Harry Potter Fans = Devil worshippers!

Here I am, sat up in Phil's bed typing away on my new laptop (thanks Phil!! ♥) watching episodes of Columbo and dealing with the monthly aches, pains and cramps - which I don't usually get so I am sulking a bit!

Having been admonished by my best guy, Master Halfpintjack, I have promised to update much more often ;)

New job still going well (I wonder when it stops being a "new" job?) and I'm getting much more used to using French on a daily basis. The girls I work with are really nice, most of the people in the office are friendly, if a little nervous of me. Well, I *am* the only Goffick in the whole office and a lot of them haven't a clue what to make of me and my fine eyebrows and lovely Slytherin dreads. Still have moments of feeling mute though; I got quite tearful on Friday (too many hormones and too much gin I think) and poured my heart out to Phil about it. The problem is that in English I posess a vast vocabulary and I'm witty, quick-thinking and well-spoken. In French, I am at no-where near the same level yet - my 14 year-old self was, but only for a 14 year-old girl, not a 28 year-old woman - and this stymies my ability to express myself as I would like, ultimately culminating in frustration. Even if I switch to English as I sometimes do, I can't be 100% sure that my collegues will understand as their mother tongues are Belgian French, French, Dutch, German, Italian etc.

I did however have a wonderful disagreement in a combination of English and French with one new girl about, of all things, Harry Potter. She's Belgian of African descent, and when she noticed my SLYTHERIN desktop theme at work, she launched into a diatribe about the perils of reading such stories of "sorcery". She has two kids, 8 and 10 and does not allow them to read the books or watch the films, as she doesnt want them exposed to the "dangers" - and besides, as the Church they attend has told them such horror stories about witches and demons, the children are far too scared to watch films like that anyway. Blimey.

I hardly knew what to say to start with, and then had to try very hard not to laugh at her, especially when she advised me to "pray to Jesus to keep my soul safe" if I insisted on reading books like that. I then explained how I felt about Ms Rowling's wonderful works of fiction, threw in a few other good titles for good measure and then reassured her that as a pagan, I very much beleived in the power of spells and magics and respected them, but that I was smart enough to know the difference between these children's stories and reality. Hilarious. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head, but seriously, having a go at me like that at work? Not cool.

She clearly thinks I'm a crazy Devil worshipper now, but hey. It doesn't bother me - it wouldn't be the first time someone had made that incorrect assumption about me ;) The icing on the cake was the fact that she herself has neither read any HP books or watched any of the films.

Apart from that, life is pretty good. Had a LOVELY day yesterday in Lewisham with Cassie and Sean and their gorgeous son Ryan. He's 4 months old now and totally amazing. Phil and I were completely smitten! Cassie looks the part as the Yummy Mummy! They loved the little presents we took them for him: a red Stewie from Family Guy babygro with "Little Devil" printed on it, and a black Guns N Roses ones! He's got the best taste in clothes, having a Rock chick Mum and metaller Dad clearly helps ;)

Ryan meeting his Uncle Phil and Auntie Chloe

Nice big update coming tomorrow with all the news from January :D