August '17

Well, hello strangers! (If anyone is still out there!)

Firstly - thanks to everyone who has been checking in on the blog and letting me know that you still want to read it! I do apologise for not responding. You might be pleased to know that we have not fallen off the face of the Earth! A combination of laziness, busyness, a breaking camera and being in the UK for two months has meant I haven't blogged for over FIVE MONTHS! Wowza! 

I plan to blog at least monthly during 2018 - probably more of a photo record of our work than ramblings about the lovely times we're having with friends and family.

As previously mentioned, my camera was on the blink by the end of last year so the small amount of photos that I do have are not particularly great quality, which is a shame as I am counting on them to remember what we did. Anyway, let's see what happens and get started where we left off...

End of July (!!!!)

So, of course the veggies kept coming. By now it was so hot and dry that only the tomatoes and chilies were really flourishing. As well as the herbs and fruit on the trees. We decided to have a go at making elderberry and plum wine (two separate drinks.) Unfortunately the elderberries went mouldy, but the plum wine is in waiting and should be ready this summer.

Summer harvest

Making elderberry wine

Washing plums

Oh, how I miss these fresh summer salads

Work-wise we were preparing upstairs for it's make over and plodding along with getting the windows and doors painted on the outside (one of the only jobs that wasn't too unbearable in the heat.) We emptied the 'horrible room' and tried to move most things out to the barn - only keep what was necessary in the house. We ended up creating a builders shed-cum-food storage in the upstairs room (gross.)

Preparing the windows for painting

Mmmm, what shall we have for dinner?

Lucy enjoying a walk on an overcast day

We still haven't missed a week at the market!

One evening we went to the opera in Plovdiv's Ancient Theater. We saw Aida by Verdi. The show was really good (luckily with English subtitles) and the location, watching the sunset over the Rhodopes, was truly epic! I have to say the stone seats were not the comfiest after 3 hours but it was a great experience ... and all for about £10, if I remember rightly! 

Beautiful sunset view

End of the show

 August

Evening walkies

Fresh tomatoes and basil e'ry day!

Walnut orchard in the setting sun

Walking with Bilko

Getting there with the windows and doors

My parents came over for a long weekend, in August, and we went to the coast for a couple of days. We explored Beglik Tash and a few beaches in the south and then stayed in an amazing, luxury hotel in Sozopol. 

We managed to find a couple of lovely beaches that weren't too busy, even in August (we also looked into Primorsko which was hideous and completely overflowing with tourists), and it was nice for Mum and Dad to see another side of Bulgaria. It was also so good for us to see the sea and eat some yummy seafood!

Discovering pretty beaches

Rooftop pool at the hotel! :-O 

Sozopol town by night

Morning view from the pool

Back at home, after Mum and Dad had gone, it was down to business and we started work on the upstairs hallway and larder. This began with the horrible, messy job of removing all the old plaster (a combination of clay, straw and lime plaster) from the walls and then removing the walls themselves.

We started by opening up the 'horrible room'. This was relatively simple as the stones just fill the gaps between the timbers, which are supporting the ceiling beams. As said, I did not take enough photos to show the entire process, so you'll have to work it out for yourselves I'm afraid!

 

What is left of the wall between the hallway and the 'horrible room'

Looking out of the 'horrible room' towards the hall and kitchen

Now, opening up the living room (currently food and building storage) was a little trickier as we discovered a brick wall, which was actually supporting the beam above. A quick Skype call with my Dad meant we could work out where to put a few props up to help us along the way and eventually we got the wall down with no problems.

Making spaces for props and extra beams

 

The view from the other side

Et voila! No wall

Now that the 'horrible room' was open we had some light in there and were able to start work. As we do not want this room insulated from the outside (it's on the north side, so should stay cool) it meant we could crack straight on with plastering. In fact two of the walls were already rough plastered so just needed a bit of touching up. There was a small window at the back of the room, which after much umming and arring, we decided just to block up (leaving a small space for vent pipes.)

  

Plastering

Back window blocked, plastering finished

The next stage was getting the electrics in and building a new stud wall to separate the larder from the hallway (about 1 meter behind the old wall.) This was all simple - we're dab hands now! ;-) We wall mounted the electrics, in plastic water pipe, around the room as we couldn't hide it in the walls. 

Tricky to photo - the new stud wall

Electrics around the room

Wires for lights in the ceiling

Clearer photo - the stud wall, now with chipboard

Chipboard wall from the inside of the larder

Outside of the building work there was more veg harvesting and making of foods that will go into our lovely new larder, eventually! There were also walkies, beautiful sunsets and, I'm sure, some lovely evenings socializing and being merry.

Making chili jam

Gorgeous sunsets

Mini carrots for pickling

'Stroke me now'

I think that is enough to keep you going for now, I will continue the 2017 catch up in a few days (I promise!) Thanks again for reading! x