Wednesday, June 20, 2012

As I begin to prepare for our summer trip back to the US, and Teen Camp at Camp Hope, I ponder over the changes in our lives since we were at camp last year.  What difference a year can make.  This past week it was Junior 1 at Camp Hope; we’ve been at Junior Camp since we’ve moved to Georgia, so it was an odd week knowing our friends and kids were there and we weren’t.  We Skyped on Sunday with Lindsay and Calum and they both said it was weird without us but it was a great week. I’m glad the four of us will do Teen Camp together.  It was at teen 2 last year that Ross was asked to take the job in France; and look where we are now!

Sometimes I am not sure why we are here, but I do know we’re supposed to be here, so I am looking forward to figuring it all out.  The biggest difficulty and challenge has been church. We don’t have an assembly here so we’ve been going to an evangelical church.  Neither us of has been too happy there and yes, part of it is the language, but after six months, we’ve not been invited anywhere or made to really feel welcome. So, we went back to the Baptist church this week and we were able to talk with the American couple there that are here doing Bible translation work.  There is also a family from the Philippines that came as expats 14 years ago and they speak English.  She got talking to me afterwards and suggested we get together in August once we’re back and she’s back from her family visit.  YES, that’s what I’ve been waiting for, at least a welcome feeling. 

There is a loneliness issue here where you’re mostly good, but then every once in a while it hits you and you miss your old comfortable life.  My comfort level with the area and people is better, but I am ready to make some friends.

Last week our friends Dyane and Todd arrived for a short visit.  They sure picked the only two gorgeous days we’d had in a while, so we all enjoyed the warm sunshine. When we all lived in Hollidaysburg, Dyane and I did everything together.  Our kids grew up together and we did family things together.  We were reminiscing and laughing the whole time.  Ross and Todd said it was as if we went “okay where did we leave off last time” and then carried on from there.  Of course now we both have a grandchild, so there was plenty of chatting about how wonderful they are!!!

We visited Amboise and Clos De Luce the first day and enjoyed both very much.  Amboise is a beautiful town and the chateau is well kept and beautiful to go through.  That evening we sat on  our back patio until after ten at night eating chesses and bread and talking.  It’s light out late here, so we went in as the sun began to set after ten. Lovely!

The next day we headed to Villandry.  I had been to Villandry three years ago with a wife of one of Ross’ work friends.  The chateau is beautiful, but the gardens are unexplainable.  They are a sight to behold from the chateau windows as you look down and they are all done symmetrically.  You could spend a whole day and never see all of the gardens or property.  For example over some walkways they have over 1500 of one type of tree.  It takes four full time gardeners four months to trim them all and then they start over.  It is absolutely exquisite and the gardens a sight to behold.  I’ll post some pictures, but they just can’t give you the full beauty.  We’re going back in the fall to see the plant changes.  They have a nice restaurant outside the property where they use the vegetables and herbs grown in the foods.  We had a wonderful lunch under a canopy and just relaxed and talked over the meal. So very French of us!

I really enjoyed Dyane’s view and perspective on things, she gets me and how I think (that’s scary, I know).  I enjoyed showing her things and giving her a taste of our life here.  She understood the things I love as well as the difficult things J

Tomorrow night we are meeting some work couples in downtown Tours.  Since it is June 21 and the longest day of the year for sunlight, they celebrate with music all over the city.  We ‘re looking forward to a bit of local culture!

We have so enjoyed the long days.  The sun sets after ten and we’ve enjoyed our bright evenings.  Ross doesn’t get home until 6:30, so it’s been nice to have dinner while it’s light out.  Come winter, it will be dark early and although it makes for great sleeping, I prefer the sunlight!

Our temperatures have been mostly in the 60’s with an occasional day in the 70’s.  I think the Georgia heat will probably wipe me out!

Our bathroom project is almost finished.  We’re in week 8 of a two week project.  The couple who own the house designed it and had very specific taste in the décor.  The first day we used the shower, the water shot right off the base and all over the floor…..oooops. So he had to add a lip to divert the water back to the drain.  It is still too short in my opinion as when the water hits your body the spray wets the floor. That can’t be changed so I keep a tub mat there to catch the spray.  When we return to the US in a couple years we want to re-do our master bathroom, this has given us some very good do’s and don’ts. 

I believe he will paint the kitchen while we are away, so hopefully that will be a finished project when we return!  I like that they are trying to tidy up the house and re-do things, I’m just not used to the slow pace of it all. 

Tomorrow is hair day too.  I’m happy now that I have a lady to use and she listens to my broken French and does what I want.  The first of all these things is so difficult, but then they get easier.  Still, I will never get used to the doctor or massage therapist standing there while you strip.

Saturday we went and ordered my car. I think that will help me feel more independent and able to explore more.  Currently I can have the car, but have to plan and then take Ross to work.   He is getting a new company car when we return.  The car we have is the finish of someone else in SKF’s lease.   So, much as I like the Passat wagon, I will be glad to not have the length to deal with for parking.  He’s getting a Peugeot 3008, which is a small SUV.  It will be a good car for us I think.  We just wanted a little city car for me and I’ve gotten in most available.  Some I can’t fit my legs, so they get ruled out.  We narrowed it down and finally decided on a Skoda Citigo.  It’s new out this month and I fit nicely in it for it being such a small car.  Ross and Tristan liked that the guys on Top Gear rated it highly!  I went with the five door (that includes the trunk/hatch thing) rather than the three door since it gives me a bit more space.  We ended up getting it with some nice features on it as we wanted it to be re-sellable in a couple years.  It won’t be ready until mid to end of August, so that works for us.  Skoda is owned by VW and this is the same as the VW Up in many ways.  I do like the mileage, it’s supposed to get 65-70mpg.  Gotta love that!  Of course I’ll be doing the calculating in kilometers per litre, but still!  I loved the new Fiat, but it seems to be such a fad and cost wise wasn’t a great deal and it didn’t get near the mileage. Gas here is converted out to about $8 per gallon so mileage is a big consideration.   

We head to Paris on Sunday after dropping Sophie off at the kennel Saturday.  I hate putting her there for over a month, but the cost and paperwork hassle to bring her back and forth is too much.  Plus, the ladies take her into their house as a pet, so it’s not like she’ll be in a crate or cage.  She’ll be so spoiled (worse than normal). Then our flight is Monday morning.  We’re only home a few days before camp begins, so it will be busy but fun.  We’re excited that Ross’ folks will come for a couple days and also that Katie is planning on bringing Liam to town.  He’s changed so much since we last saw him.  He crawls and pulls himself up.  We watched him eat Cheerios on Skype but I want to soak in everything in person!

So, mainly this week I’m trying to use up all the perishables in our fridge.  Makes for some creative meals, but I don’t want to waste it.  I have one more language class before we go and that puts me at my halfway mark for lessons.  I’m pleased with what I know and how I can communicate, but want so much more.  I’ll start back up once we return and put in another 60 hours of class.  Hopefully by the end of that I should be even better at communicating and hearing!

So, no posts until we return in August. That is the big holiday month here, so everything will shut down….should be interesting.