Sunday 29th August: Today I was woken up by sunshine and plenty of room. It was the first time that I havent slept in 'the loft'. It was glorious! Its a real effort to make up this bed, as usually there are two paragliders on the seats and it takes time to put the table down and make up the bed, whereas the bed is already made in 'the loft' and all you do it pull it down, and voila! It was great for the space, but things are definately colder here. It may be because we are up in the alps perhaps. It's a bit like the time I went to Peru in 1997. The days were so very hot, but the nights were so very cold. It was a wonder that both climates could exist with one another, but they do.
I heard the bells toll in the near distance, and cycle to Mass. It was better to understand this time because I know French. Its all locked inside my head, and I know all I need to do is to be exposed to it a while and then it gets unlocked. After speaking English and Spanish for most of my time, punctuated by Polish, my first few sentences were muddled with all the words I knew in all three languages, but after a bit of conversation and practise, it was much better. Its not just the speaking Im after, its the communicating and expressing that is very important for me. Away from my friends and family, Im finding that aspect of the adventure very hard indeed. Its being with people who know me, really know me, that I miss. I dont have to explain, we share a history. Thank goodness that I can talk to them over the phone, texts and email, or I would be well and truly lost. Its nice to get to know different people though, but its not reall the same.
The square is heaving with people and it is lovely to see. I watch couples hand in hand strolling along and it makes me smile. I sit in a cafe, after ordering a tea, they didnt have de-caf. I drank it whilst reading and English Paper I had found in a newagent and basked in the sun. The Boulangerie looked like it was going to close by 12.00, so I ventured in and asked for a 'pain-au-chocolat sil vous plait' and ate it eagerly. I would probably suffer later with a headache (I did) because of all that butter, but for those few moments, it was delicious.
I stayed in the square till about 14.30, reading my book intermittently and gathering my thoughts. I have a lot of them to gether! I need a bigger net! The large tree provided a shade for me in the midday sun and as I looked around, I was inspired to write a few lines (Linda and Laura, this is especially for you)
The triangular bunting flags wave with excitement in the wind. They tell me not of their reaons for doing so. I know not whetehr it is for something to come or an event already passed. They dont care and wave themselves regardlessly. Their secret intrigues me and I watch trying to decipher their innermost thoughts. I gaze at their excitement in the blue cobalt sky. They wave in unison whispering to me in a language I do not know. I listen with more care. They are pleading with me now as they flap eagerly. I then smile. For I have found out their secret. We sit in the square together, in the wind and under the afternoon sun. I smile because I now too have a secret. I share their secret. Its the secret of complete happiness.
I cycle home and make sense of what I have seen and thought about.
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