31 July 2013

Home sweet home at last and a few hours kip with proper duvet done. 

Was nice to come home to newly decorated hall without having to lift a paintbrush in anger. 

30 July 2013

Final moments of summer holiday 2013.  Nice sunset to finish of a fortnight of sunshine.  Long trip home and back to the reality of work, washing & ironing and the weekly shop.  Diet starts monday!

29 July 2013

26 hours to go before airport transfer bus pick up but it's packing for home time. 

Doesn't feel like 2 weeks and never good to leave with the prospect of reality, but at the same time there is the prospect of the comfort of your own bed and a proper duvet. 

28 July 2013

Boys are making the most of the pool and water slides with just a few days holidays to go and back to reality.

27 July 2013

Saturday night games night.

26 July 2013

Our 10th wedding anniversary,where did that decade go? 

Although to be fair packed a fair bit in; 2 boys, 2 house extensions, quite a few holidays around the world, 6 or 7 cars. 

Here's to the next decade. 

25 July 2013

Couple of visitors to our poolside retreat today.  Hung about just long enough to get the camera out.

24 July 2013

An Antalya(n) Minaret pierces the clear blue sky.  It was pretty loud calling for prayer this morning as well.

Just realised that we probably haven't seen a cloud in the past 8 days.  Bit of a difference to the thunderstorms and lightning being encountered back home after the heatwave.

23 July 2013

Ten pin bowling night tonight.  Always a wee bit competitive, and thats just the boys!... but a convincing win for daddy as per usual  (but only after a turkey 8-10 ends).

Early(ish) night tonight as we're up early tomorrow morning to head out of the comfort of the hotel to Antalya for a walk about, and no doubt some bartering with the locals.

22 July 2013

Just like he glass elevator in Charlie and the chocolate factory 6 times over!!! 

8 visible floors plus the basement access to pool level below reception level. Fair to say not Mrs P's favourite part of the hotel, clings to the door side every time we enter and watch out anyone that tries to force their way in and doesn't just wait for the next one. 

21 July 2013

Sunshine and shadows....

Amazing how the sun can bring out interesting shapes from nothing.  This is the bridge over the pool which caught my eye from the sun lounger today, brilliant white with very dark shadows in the late afternoon sun.

20 July 2013

Mid-40s temperature again today and the beach provided a cooling breeze. 

Good vantage point to look out on the ocean. 

19 July 2013

Day 3 of Turkey 2013 and it was a hot one.
40 degrees at 10am when we ventured into the sunlight, after a decent kip, gym session and a restrained breakfast.  We weren't positioned close to the thermometer display, but it was reading 44 when we passed at 12.45 and then 46 at 4.45.  32 degress as I type this at 11.45pm local time...
Might have been even warmer in the height of the afternoon... just a tad hot...

Can't complain as plenty options for All Inclusive "Re-hydration" aka efes light and water.  Gala show tonight ended with a stunning set of fireworks and the biggest cake you've ever seen in you life, must have been 20ft tall!.  Just missed the sunset for todays picture, but still plenty time here to be able to catch it setting over the hills for a golden sunset daily photo.

18 July 2013

The chandelier that hovers in the 12 storey high reception space in our hotel.

Don't think it's held with a couple of rawl plugs!!

17 July 2013

Day 01 and there's an elephant in the room.  Maid going all out for her tip from the start!!

Didn't take long for the boys to do some big game hunting though, and then he was gone!

16 July 2013

Holiday has officially started with first cold beer while waiting patiently for flight. 

15 July 2013

Tickets....check, passports...check, cash...check.

Just the spaghetti junction that is made up of the charging cables for the ipods, iphones, ipads, laptops and cameras to sort out and pack and we're ready for off in the morning.  All in one bag as guaranteed to be searched at airport security, so they may as well only have one bag to empty and check.

1 more sleep.........

14 July 2013

Holidays in T-2 so a full day of 'stuff' done today! 

Cars washed, garage tidied, jack and Jill sale raised £90 and another corner of the house re-claimed, ironing pile demolished, grass cut, garden toys put away, hall prepped for painter, bike ride and delivering stuff complete, supercar show visited, last minute holiday clothes shopping done - now waiting on M&S meal cooking with a deserved pre-holiday magners with a clear blue sky above. 

Amazing what you can fit in in 13 hours! 

Roll on the next 36 and will be sitting in plane half way to holiday destination. 

13 July 2013

Big blue eyes from my niece Ruby this afternoon.

50mm prime lens at it's best.

12 July 2013

An early strike against the post holiday waistline that will be coming next month, new wheels arrived today.  Hopefully they last as long as the Marin Muirwoods purchased back in 1993-ish and which still occupies a space in the garage and is still running as good as the day it was delivered.  It's not condemned to the scrapyard or gumtree, just retired from road cycling for the purpose of keeping fit.

11 July 2013

This is where the golf clubs are going if I play like I did tonight this coming Saturday!!! 

Always another day I suppose. 

10 July 2013

'Wot no elmo??'

Think elmo is trying to get noticed from behind the toy box! 

09 July 2013

Costa del North East today. Just a pity had to be indoors working really. 

08 July 2013

First day of the school holidays = start of football camps. 

Rave reviews from today's camp with a

 visit from the first team squad, signed t-shirts and then player of the day merit award for his group. Desperate to get back there tomorrow. 

No exclusive trading facility for the dons though. Training on the pitch next to the kids camp. 

07 July 2013

Last football tournament of the season done.  What a difference to the same venue 14 days ago when we all got soaked to the skin and cut grass stuck all over shoes and trousers.  24degrees in the sun and all the boys were struggling near the end.  First day for number one son in the next age group and he did fine.  Few more weeks games required to build up the confidence, but messi should be watching his back!

06 July 2013

24degrees (maybe more) registered on the mercury today, what better way to let the kids cool down than a water fight in the garden!!

05 July 2013

Sun in the sky till well after 8pm, Murray semi-final on the ipad in the garden and corkcicle keeping the prosecco chilled.  Might need to head indoors soon as sun is dipping below the tree line, but could be a weekend in the garden getting a head start on the holiday tan if forecast is to be believed.  Probably get the haar coming in off the sea now!!!

04 July 2013

The birthday flowers from 23 June are holding out.  The gerbera is now looking a bit peely wally, but the lillies are out in full bloom.  suspect they'll not last through the weekend though.

03 July 2013

13 sleeps to go and the cases have been dug out in preparation for the holidays. Need to check the summer clothes in storage still fit !!!

02 July 2013

Days are now starting to get shorter, but it's so damp and grey tonight was almost like the dead of night at 8.00 in the evening.  Not much to look out at today other than raindrops.

Never mind, 14 days today and we'll be in the air heading to sunshine and the beach/pool, thats just 9 more work days not that we're counting down!!

01 July 2013

Grandma was playing teacher today, chalk board and magnetic letters strewn across the living room.

Perfect opportunity for today's 50mm lens picture.