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Paris:– Monday, 16. May 2005:– I'm amazed again that it's Monday and time for the weather. I was amazed last week too but after being amazed two weeks in a row I'm going to give it up. It doesn't take a crystal ball to figure out that a week from today it'll be Monday again, it'll be weather time again, and the actual weather will be pretty much the same unless there are high winds.

There are no high winds foreseen or predicted for the next couple of days. Even though there is supposed to be some sort of front moving this way from the north, the TV–weather news lady forgot to show it on her map. It should be safe to take your umbrellas out for walks.

Since it is somewhat unlikely to rain, taking an umbrella is optional. Tomorrow is forecast to start off gray and as the day goes on it may get lighter. But it is not going to be warm with a predicted high of only 14 degrees, which is not at all nifty for May. Over Manhattan it's supposed to be partly sunny and 18 degrees, possibly making it worth while to fly over for the afternoon.

The best day of our three–day forecast may be Wednesday when it will ne nice and maybe get nicer. It should be a bit warmer too with an afternoon high of 17 degrees. Again, Manhattan will beat this by three degrees.

While it probably won't be quite so fine on Thursday – there will be a bunch of clouds lurking around northern France – it should be even warmer, but not a great deal over 18 degrees.

Therefore our weather map for Paris represents Wednesday and the one for La Grosse Pommeland is an indication for Thursday, when rain is expected late in the day. Over there also slides in the temperature department, to 16 degrees, so it might be wise to fly back and spend the afternoon – at the Café Metropole Club.

However, Jim Auman provides a detailed and technical meteorological report from his point of view for La Grosse Pommeland to bolster the rich mine of information already present in our weather map. Jim's report:–

Last week Thermidor arrived in full force, accompanied by his entourage of Chaleuristas, Thermidoristas, Sandalistas, Haltertopistas and Sans–whatever they could be sans and not get arrested. Yesterday, Sunday, two seasons were engaged in combat. Thermidor sent his Soleil ally only to be counterattacked by Les Nuages d'Hiver. The outlook for Pommeland for the coming week seems to favor Les Nuages and Frimaire. Temperatures in the mid to upper 60's anglograd, which is about 18–20 eurograd. But missing from this is Pluviôse. La Sécheresse seems to be the substitute.

Café Life

Now that it is out of the way – on the 'Au Bistro' page along with some non–news about a palm war – we can return to our regular program, which is all about voting in the referendum, for or against 'oui' or 'non' for the new European Constitution.

This may be of absolutely no importance to anybody visiting Paris and France and Europe, but it is a big deal here. Today France got through its day of 'solidarity' on the same day that the official campaign for the referendum begins. Politicians are on TV tonight explaining what we did today while trying to steer the discussion around to why we should vote for or against accepting the Constitution on Sunday, 29. May.

There was so much local noise that last week when the German parliament voted overwhelming in favor, it was nearly overlooked – it was worth exactly one mention on TV–news, after the vote. They drank Champagne of course.

The situation in France is unclear. Polls are yo–yoing back to giving the 'non' a slight advantage after a week when 'oui' clawed its way up to a thin lead. Some think this sway is caused by Socialist voters. François Hollande, national leader of the PS, explained it by saying that the 'left is exasperated, ready to vote against the first ballot that comes along.'

So far the 'official' campaign consists of TV–spots shown before the evening news. Every major party gets a slice of air time, so the viewers will get five minutes of 'oui' and 'non' every night until it's over.

The poster panels that have been in place for weeks will now be plastered with 'official' posters. The ones you will see in this issue are, I guess, 'unofficial' posters. So far I have not received the promised printed copy of the Constitution.

But since the referendum is purely France–French, I have no right to vote anyway.

Last week's contest, asking 'what was wrong' with the photo of the Golf that wasn't the Pope's, was won before 'Ed' even got up on Tuesday. "I say the clue is that the car's shadow goes to the right of the car and the awning's shadow goes to the left," wrote Bob Patterson from Los Angeles. This was surprising because Bob claims to be the 'world's laziest journalist.' Motto – "You could look it up by Googling 'World's Laziest Journalist." Thanks also for entries from Kathy Bahri, and Stephan Nowak in Köln, who asked, "Is there anything right in this picture?"

This coming weekend artists in the 14th arrondissement will have their doors open, hoping that you'll drop in to visit. Because of geography the 190–odd open ateliers are roughly grouped around the Leclerc–Montsouris, Daguerre and the Plaisance–Pernety quartiers, with another 15 near the Boulevard Montparnasse. Open on Saturday from 14:30 to 20:00, and on Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00.

Also on Sunday, 22. May, between 11:00 and 19:00, you can find Line 'Saline' McKie in a spot on the Boulevard Edgar Quinet, possibly showing off her marine paintings, or peddling six–packs of oysters, part of the salt water decor of her stand. According to reports it will be the only artist's stand that may look like a fish stall in Honfleur. The Marché de Creacute;ation on Edgar Quinet will have about 200 artists on Sunday too and a 'Fest'Yves' is planned, plus the Rue Campagne Première may be having a block party as well.