Things I Love This Week

...hey guys.

sorry I'm late. 

like REALLY late. 

I was, uh, you know....doing stuff.

Like spending the last two weekends travelling.

[insert shrugs and awkward face]

The truth, I haven't been in the right mood to update for awhile. But my conscience has stricken me and I have a feeling that my massive following of 6 people is hungry for some new witticisms/brilliant life observations/endless drivel. So here you are. BEGIN!

(1) Getting by without knowing very much French - This is not an ideal situation. It makes for awkward silences when I don't realize that the person I'm talking to has just asked me a question. However, it is manageable. I can make it through entire conversations without giving away that I don't know what we're talking about. I know enough to know whether the correct response is yes/no, maybe, or I don't know. As a result I usually give the general impression that I am the world's least-informed person. But until my French class starts, that is how it's going to work.  On the plus side, it makes for some really hilarious moments I can laugh about later.

(2) Pumpkins - I've been resisting the onset of fall this year like nobody's business but if it means I can use the cheerful gourds as decorations and in recipes freely, well BRING IT ON. The farm down the road grows pumpkins of alllll kinds. I never even knew there was more than one kind. Turns out there are green, white, yellow, AND orange ones. And they all taste different. mmm...can you smell the pumpkin pancakes?

(3) Oxford shoes, or "European sneakers" as I call them. Like the "saddle shoes" of the 50's but more subtle in color and in pleasant fall material like soft leather or suede. Urban Outfitters has an entire section devoted to them on their website. Let's be honest, my grungy Converse sneakers aren't cutting it over here in the mother land. Hattie, you'll be so proud. I may or may not be going into the city tomorrow to buy myself a pair. 

(4) Animal music.

Short Stack

• Eating grapefruit with maple syrup 
• My new blog header/title....maybe. Thoughts?
• Having a double bed for the first time in my life. The unnecessary, excessive space means I can lie spread eagle at night and not a single digit is hanging off the edge.  I feel oddly powerful. If I were rich and famous, I'd have a bed so big they'd have to invent a new name for the size. i.e. Twin, Double, Queen, King, and Small Plot of Land. 
• Watching episodes of The Mentalist in English with my host mom
• Friday afternoons
• A freshly cleaned bathroom: the subtle glint from the faucet, a lemony scent in the air
• Taking a 35 minute nap and feeling 8 times better 
• Getting my very own French hymnbook to keep!
• Apple Corer/Slicer/Peeler Machines. Honestly the only reason some kids will eat an apple is so they can use one of these things:

So this doesn't have as much gusto as usual, but I have a few other posts up my sleeve that I've been meaning to pound out before the weekend. 

Anyway, hope you smiled at the little things this week.

That was so cheesy. Clearly I'm rusty without my regular blogs...