Catch up! Been a tad lazy over the last few weeks! Not done anything too exciting but have had a few crises, Ok so to start with on the 16th we went to Montana (no not the one in America) They have a few shops down there that Vidin do not have (yet) Namely Lidl & Billa. So we were happily driving along – when around a bend we see a couple of police cars (Полиция) Yup we had fallen foul of a speed trap. So P. went out to speak to the police man – well no, they did not speak English & we have yet to learn Bulgarian! So after 20-30 mins after they looked at P’s passport & driving licence he was told to sign a hand written form – all in Cyrillic so no idea what he was signing! So we slowly drove into Montana. All I was allowed to do after this was visit Lidl – so I got some groceries & found slippers to fit me (had to get men’s slippers tho in size 42) & got a pair is size 45 for P. I had secretly hoped I would find some yummy decent cheese – but nope Gouda had to do! I did get some chocolate – no dairy milk tho! Really missing my favourite chocolate! Milka will just have to do! So we went home P. was not in a good mood! My man is a classic worrier! So the worry started! Would he get arrested? Or have his licence taken away? We had arguments about if that happened P. would be off home to get a new licence! A fun night for me! Thankfully we were meeting N & T for breakfast at Champions – nice bar, nice food, good coffee, lovely helpful friends! So after our usually club sandwich & 8 coffees/tea 2 beers & some coke Lite! I was being good (sort of!) T had to go to the dentist so N dropped her off & we stayed in Champions waiting for her. So the piece of paper the cops had given P. was shown to every Bulgarian in the place – the staff are lovely & speak some English! We were told to go to the post bank & pay a fine. So off we went once T. was back from the dentist. We paid the massive bill of: 32leva Bloody good price!!! Would not get that in the UK. At the post bank they could not make head nor tail of the bill so sent us to another bank. We did not understand the directions so a bank official showed us the way! No way would you get that in the UK! At the second bank – they explained the police have to send you a bill, so here was a problem the police did not take our address. So we went into the police station in Vidin, they told us Montana & sent us on our way! So went & looked around the market & P. went into the one with car accessories as the chap in there speaks good English. His advice was to avoid Montana & forget about it! So that is what we are doing! After this we all went back to N & T’s as they were making us dinner – we had a lovely time – the stew was yummy as were the Yorkshire puds! A yummy dessert of apple strudel finished the meal. Then we went home. Holy crap whilst we were out the outside tap had burst & we had a fountain in the garden! CRAP, CRAP & CRAP! P. Does electrics – he is not a plumber! Poor N got a frantic phone call & gave us some advice – open the inspection pit & close of the valve! – Pit was flooded! Fun! So all P. could do was put his arm down & turn off all the water! We would see in the morning what we could do! So we did not light a fire we just went to bed after that! The next morning thankfully the pit had emptied over night (good drainage here!) So we could now see that the outside tap was on a second valve – it was snapped off but our trusty multi tool did the job! It needs to be repaired but our employer can do that when she returns. So no fountain & we have water in the house YAY! & Yes I did remember to turn off the water heater!
I really should update the blog more often as I have forgotten half of what we have done! Vague things I can remember are its snowed: We have seen some wonderful birds in the garden! Woodpeckers in the garden like WOW! Hawks everywhere! I hope to get some photos of birds once the better weather is here. My puppy is a lunatic who collects rubbish from the garden & delivers then to the front door! His favourite toys are the old mop, a fleecy blanket he found in the garden, a towel I gave him to sleep on! Basically if Spike can pick it up he does!!!! He destroys all the toys I give him & finds his own toys!
Snow Puppy!
We again met N & T in Vidin, they took us to the pet shop, lev shop (think pound shop) & a nice coffee shop for cake! We like cake! Well N, T & I do! P not so much. Strange man! My man is more into savoury foods! I found a lovely collar for Spike – & a lead, water bowl, toys & cat food all for under 40 leva. Good deal I thought! Now to teach Spike to walk on the lead – I will leave this till after the snow has gone! Not easy to walk in a foot of snow!
Sunday the 23rd we started to have problems with the fire. The smoke was so bad in the room it was getting dangerous! I was getting bad headaches & was even seeing things at one stage! SCARY! I am not that bonkers yet! Give it another 2-5 years with P & I will be at that stage…. So after some advice we were told to take the pipes down & clean them! N lent us his brush thingy & P went into Vidin to get some drugs (the legal kind) for me, & cleaning supplies etc. So once home we started to take the pipes down – cue much swearing & anger from both of us!! So we get down what we can, clean as best as we can – clean the vertical section in the hall that we could not get down. With no chairs or ladders it was hard to do much!!! Now we put the pipes back. it a fire & YAY it worked no smoke! I was happy P was happy – he even helped me to re-arrange the room & bring in the chest of drawers to pop the telly on. The room looked good, the room smelled good! It was clean & tidy (for once, I am not a domestic goddess! A baking goddess maybe but not a cleaning or tidying one!) So Tuesday got the fire going, it was a sunny cold wind less day. The room started to smoke again! Now at this stage I was in tears refused to come into the living room & hid in the bed! I was all set to say fuck it & pack up & head home! I was tired of this crap & cranky! I wanted my folks, my cats, my bed etc. but now the dilemma, what would I do with Spike? That puppy has stolen a chunk of my heart! I could not leave him! So with the fire out, it got cold! I was wrapped up in my coat, gloves & cuddled UNDER my feather duvet! Also I had the 4 cats around me! Some under the duvet as well – the poor creatures were feeling the –10°C I was so very cold, we then spoke on skype with N&T & were meeting for lunch. So we followed them into Vidin from their village of Dunavtsi. We went to a lovely restaurant called Zodiac – N, P & I all had the same dish of a pork steak, with bacon, mushrooms & oddly picked onions! With chips, T had a healthier chicken & rice dish. The boys had beer T & I had pepsi Lite & for dessert this amazing rich dark chocolate mouse cake – OMG divine! So rich so smooth so sumptuous! One of the nicest cakes I have eaten! I wonder if I can find a recipe & see if I can make something as sumptuous? Hmm another thing to add to my to do list! So we told N&T all of our woes about the wretched fire! So they said N would come up with a local Bulgarian man to see what they could do! Well in the end N&T came up – I make coffee & sat chatting with T & the men got on with the job at hand! Much cursing & moaning went on! The pipe was too short – bent & not fitted into the wall correctly – a few hours, some knocking about of the wall – some added pipes, some sealant, some angle grinding & we have straight pipes that do not leak smoke & black crap into the air!! OMG the fire DRAWS! Smoke goes up the chimney & not into this room! That’s it I totally owe N&T big time! We paid for the pipes, petrol money & a few leva for N’s time! I also knocked together some lunch – very simple sausage & cheese with bread & crisps with a yummy cheese dip. So cue a much happier ME! The house has taken a few days to totally warm up – the cats are happier! P is happy I am happy! Now all we need to do is buy 4 cubes of wood to see us through the rest of the winter! So we need 4 cubes that have been cut & split into fire sized pieces – for this we are happy to pay more money!
Dirty nasty horrid MESS!
Friday 28th
I was supposed to spend the day with T whilst P & N took our car into be worked on! Sadly I was suffering with an upset tummy! Always make sure the chicken you are eating is fully cooked! I thought it tasted odd so cooked the dish for another 25 mins! Sadly I had eaten enough to make me feel wretched. Still the boys had a good time! Sadly the car needed a part to be ordered – so had to come back on the 29th.
Saturday 29th
P & I took the car into be fixed, the master cylinder needed to be changed (something to do with the brakes) I do not understand cars! & Honestly do not care how they work as long as they do! So N&T picked us up & we all went to Champions to meet P&L who are Spikes former owners. Then M turned up as well as 2 Bulgarians whose names I do not remember although one was very cute! Wish I were a tad younger & much trimmer of figure. So another nice breakfast of club sandwich & many coffees! Then a few bits in Kaufland including my new wireless keyboard & mouse! This keyboard has Cyrillic on it – very confusing lol!
So that is all for now – hopefully this week will be full of fun things! & more frequent blog posts! This was supposed to be a way I could get my family caught up in the new adventure here in Bulgaria! I will try to be better lol!
Here are a few photos of some statues that are on the Vidin road between both turn offs for Makresh. No idea what they are for, I will need to do some research to find out!
Final few pictures – wolf dog that lives in Makresh – we think its a dog! & to finish ORANGES Well some segments! Yes I am still addicted!
Bulgarian Adventure 