kareina

Despite the late nights and early mornings this week, I couldn't help waking up early again today--there was moving to be done! First I took my receipt saying I'd paid for the Italian class and turned it in at the office, since I'd been instructed to do so within three days of signing up, and that deadline was approaching. Then I did the repairs to the cabinet doors--fixing a couple of hinges and replacing the missing door knobs. Then back to the hardware store, where I obtained a new power-strip so I can plug in the washer in its new (clean!) location and the pieces I wanted to create a headboard for my loft. The Closet has a sleeping loft, and I've decided that I will be sleeping with my head to the end which is closest to the room, but this means that I needed something to keep my pillow from falling off the end at night. I also needed something sturdy enough to use as a hand-hold when climbing into bed at night. Therefore I obtained a couple of very sturdy angle brackets with rounded hand-holds, a chunk of pine of the appropriate length, and some hardware with which to assemble them all. Then to Uni, to drill holes into the board so as to bold the angle brackets to it, and back to The Closet to fasten the other side of the brackets to my loft, using really long screws through the top planks and into the underlying 4x4s. I'm reasonably happy with the result. Photos will have to wait till I obtain a replacement battery charger--no idea what happened to mine, but I can't find it anywhere. I guess I don't need an Australian charger in Italy, but it is kind of annoying that it vanished like that.

Once I'd completed all of the home-maintenance tasks that were essential before moving in I completed the last of the scrubbing (and did the formerly greasy kitchen cabinets a second time. That got me to 19:00. (Ok, I did take a lunch break in there, too.) Then I started moving. Keep in mind that when I arrived in Italy three months ago I had naught but two suitcases--one small checked bag, and one smaller carry on bag (both with wheels). I didn't *think* I'd accumulated much stuff, but it took four trips to drag everything over to the new place. Granted, that last load was a fairly light one. I've always loved having a well-stocked pantry, full of grains, nuts, seeds, a variety of flour types, etc. I haven't been purchasing food in the kind of quantities I have hitherto--first of all my kitchen stuff isn't here yet, so no place to keep it, secondly the budget has been a bit tight due to having used all of my saving just getting to Milan, and third I've been on foot, so couldn't ever purchase more than I can carry at once (and my favourite store is a 30 minute walk away, but that is the only place to get some of the grains/nuts/seeds that I consider to be staples). Knowing that I've not really "stocked up" yet, it was quite a surprise that it took both suitcases and a cloth bag to carry all of my food from one house to the other! That was, by far, the heaviest trip. (Ok, so I like to keep grains/nuts/seeds in glass jars whenever possible--makes them lest tempting to tiny critters with whom I'd rather not share my abode.)

During the three months I was in the student apartment I didn't meet anyone. I occassionally saw other tenants, but while we'd nod to one another, we never spoke. This evening as I was standing out on my balcony eating some muesli (quick, easy first meal in a new place before going back for the next load of stuff) admiring the view my neighbour in the next baclony was outside doing stuff with her plants (she's got lots of them--it is inspiring, I think I'd like to get myself a herb garden for my balcony) and we said "chiao" to one another and smiled, and as I was heading out for my final load of stuff a lady coming in stopped to introduce herself and ask if I were just moving in (she even spoke English when I told her I didn't understand her first Italian question). Pity she was smoking at the time, but at least she was friendly.

Now that everything has been moved and put away, all I still need to do before I can go to sleep is to read my 1000 words of geologic literature, and do yoga. I *like* having a two minute commute! My legs are sore from all of the stairs, walking, and squatting/kneeling/climbing I've been doing. I'm *really* looking forward to tonight's yoga!

I'm glad that I made time to post the first field trip summary for the pre-conference field trip before I left Edinburgh. I got a comment on my geo-blog from one of my fellow geo-bloggers, who said that I was one of the people obstructing traffic outside of his office, so I sent him an e-mail and we agreed to meet up. I've just come back from a very pleasant walk along the bike trail discussing geology, blogging, adventures, travel, and much more.

Now I need to pack an overnight bag for my trip to Inverness in the morning.

This morning sismith42 and I did a trip out to Glasgow, where we first stopped in a museum, and then met a mutual friend of ours for lunch. It was much fun! This friend is one I first met in Melbourne back in 1990, when I stayed with her when in town for an SCA event and general sightseeing during the month I spent with my mom and step-dad the first time they were in Australia (Victoria). The next time I saw here was 2005, and today was the third time, causing me to say that we get to see one another every 5-15 years whether we need to or not. Granted, she's planning on visiting me in Milan in a few months, on her way to moving back to Australia...

In between meeting old friends for lunch and new friends for walks I baked some yummy ( Ginger Cookies )to take with me to Inverness as a gift for the family there.