Dalyan – 8th & 9th February

On Sunday 8th February Norman’s tummy was much better and he’d not had any mishaps, which I was grateful for. I did some work first then did breakfast and tea. I worked all day and just had a warmed up sweet and sour chicken with rice for a late lunch/early dinner.
It was now less than 2 weeks untill Captain Caveman was arriving. Even though it was a Sunday, I still worked and and only popped out when I walked Norman. I forgot I’d opened the wine yesterday, so it ended up being a zero alcohol and zero spend day.

Gratitude List
1. Norman
2. Zero spend day
3. Nice food.

Monday 9th February was a busy day which started with me catching Norman chomping on cat shit which he’d dragged out of the gravel. I had my usual tea and toast then shoved some ingredients in the slow cooker to make a curry for lunch. I worked all morning and in the afternoon I spoke to a couple of customers and a colleague before having a late lunch.
As it was the Tet holiday in Vietnam, and the year of the horse was about to begin, I found a photo of me on a horse so that I could wish all my Vietnamese friends ‘Chúc Mừng Năm Mới’. The photo was taken by Murat from when I’d joined my sister, brother-in-law and 2 nieces on a horse riding trip, not far from Dalyan. Not only was it the year of the horse starting on the 17th of this month, but it was a Fire Horse. Here’s some info about what that mean if you believe in the zodiac signs;
Key Themes & Predictions for 2026
The Fire Horse Energy: The rare combination of Fire and Horse signifies rapid progress, passion, and intense, sometimes volatile, energy that can feel like a “wildfire” if not managed.
Career & Finance: A strong year for leadership, creativity, and ambitious, fast-moving, and risky career moves, particularly in tech or media.
Relationships & Health: While a year of high excitement, it is also a “clash” year for Horses, which may lead to instability or break-ups in relationships. It is crucial for everyone to practice emotional steadiness, manage stress, and avoid overthinking.
Advice: Focus on calculated risks, and “control the changes” by celebrating milestones like weddings or new babies to counter potential instability.
Lucky Elements: Red is a favourable colour; incorporating “cool” elements (like travelling to colder, northern, or western regions) may help balance the fiery energy.
I finished at 8.30pm and it had been a long day so I decided to eat cheese and biscuits for dinner with a couple of glasses of red wine to finish off the wine I’d bought on Saturday and forgotten to finish. I’d had another zero spend day which I was pleased about and was hoping for another one tomorrow too.
Tonight was my last one with Norman as Jamie & Drew were back tomorrow afternoon.

Gratitude List
1. Good food
2. Another 5 Star review
3. Norman.