Week End

Our weekend was spent quietly at home. On Friday, Jim called to alert me that the office was closing early, as more heavy rain was predicted, and the threat of more flooding was eminent. As his driver succinctly put it, "Sir, Disaster is coming!" Jim was home by 3:30, and as it appeared to be no weekend for sightseeing, we told our driver he would not be needed.

Jim had plenty of work to keep him busy, Devlin found movies to watch on his computer, and I did some light housework, read and watched some TV. I am always fascinated to channel surf when I'm in a different country. You just never know what new gem you are going to stumble upon.

We have a few English speaking channels. The ever reliable BBC, CNN Business (Bor-ing!) and Al-Jazeera. I am quite impressed with Al-Jazeera. Here I always thought that it was a terrorist news organization, and yet I find they do a super job of covering the news in the Middle East and Africa. Obviously, their reporters are allowed in to places that our American reporters are unable to go, so yesterday I watched the homecoming party for the Iraqi that threw his shoe at President Bush. And believe it or not, I watched a program on BBC called "Equestrian World",  and learned all about the newest star in the world of dressage. There's a program you would be hard pressed to find in America.

There is one channel that delivers a mishmash of different western programs, all in English, with Turkish subtitles. Devlin and I watched "Merlin", "My name is Earl" and my new personal favorite, the eternal "Dr. Who". This show has really been updated since the last time I saw it sometime back in 1975. Great effects, quirky plots and witty writing compared to standard TV fare. Even though all the shows are broadcast in English on this station, all the commercials are in Turkish. My favorite has something to do with a soccer team; I'm not sure what they are selling, but the theme music is catchy, and I find myself humming along when it comes on.

Jim caught Martha Stewart's show yesterday morning before I was up. Like many western shows, it was dubbed into Turkish. He found it pretty amusing that she was preparing a great big ham dinner. Not having found any pork products here yet, I think that episode probably didn't make the recipe box of many local viewers. 

Luckily, Disaster was averted. We did get rain, but not enough to flood anywhere. By Sunday the weather had cleared, and this morning Devlin returned to school. Life is returning to normal.