Friday 1st May

Well it looks like it was operator error and looks like I am back to posting again.  I think I better write down where I found the button, I shall need it in another thirty one days.

Yesterday was a difficult day and as the days roll on, it becomes more of a challenge to do things that you would do automatically, it was all to do with the system being invaded by unwanted guests.....and 'experts' from hosting and security companies doing there best to confuse this old lady.

Saturday 2nd May

So today has had the potential of being a very creative day but I poured over the web and tried to figure out how to find the necessary button to carry on posting.  It was a much better day but cold overnight and cold this morning and it's only eight degrees outside now and heading down again.  It's May for goodness sake....it feels more like March.  Again I haven't done very much.  The grass is still growing, I thought about going into Kardjali and buying the mounting list of things I want from the supermarket that I can only get in Kardjali or Greece.  I need to get more reels for the strimmer, it was far to damp under foot to start the process this morning and I imagined that if I did start, the reel would run out and then it would throw out the challenge to get the car out and drive and really I wasn't in the mood....so I didn't.

Cat was out and about early and looked very cold, the wind was cruel.  I found out a tin of chicken 'bits' and sprinkled biscuits on it and it was all eaten up very quickly and I have seen it since.  I settled for boiled eggs and toast but unfortunately I left them too long on the hob so there were no 'dippy eggs' for me this morning.  I made a trip to the woodstore, topped up the log carrier and did managed to get to six before I lit the woodburner.  It's toasty and the boiler is on and tonight I shall submerge myself in a hot bath and have an early night....and wake up refreshed hopefully and make a trip to Kardjali tomorrow.  

Unfortunately the clouds are gathering tonight and look particularly heavy as if about to deliver the wet stuff from the east but the west looks OK.  We should see the moon later this evening except that the clouds from the east seem to be making their way to the west....so maybe not.  LN.....Short but sweet tonight, it's not been an active day on the estate but hopefully things should pick up from now on......LN

Sunday 3rd May

Twenty to seven this morning so I look like I'm back on track.  The Fitbit for the last three days has informed me that I've been in danger of not 'training' enough so whipped up my cardio to a ridiculous level that would probably have been my demise.  Today I've been such a low target and told me to have an easy day....I think someone has noticed that at my age, I have to take care of my heart.  Cat was out early again this morning and I had some tinned meat from the fridge that was too dried out for me, tinned cat food, chicken variety served with cat biscuits....and it was all scoffed, not even one biscuit left.  It was a raw morning and the wind has been from the north all day and had a bone chill factor built into it.  I filled up the log carrier and lit the fire around eleven and it's been going all day.

I've not done much, I made my 'jungle juice' health drink and fried off some baby tomatoes and had them on toast for breakfast.  I was eating it at nine, washed up and settled on the sofa and put Netflix and 'Bones' on but rationed myself to two episodes and then got on with sending emails that were nipping into my consciousness...I should have done them sooner and they instigated replies that I'll sit on for a while.  The hunger gremlins struck about one this afternoon so I put some frozen chips into hot oil and made chip butties with some tomato ketchup on the side and they have now been added to the shopping list that I created this morning.  The intention was to go shopping this afternoon but it's almost like March weather, glints of sun, dark clouds rolled over with a cold wind and I was in the best place today, on the sofa with the fire going and topped up regularly.

Supper is in the oven, I've chopped up normal potatoes, part of a large sweet potato and an onion and they're in an oven tin roasting away and there are four chicken drumsticks in a smaller one.  Delivery time is scheduled for round about nine tonight....and I ask myself, where has the day gone.  The sunset tonight was very difficult to catch and I don't think I've done it justice but I managed to get two flower heads on the yuccas that have grown considerably despite the weather.  I hope the cold weather doesn't stunt the growth.  LN.....Time to stoke up the wood burner, check the oven and prepare for supper.....LN  

Monday 4th May

Beautiful morning to wake up to but the outside thermometer was showing one degree and I decided to stay inside.  It was early and there wasn't much improvement in the temperature, it only got up to nine degrees....and it's May.  Cat was nowhere to be seen this morning and didn't show it's face until twelve o'clock when I was out picking white and purple lilac to take to my friend at the garage.  At the corner of her shop counter she has a place that we laughingly call her indoor garden so I took a jar of water, the lilacs bound up ready to be put in the jar to place on her 'spot'.  I had a shower and washed my hair, I'd thought about the idea of working on the grass today but I knew that I would run out of strimmer cable only having half a reel left so I needed the next one and that involved a trip into Kardjali.  I had a brief interlude, Facebook had presented me with a memory of a hail storm from three years ago, I'd posted it and had a notification from one of my friends asking if I was OK.  She thought that it was an ongoing event and something had happened to me and reading her comment I immediately picked up the phone and called her.  I explained what had occurred, we laughed about it and I told her to cancel the lifeboat that she'd organised on my behalf.  The conversation went on for quite a time, lots was covered and we've arranged a lunch out when I'm next in the UK.  The last one was Christmas and very successful....so we thought we'd do it again.

I eventually was ready to leave around one, I took my flower gift to the car shop, opened the jar and popped the flowers in it and she was really pleased.  It sits alongside the Stephanotis that I bought for her last week when I purchased mine.  I also called in the shop to check that it wasn't a holiday in Kardjali today and I'm told that we have St. George's day later this week but it was all clear for today.  I parked up in the Mall car-park and made my way to the sport shop and bought a swim cap specifically for long hair.  The choice of colours was limited and I ended up with a turquoise on which looks pretty bright but I might get noticed popping around it I get into difficulties.  Maybe later this week I'll summon up the courage to try it out.

First stop was T-Maxx to get the strimmer cartridges and that was a waste of time.  I eventually found an assistant who tried to dump me for a paying customer not one who was about to complain but he didn't manage it.  Eventually he started to take me seriously, I told him that they had had no stock for the last three weeks and why were they still selling the machine if no cartridges were available.  He took my phone number and said that someone would phone me when they arrived and so I ordered six, thinking that quantity would seal the deal.  From there I went to Lidl and that store has really gone down, the store looks run down, far to many products, lack of checkout staff and rushed through the checkouts having little time to pack shopping before the next customer's items come cascading down the shoot.  I carried on to Djebel to finish my local top-up shop, quick trip through the checkout and home James.  Shopping unpacked and put away but six, sat down with a coffee and caught my breath, cold chicken sandwiches for supper, lit the fire around eight and it's going well now and the hot water is belting around the system.

Work tomorrow depends on the weather, it might even be a swim if there is a hint that rain is going to stop play in the garden. My kitchen cupboards are topped up again, I have three packs of butter that should last me a month, two jars of Gold Blend that are cheaper than if purchased in Greece.  It looks like Greece might be off the schedule for a few weeks, the Romanians have arrived in force, there is only the Bulgarian side of the Makaza road open. the diversion put in place by the Greeks passing through a very rural village is being threatened by closure but the Greeks....they are in revolt over long queues of cars.  LN....I'll stay this side of the border until it all quietens down again....LN

Tuesday 5th May

I just couldn't get to sleep last night so might sleep score with Fitbit was very low.  I was awake at seven, felt drained so went through my usual routine a little slower than usual but by nine I was eating bacon and egg and was ready to face the day.  It was a beautiful morning, cold so dressed warmly but it took me a while to get out there.  I started to strim the gap between the house and the front wall and I was aware that I had very little strimmer line in the cassette and they are the ones that you can't reload.  As you know I tried to buy some yesterday but the store has been out of them for three weeks and my complaint yesterday to the store hopefully will result in a phone call to go and pick up the six cartridges that I ordered working on he basis that it was a sizeable order to warrant a phone call.

The washing was already on the airer in the conservatory, I'd washed up from breakfast, as predicted the cable ran out after half an hour so I decided to cut back the three none-flowerer producing shrubs on the terrace giving other plants, including my hydrangea that's getting crowded out.  It now has room to spread and is looking very healthy this year.  I collected up the cuttings, asked my next door garden neighbour if she wanted the cuttings for her cows but she refused, there's lots of grass around so I crossed the road and left them in Haciber's plot that the cows and sheep frequent regularly.  I was about to cut back the forsythia now that the flowers are over but instead made a coffee and found a place in the sun sitting on one of the old garden chairs.  I found the little strimmer quite by accident,  I was looking for something else and in desperation since nothing else was working I connected it to the electricity cable and it worked. I set about strimming round the  wooden surrounds to the flower beds and it really does make the garden look better.  

By now I'd had enough, it was heading for one so I locked everything away, put the little hedge trimmer on charge, made another coffee and a sandwich of white cheese without butter, settled on the sofa and promptly fell asleep catching up on the zzz's that I'd missed last night.  I was cold when I woke up, it was about six so I lit the fire, it was slow to start but eventually it got there and hot water has circulated and the house is being back to 'comfortable'.  I made a trip to the woodstore and brought in about eight logs, I'm running them down but normally in May, I'm not lighting fires but this year has been very 'topsy turvy'.  More of the same tomorrow, I might even tackle the bottom of the garden using the little strimmer, at least I can load the cartridge when it runs out.  LN...Now to find something for supper.....LN

Wednesday 6th May

It was an eight start this morning, jungle juice prepared and only had yogurt for breakfast, I decided bacon and egg would have been nice but difficult to digest with the workload I had.  It was a beautiful morning, nothing much to do inside and rain is forecast for tomorrow so better the day, better the deed.  I tried to start the big petrol machine but it appears the connection to the impellor seems to be impaired.  The small tube to the carburettor seems to have come loose so I'll need to investigate that but today wasn't the day.  The medium sized one is OK but there is a knack in keeping it going.  The power supply works loose and the red button to keep it going seems to be worn so I work with the cable round my neck to ease the pressure on it and my thumb on the red button.  Unfortunately, the grass 'net' box fills up too quickly but at least I can empty it over the wall, the cows appreciate it.  I also brought into play the strimmer for round the edges and I'm also hindered in that the supplier has none in stock and that cable ran out yesterday so I was down to my little old one but it did the job.

I came in at one, it was getting warm out there and I'd had enough for one session.  I settle on the sofa with a cheese sandwich and a bottle of water and the next thing I woke up, it must have been two hours later and had trouble deciding if it was morning or night.  I eventually worked it out and summoned up the courage to go out for the second stint and have just finished at seven thirty.  Tools away, quick pickies of the garden, emails sorted and now into my evening.  The cheese sandwich is still lying heavy so it looks like being yogurt again tonight without inspiration comes to the fore.....there's food available but I have to get creative.

Boiler on for a bath tonight to ease these weary bones.  LN....A productive if not frustrating day, like me the machinery is getting old, some things you can replace and a new mower is one that needs it badly and is easy to solve......LN

Thursday 7th May

The water supply was without any force last night and I knew that a bath was out of the question.  I'd noticed a digger in the bottom field and thought nothing of it but saw it again this morning, there was a banging of pipes and lots of men standing around....and this morning there was no water at all.  There was just air coming out of the pipes and fortunately when I shopped in Kardjali I'd topped up with some small bottles of drinking water so could make a morning cuppa.  My energy level was depleted after a big day yesterday in the garden and other issues that were running through my head.  I'd had phone calls from the UK last night and had quite a sleepless night and goodness only knew when the water was coming back on.  I went out early this morning to take the photos of the sunrise and the moon that was hanging in the sky and read that the sun's position in the sky was unique at this time of the year.  I wasn't feeling too good so immediately forgot what why it was 'unique' so unable to update you.  I'll have to Google it for myself when I've posted, I hate not remembering details.  I disturbed Cat this morning but it wasn't eager for food, it must have had a successful night probably  hunting 'wild-life though I never see any proof.

I made toast for breakfast, was going to put something on it but instead followed it with yogurt and it's seen me through until now.  I've done nothing today except order a new book from the internet about Mesopotamia instantly deliver to my Kindle which should keep me going for a while.  It was a subject that I was introduced to in Grammar school and it was almost as if I knew it and I can still recall the teacher who shared it with us.  She later went on to marry our English teacher.  My day has been mainly spent on the sofa, I had the swollen upper lip that appears occasionally that neither I or the doctor can identify what causes it.  I'm thinking that yesterday I had a bowl of yogurt before going to bed and wondered if I'd suddenly become allergic to it but I have been taking the prescription tablets for my high blood pressure for the last few days so I think I'm going to stop again.....it's dropped to normal after a few energetic days in the garden.

No food for me for the rest of the day and the water came back on around four this afternoon with gushing and gurgling in the pipes and the digger leaving the field.  I was surprised when this problem occurred, I can't remember the last time that it went off, it must have been years ago.  So I've spent most of the day on the sofa cat-napping and when I woke up at six this evening I noticed Cat lying out on the terrace, realised that I hadn't fed it today so laid out tinned cat food and biscuits on the terrace and the dish is cleaned even the biscuits have gone.  Probably not so good on the prowl in the village today.  Half seven my time so must sort something out for supper though I'm not really hungry, a little television searching since 'Bones' is now off the menu and then to bed.  LN.....It's not been a good day for me, I've had better and felt better.....LN

Friday 8th May

Early to bed last night and it was six thirty before I roused from my slumbers.  I decided to read my new book that I received yesterday and I'm a third of the way through it already so I think I'll have to slow down for a while.  There's lots of interesting facts around about how the people lived, not sure I'm taking it all in and lots of names to remember and I'm guessing that's not going to happen.  Anyway one third down and two thirds to go....interesting history of what is considered to be the first civilisation.

I made breakfast for me, bacon and two fried eggs, Cat a good proportion of cat food with a few biscuits added, the biscuits were left but it did come back later and finish them off.  Obviously the pickings round the village were scarce.  I put a load of washing in including a large cotton blanket that lives on the sofa.  I'd nodded off holding a coffee cup and the blanket saved it from going elsewhere.  It's on the banister and dry already and so are the other things that went in the washing machine with it.  I went out with the camera and took some interesting shots including the one of the lizard.  I couldn't see the end of it's tail but it was a good subject and just lay there in what there was of the sun this morning.  Green was out warming up and I was mainly taken by the number of varieties of Iris, I've never noticed them before but since these seem to be the ones doing best they stand out.  I'm also amazed at how many flowers are appearing in the yucca.  I have three coming up in the terrace garden, one large on in the little house garden and another in the garden near to the low wall.  I think I owe it all to the amount of rain we've had this year.

I came in and put a spicy sausage into the slow cooker with sweet and normal potatoes diced, carrots, a red onion and a tin of tomatoes and a squirt of tomato sauce.  I set it to high, turned it down mid afternoon and added some peas and my first tasting was at four thirty this afternoon.  The weather wasn't good, it's been light rain for most of the afternoon so gardening was off the agenda so I took to the sofa with my book, nodded off for part of it and that's when the bowl of food came out along with a dish of natural yogurt for dessert.  I lit the fire, I hate it when it's damp and it's certainly taken the chill off the house...it's not cold but it makes it more homely.  I think the late lunch will do me through until morning so will probably end up putting the contents of the slow cooker into the fridge for tomorrow and then freeze what's left.  LN....Now time to throw another log on the fire and then settled into a new Netflix, 'Staircase'.... Colin Firth murder mystery......LN

Saturday 9th May

So this morning looked as if it could turn into a good day but that changed around four this afternoon.  I slept in until eight this morning which is a first for me for a long time, I put the rest of the washing away from yesterday, answered a few emails, deleted lots of junk and then wondered what to do for the rest of the day.  The forecast for the rest of the day didn't look too good so strimming was out of the question and I just felt it would be too taxing for me.  Cat was sitting on the podium, a log that sits on the terrace as if to say, 'I'm here, where's my breakfast.'  I opened a tin of salmon which I've never bought before, delivered it to the terrace with a few biscuits added and unfortunately some of the salmon was left so that's now off the menu, but only when the tin is empty...it will suffer until then.

I made poached eggs on toast for my breakfast and sat at the table in the stairwell and suddenly noticed that there was a Hoopoe bird digging around in the grass in front of the terrace.  I reached for the camera, didn't want to move too quickly so that it didn't sense the movement and take off and managed to get one shot at it before it walked beyond the lavender and off towards the little house garden.  I grabbed the keys to the woodstore thinking I would cut it off but unfortunately it was further than I anticipated and off it shot towards the field over the low wall.  I might be lucky, it might come back another day.  I came back in the house and washed up the breakfast things and tidied the kitchen, took the slow cooker dish from the fridge and set it to high and I had a late lunch around four this afternoon.  That is me sorted for the day, I shan't want anything else.  Since it turned dull outside and started to rain about three thirty, I finished watching the rest of 'Staircase' and I'm still not sure what I thought of it.  It seemed to have a peculiar ending and I didn't even rate it at the end but time to find something else to watch.

I refilled the strimmer with cable just in case I had a brief spurt of activity but that's as far as it went.  The neighbours from Turkey have commenced the next floor of Stara Mush's old abode and it seems to be much higher than I thought it would be.  It also doesn't really blend in, a white plastic coated metal roof on a metallic structure and it looks more like a warehouse that a domicile.  Fortunately my house looks the other way and the trees between my side garden and their house are quite tall and shall remain that way.  It doesn't sit well within the village, sore thumb springs to mind,  I just hope they don't ask what I feel, I shall have to tell them.  The other problem is that it's quite a windy area, the gales do blow off the hillside and not sure how strong the underneath structure is to support what's been placed on the top.  Just my pennyworth!!

So just had a failure, I lit the fire and wasn't paying attention to it and just noticed that it was 'simmering' not doing anything spectacular so I've just poked it around a little , stuck another firelighter in it and we seem to be having more success this time.  It's not cold in here but it's just more cheery with a flame and red coals in the burner.  I noticed that the water catcher from the roof was overflowing and saturating the rest of the yard so have attached the hose pipe and sent the water off down the lane only this time I must remember to turn the tap off so that the barrel doesn't drain completely like it did last time.  Just after six my time and I'm about to switch the boiler and have a soak tonight and a clear agenda for tomorrow so might do more of the same or just get on and read my book.  LN....I read thirty three pence worth yesterday and have sixty six pence worth of it to go....thanks Amazon.....LN

Sunday 10th May

Half six start this morning and I was drinking my jungle juice before seven.  It was such a dull morning, damp, cat was waiting on the plinth and fed by seven and despite the fact that it was salmon, the lot was scoffed with not even a biscuit left.  It's just sauntered round this evening but I'm presuming that it's just to find a resting place, there's no food on offer tonight.  I didn't bother with breakfast until much later and only then it was buttered toast, I did peel the rest of the sweet potato, cut it into cubes and add it to the slow cooker with more water added for later.  I'd not decided what to do with it, blend it for soup or freeze it but it certainly wasn't going to waste or Cat.

I settled down at the computer around ten, it was raining and the mist had really come down and no views of the mountains.  I checked emails and did some admin., then did some work on the house document for my family so that they can sort things out when and if they need to.  They come for holidays but there are much more exciting things to do than discuss certain things but the next time they're out here, I can go through the document with them with a road map to identify points of interest like banks and doctor's surgery.  I didn't concentrate on this much, added a few paragraphs and switched it off....it will keep for a few weeks yet.  I walked the garden but no sign of the hoopoe or of any tortoise, I watched the grass grow and I swear if you just look at it you can actually see it.  The little strimmer is fired to go but I'm not and it's much too wet to tackle it, I think I shall be calling on local help again, what's money at the end of the day.

Around one I put Netflix on and looking for something to watch since I'd finished Staircase last night.  I found another series which was about a cult segregated from the rest of the world, the comings and goings and the introduction of an escaped murdering into its midst and it had some pretty good twists in it.  I recognised the writer but I've switched it off now and forgotten, I'll try and find it for you and post tomorrow.  The smell from the kitchen was interesting so I added more water to the slow cooker and left it for a while, switched it off, added more water and put it through the blender and it made a very rib sticking soup.  I had it with the heel of the loaf buttered and I'm sure that's going to see me through until morning.  There's some left so I think I'm going to put it in the freezer, it will make a  good sauce to go on chicken with maybe a little curry added to it.

I've just done a circuit of the seed trays that I've started off and they appear to be doing quite well.  The zinnias I put in the other day have started already, well two or three have and the sun daisies are OK too.  The others were old seeds that I'd collected last year and until they put more leaves on and get bigger, not got a clue what they are.  The clouds are quite thing tonight and I don't think there's going to be much chance of seeing the moon and the supposed spectacular line of of stars and planets. Just after eight my time, cat's just done a circuit with a black and ginger striped one in tow....if it's a love triste I  not sure who plays which role...cat won't let me get near enough to check.  LN.....Time to switch off and settle in for the evening.....LN

Monday 11th May

Six thirty start again and made my morning health drink, cat wasn't around for food so I went back to bed with my phone and my book and wasted an hour or so before I really started my day.  I was really misty morning, low clouds and a cold wind and the sun would have to try hard to get it up to strength up.  It would take even longer for me to go out and do some tidying in the garden and in the meantime I made a bacon and egg sandwich which I ate as I did emails at the laptop looking out to the garden. I washed up the breakfast things, put a load of washing in the machine including a small feather duvet that I've been using on the sofa in the evenings when I haven't had a fire.  It was mainly to freshen in up and the sun had at last made its way out of the clouds so the washing went into the conservatory.  When I did an outside heat test, the wind appeared to have dropped so I put the clothes airer outside on the terrace wedging it so it wouldn't be blown away and securing the quilt with pegs and it survived, it dried quite quickly in the stiff breeze and now it's made its way to the bedroom and a blanket is back on the sofa.

Until the weather was fit enough to test my delicate frame outside, I made it to the sofa and put on Netflix.  I found a small series about a factory polluting the residential area around it and children suffering from lead poisoning.  It was based on an actual event and the doctor's fight to get children away from the area and proper housing for the families away from the pollution.  It was in black and white, typical of the post-war attitude with superior males in charge belittling the doctor and the fight she had for people to see that removing the filters to the lead processing plant to improve productivity really wasn't acceptable.  It all came out in the end but I really had to do something else with my day.

I made it outside, cleared last year's weeds from some old pots, the dead last year's growth from the geraniums and took several new cuttings from the longer stems.  Both lemon tree post have weed free soil at the top and I've moved other pots to the usual positions.  I've got three large pots ready for when the seeds are ready to be transferred to permanent homes for the rest of the summer, that's if it ever comes.  I'm not sure if it's because I don't feel up to facing this summer. Too much rain early on in the year, grass and weeds in abundance, mowers that are difficult to use and a strimmer that I can't get the reels for.  I have had one successful endeavour....the wooden bench that I usually sit on when I'm perched on the terrace has several wasps that are using it to scrape away at it to build their nests..  This called for some action on my part and I've painted it with Bezir which is a local preparation that I found in the little house.  It's done the trick, three attempted to land, the smell kept them away and I could sit in peace between work tasks.  All this time, the dark clouds were being kept away from my village but the thunder rumbled over Kardjali and it looked to be in the throws of a very big storm.  Eventually around four thirty it edged our way, there was no thunder but a brief flurry of very large rain drops, cat appeared so I gave it its breakfast allocation of food which got bolted down, I cleared everything away, locked up the workshop, brought some small wood in, lit the fire and now I'm settled in for the night.  The fire is ticking along and I'm cosy.  LN.....I've just put another log on the fire....let's keep the home fires burning, the wind is showing no sign of dropping....LN

Tuesday 12th May

Another six thirty start and is seems to be getting to be the norm.  It looked like it could be a good day, I made my way on to the terrace and opened up the cushion box and put a couple on the bench, took my jungle juice morning spice drink out with me and enjoyed the morning sun.  It was as well that I did, it wasn't going to be there for the entire day.  Cat got fed, I got my breakfast  and the day was all mine.  I meandered the garden and started pulling weeds, telephoned my friend to find out if my local lad could come and do my grass cutting but apparently he is hill.  I did a few admin tasks, household tasks and settled down with the phone.  I put the thick soup from yesterday into the slow cooker to heat it through, added two chicken drumsticks that I'd taken from the freezer, addedcsurry powder to the mix and that was supper on it's way or a late lunch should I get hungry.

I'm not going to spend long over this, the rain started this afternoon, the bird table went over  and I went to sleep. The clouds came over, the rain set in along with thunder and lightening, that lifted and looked like we might have a pleasant evening but I'd just put the bird table back in position when the thunder returned, clouds rolled over and it's still thundering and lightning now....so time I switched off and said goodnight.  LN.....At least my fairy lights are still working.....LN

Wednesday 13th May

I had a late long bath last night mainly because the lightening was petty dramatic and the thunder equally as noisy and since I don't like either, I gravitated to the smallest room in the house and shut myself away with the heavy blind dropped down.  I shut everything out.  It must have been twelve thirty when I emerged from the tub, dried off, went down to my bedroom, snuggled down and went off to sleep immediately and straight through until six thirty, turned over and it was seven thirty when I came too enough to get out of bed and head for the kitchen.  I spotted cat sitting on the little house terrace in the morning mist close to the lavender, I immediately jumped to attention and put out the food, it was sniffed at, nose down and started it then suddenly left the dish with food still in it, I shan't ever feed it at night again.

I made my health drink, hard boiled (on purpose) the three remaining eggs and had two of them chopped up on buttered toast.  The third one I shall probably have later as a snack before bedtime.  I had a surprise visit from my local lad saying that if I wanted the grass strimming he was prepared to do it.  He had no work today, the excessive rain had flooded the building site where he was working so he turned to his other avenue....strimming the green stuff.  We agreed on a price, he arrived, went home for his lunch, the clouds rolled in and so I moved the strimmer form the grass with all his kit into the woodstore and had got it stored away when the rain started.  I filled my morning with clearing round the stone edged bed so that you can actually see that they are stone edged beds, clearing sticky willy, clover and chick weed from other beds and it now looks more like a garden than a meadow.  Good work all round.  He came back from his siesta and there were only a few drops of rain so he carried on, I moved the car so that he could do the yard and as he was leaving, my neighbour arrived and asked if we wanted to look inside the house that they've put up in eight days.  We went inside and they have two bedrooms, a small bathroom and a general living area and that's it. It's only my opinion but the one bedroom could have been smaller and the bathroom bigger, they mentioned having the washing machine in the living area and I felt that it would have been better in the bathroom.  Having a bedroom that's kept as a bedroom when they are only over here for holidays seems a waste of space but we'll see how it pans out.

I put my tools away, locked up, came in and lit a fire for comfort more that heat.  I now going into the kitchen to what might go with one hard boiled egg, probably toast and mayo.  Suddenly the garden lit up when the sun came from behind the clouds and the garden looked really vibrant.  I just had to get out there with the camera and take a couple of shots.  LN....Isn't nature amazing.....LN

Thursday 14th May

Sorry no update until now, it's been a very busy day.  At last the sun decided to come out and stayed out.  A good friend came over, we sat with coffee on the terrace, went out to start the Nipper and the battery was flat as a pancake so put the charger on and waited for an hour for it to start.  We made the decision to go to the garage on the way through Djebel and get the battery checked and sure enough, it needed replacing but wouldn't be delivered to the garage until two thirty that afternoon so we carried on to Kardjali, I left the engine running while I went into T-Maxx and picked up my order for the strimmer reels then my friend ran in to try and find what she wanted but they didn't have it so we drove back to the garage to check if the battery had arrived but it hadn't.

We walked from the garage to the town stopping off in a hardware shop where she managed to buy what the Kardjali store hadn't got, carried on the the local Pizza restaurant, sat in the garden and ordered lunch or by now a late lunch.  We walked back to the garage, I paid the man, drove to the supermarket on lur way home and I picked up lemons, potatoes and bread since I was out of the basics.  Next week I'll be going down to Greece for a special shop....lunch by the beach and a beach comb....it's been off the agenda because of the embargo by the village on the scenic route complaining about the volume of traffic through their village.  All's back to normal apparently.  With the same friend I told her of the swimming pool that we now have in Djebel and she's up for a visit until the weather gets better and we can use the outside pools.

Off she went, I didn't need supper I'd filled up on pizza, promptly went to sleep on the sofa and didn't wake up until late.  Forgot about the update, then remembered but sorry, no pickies...far too busy doing 'stuff'.  LN....Will try to do better tomorrow with the camera.....LN

Friday 15th May

After my long sleep yesterday afternoon, I wasn't too eager to get to bed to lie there waiting to nod off so I put a Netflix on and woke up on the sofa at three thirty.  I staggered to bed and slept in until nine this morning, I guess my biological time clock is all up the shoot and hopefully I'll restore normal service as soon as possible.  I make my jungle juice, cooked poached egg on toast and drove into Djebel mainly to get some vitamin B12 tablets but was persuaded that the others they had in stock were much better so I came away with a month's supply of powders sachets with a few more than B12 in them.  I'd looked at tablets on the internet but they were much more expensive and these were only ten euro for a month, that's hardly going to break the bank.

I had a quick trip around the Friday market, popped into the garage shop but she'd just received a huge order so I didn't stay, wished her luck and headed back home.  I'd done my shopping yesterday, had the basics so no need to collect food that would probably go to the animals.  I hadn't seen cat this morning, had run out of 'special' cat food so it was biscuits or nothing but since it was a 'none appearance' I wasn't too stressed about it, there are plenty more that feed it.  Eventually cat showed up around four this afternoon, noticed it was limping so found the dish and put some biscuits in it and surprise, all of them were finished, not a single one remained so it must have been hungry.

I'd been tempted to get out there with the hedge trimmer to neaten up the wild shrubs that I've turned into 'rounded balls' but inertia got the better of me again.  I remembered that I was out for supper this evening with another friend, somehow was a little late leaving but so was he and I messaged him to say that I was on my way.  I was only about ten minutes late, just couldn't get into gear but in the end it turned into a really pleasant evening.  He settled for a local dish while I stuck with another pizza but pleased to say that it was really tasty, the base was doughy and soft not like normal ones that you buy from the shops.  We had good conversations about books, films and we somehow got on to framing photo and he recommended an English company that he uses that print on canvas and even on aluminium if the mood takes you.  I want to get the photograph of the bee-eaters printed and framed, it's such a good photo.

Home for just after nine thirty, slow drive back though the lanes, there are always idiots thinking that there'll be no on on the back roads at that time of night.  I did spot a very small deer in the middle of the road to my village, it had enormous furry bumps on its head where the antlers were starting to push through.  Unfortunately there wasn't time to get my phone out and get a shot, he was off into the forest...safest place for him.   LN.... It's been very restful, tomorrow is another day and I'll try and get a few things done in the garden....before things get pressing....LN

Saturday 16th May

So late start this morning because it was a late night last night.  It was quite a pleasant morning, mist hanging around hence the misty photo. I made toast for breakfast, didn't see cat for breakfast and has been absent for the whole day.  My friend who likes to take 'bits' from my garden went home with two branches from my buddleia and one from my wisteria and I've promised to dig up babies from various shrubs around the garden where I have set sets from runners.  I put a load of washing in and it dried in the conservatory and is already put away and as for the rest of the day it's been lost in the confusion of trying to book flights to the UK.

Easy jet I've discovered have no flights going out from Sofia until December which is too late for what I need to go over for and the only real alternative is to go to Stansted which is so far from the south coast but beggars can't be choosers and it's booked.  If you are used to the company's website or use its app. you probably can knock it off in quicksticks but I've only used it once and one could still use paper boarding passes which has now changed and everything has to be done via the app.  Technology moves on very quickly for octogenarians and it's all a matter of trying to keep up changing world.  I called it to a halt after five hours of trying alternatives like getting down to Athens and flying to Gatwick from there but that would have meant another flight from Alexandropoulos and I'd almost lost the will to live at this point....and tomorrow is another day.

I'd not thought about supper but realised how hungry I was at nine this evening so it was a quick, two slices of bread into the toaster, can of beans opened and beans on toast filled the gap and I shall settle for a drinking chocolate to see it all down.  LN.....I'm off to bed soon....I've had enough for today.....LN

Sunday 17th May

I got pretty stressed out booking the flight yesterday, downloaded the app. to my phone and this morning before I did anything, I pulled everything together and managed to get my booking on the app., check in for both flights and made sure the electronic boarding cards are where they should be..  I was quite pleased with myself after the event but sometimes technology beats me these days, it's quite over whelming when you get older...believe me.

Toast for breakfast, nothing for the cat since it didn't appear and I haven't seen it all day.  I let my daughter know that the flights were booked and after checking out trains from the airport to home base I think I've decided to check into an hotel and come down the next day.  I don't want to get stranded waiting for a train in London if there's not a through train.  My daughter did come up with the suggestion that my SIL could pick me up on the motorbike and I could sit on the front but I told her that I'd sort it myself.

I've sorted out money, keys, copies of passport and Bulgarian residency cards, I shouldn't have any trouble coming from Europe with my British passport and mine is a biometric one already since it's last year's edition as is my residency card.  I should get through without problems without someone wants my fingerprints.  I'll use my small bag on wheels that I bought in UK last year so obviously won't be taking much luggage but I've also arranged to take a small bag as well...better that the weight is distributed over two instead of stuffed into one.  I've found out the things that I want to get into the washing machine before rather than the night before, I need to get a few more books on to the Kindle so fill my evenings in the UK and I need to do more research, it's not exactly a holiday, there are a few things that need sorting out.  

We had gathering clouds this morning that yes, you've guessed it, turned into rain this afternoon and then a brief appearance of evening sun to beautify the garden.  It's almost June and there seems to be no end to the amount of rain we've had.  I did remember to turn off the tap from the plastic water butt so that it retained the water.  I'd left it open the other day and it had all gone down the lane and nothing for the plants but there again, nature is doing it for me, I don't have to water them.

Nothing on the agenda for tomorrow except to go into Djebel and pay some telephone bills that don't get paid automatically by the bank.  It's the house phone and in fact I tried to cancel it but that seemed like a lengthy process so I gave up trying to complete the cancellation....none so deaf and Bulgarian rules and regulations sometimes confound me to the point of not bothering.  LN.....Time to find something for supper, probably a large jacket potato with cheese and beans, nice and quick in the microwave....LN

Monday 18th May

Bed by one, still watching television and wasn't watching the clock which I should have been.  Straight to bed, slept like a log, I'd lit a late fire and it was so cosy on the sofa that I'd settled for the night until I noticed the time.  Awoke just after seven and that was an improvement, jungle juice, dressed fairly early on which wasn't difficult, I put the gardening clothes on from yesterday intending to get out there after breakfast but it didn't work out that way.  I made my jungle juice and settled for toast with cheese triangle on it, no butter but probably loaded with all the things I should avoid.

I tidied up after morning activities but didn't get out there straight away.  I played around with the plug sockets in the porch, neither of them seem to be working when I plugged in the hand trimming tool.  I wasn't sure if it was the plug socket on the wall, the extension cable socket or the instrument itself and after half an hour playing around and getting nowhere, I brought the machine inside with the connector and plugged it into the lounge and topped it up before I really got stuck into it.  Main task was to trim my small bushes into rounds to neaten them up and managed most of them before it ran out of charge so back it went on the charger.  I had a dilemma....the cotoneaster ground cover under the lonesome pine was looking very 'dead' in places and although it was going to be a monumental task to remove it....the motto was.....I've started so I'll finish.  I did have a brief interlude, my neighbours came round, the man hadn't been inside the grounds before and had only seen it from the road and he was impressed.  She asked if they could have a coffee on the terrace and I replied that if they wanted Turkish she would have to make it, I settle for Gold Blend and she said they would have the same.  I took them out to the terrace, we sat in the old wooden chairs that remain out there come rain or shine, I found the cushions out of the chest and we sat in the sun.  I'd noticed that morning that he was making a bench or something like one and I'd said that if there were any tools that he was missing and I had them, he was welcome to use them so he came round to see what I had and was suitably impressed.  I've got most things for woodworking and also for gardening.

Off they went back home, I carried on with the under tree excavations and stayed out there until around eight when the light was fading, I'd started a bonfire earlier and watched it for a while.  I was using my new chopped down oil drum and lid so was a little warry in case the layer of oil caught fire...but everything was OK. Tools away until tomorrow, it will be more of the same and tidying up the area and I reckon the small lizards that I've disturbed will be finding a new homes.  There were so many fir cones under the old branches, I think the rot has been due to the exceptional amount of rain that we've had this year....there's never been a problem before.  So burnt some of the old wood but tomorrow I'll have a concerted effort to finish it, get another layer of top soil to cover some of the bricks that are showing through.  This is where we dumped some of the old bricks and debris from the house building so there should have been good drainage but everything has limits and the area had reached it. LN.....Good day gardening and socialising with the neighbours, they might be doing for me as I get older.....LN.

Tuesday 19th May

Cloudy morning but looked like it might clear up and it did.  I woke up at six thirty, didn't bother with breakfast but made my morning drink, I'd left cloves soaking overnight in water and it really added to the concoction.  I checked phone and played a few games and was dressed and out to the garden by eight thirty and concentrated my efforts on the task that I'd started yesterday on the mantra. 'I've started so I'll finish'  and I did, around four this afternoon but it was slow going.  As I raked over the cleared patch, I kept finding lots of fir cones dug into the top soil so I was using the rake to disturb them  and eventually I had cleared it.  I checked the bonfire from yesterday and it was more or less down to ash so I started it up again and it's been going all day, some went over the wall but most of the rubbish stuff I've burnt.

The clouds have really rolled in this evening, we have thunder and lightning on the mountains looking out from my computer in the stairwell and I shan't be here long.  I just want to get it posted and the computer put to bed.  I'm off to Kardjali with my friend tomorrow, she has to pick up her residency card and I'm just going for support and then over to KAT, the police station to get another document for her car.

I'm signing off. the lightning is getting nearer.  LN....And here comes that rain again.....LN

Wednesday 20th May

Well after last night's horrific storm, everything seemed to have sorted itself out overnight except for dear Rosie, my tortoise. She secreted itself away under the Lonesome pine for the winter, I caught sight of her burrow when the weather got warmer and after firstly seeing her head, the rest slowly emerged and I see her regularly round the garden.  Not sure if it is a he or a she, she's been chased by several of the others and has done some chasing but because I named 'Rosie', to me and she was my first tortoise, she-it's special.  I went out to look at the garden this morning and to see how the empty patch under the tree had fared in the night with the tremendous downpour and sitting on top of the mound was Rosie, looking as if to say, 'Where has my house gone'.  I felt really guilty, I didn't think that she as still using it and there is plenty of shelter in the garden, I didn't realise that she would be going back to it.  I went into Kardjali with my friend to do some 'admin' work, we didn't linger long in Kardjali, headed back to Djebel for cheesy chips and coffee, back to mine and I went to see if she had moved and she hadn't.  Now I was a little worried so I picked her up, her legs started moving so she was OK and when I checked later she had gone to another place.  The sun's been out all day so I guess she hadn't moved because she hadn't warmed up but by lunchtime, she seemed fine.  I've checked the space just now and there's no sign of her....she's obviously got the message.

My friend stayed around until around one thirty and then headed home.  She had friends coming round for an early meal and drinks, I was invited but instead chose to get a few more things done before my trip to the UK.  I'd tossed around the idea of going from the airport to home by train but it did entail three changes of station and I wasn't sure my little brain was up to it so instead settled for express coach service which took about the same time considering the station changes and with only one change of coaches, it felt more secure.  Booked, tickets printed and an early start into the bargain to home in the UK.  I shall probably be asleep for most of the first day, my daughter is on half term so I'll have a playmate for some of the time.  She said she wasn't sure how many days she would have the car so I told her to mention to her husband that we'd take the motor bike instead.....yeah.

I've done may last load of washing and it will be ready to put away or in the case tomorrow, I feel like I'm on finals but I'm not really.  I've decided to drive myself to the airport and leave it in the long term and it means that I shall be driving myself home in Bg and arrive at a sensible time provided I get enough sleep on the plane.  Not many clothes to pack, I've got clothes in UK that are suitable for all weathers so I'm fairly self sufficient when I get there.  Now to find something for supper, don't want much, my late breakfast, early lunch is sitting heavy so maybe I'll forego supper.  LN....I'll look forward to poached eggs on toast, I need to use the eggs up before I go......LN

Thursday 21st May

Five thirty start this morning, washed some jumpers, cleared up the debris from last nights supper, cleared out the fridge, fed the cat and played around with the bonfire to get it going again.  Yesterday's didn't light properly and smouldered until this morning but it's been going all day today and now the garden is looking tidy again.  I been trying to decide what to put in my packing and also which bag to take.  I have my favourite leather travel ruck-sack but really must check the dimensions of the allowed luggage otherwise I'm back to the one that I bought to travel back with specifically last New Year.

As for the rest of the day, I drove into Djebel to pay my home-phone telephone bill.  I never used the thing and have tried to get them to cancel it but everything seems to get lost in translation.  I've paid up four months, I'm up to date and I'll have another go when I get back to cancel the thing.  I also went down to the garage to get the Nipper road worthy for my trip to Plovdiv airport but speaking to my first student who's helping his father out in the garage, they were rather busy, they had the inspectors in a routine check on MOT's carried out.  They really didn't have time but my student did mention that I still had my winter tyres on so I've asked them to check the summer ones out and if any need replacing to order them and let me know when they arrive.  I also discussed with my student how much it would cost to have a taxi to the airport to save me having on-site parking at the airport, he wasn't sure so I asked one of the taxi drivers in the rank and one way is quoted as eight euro.  If I take a taxi both ways it's much cheaper that parking at the airport so that's the latest plan....less stress on me and on the Nipper.

As I've started this latest update. the sky has fully clouded over and the heavens have opened and it's pouring down. There were a few rumbles of thunder this afternoon but it only threatened it but now the wind is getting up and it looks like it has set in for the night.  I believe the UK is having better weather than we are, ours has been unbelievable this year...rain, rain and more rain.  LN....Time to draw the curtains and forget what's happening outside...raid the fridge and find some comfort food.....LN

Friday 22nd May

Slept through until seven and spent the first few minutes searching for a pair of green trousers that I wanted to put in the washing machine.  Could I find them, I searched everywhere, well not quite, I found them late this afternoon where they should have been, in the basket waiting to be washed....and they are still waiting.  I found a pair of brown ones which went well with my brown boots and waxed waist jacket and felt very agricultural, brown bag but just before I left I decided to phone the garage to check that the tyres had arrived.  The son from the garage was just about to phone me, the tyres were already balanced and ready to be fitted so I went into Djebel around ten and spent ten minutes circling the parking spaces round the cash point along with everyone else.  I'd forgotten it was market day and the world and all its friends were out and about.  I had some money in my wallet but not sure how much I needed so I went to the garage...I could pay later...after all...they knew where I lived.

The tyres were fitted, only two new ones, I was shown the old ones to confirm, it didn't take long and I was good to go.  I was able to cover the cost of the two tyres and the balancing and fitting, paid the man and asked the son if he knew the taxi driver that had given me the quote to go to the airport.  He did, said that he swore a lot but I replied that it didn't matter I wouldn't understand it if it was in Turkish or Bulgarian...he could say what he wanted to the other drivers... I shall book him tomorrow.   I also have arranged my return transport home with the son of the garage, he will pick me up from the airport and we'll come back together since he spends most of the weekends in Plovdiv.  I left the garage and went to the cash point and managed to park about one hundred meters in a designated parking spot, drove back to the car shop to have a few minutes with his mother, since I'd parked up in the parking spot for their apartment.  I stayed for about half an hour, we covered most things, she's my sounding board and I think I'm hers.

I stopped off at the supermarket and bought a few lemons to maintain my heath kick with my morning jungle juice, bananas for the potassium, I was out of tuna and chocolate biscuits to take with my on my trip.  I came home and made tuna mayo sandwiches, lay on the sofa with Netflix on since the rain had just started and promptly went to sleep which I obviously needed and felt much better when I woke up.  The packing is mostly assembled, but not in the bags.  I inadvertently book Priority 2 so was trying to find out what luggage I could officially take, I normally fly with the other company and then when I found out the allowance, I have to check what I can take on the bus for my onward journey.  Nothing gets easy as you get older, get ready for it....it creeps up on you.

No supper required tonight, the sandwiches are sitting heavy, I've just made another coffee, tried to take photos for the update but there's a late hint of sunset but not much to get worked up about.  LN.....I'm about to get my head round travel arrangements, my Avatar returning, taxis and everything else happening over the next few days.....LN

Saturday 23rd May

Half six start but I didn't linger long in bed I set too cleaning the fridge ready to defrost it before I take my trip.  I have this strange obsession that it's going to explode or something or just leave a horrible mess if the power goes off for any reason so off with the power, I left it for an hour or so with the door open and then put a bowl inside and off the ice started to drop.  I've collected the water in an old water bottle and have left it in the porch so that a friend can water the plants that I want taking care of while I'm away.  It's mainly the ginger plant that I've started and my cactus from the Greek beach, yes they can be started again but I'm regarding them as 'achievements'.

I put the final washing in the machine, started my packing and it's still not complete.  I got tied up with finding a padlock for the gate to the house since I'm leaving the car in the drive and wanted two keys for it.  The one that I usually use I could only find one key for and eventually I found my second padlock and this time with two keys.  I shall leave one with my neighbour when she returns from Germany tomorrow, the plants I want looking after are in the porch and she only needs the one key so that she can let herself in and I filled up around twenty little water bottles so that they won't be heavy to lift.  

I thought we were doing OK weatherwise until the clouds rolled over this afternoon and down it came, heavy rain that overflowed my water barrel so I had to attach the hose pipe and feed it down into the ditch outside my house to flow down the lane.  This is only a precaution so that the outside of the porch door doesn't get flooded and it seems to work.  I had a brief interlude, I'd picked up a bit of news regarding one of the people I used to work with from Facebook and another friend from forty years ago I felt sure would like to be informed.  We've kept in touch with Christmas cards over the years, I went to her wedding but since we both left the company, contact has been sparse...so today I phoned her.  The call went to voice mail so I decided to leave a message and low and behold I heard her voice, it's her precaution when she doesn't recognise the number and we caught up on the last thirty years or so, I relayed the gossip that I'd picked up.  Years are nothing when a lot of water has gone under the bridge but true friendship continues and hopefully we shall be catching up soon.

I was out searching for starter wood for my fire.  It was cold, damp and I was surprised when my neighbour came round, she brought back my branch trimmers that she'd borrowed and asked if she could have some old jars that I've inherited from the previous owners.  I've stored them in the little house, I handed her a plastic bucket and she has taken around twenty or so, she wants to preserve meat and take it back to Turkey with her when she goes.

So tomorrow it's final throwing things in a suitcase, the taxi is not coming until the day after tomorrow in the afternoon and I fly out on the twenty fifth but not until eight in the evening so I should be able to get my head down on the flight.  The taxi is picking me up at three in the afternoon and I'm giving myself plenty of time....just in case.  LN....Avatar is back tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to seeing her again.  She's back with her daughter and I'm not sure who else will be here, a brief catch up for me but it will be good to see them.  LN.....Then me on my travels to try and achieve something at least, but I have my doubts.  Lets keep fingers and toes crossed....LN  

Sunday 24th May

Well it's getting close to lift off and I've had a mare of a day trying to sort the last few things out.  I was on the go-slow this morning thinking I had plenty of time to do 'stuff' but it's amazing how quickly things take over.  I'd looked at the grass in Avatar's garden and it was about a foot tall and not a very welcome sight, she was coming home today having spent the winter and spring in Germany so I made the decision to get in touch with my local lad to see if he could come round with his strimmer.  He'd gone into 'work' as a day rate operative but the ground was so wet that they couldn't get on with anything so they were sent home...so I was in luck.  He arrived about eleven, started about half past, I was over at the house since the family hadn't arrived and decided that I could help out by collecting up some that he had cut and deposit it in the field next to the house.  It was pretty slow going, everything was wet despite the sun and a stiff breeze, he finished the job, I'd cleared the front of the house and to the electricity box and the water stop-cock and I thought I'd done enough.  He went home, I'd not got money with me so I went home and then made my way to his mother's house and gave her the money.

On my way back I decided to call into to see my other dear friend who I have a deep affinity with....I think we are kindred souls.  We gave each other a hug, we walked her garden and I pointed out some what I call English flowers, she liked them but complained about the flowering season which is very narrow....they were peonies.  I walked home with only one shoe on...I'd trodden on a thorn in her garden and it was really stubborn to take out so I waited until I got home and now good as new....that's the shoe and the foot.  Out of curiosity I checked on the arrival time of the flight from Germany, it was on time and I guessed they'd be arriving around five thirty and they were.  The DIL collected the keys, I walked over and gave Avatar a hug and we were so pleased to see each other.  She looked very tired but I shall probably look the same way when I arrive in England tomorrow and then after a coach journey down to home from the airport.  It gets harder each year but at least I'm going by taxi and have allowed plenty of time before the flight.

Well to welcome her back we had the statutory thunder storm be it brief but then the rain came down in buckets.  It was sudden but it has left me with a red tinted sky over the mountains but no tinge of red where the sunset should be.  LN....This year has been out of the ordinary...maybe it will be better when I get back....LN

25th/26th May Update

Well what a couple of days.  I knew it was going to be hard but twenty three hours travelling took quite a lot out of me.

It didn't quite start there.....it was a journey I'd only done once before but the last time my SIL was working in the area so was able to pick me up and it was a day flight which made it far easier.  This one entailed an initial taxi to Plovdiv which in itself is not arduous but I'd tried to contact the taxi man to confirm to be greeted by a 'you have dialled an incorrect number' so I drove to Djebel and found the taxi man, he could dial me but I couldn't dial him.  For some reason the number was using my English Sim and obviously was missing the dialling code to BG and I only worked this out later...doh.  Now corrected, I've been through my contacts and associated the correct Sim for each on.  

My taxi arrived at the correct time but the driver had changed.  Apparently his father's car had an oil leak and he was nominated from a short list of one to pick me up at three, destination Plovdiv airport.  We set off, I remembered that I'd forgotten to remember a bottle of water for the journey but what a star the son was, he stopped and bought for me and him half way to Assenograd so I sat in the back sipping my water.  I'd allowed extra time for the journey but I didn't need it.  I was the first in the airport for the flight, others came in dribs and drabs but there was still a rush to the finishing post.  I hate security, boots, bracelet, belt full body scan, Fitbit and everything was in different baskets going through the scanner.  What a performance.  Going through passport control was just as bad.  I have one of the new biometric scan passports but had only used it to leave England at Christmas before the system was fully up and running.  Leaving Plovdiv he was obviously trying to collect my fingerprints.  I was instructed to put my fingers on the plate, look directly as the camera and was told to press down hard with my fingers....and it didn't work so I had to remove them and go through the whole performance again.  Eventually they were captured so I can be arrested at any airport for any wrongdoings....the world marches on.

We boarded the flight, it was such a noisy plane, the foreign attendant spoke English but I'd never come to learn that version.  I did manage to get my head down for a while but there was a free-range young girl running up and down the aisle and no one tried to stop her.  I was tempted but didn't want to start an international incident.  The plane arrived early, I made it through passport control very quickly, found the bus station, explained which coach I'd booked for but was told that there was an earlier one and was sent to the new one and I was on my way to Victoria coach station.  Can I add that I was surprised at the comfort of the journey, the courtesy that was offered was second to none and nothing was too much trouble. London by night is a joy to drive through, all the main attractions fully lit up, bridges, Big Ben and I was like a child in Disney Land trying to work out what I was looking at. Now this meant that I was ahead of myself, at the next change of coach I was ushered onto the new one and he couldn't scan me in but his attitude was 'my coach, my rules' and that was good enough for me.  We eventually got to Brighton and the driver was prepared to stop at any point that we saw a taxi rank and there were no obvious ones ....but it was three thirty in the morning.  Eventually I asked him to drop me in Brighton which he didn't really want to do but I told him to go and get on with his job....he had to get to Worthing which was along the coast.  Eventually a taxi stopped but said that he had a fare but there was a taxi rank a short walk away so I set off lugging my suitcase and there were people waiting where he said there would be a taxi, I joined a 'queue' two came at the same time, the first was offered up by the group and I was in, heading for my small town and withing twenty minutes was letting myself in, finding my bedroom and getting my head down.  I slept OK, have managed to keep going until now but shan't be long before I go for an all-nighter

My daughter came found this morning, I'd sorted out my unpacking, we had a natter and catch-up and then off she went.  I haven't done a lot today, I sat with my neighbours in their garden in the sun and was surprised how hot it was....and no sign of rain unlike Bulgaria.  I've cooked spaghetti bolognaise for tonight's supper, loaded the dishwasher and forgive me....I have no photos.....it's been all systems go, I've been on full alert the whole time but in the end, 'all's well that ends well' and I managed to get it done.  LN.....Nothing so far planned for tomorrow....let's see how it pans out but I'll have my camera with me....It might be a trip to the beach......LN

Wednesday 27th May

I'd love to say that I've got a lot to report but I haven't. I had a very sleepless night, woke up with a t-shirt that was wringing wet so took it off and put another top on, headed downstairs and cleaned the conservatory table off and enough clean floor to stand on.  I cut back the plants that have found their way through the glass panels bringing life inside, they've all been cut back and the hacking outside should sort them out and back to being manageable.  I really should think about organising a gardener to cut and take away the debris and then do a proper job on the conservatory which I did last time I came.

I've checked out my old Kindle which unfortunately doesn't have a back light but has all my books on it.  I managed to charge it up and used it last night before I went to sleep and it works well.  I had to get used to the manual controls and go into automatic mode to move to the next page but I'll get used to it again.  The beauty of it is that it's not so heavy too hold  like my new one especially since it has a slid carrying case on it and it seems quite heavy.

I set in and did admin work this morning, made the phone call regarding a card authorisation number, the one my host gave me was wrong and we need a memory jogger to activate the new card.  Technology appears to get more complicated once the years tick on but it was good to speak to a human even though she was programmed and kept to the script.  It was a bank after-all.  I had beans on toast for breakfast which filled the gap and did the same for my host and this afternoon it was playing around on my phone, imagining a walk down to the village which just didn't happen.....but maybe tomorrow after we've managed to place a grocery order with the local supermarket.

Nice conversations with my daughter, she's had another day in the sun and is waiting for the proof of her endeavours to change the colour of her skin.  I'm just lucky, I think the brown colour is just below the surface of my winter face and emerges as soon as it has contact with the sum.  Sorry again no photos, the days drift by and then it's too laste to do anything about it.  LN......Bear with me....normal service will be resumed as soon as possible....LN

Thursday 28th May

So this morning I was awake at five thirty, back to my old routine and made the decision to go into Brighton to sort out one or two things.  My bank had advised me that I could pay in some old traveller cheques into my account if I went into one of the subsidiary banks and that was the main purpose of my journey....and  that didn't quite turn out as it should have done.  The girl in the bank immediately said that they were out of date and that they could do nothing but she did say she would ask one of her colleagues with the result that it could not be done at the bank but I could go onto the internet and it could be done with the Issuing company via a banking partnership with mine.  She was very kind, she sent me the link and I'll think about it tomorrow...there's just too much going on at the moment.  Next job was to find out how much money was in one of my other bank accounts.  She used my Bulgarian Registration document to find me, I gave her my address in the UK and date of birth and we were cooking on gas.  I now know how much there isn't in there but my daughter's advice came in useful, if someone else takes the bank over, I shall become a shareholder so it might be worth waiting.

I had the information that I'd come into Brighton for but then decided to see if I could find a shop, the battery in my mobile is a little bit fatter than it used to be, I found the shop, he had three batteries but unfortunately each one of them was like Cinderella's slipper, right type but just didn't fit so it was put back together, I asked if I could pay him for his efforts but he said that it was OK and I then set off up the high street.  Brighton has changed a lot since I've been really shopping there, Debenhams has gone from Churchill Square and IKEA has taken it's place but I've only got hand luggage so I gave that a miss.  Shops I used to use are no longer selling for everyone, more for the young so I made no purchases but did managed to find vitamin B12 in Holland and Barratt and they were buy three for the price of two...and worth having.

I soon got fed up of shopping so made my way to the bus stop, paid over my three pounds and I was making my way home.....I'd achieved what I set out to achieve.  I took a few photos of my garden flowers shrubs, tried to transfer them to the computer and didn't manage to work it out so they live for another day on my phone.  LN.....I did all that I set out to do in Brighton and promise to work on getting the pickies over and will post if I manage it....LN

Friday 29th May

Slept well but another hot night....fortunately it's been a much cooler day.  My daughter arrived, she had the car today so we could be out and about and she invited me out for breakfast which was a nice idea and we were soon out on the open road.  We decided to pop into Brighton Marina to do some shopping before breakfast since it was on the way, I only needed coffee since I was out of it but I also bought spices so that I could create my jungle juice for the rest of the days that I was in the UK.  We elected to go to a checkout instead of self serve, the man serving us was very chatty, we went back to the car, put the shopping away and carried on to the café for breakfast.  The place was heaving, it's a small golfing place, the young lady serving us apologised that breakfast would not be quick since there was a group who'd obviously finished a competition and were all having full English.  It didn't take too long, out bacon sandwiches were delivered along with coffee and tea and we shared a very pleasant morning.

We drove home, helped mine host create an Asda order that will be delivered tomorrow morning, continued chatting and then she set off for home and we'll catch up over the weekend.  I watched some television and then decided to go out and clear the weeds from the drive, cut back the bushes that had overgrown and were hanging down.  Each time I went up or down the drive I was always ducking and diving to avoid them to I took action.  Mine host who hasn't really been doing any physical activity for a while since he's not been very well came out to help and between us we cleared the drive, succeeded in cutting back the bushes and generally tidying things up and I shan't be bashing my head anymore of the trailing tree branches...success.

I've just had a mare with computers, I plugged in my power cable and experienced a couple of flashes, unplugged the offending cable and worked on the blog until the machine eventually ran out f power and died.  I moved on to the house machine and tried to log in and have forgotten my password, found another cable for the laptop, another adapter, this machine sprang to life again and brought back the original ramblings.  I have photos but want to get this one put to bed so they'll keep until tomorrow.  LN.....I'm closing down before I'm back to square one.....LN

Saturday 30th May

As per normal I was awake at half five, tried to go back to sleep but just wasn't working for me so I went down, made my jungle juice, opened up the conservatory and settled at the table in the morning sun and tried out a few sudoku from the local rag.  I did a few of them including a very hard one but stumbled over the easy one and moved inside to watch morning television.  I made a coffee, carried on watching television , heard a knock on the door and I'd forgotten that the Asda food delivery was expected this morning and there he was with several crates already on his carrier.  I asked him to give me a minute, I was without trousers, it was a long top but I felt better when I was with jeans.  By this time he'd brought more crates down the drive so in he came with his trolley and delivered nine crates into the kitchen.  He asked if I needed help and yes I did, he proceeded to empty the contents of the crates on to any flat surface, said that he was running out of space so I asked him to unload the soups near the door under the stairs.  Off he went with his crates and I set about trying to remember where the items were stored and in which freezer and slowly and steadily, everything was in 'a' home, not necessarily where mine host would have put them but nothing was thawing out or drying up.  Job done!!.

Eventually I made poached eggs on toast for breakfast, I still didn't have company so I decided to carry on where I'd left off with the garden clearance.  Eventually mine host appeared, realised what I was up to and decided to join in and we've had a very good day in the garden.  The side path to the other gate is cleared and the bushes surrounding the path are cut back, it's been a long slog and we didn't come in until seven this evening.  The grass is mown, the cuttings in the compost bin, paths more or less clear and lots of rampant ivy cleared from the flower beds and concrete paths.  It all seems to have taken on a life of it's own but we did have a lovely robin red-breast dipping in and out of the shrubbery, and feasting on the goodies we were uncovering.

Tomorrow I shall be going to church in the morning, probably won't start on the garden until afternoon and it will be a much gentler day.  I've taken lots of photos but for some reason my camera won't connect to my laptop so I may or may not be posting the evidence for today later.  LN.....I'll be having a hot bath to ease out my aches and pains for the effort of the last two days....but really worth it.....LN

Sunday 31st May

So today I've been a little more gentle with myself.  Yesterday was a hard slog with the garden but we achieved a lot and bringing mine host out of retirement and back into 'doing mode' is and achievement.  I was up and about at six thirty this morning while the rest of the house slept, made my way down to the conservatory and started and finished two sudoku, one hard and one medium with the medium proving more challenging. Breakfast was two slices of toast and a yogurt, my aim was to visit my usual church  I attend when in UK so after yesterday's activity I needed a bath and hair wash to put an acceptable face to the world.  That done, I dried my hair and realised that I was running off schedule so grabbed my bag and checked the time with my Fitbit.  There are so many clocks in this house and mine seems to be the only reliable time-piece.

I headed out for the bus stop, thought I was cutting it a little fine and as I turned the corner, the bus was at the stop and I had a sizeable dash to get there, the driver was very understanding, I asked for a day return and ended up with a day rover ticket, I thought I had it in coin but was fumbling a little so I got my card out and it went through immediately.  Now the problem was that the coins were difficult to pick up and I said that after eighty things stop working as well as they did.  He picked them up for me, put them in my hand and said that I looked good for my age which I thanked him for.  It's good to know!!

I got off the bus and walked to the church but unfortunately I knew no own there.  Most that used to go are either dead or in hospital and it felt quite strange being there.  I mentioned to the ones running the place that I was a member around forty years ago and mentioned some names but obviously times have moved on,  It's a very spiritual place and I enjoy the atmosphere, said my goodbyes and headed back to the bus-stop for my return journey but instead went down to the last stop before it turns round and heads back to the city.  I then decided to complete my ritual, I went into the little supermarket on the sea front, bought a pork pie, cola and Cadbury chocolate and headed down to the beach area, sat on a bench and had my little picnic watching the people, dogs, waves and families in general....enjoying my afternoon experience.  Back to the bus-stop, my ticket meant that I didn't have to buy a new one, the rest of my shopping I unpacked which means I have white bread for the morning and rubbish sacks for when I get back to gardening.

I stretched out on the sofa this afternoon and made up for my early start, I'm not that hungry but about to head down to the kitchen to see what nibbles are available and not such a late night tonight.  I did take a couple of photos of the stone beach but they appear to be locked in my phone and it's too much effort to excavate them.  LN....I've had a very relaxing day, a very restful afternoon on the sofa, lots of WhatsApp this morning to keep me in touch with home and it won't be long before my head hits the pillow.....LN