what does the nanny think?

Most naps and nights in Kusadasi the kids fight over who gets to snuggle with Zuleyha.  Now that Baba's home, it's not so big of a deal, nor is her leaving.  Tonight Zuleyha is scheduled to take the bus back to Ankara.  We took her to the city-center this morning, had coffee and cake, stopped at the grocery story for meat to prepare a barbecue, and I brought her to the bazaar with Tuana, while at home they prepared for the barbecue.  In the midst of this, our uncle -  Anne's oldest brother came by for a visit with his crazy son, his son's wife, and their daughter.  Their ages are 80-something, 50 something, 40 something and 22 - respectively.  It was good they came - my Yenge would have been quite offended if they didn't (maybe she is anyhow).  So our day was busy again, our house was full again, kids skipped naps again, and I didn't get a chance to rest or visit my friends.  Tolga's tired and has back pain.  Tomris cried because I wouldn't snuggle her to sleep.  

I realized yesterday and today that maybe Zuleyha has hit her limits with us.  She mentioned in passing that I wasn't realizing how much I was eating because I was on the phone with Tolga and getting pulled to each child - never sitting to eat start to finish - just picking and picking.  Her concern was that I was overeating.  That kind of horrified me.  Secondly, she mentioned I should throw my sweatpants away.  Anne had already tried to mend my situation by giving me a string to thread through' the waistband so that could tighten my pants, but Zuleyha didn't like the hole in the thigh.  (I thought it looked kind of cool).  She claimed Yenge would not be having it.  She also mentioned that I had dressed warm for myself but hadn't put a jacket on Tuana.  I didn't get offended by any of these things other that to wonder if she was getting sick of me.  But, when Tolga drover her to the bus station, she told Tolga she was concerned about me: I was moving and acting slow, forgetting things, and possibly depressed because I was on the computer a lot, tired or impatient.  Tolga told Zuleyha to talk to me about it, 

"She won't be upset.  She loves you."  I said - ah, wrong, I will be upset - she thinks I've suddenly caught Downs, Alzheimer's and depression in two weeks.

"No," Tolga explained, "she is simple and uneducated.  She thinks her life is the right way to live."

"Maybe it is."

"No, I explained to her that you love to read, for example, and you are getting your books off the computer - she thinks you should have a book in your hand.  She thinks you should just listen to the radio and pray."

"Maybe I should?"

"No, you're fine."

"Maybe.  Yeah, I'm fine.  I've always walked slow.  I'm a lolly-gagger."

"That's one of things I like about you. I wish I could slow down."

"Because I'm slow?"

"No, to enjoy things."

Okay.

Kusadasi city center

Kusdasi city center

Baba and Tolga on the barbecue 

Tolga on the barbecue

goodbye barbecue for Zuleyha