So Pilates isn't just for bored housewives

*ducks flying tomatoes*
It's just that whoever waxes poetic about Pilates turns out to be some bored diplomat's wife (the wife being bored, not the diplomat, well not necessarily).
Stefanie found a Pilates coach who comes to your home and charges 1200 Denars (i.e. € 20) for an hour, no matter how many people participate. Stefanie, Irene and Ursula had a tryout lesson last Thursday, and lo it was good, and so it was decided that there shall be Pilates every Monday at 6.45 p.m. Since I play tennis every Monday from 5 to 6.30, the opportunity was too perfect to be turned down, and I thought, well let's give it a try.
I still wouldn't want to do Pilates only, but after 1,5 hrs tennis it's great. Lots of abs, lots of stretching. Just perfect.
And yesterday in particular, there was the added advantage of Pilates chasing away the last of the shrimps I'd had for lunch; lots of them, both for starters (in a tomato-and-almond sauce, apex of yumminess) and main course (skewered and grilled, OMG good), accompanied by a bottle of wine -- lunch with Stefan always takes a rather sybaritic turn, and we ate late, too.
So there'll be Pilates every Monday from now on.

The weekend saw me finally plucking up the courage to wash my duvet; the label says it may be washed at 60°, but I was a bit hesitant because of the drying. The trick somebody (no idea who it was) told me about, i.e. putting tennis balls into the dryer, worked a treat, and so the duvet is now wonderfully clean and hygienic. (about time)
What other wonders did the weekend bring? Well not much, to be honest -- 2hrs tennis on Saturday, slathered in sunscreen and cursing it, because the mix of sweat and sunscreen burns the eyes something wicked. Vodno on Sunday, again marinated in sunscreen, but less sweaty, because it was sunny but quite cool.
Lots of Lola-time. My right hand looks as if I'd tried to cuddle a Piranha.

The introduce-Lola-to-ze-boyz project will start at Easter, BTW, because I'll have enough free time on my hands to bring her over to my place a few times a day, and to watch things developing. Before Easter wouldn't make much sense, plus the carrier I need is in Vienna, and I'm going to bring it back next weekend.
It's going to be a very short trip, merely Friday to Monday (with Thursday and Tuesday off work), but enough to see my mum and do a bit of shopping.
gypaetus , do you maybe have time for a coffee on Sunday afternoon? Wherever you want, doesn't have to be the centre, in case you want to cut back on the travelling time.
I foresee the purchasing of shoes (not much choice here in Skopje right now), and maybe a few items of clothing (Zara beckons).

Since Elena, my tennis instructor, will be going to Vienna over Easter and staying at my place, tomorrow we'll have a touristic girls' night with her, Stefanie and Pinar (who used to live in Vienna for a few years), so each of us can give her tips and advice re. what not to miss, where to go etc. I'm quite looking forward to that, also because we'll be going to the Big Fish, a rather simple place where they have the bestest grilled trout.

Oh, and tonight I'll be seeing Alexandra, probably over at my place, since I'm in a dinner-cooking mood, and we'll have The Conversation. As far as I can judge it, it won't be too bad, because she really seems to have given the matter some thought. As I said, no evil intentions on either part, so we should be able to come to a mutually acceptable solution quite easily. I just have to dissuade her from taking in a litter of kittens (a street cat she's feeding seems to be close to giving birth), but that shouldn't be too hard. Hopefully. Well I'll keep you guys posted.