Summer 2009 in Voditsa

Heading back to Voditsa in less than two months has brought a flood of memories back from last summer. Here are some of the highlights:

There were many 'unknowns' before we left Israel last summer. As it turned out the electricity was fine and just waiting to be switched on. The leaky tap we had been told about was the only real plumbing problem, and our wonderful neighbours Dancho and Stefan were a great help in getting that sorted within hours of our arrival. The weather was hot, but pleasantly so with occasional thunderstorms every couple of weeks.

Despite our intention to set up a compost toilet we managed the whole summer with just the original outside loo (with supplementary chamber pot in the bedroom)! Bathing was no problem either with a makeshift shower area outside using water warmed up by the sun during the day in plastic beer bottles.

Another project we thought we would manage but didn't even get started on was the outdoor living/cooking area. Hopefully that will get done this summer. What we did manage to do was to give most of the rooms a good clean and painted two of the bedrooms.

We did a lot of work in the garden and even managed to get some tomatoes and peppers going (though we had to leave just before they were ready for picking). The barn area and playhouse got tidied, and a couple of windows and doors got painted as well as the main entrance gate. Most of these jobs were achieved with the help of friends and family who came out to visit us: Bartek and Gosia (Poland), Ahava and Ravit (Israel), Nasta (Greece), Carole, Tina and Nikki (UK), Yair (Israel) and Yak (Czech Republic). In addition to the physical help they contributed they also kept us well-fed, in good spirits and provided some wonderful musical interludes. Thank you all.

Bartek managed to get up into the loft. It looked very sound and dry - fortunately no unpleasant surprises there! On the other hand, a trip up to the roof above the kitchen showed fairly extensive rodent (?) damage. That's something we shall have to take care of next time as it's causing the kitchen ceiling to bow.

We learnt how to bottle preserves for the winter, and how sing a few Bulgarian folk songs. We enjoyed being around each other as a family and having time for each other, never hurrying anywhere or being under pressure to get things done to a deadline. We were also treated to a road trip which enabled us to visit Varna and Nessebur and other interesting places along the way, and we became good friends with the local children after organizing some art and craft activities. These were all precious experiences.

We didn't get a donkey (though I haven't yet given up on that one!), but we did buy two chickens and were given a small rabbit (which we should have named 'Houdini' as he managed to escape from every place we put him - and eventually ran away).