Today's itinerary took us from the post office (to mail a check to the property managers), to the framer (who beautifully mounted two of Amy Montali's photos, a gift from her for her time here in France), to the bank (for lumps of cash), to a beggar with lovely eyes to deposit 5 euros of luck, to the Cracker Fair, an annual Christmas season crafts and food display at the Abbey de Valmagne. We had a list prepared by Simone of all the people we needed to buy for. We got a skirt for her, knitted pens for somebody, a ceramic ring for her, some bio room-deodorant, a couple of cloth bread bags labeled PAIN, a two-sided "modern cut" bowtie for Marc Pitman, artisanal candy bars of 6 different flavors of the region for Thanksgiving dinner with the Cornell-Feists, some cork coin purses for the Ducklings and Emma, gave money to the cancer society for English speakers in France ... and then I blew my top.