Glad the end of the week is here. First week of taking over a contract from a PA who is going on maternity leave. For the last five weeks I have been a float PA in various departments of the company and I am very glad I did this as it means I now have working knowledge of where things are, been able to put my training into practice and have got to know a few people. From Monday I have been ensconced at my desk which will be my home until next April with the likelihood of the contract being extended. So now I can start filling the bottom desk drawer with all the essentials a girl needs to keep handy: comb, brush, spare make up, spare socks, spare tights, spare other things which I leave you to guess, toothpaste, toothbrush etc etc plus of course a packet of biscuits and a collection of all purpose plastic cutlery. The PA sitting near me also has her hair straighteners in there which I mentioned last week and I think this is a genius idea. I may just do the same.
So far this week I have organised flights to Frankfurt, car to pick my boss up from his home and take him to airport and then one to pick him up and bring him back; liaise with German office; book flights to Dubai for end of month; organise meetings at Barcelona next week where there is a partner's conference; working on a presentation that he has to give at the conference; arrange a meeting in Kiev the week after 
and liaise with the Russian office as well; book flights to the Ukraine; book Eurostar to Paris for a meeting with French counterpart; book trip to Brussels; organise a dinner at La Gavroche and a myriad other things such as the basics, logging on his time on the wonderfully named system Carpe Diem, answer calls as his phone is on permanent divert and on and on it goes. I am enjoying it but am shattered, more mentally than physically. Thanks heavens I had a four day hand over with his previous PA who has been marvellous. So tonight to the hairdresser to have the roots done and then to Sainsburys and now I am in a state of collapse but a lovely thought that I can have a lie in tomorrow morning.
Off to see a beautician tomorrow to have a practice run with make up for TWOTY and will be booking her, if she is ok, para mi y dos hijas, so that will be fun. I have also had a stressed email from The Bride asking for help with the flowers etc so will be starting getting that sorted out as well.
I am going to tell all my family and friends that as the wedding is on 8 December Christmas this year is being totally ignored. Do not expect huge presents, do not expect home cooked food (Marks & Spencer here I come) and there will be a bit of tinsel and a bunch of flowers instead of decorations and a Christmas tree. By Christmas Day, in the words of the Late Great Hylda Baker (anybody remember her?) this is how I will be discovered 'There she lay, prostitute upon the ground'...........
It's all too much to bear
