Magia ...

Harry Houdini, born today in 1874, adopted his last name based on French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin.

That gives me pause to think that it'll take some kind of magic for us in France to get out of the pickle (1) we're in (not just related to the anti-CPE demonstrations this week ... and next). I'm still planning on participating in the nationwide strike/march on Tuesday (although Odile is getting cold feet), but I will be prepared to scoot should violence break out (as in the most recent events in Paris).

Hopefully Dominique de Villepin will pull a magic card out of his sleeve ... and things will calm down ... but I doubt it.

On the home front - a productive day (of banging away to get the new laptop in line) and a nice, quiet dinner with our neighbor, Anne. Simple grub, red wine,honest and warm conversation on a rainy Parisian night - that's the real magic.

(1) not definition #4!