Learning Bulgarian

I'm one of those people who every few weeks thinks of a new idea for something to learn or a new project to start on. There has been an idea for an advanced version of battleships and restoring old bikes. Another one has been learning Bulgarian although instead of letting this project being superseded by the next one and going unfinished, I stop and start it this one in-between stopping and starting others.

As ucha Bulgarski / I am learning Bulgarian

So far I must know over 100 words but still can't have a conversation with somebody, it might be because I like learning random ones. But then it is according to some websites in the group of second hardest languages to learn for English speakers. It does not help that they use a completely different alphabet!

Аз уча български / I am learning Bulgarian

Believe it or not the a B is actually a V the C is actually an S and two letters are unpronounceable on their own! I will keep on trying if I ever need a ball (topka) whilst on an aeroplane (samolet) in the garden (gradina) I should just about be able to get by.

Spring Morning Bicycle Commute

Hopped off my bike on the ride to the train station to take a few pictures.

                                       

Bright early morning spring sun in Canary Wharf, London

It turns out I'm not the Pinball Wizard after all

Oh well this badge was a waste of money then, I was gonna wear it with so much pride. Don't know what the highest score was, but at some point I got beaten.

See my previous post for the full story.

I'm the Pinball Wizard at The Who's Pop Up Shop and Pinball Arcade

Tonight after work I went to The Who's Pop Up Shop and Pinball Arcade opened to celebrate the release of the deluxe and super deluxe re-releases of the Tommy album. That deaf dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball, and so do I because I am currently sitting top of the Tommy pinball league to win a guitar signed by Pete Townshend !! 

And here is the evidence which I took a pic of before it goes back in the window.

The person with the highest score  on the Tommy Pinball machine pictured below on 14th November gets to take the guitar home, They were pretty impressed by my score so fingers crossed I win!

Tip From Bulgarian Girlfriend No 2, How to cook a great baked potato

Baked potatoes are a great food for the bonfire season, you can wrap them up in tin foil and take them out to see the fireworks. Here is my tip for cooking a crispy tasty one.

First make sure you give that potato a good old wash....

Then cover it in olive oil....

Then cover sea salt....

Put it on a baking tray covered in foil and prod holes in it with a sharp knife...

Then into the oven for 1 hour at 220 degrees

They come out like this, you little beauties!!

Halloween Story....Isle of Wight Ghostly Hand

I love asking people if they have ever witnessed something to do with hauntings especially at Halloween, and I was really surprised once to ask my mum and dad once if they had and to my surprise they said yes!! It happened to them back before I was born. They once told me about a holiday they had on the Isle of Wight which was cut short by some possibly ghostly goings on in the chalet they stayed in. My Mum felt uneasy after the first night staying there, on more than one occasion she thought my Dad was standing behind her only to turn around and find no one there. 

Then things got worse and she felt touches on her shoulder, again turning around with no one to be seen. She told my Dad what had happened worried he would think she is silly, but guess what? The same thing had happened to him!! They decided to ask if they could swap chalets and when asked why the receptionist gave a knowing look when my Mum said they just didn't feel comfortable. As it's Halloween tomorrow ask people you know if they have a ghostly story to tell you, you might be surprised.

One more Halloween thing.........This is what I came home to tonight!

National Bulgarian Parachutist Day !?!

I've been told by Eva today is National Parachutist Day in Bulgaria, yes that's right its a strange one. They seem to have a reason to celebrate everyday, but this one is particularly important because Eva used to be a parachutist in her home town Stara Zagora.

Eva is in the red chequered shirt at the front

So tonight im having a drink for the parachutists of Bulgaria. Then tomorrow its the day of the Bulgarian Doctors so why not have a drink for them too, although they may not approve.

My First Attempt At Gardening

This year was my first attempt at doing some gardening, I thought I would give it a go as its a creative way to try and make a new home your own. I had a vision of growing enough vegetables to giveaway and flowers draped all over the patio, I thought I could be a celebrity TV gardener by the end of the summer. It didn't quite work out that way but was my first time, now the summer is over I can show some pictures

                       

It started trying to attract some birds with a bird feeders I hung from hanging basket brackets, no luck as though as all the neighbours cats scare them off. Nice bit of climbing fence there though and a bit of paint on the shed.

Then I planted some seed,s for most it turned out I planted to early as the summer was so slow to start. Most of the flowers died but the vegetables were tough and lived on. Tomatoes, onions and strawberries were a success and tasted great..........

There was also a sunflower competition between me and my work friend Tina and I got thrashed, the one with the tallest and widest flower won.

One thing I would say is that gardening is hard work, don't try and over stretch yourself or things die when you cant pay them enough attention. If you shop around and go to the pound shop and Aldi you can find some good cheap plants and flowers. There were lots of other successes meaning some good photos could be taken......

With some posing thrown in...

And an idiot climbing up a tree.....