come on mama

Three-Paw pointed out to me the other day that I am simply not writing enough. In fact ' enough' is probably far too generous a description,  I think ' at all' is far more accurate.
" Come on, mama," she said. " You writing must -  so money be can fix my teeth." ( I imagine Three-Paw has a slightly Yoda-ish way of speaking English. Of course her Turkish is perfect.) She is right too. I am not writing. I am not writing my stories, my novel, my blog in fact I am barely reading. I am writing reports though and to-do lists. Arrgh. 

chattin with m'lady

Every Monday and Wednesday  I have to go to Ortaköy in the late afternoon. Recently the scaffolding has been taken away from the mosque nearby so the seaside square is even more adorable than before. I like sitting in this square because it feels as if the Bosphorus is sitting with me. Like an old friend. When the big ships go by we gossip about their cargo, the captain's drinking habits, how many mermaids they have seen in the Aegean. I really feel like the sea and I are in cahoots and it suddenly makes the rest of the city seem very far away...even though I can hear the sirens on the nearby streets.
Istanbul is a magnificent, sometimes maleficent, city but the Bosphorus is surely one of the loveliest ( and undoubtedly wiliest) ladies I have ever had the pleasure to know.

birthday

Today was my birthday. I woke early, worried about Three-paw's future, read messages from the people I love most in the world, worked, got badly stuck in Istanbul traffic and returned home to a wondrous welcoming turd from the triple-p which she had thoughtfully deposited in the litter tray. Not bad by birthday standards..certainly better than others.

I have an uneasy relationship with my birthday for reasons that will always  and ever remain within me. But I can say  it definitely isn't age related. 

I believe in the Italian language approach to birthdays which refers to how many years you have instead of how old you are. In a world like the one we live in - each year you have is a blessing even if it challenges you! 

Sad day

What a terrible day for Turkey...poor poor miners...poor poor families. I feel such sorrow for my current homeland today. 

Noice

Not a bad spot for some pizza and wine on a Friday night.