Chartres last thursday.

adam doing what he does best...

liz and angela doing what they do best.

marc doing what he does best...

and cami doing what she does best.

A really really good day at versailles.

I hate it when you ask people how a trip was, and all they say is, "oh, it was amazing!" and they look at you and wait for you to be jealous, and then you have to sit there and dig dig dig to get any details and really, you find out that "amazing" is well, a perfectly adequate trip most of the time, and you start to suspect that they are using that word way too much, like in the way that my young women's leaders used to say don't go around kissing a lot of boys because then it cheapens each kiss, and then people like me don't kiss anyone...but that's a different topic...ANYWAY. Unless you use "amazing" sparingly, and not like the way they use it on the Bachelor, then I will believe you and be very pleasantly surprised. And also, a lot of times amazing has somehow become synonymous with boring in my head. Anyway, what I am trying to say, is that today was an absolutely beautiful day. It was a really really good day. And I was by myself. And I didn't freak out. It was as it should have been. Very relaxing and pleasant and wonderful.

Cami went with Haidy (pronounced Heidi) to Normandy today, so I decided to go to Versailles. My art history student card gets me into the chateau for free, so it was especially good in the way that I felt no obligation to soak in as much as possible in the short time I had, because I didn't feel like I had to be getting my money's worth. Instead I looked at what I was interested in, and continued when I wanted to continue. And it was actually a very warm day; I hardly needed my coat. And then I went and sat next to the canal that is not the grand canal, so there are not as many people there. It was really so beautiful, and I really enjoyed myself so much. It was a great day. I love those types of days.

PS. This=Paris getting ready for Christmas:

no dumb barriers like Thanksgiving (jk...) defining decorum for initiating Christmas decorations.

Pam, I am so happy that you and Kent get to see Paris as it dresses up for Christmas.