Jacquie's Diary Entry for 4th September 2007

Hi everyone,

I am sorry we are late with the diary this week, hic-cup with communication. But thanks to Liz, who lives over the road to Mum, lending me her laptop I can write the diary. So the diary will come via Bournemouth and the pictures will come from Romania; poor Mr. Webmaster, Sir, will have a right game this week.

Monday Now when I left you last week my back was aching and I had told Elena not to bother coming into work this morning, I rang her to make sure she had got my message and told her not to come in all day. We were not going to get any work done today, I was in too much pain and we couldn't find the box of tablets I knew I had in the cupboard. Elena said that was great because Gabi, her husband, had an unexpected day off and they would go into town to get the sink they wanted for the kitchen. Elena has a beautiful kitchen but as yet no water inside the house, this is about to change. Elena and Gabi have been working very hard on their section of the building which used to be the annex of the main house where Gabi's parents live. Now the building has a large, no expansive, front hallway, which can be used for family dinners, this leads onto the front door for Elena' home and the front door for Grandmother's home. Elena's home is still a work in progress, like most people she does things when they have the money. Unfortunately they didn't get into Constanta as early as she hoped, the car was out of petrol and because we had lent the pick-up to her Dad at the weekend she didn't want to ask to borrow it again - silly girl. They waited for Gabi's work mate to finish his first bread round and bring them enough petrol to get to the garage. Lew slept most of the day, I fed, milked and watered and went back to bed for the afternoon. Then, fed, milked and watered again in the evening. We had just decided to have an early night when we heard the thunder rolling in the distance; the 'weather' was heading our way. The rain started about ten minutes later; I made a cup of coffee and dashed through to the animal house. The big pigs were sleeping outside and had to be encouraged to come inside for the night, the smaller pigs had already been put to bed for the night. Lew 'battened down the hatches' in the caravan and awning. The thunder and lightening moved down over the top of us then moved off in the direction of Constanta. The rain was constant but steady, it stopped about five - was it worth going to bed the alarm would go off at six. I decided to reset the alarm I didn't think there would be much light at six.

Tuesday Oh Dear! Elena woke us when she arrived at eight o'clock to start work. Elena's first job is to make coffee, while I fed the goats. While I sorted the mornings farm jobs Elena made sure that we both had a copy of everything that we had done last week. Lew felt up to milking this morning, so that was one job less. After breakfast Elena sorted out a poster - Help Wanted - Selection at ten o'clock on Friday - we wondered if anybody would arrive. The poster went up in five local shops. Then after lunch I picked Elena up from her house and we headed for Constanta on our paper trail, I needed to get a piece of paper before I left for England. I couldn't get it any earlier; it had to be this week. We went straight to the Passport Office who went all through my paperwork and told us we needed a note from my Doctor in Romania, I don't have one but Elena thought her Doctor might help, I had seen him when I had a chest infection a couple of years back. That meant back to Basarabi. But we were hoping to sort out Elena's Employment Contract so we headed for the solicitors where I thought the contract was made. Wrong place - we need to go to an employment office, when we arrived there everyone was gone for the day. Time to go home - that was the fourth office of the day, more than enough in Romania. On our way home we stopped off at the Doctor's, she was happy to write me a note, it cost me £4 - I think it would have been a bit more in England.

Wednesday and Lew said he would milk and feed the pigs, so the jobs were finished quicker and Elena and I were in town before lunchtime. We headed for the Passport Office with the Doctor's note. But now I need a piece of paper from the Commerce Department and a tax stamp. Elena knows we buy the tax stamps in the main Post Office in town so we go there first and stop for coffee. Then off to the Commerce Department, I can have my piece of paper, it will cost me 15 lei (£3) if I am willing to wait, if I want it today it will cost me 45 lei (£9); I pay the 45 lei and it is ready in half an hour. Back to the Passport Office where we see a different person again, she suggests I bring Lew with me and we get a different piece of paper, one that will mean travel in and out of Romania is easier. Home to get Lew organised for tomorrow and copy the paperwork that he will need. He isn't sure about going into town but realises it would be best.

Thursday and Flori is engaged to work again - just house sitting, otherwise we would have had to shut the goats in for the day which they would have objected to. We head for town with numerous pieces of paper and their copies. The paperwork is checked and Elena and I are sent to get three more copies. Then we are told that everything would be ready at three o'clock. It is decided we would see if Laura is at home, then Lew could see David. Laura is pleased to see us and puts the kettle on. We talk it nearly two when we leave her to feed David in piece and go to Carrefour for a sandwich. Elena picks up a bargain, two new cushions for 3 lei (60p). Later she rummages in my bits box and find cover for them just the same colour as the blanket on her bed - one a velvety material in beige and the other crocheted in browns and creams. We drive back to collect the paperwork and head for home. I won't have any problems at the airport now.

Friday and we had two people arrive for selection. We took on both people, George for working with the pigs and helping construction; Lily for working with the goats, sheep, ducks and chickens and then to help around the house and garden. The rest of the morning is spent organising Kid's Club for the afternoon. But half way through the morning I had to leave Elena to finish. Spot the pig had gone into labour. Lew grabbed his stool and headed for the pig run - trying to persuade her to go inside. Eventually as contractions eased she moved inside. She continued through the afternoon, she gave birth to fourteen piglets but unfortunately nine were still born - I think it was something to do with that infection we had a couple of months ago. But Mum and babes were doing well. I had intended to do the bit of shopping I wanted today but I didn't have time. The Kids enjoyed the Club, they are enjoying the fact they have Elena to talk to during the evening. They really are enjoying the plastic mechanic they have and I will look for more while I'm in England. Elena walked home with the three girls of the family we want to 'take under our wing' and spoke to their Mum about having some of our milk.

Saturday and the first day for both my new staff, so I spent the morning explaining what I wanted. Then I headed for Constanta to get the shopping I wanted to take to England. I didn't get back till nine o'clock and then I had to pack. I had dinner and went to bed, the rain started but because I was travelling on Sunday I stayed in bed.

Sunday and our friend Alex arrived at five o'clock to take me to the airport. A journey that has always taken us between three and four hours - today it only took two and a quarter hours. We stopped for coffee before Alex drove home. I went through to the plane and flew back to England. Sian met me and we stopped in at Graham's (my son) house on the way to sister, Annette and Mum.

What's been happening in the village this week? The harvesters have been about but I don't think much of a crop has been collected. The children have been getting ready for starting school.
Well I think that's all the news from Siminoc this week …
So I'll say cheerio for now …