Hunting for Tarragon, etc.

Okay...my life is calm these days, but the days still fly by.

So here was my day...probably a bit boring BUT enjoyable.

8:30 oops didn't wake up early as I wanted. I read while the flat heated up. Les Fleurs Neige, a translation of an English book by Lisa See. I have read several French novels lately and the style seems to be dialogue to a point it is almost like reading a play.

9:00 ate multi grain pancake and headed to Franck's for tea where I had a lovely conversation with my Scottish neighbour. She told me the Algerian family, whose kids I loved listening to play on the street, have moved to a house near the fire station. I will miss them. Also played with an 18 month old half English/half Catalan boy who is visiting with his parents from Barcelona.

9:30 started the great tarragon hunt...I finally found it at the third green grocers, but enjoyed a chat with Elisabeth who is taking her kids to Disney in Paris. Elisabeth works more hours than are in a day running her stand so this is great news. Then talked to Danni, the fishmonger, who wanted to talk about Obama (as did the baker who gave me free pastries to eat during the inagural on Tuesday and almost everyone else I run into. I'm being told the world needs him, etc. etc. etc. If I weren't so happy it would be boring. I'm tempted to put my response on tape and play it). Had no luck locating sesame oil.

10:45-15:00 came home, read, listened to Larry King, made lunch: fish with tarragon and onions and green beans, garlic, nuts in a soy sauce. Also played a few computer games and caught up on newspapers around the world. Wrote a couple of letters, yup real letters, the kind that need a stamp and everything. Did the crickler and meez trivia puzzles.

15:00 went for my walk and ended up at my neighbour's where I am cat caring. Ptah II decided reading AND patting him wasn't enough so he arranged his body so I had no choice but to hold him in my arms. He rewarded me with loud pours. After I locked up her place, I reported in to Babette who is sharing cat caring duties. She does the morning cuddle and leaves the Catalan radio station on so he will have voices. I wonder if the cat will learn to do the Sardane dance...

17:00 Made an appointment to have my French level tested. If 2008 was a no buy year than 2009 is a French improvement year. Yes, I can read it. Yes I can speak. Yes I understand it. Yes, I think in it. I dream in it and sometimes I forget which language I am in but I still make too many mistakes. As for pronunciation...the teacher is optomistic I can improve and I didn't say "fool" when she said this.

17:30 on Talked with the travel agency in Geneva to try and arrange tickets for Damascus...have tentative reservations. The cheapest flight is Alitalia, but the agency warned not to book since they might not be in a business. Doubled checked arrangements with my Syrian friend, and then emailed the agency with changes. Talked with my mom in Florida about the inaugaration. I am trying to talk to her every few days...with my VOIP cheap I have 90 free days if I use the computer or phone although on the phone there's a 5 centime connection free and then it is free. After the 90 days it will be 1 centime a minute.

Decided finally to go to work on my newsletter. I am doing an edition on the economic crisis and put out about 60 emails asking different CEOs for their comments...meanwhile Skyped with my kid who had a great time in Bermuda, wished her happy birthday --I'm too young to have a kid that just changed decades -- wrote Diane Feinstein that Dennis Blair was involved in a massacre in East Timor (I had known about the massacre, not his part). I doubt if she will vote against his appointment, but I had to make it known...and cried as I listened to a Palestinian talk about the death of his two brothers during the war. Also arranged two interviews for tomorrow night. They are in Vancouver.

Okay, so it was a boring day to read about...it was a pleasant day, not spectacular but nice to live.