As you can see from the title, I am off to French class this morning.  Actually, it’s an assessment this morning to determine how abysmal my conversational French has become.  Given the dearth of French speakers in State College, my only on-going use of the French language is in correspondence to my bank and my former neighbors who have moved to Cambodia.  And, sadly, my correspondence to them is much overdue.  (As has been my blogging).

So, I did a quick review of grammatical items that tend to trip me up… and away we will go.

The pre-spring weather has been wonderful here.  Yesterday, I snuck out for a bike ride – with Verbal in his doggie trailer.  I had no idea that there were so many hills around my parents’ house.

Who knew?

I was inspired to drag out the bike yesterday after witnessing a child’s glee at riding down the bike path hill that is in the neighboring park.  At about 7AM, I was walking Verbal up the bike path.  A man riding his bike was approaching, and it had one of the little pull carts behind it.  As the bike passed me, I saw a little boy in the cart who was raising his hands over his head – a la roller coaster style- and in a tiny voice called out, “Yahoooooo!”  Very cute.

So determined to give Verbal the same thrill ride, I pulled out the bike and cart – and off we went.  I didn’t realize that to even get to the bike path required several inclines, and then once you go down the bike path and hit the main road, there are only 3 choices to take.  All three paths are straight up hill.  Within 5 minutes of leaving the house, I was sweaty, hot, and at the bottom of a hill.  Verbal, however, seemed to enjoy the cruise.  I don’t think he quite understood the exertion involved, and frankly, I doubt he cared.

Switching from physical to mental exertion, I need to head out and be bilingually humiliated. 

À demain, au revoir!

As ever,

K. Quinn