Yambol.

Today we have to go to Yambol for some wood,cement,etc so we called at the building form that our next door neighbour Damita has started working at after finishing in the army.15 minutes turns out to be 2 hours here when shopping and this day was no different just funnier.Damita greets us with the usual enthusiasm and proceeds to explain the different products.Two other men presumably the lakies follow,we found the wood and an enthusiastic assistant starts to pull planks and in Bulgarian tells us which were the best to take(Damita interprets)to be honest the wood here is very rough and even the best is poor.Damita then leads us all over the yard showing us what else we needed it was comical,what a sales man and what a fun 2 hours.Return with 2 pairs of gloves,2 bottles of wood stuff,and a bag of free wood cuttings for the fire,as well as the stuff we went for.

Cutting down the pear tree(7thMarch2008)

Back at the Dinka's to trim the tree we were supposed to trip the other day when we sorted the chimney( seems we always get way layed)anyway the tree turns out to be a large pear and directing with his walking stick Grandpa Dinka proceeds to point to the branches he wants cutting.These were rather large branches,here we are grandma and me standing right back David cutting, Grandad moving the branches,when whoops the old lad was on his back rolling in the soil like may I say a weeble,the old lass started giggling and so did he, David and me.We pulled him up dusted him off finished the job had a drink of vino said our goodbye's and set off home with another jar of vino!

The Dinka's.(March 5th 2008.)

Grandad and grandma Dinka need our help,Baba Dinka was shouting Maggie David over the fence and when the old lass calls, you have to go.so we went knowing there was a bit of tree trimming to do .David took the chainsaw,when we arrived she was waiting waving her hands which looked rather sooty,we set off into the house where we found Grandpa on top of the petchka,(oven)trying to replace the chimney,at 80+this I have to say was an unnerving sight so we began to try to fit the thing back which even for us was a struggle.

Finished had a bit of a giggle left with 6 eggs great!!!

BABA MARTA 1stMarch 2008.

Today the first day of March is it seems a special day,Baba Marta on this day young and old in Bulgaria put on a Martenitsa (made of white and red threads)on their jackets or wrists to bring them health and to keep them from evil spirits.As tradition goes,you are to take the martenitsa off only after seeing a stork.then you have to put it under a stone or hang it on a tree branch.the person who gave name to this day is Baba Marta(Grandma March).People believe her to be a old grumpy woman,who comes every March to expel Winter.Her unpredictable swings of mood account for the frequent weather changes during this certain month,which may be the reason why men call it the women's month!"Charming"

(Sorry no pictures of this event so I have just picked random March pictures)

Cheren Bop(Black Bean)черен боб.(Feb 2008)

End of February 2008,Damita our neighbour has given us some cheren bop, черен боб Bulgarian for black beans of course we are eager to plant then.These beans are planted before the frosts finish which stimulate growth,the same as chesan(Garlic)чесън.

The One Armed Man (Febuary 20th 2008)

This Feb has been colder than January,the village has gone into hibernation and so have we pottering around the house painting this and that looking for any signs of life outside, and then one morning an elderly gent could be seen with a wheel barrow climbing up and down the embankment gathering twiggy things,sort of gauze with really spiky thorns well why?until we learn the lingo we may never no,for goats or the fire we thought.Anyway back to the tale,the man only had one arm,how dose a guy with one arm steer a wheelbarrow?all to much for David,it was bitterly cold so armed (excuse that)with the words pomosht помощ(help)off he went got the van out next i saw was a prickly wheelbarrow lift into the van and the man heading for the van door and away they went.On his return we laughed,the poor sole was bemused think he thought David was pinching the barrow,anyway man and load got home the easy way for a change (if i can help somebody as the song goes).

Work in the garden(Febuary 15th 2008)

Its time to prepare the garden for our veggie patch,Viloo our trusty shepherd,security and master of all !rotovated the garden for us,we had it ploughed before Christmas now it needs chopping finner.A giggle for onlookers this slightly built man trying to control an elderly looking machine which many times wanted to give up and die, fighting his way across an acre of rough terrain.I being the help full sort made a drink an answer to all things, Tea.David watched on in ore, almost finished !Valoo stoped and with one single word Krava(cow's)downed tools and went herding his animals returning to finish the job 15minutes later.

More wood required!(Febuary 13th 2008)

Today we have been for more fire wood,met Sonnie and Mike in town and set off to the wood yard what a giggle although it was absolutely freezing.Sonnie explained how we ordered and after some deliberation on the cubic metre required we order three pallets 1 cubic metre on each,they were weighed to check and then a pick up truck was called a lad proceeded to put 3 pallets on a flat back van smaller then ours and yes they did it !!!!!!just so comical wouldn't couldn't happen in England.

A Very busy Day(Febuary5th2008)

What a busy week and its only Tuesday,up at 7am(haven't seen that time in a will)breki and away to Yambol by 8.30 to register the van.In Bulgaria it is the law and it lasts for 5 years.first we get insurance 180lv,then to the register office to fill the forms 7.60lv,then we line up to have the van mot'd(checked for road worthiness)vim and chassis number found,back lights,indicaters,and brakes checked,but no headlight,Tyre,seat belt,etc,etc.out to another office 57lv for the test and 4lv for the new number plates.Back to the first office pick up the new plates,we have to lake the old plates off and they put new on,back to the office hand in the old plates to be cut up Bingo! three hours finished.It's worth mentioning that last year it look 2 days and more so improving all the time,home Jame's(David)in time for cuppa lunch and dog in morning!!!!!!!!

A Trip to the Vet's. Febuary 2nd 2008

Today with great reluctance we take Jazz for his rabbis booster,I say this because although it will be a relief to have him up to date with his jabs its going to hurt us deeply,he of course wont feel a thing(well he didn't last time)we will god were daft.We park the van in a place we know best which just happens to be across town from the vet's so the poor dog is more or less dragged along partly cos he's constantly trying to pee on every post but also cos were scarred he will do something much worse in front of the Bulgarian builder's who just happen to be working all down the road we have taken(such an uncouth lot!!!)hurray we arrive.After waiting our turn we enter the sugary,the vet a very nice man sets about explaining in sign, broken Bulgarian English and mobile phone with interpreter on the end(they don't get stuck these Bulgarians)to cut a story short we went in for rabbis and left with Rabbis,Parvo,Canine Flue,distemper,and 2 others plus worming and flea treatment 50 lv a bargain and Jazz never flinched.

The Bells!!!!Febuary 2nd,2008.

We could here them but couldn't see any think,bells not church bells" Cow Bells" we spent all morning wondering,than around 2ish down the lane came a gang of colourfully dressed village youngsters,some in animal outfits with rows of cow bells on and painted faces.This is the old pagan ritual of Kukerrov den,performed early in spring to chase away evil winter spirits and ensure a good harvest.They stoped at the gate and a guy waved a tree branch and seemed to be giving us a blessing well I hope thats what it was,off they went we took photos it was really good fun.

Nicoli and Major.Jan30th 2008.

One of our neighbour Nicoli whom I went mushroom collecting with when we first came in October 2007,has unfortunately had a heart attack and is in Yambol Hospital from what I can make out he is doing OK though which is good.There is of course a tale attached to to Nicoli,he has a dog called Major a rather large Rottweiler cross thing,how's been bobbing down to us for the odd snack much to his Majesty(Jasper's)discussed.anyway we made him a house out off a cardboard box so he could shelter(Bulgarian dogs live outside)and then we trotted off to the supermarket for some big dog food Jazz eats lamb etc you see!I must just say a friend of Nicoli's was seeing to his animals,You no us suckers!!!so anyway he hung around eating,using his den and lapping it up,then went home and hasn't returned must have got board or Nicoli may be back,or Jazz the" 20 terror" sent him packing .

Freedom!!!!!Jan28th2008.

What an eventful month this is turning out to be,yesterday was the first time we have been out under our own steam since the 14th and boy did it feel good!!!!!!went to Yambol for materials and food I'm not keen on cities but what a relief,thought we'd die o Borden running out of work meant just sitting around,eating and watching that white stuff!.Any longer and I'd have had difficulty squashing through the door "sad very sad"so hurrah! for dryer weather,the sun is shining and I bow to him above.We have also met some new people who have bought land at the top of the village, nice guy for a southerner(joke!)he's going to build houses expects to make 50,000each

The Pechka(печка)Cooker.January17th 2008.

After finishing the wall tiles in the kitchen alcove were the Pechka(cooker)goes we proceed to put it back in place,took the chimney off and knowing how sooty this task can be put news papers over the floor.Careful,careful,easy,oh GREAT!not too much muck.David took part of the thing outside to clean,the other piece....... yep you've guessed it fell off the chair soot sort of fluttered all over some how totally missing the news papers!Ah well that's sods law I suppose.