Things are different in France

This keyboard; for instqnce: I can hunt and peck for the correct keys but it takes me three times as long to type q simple sentence: So you must deal with the consequences qnd try to figure out whqt Iùm trying to say:

I am in Joigny; a très mignon (very cute) village in the northwest of Burgundy: The food/drink is stellar qnd the pace of life is slow: I am quartered with some gregarious qnd supergenial (very cool) friends in la Caisse d'Epargne; a hulking, century-old bank that is currently being renovated into a residence: we spend our hours eating; drinking; playing charades in the parlour; exploring the house (4 levels including a basement and a sub-basement-- I still havenùt seen every room); exploring the town, exploring the vineyards and surrounding countryside; and eqting qnd drinking even more: I am becoming familiqr with ordering both Kir and Pastis along with great beer and wine, and I'll be damned if I can ever remember having q better faux-filet (sirloin) than the one I savored last night in Auxerre:

You can expect to see scads of photos posted to my buzznet gallery (see left) upon my return to base camp L.A. at the start of Septeber:

Until then: The weather is here, I wish you were beautiful...