Monday, July 30, 2012

Back to the land of cheeses and bread!  Wow, how to recap a month away? Well first, a funny repeating occurrence…..while on holiday I had several people tell me they wished I’d go back home to France because they missed reading my blog.  Okay, that shocked me as I really didn’t think my life or my writings were that entertaining. So, for those who plod along and read my random thoughts…thank you, I think!  I have found it cathartic to write and review my days here, especially those things which at first seem so difficult or upsetting; I find if I can look back and see the humor in it all, it makes things better.  Plus, if I can look back years from now, it will make me remember this adventure we’re on.  I find that watching Tristan with Liam as well, it brings back memories that seem to have been put somewhere in the recesses of your mind.

Before I “report” on our time away, I must describe the Summer Solstice here in France before we left; so, back to June 21^st, the longest day of the year.  Prior to that day, we had sunlight until 9 or 10 PM every night.  It was amazing being this far north and experiencing the long daylight hours.  We had experienced it years ago when in Scotland, but just for a couple weeks.  Here, we got to enjoy it repeatedly.  Anyway, all over France they call it the Night of Music.  Years ago they started celebrating the day by having bands or musicians all over the country perform outside restaurants, cafes, and shops.  They place them far enough apart that the music doesn’t conflict, but close enough that if you walk any town, you get to experience many genres of music.  It can be professionals or just groups that form bands.  So, lots of amateur talent.  There were two guys from SKF that are in a band, so several couples from work met for dinner at the outdoor café part of the restaurant where they were performing.  Okay, the restaurant was called FUXIA- at first I was taken aback, but then realized that in French, the “u” is pronounced “oo as in tooth……phew, the name could have been really ugly if pronounced in English!  The food was fabulous and we were seated as a table of 8, so the company was also enjoyable.  On the other side of the outdoor café another table of about 15 SKF folk were seated so the band had many fans.  The funniest thing was that they were a Classic Rock band and they were singing every song in English.  Ross and his co-worker Jorge loved it as it was all of their favorite old rock bands and they knew pretty much every song for over three hours of music.  For me, it was pretty loud, which will make my kids laugh as they make fun of me telling them to turn music down as it “makes my chest hurt”.  It was a very fun night and it was light until 11PM so our evening was a late one but full of music and lots of laughter.  All the people at our table spoke English as the common language, so that was wonderful for us.  Most were from other countries where their native language was not French.  We were the odd ones out there as two of the couples spoke 4 or 5 languages.  We, as Americans really need to step it up and help out children become bilingual.  I am so impressed with the language abilities of so many people I meet.

So, the off to Paris the night of the 24^th to stay in a hotel in order to be at the airport for our morning flight.  The first train out of St Pierre de Corps was too late for us to do it that morning.  Upon checking in at the airport, the lines were enormous and it seemed like it must be “Idiot Day”.   Between other travelers and some airport employees, it was almost like a comedy routine just trying to drop off our luggage.  Finally, we got to the desk only to find that they had given our seats away on the plane even though we had booked the flights months in advance and had confirmed seats.  Then, they said Ross could get on the flight, but most likely not me and I be placed on the next flight out.  We had to book our luggage, go through security and get in another enormous line at the gate to find out if seats were available. ARGH, what a production; but finally we both had a seat, not together, which was okay since we both had an aisle.  Then we boarded and proceeded to wait on the plane for an hour and a half until takeoff.  They had issues with a door not opening, so they then had to eliminate 25 passengers.  In that process they put 25 out of 30 students on the plane.  The chaperones refused to allow this and said either they get the five on or the entire group would need to come off so they could fly together.  It took ages for them to get the volunteers to give up their seats finally offering a very good compensation ( if it hadn’t already been a long, stressful morning, I would have been tempted).  I didn’t blame the school group at all, I would have been that chaperone insisting the same thing.   So, after all that, we were on our way.  I was able to text Lindsay to warn her of the delay so she could leave for the airport later.  It was our first time in Atlanta’s new international terminal, so it was new directions for Lindsay as well as a new system for us.  The flight was good and passed fairly easily.  I do miss my years of being spoiled and traveling business class though.  I know, I’ve been so spoiled, but what a difference having room on an international flight.

It was good to be back in the US and our house, although it still feels like being a visitor in your own home.  The heat was like a wall to me though as we had some nice days in the high 70’s but mostly cooler, rainy weather. We arrived to record breaking heat in Georgia and we felt it!  We stayed up way to late talking with Lindsay and Calum, but it was so fun to be together again.  Ross’ parents arrived the next day so we got to catch up with them and enjoy some time together for a few days. Tristan and Katie were in the middle of moving from their apartment to a rental house that week, so we knew we wouldn’t see them for a bit.  As Mum and Dad left, I headed out to visit a friend who had a new baby. Oh what fun to cuddle baby Emma for a bit, although I admit babies just love sleeping on Lindsay.  I jokingly tell her it’s “ the magic boobs” they love to snuggle into. J

On Sunday the 1^st the four of us headed to Camp Hope.  We timed our trip so Lindsay, Calum and I could do two weeks of teen camp and Ross could be with us for the first week of camp and travel for work the second week.  Lindsay and I were again counselors for both weeks, while Ross worked in the kitchen and Calum split his time with one week on staff and one week counseling.  We all enjoy camp and have so many good friends there.  I was wonderful to catch up and visit with everyone.  It was also so good to have everything in English.  I know that sounds funny and at first it’s almost sensory overload , but oh how nice it is to understand everything and be able to listen to several things at once.  Here, we concentrate so much and plan phrases in our heads that listening and speaking is an effort.  Ross enjoyed being called “one of the kitchen ladies” and they enjoyed having him there to lift all the heavy things.  He says if he never looks at another pitcher of sweet tea again in his life he’ll be happy.  Camp goes through gallons and gallons of it and he said he spent tons of time everyday just making new batches. From my side of the serving window, it was a job well done and I enjoyed my sweet tea and ICE!!!  I will never get used to four or five hours of sleep a night, but being in a cabin with the girls is so rewarding and worth it all.  I know how much camp meant to me each year growing up and I love being able to work with teens now to hopefully make a difference in their lives.  We all enjoyed the fellowship and teaching and although we all were soooooo tired, it was a wonderful time for us.

 One of the biggest blessing was that on the first day we arrived it was 109 degrees outside and to be very hot that week.  Inside the cabins it was oppressive.  No, the heat wasn’t the blessing, it was that a few families got together and donated money to provide window unit air conditioners for each of the nine cabins. HALLELUJAH…….I did the happy dance.  They were purchased and installed by the time we went to bed the first night.  I cannot describe how wonderful it was; no the cabins never got “cold” and the bathroom still got steamy, but it took away the humidity and sleep was possible.  In the past you lay on your bunk, fans blowing and the sweat dripping.  It was awful on normal hot days, and when you add in the crazy temperatures, it would have been miserable.  Instead, the cabins were cool and sleep was good making everyone more pleasant to be around.  Such a huge difference!!!  Tristan and Katie had to be in town for a wedding that last weekend of camp so we had a brief afternoon visit with Liam at camp as a teaser!  They spent Sunday afternoon with us after camp before heading home so we got another little visit in. 

While at camp Ross and I celebrated our 30^th wedding anniversary.  Where have the years gone? I think I blinked and 25 years passed me by.  I know, I know, that’s what old people say……….anyway, my cabin girls all enjoyed the vase of roses from Ross in our cabin.  We had to put them on the bathroom counter so we all got to see them daily and enjoy them.  Two hysterical things my girls said……..one asked “so was it a romantic anniversary?” Let’s see, I’m here sleeping in a cabin with 14 teenage girls and he’s working in the kitchen and sleeping in a bunk sharing a room with a bunch of guys-yea, that’s romantic!!  Then, one made this comment “Wow, 30 years, it must be almost perfect now, I bet you don’t even disagree anymore” I laughed out loud and had to explain that we were still human beings and no, it’s not all puppies and rainbows.  It still takes work and while yes, we’re happy and things are good, we still say stupid things, hurt each other’s feelings and disagree on things.  So, that’s us 30 years later- mostly I like to think we’ve done well and had a great family together and hopefully for our children and our children’s children they will know we loved God, loved each other and loved our family through the good, the bad and the ugly!

We had a couple days to rest and time to do laundry before Ross and I headed to Birmingham to stay with Tristan and Katie for a few days.  Oh, how wonderful to spend some time with them and soak in some Liam time.  He has changed soooooo  much since we saw him last and is now not only crawling but pulling himself up to a stand and walking along furniture.  Amazing since my kids were not early walkers (Tristan was 15 months old before he walked); so seeing Liam so mobile was really fun.  He has this little mischievous side and is so fast.  This is the “no sitting still” age for the adults; it’s a constant up and down going after him or playing with him.  Katie headed up the stairs at one point and he took of crawling after her.  I was right behind him to see what he would do and the little stinker took off up the stairs without hesitation for the first time.  He is way too little to understand the falling backwards part, so I hovered right behind him like any good Nana would do.  The house is a split level so it’s only five stairs up to the entry hall, but it was fun to see Tristan’s face as he came in for lunch and Liam crawled right up the stairs to him- me hovering behind again of course! 

Katie babysits for a friend three days a week so I got in baby cuddle time with three month old Ethan too.  Liam is not a cuddle boy, he teases you with it by hugging and snuggling in and just as you relax and enjoy…..boing….he pops up ready to go again J He makes the funniest sound right now too……he laughs, but when he is really happy he inhales and sucks in air almost like the sound you’d make with a gasp, only he’s smiling and super happy.  I so enjoy watching Tristan with him and I have to look away when Tristan says “no” to him and Liam’s bottom lip comes out for the cutest pout you’ve ever seen.  We enjoyed feeding Liam and watching the enormous mess he makes shoving the food in his mouth.  He wasn’t a huge fan of baby food, but now that he can have little pieces of real food; he’s loving it.  He eats a bazillion cheerios a day….well, some go in his mouth, some on the floor, and tons inside his clothes and diaper.  It’s hysterical.  I even enjoyed the dumb things like folding and hanging his laundry and watching bath time.  I was able to rock him and give him a bottle at naps and bed although he fights it with everything in him.  They said you almost have to restrain him and force him to stay but then within minutes, his whole body relaxes and he drinks his bottle and then goes to sleep.  It’s so funny; he is just so active, it takes him a moment to stop moving, relax and sleep.  Of course, I squalled like a baby saying goodbye to them.  Tristan just hugged me and laughed while Katie had a little sympathy cry with me.  I know we Skype and that is wonderful, but how great to spend a few days and soak it all in.  I’ll freely admit a tiny bit of jealousy towards my friends that live near their grandbabies and see them all the time.  I would love to be the babysitting Nana be involved each week.

Back in Georgia we had a few days left with Lindsay and Calum before heading out.  We had a nice dinner at The Melting Pot with them to have a belated anniversary dinner.  We continued on several times with our multi-year pinochle game.  We used to play as a family, but since it was a four person game, Calum was always the “extra” and Ross’ special partner.  When Tristan went away to college we played a multi-year game with Ross and Lindsay as a team and Calum was with me.  Eventually, they wanted to branch out and we formed the current teams: Ross and me vs. Lindsay and Calum.  Sadly, after many years of play,  and scored well into the 7000’s they are ahead of us on the score pad although it’s within 200 points so we may catch them one day.  We only play a few hands every once in a while, but have a lot of fun with it.  Our score pad clipboard and cards have their own space in the cabinet waiting for the next round J

While in Georgia we were able book the kids flights for Christmas. I am so excited to be able to show them our new home and area.  Plus, you should see Liam’s little passport picture-can you say adorable?  They will all be here for Christmas together and we’re working on planning the things they want to do the most.  They all want to see Paris of course, but the boys especially want to go to Normandy.  We’re trying to take a couple days there as the history is huge and we can’t really do it all in one day.  I can see both boys wanting to spend hours absorbing it all.  Their Memorial Day here is the one time the French talk about how appreciative they are for the Americans and the rescue at Normandy.  

Had a fun night out with a few friends, so fun to catch up.  I miss my friends when here and am so thankful for them!

Then as we went to print our boarding passes we found out that our flight back had been cancelled.  After a quick call they put us on an earlier flight out which was nice.  So, we left Georgia and had no airport issues.  The only bad thing was the plane, we had been on an Air France flight which has a nice plane, with okay leg room and your own screen for movies etc.  This was a Delta partner flight and the plane was small and ancient.  I could not sit straight at all, my legs just didn’t fit.  Fortunately Ross was directly in front of me and he didn’t recline knowing I was smooshed.  Plus this one had from the ceiling tv’s, the one set too far away and the next right over my head.  That way, they just put in a movie or two and you can watch or not.  I like the choice of movies at my seat and the ability to start and stop them…..but oh well, my seatmates were fun and we talked most of the flight.  The first was a single lady from North Carolina on a holiday by herself to Denmark.  She takes one trip alone each year and loves it.  My other seatmate was a Hindu man on on a business trip and on his way back to India.    It started with her asking him a lot of cultural questions and led to many interesting discussions between the three of us on religion, cultures, family, marriage and life.  I was the “old lady” of the group and obviously as a Christian, the Hindu man and I had some very opposing beliefs.  The lady was a “nothing” so she was fascinated by the conversations.  At one point we all pulled out an ipad or computer to show family photos to each other.  The man asked lots of parenting questions since his girls are only 5 and 3 months.  He was very interested in my views as a woman and a Christian.  We talked, laughed and had a good visit.  At the end the man asked if he could be Facebook friends with us so we’ll see if he follows through with that.  So, what could have been a miserable flight ended up going by fairly quickly.  Ross never spoke with his seat mates, he puts on his noise cancelling earphones, music and reads or plays games.  Even if we sit together, I have to nudge him to talk, so sitting apart was fine.  He fits in with all the businessmen, I can pick them out easily now.  They have a routine, devices to keep them occupied and most have really good noise cancelling earphonesJ Mind you, I would HATE to fly as often as he does, so I totally understand his way of dealing with the flights.

Once in France, we had to switch our train tickets since we arrived several hours earlier than had been planned.  At first there were no seats available, but the guy found us two spots, on the same train but different cars.  We were fine with that and both set our phones to ding in advance of our stop.  We’d been up all night and somehow the rocking of the rain is so peaceful we both tend to want to nod off.  We sure didn’t want to miss our stop!!!  Ross was able to call (in French) and change our taxi as well, so the guy was waiting at the station when we arrived.  Coming up our street we saw that Eric- our plumber/handyman/gardener was at the house.  We knew that our landlords had been planning some work in the kitchen while we were away and we weren’t sure what to expect in the way of usage for the kitchen.  Fortunately it was almost finished and pretty clean.  It was painted (very green) and there are new countertops, backsplash and sink.  While our landlord has very different taste from us, it is their house and it is wonderful to have new and clean.  The yard also looked really good, since Eric took over the work.  I was pleased to see that change.  I think this fall when it gets pruned down a good bit, it will make next spring absolutely beautiful.  There has been something blooming at all times since April and I love that.  Right now a hydrangea, several roses, daisies are in full bloom.  We also have a tree bearing fruit, it’s yellow and they call it “prune” which is kind of like a yellow plum.   I had moved everything from the kitchen to the table and dining area before we left, so it’s taken a few days to get it back in order.  We also needed a quick grocery shop since there was no food at all.  I had worked hard to empty the fridge since we would be gone a month.

We picked Sophie up at the kennel the next day.  She was so excited to see us although she enjoyed her month as a princess!!  It is nice knowing they treat her so well while she is there.  A very expensive dog month for us, Sophie in the kennel here for a month and Rosie and cully in one there for two weeks while we were at camp.  She has settled in back to normal so that is good.  I’ve almost run out of the food I brought from the US and even though I can get the same brand, it’s not exactly the same type and she is sticking her nose up at it.  Guess she’ll eat when she gets hungry enough.  I have three little bowls out for her, one with a tiny bit of her old food and one each of the two new choices.  She gobbles the old stuff down while picking at the new.  It should run out this week, so she’ll need to deal with it!!!

Somehow Ross and I picked up a little virus, we think maybe on the plane ; so I spent Thursday and Friday yucky and he had it Saturday night and yesterday.   Thankfully we both feel pretty good now, it was a pain being sick right as we got home when there was so much to do. Oh well, today starts a new week and all is well. 

We did get a funny message from Lindsay describing her “little fainting spell” getting blood work at the doctors.  She comes from a long line of vassal vega-ers or fainters .  For Ross and Calum, it happens if they do something strenuous without eating first. For Ross’ mum it’s if she is really sick or really doesn’t want to be in a situation.  For Lindsay it’s needles and vein things.  She knows this and is good about asking to lay down for blood work and is usually fine; however this time, the lady didn’t get it the first time and as she “stirred” the needle around she described the vein rolling.  That made Lindsay woozy, but then to top it off she had to go again into the other arm and when she started the description again, Lindsay warned her that she was going to be ill.  Lindsay is really good at knowing the pre-faint things now but then laughs as she says she comes to with two nurses and one doctor talking about her lack of color.  She was fine after a bit and drove herself home no problem.  It got us laughing about past “faints” and how she is really good at controlling the situation now and knows what to do.  What fun memoriesJ  She said the hard part was being half in and half out knowing she needed her head lower and her feet up but not being able to say it-fortunately the doctor said the same thing and it helped her recover quickly.  Then the joy is she had to pay for the visit, so she says she paid for the privilege of a good faint. 

Today Ross and I had our routine 3 month checkup. Don’t know why they have you come every three months, but oh well.  We really like our doctor and it’s a quick appointment, again with him doing everything….no waiting that way.  I didn’t even react when he stood there while I got undressed down to my undies today. I guess I’m getting used to their ways!  I did lose 3 kilo since my last visit, so that was nice! 

Tomorrow a hair appointment and a massage-ahhh. Still can’t strip in front of him-guess my modest ways have their place!  Ross’ new company car has arrived, but he can’t get it until vacations are over.  Here the factory shuts for almost all of August and most everyone takes a month long holiday.  Ross is able to work and will travel some, since we used three weeks of his vacation for our trip.  The car will sit at the dealer until Bridgette is back near the end of the month.  I got a call that my car is ready for pickup on August 9, so I am looking forward to getting it and being independent again.  I promised Lindsay a picture of me in it and next to it since the photos make her laugh.  It’s a little city car which I am excited to drive and park here!!!  The 65 mpg will help too although I’ll need to figure that out in kilometers per litre!   

Hopefully this caught you up on our last month-if you even cared!!  From here on, I’ll be adding more “French” stuff and lifestyle things here.  I’m off!