62.5

This week has been hot hot hot - hitting 40 degrees on a couple of days. We've been trying to keep up working a bit but it has just been too outrageously hot to move! Pete's dad has been staying with us too, which has been fantastic!

 

Tuesday 14th - Charley's birthday!

Typically (as it was Charley's birthday AND we had guests arriving) it was forecast to storm today. But when we woke up, after a bit of a lie in, there was no sign of it at all and it was a beautiful sunny morning. We had a lazy morning, made a big breakfast and gave Char the few presents we'd bought/had been sent in the post.

Bday breakfast

 

After chilling out and clearing up we got ready to go for a walk - we decided to risk it storming as it was so nice. We wanted to head to a lake (birthday tradition) but decided to head for Spasovo lake instead as the walk there was through lavender fields and we hadn't been there yet this year. To save time we drove out of the village and parked on the edge of the lavender before starting the short, but very pretty, walk to the lake. There were a few clouds around but the sun was holding out and by the time we were at the lake we were boiling - so it was straight in for a swim. The boys swam to the other side whilst I made some sandwiches and then we ate a bit of lunch and relaxed in the sunshine.

Birthday boy!

 

After another dip and some more chilling we packed up and decided to walk around the lake and see if we could do a full circle. The other side was beautiful with gorgeous wild flowers meadows and we followed it almost the whole way around but the track came to a dead end. It was at this point the clouds opened up and there was a torrential downpour! We covered ourselves with towels, turned around and walked back the way we'd come - the rain looked absolutely amazing on the lake. Anyway it only lasted about 10 minutes and by the time we were back round to where we'd started it was gone and the sun was shining again. The only thing was that it was a very muddy walk back to the van which was difficult to do in flip flops - so we ended up walking home barefoot! It was a really good walk actually!

Storm abrewing

RAIN!

Muddy feet!

 

When we got home there was just time for a quick rinse and then we all set off to Chirpan train station to pick up Pete's dad (Kenneth.) He arrived fine and after a quick stop for some beer it was back home for a lovely evening outside. Pete had already prepared dinner which he then cooked over the fire and I made Charley a birthday cake so he had a candle to blow out and we sung 'happy birthday'! We ended up staying up quite late chatting around the fire.  

Brother and sister waiting at the train station

 Wednesday 15th

 

Another mellow morning - everyday this week it has been getting hotter than 20 degrees even by 10am which is fantastic - I am not complaining - but it does mean that you already feel hot and have no energy even when you wake up!! Anyway, Kenneth wanted to go out for a walk in the lavender fields and Charley decided to join him. Me and Pete had a few bits to do around the garden so we stayed at home and did some weeding and planting out veggies etc. Pete also had a look at the lawn mower which has broken again (this time leaking petrol) but was unable to fix it, so we have to take it to the shop when we have time. The veg garden is really kicking off at the moment and we harvested courgettes, carrots, broad beans and peas (the peas are too nice to eat whole so none of them have actually made it to the kitchen yet!)

 

Lucy!

Late tomatoes ready to plant out

Big courgette

Had to hand pick all these little buggers off the broccolis

 

Charley and Kenneth got home at about 2 o'clock - the walk had been longer than expected as K had dropped his glasses and they had to go back and do the walk again! We had lunch of fresh veg from the garden and then spent the rest of the afternoon pottering about and being too hot. Me and Pete got a few planks of wood up onto the fence posts, using the last of the wood we had in the barn. Charley finished whittling the axe handle he'd started a while ago and made it fit perfectly - it looks great!

Baby courgettes and carrots and chard from the garden

 

Starting to make the fence

 

Whittled axe handle

 

At about 5 we all got cleaned up and ready for a quick trip out to Chirpan as we needed to take the pets to the vets to get an 'anti-baby' injection (we get these every six months for only 12 lev per animal.) We were all ready to go, the dog was on the lead and we called for Bilko but she was no where to be seen. We called her for a good 10 minutes but she'd obviously decided to take herself out for an evening stroll! Annoying! We had a G & T and waited another hour but there was still no sign of her so we gave up and decided just to go for a drink at the local bar instead - why not!? We stayed for a couple of beers and by the time we were home it was dark so we had a meze style dinner of salad and meats and stayed up again until late. Tonight was the first night this year that we sat up all evening in just shorts and t-shirts and it was so warm and lovely - it felt like we were on holiday!

 

Beer at the bar

Thursday 16th

 

Another scorching day but we'd arranged to go to SZ to do a massive shopping spree for stuff for the toilet block. Kenneth came with us whilst Charley stayed at home and had a chilled day. The trip was successful - we got almost everything we needed including a shower, basins, plumbing bits etc. We were also going to buy a solar panel but at the last minute we decided we couldn't really afford it and have chosen instead to attempt to make our own - so we'll see how that goes.

 

It was already late in the afternoon by the time we got home so we just took Lucy out for a walk and had dinner. We ended up have a chilled and early night as we were all knackered from the heat and the last two late nights.

 

Potatoes are coming!

Friday 17th

 

Market morning and we were up early as it was set to be yet another hot hot day and we had plans to go out in the afternoon. Kenneth stayed at home - he did some weeding and prepared a packed lunch - whilst me, Pete and Char went out and did the big food shop.

 

We were back in record time and had unpacked the shopping and were ready to go out just after midday. The area we were aiming for was the river we had discovered a few months ago that is just outside SZ. We got there after 45 minutes or so of driving and we all got straight into the river after a very hot journey. The water looked murky but it was only because of the sandy bed and it was lovely and refreshing. We all had a little walk up the river and found two small pool areas that were very pretty - it looked almost tropical with the tree roots showing and the rocky outcrops. We then went back and had a picnic on the grassy bank and once we'd eaten and relaxed for a while me and Charley decided to go for another walk up the river. We went further than we'd gone with the others and had to climb over several fallen trees and wade through slightly deeper waters. We then turned another corner and saw that the water suddenly stopped and fell away - we'd found a waterfall! It was in the stone and was absolutely gorgeous with small pools underneath. There were two people there who showed us where the road was, so we climbed up to the road and walked back (about 1 minute) to get Pete and Kenneth.

 

Picnic spot

In the river

Off for an explore...

We left all our stuff on the bank and all four of us walked up the river to find the waterfall. We then hung out there for a while - getting into the pools at the bottom of the waterfall which were like a Jacuzzi (but cold!) It was so fun! When we'd had enough we all walked back to our picnic area and chilled out for the rest of the afternoon.

 

Gorgeous waterfall!

Pools under the waterfall

Walk back to the road

Lovely area

 

Back home we had a BBQ and another long, hot summers evening. Fab day!

 

Charley chilling in the garden

Saturday 18th

 

After a few days off (which has been amazing) we thought we'd better get back to doing some work today! We had a nice brekkie and then got ourselves organised with jobs - Pete and Charley were up in the toilet block fitting the sinks and Kenneth and I were down in the garden fitting a new water pipe in that will lead to the toilet block. Eventually we will dig a trench and put this pipe underground but, in the interest of getting the loo block up and running quickly, we've decided to just lay it over ground for now. Kenneth and I got our work done quite quickly but Pete and Char were having problems as the shop had sold us the wrong bits for fitting the sinks to the wall - grr!

 

Frustrating work trying to fit the sinks

 

New pipe running along the front of the barn, protected with old tiles

 

So, after a coffee break, Pete and I went back up to the loo block to fit hooks and shelves in the showers instead. We then spent the afternoon doing various bits and pieces - I harvested broad beans and ALL the beetroots that were ready - which was a lot - and other gardening stuff. Pete and Kenneth set up an outdoor shower that we'd bought in SZ (it was a bargain!) - it just connects to the hose pipe and has been incredible for cold showers during the day to cool off. Kenneth and Char also strimmed and cleared the front of the house which needed doing and looks great!

 

Shower head on (not plumbed in)

Shelf for toiletries

 

Homemade hook rail

 

A zhillion beetroots!

Broad beans

 

New outdoor shower under the vine trellis

 

After a long day working in the heat we all got cleaned up and headed out for dinner in Chirpan. We went to the same restaurant we'd gone with our friends as the food was great and it had a great atmosphere. This evening it was completely full and we only just managed to get a table as someone left. It was another lovely evening.

 

The boys about to go out to eat (and the front of the house all cleared)

MASSIVE BUG - that is a 20p!

Sunday 19th

 

After breakfast this morning me and Pete headed out to Chirpan to do a quick shop for plumbing bits so we could get the sinks and shower plumbed in in the toilet block. We weren't out too long and when we came back me and Charley set to work on getting the sinks on properly and doing the plumbing. Whist we were doing that Pete was in the kitchen making a huge batch of beetroot soup (which we ate for lunch and froze the rest) and preserving the smaller beetroots that we'd harvested yesterday. Kenneth had set himself the task of finishing another gabion to clear more stone from around the house. We already had the metal frame made up and he did a great job of filling it with stone - which also involved digging out some of the stone, which is hard work in the heat.

 

Kenneth working hard on the gabion

And it's nearly finished

Beetroot soup with poached egg for lunch, yum

 

Me and Charley managed to get both sinks attached securely and all plumbed in. We didn't have the right parts for the shower so that will have to wait. It took us all day anyway to get the sinks done and we were very happy that there were NO LEAKS when we finally turned on the stop tap!! Yay!

 

Water plumbed in and not leaking

 

Using the sinks

 

To celebrate Pete blended a whole watermelon and filled it with gin so we could have cocktails! How extravagant! In the evening Charley cooked us a yummy biryani and then we spent the evening playing Scrabble and drinking more cocktails.

 

Watermelon with gin

 

Scrabble night

Monday 20th

 

It was already Kenneth's last day here with us so we wanted to go for a big walk. We faffed around a bit in the morning doing odd jobs - me and Pete went down the road to do a bit of gardening and Kenneth did the finishing touches on the gabion. We then packed up a lunch and set off for a walk - heading, in a round about way, to the lake we'd gone to on Charley's birthday.  

 

We first went a long way round the lavender fields near our house and then headed up and towards the road, which we needed to cross to get to the lake. The walk was stunning and involved a bit of off-roading, which was even more fun! We'd already been walking for over an hour and a half when we got to the road, which we crossed over and were on the last leg to the lake. As we were walking we approached a group of bee hives - which is not unusual in this area as every other person keeps bees and we've never had a problem. But as we were walking past I got a sting on my neck, then Pete got a sting too and we realised they were not happy about us being there so we needed to run. It was one of the most scary things ever - we were running down the track, through the lavender, with a huge swarm of bees chasing us and trying to sting us over and over again! I was screaming ALOT!!! Eventually we got far enough away that they calmed down and luckily we all came out with only a few stings. We walked very quickly to the lake, luckily not too far away, where we could all chill out and be pleased we'd got out alive! None of us were damaged actually, except Charley's eye started to swell up after swimming in the lake.

 

We found a homemade hunting seat in one of the trees

 

Eye starting to swell up

 

After an hour or so at the lake, including having some sandwiches, we headed off again in the direction of home. Thankfully we didn't pass any more hives, but we went a different way back to the village which took another 2 hours and was another lovely walk. As you can imagine we were absolutely knackered by the time we were home so we got an ice-cream at the shop at went home for a lie down!

 

 

In the evening it was more of enjoying the warmth and a lovely dinner, but an earlyish night as we had an early start the next day.

 

Tuesday 21st

 

The alarm went off this morning at 5.30 and we were all up for coffee before heading to the train station at 6.15. Kenneth was going home after a couple of days in Sofia, which Pete was joining him for - so me and Charley saw them both off on the train and then headed back into town to go to the builders merchants. We first stopped for a coffee to wait for the shop to open and then once we'd done shopping there we got some breakfast and hung out in the park until the other shops opened at 9. We dropped the mower off  at the services and then headed home to start working.

 

Nigella and Nasturtiums both grown from seed - happy days!

We started first with fixing a leak on the outside tap, which is now finally finished and looks great. The drainage is working and the watercress is well on its way!

 

Outside tap finished

 

Watercress appearing

We then went up to the toilet block and managed to get the shower all plumbed in, so now it is working. Amazingly the water is boiling just because we've left the coil of water pipe out in the sun - so that has given us hope for the solar panels we want to make. We then moved on to sorting out the wastage pipes, but we found we didn't have the right bits (obviously!) so instead Charley screwed in all the locks for the doors and more hooks we'd bought. He then went to do some working on the compost bin and sorting out a shaded area for the chickens, whilst I grouted the tiles in the shower cubicles.

 

Shower!

 

Cold feed for the shower is in!

We will be locking the cubicles that aren't currently in use

Locks inside

Grouted tiles

 

Then at about 4.30 we got ready to go to Chirpan to buy the parts we needed to finish this bloody plumbing! We decided to kill two birds and took the pets with us to take them to the vet for their injections (the vet is only open from 5pm.) We successfully got all plumbing bits and the pets done before heading back home for BBQ and an evening of enjoying the summer solstice and the gorgeous full moon.

 

Bilko enjoying the car journey

 

Kebabs for dinner

Full moon rising

 

Update on Charley's eye: it got even bigger today and looked a bit scary. My stings were also swelling and itching though, so we weren't too worried.

 

Wednesday 22nd

 

After such a long day we had a bit of a lie today and a lazy morning doing a bit of pottering about and giving the house a spring clean. Charley has now moved in to the house from his tent and as we have no other guest coming he can finally move in properly and has packed up the tent. Once the house was looking good we mustered up the energy (it is sooo hot that this is more difficult than it sounds!) to go and finish the wastage pipes on the toilet block. A couple of hours later and we have a fully functioning shower and two basin! Hooray! There are still a couple of leaks from the drain that we bought (not our fault!) but they can be dealt with later.

 

We did a few more bits and bobs and then, at about 4, decided it was too hot to do anything so we got in the van and drove out to the local swimming pool. We spent a couple of hours there cooling off in the water and chilling out in the shade.

 

 

At about 6 we came back home and did an hour or so of weeding in the veg garden whilst drinking a beer. This was a good time for working as it was slightly cooler - although still pretty warm. We ended up having dinner at about 9.30, when it was starting to get dark, and then had a night inside watching comedy as we were both pretty tired.

 

Bilko is chilling too

Evening weed

 

Charley's eye update: starting to go down - relief!

 

Thursday 23rd

 

We had a bit of a lie in again this morning and then when we were up I was straight into the veg garden to harvest the two huge lettuces that we had accidently let bolt. I took them to the kitchen to make lettuce soup - I know, it sounds delicious! I have never eaten this before but had read that it was a good use of bolted salad leaves, so thought I'd give it a go. As it turned out it was quite nice. I also prepared a big bag of apricots (that we'd bought) ready to make jam. Whilst I did that Charley was in the garden trimming back the vines and making our vine trellis look lovely. By the time we'd done that there was enough time to do a quick hoover and then head out to Chirpan to do a small shop and pick up Pete from the train station.

 

Massive bolted lettuce

 

We got Pete - who, by the way, had had an amazing time in Sofia and has stocked up on cous cous, saffron and other exotic spices from the Turkish quarter. Back home we had lunch (lettuce soup) and then relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. Charley took Lucy out for a walk and I have written the blog. We had a small BBQ and I made the delicious Bulgarian dish of fried courgettes in garlic yoghurt.

 

Lettuce suoup

Bulgarian style dinner

 

Thanks for reading everyone! xx