A Crown Is Merely A Hat That Lets The Rain In

Day ?? - That Time I Got Really Wet And Had A Melt Down (no pun intended)

Sometimes I feel like my life is one very long, very unfunny punch line.


I have been waiting for a package from my mother for a few days because it contains waterproof clothing but I have been lucky with the weather (very unprecedented let me assure you) so it wasn't too much of a worry. However, as the black clouds of winter start to roll in over the Netherlands I became more eager for signs of this packages arrival so have been checking my mailbox every few hours for any post to no avail.


Anyway, this week Hoj has been making very strange, very unnerving noises. In my attempts to figure out what was wrong with my poor, bipedal friend, I managed to rip off part of the rear wheel guard and then the inner tubing that helps me to balance.


This did not eliminate the embarassingly loud noise of rattling every time I pedalled.


After a couple of days my friend pointed out that my tyre appeared to be very flat.


It was, in fact, as flat as a pancake. And not one of those scotch pancakes that has a bit of substance. I'm talking a crepe. Yeah.


So it turned out I had been cycling on the metal part of the wheel for about a week. And, worse still, was the fact that Hoj had been screaming in agony for the better part of a week. The poor thing.


So, anyway, I took him to the bike shop today to get it sorted. The man said to come back at 6.30, which struck me as odd considering Groningen (well..anything vaguely usesful) dies at about half 2 in the afternoon. But, regardless, I wandered home and vowed to return for my beloved Hoj at the aforementioned time because I would require his services at 8.30 the next morning to travel to Uni.


At 6.10 I dragged my tired, weary body out into the howling rain and gales of Groningen (read as medium-heavy drizzle). I walked all the way to the bike shop and discovered, to my unmitigated horror, that it was shut. Cold droplets of water trickled down my spine as I stared, with uncomprehending blankness, at the closed shop.


I walked all the way back to my house, my glasses now essentially useless thanks to the rain. My jeans and jumper were soaked through and itchy. On my way to the elevator I decided to check my post box.


I think you know what is coming, dear readers.


Yes, my package of waterproof clothing was indeed waiting for me when I returned.


If you'll excuse me, I'll be sighing heavily (with the occasional bout of fist shaking) for the next few hours or, perhaps, the foreseeable future.

Day ?? - That Time I Did Some Questionable Things

I have just spent a lot of money.

'On what?' I hear you cry.

Well, firstly I have booked my flights home for Christmas so I know I won't be stranded in the Land of the Nether Regions for the festive period (no matter how attractive that option may have appeared with exams looming in January). I have also booked a flight to Milan. Now, dear readers, I am not entirely sure why I have booked this trip for November 12th but, alas, I have. And therefore will take lots of photos with which to share the experience.

Finally, I bought a bunch of Monkey Island games from Tell Tale Games & Lucas Arts.

I am officially a nerd. But I also stumbled across this enlightening documentary so watch, enjoy, learn.

They Do Exist

&&Fin