It’s the last day of May
and the weather finally feels like summer is here, though Calis is sadly very
quiet. The annual craft fair was on last
Sunday and there were some lovely things, but I don’t think business was as
brisk as it has been in previous years just because of the reduced number of
tourists.
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| New improved garden - with canna lilies in flower |
This month has been
alright for us and June is quite busy from the second week on. It’s a good job it hasn’t been too mad as I
have failed miserably at finding any staff and for a large part of the time it’s
me – not just in the kitchen and reception as usual but also in the bar,
cleaning the pool, watering the garden….!
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| Grass after 2 weeks |
The garden is coming on
nicely. The brickwork around the new
drainage channel is finished. I had some
students from the university staying and one of them is studying landscape
gardening so I got him to sew the grass seed which has come up amazingly well. And my flowers are all doing nicely – since I
banished the tortoises to the back corner of the garden! Not before one of them had laid eggs though –
see the picture. They were bigger than I
expected and very round and white. I
have put something over them so hopefully we won’t dig them up (she buried them
right in the middle of where I want my vegetable patch!) but whether they hatch
apparently depends on heat and humidity and can take anything from 8-11 weeks.
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| tortoise babies! |
Emre has been up and down
to Ankara, had his last exam yesterday and is driving back with a friend (via
Istanbul – not exactly the direct route!) tonight. Kaan has another two weeks of school for which
he is begging me to get a doctor’s report or write a formal request so he doesn’t
have to go in. Actually, as all their
exams are finished, the teachers don’t turn up half the time so I don’t think
it will make much difference and he is missing the last few days of term as we
are going to England.
So…I have been looking for
a lady to do my job while I am away but so far have had no luck at all. I know the wages here aren’t great but some of
the British people living out here complain that they can’t find a job that isn’t
15 hours a day in summer and here I am, happy for someone to work 4 hours a day
and take time off if they have visitors but it seems there is no one. Anyone want a job?!
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| The cleanest pool in Calis! |
