Entre Les Murs

All Saints' Day Weekend

We're now nervously counting down the days until we receive our first guests.  My friend Aaron and his wife will arrive on the 11th of November, so we aim to have the apartment completely ready for visitors then - but will certainly at least have to have moved ourselves out of the guest room and into the master bedroom.

Since Tuesday the 1st is a statutory holiday, Toussaint, and Janet is taking Monday off, we have a four-day weekend to devote to our home.  With the kitchen, bedroom and hallway painted, we are now tackling the living room.  It's the most imposing task yet and visitors are well advised to say nothing about the ceiling.  (There are limits to how much we're willing to put into this place; it is rented after all.)  A large boost to our progress was received when our landlord finally cleaned out the cave.  I spent a good part of the day ferrying discarded packing materials and North American-voltage appliances into it, leaving a lot more space to work up here.

The master bedroom is finally ready for us, all except curtains - a crucial detail in this city, where neighbours are so close.  In fact, with our dining table (actually Janet's desk) of necessity shoved up against the window, we often entertain ourselves by keeping track of a couple in the building across the street who are likewise curtain-challenged.  We have dubbed them Guillaume and Genevieve, and have formed detailed (if very poorly-informed) opinions about their relationship, social life, dress, etc.

posted 30.10.05