Snow, Brrrrrrrrrr & Christmas

Well the snow has settled in nicely here, in fact yesterday it didn't stopped but it still seems minor at the moment, 6 inches at most. Others are reporting 18"  & 2' so I am really hoping this will not be the case :-( The forecasts are so different! The temps are meant to be rising at the weekend & we are hoping it will melt & go away for a bit so we can get out of the village & get the plumbing bits we need for Nigel to finish the kitchen! Hmmmmm in the Bulgarian winter you cannot count on anything. In the past we have left the house in blue sky & sunshine to go to VT 45 mins away & left VT at the first signs of light snow to be stuck in it in the middle of nowhere trying to attach snow chains onto a Luton box van! Not good at the time as it was pitch black blowing a blizzard & bitter, bitter cold. In fact Nigel who NEVER loses his temper had a right tantrum throwing the chains hahahaha, I think it had something to do with me & my I told you to try them before now speech  (they were still in the box & shrink wrap), it's a bit hard to read instructions in the darkness of deepest darkest forest land!!! No I definitely didn't help the situation but have learnt a valuable lesson. That was in a good winter, last year was worse, goodness knows what we will be faced with this year. I have a feeling it could be better as the UK has had it worse than us so far so we could be ok (famous last words!) our temp's are pretty bad at the moment -10c days & -13c real feel nights, oh well only three & half months till spring :D

The pups are loving it

No so good for Reg though as he suffers more now with pain in his hip!











The wood burners are wonderful & warm in fact we get too hot & our indoor attire is spring/summer collection with an added thick wooly & boot for trips to the bathroom which is via the outside staircase  :D
Well Christmas is almost here & its still a very emotional time of year for me. I can't help but think of people who need help & how this time of year is sooo painful for them! It wasn't that long ago, 10yrs, that Christmas was very painful for me & with only 15.00 a week to raise my daughter on for food clothes & cleaning I would burst into tears in Safeways while people had trolleys overflowing with Christmas goodies. I didn't have any money for my 3 children's presents let alone Christmas treats, it was truly awful. The loveliest thing was when someone put my name forward to the local charity group & I was given a hamper with some bits & bobs in, nothing much but it was the fact that someone had thought of my plight that touched me so much!! Christmas is a time for love, giving & family & when that's not there it means not a lot! So my Christmas this year, well I have found a way, My Bulgarian friends are going to receive a brand new electrical item from the UK (with new plug) one which they would love to have but would never buy themselves as money is not for luxury items! I would spread some money around but they are better off than us at the moment hahaha! Did I say I love Christmas!!!!! Silent night makes me cry & I love it even more with the snow & the log fires, Mmmmmmmm.
I am excited now as we have organised Christmas day with Yovo, Pavlinka, Svetlana, Anton & anyone else at a loose end :-) It will be a traditional Bulgarian/English dinner. I am cooking the roast potatoes, stuffing, Christmas pudding, custard & Apple & cinnamon cake, Pavlinka's favorite & she has put in a request! Also I will be providing mince pies & cream. Yovo will kill the turkey & asked how we cook it in England I have said it is roasted whole in the oven so if he can get the women to cook it that way it will be a huge bonus :D Pavlinka will cook all the traditional Bulgarian accompniants so a good day I think!!!! On Christmas eve I want to go caroling with mince pies & had a romantic vision of the snow softly falling while we are all wrapped up, like last night but the forecast is for warmer weather :-(

still I am looking forward to it loads & plan on us wearing our flashing father Christmas hats :D :D








Today after Nigel did all his winter chores, as all Bulgarian men must :-) Before anything else happens on a snowy winter day Nigel has to do snow clearing, wood chopping or gathering in, fire cleaning, fire lighting then he can get on with whatever renovation work he is doing on the house. I do feel sorry for him but this year my hands are really past carrying the wood sacks upstairs or even up to the kitchen so its all down to him now :-( I did do it for a bit when he was away but it did me more harm!!! Anyway today he has been building the cupboard that will house the Belfast sink. The sink is soooo heavy & the cupboard has to be reinforced to carry that amount of weight. If he can get out to Polski tomorrow or the next couple of days we should be all set by christmas but I don't think the kitchen will be painted or have all the trims attached. Still I will not be complaining if I have the worktop & sink installed by then :D