Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Well I’ve not been blogging lately as there hasn’t been any time for it.  I suppose that’s a good thing and means I’m getting busier and feeling more at home.  Part of the reason is I had my first visitor.  We picked William up at Anne-Rachel and Paco’s and enjoyed another yummy meal and time of fellowship with them.  They live just over an hour from us and we will enjoy seeing them regularly.   William arrived from the US ahead of his family and now will travel between friends and relatives until his family joins him this summer.  We had a great week together. William is Calum’s age, so it was a lot of fun for me.  We took the bus together into Tours one day while Ross was at work.  I have been dreading the bus, it has been my number one “ I don’t want to do it” thing here.  I’m not sure why, but I think it’s because I’ve only ever done the school bus as an adult on field trips and to basketball games and I don’t like it at all.  It makes my stomach go woozy and it gets hot.  I’ve also worried here about smelly people and being trapped on the bus with them. So, I made William come along and did it.  We had no trouble getting to the bus stop about ten minutes from the house and we were able to get on the correct bus for Tours.  I wanted to do the talking but it was great to have William as my backup since he speaks French.  We had a great day and walked around the town, looked at shops and had a nice lunch at a little café.  I’ve been missing eating out, so that was a treat for me.  We even managed the correct bus to get back to Luynes although it was really hot on the bus. 

I’ve been noticing and William confirmed it that people stare at me wherever I go.  I think the fact that I’m a 6ft tall woman is part of it.  Plus I just give off this American vibe I guess.  My look and clothing is a bit different so I guess I really stand out.  They’re not staring in a rude way, more fascination it seems.  They also LOVE trying to listen to me speak English, it’s really funny.  I know in Paris they have a reputation for rudeness, but here the people are so very nice.

The weather was absolutely spectacular while William was here; we got out our furniture and sat each afternoon on the patio with a cup of tea, a pastry and our ipads and played games or checked email.  We called it our lazy afternoons!  We have an awning that you crank out over the patio and it blocks the sun, it was so nice.  I’d get the laundry on the line-YES- I’m actually doing that!!!!   It’s not pollen crazed Atlanta so the laundry gets dry quickly and it smells so fresh and clean.  The dryer takes 2 ½ hours to 3 hours per load, so it uses the most electricity in the house.  I laugh that for the first time in 30 years; I’m hanging out laundry and ironing all Ross’ shirts for work. It seems to be part of the relaxed lifestyle here and everyone has laundry out.  It’s funny.

William also went with me to buy a new fridge.  The one that came with the house wasn’t keeping things cold and I worried about my Humira which must stay at a certain temperature.  So, The McCulloch Plan of rebuilding the economy strikes again and we set out.  Now, the fridge here was soooo small and the space for it is only 24” wide.  I had my American tape measure with me to shop. Calum laughed because at home our computer monitor is 24” wide!!  Anyway, the old fridge was 23” x 60”.  It was according to standards here the ‘family size” fridge J  We got to Darty just fine, I am finding my way so much easier now, and driving the car is like old hat, so that helps!  We went around measuring fridges in the store and my goal was to find one that was the right width, but taller and get a little more space.  But, because it’s me, I wanted a great deal!!  Sales and discounts are not something common here so I knew it would be a real challenge.  William was a good back up again for the language.  I could express what I want, but my listening comprehension is terrible!  I narrowed it down to two fridges, one a floor model with a couple dings.  It was an Electrolux and I liked it, but the one I really liked was an LG with the freezer on bottom.  Unfortunately they were out of stock until the end of April and it was above what I set for a budget. 

The thing I liked most about the LG was this air flow system at the back.  You have to get a bit of background for this part. EVERY house here has a kitchen that smells like, well there’s no polite way to say it, and they smell like farts!  It’s the strong cheeses and if you keep them in the fridge (which I’ve been informed true Frenchmen would never refrigerate cheese-even though most do), every time you open the fridge-phew, the whole kitchen and sometimes house smells soooo bad.  Well, the LG’s airflow keeps air circulating and takes away most odors. I so wanted that one since I hate the smell of the cheese in the house-I’m always afraid someone will think it’s me!!!  So, I noticed that the one in the store had two tiny dings on one door and a little scratch.  I asked the lady if they’d be willing to discount it if I took that as a floor model.  Oh, she’d have to talk to the director, but no they don’t do that. I’ve already decided shopping and being a good steward is my spiritual gift, so, lo and behold after a very long shopping trip, I got the LG.  It had been 680 euros and they’d marked it down due to the delay in getting them, but I kept working on it and got it down to 529euros!  The delivered it on Saturday and it works great!  Its 23” wide so it fits, but it is 72” tall with the fridge on top so I’m really liking the extra space and being able to see into the fridge rather than bend way down to get things out.  I re-hung my photos and letters on the front and you can’t even see the tiny dings or scratch!  I know for the US that is such a small fridge, but I’m pleased!  In fact they had a couple US sized ones in the store and I was laughing at them thinking they were HUGE!! 

William and I also visited the the Carrefors mall thing and did my weekly grocery shopping.  They have this system where you check pout a scanner when you go in.  as you place items in your cart, right into your bags, you scan them.  When you get to the checkout, they randomly scan ten items to make sure you’re not cheating. But that’s it!  Scan and pay.  That’s my pet peeve at home……I feel like I handle the groceries five or six times…from the shelf to the cart, the cart to the belt, the belt to the bag, the bag to the car, the bag to the house and finally to put them away. I know normal people don’t think of these random things, but it’s bugged me for years…..it’s just a lot of work!  So, by placing them from the shelf to the bag, I only have the car, home and put away to deal with.  Hey, it’s the little things people…..take joy in them!  I’d been nervous to try it since there are steps to follow and a way to do it, but having William helped since he could understand the lady as she explained! 

We took a few walks and enjoyed the architecture of Luynes and explored the aqueduct.  The age of buildings here is staggering and amazes me.  Sophie loves walking with me so she went along on our explorations.   If we’d stop in the bakery, she just walked in with us on her leash.  Dogs can go anywhere here which still amazes me, especially places where food is served.  I’m looking forward to having William back and cannot wait for his family to arrive. 

Friday we went for our first language training…..just in time too…..I laugh that it’s taken this long to get it sorted and start.  No hurrying here!  Well, we really liked the place and the guy I worked with was Scottish and his name was Hamish (one of our family’s favorite names).  Since Ross is a total beginner, he did an evaluation and such.  BUT….because I had French all through Junior High and High school (just a couple years ago!!)  I do have a grasp on some of it.  It actually amazes me that those vocabulary words and verb conjugations are actually still there and coming back quickly.  I wondered with my old brain and not using it for 30+ years.  So, I had to do a reading/writing/listening test to see where to place me.  Oh my!!! I expected the thing to read a sentence and ask a question……but rather, it read a whole paragraph twice and then asked 5 questions about it.  There were five steps to that and each got progressively harder.   Then five written paragraphs with questions after each, again getting harder as they went along.  They kept telling me there is no right or wrong, it’s just a placement test, BUT, that so goes against my nature, I want to do it right and be great at it so I keep doing it over and over.  I was apparently much longer doing it than normal.  Ross finished ages ahead of me and they asked him if I liked details and was meticulous J.  Then my interview with a nice English lady.  I’m pleased with the place though, they will do individual lessons for each of us based on our needs.  Ross will do more business related and mine will involve whatever scenarios I want.  For example I’m to make a list of places I go or want to communicate with.  So, for a haircut and color, we’ll work out vocabulary and conversation ahead of time.  But, say it’s ordering and talking to a waitress; we’ll do the lesson then go to a café and do it.  So mine will be more practical shopping, doctors, nail salon, etc. I think I’ll like that better than the classroom setting place.

On Sunday we went back to the Eglise Evangelique Protestante de Tours.  We’d been there three times and the Baptist church twice.  Both were nice and places we liked, but the guy here is from Holland so French isn’t his first language.  His French is slower and more precise, plus, he puts all his points and references on the screen which helps me follow along.  Such an odd way to pick our church, but since our language is so poor yet, we’re lost a lot anyway!  We met some very nice English speaking folk at both, which helped!!  They had a concert on Sunday night; the music lady is from Ireland so she had a group doing an Irish concert.  We really enjoyed it and knew several of the songs, they’d do part in English but them repeat in French so it was fun for all.  There were sing a long parts which were fun since they utilized both languages.  It was good old Irish music and they used keyboard, guitar, violin, flute and a recorder like little thing.  That girl was amazing and when she and the violin guy played it was really great.  Afterwards, they served cookies shaped like shamrocks, proper cups of tea and Guinness beer.  We just laughed and laughed.    You know you’re in France when they’re serving beer in church!

Monday I went to work with Ross.  A guy took the rain in from Paris to give us an all-day seminar on culture.  So, finally our language training and our cultural training!  My recommendation to the relocation company would be to do these when people arrive, not a few months later!  Anyway, Ross laughed at me when I was debating what to wear.  The office here is fairly casual in dress, but some of these people I’ve met only once, most not at all.  Yes, I worry about these things!  I told him I would be judged by first impressions and I didn’t want to come up lacking.  Again, I’m already the odd one out, being taller than all the women and almost all the men.  I didn’t want too casual, yet not too dressy….so I went with my standard school wear, black pants, a cami and cardigan.  I did wear my big, clunky, funky necklace though!!  I did want some style!!  Add my zebra trench coat and I was all setJ  It was a good day and though we’ve learned many things by trial and error, this helped see the mindset and why certain behaviors.  We covered history, politics, geography, customs, food, wines, religions, etc.  Prior to this class we had to fill out a survey online, one of those personality profile things.  So the first part of the day was going over those and the results.  I told Ross it could either be for business or a marriage seminar type test.  Fortunately, we were both fairly accurate of our self-assessments.  Much as we’d like to believe we’re better than we are, we’re both pretty realistic about our strengths and flaws.   I was able to see the cafeteria which I’ve been interested in.  The factory here has about 4000 employees and runs food service for all shifts.  Ross eats there every day and it’s a really decent meal for less than 3 euro a day.  When there are guests, however, they don’t have to go through the lines with a tray like usual, they use the side dining room here you are served.  It’s the same courses and food, just done in a dining room setting and quieter than the cafeteria.  We went to that room with our instructor.  The starter was two pieces of a meat, maybe cappicola??? It was good though.  We could pick beef or pork for the main dish next which had sides with it.  I had the pork, the men had the beef.  Yesterday’s sides were spinach and pasta. Very good.  After the main course is when you get you salad here and it comes with the cheeses.  I really like that part.  You get four or five types of cheese, your salad and bread.  It’s really nice after the meal.  For a finisher we got a bowl of fruit and tea or coffee.  No wonder Ross enjoys lunch at work.  Even in the cafeteria setting it so much more than the food, it’s an event here we learned that in our training).   

Our yard is blooming like crazy.  As a friend put it, “what fun to watch a sleeping garden awaken when you don’t know what’s been planted or what’s coming up”.  Wow, that sounded fairly poetic coming from me!  Anyway, obviously someone has put a lot of effort into our gardens and they should be beautiful very soon.  The daffodils are up and I just love them.  The trees all look like they’re flowering trees and I’m looking forward to seeing it all come to life.  The garden guy was here again this morning doing some tidying.  I especially like that part…..with my black thumb; it would be a mess, so we pay extra rent to have him take care of it all.  So, I get the enjoyment without the toil! 

We did actually work in the yard on Saturday though.  Although it is fenced on three sides, the fence adjacent to the neighbor was cemented with an 8-10 inch gap under.  Normally that would be fine, but Sophie discovered it and kept going under. ARGH!  We found some low fencing at Leroy Merlin (our version of Home Depot or Lowes) and attached it to the current fencing making it go all the way to the ground!  Then along the back we have big shrubs which should block, most dogs, but Sophie found the gaps.  There we ran fencing along the entire hedge.  Behind that is a main road so we didn’t want her getting out there. So, we should be Sophie-proof and she so loves being out in the yard.  She runs and plays and thinks she’s queen of the castle. 

The funniest thing ever is watching her go after the neighbor’s cats.  While I am not a cat person, I like them okay, but I do not appreciate them in my yard.  These two next door are very sweet, very large but they roam and poop everywhere.  I treat Sophie each month for fleas, ticks and heartworm, etc but I’m not sure what they do with their cats and I don’t want bugs here from them.  So, if Sophie sees them in the yard, she goes after them like a mountain lion.  Okay, they’re both at least twice her size and could probably hurt her badly, but she is the one doing the chasing.  She scares them and gets them up the tree, on the roof of the carport or back over the fence. She ran so fast after one of them last week she ran right into the fence herself and boing-ed herself back onto the driveway.  I laughed so hard, it was hysterical.  Hopefully they will learn and just stay out, but they seem to have kind of a perverse mindset and I think they like to come in the yard just to mess with her!  Right now every time she chases away them I give her a cookie to reward her.  So sorry to all my cat loving friends…..and I don’t mind them (not like my family who all despise cats) BUT……I don’t want them in my yard.  Plus, with no screens, when it’s warm, you open windows and doors, I DO NOT want them coming in my house!!! 

Thursday I fly to the US for a quick visit.  I need to do our taxes for 2011 and have an appointment to meet with our guy to do them.  I’ll be able to go to the Spring Retreat at camp with Lindsay and Calum so that will be fun.  Of course a Liam visit with Katie and hopefully Tristan, plus a visit with my in laws who are driving in for a super quick visit.  In between I have a hair appointment. I haven’t had one since before I moved……ARGH…. Ross finally believes me now when I say I’m half gray!!!  I just didn’t have a grasp on the language or know where to go, so I figured since it was close to my visit I’d wait….but boy oh boy do I need it bad!!!   Now I’ll be fine here to go, but it’s taken this long to figure it all out.  Seeing my massage lady…ohhh can’t wait, my muscles have missed her.  I’ve found a few here now and when I return will be able to get back into that very nice habit!!   So, it will be a whirlwind visit and not enough time for everything.  I’d like to fit in a mani/pedi too if I can…….I really was a spoiled, pampered miss!!!   I think I’ll be in sensory overload after my quiet lifestyle here!!  But, if I don’t see every one, and I won’t be able to………I’ll be back for a month this summer!  See Mr. Ed, I promised I’d be back for teen camp!  Ross will be home working but it will be his first time with me gone and him home alone.  He doesn’t enjoy that at all.  I am not looking forward to the crazy pollen I’ve been seeing on the news…..Atlanta with a count over 8000……oh my sinuses will not be happy!! 

So, no blogs til I return…….I’m sure I’ll enjoy my visit, but be very glad to come back home to my little house and quiet lifestyle.  Amazing how quickly you begin to enjoy that!!

A couple photos, some from Williams visit, some of more grocery oddities…..  One is William and Sophie in an old church here in town.  We were doing fine until I got a text from Calum with a copy of a text Lindsay sent him that auto-spelled incorrectly and was so not appropriate! She corrected it right away but it was bad and very funny!!!  So we’re in this beautiful old church and we both busted out laughing.  We had to just go outside rather than disturb others!!!