Dotting i's and crossing t's

It's that stage in the course where you need to check you are up to date, throw out anything not obviously useful(to avoid over-weight luggage)and complete final assignments.

I was relieved to get a great assessment for my one-on-one lesson yesterday. My trainer explained my assessment was at the high end. Another milestone achieved. We had an opportunity to see where we went wrong in our grammar test. I'm weak in various types of clause as well as separable and non-separable clauses so I'd better 'bone up' on those as I suspect I'll end up being retested. I've also been given an assignment of several pages so will knuckle down and get that done as soon as possible. It'll be rather novel to find myself in France without having to study. That will be the situation, I hope, on Friday.

Everything is organised for my stay with Annarita in St Brieuc on Friday and with Frederique on Saturday, then it's off to Valerie on Thursday of next week. It's going to be full on still from now on, just more fun, with a really important day next Tuesday when I attend my job interview in Paris.

I'm trying to eat a bit more this week, finishing up my little pantry so I don't have too much stuff to lug to Frederique's. Bouton d'Or crisps are rather moreish. I've tried Bolognaise, Paprika and Bacon flavours so far. I've also been enjoying a lovely vinaigrette made from red wine, onions and shallots. It's pre-prepared so all I do is shake and drizzle it on my pre-prepared salad. Tomorrow it's likely to be pasta bolognaise for dinner and for Thursday evening tinned beef ravioli. It doesn't do France justice but it requires minimal cooking in our minimal kitchen.

Breakfast at the moment consists of slices of Brioche covered in butter and jam, washed down with a cup of tea. Lunch is usually yoghurt and fruit which might be supplemented with leftovers from the night before or it could be yoghurt and cereal. The cereal from the supermarket is rather like horse chaff. Mr Hubbard, you need to export to France.

Photos are of veal marsala (the chips were the best part)and strawberry juice, and a little seaside cottage at St Brieuc.