Mad Week

I was rubbish at blog writing over the festive period and now it is 2008 already - too many guests and too much to do is my excuse though even I don't believe that for a moment.

It has been absolutely fabulous to have had Amy here for the past week and I am very sad that she is going home tomorrow. It feels so right to have her around, pulling me up on my bad habits and errant ways. She feels so much like an extension of me and I will miss her terribly - but she has her life to live and so back to her mum in Lincolnshire and then university in Lancaster she will go - with my deepest and dearest thoughts until the next time we can get together.

Out of the blue, Tim and Giovanna came to stay - nothing was planned, then Gio was coming, then they were both coming. They arrived on New Years Eve which turned into a dinner followed by nightclub type silliness which was followed by a slower early to bed night and then another over the top drunken 60's/70's/80's music night at home followed by a slower early to bed night and then departure tomorrow. It has been a bit all or nothing round here this week.

On the hungover calm days I seem to have spent my time driving which isn't good.

On New Years Day we drove down to Argeles to see Nick and Chris at their beach house where they always have a party on the sand to welcome in the new year. What could be better than being wrapped up in scarves and hats, sat round a brazier on the beach overlooking the Med and the Pyrenees - well, the sun could have been out for a start and we could have got there before all the soup was consumed. In fact, it was a glorious day until we got within 10km of the beach which was a bit of a shame and we were very late setting out on account of the big night the night before which meant that we were late arriving so of course all the soup had gone - but we drank champagne and ate cheese and baguette and sat around the fire and had a good chat with our friends so it was a journey well worth making.

Today I drove to Ikea in Toulouse to try and get the shelving that we need to put in the office. I say try because it wasn't altogether a successful trip and it wasn't just I because Amy came with me after Debrah refused to come on account of being sick in the night and her almighty hangover as a result of the vodka and tequila shots and the massive night we had 'chez moi'.

It was a most frustrating shopping trip in all respects - they didn't have all that we needed in stock and what they did have wouldn't fit in the car so I had to arrange a delivery and, basically, it was a complete balls up. We either have to go back or we have to arrange another delivery and none of it is ideal and just proves that you shouldn't try and do anything sensible the day after a massive blow out drunken night - even if you have got your sensible daughter with you, in fact, especially if you have got your sensible daughter with you because it makes you look even more of a fool.

A mad mad week - it is now pissing down outside and everyone has gone to bed. I think that is a good idea - goodnight.