August 2005
Monday 1st August � Thursday 4th August
We spent the time around the house, doing the outstanding jobs and getting ready for the kids to arrive and also Mal trying to unwind after his three months hard slog doing the exam work.
Friday 5th August
Ange, Rhys and the kids arrived. I collected them from the airport and the next three weeks were full with the kids playing in the pool and going down to the beach and really very little time to write the diary!
The kids enjoyed their time and every night Grandad told them three stories, quite a task when he makes all his own stories up.
As can be seen from the last picture, Torin arrived, only being allowed to go in the pool with arm bands on. By the end of the three weeks, he was so confident and was being thrown in the air upside down and could swim a whole length on his own and a width under water. Great progress.
Friday 26th August
What a busy day. Up early and out walking with Rosie and then all the cleaning and washing started. Ange, Rhys and the boys are leaving and later Torin and Karen are arriving in the evening.
I think as fast as I was clearing things it was getting in a mess again and so I just started all the washing, load after load and Mal said that when I did the airport run he would do all the cleaning.
Ange, Rhys, the kids and I left for the airport at about 20 to 2 in the afternoon. Of course we had to wait for them to open up the check in desk but they wanted to be certain of getting near the front of the queue, to ensure that they had six seats together. They eventually went through passport control at about 4.20, the plane due to leave at 5.00pm. I had a few tears saying goodbye to them all, with River saying �Nanny we will see you soon�! Bless him. Then I went upstairs to wait for Torin and Karen�s plane to arrive at 5.00 pm. Then I realised that there were no other Onur Air planes on the tarmac and so Ange and Rhys and co would be catching the plane that Torin and Karen were arriving on. Then the announcement came that their plane was an hour late, so I don�t imagine that Ange and Rhys were too delighted about the delay.
Eventually the plane touched down and I watched Karen and Torin get off it and then went downstairs to wait for them. As it was getting late we stopped at Atakara supermarket on the way home and bought two cooked chickens and some salad for our dinner.
By the time we got in Mal had cleaned everywhere and changed all the beds.
Torin couldn�t resist the pool and so jumped in fully clothed, only to find later that he had his wallet in his shorts pocket, so then had to dry out the contents! Quite a late night after all the chatting.
Saturday 27th August
Quite a breezy day, the temperature around 29 degrees, we stayed at home in the morning and in the afternoon Torin and I went shopping to replenish the fridge and freezer. Afterwards we watched two of the Premier football matches, of course Torin in his element because Chelsea beat Tottenham.
A few drinks in the evening and then Torin and I sat up chatting until about 1.00 am.
Sunday 28th August
As usual I was up early and walking Rosie and then the rest of the day was a lazy day spent around the pool interspersed with the Moto GP, with Valentino Rossi winning again and then watching the Man Utd v Newcastle game, Man Utd winning 2-0.
When the house was built, we originally asked Hakan to install a tap the other side of the wall to the kitchen sink. As with a lot of things, it was not done. As the garden needs a lot of watering this time of year, it is a real task to stretch the hose across the swimming pool terrace and down either to the only outside tap we have or to the extra tanks we have. Willi had previously told me that he only knew one good tradesperson and that was his plumber. He only speaks Turkish and so Willi explained what we wanted doing and we arranged for him to comer today. It was obvious that he didn�t have the correct drill bit and we were all a bit shocked when he took a hammer to the wall and smashed a large hole in it. He then fitted the tap, cleared his tools away and was ready to leave! We ENDED up calling Willi over who said, he is a plumber and doesn�t mend holes! Great. Willi said he would get one of his workmen to repair it for us. So, with that Mal paid the plumber his 100 ytl and he left! At least we have an outside tap next to the garden now even though for the time being, we have a hole in the wall!
Gwen and Peter came to visit in the morning.
Rosie who has never been on the sun beds before decided that she wanted to share Karen�s!
We had a Sunday roast and then a few drinks and decided we would all go to bed earliesh!
Monday 29th August
We were all up early and ready for a trip to the dentist, for Mal and Torin. Warmer today, around 31 degrees.
We drove into Girne and dropped Mal and Torin at the dentist and Karen and I walked into the town and pay the electricity bill and a wander around the shops. This months electricity bill was 108 ytl but then we had Ange and Rhys and the boys here. I also went and bought a roasting tin, which was a hefty 21 ytl!
We met up with Mal and Torin who both had their teeth cleaned and although Torin thought he would need some fillings, the dentist said his teeth were OK. A relief to him I think.
On the way back we stopped at Caf� Dűkkan and had our lunch. Then on to Astro to get the shopping. We then stopped in Karaoğlanoğlu as Torin and Karen wanted to buy two lilos. As they were already blown up, we had a bit of a job squashing them in the car to bring them home. Karen chose the sit back one with arms but needless to say when we got back to the pool Torin decided he wanted that one as it was far better! Typical.
The rest of the day was just lounging around and dinner and a few drinks in the evening.
Tuesday 30th August
30 degrees early this morning. I took Rosie for her walk and Karen was also up early. Torin got up later and went for a run up the mountain.
He actually said that the run back down was worse than the run up. Karen and Torin spent the rest of the morning �playing� on their lilos!
Willi very kindly came over to fill our hole in the kitchen wall. His workmen were going to do and hadn�t, so he came over himself. While he was here, Peter arrived with another workmen to give us a quote to channel out an access for us up the front of the property with his Caterpillar. There are now quite a few of the builders and related trades, with no work as the slump is starting here, a couple of builders have gone bust and things are beginning to get shaky. His quote started at �2,000 but he has now dropped it to �1,500. Once we have an access at the front we will not have to worry that Mustafa behind us is demanding �7,000 for a tiny triangle where our access is at the moment. I think I have mentioned before that we have offered to swap a larger triangle of our land that juts into Mustafa�s land but he will not hear of it even though we offered to pay for legal costs to have the land exchanged. He would also be getting more land. This way, he can do what he likes, it won�t affect us.
Dinner and a few drinks in the evening.
Wednesday 31st August
Up and out with Rosie early. When I left at 6.15, it was already 30 degrees and that is before the sun comes up over the mountain, which is at about 6.45 am.
Breakfast and then the Caterpillar arrived. Three lorries to take away the rubbish being dug out and the Caterpillar. It was fascinating watching how it just cut through the rocks.
They stopped at 12 and went off for lunch but they had already cleared an enormous amount, down to the road but then a lot has to be shovelled off yet.
They had a one and a half hour lunch break and then continued. The dust was unbelievable. We were feeling totally caked in the stuff and everything was filthy. By the time they left at 5.30, the pool was also full of dust and it seemed pointless cleaning it all away, as they were coming back the next day to continue. They had envisaged one and a half days work. So, in the evening we all sat amongst the grime to have our dinner and a few drinks.
This gives you some idea of the dust that was flying around. Still, it should all be worth it in the end!