Before 0600 in the morning the streets of Heidelberg are almost silent. Street parking along the Ploch is still legal which explains why I find it easiest to drop off heavy bags of books by car at this insane time of morning. If it would be just a couple of books, I can stick them in my backpack. Or, like I did when Brad came through for a visit – filled both of our backpacks for the hike into town. But 35-40 books a mix of paperbacks and hard covers? No, not the 2.6 km hike (distance according to Google Maps).
Wednesday is bio/blue pickup followed by the gelbetonne truck almost immediately after. I don’t mind waiting for the trucks since all I am doign today is errands. From Heidelberg it is Landstuhl where I manage to pick up prescription renewals, find the ATM, Tri-Care and stop at the VA admin office. It is here that I discover that they happily scanned all my paperwork last summer into the system, but didn’t notify anyone that they had done so. I now know how to ask on line (required 5 day business response) with an email address that actually goes to a live person on the return.
Back home before noon I hiked back into town. Seems like a package that I had passed along to family members to mail in Feb became seperated from the address and never went out. So I went to the Post Office, mailed off the package, bought post card stamps and headed back home.
The rest of the day I would like to say I spent organizing, but to tell you the truth I read 1/2 through Broken Homes – Book 4 in the Rivers of London urban fantasy by Ben Aaronovich. The series is excellent. Mostly a police procedural focusing on the weird it manages to be funny, entertaining and avoids the stereotypical romances, vampires and werewolves. I read the first book while in the UK, then bought all three in audio. Now, reading the fourth, I can hear Kobna Holdbrook-Smith in my head with his wonderful interpretation and character voices. Publication in the US looks to be about 6 months behind the US which means I won’t be able to get the audio till next spring.
Now all I have to do is get organized, pack, finish picking up and maybe get in a bit of reading or knitting.
Where to next ?
The Western Med. Will post the details on Sat.
Where are you off to now?
Insanity! No seriously. I am going to visit several of my favorite cities and relax! And yes, there is a ship involved….