![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Shopping
Had a really nice, relaxing weekend after a terribly hectic week. The sun has been blistering and I´ve enjoyed just sitting out on the balcony, relaxing and reading. This was less a choice than something that was forced on me because I didn´t have enough cash even to just mooch on the Ramblas, but that was okay.
Due to various surprise!bills and miscalculations, plus only receiving half a month´s pay last month, I´m down to my last fifteen Euros until I get paid on Wednesday. I was all annoyed because I thought I´d be living on chips and my precious imported curry for a week, only to die of scurvy. The money´s going further than I thought, though.
I picked up a load of fresh asparagus for one Euro, green peppers and potatoes for fifty cents or thereabouts each, lemons for a few cents, chickpeas and lentils for 32 cents each and beef steak for a couple of Euros. Top that off with a bottle of red wine for 98 cents and I´m eating pretty damned well for not having any money. I made a nice Sunday roast today, but with a Spanish twist. It was damned tasty, even if I do say so myself. As for the rest of the week, I only really eat salad when I get in after work because I´m so dehydrated and tired after tackling the hill o´Do0m to get home, so I´m sorted in that department.
Shopping for meat is quite stressful, to be honest. I worked out that ´cerdo´ referred to pork, which I avoid, but the descriptions switch between Spanish (which I can follow) and Catalan (which likes trick descriptions), so I´ve focused on teaching myself the names in both languages for all cuts and types of meat. Couple that with stuff like rabbits tending to come with big, staring blue eyes still intact and poultry with head still attached and it´s still pretty much a learning process. I feel like an ignorant, sheltered softie sometimes and whilst I don´t come the asshat and grimace at these things in public, inside my guts are churning. It´s to my eternal lulz, though, that every time I go to get my produce weighed, nobody knows what parsnips are called in Catalan and they have to scramble to find the explanatory list. Ahahahaa.
Due to various surprise!bills and miscalculations, plus only receiving half a month´s pay last month, I´m down to my last fifteen Euros until I get paid on Wednesday. I was all annoyed because I thought I´d be living on chips and my precious imported curry for a week, only to die of scurvy. The money´s going further than I thought, though.
I picked up a load of fresh asparagus for one Euro, green peppers and potatoes for fifty cents or thereabouts each, lemons for a few cents, chickpeas and lentils for 32 cents each and beef steak for a couple of Euros. Top that off with a bottle of red wine for 98 cents and I´m eating pretty damned well for not having any money. I made a nice Sunday roast today, but with a Spanish twist. It was damned tasty, even if I do say so myself. As for the rest of the week, I only really eat salad when I get in after work because I´m so dehydrated and tired after tackling the hill o´Do0m to get home, so I´m sorted in that department.
Shopping for meat is quite stressful, to be honest. I worked out that ´cerdo´ referred to pork, which I avoid, but the descriptions switch between Spanish (which I can follow) and Catalan (which likes trick descriptions), so I´ve focused on teaching myself the names in both languages for all cuts and types of meat. Couple that with stuff like rabbits tending to come with big, staring blue eyes still intact and poultry with head still attached and it´s still pretty much a learning process. I feel like an ignorant, sheltered softie sometimes and whilst I don´t come the asshat and grimace at these things in public, inside my guts are churning. It´s to my eternal lulz, though, that every time I go to get my produce weighed, nobody knows what parsnips are called in Catalan and they have to scramble to find the explanatory list. Ahahahaa.
no subject
no subject
Ahahahaa. I want to know if you´ve experienced that in England. At my local store back home, I´ve been asked what the hell the simplest of fruits and vegetables are. There´s a reason my area is infamous for very poor health in national polls.
no subject
no subject
I remember in one Jamie Oliver programme, where children didn't know what *carrots* were. What were their mothers feeding them?
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
Where this causes problems is if you're a call centre overseas, trying to induce Danes to come over here to work - if they aren't making themselves UK residents, then they'll still pay taxes back in Denmark - and 95% of the UK minimum wage would leave you eating your own shoelaces. The only solution is to find Danes who are already resident, or get hold of some Swedes who speak Danish...
no subject
The idea of 95% taxes makes me die inside, but I have heard that the Danish system is more effective than that of the UK, so I suppose it works.
no subject
no subject
no subject
bah humbug.
no subject
Wages in Spain are on the whole less than the UK, but living costs are lower still. Couple that with the fact I'm earning more over here than I was in the UK and once I get past the first couple of months of random expenses, I should be living pretty damned comfortably. Whee!
Speaking of Spain, I got your mail but can't get onto Gmail here and won't be back at my flat tonight. Just to let you know that any date from the 21st up to the 28th is fine, so just book whichever is best for you. Just make sure you're here on the 24th for the biggest day of the festival, though. :D
no subject
As it was yesterday.
And will be tomorrow.
No nimbuloso yet! >:D
no subject
no subject
no subject
Rah,it's not just me, how happy.
If we were born in the same place I will be alternatly amused and scared.
no subject
Hmm... judging from schools you attended on your userinfo, there´s an extremely high chance we were born in the same place.
It´s so good to see someone who understands the need to get out!
no subject
no subject
Birth of Venus
Since I don't have your email address handy, mailing through comment here (Will also try through other venues offered through your lj page)...
Ang recently read an interview with the writer of "Birth of Venus", and she'd like to read the book soon. Since you still have it, can you send it asap to her home-address?
If you don't have it ready, perhaps you can have Amazon send her another copy...
Thanks,
Rem
Re: Birth of Venus
If you need to contact me, my e-mail address is in my userinfo...
no subject
no subject