The days are flying by. We survived our ‘Hens Weekend’ with Anne, we finished up with the most amazing experience at our local hammam ‘Aux Bains Montorgeuil‘. It used to be the private Hammam of the King of Morocco when he visited Paris. Gorgeous, and to make it even better it’s about 3 minutes away by foot… means we can go regularly and sneak home still all oily from the Argan oil massage. Thats one Sunday a month planned for the next year or so! If you’re coming to visit, let me know and I’ll delay our monthly visit to co-incide with your trip… not that I really need an excuse. Sorry guys, women only, unless you want to hire it out completely for €500.

The weekend just passed we had Cinta here to visit from Australia via Switzerland. We’ve known Cinta since she was studying back in Montreal in 1999, she now lives in Switzerland and she popped up to visit while Jorge was here from Mexico (whom we also met through Cinta in Montreal). We had a great meal for 8 here on Friday night – thanks to Nico preparing the Ravioles from Valence and Di’s amazing pannacotta – followed by a busy Saturday eating and drinking. Starting with a wine tasting at the Repaire du Bachus on the rue Montorgeuil, a bit of wandering around, we had lunch at a Corse cafe, quick trip to the Pompidou Centre then plenty of champagne for an apperitif back here. Around 7pm we said goodbye to the young’uns and hung about here having a quiet dinner with Anne & Olivier until 2am. Brunch at Liza’s on Sunday was great. I wouldn’t call it the ‘best brunch in Paris’ like I’ve read elsewhere, but it was good. Since Lebanese is Michelle’s favorite it was every bit as special for her, even if she did decide to take lamb tartar, raw lamb livers and meatballs, swished down with Arak for breakfast. Nevermind.

I’ve been busy finalising accommodation for our summer holidays over the last day or two, and then today I installed my new tank of a printer. It’s a HP monster, HUGE, I’ve managed two prints only so far, but I’m very impressed, I didn’t even have to do any tweaking… now all I need is time to start organising my prints. The rest of the week is going to be used to finish up stuff ready for my departure to Ansouis on Saturday. I’m spending a week in Provence on my own on a photography course. I can’t wait. I’ve rented an apartment in the village on my own, no car, no phone – Michelle is busy filling her week with business trips to make sure she eats out most nights.

We’re both pooped, looking forward to our holiday in Quebec…

I’ve managed to find 2 minutes amongst a million and one games, questions, picnics, brunches, clubs, courses and wanders…

We’re in the midst of what the french lovingly call an ‘enterrement de vie de jeune fille’. It’s been planned to the last second, we’re 1 day down with another day to go. I managed to sneak out of the club tonight, leaving Michelle dancing to 80’s tunes with 500 other loud, drunk, and happy people – my excuse is I have to get up and go to the market to get the stuff ready for our midday start tomorrow. There’s no rest for the wicked. With any luck we’ll wind down around midnight tomorrow night.

The wedding is scheduled for July 19th!!! Plenty of time to recover…

Q. What’s wrong with this picture?…
No, she always drinks champagne. No, after a week in the sun, Michelle always goes that colour. No, the haircut is not new.

Give up?
A. Check out the shoes…. they’re not runners, they’re at least 3 inches tall!!!

We’re back in sunny Paris. It seems that as soon as we left the sun came out and it’s still shining. Paris is lovely in the springtime and this is a typical May in Paris. Last year at the same time we were still in leather jackets, it rained almost everyday, mum & Pete were here and the weather was lousy.

We got back from Malta, Gozo and London on Saturday, yesterday we spent the day washing clothes, getting rid of the 2 weeks dust that has built up, and cleaning windows so we catch as much of that sun as possible. I’ve a few more chores to finish, then I’ll tell you all about it.

Enjoy the weather!