Week 51

Despite the beautiful weather outside today, it is blog time again so here goes....

Monday we take the dogs for their annual vaccinations in Popovo. We were a bit apprehensive as we did not know what to expect or how our dogs would react to the vets. However we need not have worried as the vets were lovely and the dogs both behaved themselves. The only strange thing being that an operation was being performed on a dog in the waiting room! But everything was spotless and cost a quarter of what it would in the UK. When we got home we took the dogs for a walk around the village as it was such a lovely day, but with all this mornings excitement they were soon exhausted. The afternoon clouded over so Pammi got on with her knitting whilst I started to advertise the campsite which we hope to have up and running for next year. We have some great walks, cycle routes, bird watching and fishing here so I am advertising on as many of these forums as possible. That done it was early evening so we had our meal then settled down to watch a film.

Autumn is here

Tuesday is another beautiful day so Pammi and I decide to go for a walk. But we did not get far before K&C called to say their van had broken down and could I help. So a quick trip to the garage in Opaka and someone would come to look at the van later today. As is always the case, K&C had real need of the van today as they had to pick up some packages from Popovo, so off we went. Errands soon ran we were back home. Pammi and I resumed our walk and completed the walk that we had cut short when E&A were here. We found an amazing stone cross in a field which was dated 1909. I have posted on our village forum for information about it as it would be great to know the story behind it. Today was so warm we were able to eat our lunch outside before I washed the car and Pammi meditated, then knitted again. 

Love to know the history behind this cross

Awesome clouds

After about an hour the lane ends at a huge field

Wednesday we go to Ruse as Pammi wants some new shoes and it is a good excuse to catch up with Moni and Zo. So after putting the world to rights with Moni and Zo we go shopping. It is quite cold today so don't hang around too long. As usual though by the time we get home the afternoon is nearly over and I have to take K to collect his van from the garage later. Another chilly evening so another film and knitting night.

Thursday the weather is chilly but bright and we plan to be in the garden all day today. After her meditation and daily chores Pammi gets on with tidying the kitchen garden whilst I strim the dog area in the top land. Typically I run out of petrol with about two meters left to strim so another trip to the gas station at Opaka. The up side of strimming that land is that there are walnut trees up there so we get a good sack full of fallen nuts that were hidden under the leaves and tall grass. The dogs come up and play for a while, trying to find walnuts as they have both developed a taste for them. Pammi and I then enjoy an vodka sat at the top bench and just look out over the village whilst the dogs chase each other and eat yet more walnuts. You can train dogs to do almost anything so maybe we should nurture their walnut finding skills to earn us some money. Nearly every house has their fire lit, there are many bonfires where residents are burning leaves and garden debris whilst elsewhere we can see people chopping wood. 

Would have been safer with the visor down then I would not have cut my nose with flying debris!!

All neat and tidy again

View over the village. This land needs clearing again though.

Todays harvest of walnuts drying in the sun

Friday Pammi wants to do a deep clean of the house. Also there is a steam train coming to Ruse from Varna to celebrate 150 years of the railway. It is a 1942 steam train built in Germany and they are charging 1942 prices to ride on it. The main celebration day is tomorrow in Ruse but the train is supposed to be passing through today on its way to Varna. So camera in hand off I go but as it turns out the train is not coming today. At least I was not the only person waiting for its arrival but we still left with no photo's. Home again we have lunch of potato and leek soup in the courtyard before Pammi continues in the kitchen garden and I strim the lane. Baba B comes out and gives me a bottle of her wine for doing her grass which we will save for a special occasion as her wine is gorgeous. Last job of the day is to service and clean our cycles for tomorrows adventure. Everything adjusted, oiled, cleaned and inflated we are as ready as will ever be. It is quite late by the time we finish so indoors for tea and an evening on the settee.

Beetroot in the kitchen garden

Last of the lettuces

Saturday is a bit cooler but perfect for our planned cycle ride today. We intend to cycle to Opaka, only about 22kms but as we have not cycled for over 12 months this may hurt. A lot. But the incentive is a nice meal and glass of beer at the restaurant there. After breakfast we set off, slowly. The route is mainly uphill with the odd glorious downhill section that we are extremely grateful for. It was amazing how much more we saw and noticed things we had never seen before although we have driven this route hundreds of times. Everybody either stopped and stared at the crazy English people or wished us a good day, but we make it alive and without the need for oxygen. We cycled triumphantly into Opaka town, parked our bikes in the restaurant garden and dismounted, salivating at the thought of our first cold beer and the meal to come. But this is Bulgaria and as we all know our plans never quite work out. A member of staff comes out to tell us the restaurant is closed today! NOOOOOO. Plan B then is to go to the supermarket buy some bread and beer and have a picnic in the village square. It was lovely and sunny and warm and we sat eating watching the world go by. The only downside for us being that a pastry I bought was full of meat so a stray dog had a lovely breakfast for once. The beer was cold though. Picnic over we cycled home again which seemed to take no time at all and we both arrived in one piece without any medical assistance. Coming through our gate the walls of the house were covered in ladybirds, we had never seen such a huge mass of them before. A quick google search told us that as the temperatures change the ladybirds seek the aphids out to eat and are attracted to light coloured houses. It was just like a plague but they are harmless to humans so we just let them be. Pammi, the dogs and I all went to the top land collecting walnuts again and to watch the village for a while in the hope that the ladybirds would all be gone soon. But it would be dark before all they left. Over dinner tonight we decide that next spring we will get a couple of goats so that we can make our own cheese. Efan is the man to talk to about this so that is another job for next week after a bit of internet research to see what we would be letting ourselves in for.

Pedal faster Mary Poppins!!

Picnic in the village square

The ladybirds start to mass on the walls and windows. 

There were thousands of them but only on the sun facing walls

Sunday all the ladybirds are gone, we have a lazy breakfast in the courtyard then coffee up the top land as it is a beautiful day. The dogs help us collect walnuts, well they eat a few whilst we bag the rest. Next is wine duty, every day we must stir our wine to aid its fermentation and we have covered the vats in blankets to keep them warm. We have a taste but it is a bit sweet for our liking, although it is a lovely deep red colour. We will get Baba B to take a look tomorrow and tell us what we are doing wrong. The rest of the morning Pammi spends making a pumpkin pie for lunch whilst I write the blog and the dogs sunbathe. This afternoon we took a stroll around the village before chilling out in the garden.

Opaka square

Cooked Sunday breakfast aided by Maizi and Marple

Well that is it for so far today. Next week we have been here for exactly a year, where has that time gone??

Take care all and have a great week.