Day 28: Mimi's aspirations for me

Another holiday in Paris. Bertrand and Sophie had invited me to picnic and (salsa) dance with them along the Seine. Pas is also to join them. However, I'd already made plans to picnic with Mimi, and couldn't be prevailed upon to break them.

Remembering the wonderful spread she had provided at the dinner, I'd bought some stuffed bries (one with figs, another with walnuts) at the fromagerie yesterday, and some sliced salamies and grapes as well. We met up at the Bastille. I didn't see her, and at first she didn't recognize me, all decked out in black with my chic hat. To hear her tell it, she thought to herself, "Now, there's a French woman with style!" But it was me!

Mimi brought with her another woman from her class. Jo is from Australia, and is heavily involved in theatrical arts there ... I forget which city she lived in, but seems well-connected and quite lovely. In her early to mid 60's, she and her friend are taking a year to live in Paris! If I am correct, this is Jo. I will have to netflis Parklands and watch it.

Jo leaves us after eating and resting a bit. Mimi and I go to her apartment to drop off some stuff, and to walk around Marais. We decide to go over to the ile St Louis and hang out along the Seine. Mimi is determined that I get together with Alex. I tell her it isn't going to happen, but she keeps telling me to ditch my fuzzy pants, buy some lingerie, and be extra cuddly. I laugh. I think she's more than a little invested in this, since she loves London and Londoners, and is having a fun time with her half English (the reserved bit) and half French (the passionate bit, as he described himself) man. It's fun to talk over relationships and hope and dreams with her. We come from such vastly different backgrounds, but are surprisingly similar.

We end the day with dinner at a cafe on ISL. The hostess/waitress is a vibrant lady dressed all in white, even down to her bleached blond hair and crystal jewelry. It was a lucky day when Megan got placed in the wrong class with Mimi. When she came to the beginning class, it was the impetus to get the rest of us together to share our experiences as single women in Paris. I reiterate to Mimi that if she's ever in the states, she must let me know, and stay with me if ever in California. She also tells me I must let her know if I am evern in Bahrain (unlikely) or London (distinctly possible), since she also has an apartment there.