Some random awesome things from this week:
Some awesome things. Extra virgin coconut oil , cookies in small packaging, Calgon that still "takes you away" 20 years later, and today's vitamins that I'm working up to.
- Finding a 2 euro coin in your pocket, which is like finding 10 US quarters but not really because you would know if 10 coins were jingling in your pocket.
- Finishing a walk to meet someone exactly when your podcast ends. And then having that someone (your husband) listen to you go on and on about what you heard on the podcast. Proof is all in the follow up question and strong eye contact.
- Believing against all odds that you will find a space in the full parking garage along with a half dozen other cars, and then finding the perfect illegal space.
- Extra virgin coconut oil. It doesn’t matter why you purchased it (to seal a wood cutting board) or how many places you have to go to find it (five) or why you kept hunting for it (because olive oil could go rancid on your cutting board) because it can do everything. Not only can you seal with it, cook with it, but it’s also great for skin, hair, face and your entire body -- especially when it’s cold and dry. You too can go to bed shiny and smelling like a teen on Spring Break!
- Tweaking your approach (more direct) and tone (borderline snippy) with someone who keeps ignoring you (landlord) and having it work (I got his number!)
- Swallowing your 7 daily vitamins without invoking your gag reflux. Yes, Mom, I’m taking D3 and a whole bunch of other things that would make you proud.
- Stumbling upon an empty wine shop with an English speaking Sommelier who can dumb it down when you offer specific guidance such as: “I like Spanish reds and dry whites.” And since the place is empty, and you’ve developed a rapport with the Sommelier over a sample of a dry Luxembourg Riesling, you can say: “Tell me everything I should know about Luxembourg wines” without him hating you.
- Eight hours of clean bathrooms because everyone with a penis is gone, and then realizing that you really only needed two hours to cross the happiness threshold.
- A technician troubleshooting your abnormally slow Internet connection not on the phone, or via a virtual web assistant, but finally on premise and in the flesh. He is here right now face-to-face with that vexing modem. Wait. Hold. The Internet technician has just put me on the phone with someone who can speak English. She is telling me that the problem is with the entire network in Luxembourg and that it will be 1-2 weeks before it’s fixed. Wait. Hold. Then why did you send the Internet technician out to my house? Okay, this no longer belongs on the awesome things list …. moving on.
- Having the life experience to know that olives with the pits still in them are a million times tastier.
- Running up a really steep hill, and then remembering that you can do it because it’s Unesco World Heritage fortress. If they could do it in the 10th century, then I have no excuse having running shoes, clothes that wick, and chasing after faster friends instead of enemies. Angela and Ale – watch your back! I’m coming for you just as soon as these endorphins fire up!
- “Jean on Jean” and “murses” (man purses) as totally acceptable male fashion choices in Europe. Jessica spoke it, we’ve seen it, and all our husbands are moving closer towards it – the scarf being the first step. (My husband is furthest behind.)
- Kindle eBooks with Audible’s audiobook. Ira Glass, I’ve finally taken you up on your plea to try Audible.com. Read, listen, read and listen if you have attention problems. So Anne Lammott is reading “Help Thanks Wow” to me while I cook and drive. Although wow … her voice is not exactly what I expected…
- Finding that even though something is old, would be expired if it had an expiration date, and in packaging that is circa 1988 – Calgon’s long last bubbles can still get the job done twenty+ years later.
- Speaking of packaging, opening a new box of crackers and initially feeling guilty because they are packaged in smaller packages but then be secretly excited that they are lunch sized and also guaranteed to stay fresh. And then having it happen again with a new box of cookies.
- Doing one last errand with your gas tank on empty and making it. Diesel + small car + small country = you can wait for your husband to fill up the tank.
- Living into your signature color. Ours is RED.
We have a red couch, red dining chairs, and now a bright red new car (first
because it’s our signature color, second because it has GPS, and third because
it was what was left on the lot.)
- Seeing someone you recognize (a barista) in a grocery store on the other side of town who doesn’t know you from Eve but who makes you feel like you’re getting the hang of this new place minus the obligation to chit chat.
- Seeing that same barista two days later on a bus on the other, other side of town which either makes you feel like he’s following you or this coincidence means you were destined to say hello.
- Having someone contact you from your blog contact page for the very first time, and then finding out that they too will be moving to Luxembourg!