Lately

You know when you're really hungover and you're wide awake at like 4am and can't sleep because your head hurts so bad, and you keep shifting around trying to get comfortable but you can't because your head/brain is like an hourglass?  And every time you shift, everything in your head shifts and hurts and makes you feel dizzy?  And then after you finally get settled in one position, and your hourglass head has stopped shifting, you realize your arm has fallen asleep and you have to move again, thus disturbing the sand in your head?  The shifting sand metaphor implies a rather soothing effect, so perhaps I need to compare it to a metal toolbox with hammers and screwdrivers being violently shaken every time you need to move.  It's the worst.  And I think my pal Bridget Jones said it best when she said "Badly need water but seems better to keep eyes closed and head stationary on pillow so as not to disturb bits of machinery and pheasants in head."

We were celebrating Raymond and Maggie being here and the official approval of my work permit (!!!!!!) so we/I hit the [wine] bottle hard by accident.  And thus my hangover.  So yeah.  That's what I was thinking about between the hours of 4 and 6am this morning.  

So...what else is new with us, besides traveling to beautiful but historically disturbed cities?  Let me think.  I officially got my work permit!  This was something we've been waiting on FOREVER and now I can finally get a nice little paycheck for my hard work.  Woohooo.

The apartment search continues.  We have officially outgrown our place, not to mention I've hated it since we moved in, and I've been to look at a gazillion different ones and hated them all.  Except one.  One gorgeous perfect quaint beautiful apartment in an amazing location.  But it cost an arm and a leg and Drew wouldn't let us get it.  I asked him why he even had me go look at it and fall in love with it if he knew we couldn't afford it, and he said he "wanted me to see what an expensive apartment looked like."  WTF!?  That's like taking someone to a BMW dealership to test drive an amazing piece of machinery and then saying "I just wanted you to see how that felt.  You're actually getting a Ford Focus!"  Geez louise.  We're looking at one other one this weekend (in our same building!) that's supposed to be nice so we'll see how that goes.

I came to the sudden realization that I've gained a bit of weight since being over here.  Winter hibernation, a winter funk, eating from boredom before I had a job, lack of working out because it's dark and cold and rainy = the perfect storm for Lauren's extra lbs.  But now I'm slowly but surely getting them off and I'm feeling pretty good.  What a relief.  

Drew's work is annoying.  Busy season is supposed to be over but it's really not and he works too much and isn't appreciated enough.  That's my two cents, anyway.

I got an MRI this morning.  I've had some abdominal pain for years now and I finally was able to get one/convince a doctor to let me have one/afford one with this cool healthcare here in Ireland.  So...we'll see what they say.  I checked out the images and they're pretty crazy!  You can actually see my organs in there.  Not exactly sure what I'm looking at or if there's a hernia sticking out like I believe there to be but whatevs.

No fewer than 4 people have told me they're pregnant this week.  That's all.

Raymond and Maggie are here this weekend, more high schoolers Haley and Jarrett get here Monday, and then we head to Belgium next weekend for chocolates, waffles, and beers!  Oh my.  

Headed off to lay in the sun at the park before my American Women's End-of-Year gala tonight.  Fun fun.  Bye for now!