Stupid Weather App

I have seen dark clouds outside and checked the default app. No warnings, no clouds, no rain, clear blue skies and nice warm temps. Yeah right!!!?? I heard this weird noise from the outside and before I could realize,  huge hailstones came down from the sky and all I could think was "Oh F...! My car!" I had to wait of course because, I figured my head is a bit more precious than my car.

I ran out when I could and checked my car. There are 4-5 dents which I hope can be fixed easily. Also, I will probably end up using this car till it falls apart. So, it is OK. With the current taxes, it is no longer possible to buy a new car anymore, anyway.

A car with a 2.0 engine which has a base price of TL 170,000 is sold at TL 650,000 How do you like that? Would you pay USD 83,300 (total cost of ownership) for a car which is only USD 21,800 (without any taxes)? 

Oh and BTW, that sort of car is considered a luxury car here which is probably a mid-level car in the US. I understand there should be taxes but, 382%? 

As a country we are getting poorer and poorer. Here are the excange rates over time

                   July 2008...............     September 2017    September 2018    September 2019

USD 1           1.16 TL                         3.55 TL                 5.99 TL                    7.82 TL

Euro 1           1.81 TL                         4.19 TL                  6.95 TL                   9.15 TL

Great job in 12 years! I do not think this country ever saw a worse government than this one.

I was writing about the inaccurate weather app and the hail storm right? Ugh... How did I get here?

Mamma!

 

Love this song.

Knew it was coming

My tenant called me last night to tell me that he and his wife are getting a divorce so, they will be moving out. They have only been married for a year. 

I kind of knew/suspected this was coming. Last April, they were supposed to increase the rent  according to our contract but, the young woman called me to say that her husband had lost his job due to COVID-19 and I let them keep the rent the same. I asked for her husband's CV to send to my friends in Ankara. When I looked at the CV, I found that he started at a bank, a pretty good job but then he left and kept changing his jobs frequently. It looked like he did not have any skills developed over quiet a few years and I thought he would never be able to find a job during the pandemic. She is still working for the same bank where they apparently met. I cannot know the real reason for their separation of course but, that is what I suspect.

I called my real estate broker and told him the news. If I can sell at a good price, I would like to sell. If not, it will be rented again. We'll see what happens. All I know is; I need to go see the apartment before I return the deposit. 

I must be in Istanbul till October 4th. Then, I was planning to go see my uncle. However, I may go to Ankara first, see the apartment, hand it over to the real estate guy and head South to Antalya. It is a shorter drive anyway. My uncle may want some Fall clothing items if he is not planning to go to Ankara anytime soon. On the way back, I should go through Ankara again since I must get my tyres changed with winter tyres. I have them changed and stored in Ankara. 

Seems like there are busy days and a lot of traveling ahead. Well, I guess that is a good thing before winter. I have a feeling, we will be stuck at home more.

Ouch!

 I took my car to the service today. It was a routine 45K km maintenance. Apparently, it is one of the expensive maintenance steps or so they say. Anyway, the damage is done. I had budgeted half the amount based on previous maintenance jobs. My car has a diesel engine. That's another factor for the expensive maintenance.

Then I went to get my meds from my pharmacy. Some of my regular meds are provided by Social Security at no cost to me. However, I bought additional meds and vitamins to last at least for two months. That was pretty expensive too. Next time I go see my doctor, I will try to get a medical report for some of the others so that, I will not have to pay as much.

I was planning to go and buy some fresh fish but, I stumbled upon a very good price for a roaster chicken and some turkey wings. So, I grabbed them. A roaster gives me lots of meals. 

I spoke to my sister today. She told me they found a new caregiver for my BIL's mom and will be going to Ankara this weekend again. The old one will be leaving by the end of October. The new one is a bit younger and had been an excellent caregiver for one of my sister's friend's grandma who passed a couple of months ago. Both ladies are from Georgia (the country). During October both will be together so that the old caregiver can train the new one. BIL's mom is bedridden and she cannot talk. It is so sad. I do not think she has much time left because last time I saw her, she was super skinny and although she ate well, she cannot gain weight. I had even bought some liquid food supplements but, they did not help at all.

The old one has decided to go to Germany for work and we are surprised. Due to COVID-19, this cannot be easy. We suspect somebody is scamming her. However, she has been very persistent. She has told my SIS and BIL that she will be going to Germany with a Greek passport! What!? How? This cannot be legal. She said she had already spent 4500 Euros. Well, that is a lot of money for someone who has to go abroad to work. If the German police finds out what she is up to, she will be in a lot of trouble. My sister warned her about this but, hey, she is an adult, right? You cannot help someone who does not want to be helped. 

All these years, she was legally here. My BIL did everything by the book and spent tons of money on insurance and work permits. Most people take shortcuts but, as a family, we will never resort to illegal business.

Staying Home

I consider the people who have houses with a yard are lucky during this pandemic. Apartment dwellers like I am are not so much. Although, I can spend time all by myself perfectly, I sometimes long for going out just to window shop or walk at the waterfront. I can do these things but then I must wear a mask, keep my sanitizer on hand, constantly be alarmed to keep social distance from other people. It is exhausting. 

If I had a little yard, I could grow veggies and flowers and sit outside in the sun. Or so I think. Lol! Given human nature who knows what I would want then?

Long time readers know that I am a landlady of a two bedroom apartment in Ankara. Few days ago, management sent a notice that there were 3 COVID-19 cases and everybody should wear masks in teh buildings and in the garden. There are 7 buildings and a large garden in that apartment complex with basketball courts and play areas for kids. Today, the management sent another notice with big bold uppercase letters that, the security guards will report everybody without masks to the police. All over my country, masks are mandatory for everyone. There is a hefty monetary penalty too but, not a lot of people care and not all can be penalized. I am sure some people will take this as a threat to their rights and start talking about the legality of this but, the fact of the matter is, COVID-19 is now their neighbor. Hope, my tenants are taking precautions and keeping safe and healthy.

On another note, I found out that I ordered spare heads for my electric toothbrush twice. Not a bad mistake. I will use them but certainly, I am not as organized as I like to be.

My grocery order will be delivered in a couple of hours and I will walk to the Pharmacy afterwards to pick up my meds. My pill boxes need filling. 

I really would like to go out to the seashore to the fish market and buy some fresh fish but I am too lazy to do it today. Tomorrow, I will be taking my car to the service so, on the way back, I can go get my fish. Bonitos are in season and I love to cook slices of bonito over a bed of sauteed onions and tomatoes on stove top or in the oven. 

Laundry, Cooking and Amazon Prime

Today, I washed the last load of laundry and hung them up. I put away my beach stuff and re-arranged my towel drawers. 

I cooked some navy beans that I had soaked last night. Here is the simple recipe:

2 cups of navy beans soaked in hot water the night before

1 medium onion

2 small carrots

2 tablespoons of tomato sauce OR 1 tablespoon tomato paste OR 1 medium tomato diced

3-4 tablespoons of EVOO

2-3 small garlic cloves

Salt

Dice the onions and slice the carrots. Add salt, garlic cloves and sautee them in the EVOO till the onions are translucent. Add the tomato product you are using. Sautee for another 2 minutes. Add the beans and some water. Cook on stove top with the lid on, till they are done. You need to check the water as you cook. Ideally, the beans must be cooked and there must be not much liquid left. This dish is served cold but, if you like, you can eat it warm too.

I cleaned my kitchen, arranged my pantry and made a list of groceries I need to get.

I sat down to order spare heads for my Oral-B toothbrush and decided to join the 30 day trial Amazon Prime Turkey.  I think, I will keep it after the free offer expires since, I have decided to ditch my cable subscription in December. It comes with internet but, I am sure, I can find a similar internet service for a better price.

Gotta go and fold laundry to put away. Tomorrow, I intend to dust and vacuum. 

At the Beach

 I am so glad I took my friend up on her offer. They are in such a secluded place that I felt totally comfortable spending time there.

Here are a couple of pictures from Cesme.

I am back home now dealing with the laundry. 

Istanbul is much colder than where I was. I took out a cotton blanket because, I was cold last night. I also took out my fluffy and thick bathrobe instead of the thin pestemals I was using as bath towels.

I brought back egg sized fresh walnuts, melons, a watermelon, some very sweet white omions along with some other veggies from the nearby farmer's stand in Cesme. I also bought gigantic kalamata olives. 

I spent a ton of time in water. Must have been a sea creature in a past life.

It is amazing how the weather has turned in just a week. In a few weeks I will be heading to Antalya which is always warmer. I think, I have another few swimming days ahead of me.