Dalyan – 11th January

I was taking out my fruitcake at 00.15am on Thursday 11th January, which was my birthday. I cut off the crispy edges and ate a piece as I stayed up until 1am looking at flights and did find some reasonable ones.
Good news came from my boss, he had picked up his replacement bank card and  my overdue pay would go in to my account after the weekend. From next week I was asked to work a full day on Fridays which fitted well with me.
After a sleep, I woke up to a chilly 6 degrees and got myself a cup of Yorkshire tea to bring back to bed. Captain Caveman called me before 9am and wished me a happy birthday, which was nice. I stayed in bed until 10am reading my birthday messages. I felt really happy and loved, I’m so glad Facebook reminds everyone! I had a card from my parents and they’d put me some lira in for a present – how lovely.
For lunch, Vanessa and I had arranged to meet up, I’d suggested Ela’s Kitchen for a breakfast/lunch. I went over to their apartment, taking Matt’s laptop to give back to him and a fruit cake as a thank you. We said bye to Matt, who was off to watch football shortly, and Vanessa had decided she was taking me for a birthday treat. At Asaf Bey, Vanessa insisted that I order the waffle (highly recommended), which came smothered in chocolate, bananas, strawberries and crushed pistachios – I was very surprised at the size of it! Vanessa had her’s with just chocolate and ice-cream. We both drank tea and had a good chat.
Later in the afternoon I made a bacon sandwich with mushrooms from the Ela’s Kitchen leftovers which I had with potatoes for a late lunch. I also managed to make a slow cooker beef stew for dinner and clean the house, as Jamie and Drew were popping over later. I’d actually relished the thought of staying at home alone for my birthday. I had an unfinished biography which I’d been really looking forward to reading but Jamie said I couldn’t not celebrate my birthday at all – he was having none of it! He, Drew, Nanny Kay, Ann, Bill and Jaxx were coming to mine for a birthday drink. No fuss, no food, just a drink or two – did I even have enough chairs!?
Before the guests arrived I just had time for a birthday video call with my parents, which was really good and such a shame that they had gone home before my birthday.  I even got a photo with my Dad looking at the camera! Unfortunately, they had spent 87 days out of their 90 days in Turkey but the flight they could get was before my birthday and they couldn’t go any later.
I could only just fit all my guests in and I was shocked to find that everyone brought me a birthday gift. Jamie and Drew went first as Jamie was so excited to give me something that he thought was ‘so me’. It was a framed print which said ‘Too Drunk to Cook’ in bright colours. It would turn out to be very appropriate as a message for one the guests later tonight. Ann had brought me a bottle of red wine and a box of baklava which showed she knew me well! Nanny Kay gave me a Maisie Moo ‘Shade of Nar’ candle which I really loved the smell of. I was so surprised to receive a very expensive face cream from Jaxx (& Bill) who made us all laugh when she said she’d been using it herself and she was actually 85 years old! Drew also brought a big chunk of his Christmas cake (with icing and marzipan) which was amazing. We had lots of wine and I fished out the cake I’d made once we’d finished Drew’s and the baklava. Jaxx said she hadn’t got the memo about not getting any dinner tonight but by that time Jamie’s present was already coming in handy!  Drew fell asleep, and I was getting quite tired when Jamie decided the two of them and Nanny Kay were off. Ann, Bill and Jaxx didn’t leave until very late, I’d tried to get a taxi for them at 12.20am but couldn’t get a reply. Bill eventually got a taxi and they all said their rather merry farewells.
My impromptu, and not very well planned, birthday drinks had been rather lively but I’d rather enjoyed having more cake than wine!
Sadly, I didn’t take any photos of people as I was too busy being the host with the least!