Although we are in Paris, occasionally there are aggravating days, this was one. So, if other people’s aggravation aggravates you, don’t bother reading this blog entry.<\/p>\n
We’ve been here 3 weeks now. Seems longer, which I think is a good thing. Time elongates when you can do something today or tomorrow, whichever works better.<\/p>\n
I thought I had to clear out this morning for the place to be cleaned so I went to buy some sketching supplies but the shop was\u00a0closed. Many shops don’t open until later on Mondays, something I knew but didn’t remember. The cleaner also didn’t show up until later in the day when we were home,\u00a0malheureusement<\/em>.<\/p>\n I\u00a0walked around the ‘hood. As I was going by Saint-Sulpice, I thought I’d stop in although, as I mentioned, the exterior has been undergoing construction and sand-blasting the last several times we’ve been here. Anyway, there was an amusing sign near the Gnomon (obelisk-shaped measuring device) which said in effect, ‘Contrary to the fanciful allegations made in a recent bestselling novel, this Church has never been used as a pagan temple.’ And, ‘The P and S in the transcept windows stand for Peter and Sulpice, not the Priory of Sion.’ I guess they told Dan Brown although, no doubt, he’s crying all the way to the bank.<\/p>\n Wandered through the buildings and grounds of the gorgeous School of Fine Arts (\u00c9cole des Beaux-Arts), also under extensive renovation,\u00a0and a few other\u00a0places\u00a0and met Sandy after her class.<\/p>\n We are clearly finding a routine, a daily rhythm, although with computers, emails, network access, we even have time to get aggravated with work-related matters as we both were today. It’s supposed to be a sabbatical, at least for me, and I should\u00a0heed\u00a0the Prince’s advice\u00a0and detach completely.\u00a0Easier said than done. It’s a trade-off of sorts, seems to me. Checking emails only once a day helps,\u00a0although not checking at all would be\u00a0better. As you can tell, there’s an internal\u00a0debate being held.\u00a0Voil\u00e0, c’est assez<\/em>.<\/p>\n Had lunch, however,\u00a0at a\u00a0very nice,\u00a0reasonably-priced\u00a0place, specializing in southern French regional cooking (interestingly, using lots of\u00a0north African\/Moroccan\u00a0spices)\u00a0called La Boussole, 12, rue Guisarde,\u00a0www.la-boussole.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Finally made it to Sennelier, an art supply store that has been around over 100 years, and bought a few sketching pencils and things including an eraser. Need one of those,\u00a0sans doute<\/em>.<\/p>\n Given the movie discount days, we tried to see Slumdog Millionaire,\u00a0but got there too late, only the first 3 rows available. Then we went back to sit around at Caf\u00e9 de la Mairie at Place Saint-Sulpice\u00a0but the wind came up and blew too much dust from the construction across the street so we left, came home, turned on CBC Radio Two\u00a0and\u00a0adopted a Zen approach to the remains of the day. (“We know the sound of two hands clapping, but what is the sound\u00a0of one hand clapping?)<\/p>\n\n\t\t