Lilac Colored Glasses

This is going to be a lame ass update, but it’s already later than I want it to be and I still have to take a quick shower before bed.

We’re still not quite sure what’s up with my digestion issues. First I was told it was an obstruction, now I’m told it’s simply “lazy intestines”. I was told to give a Fleet a try so I said okay but then came home and quadrupled the dose of powder I’ve been taking daily to help move my slow bowels along. I really, really dread having to give myself a Fleet, so I’m hoping the powder works by Friday. Regardless, if things aren’t better by Friday evening it looks like I’ll have to go to a specialist.

As far as work goes, I’m liking it very much. The 90 minute commute each way is probably my least favorite part. That and feeling sort of isolated when all 3 of my coworkers start having a conversation in French. I’ve picked up enough words to communicate with the older kids and I remember a few words and phrases from the Basic French I took in college. I’ve also scrounged up a teeny tiny bit of Spanish that I picked up when I was in Guatemala 9 years ago and last week I learned how to say “peepee” in Norwegian. Today we got an unannounced visit from Kind en Gezin (Belgium’s child welfare organization, although both CB and I question the effectiveness of it), which was, among other things, a bit stressful, but more annoying than anything else as it threw the entire day’s schedule off. I might go into Kind en Gezin a bit more this weekend if I can, as they have some interesting inconsistencies when it comes to determining which daycares should actually continue to run or not. What I can tell you though was that it was actually a relief to be spoken to in Dutch by the inspector today, as opposed to the incessant French I get in Brussels. Also, the ease with which I was able to make the switch and fully express myself made me pretty happy.

But anyway, that’s about it really. I wake up at 5:30, catch the tram at 6:17 (I get the earlier one if I want a coffee at Saint Peter’s Station), the train at 6:36, the metro around 7:15 and I arrive in the area I work around 7:30. I usually wander the park across the street or read for a half hour and then I start my day. Reverse that order and you have my trip home, where I arrive around 5:30.
So yeah, it’s a long day, but I’m working and I have a destination every day and I’m earning an honest wage.

Now if I could just get my intestines up to speed…