Lettuce Seeds Blown Away

It was a warm day and the sun was out so I thought it a good idea to plant some lettuce seeds ready for a spring crop. All went well unit I opened the packet of seeds and a gust of wind just blew them away all over the yard! It was impossible to collect any up as they just flew away and are too small to pick up. I was livid as it was back to the shop to buy some more seeds.

Lada Car Door Won't Shut

It's the Lada's turn today as the feezing cold morning usually congures something up to go wrong in that department. As I got back fromt he factory drop and tried to close the Lada door, it just bounced back open! Looking closer, the spring inside the latch has broken. So now not only have I a Lada door that doesn't close, but it doesn't lock either as that bit of bad luck happened month ago!

Gas Fire Broken

Yesterday the boiler, today it is the gas fire that won't stay alight. It was newly filled bottle of gas that we put in and now the pilot light won't stay alight for more than a few minutes and once that goes out the whole heating system doesn't work. The problem is also that there is nowhere in Yambol where this can be serviced! We are stuck with an unserviceable gas fire which now doesn't work. It's only one year old!

More Cost For Boiler Repairs

It was 6:30 and we awoke after a very cold night. No heating in the bedroom was bad enough, but we found out that we also had no hot water either today. Ye again the boiler had broken down, another trip to the boiler factory to get the experts to look at it again only after one month from fixing a new element in it. We know it will cost more money, total in convenience and time. And it did. Another payment for parts and servicing. This is the third time in six months that this has happened.

Lost GSM (Mobile Phone)

I hardly ever use my mobile phone or GSM as it is known in Bulgaria. yet when it comes to using it invariably, the battery has run out of power or I can't find it. Today I needed it to text someone and I just couldn't find it anywhere. It is usually kept by the side of the bed an used as any alarm clock, but this week it wasn't for some reason as Galia's GSM did the same thing. We even tried ringing the number, but couldn't hear the ringing anywhere. So right now I haven't got a GSM, how long this will last is unknown.

Too Hot

Jogging today the weather was really cold and overcast as I planned the kit I was to wear. It was windy as well so a windproof jacket was also put on over the many layers of clothing that was put on. The warm ups were made and I was off. The first section of the run is all uphill for about tow to three kilometres. As this was made the sky cleared and the sun came out. By the time the jog was over I was far, far too hot with all the kit I had put on. If I had waited another 10 minutes I could have got away with half the clothing!

Loose Battery Leads

On our way back to Yambol in the Lada the rain starts up again. The cars lights are already on and the windscreen wipers go into action, no problem. Then as we approach a village called Rosa there are big puddles in the road. I avoided most of them bu one I couldn't avoid as I slowed dipped into it. In and out of it fine, but then the electric suddenly gave up on the car causing it to stall and grind to a halt. 30 minutes in the rain to find out what the problem was. the car battery contact was slightly loose. I only found out after checking everything else including all the fuses. We got back in wet clothes.

No Relaxing Today

Today was meant to be a day of rest, it has been a stressful week with many things that have happened and we just wanted to relax and do nothing on this damp weekend in the farmhouse. No such luck, visitor after visitor all day, five sets of guests turned up and we didn't finished entertaining until 11:00 this evening, hence the late post. this is what happens in villages when the ground it too wet to work on, they just socialise instead.

Rain Stops Gardening - Again

The plan this evening was to plant my onion set in the garden. It hadn't stopped raining all day and the activity not only has been canceled today but the whole of the weekend with the amount of rain that has fallen.. This is the third weekend in a row where this has been put off because of rain and wet ground.

Banitsa Plan Foiled

It was planned to make some banitsa today, as we went to the local shop for the ingredients and our usual daily bread. All loaded up we got home and an hour or so later we started laying out everything we needed for the banitsa. Everything was fine until we found that we had run out of bicarbonate of soda powder! The time was after 7:00 in the evening and we were not going to go back to the 24 hour shops in the centre of town just for this ingredient. Looks like our attempts for tonight have failed, tomorrow, is another day for banitsa.

Shut Window Until Spring

I couldn't open the window today. Over the last few months there has been a lot of damp and condensation, this had seeped into the wood and expanded it. We now have to wait for spring until we can open it as there is nowhere to lever is out as it is set deep in the frame. The last thing we want is to try and open it with force and the window smash.

Rain and Car Stops Restaurant Plan

When it rains you have to change your plans to adjust, but sometimes it just doesn't work out right. I was meant to meet Galia in town after work without the car. As I was about to leave it started raining, so I took the car. When I got there she had planned to got and have a beer with me in a restaurant, but now I'd driven here we couldn't do that. bring the car just spoilt the plan - I never drink and drive in Yambol.

Clothes Horse Collapse

Today was the put the washing on the clothes horse day, it was damp outside the this method is often chosen during the winter months. As the clothes were being put on the weight was too much the wire that was hold the clothes horse upright. The small weld on the wire broke and the clothes horse collapsed. Of course it only collapse with the weight after all the clothes had been put on. We now had to take them all off and used shoelaces to hold the clothes horse together before starting to load the clothes again.

Another New Tyre Needed.

Another car incident, another load of time and expense that resulted. It was only a matter of time before the poor and potholed roads of Yambol get back at the Lada. Another puncture was the result of a hole that I drove in as I didn't see it in time. The tyre cannot be repaired as the puncture was made on the side wall. Another trip to the garage and a new tyre fitted. Bad luck for me and good luck for the garage.

Jam Jar Fun

Jam jars are very useful they can be used to store many thing tie and time again. We have one jam jar that has a replacement plastic screw top. It looks very pretty but has a sharp edge to it so when you try and unscrew it the potential of cutting you hand is on if it needs some force to open. this is what happened today. The lid was jarred and the extra force that was needed cause a cut on my finger. Next time it will be opened with a tea towel to avoid the sharp edges.

Not A Pleasant Task

Going to the car this morning I was annoyed that an animal had done some number 2 business on the bonnet of my car. This never normally happens in town. So 7:30 in the morning I am having to do some shi* shovelling. Not a pleasant task, but it could have been worse if I drove off at speed with this on the bonnet!

Friday February 13th Unlucky Day

Today is Friday 13th the unluckiest day in many people eyes. Being in February makes it even unluckier. It happens every day to me today is no different, but then the day isn't over quite yet so who knows.

Nail Clipped Too Short - Again

After a lovely shower I decided to clip my finger and toe nails as this is the best time when they are soft. No matter how careful I am there is always a nail that is cut on my left hand that is too short and pain for a few days after. This happened today on my thumbnail. The reason I worked out it that I am left-handed and my left hand nails are cut using my clumsy right hand.

Another Mug Smashed

Yet another mug broken, as the mug full of hot tea was taken out of the microwave, it just touched the microwave door on the way out and slipped out of my hand. The mug smashed on the ceramic floor with the tea managing to reach the small mat that was laid. A clearing up job and carpet clean was needed and of course another cup of tea to be made.

Two Calls - Bad Timing

Yet again, I find myself at the computer today for at least 16 hours! Work and play took place to day. There was a moment when I went for my jog, which lasted 30 minutes, in that time two people tried to Skype me on line. No one trying to contact me for 16 hours and in the 30 minutes I was away it happens! Two calls missed, both bad timing, but on whose part?

Jogging In The Rain

Rain is something that comes and goes but it always seems to come a the wrong moment just like today. I usually jog just before lunchtime, the rain had held off. Directly my first step of the jog was made, it started raining. I carried on regardless. It continued raining for half and hour and stopped directly I got back home. A frustrating and annoying jinx today.

Car Boot Broken

The Lada seems to be getting worse for wear as the winter rolls on. It was a cold day as I filled up with gas for the service station. The insert pipe is accessed for the boot. After filling up I tried to close the boot, but it wouldn't stay down. After around 10 or 12 slams, I knew that this was permanent for now and I would have to drive around with my boot up. No worries, as this is Bulgaria, this is a Lada, this is normal. My worry was leaving the car parked with shopping int he boot. So now all the stuff and equipment from the boot now sits on the floor by the back seat in side the Lada and a brick is used on the boot lid to keep it down when it is parked.

Fiddling For Nothing

Having spent the best part of an hour taking apart the handle on the bedroom door as it didn't shut properly with the catch. Then putting it back together again thinking that it had been cured, but the problem remained exactly as it was before. All that effort for nothing. I did know that it would probably need a new system in place, but of course didn't find out until all the fiddling had been done.

Lucky Number 4 - But Not Today!

Four is my lucky number, it always had been. It is a nice and neat number and easy to deal with. Most things I do come in fours, my brushing my teeth four time in each area, my warm up exercises before jogging, knocking on doors etc. It just seem to be a natural number to work with. Today it was unlucky as instead of Galia's normal number she let me chose one as a replacement. I chose number four for her. She got three numbers correct and one 10 Lev, but if she had had here original number 22, that would have been another number and four correct giving a prize of 280 Lev! Should I remain with four as my lucky number after this?

Pork and Cabbage Finished

Finishing food off on my plate is something I have got out of the habit of doing. If I don't want anymore food I won't eat it and leave it on my dinner plate. This happened this evening as I was rather full with food this evening. It was just my luck that this particular dish of pork and cabbage was my favourite dish and I'd thought I would finish it off later this evening. As I returned to the food a few hours later, I found that Ivo had finished it for me! I wished I'd finished it before or hidden it now.

Mouth Wash Dropped

This morning it was early in the bathroom and the routine of getting ready for work begins again. Today there was a new bottle of mouth wash that still had its seal on it. Opening it seemed such a simple thing to do. As I picked it up it slipped out of my hand and on the ceramic wet room floor. The plastic split and a whole 200 ml of mouthwash made its way to the drain that is in the middle of every wet room in Bulgaria. Really annoying as another purchase has to be made later today.

Online Credit Card Fees Charged

Having paid my credit card bill online last week I find out that I have been charged interest for the last month and got stung a fee as a penalty for payment turning up two days late. This has not happened before. When I check it out, before the payment went through pretty quick, if fact a few days before the recommended time. This month it took the whole length of the they recommended for clearing, hence late payment. This is what happens when you hook up to online banking - you are not in control.

Monday Blues - Eventually

Monday blues is something that we don't get here, but today it really felt like a Monday as my workload had carried over from yesterday with little work done due to the power cut we had. Ready for action at 7:30 in the morning - the power was cut again! Only for two hours this time, but it brought the blues to this Monday

A Working Sunday For Some

We get cut of with water and electric quite often here in Yambol. It is quite rare for both to be off at the same time, but today it was. this lasted for around 4 hours, starting off just before lunchtime. Sunday I suppose is not a working day for most so this is the best time to cut things. I work on Sundays and it is just my luck that I am not in my house in Skalitsa working on this day as I normally do.