Mantra

13 February 2009- My exercise mantra seems to be working. I am going to jinx it with my whole two days of adhering to goodness. I did some strength training especially since I will find more leg muscles than ever in a short 10 days from now skiing the Alpine slopes of Austria. I figure every bit helps, better late than never and many many more cliches. Ha another french words disguised as english!
Our mantra for the first six months of living here was "one good thing a day." I had several today. I decided to go to Le Bon Marche Epicerie (AJs in France for those in Phoenix). The store carries so many products and has such a selection of often-not-found-in-France items. I was going with a plan of buying only things I cannot find at my local grocery store. Then I realized I was going to break the all time commandment of never go to the store on an empty stomach. Your stomach shops and lists/plans go out the window. So I whipped up a panini/pizza sub (like Appetitos, oh a taste my childhood). As I sat down to enjoy, the buzzer went off.
Like on Seinfeld, we have a buzzer downstairs to let people in our building. QUI etes vous (who is it?). Wine delivery. Chad and friend from work went in to buy enough wine to necessitate free delivery. Ain't life grand when you can order good wine from your couch and then one week later, buzz in the delivery guy to bring it up to you. Good thing I hadn't broken the empty stomach shopping rule, I would have missed the wine. Yesterday I had ventured to IKEA for an additional wine rack. Chad put it together and I put it down in the cave early this morning. Just in time for the cases to arrive, like it was planned. But not at all. Just a good thing for today!
I got on the bus shortly after the delivery and headed to Bon Marche. I grabbed a hand basket and avoided all the Valentine displays and cakes at the front of the store. We don't really celebrate "Hallmark" holidays but I did ask for flowers for Sunday. I digress.
I perused all the aisles really taking inventory of things I can buy elsewhere (and probably for cheaper) and the things I have been craving, interested in having around the house. I found black beans (2 kinds) of course they are dry but now I have them. Maraschino cherries, dry tortellini, hummus with tahini-pinenuts-paprika from Lebanon, real orange cheddar cheese, pan con tomate (like we had in Spain) and orzo. You spoiled rotten americans get all of this and can get it from 6 am to at least 10 pm. I have to take 2 buses and go between 10 am and 7 pm. Who has the rough life now?
All in all, many good things happened today. Makes me smile and realize how cool life can be sometimes.
A happy birthday to my pops, he turns the old 7-0 today. Love you Abraham Valentine (an honest suggestion of a name to his mother when he was born between the two days)
To all in Arizona, I wish you a happy Statehood day tomorrow.
To the rest, I wish un Jour de Saint Valentin! And to those who don't celebrate, 2 more weeks of February 2009 left. Woo hoo!