So, we have gone ahead with the flat purchase, at least verbally, and have taken steps to bring over the money etc. It’s the more sensible one in the end. I’m feeling a rather strong feeling of sadness and dread, which is distressing to the GF I think, as he is quite pleased and excited, […]
Night of naps
A very long day/ night – my deadline was yesterday, but I asked if it could be extended to midday today and then spent basically all night, with 10 minute naps every hour or so, working on it. I sent it off around noon, and I must say I was very unhappy with it and […]
Nothing day
Nothing but work, that is. One guest left yesterday evening, so we are down to three. The one who is staying over for a couple of evenings returned to Balat to buy a red star coffee cup to match the hammer and sickle, but as happens often Google Maps lied and the place was shut. […]
Back to Balat
This afternoon we took our guests to the Chora Museum. Since our last visit screens have been installed over the mosaics as part of its transformation into a mosque, but they are less obstructive than those in the Hagia Sophia. It was really beautiful, as beautiful as I remembered it, so I was pleased to […]
On a cliff edge
We are now very close indeed to final agreement on the small Galata flat. I’m still not entirely happy with it, but it is the sensible choice and hopefully we will rent it out most of the time anyway instead of having to live in it. Two of our visitors – the ones staying in […]
Back to Bebek
We went back to Bebek for brunch this morning, as one of the visitors really wanted to go. It was disappointing, I must say: overpriced and not great, and even the view was a bit whatever, though admittedly I am spoiled. After brunch we strolled along the sea for a bit and even though it […]
Family arrives
This morning some relatives arrived. The night was terrible, as mosquitoes kept us awake, biting and buzzing and I don’t think I got more than 2-3 hours of sleep. In the morning they arrived, rather to my surprise as I’d thought they were coming in the evening. Meanwhile the GF had developed a very slight […]
Witches of Scutari
We took our second trip to Asia, this time by walking along the coast (a bit inland to avoid the dust and traffic) to Kabataş, through quiet streets lined with little old blocks of flats and past the place we are moving to next week. It’s a far more residential bit than the beautiful Galata […]
Don’t buy it
Yesterday, after work, the GF and I went down to Taksim Square where we were going to see a flat that had been renovated by an architect we’d met, to see how we liked the work. It turned out that she hadn’t actually done the renovation at all, just her company had, so that made […]
Incentives for childbearing
Shared by a Facebook friend who works in Silicon Valley: Someone told me once that becoming a mother can make you a better employee because it increases your ability to prioritise what is important and manage your time. I think there is some truth in that. – Lauren Freeman, some other woman who works in […]