Dalyan – 27th June

I really should have planned my day a bit better on Friday 27th June, but then again, I was going to have to start to get used to the heat in Dalyan – summer was definitely here! I had just 2 weeks left in Turkey before I would go back to the UK, again! The weather forecast predicted highs of 39°C today but my phone only measured 26.9°C at 10.30am, as I walked to meet Yusuf outside of the property that I saw yesterday, ready to view the inside, today.
The house was lovely and I particularly loved the 2 same sized bedrooms with ensuite. It also had a downstairs WC with a tidy kitchen and living area. There were 2 large balconies, 1 from the lounge and kitchen and another shared by both bedrooms. There were nice views out over the mountains from the upstairs balcony, too.

By the time I was leaving, 20 minutes later, my phone said it was over 34°C.
After shovelling down a quick bite to eat, and some water, I was on my way to the hairdresser’s for a hair cut and dye. I was the only one in there and I was glad of the AC. Emrah shared the news that he would be moving to Ortaca later in the year so I would need to travel there for my appointments in the winter. Rents were increasing so it made financial sense for him to do that. The price of my hair came to 1,900 lira (£36) which I thought wasn’t too expensive and my hair looked so much healthier than when I went in. Emrah and the girls did a good job, as always, and I was home before 3pm. I noted the rate at the currency exchange shop was now almost 53 lira to the pound as I walked past.

I had cauliflower and cashew nut soup with a simit for lunch then got on with some work. I spoke to Captain Caveman who was meeting Vinnie, Mark’s brother-in-law, tomorrow to go to the Iron Maiden concert so he was happy about that. I also mentioned the property I had viewed for a friend and he was curious about the finer details. Essentially it had the same amount of bathrooms and bedrooms as his existing apartment, had a slightly smaller lounge area but did have the better views. He said if my friend wasn’t interested, it might be worth him having a closer look. I had a red wine or two on the balcony and then had leftover lasagne for dinner followed by Cherry Bakewell for dessert.

Gratitude List
1. House viewing for a friend and liking it myself
2. New hair
3. Fab leftover food from Penny & Phil’s dinner party.

Dalyan – 26th June

It was pretty hot already on Thursday 26th June as I walked to Queen Accommodation Services’ office to meet Yusuf. He had agreed to show me a 2 bedroom property that had just come on sale for £170,000. There were people staying there so we couldn’t go in until tomorrow but I had a friend who wanted to know what the location was like and might be interested in buying it. They were concerned that it might be a bit too near to town and the petrol station so I agreed to do a reccy of the outside of the property.

Yusuf took me for a quick spin on one of the new 3 wheel electric scooters that they have for rent. They are about £15 per day depending on how long you rent them out for and were really handy to nip about in the heat. Queen also do money exchange now too which is handy if you’re up that way or the bank/jewellers were closed.

Video of us on the 3 wheel electric scooter

I liked the property location straight away and it was actually on a quiet street far enough away from the petrol station and main road. The nearest restaurant would be Olivia’s and it was easy walking distance to bars.
I took videos and photos so I could send them to my friend but I also liked the look of the place myself. Captain Caveman was not thinking of selling his apartment at Fire Opal at all, but I did think that if my friend wasn’t interested, I would mention it to him. I also made a second appointment to look inside the property tomorrow morning.

On the way back home, I called at the shops and was already feeling the heat a bit. Here’s what I bought, prices in lira;

BIM supermarket
2 Dido chocolate bars 29.00
Naan breads 67.50
Kitchen rolls 79.00
Total spent 175.50 lira (£3.31)

Parlak Bakery
1 loaf 15
1 simit 15
1 croisant 40
Total spent 70 lira (£1.32)

I sent my friend the videos and photos of the property for sale and they were still unsure and would wait until I went back tomorrow to view inside. By midday it was 36°C in Dalyan and about to get to 20°C in Sheffield. I hoped it would warm up in the UK before my visit. I worked for the rest of the day, including have a few work calls and meetings.

I finished just before 5pm, which was very early for me, as I had been invited to a friend’s house for dinner. Penny & Phil had invited me to join them and their friends, Karen & Andy (parents of Darcy the dog), for dinner. I took a bottle of wine and some Turkish delight over and we ate a lovely lasagne with garlic bread and salad, which had been made by Ela Bakes. I loved the meal, and ate quite a lot – it tasted really good. For dessert there was also a massive Bakewell tart which was amazing!

We had a lovely night and I even got some leftover lasagne and Bakewell tart to take home, which was very much appreciated. Penny tried to insist I get a taxi home but I walked back, passing a cat sat on a motorbike with a carpet over it. It was almost midnight by the time I got home – on a school night, too!

Gratitude List
1. Whizzing about in a 3 wheel electric scooter with Yusuf
2. Finding a great Dalyan property for a friend
3. A fab dinner with friends, trying Ela Bakes for the first time.

Dalyan & Ekincik – 21st June

It was Captain Caveman’s last day in Dalyan on Saturday 21st June and he’d not been feeling 100% the last few days. He was so busy at work and I don’t think he’d enjoyed working from home in Turkey as much as he’d hoped he might. The internet on our Turkcell hotspot had been fine for him but with staff shortages it meant he couldn’t step in and do nights in London to help out. He did book himself on to jobs to do that as soon as he got back to England, though.
To start the day, Captain Caveman wanted to eat breakfast at La Sorella again and this time he chose the avocado croissant which came with scrambled egg and cheese in it. I didn’t eat as I didn’t want to have a bad reaction for our day trip. Here’s what we paid for breakfast, with prices in lira;

La Sorella
1 Turkish tea 30
1 Double Espresso 120
1 Avocado croissant 390
Total spent 540 lira (£10.19)

Our next bit of excitement for the day was on the Princess of Ekincik boat trip and I really hoped Captain Caveman would enjoy it. When we arrived at the boat, our Captain said that, due to rough seas, he was thinking of changing the destination from Bacardi Bay to Ekincik. I knew Captain Caveman would be disappointed as he prefers Bacardi Bay. Ismail explained to everyone that the sea had been particularly choppy over at Bacardi Bay yesterday and he didn’t want it to ruin people’s day trip. I was glad I’d took one of my trusted Avimone sickness pills and everyone agreed that the Captain would know best about our destination. The group of people on the boat were fantastic and I even knew Rachel, and her family, from Turkish class. It was really great to see that everyone was polite and there was lots of room for everyone to get comfy as we set off towards Ekincik for the day. We tucked in to the homemade biscuits with our hot drinks, of which there was an impressive tea selection.

The Princess of Ekincik boat trip turned out to be the best we had been on so far. The boat was roomy and comfortable, the 2 children onboard were well behaved, the adults were too and even the one smoker was considerate and hardly noticeable which made the trip more pleasant. The food was also of the best I’ve had on a boat trip with great choice of drinks and food. The swim spots were fabulous with not many other boats and our captain and his second mate were wonderful. The boat steps were very similar to those on Duran Duran boat and meant they were really good for anyone with mobility issues. I loved being in the water in the quiet coves – it was nice to enjoy drinks after a swim while sat on a comfy bean bag. There was fruit and cake in the afternoon which is always a nice touch too.
We paid £35 for the boat trip and we did go a bit mad with the drinks, spending about 1,800 (£34) between the 2 of us. I was a bit tiddly and ended up kicking the side of the boat when I was walking to the bar. It hurt a bit at the time but I thought nothing of it, until I got off and put my shoes on. We’d got dropped off near the end of bar street and had thought we might go for a drink. It was so hot out of the breeze of the boat that we just went home, with me limping, to shower and change. I took photos of the bus station notice boards on our way, for all the day trips they do.

It was apparent that I had probably broken my little toe when I hobbled out of the shower. Captain Caveman and I were due to go out for a last meal together and then be ready for his pick up tomorrow at 4am. To celebrate his working from home break of 12 days in Dalyan, we decided to venture back out. We had a drink in Heybe’s and a quick chat with Donny before deciding we would no longer go in to the Turkish Quarter for dinner. I said I would be able to hobble over to wherever Captain Caveman fancied but he decided he would like our farewell date night to be at Lukka bar. I love Lukka and the owners and staff there are considered good friends, however I’d not been able to go out much of late and hadn’t been for such a long time. I was also a bit reluctant to spend a lot of money on a night out when I still had so many things on my essentials to buy list. Captain Caveman said not to worry and we were going there.
We were welcomed in and given a table in a good location and we looked at the menu. It was the first time I’d eaten there since the new chef so I wasn’t sure whether to go for an old favourite or try something new. Captain Caveman ordered wine and water, then suggested a mixed meze plate. He ordered lamb and I stuck to the sweet and sour chicken.
All the food was great and I really enjoyed our last night together. Here’s what we paid, prices in lira;

Lukka bar
1 large water 110
Mixed meze plate 430
Sweet & Sour chicken 770
Lamb Shish 875
1 bottle Angora white wine 950
Tip 200
Total paid 3,335 lira (£63)

Captain Caveman thought it was very reasonable and we were both impressed with the food and service. After a lovely meal we popped next door to pick up a Citronella candle too which smells amazing.

Maizie Moo
1 Citronella candle 400 lira (£7.55)

Today had been the most money I had spent this year, in just one day, so I was still feeling a bit like I needed to get back on track when Captain Caveman left. We set the alarm and Captain Caveman finalised his packing before bed to try and get 6 hours sleep.

Gratitude List
1. Princess of Ekincik boat trip
2. Meal out at Lukka bar
3. Splashing out on treats for our last day together.

Photo credit – some photos by Captain Caveman

Dalyan – 19th & 20th June

I was so busy on Thursday 19th June that I’m not sure I had time to eat breakfast or lunch. Captain Caveman had a few meetings and the weather outside was very hot. We eventually went to the shops about 6.40pm and here’s what we bought, prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
3 Didos 56.95
2 Quark 58.00
Cherry juice 79.95
Wholemeal bread 84.95
2 Dubai chocolate bars 89.90
1kg chicken 245.23
Total 614.88 lira (£11.60)

We also tried to get another kitchen sink plug but failed. I managed to get up to Module 3 on a course I’m doing for publishing a planner.

Gratitude List
1. Both being able to work from home
2. Shopping
3. Dubai chocolate.

I’d tried to organise some after work drinks for Friday 20th June, given that the Friday Bar crawl didn’t seem to be happening. Captain Caveman had said he would finish work at 4pm so I would try to do that too. Usually weekends and evenings are when I get the most enquiries/bookings for holidays so I was finding it hard to change my working pattern. Our first treat of the day, though, was a quick trip to nearby La Sorella so that Captain Caveman could have a proper coffee and a croissant. He ordered a plain one but I ordered the chocolate one with banana and fruit – it was immense and I was so stuffed. The prices for what we had were as follows;

La Sorella
1 Green tea 60
1 Double Espresso 120
1 croissant 130
1 chocolate croissant with fruit 290
Total 600 lira (£11.32) but we got 50 lira (94p) off.

I’d never have spent that if Captain Caveman wasn’t here but it was a really lovely treat.
I called at the bank before work and sent messages to friends asking if anyone fancied meeting us later. Most people responded to say they couldn’t make it apart from one friend who was up for tonight. I was pleased in a way that it looked like Captain Caveman and I could spend some time together, but was also a bit disappointed that we weren’t going to be out with friends for him to see them before he left for the UK. We had bacon sandwiches for lunch and we both had lots to do in the afternoon. Captain Caveman and I worked until 6pm (which was only 4pm UK time) before getting ready to go out. We decided to go to Okyanus for a drink where a friend came over to meet us. We saw Üstün, the waiter who was previously working at Tapa and who me and my parents like, and we got chatting and taking photos. We had 2 white wines and 3 beers for 900 lira (£16.98) and then decided to say bye to our friend and have a wander in to town. Captain Caveman chose Cafe Ivy to go to and we sat down to briefly say hello to Lou and the kids. We found some sunglasses which didn’t seem to be anyone’s and Captain Caveman said he would borrow them and then hand them in.
While at Cafe Ivy, we got a message from Debbie to say she was going to pop to join us for one and Ghislaine went past with some friends and her dogs, so came to join us after all.
Here’s what Captain Caveman and I had with prices in lira;

Cafe Ivy
2 Efes Malt 280
2 Glasses of white wine 300
1 chicken strips 300
Lots of free popcorn
Total 880 lira + 100 lira tip = 980 lira (£18.50)

After our night out, we went home and warmed up a curry for our dinner.

Gratitude List
1. Breakfast at La Sorella
2. Nice food
3. A night out.

Dalyan – 17th & 18th June

I made sure I got up and out early on Tuesday 17th June before it got too warm. I went to the shops and here’s what I bought with prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
2 pot noodles 54.50
6 eggs 55.00
Wholemeal Wraps 99.50
Washing powder 157.95
Total spent 366.95 lira (£6.92)

Parlak Bakery
1 loaf 15.00
1 açma 20.00
Total spent 35.00 lira (66p)

I also called in to Jiks to get photos of the pizza menus because we were invited to Nanny Kay’s tomorrow.
Captain Caveman and I had breakfast together of açma (half each) with white cheese and some of the left over olives from Saklı Bahçe at the weekend. We both got on with work and I had some enquiries from friends about Turkey. There was a sale on with Classic Collection who only offer holidays through agents and the deposit is only £12.50. Captain Caveman had 3 meetings and they were loud and sounded stressful.
We both chose pizzas for tomorrow and messaged our choices to Nanny Kay. At lunch time, we had bacon sandwiches which were very nice and I got a message from a friend who’d been away. I’d booked them a city break and they had really enjoyed it. They were looking to book another one so we arranged a chat for later in the weekend. In the evening we had sausage pasta for dinner then had a walk through town. We called at Rehab bar to see Tay where Captain Caveman had an Efes Malt and I just had soda water (as it was Fat Club tomorrow). While we were there, the mozzies were out in force so we both had to spray stuff on and the bar staff went and bought more!

Gratitude List
1. Getting the shopping done early
2. Eating meals with Captain Caveman in between work tasks
3. Seeing Tay at Rehab bar.

Wednesday 18th June was a busier day for me. It started with the usual measurements and getting weighed on my home scales. Unfortunately, having Captain Caveman here had been detrimental and I had put on 1kg (2.2lb). I’d lost 1cm off my bust and hips and 2cm off my waist so that was good.
At 11.30am I went to Turkish class at Lukka bar where I paid 60 lira (£1.13) for a small water and 150 lira (£2.83) for the lesson. I made lunch at home for Captain Caveman and I which was salad with cheese and salami. I had 3 online webinars, made a test book on Canva for a new planner that I’d started working on and saved that as a draft before heading back out to Fat Club. Carol’s scales were kinder than mine and and I had only put on 0.7kg (1.5lb) but I still needed to watch it a bit.
After Fat Club, I went to the shop next to the hairdresser’s and bought a new AC remote for 400 lira (£7.55) and ordered 2 more for next week. The Arçelik shop wanted 1,000 lira (£18.87) for one but luckily, Carol had put me on to this shop and I’d saved lots. While I was still waiting for Katrina at Maizie Moo to make more citronella candles, I bought a cheap pack of 3 from the Millenium shop for 140 lira (£2.64), they weren’t as good but were better than nothing.
Captain Caveman and I finished work by 7pm and walked over to Nanny Kay’s house where we ended up having quite a night! We had a Jiks pizza delivery which was piping hot and all correct, plus quite a lot of red wine. Nanny Kay was also asking how we would be spending the rest of Captain Caveman’s time in Dalyan and I was disappointed to hear him say I wasn’t really featured in his plans. He would be working all week and then wanted to do his own things at the weekend, before he left early on Sunday. I had already been lining up a boat trip and he now was not interested in another one and would rather go walk some dogs at the dog shelter or play Bridge.
Luckily, Nanny Kay helped talk him in to agreeing to another boat trip, this time with Princess of Ekincik but only if there was less smokers on board. I checked and then we confirmed 2 places on Saturday, so I wouldn’t be going on my own.
We walked home quite sozzled and it was late when we got back.

Gratitude List
1. Measurements being better than weight
2. Getting a bargain AC remote
3. A wonderful evening at Nanny Kay’s.

Dalyan & Bacardi Bay – 15th June

Sunday 15th June was a real treat as we had booked to go on a boat trip with Captain Boris. It cost £45 each which isn’t the cheapest boat trip in Dalyan but they pride themselves on making sure they give great service and food. On all the previous trips I’ve been on with them, they’ve definitely been particularly memorable. I was so excited to be going with Captain Caveman and enjoying our day off doing something really lovely. We were off out to sea for the whole day and later going over to a party at Mark and Kate’s. Our first stop off was to the corner shop for some beers to take for the party later. 4 cans of Efes was 340 lira (£6.42) and we put them in the rucksack for later. I’d already given Vanessa a bottle of Prosecco to take for me to save it going warm.
The boat trip was rather an eclectic mix of people and there was a bit of confusion at the start as 2 people were late and Colin didn’t turn up at all! Quite early doors on the trip, it became apparent that we had a lot of smokers on, which Captain Caveman and I aren’t fans of. It’s obviously better if you can afford, or have enough friends for, a private trip, but we didn’t so we had to put up with it. Captain Caveman also got ‘trapped’ at the front of the boat with some older chatty women which weren’t his cup of tea and all smoked too much. Luckily, there was a nice couple on board who I ended up talking to a bit. We went to Bacardi Bay which was beautiful and we had a swim. Captain Caveman had beer which were 150 lira (£2.83) each and I had wine at 180 lira (£3.40) per glass – still good prices compared to the UK. The BBQ and food was really nice – I particularly enjoyed the prawns which were delicious. Captain Caveman can’t eat prawns or mushrooms so I had extra prawns and a bit more chicken and mushroom casserole. I did enjoy it, there was plenty for us to get more food if we wanted to. I think we had 3 drinks each as we paid 1,000 lira (£19) in total for drinks. It was a lovely day and I had to let my head not feel bad for spending £109 for the 2 of us as it was ! After several swim stops, cake and fruit, we headed back to Dalyan before 5pm ready to go to our next event. We got dropped off at Portakal ferry and walked to Mark and Kate’s where we joined their party. Vanessa and Matt were getting ready to leave when we got there, as they had errands to run before they left Dalyan tomorrow. Vanessa had arranged to meet me and another friend tomorrow to say farewell as they were driving back to the UK and had decided to go a few days earlier than planned. There was quite a crowd at Mark and Kate’s, some familiar faces as well as some new people. We also had chip butties to eat and later Mark and Vinnie got the port and cheese out. Mark’s son was over visiting so it was nice to meet and I enjoyed talking about yachts with him. We didn’t stay late as Captain Caveman and I had work tomorrow and I was really tired.

Gratitude List
1. Being lucky enough to be going on a boat trip
2. Amazing food, including prawns
3. Having a good time at Mark and Kate’s party.

Dalyan – 14th June

It was certainly a sign that Captain Caveman was over in Dalyan, as I would ordinarily have been budgeting for a trip to the weekly market on Saturday 14th June. However, as it was the weekend and Captain Caveman had 2 days off work to get to enjoy the delights of Dalyan, we were about to splash out as if we were on holiday. I was also doing a little less work this weekend so that Captain Caveman and I could have some time together. I’d already planned all my blog posts, social media posts and book promo stuff in advance so that I was available. I’d also planned for us to go to Captain Caveman’s favourite breakfast place, Saklı Bahçe, at 8.30am when they opened. We had the Turkish breakfast with extra water and it was really good – this time I didn’t even get a dodgy stomach from the pastries/bread. We did have to take some cheese, olives and bread home, though, as the portion sizes were big. We paid 1070 lira (£20.18) for 2 breakfasts and 2 waters which I thought was good value for money. We were done by 10am and had a wander in to town so that Captain Caveman could get ready to do what he loves best on his day off.

He and Sezgin were driving over to Köyceğiz to play Bridge. So, I had a free afternoon to get some washing done, tidy up and then do some more work to get ahead for next week.
I got showered and changed ready to meet Captain Caveman after his Bridge as we had arranged to go for a meal in town, with Sezgin and Nur. Captain Caveman told me to bring a bottle of the fizz to share with Nur and to be ready for 6.30pm.
We went to Eylül where we took the bottle of fizz and Sezgin brought a bottle of Rakı which the 3 of them shared. Leaving me to drink a whole bottle of prosecco to myself, with my meal. I ordered a chicken shish and all 3 of my fellow diners ordered Adana kebabs and we shared 2 lavaş (balloon bread) between the 4 of us. The meal out was a lot cheaper because we had taken our own booze and we paid 2,000 lira (£37.74) for the whole meal – less than a tenner each!
Captain Caveman and Sezgin were both feeling a bit unwell after the Bridge where the heat had been unbearable so I was shocked when they wanted to carry on drinking. Sezgin and Nur invited us back to their house where I had a bit more wine and they all carried on with the rakı. I didn’t want a late night as we had a really nice day planned for tomorrow.
We said goodbye before midnight and walked past Jamie’s on the way home. As we got to his we could hear that he was in the pool and he was talking to someone. We decided to call in, Jamie was in the pool with a drink and had been talking to Edna, who had been laid to rest in a big plant pot, with plants and a few items to remember her with. It was the first time we had seen Jamie since Edna’s death so we all had a good chat and a bit of reminiscing. Captain Caveman joined Jamie with a G&T while I drank a pint of water. Norman, the older dog, was fast asleep but had been doing well and was making the most of getting extra treats and more cuddles than usual.

Gratitude List
1. Breakfast at Saklı Bahçe with Captain Caveman
2. Dinner at Eylül with Sezgin and Nur
3. Getting to see Jamie and give him a hug.

Dalyan – 13th June

At 1am on Friday 13th June, I got a message from Jamie to say that he wanted to tell me in person, but couldn’t speak right now because he was absolutely heartbroken.
Edna, his youngest dog, had passed away!
I called Jamie straight back, both of us trying to stop the tears, and he let me know what had happened; he had been at the vets with her when he rang me but the signal had been rubbish. He’d had to drive to the Köyceğiz vet as the local one was closed, they had given Edna medicine for her existing heart murmur but, unfortunately, she died in his arms shortly afterwards. Luckily It had been quick, very sudden in fact, but pain free – I was also in bits. Captain Caveman came back down from bed to console me, he was also upset. I messaged Drew, who had flown back to the UK that morning, and of course he was heartbroken too. Edna was such a great dog and we all loved her, in fact I know a lot of people who read my blog will be upset too. We went to bed, knowing that we would all miss Edna, a lot, but with the comfort that she would now be reunited with Graeme, her Big Daddy.

After not much sleep, I had to get up and go on a Birthday boat trip, which I was no longer in the mood for, if I’m honest. We were about to have a full-on day aboard Captain Fuat’s Adıl boat at £30 (or 1,560 lira) for the trip. We set sail and were off out to sea so I had taken a travel sickness tablet, Avimone, which makes me really drowsy but works.

While Captain Caveman worked from home for the day, it meant that I was without a working phone, as I’d left home the hot spot. Vanessa had invited Captain Caveman on the Friday Bar crawl and she was going to message him with where they were so he could join them at 7pm (5pm UK time), when he finished work.
The first stop of the boat trip was to the caves on the way to Ekincik where you can swim through the cave, around and back to the boat. It’s quite challenging for a general swimmer and is very often on the choppy side. I’ve swam it a couple of times but I’ve also seen people get in to difficulties there. Today, was particularly choppy and the few other boats that were there, had already gone by the time some of our group had got in. Only the brave had swam through the caves and the others had gone out in to the open sea. I stayed on the boat which was swaying a lot and I had to stare at the horizon to not be sick. Some people did find it rather arduous swimming back to the boat against the current. Captain Fuat had to help get some people back in and I was glad I’d decided to not go in. Our next stop was decided with a slight change to the route – back towards hole island where it was calmer. I had a little swim but I was still feeling a bit seasick – one of the ladies onboard gave a couple of us a ginger sweet, which worked.
We had a lovely BBQ lunch in a secluded bay and another swim stop later, where people didn’t really get off for a swim. I had a pomegranate juice which was so lovely. Mark & Kate got dropped off at the jetty to their house saying they weren’t going back out, and I went back in to town to walk home so I could get WiFi again.

When I got in, Captain Caveman was still working but he had not heard from Vanessa or any other bar crawl participants yet. We decided to meet back up with my friend to celebrate it being her birthday. Captain Caveman and I walked to Caria Hotel for 7.30pm. It’s the new place which has replaced the Tezcan hotel, where they have a lovely riverside bar. We ordered a bottle of Turkish rosé wine for 900 lira (£17). Turgay our waiter, brought us a cheese and fruit plate over, which was really lovely, great views and the menu had a good choice. I paid the bill and then we got a message from Vanessa saying they were in Ozzy’s. Our friend went home and Captain Caveman and I went to join the bar crawl, or who was left of it. When we got there, Vanessa and Matt (who had been out since 2pm but had forgot to message until now) were on their last drink and were leaving as we arrived. Kate had already left Mark who was there with Tracey and Vinnie so we joined them for a drink. We only stayed out for a couple as Mark, Vinnie and Tracey were being sensible and going home before they got too drunk. We had a group photo with Ozzy and one of the bar men before walking home to get our dinner.

Gratitude List
1. An entertaining birthday boat trip with Captain Fuat on Adıl Boat
2. Drinks at the new Caria Hotel
3. Joining the tail end of the bar crawl with Captain Caveman.

Dalyan – 12th June

I had a busy day planned on Thursday 12th June; I had agreed to an impromptu doggy day care for a cute little puppy. I’d met Sassy before but I’d not looked after her. I left Captain Caveman working from home, in possession of our hot spot phone and walked over to Mel’s, not really knowing which was her house.
After walking round the house a few times and waiting outside, I ventured up some stairs and found the right place. Sassy was very cute and a little bit cheeky. Mel had the AC on and fans so the house was nice and cool. She made me a cup of tea and we ran through the requirements for the doggy day care.
My first meeting of the day was a free mini course on Visibility with Lisa Johnson (a first of 3 parts for just 30 minutes). It was really interesting and I got a lot out of it. I was meant to have lunch at 12 noon, but I was too busy trying to make sure the puppy was not getting in to any bother. After giving attention to Sassy for a while I got back on to the laptop and dialled in to our Resort Experts Team Meeting.
The meeting went well, and we followed it with another meeting of just me, Dagne (Majorca) and Helen (Italy) to talk about more work related plans and to help each other. I finally ate the salad I brought at about 3.45pm and little Sassy was keen to get a piece of chicken out of me, which of course she did.
I finished work around 5pm and took the dog for a walk. She was hilarious and wanted to be petted by everyone she saw. We also got as far as the Little Migros roundabout when she decided she had walked far enough and sat down. I walked her back home and then she was done for – even snoring a little.
I checked the house for wees to clean up. Mel had informed me she would go on the puppy pads. The only guaranteed dry bits were the puppy pads and she had done a big poo in Mel’s office. Sassy watched as I picked it up and put it down the toilet, then cleaned the floor. Around 8pm, I left her, as Mel was due back – she had been a bit cheeky but so cute and she loved playing fetch with Mel’s slippers.

I walked back along the river as the sun was setting and went home to see if Captain Caveman had finished his working day.
We decided to go for a drink at Retro Bar, where Captain Caveman had an Efes Malt and I had a red wine. It was 90 lira (£1.70) per drink and I paid 200 lira (£3.77) with a tip – a bargain!

We decided to eat out, as I’d not had time today to prepare anything. As Captain Caveman is rarely in Dalyan in the summer, it was his choice of where to go. He’d never been to Firat’s before and wanted to try it, as lots of us rate it as one of our favourites.
We decided to have a bottle of Angora red wine, a large water, courgette fritters, beetroot, green beans in tomato sauce, garlic yoghurt, a chicken shish with rice, salad and chips plus complimentary lavaş (balloon bread). We shared it all, it was delicious and we both really enjoyed it. The bill came to 2,140 lira (£40.38) of which 800 lira (£15) was for the wine. We also left a 200 lira (£3.77) tip which they were very happy with. Captain Caveman was thrilled at how we were both stuffed and had shared a bottle of wine for less than £45 for the 2 of us – he would struggle to find that back home. Firat’s was also now on his favourite restaurants, in Dalyan, list. We were getting ready to leave when I got a call from Jamie. I answered it but there was no one there. I assumed he had called me by mistake as it was quite late and almost 11pm. I tried to call back but couldn’t get through. I sent a message but no reply, so we walked over to Ozzy’s bar for a night cap.

Captain Caveman went on to beer and I had red wine, we chatted to Ozzy and admired his new beer mats. Our drinks with tip came to 300 lira (£5.66) which was still reasonable. It was midnight by the time we got home, having had a lovely evening. I was still worried about Jamie, though, and was not prepared for what I would hear when I did get to speak to him.

Gratitude List
1. Looking after a puppy who was super cute
2. Great Resort Experts colleagues and meetings
3. Having a wonderful evening out with Captain Caveman.

Dalyan – 11th June

Captain Caveman arrived before 2.30am on Wednesday 11th June. At Manchester Duty Free he’d bought us a bottle of Hendrick’s Gin for £29.99, then on landing at Dalaman he’d bought 2 bottles of Prosecco for €31.80 (1,443.08 lira). He’d also brought me the following treats, some of which I’d asked him to; Chopsticks, Eye mask, Tea Towels, Robinson’s cordial and Thai Curry pastes.
After a bit of sleep, I was up first to start work and get weighed. My home scales surprisingly said I had lost 1.6kg (3.5lb) but that couldn’t be right. My measurements showed my bust and hips had stayed the same but I’d put 1cm on my waist – that will be the alcohol at the weekend! I topped up the Turkcell with 50GB of data for 425 lira (£8) as Captainnet isn’t always reliable and there was now 2 of us working from home.
By 11am, Captain Caveman was on his morning video call and he was so loud, I expected the neighbours to complain. I left him shouting and complaining about not having any coffee and went to Turkish class at Lukka bar. I made us a salad for lunch and then I went to Fat Club in the afternoon. Carol’s scales were not as forgiving as my home ones but I was still shocked to find that I had lost 1kg (2.2lb). We had a bit of a laugh that the wine & Prosecco diet had done me well this week, but now I had to watch putting on weight next week! I called at the shop on my way back and here’s what I bought, prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
Milk 33.95
2 Dido chocolate bars 43.90
2 tins tomato paste 59.90
Roasted red peppers 79.95
Walnuts 98.50
Coffee 164.95
Total spent 565.65 lira (£10.67)

Captain Caveman had been less than impressed that I’d given him a coffee made from Jamie’s decaf this morning and had insisted I get proper ground coffee – he was missing Vietnamese coffee! He didn’t have one though as, as soon as he had finished work at 7pm (5pm UK time), I was whisking him off to meet people!
I’d arranged to meet Jamie, Drew, Norman and Edna after their dog walk, in Lukka bar, for a quick hello/goodbye drink. Drew was heading back tomorrow so he and Captain Caveman are rarely in sync and it would be a quick meet up. Edna was the most excited to see Captain Caveman and I think she had hoped to get some wine. I ordered a soda water and Captain Caveman had his first Efes Malt of the visit. We all noticed that Edna was doing a little cough and I know she does that sometimes for attention. Norman got a stroke and was happy checking the floor for any scraps he could eat. Captain Caveman and I decided to have another drink, as we were having a roast chicken dinner at home for our meal and it was still in the oven. We tried a glass each of the house red wine and we chatted about all sorts. Drew mentioned Edna had been slightly off her food that day (which never happens) so Jamie was taking her to the vets before I dog sat on Monday – just in case.
I paid the bill for Captain Caveman and I, prices below in lira;
1 Soda water 60
1 Efes Malt 160
2 Red wines 380
Total spent 600 lira (£11.32)

Despite it being on the more expensive scale to what I’m used to, here in Dalyan, Captain Caveman was impressed at how cheap it was compared to the UK.
We said our farewells and headed home for our chicken dinner which was delicious. I forgot to take any photos and we had a relatively early night as tomorrow we were both very busy.

Gratitude List
1. Captain Caveman arriving in Dalyan (& with chopsticks!)
2. Losing weight despite a messy weekend
3. Seeing Jamie, Drew, Norman & Edna.

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.

Photo credit – pool photos by Mark

Sheffield – 30th May

Friday 30th was meant to have been my last day to catch up with various people I’d not seen yet, as well as some I already had. The plan had been to finish work early and meet Louisa then, when Captain Caveman finished work, he would come join along with Vanessa and some of her family before attending Caz’s birthday celebrations that night. My sister was hoping to be able to meet me too before she went on holiday and I needed to say bye to my parents before I went back to Turkey. Captain Caveman and I were driving back to London the next day and I would get to see his parents before I flew back to Dalaman on Monday.
Unfortunately, I woke up feeling worse and the cystitis medication was doing bugger all to alleviate the pain, or the symptoms. Most of the day was spent in pain, feeling nauseous and a bit blurry.
Vanessa was dealing with a delivery of a couple of sofa throws which had been ordered for her settee in Dalyan and they were really nice, but heavy and big. She’d asked Matt to get some made in Dalyan to save paying for luggage but he’d not been able to get any. I agreed to take one in my suitcase as I had enough room and was already taking a jar of Branston, which they had forgotten on their last trip out, plus a couple of bits. I didn’t mind at all but I only had space for 1 of them, poor Vanessa would have to take the other in her under seat bag.
I started doing some packing while Captain Caveman was in meetings and Vanessa went out to meet her son and his girlfriend, with arrangements to see us at the Lescar pub later. I doubted I would be able to go but I really wanted to see people before I left as I didn’t know when I would be back.
At lunch time, Captain Caveman gave me a 2 minute warning that we needed to pack up and leave during his lunch hour as he had another important meeting and we needed to get across town. Months ago when Captain Caveman had arranged to go to Caz’s birthday celebrations he had thought he would stay at a hotel he had used before, the Jonas hotel, Endcliffe. I wasn’t quite with it as I hastily packed and rushed to the toilet in between as I still was in a predicament.

We arrived at the hotel which is located in a student area and is really stylish. Captain Caveman logged on in the communal working area ready for his 2pm meeting and I ordered a cup of Yorkshire tea and a cake for £4.50 as my lunch (there were no sandwiches left).
I took the key and went up to the room where I tried to have a little sleep but I felt quite sick. I googled my symptoms and decided I needed to see if I could get antibiotics from somewhere and set off walking to Boots on Ecclesall Road. I got as far as the Tesco Supermarket and was nearly peeing my pants so went in to find a toilet. They didn’t have one, but I did find an adaptor plug for £4.
At the pharmacy, still desperate for a wee, there was a massive queue and I could hear the on duty pharmacist saying he would love to visit Turkey for a holiday to one of the staff. That member of staff then told the woman in front of me that there was not a prescribing pharmacist on duty today so she would need to go to the walk-in centre. I was already distressed and desperate for a pee so I decided to ask the lady at the counter if I could speak to the pharmacist in private. Mo, the on duty pharmacist, obliged and we went in to the room next door where I explained my predicament. I also told a bit of a fib that I was due to drive to Gatwick tomorrow to get my flight back to Turkey and that I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to travel. We chatted about Turkey, politics and how if he needed a pee sample I could probably fill a bucket while crying, right now. He prescribed me Nitrofurantoin and said it was probably a bladder infection. By 4pm, I left the Boots Pharmacy, having paid £9.90 and was so relieved to have seen Mo. He was a lovely fella and really helped me out in a predicament.
I located the nearest chain coffee shop for the toilet, in desperation. I had to buy an overpriced bottle of water (£2.25) to get a code to get in for the biggest (painful) pee of the day. I was so relieved and took my first tablet while on the loo.
I walked back to the hotel but got lost and ended up walking quite far out of my way, up and down big hills, which I’m no longer used to. I got back and went to bed, which was super comfy but would’ve benefited from extra pillows.

I’m not much of a tablet taker so I immediately noticed that the Nitrofurantoin was having a weird effect on me, in the afternoon. I’d already had to start letting people know I wouldn’t be in any fit state to see them today. I needed to take my next tablet with or after food and needed to avoid citrus and spicy food. It was such a shame as Captain Caveman had finished work and wanted to go out for a nice meal before going to meet Caz and all the others at the Lescar for drinks. We decided to walk down the hill and find a restaurant to get a meal and I could take my next tablet. After mooching about and me not fancying anything because the thought of eating didn’t appeal, we settled on a Spanish Tapas place. That way, I could nibble on something and Captain Caveman could enjoy a nice meal with a drink or two. Here’s what we had with prices in pounds;

Iberico Restaurant
Olive oil with Balsamic 1.00
Alioli (extra) 1.00
Bread 3.50
75ml sherry 4.00
Belly pork 5.00
Chorizo with honey and toast 5.00
Artichokes 5.00
Tortilla 7.00
Ham Croquettes 9.00
250ml red wine 11.00
2 Manchego with Membrillo 12.00
Lots of tap water (free)
Total spent £63.50

I loved the Manchego cheese and even managed to eat the meat dishes but, when the tortilla came, I had to make a dash for the toilet to be sick. Eggs can often make me feel nauseous when I’m ill but I was in a state and needed to lay down. As we were so near to the Lescar, we decided I would go and wish Caz a Happy Birthday, say thank you and farewell to Vanessa and hopefully see some of the other friends while I was there.
Captain Caveman and I were the first there, shortly followed by Caz and Tim. I said hello, apologised for being ill, found out water infections are more common during menopause and drank just half of my tap water. I was in a bit of a state but I did have time to at least say hello to Caz and friends and get in a photo. I had to run to the loo to pee and throw up but was conscious of wasting the antibiotic so swallowed it! Vanessa and Brad didn’t arrive and I couldn’t wait any longer so Captain Caveman and I left, he would return after walking me back. My sister messaged to say she was sorry she hadn’t been able to meet me but was at a family meal at Gill’s & Co on Ecclesall Road. We were walking past it, so we went in just to say bye to everyone. I had a soda water, Captain Caveman had a drop of the bottle of wine on the table and my sister was on good form. It looked like a lovely place to dine. I paid visits to the toilet more than once and then I just had to get back to the hotel for a lay down.
I said bye to everyone with promises to see them in the summer, so not too long to wait. Captain Caveman left to rejoin Caz’s birthday bash and I walked back up the hill to the hotel. I could see the hotel so went in my bag to get the hotel key, only to realise that I didn’t have it. I called Captain Caveman and text but no answer. When I did speak to him, I was already in the hotel reception toilets, trying not to throw up. He wasn’t about to come back with the key so he said to ask reception for a new one, which they were very accommodating about. I had the second shower of the day and put my PJs on to go to sleep, just hoping I would be well enough to get to London tomorrow. At 9.20pm Vanessa messaged to say they were still at Grandma’s having had a Chinese so wouldn’t be able to make it out, after all. She wished me well for my journey and I her for her flight tomorrow and I would see her in Dalyan next week.

Gratitude List
1. Mo, the pharmacist – life saver!
2. Iberico – I will have to visit again when I’m better to fully appreciate it.
3. At least seeing Caz (and friends) on her birthday night out and saying bye to the Lessing family.

Photo Credit – some photos from Caz

Sheffield – 28th May

Wednesday 28th May was certainly not the day we had planned although it all started off like a regular Wednesday. It would not end that way. Both Captain Caveman and I were at our laptops from 9am, he had a meeting first thing so was in the bedroom while I used the desk in the living room. Captain Caveman made me toast and Vanessa was getting ready to go out for lunch with her mother-in-law and daughter. We’d decided we were going to have fajitas for dinner and plans were going well for Captain Caveman to work until 5pm. I needed to buy some bras and perhaps something to wear for the weekend, so I decided I would meet Vanessa in town around 3pm.
With it being a Wednesday, I got weighed and did my measurements. It was not a great result after 1 week in England; I had put on 1.1kg (2.4lb) and was now 2.7kg (almost 6lb) over target. My measurements showed I had put 1cm on my bust and waist but had lost 1cm off my hips. Interestingly, my waist measurement was the biggest it had been in a long time and was 5cm over target. I was starting to notice that when I put weight on in the UK it goes on to my waist very easily. I was definitely eating less fruit and vegetables too. I still had 5 days left in England, 2 of them in London.
By 3pm, I had got on the tram, bought a day saver for £5.70 and I was heading to Marks & Spencer’s to go bra shopping. Vanessa had been for lunch at the Banker’s Draft and would meet me there as she wanted to try a new pub nearby. When I got off the tram, at Sheffield Cathedral, Vanessa and her daughter, Alicia, were waiting for me. We did the introductions and then said we would meet Alicia in the pub after I’d been shopping. I didn’t get any bras as they didn’t have my new size or the style I liked so off we went to the pub. Unfortunately, the one Vanessa has heard of being a new opening was not there so we stuck with what we knew. As we walked to where we were going we cut through the Banker’s Draft which I’d not been in for many years. It was definitely an eye opener and I did not expect it to be rammed full with a game of bingo going on at 4pm in the afternoon.
The Dove and Rainbow is one of the best pubs in the centre of Sheffield and it had been a while since my last visit. For just less than a tenner, Vanessa had a cider, I had a pint of tap water (free) and a pint of Guiness and we went out the back to sit with Alicia and her friends, Jamie and Lucy. I messaged Captain Caveman to arrange for him to come join us after he finished work, as it’s a favourite pub of his.
Once Vanessa and I had joined Alicia on the rum and cokes, it was pretty obvious things were going to get messy. When another friend, T, turned up, Lucy got a round of ‘Blow Job’ shots in and we all enjoyed them. Vanessa had a bit of trouble getting hers down in one, because of all the cream. By the time Captain Caveman arrived, he had missed more ‘Blow Jobs’ from Jamie and Alicia and we were all on our merry way. We were all having a great time but it was about to get even better when, at 6.30pm, I noticed the sign for a quiz. It’s on the last Thursday of every month, starts at 7pm and it got pretty busy. The drinks kept flowing as we did the quiz and another friend joined us so we split in to 2 teams of 4. I have no idea what time we left but I vaguely recall us getting a takeaway from Gleadless Townend on our way home! Captain Caveman and I shared a pizza and some chips, while Vanessa ordered a doner kebab. When we got back to her’s she didn’t eat the kebab at all, as her stomach couldn’t handle it.

Gratitude List
1. The Dove & Rainbow pub
2. Meeting Vanessa’s daughter, Alicia and her friends
3. Having a really good night at the quiz.

Sheffield – 25th to 27th May

On Sunday 25th May Captain Caveman and I decided on an outing in to Sheffield town centre. I needed a hairbrush and some clothes and Captain Caveman had said he would treat us to a trip to the Curzon cinema to see The Phoenician Scheme. As the cast of this Wes Anderson sounded good, I had agreed and was excited to finally be going to the cinema. The last film I’d seen had been a disappointing Barbie film in Fethiye. In the morning I did a bit of work as I had forgotten it was Bank Holiday Monday tomorrow so Captain Caveman was off for the day.
We got the supertram in to town from Gleadless Town End at £3.40 each. Once in Sheffield, our first stop off was at Superdrug, here’s what we bought with prices in pounds;

Superdrug
Ibuprofen 0.39
Sanex Stick deodorant 2.49
Sudocrem 2.99
Hair brush 4.50
Total spent £10.37

I went in to Primark, Captain Caveman isn’t a fan so he mooched about while I bought 5 pairs of socks for £3.50. I saw a large suitcase for only £38 and wanted to get it but we were going to the cinema. I wanted clothes but there was nothing to my liking so Captain Caveman suggested Blacks. Here’s what we bought, prices in pounds;

Blacks
4 tops (for me) £31.44
A coat (for him) £59.00
Total spent £90.44

While I looked and found nothing in New Look, Captain Caveman went back for the £38 suitcase from Primark. We shoved all our stuff in to the case and took it to the cinema, as you do.
The Curzon was very nice and Captain Caveman had a beer, I had a glass of wine but no popcorn! The film was a massive disappointment and I’ve never been in a cinema where most people around me were snoring at one point or another. Even I fell asleep!
We left in confusion and rain, wheeled our new suitcase to the bus station and got the bus to Mosborough, which cost £2.60 each. We called briefly to see my parents and pick up the van before going home for a nice meal at ‘home’ with Vanessa. She had been to her grandson’s birthday party where one of my other Sheffield friend’s son had gone. They got chatting and worked out they both knew me and that I had invited Vanessa to Caz’s birthday celebrations next Friday. It’s a small world.

Gratitude List
1. Captain Caveman taking me shopping
2. A new suitcase
3. Having a nap in the cinema.

As it was a Bank Holiday in England on Monday 26th May, we decided to have a day out in Sheffield. Check out the old stomping ground and see the sights. I’d been waiting to hear from my Mom who needed taking to an appointment but luckily my sister could take her so Captain Caveman’s offer of a lift wasn’t needed and we could go out.
We got the bus in and had a wander along a canal, down by the old Castle Market area and then along to our first pub stop, The Harlequin. A great bar where Captain Caveman had a proper beer and I had an Ascension cider.

Our next stop was Riverside where it had now started to rain so more drinks were had as we took shelter. By this time I was getting peckish and the menu looked good.

Captain Caveman had an alternative plan and took me for a mint tea and vegan sausage roll at Gaarde. I was dubious at first as to if the sausage roll was vegan as it was one of the best I’d had in ages.
We had a trip to the Wellington and had pork scratchings with our beers there, intending to get the tram. There were track repairs and a bus replacement that went past us. After that we had an uphill walk through Sheffield to the cathedral where we caught the tram back to Vanessa’s as there was a curry and rice waiting for us, made in the slow cooker. It was delicious and we watched Race Across the World on TV which Captain Caveman loves.

Gratitude List
1. An impromptu day off
2. Spending time in my home town with Captain Caveman
3. Great night in front of the TV with Vanessa.

Both Captain Caveman and I worked all day on Tuesday 27th May while Vanessa went out with a friend in the afternoon.
At lunchtime we drove to the nearest Asda to buy some more shopping, here’s what we bought with prices in pounds;

Asda Supermarket

Lasagne sheets 0.64*
2 garlic bread 0.70
Bananas 0.85
Orange juice 1.62
2 sausage casserole mix 1.90*
2 Thai curry paste 2.40*
Toilet roll 2.76
3 Fajita packet mixes 3.15*
Chicken 4.42
1 bottle of red wine 7.27
Total spent £25.71
The items with a * were for me to take back to Dalyan in my suitcase.

In the evening, Captain Caveman made a Spaghetti Bolognese for us all and we watched more Race Across the World on TV.

Gratitude List
1. Shopping at Asda
2. A lovely meal
3. Spending the evening with Captain Caveman and Vanessa, watching TV.

Sheffield – 24th May

Captain Caveman and I had been invited to my niece, Morgan’s, 21st birthday BBQ on Saturday 24th May at 3pm. Before that, though, we arranged to visit my parents. Unfortunately, as Dad had recently had a knee replacement operation, Ma & Pa had decided they weren’t feeling up to being able to attend. It was a shame, as Dad was making great progress but just not able to leave home just yet.
We drove over to my parents, calling at Crystal Peaks shopping centre on the way. Captain Caveman treated us all to Beres Pork sandwiches as the local shop in Mosborough no longer does them. They were really good and I’m glad we got the big size ones. I also managed to drink lots of pints of tap water, my favourite drink when I’m in Sheffield. For afters, Ma got some chocolate biscuits out and we all had one with a hot drink. It was good to see them and Dad was doing pretty well moving about. It had been just over 6 months since Captain Caveman and my parents had seen each other in Dalyan, despite being in the same town for almost 4 of those months. He’d tried to visit a few times but they had not been in when he’d called. We didn’t get much time with them, though, as we had to be at Gayle and Neil’s for the party.
Neither of us were really feeling like drinking after last night’s shenanigans in Woodseats but it’s not every day we get to celebrate a 21st. We gave Morgan a present and a bottle of champagne, plus we took some wine and beer to drink. Her birthday was later in the week so she didn’t open any presents. April, my 18 year old niece, was in charge of making cocktails and had already started trying them out. I had Prosecco, Captain Caveman had beer and then we went on to Margaritas which were very good.

There was a piñata which is always a laugh, 3 dogs running about, lots of booze and a massive BBQ and buffet. Neil and his Dad did an excellent job of cooking the meat despite my sister grumbling it was a bit later than expected. Harley, April’s boyfriend, did a fab music quiz which Captain Caveman and I came 2nd at – surprisingly as Captain Caveman always says he’s no good at music.
We had a brilliant afternoon and ended up getting a taxi home just as it was starting to get a bit messy! I also was a bit disappointed that I had not taken many photos and didn’t get any of the birthday girl. Someone had taken group photos but I couldn’t remember who and forgot to ask if I could have some. Luckily, my sister came up trumps on the photos later.

Gratitude List
1. Getting to see my parents and have pork sandwiches
2. An amazing 21st Birthday BBQ for Morgan
3. Captain Caveman being able to join me at a family event for the first time in 13 and a half years.

Captain Caveman having a bash at the piñata