This is my blog about emigrating to Bulgaria. It starts with the idea and will take you through all the steps I am taking to create my new life in this wonderful idyllic country. Thank you for reading.
Please make use of the comments box to ask questions or suggest blog subjects too :)
Welcome back to the blog and a very very hot Bulgaria - today was up to 40 degrees and I actually stopped working because it was too hot so after this update is written I'll be back to do my afternoon work.
Heading out on a road trip
The view from up there
Needs a bit of attention
Looking up from by the lake
It was VERY hot
New shelves up in the entrance
At the neighbours before bedtime
This weekend I was home alone with Rosie as Angela went for a very well deserved spa break. She had a brilliant, relaxing and awesome time and Rosie and I did OK also. Saturday morning early we went on a road trip up to the mountain house where I found the neighbours both weren't there, and weren't using the cow shed or my barn any more; this because he's fixed up the next barn along, using stones taken from my old building, I think. His donkey was sheltering in the next wreck so they are still living there at least. It was beautiful but we didn't stay long as the heat was getting up; we did have a lovely run around on the grass though. On Sunday we went to town to pick up some shelving for the new gardening room and while Rosie napped I swore a lot and bled everywhere but got the two units assembled. Angela got back around lunch time and in the evening we went to see the neighbours. I was shattered; Rosie was very good but she's very tiring as well. Kudos to Angela for coping every weekday on her own.
Halil sweeps up
Getting stuck in to the plastering
Window man fixing the door
Almost done plastering
And so to today. Today is going to be short because basically what happened was the men arrived, swept up again, then got stuck in to plastering and spent all day doing this however now tomorrow they will be ready for tiling I believe which Bekir will do and Sally and Halil will *gasps with excitement* start work on the library! We did have a visit from the windowman finally who fixed our porch door and also took the changes to the design for the windows on the balcony, and the new door/window that will seal off the library.
Moon rise
I will leave you with this shot of the moon rising just as I sat down to start this update. Stunning.
Welcome to Friday and the beginning of my first ever weekend alone with Rosie; Angela is off for a VERY well deserved break at a nice hotel near us and we're going to party here all weekend long (or not - maybe I'll just try and survive until Angela gets home).
Sally preparing for concrete making
Bekir sweeps out the room
Mixing the cement up
Time for plaster
I had a silly late night last night because of stress around recovering data from the broken hard drive to the new, very expensive, and apparently not working very well backup solution. I woke late and had to rush my chores but was at work on time and had a pretty successful day there in the end. The men were in on time and got stuck in, Sally and Halil mixing a batch of cement while Bekir swept and cleaning and then mixed up some plaster so he could get started on that job.
Bekir and Sally hard at work
Applying the concrete to the walls
Plastering continues
The corners are strengthened
All around the room
The rest of the day was taken up with the men applying the concrete to the adjoining wall and putting plaster on the other walls. I was very busy so not as many pictures were taken as usual but at the end of the day, after the men had gone home (Rosie on her tree swing was waving to them and beeping the little horn!) I went in to grab a diorama that didn't come out well but does show how far along they are. Early next week they'll start tiling; our plan is for odd tiles in here, no pattern, to use up the stacks of spares we have in storage. SandS came past as well which was awesome, though a short visit it was so nice to see them again, and then Angela headed off for her jolly.
So there you are; I'll be back on Monday, if I survive this weekend!
Another double day update, as last night I was out with Dincher and S from SandS and I really couldn't get to blogging when I got in, not that it was that late but I was way too tired.
The morning yesterday dawned bright and glorious and the men were in on time and got stuck in to the slightly different task at hand which was to fit the steel on the balcony so our glazing will be secure. First of all both the long lengths of steel were wrestled up, with some damage to the wall tiles unfortunately, but then it was a lot of measuring and cutting to get the first piece into place. I was busy with work and went to check on progress on and off and had a big laugh when I saw how cleverly the men had tied the long length in place, very nearly exactly in position and very secure as well.
Bekir on the scaffold welding
Welding caught on camera
Still working as I head off
Beer with friends is ace
The afternoon was lots of welding and banging and hammering and by the end of the day they were almost complete, but not quite. I left before they finished up for the day as I was going to meet my friends, as I've already said, and it was a really lovely evening though Dincher did have to rush off a bit early; beers with mates is an awesome thing. The walk home afterwards was lovely in the dark and the quiet with the moon to light my way and the crickets serenading me.
Final bit of welding before painting
Sally at the cement
Applying an Irish Screwdriver
More cement work
Bekir smoothing down rough patches
Balcony time with Rosie
First thing this morning I had to leg it to town, just as the men arrived, and when I came back I found Bekir and Halil on the balcony finishing the welding and painting all the exposed steel; this didn't take them long and in the meantime Sally was in the Gym applying more concrete to the joining wall. The rest of the day was taken up with mixing and throwing concrete while Bekir worked on the other walls, putting some mix over the top of the channels to smooth them down. It's going fast as well, this room; soon we'll be starting the library and I'm VERY excited about that! After work I took Rosie onto the balcony for some play time and sat on the chair and relaxed.
So there you are; two more days done and Friday tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
Another day and more good progress; let's get this done as it's been a long day for me as well.
The overgrown section I am about to cut
At the end of the session
Absolutely covered in burs
The sun rises as I drink my tea
First of all this morning once again my alarm didn't go off but this time it was because I forgot to hit "save" on the new alarm settings; I woke in time, however, and got myself up and out and did a load of clearing which was such a good way to set the day off. I'm starting to cut back the overgrowth on the track that leads behind the chicken house, and will also give us access to the fence to check where the wild dogs were getting in. I finished before sunrise once more, covered in burs, then had a shower and did the rest of my chores before heading to my desk for work.
Protecting the steel
Bekir chasing out the cable runs
Sweeping up
Washing the room
Cables covered with cement
The men were in and on time again, Bekir asked to go out to get some more materials but of course I can't now I'm working so that had to wait for Angela's planned trip out. The first thing Sally and Halil did was paint the steel that will be going on the balcony tomorrow; meanwhile Bekir was continuing with channelling for the cables for the electrics. Halil then got the sweep out and all the rubble was removed from the room before they brought the hose in and soaked down the entire room - it really was very wet (Rosie saw it and went "oh dear!" haha). With this job done Halil began on the priming while Sally went around after Bekir and covered over the cables that were now secure in their channels.
Progress is good in here
Halil continues to prime
Bekir gets stuck in with cement
Halil cleaning the doors
Some storm blowing past
Out for dinner
The rest of the day was pretty much this; Bekir continuing the cables, Halil doing lots of priming and cleaning, and Sally following Bekir and finishing over the cables. My new hard drive arrived as well and I was setting it up when the strongest wind suddenly blew, without warning, and Angela and I were running around pulling in tents from the front garden and toys off the balcony. Of course after we did this the wind stopped. Typical. The men worked a little later today, Bekir determined to finish up the cement work so it could go off over night; Halil got stuck in cleaning stickers off the doors and tidying around again before they left. It really was a very threatening sky and we decided to head out for our dinner. While we were out it rained which cleared the air and now we're back and I've had time to get this done while my new hard drive continues to set itself up; I'm letting it finish all its auto set up scans before I write to it.
