I spy with my NEW FULLY EQUIPPED ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE OF A BIRTHDAY PRESENT OF A CANON CAMERA

Yes everyone, it's the return of the wonderful technology we all know called the "camera."  For my 23rd birthday, my loving parents bought me a brand new camera in order to replace the one that I dropped on 15th century year old cobblestone and did not live to tell the tale.

So a "petite" apology before I start for the fact that it's been at least 2 weeks since I've blogged.  I am not by any means complaining or making excuses that I am "just too busy" to post a new blog, but I have to admit, being a grad student, a girl, a girlfriend, and an AMERICAN in France is a full time job.

Let me start with some pictures.  Below you will find various pictures of my "temporary home" in Angers.  WARNING: What you see below may cause effortless laughter and astonishment.

So this is my room in Angers.  Kinda cool, right?  Different and rather appealing at a first glance.

Now we get into the details...I am convinced that his head was torn off by the two yappy Yorkshire dogs that also live with me...who give off a wonderful odor that resembles that of  Petsmart.

Obviously extremely practical object.  I don't know what I did these last 23 years without a large wooden strawberry, an Indian glass elephant, and a broken carousel.

My friends.

And even larger class elephant.

Either the person who rented this room before me accidentally left his exercising material or Mme Sophie is implying something.

Hello doggy bedspread and Barbie pink pillows!!

Maybe she thought it was funny to put this in my room because I am American?  I'm not sure...

In case I want to brush up on my 4th century math calculations in my spare time.

So this is my living space for the time being.  It has its advantages (i.e. being in the center of town and only a 10 minute walk from my university) and its disadvantages (i.e. the smell of dog, the fact that Mme Sophie repaints the entry way practically every week, the sounds of yapping yorkshires, the fact that we MUST open the window before we leave in the morning in order to "air-out" the room--even when its 40 degrees outside) as any living situation.  As a whole, I'm content where I am.

The day I received my camera in the mail, I made it my mission to walk around town in order to take some pictures and "show" you a little bit of Angers! :)

Charming, n'est pas? However, not as charming as this guy,

Yes, that is a huge block of cheese.  This past Sunday we hate a wonderful little restaurant called Chez les Gaulois.  It specializes in charcuterie (fine delicate pieces of ham--for example procuitto) and raclette (a large plate of this charcuterie covered in melted "raclette" cheese.)

Bon appétit !! :)