Just Another Day In the Country.

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I just got back from my second run in the French countryside. Well, it's more like a neighborhood, but it's still in the country and definitely more beautiful than my usual neighborhood run. Right now, I don't really have a route - I just run to as many places as I can without getting lost. Today, after mastering my own neighborhood, I got brave enough to cross the street and run around a little bit in the neighborhood across from mine. Luckily, it was beautiful out. It's hard to get motivated to work out in the evenings sometimes, but if I could do it for yoga every day, I can do it for running on the few days that I don't get up early enough in the morning.

So, the run was great, but now I'm back at home and haven't showered yet. Why? Well my host family's sink is broken, so they turned off the water of course! It should be coming back soon, I think and hope.

For now, I'm just hanging out on the floor, listening to Moise and Luic trying to fix the sink and Nadine's grandson listening to English Christmas music on the computer. Hey! Nadal is playing in the US Open right now! And for once, we're watching sports instead of French soap operas. But really - check out Plus Belle La Vie. It's getting very addictive.

Anyway, today before the running and water shenanigans, I went to an elementary school and then hung out with Nadine and her mother. At the elementary school, I was told that I would be talking with students who would be talkative and asking me questions about my life in America. Not the case. Emily and I sat in the back of two different classrooms while the teachers taught HOUR-LONG CLASSES without acknowledging our existence. Sweet. That was a bizarre little way to start the day.

After that, I had no idea if Nadine was picking me up or not, so I went to the market in Gournay with Mme Sokal (Emily's host mom) and Emily, where I had the most delicious baguette I have ever tasted. When I got home for lunch, the bread chez moi just tasted like cardboard in comparison. So I guess that's one way to stop eating so much bread all day.

After lunch, we hung out around the house for a little while, and then Nadine and I went to her mother's house to say hi and go for a little promenade. Her mother is 91 years young and I couldn't believe how able bodied and minded she was. We basically walked around and bought an unreasonable number of lottery "joues," from which I won 2 Euro!

And that was pretty much it. After Juliette's house, we drove around the countryside a little bit, and then headed back to Gournay, where I got ready for my run (and you know the rest from there).

YAY! The water has returned (for now - they have to finish fixing it tomorrow morning). I'm gonna go take a shower now, and then mentally prepare myself for dinner. At least I got my run in!

Love, Josie