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 :)
Today was a different day than planned as the men didn't really get into the roof at all but took advantage of the lovely spring weather to get a lot of stuff done outside.
Bekir with the last full width length of bird netting
A needle and twine to join the netting together
Bekir sewing two nets together
Burning rubbish
Clearing weeds
Old welding kit tidied away
Last narrow strip to be done
Grafting more fruit tree cuttings
More sewing
Choppers flying over
Big heavy boiler being moved
Amazing amount of rubbish on the back bank
Aloe Vera for a burned hand
So first thing Bekir was out in the garage putting up the last strips of bird netting and then, with a needle and some strong thread or twine, he sewing each length together to ensure there were absolutely no gaps. Brilliant. Halil, for his part, spent the day clearing and tidying the land and burning a load of trash and weeds that had been building up. He also got Sally's old welder and cleaned and tidied it as I think Bekir will be past tomorrow to pick it up and take it back to Sally. At lunch time Bekir did some more grafting, this time onto trees on the front lawn, before getting back into the car port and getting the last bits of bird netting fitted and sewed in. Towards the end of the day I rushed onto the back bank as there were three helicopters flying over quite low so I had to get a picture. The men were at that time struggling with the boilers for the solar boiler set up but they have got them up into the roof now which is good. I stayed on the back bank and pulled stones and old tiles and bricks out of the grass for a while; it was very hot in the sun and lovely to be out there. One time when I was emptying a barrow I spotted that one of the puppy's favourite balls (and old basketball) had been put on the fire so I went to swipe it out and caught an ember and burned my fingers. Ouch! Fortunately Halil was able to knock it out and save it so Xena was very relieved.
Ibanez RB10 1990 edition
One very very exciting thing that happened today was my new guitar arrived! I'm even more excited than I look in the picture. I've wanted this model of guitar since I was 15!
So there it is. We've a busy weekend planned and Angela is about to drive a long drive so I'd better get down there so she can leave! Thanks for reading, and back on Monday.
Today has been another busy busy day for me; I didn't actually get outside to take any pictures all morning until just before lunch time.
Battens on the outside of the mesh now
Round the corner and looking secure
Transplanting some pear cuttings
Lots of lovely flowers in Angela's garden
Unloading a roll of carpet
Bekir fitting the netting to the roof
Before they came here Bekir and Halil met Angela at our friend's house to do a few bits and pieces so they were quite late arriving here. They then suggested, and I fully agreed, that they should batten the side mesh on with a strip of wood outside to prevent it billowing and pulling away from its staples so they headed down to pick up some thin strips to complete this. It did not take long once they got back to fit these and it is now very secure. At some point today Bekir also did some more fruit tree transplanting this time putting some pear cuttings into some saplings along the back bank. Halil also pointed out to me that Angela's little flower garden with lots of bulbs is also coming along very nicely; we need to move the blocks that are stacked here preventing light from getting to them! Towards the end of the day we had two deliveries almost at the same time. First the chests of drawers I'd ordered arrived and then the carpet for the attic however this turned out to be quite a drama as I'd forgotten to add the skirting board to the order so we had some discussion whether it was missing from the truck before I checked my order. I've placed that extra order now though. With all the unloading done the men got back to the bird netting and we agreed a plan for the roof which they have been cracking on with. We're nearly finished with this little side task now.
Rosie having fun making sandcastles
The stones that I need to clear
"Look at how strong I am!"
Tiny little preying mantis on a stone
Hanging out at the top of the bank
After work, and when Rosie got back from school, I headed outside to have some time with her and do some tasks I've been wanting to get stuck into for a few days. Rosie made sandcastles and I helped her in between loading up the wheelbarrow with stones from above the chicken run to put into our waste pile. After a bit Rosie decided she wanted to help which was great other than she asked be to pushed back up the hill while sat in the barrow so no rest for me. We saw a tiny preying mantis and also lots of spiders and got loads done. We even had time to sit up on Grandma's Seat at the top of the top bank and chill for a bit before dinner.
The return of the Stork
The last picture for now is one Angela took on her way back from collecting Rosie - the stork is back in the village below us; Spring has officially Sprung!
So there you are; a busy and productive and fun day. Thanks for reading and back tomorrow.
Again this evening I'm late starting this update as our Christmas tradition is still holding true; this evening was the first half of The Two Towers and while we both were dropping off we did manage just about to stay awake. So to the update, and then to bed!
Really beautiful frost on the windows of Thomas
The sun rises
The final delivery of roadstone for now at least
Bekir shifting a wheelbarrow of stones
Final levelling and done
Bekir fixed our patio table
Bekir and Halil lifting the back onto Thomas
It was a very cold one last night and the cars were frozen this morning. I cleared off Thomas to take Rosie to school and then enjoyed the sunrise before it was time to drive her down. It was -8 degrees in town when I left her; very cold indeed. Angela headed into town to do most of the Christmas food shop while I stayed and helped the men with the final delivery of stones for the driveway. I am so sore now from all the shovelling of the past two days but it was really satisfying to be involved and the drive is now safe and sturdy for the next few years at least. I was fixing the back on Thomas, that Bekir and Halil had lifted into place, when Angela got back and then I headed out to town, collected some parcels and paid for the truck hire and the final load of stones (though that had to wait until after my shopping as I got to the quarry about 2 minutes after midday and lunch was happening). In town I picked up a shop vac for the workshop, some brushes and some heaters for the balcony.
Fitting electrics and shelf supports
The new bench (it will have legs as well)
Rosie helping prepare breadcrumbs
Rosie playing with a Boglin
Hot mince pie and ice-cream
With all the work on the driveway the workshop took a slight back seat however this afternoon the men fitted the last of the plugs (though we have run out of cable so I'll need to pick some more up) and then with that done they quickly put up the first of the work benches I want in the workshop. This will have the shop vac tucked underneath it and a pillar drill on top and also maybe my 3D printers. It's great to see it coming together. It was the last day of work for the men maybe until next week (I have given them the option of next week if it is nice enough weather to finish the garden, but the workshop now waits for the new power tools to arrive that will be fitted inside the bench top) and they left the place lovely and clean and tidy. When Rosie got back from school I was tidying and clearing a bit so she helped Angela to rip up crusty rolls which will go into the stuffing for Christmas Dinner; she was having a great time. After that Rosie and I played with some Boglins for a bit and then dinner which ended with hot mince pies and ice cream. Lovely.
And so there you have it. I don't know when my next update will be; if the men are back next week then definitely then and MAYBE on Boxing day before as I expect to have a lot to say about Christmas Day :)
Thanks for reading and, if there's no update before the New Year, A Very Happy New Year to you all (and Merry Christmas of course also).
It is late as I sit down to write this update; Angela and I have just finished watching The Fellowship of the Ring, as part of our tradition at Christmas of watching all of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings in the week before Christmas. What a fun evening but now to quickly type up about today.
Plugs going on the wall again
Our truck on the weighbridge
Halil and I get stuck into the pile of stones
The men were in slightly early today and first thing they went back to wiring up plugs in the workshop. Angela and I had a language lesson and after that I went with Bekir to try and find tiles for the workshop floor (we failed) and then try and get roadstone for the driveway which was becoming very muddy and slippery to drive on. We were successful in this but had to go back down after lunch with a truck which we hired from our usual stone supplier. The particular stones we wanted came direct from the quarry but the quarry doesn't delivery. After lunch we went back down and waited while the first load of stones was loaded into the hired truck. The video above shows the delivery as the driver attempted to empty and spread the stones for us. It was very difficult to do however he did pretty well I think. We ended up with three deliveries today and each time he got a little better at the technique. After this first delivery Bekir road back with him in the truck while Halil and I got the shovels and started spreading. We got into a very good rhythm and worked really well together however it was very hard work which I'm not used to really and now I am aching.
Beautiful clouds as we work
Halil shifting very heavy rolls of fencing
Nearing the end of the day
We had almost finished spreading the first load when the second truck arrived and so we carried on and on until the third truck appeared. It was good to get out helping, I really like to be stuck in personally in this build and not being able to most of the time is frustrating so today was a good day indeed. After the third delivery Bekir stayed and helped with the shovelling; I was moving some stones by wheelbarrow when another delivery arrived; finally our fencing for the chicken enclosure. Angela had to go collect Rosie in Thomas (who I had parked on the lane as the stones were in the way) but when she got back we had shifted enough that she could drive up onto the land. By the end of the day it was clear we would be needing another truckload of stones to complete down by the gate, and also put some more up near the house. We will arrange that tomorrow.
What a very satisfying day that was. Tomorrow will be the last day the men are here before Christmas. Thanks for reading.
Today's update is going to be short and sweet; it's been a simple day for the builders, and a busy day (as always) for me.
Halil preparing the ground
Puddle inside the raised bed
Another barrowload of stones
Into the bay it goes
Sand on top of mesh
Getting to the end of the day
The first task of the day was removing the shuttering around the inside of the raised beds (Bekir did this) while Halil scraped away at the bottom of the far trench to make it slope smoothly to the drain at the bottom. You can see why we need to think about drainage as while it doesn't rain all that often here, when it does it is normally very heavy. They filled the first bay with the layer of stones and then laid down the mesh Angela had bought to prevent soil from clogging the drains. This was weighted down with sand. By the end of the day the bay was ready for soil and the path around the outside for stones. They have taken Thomas home to their village this evening and will come back tomorrow with it full of sheep manure to put into these beds.
So there it is; another day done. It is taking AGES to get these finished. Thanks for reading.
