Moving out of the kitchen

I am loving my new office space. I thought I would always end up back in the kitchen with computers and cables and paperwork getting in the way of eating. But no. It is great to walk out of the office and leave the computer there and have an empty kitchen table to sit down and eat at or sit around to talk without computer distractions. I hope it lasts. I hope the Mac doesn't start creeping back into the kitchen.

I realised this today on two occasions. Firstly my neighbour from upstairs, Brigitte, came and had lunch with me and it was good not to have to clear all the crap away before being able to set the table and sit down to eat. Secondly, my good friends David and Pierre came in for a nightcap this evening on their way home and again we could sit down around the kitchen table without any of the clearing up or tidying away that has become the norm over the past year or so.

In fact, both sets of visitors were in awe of our fabulous office space. Both sets of visitors were in awe of the entire apartment and both sets of visitors expressed the view that perhaps we aren't charging enough for our weekend rentals or our daily rate. Brigitte knew what the place looked like before and she thinks the difference is enormous - she asked if the previous owner, M D'Arzac, had seen the renovations because she thought he would be astounded. My very good friends, despite my elaborate descriptions of the place to them, were totally blown away by it when they saw it first hand.

They all may be right. I have lived here now for the best part of a year and a half, on and off, and, probably, take the space and the grandeur a little bit for granted. When someone sees it for the first time I guess it is pretty impressive. I hope that when the first visitors start coming and taking back the news first hand of the beautiful, fabulous, opulent suites available for rent in Carcassonne, the news will spread - I certainly hope so.