Bulgaria with Noodles

Is it really possible that Donald Trump could be re-elected as the President of the United States in 2024? In some ways, it is difficult to imagine this happening, as Trump is currently facing no less than ninety-one different criminal charges, some of which might result in a long prison sentences, if he were to be found guilty. On the other hand, I have seen quite a few YouTube videos in which someone asks members of the American public some fairly simple questions. The incorrect answers that are given show levels of utter stupidity and moronic thickness that are almost unimaginable. I have often wondered whether these videos are actually faked and that the people who are giving these brainless answers have been bribed or tricked into saying such silly things. But what would be the point of that? If these YouTube videos are genuine, then they suggest that there is a most unpleasant reality, namely that a significant number of Americans are in fact staggeringly stupid, uneducated and m...

Yes, I have my eyes shut. I hate photos when I have my eyes shut. They look so silly. Anyway, 2024 did not get off to a great start, as I have been quite ill, with a temperature of 39, as well as various aches and pains. Yesterday I was feeling a lot better and so Iryna and I went for a wander around Arbanassi with the VT Walkers. (Arbanassi is the Beverly Hills of Veliko Tarnovo, as it is full of very expensive properties belonging to corrupt politicians, pop stars and footballers.) This was followed by lunch at The Wine Club, my favourite restaurant. (Iryna does not like it and she thinks that the food is overpriced.) Here are a few old photos from our previous visit with the VT Walkers. It's rather like an old-fashioned English pub. On the subject of not making a good start, Nikki Haley came a poor third in the Iowa primaries, but maybe she will do a lot better in New Hampshire and South Carolina.  

The weather has been wonderfully mild and sunny here in Bulgaria, whereas in the UK it has been colder and peeing down, as per usual. Recently we have been for some splendid walks in the woodland around Veliko Tarnovo. (That naughty little fat Plovdiv dog also enjoyed herself.) Some of the walks are ones that I have done with my friend Peter, but some of them are quite new ones and he will enjoy them, I think, when he has yet another summer holiday in Bulgaria this year.  On the subject of an overweight and pampered pooch, Tina was very frightened by all of the fireworks on New Year’s Eve. She ran under the bed in our bedroom and would not come out. When Irena finally managed to pull her out, Tina refused to sleep in her own bed. Although our dear neighbours, Vincent and Mariana, have been spending the New Year at their house in Daveri, it very much looks as though The Boss will not want to move back to our house until March at the earliest. There is a total mess and mud everywhere...

The Philadelphia Church in Veliko Tarnovo had a service as usual on Sunday morning. Yes, it was all in Bulgarian (no big surprise) but it was good to worship with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Ivelina's daughter, Lizzie, was singing in the worship team. And in case you were wondering about the car, our old Nissan X-Trail, the Toyota garage in VT did a very good job of repairing it. Now I am waiting for the fire department's insurance company to pay for the damage.

One of the good things about being back in VT is that we can go for a stroll with the VT Walkers every Wednesday.  Last week we also had an evening meal with everybody and that was great. The pizza was good too, but I could not drink because I was driving. Bother! The other smashing incident happened a few days later, at about midnight. There was a car on fire at the end of our road (and yes, it was a hybrid). It really made a jolly blaze and nearly set fire to some of the houses! Anyway, the next morning I had been taking that naughty Plovdiv dog for a walk and I was just coming home for breakfast when I discovered the damage. It was a bit of a shock! The fire truck smashed into the back of my old Nissan X-Trail during the night, while we were asleep. I reckon that the truck must have been going quite fast, as it did some serious damage to the bumper. I suppose we should thank God that it did not break the petrol tank as well. That could have been rather interesting. Later there...

Dear Peter, Yes, the article you sent to me really confirms what I was thinking about the government pension, namely that you must make sure that you have paid all of the National Insurance contributions, in order to get the fullest possible amount back. And yes, the article made the point that whatever you pay, you should get it back in three years or less. The article also underlines your point that the state pension is linked to inflation, so it is bound to go up each year. In fact, it is supposed to be going up by more than eight per cent in April! Well, I have written to the pensions people, using your address, so there ought to be a letter back from them in a week or two. One of the things that I asked in my letter was what I should do if I am unable to access the pensions online thing through the government gateway. Yes, I have my passport and my NI number, but that still is not enough. Talking of passports, Irena's passport will need to be renewed next year and mine the fol...

Yikes! We have had some serious, serious snow and it is still only November. I think that here in VT we had maybe 30 cms of snow. There were lots of branches broken under the weight of the snow and many of the villages round VT seem to be without electricity. So what is going to happen in January and February? The heavy fall of snow has damaged quite a few trees in the woods around our apartment. What a pity I left my chainsaw back in Daveri!