The first week, the premiere semaine, the eerste week

Today marks our first week in Brussels.  We traveled to the airport with five big suitcases, 3 carry ons and 2 cats (very nervous cats).  Just in case you plan on taking your cat on vacation, it costs $200.00 each for the little critters and they weren't even offered a cocktail.  Brett and I had a nice first-class seat with tons of food and wine, took a little nap, were awakened by a yowling kitty and, voila! (as they say here), we arrived at the Brussels airport where a driver picked us up and deposited all of us at our house. 

I've spent the last 7 days in three different beds (2 hotels and our lovely blow-up mattress when Brett was in Israel).  I feel like Yassur Arafat--never a night in the same place.  The first hotel is a converted 18th C. monastery and was just beautiful with the best breakfast ever, but it was too far away so we moved to a Best Western (funny, huh?) with a bathroom so small I could relieve myself and brush my teeth simultaneously if I wanted to.

We spent last Saturday at Ikea with 100% of the rest of Belgium population.  We bought a bunch of furniture with funny names, carted it  back in Brett's station wagon and spent Sunday assembling.  The day before Brett visited the MediaMarkt and got us a TV, Blu-ray player and picked up our itsy-bitsy dryer.  All which fit in the back of Brett's BMW. 

Our furniture is scheduled to arrive tomorrow and it will feel a lot more like home. I think I'm suffering a little post-"parting" depression.  I know it'll get better, but meanwhile, they have a very nice Sauvignon Blanc for 3 Euro at the grocery store around the corner. 

Right now, there is a massive orange truck in front of my house that says "Schneckenentleering in Container" on the side and has a huge pipe either sucking stuff out or putting stuff in a hole.  It sounds like a jet plane and has been there at 3 hours.  I said I wanted urban and I got urban, but does it have to be so damn noisy?

 I'll write later about my adventures in the grocery store, the best spaghetti I have EVER had and adjusting to living in a little tiny playhouse.     We miss you all.