Packages and purchases

The foot of snow melted fast, but some also melted on me, in my room.  I dreamt it was raining.

I have not succeeded in getting power bar to ship me product (I’m out of those nifty gels that keep me from hitting walls.. a.k.a. face planting into the asphalt on my runs) but I did mail a couple packages out today.  Yeah!  Again, because it’s me, the whole thing was a production.  But really, think back to your very first time at the DMV, people are just standing around, no one has told you what forms or documents to bring, everyone is staring at you as the newcomer seeing if you can figure out the process faster than they did, and worse yet, the people at the counter are speaking a foreign language.  Great!

  

On my first attempt the post office was closed after 2:00, even though the website said open until 17:00.  Second attempt a gentleman holds the door open for me seeing the packages filling my arms.  Off to a good start.  I walk in and press one of three buttons for a biglietto/ticket hoping it was for the correct line.   It wasn’t but they kindly shuffled me to the right line.  Two packages went off without a hitch but the third was so pesante/heavy (at 3 lbs) I needed to fill out two forms with identical information, list the contents, and provide my passport.  The lady came back with copies of EVERY page of my passport.  I’m sure they don’t need to know how many times I’ve been stamped through the Frankfurt airport…though they may start to take pity on me.  After taking up ½ hour of the attendant’s time, two trips to Alba and more Euro than I care to admit to, three of the packages are starting their journey.  We’ll see who gets it first.  More to be mailed tomorrow (now that I have the forms haha).  I hope the same lady is working.

My discovery was finding a wine store. Yes it took 4 weeks, to find a central place to buy wine.  Well, other than the grocery store, which is actually fully stocked (don’t judge me), but this place was more of a grappa store than a wine store.  Every time I drove by the place looked closed.  Places are always closed.  I finally got fed up and stopped the car and went to the door.  The sign said to hit the buzzer and they’ll come.  And they did.  I still feel like an intruder.  The older gentleman left and a younger one came to help explaining their selection while I browsed.  Between the little English he knew and the little Italian I knew, we actually managed to have a coherent and informative conversation about wine.  A much more encouraging encounter than the wide-eyed blank looks I give the check out girls when they ask me something in lightning fast Italian (blink-blink).  I’ve found that if I hold my bag up like an idiot they usually stop asking questions. 

Tomorrow’s tantrum inducing task: Figuring out how to stream the SuperBowl live on my computer.  I am determined to watch that game, even if it does start at midnight.

Has anyone seen the mouse on top of the cat on top of the dog act in Boulder?  I saw a cat sleeping on a dog in my neighbor’s front yard today.  Super cute.

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