Feeling Energised Positive and Lifted, Loving Bulgaria

I am feeling Energised finally, looking at things positively and getting excited about life again, life is good if we just give ourselves, and life, time we are healed. Truth sets you free and this is why I am feeling so much better now. Nothing like finding out the real truth of things and situations, it may be painful but it is also empowering, I am empowered!

October  Taken from one of the spare bedroom windows

Bulgaria is a fantastic country to live in, the beauty of it all, the freedom to live and the way almost anything goes.  I have also recently met quite a few new people and think friendships are developing. Also I think a lot of that is due to me being lifted out of the fog, no one likes a moaning winging minny, it is after all hard to take over such a long period!

From this......

Going........

Going.........

Builders have started work on the larger renovations in the house, so excited will post updated photo's as things progress.

The flood was a real kick in the teeth at a really bad time, but I got through it, with the help of a friend and thanks to a very special person I am able to get all the damage sorted.  I am also getting the house, winterised at the same time.  This was on the cards due to this house being terrible bitter cold in our mildest winter yet Brrrrrr. My house is only 25 yrs old and concrete with high ceilings and an open stairwell through 3 floors. It is actually colder in the house than outside  We have had two good winters on the trot so common sense says this could be a bad one. I think everyone is really hoping to get another "not so bad" winter and it is what is being predicted, trouble is the last two really mild winters we were predicted to be the worst winter in donkeys years, so it doesn't bode well LOL.
So far the tanking outside the window has been done, as well as re plastering of the living room wall, after the flood. Hopefully now this will not happen again. New windows are coming next week (if all goes to plan) and the kitchen/dining room wall is down, almost ready for the wooden beam.
As with everything to get something done, first we must do.........  This has been a constant so far but hoping that we have identified all the extras now. There is only so much I can afford each month (I live on a really tight budget) so I hope to catch up over winter and save for finishing the kitchen and then be free to start jobs in the Spring, specifically the bar/cafe renovation and outside area around it, known here as either a Mehana or Magazin. I really hope this can be done next year as I miss putting on the Secret Garden Tea Room events which raise money for Bulgarian charities.  There are also still lots of jobs in the house, but little by little. A heating system is really important and needs looking at for next year. Phew this is all really hard when you are a woman on your own, especially as I have only ever been involved in the design and decorating aspects of houses.

Any how lots will be completed here including making it more comfortable to live in during winter.
It has been decided that insulating the dining room with a new window in that and the kitchen will make the room warmer and I will live like most villagers do in that one room through the winter. I didn't realise this was possible until a friend told me she had done it. I have seen hers & it is a fabulous job. The norm here is to bolt insulation tiles to the outside walls then render over & paint. This is a very expensive job as the whole house needs to be done (otherwise it looks really odd!). This way I can do one room specifically for this winter and the rest can be done as and when needed and afforded.
In the hall way there is a half built toilet, or at least this was the original intention of it. This will be finished and a toilet put in, this means I won't have to carry water upstairs to flush the toilet when the pipes freeze and I won't have to go into Antarctica every time I want a wee!
I have been dreading winter for months knowing how cold it was in here last year, when winter was really mild. Now all I need is my estranged husband to get me wood for the wood burners, otherwise I will turn into a frozen popsickle

The weather now hurtles back and forth between summer temps (we have had a few 30c over the last week) to really chilly autumnal days and night temps down to 5 and 3c brrrrr.
It's funny one day when driving around the car windows will be right down as it is so hot, the next the wood burner is lit!  Autumn brings with it beautiful colours as we all know and I love looking out the window to see the changing landscape and colour palette. It is all very beautiful but ushers in the drab barren picture of winter which I find really depressing, especially when it is muddy, much prefer the snow, and I hate snow LOL.