An indulgent post today. (Oh, all right, another one.)

This is a photo of my favourite chocolate shop in the whole world - and I've never even been there.

The last two times Colin's been to Paris without me (on university business, he says), he has brought back some of their beautiful little orange and purple boxes for me, filled with the most perfect hand-picked assortment of their own dark chocolates. Pralines, truffles, batons, nougats, ohhhhh... I am being careful here so as not to drool on the keyboard.

They are indecently expensive, but worth every Euro. (Guilt can be very useful at times, although he says he buys them just because he misses me. In the excitement of undoing the glossy satin ribbon around the box, I'm sorry to say that the reason is much less important than it should be).

I am disciplined though; I hide them from the girls, who have their own gifts, and sneak into my room where I have them hidden, eating just one at a time - two if it's been a rough day. Such delicious, secretive decadence! And there's no clue on the box as to what's inside each. It's the most luscious game of chance I've ever played.

The sensuous, velvety feel of a perfect chocolate in the mouth is one of life's most sublime pleasures. Those Aztecs don't know what they started.

Back in the land of the living

Feels good.

Mind you, there were some highlights during my enforced lay-off. I caught up on so many films and books I'd been saving for when I had time. Two special highlights were that I finally read Patrick Suskind's "Perfume" (stunning in every respect), and I rediscovered Richard Attenborough's utterly brilliant film from 1969, "Oh! What a Lovely War". If you've never seen this, do try to dig it up. There's an insanely stellar cast, but aside from that, it's the most powerful anti-war film I've ever seen, and as far as I know is stylistically unique in its blending of music, history, pathos, surrealism and humour. My two younger girls watched it with me, and were visibly moved.

Of course, there was also the opportunity for escapism - old episodes of "Get Smart" (The ones with Hymie are my favourites), and all of Series 2 of Green Wing (again). Laughing didn't do my innards much good, but it was a considered trade-off.

Another cold day outside, and lots to do inside. Back to work.