I know it's not February, but I seem to have had a touch of that feeling that comes along when it has been dark and cold a little too long. I woke up this morning knowing that it was less to do with this (mostly glorious) city and more to do with not being nearer Ruskin as he starts his GCSE exams. It was wonderful fortune that today is the day Başak comes and plays with the kids in the energetic way I wish I could manage more often, and I went off to look for the beauty in Beşiktaş. Anyone who has been here will know that it is not too hard to find, and after facing into the sun for a couple of hours I am feeling that we will manage quite well again, Istanbul and me.

Pazar in Turkish means both market and Sunday (market day) and is from where we have the word bazaar in English. My delight this weekend was found in a trip to the market and in a  glimpse of the soon to be taken down Christmas decorations at St. Antoine's seen through the door, and a game with the tube from the cling-film!

Neve has been ill for a few days but looked so much better this afternoon that we decided to get some fresh air at Ihlamur Kasrı. I am getting a bit embarrassed that there are so many pictures of this place here but we all just love it so much. I decided to have my first attempt at photographing flowers and it was lovely to have a subject that stays reasonably still!

A very Happy New Year to you. We took it easy today and just wandered through Beşiktaş and took a boat over to Üsküdar.....

My Children, there is so much I want to write here for you to find when your childhood becomes something in the past and of interest to you, but I am drawn too strongly to your present selves to give it much time. I just want to tell you all that there is nothing better in the world than having the four of you under one roof. Our unusual Christmases in a Muslim country, taking place on ordinary school days for Matti (though he was able to have two and a half days off this year), are given all the magic they need by the dynamics between you four individuals. I feel so victorious that we have all made it through another year together. I want to record a little about the FBC in case it is short-lived and you don't remember your days in this glorious team. The Forsman Basketball Club at the close of 2012 consists of Ruskin, Matti and Anton cheered on (admittedly unwittingly so far) by Neve. Ruskin is great at basketball and plays for the South Coast Tigers in the UK. Matti has just started lessons and may one day master dribbling. Anton can run in a reasonably straight line. Somehow Ruskin keeps practice sessions going for hours. Matti tries everything, fierce with determination, and Anton giddily runs where he is told. After each session of 'teamwork' the FBC place their hands together and shout their allegiance. Stay true to the cause team! What you have already gained from each other is priceless and I know there is so much yet to come.

Today, like on so many other occasions, me and the little ones found a perfect oasis of calm in Ihlamur Kasrı park. Of course this is its sparsest season, bare trees exposing the high rises beyond the fences, but it is always beautiful. This is also the season when the cafe moves inside the pavilion so for 2tl for tea you can while away an hour or two in a small palace watching peacocks and falling leaves in the park below. Or, of course, you can turn the carpet into a road network!

Today I am exuding the calm of a person who knows how the bills will be paid way into the future. Yesterday Ville got a proper contract for the job that was our salvation when we were desperate for a break. Throughout all of this mighty battle to hold all of us together Ville has just kept finding a way. I am proud to bursting. Now he has landed a job in this city that allows him to continue work in human rights while bringing in the silly amount of money needed to do the best for our blended brood. And for the cherry on the top Oxford University have asked him to come and speak and so I will get to cuddle my siblings and Anton can finally go on the Gatwick monorail with his much missed Grandma.

I hope Ville, who is on his way home from Sweden, will not mind me sharing this news but I really wanted to update the people we have counted on, and those who have helped so much by just reading our posts and making us feel much less alone. Thank you.