Pumped Up Part 1

Yes, we are now back in Veliko Tarnovo and of course that means that I am bored to death! There really is not much to do here. On Wednesday, I was doing some strimming, repaired the stone wall at the far end of the Secret Garden and cut the grass with my splendid tractor mower. All very necessary jobs that needed to be done. Here in VT, I can go shopping, take Tina for a walk and that is about it.

The Great and Good Vincent has inspected our electric water pump and he says that it is knackered. Some seal or valve inside the pump is bust, so water starts coming out of the bottom of the pump as soon as you turn on the pump. Getting it repaired will probably cost as much as a new pump, he reckons. Electric water pumps do not like very cold weather, according to Vincent, so the sensible thing is to switch them off, disconnect them, try to get out any water that is inside and then leave them somewhere that is not too cold. 

The other little problem is that the floor of the Reserved Room, where the pump is located, is coming to bits. As there are two very large and heavy water tanks in the Reserved Room, it looks as though whole damn thing will have to be sorted out. This means emptying the water tanks, dismantling the water pump and all of the plastic pipes, removing the pump, the pipes and the tanks, and then getting rid of all of the other clutter in the room. Then the wooden floor will have to be taken up and a new reinforced concrete floor will have to laid down. 

I have bought a replacement Steinberg pump and it was not quite as expensive as I thought that it would be. I have assumed that whoever installed the original pump knew what he was doing, so the Steinberg pump has more or less the same specifications. I have also bought some new hoses, just in case I cannot re-assemble the plastic pipes, and a new water filter.

I have found two chaps, Mark and Will, who are willing to put down the new concrete floor, so now I have to order seven bags of cement, as well as a ton of sand, another ton of small stones and 3.5 metre square of metal mesh for reinforcing the concrete. Irena has also agreed to give them lunch! I am also beginning to wonder how I am going to get our car in and out of the front gate, with all of the blooming sand and gravel in the way, so probably I will have to park outside. It is going to be one heck of a job and then we will have the fun and games of installing the new pump, the tanks, the pipes and the filter and then getting it all to work properly.

I have been thinking about buying a new car. Well, a new second-hand car. As for the VW Tiguan, well, it is about the right size. We do not want anything too enormous. Yes, a Toyota LandCruiser might have been fun, but a good one is way over my budget and of course it would be thirsty. Parking might also be awkward with such a large car.

This is what What Car? had to say. The Volkswagen Tiguan enjoys a strong reliability reputation according to What Car? readers, with minimal reports of significant issues.

The most common complaints revolve around electrical faults, specifically with the infotainment and navigation systems. These issues, while not hindering the Tiguan's driveability, often require dealership intervention for software fixes and hardware repairs.

Feedback on dealership service is mixed; while some owners commend the quick and efficient resolution of problems, others have faced delays in issue diagnosis and part procurement, resulting in extended repair times.

Well, at the moment I really cannot buy this VW Tiguan, as I just do not have the cash. That is why it is so important that a certain Peter Adams is going to bring my new Barclays debit card! If it is still for sale when you come in July, then we must go and have a look at it. In some ways, a VW Golf would be the simplest and easiest thing to buy, but that cobblestone road next to our apartment is pretty blooming awful. Golfs just do not have the ground clearance and I would prefer to buy a car with 4WD. When it does snow in Bulgaria, then we can get some very serious snow, not the pathetic excuse for snow that you usually get in the UK. Another major advantage with a diesel engine is better starting in cold weather. (We had a few issues with the old X-Trail this winter.)

Trump is going from bad to worse to absolutely flipping appalling. He is now picking quarrels with Harvard and the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. If the Democrats can only get their act together, the mid-terms will be a bloodbath for the Republicans. The absurd thing is that many Americans still think that he is doing a great job! None so blind as those who do not want to see.

It is now Friday and it looks as though we will be in VT until Wednesday. Irena will be singing in church on Sunday and then on Tuesday she will have yet another visit to the dentist. She is getting some implants (no, not that kind!)