hanging on

When I think of the last six weeks, I see a Becca-shaped blur; running breathlessly from point to point, dragging a wheelie suitcase behind her, papers flying everywhere. There was Ljubljana, Paris, Vienna and then Strasbourg with endless meetings and an ever increasing task list, but we don't blog about work now, do we?

The wedding, now there's a thing. I finally gathered a group of giggling bridesmaids together in London and went off to a shop full of dresses with big rustling skirts and flowing veils. Walking out of the changing room in the first one was strange - like I was trying a costume for a new part to play. By the third though, I was hooked. Now, with another trying-on session behind me I've found at least 3 dresses I could happily get married in, but something tells me I haven't found IT yet. Look at me, bride in training. I'm quite getting into the whole thing.

My Pole has been wrestling with Belgian bureaucracy all this time. He found a job in six weeks, but to start work he needed a work permit and to get a work permit he needed a residence permit, and to get a residence permit he had to spend hours filling in forms, waiting for visits from the police and staring at the wall in the town hall waiting for appointments that never seem to move anything along. Such a threat to national security. I can completely see why they are trying to limit the numbers of dangerous Poles in Brussels. Christ. Anyway, a couple of extra forms were filled in by his new company and they hurried it along a bit. He'll start work on Wednesday (yay!) a few days short of one year since I started my Brussels job.

Somewhere along the way I turned 28, with an accompanying flurry of well wishing cards and facebook messages. I didn't really have a chance to take it in, but I think the few weeks will calm down a bit. OK, we have a weekend in Warsaw with a few weddingy things to sort out and another weekend looking at German Christmas markets with friends, but the end of the year is in sight, and sweet Jesus it looks good.

I've become a rubbish blogger. It was fine in Warsaw with my refugee projects and English language work, but since this 'proper job' of mine came along blogging has fizzled and poof! all gone. Here are some pretty pictures to distract you from that sad fact.

Brussels in October:
London in October:


Ljubljana in October:

Paris in October:



Vienna in November:


The Grand' Place on my birthday:

Strasbourg in November:

And finally... the journey from Bonn to Brussels last night:

Can you believe I told Marek it never snows this far West...?