Last Weekend

No, I have not been abducted by aliens, stranded on an island or kidnapped although at times it has felt like it when a seemingly brief IKEA visit turns into an hours-on-end-never-getting-out-of-here. To cut the long story short - I still live in boxes, but they're much fewer now, my fridge has more stuff in it, my dad forgot he's 50-something and (again cutting the long story short) ended up falling on his back in my staircase, I'm dead tired due to the amount of work and extra-curricular stuff I expose myself to and you can read up on what I was up to last weekend on T's blog. Just for the record, he was the one to call in late, Ariadna was in "full flare" 11.15 not 40 and I don't remember seeing any bananans ;-).

Contents

I have now moved in to my first very own flat! I got the keys on the 30th and with the help of Marty, Tymon, Michiel, Anders and daddy, I got the million things and thingies, my bed, my wine shelf and two chairs here last night. We had some muffins and tea before everyone went home and I was left with the excitement and boxes, suitcases and paper bags in the flat. So I started unpacking, and walking, and unpacking... until I got through three boxes and decided that 1 a.m. is a good time to quite. Especially since apart from the mentioned above I have no furniture, so I kind of ran out of space to put stuff too...

At the moment, I'm living in cardboard boxes, paper bags and suitcases, but the place is great (apart from the gas oven). In my fridge, you'll find sambal oelek, marcipan and cheese - the essentials of a well-balanced and healthy diet =). The living room looks like someone did a hit and run on a piñata. Well, almost.

My lamps are up, my Buddha lamp is by my bed, my orange beanbag is waiting patiently for a clean floor and I'm enjoying the 3 mobile internet connection. And going to bed - natti, natti!

Pah-Ree

Before mommy dearest arrived on Friday, I went for "a drink" with my high-school friend (whom I was visiting) and her former co-worker. Two shots and a drink later, and in a giddy mood I must add, I took the RER to the Charles de Gaulle airport. We went out again on Saturday, this time with other people, when I put mom to sleep at the hotel, but apart from my friend's company the night was far from being as memorable as Friday.

It was nice to see mom and we spent a fun weekend sightseeing, getting into the Eiffel Tower as a part of a Spanish group and thus skipping the huge line outside, eating delicious food (I especially recommend Chez Plumeau in Montmartre where we enjoyed excellent service, great food and music), enjoying wine and walking around. Mom getting "pick-pocketed" on the subway and the taxi arriving 30 min late to take us to the airport were the two less positive experiences, but luckily the **** that took her wallet didn't get much out of it.

Although this was my third time in this beautiful city, it was my first time in the back streets of Montmartre (up from the main street). They're intoxicating and charming, grasp your heart and never want to let you go! On every upcoming trip to Paris, this is where you'll find me - sipping on a glass of wine, munching on a local delicacy and wrapping up with a creme brulée =)

Bananas

I was about to miss my flight on Tuesday, also known as doing a Boris, but luckily it was late and I made it! Je suis arrivé à Paris on Tuesday night. I took a cab to my friend's place and surprisingly enough I arrived safely and in one piece. Surprisingly enough, because the Italian taxi driver needed a magnifying glass to see the map. No kidding.

The office here is on a roof top and in a room about the size of my bedroom. On Wednesday, the internet connection didn't really work whilst on Thursday the computer had a stroke light (causing me to have a panic attack light). Today, although it somehow made it through the day, I had more of the Devil wears Prada assignements and I've reached rather high levels of annoyance with an colleague who's an IQ light. Since my boss is off on a mini Sweden tour on Monday, I found a hire from a recruitment company within our group to drive my boss around Sweden on Monday. She's the recruitment director's mother. I also contacted the same guy twice from another persons e-mail and then had to blame it on on a jet lag to make him look as little of an arse as possible...

So, hurray to normality and have a great weekend!

Bisous