Back to the post office.

It’s always a busy place,  and it doesn’t seem to matter what time of day it is,  or the season.  Well,  except possibly in the summertime when most of the Austrians are on vacation,  but I coincidently never seem to go to the post office then.

Seems like an archaic kind of thing. Sticking these little bits of paper onto bigger bits of paper.  Kinda fun to get those bits of paper in the mail I suppose.

In answer to the question a couple days ago as to whether or not we actually bought something on Saturday,  I thought I had said that, yes we did.   The thing was,  I couldn’t say what it was,  since it involves Christmas presents,  but I think I said that too.   So today’s “mission”,  was to try and come up with some combination of box or boxes in which these items can then be shipped home.  I think I may have found something,  but there will be no pictures.  Hello? Christmas presents.  Remember?

We need to work on our comprehension skills here people.

I’ve always been an advocate of gift certificates myself,  and just last week I ordered something from the Canadian version of Amazon that has already been delivered to the recipients.  They’re now on their honour to not peek,  put it under the tree and open it on Christmas morning.  My idea of Christmas shopping. 

My total today at the post office was only €15,50.   I have a few more on my list,  but they’re within Europe so I can put those off for a couple days.   The post office lady asked if I wanted stamps or to just put it into the computer? (I know,   I was a bit confused too)  I simply said for her to do whatever was easier for her.  So she then proceeds  to go to the stamp book and rip out the appropriate number of first €1,00 stamps,  and then €,70 stamps,  moisten them all,  and stick them on the envelopes. That took forever.  I was hoping that I didn’t have to do that chore,  but still.  The girl yesterday did it differently,  and much more efficiently I thought.  Nothing like the “old” ways!  Shouldn’t there be some automated way of doing that?  Just wondering. Besides,  they have those peel and stick stamps these days,  or at least I’ve used them in Canada and the Netherlands.  Not sure what’s up with the Austrians.  Maybe licking is cheaper.  So it’s no wonder there’s always a line at the post office.  And handling post is less than half of it.  They sell cell phones,  DVDs,  CDs.   I suppose they’ve had to diversify.  You can even do you banking with them,  although they were bought out by BAWAG in 2005.  BAWAG is a proper bank.  Not that you care.

 

As is the case with any metropolitan area,  we have our share of beggars and other homeless types.  We’re certainly not going to enter into any philosophical discussions regarding that situation,  but I did want to point out this one individual that I see from time to time.  He/she tends to hang around on Neubaugaße for the most part,  and is a bit of an enigma.  

He/she was sitting off to the right of the “Blue Tomato” store.  By the way,  what the hell kind of a name in “Blue Tomato”?  (wait,  just looked it up,  apparently it’s a snowboard and surf shop,  who knew?)

 

Anyway,  I pretended to take a picture of the boys on the scaffold,  and zoomed in on him/her.

Yes,  he/she is wearing a helmet.  The only time I’ve ever seen that is when there’s a danger of epileptic seizure.   There never seems to be any interaction between this person and anyone else,  so it’s not as if he/she is a beggar.  Although,  maybe the cup off to one side is for a collection?  Not sure.  Just the same, a little troubling.

 

OK,  on a less troubling note,  I thought I’d include this picture of a rather nice Triumph that’s on display at the front of the Gerngross.  One of my nieces has a “scooter” of some sort,  so I figured I’d put it here for her.

 

I can just hear her now saying,  “Scooter?  scooter?  I don’t have no damned scooter!!”

 

See,  this is her bike.   It’s a crappy pic,  since I stole it from her Facebook profile.

 

Hers is the red one.  Pretty sure that’s not a scooter.  So just calm down.   She and her hubby have “his and hers”.  

 

I think that’s it for today’s missive.  Nothing too exciting going on.  Just waiting for those kids to arrive.

Keep it between the ditches,  and thanks for stopping by.

 

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