Back in Vienna, and now I have internet as well
Would've had it earlier, if Janine had remembered to give me the modem as well as the cable tv receiver. The conversation I had this morning with customer service was rather strange, because at the beginning the guy thought I had the modem, and I thought we were talking about a combined device, until finally it dawned on both of us that I'd just got the receiver. But all's well that ends well.
The trip went better than I'd have dared to even dream. At none of the border crossings did anybody so much as look at the -- plainly visible on the back seat -- transport containers holding the three legal Critters; their passports kept sleeping in my handbag without being glanced at, and so of course Rambo's illegal immigration was a complete success.
We started at 5 p.m. on Thursday; getting the critters into their containers was... well, ok. They were very unhappy, first because they probably thought the vet was coming, and later on because they couldn't get out, and at the end hunger, thirst and the need for a toilet can't have been very pleasant for them. After maybe half an hour of howling they decided to complain in more sedate tones, but until some time around 3 or 3.30 a.m. there was never more than maybe five minutes silence.
The completely unexpected bonus was the fact that my back was pain-free all through the drive. We stopped five or six times (I honestly can't remember) for ten or fifteen minutes each -- toilet, cigarette, a bit of stretching, and then back on the road again.
I'd more or less expected to fall over pole-axed once I'd settled the critters, but at 10 a.m. I was still wandering aimlessly through the flat, picking up things mindlessly and on autopilot, and unable to sleep. Since I hadn't slept since 6 a.m. the day before, I opted for the drastic measure: an omelette (because I hadn't really eaten, either) and a very big glass of whisky. On an empty stomach and a brain delirious with fatigue and stress, the effect was instantaneous. I just barely made it to one of my lovely new armchairs, pulled the blanket over me and slept soundly for three hours.
I'd intended to do something useful later, but didn't accomplish much, also because the fatigue returned with a vengeance around 7 p.m. So I settled on the armchair, popped a DVD in the laptop and was asleep ten minutes later. Found my way to bed around midnight, and slept till 5 a.m. Fresh as a daisy today, so I went to get household stuff, cleaned the flat, then went to my old gym where I took a new subscription and had a nice workout, then to a big furniture store for necessary things like dish towels, cutlery, a few blankets for the critters (maybe they'll let me borrow them) and other needful things; on my way back I put in some grocery shopping as well, which led to the realization that maybe one shouldn't do a thorough workout for arms and shoulders before carrying a load a donkey would be proud of. Fortunately I only had about 300 m to walk, so it wasn't too bad.
The flat is absolutely wonderful. Putting in the walk-in wardrobe was a stroke of genius -- the bedroom is considerably smaller now, but still very nicely proportioned. That quirky carpet I got from IKEA is OMG perfect!!! Also great for certain ginger-coloured abominations to run on.
I wouldn't have expected ze boyz to remember their childhood home, but they did. Rambo is a baby anyway, and adapts quickly (especially because his beloved uncles are here, and also the mother goddess), and Lola seems to have found one or two preferred spots. Also, I packed a whole suitcase with blankets, pillows and rugs, so they'd have familiar things and smells around them, which I think also helped.
Funnily enough, now that I'm here, and everything is looking so nice, and the critters are adapting so well, I'm completely at home already. Will be even more once my stuff arrives. God, I'm glad I didn't apply for Bucharest!
OK my dears, that's it for the time being. I'll be going to Janine's place in a few minutes, to cook dinner for us and Irene. It's just like the good, old times, just with more cats and storage space, and shiny new household appliances. Not bad, all in all.
The trip went better than I'd have dared to even dream. At none of the border crossings did anybody so much as look at the -- plainly visible on the back seat -- transport containers holding the three legal Critters; their passports kept sleeping in my handbag without being glanced at, and so of course Rambo's illegal immigration was a complete success.
We started at 5 p.m. on Thursday; getting the critters into their containers was... well, ok. They were very unhappy, first because they probably thought the vet was coming, and later on because they couldn't get out, and at the end hunger, thirst and the need for a toilet can't have been very pleasant for them. After maybe half an hour of howling they decided to complain in more sedate tones, but until some time around 3 or 3.30 a.m. there was never more than maybe five minutes silence.
The completely unexpected bonus was the fact that my back was pain-free all through the drive. We stopped five or six times (I honestly can't remember) for ten or fifteen minutes each -- toilet, cigarette, a bit of stretching, and then back on the road again.
I'd more or less expected to fall over pole-axed once I'd settled the critters, but at 10 a.m. I was still wandering aimlessly through the flat, picking up things mindlessly and on autopilot, and unable to sleep. Since I hadn't slept since 6 a.m. the day before, I opted for the drastic measure: an omelette (because I hadn't really eaten, either) and a very big glass of whisky. On an empty stomach and a brain delirious with fatigue and stress, the effect was instantaneous. I just barely made it to one of my lovely new armchairs, pulled the blanket over me and slept soundly for three hours.
I'd intended to do something useful later, but didn't accomplish much, also because the fatigue returned with a vengeance around 7 p.m. So I settled on the armchair, popped a DVD in the laptop and was asleep ten minutes later. Found my way to bed around midnight, and slept till 5 a.m. Fresh as a daisy today, so I went to get household stuff, cleaned the flat, then went to my old gym where I took a new subscription and had a nice workout, then to a big furniture store for necessary things like dish towels, cutlery, a few blankets for the critters (maybe they'll let me borrow them) and other needful things; on my way back I put in some grocery shopping as well, which led to the realization that maybe one shouldn't do a thorough workout for arms and shoulders before carrying a load a donkey would be proud of. Fortunately I only had about 300 m to walk, so it wasn't too bad.
The flat is absolutely wonderful. Putting in the walk-in wardrobe was a stroke of genius -- the bedroom is considerably smaller now, but still very nicely proportioned. That quirky carpet I got from IKEA is OMG perfect!!! Also great for certain ginger-coloured abominations to run on.
I wouldn't have expected ze boyz to remember their childhood home, but they did. Rambo is a baby anyway, and adapts quickly (especially because his beloved uncles are here, and also the mother goddess), and Lola seems to have found one or two preferred spots. Also, I packed a whole suitcase with blankets, pillows and rugs, so they'd have familiar things and smells around them, which I think also helped.
Funnily enough, now that I'm here, and everything is looking so nice, and the critters are adapting so well, I'm completely at home already. Will be even more once my stuff arrives. God, I'm glad I didn't apply for Bucharest!
OK my dears, that's it for the time being. I'll be going to Janine's place in a few minutes, to cook dinner for us and Irene. It's just like the good, old times, just with more cats and storage space, and shiny new household appliances. Not bad, all in all.