I really felt low after the trip - it was OK as far as the airport in Larnaca, I have a very nice taxi-driver, who came with me to check-in and saved me hundreds of euros in excess baggage charges, I was allowed to take five suitcases on without having to pay extra. It helped that the check-in guy was one I had met before.

But in Paris, the driver was a total pain in the neck who grumbled about each and every case he had to take up the stairs. I was exhausted with listening to it, after I had specifically told the company it was four flights without an elevator, and I had a lot of luggage. and it was cold and raining, and my flat was disordered, and even more so after the addition of the luggage.

So I've spent most of the past three days, either asleep, reading or watching DVDs - I've watched "Love in A Cold Climate" (the 2000 version, not as good as the earlier one or the books) and "Lost in Austen", which I highly recommend.

Now I have woken up a bit, and am getting used to the cold again - goodness, it is freezing - so I shall start working again on the stuff I brought home with me. I'm going to do my Christmas shopping today, all the shops are open.