Have been really quiet the last few days…. we’ve stayed home…. enjoyed the pool for many, many dips, floats and immersion. Largely eaten in…. enjoyed meals on the terrace, g&ts on the couches…. tv…. ice cream…. it’s all been very relaxing and enjoyable. We are both incredibly brown… haven’t really been trying. It’s just happened.
We’ve done a few jobs. I’ve updated our information pack for 2026 – all guests get a copy and there’s one left permanently in the villa. It’s got all sorts in it about staying here, the villa, the locale, farther afield, restaurants, day trip ideas. Even recipes. This year for the first time, I’ve had it translated into Turkish as well. We still don’t know when the Holiday Home Registration will start but these things will be a requirement.
At home, our house sale/purchase has moved a step forward. Pentland Homes finally signed the Deed of Variation off on Thursday and it was submitted to the Land Registry for Registration. That is the only thing now holding up Exchange of contracts, although a completion date still has to be mutually agreed between all parties and solicitors. Still working for the end of July. And they are hoping Exchange will be at the end of this week, so we’ll see. It was a huge relief that it had gone to the Land Registry. It is on an expedited basis so a bit easier to chase.
Bob has mended some blown plaster behind our bed caused by the exceptional winter rains which seem to have penetrated. It didnt need re-plastering, just knocking out a bit, filling with a polyfiller like stuff, rubbing down, repeat and finally painting. It looks pretty good. Well… better…..
We’ve also been patching some of the parts of the poolside pergola sailcloth roof. It sustained damage in the winter storms but not enough to deserve total replacement. We’ve patched it up and used some cuttings from old pergola curtains (chewed by dogs a few years ago) to go under the ripped parts. Looks a lot better. It’s just been a brilliant addition to our poolside for the summer. Tomorrow we will hang up the curtains on the pergola and then it is ready for the hottest months. I’ll post some pix but no doubt you’ve seen them before if you are a frequent reader here.
Last night we had a lovely dinner at Linda and Mike’s house in Karsiyaka. It’s absolutely lovely. Their garden has a lot of beautiful mature trees and different places to sit and relax or eat. They also have a well of which I am very jealous. The water that emerges is crystal clear from about 37m down….. It’s a bit of a rigmarole to get a well here but I must say well worth it. Linda made us a lovely dinner and we sat out till after 11 just chatting and enjoying the lovely warm evening. It’s now that point of the summer where night swimming is very possible and the pool lights really pay dividends.
We drove home enjoying the strange red moon which had risen above the eastern mountains. My photos don’t show the redness well enough. I blame the wine…..
Today Bob enjoyed watching the Silverstone GP and also the England vs Mexico match. Wowzer. Not often an England game is more exciting than F1.
Jobs are now almost finished so we have to fit in some beach visits, some friend dining…. and all sorts before we leave on Saturday late afternoon. Keep reading along…..
We are so lucky to have owned this lovely place for 20 years and had the opportunity to spend time here. We also get huge enjoyment from making it available to others to also enjoy. Made good friends along the way and enjoyed sharing their stories, some planned here…. It’s that sort of place.