(lost and) FOUND PASSPORT!

So, I have, as usual, saved getting my visa information ratified until the very last possible moment. (Do you think the requirement "within three months of arrival" is to the day, i.e. I got here August 25, thus November 25 was doomsday, or do you suppose there is a little wiggle room?). In any case, it has taken me three tries to (hopefully, this time) get it right and send all the necessary documents to the immigration office and officially be enrolled as a (temporary) resident of France!
Anyway, in my procrastination, I found myself needing another photocopy of my passport, STAT, and the photocopy machine at the Casino out-of-order. So, Sophie offered to take my passport to work with her and make a copy there. How nice!
Anyway, she is having a busy week at work and I was not at all upset when she forgot to make my copies, but I suggested she leave the passport with me and I could do it myself at the now-working Casino machine. Poor life choice. As I rounded up the children, I put the passport in my small, brown purse along with only my wallet and keys. This purse only completely closes if you go through the motions of buckling it, and, seeing as "lazy" is my middle name, I often do not bother.
Anyway, after dropping les enfants off at school, I took a new route to the marché near the house. I had never been before and was impressed with all the produce in large, aluminum bowls as well as the traveling chicken rotisseries! As usual, I found myself wishing for the ability to make easy conversation with the workers; I'd love to know how they came up with SO MANY VARIETIES of olives! If one thing living in a country where I cannot easily communicate has taught me, it is to overcome my inherent shyness. I think, once I am back in good ol' English speaking America, I will be that person making conversation constantly with strangers--because now I know how lonely it is not being able to! So, at the market, I smiled at the French-Arab men who greeted me with "Bonjour, mademoiselle!" even though their intentions didn't seem entirely pure (I was highly conscious of my decision to wear leggings, which probably is never in my best interest and yet I don't see myself stopping anytime soon!). Alas, I did not find the "morceau de poitiron" I was searching for, and decided to leave. Looking in my bag, I realized: my passport was gone! However, I am absentminded (at best) and choose to assume I had left it at home in my haste to get the kids bundled up and out the door. I bought a baguette and headed home. The passport wasn't there.
So, for the rest of the day, I retraced my steps, thinking of everything I could have done to avoid having my passport stolen from my purse (I was convinced) by a radish-wielding French-Arab man (I assumed). I could not concentrate in French class, I began plotting my inevitable trip to Paris or Marseille, the only locations to get a new passport, and I generally felt this was an unacceptable way to spend Thanksgiving.
Ironically, I found a copy of my passport and decided to take it to the Casino for more copies. Inside the machine were two French identity cards. I patted myself on the back for the good karma I was racking up as I waited in line to hand them over to customer services. "Naomie Fleur" and her younger boyfriend will be so pleased!
Well, I think I am officially a Buddhist convert (in terms of truly believing in the karma stuff) because this morning, as I listened to the never-ending automated messages at the American Embassy in Paris and was laughed at by the consulate in Marseille for not realizing how busy they are patrolling the Italian border (or something), I heard the beep of call waiting. It was Sophie: the police had found my passport!
I rushed over and was happily reunited with my little buddy, who has been so many places with me! My horrible French led me to ask the policewoman, "Vous connaisez qui... retourner?" As in, "Do you know who returned it?" She explained, I think, in rapid-fire French, that Sophie had also asked on the phone but the police did not know. I wanted to say "Thank you!" and perhaps make him a pumpkin pie!
In summation: I think the world is a lovely place and I happy we can all look out for each other.

I'm also pretty pleased with the latest additions to my tumblr.

FIN.

i'm just really busy, you know?

topics to be addressed when i stop being a lazy piece of merde:

• how hilarious it was to find myself waiting at a bus stop with a young turkish man, listening to the american music on his phone, and explaining that no, "poker face" does not translate to "cheater."
• how freaking happy it makes to have a breakfast burrito dans le matin. sophie is so nice to buy my favorite foods! i like that "je suis avocat" can mean "i am a lawyer" OR "i am avocado." i choose the latter. and i just ate a whole one.
• i think it's funny there are "sos prieres" available. in case you find yourself in the midst of a spiritual crisis.
• i appreciate realizing that i actually am making progress with the french. it's difficult and i feel like a retard but i am happy to have the opportunity to try, in france, to learn this language. and i will!
• okay, so maybe i should have thought ahead and thought, "oh! berlin for new year's!" but i guess paris will still be okay... ha!
• je dois etudier le français!!!
• i like the colors of fall.

the real reason i am here.