Joy

Glorious sunshine and blue skies - what a change from yesterday’s stormy weather - was just  the incentive I needed to take the mini bus in to Didim for some shopping. In fact, it was so warm that I was uncomfortably hot in a long sleeved T shirt and jeans as I went about completing my high street goals. Dare say I’ll look back on these words once I am in the UK with longing….. 

Talking of longing … I think I have found where all the women are when the men are seated in their ‘chat’ corner (extra).  Where’s that you ask? Well the main pic is a bit of a clue!! This veritable Aladdin’s cave, literally crammed floor to ceiling (extra) with everything the ardent seamstress, knitter and handicrafter could possibly want, and a lot more besides, was busy with like minded ladies. I’ve never found a haberdashers here but this place is hidden in plain sight because the wares for sale outside the shop are gloves, cheap Turkish trousers etc, and generally not the sort of items I am interested in. This camouflage has let me walk straight past before, but today I noticed balls of wool for sale so ventured inside and passed a very happy time ‘filling my eyes’, as Turkish folk say, for future reference, and eventually leaving with a small selection of treasures and a heart full of contentment. Oh Joy!

The main motivator for my excursion to Didim was to go to a photography studio to get passport sized pictures of Harry printed (extra). Turkey’s new law requires all pet dogs and cats to be chipped and registered with special passports by the end of December. Graham and I plan to take Esra and Harry tomorrow to the government Tarim (agriculture) office to try and accomplish this. I am not looking forward to it as, after 20 years of dealing with bureaucracy here, I have an allergic reaction to Turkish government officials whose obfuscation brings out the teenage tantrum in me. Graham, always a calming influence in these situations, must be charmed, because unlike me, he always seems to attract the helpful ones who speedily and efficiently take care of business with smiles and kindness. Fingers crossed.

Super hungry by the time I got home so ate the delicious mezes I’d bought before settling down to a comfortable evening of knitting and Netflix.