HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing everyone a healthy, happy and wonderful new year!

BUMMER

My BIL called this morning to tell me that my SIS was very sick and sleeping at home so, our New Year plans are off. They are not coming. I am truly upset but, what can be done?

Later in the day, I talked to my SIS. She had to go to work because being a branch manager of a bank, that's what she needed to do on the last day of the year.

From what she described, I think, she has COVID. Her symptoms are exactly like mine. I hope, she recovers quickly. She is not supposed to take any meds due to her liver condition except for parasetamol/acetominophen. She can take one if her fever is too high.

Uncle and I decided to forgo some of the dishes on our menu.

Ugh...

The Cleaning Lady is Back!

I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had a very nice time with their loved ones. We celebrate the New Year so, SIS and BIL will be here on Saturday. Uncle and I are cooking. 

The menu includes Oven Roasted Chicken, stuffing (American Style), gravy, rice pilaf with chestnuts, red beans in olive oil, Russian Salad and Circassian Chicken (it is a paste made with chicken pieces, tons of walnuts, breadcrumbs and fat free chicken stock). I have soda, iced tea, wine and raki to drink. Dessert will be Cinnabon style cinnamon rolls as opposed to the usual chocolate cake. 

Now on to my story about the cleaning lady. When COVID hit and when we got stuck at home, my cleaning lady stopped coming. She was working full time back then and she was able to come every two weeks only on Sundays before the pandemic.

During all this time, she got back together with her ass...le husband, got pregnant and had a baby. She is no longer working full time so, she said she can come to help me since the baby is now 8 months old and her mother can take care of her. She does not go anywhere else to clean and I know she needs some pocket money.

As much as I would like her to come every week, it is not affordable now that I am semi-retired so, we agreed that she will come every two weeks. I gave her a New Year's bonus to spend on her girls and she was thrilled about it. She has a tough life and not all of it is her choice or her fault. I am hoping things will get better and she will soon be able to ditch her husband for good. 

I spoke to the cleaning lady's aunt today to wish her a Happy New Year. She used to be my former cleaning lady. She told me she is having some health issues and I want to help her out if I can. So, after the New Year's I will go visit her to see what is going on with her. She is a very sweet person.

Yesterday, uncle and I went to this Museum. We had a very good time. Spent almost 6 hours and last night my legs ached so much that I had to get up to take a pain killer.

There was a special exhibit of world dolls and it was a lot of fun. They even had a special Barbie section and a scary doll section with Chucky, his bride and others. Lol.

My favorite sections are classical cars, boats and old trains.

Back Home

Uncle and I arrived back home yesterday around 5 p.m. Glad to be back. I did a super quick grocery run in the morning and I am set at least till the end of the week. 

Had a great time in Ankara. Saw everybody I intended to see. We exchanged small gifts and the best was a bottle of homemade sour cherry liquor. Last year, S, an old colleague and a long time friend of mine served me that in a shot glass along with a cup of Turkish Coffee and I absolutely loved it. She gave me the recipe but, it was a bit tricky so, I did not make it. This year she gifted me a bottle. Yay!

I have some work to do so, I wish everyone a very nice week and Happy Holidays!

Crazy Busy Week

Last week came and went so fast because, I had to take care of a million things. Thankfuly, all went well. I got to see my SIS and BIL over the weekend. We all went out for dinner on Saturday and had a pleasant time.

I was able to see my cousins and a few friends and will try to see some others this week. 

Tomorrow I need to take my sister's car to inspection. Uncle took care of winter tires and a small fix. So, this is a joint effort for the princess, SIS.

Uncle was feeling under the weather and I made chicken soup but, he went out early in the morning and it is almost dinner time. He is a no show. I guess he must be feeling better :))

Wishing everyone a nice week.

Cleaning Done

I am going to Ankara tomorrow for a couple of weeks and I will bring uncle back with me so, I needed to clean up my apartment. It took me three days to clean the entire apartment in between interviews and other errands. My windows are filthy and they need to be washed so badly. I couldn't get to that this time but, when I come back, I will clean the windows in every room. Not all at once but at least one room a day.

Every time I clean the apartment, I promise myself to run the chargeable vacuum every day and stay on top of dusting but, that never happens. I wish I could do it.

Whenever I have to go to Ankara, I end up bringing the contents of my fridge with me. This time, I got smarter and used up pretty much all that I had. Dinner was kind of odd things thrown together but tasty and satisfying. Tomorrow, I will have breakfast at home before I hit the road. Got some leftover potatoes and I can scramble eggs. I will fill my Stanley coffee thermos and work on it on my way. Was thinking of stopping by the Starbucks on the way to  Ankara but, then I realized I needed to consume the potatoes unless I want to drag them with me. Also, Starbucks have become ridiculuosly expensive over here. Absolutely crazy. I do have some money on my Starbucks app (not enough to buy coffee) and I need to spend it before I get rid of the app. Totally unnecessary. Their regular coffee is roasted too dark that I sometimes think it is burnt. 

Now I need to arrange my meds, put together my computer bag and decide what to take with me to Ankara. It is colder and dryer than Istanbul. I do not want to take too much stuff with me. 

I have already put the keys to the Ankara apartment in my purse. It would be a disaster to drive for 4 hours and then look for a locksmith on a Sunday. 

As soon as I get there, I will turn on the heat and just go grocery shopping. My sister asked the cleaning lady to come on Wednesday. She has breakfast and lunch and uncle and I will be staying for at least 10 days so, we need food.

Here is a question: Do you ever get obsessed with something for a while and then move on to something else? I was obsessed with audiobooks for several weeks up until last month. Now I am obsessed with YouTube Channels on frugality, home cooking and simple living. I still listen to audiobooks but, mainly to fall asleep.

All these things that I watch make me want to declutter more and more at home. I think my number one goal in 2023 will be that. I have done a lot this year but, I know for sure there is more that can be parted with.

Hope you are having a nice weekend.

Phewww!

I have a very nice Dunlop Treadmill. I got it from a friend for free and I occasionally use it, mostly in winter. It is in my guest bedroom. Today, as I was dusting, I noticed that it wasn't working. What? Bummer. It is an old model and who knows how to get it serviced. I have no documents for it. 

I plugged it in and out a few times to no avail. I was quite bummed about it. Mixed thoughts occupied my mind for a good half hour. Get rid of it? Try a repair service? 

Surely, a threadmill is not something I would spend my hard earned money on. It was nice to have a gently used one for free. Real nice and sturdy ones like I have are too expensive. 

Then I noticed that the safety magnetthingamagic was not in it's usual place. I took it out of the cup holder and put it on it's specific spot. And voila! It is totally working fine. You cannot imagine how happy I was. 

To celebrate, I will start walking on it a few days a week. Covid pulled me down and made me very weak and lazy and it's time I start to exercise again. (Nice to be able to blame it on something else).

I am going to Ankara on Sunday or Monday. Will stay for about 10 days. I have to make a list of what I need to take with me. 

Today is a rainy day and I have a phone conference in an hour. I better go make a cup of coffee.

Wishing everyone a very nice weekend.

Closed the books on November

At the end of each month, I update my cash flow file and go over my budget. Nerdy, I know but, that is who I am. I am also currently tweaking next year's budget and financial goals. I have a bad feeling about the economy and the upcoming elections so, I am setting aside a much larger EF than I normally do. I will also be keeping some extra cash at home. 

Recently I have stumbled across some YouTube Envelope Budgeting videos. Some of them were really very detailed and had several envelopes for not only expenses but, also several challenges, additional savings and etc. I enjoyed watching how some people can be so diligent and organized. I wish I lived in a low inflation country i.e. less than 10%.

In a country like mine, you want every single penny work hard for you. There are some hybrid bank accounts which pay a lower interest than a regular savings account but these give you the interest on a daily basis. So, withdrawals on any given day is fine. I like to keep my money in the bank and use my credit card for most of my needs and I always pay it in full. I do not ever remember not paying the full amount on the credit card. I have one mortgage on the Antalya home but since the interest rate is fixed, in this high inflation days, it gets to be a smaller burden every time my pension and my side gig salary is raised. I have 25 months to go. I can pay it now and be done with it but, it does not make financial sense. You may say that I am a pretty terrible bank customer.

Savings interest rates are around 14%-22% depending on the bank and the amount of your savings. The bank where I keep my Sinking Fund/EF (I will explain in a minute) is recently offering 19% interest rate. Their regular savings account is 20% which is less than some other banks I work with. I keep my Sinking Fund/EF in this one but, use my sister's bank which offers a better rate for regular savings accounts. 

You may think these interest rates are awesome but, the official inflation rate is over 80% and the government is lying about it being much lower. And, against every economic theory, the president believes if the Central Bank lowers the interest rates, the inflation will go away. So, the offical interest rate is 9%. What can I say? When a d.... runs your country, anything is possible.

I remember sharing that I keep my entire nest egg in USDs, Euros, Gold coins and a small amount of TL. Unlike the US, the stock market is extremely volatile and not deep enough in here. We do not have many of the retirement tools my American friends have. It is really hard to keep an eye on your money and not let inflation eat most of it. However, no matter what you do, you do lose some of it due to inflation and low interest rates. 

Now, why do I have one account for both my sinking fund and emergency fund? Well, simply because, the bank allows you to set up only one account that pays the daily interest which is actually called the nightly interest :)

Also, my EF is rather small. It does not have enough to cover for 3-6-12 months of living expenses. Why? Because, I am retired with a couple of part-time gigs only. So, I have a pension and some variable income. Unless a real big thing happens like war or the country collapsing, I will have my pension every month. Therefore, keeping a big EF does not make sense anymore. My EF is there only for extra healthcare costs, some big appliance replacement or an unexpected car break down and such. 

I am eligible for the social security healthcare which covers a fraction of private hospital visits. I have additional health insurance to cover surgeries, hospital stays and some imaging requirements. Even so, there are out of pocket costs. For instance I took my Covid test at a private hospital and it was totally out of pocket. I could have gone to a state hospital, stay in line for a long time in the middle of sick people and it would have been for free. Sometimes our choices cost us and it's OK. 

In this climate of economic fog and unpredictability, I am trying to do my best and still make the best of life since I am long past the mid point of my life span. 

Gotta go and start cleaning. Beware dust bunnies! Here I come fully armed with all sorts of equipment. Resistance is futile!

What to Cook? Name a Dish!

As I was growing up, I remember grandma and mom sometimes racking their brains as to what to cook each and every day. They used to tell us, "just name a dish and we'll make it but, for the life of me I cannot come up with what to make". For us, it sounded like they were making a big deal of something miniscule. 

While I was working full time, I would eat out most of the time and cooking was just a hobby which pleased me.

First, due to the pandemic and nowadays, due to the crazy inflation rate over here in this country, eating out has become more of a treat than a normal thing.

I like to cook and I had been making and enjoying a good variety of food from scratch until very recently.

Lately, I have been having difficulty to name what to make for lunch and dinner. I made a dent in the freezer meals last week but, then I found myself having the same conundrum as my mom and grandma.: Name a dish! I feel stuck. Where is my muse?

Yesterday, I honestly couldn't decide on what to get for protein. The cuts of meat at the store that I went to did not appeal to me. 

I recently ate all the frozen roast chicken that I had made few weeks ago. Had meat patties I made while I was sick. 

I have two avocados and some string beans in my fridge. Fajitas may be? Grean bean casserole and chicken?  I can soak chick peas to add to my salads. 

I think I must get some meat tomorrow. And fish too. 

Sigh...

Plans

We make plans and we change plans. Right? So, Ankara trip will hopefully be made next week. I was going to get tested again today but, a few friends who had Covid before, told me to hold it for another few days. Apparently, although they felt fine, even a week after the manadatory isolation period was over, they still tested positive.

It is not like, I have to go, so I just postponed my trip. Of course, now I need more groceries. 

Oh well...

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy week!

First Day Out

I have been home for 9 consecutive days due to COVID and today I finally went out. I was supposed to do a bunch of things but I changed my plans. I will take a COVID test on Monday and if it is negative, I will go to Ankara. I need to get my tires changed and stored for the winter. The weather is warm enough nowadays but, I am sure there will be snow on the mountain pass on my way. Better do it now than later.

I also need to bring the gifts I brought for my cousins from the US. There is a huge bunch of yarn I found at mom's apartment. I can't knit well. I was hoping to learn and get better at it but, I lack the patience. I wll bring them to my cousin who crochets (or crochetes?) real well. If she doesn't like the yarn, I am sure she can find someone to give them to. 

My sister asked me to take her car that they keep in Ankara for Inspection and also to get the cleanng lady so that the apartments can be cleaned thoroughly. There is an inspection station on the way to the cemetery so, I will do that and visit mom and dad on the same day. I miss my parents so much these days. I have been having dreams with mom lately. Good dreams in which we are either traveling or laughing at something together. 

So, today I went out, got some cash from an ATM and hit the farmer's market just to buy a few things I need till next Tuesday. I also hit the grocery store for a few things and came back home. My legs wanted to walk but, I felt tired rather quickly. I guess, I need to start exercising lightly and start building up my strength.

It felt good to be out in the fresh air. I think I will go out for a short, slow walk tomorrow in the neighborhood.

Wishing everyone a nice and relaxing weekend.

I just put the groceries which need to be refrigerated in the fridge. I will attend to the rest after I type this, finish my coffee and relax a little bit. Then, I will fold and put away some laundry.

It is 65℉ today so, I was comfortable with a cotton sweater and a vest. 

Mandatory Isolation Over

According to the COVID-19 guidelines of the Ministry of Health in Turkey, you need to self-isolate for 7 days after you test positive. As of yesterday, my self-isolation period is over. I still have some nasal congestion but, I feel a lot better now. I am going to get tested on Monday.

I do have some cabin fever but, I decided to go out for the first time after testing positive, on Friday. Need to get cash first and then head to the open farmers market to buy fresh vegetables and salad greens. They last so much longer than the grocery bought ones. I am also thinking of hitting the fish market after that. It shows heavy rain showers on Friday but, once the hourly forecast becomes available, I am sure I can manage to buy my fresh vegetables and fruits. This reminds me that I need to check out my fridge and use up whatever is on hand. The fridge needs a good and thorough cleaning but, I am not sure if I am up for it yet. A quick clean up will have to suffice.

I changed my sheets and did 4 loads of laundry and hung them so, my energy is up significantly. I think, I will do some much needed cleaning on Monday. Nothing fancy. Just dust, vacuum and mop. No windows or balcony. I keep my bathroom clean whether I'm sick or well.

Cooking from scratch and eating at home has a side effect of having to run the dishwasher on a daily basis. I also handwash my good knives, salad spinner, French Press and some kitchen gadgets and yet, it is so hard to keep up with the dishes piling up in the sink which I hate. And don't get me started on having to wipe the countertops and the stove sveral times a day. If I don't do this, it gets out of hand so quickly.

I had a portion of chicken francese in the freezer and I had that for lunch over some linguine. Tonight's dinner will be some meat patties served with steamed broccoli salad. I steam the broccoli just a little and dump them in cold water. I then make a salad dressing with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and garlic. I pour this over the broccoli. Yummy and healthy.

Hope everyone is well and healthy. That's all that matters. 

Sickness and Health

It has been a while since I have posted but life happened as usual and I lost my mojo a bit but, here I am now.

This is my day 3 in isolation of 7 days since my second COVID test came back positive. I have no sense of smell, I get tired easily and I have some nasal congestion but, other than those, I am OK. 

I took a COVID test the Monday before last and it came back negative. However, I lost my sense of smell the following Wednesday. I kept postponing a COVID test because I pretty much knew at that point that I had it. On my family's insistence, I took another COVID test and that came back positive as expected.

I am sorry since I have not been following blogs and writing answers to comments on my previous post. First few days, I was sick like I had a major bout of regular flu so, I slept a lot and just watched TV.

The apartment needs a good dusting, vacuuming and mopping but, I get tired easily and I do not feel like tackling that job. I took my Dyson out so that I can spot vacuum when I have to. 

I ordered groceries from two separate stores because none carried everything that I needed. However, I am still short on some things since, by the time they started filling my order, they were out of some stuff. Whatever, nothing I can't live without.

I hope, once the isolation period is over, I will test negative and my sense of smell will be back.

Wishing everyone a healthy and happy Holiday Season!

Celebrating the 99th Year of The Republic of Turkiye

We owe our very existence to one great leader and wanted to share this old documentary about him. You may not have the time to watch it but, if you do, I am sure you will aprreciate him as much as I do.

Unfortunately the current idiots are trying to take back my country back 99 years.

Plans Change

I am a planner of most things but, when it comes to meals, it is difficult to make plans and stick to them. So, the chicken pot pie and the bread never got made yet. I was hoping to make the pot pie today but, I have some leftover rice that needs to be eaten. I decided to have a vegetarian meal and soaked some green lentils. Thankfully, they do not need to be soaked overnight. 

Tomorrow night, I think, a big salad for dinner will suffice since, the salad greens need to be consumed. May be Thursday is a good day to make the pot pie and the bread. 

SIS and BIL's friend is doing better. I don't know when she is going to start the chemo. Must be soon I guess. 

Today, the management office sent our monthly bill and I was shocked to see my hot water line. It was seven times more than what I usually get. I immediately called them to have them check my meter again.  Of course, they made a mistake. I am glad, I check my bills carefully. 

Hope, you are having a good week.

Busy Weekend

SIS and BIL came past midnight on Friday. Despite the fatigue, they woke up early in the morning and went to see their friend who was going to have surgery. SIS and BIL are friends with this couple since they went to the banking school together. They are really nice people who always showed up to support us when we had health issues and deaths in the family over the past 27 years.

Their friend F (the wife) was so pleased to see them before she was taken to the operating room. SIS and BIL came back and we had brunch at their favorite place right where I live. Then we decided to go in a couple of stores before we checked to see if the surgery was over. As soon as we went in the first store, M (the husband) called to say that the surgery was almost over but, it was worse than the doctor had expected. They even had to take 80% of her intestines and gave her a colostomy which hopefully will be temporary. I realized that they were anxious to go back to the hospital to support M so, I suggested that we should all go.

I got to meet F's older sister who was a nervous wreck. We bonded immediately being older sisters and I tried to comfort her a bit. We spent quiet a while at the hospital so that F's big sister could go in the ICU for a few minutes to see her sister. We had coffee and another couple joined us for a while longer.

It was even past dinner time when we finally came out of the hospital so, I took SIS and BIL to a very nice fish restaurant dating back to my birth year, 1967. I had never taken them there before because, they rarely come to Istanbul and also, it is on the European side far from my home. As always, it was awesome.

This morning, I let them sleep in a little, while I prepared breakfast. We all chilled after breakfast and around 2.p.m.  they left for the hospital yet again to see their friend M before they hit the road. As I am typing this, they probably have another hour to drive.

I finally popped my roaster in the oven late in the afternoon and had a nice dinner. The bird yielded enough meat for two nice meals, two sandwiches, a chicken pot pie and some breast meat for chicken salad. The carcass is on the stove for stock. I am having a repeat of today's dinner tomorrow and chicken pot pie on Tuesday and leftover CPP on Wednesday. Too many chicken dinners in a row but it's OK.

I am going to wash the bed sheets and towels my SIS and BIL used, tomorrow. I also need to run the vacuum again.

I have been contemplating about buying a robot vac but, I am not sure. Does anybody have one? If you do, what kind/brand do you have and do you like it?

Pleasant Day

Yesterday was a very pleasant day with a beautiful blue sky. A friend of mine from Ankara is visiting her son these days and we decided to meet for brunch at 11 a.m. We ended up chatting away till 4 p.m.! Must have missed each other a lot. She is one of the kindest people I know. We used to be co-workers back in the 90's and remained friends all these years. She is an avid knitter and I love her color and design choices. 

Today my BFF in the US (I am gonna call her M), is going to have an eyelid surgery. She told me she would be in and out of the hospital today. In a few hours, I will call her to see how she is feeling. 

Today is pretty windy but, I have chores to take care of. So, as soon as I type this, I am jumping in my car. 

Tonight's dinner will be a big salad with the last of the steak I bought last week. I am planning to go to the farmers market on Friday so, I will be eating out of my freezer till then. 

I am planning to make hot wings for tomorrow night with roasted sweet potatoes. I am also planning to make bread tomorrow following a recipe on a website that Bobbie, one of my commenters, recommended. That website has plenty of recipes I may want to try. 

Things I can't understand

I think, I am a bit too sensitive when it comes to family. Having lost my dad when I was only 27 and then having lost mom on my birthday two years ago were the most traumatic events of my life. There is not a single day that I do not think about them. I dote on my SIS, her husband and deeply care about Uncle and my two cousins. Their health and well being are important to me.

I sometimes envy my peers whose parents are still alive. Yes, I know some of them are struggling with their care and their ailments but, I still do envy them.

I have talked about an old couple who were my mom and dad's friends from my childhood neighborhood on this blog before. Whenever I am in Ankara, I always go visit, take the lady out to run errands and when I'm home, I call them regularly to see how they are doing. The gentleman is bed ridden. They had lost their older son and their younger son lives in the UK. He had a heart problem, the doctors put a couple of stents in his arteries and he told his parents that the doctor forbade him to travel. Mom had stents put in and we traveled like crazy so, I did not quite get that.  Besides, he is a musician and he plays at bars and clubs. This was almost two years ago and the pandemic also made it hard to travel so, he could never come visit his parents during this time. Or, so we thought. I just recently found out that he and his wife did come to Turkey for a vacation a month or so ago and did not tell his family. Apparently, since his parents live in the suburbs, it is inconvenient for him to go visit them without a car but, he had no problems visiting some vacation spots during his visit.

I hope, his parents never find out about this because they will be so heartbroken. 

I do not get this. I have known these people all my life and his parents were as attentive and as dedicated as my parents were. We grew up in the same neighborhood. Went to similar schools if not the same. I know for a fact that, his parents never laid a hand on either of the two brothers and were always loving parents.

I understand some people may have been mistreated or even abused when they were children and if they do not treat their families well when they become adults, I can symphatise with that. In fact, there was this one neighbor who used to beat the crap out of his son in our apartment building and my mom had to intervene and save the boy from his father on several occasions. That guy turned out to be a very decent man and has a wonderful family of his own. And surprisingly, he treated his parents with respect despite his dad's oddities.

The world is a weird place and people are just odd I guess.

Today, I set things straight in my home, baked a bread with this recipe which I found through Acre Homestead on YouTube. I watch the owner of the channel preserve, prepare, bake and garden with awe. 

I don't have to worry about meals till Friday so, I will take the opportunity to clean my home, go see my eye doctor and get together with a friend this week. 

My SIS and BIL are coming to visit over the weekend. They are best friends with this couple and the young woman will have an important surgery on Tuesday. They have always been there for my SIS and BIL with every hardship they had so, it is important for them to come visit as well.

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

Must be getting old...

Today I decided to do some shopping and cook up a few dishes so that, I will not have to think about cooking during the coming 4-5 days.

I bought two steaks, some chopped meat, tomatoes, peppers, string beans and a quarter of a cabbage. Cabbages were GI-GAN-TIC! I am glad they were also selling quarters and halves. Otherwise, I wouldn't buy it.

As soon as I got home, I attacked the cabbage. Separated enough leaves to stuff and roll for dinner. Chopped some finely for cole slaw and chopped the rest to cook. I also chopped enough onions for all the recipes.

I prepared my meat and rice mixture and stuffed the cabbage rolls and started cooking this for dinner. Then I stuffed the tomatoes and peppers and also put them on the stove. I prepared the green beans , took out some previously cooked chopped meat from the freezer, sauteed some onions, added a spoonful of tomato paste and put them all together in the pressure cooker. 

It was time for dinner and by that time the cabbage rolls were done. I sat down and OMG! it was the worst cabbage rolls I have ever eaten! Guess what? I forgot to add salt to the meat mixture and forgot to add oil. I ate them anyway but now I know my tomatoes and peppers will be terrible too. Sigh... I guess I will need to salt them when I am eating them.

When the beans were cooked and the pressure cooker became available I cooked the rest of the cabbage with some rice, sauteed onions and a generous amount of crushed red pepper. At least that turned out to have enough oil and salt. 

Anyway, I now have enough food for the next few days. Mission is somewhat accomplished.

Ordinary but sad Monday....

I have been devastated by the news about a man who was 10 years my junior from my High School. He was a guitar player and a soloist working at this club/bar for years. Last Saturday night, he had been ambushed by three men bearing broken glasses. Why? Because, he did not know the words to a song requested by these killers. Unfortunately, he died within hours leaving beahind a 5 year old little girl. I am so sorry about this. It is a rare occasion that I shed tears after people I do not personally know but this time, I just cannot hold back the tears. The Alumni of my HS are furious. The Police arrested the three guys and we are skeptical that justice will be served because two of them work for a Government Ministry and one works for a prominent Defence Contractor. These people possibly will be protected by the supporters of this current atrocious government. Laws do not apply to them. We shall see.

So, I guess, we should be thankful for every single day that we are breathing and our loved ones are fine. 

Life goes on, so today I went to IKEA for a couple of things I needed. I did not buy anything that was cute and totally unnecessary. For a moment I was tempted to buy some tea lights but, then remembered, I still have a bunch of them somewhere.

I went into the grocery store, got fish for tomorrow night's dinner, went to the Pharmacy because they owed me a couple of meds from last week and got back my jeans which needed hemming from the tailor.

I had been considering to empty out my sideboard to see if there were anything that I could get rid of and yes! I found three nesting bowls which need to washed by hand, a cheeseboard, a picture frame and an old manual blood pressure monitor that no longer works. I got rid of them immediately. I also found a bunch of tablecloths which do not fit my two tables. I asked my SIS and Uncle to send me the measurements of their tables before I give them away. And sure enough, I found the tea lights.

I have quite a stash of  kitchen towels and linens I bought from the US during my travels. Needless to say, they are all sunflower themed. The ones being currently used are still in good shape so, these will be put back on the shelves till they will be needed. 

I used to display lots of pictures of my family but, lately I decided that I do not want to look at them. There are more deceased people than living. For the moment, they upset me so, I have boxed them up and put them away till I feel differently.

Ending the week

Thankfully, despite the bad vertigo attack, I am recovering faster than I expected. 

Today I went to the family clinic right by me and got a prescription for my vertigo med. The Pharmacy is in the same building so, I was able to get my meds. I then walked into the small grocery store and got hamburger patties. I could have just bought the meat and made my own patties but, honestly a little convenience felt right. I actually wish there were more convenience foods or ready made meals like in the US. I am craving pot stickers but, I have to make them from scratch. One of these days I will try it. Asian food is very expensive here in this country. 

I made a vegetable soup with some chicken stock. I had some leftover rice and had a bowl of that for lunch. For dinner, I made a cheeseburger with oven fried sweet potatoes. Honestly, just the burger would be enough. I have another bun to make another burger tomorrow.

How many times do you wipe your kitchen counters every day? I swear, I lost count. My mom had warned me about the black countertops but, of course, I did not listen. 

I still have about half of the big bag of mixed veggies in the freezer. It is taking up a lot of precious space. I don't think I will buy such a big bag again. 

I am still sorting through my clothes. It is taking more time than usual because I still get a bit dizzy.

Hopefully, I will feel 100% by the beginning of next week and will be able to dust, vacuum and mop the floors. Windows need washing too but, they will have to wait. 

Wishing everyone a nice and relaxing weekend.

Massive Vertigo Attack

Last night, or rather early in the morning, I was dreaming and turned from right to left in my bed and all of a sudden I was wide awake with the world spinning real fast. I haven't had such a bad attack in quiet a while. I actually was scared that the spinning would not stop and started panicking. I then calmed myself down and finally the world stopped spinning gradually. I took my pillow and went to the recliner. I took a pill that helps and fell asleep till late morning. 

Today, I am spending most of my time in the recliner and walking like a badly constructed robot when I have to prepare food or go to the bathroom. 

Sigh...

Hope everyone is having a better day than I am. 

When you think long and hard enough...

Lately, I have been thinking about getting rid of old comforters and buying new ones. I am also pretty tired of the sheet sets that I have. 

I kept checking a few online stores to see what they had. Sizes are pretty standard with the exception of IKEA comforters. I have two thin ones which are perfect to use these days but, the standard duvet covers are too big for them. I was thinking of getting IKEA covers but, it just dawned on me that, mom probably had those. She also had a bunch of bed linens still in their packages. So, I have decided to swap some of my bed linens with the ones in the Ankara home. I shall ask my sister if that is OK with her but, I am sure it is. Mom had plenty of comforters too. So, next time I am in Ankara, I will check those out as well before I buy anything new. 

I usually make quick decisions but, this time it took me a long time and I arrived at a frugal solution.

My house guest gifted me a TV blanket but told me to exchange it with whatever I would like. She gave me the gift card. I have TV blankets coming out of my ears so, I will exchange it for something else that I need. 

I have also been contemplating about signing up for YouTube Premium for a while. I finally decided that it is worthwhile to do so, because the frequency and length of commercials were getting ridiculuous. I like to listen to audio books, old radio shows in bed so, it made a lot of sense to sign up for it. I signed up for the whole year saving me two months.

I have decided to make a chicken and veggie casserole and an Asian imitation soup tomorrow. I will also go out for a long walk in the neighborhood (I hope). 

On Wednesday I will work half a day for the medical association I consult for.

I am being lazy when I am on my own so, I should make a list of chores and exercise. The weather is awesome and I should walk as much as I can while it lasts.

This and That

I had a house guest last week. So, the week was filled with a ton of activities. On Thursday we got together with two College mates. One lives in the US. She is originally from Pakistan. It had been 32 years since I had seen her but, we found tons to talk about. We met around 3 p.m. and by the time we said goodbye, it was 9 p.m. My friend left on Friday.

After dropping her off at the train station, I went to a farmers market and bought some tomatoes and eggplants. I have run the tomatoes through my food processor and froze them. I had bought 6 big eggplants and halved them. I brushed them with olive oil and baked them. I am going to stuff them with sauteed chopped meat and freeze them for easy meals in winter. I hope, I can fit everything. My small freezer section is almost full. That is all my prepping for the winter.

I washed all the bed linens and put the guest room back in order.

I found some frozen cheese in the freezer and since I wanted to make room, I baked a pizza for dinner. I love my homemade version better than all the commercial pizzas. There is some leftover for tomorrow or the next day.

I also have tons of salad fixings I need to use up and lots of frozen chicken I had roasted the week before. So, this week's meal plan is "use what you have, don't let anything go bad".

Today I walked to the nearest grocery store since I was running out of salt, red pepper flakes, bread and milk. I could smell the Fall in the air and the low temperatures make it very pleasant these days after several weeks of scorching hot weather.

Wishing everyone a nice week.

Concerts

During my time in the US, I have been able to go to two concerts with my friend M, and two other friends.

The first concert had a warm-up band of a group channeling Elton John. The guy who was the pretend EJ was actually pretty good so, we enjoyed the songs. I am not going to name the other band but, they were singing Queen songs. They were so out of tone that it gave me hope for a career in the music world. It looks like even I can sing in a band touring the country. Despite being tone deaf that is.... It was absolute torture. M is a great Queen fan and she knows all the songs. At one point, we found ourselves looking at each other with eyes out of sockets trying to figure out what song they were playing. When we hear the lyrics, we were like: Really!!??

We left early because I told my friends we should not wait to hear how they butcher Bohemian Rhapsody which they hadn't sang yet. 

In any case, we had a good time laughing.

The other concert was at Bethelwoods. I always thought the Woodstock concerts of 1968 took place in Woodstock, VT. I know, silly me but, I was only 1 year old back in '68. 

It was the real CHICAGO! I like their music very much and the band was great. 

Before CHICAGO, Brian Wilson took the stage. It was a bit sad to see him using a walker but on the other hand, it was nice to hear some Beach Boys songs.

Here are some pictures. All my video files are larger than what Blogger allows. I am so sorry, because they were so cool.

When you're having a good time...

I am back from my long US vacation. I did not think that I would be able to post while I was on vacation and I was right. 

The friend I was visiting came over after 4 days of my arrival for 10 days in Turkey. We had a blast! 

I am now back home in Istanbul and I promise to write about my time in New York and our vacation here in Turkey.

I need some time to do laundry, put some stuff away and just relax a little bit. Since May 4th, I have only spent a little time at home. I am now ready to sit back and enjoy my home. 

I also need to catch up on my favorite blogs.

"Talk" to you soon!

Such a fun night!

I met with some former colleagues last night at a very nice restaurant. There were 8 of us and we reminisced about the good old days we had back between 2000 and 2006. It was my favorite job and I had learnt tons of stuff and had the privilege of working with really intelligent and kind people. Sure we had our differences from time to time but, overall it was a great experience for all, that shaped our careers and put us on our paths.

One of the ladies had to leave early since she needed to catch a plane for a business trip. There were two more guys to join us but, one was sick and the other could not make it. I had dinner with him and another colleague from the same company last week.

We told stories from former projects and laughed a lot. I was sometimes in conflict with one of the guys because we had different perspectives but, now we are good friends because as we talked about our unique views, we now understand each other better.

It rained really hard at one point but, we had a roof over our heads with the sides all open so, I was comfortable. If the dinner had been held indoors, I wouldn't go.

Today, I am determined to finish laundry, hang the guest room curtains, make it ready for when my friend comes to visit, sort out my meds to see if I need more, 

On Monday I need to do a little shopping for gifts. 

I will try to take as little as possible with me. I need summer tops and pants anyway.

I am using up all that I have in my fridge and freezer and there is good progress. 

Gotta go and take care of today's chores. Wishing everyone a very nice weekend and great weather.

Things taken for granted...

Not having my washing machine working for just 2-3 days got me thinking that there are so many things that are taken for granted.

My grandmother on mom's side almost always had washing machines in her married life. She was born in 1920, graduated College in 1942. She was a very frugal lady but, she loved technology and so did her husband, my grandpa. They always had a car which was a very big deal at the time in Turkey. She always had a couple of pressure cookers, a fridge, an oven and a washing machine when most people in her generation didn't. She loved her appliances and took great care of them. When they got their first washing machine, a lot of people never knew such a thing even existed. Unfortunately, I do not have the info as to what that machine was but, her second was very similar to this, but bigger:

I do not know why she kept that machine but, she did, all her life. I do not remember her using anything but, an automatic Bosch front loader. She bought that machine in 1967 when I was born and back then, automatic front loading machines were unheard of in Turkey. Nor were they sold. My grandpa was an Air Force Officer so, he bought that machine from Germany directly.

When I was very little, I remember that, mom had a washing lady coming home every week but that probably lasted only a couple of years. Then she got this machine:

She would hook up a hose to fill the machine. It is rather simple or rather primitive and far from being practical but, beats hand washing any day.

Mom didn't have a dishwasher till I was 23. She used to soap up and scrub the dishes and I would run them under water after every dinner. When I went to the US back in 1990, my company furnished apartment came with a dishwasher which I fell in love with so, I sent money back home to dad to buy her a dishwasher from me on Mother's Day. Dad had a kid in private school and was paying for an apartment so, it was not in their budget at the time.

The only person in our family with a dryer is my SIS. Mom and I could certainly afford one but, our apartments did not have the space and wiring for it. Mine still doesn't.  Even today, dryers are still not as popular as they are in the US mostly due to lack of space.  I have a drying rack and when I wash my sheets, I put a line in the corridor to the back rooms. 

Today, as I was making a list of detergents I am running out of, these thoughts occupied my mind and I wanted to share them.

There is so much we take for granted. If you look back in history, those kings and queens were very poor when compared to us. They lacked electricity and lacked everything that comes with it. They did not have proper heating in those glorious castles and palaces. Heck, they didn't even have toilets! This went on for centuries. Our comfort levels made a Quantum Leap in the last 100 years. 

What appliances do you remember from your childhoods? Do you remember the excitement the family experienced when a big purchase was made?

Lists and lists and lists

I have 8 days to go on vacation and I started making my lists today. There are home related lists, packing lists, document lists, gift lists...

I am glad that Covid testing has been lifted off both by the US and the German Government. I am flying on Lufthansa with a stopover in Frankfurt. The idea of getting a Covid test within 24 hours of my flight was sort of nerve-racking. I will be wearing an N95 mask through my journey anyway and I am sort of self-quaranteening myself  till my journey. I will meet with former colleagues for dinner but, we shall be outside. (Am I sure? I better send a text to the friend who is organizing it to see if it is outdoors or not).

Luckily, the washing machine is fixed. It was such an easy fix that I am embarassed for not having tried it. I had seen some YouTube videos with taking the back cover off and taking pieces apart. I was afraid to do those but the guy who came opened a very easy place and pulled the clogging stuff. 2 minutes! Now the washer is running empty as per his recommendation before I start doing laundry. My bedroom curtains and clothing items are on top of the list. I need to sort the laundry which I had piled up in my guest room so, I can prioritize the wash.

I pulled a small package of navy beans I had frozen. Tonight, there will be rice and beans. I think, there will be some leftovers for a Mexican style wrap tomorrow. I am trying to use up what's on hand rather than buying groceries. I do not want to throw away anything so, I will be extremely cautious if I need to buy anything.

At the moment my home looks very neat and tidy. I do not think I will be putting the accesories back in place. Let them stay in their boxes. 

I am so glad I pulled the trigger and had my home painted. Here are the before and after pictures of the repairs:

Home!

Everything went well with regards to the contractors but my washing machine decided to clog up. It was my fault really. I washed mom's old prayer rug to donate but it fell apart during the wash cycle.  Hopefully, tomorrow my machine will be fixed. It is an 11 year old Samsung. 

I have tons of laundry including all my curtains. 

I have been gradually putting things in place since Saturday. There is still a slight odor because of the door frames. The paint they use on those could not be water based. Therefore, it is stinky. I placed baking soda and vinegar in plates in all the rooms but, so far, they are not working as much as I thought they would.

Today, I took dad's cousin F to a small town where she used to have a small farm which she had to sell because of her stepson. She needed to run an errand. Then, we visited two vineyards. I bought 4 bottles, she got 30 bottles. That part of the family can drink. I dropped her off at her apartment and came home. Tonight is the first night I will be staying at home since the paint started. I am going to cover my windows with paper tonight. Hopefully, tomorrow I will be able to wash the curtains and hang them up.

It has been quiet busy lately and I have only 9 days left to go on my vacation. Usually, I would be excited in anticipation of that but, I am so tired. 

On Thursday, I will be having dinner with a bunch of former colleagues. After that, I will not be socializing. I will be packing and resting till my flight.

Lately we have been having thunder showers and hail storms. Since I will be gone for over 45 days, I want to park my car in a closed garage. F has an agreement with a hotel near her apartment and she negotiated on my behalf with the parking garage manager. They gave me a good price and I shall be leaving my car there and take a cab to the airport.

Gotta go and cover my windows.

Hope you are having a great week!

Light at the end of the tunnel!

Yesterday, I went to check the work and it looked awesome. The paint was lighter than I expected but, it looks really good. They suggested to apply a coat of varnish on the doors which I accepted. It will all be done by today afternoon. I will go and air the apartment on Friday.

The cleaning lady I wanted to hire for the job was only available on Saturday but, she suggested to bring another person with her. Although my home will be ready on Saturday, I will go back on Monday night. Dad's cousin F has some errands to run and I will help her with them.

Last night we went to the Opera, Falstaff by Verdi. It was OK, but I'm not a fan of the opera except for some well known ones like Carmen, Aida, Il Travotore, La Traviata and etc. I'm more a classial concert person. However, I was glad to see the renewed opera house. Modern, clean building with lots of space for coffee shops, libraries, and exhibits. 

F is getting her second cataracts procedure as I type this.  Tomorrow night we shall go and stay at her late mom's apartment. She will meet up with friends during the weekend and so will I.  I will also supervise the cleaning.

This year the weather is really strange. We are getting lots of thunderstorms, hailstorms and it gets cool within a matter of minutes. Some days are extremely windy, some days it is too hot and too humid. I think, every 5 years or so, this happens.

Wishing everyone smooth sailing.

Fresh Paint

Two painters came yesterday right on time and started to repair the areas that needed patching up. They worked from 9:00 a.m. till 5 p.m. I left them plenty of paper cups, a water heater, instant coffee, tea bags and soft drinks. I also send them lunch every day. 

Yesterday every part of my body was aching but, I did a pretty decent job, putting away everything. The painters appreciated that. They could immediately start covering things with plastic sheets and taping them. 

When I took down the frames on the walls, I realized that it was really the time for painting. I also took down the curtains and stuffed them in big garbage bags. Once the initial cleaning is done, I will wash them and hang them. So, I asked for two days of cleaning from the contractor. The first day will be just for general cleaning and washing the windows, the second will be detailed as I put everything back where they belong. 

I just spoke to the two painters and they said they will be able to finish latest by Thursday. I wasn't expecting that because the contractor had told me it would take till next week. I hope, they are doing a good job and not cutting corners to get to a new job.  On the other hand, the contractor might have given me a longer estimate just because he knows me well. He had re-done my bathroom and my kitchen. Anyway, if something is not right, he will fix it for me. It will just be another headache though. Come on T'pol! Think positive!

I think I will have a few days to relax, enjoy my freshly painted and cleaned home before I pack my bags for my trip to the US on the 29th. Nice!

Meanwhile, saving money and frugality are not on my agenda this month. I am spending quite a bit of money for extra gas, parking, food etc.  I will go back to my frugal self come September. 

Hope everyone is enjoying nice summer days. 

What was I thinking?

As I am trying to prep my apartment for the paint job, I keep muttering "what was I thinking?"

The painters will move everything in the middle of the rooms and cover them with plastic but, I still need to take care of some items myself. 

Below are some pictures of the places which will be fixed. It has been a long time since these were bothering me. I was able to hide the worst two behind my curtains. It took a long time to figure out how to fix them.  After the fix, I have been told to wait a year to see if there will be more water damage. When the year was up, the pandemic hit and the paint job has been postponed.

The painters are coming tomorrow. They will cover everything with plastic and then, start scraping the areas that need to be fixed. I am moving to dad's cousin tomorrow night.

Please wish me luck!

Home Sweet Home

I am back in Istanbul.

Yesterday morning I went to the cemetery and told mom and dad that they left us too early and that I was heartbroken and angry. I don't know if they hear me or not but, I told them anyway. I can't believe it's been two years since mom's passing.

Then I dropped my cousin's bags and had coffee with her and her mother.

I met an old co-worker who is also a good friend in the afternoon and we spent some time together. 

My childhood friend with whom I had a long vacation last year took me out to dinner for my birthday and by the time I got home it was 10:30 p.m. and my suitcases were still unpacked. 

I could not get up early today so, I hit the road after 2:30 p.m. Lots of thundershowers and wind on the way and as I was halfway through, I realized that I forgot my phone charger in Ankara. Dumb!

The tunnel was closed due to road repairs so, I had to deal with more and slower traffic. As soon as I arrived in Istanbul, I ran to the nearest mall to get a new charger. I also did my grocery shopping. Walked in my apartment at 9:30 p.m. Phewww!

I am so tired but, also glad to be home. I have a busy half week ahead of me. Then, the painting will start. 

Getting Ready to Hit the Road Again

Today, uncle and I went to explore the mountains behind where he lives and had a picnic lunch. We saw some beautiful sights and enjoyed the cooler air.

Tomorrow is my last beach day. It is getting hot here which means, the water is getting too warm for my liking and the beach gets more crowded making it hard to read a book in peace. 

I am hitting the road on Friday. On the way to Ankara, I will visit a HS buddy who is a Professor at a Dental School in a smaller city. I always have coffee with him whenever I pass that city. He said he will have more time on Friday so, we will have lunch.

SIS and BIL will be coming to Ankara too. I left my Saturday and Sunday morning open to be able to spend time with them. They usually hit the road in the afternoon and when they leave, I will go and have coffee with an old friend (an ex-boyfriend actually) and his wife. 

Monday is my birthday. I will go to the cemetery and then have dinner with a childhood friend. 

I am returning to Istanbul on Tuesday. 

I feel like a very confused migrating bird. Haha!

I am making a list of what needs to be done before the painting starts. Busy three weeks await me.

Weekend Surprise

SIS and BIL decided to surprise us on Friday night and came to Antalya for the weekend. It was 2 a.m. when they made it. So, I went to my PT early in the morning yesterday and came home around 10:30 a.m. We all had breakfast at a nearby place and the three of us went to the beach. As usual uncle did not join us because he never dips his toes in the water "this early" in the season. You may think he goes swimming every day in August but, you would be mistaken. He just does not care for it anymore.

We had a nice dinner at a place we all like. This morning we got up around 10 a.m. and had breakfast at home. SIS and BIL went to the beach and I am doing laundry. It is a very hot day and my tendinitis does not allow me to go to the pebble beach which I dislike anyway. I am sitting in the middle of all the open windows as I am typing this. There is A/C but, my family dislikes it and it bothers them. If uncle goes out as well, I will surely turn it on till they come home. Uncle just took out his guitar and started to exercise so, I guess no A/C today. Thankfully there is a breeze.

My last day of  PT is Tuesday. I must say it has worked wonderfully but now, I know I have a chronic condition so, I will be most careful and wear only the best shoes and keep on doing the exercises. 

I am getting ready to go back to Ankara next Friday. SIS and BIL will be there too. They have some doctor's appointments and I think SIS wants to celebrate my bday which I would just rather forget. Having lost mom on the very same day still upsets me and I do not know whether I will ever get over that. 

I spoke to my dad's cousin. She just came back from the US visiting her niece who graduated from University of Michigan. As we were talking, I told her about the paint job at my apartment in June and she told me about her upcoming cataracts surgeries so, we decided that I should stay at her apartment during the painting. I will take her to the surgeries and help her while she is recovering. In the meantime, my apartment will be painted. I was looking for a hotel for 4-5 days but, this will help me save some money. 

Hopefully, I will be flying on the 29th. 5 days after I come back, my BFF will fly over to spend 10 days with me. Initially, we were thinking to fly together but her wedding anniversary got in the way. I doubt that her husband would mind but, I guess she does. 

This summer is surely a busy one. Who said retirement is boring? 

Not much to write about

I am going to PT every day except for Sundays and then I am going to the beach after that. The water is crisp and cold so, the locals do not go to the beaches much yet. Russian, Ukrainian, Canadian, German and British tourists and I have no problems dipping in the cold water. The only difference between us is the fact that, I hide under the shade of two beach umbrellas covered in sunscreen when they are basically frying themselves. 

Yesterday, it felt like summer for the first time. No breeze to ccol off so, I felt the heat and went in the water several times.

I brought 5 books with me and I am about to finish the 5th one. I need at least two more books before I go back so, I will look at what my uncle has. He doesn't like novels so, I may not find anything I will enjoy. 

I have read the first 3 books of the Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell, a Swedish writer. I enjoyed them very much and then noticed a series on Netflix called the Young Wallander based on the character created by H. Mankell. I think, I will buy the rest of the books in that series.

My tendinitis is getting better. I want to get gifts for my physical therapist, the doctor and the lady at the entrance to the hospital. They are really sweet and attentive. I just do not know what to get. I have the whole week to figure it out. I have 8 more days of PT. 

When I am in the US, I will buy myself two pairs of New Balance 993s. They are the best for my feet despite being expensive. I think, I will wear them 98% of the time to keep my orthopedic problems at bay. I have been told, my tendinitis has become a chronic condition so, I should keep doing my exercises and applying ice after every long walk. My SIS jokes that mom and dad produced offspring with mechanical and software problems. I tend to agree with her. Thankfully, our processors are so far OK.

I am trying to figure out what each of us need so that I can buy them in the US. I like to come back with gifts for my family but these days, USD has become so expensive against TL that I need to choose my gifts wisely. I am afraid this may be my last trip to the US. I hope, we shall see better days if we can get rid of this asshole of a government.

Today there was no PT and I decided to stay home and sleep in. I am doing my exercises and resting my feet on ice every two hours. I will also look at my financial situation and see what bills need to be paid before June. Most of the regular bills are on autopay so, it is a matter of keeping enough cash on the two accounts I use.

Hope, everyone had a relaxing weekend. Wishing all a good and productive week!

A busy time ahead

As I was applying ice to my tendon today, I took the opportunity to sit down and make a plan till the end of June.

My PT is going to end on May 31st. I would like to go to Ankara on June 3rd, till June 7th. Then I will go back home. I texted the contractor reminding that I would like them to start the paint job on the week of 13th of June. In two weeks, I should be done with everything at home so that, I can start my US vacation peacefully.  May be I can finish purging the last couple of areas before painting starts. 

Today, I cleaned up the counter tops and cabinets of uncle's kitchen. He is generally clean but, a bit lax about thorough cleaning.

I have decided on a few projects in this apartment to make it more homey than a bachelor apartment. That will require me coming here for a few weeks and sending uncle off to either my place or Ankara or may be both. I am thinking some time in April-May next year. My sister had mentioned that she wanted to do a few things as well. 

I also need to find a cleaning lady for him who lives nearby. If someone comes every three weeks, that will be just fine.

As for help for me in Istanbul; during the painting, I will try the new cleaning lady whom my old one has recommended and if I like her, I will ask her to come regularly starting in the Fall. I really need someone every two or three weeks. More would be an unnecessary expense in these ultra expensive economic times. With that said, I am sure the cleaning ladies need jobs and the ability to feed their kids so, it is sort of a social duty too if one can afford it.

A friend of mine just came back from the US. She found it extremely expensive not only due to the weakness of our money but also due to the inflation in the US. I am not going on a shopping excursion this time. I will only buy what we all truly need and what is too expensive here in Turkey. I need an extra pair of NB 990s and new jeans, uncle needs a couple of cargo shorts. I will ask my SIS and BIL what they need. SIS possibly needs a pair of new jeans too. We need long jeans which are hard to come by in our sizes over here. I have been wearing Lane Bryant jeans and have found them comfortable and durable. 

My tendon already started feeling better. The doctor gave me a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pill once a day for 10 days. I keep my foot elevated while I am sitting and keep applying ice for 15 minutes several times a day. The PT takes about an hour. I hope to be healed fully in a month. We'll see.

Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and wish everybody a great week ahead.

Achilles Tendon

 

I hurt my right achilles tendon and made it worse when I sprained my right ankle trying to get on my uncle's little boat. 

I called a High School friend of mine who is a Physical Theraphy doctor and she recommended a former student of hers in Antalya. He took great care of me out of respect to his former professor and started me on physical theraphy for 15 days. Hopefully, I will recover before I hop on the plane to go to the US.

My cousin left last Thursday. She had a great time. The water was cold and it was windy but, she still enjoyed the beach.

My theraphy sessions are at 10:00 a.m. every day except Sunday so, after the PT, I am planning to go to the beach.

I haven't been able to keep up with my favorite blogs lately. Hope, everyone is doing fine.

Another Trip

SIS and BIL left for Izmir. They will visit his dad one last time and then hit the road. 

My cousin and I are leaving tomorrow. Now, I have to go and pack my belongings yet again. Uncle wanted some things from this apartment. I had left some beach stuff last year so, all will be gathered and packed in a larger suitcase that my SIS brought. 

I sent all foodstuffs to BIL's dad. This way I will not have to take them with me. Cannot stand wasting or throwing away food.

We spent a good deal of time with my SIS and BIL and it was nice and filled with laughter. 

After they left, I called some relatives, my mom and dad's cousins. I do want to keep in touch with them but, each phone call is so depressing. They are getting old and there are serious health issues in their families. It feels like the extended family is all falling apart. So upsetting. We also talk about mom and dad of course and how early they passed away and I get teary eyed while trying to keep it from my voice. Not happy celebratory phone calls for a holiday... Well, I guess it is how life is.

Gotta go and find something to cheer myself up. There are two more cousins of dad's to call but, I shall leave that for later. 

Just chilling

SIS and BIL arrived by dinner time yesterday. We ordered food for dinner. They brought some veggies and fruit. The strawberries and the green plums were awesome but, the loquats were too sour for me.

Today, we wanted to go to the cemetery but, it was so crowded that, we had to turn back. Tomorrow or the next day, I guess.

They went to see BIL's dad and I returned home to cook. I made snow peas, purslane and a cheese pie for dinner. Then I made a pudding for tomorrow.

I think, I will watch a movie tonight because SIS and BIL will be out with friends after dinner. I am thinking Avengers: Infinity War. 

We have two more days as a family and then they will go back home on the last day of the holiday. My cousin and I are leaving the day after. I need to re-organize my suitcase to put in my beach stuff. 

I have no plans till our trip to Antalya so, I'm just chilling.

A Dinner and a Play

Today, I met one of my childhood friends for dinner at the restaurant of an arts center in Ankara We had a nice early dinner and then saw a solo play. I didn't know the young actress but, she was really good. I am not a fan of solo plays however, this one truly surprised me.

I gave my father's history magazines to my friend. She will give them to her brother. Now that, my car and trunk are almost empty, tomorrow may be a good day to have the car washed. I need to check the weather report because, I hate it when I have my car washed and it rains the next day.

I also asked my SIS today, to contact the plummer in the Ankara apartment complex since we were having some trouble with a couple of things. A super nice guy showed up right on time and quickly fixed both issues. 

My SIS and BIL will be coming tomorrow for the Ramadan Feast. We will get to spend some time together but, they will have things to do separately as well. I have no plans till Wednesday when I hit the road again. Time to chillax.

Wishing everyone a nice weekend!

And voila!

 

I had set the alerts at IKEA for the darn hinges and yesterday late at night, I got a message that the hinges were now in stock at the nearest store. I jumped in the car this morning and got them. Isn't it a simple clean look? There are only 8 things in display. So much easier to dust.

I ran the vacuum and mopped the floors yesterday but, honestly, if I weren't too tired, I could have done a much better job. 

The contractor came and delivered the paint to be used in mid-June. I wanted to get the paint a.s.a.p because, the prices keep going up.

I have been trying to eat out of the freezer and fridge lately and I must admit, I did a good job this time. Only a small cauliflower, two carrots and a container of yogurt is left and I am taking them with me. Tonight's dinner is pizza, to use up the last bit of the cheese and the tomato sauce.

I took out most of the things I will put in my suitcase with the exception of my meds, computer, cables and etc. After I type and post this, I will go and pack. I want to have a relaxed dinner and night knowing that all is done.

My uncle told me to get tablecloths for the table on his balcony. I asked him the dimensions and he had no clue. Lol! Why are men like this? I told him to measure it and get back to me. I took out two from my stash which do not fit my table. I guess mom had bought them for me but, they are rectangular and my table is round, oval when opened. They do not fit my table open or closed. I am hoping, they will fit his table. If not, I will get him new ones. 

I think, I will leave some of my beach stuff in Antalya this time. 

On Thursday, I will have my winter tires changed, pick up my new glasses and hopefully get my car washed. On Friday, I will do a little shopping since SIS and BIL will be coming for the Ramadan Feast which starts on Sunday. The day after the holiday, my cousin and I will be heading for Antalya. Uncle will be having her two nieces one from his late sister's side, other from his late brother's. Cousin will fly back home on the 12th.

Busy Sunday Updated Edition

After I posted below, I got to work on the TV bench. I opened the box for the door and I found out that there are no hinges. Yup! They sell a door without it's hinges and none of the people warned me about it. On top of that, they are all out of hinges. I have checked stocks of all IKEA stores and none of them has hinges in stock. How stupid is this? So, my project will remain unfinished just because of a stupid supply chain issue. UGH!

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Since I have only two more days before I go on my vacation, I am trying to get the house clean.I am done re-organizing my bedroom and the guest room. After I post this, I will go clean up the bathroom cabinets. 

I have tossed few more items as I was re-arranging the closets. I found a lot of hangers from the dry cleaners by me. I am taking them to the guy who owns the place. Since I do not work, I rarely need dry cleaning nowadays but, every hanger is a cost to him. So, I am thinking he will be glad to get 25 free hangers. Another thing re-cycled and re-used. BTW, the hangers are not the wire type ones. They are mostly plastic. So, this will be a tiny help for the landfills.

My sister and I were talking about doing some improvement at my uncle's home this year. I mentioned that I had a bunch of extra sheets that I no longer want and she told me to bring them to Ankara and give them to her FIL's caregiver. My trunk is already full before I even put my own suitcase in there.

Today, I need to be done with the TV bench and the bathroom cabinets, make my packing list.

Tomorrow, I need to dust, wash the windows from the inside and pack everything that I would like to take with me first to Ankara, then to Antalya. On Tuesday, I will run the big vacuum cleaner all around the house, mop the floors and clean the fridge. 

So far, my quest to purge was successful thanks to my readers who cheered and motivated me. Once I am done with the cleaning, I will post some pictures. 

Nice break

Yesterday I had to go to some hospital at the other end of the city for my part time gig with the medical association. On the way back, I dropped by my friend who owns the headhunting business. I gave her the air mattress and the laptop she had given me. I had given up using that long time ago because, it has a slow mouse. I could not fix that problem and it was driving me crazy. My old beloved laptop is still fine.

I ended up staying for dinner and I had a nice time with her and her husband. For now, I am done with ethe work but, I will go back to pick up a couple of positions in the Fall. Fall and Winter are good times to work. Although annoying, that gig gives me a purpose and a bit of money.

Last evening, I received a text from one of my High School friends saying that another friend was in town and they would be having breakfast at the restaurant run by the Culinary Arts Academy of  Istanbul at the Sakip Sabanci Museum. They were able to get a reservation for 9 a.m. and asked me if I wanted to join them. I happily accepted. Two more friends joined us and the five of us had a great time. After days of purging and working hard, these two get togethers were a welcome change of pace. It was a beautiful day, partly cloudy but nice.

I rushed home by noon time to meet the contractor for the paint job estimate. He is a nice guy and it was nice to meet him again. He had done a great job when I redid my bathroom and kitchen. 

In the afternoon, I only did a load of laundry, shifted just a few things around and napped. So, not much was accomplished today. Tomorrow, I am starting the big clean-up. I have decided to wash the windows only from the inside because, I will not be home for a long time and I am sure it will rain several times making a mess with all the pollen.

I am not done with the TV bench yet. I have figured out a way to hide the cables better so, I will do some minimal dismantling. 

Decided to go to Ankara on Wednesday. I made dinner and used up all the chopped meat in the freezer. I have leftovers for tomorrow too. I think, I will be able to use up all that can go bad before I leave. If I can't, they are coming with me.

Hope everyone is having a great spring weekend.

Reclaimed Spaces

Yesterday, I felt a bit overwhelmed when I started with the bookcases. I remember going through them with mom a few years ago, sigh... Apparently, I could not let go of many things during that round. Well, I did better yesterday. I am sure, I can let go some more but, the reclaimed spaces yesterday was sufficient and I was tired. Honestly, I could not remember some of the books and want to read them again. 

SIS thought he had my dad's matchbox collection but, no, I have that. I told her I could give the collection to her and she agreed. I will take that to Ankara and leave it there for her.

Today the apartment looks worse but I know, I am getting there.

The trip to the other IKEA went well and I got everything I thought I needed. Today I started putting the new TV bench together. It looks like I needed 6 legs but I bought 4. I gotta go back to get two more. No big deal. Putting together this unit is easy because there are no drawers, just two doors and shelves.

I re-arranged and changed places of a few things. I am pretty happy with the bookcases. I want to clean the two back rooms and the bathroom thoroughly over the weekend. I do not think I have enough time to deal with the buffet/sideboard. However, that is going to be relatively easy. 

The contractor will come to give me an estimate on the paint job and we shall decide on a date in June.

I am waiting for the guys to come and pick up the old TV unit. If they do not show up till 5 p.m., I will just push it outside my door and leave it there. Because, I have to go to IKEA to get those legs.

I took a short break to write these. Gotta go back and keep on working.

Is it just me?

I sit down to work, be on the Internet, read a book or just do something sitting for an hour or even more and then, I get up to go to the bathroom or to make tea or something else in another room and my phone rings. 

Every time I walk away from my phone, it rings. I always have to come running back.  I started taking my phone with me everywhere at home just because, I know it will if I don't. 

And here is another one: Whenever I am on the phone with someone, someone or sometimes more than one person tries calling me. I can hear the call in the background. Then I will have to call back. Why do people have to call me at the same time? 

Is it just me? Or does anyone have the same problem?

Today I attacked the bookcases. First I carried the magazine holders to my car as I had planned. That cleared two shelves. 

It has always been my dream to have things grouped and stored properly. Today, I finally managed that with certain things. My travel books, cookbooks and personal finance books are all grouped together. I will pull all travel items like baggage tags, travel pillows, locks and etc and put them in one box. I also pulled all my photo albums, photos that are in boxes and envelopes together and put them in one huge box. I would've loved to digitize them and get rid of the physical ones but, the scanner I bought was not great in scanning printed pictures. It did work wonders with the dia-positives though.

I set aside quiet a few books that I would like to give away. 

I am also giving an air mattres that I never used, to a friend. Her daughter is going to Med school in Belgium and she has a very small apartment. My friend had mentioned that the air mattress she had for guests was no longer in usable condition. Remembering that I asked her if she still needed one and she has happily accepted. I am glad some of my things are finding their way to people who will actually use them.

I cancelled the IKEA order because it looked like they would not be able to deliver. There are two IKEAs not too far from me. The one closest did not carry most of the parts but, today I decided to check the other and they show everything I need in stock. As soon as I finish this post I will go get the TV bench. Then, I will finish what I have started today. I am hoping to be done by all purging by Friday. I will deep clean my home before I leave for vacation. 

Hope you are having a nice and productive day!

Progress!

Today was another awful, cold and rainy day but, here is what I accomplished:

- Cooked the fresh broad/fava beans

- Worked for about an hour and a half, made phone calls, read CVs, e-mailed a few people.

- Took the CDs to the friend of my friend.

- Took down everything on the shelves of my closet, dumped them on my bed and re-arranged clothes. I do not care the weather is still miserable. In my book Spring has sprung so, the warm clothes are now in their storage boxes. It took me close to an hour to do it all. Happy camper over here!

- Sewed some loose buttons before storing the items for winter.

- Put my kitchen in order (which lasts only a few hours)

- Tossed a few bottles of expired cosmetics. Bathroom cabinets are down at the bottom of my list but, since I saw them, I just got rid of them.

- Finally, I made myself a screwdriver and it was a bit heavy on the screw side of it. Lol! Feeling relaxed and a bit tipsy because, I normally do not drink anything heavier than red wine and an occasional beer.

Here is a picture of the bed with everything dumped on it:

Tomorrow, I am attacking a box and the books. Will also carry all the magazine holders to my car. This way, when I am done with the books, I will be done with the whole library.

I also need to take an inventory of the food at home. I am planning to leave on Wednesday or Thursday next week so, I have to make sure I use up all that I got. I do not like to drag a bag of groceries along with my suitcases to Ankara. 

It was a busy and productive day. Take care!

Monday

Today I woke up to a freezing cold, rainy and gloomy day. I decided to go to IKEA no matter what but, it was a total bust. They did not have most of the items to assemble my TV unit. The funniest thing is that same parts can be ordered online, to be shipped within two days (if you believe that). I guess all three stores and the online store manage their own iventory and do not transfer parts to each other.. Interesting.

I ordered the parts online and hopefully, they will be here some time this week.

The shoes are dropped at the nearest charity box. I haven't started with the books yet. I will start with clothes first but I am sure, there is not much to donate after the big purge last year. At least I will put away some warm clothes. 

Tomorrow, I will meet with the guy who will take the CDs and that will be a relief.

I did not get much done today. The weather affects my mood I guess. Hoever, I did identify more than 3 things to purge. 

Hope, the weather gets better.

Have a great week everyone!

Keep on purging

It was time to say goodbye to a 32 year old Walkman I had been holding on to for who knows why. Along with that, a bunch of casettes, an old camera, some old phone chargers, cables that I no longer need and an old phone found their way in a bag which will be taken to the electronics re-cycle box tomorrw by yours truly.

I also got rid of receipts, some junk that was taking up space, a pair of ski pants and two tablecloths.

A friend of a friend who collects music CDs will take my CDs. I am going to have to take them to him because, he does not have a car but, luckily he lives not too far from me.

Also, I reached out to a childhood friend and asked him if would like to take my father's History magazines back from the 60's and 70's. I had them forever and never lifted a cover. He is getting his PhD on History and he is a collector. I do not have a sentimental attachment to those. I have dad' model ships, matchbox collection and some ceramics he painted and best of all fond memories. So, if a history enthusiast will read the magazines or use them as references, I will be happy and this will save me two shelves of my library.

I will sort through the books again and will donate the ones I do not wish to keep. I am thinking at least two more shelves to free. 

I contacted my contractor for the apartment to be painted in June. He will come some time next week to give me an estimate. I will not wash the curtains before the paint job.

I am glad I started decluttering and purging. A fresh coat of paint will be the cherry on top when I am done. 

It sounds like a lot but honestly, I did not spend hours on this. It was a relaxing and productive weekend. 

I hope to get up early tomorrow and go to IKEA for the new TV bench. Can't wait to get rid of the old one especially now that it looks empty. Haha!

HAPPY EASTER to those who celebrate!