Freaking out

Ever had a day where things are just freaking you out? All was well until I went to have lunch with a colleague and we sat outside a cafe where pigeons were abundant. First I tried moving my chair while sitting on it, and because it was one of those wooden slat/foldy ones immediately got a finger wedged under the seat which caused a nasty, bleeding cut.

Then a persistent pigeon not only wouldn't move away from our table but actually hopped onto it and started nosing into my salad! It scared the crap out of me! We shooed it away but it just wouldn't go! We quickly grabbed our trays and headed inside. I was shaking for the next 5 minutes.

Then I got back to work to find emails from clients asking about the work I was meant to have finished today. (The key client was away so I figured I could get away with having it done by the time he got back. Ok, so I've been completely burned out by work and have been taking it easy since my huge deadline - I'm only human!) So that caused the heart rate to go a bit silly-fast.

Then I thought Ben had invited all these people I didn't know to our housewarming and had a little freak about that too (I was wrong and I apologised).

So all in all, I've had about enough shocks for one day! I feel emotionally bruised and my finger still hurts :( I just want to go home and cuddle my giant toy monkey...

Moved and (almost) settled

Well, we are now living in Barnsbury in our lovely new flat. We've been there just about 2 weeks now. The move went really well - can definitely recommend man with a van to do the job. They weren't the cheapest, but were very friendly, efficient and careful, and were English-speaking to boot (always reassuring)! We managed one truckload, plus a short extra trip to the storage depot, and had everything moved within 4 hours, which is brilliant.

So the last 2 weeks have been spent shopping, and sorting stuff in the flat. There were a few hitches (and still are in some cases) with things not quite working as they should, but we're hopefully getting on top of them. Poor Ben has learned to cope without TV and internet... and that's saying something! Importantly, our washing machine just got fixed so we can start assailing our mountain of dirty clothes (which won't be helped much by our trip to Amsterdam this weekend). We've done the department store/kitchen shopping trip, and the home/gardening equipment shopping trip, now all that's left is a furniture shopping trip (you guessed it, Ikea). We had an abortive attempt last weekend, but didn't have all the measurements we needed (d'oh!) so it will have to wait till next weekend.

The housewarming invite has gone out... if any overseas friends are in London on Saturday 1st December, please let me know! The theme is fridge magnets (I am indulging a long-held wish of mine)! Hopefully we'll end up with a fridge completely covered in them. :)

I'm not providing photos of the new flat yet, as there are still boxes of things everywhere. When we get our furniture, and everything's been put away, and it's all pretty-like, I promise you some snaps!

It's a really nice flat, and I'm really happy with it and in it. I think Ben is too. :)

I think I can, I think I can...

Remember 'The Little Train That Could'? That used to be a favourite childhood book of mine. I feel like that little train right now, chugging its way up an enormous mountain, saying "I think I can, I think I can".... I'm ill, have a mountain (ok, maybe just a large hill) of work to get done by Wednesday, am moving house at the weekend, and just made it through a personal crisis. The Universe always seems to give me opportunities to multi-task! hehe

Anyway, wish me well as I chug away, tissues, lemsips, wireframes and bubble wrap in hand...

Belle de Jour, anyone?

Not sure if "Secret Diary of a Call Girl" has made it to Oz, as it's a TV series based on a book which is based on the real-life blog of a London call girl (point being, it's London-based). Anyway it's had a lot of publicity over here, particularly as Billie Piper plays the lead role. Remember the song "Honey to the Bee", released years ago? Yep it's the same Billie, a British favourite after her role as Rose in Dr. Who.

On a whim, I thought I'd check out this so-called blog. Yep, it's real. And, my God, is it hilarious or what? This girl should write professionally (well, I guess she has). I can't remember laughing so much in one afternoon. Needless to say the TV series doesn't *quite* cover the range and depth of raunch the blog does. I'm going to try and read all of Belle's blog entries. From 2003. Bottoms up! hehe

Moves, and more moves

Gee has it been that long since I wrote a blog entry? Tut, tut. I didn't mean for it to be so long between posts. But as you'll soon hear, things have been fairly demanding lately.

Firstly I finally left my beloved Stoke Newington at the end of September :( It was kind of emotional, especially as Lorraine and I had developed an attachment. But I'll be going back periodically, to collect mail, get my hair cut, and catch up with Lorraine. Ben and Jon helped me move half of my stuff (as well as some of theirs) into storage, and the other half into their place in Borough. Eleanor (Jon's gf) had moved in a few days before, so I'm sure the boys had a lot to get used to in a short space of time! Given that they'd not had a cleaner in the entire year they've been here, and aren't the cleaning types, one of the first things Eleanor and I did was to give the flat a good clean. (We're still waiting for the boys to clean the oven and the toilet, 3 weeks later). Despite that, it's been really great living under the same roof as my Benjy, and seeing him every night :) It's also been nice sharing a place with Jon and Eleanor - they're good mates and we always have great conversations.

Ben and I move into our new place in Barnsbury next weekend. I can't believe my month in Borough is almost up! We're very excited though... it's going to be so much fun to finally have our own place and furnish it and sort stuff. (I love sorting stuff, in case anyone was wondering... I've mildly considered becoming a professional 'sorter' at times). We're having our housewarming on December 1st. Invite is pending.

So, one move down, one to go. Almost. Because in the meantime, my workplace has moved too! Yes, Flow Interactive now have a new (and not fully finished) office in Clerkenwell - a much more 'happening' suburb than Highbury & Islington - not nearly so residential, and much closer to central bars, restaurants and the CBD or "City" as it's called here.

So needless to say, getting used to new routines has been the theme of the month. Add to that a crazy work schedule, travelling with the mobile lab, fitting in physio appointments and you have one tired and run-down Mimi. I developed a cold last week but it seems to be disappearing, which is good. 'Cos I sure as hell can't afford any time off work at the moment!

You'll be pleased to hear my wrist is improving... it's no longer swollen and the mobility is much greater since I started physio. I'm not very disciplined at doing my exercises, but it's getting there nevertheless. I'm even going back to football on Monday, after a too-long absence - yay! Not in goal, though.. I doubt I'll be doing that for some months. Just on the pitch, in my old defence position. Let's see if I even remember how to play! ;)

For those more spiritually inclined, I have discovered Sonia Choquette and in doing so have found the next step in my personal development. I've also started seeing a homeopath and am trying to go 'alternative' wherever I can. So, all looking good on that front.

Right now I'm just really looking forward to moving into the new place, and settling into a proper routine. Unsurprisingly, I've been feeling a bit unsettled and all over the shop lately, and I just want a bit of regularity in my life. Fortunately, it's not far away :)

One last, but important, piece of news: my dear friend Zoe and her hubby Alasdair have moved to the UK! They're living in Bishop's Stortford, halfway between London and Cambridge (where their respective jobs are based). We caught up last weekend, and it was great. It's so good to know a good friend from home is just a short train ride away...

Cast-off!

Just a quickie to let you all know I got my cast taken off last Wednesday - yay! My wrist is till a little bruised and swollen, and very stiff, but generally on the mend. The specialist gave me a soft splint to wear on and off for another week, and I am trying to use my hand as much as possible without overdoing it.

You'll be pleased to hear I am now typing with two hands and am able to wash my hair with both hands too. Today was a major achievement - I bought a take-away coffee and was able to carry it in my left hand! Woo! No more missing out on my lovely store-bought morning coffee! Yay! :)

So all is progressing well. This week I am seeing a specialist in hospital again to check on progress, then after that a physio to get some exercises.

One weird thing: I have scratched all the skin on my left hand and wrist off, leaving a new, shiny and very sensitive skin underneath - when I feel something with my left hand, all the textures are amplified, making for interesting sensory experiences! :)

Ciao,
Mimi "The Hand" Iakovidis (as Ben has taken to calling me lately)

We got the flat!!!

Ok, I guess this needs some introduction.

Ben and I have been wanting to move in together for a while now but things like holidays and football injuries and date-coordinating with flatmates kept moving the dates later and later in the year.

But finally, a couple of weeks ago we started on the seemingly huge and daunting task of flat-hunting. We booked up the calendar with viewing dates and potential move dates, and started scouring the web and whoring ourselves out to estate agents. We weren't enjoying it much, and my current project hasn't made it easy for me to ring agents etc. so Ben was doing a lot of the calling around.

Anyway, on Saturday we sneakily double-booked to see a flat in Barnsbury and we really liked it! It was on a nice quiet circular street with a park in the middle, and it had a garden, loads of storage space, high ceilings and a few quirky features like lowered kitchen and bathroom. We went to see it again a couple of hours later, this time armed with a designer tape measure (we were in Islington and desperate - don't ask Ben how much it cost!). This time we were triple booked and the other people viewing it were making 'ooh I like it' noises so Ben and I ran outside and quickly called the agent to put an offer on it. Needless to say the property market in London is very competitive at the moment!

We had to wait in suspense all weekend because the agent couldn't get through to the landlord to confirm the offer. So this morning, while I was taking notes in yet another corporate interview, I noticed a text message and thought 'Omigod, it's from Ben, about the flat!' I had to concentrate really hard to keep focused on my work. When I finally read the message and it said "House is ours!!!" I was just so happy and relieved. Yayyyy! :)

Only minor negative is that the flat becomes available on the 24th of October and I promised my landlady (and flatmate) Lorraine I'd be out of here by the end of September. Besides, she's already lined up a new tenant. D'oh! So, I'll have to share Ben's room again for 3 weeks. Given that Ben's flatemate and his girlfriend will also be living there at the time it should be a nice little squeeze! But it will be well worth it. I'm already itching to get our new place all nice and shiny clean for our move! (I know, I have issues)

So, there will be a housewarming party, most likely in November. I'm warning you now - all invited will have to bring a fridge magnet. The more unusual and interesting the better. So you can start shopping for one now!