Heading Home

Derek and I are about to fly home for a record four weeks, and when we get back we'll have six days to move out of our university-owned flat to a privately owned one.  Luckily we're moving into a furnished place, and since our place here was furnished, there's not going to be a lot of to move.  We've packed two sets of wheeled suitcases -- one for Canada, one for our new place.  We've sorted through papers, returned library books and cleaned every room.  I've also arranged for the phone, internet and cable to get moved over.  We still need to update the school, banks etc. with our new address but there's still time to do that, and it's all online anyway so we can change it from home.

One way that I can tell that I'm ready to go home for a bit is that lately I've been really noticing the negatives about living in Edinburgh.  The amount of construction and tourists seems twice as bad now that Princes Street, the main shopping street here, is ripped up to put in the new tram system, so everyone is packed into narrow fenced-in walkways, and will be for many more months.  The drunken shouting and arguing across the street and in the square at random times during the day is also annoying, as is having to watch you don't step in vomit on the footpaths (sidewalks) around downtown, especially on Sunday and Monday mornings.  Maybe there is some sense to not allowing drinking on the streets.

Our neighbours in the set of privately-owned flats next door have also been increasing their number of parties and lengthening the hours in which they blast music, sing and talk loudly, and go out to the back for a smoke and loud conversations which everyone can hear.  It's a good thing we've kept our bed in the living room, because at least there we only generally hear the bass and beat of the music.  In the bedroom we can hear the music clearly.  This has actually been happening at least once every two weeks since January.  They come home from the bar on Sunday night around 3:30am and then party until about 6 or 7am in the flat.  I feel really bad for the tenants who'll be moving in here this summer.  Between the street noise and the neighbours, it'll be pretty rough.

We're really looking forward to moving in June.  It'll be a crazy week, and while I might not blog while we're home, I'll be sure to catch you up on all the happenings when we get back.  Have a great May!