I arrived back on Saturday night as scheduled, goodness it seemed like a long trip and I was whacked when I got in. Since then I've spent most of my time clearing up stuff around the flat and doing housework, washing etc. I think I've mentioned my flat is only 29 square meters, which would have seemed unimaginably small to me when I lived in Melbourne, but actually there are people living in Paris in less than 20 square meters who would be very envious. Rents are not cheap, it costs nearly 1000€ a month. Apart from the size, the main disadvantage is the four flights of stairs, but there are advantages - bathtub, washing machine, dishwasher and a view of the Eiffel Tower (top half only). And of course the area is excellent, central, and just around the corner from busses and metro.

I've done a lot of rearranging stuff, I hauled all my stash out from under the desk, where it was in a motley array of boxes and bags, and some of it is now in new stacking drawers from Muji, a shop that is going to see more of me in the next week or so. Under the desk now are - my important papers (in France we have to keep everything for ever) in a three-drawer Muji cabinet, plus ten Muji shoe boxes with about twenty pairs of shoes in them, and a pile of charts that need another three-drawer box, I think. All my knitting wool is in a large basket that used to hold the shoes!

There are still quite a lot of bits and pieces to tidy up before I start on the wardrobe, that will be next weeks job, I guess. On my bed there is a huge pile of finished stitching, everything I've done for practically ever that hasn't been framed or given away, or isn't a small that has been assembled. Off to Loisirs and Creations tomorrow to buy a large artists portfolio for those! It's quite a challenge, but I am determined that, by the time I go back to work, the place will be in a tidy state once again. This will teach me not to go to Cyprus for nearly two years and just come back and put everything in piles once a month.

I made a facial appointment for Thursday morning, I am in withdrawal from the Alpine Spa, I miss being massaged and swimmimg every day. No chance here! For one thing, the weather is not great, still - this morning was nice, but now we are about to have a downpour. I went out to Bois D'Arcy to visit Plume de Paon this morning (nice shop, great selection of threads in particular - WDW, GAST, Crescent Colours, Soie d'Alger, Gloriana, Atalie, Soies de Marie, among others). I came back via Versailles and the place was crawling with tourists, at least it was decent weather for them then. I see a lot of American drowned rats in the neighbourhood these days, poor things.

At least I am now at a stage where I am not panicked about going back to work, I do feel a lot better physically and mentally. I still have moments where I think of ringing Mr Resources Director and asking if I can go to Poland too. I quite hope that our French client's Rumanian branch will decide to go ahead with our system, and then I could go there perhaps. It will also be a French speaking project. But Poland would be good, I think - guess who else I just heard was there?