Notes from April 7th

4-7-09

I definitely have leapt off a cliff.

Finding things in Chamberlain isn’t hard.  The town is only a few blocks long with some stores in “surrounding” areas but all within a mile or two, I would estimate.  It’s finding out who does what that is the challenge.  And it seems not everyone organizes her life as I do, now how can that be?  So asking someone isn’t always fruitful, e.g. finding a dry cleaners.

I learned today there is no dry cleaners in Chamberlain (!).   This was culture shock #1 for today – me being someone who dry cleans her jeans so they stay nice, have a crease, and heaven forbid that they wouldn’t be ironed….  I did find at long last, however, that some stores have pick up for dry cleaning.   This turned out to be the café/pharmacy/dry cleaning pick up store.  I dropped off my clothing and learned they pick up on Mondays and return the next Monday.  So much for one-day service

I’d already had culture shock #2 before I came, having learned there was no dishwasher.   Well, I thought, I can wash dishes, or buy a portable, most likely the former since there is only me and three pets.  And maybe an occasional visitor, or so I would hope.

Culture shock #3 was harder, however.  No garbage disposal!!!!  Now this is definitely roughing it.  I do admit I was wondering given, culture shock #2, if that might include the no garbage disposal tragedy.    

But I was really glad I had found that liquor store today when I discovered culture shock #4…the oven is not self cleaning!!!!  This makes it a two glasses of wine night! 

Here I was contented to do more cooking since obviously, or maybe not so obvious to you dear readers, I won’t be going out to eat that much.  First “town” is 20 minutes away, so that’s 40 minutes round trip….  And for a foody like myself, I can’t say I’ll be all that eager to hit the restaurants that are here.  Now I will say I had a really good walleye dinner and the fried pickles were wonderful, but there still is not the abundant selection of gourmet restaurants that was true for Madison.   In fact, I’m not sure there is any gourmet-type restaurant here.  But discovering that I will have to clean my own oven, well, rotisserie chicken and grilling on my grill are looking ever more appealing.

I will say I like my little government home.  First, there are all these great fix-it guys to call for help when something is amiss.  And they are less than a block away so they arrive pronto-like.  Unlike when you own your own place and you have to call someone or beg assistance from a neighbor, given that yours truly is quite helpless about anything with metal on it, or anything non-metal in the remotely fix it department.    Second, there are lots of great windows.  I am a light freak and love the light coming in.  Since I face east and west, I get early and late sun.  Today was sunny and I really got to experience my new little home at its best.   And since I have no curtains or blinds, I would imagine the light will get me up early tomorrow for more unpacking.

I have as yet to find the rest of the parts to the cappuccino maker, which is a close runner up to the tragedy of clean-your-own oven.   Hopefully I will uncover these parts tomorrow. 

Note to self – when moving be sure to mark boxes more clearly and definitely pack your own cappuccino maker!