Dear Diary

Ugh. I'm irritated with our living arrangements. Right now, the family that we told didn't exist upstairs is making noise. Not much, but enough to irritate me. I'm sure it doesn't help my day started at 6:30 a.m. when the Gardenier decided to clean out back. Of course, he seems to pay more attention to the area around the garbage then the walkway leading to our flat. But then again, nobody seems to care that it smells like tuna. Apparently, the restaurant spilled fish water in the entryway and decided not to clean it up. Maddie found it right away and decided to rub her head in it. I guess she likes Chicken of the Sea. A few hours later upon returning from the gym, I noticed more drippage up and down the entryway. Having inspected it closely, it was more fish juice. I had enough.

I ran upstairs, converted my outraged English into French, and posted signs around the building asking tenants to contact their landlord and not only complain to them directly, but also the restaurant. Since I can't talk to anyone face to face, I use pen and paper. I also called our relocation service to ask for their help.

God, won't those people upstairs go to bed? It's 10:43! I'm just not used to living under anyone. We always made sure we were the top floor. Here, you don't have much of a choice. The ones in the penthouse are the Oompa Loompas living in the "Land of the Lost." That wouldn't work for us either. But I need to relax. Maybe it's because I'm hungry.

I made a hamburger on Pan Complet tonight with a spinach and beet salad. It was delicious. One of the many new treats I've found in Paris. You buy the beets already cooked at the open market. No prep work. And again, they are tasty! But I ate it two hours ago and I'm already hungry! What's up with that? I shouldn't be hungry. But now I have to eat something or I won't be able to sleep. That's so bad! I shouldn't be eating at 11 o'clock. I don't want a belly pooch. And after two days of Fat Girl Sunday, I need to take it easy. But I'm hungry...ugh. What am I going to eat? Egg whites and oatmeal...humm, that doesn't sound so bad.

And I still don't have my dj equipment up and running. I can't get the right cord and adapter for Europe. Numark in England can't send me the part because I'm in France. And the French distributor doesn't have it and won't order it. Nobody sells it. Isn't anything easy over here? All I want is my cord! Right now, being able to spin some music would put my mind at ease. That, and I could drive those elephants crazy upstairs. It's open season for making noise.

I was a bit crafty today. Dennis has decided since we threw out his cat tree, he would use the new rugs we bought as scratch pads. So I bought some wood, wrapped it with jute, and hung it in his room. He better use it. If I find him scratching the rugs again I may have to banish him to the Maid's quarters.

I also wrapped the beheaded orchid in the guest room with twigs and such for guests arriving in a few weeks. We hung the curtains, the orchid is set, now we wait for them to arrive. But first, we head to Italy for a few weeks. I couldn't tell you what we're doing, but it should be fun. We're meeting friends from Houston who may have to escape early because of Rita. Damn that Rita. Messing up plans.

Well, I guess I feel a little better since I vented. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Chris will be back and we'll be hanging more curtains. You can't ask for more in Paris.