64 Days Down.... 92 to Go, Arachnophobia Raises it's Ugly Head Again, Aaaarrrrgggh!!!!

Getting the bus to Gorna is an experience to say the least, the vehicle would be banned in any other civilised country but here it is public transport haha It is not comfortable is very hot & the ride is more than bumpy,

but..... It is very freeing for me, means that if I so wish I can get out of the village for 5 hours twice a week! I think I will make it a date for once a week if weather permits. I am not completely sure of the runs but Monday there is no direct bus to Gorna its an early morning thats 6am to Strazhitsa then a train to Gorna!!  Anyway I can get to Gorna on a Wednesday & Friday bus 1pm return bus leaves Gorna at 4.50pm It gives me 3 hours in town. Bonus two a week so now I feel like I have been given wings, sad I know but until you have been in my position you have no idea what it's like & this is like a get out of jail free card!
The journey takes an hour which is loads longer than by car but it goes to other little villages as well as stopping along the way. I love it though as I love Bulgaria & miss driving through the countryside I have missed the best of the Sunflower fields but this country is sooo green & lush so many different colours its gorgeous. The fauna is amazing too great to spot the differing flowers, tree's, shrubs & hedgerows I love it! Its reminiscent of England 50 yrs ago & I miss being out in it. Gorna is a nice town too, there are some really nice coffee shops & restaurants toilets leave a lot to be desired though! Its always my mission to find a great restaurant or coffee house with a decent toilet where I don't feel contaminated :-(
I can sort out my bills here go clothes shopping pay for my satelite package go round the market & enjoy exploring & finding new shops! I can even have my hair done woop!!!
I am looking forward to the next couple of months but only when it is not too hot!!!!!

So day 61 & I am freaking out!!!! I decided to strip the covers off the sofa & wash them I had washed the first half & was taking the top cover off the back. As I pulled it towards me I saw something sitting on the back, Oh My Goodness!!!!!!! Please believe me when I say this was some ugly scarey large spider, waaaaaahlllllllllllblah!!!!! Now I am phobic so this was not good, I am so scared i have been stuck against walls sobbing sweating heart pounding & unable to do anything to get rid of them. Now this was like a tarantula only not hairy like a huge bug with spider legs OMG I can feel it all over me still oooooohhhhhhhh!!!
I was soo scared & didn't know what I was going to do except stop the dogs seeing it incase they disturbed it & made it run. Obviously I had to do something so I got the hoover it took me ages to suck it up as I was scared it would get me :D I stood with the hoover on it for 15 mins & left the hoover on for 2 hours & it is now outside as I am too scared to empty it & have it in the house, I know pathetic but I think it will kill me so..... Now I see webs & arachnids everywhere feel them on me driving myself mad! I found a dead spider outside on the wall which was rather big & thick it is very sticky so not a nice specimen either. Oh flip!!!!

Oh the power of phobias! I haven't been feeling all that since the above it has sort of thrown me backwards. This phobia has always done this to me, makes me feel like I am 5 yrs old again very vulnerable.  I still haven't emptied the hoover & it still sits outside :-(
Today I am feeling I can't be arsed with anything at all! The only thing I have done is water the veggies & that was a real effort I really wanted to not bother but with no Tomatoes now & the possibility of no grapes I can't afford not to! I have made a decision today too, I am letting the tomatoes go no more trying to save them its a waste of time & money, a difficult decision to make but I think the right one. The tomatoes that are growing are brown or going brown & the vines are still dying from the bottom up. I am gutted as I was really looking forward to making copious amounts of tomato soup it's soooo delicious so I will buy the tomatoes & make it anyway. The peppers, chillies, pumpkins are doing well & I have pulled a few cucumbers cut 4 pumpkins & cut the lettuce as I want it. The Beans are few but I will learn for next year & the beets & carrots are coming along. Next year we are planting down in the paddock as the top half before the trees is in full sun from sun rise to sun set. I have already organised the first ploughing in autumn then again in spring so no more planting up the front here apart from I will plant the garlic in the front over winter. So lots of planning for next years vegetables & lots of melon next year as we lost our seedlings this year in the early heatwave! I am looking forward to it all its a big project to plan as I will have to decide what where & think of the following year too. Also I am going to have our fruit trees sorted too. Its all very exciting & daunting too!
Well nothing exciting here the last couple of days just trying not to sink below self doubt, loneliness & depression & I have been really missing my grandaughters Hope & Molly 5 & 4 years, this gets worse when I feel vulnerable!

My boy is expecting his first baby in November & this has also been playing on my mind when will I get to see my new grand child :-(

Living the life you want comes at a high price!!!!








Maya has settled in nicely, she has a great time with Sophie but her & Reg still have a little moan at each other on occasion, I think its jealousy now.

I have made a temporary neck brace out of a towel & elastoplast, bless her I think it helps. It is thought she has a condition called Wobblers syndrome. I am observing her as I have to fill in a questionnaire on her symptoms so she can have her homeopathic remedies prescribed for her, lets hope they help as she is a lovely lovely girl who deserves a good life!

Sophie, Maya, Virus, Too Much Wine, Phew what a time!!!!!

Reminder to self......... your wine is very very very strong!!!!!!  problem it is also very very very Yummy!!!!

Well Sophie was stolen for the second time, on Monday the 19th! Thankfully Mary was here to interpret so the next day Atanas went out looking & came back an hour later saying he knew where she was then Peta the village bobby (yes we only have 1 & he is also a farmer & fishing lake owner) who took me to where she was. Saw the guy on the way, Peta spoke to him & he said "Yes I have a dog like this she is mine I have had her for 2 days & she comes & goes as she wishes!" Well she was chained up with no water & I would like to know how she does as she wishes??? She was so pleased to see me. bless her! As I walked her home I stopped at a friends to ask her to keep an eye out in future & the guy came along. According to him he has taught her to go rabbiting she sleeps in his home & he likes her very much he wants to breed from her!!! I pointed out she is spade & he only had her from previous afternoon!!!! They like to fabricate & make up lives for themselves which is fine as long as you don't expect me to go along with your little tale! I don't know what to say to that! If Mary hadn't been here for two weeks I may have second guessed myself thinking maybe she is gone most of the time even though I know she isn't Ha! Sophie pops out a couple of times a day to visit friends or chase cats she is back in 10 mins & max within 30 mins, but I had to keep asking Mary if this was so :)

Well at that time the electric kept going out so my friend came back for coffee which after two turned into do you want to try my wine.....Instead of pouring a glass I produced a two litre bottle of the best Merlot this village has ever tasted, why? because we have let it mature & now it is a beautiful full fruity deep red vino Mmmmmm. Problem we forgot how flipping potent it is, Ooop's hahaha Needless to say I have not been that intoxicated for at least 15 yrs. I managed to sober myself up enough to get my friend home (afraid I can't give away the antics of the day, wouldn't be right!)  then once I arrived back at my Dom I just got drunker & drunker? I couldn't facebook chat with Nigel so I phoned him & was getting worse so off to bed I rolled only to be very ill, which did make me feel better but I had a bad night. Now the following day would have been fine if I didn't have to get up at stupid o'clock to be out of house by 8am it was very hot with no breeze & I was in a Wartburge for hours & hours!!!! O Boshe!
I had managed to get a lift into Gorna with Yovo to get some money pay bills & do some shopping I was paying petrol & had arranged it all the week before. The thing is they will take the opportunity to do loads of stuff too, & who can blame them, but It would have been better to just drop me off & come back for me later, but no a 3 hour day turned into 7 hours!!!!!!! & I was accosted by an 86yr old who felt it was appropriate to grab my boob!!!! Grrrrrrr He was surprised when I told him off!!!!!!!! hahahhaha LOL.

This was also the only day that maya could be delivered to us & I really couldn't put off my lift as Yovo can be soooo annoyingly awkward & I needed to get Shopping etc So Mary arranged to be here to take her in I expected to be home by12 but just in case we made arrangements! Firstly under duress of the police & neighbours I had tethered Sophie as they say if she gets out basically people will take her & they can't stop them, HUH!!! As Mary left to go to work Sophie broke free (I told you she is houdini) so Mary stayed home & phoned Yovo who didn't tell me till 6 hrs later (see what I mean about annoying!!!!) he did say Mary say Sophie is ok!? When I ask what he laughs & says ok ok! Argh!!!!!!
I got home to a house of madness as I tried to get in doors 3 dogs after blood, talk about stressful. The people who delivered Maya told Mary she doesn't get on with other dogs (not true) & so she was locked in house while Sophie & Reggie were in garden. When I arrived home Maya decided the house was her new kennel & would only allow me & Mary inside!!! Oh I can tell you after the two days I had just had, I needed this like a hole in the head, in fact that would have been preferable as I was in for a stressful few days till they settled properly!!!! All because of not handling the situation right from the outset! I think God is having a laugh with me lately well my sense of humour has run out now, time to move on to the peaceful part of my life, ta!
Mary & I took the dogs out onto neutral territory to make friends but this only worked for Sophie & Reggie who liked Maya but Maya was having none of it! I don't know her history on streets but she has been at the centre in kennels & homes then here I assume she is acting extra hard because she is only a baby 8 mnths old is disabled & has two big dogs she is not sure of, so she will want to tell them she is not scared! The fact that she keeps falling over must be obvious to both the other dogs but she so far has had major fights with them both. To date we have had no instances over the last two days so I am hoping things have finally settled down but every time I think this a fight will break out over food or me or perceived food! We will get there in the end!
I am making her a neck brace out of a towel & duck tape to see if this helps her but I think she needs a proper supporting neck brace!
All peaceful here at this time as its hot out so all dogs collapsed in doors, Maya at my feet, Reggie next to her & Sophie on kitchen tiles. The main problem now I think is Reg & Maya & their possessiveness over me, which is a tad worrying & the perception of what is food & who should have it.

Sophie & Maya have great games together, wrestling & chasing each other full pelt around the garden! Maya double backs to catch Sophie out it is really hilarious to watch & as its been so wet mud flies everywhere & they have muddy legs at the end of it all.
Sunday saw the advent of my netbook contracting a virus blooming thing! i was looking up Bulgarian recipes for preserving Garlic & whollop!!! Thankfully I had the presence of mind to realise something was not right before I purchased the virus protection & put in card no's etc as it was the virus protection that was the virus & had given me trojans as well as some very unsavory little buggers. I don't quite know how I realised this as I am dippy at the best of times (hormones) so I phoned Nigel just to check & he looked it up on wikipedia yep its there & I needed to reinstall. I had tried to buy Norton but the virus stopped me getting to them then I tried to restore it by going back a day but it wouldn't let me do that either so the only thing was to take it to Gorna Oryhovitza to get it sorted! Problem No Bus till Wednesday, no problem a friend of Mary's takes us in & brings me back all for 15 leva, bargain!!!! So on yet another chucking it down rainy day we take the netbook in to be left till Wednesday when I can get a bus :-)
Thanks to ivan (little i as that's how it sounds)

Maja, Reggie, Stgla's, Dobre Komshu's & Tour of Front Gradena

Well the sun is well & truly back, I just need to get rid of my Komshu's so I can relax in & by the pool. I am sitting under the grapes typing this in blistering heat shaded from the sun while Anatas & Kamilla are moving the stigla's (roof tiles) into one of the pig houses out of the way. Problem being there is a wasp nest in there somewhere, hopefully its not too big so it can be dealt with easily with my four cans of Killstop! I am amazed they are doing this as they as with most villagers are afraid of everything, they are constantly on the look out for snakes which we do get here mostly harmless. Now I understand that, but when he was calling me while holding a long stick at arms length I thought oh he has a snake, no he had a SLUG on the end!!

Atanas & kamilla outside their kushte which is next door to my dom

As an aside, I have just been bitten by a cricket!!!! Didn't think they bit????? she climbed nicely onto my finger & I was chatting away then down came this thing & bit me, little bugger I did contemplate squishing it but I am not that cruel & will give her the benefit of the doubt & let her off, blame it on hormones!!!

Anatas & Kamilla are on their third day of rabota for me & they are carrying four roof tiles at a time, well these babies are blooming heavy & two would be the norm so that tells you how strong the women are. Kamilla is only a slip of a woman too. She is the one he sends up tree's & onto roofs while he directs operations from down below hahaha! I will be pleased to see the back of them booming things & they will be out of sight, always a good thing where building materials are concerned!
So stigla moving completed in 2 hours, brilliant & NO wasp nest!!!!! So now would be a brilliant time to get the pebbles which we are going to fill that area with but no Nigel so it won't be finished now till next year :-(
Never mind at least for a short while I won't be swallowed up by the weeds! I have asked them to finish today & come back on Ponedelnik (Monday) & they are going to clear part of the paddock.
I am so impressed by my neighbours work ethic & will be using them from now on!!!!
The temp in the sun by the pool is 48c not too shaby hey :D  !!!!!

So to my new arrival....... Maja (pronounced Maia)  a cross Karakachan/German Shepherd so a real mix of Sophie & Reggie :)
She is a very poorly little girl only 8 months old but with a degenerative bone disease which could leave her paralysed! So we have to be very careful with her & try & nurse her through this. There is no cure but it is hoped with a raw diet & homeopathic medicine her bones may form normally. She cannot wear a collar or lead as her neck is a major problem & can result in paralysis she has to wear a harness. This is going to be a major challenge & she may end up having an operation anyway but I think it is not possible to do this at her age. I think Maja may become the star of my blogs!  She is a real beauty, I am waiting for the BSAPP to find a volunteer to get her here then I will blog some photo's I just hope we can provide her with a home she will be pleased to call her own!!!
On the subject of dogs Reggie has been having lots of long brushes every day & we are gradually getting rid of his dred's  but Sophie & he were having a rough & tumble this morning & his stump got knocked again & bled! Ooooooooh just when I thought we were on the home strait AGAIN so now I have to wait again till it has calmed down before I start messing with his rump end.

So Reggie is 3/4 beautiful. Michelle who is part of the BSAPP the organisation I get my dogs through is hopefully getting me a muzzle so I can put a homeopathic solution on him to help heal his stump & heal his skin I will also bath him too he still pen & ink's then I can get the rest of his fur brushed & sorted hopefully.

All three of my dogs are rescue dogs, it's the only way to go here in Bulgaria I think.











There are so many beauties on the streets & in the centre. Dogs that need love & a good home, some that need to be nursed back to health. They are always looking for adoptive families & also which is a great idea foster families long or short term so while they are looking for adoptive parents the dog can have some love & comfort. Also the centre gets over full. Sophie was on death row in the Sophia Isolator beaten tortured & left to die in a place that is paid by the government to keep her safe! Reggie was advertised by them while being looked after by a fantastic person, Steffy saved his life & now Maja..........
I took some photo's of the outside today as it's sooo quiet here and this is why.....

My Street My house is on the right

If you continue up here you will come out into the middle of the countryside with lovely views!

 Love it here so quiet & with the gate shut it's my own little world & only the people I want part of it are part of it. Then if I want to mix I just go for a walk & meet people!

You can't see much of my house from the street just the top storey & then only in certain places :D

My front gate flanked either side by cherry trees & a Lilac tree

One of my many pear tree's, it's huge & all the pears are on the top half, so being 5' tall even with my trusty fruit picker there is no way I will get any this year & the Pears in the paddock are rubbish this year :-(
I don't think I could even get Kamilla to get them, watch this space :-)

As you come through my gate on the right is my front vegetable garden with the Tomatoes, Peppers, Beans, Cuecumbers, Beets, More Pumpkins, Fig & Pear.
Beyond that my Grape Vines

I also have Cauliflower & Broccoli but I don't know if they will give me florets!

First line are shrubs & flowers as you walk down the path under part of my vineyard

 
 
 
 

 On the left the area is quite shaded there is an Apple tree & next doors fruit trees give shade as well as my large bush & cherry so the Kostinorka's spend time here.

 
 
 
 

We have built a water feature with a waterfall, the sound is lovely a nice break of the silence!
We put it in for all the frogs & babies we get but they dont use it, I even built steps so they could get out as well as for the Kostinorka just in case as they do like a dip, not that I have every seen them!
 
 









Outside Dining table

One of my Castor oil plants, can't wait for the flowers they are spectacular!!! 

Breakfast area under the shade of some grape vines

Some of the ruined vines its about 50/50 right now, lets hope they are OK!
                                              

Day 47, Komshu, Goodbye Weeds, Hello Garden, Sad Times!

Well 47 days on my own and its just gotten worse, emotionally. Nigel has to stay in UK till November working so that we have enough money to live on for a year as the driving job that was lined up here in Bulgaria has fallen through for the moment. It's the economic climate I'm afraid not enough work to go around not enough people sending things back to UK which means its not economical to send a driver with an empty van. Still at least we know now & can get used to the idea & get on with life! It's the not knowing that’s the worst! Now we can plan & scheme for next year.


Today I have been cheered up by my Komshu's (neighbour's) help in the garden. It had become completely unmanageable through all the rain & I could not see me ever getting it sorted. As soon as I had cleared one veggie patch & moved onto the next, the one I had cleared was back where it was :-(

So I had a why didn't I think of that before moment & asked them if they would rabota motika gradena dva leva chasa, lots of da da da & in they came immediately :-) well they definitely need the money & I definitely needed the help.

Oh I can't tell you how much better I feel with a property that looks good & I don't see negatives when I look now its all positive!!! It was really nice to sit & chat with them in our malko pachifka's (small breaks) oh & before anyone picks me up on my spelling please don't, I know it's not correct some of the time but at least I can say it :-) & it really took my mind of the fact that I am looking at a long time ahead alone.


Soooo hot today too 38c so I am well impressed with them they worked really hard almost non stop for 8 hours, all for £12! Tomorrow Atanas will Cosa the paddock (Scythe) see if he can do it better than Anton's pathetic attempt & Motika the pool area & drive, so more money but worth every penny! I hope now we will go into our drought period so I can keep it all under control.

Poor Camilla is scared of the kostinorka's (Tortoise) all three were out & about & the baby was found too hehe I had to keep getting them away from her, bless!

I am excited now as I am going to phone England tonight & speak to my granddaughter Molly 4yrs old! I know it's going to upset me as I miss them all so much :-( she will want to know all about the dogs & cats & if I have snow :D

The Grosne (grapes) are dying, same for everyone here too much rain, its very sad as it looked like another bumper crop but now I don’t know how much will survive, so not much vino this year. we are maturing our wine and was looking forward to having loads of new maturing & drinking last years while still saving some to mature for the following year. Last years vino is Mmmmm & will only get better!. The Bulgarians drink it straight away & never get to taste it at its best, they can't believe it's our wine, well more fool them! They do the same with the Rakia so I have only had a couple of good Rakia’s where you can drink it neat, I always have it with Voda (water) . Now I am not a drinker & in fact didn’t drink in UK perhaps once a year or two years, I'm a coffee & cola girl. Drank so much when I was young I poisoned myself & would get very ill after just one sip! That tells you how much I like the home grown stuff :-) & I think it has to do with the lifestyle of eating & drinking what is grown naturally on your own land!!!

My friend Mary has come to stay for two weeks, yeay, four days gone already, don’t know where the time goes? She is an English teacher in the village school & also translates books & publications. Until she met us she had never spoken to an English person it was all taught & teaching without interaction! I found out yesterday she has never been outside of Bulgaria, even though she lived for years in Rousse she never went across the bridge to Romania!!! Now Mary is very bohemian & free so not your run of the mill stay at home, quite shocking!

Have cleaned the pool today & getting the water nice & healthy so i can get back to enjoying the weather again, thank goodness the sun is back, it's not been cold but very wet & Bulgaria's crops have been ruined. We will find veggies & bread will be very expensive later.

On the up side I have been told by everyone (well everyone that knows about these things) that I have Mnogo Hobovo (very beautiful or brilliant) Pepper & Tikva (Pumpkins) Yeay cause the domat's (tomatoes) are not faring too well either although I have loads ripening on the vines some plants are dying. I have baby bop (runner beans) I counted 12 & 1 krastavitsa (Gherkin) haha.

Need more days of sunshine to get them to ripen up.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lets hope it won't be long before I can eat one! Then it will be a constant supply, well we hope!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
My 1st cuecumber there are more growing but tiny this will be picked soon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
My baby beans LOL
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
We planted 24 beans & only got 2 plants, both on the same pole! Only one cuecumber plant this year as they were rubbish last year, just starting to produce
 
 
 
 
 

Day 42 Poor Little Kizzy Plums,Naughty Sophie, Blah Blah Blah!

On Monday I went to one of my other houses to scrump some plums. I thought I snuck out the gate, but no, Sophie saw me & decided she was coming too so as she was obviously a champion race dog in her other life within seconds she had jumped the fence gone through into next doors property & was by my side in seconds, basically the time it took to turn the key & check it was locked!!!!!

My other house, we call it the blue house (see if you can guess why) is one min away :) when we got there a poor little dog was on the roof it was in a terrible state! I thought as you would that she had climbed up somehow so looked for the way up so I could encourage her down but no such way that I can see & from her pitiful cries I don’t think she got herself stuck up there, Sophie was no help! I tried & tried but no avail, so I came back here to pick plums, as everyone was having siesta & went round to Yovo's later when they were awake to ask for help & a ladder.

While picking the plums Boris one of my year old kittens came to see me & romp & play. Sophie had refused to come home, she is a very disobedient girl, so I never gave any thought to her. Next thing Boris is trying to jump the barn roof & fell then he is running like a maniac with Sophie hot on his heels. She almost got him too! Poor boy was frantic but managed to escape her clutches. Now I am not sure what would happen. The stupid thing is before Reggie she lived in the house with the cats who weren’t happy with her being here but put up with her & would hide. Saskia the mum would smack her if Sophie got too close & growled the cats growled at her (yes cats growl). Since Reggie has been here she goads him on & chases them mercifully!!! I was so annoyed with her completely ignoring me I chained her up outside the kitchen door for a while, bit like a kiddies time out :D

It was also good to see my friend Lisa & her daughter Rebecca in the morning. They have been in UK for 3 weeks holiday, the first time they had been back since moving out herealmost two years ago! Good to have coffee & catch up!

Well what an evening I had, I went to Yovo's to get help, thought ladders + 2 men = one dog rescue, Ne!!!!
First I have to await Anton’s return from magazine, & while I wait I have to eat, managed to turn down Rakia but had strong Bulgarian coffee. Then I get taken round all the veggies, then I have to give English lesson! Oh they can be very annoying sometimes!

So Anton returns then when he is ready we go to the house to get dog. Now I don’t quite know what happened in translation but I think Anton thought it was for Sophie. When he saw this poor little emaciated dog he started throwing stones at he & hit her at least twice!!! When I shouted at him & told him Ne he got his ladders & stormed off home with Yovo following behind :(

Well I didn’t know what to do, the Bulgarians are all scared of dogs doesn't matter how small they are. They all own dogs for protection of property but they do not interact with them or have them in the house.

By this time I am in tears & completely devastated, I phoned someone I knew in another village who is mad on dogs hoping they may help. After 20 mins David & Neville arrived with a ladder to rescue her! By this time it is getting late & the poor little thing is scared & lying low after being hurt by Anton. David tried coaxing her from different sides of the roof but to no avail. I was sent home to get dog food & bread & with David perched on the side of a tree trunk he was able to throw her bits of bread & then dry dog food which she demolished, bless her. Then I was sent to get water (Don’t know why I didn’t think if that the first time) which again she lapped up, poor little girl. Anyway to cut a very long story short right on the last knockings when it was starting to get dark David managed to grab her & we carried her back here to my house.

I was very concerned how Reggie would be with her but he was fine in fact they both loved her to bits & fussed over her loads, she too really liked them, so all good.

She was very wary of me but after lots of fuss, food, water, more cuddles she was all waggy bum :D
By the time I went to bed & gave her, her supper she was telling Reggie off, poor Reg gets bossed around by all the women!
I spoke to Nigel via FB chat & we named her Kizzy, short for kismet Bulgarian for fate, as it was Nigel’s birthday we felt it was fitting!
In the morning she was all waggy bum smiley face wolfed down her breakfast told Reggie off haha & was a lot better than the night before :D

I went off to Strazhitsa on Tuesday at 8am with Yovo Anton & a woman that did not stop talking extremely loudly for the whole 45 min trip there & again all the way back. This actually caused me to have a headache for the rest of the day that was unshakable :(
So after going to the hospital for Yovo to have a blood test then shopping then going to hospital for results then back here, no coffee or walking round market :( I come home to be greeted by Sophie, Reggie & Kizzy is GONE! I hope she is ok, but I am not going to tie up my dogs, they get tangled up etc. I am thinking along the lines if she needs us she knows where we are! Bulgarian street or abandoned dogs are a bit stupid & some don't realise when they are being saved! I hope she turns up then at least I can feed her!
 
 

Have spent all week picking plums & making jam & compote for Autumn Winter. It has worn me out, the tree's are so tall I have had to use the fruit picker, which is on a huge expandable pole, to get them. this in turn leads to neck ache, back ache, arm ache, haha everything ache! Plus I have been bitten by spiders fly's ants mozzies you name it they have all had a piece of me this week, I have lumps & bumps everywhere. Big lumps that feel like part of my leg & arm bones Ouch!!! Not to mention earwigs down my cleavage & spiders etc in my hair Ugh!!!! still worth it & I feel very happy with the results. I have finally cracked the jam making, I was over cooking it in the pan. I expected it to be thick, Stupid!!!!!!! I have made loads as it is really delicious & I have made loads of jars of compote Mmmmm
 
  The weather is really miserable not normal for Bulgaria, it has rained almost constantly for the last two & a half days! I think the UK has our weather & we have theirs so I am hoping we will get a late running summer with dry warm weather through to January, yes it does happen like that here! It doesn't help when your trying to keep positive & upbeat about things.
 
Nigel is going to have to stay longer in uk! Just when I thought we were on the home run we are now back at the starting post :(
I have always known it could be a possibility so I am not surprised but obviously I am very disappointed!
We need to know there is a job from when he gets back to Bulgaria & we have both emailed the people who he is supposed to be driving for, but with no reply, we can't risk Nigel handing in his notice till we know for sure so he will now be there till the end of August, unless something miraculous happens! :(
Winter would be a much better time as all I would need is plenty of chopped wood & a freezer full of food. No one goes anywhere in the winter & I think it's worse in the summer as we would be out together even after he had been out working all day, therefore I miss him more at this time of year! Mind you easy to say doing it is another thing entirely! 
 
 

Day 37 Alone, Sophie, Damsons, Wasps, Welsh Stalking Jehova Witnesses & All That Grows In My Garden

Good news of the week sophie is back, after being missing for 7 days I opened the kitchen door & there she was wagging her bum! She looks very well & even looks like she has put on weight! Her collar & flea collar were missing so I know someone has had her.Sophie still jumps the walls & fences to chase the cats & unfortunately there is nothing I can do at the moment I am certainly not going to tie her up 24 hours a day!!!!! She comes back in a few mins but again yesterday one min she was there without her collar the next min she was there with her collar!!!! LOL It was torn where she had obviously garnered her escape & someone had fixed it with copper wire sewn through it so now she had a too tight collar as they obviously didn’t know how to loosen it!. I have removed the offending collar in hope that they will have no way of tying her up as she will chew through whatever they do it with! So upshot is someone very close to my house is trying to steal my dog!!! When Mary comes to stay in a weeks time we will visit Peter the policeman & talk to him about this.

Other than all that Sophie is no worse for wear, is very pleased to be home & makes such a fuss of me that she has head butted me twice in my front tooth which is now quite sore, O Boshe’, Plays very happily with Reggie & doesn’t complain if I chain her up as in when Anton came to scythe the paddock.
 
I am getting used to being on my own now & I am not so emotional & I seem quieter in my spirit somehow. I am used to my own company again & keeping busy most of the time but even when I am not I’m OK!


When Sophie was gone I was very upset & cried for her but it was different not a poor me emotional thing but I was so sad for her as being on the streets all her life I was sad that she would be scared or hurt.

I am off course still missing Nigel like crazy but I am better handling it now. I new it would be hard to start & then be better but it went on longer than I thought possibly this is the worse time of year to be in a small village alone as it’s a very busy time for everyone so not much socialising is being done plus everyone is watching world cup in their down time & I hate football!! So stronger every day, I am getting myself back. Yeay, its not nice being all vulnerable & feeling weak! Mind you I am vulnerable & do feel it but its different a real vulnerability not exasperated beyond reason.
I love living here, love my life & can't comprehend having to live in the Uk.

I have coped with quite a few problems while Nigel has been away & this is part & parcel of village life things go wrong or need fixing almost every day. Today a couple of problems that I cant fix myself but hope one can be sorted!
I employed Anton to chop down the back so I can, 1, put the dogs down in the cool & 2, I can pick the fruit when its ready which happens very quickly & I need to keep a close eye on it! So today he finished that & I asked him to move the roof tiles which we have had to take off barn from house no 2 & garage here.
I went to collect the ripe Damsons & saw that my very large enclosed barn had collapsed, bloody hell!!! I went back up to the house, its by the pool & leads off the open barn, to have a look inside. Half the roof has completely collapsed all the beams rafters & tiles are on the floor & its taken half the side wall with it as that was beams & wattle & daube Argh!!! How come I didn't hear anything it must have made a huge noise!
So ok nothing I can do I go back to collecting the Damsons & heard Anton call me to him. He found a wasp nest in the tiles! So off course I said we need to kill the nest, his response Ne! The Bulgarians have so many fears its crazy that they manage to live here at all. Now I hate wasps & hate to be stung so I need this nest killed asap as the days of endless sunshine are back from Monday & the pool will most definitely be needed! I phoned Mary as I need to find someone in the village that does pest control but apparently after a few calls no one will come & help as they are all scared even the bee keepers!!!!! It’s a bit mad isn’t it? We had a huge nest last year in what will be my new kitchen but Nigel killed it with a few cans of fly & bug killer, it was a huge nest with hundreds & hundreds of wasps& if this is left it too will just get bigger. Last time I was in the pool there was no wasps which is only a short while ago! I havent got any fly spray so If I cant organise pest controll then I will get the bus to Gorna on Wednesday & buy 4 cans & do it myself!
 
Also today my stalker retuned. Problem is I don’t know how???

I opened Yahoo to find 2 emails both of which are comments on my yahoo updates? I don’t use it so I haven’t put anything on it ever! I think I have disabled it now but don’t really know! Anyway one just said F** Off , nice, the other called me SATANIC, well they are Jehovah Witnesses so should really know better! I am very annoyed she keeps finding different ways of stalking me, I’ve had lots of emails & even had someone request to be my friend on FB & ask about booking for B&B, it was when I saw this person came from the same part of Wales I had a look on their friends list oh & there was this family! Honestly what are people like I have had to go through all the annoying things of blocking them from FB from Yahoo & now this!!!! I will not retaliate as its pathetic. I haven’t reported them but today I felt I had to do something ha that’s easier said than done I cannot find how to report them to Yahoo. I have saved all emails etc so one more thing & I will contact the Welsh Police I am not & have never been someone who puts up with rubbish from people!

My first ever Sunflower is out & it looks amazing! the pumpkins are doing really well & lots of weeding & plant transplanting has been going on in the garden :D
Everything is growing really well especially the grapes they are all getting quite big now still a long way to go but another bumper crop this year so lots & lots of gallons of red wine. The wine from last years crop is ageing nicely in the cellar, each time we drink some it gets better & better so by the time this years wine is ready we shall be in a good position with matured wine to drink & wine maturing too! The problem here is that as soon as they have made the wine & the Rakia they drink it & they don’t get the benefit of good wine or good Rakia. Our Rakia too is maturing & is far better already than any that we have been given.




I have been making Damson compote today & have 5 lovely jars waiting for Nigel & my Mum when they arrive in August, Mmmmm! I have a couple of tree's down in the paddock, timing has to be right as I can't see them from the house & last year we missed them just managed to get a few!
I have also made green Bop which is our name for a casserole type dish of runner beans & it is delicious! It is a Bulgarian recipe & I cant get them to tell me what the name is they just call it “Bop” which is the name for beans & its either green or white! I will have it for dinner tonight with lovely bread rolls & then freeze the rest, cant wait!

Green Bop, Mmmmmm                                                                     Damson compote, the first 5 borcane
                                                                                        

 While I am showing the preserve I may as well show my future preserves, these are last years efforts yes we are still eating them & very nice they are to!

My first attempt at pickled Peppers & Gherkins

The Peppers are also my first attempt at growing them. Lets hope this years efforts are just as good!

 My first ever Sunflower grown from seed :)                      The first of this years tomatoes, soon be ready!

My first attempt at growing Pumpkins.  Grown from seeds saved from last years Pumpkins

These grapes are actually red or will be when they are ripe! We also have white grapes which are Nigels favourite so we have the best of both worlds.

The grapes are quite sweet too so you can eat them straight from the vine

 The grapes are doing really well & I am looking forward to the many gallons of Red wine, Rakia & lots of grape cake's, Mmmmm.





Only seven days to go then I get two weeks of company, yeay, mary is really looking forward to it its lovely actually as I will benefit from her company & she will benefit from being back to her roots she is a very free spirited Bulgarian, i love her she makes me laugh & is very honest about her country her people & how life really was in the communist era. The Bulgarians today have a very rose tinted view on how it was, as Mary says they have forgotten they had no freedom! I look forward to spending time with her!