Returning to the 'real' world

It's always weird coming back to London and working life after a holiday. It's especially so when you've been skiing - cocooned in a world so removed from reality. You've spent a week concentrating so hard on not killing yourself on the slopes there's no time for those niggling worries about an email that hasn't been sent and suddenly you're expected to deal with 643 unread items in your inbox. Your body is bruised, battered and burnt by vin chaud (not to mention your feet being red raw from always lethal ski boots) yet you're still expected to look glamorous in five inch heels and the rest. It's so silent on the slopes. The 29 bus is not. Anyway, day one back at work is over and it's time for a few random reflections about what's changed in the ten days I've been away.

Michelle Obama mania has hit the capital. You can't move for fashion commentators screaming about how her standout style is going to save the economy - and politicos from the same newspaper screaming they're turning her into a modern day Stepford Wife.

The boyfriend jean trend has suddenly broken into mainstream (well, sorta...) Five people in the office wearing them today. With varying degrees of success.

One girl has been made redundant. It's been coming for a while - and in a way I'm glad it's finally happened so people might stop the who/when speculation that rampant before I left - but it's very sad and unsurprisingly has set jitters off around the office. 

It's sunny enough to wear sunglasses. There's refreshingly a little bit of a break from the bug-eyed versions. It probably won't last. 

Denim jackets are everywhere I look. Some are even teamed with MC Hammer pants. I feel a bit like I've come back from France to a version of the 1990s. And rather worryingly quite like it...