And on we trudge.

It was back to the salt mines for Travelling Companion yesterday,  and I agreed to drive her in.  I didn’t really have any particular need for the car,  but it just so happens that our bathroom scales has decided that it’s no longer willing to cooperate.  There’s only a couple places that come to mind where I can find a new one,  and any of those destinations would involve getting there by car,  or convoluted, time consuming public transit.   You may have gathered by now that I’m not overly keen on time consuming,  convoluted public transit.  I’m not even all that thrilled with straight hop on,  hop off public transit.

So my little agenda then became one of seeking out the aforementioned bathroom scales,  but when the phone rang at about 2:00 p.m., and T.C. told me she was done and could I come and fetch her?,  that sort of put that plan into a tail spin.  She originally thought she’d like to stay until 5:00, so I just figured I’d leave a bit early and do some shopping.  Didn’t happen.

We’re still short in the bathroom scales department.  Not such a good idea,  especially after Christmas.  I’m not going to mention any facts or “figures” that were brought to the “forefront” after having spent a year in Puerto Rico without a set of bathroom scales,  but lets just say that,  up until then I had considered beer a “summertime” drink?   I ask you,  what’s the temperature like year around in Puerto Rico?   Right.  That was a slippery slope.

And a bit of a shocker when I did get back on the scales after a year in Puerto Rico.  Yikes!

 

So for this “Ex-Pat”  assignment,  I made sure to ship along the bathroom scales,  just to keep an eye on the situation,  so to speak?  Have I mentioned how cheap the beer is here??  The pastry?  The chocolate?   Having to have my suit pants let out when we went home in August?  

Oh wait, I don’t think I ever did talk about that.  Maybe a subject best left alone,  with the minor exception that,  if you do go to the same men’s clothing store for years on end,  there’s at least a good chance that the owner and his trusty long time assistant will have grown old right along with you.   This takes any hint of embarrassment out of the equation.  Thankfully none of us have turned into little cherubs just yet,  but it’s still nice to discover that there is, in fact,  extra material left over at the back of a pair of good quality trousers.  Who knew?

Something I wasn’t really aware of.

Anyway,  since it was the “First Work Day”,  and T.C. is at the level where all the various accounting types below her are still sorting out their little song and dance routines,  there wasn’t that much for her to do.  Apparently there weren’t even any horror stories,  but of course,  there’s still time for that other shoe to drop.  Not even a subject for the blog anyway,  except to say that everything is peachy keen.   That’s as much detail as I’m willing to provide.

 

In other “news”,  I see the Christmas markets are all being dismantled,  and my guess is that they’ll be setting up the ice rink in front of the Rathaus in the next little while.

I took this yesterday morning out on Mariahilferstraße.

This small market was set up in front of the Mariahilfer Kirche.   Note the now missing roof tops.

 

By the way,  yesterday was a fabulous day, weather wise.  It was hovering around 10°C and sunny.    Today,  not so much so.  I did see that “red sky at morning”,  and sure enough,  it’s clouded over and the wind has picked up.  Not sure we’ll get to avoid winter for much longer.

****

 

I couldn’t help but notice the cops giving this one fellow a bit of a bum’s rush this morning.  He sits in his wheel chair just outside the elevator that takes you down to the subway.  He’s there every day “selling”  some sort of magazine.  Seems his papers weren’t quite in order.   Begging in Vienna you see,  is neither legal nor permitted.  You’ll still see them,  but they’re not allowed to be aggressive in any way,  which means many beggars will sell a magazine called Augustin.  Sorry,  but that website is all in German,  but Augustin is a magazine that has been sold by the homeless crowd in Vienna for a couple decades now.  They pay very little for a bundle, and can sell them for whatever the market will bear. 

I’ve only ever noticed this guy with some other magazine in his lap,  plus he always has a cup shoved out in front of him, with an incessant,  “Bitte….bitte…”  (please…please).    Vendors of Augustin will usually ask you to buy the magazine,  and not just beg for money.  It’s a finer point,  but an important one if you want to keep the cops at bay.

It figures of course,  that just as I’m about to snap a surreptitious shot,  this old girl walks in front the camera,  but here he is wheeling himself back to the elevator.

 

I think that’s where he was headed, since I didn’t hang around to see what happened next. My guess is that he was given a warning.  One of the merchants may have complained.   No way of knowing. 

 

And such is life here in the big city. 

 

That’s it for today’s missive.  Looks like this week will be a bit dull,  so unless I have something come crashing into my brain, (and I won’t feel a thing,  trust me)  I might not have too darned much to say.

 

Bundle up if you have to.  If not,  be sure and use proper sun block,  and keep those sticks on the ice.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

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