January 27, 2012-cont.

In the morning my relocation agent Valentine picked me up and took me into Tours to get my cell phone.  I’m so glad she was there as it would have been nearly impossible to do on my own without a translator.  But, I now have an American iPhone which I will turn on and use when in America and a French iPhone that I use here.  It sounds quite complicated, but really made sense financially and practically.  I can call the US free on my home phone service so I just got a cell here that is good for calls here.  With imessage, I can text my kids for free which makes me happy.  We can also Skype on my phone and laptop, so that makes me seem not so far away.  In case you somehow need to contact me, my email is still the same  culloch@bellsouth.net , but my French home phone is +33 02 34 36 02 22 and our address is 20 Rue Andre Malraux 37230 Luynes France.  My French cell is +33 06 03 60 12 97 , but remember if you text or call me from America, we’ll both pay a fee.  So, email and Facebook are the best ways to contact me J

Today I also went for my first walk into downtown Luynes.  Before you get too excited, downtown is a word that conjures in your mind many shops, but in Luynes, not so.  It is about a ten minute walk from the house, on a tiny path like sidewalk, well mostly sidewalk.  It’s a downhill walk into town, but not so steep that the return home is very difficult.  Sophie and I set off on our adventure.  She did much better than I thought she would, before she would walk for a ways and then kind of climb my leg to let me know she’d like to be carried now please.  Keep in mind she is only 4lbs 5 oz., so walking far is tougher on her.  But, she was so excited to go and managed to walk both ways without being carried. 

Downtown I can go to a Boulangerie/Patisserie which is a cute little bread maker/bakery shop, so far I’m very impressed with their products!!  There is also a Brasserie which is a bar/restaurant.  They do a few sandwiches and a plate of the day.  It’s an odd little place, but my only choice for a cup of tea or snack downtown during the day.  There are two butchers, I only went to one so far and it scared me.  Somehow in my mind meat should never look gelatinous or be squished like that.  There were some cuts of “real” meat, but I was afraid to try them yet. (got some nicely packaged meats at the grocery store, at least they looked familiar!). There is also a little superette, type store which carries one of most necessities but at a higher price than the store.  In a pinch it will do, but not as a regular place.  We do have a pharmacy as well but I haven’t gone in yet.  I’ve been told there are a doctor and a dentist as well.  Although in the next little town Fondette (our bank is there), the dentist trained in Texas and speaks English, so that will be our dentist of choice J

So, Sophie is allowed anywhere here, in stores, restaurants, banks, etc.  It’s amazing really, to be out to eat and a lady has her dog under the table or sitting next to her.  She and I made the rounds of a few shops, got some apples and Brie (reduced) at the little superette, bread and pastries at the baker and headed home.  Not bad for our first try.  I didn’t even get lost!