delayed gratification

Happy 2009 everyone! I hope that so far the new year has been fabulous.

New Year's Eve was not as exciting as I hoped it would be. My plan was to move into my new apartment in the middle of the city and then go down to the river and watch fireworks. On NYE 2007 I was in Melbourne, Australia on the banks of the Yarra sweating like a mad woman and watching the fireworks usher in the new year, so I thought freezing my ass off on the banks of the Meuse on NYE 2008 would be the start of a river and fireworks NYE tradition for me.

But alas, it was not to be. Because lots of little inconveniences all got together to make the day become the exact opposite thing to what I wanted.

First, I woke up to knocking on my door. It was the dorm people asking if I was leaving today, I said yes, this afternoon. Then I was informed that no one would be there in the afternoon so if I wanted my deposit back I had to get everything done before noon. So I knew I would have to rush around and clean and pack everything much more hurriedly than I wanted.

Next, my boss called to say she would not be able to take me to the appointment with the landlord to get the keys because there had been freezing rain overnight and the roads were really, really icy. I said I could take the bus and do the appointment no problem, since the bus company's website did not say that they had suspended service due to the weather.

So I check out of the dorm, and thank goodness they let me leave the 120lbs of luggage I have in the room until that afternoon when the ice melted so I didn't have to lug it all over town. I go to the bus and a nice young man comes to the stop and tells me that the buses are not running because of the ice.

Grr..I call the boss back and we talk about rescheduling the appointment for Friday. Not really what I want to do, but alternatives are running low.

I go back to the dorm and they let me stay 2 more nights there. But, then boss calls and says she's going to try to make the appointment. She is my hero.

Then, all of it becomes moot because the landlord's agent calls and says the previous tenant missed her appointment and did not give back the keys yet.

So, my glorious celebration of the new year was in the crappy dorm room, hearing the echoes of the fireworks down in the city. The flashes of light in the sky behind the tree line reminded me of a WWII TV show or movie, probably because I was in the concrete bunker dorm room. I called some friends and family to wish them happy new year and then went to sleep in the early hours of 2009.

Turns out that the previous tenant had a small fender bender on the icy roads that morning. I got the keys and moved in on Friday. I am loving my new apartment, even in it's current empty unfurnished state. I have more drawers and cupboards than I have stuff to fill them, but I am sure that will not last too long. Turns out the post-Christmas sales here start on Jan 3 and last until the end of January, so I am sure these rooms will be full and my bank account will be empty before I know it.