Wood I?

I'm going to make this a short update as I am not feeling the best. I left you on Wednesday night with not much to say other than I had been working. Thursday was the same here and not much happened.

One picture I forgot to post in the last update was the harvest from the garden. What a nice haul. Also, I pulled some of the sweetcorn today and I am very disappointed in the crop this year. After some research, I have discovered that they are not fully formed or patchy with kernels because they have not pollinated fully. I also have noticed the difference in the need for lots more water this year and apparently they are very sensitive to soil type. This year the soil we used was very clay based. You live and learn.Still pleased that we have managed to pull some out to eat though.

Wednesday Harvest

Sunday Harvest

The title of the blog will tell you what I have been doing most for the last four days.  It has been really hot here, well into the 30s and up to 38 degrees. I am struggling with the heat and I think that is why I am feeling unwell. However, I made good progress with the wood pile getting stacked and I even had a visit from the neighbours who insisted they help. I dragged them away to have a cup of coffee and they went straight back out again. What wonderful neighbours. I allowed them 15 minutes and then chased them, saying that they had enough of their own work to do. Such lovely people.

Pitching in

I carried on for a short while after they left and I think I made pretty good progress, for my day off.

Stacks

All that was left after Saturday's effort.

Remaining

I have separated a few pieces out that I have deemed to be too big. I will have to split these or chainsaw them and cut them down to size. Whilst we have an open fire and quite a big petchka in the living room, Room 13's is a small burner. A lot of the logs this year will simply not fit in it.

To be split

This morning, feeling very motivated, I did it! I was finished by 10am (having been rudely awakened by Thelma sitting on my chest and staring into my eyes at 7am), but aware that there is still another pile to make my way through.  However, I am pleased. It is hard work in this heat.

One pile down

All in place. Hopefully that won't fall over the minute you take a log out. I will have to cross my fingers. It did spill onto m a few times during construction. I think I was actually talking to it at one point, saying "Don't you do it, don't dare". That's what happens when you are left alone; you tend to talk to inanimate objects a lot more.

Hard, heavy work

So you've seen the harvests and the work and now to the puppies. I think they are holding silent protests because the Mister has left us and have hijacked his chair! But look at those little faces.

We miss Dad

They have been outside a lot and seem to love the heat. They will not be happy again come winter and the nights are already drawing in! Yes, I went there.

Louise chilling

Thelma Moo

Let's not forget the other big lump. Doesn't he look well? I have been brushing him down to remove all of the clumps of hair that he is currently shedding and I think he is much happier and cooler.

Rambo

When I went shopping - Friday I think, I picked up a new ball for Thelma and Louise. They had played with one similar at the BBQ last week and I saw them and thought it would be a lovely treat. Here they are, fully enjoying themselves.

The ball lasted all of about 4 hours and it wasn't even Rambo who killed it. Thelma got a little excited behind the Lazyboy and punctured it on a piece of the metalwork.  RIP Mr Ball. I guess I will have to buy another one. I need to see this behaviour again.

I have been pretty useless with regards to taking many photos since he left, but that is mainly because in the mornings and evenings I am so busy and if I am not working, I am stacking wood or taking a cold shower. So I managed this one the other night (Friday I think). What a beautiful sight.

Sunset

Last one of the day and this is a gift from me to SandS before I go to Ireland. Three boxes of "preggy eggies" for pregnant S, who loves them and a small bag of spuds from our garden. S had been shopping in town and he brought his two guests from London over on his way back. I think S said they were veggies, so on the way out I handed over two squash from the garden also. They were a lovely couple and it is always great to meet new people. Even if they did want to take the puppies with them. With only myself here, it is hard to get through all the produce. I will have to do something with these cherry tomatoes tomorrow also. Lots to do and so little time!

Podarik

I am going to leave you now and head into a very cold shower to see if I can bring this temperature down. Thanks for reading.

Leka nosht x

It's been a busy week

As the title suggests, it is a week since my last update and it has been a busy one. Again, as is the way of it when you are alone and there are no men around making huge amounts of progress, there is a mixture of lots of paid work, lots of running around feeding animals and keeping the garden alive (only just at times).  So here is a little more from the garden.

Tomato harvest

The cherry tomatoes are being harvested every day at the moment, or at the very least, every couple of days. This has been the biggest harvest so far however, and that bowl is a big one. I have around the same again to collect tonight after being away for a couple of days. I am not entirely sure what I will do with them all, but you will see over the weekend update as I am going to have to make a start on them on Friday.

New plants

I bought about nine or ten of these lovely little plants for along the front of the lawned area the Mister has been trying to keep cut back for us. They have really started to bed in and the flowers have popped out of late. As they bush out, they will be lovely.

Blue meadow flowers

I think these are my favourite wild flower around the School. They remind me of a cornflower, but are not, as far as I am aware.

What are these?

This is a tree that stands just to the right of the patio and every year it produces these spiky seeds. If anyone can tell me what these are and if they are edible, I would be grateful indeed.

Sick banana tree

Sadly, the banana tree that we bought just before winter has not taken particularly well outside. It is looking very poorly and even more so since I took this photo. I am unsure as to whether we have watered it too much or too little, but the trunk has lost a few layers and has gone a little floppy. I'm gutted.

So the majority of my time is currently being taken up with paid work. I have gone back up to four days a week again, which in hindsight was not a good plan given that I have twice the work to do around here now. Hey ho, we live and learn. The only task that I have got done in the couple of days I have not been working at me desk, is the wood stacking. Here is the pile.

Start stacking

And here is all my hard work. It took a lot of effort.

Another hard day's work

Only kidding. I did actually get stuck in and in this heat, it really was a chore! I should have got someone in earlier to do this for me. I am afraid to leave it when I am away because it will be sods law that it rains continually in that time! Anyway, not a bad start.

Ok, I did more

So the main highlight of the week was a barbecue party we had been invited to by our friends with the hotel up north. This has been something that was being planned ever since I arrived in Bulgaria and sadly, the Mister has unavoidably missed it. He was gutted, as was I. The barbecue was on Sunday evening and I was to arrive at lunchtime, puppies in tow. I was up at 5.30am. All of my daily chores had to be achieved by 9.30 and I did not want to have to rush, so that was how it was. Watering completed, chickens fed and watered, Rambo sorted with extra food and extra water, puppies fed, bags packed, car packed and I myself had to shower and eat. It worked out that I was even able to have a half a pot of coffee before setting off to the local supermarket, picked up some ciders and dog food to leave with them for the period I am away in the UK and Ireland and we were off.  It was a very hot day yet again and the drive is a fairly simple one that I can probably do without the SatNav now, but I used it anyway. Along the route we normally take they are doing some roadwork, major stuff and the last time (which I had forgotten about) we sneaked through the "blocked road" to save the diversion. This time however, there was a very insistent man with a stop sign telling me that I needed to take the diversion. Well, that was fun! One diversion sign and I was released into the deepest, sandiest, flattest part of Bulgaria with no further signage telling me where to go. What an adventure.

I took what I later worked out to be a wrong turn and ended up through a few little villages where the roads became gradually worse and also, narrower. Deep joy! I ended up here. At least it was pretty.

Lost in paradise

I drove across the dam in the hope that there was another road that would open out on the other side. There wasn't. There was enough room for a couple of scramblers to come screeching down the non-road and so I had to turn around.

Beautiful

With the SatNav refusing to recalculate a route and telling me that I must go back to the other (shut) road, I was beginning to get a little antsy.  Louise was picking up on my concern and was also getting antsy. It was an antsy 15 minutes.  I drove back through the villages and pulled up at the side of the road, pulling out my phone (thank goodness I now have a Bulgarian one with internet). I pulled up the maps and switched on the GPS and was able to programme the thing in to take me closer via another village. Finally, some progress.

However, I cam to this "road" and thought it was all happening again. I had no food and only one bottle of water. I was beginning to panic when I realised I was meant to stay on this road for 4.8 miles! Anyway, I put my trust in TomTom and off I went.

Off-roading

Finally, after a very slow and bumpy ride, I emerged at the ever familiar winery that we pass on our way to their gaff and the sense of relief was immense! We were not going to fry in the Bulgarian desert after all! (I know, a little dramatic, but it really was very remote).

I arrived at Chaz and Ivan's somewhat hot and bothered and was immediately handed a beer and told to get in the pool. They were both busying themselves with tidying and cleaning and food preparation, refusing to accept any help, so after about 30 minutes, I gave in to the orders given and got in the pool. A very welcome treat.

The party was slow to start, with people arriving from around 3pm onward in dribs and drabs and it was a very relaxed atmosphere indeed. The puppies were loving all of the attention, as usual.

It clouded over

The sun did disappear for a while and we actually thought it might rain at one point, but it blew over and all was well. The drinks flowed, the craic (as they say in Ireland) was great and everyone had a blast. They all even cheered for a photo before it got dark.

Happy people 

Later in the evening, much later around 2am, at which point I had had enough to drink and was flagging quite badly, Ivan was giving belly dancing lessons with a towel wrapped around his waist. I laughed so hard that I clearly couldn't take an in focus photo, but I wanted the memory here anyway.  It was hilarious. And such great fun.

Belly dancing lessons

Belly dancing done, I realised that he had not been in the pool all night and so I decided he should. Not having enough strength to drag him all the way to the pool, Chaz came flying across the terrace in a rugby tackle and threw him the rest of the way in, fully clothed! Funniest thing ever. It was all in good humour and he and I swam and nattered for a while before I took myself off to bed at close to 3am.  Shattered.

The next morning's lethargy was wiped after a few dips in the pool at 8am and throwing ball for the pups, who kindly let me have a lie in.  Then at 10.30, I was set to head off again, this time via a different route.  All went swimmingly and we arrived home around 2pm at which point I was fit for nothing more. I had a cuppa in the lazy boy, did the much needed watering as the plants we all wilting and I was in bed very early. 

Tuesday dawned with paid work, there was a little more wood stacked but only a small amount and the usual chores and today was mostly work again. I have typed this up in the early evening so as to get it done and hopefully have some time later on to relax. I am off to put the dinner on collect any more tomatoes that may be ripe enough. Then tomorrow will dawn and we do it all again. Thankfully, tomorrow is my last day of work and I may have a little more progress for you over the weekend.

Leka nosht xx

First week away

Hello there from a little town in Belgium called Mechelen. It's the end of my first week here and while I won't necessarily be doing many updates from here I did want to do one this first week. It's not great to be away but I am making the most of it and trying not to miss Bulgaria (and A) too much.

Waving goodbye to A from the bus

Sitting right at the back; not cool

An arctic exploration plane parked next to ours

Detail of the logos

So as you know already from the excellent updates that A has been doing I left last Sunday by bus. It was pretty rubbish really because the bus time was 10.30 and so when A left me just before then I thought we'd be heading off but we sat for another half an hour after I waved her goodbye. It was a busy bus, but a comfortable one - much bigger than the one I get normally at 5am, and the journey was pretty normal. I arrived in plenty of time and shot across town in a taxi which was driven by a guy who obviously wished he was Ayrton Senna! Wow he drove fast. Unfortunately I'd mucked up my checking in and missed out on the good seats so I was right down the back of the plane however this looked like a good option as there was no one around me. The best part of the whole trip was the Antarctic Exploration Plane parked on the apron next to our jet; pretty cool. Before we took off a child started screaming and that was just the beginning of the flight from hell. Of course I was already unhappy at leaving Bulgaria so this really didn't fill me with joy at the decision I'd made. The worst part was that the parents kept bringing the screaming little horror back to where I was sitting. The mother was even laughing at it ripping everyone's ears out. It was horrendous. They quietened it eventually but then when we started in on finals it began again and screamed non stop, blood curdling tonsil wobbling screams, for twenty minutes. I even had a word with the father and told him to put something in its mouth but he just shrugged. Useless. They should ban anyone under the age of ten from flying.

In the AirBNB

As you can tell I was not that impressed. Anyway, the flight was easy other than that and so was customs at Brussels airport. I had booked into an AirBNB for the next two weeks and so messaged the guy when I landed and as we had been delayed slightly he said he'd come and pick me up to speed their evening. This was slightly more complicated than it should have been due to changes at the airport following the bombing there a few weeks ago. Eventually we managed to meet up and he drove us back to the little house, showed me round, blinded me a little with facts and then left me alone. Wow. I'm in another country.

That's enough diary style update I think. It's been an OK week, I found the office very easily on Monday, settled in quickly and was writing code by Tuesday morning which isn't too bad. My colleagues, Schweta my boss and Cis, are very nice and I have been made to feel welcome and valued. The town, Mechelen, is just beautiful and I've tried to get out a bit with the camera to capture it. Randomly enough Thursday was a public holiday which meant I didn't have to be in the office. I strolled into the centre of town around midday and was lucky enough to get there just as the parade went past with a marching band and went into the town hall for some ceremony that normal people weren't welcome at.

First some bridge porn for my dad

A dutch barge converted into a restaurant

A view of a church very near my work

Inside the church, looking up at the windows

Beautiful carving; the church is being renovated now

Well preserved old buildings down by the river

Plaster work of the Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

The huge main cathedral

Another view of the huge square tower of the cathedral

A very cheeky cherub

The side of the town hall

More impressive decoration on the town hall

Looking down the side of the town hall

Chapel of St Julian, 13 century building

Outside the Church of St Peter and Paul

Some of the carvings inside the church

Looking right through the church

Above are some pictures taken on various walks through the town, showing just how beautiful the place is. I'm not sure I'd want to live here, and two weeks is probably long enough in this house as well, but if you're in the area I'd certainly recommend a visit. I've never seen so many people on pedal bikes either and not lycra heroes either. These are normal people, girls in proper going out dresses and blokes in suits, and none of them look flustered or concerned about getting sweaty. I'd have to shower if I cycled to work like they do but they all look fresh as a daisy. Amazing.

The party gets started in front of the town hall

Back to Thursday and after sitting in town for a bit with a beer I headed home, had some food then went out again in the evening. The place was a lot busier by then but I managed to get a seat back in the same bar and had a few beers before taking a walk as the entertainment had started. I wish I hadn't been so tired as I didn't stay for long but what I did see was two guys on stage leading the crowd in dance moves. Everyone was having fun but the best thing I saw was a toddler, she must have been about three or four tops, dancing very enthusiastically in her interpretation of the twist. There was no way to capture this for you so you'll just have to imagine. It was awesome. I was woken at about 11pm by the sound of fireworks and I'm pretty sure they were going off to music. I looked but couldn't see anything from my window so there's no pictures of this either.

Protection from the mozzies

Such steep narrow stairs!

And so to wrap up, a couple of things about the place I'm staying. First of all the first two nights I ended up being eaten alive by mosquitoes. I never normally get bothered by them but I was covered in bites and kept getting woken up by the sound of them whining around my head. I killed ten in one night and another six the next and then got fed up so after some searching I found a self supported mosquito net thing that I've slept under since and I've not been bitten since either. I'll be suggesting to the host that he gets himself some fly screens for all the doors and windows as well. The house is really lovely and well decorated however the stairs are terrifying. I've lived in Sheffield and these make the steep stairs there look like a flat corridor. In the mornings I take my life in my hands being half awake and attempting to descend these.

So I'll leave you with this video, taken just now as I took a stroll around the local area. There's a little market with niknaks for sale and a guy playing a squeeze box sat on the corner. I watched a videoed for a while and then gave him some money and moved on. Lovely.

So as you can tell I am trying to make the most of it. This time next week I'll be sitting in a new accommodation which I have booked for the whole of August so maybe I'll do another update then or maybe I'll leave it a bit more. Thanks for reading.