ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream

[ArtyMar]

and now for your Thursday fix:
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FEBRUARY 2010 LONDON

BLOG 11: Seeds of concern –

Time is marching on.

OK, I totally appreciate that you can’t build foundations in the pouring rain, and I’ve looked up the weather on the Internet. There has been heavy rain in the Calis and Fethiye areas. Some of the streets look like rivers. But it wouldn’t hurt L to at least send me an email – maybe even a picture? Or two? I decide to ring the office and express my concern. After all, instead of attending to marking loads of art portfolios over my Feb half term, I’ve booked flights to Turkey at a time of year unsuitable for a holiday, and it’s not for the purpose of sight seeing! And it does cost!

I telephone. A guy who doesn’t speak English answers the phone. He may be the ‘all purpose guy’ who made our tea when we signed the contract in the directors’ office and chauffeured us here and there last October. “ I say slowly and clearly: ‘England – I’m calling from England. I want to speak to L”.  After several repetitions I get put through to someone. It’s not L.

An English woman finally picks up the phone. It’s C. I recognise her voice. C is the directors’ administrator/secretary who typed out our contract when we were there in October. She explains that L is out of the office attending to other clients. It is a major part of L’s job to help clients buy furniture and fitments for their apartment or villa. L won’t be back in the office that day. I explain to C, that L promised to send me weekly photos of the building development of our villa and so far I had received nothing. C said she knew nothing about it as it wasn’t her job, but expressed understanding and said she would pass on my message to L. C couldn’t help me further as she said she did not know anything about the various villas and buildings currently under construction. She suggested I email L again: ‘L always answers her emails as soon as she is able’. I then ask to speak to S or K, either of the two directors to whom I spoke on several occasions back in October. I explained that it is only a few weeks before my departure. C is their secretary, so she should be able to put me through. No? They are also not in – they are in a meeting elsewhere in Fethiye.

Well! No luck there! I email L again. I try to keep my email polite, but not so polite that I don’t let some of my irritation show through. Will our villa really be ready by the end of June this year? Better get a move on! Please pass on this message to both S and K: no more money until we get those pictures! We will be sticking exactly to the contract which C herself typed. I’ll be there in just a few weeks and am really looking forward to seeing progress- actual progress on the ground.

Going over the conversation in my mind after hanging up: C sounded calm and unconcerned. I tell myself it’s ridiculous to worry at this early stage – our kids unwittingly planted a seed of suspicion in our minds when we told them of our purchase. Infinity would not let me fly out there if there were any real problems.

Would they? . . .

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. . . to be continued . . . generally posted on Thursday . . .

[ArtyMar]

FEBRUARY 2010 mid air, nearing Dalaman

BLOG 12: Flying to Turkey

Well, I’m on the plane – will touch down at Dalaman at 9.30 p.m. (Turkey time) tonight. Feeling tingly and excited, and I must confess, also a little anxious. The anxiety has nothing to do with flying, which I generally enjoy – I love the ‘time out’ feeling, being away – even for a short time - from day-to-day problems in the real world. It’s to do with the fact that L still hasn’t sent me any photos of construction – without what I consider any solid reasons. Well, I remind myself, they wouldn’t let me come all the way, if nothing was there. So I quell the anxiety and give way to exciting thoughts of designing the kitchen, and choosing furniture and fitments with L. Seems this has to be done at this stage if we are to move in by the end of June. 

I’ve kept the cgi pictures with me in my hand luggage. I just love looking at them, dreaming about the finished villa – what tropical plants I’ll have in the garden (bougainvillea for sure, that lovely, deep pink – climbing over the wrought iron gates), what pictures I’ll paint to hang on the walls – have to find a framer. . . am visualizing lying in the shade of the umbrellas on our sun terrace. . . I like the comfort of the bean bags I’ve noticed on some of the beaches near where the villa will be built – maybe I’ll buy some for the villa, good for reading novels by the poolside. Wonder if I can match the fabric on the beanbags to that on poolside matresses and umbrellas?  . . I’ll be dipping in and out of the glittering waters of the pool . . .it would be nice to build a kosk in the garden (one of those covered platforms with seats and carpets to lounge on) but I’m pretty sure the garden is too small. It will be wonderful. .

We’re landing. I’ve only brought along hand luggage as I’ll be here for just 4 days. It won’t be long now-

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. . . to be continued . . . generally posted on Thursday . . .

[ArtyMar]

Those CGI images:



Finally managed to do this upload, while integrating with text:


Hurry up, Infinity! We can't wait to make use of it! The deadline, according to the contract is end of June - which is fast approaching!

[milorni]

I'm all agog!!

[ArtyMar]

Glad you're all agog, Milorni. Keep on keepin' on. I'm relating it as it was and reliving all those moments. The saga continues to this day . . .

[milorni]

Oh dear............

[Bluwise]

Getting anxious...............

[ArtyMar]

Makes a good story er, blog, at least

[ArtyMar]

and, hey, I've hit the 3000+ hit mark! Yippee!

[ArtyMar]

and by the time I get to the end of the saga, I might just about catch up to Menthol!