Yes, I now have internet. Both the netcabo and regular phone guys were due to come this morning. I waited, and waited, and waited some more. I tried to make them come, by mopping the floors and so on. Finally, at 1:30 (they were scheduled to come between 9 and 1), I made myself some lunch.

The netcabo guys came at 1:45-- just after I sat down to eat.

The phone guys still haven't shown, but I don't care.

I've got internet!!!

My God, how I've missed internet.

I still haven't eaten, mind you, so this will be a short one.

And I still have to buy a birthday present for Elvis, as his birthday is, erm, today.

So just the bare facts.

We are no longer homeless, although the phonelessness remains.

We are living in Cascais, which is a resort city half an hour from Lisbon by train. It's quiet, packed with Brits and other expats, relatively unpolluted, and right on the Atlantic Ocean.

I kinda like it, even though I seem to be more of a downtown in the city sort of gal these days.

This apartment is far bigger than the one in Milan: three bedrooms, two baths, a living and dining room, and a separate kitchen; as opposed to one, one, and the last two combined. Plus a balcony big enough for a table and four chairs, or two lounge chairs if you push the table agains the wall. And a lot of hallways, so Calliope can do laps.

I spend far too much time cleaning, it seems.

But I like it.

Still haven't received our shipment from Milan, so we're still pretty much in camped out mode. August is a bad time to move in Europe, as everyone is on vacation and it's hard to get things done.

Oh, and if you don't flush the toilet just right (which is usually), the pipes make a horrid whining, banging, screaming sound until you jiggle the knob randomly until it stops.

Yep.

Plumbing problems.