and settle in for a few games of FreeCell and am still on my record run.  I've got a ninety-nine percent success rate, completed almost four hundred and only dropped two. I was watching the robins on the terrace attacking the remails of the bread that I put out yesterday.  I thought something would be after it in the night but it was still there.  One swooped in and was just settling when a bigger one sent it packing and muscled in on the act.  It tried pecking it but in the end picked up the crumbs from the terrace surrounding the chunk of bread.  A sparrow tried to get in on the act and was soon sent packing, a crow was watching from the pear tree but it was too timid despite its size, they like to stay in the open.

Coffee with biscuits this afternoon so I'm not really hungry but should be in an hour or so.  It's getting on for five, I've pre-empted the Robot....I normally jump up to shut up the areas that I don't want it to go into but I've done that already......we all live and learn.   I'm going to my bed earlier tonight....I'm a little short of wood and am going to try to speak to my neighbour to see if my lad can pop in in the morning to top up the baskets.....bed is the warmest place if you haven't got a roaring fire going.

It's been trying to snow today, only a few light flakes fell but I certainly don't need that to happen and my student's mum has just let me know that they have a little snow in Djebel.  Supper is ready so that's my next task.  LN .....And now to make that phone call to get some smaller logs and starter wood in....just in case that snow moves six kilometers to the south of Djebel......LN

Friday 7th February

Up and down in the night but got a few hours of sleep in.  It was really cold and again it's going to be the same, it was minus six last night and tonight so far it's minus three point five and only just after ten o'clock.  I think today has been a low point, I don't feel good and took my blood pressure and it was up so I'm back on my blood pressure tablets, almost four months without them but needs as needs must.  I didn't eat breakfast, not much of an appetite but I made up for it with supper so going to bed on a very full stomach.

I'm now getting bored, the last book that I bought I've more or less finished but I won't be buying the three that follow it.  I find the style very laboured, slow, not really a good story line and no comparison to the recent books that I've read especially The Last Kingdom.  I can't see the other being made into a series, it almost feels like  it's the first book he wrote.  I think I've got about three percent left so not enough time for me to form another opinion.

Robin was out and about, attacking old bread and really fluffed up against the cold.  Sparrows were out in numbers but not many others were out and about and why would they be.  I think if I were a robin I'd find a barn out of the wind at least.  Fortunately I watched the inside temperature rise from fourteen degrees to twenty five as the sun took purchase of the sky.  I sat at the table in the stairwell and played a few games and listened to music.  I was searching on my old 'Book' for Jacque Lousier but to no avail...so I listened to Cleo Lane doing Shakespeare and it's been a long time since I played it.  I really should put a few more playlists together.

Emula came round and sorted the wood for me about twelve but forgot to bring one of the basket in the house and I forgot to ask him. I didn't need to light the fire until four this afternoon as the temperature was beginning to fall.  My first visitor was the lady from my next door garden and she came with gifts, yogurt that she'd made, potatoes that she'd grown, eggs from her chickens and her company.  She'd not been inside the house before and commented on my kitchen units and how well the kitchen was designed.  She loved the large windows and how warm the house was and I'd only just lit the fire.  Next visitor brought the chicken I'd asked for, more soup and hamburgers in a mushroom sauce that I had for supper tonight.  Now I'm the wrong side of the curtain that stops the heat racing up the stairs so I'm not going to linger long...i need to get back to the fire.  LN......It's going to be a really cold one, I cn tell......LN

Saturday 8th February

Really cold again today and the temperature has remained below zero most of the day.  I had a disturbed night, woke up at four and then went back to sleep until eight and it's been back to back visitors until four this afternoon.  This morning I was sorting out the soups that were brought round and putting them into plastic bags in the freezer so that they become the bases for the other meat and chicken that I put into the slow cooker and today a chicken leg went in with a cream soup and I added curry powder to it and it was delicious.  This afternoon I had apples and bananas delivered and I have enough wood chopped by my local guy to last me for a few days.  He'd been getting in the wood that I'd got from my cut down trees last autumn but the delivered oak is slower to burn and gives off more heat.  

The intention was to have a shower and wash my hair which didn't materialise, it's been far too busy for that, after my supper I sat on the sofa after topping up the fire and watched television until I woke up cold, pulled a blanket over me and didn't wake up again until eleven thirty and had forgotten about the shower and the blog.  Needs as needs must.....it's very late but this is the best I can do, the fire is out, it's minus four outside and it's time I snuggled down with Eli and got more zzzz's in.  I've taken my evening tablet and creamed down with my rebuild cream and now to bed.  LN........Sorry no pickies, never got round to taking any today....must try arder tomorrow......LN

Sunday 9th February

What a cold start to the day, minus five outside and it's another day of not wanting to go above anything near zero.  I had breakfast and decided to light the fire to try to stave off the cold, my first though was to go back to bed but that seemed a little defeatist and managed to light the fire at the first go.....and it's been going ever since.  So once the fire was going, I again used the beach chair under the shower and washed myself down, put on my beach robe and moved straight to the fire slipping back into new pj's and dressomg gown, socks and slippers and then got the washing machine into action and the washing is now on the airer drying in the kitchen.  I washed up from last night and hen my angel of merci arrived around eleven thirty with a huge banitsa that she'd made from scratch and there was so much white cheese in it and my the size of it, it should last until wednesday.  She also brought more wood in for me and filled up another of my green containers and brought it into the conservatory.....and also I have more potatoes.

My second set of visitors brought more medicines from the prescription, a packet of caramel biscuits and Yusti said that they were his favourites and I guess they might become mine.  The son had brought his mother, father has gone down with 'something' and in some ways it was best that he didn't come....the last thing I want is something else to contend with.  Again I had eggs from chickens and more potatoes so it might be jackets for the rest of the week and I do like jackets with lots of butter.  Unfortunately I don't have any yellow cheese but I do have bacon in the freezer and that does go well with jackets.  One thing I did manage to do this afternoon when I was quietly sitting on my own was to sign up to BBC Player and this afternoon I listened to a potcast.  I've yet to understand what else I can get to hear, it will take a little time but I'm sure I'll be able to get more things going.  

I'm not going to linger long this side of the curtain, the other side is much warmer.  I'm going to head to the kitchen to find something for supper that's not going to take a lot of effort and then a little Netflix and early night for me since it's the warmest place hidden away in my nest and the extra quilt on.  LN....I'm hoping it warms up soon although February is normally the coldest month.....roll on March.....LN  

Monday 10th February

Early start, slept OK but I've now decided to give up the tablets.  I felt so fuzzy this morning that it sort of went by in a daze.  It was so cold this morning, minus eight outside, not so bad inside but the fire was the first thing on the agenda and it went first time.  It didn't take long for the hot water to rattle round the radiators taking the edge off the downward plan that mother nature has delivered.  There was a front over the mountains and I waited patiently for the sun to come up and when it did, I wondered why I didn't wait before I lit the fire.

I tidied the kitchen, put the washing away, made poached eggs for breakfast and sent a photograph of the eggs on the plate to the garage since they delivered the eggs from their own chickens.  I sat at the table in the stairwell in the sun and enjoyed the sun but the outside temperature was very slow to go up the scale but has gone d  own already to minus two so looks like we're in for another cold one.  I checked the internet for the best cures for sciatica since I believe that's what I'got.  the back pain is still there, but the pain is now a shooting pain down the leg which seemed to fit the internet description and that suggests putting ice pack or a bag of peas on the offending area where the cream that I had for the other provides a cool tingle but delivers heat to the area.  

This afternoon I enjoyed the sun, read for a while, did Sudoku, thought I should be doing something else but having this nagging pain puts me off searching for wool and crocheting hooks to get started on something else espesially since I didn't have a pattern to work to easily to hand.   The hunger bugs are starting to nibble so now I'm going to be lazy and make eggs mayo sandwiches from two eggs that I boiled after making my poached eggs but firstly I'm going to relight the fire, I let it go out when the sun took over.  LN      Supper, Netflix and early to bed....I have a busy day tomorrow finding things to do......LN

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

Thursday 20th February

Really cold morning, the outside temperature was showing minus eight degrees and the inside was pretty low and I was waiting for that sun to come up so that I didn't have to light the fire.  I went back to bed and to the warmth until I noticed that the sun had shown it's face, I opened the curtain to the stairwell and literally watched the thermometer rise and it didn't take long.  I tidied round and as I walked back with my coffee and breakfast from the kitchen to the table in the stairwell, there was a knock on the door, I realised I hadn't put the key on the outside of the door so I opened it for her.  She brought with her two chocolate croissants and two chocolate bars and one of the croissants went very well with the coffee.

I played a few games of freecell and then sorted out the desk.  It had become a dumping ground and now I can find things again.  I listened to BBC radio podcasts as I worked my way through it and found it very restful.  I was also amazed to see that there were a few flakes of snow falling and it looked like it was appearing from a blue sky but it was obviously being brough in on the wind and that was howing pretty strongly outside.  Next step was to bring in the wood from the conservatory so that I had some in for the night....it was a hard slog but fortunately there was quite a lot of oak in there which burns very slowly so three logs have done for the evening.  I'll need the lad round to fill the log carriers and the containers.....I'm not up to that yet.

I've just checked and we're down to minus three alreay and it's just before nine but for the next couple of days there is a warning out for very low temperatures.  I must say though, with three quilts on I've never been cold in bed.  So now, back to the other side of the great divide between the stairs and the fire....don't want to get too cold.  LN.....It might be time to throw another log on the fire.....LN

Friday 21st February

Got the fire going really well last night and didn't use much fuel at all, the oak burns so much better and there was enough in the burner to lay the fire for tonight with the remnants of the logs from last night.  I've also got enough in for another couple of days but it was a big tempation to light it much earlier today.  The outside temperature hasn't risen about zero, inside has fluctuated but about two degress, in the sun this morning was around twenty two but then the clouds came over....so more layers went on.  

I made breakfast early, lots of hot coffee and kept on top of my housekeeping for what it's worth.  I had a telephone call from a good friend and I mentioned oil filled raidators and since he's going to England today, he has a couple that he can let me have so they should be delivered over the weekend hopefully.  I'll see how effective they are, I only used them before in the children's bedroom when they were small but at these temperatures, not really sure.  The house is well insulated in the loft and the walls have outside insulation but at minus eight at night....I'll have to see.  Blow the expense...I just hate being cold and the electicity prices aren't like the UK.

Today has been BBC radio and podcasts and now I've reverted too my own music collection and I have Bernstein playing on a playlist and he was in my eyes just so brilliant and composer and musician...not sure I would have liked him as a person but it takes all sorts.  I learnt all about cuneaform writing and the languages that it influenced, I'm learning new things every day...every day is a school day even at my age.  I've finished my Large Print Christmas Sudoku and only have one and two stars puzzles to solve...not a real challenge, I shall have to start doing them on line or settle for Freecell.  Trouble is there is so much advertising that arrises when you go on line...never quite know what to expect.  

Time to light the fire, the clouds have come over and it's already down to minus two outside and dropping inside as I write.  LN...Sorry no pickies....I'll try and do better tomorrow....LN

Saturday 22nd February

This is going to be very short tonight, I've typed it out twice and for some reason my fingers are just hitting the wrong keys and I've lost the text twice.  From minus fourteen overnight to plus twenty eight in the stairwell this afternoon, it's been one of those days.  I did the chores, striped off and did the washing, dressed once more in warm clothing, my angel arrived mid morning and chopped logs for me and brought them into the conservatory.  Chicken leg with potatoes, curry powder and can of tomatoes and that would eventually become supper, and was.

Made and sent a birthday card this afternoon, for some reason I'd forgotten about this one in my February list but at least I did it and he's got it.  Just three photos this afternoon.  LN.....I'm heading the other side of the curtain......LN

Sunday 23rd February

Another really cold night so I didn't bother getting out of bed until later this morning.  One little mishap came to flush the loo and no water and I immediately thought that the pipes were frozen, checked the hand basin and all was OK so it was a matter of lifing the lid to the cisern, fiddling around a little and it worked, something was just stuck and it's been fine all day.  I can now add plumber to the jobs in which I am fairly accomplished.  I got supper underway early so that I could cross it off the list, liver and rice in the remains of the sauce from last nights in the slow cooker.  I've just eaten it and it was OK...but a one off.

My angel arrived around nine and I wasn't expecting her.  The water at her mother's house had frozen and she was off to the spring so I offered some bottles that she could fill that I have saved from the summer.  She took the key to the little house where I store them and took around ten of them...we quite mutally supported at the moment...I provide, she does.  She filled up two more log baskets for me, split oak for me so that I can manage to lift it to put in the woodburner and put smaller wood that I use to start the fire.  She's brilliant.

Found some new books...yes real books and checked how much they are on Kindle and I might even invest in the set of four.  I must check out Kindle unlimited....it's plus and minus's.  I read for a while, went to sleep in the sun when it reached thirty degrees in the house, read some more, did Sudoku badly and have listened to BBC 2 live all afternoon over the internet.  I've had a much better day and even tried a few steps without the walker, the pain is still there, I need the tablets but I feel there is some improvement.  LN....Robo is about to start so I'll sign off, the curtain needs to be drawn so that I don't loose him under the stairs....LN

Monday 24th February

Another minus six outside and no hint of a sun to brighten the day.  I didn't hang around, I lit the fire early otherwise it would have been a cold one inside as well as out.  I'm trying to be frugal with the wood, there's plenty in the wood store but getting it from there to here is a problem for me.....I was supplied with enough yesterday but looking at the weather forecast, Wednesday is going to be the first time we see the sun this week and only for a half day.

I  didn't seleep well last night, I was trying to toss and turn but that only hurts so I try shuffling about and do my best to get into a position where I can at least get some rest.  I didn't make breakfast and settled for two hot drinks instead and a few biscuits, I was too busy thinking about how to keep warm.  I've got warmer clothes on the second floor but it was the thought of getting around up there....the frame would be downstairs and I would be up and I didn't want to run the risk of further accidents....one is enough.  The fire eventually started to be heating the room, the radiators still haven't been delivered and no notion of when they will.  Mid morning I did go back into the bedroom and found mour warmer clothing, a pair of wollen socks hand knitted by Avatar and I only wish she was here now and not in Germany.

At twelve I resorted to the sofa and Netflix and the exercise was feeding the woodburner.  Someone recommended Yellowstone, I'm still not sure but watching it because I was too lazy to search for anything else.  I did investigate the cost of four books I have about Boudicca but the electronic versions had increased overnight and I should have  bought them yesterday....I'll see if they come down in price tomorrow.  I just find the Kiindle easier to handle and I can adjust the font.  Robo did his stuff around five thirty and then I made beans on toast for supper, sat eating it watching television, now to top up the fire for tonight and then I shall be going to bed around nine tonight since it's the warmest place.  LN......Roll on Wednesday when that sun is due to shine again.......LN

Tuesday 25th February

Cloudy start this morning but at least we had some sun this afternoon.  It came out just after I'd lit the fire.  Not much activity today, the internet was down, I phoned at lunchtime and they said that it would be off for a couple of hours or so, so I phoned at five and they said that they would tell the 'boys' that I hadn't internet even though it had been restablished for the rest of the world.  I understood that they were sending someone out and at seven no one had arrived so I climbed the stairs very gingerly, still had that orange light on the router after several attemps, gave up, came downstairs clinging on to the handrails.  The internet has just sprung to life, WhatsApp has sent me through what was in the pipeline so I have now work to do.

Other than that I've had a good morning and afternoon.  I managed to break down the barrier between the winter and summer lounges and went in to draw the curtains over the picture windows in the summer lounge.  I noticed black cat up on the outdoor sofa and tomorrow I'll probably manage to get some food out to her since she seems to like it here.  I also drew the small curtains over the old window between the lounge and the stairwell to stop the movement of air.  I've also taken a few steps without the frame today....I don't want to overdo it but I need to keep active....those new muscles have got to be able to stretch.

LN....I'm now going to see if the connection to the internet is for real.....Yellowstone is calling me on Netflix......LN

Wednesday 26th February

Slept well and woke up firstly at five thirty but managed to get off again until just before eight.  There was wall to wall fog with no hint of the sun that was promised by the weather forecasters....but it did eventually appear around twelve thirty.  I had a morning of tidying up and generally moving stuff and settled on the sofa with my book after I'd lit the fire.  It wasn't a big one but it did shove the temperature up in the house to eighteen so not too bad for sitting around in....I've had worse.

I put the radio on and something urged me to make fried bread.  I found bacon in the freezer and I had eggs so I thawed out the bacon, fried it and a slice of bread and dropped an egg in the pan and salivated while it was cooking.  I found the remnants of a bottle of HP sauce in the cupboard, didn't use it all, it lives to fight another day.  I enjoyed my breakfast sitting at the table in the kitchen and after that did a thorough clean of the kitchen, washed anything that needed washing and then went back to reading my book lying in the sun.  I'm still reading the Egypt book about the early dynasties and even though it's really hard going and there is no way that I shall remember the names and I have to keep looking at the map to see where the different tribes set out from on the assaults on Egypt.

At one I'd had enough and settled down on the sofa and went to sleep for an hour or so, the fire was lingering but it didn't warrant any more logs, I'm still trying to economise and I didn't relight it until almost five thirty and it's going well now.  I made a sandwich of local sausages and had them with tomato sauce, they were a little bit gristly and a few chips of bone that I managed to isolate in my mouth and take them out.  Some of the local food is a little suspect and I'm sure they didn't come from Lidl.  Enough for tonight, I'm now going back to Yellowstone on Netflix.  It was recommended to me and despite the fact that I don't really like cowboy stuff, the story line is good.  

Having a strange on with my phone.  I had a message from the garage telling me that they were trying to contact me and that it just kept ringing.....it was there....but not here.  I checked out the settings and it was showing my local SIM as being inactive so I restarted the phone and then it sprung into action but again I've just had a message in WhatsApp that showed five unread messages with the same issue.  LN....It never rains but it pours....something else to spend time on......LN

Thursday 27th February

Slept well again last night, it wasn't so cold today and that's something to be grateful for.  I did the usual chores, again succumbed to bacon, egg and fried bread and then set about preparing tonights supper putting potatoes, red onions with tomato paste and curry powder into the slow cooker.  I turned it to high and then place a chicken leg on top of it and then it could do its own thing until later in the day.

I read for quite some time in the sun, I've worked up the determination to finish this book about Egypt.  It's moving closer to end of BC and the beginning of the other and a thought struck me.....who decided when the numbering system would be formulated.  I gave up on that after about an hour and tidied around, I was planning a shower and hairwash but that idea went out of my head pretty quickly....better nearer the weekend when I have visitors.  I saw black cat on the terrace but it was pretty determined to get where it appears to be sleeping.  I've got the remains of the chicken leg for it for tomorrow and have put it ready in a dish to put outside when I get out and about with my frame.  I managed to bring enough wood into the house and the fire it pumping out heat as we speak....four logs at a time suspended from the frame so there's not much downward pressure on me and I just pick it up and walk.....I doubt the specialist would approve but it's either that or develop frost bite...and can't have that.

Yellowstone appears to have finished but I guess there must be another series in the pipeline....it seemed to finish abruptly.  I've half watched The Darkest Hour and will be going back to it when I've posted.  It's eight my time, the evenings seem long and that's because I'm not really up to much,  Sitting hurts my bottom and standing hurts my lower back and legs so am interspersing the activities.  LN......Enough for tonight, only a couple of pictures......need a fresh outlook ......LN

Friday 28th February

Slept OK until seven this morning.  Lit the fire, it was a dull, cold morning and I'd promised myself a shower and hairwash yesterday and in the absence of keeping my promise to myself, I was going to have to carry it out today hence the fire to dry off in comfort.  I'd got the beach chair in the bathroom, took off my clothes and put them in the laundry basket ready for the washing machine, the chair was cold so I ended up negotiating the chair, the walking frame, shampoo and conditoner bottles that were nearing the end of their lives so brought reserves into play.  Eventually I managed to put the bath towel round me, the second one went round my hair and I used the walker to get out of the bathroom and into the lounge and stood in front of the fire.  I'd put my next lot of clothes ready to put on so sat on the sofa so that I could put the clothes on without falling over.  Next step was to collect the clothes from the bathroom and put them in the machine, start it, put the airer up ready for them to go on when the machine finished and when I checked the time......it was still only eight thirty.

My hair has taken ages to dry, I have two hairdryers but they are upstairs and today wasn't the day, I'd over exerted myself enough.  I made coffee, hung up the washing and took the coffee into the lounge, sorted out my hair towelling it dry as best I could, put more fuel on the fire and hunger drove me back to the kitchen.  I made a bacon sandwich, back to the lounge and put on BBC Sounds.....my recently acquired companion.  I topped up the log baskets from the supplies in the conservatory and brough in enough to last me the day and still got enough for tomorrow.

I finished the Egypt book on the Kindle....the last one hundred pages was taken up with photographs, acknowledgements and sources.  I checked out the Kindle books and saw that the book series that I'd got paperbacks of were on offer so I bought the four of them and got them send down to my Kindle.  I must have read the originals around ten years ago so don't remember the stories in detail so they should be still new to me.  I started the first one and with the fire going had a very pleasant afternoon and when I was feeling sleepy, I settled down on the sofa under a blanket and was out for an hour or so and then back to my book.  I went back to my book, had an online conversation with the garage, made tuna mayo and toast for supper, washed up so that it's all clear in the kitchen.  The laundry on the airer I dragged into the lounge so that it will finish drying and air overnight.

I've just started a new series on Netflix, I think it's called Black Dove and still not sure if I'm enjoying it or not.  Goodbye February, it's been a long hard slog but I've become quite ingenious in managing to find different ways to do things and at times quite inventive.  Baba Marta day tomorrow and I have a visitor and some of the neighbours might also be round.  I haven't any new wristbands to offer up this year so I'm going to have a search for some old, but unused ones that I can hand out if the need be.  LN....I've managed to do some walking without the framd today....not a lot but every little bit helps towards me being mobile again......LN