perfecting the art of the bucket bath

so, once again my water heater decided to crap out on me.
and being the smart boiler that it is, with a perfect sense of timing, decided to do so on the 4 day weekend here in Bulgaria.
which means i'm hot waterless until wednesday.
i had some volunteers over this weekend, but at least the heater waited until after friday to go on strike so a couple of them were able to be relatively clean on their visit.
me, on the other hand, well, it's back to the bucket for me.
however, not being winter anymore i am no longer heating my apartment so this time i was unable to put the water jugs on top of the radiator overnight as a source of hot water.
which means i'm relying on my tea kettle and one pot to keep me clean.
i'm keeping my fingers crossed that if it's dark inside, people can't see in, because i had to stop my shower (if that's what you consider it) twice, to walk to my kitchen in front of the window lacking drapes to get the kettle off the stove to take it back to the bathroom to rinse off with.

some people might have just forgone the shower until it was fixed.
no thank you.
i took advantage of monday off to explore Elena, the municipality to the south by hiking and wandering around for about 9 hours straight.
not showering would not have been an option.
at least not a desireable one, for me or anyone else.

speaking of hiking, i was also planing on going on one today in Emen, a village in the veliko turnovo municipality with an eco-trail, cave, and waterfall... but decided to stay in Zlataritsa since i have english lessons for both the children and adults today. and while they would have understod if i cancled (being the holidays and all) i just perfer to be there.
i will be going to Emen anyways next week with Kelly, but i just wanted to make sure that i knew my way around before i brought her.
we'll figure it out though.

there isn't too much else interesting to say.
yesterday in Elena was beautiful.
however, while waiting to board the return bus home, there was a lady and a man who kept staring at me.
i didn't recognize them, and they didn't end up getting off in Zlataritsa, so who they are i still don't know... but apparentally they were quite facinated with me.

they stared at me as i walked into the bus station.

they stared at me as i sat down.

they talked between each other (and not quietly i might add) about what i was doing.
"look, there is the american." (how they knew this, i don't know. my fame must be far reaching...all the way into the villages of the urban jungle known as Zlataritsa)

"why is she sitting by the window?"
"maybe she is going to do something"
"she is looking through her purse"
"oh she is taking something out"
"it looks like she is going to write down the bus schedule"
"yes, she is writing down the bus schedule"

then i proceded to write down not only the schedule to Zlataritsa but to other villages as well, which clearly took more time than they deemed necessary for such a task.

"what? is she going to write them ALL down?"
"she obviously hasn't gotten orientated yet"
"do you think she understands us??
"why is she laughing?"

as well i was.

because it was funny.

(laughing, smirking, what's the differnce really...)

and if they thought writing down the bus scheule was odd it's a good thing they didn't see me the three hours before, by myself, up high in the hills, in the meadow, picking wildflowers to take home (weeds really... but who decides what is a wildflower and what is a weed, is it not a matter of personal perference? sorry, digression)
so yes, i was collecting wildflowers to take home.
as well as dirt.
yeah, i filled a plastic bag full of dirt. (how much more amusing would it have been if i had pulled THAT bag out of my purse instead of a paper and pen?).
so maybe you're wondering why i took dirt.
well, i bought some flower seeds and need something to plant them in of course.
i could probably buy dirt, but for some reason during my hike yesterday i felt like taking it instead.
i told someone and they go "you can't just take dirt from the forest, that is stealing!"
stealing?
it's dirt
and while yes, i will agree that it is definitely weird to fill up a plastic bag full of dirt, it is by no means stealing.
it's just a small bit of earth.
and i'm just moving it from once place to another.
namely to my terrace.
so we will see if i can grow purchased flower seeds in borrowed dirt.
it nothing else, maybe i'll at least grow some weeds.