Cav's Place

Friday the organizers put up the post about the event, which is in Romanian but includes plenty of pictures, though oddly enough not the group shot from the start, so I guess I should finally get to the part I skipped in the previous personal post, starting when I left, at 8 PM, and minutes later realized I had forgotten that thing to put on my arm to wipe sweat with. Didn’t come back for it though, so I was there well before 8:30 PM, when we had been asked to arrive, I think spotting the few who were already there at 8:23 PM, and also spotting and grabbing a 0.10 RON coin as I was walking towards them. Then I just sort of stood around for a while, but used the time to rearrange my things, putting the energy bar and garlic in one pocket and the flexible water bottle in the other, closing each pocket with two safety pins, and leaving only the other things in the bag I held in my hand, with rubber bands around it just to be sure. Actually used all four rubber bands at first, but one broke as I was putting them back on after taking them off at the first scheduled stop and I just used two after that, leaving the third remaining one as a spare, like I had three spare safety pins as well. None of those were needed though, even if at least the safety pin I opened most often when we stopped got badly bent quite a few times, since I could straighten it well enough and it didn’t snap.

After we moved to the area where we were supposed to gather, where there was a stage as well, I grabbed one of the protein yogurts offered by the sponsor and drank it, then went to the toilet, looking for one on the floor below, and got back just in time for the start of the warmup, which I did take part in, albeit rather hesitantly. It was 9:40 PM when, after taking that starting group picture, the 75 or so, maybe up to 80, of us got going. We couldn’t run at first, being in that mall and needing to get down to the ground floor and exit it first, but after that we could get going and I was part of the group that was breaking ahead, eventually, I think at Obor, needing to make the first of many stops to wait for the others. With nothing arranged with the authorities, we had to run on sidewalks and wait at stoplights anyway, but it wasn’t just the light that we had to wait for, and when Radu, who can be said was the organizer, finally caught up, leading those others, he said we were going too fast and the rest couldn’t keep up, and that we should stay with the group if we wanted music, but also repeated the route and told those who wanted to go faster to wait for the rest at that first scheduled stop, at a club in Charles de Gaulle Square. This call to stay with the group followed by being asked to at least wait for the others at the next planned stop, including the locations selected for group pictures, would be repeated multiple times until Carol Park, where those of us who could do better were released to a greater extent, and someone who had stayed with the larger group until that point said he had gotten quite upset at those of us who kept pushing ahead, but the others were pretty much walking a good part of the time, a fact made obvious by calculating their pace.

I seem to remember reaching that club at 10:43 PM, and since we had been scheduled to reach that place at 11 PM, that stop was a long one. We were offered water, apples and more protein yogurt, the yogurt being poured into small plastic glasses, making Radu remark out loud when he also reached the place that they had been saying something about not using plastic, which had in fact been the case and the reason why the participants had been required to bring something for water. But what we brought was just used for the water offered by this group that organized the event, while the sponsor continued to use piles of those glasses at the second and third refreshment stops as well, and there were yet other, larger, plastic glasses for what I gather was iced lemonade at the second stop, and I saw a few other larger plastic glasses used as well, though I’m not sure who had brought or offered those. Either way, I went to the toilet there again, then a talk about nutrition, focusing on proteins, took place, and during that talk the little girl who also took part at least in that first part of the event was munching from a bowl with various kinds of nuts, so after it was put away in the room where the water and apples were offered after the end of the talk and I saw someone else grab a few from it, I did the same before we finally left, I think at just about 11:30 PM, after taking another picture and wearing glowsticks, which we had been given before exiting the club. Another guy helped me put mine on my wrist after I had been struggling with it for quite some time.

Since Radu led us away but it was again just those of us who were faster who were quick to follow, the others taking their time even then, while we were waiting he led us around that first area with flowers at the entrance of Herastrau Park, and I will insist on using that name for it, so that added another little bit, though perhaps only about 100 meters or so, to the distance covered. Then, as we went almost all around the lake, some of us again went way ahead, and I was in that group. It was a much smaller group than it had been before that first planned stop, however, at least after we ended up running in the dark, the light carried by one of the two who were leading seeming to be the only one, so there were seven of us maintaining that pace as first, but as first one and then another dropped back, they couldn’t see where they were stepping and stopped to wait for the rest. Then, since I gathered that the second one to drop back and stop and one of those still ahead were together, he and one other guy soon stopped to wait for her, leaving me to run in the dark, led by two people I didn’t know. And since I was uncertain of the route and had no idea how well they knew it, at a fork in the path I stopped as well, waiting for the others to catch up. However, once we were back together and we reached areas where there was some light again, the same five of us pushed ahead again, finding those two waiting on a bench as we stopped close to the exit. A couple of others, who had ended up between groups, arrived some time later, and we spent a long time waiting for the rest, voicing our frustration at their pace and one even leaving then, saying he’s getting bored when they’re so slow.

Coming out of the park at Arcul de Triumf, even the group had to wait for quite some time for the last few, who were said to have stopped at a confectionery, though I don’t know whether that was a joke or not. Another group picture was also taken, and then we kept going to the second planned refreshment point, at a club in the Old Town, stopping for pictures in a couple more places on the way, Radu announcing the next such stop each time, so those of us pushing ahead would know where to wait for the rest. And we arrived at that club more or less together, at 1:35 AM, just five minutes ahead of schedule, leaving again close to 2 AM. On top of water and protein yogurt, and I’m pretty sure also apples, though my memory is playing some tricks on me when it comes to that, we were told we’ll also have iced lemonade there, but I guess there wasn’t enough of it and by the time I realized where to go to get the stuff, there was none left. So I made do with the other stuff, went in to go to the toilet, saw the line, went back out to reapply the lotion against mosquitoes, then went back in and could go to the toilet and wash my hands just in time, getting back out as the rest were getting ready to leave. Can’t find myself in the picture taken there and I’m pretty sure I really am not in it, as it was likely taken while I was at the toilet, or waiting in line for it, or maybe even applying that lotion.

The part between the second and third refreshment points was rather uneventful, going most of the way around the Palace of Parliament and then, after crossing through a bit of Izvor Park, using the sidewalk next to the river meaning narrow sidewalks and little room to pass. Even so, there was some waiting to regroup when we entered Izvor Park, and Radu again asked us to take it slower as we’ll run along the river in order for the guy taking pictures to be able to do so. And I did try to do that, letting others get some way ahead and ending up sort of in between groups for a little while, before eventually giving chase. There were some other places where we had to stop and wait, but since we were again on sidewalks, stoplights went some way towards keeping us closer together.

The third refreshment point was at the entrance of Carol Park and I reached it at 2:40 AM. However, I can’t say that it was reached 20 minutes ahead of schedule, since the schedule listed it at 3 AM, but after the park, and according to something Radu said, the original plan included ten minutes of going up and down the stairs in that park. Either way, on top of water, apples and yogurt, we also had protein bars there, and since there were two kinds, I took and ate one of each… And I’m uncertain whether I took “only” a few of those glasses of yogurt or a bottle as well. It was getting to be a bit much though, and the fact that both the bars and the yogurt were sweet was making me slightly nauseous as well, but I knew I needed the energy, especially since I dreaded the stairs that were to come. However, after a guy worried me by first asking about the route after that point and then, after I quickly answered and also mentioned that the refreshment point was supposed to have been after the park, said that he wrote that schedule and even he doesn’t remember it anymore, Radu called for a “technical meeting”, since the pace and the exhaustion of those not pushing ahead made it clear that we won’t be able to complete the planned route together. But, as he was trying to work out a shorter route, someone, possibly even that guy who had supposedly written the schedule, said that we should just give it a shot, since we had covered 28 kilometers already, so only had about 12 left, and he hesitantly agreed, saying that we should “honor the stairs” by just going up, down and then back up again, and then push the rest of the way, with shorter breaks. It would appear that this was a first, as the planned route hadn’t been completed in either 2017 or 2018.

It was about 3 AM when we got back to running, heading straight for the stairs and, as planned, going up, down and then up again. I tried to time myself on those stairs and I think it took me 2:22, but I was mainly focused on the woman ahead of me, watching how she ran on the way up the first time, then staying close on the way down, almost falling at one point and barely managing to avoid it, and then applying what I had noticed to get past her without exhausting myself too much as we went back up. Then we waited for the rest to catch up, Radu pointing out that there were some toilets and a public fountain nearby, and some did use the toilets while I just used the fountain to splash some water on my face and wash my hands before eating two of the three cloves of garlic I had with me as we were getting ready to leave again. Noticed that we were much fewer by then, commenting out loud that we had “rather halved”, though I didn’t count. Another guy who was next to me said that indeed plenty had left by then.
Soon after leaving Carol Park, we entered Tineretului Park, with Radu leading the way at first, but soon dropping back again to stay with those who needed a slower pace. Before doing that, however, he told those of us pushing harder to keep going around the lake while he’ll lead the rest on a shorter path, having this conversation while running, at first seeming to have a hard time finding someone who knew the park well enough to be able to lead this group. But eventually it seemed to have been sorted out, and somebody produced a light as well, so we could keep going once we got to the dark areas, without worrying about the rest anymore. I think there were about 15 of us in that group, or maybe not even 15, possibly even closer to ten, not sure anymore, but the pace was good and it actually felt nice, running through a park, not worrying about other traffic, not wondering whether anyone in my group knew the route or worried about going against the organizer’s wishes anymore.
Despite taking that longer route, when we reached the exit we still had to wait for several minutes for the others, and then there was another brief discussion about the route, Radu saying that those who can’t do much more should just go straight to the National Library, where we were supposed to finish, and that doing the whole thing would require pushing awfully hard and there is a way to cut that route short as well… Even though we had less than eight kilometers to go, actually closer to seven now that I check, and it was only 3:55 AM when we got going again. But there was the fourth refreshment point ahead as well, as we’ll reach Unirii, so I said that we should get there first and then decide, and I guess there was some agreement on that, though it wasn’t actually stated as he hurried to lead us away, this time staying with those of us pushing harder and really pushing us. I do believe we were 14 or 15 and it was the first time I struggled, feeling that this pace was a bit too much, at least at that point. I obviously wasn’t going to be able to keep that up all the way to the end if that was what he had in mind, but I could hold on to the back of that group and he seemed thrilled when we had to stop at the stoplight at Unirii, saying that we were an amazing group and it had been like a sprint for bonus seconds in the Tour de France. No idea why he associated running with cycling…

I seem to remember reaching that fourth refreshment point at 4:02 AM, and that’s pretty much what it works out to as well, considering the distance and pace after leaving Tineretului Park. Seeing as it was where it was supposed to be and the schedule listed us as reaching it at 4:15 AM, I was expecting to be able to recover after that sprint and was waiting calmly for those offering stuff to get ready, since they weren’t yet. However, Radu quickly said that those who want to go straight to the end can take their time and then just wait for us there, but there’s no time to waste for those who want to keep going, prompting quite a flurry of activity. So I went to have my water bottle filled and drank it quickly, also kept grabbing pieces of apple as I was passing by the guy rushing to slice them, and when Radu said we’ll leave in two minutes, I think at 4:09 AM, I just took a bottle of yogurt, and I’m uncertain about this but I think a protein bar as well, straight from the back of the truck, since they hadn’t managed to take them out yet, stuffing myself with it or them as fast as I could, and others did the same. There was a bit of a tense moment then, as Radu asked for someone to lead those wanting to take that shortened route he had mentioned when leaving Tineretului Park, only to University Square, and an older man who had been running in circles around the slower ones and when we were stopping and had apparently also commented a lot offered and Radu refused him, saying he doesn’t know him and he talks too much, prompting a bit of an exchange between them which Radu impatiently cut short, naming the person who had held that talk about nutrition for that “position” and saying those of us meaning to complete the entire planned route will need to stick to five minutes per kilometer, 5:30 at most, and do it all in at most 50 minutes, so there will be no waiting for anyone who can’t keep up.

I couldn’t understand that, as it was 4:12 AM when we got going again and we had no more than six kilometers left, so it wasn’t a question of getting to the end at 5:30 AM, as originally planned, but even getting there in those 50 minutes he mentioned only required a jogging pace, eight minutes per kilometer. But there was no time to say anything and I had to give everything just to hold on to the back of the group, 12 of us being there at first, becoming 13 as a girl caught up when we had to make a brief stop at a stoplight, saying that she didn’t know whether she’ll keep up at that pace but ending up being able to after all. One more guy tried to follow, but after getting close when we briefly had to stop that time, he fell back again and at the next such stop Radu said there’s no way he’ll keep up and didn’t wait again, so 14 tried, but we never really were 14. However, it was at such a stop, at 4:18 AM, as we were getting close to University Square, that I said the pace was unnecessary and Radu replied that sunrise will be much earlier and we should get to the finish around that time, not at 5:30 AM. But we were going too fast even for that, and he agreed to at least go down to 5:30 per kilometer, and then likely slowed down even more as he struggled to get the speaker to work, so I could keep up somewhat better. It was still too fast to go like that all the way, but it at least meant hitting the wall somewhat later, as if I’d have had to go all the way to Romana Square at the original pace I knew I’d have had to pretty much walk after that.
I seem to remember seeing 4:28 AM at Romana Square, but I’m uncertain whether we reached it at that time or, perhaps more likely, that’s when we were leaving, after taking a group picture there as well, though this time Radu took it, the photographer who had followed us on a bicycle having apparently said at that last refreshment point that he couldn’t keep up anymore, since I heard Radu ask him to take one last picture of us at Cocor, so just some 200 meters after Unirii, before turning around to wait for us at the finish. Either way, one more guy left then, so we were down to 12. Also, we really could almost walk from that point and still reach the National Library at 5 AM, since we only had a little over three kilometers left, and I said as much.
Well, we didn’t walk. The pace was slower, but I was pretty much out of energy, which really hit me after we passed by Gradina Icoanei. It was then, in fact surprisingly late, also considering all the yogurt, that I also started to feel a certain pressing need, but it still wasn’t as bad as I expected. The exhaustion was the worse problem, so it was just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and somehow holding on to the back of the group, taking advantage of any brief stop made when crossing a street and feeling quite relieved when Radu asked us to go slower and form a tight group for another picture that he wanted to take of us actually running, the guy who was at the back of the actual group, as I was a few steps behind by then, actually turning and seeming to mean to say something before changing his mind as I pushed with some energy I didn’t really have anymore to draw level. And there was also the fact that a girl, I think the one who had said that she didn’t know whether she’ll be able to keep up, stopped to buy herself a bottle of water from a store and Radu asked us to go slower to allow her to catch up, and he and at least one other guy fell back, so for a while I wasn’t last anymore. Also remember Radu pointing out some toilets and asking whether anyone but him needed to go, then saying it’s out of the question to make us wait for him of all people when the others offered to do so, so while I don’t think he dropped back for long enough to do that, I guess it’s not entirely impossible, if he was really fast and then really sprinted to catch up again.
Thanks to this reduced pace, I was still holding on at 4:49 AM, when we were some 500 meters from the end, Radu actually saying 400 meters then, and either finally realizing or perhaps merely finally admitting that we’ll get there too soon. However, instead of either getting there a bit sooner or pretty much just walking that last bit, he asked whether we wanted to do one kilometer more and while I said I’m pretty much done, just that guy who had turned to look for me at the time of that last picture seemed to pay attention, at least in the sense that he looked at me and again seemed to want to say something. Can’t say I noticed what, if anything, anyone else said, but I guess most agreed with the suggestion and just got going right away, continuing on Matei Basarab all the way to Traian instead of turning on Mircea Voda, and all I could do was struggle to somehow keep up. Did manage to say that this extension was rather messed up when we briefly stopped at a fountain and I splashed some more water on my face after others drank, but a girl just said that “we voted”, as if that was supposed to make me be able to keep up any better. I mean, even if being part of this group can be said to have implied agreeing to Radu’s stated goal of completing this last part of the route in 50 minutes, so reaching the finish at 5:02 AM, it hardly seems fair to just change the goal like that on the spot, so close to the end.
I did try, and I guess I’d have just about managed it, squeezing out some final drops of energy for those remaining 200 meters or so, if it’d have indeed been just one more kilometer. However, I see that the route was extended by some 1.3 kilometers, and after we turned and Radu shouted that we only had some 500 meters to go, I really hit the wall, so those were some very long 500 meters for me, as my pace suddenly dropped to about half of that of the others and all I could do was struggle to still somehow put one foot in front of the other while watching them drift away. Did also notice that same guy, who was again at the back of the group and actually dropping a few steps behind the rest, turn to look towards me a few times, and I have no idea whether he said anything to the others, but they stopped at the last stoplight before the National Library and I could catch up again. There were just seven of them there though, eight including me, and since I heard Radu shout that it was red and we needed to wait I assume that the first four went ahead, since I’m quite sure all 12 of us had kept going on this extended final part of the route and I highly doubt they had decided to break from the group at a later point. But, either way, on top of being one of at most 11, since Radu had led those taking the shorter route through Tineretului Park earlier, to have completed the entire route, plus this added part at the end, I don’t know how but I somehow found one more sprint in me there at the end and managed to finish ahead of the other seven. It sure hurt, but at the same time, it felt quite good.

It was 5:01 AM when we reached that place, where the others were waiting for us, so we also managed to complete this final part of the route, including the added portion, in just under 50 minutes. I also tried to keep track of the actual time spent running, stopping my stopwatch whenever I stopped, however briefly, and it listed 3:57:44 at the end, but that should be seen as a rough estimate, since there was always a question about the exact moment when I should stop it or start it again, there were short distances covered while walking, without starting it, and there were also a couple of moments when I forgot to start it and a couple of others when I forgot to stop it. Tried to make up for those moments, stopping it again later if I had forgotten to start it or starting it later if I had forgotten to stop it, but those were obviously more very rough estimates. So let’s just say I covered that distance in about, and probably just under, four hours of actual running.

Once there, we did the stretching exercises, which hurt even more, and when at one point Radu said that we’ll hate him for the next one but if it won’t hurt so bad that we won’t want to see the next day it means we’re not doing it right, I wasn’t exactly joking when I told him not to worry because we hate him already. It was, however, quite funny when he had us squat and a guy next to me said that he remembered that position from certain other locations, I added “especially after all that yogurt” and another guy said that if he’ll have to stay like that much longer he might get other ideas. There were comments about changing underwear as well, but not sure whether also then or earlier, and there were of course plenty about how we all smelled.
Some 40 people were there at the end, maybe 45 but that included a few who didn’t actually run, and there was a draw for a Garmin Forerunner 45 then too, just those who had registered ahead of time being entered, so not including anyone who just came directly, in case there were any who had done so, and only those who were actually there being eligible. As such, the first name was discarded, the person in question not being there, but the second was indeed there and she won it. As for the rest of us, after taking the final group picture, we ended up grabbing more protein yogurt and protein bars, as well as pieces of apple. The sponsor had brought quite a lot of their products, a table being filled with what was left, with a few more boxes full of those bars around it as well, and Radu said he’ll get upset if anything’s left, so I grabbed four yogurts and four bars, and an older woman actually got a full box of bars after a guy told her more than once to do so as she was looking at the few left in the opened boxes. I also grabbed several more pieces of apple… And ate most of them right there, before realizing that my hands had been on the pavement during the stretching exercises and putting the last two away, at first meaning to wash them if I’ll find a bathroom at the metro station but failing to find one and only eating them after getting back here, which I did at 6:15 AM. Also ate that final clove of garlic after getting back here, though it’d have been more useful around Gradina Icoanei, or perhaps before that, right after leaving Romana Square.

Radu’s tracker lists 38.3 kilometers, and since he did take that shorter route through Tineretului Park, those of us taking the longer route covered even more, but I’m not sure how much to trust it, since it seems to go all over the place and some other data is quite obviously wrong. Still, the route was supposed to have “about 40 kilometers” and we extended it by more than one, so it was probably still just short of a marathon, but not by much. It was indeed covered in a very long time, with plenty of breaks, some of them long ones, especially until we got more serious, starting in Carol Park, and with a lot of yogurt on top of the water and apples and bars that would normally be consumed during such a run. I was actually a bit nauseous because of all of that, but I’m sure it also helped a fair bit, especially when I did it while being so unprepared, just learning of the event on Monday, actually signing up Thursday and taking part in it Saturday night. But it was at night, when I function a whole lot better, instead of in the morning, on next to no sleep and also without being able to take a shit first, as the “official” runs are. Did carry some of the things I had with me for no reason though, as the only things that were useful were the flexible water bottle, the metro card and that lotion, which did indeed keep the mosquitoes off me while others complained a fair bit, though I’m not entirely certain that I did need to reapply it, so I might have gotten away without that as well. Since dad was still awake when I got back, I wouldn’t have even needed the keys.

Some nine months ago, I ended up playing this on my Nokia 230 after being tricked into purchasing it. The demo is limited to 90 seconds, without any timer being displayed, and as soon as the 90 seconds end, the purchase screen shows up, with the option to purchase selected, and the button to press to agree works as attack button in the game, and I was in a fight at the time. This was obviously cause for a fair bit of anger, but after deciding to see what the €0.99 got me, I ended up finishing it in one sitting of about two hours… After needing to restart once, since it even failed to save properly when I initially stopped after reaching the second area.
I’d normally start such quick reviews with the good things, but there’s little of that to mention, and it’s odd that this port, which as far as I know is the simplest one, is paid, while it was my understanding that the “proper”, complete version, for smartphones, was free from the beginning. From what I gathered at a glance, this hardly has anything to do with that “proper” version, but I guess it’s a bit of an achievement to create an ARPG, basic as it is, for such a phone and stuff it in about 500 KB, and there are a handful of areas to explore and three available classes, the choice of class determining the available skills and usable weapons, and you can decide which attributes to improve each level.
However, that’s about it. The automatic class “upgrade” is completely in name only, nothing else changing, there are three skills and there’s basically no point in using any but the best one you have access to, all shopkeepers have a complete inventory, the few quests received on the way are nothing to speak of, there are few actually different enemy types and you can’t get back to an area once you leave it, so you must complete side quests when you get them. It’s just something to do for a little while.

First, fired one of those final shots I have to keep the number of personal posts below that of non-personal ones, by copying one more of those old quick reviews, so now there are 31 left. Considered adding another quick game review, to make it an actual new post and get rid of the week’s second post that way as well, and also avoid another Sunday update, but wasn’t quite sure what to write and wanted to put some of these things here now anyway. The post about the long night run I mentioned itself will come later though.

Thursday I left a little after 2 PM, meaning to check prices at this Carrefour and Kaufland but also go to Auchan for bread. Saw a lotion against mosquitoes on Carrefour’s site and looked there first, getting one expiring “Greek” yogurt before someone else did, though now I see that instead of prices listed on each such product and bigger discounts they just have 50% off the base price on all, like Mega Image. Also saw some bread that seemed all right and a good enough price there and decided to not go to Auchan at all, but didn’t get it when I got that yogurt, instead checking out Kaufland first, and ending up finding that lotion a fair bit cheaper there. But since I also saw a good price for cucumbers and hadn’t checked those at Carrefour, didn’t get that right then either, first going back to look and get that bread, and also some expiring margarine which I saw had been added there. Got tricked out of 100 grams of bread though, since when the person there took it off I saw that the scales listed 92 grams when empty, but when I weighed it at those clients can use, in the frozen foods section, the difference was exactly 100 grams. I’ll get them back for that someday, but couldn’t get myself to say something then, just getting the stuff and going back to Kaufland for the cucumbers and the lotion.
Got back around 4:50 PM, maybe a little before that, and that was shortly before it started raining, and there was quite a storm for a little while. Noticed that, though I thought it had recovered by then, my right ankle still bothered me when I walked, which was worrying, but since I got the answers from the organizers of the night run then, signed up anyway. And also used the two receipts from Carrefour to play that game again, first on the old version of Firefox that I still keep, on which I could play the game but still got no points or chance for a prize, since it was stuck at asking me to wait for the score and when I checked on Vivaldi I saw it listed as zero again. But when I tried again on Vivaldi as well, it finally worked, but didn’t win anything, so I registered all three receipts for the draw, though I’m not interested in that. Oddly, was somehow able to use the two receipts already used for the failed games for new games, but had no way to make points, so I guess what I saw was something like a replay of what it had registered or something of the sort? Though trying that with the one I did get a score for resulted in the expected notification that the code had already been used… Either way, also did two series of squats that evening, timing both but having replays at the end of each, so I think the first was 2:33, but 2:34 is also possible, and the second was 2:27 or 2:28.

Friday evening I saw a message from Anca about scheduling for the volunteer program she mentioned at the inauguration of Magnolia Alley, and that was on very short notice, starting Monday and with a training session set to take place Sunday morning at 10 AM. Replied to the e-mail to tell her I’ll likely be sleeping then, sending a link to the run, and she told me not to worry and just schedule myself on a day when someone who did take part will be scheduled as well, but then the main problem was that the file goes all the way to the end of July and I have to know when I’ll be able to use the metro card, so I asked dad and he said that normally it should be fine Thursday evenings, but other than that he can’t know in advance, so at first I scheduled myself for the next two Thursday evenings, but then quickly removed myself from the first one, since there are matches that I’ll want to watch then, and I’m obviously not going to do much of anything these next few days, so I probably won’t go this next week, and therefore this month. Still, when I signed up I did so for what she said, going once or twice per month, and I won’t let the fact that just a few of us are signing up and the others tend to list themselves as available two or three days per week pressure me to do more.
Otherwise, timed the squats again, but had tested the lotion against mosquitoes on a few areas, including the back of my neck, and since my hands were there while doing them, my mind was fixed on washing my hands before eating, since I had the food I had made here when I did them, so I rushed to do that right after finishing and, though this time around there was no replay, I’m even less certain of the time, since it just slipped my mind by the time I got back. I think it was 2:28, and I remember the eight quite clearly and think 2:38 would be too much, but I can’t be sure. Either way, had made pasta and salad during Romania’s match and ate during the first half of the next one.

Yesterday afternoon I tried to nap but couldn’t, kept thinking and worrying, so I had to make do with the morning’s sleep. Realized it’ll be a problem to hold the stuff in my pockets, mainly because of the lotion, which would really rub against my leg. Considered bandaging the leg, also considered not taking the lotion after all, though it obviously wasn’t going to last all night if I’d just apply some before leaving, but eventually decided to just put the stuff in a small plastic bag and carry it in my hand, though once I got there I changed my mind again and ended up putting the energy bar, garlic and flexible water bottle in my pockets and just carrying the rest.

Said I’ll skip the part about the actual run, between leaving and coming back, so now I’ll get straight to what I did after I got back, showering and eventually deciding to go to that training after all, since I wasn’t going to be able to sleep anyway, and dad had also waited for me and gave me some money again, so I wanted to buy myself something to eat again anyway. There was also a Turkish festival in this park this weekend, ending today, and I had meant to check it out, but from the pictures I saw, and also from what I remembered, I assumed everything would be too expensive and ended up deciding against it before leaving, a few minutes after 9 AM.
Again spent a couple of minutes waiting in front of the gate of the Botanical Garden, seeing nobody there to welcome the volunteers, and eventually went in at 9:50 AM, a guard telling me that they had been notified of the volunteers and starting to tell me where to go, though I just told him right away that I knew, but had just expected someone to be there. So I reached the gift shop at 9:55 AM, seeing Anca and another guy, who had arrived before me, take two things out of boxes, things I learned had just been purchased by Anca to help us gather the hose, watering the plants being the first thing she wants people there for. So we assembled them before the others came, one woman coming as we were doing that but just giving a few ideas. After that, we were told what to do in general, focusing quite a lot on using the hose, but only a few of us came anyway, I think seven, plus one who came just at the end, but she seems to already be a regular. I for one struggled with my legs, especially when I had to stand in one place, not to mention while I was assembling that thing, but I managed… Not sure how I’ll manage the work itself though, as it was really hitting me that I might have bitten off more than I can chew, being expected to go there and do those things without Anca to supervise, and perhaps completely on my own, if others won’t come at the same time.
The training was over at 11:09 AM and I first went to the Carrefour at Unirii, looking for some food from there first. Food from a hypermarket definitely isn’t what I was looking for, but there were some stuffed eggplants that I had for some reason considered a couple of times and was looking for them then, or for something else which would seem interesting, mainly if it had meat, which I’d normally avoid but wanted then, after such a run and sleepless night. But that place has less things than others and I didn’t find anything interesting there, yet I found that better kind of lettuce at a great price again and got two, one of each type.
After that, went back to that place I finally got something from after the half marathon… And saw that their prices had increased again and that made something from that Turkish festival a very valid, and possibly slightly cheaper, option. But I had already decided not to go there and bought something from that place again, but ended up spending more than I meant to. Had added things up, but assumed that, since all products have price and weight listed, the one which has the price for 100 grams listed simply has 100 grams, yet that’s sold by weight and the piece I got had 190 grams, so I was very surprised when I was told the total, and instead of leaving something to buy one thing from that other place I had purchased something from after the half marathon as well, I ended up digging into even that bit I had left aside for another bucket of bio (organic) yogurt, and it’s a good thing I had that or I’d have been unable to afford what I got from there. And they again asked for a bit more money than they should have, as I gave 0.65 RON in coins, having calculated as I had, and the price was 36.74 RON, but was asked for 36.80 RON, and the person there insisted on the amount even if I had 36.75 RON. Admittedly, had found a 0.05 RON coin in front of that place, as I was trying to decide what to get, but this sure seems to be the rule there, and it’s annoying, and considering these current prices, doubt they’ll be an option again anyway, but I just paid that without saying anything, and in fact without really looking well enough, since I was trying to figure out why it was that much more than I had calculated and was also getting increasingly embarrassed as she had given me the items one by one as I kept trying to count money and made me keep starting over and the next people in line were getting impatient, the guy helping me bag the items too as I dropped the coins.
Got back here a few minutes after 1:30 PM and weighed what I got, seeing that if last time I spent 30.01 RON for just over one kilogram, now I spent 36.80 RON for a bit under one. But three of the four things include meat, and I ate those three then, leaving the other one, which is a thing I purchased after the half marathon as well, for tonight. And that expensive one which is priced by weight was particularly good, can’t deny that. But one product had optional sour cream or sour cream with garlic listed and I asked whether you’re charged more if you ask for it, and asking to have sour cream with garlic added too when I was told you’re not, yet I can’t say I detected any trace of that in there. But ate those three, drank the tea I had made, and then finally crawled in bed, pretty sure a bit after 4 PM, and woke up at 8:20 PM.

Though boxes and some other things are still under the desk, after vacuuming what can be said to be one side of the room on Sunday, finally dusted the bookcase and the books and put them back after eating last night. Switched a couple of books around on purpose and noticed I had placed a few wrong in the piles, which made it harder to remember where they were supposed to go, but think I got them back in their right places. Also put some stuff back in the desk, so when I’ll also vacuum and get the stuff that’s under my desk back next to the wall, I should be done. But with my mother being here these days, not sure when I will vacuum, so I’ll just include the part about spraying my room in this post instead of waiting to be done with all of it.

Speaking of my mother being here, I was just told Sunday that dad meant to bring her Tuesday but she’ll probably be brought by someone else Monday, but they didn’t know when. The problem was that this was going to happen because the washing machine that was at my grandmother’s broke down for good and they bought another, which they wanted to bring here, taking our old one there. Since it was bought with grandmother’s money, that struck me as unfair and I had already said so, but didn’t get anywhere with dad, as he just said it may be unfair but it’s efficient, since they use it a lot less there and this one has some issues too, so there’s no point in buying two, though if this will also break down we may soon get to the point of needing to do so anyway. But at least the new one is A+++, Whirlpool TDLR 65210… But it seems that they hadn’t tested it there and are only doing so now, as I’m writing this, and it leaks, so they’ll see what they’ll do with it.
Either way, the point was that somebody with a van, I think a neighbor from there, was going to bring that washing machine and take this one, meaning that he’ll come here too. However, a note left by dad Monday no longer mentioned that neighbor, but instead said that they don’t know if my mother will still come that day because it depends on the washing machine fitting in my cousin’s car. So I couldn’t do much of anything that day, worried they may just show up, but at least I had eaten and crawled back in bed at 4:40 PM, and shortly after that dad got back, and while I didn’t wake up when he came in, I did as he was in the kitchen, and then got up when he quickly went back out, realizing what that probably meant and just managing to pee and rush back into my room as they were opening the door. Didn’t hear any other guy, but did hear my cousin… And his adopted child! So I just put headphones on and quickly put on some music, loud enough to cover that voice, and just sat here until I went to eat at night… At which point I found an annoying note from my mother on the kitchen table. After tearing it up in annoyance, ignored it, but the next day, when she said that someone will come to see her and they’ll stay in the kitchen just as I wanted to make popcorn for the match, I did throw “and you’re still asking things” over my shoulder before getting back to my room and again staying here until I went to eat at night.

Getting back to spraying my room, as I already mentioned, I did that Thursday and Friday. Thursday I set the alarm at noon, moved what I could, dad moved the desk, then I protected myself as well as I could and sprayed where the mold was visible, in this corner where the desk is, and continued with this part of the room that didn’t require the bed or bookcase to be moved, just letting dad help a bit with a spot above the window. Used that cheap spray I bought, since I had two of those, but used a lot of it, finishing the first one and starting the second that day and almost finishing the second as well the next day. Now it remains to be seen how good it is.
After I was done, got ready, took that t-shirt which had turned pink and the few issues of National Geographic which had gathered since last dropping some off at such an event, having just finished reading the May issue that day, and at 4:40 PM left to drop them off at another free shop, this time at that cat cafe I had taken way more issues of National Geographic to last year. Interestingly, I was again greeted by a small dog that was at the gate, and I heard other people comment that he hadn’t even barked at me in a way that indicated surprise.
Since I didn’t have the metro card, walked there and back, and just couldn’t focus, after having slept very little the previous day and not enough that day either and spraying, which probably had worse consequences than the effort itself would have had. So I ended up missing the spot where I had to turn, trying to get to the same place in what I thought was another way instead of just turning around, realizing quite some time later that I just kept going in the wrong direction and finally finding my way after losing plenty of time. Then, after just dropping the stuff off and leaving again, I stopped in a little park I found on my way back, sat on the bench and read two chapters of the book, which I had also taken with me. I was a few pages from finishing that second chapter when a drop fell on the page and I ended up first holding the book up, exposing less of a surface area, and eventually, as it started to drizzle just as I was finishing, trying to hold it so the cover would be on top, looking up to read. Then got back, rain never getting worse and even stopping by the time I arrived back here, at 7:35 PM.
Was awfully sleepy, but had stuff to do and there’d have been no way to sleep in my room anyway, though I could at least spend some time in here again by then. So started by washing the windows, at least on the inside, then vacuumed the area that’s normally under and behind the desk, took a break to eat an apple and some corn puffs, then cleaned the dust inside the computer a bit, wiped the desk, cables, UPS, keyboard, mouse and pad, then went to the kitchen to read some more until dad finally got back, around 10:50 PM, so he could move the desk back and I could get the computer back in it and everything hooked back up.

The next day, got up to pee at 11:35 AM, but didn’t need to align my schedule with dad’s anymore, so managed to get back to sleep and got up two hours later, taking my time before starting to work, first moving the bed. The boxes were next, and since the one that’s on top of the others had fallen the day before, I first set it down, then tried to push them instead of picking them up, just to lower the risk of anything like that happening again… And yet everything that was on those boxes, including the two old mice and the old switch, fell, so had to pick it all back up, and don’t know whether that had other consequences as well. Then, as I tried to carefully pick up the other box and set it down next to the desk, I somehow “managed” to hit the desk with it and had the CDs and DVDs that were on it fall, though at least they fell on the desk and not all the way down to the floor. And then the first books I took out of the bookcase fell on the floor as well. But at least I managed to end it there, taking a moment to snap myself out of whatever state kept causing me to make things fall and I could put everything on the bed without any other such mishaps. Then moved the bookcase, vacuumed a bit and sprayed the rest of the room, unfortunately getting some of that spray on the door as well. Had sprayed the door, as well as the back of the bookcase, where I actually saw a bit of mold, with that other kind of spray, purchased for the top of the kitchen cabinet back then, and had wanted to wait a while before wiping, but I rushed to wipe the door then, yet some quite obvious traces were left even so.
After being fine while I worked, I seemed to have done something to my back as I was getting ready to leave, but it wasn’t too bad, my right ankle worrying me more, as it had bothered me all day, probably due to all the pushing, and it still bothered me the next day as well. But, to get back to leaving, did so around 6:05 PM, not having any plan at first, just meaning to wander around, having dad’s metro card too, yet as I was going out he asked whether I needed money and gave me a fair bit, so I first went to Supeco again, getting a few things, then to this pharmacy for toothpaste and also to the Carrefour from that area. Wondered whether to walk from Supeco to the pharmacy, but decided to go to the next metro station and take it for one stop, yet ended up getting on the wrong one, seeing one already there and rushing in without looking well enough. Don’t think I lost time though, since the other one was just coming in when this one reached the next station, so I could change there and I guess that’d have been the one I’d have taken either way. So I got to that pharmacy, waiting in quite a line but finding a 0.50 RON coin on my way out, then passed through the farmers’ market and was surprised to see quite a few still there, ending up getting some cheap apples from one, though it was about 8:30 PM and I thought that market closed at 7 PM and had seen plenty leave even around 6 PM in the past. Then waited in another long line to get a few more things from that Carrefour and walked back, entering the building at 9:40 PM.
Since I couldn’t exactly vacuum at night, I rushed to gather the stuff I had placed on the floor, to protect it from the spray to some extent, then vacuumed the areas that’d normally be under the bookcase and bed. Eventually got to the kitchen to eat, but first washed some of the stuff dad had left and “managed” to hit the large cast iron pot he had bought some time after I dropped the old, smaller one and smashed the enamel. It only fell a few centimeters as it slipped from my hands, but it struck the edge of another pot that was in the sink and I saw a crack on the enamel, though at least it’s just on the outside… And then nothing else fell when I got back to my room after eating, moved the bookcase back, put the books on the floor, changed the sheets, turned over the mattress and moved the bed back as well. It was a bit past 4 AM when I finally went to shower and around 4:45 AM when I finished, so I just quickly checked something on-line and went to bed.

Saturday I went to the Botanical Garden, using that found metro card, since dad needed his. Left at 4:55 PM and was through the gate at 5:40 PM, after standing around for a couple of minutes, since I thought I was too early and couldn’t immediately see the person we were supposed to go to. But she was there, sitting on a bench, and quite a number of others had already arrived, judging by the marks on the list, so I also made my way to Magnolia Alley, though I did so slowly and also had a quick look at something on the way. The event was only supposed to start at 6 PM, after all.
The event in question was the inauguration of Magnolia Alley, as part of the planned Taxonomic Sector, the volunteers who took part in creating the area over the past few years being invited. It was said that a total of about 1800 people took part, but about 100 attended. This inauguration had already been postponed twice due to the weather, or at least due to the forecast, and even that evening there was supposed to be a 40-45% risk of thunderstorms, but the weather held just fine. Unfortunately, the Black Tulip magnolia, which was supposed to be the centerpiece, was chopped in half by some asshole the week before, so it was moved in front of the entrance to the sector and replaced.
Also unfortunately, for me personally, while this time I didn’t forget the camera anymore, the battery was low, leading to what I say is the problem with the fact that you can find pretty much no cameras that still use AA batteries anymore. It tricked me too, showing two lines out of three when I left, but that was apparently a false reading, as I got a low battery warning as soon as I took the first picture and it only worked until the more formal part ended and the volunteers were invited to serve themselves from the sweets, snacks and drinks that were available, take pictures, take a potted plant and so on. So I once again had to make do with my phone after that point, so the image quality of the pictures I took suddenly turns to crap. Still, ate a lot of sweets, actually feeling a bit nauseous after that, and also worried about having eaten with unwashed hands, and took my time to take pictures of all the other plants that were there as well, leaving the sector at 7:15 PM. Was sure glad that I had clothes that protected me, considering the number of mosquitoes and how badly bitten the others were.

Speaking of mosquitoes, I do seem to have at least one bite, but I actually didn’t notice it then, and I remember that I woke up with an itch in that spot when I was napping, though I forgot whether that was Sunday or Monday. It also looks odd, quite red and seeming to get larger, so it is a bit worrying and I’ll keep my eyes on it. But the mosquitoes themselves definitely are a concern, possibly even the main one, for the long night run I’m seriously considering taking part in. I might manage to do without buying anything else until then otherwise, but if I am to attend it, I’m tempted to go look for some spray or lotion to protect myself, though if I’m to use it before leaving it definitely won’t protect me all the way to the end and I don’t think I’ll carry it with me.
I just noticed this event before going to eat Monday night, though it’s apparently the third year, and while it’s quite insane and I haven’t signed up yet, I’m quite sure I will. I mean, I keep saying there should be a night run here, and while I’m referring to an actual marathon, or at least half marathon, taking place late in the evening or at night, this is interesting enough. It’s nothing official and also not competitive, so the roads won’t be closed, we’ll just run on sidewalks and through parks and the pedestrian areas of the Old Town, so there will be waiting at stoplights and the pace will be slow, with everyone needing to stay in a group and adapt to the slowest ones that want to continue, though at the same time anyone is free to come and go whenever they please. There will also be no actual refreshment points, but instead four places where we will stop to take water, needing to have bottles with us for that since they want to discourage the use of single-use plastics, a longer break being planned when we’ll reach the first such place, with some sponsored talk about nutrition taking place then. The route is also not fixed, the planned one having some 40 km but some parts of it not being clearly specified even now and a note making it clear that, depending on the conditions and the speed of the slowest participants, parts may be cut in order to reach the finish area at the scheduled time, around 5:30 AM.
With people being told to gather at 8:30 PM and the start scheduled for 9:30 PM, that means a total of eight hours, making it possible to complete the entire route, since I see that last year they covered 34.3 km in seven hours. That does make it seem that they just walked, averaging less than 5 km/h, but they say that they’re aiming for 7.5-10 km/h while running, the average dropping due to all the stops, and early on I guess there will be many of them, considering the traffic and the first part of the route, which is completely on roads, or more exactly sidewalks. There will apparently also be a lot of stairs to climb late at night, likely close to 3 AM, in Carol Park, so after much of the distance would have already been covered and people will be very tired.
What’s nice is that the start location is this nearby mall where that Carrefour also is, so I’ll just walk there. The finish is at the National Library, so I could use a metro card to get back, but could also walk, even after covering such a distance, since I doubt I’ll have dad’s card then and, either way, one clear problem is that I’d rather not take anything with me other than something for water, which I’ll need to have on me. They do say that participants will be able to leave their stuff at the start and it will be carried straight to the finish, so if they drop out they won’t be able to retrieve their things unless they go there anyway, and possibly around the scheduled finish time, but I’m rather wary. Also, my phone credit is expired and right now I can’t fit charging it again in the budget, and it’s not like having my phone wait for me at the finish will do much good, any problems being likely to appear on the way. Could consider taking the camera, but then again, probably not. As for shoes and another t-shirt, those may be useful, but at the same time not really needed and probably too much trouble under the circumstances.

I didn’t run this week so far and, if I’m to take part in that event, I won’t. However, have a new record for squats, 2:20, managed both yesterday and today! Just a second better than the previous one, but it counts. My left hip bothered me again while pushing that hard, and had done so Monday as well, when the time was around 2:25, though there was a replay just then and I therefore can’t be absolutely certain. Sunday it was 2:32.

Otherwise, I wonder if something happened with the cable used for the cameras as I moved the computer, since Saturday I assumed that I got an unrecognized device notification when connecting the camera after coming back from the Botanical Garden because the battery was so low and it was turning off, and it worked after I charged it, but now I used the old one for something and it happened again, twice. Yes, this had pretty much empty batteries in it too, but it wasn’t turning off, and after I pushed the cable in better and tried again it worked, though I didn’t feel it move at all when I did push.
And while I’m at computer issues, yesterday Vivaldi gave me the dead bird error twice, once on a GOG.com game page, and once when I tried to enter Carrefour’s anniversary contest game. That game page had loaded properly at first, but then I wrote a message in another tab, it likely unloaded, and then I saw that when it tried to load again. Since I had never seen that before, looked it up and saw that it’s some generic crash image, either caused by video or by a detected memory leak, or possible other issues as well, and refreshing the page worked just fine. However, refreshing that game led to the session being considered as completed, with zero points, so no chance to win anything, and while they say that the game is meant for mobiles, and you even need to show any discount codes won directly on your mobile, screenshots not being accepted, so I’m not even sure how I could use one if I would win it, it was quite odd to have that happen twice on the same day when it had never happened before and I hadn’t changed anything then. Granted, didn’t use Vivaldi much before, only started to use it more regularly these days, after getting signed out of GOG.com on Internet Explorer, but still…

Finally sprayed in my room Thursday and Friday, but the books are still on the floor and the boxes under and around the desk, so I can’t even sit here properly, and since I want to throw something here quickly to avoid another Sunday update, I’ll just stop Wednesday for now. The one exception I’ll make is to mention that last evening I managed to post the quick review for the book I had finished the previous evening, again in both Romanian and English in the version on Goodreads, just before midnight, and then immediately after midnight I checked the GOG.com forum and saw that I had won another game, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, from the same guy who does these massive giveaways. Meant to not enter this one, feeling embarrassed enough over all I had won from him so far, which I listed last time, but since I ended up posting in the thread anyway, decided to just enter for this one game, and then for one more when he added it to the list, and I was again one of the winners. If I counted correctly, there were 27 entries for this game and four copies, so it was quite popular, though I don’t know in which order the winners were selected, since he says he tends to start with the games he considers most popular and go down from there, and therefore how many of the others had already won something before then. But it would appear that I was the first drawn for it anyway. Also saw that I had received the code at 5:50 PM, but since it was after midnight when I redeemed it, I’ll consider it as obtained on June 15.

Speaking of that forum, something happened as I got on-line Monday, opening it right after I had the antivirus update and finding myself signed out. I was opening topics in new tabs, the first two, opened while it was still downloading the updates, were normal, but then it started installing the updates and I found myself signed out in the next ones opened. At first it somehow still remembered that I’m using the light theme, but then I guess something happened to that cookie as well and it reverted to the default dark theme. And since, while the old parts of the site, including the forums, still work, and more recently even some game pages started working again, signing on GOG.com remains completely impossible in Internet Explorer, I now have to open Vivaldi whenever I go there and not just when I want to check the front page or a game page that still doesn’t work.
For that reason, though nothing else seemed affected, Wednesday evening I tried to restore the cookies from last month’s backup, by first looking up how you can get individual files from such a backup, then simply copying those old ones in the cookie folder, after moving the existing ones away. Yes, that means I simply copied the current cookie files elsewhere instead of using the export function, forgetting it exists despite having been reminded of it as I was looking up other options… And since simply copying the old files made IE act as if cookies had been cleared and it maintained that behavior after I copied the current ones back, I actually had to clear the cookies and sign back on everywhere that evening, which was quite a pain, and some of the ads I’ve been getting since then are annoying too. Also, wonder if something else broke in the process…

Since I just took a break to do what actually were yesterday’s squats, since I didn’t do any then, should also mention that I only timed them Sunday and Monday, the time being 2:35 and 2:31, respectively. But the more important bit when it comes to being active was Wednesday’s run, when the time was 48:23, with sector times of 4:20, 4:32, 6:06, 4:30, 5:04, 5:58, 4:34, 5:14, 6:11 and 1:54, making for lap times of 14:58, 15:32 and 15:59. The exact times I saw were 48:23.43, with sector times of 4:20.62, 4:31.47, 6:06.46, 4:29.59, 5:04.08, 5:58.09, 4:34.56, 5:13.26, 6:11.20 and 1:54.10, making for lap times of 14:58.55, 15:31.76 and 15:59.02. Wanted to push on the first lap’s second sector, to have a proper new record for it and also be absolutely certain of it, so I did that and managed to beat last week’s by ten seconds. Considering the exact time, it was actually close to 11 seconds, and if I’d have stopped the stopwatch a tenth earlier I’d have been able to list it as such, but as it is, I’ll have to make do with this and know that I could still do at least a little bit better, since I went around a few people and also didn’t quite choose the shortest way under the bridge, at the end.
Wanted to go out early, seeing a high of 31°C, but after eating a salad with tomatoes in it at night, I first woke up to pee at 7 AM, which was too early. Woke up again at 10:05 AM, but waited for dad to leave first, and was eventually leaving at 11:45 AM, starting to run exactly at noon. It was indeed rather hot, sunny, and the wind was a bit of an issue too. I guess it also helped a bit with the cooling, but it remained an issue in a few areas. But, of course, the main problem was pushing so hard so soon, which left me needing to struggle to finish. I guess I had a little bit of help in the form of someone to chase for part of sector two of lap two, but then I maintained that pace for the next sector as well and in general I stuck to my targets almost perfectly, having aimed for 15 minutes for the first lap, 15:30 for the second and 16 for the third. Did rather hope for a faster sector three of lap three and pretty much the same total time as last week, but that didn’t work out.

On the way to the park and back, saw how the mayor is completing the destruction of a good part of the green spaces on either side of that street, as part of his campaign to do so all over the Sector, creating parking spaces where the sidewalks used to be and new sidewalks, paved with the same pink stone he’s so fond of, where the gardens in front of buildings used to be. The trees are left standing, but encased like that and with who knows how much damage to the roots, they don’t tend to last long once this is done, and everything else in the part of those gardens that ends up being paved is obviously gone. This area had actually escaped for quite some time, but I guess it was only a matter of time, especially after they had started on one side and reached a certain point. Hardly anything will be left of this Sector’s greenery, at least when it comes to the more or less natural areas, mature trees and these gardens, and the fucker still brags about this being the greenest Sector and even the greenest urban area in Romania!

After coming back from the run, grabbed something to eat, made another tea, showered and went back out just after 3:05 PM, heading for Arcul de Triumf and entering it around 3:50 PM. After having been unable to visit it back in April and then seeing that it remained open on the same terms, with a book as the “entrance fee”, until June 15, I kept saying I’ll go and hadn’t until then, so it was pretty much my last chance, considering that I had stuff to do the following days.
Interestingly, though I obviously took a book with me to donate, along with the one I was reading, nobody was at the entrance when I entered, right after two young women, so I just walked right in. The three of us were the only ones there at the time, and it’s a good thing they came when they did because it’d have felt awfully weird to be there all alone. Unfortunately, when I got to the top and saw the view, I realized I really should have taken the camera and didn’t. Had told myself to get it but completely forgot when I went out of my room, so I just had my phone to work with and that didn’t do such a view justice. Still, did what I could, finished looking at what was inside as well, then went back out… Only to see that someone was at the entrance then, but I wasn’t about to go to her and ask whether I should give her the book now that I was already out, so I had a good look all around the place too and then left, along with the two women, who were right behind me. Got back at 4:55 PM, with a chapter and a bit of the book read on the metro, on the way there and back.

As for Tuesday, the original plan was to spray my room then, or at least do the first part, with the rest of it done Thursday, but there was a storm that lasted until morning and the forecast mentioned occasional storms until evening as well. Of course, these days tossing a coin has a similar chance of being accurate when it comes to the weather as the forecast, so it barely dripped a few times and there were moments when it was even somewhat sunny, but dad said it’d be better to wait for a drier day and I agreed, which led to doing it Thursday and Friday and being left with the stuff lying around even now. But at least the actual work is done, and I hope I won’t need to do it again until next year.
Either way, still had to buy some stuff Tuesday, so at 2:25 PM I was heading out, also taking some plastic bottles and cans, as well as the book. Took the free bus to Auchan, reading on the way, but when I got there I saw that the recycling machine was full, and when I tried to ask a guard to call someone to empty it he didn’t even let me finish. He was talking to someone on the headset and I didn’t get to say what I wanted emptied before he just nodded impatiently and pointed just as impatiently in what I thought was the direction of the machine, making me assume that he had already called someone and was telling me to just get back there and wait. However, after finishing a chapter while standing around the corner, I wandered around for a while and eventually, half an hour after asking him, or trying to ask him, to call someone, gave up, leaving the stuff on the machine and going in the store, gesturing at him as I walked past but not actually saying anything. Considering the reduced rewards, what I had was just worth 0.40 RON, but if they’re just left there I’m not even sure they’re dropped off in the right place, and either way everything I left was still on the machine as I went back out, having bought just one thing. Was looking at a few other things, but since I was ignored like that, it was my way to show my displeasure.
The thing is that I walked back from there, heading for this other farmers’ market where there’s that store that I can get that bio (organic) yogurt from even cheaper, so I could have taken the bottles and cans back and tried to use the machine that’s there. Still don’t know how that works when it comes to the rewards, it may require going to some recycling center with the receipt if you don’t want to donate the amount, which would be too much trouble and downright awkward for such small amounts, but I could have at least found out, and donated the amount in that case. But I didn’t even really think about it, just going there, buying one more of those buckets, plus some green onions from the market itself. Then got back here, dropped off the stuff and went right back out to the Kaufland and Carrefour from this area, also taking the things I assume are best dropped off at Kaufland. Then got what I wanted from each of those as well and was back here at 6:50 PM.