The train derailed, but is now back on track.

This weekend I was lucky enough to have my friend Jared, a classmate from OU who is also doing the French teaching assistantship this year, come visit. He studied abroad in Avignon in 2007 (the year before me) and was really excited to get back to town and visit his old stomping grounds and favorite sights.

Since we are both living on the meager assistant's salary as we wait for the housing aid to kick in, instead of going out to eat a lot, we stayed in and cooked instead:





Me, the crazy chef, drinking red wine and working three burners to produce yummy pasta-y goodness
I wish I could say that I ate all balanced meals and didn't indulge while he was here, but that'd be a lie (even if those food items/beverages were not documented via photo). I probably undid any progress I'd made with the veggie soup introduction this past week week since we drank like fish, consumed baguettes, and may have partook in dessert, like the selection below from a cool tapas restaurant in town called Tapaslocas:



I also didn't run or work out for all but one day of his visit, though we did go on quite a few photo excursions while he was here, in an attempt to capture the feel of the city:

One of our local bar hang outs. The patios are so nice when it's not too cold out!
Les Halles, an indoor market where I like to go to buy my produce.


A view from my bedroom window


On the way home from our last photo excursion
We had a great time cooking and hanging out together. It made me remember how much I prefer cooking with/for other people. Jonboy was jealous that he wasn't here for the soup. They're one of my specialties in our relationship (I miss his pancakes, btw). I'm hoping to make it up to Chambéry (where Jared is living) to visit his town at some point as well.

Today I'm back on track after our weekend of indulgences and it feels good. Plus, I've started doing the P90X lean sequence as cross training since I do want to tone up (hopefully in time to look smokin' for NYE?) Jonboy wants to match outfit-wise, so I'm hoping to be able to fit into a fabulous dress in time for the partay! :) So far, I've done Cardio X and Core Synergistics and I am already feeling it. Hurts so good, John Mellencamp style! I'm lovin' it!