Austerity Weekend

Having run out of money early this month (well, mainly due to going to Austria, which was sure worth it) I had to take some instant austerity measures, staying at home for a couple of days, avoiding everything that might end in spending what I don't have.

More or less forced to fast, dining on what is left in my fridge and still edible, I've been spending a lazy weekend, not doing much to be honest. At least I managed to wait until now to turn on the computer ..! I have been occupying myself with boring household tasks over the last days, doing the washing, ironing, cleaning windows and the like, things that have been waiting to be done for ages. Somehow I never get down to do all these things, commuting between here and the Eifel on a weekly basis, taking care of my derelict little house there.
That whole roof thing is still bothering me quite a bit. It seems almost certain now that the bank will not grant the credit I need to get the roof repaired. Lack of security they say. The house just isn't worth anything from their point of view. And I know they are right, but sure that won't help me a bit.

So I'm back at the setout, still trying to find a solution. With all the buckets up in the attic remaining empty in this unusual hot and dry September the problem didn't seem too urgent since I am back from Austria but of course I know that time is running and only too soon will I be back to overflowing buckets that can only be kept under control when I go there every weekend. Just that I can't, financially speaking. Gas is becoming so expensive, it's unbelievable. They charge fuel per litre here in Germany but converting the recent price it's about $6 per gallon. Germany and the Netherlands are the most expensive countries in the world now when it comes to gas prices, closely followed only by Great Britain. It seemed absolutely unreal to me when I paid less than 20 Euros to completely fill the car on the island of La Palma this spring. Spain seems to be a much cheaper place to be. Anyway, if I decide to spend the weekend in my house it will cost me more than 50 Euros ($60) just to get there, which makes 200 Euros a month. But since 200 Euros are all the money I can spend over the month, I'm in for a problem. I mean, it certainly can't be that I spend that much money on emptying buckets just because I can't afford to have the roof repaired. It seems somewhat preposterous to me. There MUST be a way but I'm afraid I don't see it so far.

And again ... call me Scarlett, but ... I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow ...