A Little Change

A little change from the norm ,I don't want you to get too board so here we have different forms of agricultural transport "like the rotivator come tractor come anything you want!!!!!"

The Bulgarian Gypsy

Lots of thing have been said about the Bulgarian Gypsy most are bad,on this I cannot comment having had no dealings with them .With me it is

a case of live and let live they do there thing going round the tips collecting anything that will make a few stotti,s which is a service to the people who throw things especially PLASTIC everywhere,GOD I HATE PLASTIC!!!!the worst invention and totally indestructible even burnt it leaves a mass of mess and of course pollutes the air,well I'm sorry but if its a choice between burn or tip (and here there is little choice I'm for the burning bin!Yes in Bulgarian society the Gypsy has his or her place.

The Van.(15 Nov 2007)

The strangest an most annoying thing this month has been the van which up to now has been totally faultless ,anyway last week the oil light started to come on when the van was turned off very odd.Then when the ignition was off and the keys out it started up,and because it was in gear set off up the garden,luck had it David was still in and managed to stall it but only because the battery went flat.After taking it off we rang the RAC which be prepared don't expect much help abroad not without a fit!!!Eventually the sent a truck to take it to the garage.Off they went David and van .At the garage they sort of checked it, put a new battery on (not the problem)charged 160lv and said ok.David all smiles returned and parked up no problem,then we decided to put the van in the drive and yes you guest it wouldn't turn off.David decided to run round the block hopping it would help,well faithful dog and me waited,and waited,then round the corner came a mad man totally breathless shouting for a fire extinguisher off he went me following after locking dog in house.As I arrived watched by crowds of bemused villagers Mike and Sonni pulled up we found David looking in the engine poor van she smelt very hot and unwell,starter motor shot!After been towed home Sonni said she would ring the garage and David rand the RAC! again in a more than harrest mood.So now we are van less and waiting for a hire car.

On a lighter note I went round to Baba Dinkers and she showed me the art of bottling pears, from our tree's cutting them up into jars with sugar and water we had a good conversation what about I've no idea who cares!

Yambol.

A few events since my last entry,Toni our interpreter from the company we bought the house from took us to register with the police which you must do within the first month .What a going on you need a bank account,to get a bank reference for the police,passports ,driving licence,then you find there shut for lunch .God!it took all afternoon.

Still no more windows or wood for winter nothing arrives on time.We've met some new Neighbours Mick who's Irish and Sonni who's Bulgarian seen nice have offered to take us round Yambol and help with the language if ness,they are having a house renovated and have an apartment in Yambol.Where not 100% sure about them what a suspicious lot we Brits are,but better to be safe than sorry we shall see.(please note registering with the police and certain other Bulgarian red tape has chanced since 2007 when I first wrote this diary thanks)

Moo!!

These are the local cow population, Tarnava only has around 20 milking cows which are put into calf each year (artificially inseminated)if you don't know what this means think birds and bee's.Don't think I need to say what happens to the calf's.

CELEBRATIONS!!!!!!!!!!

Celebrations!!!with my fingers crossed behind my back I can say this will been the last load of stones and sand for the dreaded concrete.Mr sand man has been lovely,brought David a bottle of raki the local version of whisky(sort of)but I'm glad he isn't bringing any more.You may think we have nearly finished but this lorry is delivering at least a ton of each will keep us going a while (me thinks)wish us look people!!!

Horse Play!!!

This is my favorite horse mind you I like all horses ,but he has so much spirit and give the poor old lad and lass a real run around,always getting away from his

tether.

The little donkey is his mate,they like nothing more than a chase around the field making a heck of a racket.

This picture is my favorite David took it and just caught the action,brilliant!!!!

Time to rest after the run around,all he is waiting for now is the Boss to catch him(think he's boss really)

4th Nov Anniversary.

Its a very special day our 35th wedding anniversary!!!not that we remembered until late morning .Lubo (the Hunter0 had arranged for a friend

to give us an estimate for windows and being happy with price etc we were waiting for there arrival little did we know what was in store for us.We waited and waited and then finally there here yippie!!!oh 2 windows 1 door bugger,things are slightly lapidaisy here.Anyway Ivan alias Ivan the (bastardizer)excuse the french started to unload from you guessed it a LADA? with Davids help cos he must have been 60 or so with amusement I watched as the Master of the aluminium window and his new assistant set to work,not that David or I had in mind funny old world this Bulgaria.During the weeks that followed the rest of the windows arrived ,but not before we had started to cut wood for winter the windows were in the house still waiting Ivan was no were to be seen.

Just a normal day.

Every morning See's the same routine,first the sound of a bell as the lead goat wanders alone followed by a heard of goats and sheep and an old Shepperd chatting to them.Out side our house is a track where all the animals meet before the herdsman takes them into the fields for the day.

Then the cows arrive herded by Villu (driver)to us because we mimic driving the van and point to the cows"da da da"!we have a great laugh with him he is also village security for the foreign owners of holiday homes.Today baba Dinka calls with some milk for us( goats milk an acquired taste)after the usual understandable chat about our fig tree i think,David puts his hand into the tree and produces an orange the old lass nearly had a fit she found it very amusing it was one of those unforgettable moments.After the visit we set off to Yambol which brought us down to earth with a bump!as we Arrived in Chargan the next village to Tarnava a large pig was in the process of becoming Sunday lunch etc this you have to except as part of village life animals are for food most seem well kept during there short life some consolation maybe.Them as we returned home a goat was in the same unfortunate predicament.No I'm afraid I couldn't keep a goat take it out to grass talk to it pet it then eat it! not me not me at all(but you never know given the circumstance's.

School's Out

All the little kids returning from school.

8 pm in summer,4pm in winter,the goats come home from there day grassing the hills and forests around Tarnava.

What a funny sight, they wait for there owners to arrive and after getting a tit bit hope,jump,and skip there was home.They are my true favorites and I'd love to keep them unfortunately they are food animals so being me I'd end up with loads!!!!!!!

The House.

This is me not very flattering never mind, sweeping ready to plasterboard.

Today I though you might like to see some project pictures of the house in its shall we say raw state these pictures show the upstairs.

The ceiling rafters had to be put in and some brick work had to be done ,before the plasterboard was put into position.

Jaz making a new home.

The cows on there way home.

The poor cat wishing he was home.

A Day Out In LYULIN

This is an old Chapel we found yesterday ,we decided to have a break and a ride out .Lyulin is a village 20 or so minutes from Tarnava,it has a couple of shops, park,and village hall.

These pictures are of the little chapel you can still see some of the religious paintings on the walls.

I think it must have been lovely years ago but like most of the villages ,the young people move on for work and the money goes too sad .

Mans best Friend ?

The hardes thing about Bulgaria is the total lack of concern for Mans so called best friend.The Dog is the lowest of low and not really cared for or liked very much.The lack of knowledge and pure ignorance has lead to this poor creature starving and in the worst cases forming dangerous packs.It is a vicious circle with no reel intervention from the government dogs reproduce at a pretty fast rate you can imagine the consequences.With few exceptions they live a pretty poor existence and I for one love dogs but understand a dog is not for everyone ,it is the hardest thing by far for me to deal with and as winter approaches I know I am going to struggle ,but not as much as Mans Best Friend!!!!!!

Work! Work! Work!

Here we have two professional navvies at work and you thought if was a picnic WRONG!!!!