Beautiful Times, First 2018 Sozopol Holiday

Well this weather!!!!!
First we had nothing but storms and rain, cloud and grey. Very miserable for people. I had a BBQ party arranged but had to cancel it. The pool didn't get used as it should, but you know, places were flooded. Now though it is wall to wall sunshine and intense heat, mind you this is how it should be, it was just wet later than normal.
The pool is finally being used as it should be and i'm enjoying daily swims which, even as I really love being in the pool, I hope it will help tone and strengthen me.
Every day I wonder at this blessing. All my life I have yearned for a swimming pool of my own, it was never anything I could see happening to me as well you know, how could it!!!! So I really feel blessed beyond what I deserve!

I took mum to Sozopol on a little getaway for a week. Unfortunately I was very ill the whole week as I came down with tonsillitis on the first day! I bought every tablet we could need except Paracetamol. I was too ill to get out to the pharmacy which was a ten minute walk from the hotel. Eventually on the third or fourth day I managed to get a taxi & buy some antibiotics specific to my need.  Poor mum, but we managed to have not such a bad time as there were restaurants almost opposite us. The food in the hotel was crap! I though could not eat due to the pain, even drinking was agony.
The weather was kind to us, thank goodness and on the Wednesday, when I had reached my lowest, feeling really very sorry for myself, having a cry I received a phone call from BF asking how I was and what my view was like behind me. On turning around baffled as to why, there he was! Surprise visit for a couple of days, lovely! Just what I needed. We took mum to the harbour in Old Town for a meal, although we wouldn't recommend the restaurant, but it was really lovely to spend a last couple of days before he went back to work till I see him again in August.

Friday was a good day. I felt a little better and was determined to take mum to the beach. I knew I wouldn't be able to swim as I was still far too poorly, but it was a beautiful day and our last. We went to Harmanite beach, a beautiful soft white sand beach with lots of restaurants and my favourite beach bar in that town, Hedon.
Have to say Hedon seems to have taken over that beach with the sun loungers, water sports etc.
We had a wonderful LARGE Pink Gin and Tonic with Strawberries and Blueberries, I highly recommend this, and a gorgeous club sandwich which I also recommend.

 View from the hotel terrace over breakfast

 Harbour restaurant Le Terrace

 Mum ready for the beach

Exhausted, waiting for a taxi home

I have been working on a few projects, trying out new Techniques of blending, which I love. I need to practice and be brave.

I have found a large premises which I hope I can afford to rent. It is in a small town but it is on the main road so will be easy to find if people are interested in seeing "in the flesh" I hope it will be big enough to make a really pretty shop with room for a workshop behind. I'm already planning how I want to decorate it. I'm just waiting to get an interpreter to find out all the details for me, excited!

My friend Steve is going to jump on board he will be making small items of furniture and things I will paint them and we will sell them in the shop too. Great opportunity for people to get a bespoke item made just for them with a really great price tag!

Here are a few pics of a few items

 From this to this

New Man in My Life, Enjoying time with the fella

I have a new man moved into my home, his name is Michoo and he is gorgeous.

I found him in a pet shop while I was buying dog food. I felt worried for him as he was looking forlorn and appeared to have been attacked. He is 1 year old and a beautiful Lutino Cockatiel.
He spends lots of time in my secret garden where all the birds are nesting. They come to see him and they chat away, you can hear him singing from the living room.
I'm waiting for some toys to come from the UK and hope to train him to come to me soon so we can let him fly around indoors.
I can't make up my mind if Sophie wants to love him or eat him, but she is used to him now and has never tried to knock his cage over. We chat to him and repeat little phrases in the hope that eventually he will mimic.

So I have been having a lovely time, on and off. Boyfriend is here so we have been enjoying some sunshine in the pool, dodging the weather which decides to throw a mighty storm at us on our way to the beach, typical, and having some wonderful, as well as some iffy, food out and about locally.
I love summer, it's my favourite time of year but oh so more special when you have someone to share it with romantically!

The heat has been amazing and this has brought with it a few stormy days. As we were headed to the beach we ran into a mighty storm with torrential monsoon rain, which flooded the roads, hail and huge winds. We followed the Bulgarians and stopped at the side of the road until the worst of it subsided, then continued through Bourgas to Sarafovo beach. We were brought to a stop again as the roads were flooded deep raging waters which the cars in front of us were just not sure of. We waited till some cars to the plunge, literally, and as they made it through alright the cars in front decided to follow, as did we. It was a bit scary!
Worth it though. As we got to my little hideaway beach with its lovely restaurant the rain had gone and it was lovely and warm with a beautiful breeze. This beach restaurant serves great food, especially the huge bowls of mussels cooked in butter and dill, absolutely delicious!

We are both looking forward to going back in a couple of days and this time I want to go in the sea.

Fly's, Plovdiv The Heat is Here

Bloody flies are driving me nuts and the dogs. I'm not sure if I have hundreds of baby flies or if they are flying ants? Then there are the horse flies as well as everything in between.

Anyway I guess summer is unofficially here. It is very hot, in the high 20's, low to mid 30's.
Obviously in this heat its all out get the pool ready, easier said than done. We're nearly there, i just need to hoover a bit more. New pump installed, rubbish cleared, water cleaned and clear, shocked to death, I just need the arthritis in my neck and hands to do one! I've had a lot of help getting it to this stage from friends and partner, for which I'm very grateful.

Good news my Beautiful sister Brenda is coming over in September with my oldest friend Sharon, just for a week, but I can't wait!!!! I have booked us into a hotel in Nesebur for 3 nights so they can experience the old Bulgaria too. I will enjoy blogging this as Nesebur is gorgeous. Before then I'm taking mum to Sozopol for week. My readers will know how much I adore Sozopol!
Sharon and I have been friends since we moved next door to each other when I was 5 and she was 6. We grew up together, went through our teens together and she was always there for me. Brenda has been in my life since she was 17 and I was 12. She may be my sister in law, but to me she is my sister, the only one I have ever had and I thank God for her! I'm so looking forward to spending quality time with these wonderful women x

I recently spent some time in Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second city and what a lovely place it is. Now everyone who knows me will know I hate cities, I may have been born and raised in one but I'm a country girl at heart. I worked in London but hated it, the anonymity of it all, being pushed over in the street etc. I know people who love it, we are all different. Now Veliko Turnovo and now Plovdiv, oh and Worcester I love. Why? Well they are very village like, but bigger LOL. Surrounded by countryside, lots of parks, an over indulgence of history, very cosmopolitan, loads of restaurants and cafe's, independent shops, everything I love.
I never felt the urge to visit Plovdiv but my boyfriend has a plan so we went to see if he could implement it.
I arrived with a completely open mind due to the fact that VT had my heart but boy did I fall for this beautiful place! I may even go so far as to say it has replaced VT for the ambiance and friendliness. The beauty far outstrips VT and the history is amazing being the oldest city in Europe let alone Bulgaria.
We were fortunate to be there for part of the Kapana festival.
The Kapana area is all cobbled streets full of restaurants, cafe's and little independent shops, artisan etc, right up my street!
The Mosque is featured in the centre with a cafe outside and there is Roman arena ruins around the corner. We didn't make it to the amphitheater
Next year 2019 Plovdiv is the European city of culture, there will be lots of events happening all year so this is a great time to go, BUT book your hotel early it will get full.

 Look at the sky on this photo above. It is not a rainbow as it has not rained forever

These top two photo's are from a restaurant in the Plovdiv Mall. I think its called Fancy

If you are there you MUST go here for the very best burgers and juices EVER!

oh and THOSE FRIES!!!!

These top two photos were from the Amsterdam restaurant in the centre of Kapana district. Beautiful food and a relaxed atmosphere We had a gorgeous meal here.

I have been FB friends with a guy for almost 9 years and his wife for the lat year and was absolutely delighted to be able to meet them for breakfast one morning in their favourite cafe. You know often when I meet people I'm usually disappointed as I've built up an image in my head,
(I'm guessing I am also a disappointment to many), but these were just as I thought they would be. I'm so pleased to have finally met them and hope to see them on future visits, of which there may be many.