Now I am on my own

I had a slightly disturbed night last night as, about 2 or 3am a dog started barking near (I think it was the sheep dog, not the normal one which starts at 6am) and went on for what felt like ages. I actually went back to sleep while it was still barking, that is how tired I was. I had set an alarm last night so I could be confident of not missing the time for collecting the parents and was glad of it as I was still tired when it went off.

Low cloud and drizzle in the air

The day dawned overcast and with a very slight drizzle in the air. This is more normal March weather and it wasn't crazily cold still. I think it is just the weather making sure my parents don't have too much of a shock going back to chilly old England. I pottered around a bit moving things in the dump room away from the windows (as rain was forecast), finding that my water was still not working and eating one of the oranges I had bought (absolutely lovely way to wake myself up) and then headed towards the parents' hotel for the last time.

Misty on the top

As I arrived the heavens opened and it was hammering it down and continued while we loaded the car and made our way through the main town and out to the mountain pass which we had driven over just ten days previously. As we climbed we got above the rain and then on the other side we descended into cloud and fog which fortunately did not persist for long and then we were on the other side and could see blue sky and nice weather ahead.

Snow topped mountains in the distance

Pretty quickly it became a lovely day (well, inside the warmth of the car that is) and we could see for miles as the dust from the long hot days had been washed out of the atmosphere. In the distance were mountains which still had their white tops on and the valley between looked lush and green. We had planned on stopping for breakfast on the way however nowhere we drove past was open so we just kept rolling on at a steady pace all the way to the airport.

Breakfast at the airport

It seems that things are changing as the airport carpark, which was free every other time I've used it, now charged 2 lev to park for an hour however, after briefly considering not paying, I decided I'd properly wave the parents off and pulled a ticket on the way in. The airport is slightly nicer than it was with a little cafe just by the security check in point so we decided to have breakfast there and bought a cheese and salami baget thing (which they warmed very slightly in a microwave; not sure why) and sat on a table to eat them.

While we were doing this we spotted my uncle who had happened to be in the country at the same time as us and was flying back on the same plane as my parents. We had hoped to see him and it was really nice to bump into him and be able to sit with him for a bit. My parents got to go through security with him as well however they then went to the posh area for priority boarding while he was with the plebs. He has supported an orphanage in Bulgaria for the past 15 years or so and was out for the weekend assisting in some renovations I think.

About to say goodbye

A brief hug and wave and I was off, following instructions from my dad to avoid a "tearful protracted goodbye". They know just how much I have appreciated all their help and their presence over the last two plus weeks and it didn't need anything more than a strong hug to top off what has been a wonderful couple of weeks for all of us. They really are stars and, as a few of you have observed, deserve medals for what they have done.

Two storks on their nest

And so I was driving away from the airport and back towards the mountain pass but this time alone and in a sense the adventure, started so successfully with my parents near, now fully in my hands. It was a thought which kept my mind churning pretty much all the way over the pass. There was one brief moment of fun when, as I was coming through one of the villages, I spotted a couple of storks sat in a nest and stopped by the road, leaning out of the window to take the shot like a real wildlife photographer. Or something.

I was debating all the way home about a few tasks I had set myself for today, namely getting some potting compost, visiting the police about my residency and getting my bulgarian phone fixed. I was feeling quite tired as I drove and made the decision, at the roundabout where I'd have had to turn off, to not go for the potting compost. I think my friend will want to come with me when we go to that nursery anyway so I'll do it then. I did, however, decide to go into my town to do the other two things before coming up to the house to check on the water. I'm glad I did.

First of all I parked up where all the police cars were and wondered into the big building opposite guessing, correctly, that it would be the police station. I went in too far first of all and got told to go to the window, and then caused much amusement with my request. Very quickly they found a really helpful and friendly, English speaking, policeman who told me where I had to start my quest for residency and even offered to drive so I could follow him and find the office. As I was tired, and also had the phone to fix, I said thanks and waved goodbye to them.

From there I went to the mobile phone shop and the non-english speaking girl recognised me and smiled and indicated that the english speaking girl was there. After a little confusion trying to track down the details on their system she rang again and got the PUK again and it turns out that I had had the correct one it was just the next message had been asking me for a new PIN. I now have a working phone and a PIN that I can remember and I know it works as I have arranged to see Lubo again using it, a visit which will entail seeing my Kmet and maybe I will ask him to tag along for the residency visit.

It was, therefore, with quite a positive feeling that I turned and came home. My first real foray into trying to do things on my own and I had managed fine. The police station was a cold and forbidding place, though, with a cell directly on your right as you went in; maybe to put the fear of the law into all visitors.

As I drove up the hill towards home I drove past the Special One and gave him a lift home and he was able to confirm (contrary to what the farmer told me) that their water was NOT working. This made me more comfortable about the whole situation. I was still, obviously, pretty keen on getting my connection back. I once again pottered around for a bit, had a bite to eat, and chatting to a few people online and then decided that I should actually do something productive today. I chose sorting out the entrance hall. This had not been touched really since I arrived and the Laycorn boxes were in a bad place, blocking passage, and there was stuff from the original tidying cluttering up the back wall.

About one minute, maybe less, between pictures

As I have observed before, this aim was not immediately achievable as I first realised I had stuff in the way that I needed to burn so I popped outside and, just as the rain started to fall again, set a fire with this rubbish and that which I had collected in the kitchen. Again it was the work of just a single match into some plastic items and the whole lot was blazing away merrily.

About 1/3 of the dust I collected

This task done I grabbed my broom and started sweeping. But not in the downstairs entrance where my target was, instead I started right outside Room 13 and swept the top landing, down the stairs to the middle landing and then onwards down to the ground floor. This took a fair while and was quite awkward with the stairs having an overhanging lip which made getting to the piles of dust under each step quite difficult. After a bit of effort (I warmed myself right up doing this) I had a nice pile of dust to put in the wheelbarrow and dump outside, and a lovely clean stairway and entrance lobby.

It's raining. Still.

The rain was still coming down hard at this time so I went to Julian and grabbed my leather hat and then wheeled the barrow to the dump and emptied it, along with a load of glass that I had collected the other day, and a couple of larger pieces from inside that had got in the way of my tidying.

Nicely organised now

I then did the thing I had originally set out to do; I tidied the laycorn boxes and the other stuff which had cluttered the entrance hall and now I can move around in there really easily without tripping or banging into stuff.

Some old furniture to break apart and burn

My final task for the day was to get into the attic and collect together a pile of burnable items from the roof timbers and other broken furniture up there. I am being careful only to select the things which I definitely won't find a use for at another time as I want to repurpose as much of the school as possible including the old fabric of the building. I do, however, need to stay warm and I reckon I will be grateful for having a pile of wood near the petchka. I found a load of stuff and collected it together then broke it apart using brute force, and a saw for one of the large chunks, and it is now collected in Room 13 ready for burning.

Broken into small pieces

I didn't break it all up; there was part of an old table I decided to leave for now, and I have decided I am going to buy some wood in very soon so I have a couple of cubic in storage, maybe even four, to get me through any cold patches and ensure my warmth for the next month or so until it definitely warms up.

Once I had finished all this I came back to Room 13 and sat down with a brew but then something made me check the water situation and wouldn't you know it, I have water! I ran it through until it was hot and then quickly washed up my dishes; I will have a shower after doing this update as I wanted to make sure all the water was hot for that; I don't want to be caught half way through the shower and run out of hot water.

Clearing a bit in the distance

Thunder has been rumbling around this afternoon a bit, while I was in the attic and as I have been sat typing this; there was one in particular which physically shook the windows in their frames. I never saw any lightning however and it moved over quite quickly.

Raiding me for my grass

As I have been sat here I could hear a very loud sound of cowbells so I decided to go and investigate and I caught these very bedraggled looking specimens munching the grass on my back yard. They had better enjoy it while it lasts as tomorrow I am ordering the new fence posts and chain link to enclose the whole property, and also put in the area for Rambo to run.

So I have finished typing for now, I'll probably be back to add more to this later or maybe I'll just hit publish. Only time will tell.

Sassy is now closer to me :)

Well, you are in luck; a couple of little things to add. First of all, I have brought Sassy into Room 13. I went to feed her and realised that I was missing actually interacting with her, and also that it was really REALLY cold in that room. So I got the previously tidily stashed trolley and lifted her cage onto it, and pulled her to sit next to me in here. Now I can talk to her whenever I want.

I have also got the petchka lit again and I took a little video for you, attempting to capture the thrumming sound it makes as it burns, which is quite soothing, but I don't think it really came out that well. It was worth a try and you do get to see my grinning face at the end.

Collecting coal / coke

My dad suggested I try some of the black coal/coke looking stuff in the outhouse in the fire so I've just been out in the cold and damp to recover some. I've dropped a few pieces in and will see what it does; if it makes the fire a bit longer lasting that would be good cos the rubbish wood I am burning is just disappearing so fast. I really REALLY need to order some of the good wood sooner rather than later.

Evening sky light in the distance

Now, time to boil some tatties and make myself dinner.

My final addition of the night.

I am sat right now after eating my dinner listening to the quiet snap and crack of the fire and feeling so lovely and warm and toasty and relaxed I almost cannot believe it. The coal has made a lot of difference and I just keep popping a few bits of wood in to keep the heat up while the coal persists the base fire. I'll be collecting more of that and keeping it in a bucket next to the petchka, with the wood. I've not burned half as much of the wood as I expected either.

Making use of the hot plate on the petchka

I made myself the rest of the tatties (though it turned out to be massively too many so cold potatoes at some point tomorrow for me) and fried off the pork chops. While the chops were on the ring (I only use one of the rings at once as I remember it being a bit dodgy when trying to use both) I moved the tatty pot and sat it on the cooking ring on the petchka to keep it hot. What a great thing.

Meat AND potatoes

Dinner was outstanding, just so tasty, and washed down with a pint of lovely Ariana it has finished my day off very satisfactorily.

For now I am going to settle my dinner for a bit then head to bed and read; I'm up early again to take the men over to the builders yard to order fencing materials for Rambo's pen and to surround the entire land. I have spoken to the transport person just now and Rambo should be arriving about the 11th of next month. Very excited to see him indeed, and I can't wait to give him his new house and see how he likes it :) I reckon he'll love it.

So there you have it; I am happily contented even though I am now symbolically alone; long may this happiness continue.