Blahgging

So cold. So damp. So unbelievably windy.

The days howl and moan, the vent cover on the stove exhaust hiccups its discontent constantly, the garage doors rattle menacingly, and I feel I'm living on the set of a horror movie as the gray skies deepen and dusk falls.

It is a bad time of year not to have a car. I walked  to the pharmacy in the rain to pick up meds and then discovered I was three euros short of being able to pay for them. So I had to walk back home, holding onto my hood with one hand, bracing myself. I was nearly stopped in my tracks by the force of the wind gusts.

I raided my son's wallet and then walked all the way back to the pharmacy, looking forward to the day I have my own freakin money, can write checks, and not worry about converting dollars to euros.

It will be so nice to have a car again when I move to America. To not have to worry about the weather when I need to run errands.  To be able to go to the grocery store ANYTIME and get bread, milk, eggs, whatever. With two pre-teens in the house, I always need groceries, and I hate, hate, hate the hassles of using public transit to get them, not to mention the pain of how much everything costs here, especially with the crappy exchange rate.

Yeah, I'm crabby, and I'm bored, and I've had enough of living an empty life in an empty house. But I bet you already noticed that. 

January 31, 2008

Comments

[Lynn]

I'm sorry it's such a yucky day. You'll soon have those conveniences!! Big hugs to you - fire up the kettle for another cup of tea and settle on your crinkly couch for a nap. Maybe tomorrow will be bright and sunny - or at least only a light gray with less wind....

[Manictastic]

It's a horrid day today. One of those typical winter storms. Too bad you are all alone in the house, otherwise it could have been pretty nice. Fireplace burning, everyone close to each other. I'm just dreaming here. :)

Food is expensive in Europe (it's coz of the taxes), but meds are pretty cheap (it's coz of the taxes). You'll be glad to be back in the US and then for other things you won't. C'est la vie, like those Frenchies say. :)

[Diane Mandy]

I'm happy for you, really. I know you're having a bad day, but your post strikes me a little funny because you sounds a little like me- new expat struggling with a bit of culture shock (except your not new or struggling with it). Here's hoping your tomorrow is better!

[J]

Think of all the exercise you're getting! OK, that was a lame attempt at a bright side. That sucks that you have to walk in crappy weather TWICE. It will indeed be much better when you can pay with a check and not worry about stupid details. Details can take the wind out of a person's sails faster than anything else, I suspect.

[furiousBall]

i may have offered this recipe to get you out of a bad mood and into feeling silly before... so pardon if this is a repeat...

take two slices of any lunch meat
slap one on each ass cheek
viola, you should feel silly now

[Expat-CIT]

I am sitting here with the eerie feeling that a tree is going to blow through my back windows any minute! The children are upstairs eyeing the windows with trepidation, unable to sleep because it sounds like jet planes are flying low. Moody Belgian skies, as you say. Someone forgot to warn me that I'd never see the sun again!

[mamatulip]

You handled it better than I, my friend. I probably would have sat down and cried rather than walk home, get the money needed and then walk back to the pharmacy.

[V-Grrrl]

mamatulip

i cried later

when i was folding laundry

then wondered why i was crying...

i never cry when i expect to cry

my tears always ambush me

and knock me flat when i least expect it.

i'll blame it on the wind...

[Peter]

It must be the combination of it all Veronica.

Living in crappy weather in an empty house while waiting to move home is not a fun ride.

As for the $/EURO exchange rate: well, we all know what caused the $ to crash, don't we. And unfortunately, there's nothing both of us can do to change it.

Counting down towards upcoming better days.

[Tera]

I do lots of piggy bank raiding when I really don't wanna bike it all the way to town and the bank machine just for a loaf of bread. But I also don't miss a checkbook. I really prefer not having to balance it every month and do all my banking now online. And this rainy gray...ugh! Today is the Carnaval Parade for my little guy..Bah! Who wants to go out blowing through the sleeting rain?? Not me. But being the supportive mama I am, I will probably hop on my bike, get blown there and take ten times longer pushing my bike back home. I'm feeling your pain. Hope today looks a lil better, V!

[Michael]

http://www.garfield.com/comics/comics_todays.html

[Ash]

Oh, I have days like this sometimes. No idea how you manage without a car and how I used to manage without one. *hugs*