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I can't predict when I have the time to post a new blog, but check occasionally. I'm going to try at least weekly.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Calming down at last



Song of the day:…well, a whole variety of Bryan Adams songs. Was a nice change not to have just one song in my head.
Lots has been going on, lately, of course. Nothing of it very interesting, but I’ll tell some of it regardless.

On the plus side, I do feel I’m slowly calming down from all the turmoil. Not without difficulty, mind you, the other day old problems threatened to crowd close, and as a result my stomach acid jumped up, blood pressure went up and panic clutched at my chest. Still, a walk out in the woods, and all of it slowly subsided as I reminded myself that there is only so much I can do, and the rest I need to let go.

The whole number thing with town hall still hasn’t been solved yet, naturally. This is bureaucracy we’re talking about. Of course they haven’t solved it yet. That would be just too much to ask for, wouldn’t it? Instead I get to wait with…basically everything. Insurance being one of them, the bank account that is still on the wrong number, ah, I get tired thinking of it, so…let’s not.

Had a few wonderful  bike rides…oh, did I mention yet that both big brother and I were both successful in procuring a bike. Together 200 bucks, which isn’t a bad deal considering big brother’s turns out to be a custom made one. Hah. Anyways, I had to bring my bike back to the store because it was making a strange noise at the pedals. Luckily it was still in the warranty, so they put in a new chain, meaning she runs like a dream now…except the gears because I still have to adjust those a little. Sixth and seventh just aren’t working. I’ll get to it, though.

Work: We have several options going. I’ve left my resume at a caterer, who didn’t seem displeased at all with my question about a position in his company. Have applied as a cleaner and handyperson at a sauna as well, which is, according to another worker there, a very viable options. They are in rather desperate need, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed. Thirdly, big brother might be able to get a part time job at a Mercedes garage, while I have volunteered at a 2nd hand store, which seems to be happy enough with me to consider paying me for my work in the near future. We’ll see how that goes. In the mean time I am having a lot of fun in the store totally redoing the displays, the shelving, and all else that is there. Even had a professional display guy coming in the other day, saying how wonderfully surprised he was at how good the displays looked. He said that you didn’t see that much anymore these days, and he really enjoyed it. Was a really nice chat. How lucky am I that I always enjoyed doing window shop displays, eh?  Applied for work for events, but that was pure whim applying for that. I’ll be pleasantly surprised if I get invited to come in for a chat at some point.

Had a couple of friends over the other day, which was very nice. Made veggie chili, with chickpea, red beans on the side, along with a rainbow salad with a yogurt dressing. It all worked out rather well, I’m happy to admit. The food was tasteful, the table nicely made up, got a nice bouquet from the wild, and the experimental dessert of cinnamon/nutmeg pudding with crumpled cookies on top a success. Added to that the evening was filled with nice conversation and company, so I would say that it all went well, especially for a first dinner party of sorts. The fact that both guests were extremely nice helped a lot too. Hah.

We (big brother and I) also went to their housewarming party last week, which was nice, too, despite that all the “youngsters” there made me feel somewhat old. Hah. We arrived sometime around seven (we already knew that we wouldn’t be able to stay long, because we were going to stay the night at tenant’s, Cousin Ed’s and Grandpa’s) and then left just barely on time to make it to the train station, on our bikes, for the 21:15 train to Arnhem. From there, we still had to bike to grandpa, meaning that it was dark before we got there with sore bums. Boy aren’t we used to biking distances anymore. We…me in this case, ah, survived the ordeal, as I did survive the many bike trips that we did before and after. Regretfully my knees are so not used to that particular activity anymore that I had to take a “break” this Saturday and Sunday, and not bike. Seriously, my knees were so swollen from it that I could barely get up and down the stairs, so I have been taking it easy a little for the for the past couple of days.

I am finally starting to get to know the town a little…by bike anyway. The other day I had to go pick up grandpa in Landlady’s car and got completely lost in all the little streets here. Yep. Things look very different from a bike than they do from a car, but I’ll get there…which reminds me, considering Cousin Ed and tenant left on a long planned vacation last Wednesday, grandpa has been staying here with us in the room that will be big brother’s at some point in the future (it still needs some work). He did manage to get up to the attic the first day, but with his condition that is just too hard, so a ground floor room was essential. It’s comfortable, and he says he’s fine there. He’s even been out helping me in the yard for a bit, and though he tires quickly, we both enjoyed that. Looks really good, too, which is definitely an added bonus. It really helped a lot that the weather was still good then. Now it has actually been pretty stormy for two days with quite a bit of rain.

Finally found a closet for our attic the other day at one of the thrift stores locally. It cost about 20 bucks, but it looks nice and now we no longer have suitcases lying about on the floor anymore, which is a very nice change. Turns out that big brother now has more clothes than I did, and here he was complaining while still back in Spain, that he could hardly take anything because he was taking his PC in his suitcase. Turns out he forgot how much clothes he’d already taken along two weeks before our departure when he went to stay with grandpa for a few days. Hah.
Regretfully our attic is too dark for my herb plantsies. Basil already gave the spirit, chives is going too, and sage is really close behind. *sob* Such a pity, but alas. Nothing to do about it. Herb plants are going to have to wait until we get our own place.

Writing hasn’t happened yet, except for the blog and correspondence, but I have noticed a change in my dreams. They are slowly becoming more vivid again, and some ideas about “Gun” have been starting to play through my mind, which I’m seeing as a good sign. At least my mind is no longer being overrun by worries so there is no room for anything else left…at least not as much as it used to. I actually have days now (occasionally) where I don’t constantly worry, so that is progress, right?

Well, I’m going to leave it at this for now. It is late and tomorrow I will be working at the thrift store as a volunteer again. Let’s hope the weather has improved by then. *sigh*

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