New Day

Amazing what a difference a day makes!

Today, I am feeling a bit more up, a big lighter, more like myself again. Many things contributed to this, and I am relieved to be feeling better. Thanks for the notes of encouragement, and I will do exactly what you suggest--hang in there!

Got calls from good friends and family, a package (filled with treats--Reese's PB cups, Sweet Tarts, etc., plus dog cookies for Lucy), and many a reassuring email. It is so wonderful to have so many good friends and caring family out there!

Lucy and I didn't do much to report on yesterday, just housework and took a walk up to La Butte aux Cailles. This is a little neighborhood near our place that is at the top of a hill (thus the "butte"). The streets are narrow and charming, dotted with many unusual restaurants, bars, and salons de thé. Lucy's favorite life-size fiberglass cows in front of the tapas bar were not on the sidewalk, being Monday when many places are closed, but she met friends along the way, anyway, live ones.

It's fun to see how she has changed since we moved here--how she now seems to enjoy being a city dog, and doesn't mind the lack of grass, the ever-present leash, and the people everywhere. Though she is still very much "our dog", she does now go up to people, which she never did before. Of course, the fact that they have a baguette sticking out of their bag or their hand helps. She loves going into stores with me, and can't quite understand why she has to wait outside, attached to a hook outside the door, when I go into the bakery. Being the crafty little bugger she is, she waits for someone to enter or leave, and stretches herself as far inside the door as she can. I watch the reaction of the baker--if they look irritated, I choose another bakery the next time. The bakers that laugh at her antics, and call her "Kiki"--they get my return business.

("Kiki" seems to be the french thing to call a cute dog when you don't know the name--like I'd call them "Sweet Pea" or "Buddy", I guess.)

We also started planning a trip at the end of December. Since we will be here for Christmas, and Dr. B will have time off, we are going to get train tickets to go to Saarbrucken to visit my dear friend R (the bassoon queen of Germany) and her boyfriend P. She works at an orchestra in Germany, he works at one in France (he plays Horn), and they live halfway between. We are really looking forward to seeing them, and to spending some time as tourists.

And for those who are interested (though I am not quite sure why you would be) the red scarf is coming along. By my calculations, I believe I have about 16 inches done. I am pretty proud of that. (My calculations=2 hands plus a little bit. I once measured the length of my hand--it is exactly 7 inches from base to tip of my middle finger. Handy to know!)

And tomorrow is a big day--Harry Potter 4 comes out in France!!! (Please don't tell me anything!) We are hoping to see it a block from our place at the Grand Écran--it is the biggest screen in France and even if the movie isn't very good, seeing it on a screen that huge is an experience. I am not sure how it will be to get tickets though--in France they often don't sell them until the published time of the show, and my guess is the line may be long! Hopefully we'll get seats (cross your fingers for us!)

Love from France!