Birthday Week

On Monday, I finally got my new tires installed. I am going to have to buy new winter tires come Fall. Oh joy! This year has been an expensive one so far but, all were necessary expenses. Also, next year, I will have none of these expenses. New tires last at least 4 years, car inspection comes around every two years, a laptop lasts me usually about 7-8 years if not more. 

I also needed to go to the safety deposit box that I share with my SIS. The bank is right in the middle of the city center in Ankara. I have fond memories of the neighborhood so, I strolled around a bit and found that it no longer is the place I remember. There used to be nice shops, restaurants, amazing bookstores that I loved as a kid. Every Saturday, mom and I had a routine of doing our shopping, having lunch and then buying books for me. It was lively but, not as crowded as it is now. Besides people were much nicer. Nowadays people walk right at you or jump in front of you entering a place. Young people and men are no longer as gentle as my generation used to be.

 After that, I went to visit my BIL's dad. Each time I see him, I observe that he is getting older and more frail. 

I hit the road around 10 a.m. and it took me 7 hours to drive to Izmir. I stopped only twice to get a cup of coffee and use the bathroom. I made sandwiches and 8-10 fresh apricots so, I did not have to eat at the overpriced and mediocre places on the road. As I was driving, I cried a little thinking about our travels with mom. Having her death anniversary on my birthday is hard but not as hard as it used to be so, I guess I have healed a lot since her passing three years ago.

As soon as I got to my sister's home, I took a nice shower and felt fresh. They took me to a nice restaurant by the seashore for my 56th birthday and the weather was great. 

As I type this, my phone is charging and they are at work. I need to get a new cable for the charger so, I will just go to the nice mall nearby and may be sit at a cafe for a while. I slept in today and then watched some Turkish reality show. 

I do not know why I am hooked to these stupid shows. There was this disgusting woman who wants her son back from the claws of this "tramp" who lives in Izmir. She says they were probably doing drugs and even selling them. She also said that her son was not a mentally stable person and even blamed the young girl's dad, saying things like her son was being held captive due to brainwashing and drugs. She seems to be very religious and she does not like the fact that, her son no longer fasts during Ramadan or go to the mosque. WTF!? He is an adult. He can decide for himself. 

The guy turned out to be a very level headed 24 year old, who graduated Computer Engineering in 2020. He has a solid job as a software engineer and is sharing an apartment with two other guys. He is dating this nice girl who is described as a witch and a tramp by his mom. She is also a university graduate with a steady job. They have become friends 7 years ago and then they decided they wanted to date. They are not even talking marriage yet or living together. They could have and that would be quite normal. 

He submitted official medical reports to prove that he is not on any drugs. He said that he had a lot of anxiety issues because his mom does not want him to live his own life. She was saying things like, he was hers because she gave birth to him and that they should live together. What kind of a sick mind is that? She does not believe the official medical documents and is going to go to the court to seek legal guardianship of her son because she thinks he is mentally challenged. What a wicked witch! 

Most of us are not grateful enough to recognize how important it is to be born into a regular, normal family. 

Thank you Mom and Dad for being great parents, insisting on a good education, letting us shape our own careers and loving us unconditionally. SIS and I are so grateful.