This morning: Hamburg and Harburg city centres

This morning, I was in the city centre for a doctor's appointment and so I took the opportunity to go to the public transport office which was just kitty-corner across from the practice. There, I had my ticket adjusted from "rings A and B" to only two zones (308 and 318) since I usually only travel in that area.

I thought that could only be done to the end of a month with 20 days' notice or something, so I was a bit surprised when he said the new ticket could be valid starting today, or tomorrow if we preferred. Stella suggested tomorrow since I needed to get to Harburg first and would need the greater range for that, but the worker there said it wouldn't make much difference -- if the new ticket is valid from today, I'd need an extension ticket to go back to Harburg but if it were valid from tomorrow, they'd deduct a bit more money for the one day with the larger range.

That turned out not to be quite so good a deal since I'll save about €20 a month, or about €20/30 ~ €0.65 a day, and an extension ticket costs twice that at €1.35. However, dating the new ticket from today meant that I would be able to take the ticket with me immediately and everything would be done right then and there, so I consented.

After that, I went to the post office to post some letters (one of them the application to my health insurance to cover some anti-allergic mattress covers which has been on my to-do list for nearly two months). Unfortunately, they didn't have the new price list which I also wanted. Had a bite to eat in the main station and then went to the bank.

There, I transferred a little money from my savings account to my current account for my web hosting costs which were due last month and had appeared on my credit card statement. My savings account is especially for annual payments such as that one so they wouldn't come out of my monthly expenses. I also tried to put money on my GeldKarte (chip card) but failed again. The lady behind the counter confirmed that the computer recorded a "machine failure" but said she couldn't load the money for me. She put it into a reader which successfully read the balance on the chip (zero) but suggested I try the other machine. I did and that worked. Oh well.

Since my bus had just left, I went to the Harburg post office; there was no queue there and I asked whether they had the new brochure with the new prices. I saw a small one with the most important prices but would prefer to have a complete one. Fortunately, they still had a couple in stock so I took one.

Then went to work where I arrived after lunch.

If in doubt, throw it out

This evening, I wanted to eat some salad (feta cheese, cucumber, and tomato) that Stella had made me yesterday.

Yesterday, I was feeling so full that I didn't eat it. I had planned to put it in the fridge overnight but forgot, so it stood on the kitchen table. The kitchen wasn't heated, so it was a bit cool in there and I hoped it would still be all right today.

But then I took the Tupperware container out, the lid was bulging, and I wasn't sure whether that is a bad sign or not. Maybe a temperature difference causing the air inside to expand? Or maybe gas-producing bacteria?

I tried a little of the cheese but my nose was stuffed so I couldn't taste much. I figured it might be better to just chuck it -- better safe than sorry.

Anyone have any idea what might have caused the lid to bulge? Is this a known result of food going bad?