Since last Friday morning: 16,400 words

Not bad. I wrote 1000 less than expected yesterday because I wound up going into town for coffee and shopping with a relative of The Frenchman, the beautiful Dr. B. She took me into the most expensive shops in Aix, the ones where dresses cost thousands of euros. I stifled a hearty laugh in one store because there is a sort of faux gothique trend a la mode right now, complete with skull print scarves and silver serpents writhing around crosses. A delightful artist, Dr. B helped me with colors in the stores. Sometimes you get an idea in your head as to what looks good, but it takes an expert to show you what a silly idea that is. I enjoyed playing with our 250K euro palette.

And yet another damned random Frenchman in the street said to me, in English, “I love you!”

Dr. B laughed at my reaction, which was, “Uh…d’accord…” without looking at the guy once. (He might have been talking to her, but I was the one babbling in English at that moment. Mostly we spoke in French.)

No interruptions for two days. Or almost, anyway. I shudder to think what I’ll get done. My Internet is being very slow, which should actually help.