Tuesday 30 December 2008

Salads Galore for Kamila

Salads Galore for Kamila
Who said you have to have salads only in the summer? One of Kamila's favourite foods is salad, they just hit the mark she says whenever a bowl of plate is tucked into.

Right throughout the year salad is part of everyday eating, winter is no exception as all the vegetables are persevered in big barrels or in bottle and jars. Right now in temperatures going down to -10 C salads taste just as good as they do in the summer, Kamila can't really believe this is the case.

"Of all the salads, I like the cabbage and carrot best!" Kamila declared after sampling one of Baba's dishes the other evening.

Yes Kamila, that's what you say now, but you may change your mind later when you try the potato and leek salad tomorrow evening.," we said. "What about the tomato and cucumber and pepper salad you said was the best ever only last week? we added.

"I get a little confused," confessed Kamila. "Every time I eat a salad, it feel like the best thing I have very had every time."

We had to agree and said, "We know exactly what you mean Kamila."

It remains that Kamila is in her element with so many salads being served and has promised to help plant out lots more vegetables in the spring on the farm when the weather gets warmer.

"One more day to go for New Year's Day!" exclaimed Kamila as she tucked in again to the cabbage and carrot salad. "I can't wait for the party tomorrow night!" she added.

"Yes, and you can tuck into that potato and leek salad and claim that to be the best!"

We all laughed as Kamila grinned knowing full well that is exactly what will happen.

read more...

Saturday 27 December 2008

The First Christmas Eve for Kamila in Bulgaria

The First Christmas Eve for Kamila in BulgariaIt was celebrations all round as Bulgaria celebrated its biggest party of the year on New Year Eve. Kamila really didn't know what to expect as this was the first Christmas here, but it didn't take long for her to get an insight as to what goes on during this period.

It was quite surprising for Kamila to see that most homes here in Yambol don't have lights or fancy Christmas trees but maybe just a little tinsel around a window or door, that's it. What she did realise was the amount of family get together that happened and everyone just enjoying the company and conversation alongside delicious food, drink and music.

It was Christmas Eve that Kamila discovered beer. She had tried it before and didn’t like it but this evening somehow it tasted different, maybe because of the company and atmosphere; who knows? On thing was for sure though, it was respected and only one bottle was drunk the whole evening. It went down really well with much of the traditional vegetarian food Kamila ate this particular evening, the menu was designed for her.

All Kamila's friends were there as the talked and danced the evening away, never forgetting the reason this evening was celebrated with a little prayer all together before the party started. Who knows we told Kamila, your ancestors might have been one of the Camels that the three kings travelled on to see Jesus in the stable.

That thought stuck with Kamila all evening and made it even more special.
read more...

Saturday 20 December 2008

Money For Christmas Shopping

Money For Christmas ShoppingWell it's now approaching the time to do a little shopping we told Kamila today. We had set a little money aside for Kamila to do here Christmas shopping. Kamila had not dealt with money before so she was a bit bemused when we presented it to her.

She looked at it and asked "What do I do with this?"

It is very simple we explained. "You look for something to buy, find out how much it is decided whether it is a good buy and swap it the money."

Kamila was quite excited with the prospect of looking for something to swap for money, but then there was a little pause and another question was fired at us. "Where did you get this money?"

"We worked for it Kamila" we told her. "We go to work and for the work we do for other people they pay us money. Sometimes we work for ourselves, selling things we have made for money or getting paid for selling books we have written."

"I'd like to work and earn money." Kamila sighed as she gathered the money feeling slightly guilty she hadn't worked for it.

"Next year Kamila, we'll give you chores and you can then start earning, but just enjoy the shopping with this money until then." we told her.

Kamila sprung to life again and announced, "I won't be spending it on myself anyway, everything I buy will be little presents for everyone."

With this we prepared to go to town, and another adventure for Kamila shopping. We know she'll love it, she's female camel.
read more...

Friday 12 December 2008

Kamila Wins an Award!

Kamila Wins an Award!
Kamila was 'over the moon' when she found out that she had been given and award.

"What was it for?" was the first thing that came out of her smiling mouth.

"Well Kamila, you'd better read the message that came with it." we suggested.

Kamila Wins an Award!This award stands for:

“These blogs invest and believe in PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers, who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

Kamila's grin became even wider when she read this through with a little help from her friend Eli, who is a little bit better at reading. She was so happy that someone took the time to follow her adventures in Bulgaria.

"I will send this award to people who I think believe and invest it those values!" Kamila went on to say. "I know lots of people who deserve this award."

And so she did.......

Her nominationed sites are:

http://obstaclesandglories.com

http://twogreyhoundtown.blogspot.com

http://smalldogstuff.blogspot.com

http://www.feathersfinsandfur.com

http://blog.ourdoglog.com

read more...

Monday 8 December 2008

Kamila Helps With The Christmas Tree

Kamila Helps With The Christmas TreeToday was a day where Kamila got all excited, she was going to help with the Christmas tree. this is her first Christmas in Bulgaria and she couldn't quite understand why there wasn't such a fuss here compared to the madness she saw in Hamley's Toy Shop in London where she used to be.

We only have a little Christmas tree and we think Kamila was expecting a massive one that would fill the room along with tinsel in every nook and cranny of the room. This is what she saw in England along with all the big expensive presents that were being bought. And all this started in November. We are now into the second week of December and thoughts of Christmas are just beginning to be considered.

"Don't they like Christmas in Bulgaria?" Kamila questioned. We were quite astonished with Kamila asking this.
"Christmas here is different, Kamila," we said. "It is not all about Santa Claus or Father Christmas and spending ridiculous amounts of money on presents to impress, food and drink, it is about real Christmas celebrations with family with Jesus being born in mind and modest gifts with more love than money."

Kamila just paused a moment in between putting another decoration on the tree. After what seemed like a deep though she said. "I think I will like Christmas here better than in London."
We asked, "Why?"

"It has more meaning here" she said and went on to add " And more smiles."

This was a Camel who had seen the height of commercial Christmas from the most visited toyshop in the UK and now is experiencing the other end of Christmas in a tucked away town called Yambol in Bulgaria.

"Christmas is still a long way away, there's still over two weeks to go." Kamila pointed out as she carried on with the decorations on the tree.

"We know." we replied. "What's the rush? No one rushes in Bulgaria, even at Christmas."

We all agreed that Christmas shouldn''t really begin until the 12 days before Christmas Day, well in Bulgaria anyway.
read more...

Monday 1 December 2008

Kamila On Call with a GSM (Mobile phone)

Kamila On Call with a GSM (Mobile phone)
Kamila is now a very happy camel as she is now part of the Global community that have a mobile phone. In Bulgaria a mobile phone is called a GSM. How did this come about.

It was an early Christmas present as we found a spare GSM whilst doing a bit of tidying up our drawers. It works, it had credit and was just sitting there doing nothing and Kamila came into our minds. We asked her whether she wanted the phone nut she wasn't quite sure how to use it. She also said that most of her friends don't have on so she wouldn't be able to talk to them. Not only that, this wise camel also when on to say that she didn't work and didn't earn any money so how could she pay for credit anyway if it ran out.

Well Kamila is really thinking sensibly now, unlike many others who own GSMs and run up bills they can't afford to pay.

After we had finished tidying up, we sat down with Kamila and showed here what the GSM does and how it works, she picked it up very easily. She found out that is had a couple of fun games and an alarm clock that didn't cost anything and that was more than enough for here to accept the GSM. She said that she will only use the GSM for ringing in case of emergencies, it makes more sense to do that as she sees and talks to everyone for free on a daily basis anyway.

We all had to agree that Kamila is turning out to be a very prudent camel, it must be the Bulgarian influence coming out after having been here for six months now.
read more...