even though I didn’t get to welcome summer with the annual memorial beach trip, this past week felt like summer as we enjoyed evenings outside at cafes and I ate lots and lots of watermelon. saturday morning, much to sara’s dismay, I literally flung open the window and was practically squealing outside because it felt like the beach to me. after our am pain au chocolats, of course, we went to the flea market near sara’s place where we scored some dainty gold friendship rings and I got a beautiful french watch knock-off for a third of the initial price, considering the glass plastic face fell off when I was deciding if I should get it. nothing a littler super glue can’t fix though!! from there we velibed along the river, going against traffic, merging onto 4 lane roads, and weaving in and out of the million tourists at the eiffel tower left annie with a few scratches. biking paris is such an indescribable and addicting feeling and we can’t get enough of it. we went to marche des enfants rouges (the oldest open-aired market in paris where you can get all sorts of different foods) in the marais for the first time. though they had sandwiches that looked like they might rival wedgies, I opted for the shorter falafel line. the entire experience was great though and I don’t think all the markets of paris will ever get old to me. we didn’t have plans for the late afternoon so wandered along the canals and drank wine in a park, practicing yoga and wheelbarrow races. we deserved the obnoxious american stereotype on the metro asking for song requests and trying to get the entire car to sing along and enjoy themselves, which they surprisingly did. there was a mariachi band playing in front of a cafe so penn and I salsa danced which I loved and got me super excited for spain. and then a good friend had a housewarming party with an incredible courtyard that evening. it’s always great to be with french people in their own atmospheres instead of at bars so you are able to have more intimate conversations and fun together. on sunday we went to giverny to visit claude monet’s house and gardens. thankfully we made it there after a scare on the metro that made us evacuate because of a suspicious bag and almost made me pass out. vernon, the town the train takes you to is gorgeous and quaint and we rented bikes (my bottom hates me at this point from all the biking) to take us through the countryside. everything about the gardens and house were spectacular, though it would have been much more enjoyable without so many people. but c’est la vie. the ones we met were super nice and the small conversations made it so enjoyable. I didn’t realize how expansive the property was and I loved seeing everything in bloom and the winding river around the lilly pad pond. also, please look how stinking cute that man is painting and the iron gate. france knows how to do it right!

and though I am now in bed, fighting off a small but uncontrollable cough, it was all so wonderful and worth it. sweet lucy keeps popping her head in to ask if she can get me anything and how she hopes I’ll feel better and will rest well through the night. I adore these precious children.