Sledging, stookies, single-handed life and Boulevard Rabelais

So gentle readers, an overdue update from the new year until now:

Most of you will know that I broke my wrist just after the new year in a spectacular sledge jumping accident on Blackford hill.

After some colourful drugs and rather a lot of pain I returned to France on the 15th of January.

On the 22nd January (one week later) I moved out of my little room in Boutonnet student residence and stayed in transit with my friend Tiana until I moved into a lovely little flat with my friend Triin on the 26th.

During the 4 days at Tiana's I had a flying visit from Yasmeen Chaudhry :) It was lovely to show her the town, we also ate some amazing food, danced in the Antigone, and Yazz made some amazing fudge which very much impressed the company. It was also nice to have another Scots lassie around on Burn's night!

Now I'm safely settled in Boulevard Rabelais with a magic kitchen and just enough space on the roof for 3 or four friends and a dram or two. We had a bit of a flat-warming bash two sundays ago and crammed far too many of our friends into our tiny little flat, I counted 17 nationalities present. Sadly the flat hasn't stayed very warm, in fact it is decidedly freezing, which i'm sure we'll appreciate to its full advantage in the summer *er-hem* and anyways, at least we have plenty of excuses to drink lots of tea and eat lots of soup! :) both Triin and I are very fond of cooking and we've been eating about 5 times better than last semester for around half the cost, a combination of making shared meals, living 5 mins from Aldi and discovering the Figuerolles market which is all that a fruit and veg market should be and more.

Its been so lovely to have a friendly flatmate again and to have a home where other people like to come and hang out :)

In other news I've also started classes (3 weeks ago now), most of which are seem much more motivating than last semester which is good news. Another lovely bonus is that, although I am taking more credits then last semester, I still seem to have managed to keep my Fridays free :) this gives me more time for market shopping, clothes washing and assorted activities of a more adventurous nature.

Last weekend I joined a trip to Pont du Gard and Avignon with Emma, Sabine, Georgina, Lara, Tina and Suzanne. Much dancing on the bridge took place. There should be some photos on the snap-shot post that I made this afternoon.

Sadly Lara and Sabine were only here for one-semester and both headed back to Germany this week. Saying goodbyes was really sad, but it also has made me appreciate the friendships I've made and be grateful that I get to be here for another while yet.

well, that's all for now folks x

PS/ for your delectation and delight, and with the view that I should be getting my wrist freed from plaster cast on Tue morning, I present you with my soon-to-be best-seller:

Elsbeth Helfer's Guide to single-handed living

with the "how to survive single-handed" on subjects as diverse as:

1- Kitchen chaos: washing up, chopping veg, cake-making, cracking eggs (with tribute to Yasmeen Chaudhry and Audrey Hepburn), and a rough guide to tin openers and corkscrews.

2- Tying laces (needs a chapter all to itself), with special thanks to Becky Symes for her inspiration.

3- Moving out and moving in.

4- Adventure sports: midnight salsa with drunken icelanders, rooftop stargazing, silent-disco and city cycling.

5- Hints and tips for daily living: the low-down on the know-how for showers, bra clips, curby-grips, trams, groceries and the laundrette.

over.