Weather

Weather has gone awful this week, snow, rain, ice you name it we've had it!! Unfortunately it means we can't really take Tess out sight seeing.

It's a shame, we were looking forward to taking her out to the Blue Mosque and the Palaces but it's freezing.

It's days like these that I start feeling down again, when the weather is bad I just think what am I staying for, I may as well be at home :(

Must think positive, must think positive!

It's Christmas Day

The kids have just gone to bed after a manic day of unwrapping and scoffing!

Fantastic day we went out to lunch at Tike, a Turkish kebap restaurant. Nice place, good food. Kids were made a fuss of as usual and Hannah got sweets AGAIN. The girl only has to smile in the right direction and she gets sweets. Apparently it's the blue eyes that do it.............................

It's Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve and the kids are hyper......................

Went on the bus!

Today we took Tess out on the bus, she thought it was quite an experience! The bus stop is just outside our bread shop and when we get on it it's always empty, however as you get nearer the centre it gets quite full! Do you think they miss stops out when the bus is full, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO they cram as many people on as possible, it's really quite amusing!

Tess is here!

Tess is here, she arrived at the airport before we got there! Bloody Istanbul traffic!

Ah well the kids were so pleased to see her, well we all were!!

Tess arrives tomorrow!

Tess arrives tomorrow, can't wait!!!

School!

So did we come here and send our kids to a private school for them to just party and play. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

But that is all they've done this week!

Feeling Better

It just struck me today how much better I feel suddenly!!

I am starting to see the positives in being here, kids are doing so well at school - they couldn't have this kind of education in the UK they have been given this great chance as all of us have. We really need to make the most of this opportunity.

I still miss my family and friends terribly but it's not as if I won't see them again, family members will come out here to see us and we can show them this incredible place we are living in!! Also we will go back home in the summer and see everyone - really looking forward to that!

And that Bosphorus view and sunrise in the morning really do help.................

Kids back at school

Kids went back to school for the final week before Christmas. Seems weird to have had a week off school in December!!!!

Now I can get on with my preparations for Christmas. Tess is coming next Monday, really looking forward to having her here!

Birthday!

Went out today for a lovely chinese meal in Far East. Bizarre place with Turks cooking chinese food. It just looks odd!!!!!!!!!!

Good food though.....................

Paul Home

Paul is back thank god and I have my Cadbury's. YES!!!!!!!!!

My Birthday!!

It's my birthday, OMG 39!!! Only one more year of thirties before I enter the "life begins at 40" stage.

Didn't do much, we are going out as a family on Saturday when we are all here!

Kurban Bayram

This week it is Kurban Bayram, a Muslim national holiday so the kids are off school. Kurban Bayram is the festival of the sacrifice - yesterday when travelling on the bus we saw animals cows/sheep/rams etc being dragged along the street blindfolded definitely not for the faint hearted, it's enough to make you turn vegetarian. They then donate parts of said animal to the poor. The kids of course think getting a week off now is great as they would usually be at school. Paul should have been off too but he has had to go back to the UK for a course, ho hum well at least he can pick me up some Cadbury's ha ha, he has his uses!!

Shopping Centre Shut!

The kids and I took the bus to the shopping centre but when we got there it was shut because of Kurban Bayram, it's only shut today so we'll do it again Wednesday.

Came home and put tree up instead!

Winter Bazaar

I helped out at the winter bazaar today. It was slightly different to any school winter bazaar I have ever been to.

Kids were coming in with 100 lira notes to spend it was crazy!!!!!!!!!

Had a good afternoon there though, it was nice to be part of the school community again, I really do need a car...................

Weather

The weather here is glorious. I've not known anything like it, we are having temperatures of 18 - 19oC. Weird.........................

It just struck me this morning that I'm feeling so much better here, I think the sunshine is helping but I feel my confidence is coming back..................

Went to Turkish Centre

Went to the EF Turkish Language School today with Debra. She has an exam so I went with her because I wanted to speak with the lady who runs it so I can enrol for January.

It was a bit nerve wracking, I had to do a test as I have had previous lessons so she wanted to see where I was to put me in the right class! I did the test and she marked it and then said "your Turkish is crap". I was a bit taken aback but said "I know, that is why I am here".

Can't stop laughing about it now though, gotta love the Turks!!!!!!!!!!!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Someone has just sent me a really crappy email. Can't say who but it really upset me, I have been feeling so much better over the last couple of days and now this has just put me back to square one.

Idiot............................