March 22-April 12, 2012

It has been a while since I’ve written but things have been very busy and this is my first opportunity.  So, this could be a long one!!! As I left it last, I was planning my trip to the US.  On my first solo flight to Georgia, I head to the airport via the train for my flight home.  I managed just fine and was able to check my suitcase which funnily had several pairs of Ross’ underwear in it plus some Tassimo coffee pods I had brought that don’t work in our machine here.  Nothing else really, no clothing for me, just the ones I was wearing.  I so hoped they didn’t want to inspect my bag and want me to explain the men’s boxers.  It really was a simple answer and I would have explained that he brought all he owned between his travels and the boat shipment.  He realized he’d rather have some in Georgia and not have to carry it back and forth.  I needed the case because I had a list of things I wanted to bring back but nothing really to take.  I love going on a plane with just my big purse.  It makes the travel so much easier.  The flight was half full so I was able to have the two seats to myself.  I love that as it gives me the ability to lift the center armrest and also stretch my legs.  I flew direct on Delta this flight (the other half of my ticket from moving).  It was cheaper to get a round trip ticket than a one way, so I think I’ll always be flying on a half ticket.  Upon arriving in Atlanta I made my way up the escalators to see Lindsay burst into tears as she saw me.  As she was crying she said “I didn’t expect to cry like this”  I laughed, got teary myself  and hugged her but told her to follow me as I hadn’t used the restroom the entire flight!  As  I was in there, she stood in the doorway waiting.  You know it was bad when a sweet older lady came up to her and asked if she was okay. J  On our trip home we talked non-stop, but I had her turn the radio off, a bit too much English sensory overload!

First day home I had an appointment to see our tax guy and get the 2011 stuff done, plus a laser hair removal appointment (hey, it’s 8/9 treatments and I’ve been working on it for a year and a half….of course I scheduled it for when I was there- I do have my priorities you know).  After that I took the dogs to the vet for boarding as well as doing Rosie’s yearly appointment. Then home to pack and off to Camp Hope for the weekend with Calum and Lindsay.  Kind of crazy I know, but I so wanted to see everyone and also be at the retreat.  We had a great weekend, it was so fun to watch Calum be in charge of activities.  Plus……Tristan and Katie came to town and spent Saturday with me at camp.  Liam was soooooo adorable.  He smiled at me and reached out to grab my face with both hands.  The boys played games with the campers and had a blast while us girls sat and talked.  Liam alternated between me and Lindsay so we just enjoyed every minute!!!  I have a funny story about the afternoon free time games.  They set up a pick up basketball game.  They had Tristan be a captain as well as  a camper kid.  They let the camper kid go first and he picked a friend who was good at basketball.  BUT….Calum was also in the group so of course Tristan picked him first.  Let’s see, two men who are 6’6” and their team against a bunch of high school kids.  They creamed the kids; but everyone had fun.  Then they asked Tristan and Calum to play a one on one….well my clever boys stayed near the basket and had campers run to get the ball when it would go out.  I had a day that I will always remember…..seeing them all together and playing plus Liam time, doesn’t get any better.  Plus Tristan and Katie let me show Liam off to all my friends.  Those with grandkids understood my excitement!

Monday, Lindsay had work and Calum school and I had a much needed overdue hair appointment with my trusty friend Joni.  Ahhhh, she made the gray all go away.  I hadn’t been since before leaving the US.  I hadn’t found one here yet and at first wasn’t confident enough with my language to go, so I waited.  Ross finally believes me when I say I’m almost all grey!!  Each of my children so kindly pointed it out the minute they saw me J   Quick grocery run so I felt I could eat things in the house……then I spent the rest of the day with Tristan, Katie and Liam (insert really big smile here).  We had a great day and bought a new baby tub for my house since he’d outgrown the first one.  Liam LOVES his bath and you pretty much need to wear a tarp if you want to stay dry.  But I LOVE watching him enjoy it so.  Tristan stayed through dinner so he could see and eat with his grandparents.  Then he headed back to Alabama for work but Katie and Liam stayed, although they changed houses and slept at her mom’s since she was alone for the week.!  Katie let me keep him part of everyday so that was wonderful.  Selfishly it was so great on Wednesday when everyone else was away and we were just the two of us.  Mum and Dad did a whirlwind arrive Monday and leave Wednesday trip but it sure was good to see them.  They got some Liam time in too. 

Okay I know all grandparents brag, but seriously the boy is fabulous.  He goes to bed between 8 and 9PM, sleeps til 6AM, has a quick feed and immediately goes back to sleep until 11AM. He’s always done this and it is soooo nice.  He got his first two teeth this week too and even then was really not fussy.  He is awake a lot in the daytime, but is pleasant and rarely cries.  She had planned on leaving on the Thursday but when I dropped Liam off at her Mom’s Wednesday night I didn’t think it would hit so hard but I started to cry, Katie started to cry, Lindsay cried and Katie’s mom cried.  Then Katie called Tristan and said she wanted to stay a few more days until I left.    So, so thankful for that!! 

Got to take Liam to MCA Thursday and show him off.  Then my friend Dona and I picked up her sweet grandson Ayden and we headed to my house for takeout.  We had actually planned a night out together but when the possibility of having our boys came up, we bagged all those plans and spent the evening cooing at and playing with our grandsons!!! Nothing better.

We celebrated Lindsay and Calum’s birthday early with a dinner out at the Melting Pot.  Katie and Calum had never been so we had a great night.  Liam tasted his first tiny bit of chocolate on his pacifier J No it wasn’t me!

I had ordered a few things on Amazon to bring back plus a Walmart run for a few things.  I also took a few things from the house that I knew I wanted here.  I had to explain to Lindsay and Calum that it ISN’T stealing if I’m taking my own things.  It was funny being there though, it was like being a visitor in my own home.  It was a good feeling though, because it means I consider this home!  Lindsay and Calum were so funny with the food they’ve purchased and how they ration their grocery budget.  Calum was upset when Tristan found the fruit snacks and ate some.  He said “Hey those weren’t part of our budget, but we had a coupon so they were a special treat for me”.  We all laughed and laughed.  And of course, on my Walmart run I got him some more to replace the eaten ones J 

Saw friends at church, oh it was soooo nice at camp and that Sunday to hear a message in English and actually understand all of it.  That’s hard here not knowing all of it and only picking up bits and pieces.

Then off to the airport for my flight home.  This time with a new set of luggage in tow.  I’d been looking for those hard cases that weigh almost nothing and roll on four wheels in any direction.  Thank you Kohl’s half off sale, plus a 30% off your entire order plus a $10 off coupon!  So yes, I took the medium case and filled it, I checked that one.  Then I used the small one as a carry on.  I left the big one for Ross to bring with my original suitcase inside it in Georgia.  He has a quick turnaround visit for work so he’ll bring it back. 

This time I flew on the first leg of a USAir  freebie ticket.  Thank you frequent flier miles.  My return is at the end of October so I can be back for a certain little guy’s first birthday weekend!  In between we’re both back in the summer.  Anyway, I like USAir, they treat us so nice due to Ross being a multi-million mile flier with them. But, it has a layover in Charlotte, the hub.  Oh well, no big deal.  Plus she gave me two seats again so that was great.

My biggest fear was arriving in France alone, going through customs and immigration, then taking this airport train to the real train station and making sure I got on the right train. It actually was quite easy and I didn’t fall asleep on the train so I was able to get off at Saint Pierre de corps, my stop.  Ross was waiting on the platform so he grabbed my bags and off to the house.  He went on to work while I took a nice little nap!

My first night home I slept 13 straight hours without moving!  Since then I’ve begun my language training.  So glad they were on top of that…..here it is three months in and we’re just starting.  It’s going great, we go separately and have different one on one instructors.  They work with us at our level and doing things we each need which are different.  We each get 120 hours of training so it will be a couple times a week for months.  Hopefully we’ll become more and more comfortable with the language and won’t have to think about it.  I know I am using my French much easier now and seem to be able to communicate what I need to.  I can’t always understand the answers, but now have things to say to have them slow down or reword it or me. I did make one big blunder in class Wednesday.  They try to get us in situations where we learn our mistakes with them rather than out and being embarrassed.  We were asking each other questions about our homes, families, pets etc.  Although I used the phrase correctly in the technical sense, it has become slang here and I ended up asking the facilitator about her lady parts.  We laughed and laughed and she explained a different way to go about phrasing it.  We have the same issues with English, things that are correct to say but soooo mean something else in our society.  This place mostly teaches French people English so they try to get all those out during class with them too.   They like that Ross and  aren’t afraid to make mistakes and that we’re okay with messing up.  My main person is Neil who is great.  He comes in from Paris one day a week so I see him then and then rotate with the others on my other day.  He’s 26 and has and American parent but French granparents and grew up here so he is fluent in both English and French.  He’s my kids age so it’s been kind of fun getting to know him and working together.  I did embarrass him a couple times with my questions, but they all laughed and said it’s good for him.  I keep seeing the word TAMPON in store windows and knew it couldn’t be what I’m thinking.  But, when I look it up, sure enough it is.  Then I’m puzzled why they’d put a light up neon sign in the window advertising that? WELL, turns out there are two meanings……the one I know you have to put the word “feminine” after, but it means a rubber stamp, like one you’d put your address on or paid in full.  I feel so much better seeing it lit up now! J  After asking that in the morning, on our lunch hour we ate together with me doing all the ordering and then walked the town going in and out of shops with me asking directions and translating the signs.  In the pharmacy, it’s different here, not aisles where you get things yourself, but rather they give it to you from behind a counter.  He asked if we could go shelf by shelf and he’d explain things to me.  I seriously can’t tell you what Tylenol looks like here , let alone ask for it.  The pharmacist was great, and let us have our little field trip.  So now I have an idea of what you’d get for sinus or aches.  But poor Neil got to the feminine section and since I’d asked, he felt like he needed to go through it and read each one and explain.  As his face got redder and redder, I jumped in to put him out of his misery.  I just said “hey, don’t worry, I don’t need any of that anymore I just wondered what the word meant”. He had obvious relief on his face and then I blurted out “probably way more information that you wanted to know about me huh?”  Then we laughed and moved on to the constipation and diarrhea section J

Went over the weekend to a chateau where they were having a “Garden and Chicken” Exhibition.  We’re just exploring to see the area.  It was actually a lot of fun.  They set up tents and tables and we had a nice three “plat” meal and walked through the gardens.  People had set up booths and were selling all kinds of garden things, but we all know about my black thumb, so we just looked!  The chickens were amazing!  I’ve never seen such varieties.  I was fascinated with these two who had plumage that folded up over their heads like a calm shell.  You only see their head when they’re tired.  The man saw my fascination so he came and took one out for me to see and touch.  We had a little crowd gathered as he explained slowly in French for me about the bird.  One big old goose moaned and strained and finally dropped this huge egg…..then she kind of cooed!!  Lindsay hates geese, when she was a little girl we went to a pumpkin patch and she had an unfortunate incident.  The kids were in the middle of this huge gaggle of geese when they turned and chased her.  Ross had to drop the video camera and run!  We took a picture of the goose for her this weekend!

Ross has been gone all week so I have the car.  I’ve had class plus did some shopping.  I am so glad I am able to get around better now and find my way.  The road signs make more sense and I generally know where I am.  I hated that part of moving and finding your way.

After class tomorrow, which is at 8:30AM (Yuck, I usually sleep in here)-12:30 , I’ll pick Ross up at the train station.  This Saturday we’re heading in a different direction to explore. 

So, crazy ramblings today…..lots to catch up on.  As they say here in France “Bon weekend” , we laugh, bon means good, but they use the English word weekend J