Back to KAT, and our friends

Wow how is it Sunday afternoon again already? Time really is flying at the moment and it is largely because we are having fun. Also it's been a busy time again and that does make the days seem shorter. I've, once again, no idea how to organise this update so I'm just going to start and then get through the middle of it and head generally and slowly towards the end.

Paperwork

First of all I lost an entire day to trying to get paperwork sorted out for the trailer. Lyubo was, as per usual, a wonderful help however as I sit here the trailer still does not have any Bulgarian plates on it.

I met him on Friday morning at 10am near the notary; over here you have to have a contract of sale to prove you own the vehicle before you can register it for new plates but of course, in the UK, you don't do that so you have to go to a notary over here and get them to fake one up. This time however the notary wasn't sure what type of declaration would be needed, as it was for a trailer and not a vehicle, and so we left empty handed and went back over the KAT. It was an attempt to speed things up that didn't work out. There was a queue inside in the corridor that didn't move for nearly an hour so that was pretty boring and then when we got to the desk we were told what type of declaration, and sent to talk to the head inspector to confirm that everything would be OK. After this we headed back to the notary, got that paperwork done, then went to insure the trailer (and Thomas, as it happens) for the next year.

Dessert at the Bistro bar

It was by this time lunch time so I went with Lyubo to a bistro bar that he knew in town for lunch. He saw a few colleagues in there and we ate a very lovely lunch that cost almost nothing. He persuaded me to go for the dessert as well and even this was nice. From there it was back to KAT and we went back to the desk, handed everything over, and then came to the next problem. The manufacturer, Paul James, wasn't on their computer. They rang up Sofia to get it added but then I had to wait around for a bit to get some paperwork signed. I managed to persuade Lyubo to go and get on with the business he had while I went shopping to the electrical shop, and the builders merchant, while I waited. When I got back pretty much dead on time I waited around more (are you getting the idea of what this day involved) and then when I heard them tell someone else it would be another hour I got fed up and went home. 

I got back and collapsed onto the sofa with a brew but as I sat there I felt that I really should get this paperwork sorted on the day and not leave it. I asked A to come in with me and, with the puppies as well, we drove back to KAT. It was right as they were closing so there were no queues but they were waiting for me and it turned out that there wasn't documents for me to collect so much as a document for me to sign, so it's a good thing we did go back. I've left my phone number and will be called when they are ready to process the registration. What a mission, nothing is simple with me.

Ice and snow

The temperature hasn't really got much above freezing yet since the snow fall and so we still have quite a lot of snow, mostly turning to ice, around the place. The forecast is for another few days of cold and then warming up quite dramatically next week. We'll see, though; the forecasts haven't been all that reliable to be honest.

Very cold view along the patio

Strange snow type structures on the tree

All along the washing line as well

The fog is clearing, slowly

A hole in the snow crust

Hopefully the washing will dry

Frost patterns on the glass on the raised beds

Thursday morning A headed out, in thick fog, to do the weekly shop while I was working away on my paid work. I've started to get into the habit of putting a load of washing on while she's out, to feel productive, and I did this again though I was working very much on the premise that the weather forecast was correct and it would be sunny most of the day. Just as the washing finished I saw the sun starting to burn through the fog and so off I went to hang it out. After I'd done this I took a relaxing stroll around the grounds getting photographs of the beauty of a frosty day. The strange structures on the trees and the washing line were really delicate and brushed off very easily; almost like snow that has formed in place. The final picture was the best of many I took looking closely at the glass on the raised beds.

Rambo just before he ran around like a puppy

Louise getting her paws involved

Thelma whipping Louise round on the end of the stick

They play hard

Of course I was not outside on my own but was joined throughout by Rambo and the two puppies. Rambo has really loved having the snow here, and having it stay for so long; he has always enjoyed snow. The girls have surprised the both of us with how much they have enjoyed playing outside despite the cold. They are so sensitive to how warm they are that we thought we'd have to really push them out the door but, so long as the sun is out, they don't seem to mind the low air temperatures.

Ducks on the ice, getting a drink

Today I finally got the picture I've been trying to get ever since the weather got cold. The pond has remained frozen all week apart from one corner and this morning the ducks were on the pond drinking some of the melt (as their water inside had completely frozen, we found). 

Sunrise, but cold

The coldest part of the day, at least according to our forecasts, has been around 8am just as the sun is coming up. After a few weeks of disappointing sunrises, mainly due to either complete cloud cover or totally clear skies, we've had a few nice sunrises this week.

Just a slightest light on the horizon

Friday was completely taken up with going to KAT, as already described, and so there are almost no pictures from the day. I did go outside very early, before the sun came up, to snap the light reflecting on a thin spread of cloud just on the horizon. It was a cold day on Friday and there was also quite a breeze which was bitter; I even wore a hat and my gloves when I went out which is most unlike me.

The sun has just cleared the horizon

Just about -8

Watching me shiver

Saturday morning A was out with the camera to capture the sun as it showed itself as I was distracted by something or other else; we had a bit of a rush on to be fair as initially our plan was to go into town to insure Julian and Lucy but this silly idea was shelved, thankfully. Before leaving for Chaz and Ivan's (of which more later) I went out to get a photo of the temperature, a whopping -8 degrees. The girls decided to not join me out there but stood looking at me through the glass of the balcony door.

Not the -16 we were forecast, but still cold

Beautiful sunrise again this morning

The forecast was for it to be about -16 at 8am this morning and so, when I saw that the sun was just coming up I jumped out of bed and rushed onto the balcony to check the temperature. I was stood out there barefoot in my pajamas and was disappointed to find it only about -11. No matter the sunrise was stunning but I didn't hang around for long I can tell you; feeling ice cracking beneath your bare feet is something I didn't ever expect to experience.

Friends visit to collect furniture

On Saturday we headed over towards Yambol again to our friends' hotel. We had bought some furniture from facebook and found that the guy knew our friends and was able to drop it off at theirs for us to collect. Our plan had been to take the trailer however that went out of the window with our failure to register it on Friday. No matter we still wanted to get over there and if the thing didn't fit in the back of Thomas then we'd go back another time with the trailer.

We waited while he unloaded the trailer

Superb Thai curry cooked by Chaz

The unit (with packing cushions) in the entrance hall

The moon, shining on the ice

We headed off near enough at the time we planned to, though we did cancel our attempt to insure the other two cars. After stopping at Kaufland to pick up some new trainers for A we made really good time across country with only a brief delay for a farmer unloading something from a trailer and blocking the road. The temperature was pretty low all the way, hovering about -7 until we got within half an hour of theirs when it rose to about -1 when we got there. Chaz had cooked a lovely Thai curry, of which I had two plate fulls, and we spent a really enjoyable lunch and early afternoon chattering away and relaxing. Ivan helped me load Thomas with the unit which fitted with a few cm to spare, and we strapped it down seemingly securely. We left a bit later than originally planned but time flies when you're having fun so we hadn't seen it was late. About twenty minutes into the journey back the load slipped so we had to stop and readjust. I had another strap in the car which we added to hold it all safe and after that point there was no movement at all. It was dark when we got home (I still took the daily photograph, of course) and A and I unloaded the first section of the unit before The Special One and The Other Brother came over to offer their help. How wonderful are they; they saw us struggling and immediately rushed over to help. Lovely. Anyway, we got the unit inside and left it down there for the time being. It was a long day but lovely.

Other stuff

So there's been a few other bits and pieces to write about which I'll now lump together in this final section.

Water isn't draining

The narrow bridge is still closed to vehicles

All of this water came through the balcony door

We've had on again / off again issues with the drainage in the trench down which all water from Room 13, and the washing machine, is supposed to go. It got really bad on Thursday and I was down there with the wooden plug stopped trying to plunger it to release it with not much luck. Eventually it did drain but I had gone to town to get a plunger by that point. The narrow bridge, closed last week after the terrible rain we had, is still not open and I am starting to wonder if they'll use this as an excuse to limit it to only foot traffic from now on. Talking of that rain I finally got round to emptying the dehumidifier that had been so useful in the bedroom - quite a lot of water that it pulled off the floor and out of the curtains.

The best cake in the world! It has bacon in it!

I got back from the KAT trip on Friday to not only a cup of tea, but a surprise on my desk in the form of a bacon, chocolate and guiness cake! I had been asking A to make this for a while and she wanted to surprise me after my long boring day and what a lovely surprise that is! I've been eating it since then, we also took some to Chaz and Ivan, and it is very tasty indeed. I've actually just had another slice with a cup of tea while typing this up.

Kat is very friendly and came over to say hello

Kit also was interested, but not to be stroked

I went out to do the chickens first thing this morning and took the camera in case of photographic opportunities. I found five eggs this time though one had cracked with the cold which was a shame. Kat came in to see what was going on and she let me stroke her which was lovely. While I was talking to Kat, Kit hopped into the building however she didn't come close enough for any petting. We're really doing well with these birds and A made a huge pile of scrambled eggs for breakfast just to use some of them up!

Not quite friends, but getting closer

Sassy has been out a lot today hopping around her enclosure. Her water keeps freezing and when I went to change it over I found that the bowl I'd put down on the tiles for her (as she had thrown the other one through her doorway onto the tiles, risking breaking it) had actually frozen to the tiles completely. Thelma and Louise continue to be very interested in her and she is not bothered by them at all. While this picture was being taken Thelma was very jumpy and Sassy just sat there and chilled.

The first lengths of wood, screwed into the floor

A pile of cross pieces pre-cut

In place for the first board

Two boards down in half an hour

My plans for the first module of the railway

This morning was once again a cleaning morning, after we took last week off as it was raining. I did the rugs, swept through the corridors and down the stairs and then we lifted the new display cabinet upstairs to the top corridor. A was cleaning in Room 13 and also did the living room and it's much better throughout now. After I finished cleaning I went straight into Sassy's room to start on the floor and I found this is going to be much quicker than expected. I think I may pull these first two boards up so I can maybe put some more cross pieces in to support it a bit more, but it is going to be very simple to do the whole floor. We'll probably get the rest of the holes filled tomorrow and then next weekend I'll just get the whole thing done in one go. After that, electrics.

And so there you have it. It has been a busier week and we're both feeling a lot healthier than we were this time last week so that is good. Time to relax for a bit now before it's back to the grindstone in the morning.