A bit of progress.

I was going to say,  “Got the call”, but actually,  it was me who did the calling. 
I hadn’t checked emails until some time in the early afternoon (which is unusual,  I know)  probably because I was getting tired of checking,  only to see that there had been nary a peep from anyone on the relocation front.  It gets to be discouraging. 

It got to the point that I was taking both phones with me (land line and mobile) from room to room (including washroom) just to mitigate the chances of missing a call.  Kind of sad,  now that I think on it.

But then there was a note from Travelling Companion,  *gasp* saying she had heard from our relocation contact here in Vienna!   I’ve dealt with this person.  Very competent.  Only thing is,  she can’t do too much until she’s been given authorisation from the very smart people in Texas.   Hence the delay.

So I called her up!

We had a nice little chat concerning the very short time span between now and the end of the month,  and after we got off the phone, I’ve been occupying my time with scanning all of our account numbers  and sending them off to her.  She’ll begin the onerous task of extricating us from our various commitments.   You know, gas, electricity, internet and phone.   Those kinds of commitments.   Thankfully we don’t have to worry too much about the rent,  as that is handled directly by the Texas bunch and,  even though there were rumblings about the move going way back to December,  when notice COULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN,  nothing was done,  and our rental contract calls for three months notice.   Betcha that will be a surprise!  Glad I won’t be paying.  Oh well.  I think The Company that Cannot be Named should remove that cost from their charges,  but it’s no skin off my hind end.

 

 

And that’s about all I got for today.  Really. 

 

There was a question yesterday concerning why the heck (my words) I would bother to shovel the balcony.   Well,  it’s mostly so I don’t fall on my keester.    If the snow doesn’t go away between now and moving day,   I’ll still need access to the upstairs storage.   I just pile the snow off to the side,  and then it can melt and run over the edge.

Thus:

 

Hopefully it will be a bit milder between now and the end of the month,  since those tables will need to come in and be disassembled. 

 

Keep those sticks on the ice.

 

Thanks for stopping in.

 

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Quiet weekend.

Travelling Companion had the idea that she wanted to do a little fabric shopping,  with possibly one or two other stops along the way.

I think the last time we went into this fabric shop was a year ago,  right around the same time.  We keep meaning to get there at other times,  but there’s rarely the opportunity, or the desire. 

 

 

 

See,  it’s “Ball Season”, (no crude jokes, please) so sometimes there are some interesting things to be found for those who might wish to make their own formal wear.  Sounds crazy,  I know,  but somebody must be buying the stuff,  otherwise why would they make the effort?

 

I suppose the displays help with the visualisation.

The other thing too is,  we’re coming up on “Fasching”,  which is the Austria version of the craziness leading up to “Mardi Gras”.   It’s not just restricted to western Austria,  as that wiki article mentions.  Never take any wiki article as the whole truth by the way. 

 

 

Or, if you did happen to go to a fashion show and see something that you’d like to make for yourself well,  there you go.  Um, because we all go to fashion shows,  right?

 

Totally clever idea as far as I’m concerned,  but that wasn’t what we were there for.  T.C. was looking for something to match a particular style and colour of broach she had brought with her.  It didn’t take her long to find something, but I didn’t get a picture of her find, not that she would have even let me.

 

I did briefly get out into the fresh air on Sunday.  There’s rarely much going on.  It’s a good time for any of the shops to put up or take down decorations.

 

  

 

Taking down the Christmas lights any other time wouldn’t have been a concern,  but the lads trying to sort out the display for “McFit” picked a good day,  since the would have been hard pressed to use that sidewalk on Monday morning.

This is what we woke up to.

 

And you know, I *almost* don’t mind snow.  It’s just the idea of shovelling it?   Like someone suffering from some sort of childhood trauma,  I’ve almost been able to get past that sense of dread every time it snows.  I’m not sure if I’ll ever get to that point when I’ll look out at freshly fallen snow and say, “Oh,  how wonderful.”  

Some folks do.  I’m happy for them.  Really.

 

This was taken this morning out on the main drag.  It’s really the only way you’re going to clear the sidewalk without being hindered by the pedestrians.  Block it off.  Clear it.  Move your barriers.  Repeat. 

We’re supposed to get ten days of this.   It could make travelling to Slovenia for the weekend just a bit interesting.  Travelling Companion placed a call to the cousin last night to say we’re coming.

I’ll take my boots.

She had been waiting to hear from us,  as there had been some talk of taking one last trip,  so it wasn’t exactly a surprise or anything.

 

In conversation with Daughter Number Two yesterday,  it was mentioned that it was 13°C at the house.   Just watch, we’ll get two weeks of winter here,  and then it’ll follow us home.  I hope I’m dead wrong.

At this point I’m willing to take whatever comes along.

Not too much else going on here.  Just waiting for some word from the very smart people.  Fingers crossed. 

 

Sticks.  Ice.  You know.

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

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Oh my Gawd! Stay out of Florida!

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Police in Florida say they are investigating the deaths of a Toronto couple found inside a townhouse as a double homicide.

David Pichosky, 71, and Rochelle Wise, 66, were found dead Thursday evening inside their townhouse in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Bialik* Hebrew Day School says Wise used to teach there and is the former director of Crestwood Valley Day Camp in Toronto.

Sonia Shron, Bialik's executive director, says the news has hit the school community very hard.

Police say the couple spends their winters in Hallandale Beach.

Capt. Sonia Quinones (keen-YO-ness) of the Hallandale Beach Police Department says a neighbour (hey wait,  shouldn’t that be “neighbor?)  found the couple after they didn't show up for a planned lunch.

The neighbour (huh?) used a spare key to check on the couple and found their bodies after 6 p.m. on Thursday.

Quinones says the cause of death and motive are still under investigation.

You can find the original article here. 

Lock up your old people! 

 

I like the way they have to spell out “Quiñones”,  even though they forget to put the n tilde on the n.   Which of course,  speaks volumes about this kind of reporting in general.   So what is it?  Florida?  Mexico?   Where be all the killin’?     Toronto, maybe?   The Eaton Centre?

 

Have you figured out yet that I’m working on a bit of a mocking tone here?  Hey,  people get snuffed now and again.  It can happen most anywhere.   Is this going to prompt a “travel warning”?   Just asking. 

I mean,  it’s sad.  This couple belonged to somebody,  and I don’t mean to make light of their deaths.  Hopefully they didn’t suffer. Condolences to the family.

I’m just not sure how any of these types of things are newsworthy.

 

 

In other news,  my left foot hurts,  ‘cause I think I got like,  a corn or something.  That’s newsworthy too,  innit?    No really,  my foot really hurts.  It sucks.

You may mock at will.  Those of you who perhaps don’t have sore feet.  But your time will come.  Just you wait.

 

I realise I don’t usually have too much to say on the weekends, but I couldn’t leave that one alone.  Of course, it turns out,  I still don’t have much to say. 

Something to be said for tradition.

 

I said I wasn’t about to report on dinner,  but I will submit the following:

 

 

The clear liquid in the tiny glasses is something called “Grappa”.   Travelling Companion thought it tasted like Slivovitz and I thought it had a bit of a brandy thing going on.   I only raised one eyebrow when she offered the Slivovitz comparison.  Not sure what goes on in those “business meetings”. 

 

We’re not big drinkers.  I mean ya,  I go on about beer prices and such,  but having hard liquor isn’t something we do very often at all.  We have Crown Royal in our cabinet at home from a decade ago.  Unless the kids have been nipping.  We may have to do a little inventory.

So we were a little perplexed when Phaty (one of the owners of the Cafe, and I have no idea if I spelled his name right or not) wanted to offer us something at the end of our meal,  “for the New Year”.   At first we refused,  but then quickly realised, that would be just plum rude.  So Grappa it was.  An ounce or so was plenty.  Trust me.

Kind of happy that Happy New Year only comes once a year,  to be honest.

 

Sure hope you’re enjoying your weekend.

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

 

 

*any relation to Mayim?