Christmas eve...

Hi people, sorry it has been so long. I have been wandering the rues of Paris, trying to stay warm and generally haveing a fabulous time. Mary and I are at home making x-mas cookies after running around this morning getting treats for the next couple days because everything will be closed up.
The flea market was a flop. I have been hunting for linens and things for my sister but have not found a single one. Either I am looking in the wrong places or the people who have the french shabby-chic stall at the Alameda flea market have come and taken them all. I am still on the hunt though Jodi, promise.
On Tuesday Mary, a friend of hers and I went on a chocolate shop tour of Paris...mainly just an excuse to walk around with some kind of purpose. One shop had a window display made entirely of chocolate. Most impressive was the birch trees that looked so real I wanted to miniaturize myself and walk around in the little chocolate forest....yum! We saw many other things on our way, a mosque, a roman ampitheater that was excavated not so long ago....and lots of cute boutiques. As our last stop we went food shopping at a big market near Mike's work and I went a bit crazy at the olive bar which was very impressive.
Yesterday I went to the Centre Pompidou (the modern art museum here in Paris) thinking I could go there and then do a few more things in the day. It was amazing! They have a wonderful premanent collection full of artists that I love as well as two floors of special exhibits. One of the highlights was a slideshow of Nan Golding photos of couples set to music by Bjork and an orchestra. I have seen and really enjoyed her photos before but seeing them this was was heartbreakingly beautiful. It was 5 couples in total and each had 25 or so photos of them just doing normal everday things (some a bit x-rated). She has an amazing gift to capture peoples love for eachother. I was at the museum for 6 hours total and got to catch a view of the Tour Eiffel sparkling at 6 p.m. from one of the decks of the museum. Apparently there is another light show that starts on the hour at 8 p.m. so we are going to try to catch it tonight I think.
After the museum I walked around the Marsais. It is the jewish/gay district of town that is hopping with people and full of fun little shops and restaurants. Luckily the weather has eased off a bit so for the first time since I've been here it wasn't painful to walk around. Home by 10 and then a late dinner with Mary and Mike. Went to bed at 1 and started reading my book..."the corrections" by Jonathan Franzen, which I am auctually not enjoying that much but it is the only english book I have up here that is not a guidebook, and somehow it was suddenly 3 a.m. and I forced myself to go to sleep.
Tonight we are going to midnight mass at Notre Dame which I am sure is going to bo quite impressive. Then tomorrow is Christmas and I think our plans are to relax, drink some champgne and probably go for a stroll in the park or something. I am sure I will be missing my family but am lucky to have this extended family here making me feel very much at home. Merry Christmas to everyone. gros bisous!