Six months from today, we fly to Paris for a three-week stay. Not long by many people’s standards, but it will be our longest stay in one place (so far).

We’ve spent a week in Paris twice, and at least half a dozen times we’ve been there for one to four days at the beginning or end of a trip elsewhere. I remember every visit as a blur of activity, yet every time I left with a longer list of things I wanted to do the next time we returned.

From this distance, three weeks seems to offer endless possibilities. We’ll be able to fritter away whole days with just a long walk, lunch, and good long browse in a bookstore. There will be time to shop, and cook, and sit in cafes watching people. We’ll see the things we just never found time for during shorter stays.

March is early, and it will probably be cold, but that’s ok. I love cold weather for walking and exploring, although I would prefer not to have too many windy and rainy days.

Our apartment is booked. It’s just off the Quai de Montebello on the Left Bank, with incredible views of the back side of Notre Dame. We visited this apartment a few years ago, so we know it’s very nice, comfortable, and in a great location.

I love having six months to wait! I can make lists of things I’d like to do, and research them thoroughly to build our own custom travel guide. Maybe this time I’ll make it all the way through my online French lessons. Of course, I’ll lose a bunch more weight and have to buy all new clothes. I’ve already started buying more French cookbooks — as if I needed more French cookbooks — to pick out a few dozen perfect, easy recipes that don’t require lots of equipment or time for those evenings when we don’t feel like eating out but do want elegant French food.

I know this is is sounding suspiciously like an unrealistic list of New Year’s resolutions, but I can dream, can’t I? And I’ll keep track of my progress here…