Friday 23 May 2014

All Change


The arrival of May signals change in Bodrum.  Shops that have been closed for the winter, open. Yachts that have spent the winter in the boatyards, go back in the water. The town fills with seasonal workers who have spent their winters at home.  There is a general air of optimism that, despite poor showings for the past couple of decades, this will be the year when tourists fill their suitcases with carpets, leather jackets, gold jewellery and pottery windmills. Winter woollies are packed away and summer clothes are put back in the wardrobe,  except this year April was much warmer than the first half of May.  


When we owned a Travel Agency in Bodrum, May usually started in a panic, as villa and hotel owners who'd known their first guests were arriving on May 10th would be still painting and decorating on May  9th and we'd still be waiting for deposits from Tour Operators, promised in April, to arrive in our bank accounts.   I don't miss those days at all. 
Now May heralds our move to the country, a bit late this year because of the cool weather, and Jake's haircut. A process that takes over 2 hours and leaves everyone exhausted. 


I was determined to get my winter knitting projects finished by May, and with a couple of evenings non-stop needle clicking, I managed to get my second blanket finished.  I've never attempted anything big before, but with the encouragement of the H3a knitting group, I'm now set up for the next cold winter.  I'm hoping to learn to knit round corners next year. 


May also herald my annual trip north to The a highlands of Scotland.  Which is where I'll be, with limited internet access, when you read this post. 

20 comments:

  1. B to B, Have a great time in Scotland. So, is Scotland going to go independent? Inquiring minds want to know so maybe you can enlighten us as to your neighbors. Jake looks very ex- er. . . DIStinguished in his new coif. I'll bet it was exhausting.

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    1. I'm very cut off where I am but so far the telephone engineer and the Aga oven service man, the only two opinions I have garnered are undecided . They say there is no concrete evidence of what an independent Scotland will be like. Just lots of idealistic vague ideas.

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  2. Oh, so good to see your blog functions as normal, all looks great from my end, hope you can see this too - loved Jake's hair cut and your lovely knitted blankets. All the best for the summer season in Bodrum, have a lovely time in Bonnie Scotland!:) Ozlem

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  3. May it be good for you! - or words to that effect.

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  4. Take your woollies to Scotland. I think you'll need them!

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  5. Jake's handsome with or without his woolly coat! Sorry to have missed so many posts recently - I will endeavour to catch up....whilst you're in Scotland! Have a good time and do tell what you're doing there. Axxx

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    1. Sometime life gets in the way of blog reading.

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  6. Jakes hair clippers- the symbol of the year we met in the blogosphere! I love the spring for the same reasons - things being dusted down and cleaned, people out and about with a smile on their faces, the locals chucking their rubbish in corners of vineyards... It all heralds the arrival of the tourists and those great summer species that grow in the local vineyards and along the Hérault river - dirty nappy and bin bag plants. Sigh.
    Hope you're having a lovely time in the Highlands. Say hello to a sheep and a dram of pure malt from MM xxx

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    1. Well remembered. Despite being 45 mins from a distillery, I haven't tasted the local brew yet.

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  7. Oooh aren't you here then? We arrived in Bodrum yesterday afternoon and it's all looking wonderful! Wow, all that fabulous bougainvillea! We are at friend Neyran's like last year if you are still here ....xx

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  8. Sorry to miss you Claudia. Enjoy Bodrum. I'll be back in a couple of weeks.

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  9. The blankets are gorgeous...well done you. You're becoming quite an expert at the dog grooming. Jake looks very good.

    Enjoy your trip x

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    1. Maybe I should take it up as a career and I could stay at home during the summer.

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  10. Oh, who's a handsome Jake then! :-)

    If the weather in the Highlands is anything like what we've had over the Bank Holiday you'd better have taken those gorgeous blankets with you.

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    1. I wish it would stop raining . I have't been able to walk at all.

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  11. Dear Annie, Jake, as Perpetua says, is such a handsome dog. A prince of a canine!

    I'm impressed with your knitted blankets. I don't knit but I used to be an avid crocheter. Someone that's gotten lost in the past few years.

    I'm wondering if you read the M. C. Beaton mystery series featuring Hamish Macbeth. They take place in Scotland and are light mysteries that have me often smiling at the intuitive common sense and deep down goodness of Hamish. Peace.

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    1. I've been listening to Agatha Raisen, an M C Beaton story on the radio. On the back of this I have downloaded a couple of books on my Kindle but haven't round to them yet. I'll have a look and see if I've a Hamish MacBeth

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