Fits and Starts

I guess it’s come down to this — I have to admit that I’m a ditz; I can be flaky.

First, whe I was leaving France for Spain, I planned to stop and spend the night halfway because I don’t enjoy long car trips. I made a reservation at an inexpensive European chain hotel in Clermont-Ferrand. I’d driven about 2.5 hours, and I was almost there, when I got a call from Susan that I’d left both of my computers, tablet, and some important papers that were all in the same bag. I had to think fast. I knew in theory that Susan could pack it all up and send it to me, but it would take time and effort, and although the risk was low, there was some risk. So…I turned around, drove back to Rogny, and spent another night. I had to drive all 10 hours the next day, damn it.

Then, first day back in Begur, I walked out of my apartment and left the keys inside. The door locks automatically. Shit. Xavi, my neighbor, said he knew a woman who knew a woman who cleaned apartments there who certainly would have a key. Another neighbor said the same thing. He knew a woman who knew a woman who worked for a company that cleans apartments. After more than a few phone calls, including Xavi calling his mother, we hit a dead end. Both women worked for different companies, and neither was the one that cleans my apartment. Then Xavi remembered that another neighbor had a ladder. That guy was having a soccer lesson or something, but when finally reached by phone, he didn’t have a ladder. Finally, Xavi remembered that the neighbor with no ladder had a key to the upstairs apartment two doors down from mine. So, Xavi climbed over a couple of walls and then the balustrade to let me in.

He’s such a nice guy that it was a terrible shame when two days later I did it again. At least then we knew the plan, but the guy with the key was out of town, so he had to call and get the code for the alarm. Ay ay ay. I had two extra keys made. One is in my car, and Xavi has the other, just for good measure.

The next night my doorbell rang at about midnight! It was a guy who lives across the street. I’d seen him walking with his golden retriever sometimes. He’d locked himself out of his apartment and needed to call a locksmith. Unlike me, he hadn’t left windows open. I took him to Xavi, who I knew would know what to do.

That’s all the stupid stuff I’ve done just in one week’s time!

The most exciting thing that’s happened this week is that I have conquered the garbage situation. When I was here last year, my landlady told me there was no garbage pickup at the apartments. So, garbage became my hobby. It took a lot of time. They are very serious about recycling here and there are five categories of garbage: glass, plastic, paper, food/organic, the “rest.” So, I had to keep five separate containers for the garbage and then haul it all to the recycling bins by car. Now, the town has expanded pickup to the environs of Begur including where I live. I was very confused about the pickup days. The instructions on the refrigerator magnet in English, Spanish, French, and Catalan explain that garbage is picked up FIVE days a week!! Can you believe it? I think some places in the states have pickup once a week or less. But the confusing part to me is that the days listed are for the putting out of the trash, not the picking up of the trash. So when it says “Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday,” it really means “Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Monday.” I couldn’t get that to compute at first, but now I’m chugging along…Yeah!

Today at the grocery store I was startled to see there is a new flavor of potato chip, or at least I missed it last time around…

And after a nasty morning storm, this happened. I love the aquamarine…