Settling in

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Can't believe how long since the last blog.1st thing is rest of journey with motor uneventful except for trying to get through Romania.heavy fog and poor roads conspired to make an o'nite necessary as I chose to follow main road rather than go to Vidin.Never again will I use Ruse crossing. Arriving back in Bulgaria I was immediately aware that fog was still persisting and that they had had heavy snow.However it wasn't until reaching Varna motorway and finding only one lane clearish that I realised getting to Boyana might be a problem!!Decided that should go long way round via Dobrich and hope 2 nasty hills on this route might have been salted or ploughed.Driving between 10 ft roadside snowpiles on main road ,where plough had been, and negotiating occasional incursions into near lane through snow falling back onto road I eventually found myself on thenew road and was delighted to see that both hills had about 1 and a half lanes ok and with no oncoming traffic I should be ok.I was and turned in to Boyana lane onto solid snow.This was actually reasonably easy to negotiate as long as you didn't have 2 brake and eventually i made it down to the bend before track to house.6 ft barrier across the top and further 2/3 ft on lane meant that i had to cont. down and eventually with a bit of digging I managed to park the van reasonably neatly outside No 24.Locked up and walked to other house to see neighbours and Bottie.No sign of latter till late in evening.Embarrassingly warm welcome at house and on way backto van.As I was trying to unload anything that could stay at 24 Evelina(of good samaritan and mud-splattering fame )came and greeted me warmly and insisted on helping carry things into house.We worked as a team for about 2 hours and then took a break tosort out Lee and suzanne's clothes toys in bottom room.It seems that E has 3 young kids and her ex lives up in the village with the other child.The toys therefore found immed. homes and most of the clothes.It was really moving to see the eldest boy(approx 10) playing with fairy castle and enjoying manipulating all the sound effects.Soo --a very big thankyou toall who contributed to collection ,rest ended up with meta so nothing wasted.The3 problems then began to arrive thick and fast.primarially how to move all immediate necessities to other house off van .sledge and brute force either end was the answer.It took the best part of 2 days!! - even with some help re heavy goods.Back and shoulders were pretty knackered at end.However no respite from problems.Next rembered that gas had run out before leaving so only gas was on the van and no chance of moving to Dobrich for refill for days. Had about half bottle on van so heating upstairs (for me and orchids) was realised.Downstairs remained freezing but elect heater warmed beroom enough to use downstairs.Eventually got Duvet and sheets from van and now esconced upstairs.Final major problem involved water.having turned water off, mains inlet pipes had frozen with recent inclement weather and several kettles full of pre-boiled snow(elect rings) did not unfreeze it. 3days later at 1.30 am water started to run. Unfortunately 2 taps downstairs(left open to encourage flow)were gushing - the one on shower could not be shut off however and water was encroaching over into hall therefore had to switch off water.managed to slow flow at shower taps but still enough to need water off. later that am(Mon) struggled into Varna via gas fill in Dobrich and called in Kapital to say hello and ask for Val's no.Vanya kindly rang him for me ,explained the problem and he said he would come out on tues. He did and top shower was replaced(old problem before i left for england )and then yesterday other shower and whb taps replaced so all ship-shape again.This am no water again but on before i left.village problem.So that is brief overview to date.Very happy to be home despite problems and looking forward to family visits in Apr/May.

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