Preparing to walk over to renew acquaintance with Fehmi, our dentist, when the electricity goes off. Just us? No, J notes a diesel generator starting up by the next building. And on the main road intersection next to us the traffic lights are out, leaving cars making right hand turns (driving is on the left) with difficulty.
No electricity at Fehmi’s surgery either, so he sends his two waiting patients home and we chat. Everything from his early days as a student in Istanbul in the seventies to the welfare of the extended family. His becoming a dentist was an accident, though not one he’s ever regretted. He had wanted to be a teacher but by the time he was ready for university there was no funding for would be teachers but there was for dentists. And now, he says sadly, the university dental course here is graduating students but they have no hope of finding professional employment. Fehmi’s assistant makes us appointments for tomorrow, so presumably F is not anticipating a second day without electricity.
Stop at supermarket - which has generator - near our old flat and buy bread (can now identify whole grain in Turkish). Also more yoghurt and water. Nearly home when J realises we have not remembered to buy a corkscrew, having contrived to leave for the winter without 🙄. Last attempt at opening a bottle of wine without - Rome many years ago - involving a plan to push the cork down into the bottle using a toothbrush handle not an unqualified success, but fortunately one tin of beer remaining.
Two o’clock and power back on after four hour hiatus.
Beer tin repurposed as toaster over gas flame
Posts
