My New Friend, Sara

I have gone to the cafe across the street (Doreen Cafe) and have noticed this particular girl always working. She's extremely tolerable with my broken French (who am I kidding, my lack of French), and allows me to be myself by pointing at what I like to order, with an apologetic and goofy smile, hoping to make up for the language barrier. She always smiles back, never making me feel bad, and even speaks English back to me (most French people here won't do that, though they can speak English, it seems they'd rather watch you squirm while they continue speaking French, almost faster than they normally should/would/could). Sara doesn't. Sara is the nicest French person I've ever met. She's also the first...

I feel the urge to apologize to her for not speaking French, because I want her to understand I'm not arrogant expecting her to speak MY language in HER country. She says she understands, and she doesn't blame me at all, why would any American want to speak French? I asked her how she spoke great English and she said she visits Sweden- I told her my dad is there in Sweden, and it just so happens that it's exactly where she visits when she goes. She speaks English because that's how her Swedish friends and her communicate. It reminded me of just the other night I was telling Ordy how English is becoming the universal language. We saw an Arabic man ordering dinner, and the French man taking his order, and how they were both speaking very poor, very broken English- it was their middle ground and the only way anything was going to get done.

Sara joined me outside while I ate my lunch. She made me a beautiful banana crepe. We brought out my maps of Paris and she showed me where I should go to get away from tourists but still have a good time. I very much so enjoyed my time with Sara and I hope she's back tomorrow. I'll stop before I sound creepy hahaha.




Ordy Boy got back later than usual tonight, a little after 7:15 p.m. I told him there was a 30% chance of rain this morning, to which his response was lots of laughter, and "you just made that up"... so I was kind of happy when it started raining around 6:30, because where ever he was, I KNEW that he knew that I was right :) It's the little things...

In my rush to pack, and in the 68lbs of baggage, I managed to forget a sweater. I had 3 different quarter sleeved cardigans, but no real sweater to actually keep me warm. I told Ordy I saw a huge sale at a department store nearby and he volunteered to walk with me. Ok, I kind of made him. But we had to go out for dinner anyway... so it wasn't too bad. I walked to the jacket department and didn't find a single sweater, but managed to fall in love with three jackets that were begging for a new American home. Like Angelina Jolie in a third world country orphanage, I gladly obliged. I am the new owner of 3 jackets. HA, only I can walk in for one thing and walk out with 3 others... Sweater, jacket, same difference, right?

Here's me putting on the first one... I put this picture up because I look crazy, and for some reason, it looks like a straight jacket in the pictures, and Ordy calls it my Michael Jackson jacket, but I think I can make it work with the right outfit back home.









It was on sale like WHOA because of missing buttons, and to my surprise, I found 2 in the pocket- so now I'm only missing 15. Just kidding, I'm only missing 2 now. Better than the whole row missing!

The second one is a stretch- you either like it or you don't. It reminds me of a jacket my Bobo (grandpa) used to have... so I naturally love it haha. AGAIN, with the RIGHT outfit this fall, I think I can make it work- I love it!





And lastly, the third jacket looks just like a Gap jacket I have at home, only a different material. It makes all the difference in the world, I promise.







Anyhow, we got back to the hotel to drop off the massive shopping bag I had and so Ordy could finish a little work. Poor guy, always working... We're about to head to dinner near the hotel and hit the sack early because tomorrow is a BIG BIG BIG day!!! We're planning on hitting up the biggest French flea market and then go to the Eiffel Tower afterwards. I'm SO excited I don't know how I'll be able to sleep tonight!!! I can't wait to see it in all of it's glory again! The cameras are charging tonight because I will be exhausting them tomorrow :)