Starting... now!

A while ago, I vowed to read books only in French, at least for a bit. And inevitably got sidetracked, because the Strand is big and the English goes down oh so easily. But I finished the Birnbaum books (which the Strand had, tragedy of tragedies, readily available in English translation but not in the original French) and decided that French it will be, from now until reading in French becomes as easy as reading in English.

Which sure explains my productivity today otherwise. I have accomplished the following:

1) Supervised the closing of the grand entry hall of The Mouse, which is surrounded (shudder) by a startling amount of fur and what appear to be wood scrapings, but is now filled with steel wool and covered with "powder." The exterminator examined the space around a wire behind the dishwasher and exclaimed, "Shit, that's a big hole!" Anyone want to come over for dinner?

2) Ran four miles. It felt effortless at the time, but now I cannot walk normally. I keep reminding myself that torn-up Puma Mostros are not and never were running shoes, but whatever, I have super-comfortable hippie sandals now, so I'll recover in no time.

3) Purchased a black strapless gown at Old Navy. By "strapless gown" I mean something that's technically a bathing suit cover-up, but is in essence no different from any number of hipster mini-dresses at American Apparel, or even this one I considered but opted against at the Barneys Warehouse Sale last summer. (See "Naot-as-Prada.") It looks very glamorous with heels, understatedly chic with flats, and god-awful with my new sandals. I sense that the thing will only be good for days over 95 degrees, when I'd have the courage to wear something like this. My roommate Anna, who's far more adventurous fashion-wise than I am, suggested a belt. Which does make the garment look more like a dress, but I have yet to find a way to make it look more like jeans and a sweatshirt.

4) And finally, read some French. Some France, as it happens--something by Anatole France. The going is slower than I'd like, so I think this may be it for exciting adventures in mouse-extermination, "long-distance" running, and Old Navy-scavenging for the time being.