En trouvant un tres bonmarche!

It does seem like the days pass quickly -- which I'm just trying to be content with. I feel like we all spend so much time either wanting the days to pass faster because we're looking forward to something, or wanting them to never end because we don't want things to change. I, personally, am terrible about this -- always counting down to something, etc. So, one of my goals has been just to be content with things as they are and go with each day, whether it should be a quick one or a slow one. And FYI, it proves to be a difficult habit to break!

It still proves to be difficult to get going on the days that I don't have class until 3...especially on a Thursday, where yes, I have much to do for next week, but that's just it -- for next week. Marilu had already left for the day when I woke up, so I had the kitchen to myself for breakfast which is a nice change of pace from time to time (as much as I love her company!). Sometimes it's hard to get my French brain going early in the morning.

I finally got out the door around 11 and took the metro to the Cluny/La Sorbonne stop -- I wanted to check out this store called "Vieux Campeur" which is an outdoor/sporting goods store in the Latin quartier. It turns out that the store actually covers a few blocks -- it's comprised of many little stores, each devoted to selling a different type of sporting good. I headed to the one with outerwear just to check out what they had. I've kind of been on the hunt for a black quarter zip fleece....WELL. It turns out that they had one! It was some brand that I've never heard of, but GUESS WHAT. It was 9,90 euros. AND, for whatever reason, the guy gave me a discount, so I ended up paying a mere 8,41 euros. How's that for a bonmarche! (That would be bon-mar-chay).

The sun was playing peek-a-boo behind the clouds for most of the day, but the temperature was actually quite pleasant, and I decided to walk to Reid Hall from there. What's been really neat is that I now have some general idea of where I'm going! And, I can even recognize areas and figure out where I need to go from there, etc. How exciting! So, after a few unintentional detours, and an intentional one to grab my favorite melon and proscuitto salad, I made it to Reid Hall!

My France and Africa class was surprisingly mellow today -- meaning that I could actually understand what the professor was saying, and that his lecture was logical and coherent. And! I didn't walk out with a headache. Woohoo!

After class, I headed home and got ready for swimming and started my walk there around 6:15. I continue to enjoy the walk to and from the pool (especially while the mild weather is still here) -- and tonight I had fun discovering new music on my iPod that I didn't even know I had! Practice actually took place tonight -- not tons of meters, but the ones that we did do were some quality meters! We even did 4 50's sprint off the blocks at the end which brought out some of my competitive streak....(not that it's really been hiding too much). But Philippe (the guy that I start swimming early with) asked me to race him in a 50 back for the last one -- which was just the little push that I needed to go faster! :) So I definitely ended on a high note. I apologize if my swimming talk is beyond boring....

Well, I think that about sums it up for today. A big weekend of homework ahead, so I should get some sleep! Marilu and Alain's granddaughters are sleeping here tonight because they're sick and their parents have to work tomorrow, so there's a little chorus of coughs coming from next door as I sit in bed writing this entry! Hopefully I won't catch anything!

Here's a picture from the archives -- Cabbages in the Villandry jardins!

A bientot!