Moving in and out

My goodness, what a week it's been. It started out with me still not feeling well and having to go to yet another GP for some more antibiotics. I insisted he give me a dose equal to the hospital. Money just flies out the window with nothing to show for it, other than that I am able to write to you, dear Reader. Now that I have a social security card I must work out how to claim back some of the expense but the big hospital bill remains. I try not to think about how that money might have been spent while Laura is with me later this year-sigh!

Then my boss informed me I must move out of my studio for a bit because he is having some insurance hassles. He had a problem at his house a few weeks ago so the insurance company is checking he's not hiding anything at my place. Everything of mine of any value had to go.

I found that distressing. I've been trying to get settled and am forever waiting for his big stuff to be taken out so I can have the space I pay for. I understand he needs to keep his assessment low and so my stuff had to go but I had to spend my evenings packing up with almost no packing materials, hand over my keys so my boss and the insurance company could come in and look at what was left (I wasn't present), go live with his second-in-charge and his family for a night, risk damage to my few precious possession while guys uplifted them and put them in a van, farm out stuff with Camille, and then get everything back and connect up my electronics and unpack my stuff again. Imagine how I felt- invasion of privacy, moving in and out of the same little studio twice in 4 months. I really hope I can have my own life now and be allowed to settle. I hope I can have some peace and quiet to get well. And I hope my boss gets fair treatment from his insurance company after all this.

The up-side of this was that I got to get to know a colleague better, along with his wife and their cute little daughter. He is a key person  where I work and the website I'm working on is one of his 'babies'.

Having to move out meant I could not meet commitments I had to teach English in Paris to a couple of groups. It's volontary but I thought helping out might be good for meeting people. Maybe next week or next month.

On Thursday Damien picked me up from work and we visited Montmartre in Paris. I was surprised at how small the cathedral is inside . It's nice but not exceptional though the view from the hill is probably lovely in daytime and in summer. There is no photography allowed inside. The weather was so horribly cold it was very unpleasant to be outside so we didn't linger but headed for a touristy restaurant on the Place du Tertre which is where all the artists congregate in summer. It's empty and sad looking in winter though. My entrecote steak was well done to perfection-the benefit of dealing with tourists I guess but the down-side was the profiteroles - touristy and defrosted-not fresh and not worth ordering. Profiteroles-decent ones- are becoming hard to find in french restaurants.

After a pleasant evening at the restaurant Damien kindly drove me all the way home to Cafeolait-a good 2 hours each way. He's gentlemanly and generous and I manage to keep up a conversation with him for several hours - we have a fair bit in common.

Next post I'll show you the wonderful castle of Chantilly.