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Sunday 25 September

Rented 'The Butterfly Effect'. Creepy but great movie.

Saturday 24 September

Well. I just had an odd sms. Background; there is this Liberian fellow who chatted to me in the park when I was dancing one night.

It was an odd meeting. He came up to me as I was dancing and started dancing 'with' me, in that way that blokes do. That was fine. The music finished and he stood talking to me. He then got a bit het up when he overheard some trendily dressed women being catty about my figure in French. He asked me why it didn't upset me. I didn't bother saying that I didn't really understand what they were saying, but said that I didn't care what they were saying, because I was having fun and I didn't care what they thought. He seemed rather puzzled by this reply and was really quite upset about it. He kept saying that even though I am fat he still liked me - a rather odd way to try to win a girl's heart don't you think? We chatted and despite these strange statements, I got on quite well with him.

I met him again for another date; at a concert this time. Again he made some comment at some stage in the evening about liking me despite my figure. I decided that although he was articulate, reasonably cute and intelligent, I would rather be with someone who thinks I am rather sexy just the way I am. As it was, he then called me to tell me that he thought I should know that he a) was falling in love with me and b) has a wife and two children.

Well, unsurprisingly I told him that I am totally uninterested in being together with someone who is otherwise taken. He said he was ok with us being friends. I somewhat reluctantly agreed to meet for coffee with him, unconvinced that he was actually going to be ok with just friends. As suspected he wanted to kiss me, but was reasonably gracious about me saying no. Later he followed up with phone call after phone call and sms after sms. I told him that I thought it was clear we obviously couldn't be just friends. I told him to put his energy into making things work with his wife. He apologised and promised to just be friendly.

He went away for a weeks holidays and I was actually rather glad of it, as it meant a week without calls or messages. He got back last night. Called me, and we chatted a bit. I explained that I wasn't well, and we parted. Well tonight he sent me an sms. Hows this? "Hello my dear friend I like u very much but my friends who met you at the park told me I should forget u because u are too fat but I told them no because u are the best good night"

Funnily enough I didn't take this as a giant compliment. I mean, why did he feel the need to tell me that? To let me know that despite it he likes me? I have decided he can go ***k himself and sent him a return message asking him not to contact me again, that I would prefer to find someone who liked me for myself.

Thursday 22 September

Made a dumb mistake yesterday at work. My colleague called to say that she had found some stationery in an unused office that she did not need and that she knew I use. Great news. I went down and collected it. It was covered in dust but I didn't think about that. I loaded it up onto a trolley, took it upstairs then sat on the floor and put the paper in the stationery cupboard. Not a difficult task eh? I can hear your thoughts... I hurt my back. Nope. Nothing like that. No problems with the back. But as I sat on the floor putting the paper in the cupboard, I said to my friend James "James I have just realised that this was a dumb idea. I am violently allergic to dust". Sure enough, exactly 12 hours later, my nose started dripping and I began sneezing. Oh well, if thats the worst of it I'll be fine... Nope. This morning I woke up with my face looking like the moon. Completely spherical, with an extraordinary double chin. Swallowing hurts and my ears ache. My eyes are puffed up and red and I feel like someone smacked me in the face with a board. Unbelievable eh? All that for putting paper in a cupboard. Sheesh!

Sunday 18 September

Having a quiet weekend this weekend, I thought I should catch up a little on my webpage: give you more than just a few teaser photographs of my long weekend. In actual fact I spent most of my time working on the website of my friend Phillipe: www.baldacchinoart.net.

But that is not to say I didn't do some stuff for you.

I was particularly fascinated by the painting shown below. The clear play on light of the two people's faces surprised me greatly. I had thought that sort of perspective didn't come into use until a long time later than this. This painting is dated 1435.

Sunday 11 September

Well I did it again. Took a few days off and did far too much to be able to describe in one journal entry and took far too many photos to show you!

Basically, I went to:

• Dijon: not a bad joint and with some pretty interesting stuff in the musee des beaux arts;
• Gilly-les-Citeaux, which has a spectacular hotel in what was an Abbey, & a pretty church;
• Chateau du Clos de Veugeot, with its impressive wine presses;
• Beaune: WOW. The Hotel de Dieu is spectacular and has some interesting pieces in it, including lovely tapestries and chests;
• Dole; a massive cathedral with a small but excellent musee;
• Morez: museum of eyeglasses, you can just imagine hows excited I got about that! Sadly the reality was a little disappointing, but still quite interesting.

A quiet weekend.. much needed. I did go out for dinner on Friday night with a friend, but that was about all. I did go for a walk in the evening on Saturday. Its wonderful to be able to go for a walk around the lake at night, enjoying the cool air, listening to the gentle splash of water and seeing the lights dancing on the other side.

Next weekend is Jeune Genevois; a four day weekend. So I should have some adventures to relate soon!