swamped in discoveries

The torrential rains yesterday didn't manage to dampen a grand tour de Strasbourg with Liliana by bike (we hit all the highlights, from laundromat aka laverie to kebab shop to ISU computer lab). Today looks like June - we discovered magnolias in full bloom along with many flowering trees I haven't identified along the canal. The Sun is illuminating grass so green it looks radioactive.

This week is devoted to personal assignment, first, last and only. Starting off of on precarious footing with a late night farewell dinner and philosophical "save the world" stroll along the canals last night with Dave and Liliana, but parted ways to get a good night's sleep. Best-laid plan waylaid by discovery that my bike had been blown over by the Devil's Breath by the cathedral - worse, while fixing the derailed chain under the gaze of gargoyles, I discovered the back wheel was twisted grotesquely. Fortunately, there was still room at the Auclair-Kuveava-Haslam-MacThee Inn, so I made a bed out of a futon cover, but it was yet too early to bed down at 02h30 as the next crisis needed averting ... Finally fell asleep after receiving text message at 5AM from hospital assuring us that roomie was going to survive.

This morning, I trundled into ISU to start the new term at 11h00 for 10h00 module-4 orientation, only to discover a critical impromptu TP meeting about to start. So much for PA-first-foremost-and-only. Never despair, I remain optimistic as always.

Eureka! I just found out via T.A. we may get an extension till Monday :-) And now I know how to upload video of multi-axis shaker with test subject (Moscow train with giraffe-bot)! Wait for it....

This is a declaraion of intent to fully produce updated blog next weekend.
Really. I mean it.

New French words so far - "copraculture", "bacterio salmonell" (well - Latin, maybe), "douleur", "médecin traitant" (attending physician). Great French concept - the "house call". And this morning over decadent gourmet breakfast complete with praline-coated cocoa beans at la chocolatier Christian overlooking la Place de la Cathédrale, "acidité des fruits, goût poussant de cacao vénézuélien et cannelle" - a menu describing one of 8 flavours of hot chocolate.
Merci et bienvenue de nouveau à Strasbourg.