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 :)
Another day, and maybe the second to last day of the workers being here before their much-delayed winter break. Onwards!
Rosie and Angela sat by a lake
This morning Rosie was all about the imagination. She was sitting at the end of the kitchen island saying she was sat by a lake watching the fish. Later she let Angela join her and later still she told me that she'd tried to catch a fish but it got away. She is so creative and imaginative already it is awesome.
Bekir fits the carpet
A large sink with a small unit
Fitting pipes together
The men went past the shop this morning so were a little later in and the first task I had them do was to put the carpet back down in the library which they did easily and it seems to be very well fitted again which was good. They then went and got the unit from the back of Thomas that I bought yesterday and I found I had mis-measured and it was quite a lot too small, though it was also the only option they had so I talked it through and they made it work OK; they are creative in their solutions. After this was solved the focused on the pipes and making sure the water supply was in the correct place.
One cleaned bowl
Fitting pipes to the wall with clips
Making the drain hole slope more
Another mattress into the roof
Carrying the huge frame downstairs
At lunch I finished up the last helping of the first crumble my mum had made for me; only one more to go now! The rest of the day for the men was continuing with pipework and I was busy with work. At the end of the day I went down and asked that Bekir put more of a drop in the drainage pipe which meant more drilling and hammering to make the hole a bit bigger but now at least there's a good enough drop. Finally I moved the old guest bed out of the other guest room and they helped me to move the mattress into the roof, and the actual bed frame downstairs to be deconstructed. Now I've got to make another bed up.
So there is the day; tomorrow may be the final day of the workmen for a while - I'm looking forward to the break! Thanks for reading
I didn't get to do an update yesterday as I was straight from work into Thomas and off to collect my mum from the airport but I thought I'd get the update done this morning and do another this evening for today. So. Two in a day again.
First of all the promised picture of the vacuum pipes for the table saw; the bottom one goes to the table saw exhaust and the top one to the central channel.
Rosie helping to put the cars away
Louise looking for mummy
Nice new bed made
The sun appears on Sunday
Blade isn't square to the table
On Saturday it was a day for tidying the lounge, and Rosie helped stacking the toy cars up in their current storage place on the unit in the corridor. I had all the puppies and Louise was outraged she couldn't be with Angela and sat staring at the door. Once it was nap time I put up the new bed for my mum to sleep in while listening to Meatloaf on the new bluetooth speaker that Angela got me for Christmas. Sunday was another lovely and busy day. I played with Rosie a bit, did some hobby and found out that the table saw was very slightly out of alignment however it was awesome to use the new tools for the first time and the dust extraction worked really well.
The covers for over the vacuum channel
Improving the drainage for the windows
The old bed is finally retired
Blade is square with the table now
Bekir sanding, Halil masking
Storage under the bench is done
And so to yesterday. Bekir had taken the old shelves we were using for material for the vacuum channel covers and taken the warp out and made them all the same dimensions so he fitted these in place then I had a couple of odd jobs to do; firstly to prevent a repeat of the guest room flooding he cut a channel out through the insulation to let the drains work. Then between them Bekir and Halil managed to get the old bed taken apart. Bekir also nudged the tablesaw into alignment with the workbench so that is now exact. The other jobs were to sand down the right hand side of the bench and mask off the saw and channel for the tape. Unfortunately we're still waiting for the zero-to-the-centre tape to arrive and we can't let this delay us any more. Finally all the under-bench storage has been completed. While I was out they got another coat of varnish done on the bench before they left as well.
A starter platter that was SO good! Duck Jerky
Mum is greeted by Louise
After work, and it was a busy one, I headed out in Thomas to collect my mum from the airport. I went to the Italian restaurant we like and had a nice meal then dozed for a bit in the car until her plane landed. It was lovely to see her and the journey back was super quick. Louise and Thelma were very happy to see her but Xena is still very wary of anyone new and is a little scared. She'll come around I'm sure.
There it is; I'll be back later today with the update from today. Thanks for reading.
Friday finally and time for the weekend. It's been another busy one today so I'm going to crack straight into it.
Moon in sunrise clouds
Thelma in one of her favourite spots
Morning snuggles
First thing this morning was a beautiful sunrise which coloured some high clouds red. The moon was still out and it was a great picture. Thelma had found a bed on my rocking chair while Angela and Rosie were getting cuddles from Xena and Louise.
The old mattress goes upstairs
Seedlings on the racking
The men were in and got stuck in to finishing off the dust extraction; early on Bekir called me down to demonstrate how what I was so insistent on wanting was completely wrong. Thankfully he caught it before doing any cutting and fitting but the new way meant they were short of pipe by about 60cm. We have new beds coming for the guest suite and so together Bekir, Halil and I lifted the old mattress, which weighed a huge amount, up into the roof space. Angela and Rosie were out in the garden today for the first time for ages which was awesome. They planted a load of stuff and repotted some stuff and also got a frame up to support the seedlings.
Bekir straightens more pipe
Beds delivery
Struggling with the grate
Supports for under-bench storage
Bekir and Halil picked up the missing items and finished off the extraction pipes, though I don't have a picture of the final configuration so I'll get that next week. During lunch the two new beds arrived but I was on a call so Angela and Halil unloaded and stacked them. After lunch I helped Bekir and Halil lift them all up to the roof. The afternoon was slightly less productive as the men struggled to find material to use for the grate I want over the dust extraction channel. The thin wood was too warped and, as it happened, so was the thicker wood. Frustrating. They did manage to get supports in place for under bench storage, however.
Thelma snoozing on my leg
I'll leave you with a picture of a very relaxed Thelma who joined Rosie and I for some book time after I finished work.
Thanks for reading; back Monday or maybe Tuesday morning.
Another day, and half the week is gone again, and we're still on with the balcony work.
Fog welling up out of the valley
Bekir welds the second column in place
The view from the balcony
Sally up a ladder getting string
Bekir measuring before cutting
The welding machine has overheated
The day dawned cold, actually cold, which is unheard of in June over here. Fog in the valley and a chill breeze. The men were quite late again and soon I'll probably need to have a word as they are getting later and later and losing more of the morning every day which isn't helping as with me not earning we can't afford to waste money. Anyway, they got stuck in when they did arrive, welding the columns in place underneath the first return beam and then getting started on the second. It was around then that the welder that they were using overheated and had a big problem - Bekir is sure he can fix it but this meant Halil and Sally dashing back to their village to get Sally's welder which was more time out of the day. Not ideal.
When they got back I recognised this machine as the one that was used many years back now to repair the gate, powered by a metal coat hanger thrown over the power lines. It is scary, with a bent piece or wire acting as a switch by being stuck in across the fuse gap. It works, however, and allowed the men to get back to it. I filmed as they lifted the second to last long beam into place and slotted it in and then they cut and lifted the next two columns to support it. Once these were in place they fitted the two long cross beams between the return beams and then finally they cut and started to fit the small columns in the centre of these long beams that will support the ridgepole. I missed a lot of this as I was having an interview for a job (fingers firmly crossed).
Halil sanding down the wall
Sally doing the next layer of plaster
Drilling holes for the supports
In place, just needs some legs now
The main frame is nearly complete
After their afternoon coffee it was raining really heavily so they came inside to do a few inside jobs. Of course not long after the rain stopped but I wasn't unhappy as the two jobs to do was first to finish the plastering in the guest room, which we need done before we can tidy and move some stuff back in from the corridor, and the new bench in the tool room for my air brush. Halil first of all sanded down the first plaster layer then, while Sally did another layer of plaster, he went to help Bekir with the bench. Tomorrow there will need to be a little metal work done to put a couple of legs on and my bench will be ready for me to start learning to airbrush. I'm very excited.
So there you are; another day done. Here's to tomorrow and not-late-men and lots of progress again.
It seems that the weather is settling into some kind of rhythm. It is foggy and cold in the morning but steadily that burns off and the temperature rises and it is nice most of the morning and early afternoon. Then storms blow in and it rains very heavily indeed until about 5 or 6pm when that blows over and right now it is clear blue skies and barely a cloud in sight.
Broken nail for Thelma
Rosie doesn't like the gates
First steps to columns
Bekir mopping up the rain water
Clouds and fog clearing
The day began with checking out Thelma's toenail which she split and damaged quite badly. Angela was taking her to the vet first thing and so after breakfast off they went. Rosie was outraged (and still is) at the barriers that are around the stairs however she was able to climb the stairs a couple of times, just with me in close attendance. The men were very late today, so late I thought they weren't coming, but got stuck in quickly once they finally did arrive. The job today was steel columns so while Bekir was going around mopping up the water from the rain yesterday Sally and Halil put in place a wooden guide to assist the installation of the first column. The heavy fog and cloud started to clear, as I said in the intro.
Bekir makes the first cut of many
Passing the column up
Get it straight, now
Sally welds it in place
Next length is cut, loads of sparks
Columns in place on the far wall
And so the main work began. Bekir was operating the grinder, cutting the 10x10 box section to the correct length. This was then passed up to Sally by Halil and then offered up and held in place absolutely level while it was welded to the base plate temporarily and then Sally went on welding while Bekir and Halil dropped down to cut the next length. Other than tripping the fuse at one point because they are using the welder so much (and it draws some serious current) this very efficient method resulted in a lot of fast progress and by lunch the first uprights are all in place and you can see how much glass we will end up having. Eventually. If I get a job.
Sally using the water filled pipe. For what?
Another column in place
All the columns are up
Halil drilling out for the beam
Plastering preparation time
Hole cut for drilling out tomorrow
Plastering going on
The afternoon started as more of the same and involved the use of a long thin plastic tube full of water to apparently line something up, but I couldn't work out the benefit at all. Very odd. Whatever the purpose they were cracking on. Angela and I went into town with Rosie to try and sort her vaccinations which was a frustrating waste of time but maybe we've got a route to go down; it's tough over here as no department says exactly the same thing so it's like snakes and ladders where you feel you're getting somewhere only to suddenly find yourself back near the beginning again. The weather changed as well and it was flooded in town and raining when we got back home. The men had put all the outside columns up, however, and were in the process of drilling out the holes for the beams to go into the walls. Not long after they came inside and have plastered over the holes in the guest room wall so that is done. Another nice thing, just before we headed to town Bekir's daughter, husband and child came to visit him and to meet Rosie which was lovely. They only just caught us, though, so it was a much shorter visit than would have been preferred I think.
And so we get to the end and I'll leave you with a picture and video taken just now while I was writing the blog. It really was a lovely evening, it's hard to believe quite how miserable and heavy the rain was earlier. It is cool enough that the neighbours have their fires lit, however, which is very unusual at this time of year.
