cloudy and overcast today, a small relief from the heatwave, which continues to cause suffering and deaths here in France and throughout southern Europe. the air conditioner is now functioning (albeit with the help of plastic tubing, a square of poster board, the classic duct tape, a mop bucket, a bathmat and a watering can…long…

only an important errand would send me out into the blistering sun today…i need a large poster mailing tube so mom can bring home a number of my pieces as requested… moi: excusez moi, svp, madame, je cherche un…un…um, continues like so in bumbling french: i need a thing like a box, but not a…

the french word for anti-dandruff is anti-pellaculaire. i like that; dandruff being peculiar.

another dentist appointment this morning, this time to fill a cavity.(only one more left now) it's unseasonably hot here still, going on six weeks of record heat. today's small talk, pre-drilling: "C'est trop chaud, n'est ce pas?" (Hot enough for ya?) -"Oui, il fait trop chaud" (Yes, the weather is too hot.) "C'est comme la…

two buildings down the lane, an older woman lives in an apartment on the same floor as ours (third if you're American, second if you're French). every night about this time she chucks a large bucket of water out the window to the pavement below. she's not watering her window boxes or throwing out dishwater…

Le Tour de France (at our stop in the small ville of Trets) begins with an assortment of caravans, parade-like floats and vendors of yellow Tour merchandise…what is that devil float for? Bert searches for a prime viewing spot. Mom and Ruby try to find a bit of cooler shade, first on the ground, then…

it's Bastille Day on Monday. it's a huge celebration weekend here of course, a long weekend..so most folks are off officially Friday thru Monday which means they'll also take Thursday and Tuesday off for traveling. so basically, all of France has this week off. except of course, those on the Tour de France, which we…

was going to be late this morning for a rendez-vous, to save time decided to do two things at once..walk the dog and pick up smokes. had Ruby on her morning-wee leash which is a reeled-up stringy thing that gives her more freedom, me less control. on way to tabac for cigs, she acted up…

another visit to the dentist, number 4 of 5. i'm not sure what he did exactly, only know that it involved my sensitive gums, pointy things, and pain. oh, and i need two more appointments to take care of some minor cavaties, not part of the original plan, but ok. i'm game.