Laundry, recycling, and driving a stick shift

LAUNDRY

After 2 hrs, walking 1 km (that's .6 miles) there and 1 km back lugging bags of dirty laundry, and 20 Euro (that's 26.40 US$) Ross and I did the laundry at the wassalon. Although the facility was nice, I'm not sure this is going to be one of my new favorite things. Our apartment has a washer, but no dryer. Not sure what the thought process was behind that one since there's obviously nowhere to hang clothes to dry. We don't even have a terrace much less a yard - just a parking lot!

RECYCLING

I spent about 3 hrs translating the trash booklet we got at the City Hall. It's got 46 pages. Our garbage corner now consists of:

1 bag for paper/cartons

1 bag for plastic bottles/cans

1 bag for glass bottles

1 bag for biodegradable trash and

1 bag for "other" trash that doesn't fit into any other category.

AND we have to cart the bottles to the store to be recycled. Of course, this doesn't even come close to covering car batteries, cooking oil, and disposable diapers, etc. I'll cross that bridge when and if I need to! Needless to say all these bags take up a chunk of our little living space, but we're doing a good thing, right?

DRIVING

Well, I initially refused to drive - at least not yet, but Jim had to return his rental car to the Brussels airport since he now has a lease car. Since he can't drive them both, I drove the rental car to Brussels! When I tell you I was stressed out... I. Was. Stressed. Out! I am amazed at Jim's driving skills here, but I just wasn't ready. Plus, I haven't driven a standard shift in over 10 years. Anyway, Ross and I made it to Brussels safely and I even braved some of the drive home today from Amsterdam. I just thought I wasn't really comfortable riding! I'm ready to just ride again :)