Dalyan – 7th & 8th June

I worked most of the day on Saturday 7th June. I was trying to stay frugal but as it was so nice and sunny and I hadn’t had an alcoholic drink for a bit, it was tempting to go out. I worked on a few quotes and even got a couple of potential new customers who I didn’t already know. I was busy with holidays for next year, mainly, and it reminded me of the days when I used to be so organised at booking things way in advance.
Eventually, I had a break to go to the weekly market, by which time it was pretty hot, but still with a breeze in the air.
Here’s what I bought at each of the stalls, which I had noticed was getting a little pricier. How does it compare with what you spend on fruit and vegetables, where you are?

Stall 1
Potatoes, onions & garlic 100 lira (£1.89)

Stall 2
Sage (for tea) 50 lira (94p)

Stall 3
Strawberries 150 lira (£2.83)

Stall 4
Cabbage & lettuce 90 lira (£1.70)

Stall 5
Peppers 50 lira (94p)

Stall 6
Spring onions, tomatoes & cucumber 40 lira (75p)

Total spent 480 lira (£9.06)

Lettuce and strawberries are still quit pricey in Dalyan but, overall, I was pleased with my weekly market shop.
I was back home by 1.30pm and warmed up some cauliflower and cashew nut soup which I ate with wholemeal bread and butter. It was deceptively tasty and I carried on with more work. Vanessa had messaged to say she and Matt were at Retro bar, near to me, and I should come meet them for a drink. I said I would finish work at 4pm and pop along ‘for one’.
Just before 4pm I got another text from Vanessa to say that they were having some food and one more drink. I still decided to go and I ordered a white wine and soda water with ice. Retro bar is back in favour with some of the Dalyan Dwellers as beer and wine was only 90 lira (£1.70) – an absolute bargain. Soda water is 50 lira (94p) and I shared one over 3 glasses of wine. Vanessa had already had her fill of wine and had a water, Matt had finished his drink and they were ready to go. After a quick catch up, they left and I ended up carrying on the afternoon with Sarah, Kate and Mark. After paying 590 lira (£11.13) for 6 wines and a soda water, for an afternoon/night out in Retro it was time to go home. Kate insisted we go to Sofra bar to do karaoke. I’d already worn a Kermit the frog shirt while singing and dancing then had Kate’s spare knickers on my head for a laugh – I really should’ve gone home but ….
I ended up having 2 red wines for 300 lira (£5.66) in Sofra and sang several songs, quite badly. Jamie, Drew and all his friends were in too, Sioned joined Kate for a Meatloaf karaoke and I think once Kate and I got in to Teenage Dirtbag, it was too much! We bumped in to Brigette from Fat Club and it was nice to be out on a very rare Sofra visit from me, these days. When I started pouring Mark a glass from the bottle we had brought from Retro, it was perhaps time to leave!

Gratitude List
1. Fresh fruit and veg from the weekly market
2. Going out for one with Vanessa and Matt
3. Ending up out out with karaoke thrown in for good measure.

I did something for the first time this year on Sunday 8th June; my phone was off!!!
I didn’t know it until quite late in the day and I’d accidentally managed to worry people because if it, without realising. I am never not contactable via messenger as I am constantly using Facebook for work. I’d had a heavy night and had woken up at Mark and Kate’s house under a duvet (which was too hot) in their upstairs bedroom.
I went downstairs, it was already 11am and I was meant to have been going for a walk with Vanessa at 10am. She had already been to call for me and had assumed I was still in bed. No one had a phone charger to fit my phone and I had a bit of a panic that I might need it. We established not having my phone on for a change would do me good, but I had to ask Mark to call Matt to explain why I wasn’t at home. Mark made me a cup of Yorkshire tea and Kate made me a slice of homemade sourdough toast with homemade marmalade for breakfast. By 11.30am Glynn had popped round and offered to give me a lift in to town when he left so I thought that would be a good idea. However, once Mark’s sister, Tracey and Kate were in the pool it seemed like a good idea and I got in, wearing my cycling shorts and sports bra. I was meant to be meeting other friends, with it being my only day off and I’d likely made loose plans.
Oddly, it was quite liberating not having any battery left in my phone and I missed my lift with Glynn when he left while I was still in the pool. Mark became the host with the most as he opened a bottle of Prosecco for Tracey, Kate and I and we stayed in the pool for the rest of the day. It was the first time this year I had been in a swimming pool and it felt amazing. The Prosecco was still going strong from when they had bought a very generous job lot which almost filled a spare bedroom.
Kate had bought Mark a toy that you put in the water and it drags you around so he let us all have a go on that. It looked slow but it didn’t half get going and was making my pants fall down. We had a great day and it soon turned in to evening with more Prosecco and some sausages. I did go home but had been wearing my sunglasses with transitional lenses so I was a bit confused when I walked home using a really bright, borrowed torch which I thought was dull. I walked past Sofra and checked with Şükrü that I’d paid my bill last night and apologised for the singing – he laughed and confirmed I wasn’t barred (yet). I also had a quick chat with Carol from Fat Club, who was there with her family. It was only when I got home that I realised I’d walked home in sunglasses and had left my watch and my credit card at Mark & Kate’s.
I had a shower and was about to get ready for bed when I noticed just how sunburned I was! June had certainly started to warm up. After charging it, I turned my phone on to apologise to a lot of people who had all been really worried that I had not be available.
Oops – I felt bad but the break from devices had certainly done me good and it had made a nice change to see friends.

Gratitude List
1. 12 hours without my phone for the first time this year!
2. Prosecco
3. Seeing Mark, Kate and friends for a really great impromptu weekend.