This week I have done practically nothing, either at home or at work............. no pictures to show! I've kept up with work, but that is about it, and I've put a few stitches into Victoria's Quaker and knitted a skein of Debbie Bliss Cashmere into my shawl that I want to wear on the plane. I now have three and a half skeins to go, not much, as each skein only contains about fifty meters, it really is an expensive yarn. It is a plain stocking stitch triangle with garter stitch borders, and the idea is that I can use it as a cover or fold it into an extra pillow on the plane, really quite utilitarian.

My last day at work here (for the moment) is in two weeks' time, I fly back to Paris on the Saturday. In a plane that is entirely booked out, even in business class, horrible. So I need to leave some stuff here in the office, I had better start bringing it in with me next week, as obviously I cannot take a lot of excess baggage on a crowded plane. I gather it is because of Easter (Greek Easter, that is). I hope my plane to NZ will not be too crowded, I already have my seat number, 15A, and it is by itself, thank goodness.

Of course the big news from here is the opening of the Ledra Street checkpoint - yesterday my hotel was full of reporters, I have never seen so many people there. And the tv news had hours of footage about it. It was all taking place about a kilometer away from chez moi, but I did not go there, still less attempt the crossing, it all looked far too crowded. Leo had wanted to, but he went home the night before. He would have been waiting for hours. And for what? They showed some views of the old town on the other side also, and it seems to be filled with junk shops. I don't think I'll be crossing any time soon, the other thing is, I don't speak a word of Turkish!