Stomach woes, and more Thinking Out Loud

I went to Ladies Night Out with Kara last night, and had a really great time...until my stupid crippling stomach problems meant that I had to go home. Which meant that Kara went home too, because she was my ride. Stupid stomach problems. I had too much sugar earlier in the day, I think. But at least there is no more hot chocolate mix in my house.

When I got home, it was Earth Hour - no lights or TV until 9:30. I lit some candles and got a fire going. (Well, going is a misnomer - it started, and then it fizzled, but I kept poking at it for two hours.) And then, in between bouts of stomach-related misery, I did some thinking.

I know, I know. I can hear you now. "Thinking? Oh, Erica, that is never a good idea for you - thinking, late at night, in the dark, with nothing to distract you!"

You're right, of course. I have a hard time shutting my thoughts off if I get started late in the evening. But I tried to make it a useful thinking period - I got out a journal, and wrote down notes and all.

The gist of it is this: I was too hasty in moving out of the Hotel. I wanted a phone, and I wanted the internet, and somehow I got in over my head in renting Hermann's place. My living expenses (not counting food, which would be about the same) have almost tripled. My computer is broken, so I am paying for internet I can't use. At this rate, I am going to be living hand to mouth for the entirety of my life in Faro, and that is not acceptable.

So, I am doing some research into moving back into the Hotel. I don't know if they allow monthly residents in the summer months - I was under the impression I had to be out of there by the end of April, but last night I met a woman who has been living there since January, and it sounded like she and her hubby would be there until June.

I want to know these things:
- can I rent monthly over the summer? If not, when could I start? (I can last the summer if I know I'm going back in, say, September)
- can I bring my own bed and couch in? (I want to sleep on a good bed)
- can I have my cats? (Crazy Bird Lady had her birds and dog, I think I should be allowed to have Rodney and Paku)
- can I get a phone/internet hookup in my room? (Sheila, the lady I met last night, was talking about the internet, but I never had access to any internet while I was there, which makes me super-peeved)

There may have been some other questions, but I can't think of them at the moment.

I'm at a Policy-making workshop all day today, and then the work-week "officially" starts again tomorrow. Busy, busy times.