You know, some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. Aneta was sick today. She really didn't feel like doing a single thing. But Witek, her husband, called from his Fire Administrator's Training program to tell her he would be in Gliwice today at 1 PM for exercises with a helicopter. So she dragged her ailing self out of bed, showered, dressed, got the little one dressed, rousted me out and about and headed for the airport.
We made our way to the Gliwice Airfield and parked near the fence where we had a great view of both the bright yellow and red helicopter and the landing area. We tucked in and waited. 1 pm came and went. 1:15 came and went. 1:30 came and went. Aneta reached for the cell phone and called Witek. Oh, gosh, it wasn't today! It is tomorrow! Drat. We drove back to the apartment and I read to Aneta from 1Q84 to help pass the time. We had some lunch, left overs from our delightful day with the Weclawek's on Tuesday.
At 5:15 I took the car and drove myself to my manicure/pedicure appointment. This was my very first independent foray by car in Knurow/Gliwice. And it took place after dark at a place I had never been. I made it there and back without incident. Maybe I'm growing up! The nail technician was a lovely young woman with the worst set of buck teeth I ever saw in my life. She spoke zero English but managed to understand French Manicure and when I pointed to my feet she understood that I also wanted a pedicure. She did a nice job and I was very satisfied for the equivalent of $23 for both a manicure and a pedicure.
When I left the salon I decided to take an even bigger risk, since I had the car, and go grocery shopping. I wandered around the Tesco and picked up quite a few things we needed. When I went to pay, the cashier asked me a question. I looked dumb, as usual, but then said, "Did you ask me about a Club Card?"
"Tak, Tak," she said as she pointed to the Club Card emblem on her shirt.
"I don't speak Polish, I'm sorry."
"Oh, Okay," she resonded in very clear English. "Where you live?"
"I'm from America, " I said, stating the obvious, "but I am living here for a short time now."
"Do you want card?" she asked. "I need you here address and you name is only thing."
"Okay," I said, as she whipped out the application.
We labored through a few questions, I spelled my name for her, she determined that I didn't want advertisements mailed, I signed and she gave me my Tesco Club Card and applied the discount. I must almost qualify as a local now! And she assured me I could use the card anywhere there is a Tesco, followed by, "do they have Tesco in USA?"
My answer? I have no clue. But I can be relatively certain they don't have a Tesco anywhere near where I live. We don't even have a Safeway where I live. I drove back to the flat and unloaded my many bags of groceries and schlept them into the bulding and up the filght of stairs I could barely climb when I arrived here two months ago. Aneta was quite shocked, but pleased, that I had gone to the "shop" as we were literally out of everything and she was just not up to shopping today.
I read to her again tonight until she fell asleep at the foot of my bed in the living room. I woke her up and hustled her off to her own bed around midnight. I hope she feels better tomorrow because we have another trip to the airport to look forward to.
Linda
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