Day 0463

I left the apartment feeling very pleased with my day's work, felt like the restarted portrait went well. Come home to see it in the true lignt of unrecognizable ugliness! A sad come-down.

I haven't been to the Louvre or any galleries or exhibitions this time because I'm not emotionally robust enough to deal with looking at good art.

Nice afternoon playing pétanque by the canal though. Walked through an extremely dodgy area on the way, saw a pursuit of some muggers and a woman and some other guys and a getaway car. Didn't see a single middle class person for about ten whole minutes, most unusual. Sensitized to poverty and grim desperation by spending 5 hours with Zola down the pit of Germinal today.

Highly agreeable dinner of Chinese ravioli with my lovely companion.