The other day I made a quick stop at the local grocery store. On the way in I realized that without thinking about it I had automatically grabbed my reusable grocery bags which led to me reflect on all the things I have become accustomed to since arriving in Belgium. So here's my list...
1. Carrying my own shopping bags into the store. I have a bunch of them that ride around in my back seat.
2. Round-a-bouts. Not only am I used to them but I really do like them. Stop signs are rare here. Standard practice at intersections is to slow down, make sure traffic is clear and keep on going.
3. Speaking French. I'm not great but I'm proficient and comfortable navigating my daily life in French.
4. Seeing cows (and smelling them). Our street is in the midst of several small farms. When the roads aren't muddy Dobby and I walk by a particular herd's pasture on a daily basis. The calves are really cute.
5. No garbage disposal. I don't like not having one, but I've figured out the work arounds now.
6. Length of time it takes to do laundry. Once again, I will welcome larger capacity and faster cycles when we return to the US, but I've figured out the rhythm of keeping up with the laundry.
The list isn't exhaustive but I think captures the highlights of the things that took me some getting used to when I first arrived. Unfortunately one of the other things I've become accustomed to as of late has been sunshine. The weather has been lovely here and I have to keep reminding myself that standard Belgium weather is gray and rainy. Not sure if that will ever make the list of things I have become used to.
Showing posts with label laundry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laundry. Show all posts
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
How to Arrive for School Just in Time - having really annoyed your mother
1. Decide late the night before that you need to do your laundry
2. Go to bed before transferring said laundry to the dryer
3. Hope your mother (aka the laundry fairy) discovers the laundry in the washing machine and transfers it to the dryer.
4. Don't wake up the first time your mother (aka the alarm clock) comes to your room to tell you to get ready for school.
5. Finally wake up and shower.
6. Be shocked to discover that the laundry you left in the washing machine the night before is not dry. (keep in mind you have lived in Belgium for several months now - you know a dryer cycle of 1.5 hours is just enough to make them only damp. This dryer cycle is usually followed by at least half a day of the clothes hanging on the clothes line.)
7. Decide to wait for your clothes to dry before going to school.
8. Eventually capitulate and wear a combination of dry (but unwanted) clothes and damp (but really want to wear it) clothes.
9. Miss bus
10. Decide to ride bike
11. Spend several minutes hunting chain and lock
12. Realize you can not get on base without a helmet on - find helmet
13. Get ready to ride bike to school only to discover tires are flat
14. Spend several minutes hunting bike pump while implying that your mother and sister have conspired against you and put it where you can not find it. (Keep in mind neither the mother nor sister ride bikes or use a bike pump for anything)
15. Finally concede things are not going your way and ask the laundry fairy/alarm clock for a ride to school, knowing full well rides to school are not free and missing the bus has consequences.
2. Go to bed before transferring said laundry to the dryer
3. Hope your mother (aka the laundry fairy) discovers the laundry in the washing machine and transfers it to the dryer.
4. Don't wake up the first time your mother (aka the alarm clock) comes to your room to tell you to get ready for school.
5. Finally wake up and shower.
6. Be shocked to discover that the laundry you left in the washing machine the night before is not dry. (keep in mind you have lived in Belgium for several months now - you know a dryer cycle of 1.5 hours is just enough to make them only damp. This dryer cycle is usually followed by at least half a day of the clothes hanging on the clothes line.)
7. Decide to wait for your clothes to dry before going to school.
8. Eventually capitulate and wear a combination of dry (but unwanted) clothes and damp (but really want to wear it) clothes.
9. Miss bus
10. Decide to ride bike
11. Spend several minutes hunting chain and lock
12. Realize you can not get on base without a helmet on - find helmet
13. Get ready to ride bike to school only to discover tires are flat
14. Spend several minutes hunting bike pump while implying that your mother and sister have conspired against you and put it where you can not find it. (Keep in mind neither the mother nor sister ride bikes or use a bike pump for anything)
15. Finally concede things are not going your way and ask the laundry fairy/alarm clock for a ride to school, knowing full well rides to school are not free and missing the bus has consequences.
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