You Must Have Had Your Weetabix!

Have you had your Weetabix?

Have you had your Weetabix?

I felt like a reindeer just before dawn on December 15, as I dragged two overstuffed suitcases, a backpack, and a fragile gift bag through the streets of Dublin.

I was headed for the 747 Air Link bus to Dublin Airport and Christmas was in the morning air.

A passing man remarked at the sight of my lanky frame tugging its equivalent weight in baggage:  “You must have had your Weetabix this morning!”

I nodded in agreement, though it took me a half-minute more to figure out what he’d actually said.  (At times, the accent still throws me off, and I’m not quite familiar with the Weetabix brand.)

Arriving home to the States, I found Weetabix in the cereal aisle of my local Harris Teeter.

Unfortunately, this cereal is chock full of wheat and gluten so it’s a total “no go” for me… but the sight of it still made me smile, thinking of my morning jaunt through Dublin and that friendly passer-by.

Some Things Are Easier Than Others

Getting moved into an apartment hasn’t been the smoothest process.  The size and location of the one I’ve selected are great.  The price is reasonable for the market ($1200/month furnished).  But the landlord is difficult.  He believes the apartment was already “professionally cleaned,” but the carpet hasn’t been vacuumed let alone steam cleaned (which it needs even by my not-so-high standards).  In any case, I’ll be taking on a fairly dirty apartment and cleaning it myself.

The good news is that I should be able to move in tomorrow.  Dave and I will haul all our bags across town… somehow.  I’m hoping to arrange a large taxi.

Fortunately, most everything else about this move has gone much more smoothly than securing the apartment.  The people at the Kildare Street Hotel (most notably, Peter and Mark) have been absolutely the best!!!!  They are full of helpful information and insight.  They’ve helped step me through this move.

Vegetarian, gluten-free lunch

Vegetarian, gluten-free lunch.

My iPhone now has calling capacity and roaming Internet connection.  Today, the apartment management company and I were both paid.  That means I was able to apply for a bank account, since I can now claim to have a home address.

By Friday, I’ll have access to Euros instead of having to spend US Dollars.  That means I can buy things and pay in Euros.  I’ll be able to avoid paying the fees associated with buying Euros (due to exchange rates and international transaction charges).

Something else that has made all this easier: delicious food is readily available!

Lest you think all the meals here are laden with calories, I’ve attached a photo of the lunch I had at 4 pm today (after many meetings).  It was vegetarian and gluten-free.  There are many gluten-free options in the restaurants here. That’s because, unfortunately, Ireland has the highest number of people, per capita, who are celiac and can’t eat wheat proteins.  Many can’t even eat from a kitchen where wheat has been used.  I fear that we’ll see a rise of gluten intolerance in the States, because our standard American diet today is so high in gluten.  I think people are likely to reach their thresholds at some point — like I did with formaldehyde.

In any case, the open air market here is full of summer vegetables at amazingly low prices (5 red bell peppers for €1).

Restaurant food nation-wide is quite expensive, however.  My lunch (as pictured) cost about $12.  Looks like I’ll be eating at home a lot!