JW = WMD

Yep, that´s me - a veritable cataclysm that, apparently, was just waiting to happen. Things are fine now (as the smile on the Pont Neuf indicates, thank goodness) but in the last week I´ve:

• Destroyed the wok B bought us before my arrival, without even having cooked with it. Apparently, the highest setting on the stove is actually higher than any normal substance can withstand. Who knew? Note to self: Don´t leave things unattended.

• Unintentionally dismantled (read: caused to come crashing down) the new shelves B bought to accommodate my stuff in the bedroom. They´re back up after some serious DIY but not without me wondering what was next.

• Caused B's laptop to malfunction in a seriously-not-good way (so THAT'S what was next!) So bad, in fact, it couldn't get to the log-on screen and instead stuck itself in a restarting loop. Ay. 3 days of missed work for her, 6 trips to Belleville and €80 for me later we finally have the laptop back. The worst thing was the missed working time for B. She´s trying so hard to get a landscaping career going and finally landed a gig designing a garden for a friend of a friend. Unfortunately, the time the computer was being repaired was the time she had put aside to do the Autocad and Photoshop work required for the job, which meant a lot of unnecessary stress and much hand-drawing of plans for her. Needless to say, I haven't felt like a particularly useful member of the global community lately and it's only in the last 24 hours or so that I've felt like I've made amends.

Anyway, this makes it sound like my time in Paris has been doom and gloom when it's actually been (barring the instances above) wonderful! I've had several "Ah!" moments:

• Watching pigeons (the really nice, big ones they have in Paris, not the dirty ones in Sydney) glide slowly on the morning breeze between the narrow rows of trees in the Jardin du Tuileries (while B was locating bins...a story for another time)

• Sitting across from a beautiful African woman and her daughter of about 5 on the metro. She had her chin resting on the head of the little girl, both had their eyes closed, and the mother had the most serene look on her face. When she opened her eyes I wonder if she was surprised to see most of the carriage looking at her with silent sighs?

• Finding a great Sth Vietnamese restaurant in the 13th today. I hadn't had Asian food in over 2 weeks so I just about stuck my head completely into the pho when it arrived. It's called 'Indochine' if anyone's in town and wants a great feed. We're definitely going back, hopefully with Axa and Jes, B's sister and brother-in-law.

So at the end of my first week in Paris I can honestly say I'm having a fantastic time. I don't feel at home in the city yet but I do feel comfortable and not like I'm a short-stay tourist. The people in Paris have been friendly and welcoming, proving to be the exceptions that change the rule; my pathetic attempts at French conversation haven't been met with scorn; and living with B has been a truly wonderful experience. I do miss friends and family and think of them every day, often several times, but I'm in love in a city designed for lovers and when I'm not burning down the kitchen it's a sublime existence.

I end this with an offering of Berocca to any Tsunami's feeling the effects of a big night out at the End of Season Party. I'm sorry I missed it and am dying to know who won what!