When I woke up on Sunday morning, Oct. 13, I discovered that I really needed a sloooowwww morning for a change. This energizer bunny was losing steam. I decided not to go to La Lorraine to blog, and now I am somewhat behind, but not too much. On Sunday I woke at 7:15, I now am needing an alarm to wake me up earlier. I had coffee in my apartment – some that I bought at Starbucks, which is so much better than what I have previously bought at grocery stores – I’m such a coffee snob, aren’t I? Then an apple, yogurt, and nuts and raisins for breakfast. It was time to do some laundry, so I put towels in the washer. There is no dryer – haven’t had one anywhere here in France – so one must count about 2 days of drying time for laundry, rather than my usual 2 hours at home. Then I set to work, hand writing an email to send to the Nice Workshop group about how we will meet on our first day, Sunday, Oct. 20, and how we will take the bus up to the villa we have rented. Arriving on a Sunday is especially challenging because much is closed here on that day; fewer buses and almost no grocery stores. I needed to go out on this Sunday and see what was open and what was closed.

I set out at 10. I stood in the street near a cafe I had gotten free wifi in earlier in the week and got access and checked my email. I’ve been reduced to skulking on street corners trying to fake indifference in order to stay in touch with my life! Funny!! Then I headed to the Promenade Des Anglais – it was overcast and chilly. I walked to rue J. Gilly, then to Cours Saleya to check out the food and flower market. Again, I wasn’t going to take anymore photos, and again I couldn’t resist. But, I have restrained myself and only posted 6 – I need to get going this morning (Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. – got here at 7 – at La Lorraine, needing to get the bus to Vence at 9:10. Will I make it?).

Margaret asked in one of her comments about socca. Yes, I did try it several days ago. Bought some near Place Garibaldi. I thought it was just OK, rather heavy. But I had read in Rick Steves guide book about a woman named Therese who was always at the market selling her socca, and he said that that was the best. I had forgotten about it until I saw her this Sunday morning. I stopped and bought some and he was right, it was better than what I had had before – she lets you put your own pepper on (too much on the last socca I had) and hers was much lighter and less greasy. So, group, we must stop and try some!

I also checked out rue des Ponchettes – which turns out to be just a back alley kind of street – but at one point I turned toward Castle Hill and happened to look up and…there is the waterfall!! I hadn’t found it at all the other day…now I must go back again and figure out how to get there. I took a photo, but my camera didn’t capture it, so it isn’t included here. It was now 11:30 a.m.

I walked back down the Promenade Des Anglais; the weather had turned warm and sunny and by 12:15 I was back at my apartment to drop off my no longer needed sweaters. Then I headed out again at 12:30, and I started walking a route I planned through the city to see what was open on Sundays – particularly grocery stores for my group. I won’t detail the route here, since it would be meaningless to most of you. Workshop group, I can show you on the map when you get here. Almost everything was closed, but…hooray!!…I found one grocery store that is open from 8-8:30 on Sundays, and there is a boulangerie right across the street that is also open. Phew! I also found a restaurant that Margaret and Ken had told me about and that Carl and I will go to this Friday night to celebrate our reunion. I just happened on it. I knew the name of the restaurant, but not the name of the street. I was walking along and, suddenly, there it was. Serendipity, again.

I went back to my apartment around 2:00 and had a lunch of green beans, peas, asparagus, bread and Camembert. Then I did some planning and the hand writing of plans, so that I could email the group when I got to some free wifi. I went out again around 3:00 and wandered around the old city. I came in for the day at 5:00, very tired but happy that I had solved a few dilemmas. I treated myself to wine, cheese, and bread. Then I did some more planning and hand writing. Too tired to do any art work. Just reading and sleeping.

And there will be no blog post for Monday. My batteries died! Well, not entirely. I spent from 8:30 to 12 noon at Starbucks writing blog posts and writing long emails to the Nice Workshop group, plus others. After a shopping trip to Monoprix, I went back to the apartment and ate lunch – something different! Chicken and zucchini au gratin. I always need a change. Then I collapsed. I fell asleep sitting up. It had rained that morning while I was in Starbucks, and the rest of the day was overcast and cool. Group, I’m hoping the gray weather happens this week and turns back to sunny next week!! The gray day probably had its effect on me. I stayed in for the rest of the day. After my little nap, I replanned the entire workshop week based on what I now know about Nice. Today (Tuesday) I am going to take the bus to Vence and St Paul de Vence. But that means I’ve got to get out of this cafe (La Lorraine – I should get a photo of this place, huh?) and get to the bus stop. So here is my post. Thank you to all of you who are sending comments and letting me know you are reading this – it helps keep me going.