Part One: Oh my body

Last week B contacted a clinic in Toulouse that's hiring and scheduled an interview for Monday afternoon. Since we were going to town, I convinced him to go with me to the université (way away from downtown) to pick up my TCF certificate from last April. The office is only open in the morning, so that meant we had to get into Toulouse around 9, so take the train at 8.

Well, this past weekend we got in a really bad cycle of staying up till 2, 3 in the morning and sleeping in past noon. We were "busy" (surfing the net) until about 2 in the morning Sunday night and I know I didn't fall asleep till just after 3am. Alarm at 6:30, roll out of bed grumbling, get ready, and get stuck in morning traffic on the way to the station. I stood in line to renew my carte 12-25, but started worrying when the train arrived, ditched the line and got on the train and hoped for no controlleur.

So B and I were tired (and cold; it was a cold day!) all day. I decided to go explore potential neighborhoods where we'll rent while B was waiting for the doctor to finish with a patient and have his interview. I walk and walk and walk. I was mostly wrapped up enough for the cold weather, but my toes could feel it. Then my knee starts hurting, and then my hip. Then my left foot starts to feel stiff and I can feel the muscles in my legs starting to tighten up.

I met B back in town when he was done and we went to one of our favorite cafés for a hot chocolate that's almost as thick as pudding (they give you a spoon to eat it). I limped back to the train station and renewed my carte 12-25. We both closed our eyes for the ride home and promptly fell asleep. I haven't been tired like I was last night for a long time: lack of sleep and fatigue from physical exertion.

This morning I am so stiff I can't full extend my legs when I walk. I want to go buy butter and a baguette, but that means going down the hill, and coming back up, and I don't know if I can survive that. B reminded me that I need to get in better shape if I have any hope of going skiing for New Years and he's right. I don't want to be this stiff again!

We did get to eat sushi for lunch though, and poke around Midica, the big housewares store.