Inauspicious Monday

It's really hard to cheer yourself up in Warsaw. I learned this today when I woke surprisingly in need of cheering. I'm not sure what to attribute this to - the past four weeks have been a flurry of academic and grant-writing activity (hence the lack of posts), but last Thursday I managed to meet an important thesis-related deadline, so I should be feeling quite good about the world. Still, this morning I awoke feeling tired and hopeless, despite the aggressive bright sunbeams streaming through my window, which caused me to go running for my sunglasses, having misplaced my sleeping mask. Paul found this amusing and promptly snapped a photo of me in this state - a photo which will NOT be turning up here under any circumstances.

Deciding I had earned some sort of horrible girly perk, I decided to get my nails done. This seemed particularly appropriate, as I had chewed on them maniacally while rewriting the thesis, an activity which did not leave them looking particularly lovely. I phoned two manicure salons, neither of which could give me an appointment today. Strike one.

Not to be daunted, I decided to vacate the Flat of Doom (just because I've stopped complaining about it doesn't mean the Warsaw abode and I are now simpatico) to do some work at the local cafe. My old laptop wouldn't talk to the wifi there, but I figured my new one would and I could stay there until early afternoon. Wrong again.

Facing the reality that I would have to return to the FoD earlier than anticipated, I decided to pick up some sushi. As the kitchen currently resembles the set of Withnail and I, not having to cross its threshold was a decided bonus. I surveyed the sushi options in Local Cafe and decided they were uninspiring enough to warrant a search for the take away sushi place Paul showed me a few weeks ago, but which I had yet to try. I set off in what I firmly believed was the right direction. It wasn't.

Cold (the sun was cruelly misleading), I turned back, consoling myself with the thought of the chicken noodle soup I'd bought last week. This being Poland, it was instant, but at least it would be warm and tasty. Alas, when I returned home and braved the kitchen, it transpired that I had purchased not soup, but some sort of bouillon, requiring a pre-existing vegetable stock. I thought I'd try it anyway, but couldn't get the stove to work (have I mentioned that the burners function only sporadically?), as a result of which I am now eating last night's leftover salad and with a mood that is worse than it was when I decided to improve it.

I've nothing else to say, really, so here is a picture of a squirrel from Lazienski Park...

It was wonderfully tame, but alas did not wish to eat any of the nuts we brought for it. Trying carrots and bread next time.