Norway - the Capital of Sweden

Normally I never read anything about Norway in the international press. Though when I'm in Norway the media present our country as the bellybutton of the world, as the centre of the universe and that we make a HUGE difference to international life and politics. It's highly annoying! Especially when you go abroad and someone asks you if Norway is not the capital of Sweden. Charming.

The last couple of weeks I got some news popping up on my RSS feeds from BBC and various other sites and what do I find?? Some person acting not so professionally by calling clients "Brats" and a car driver doing some special joyriding with his girlfriend...

So much for pretending and believing that Norway is known outside it's borders for our continuing mediation in Gaza... Or getting credit for donating billions to save the rainforest in the Amazonas.

Nope. The BBC decides that our international political efforts are insignificat (which they mostly are) but that an experimental sexually motivated car trip is better to write about.

Learn Norway! Learn!

Did you say Friday?!!

That means I'll be going home to Toulon. Home to my husband. And the cat, she stayed with me this week, will go home to her garden. She has deliberately kept me awake the whole week as a punishment for the two hour long car ride on Monday!!

In the middle of the night she decides to sharpen her claws on the madress I'm sleeping on. Find a plasticbag that she can roll around on and make as much noise as possbile. Deside she's hungry and tell me, OUT LOUD. Or she feels cold and wanted to get under my covers, only to decide a minute later that it was too hot. Play with the metal tap in the sink in the bathroom - bascially she lifts it up with the paw and then drops it with a nice PLONK! - then repeat.

Needless to say - she will stay with papa next week, and the next and the one after that...

But folks! It's FRIDAY and WEEKEND so enjoy it :)

Morning View

The Touching Thirty...

Last weekend I went to Bruno. He's my hairdresser and a really good one too. After the shampoo massage by the kind girl, Bruno placed me in the chair and looked at me with expectation asking what I wished to do. Clearly he was hoping that I would say I'd cut it all off but, I said that I would maybe prefer to make my hair lighter this time (I have a lot of hair, heavy and straight), cutting it up front to back. A bit Jennifer Aniston style - not a novel thing but it works for me.

So he looks at my hair and then he says in his nice southern French:

But you know, that style when you're touching 30 is a bit on the limit...

He lets the words hang there for me to absorb. And first thought was... but how does he know I'm rounding 30?? And do I look like I'm that old?? Did some wrinkles pop up around my eyes??
In a second I was flabbergasted then I just took it all in and felt old and unfashionable!!

Bruno stands there smiling with his perfect hair, then he starts laughing...

Then I realised, he was just taking the piss out of me. He's got all my client details on the computer and he knew that the Big 30 was coming up. And we both started laughing but I tell you, those seconds were the only bad ones I've had on turning 30!!

My Hair is just the way I wanted it and a little bit better :) And now I'm going to add a kilo or two to my lines by finishing up the birthday cake from yesterday!!! Nam!

No Longer in My 20s

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Today I'm 30! And so far it has been great. I've been treated to a breakfast chocolate mousse birthdaycake, a resturant birthday lunch with birthday presents from my wonderful colleagues. I'll be really sad to leave these nice people in July ... But also happy to move back home again :)

Of all days I managed to forget my mobile phone at home in Toulon so if I don't answer sms or phonecalls that's the reason... For those of you on facebook - my workcell is posted :)

**Lot of happy smiles** :)

Addictive Power Trip

How many times haven't I called the Service Clientele for either the phone, electricity or water or to have the oven repaired and most often getting the most lousy service, but I feel helpless and find myself being sugarly sweet when I'd rather have that person's neck in between my two hands in pure Simpson style?? The answer is many. Very many. But logic says that if you're not being nice they will not be very nice back so... I stay calm and polite and then tear my hair out afterwards.

Then at work I had the roles inverted and I was the person with the power. I was the client with the big contract, the hard cash and this particular client (Me!!) wasn't too happy with the recent developments and treatment received from company X.

So after one month of numerous delays, 'unexpected' problems, no answers on the phone and other annoying faults and fact I had Mr. Responsible on the phone and I hammered him... and now, this is the best part... IN FRENCH!! I'm really proud and WOW! it felt marvelous having the power for once. My colleague and idol when it comes to well-founded reproaches even told me that I had done quite so well. Coming from the Queen of hard talk that was quite a compliment :)

And what did Mr. Responsible do? Crawl. For me.
Aaaah, it was a glorious moment and it was as if I had revenged all the phonecalls done to the Service Clientele in the past.