Orphanage Party

As a lot of you know we collect toys and clothes for one of the local orphanages in a town called Debelets. This year we were invited to their christmas party in Veliko Tarnovo.

Today was that day!

The hall was packed with children, families and friends of the orphanage. The young children were very well behaved and sang some songs and even recited a verse or two.

Father Christmas then came in and gave out presents to all the children there, they were so happy.

The press came and are publishing some pictures and doing an editorial. One of them asked if they could interview us! So we will be in the local paper. They wanted to know how we got involved raising clothes etc.

This was a good day, we feel that with help again from Veselina, we have made a small difference to the lives of these children. We will continue to collect items of clothing and toys etc for this orphanage ready for delivery in the spring and again for next christmas.

I would like to take this oppertunity to thank all of those people who have sent us the goods, and taken time out to make clothes or go to charity shops, car boot stalls etc. and send them over to us.

Thank you everyone!

Please keep it coming, these children need our help.

Christmas Approaching

Well, when we first arrived we were informed that xmas did not really happen here in Bulgaria, shop's did not have any of those lovely pressie's we all love. No tinsle, festive spirit's etc. However this year it has all arrived, and in the middle of December, xmas lights in the streets, goodies in the stores, well some of them!
It is still hard to find present's that your looking for, I have managed to get Sally items that I hope she will like. But Sally is having dificulty find my present's, that's not unusual though. She says I am hard to buy for! I cannot believe that!
The weather is still mild, snow is still forecast for tomorrow, here's hoping.
We are having visitors xmas day, more on Boxing day, then on the 27th we are invited out to friends.
New Years eve last year was disappointing, we arranged to meet a few friends in our local bar, but it was closed! This year we are having friends around our house. Sally has today been trying to make her first scotch eggs and breaded mushrooms, very tasty!
So this year is starting to look busy over the xmas period.
Please, we just need snow..........It's coming.........

Car Service

For those of you who don't know, I have a Citreon Synergie, 7 seater MPV. Last Spring it was playing up and the Citreon garage here in Veliko Tarnovo sorted it out, changing a relay thingy.
This November it started doing the same thing again, so I took it back to the same garage. They could not identify the problem, saying it was something different.
I had to take the car away from them and take it to a Bulgarian local garage. The owner is called Nick, he has worked for four years in the UK, so has a good command on English.
In three days he has found the problem and fixed it, serviced the car and also changed to cam belt. I was dreading the bill, but it had to be done.
253 Lev, (£110.00) Can you believe it? I was more than happy. How much would this have cost me the England?
So if anyone has a problem with their car plaese contact me and I will put you in touch with Nick.
Some days are great here.

Double Yolker!

Well today we decided to have egg, bacon and sausage with Heinz baked beans for dinner, a couple of days ago I collected a huge egg fresh from our chickens. It turned out to be our first double yolker, lets hope for a lot more. We are now getting 4 or 5 eggs per day from 8 hens and a cockerel, just enough for Sally to keep baking.
Misty the cat is now exploring more of the garden every day and is climbing the walnut tree on our drive. Sally looks on helpless as she (Misty that is) tries to work out how to get back down.
The weather here is strange, day time it is around 20 degrees! The evenings are about 10 degrees. We have only had one day of snow around two weeks ago. Locals tell us that we are in for a hard winter, but it may only last for a couple of months. Let's hope we get enough snow to be able to go off skiing this year.
For those of you wondering, no we do not ski, but it should be fun. Sally and Veselina say they will watch me make a fool of myself. Nothing new there then!

New Sport - Dog Riding!

So this week saw our cat "Misty" take up the new sport of Dog Riding!

Heidi, being not used to cat's now and being 12 years old, seems to be putting up with the adventures of the kitten. However if Misty comes too close to Heidi's food then she better watch out!

I cannot believe this is actually happening, Heidi sit's taking no notice at all. The cat plays with her tail, sit's on her back legs and reaches up to box her and even tries to cuddle up to her.

Heidi must be going soft in her old age.

1st Snow Fall

Yes today the 22nd November 2008 we had our first snow fall. I was in a village called Novo Selo, when I left the property I was in it was snowing quite hard. Sally and I set off for Veliko Tarnovo to do the weekly shop where we found it only raining!
However after exiting "Metro", it was again snowing hard, but back home in Resen it's only rain so far. But we have seen it.......
I will soon have to think about planning next year, I have usually already done this by now, but this year has been a busy one and I am late! Still I should get time in December!
Time today to sort through my wardrobe and bring out the winter clothes, summer ones to the rear. No good looking at properties in shorts and t-shirt's now.
5 Weeks to Christmas, will I have time for it?

Banks Hu!

This week saw Vesalina and I complete on another deal for our clients. The protocol is to order your funds from the bank a couple of days before you require them.
So Wednesday Vesalina ordered a few Euros to pay for the property. Friday we were sat in the bank ready to collect the Euros, paperwork done and signed, off we go to the teller, only to be told they did not have enough Euros!
Can you believe that! We took all of the Euros in the bank! Then we had to still have a few thousand Lev to make up the difference. So funny.
On the chicken front, we are now getting approx. 3 eggs per day, just enough to keep Sally happy so she can bake cakes etc. I still get the short straw, I collect 1, she finds 2!