Date: March 28th 2012

Well spring is here - even in the French Alps it has been around 20 degrees for almost 3 weeks now and the snow is melting fast and everyone is out preparing their gardens. We are doing the same - the mad rush to get everything done in the last couple of weeks of the season before we once again pack up the car and head to Bulgaria for the summer.

After a bitterly cold winter in Bulgaria with a lot of snow, the warmer weather has arrived, but the second half of May and start of June will be rather unsettled according to long term forecasts with many storms - pretty similar to last year by all accounts.

So this summer we have lots to do. As well as our gardens to get sorted and in control and get the veggies planted as soon as we get back, we want to tidy up another plot we have next to our holiday cottage and maybe see if one of our farming neighbours wants to use it and also we want to tackle the jungle in the old house we own next door.

We also still have one villa to sell - the renovated villa in Rakitnitica, split into 2 apartments and now for sale for offers around 22,000 Euros (or part exchange - what have you got??? Anything interesting…………..). Or we are happy to do a rent to buy option or payment by instalments. Just get in contact and lets talk!

I have had some interesting enquiries from eBay where it is on as an information only listing…..some guy bid and thought he was getting full title to the villa for £6, another calling him-self Lord so-and-so threatened legal action if he could not buy it for his winning bid (for information) of a few quid……on checking he was not a proper Lord at all!

We do have the other villa still listed for sale but as this is in our village we are not so bothered if we sit on this for another few years.

And of course we will be spending time at our coastal apartment and doing rentals……so if you fancy a cheap week's holiday then it is just 90E a week for 2/3 people or 120 E in high season. Airport transfers or car hire can be arranged. Or how about a 2 spot holiday - spend a week by the pool and sea and then a week exploring central Bulgaria, staying in a renovated village house.

Any spare time will be spent running our charity (http://twitchynoses.org) and helping build dog kennels and cat pens etc at the Cherno More shelter and walking and socialising dogs at the Nessebar shelter. We hope to hold a small charity gig somewhere to raise funds.

REMEMBER - Your accounts are due by the end of March - deadline is approaching for those with a Bulgarian company.

We also have an apartment to furnish for a friend and I am sure there will be the usual beuocracy to deal with and various friends to catch up with, share a beer (or several) and the odd BBQ.

Are you planning on a trip to Bulgaria? Why not pop in for a beer if passing or we can meet at the coast….

Rachel