November 28, 2013 Thanksgiving Day

 

Lately I’ve been getting some comments from family and friends that I don’t blog much anymore.  Well, there are two reasons….the first is that most things are so normal for me now that I don ‘t find as much humor in it all…..the second is that today is the FIRST day in over three months I’ve had just a few minutes to write.

So, normally I try to start where I left off….phew….that was August…..

Had my final (I hope) oral surgery on the tooth access.  My appointment was at 5:30 pm and I left the chair at 8:15.  I could hear my phone going off in my purse knowing it was Ross wondering where on earth I was.  This is where if Lindsay is reading she will start to go green and get nauseous….but the endodontist cut the gums and exposed the bone and then cut away the tissue and bone that was bad.  At one point I started feeling everything…the numbing had worn off-you know you’ve been there a loooong time if that happens. She re-numbed it and went at it again.  Now she is a specialist; our normal dentist is awesome and she trained on the US so her English is good….so much easier for us. But the specialist, while good at her job is new from the Czech Republic and has been learning French…she has a teensy bit of English…so we communicate in broken French and bits of English….but anyway, all stitched up I’m ready to go….you know it’s gone on long when the entire office of people have gone home for the night except the lady waiting to check you out.  I had to walk carefully as the cleaning lady had arrived and was mopping out the entire building….after about an hour and a half in the chair I had hit my limit, so all the rest was me trying not to burst into tears and just trying to make it through.  I kept it together enough to check out-the amazing part was that this 3 hour oral surgery cost in total 85 euros-less than $100!!!  I pay in full and get reimbursed so I always see the real cost…amazing.  I got to the car and called Ross but quickly said “I’ll be home soon, I’m just leaving” and hung up knowing if I talked to him I’d burst in to tears.  She had told me not to blow my nose, cough or sneeze for a week…..well I’m not a gentle sweet crier, if I’d started it would have been ugly and far too much for my incision.  For the graphic part, anyone who has had any oral surgery knows you need gauze and tissues for the way home…none provided of course, but since I had some tissue in my purse I could kind of spit out into them gently until no more bleeding.  I had prescription mouthwash, antibiotics (yes, that aggravated my other issue…for disgusting details read previous posts!)  but I made it home and it really was okay after that.  Much more painful and traumatic at the time then afterwards. 

This had happened on Tuesday evening and I had a re-check Thursday morning early just to make sure stitches were holding and it looked okay.   So, I took the bus downtown to the endodontist and low and behold the same bus I’ve ridden since we arrived here is suddenly not taking its normal route….panic sets in and I (with swollen face) ask. Oh, it’s now after September first and the trolley project which has been under construction since before we arrived has been completed and is running so they’ve changed ALL the bus routes. Plus it’s morning and the bus is swamped full of high school students on their way to school. I was able to get out of my backward facing seat and stand until I recognized where I was and then was able to get off the bus and walk a few blocks to the endodontist office.

My reason for taking the bus rather than driving was that my visitors were arriving that morning at 11. Their final destination: Niger Africa in October  to work as missionaries. So after my visit I got another bus to St Pierre de Corps to the train station. Knowing my car would never hold their bodies let alone luggage I had hired a taxi van to meet us all at 11:30….no problem, right????  WRONG! Their flight was late leaving the US, therefore they missed their train connection and had to wait for several hours before the next one….always fun when you’ve been on an all night flight with a toddler…and she’s pregnant! AHHHH…plus now they’re not arriving until 4 in the afternoon and I’m stuck at the train station with no car, pain pills and a swollen face.  I went to the little café and ordered a tea just to be able to use their comfy chairs…ended up pretty much staying there all day. Ross left work and met me for lunch but other than that I kept a steady order of beverages-no not booze…just tea, soda and water- going to keep my place in a chair with a back at the café.  I had brought my Nook knowing I’d have a little wait in the morning, but had I known it would be longer, I would have made sure it was charged up. ARGH!  So, once it died, I spent the time people watching.

Finally, Charles and Asia along with their 18 month old Micaiah arrived as well as Madison who is 18 and a family friend.  So I meet their train and of course it’s the double decker one with no luggage storage near the door and of course, they’re on the top level.  To top it all off they are on the car that is the farthest from the stairs…at the very end of the train platform……and then aren’t there two handicap people who need train personnel assistance to get off the train which takes forever…….So finally  they begin getting off with two cases each plus a big carry on each plus five or six of those giant Rubbermaid trunks.  Well, they are moving permanently to Africa so this was all the worldly possessions they had. It wasn’t going fast enough and now the conductor is yelling at me …loudly telling me in French they have no business on this train with so much, he could give them a fine and I better get them off right now or it’s leaving. So I am trying to be polite and explain and he is beyond reasoning…finally, they get the last trunk off-all things carried down from the second floor…now we’re on the platform and have to get ALL this stuff trip by trip to the taxi van which I re-scheduled, but she is on a time limit and has another fare. Three trips later, lugging it all, plus a jog stroller , plus a baby car seat…you can just imagine…we got to the taxi van and tried to get it all in.  Finally with some interesting packing and seating we were all in and headed home! Asia (5 plus months pregnant)was exhausted, had been up for 24 hours and had been peed on by a leaky diaper so she was done for the day!!!

After the excitement of their arrival and the realizing they forgot one suitcase on the train (it was never found even with Ross’ secretary Brigette working like crazy to find it) all settled into a nice routine and we had a lot of fun together.  They spent five weeks living with us and I hired a tutor to come to the house and work with them in basic French. So, we were step one in their culture shock of leaving America.  I would take Micaiah out while they had class and since I needed to shop 3x a week (only so much fridge room), many of our outings were to the grocery store.  We often finished and then had a snack at the little bakery café killing time.  We’d talk and play, etc….Is it bad that it got to be each time we’d enter the parking lot he’d clap and yell out “choco” which was his new word when he discovered chocolate?

I tried cooking lots of fun French meals to give them a taste of France. Charles and Asia loved it…..Madison however had grown up in a big family with I’m sure lots of good filling meals, but some of this was all new to him.  He has such a fun personality and he and Ross joked around all the time; and he was willing to try most things although some were hysterical seeing his reaction-goat cheese, blue cheese, duck, brussel sprouts etc……Ross has this thing for certain table manners and how to use a fork and knife properly so Madison called it his etiquette lessons.  He said he was going to get a bracelet with WWRD on it for “What would Ross do”….too funny.

They all did a lot of walking around our little village and once Madison discovered the patisserie he made twice daily visits and declared himself in love with patisserie lady! Yes she was my age and her husband did the baking…but he tried both bakeries in town and found his heaven on earth in one!!  He would moan at the thought of her strawberry tarts but managed to try pretty much everything she ever had in the shop.  He was very quick to volunteer to go get my bread for the evening meal since it involved a trip to town. We’d laugh as he would bring home things but later confess he’d already had something else on his walk home J I’m sure she saw increased profits for five weeks!

We visited a chateau together and had an authentic French meal as well as a visit to the Tomato Festival where we had a fabulous tomato based three course meal…..found out Madison hates tomatoes, but he was a good sport! Micaiah on the other hand adored tomatoes (and any fresh fruit or veg I bought).  I was buying cherry tomatoes in bulk and he’d walk by the dish and stretch his little arm up and grab them like candies.  Later as grapes started coming in he’d sneak them too.  I’d go to use them for something and poof, none left…it was hysterical.

So many fun memories of their visit and of course I cried when they left….I will always be thankful we had a small part to play at the start of their ministry.

Being much smarter and not willing to risk the wrath of the conductor we arranged a taxi van to take them door to door from our house to the airport in Paris…..a much improved idea than the train.

You’d think we’d be all quiet and settled after that visit but no….four days later Tristan, Katie and Liam arrived as Ross left for Malaysia.  Tristan and Katie went off to Paris for three days to celebrate their fifth anniversary and I got to have Nana and Liam days….I could bore you with story after story of how amazing he is and be one of “those” grandparents….just know we had a fabulous time, and he is pretty much superior to all other children his age in every way.

We went to the zoo and went at his pace which included twenty minutes at the glass face to face with a gorilla and another twenty watching ducks.  I put him on his harness which allows him to walk around but be restrained.  He’s so fast and he goes from thing to thing so it was perfect.  You should see the looks from the French people…..only dogs use leashes here….but I didn’t care, he was happy, I was happy and we had a fabulous day.  Also went to a mini chateau place and he and I were the only ones so we walked and played at our own pace.  Stops for meals and snacks were of course included. 

Ross arrived home before Tristan and Katie so we went out to lunch together….as we enter the restaurant…in a pitiful voice Liam pipes up “Papa, I need ice cream”….he asks for things all the time in a normal voice and with please and thank you but when he really wants it, the pitiful voice and “I need” comes out…it’s hysterical!!  Of course he got ice cream. One night he told me “Nana, I need oatmeal”…too, too funny!

When Tristan and Katie returned we had a week more together and Ross took off work to be with us.  We visited LeMans and Villandry as well as downtown Tours.  It was a great visit and we had soooo much fun with Liam, his vocabulary is huge so we could have real conversations.  He loves trains and construction vehicles…my funniest moment is when he was sitting on my lap playing with a dump truck…suddenly he says “up the hill, down the hill, up the hill, down the hill” and grins as he drove the truck up and down my boobs……..hysterical. We picked up rocks and went for walks and played games together on my ipad…….it went quickly but I knew I’d see them again soon.

In fact they left on the 26^th and I had a flight to go to the US on the 31^st for Liam’s 2^nd birthday. It was the back half of my ticket from April so I’ve had it booked for months. When they decided to come in October it just meant I got more time with them J

Well Ross found out he had business in the US, so he could make a quick weekend trip to Georgia before heading to Philly for meetings. So, we flew the same day from Paris to Atlanta but I went USAir (flier miles) through Philly and he went Delta direct.  We met up again in Atlanta that evening and got a rental car and drove home. Crazy I know and the TSA guy really questioned me as I got my luggage and sat to wait an hour for Ross’ flight to arrive…I guess most couples don’t fly the same day on different airlines to the same place.

We spent the weekend in Georgia with a day trip to Birmingham for the birthday party and then on the Monday both flew out of Atlanta to Philly-yes different airlines and I then continued on to Buffalo to visit my mother and sister in law for a whirlwind pop in visit. Then I flew back to Atlanta while Ross flew back to Paris.  I was able to do a few things in the house as well as visit a few friends.  Fit in a gastro visit for my “issue” and he agrees it’s probably from all the antibiotics from my tooth, but he gave me some meds which are semi-working and when I return to the US at Christmas, I have a colonoscopy scheduled for the 27^th. Just to make sure and then hopefully deal with it.  My doctor here said that was my next step, but since that IS NOT vocabulary I know in French I decided doing the procedure in the US was preferable. Plus, I’ll be dopey afterwards and Ross will be the one getting the info and I felt it would be better in English for him too J

A week later I returned to Paris….CRAZY…..in 13 days I was on eight planes and was in four states…..I needed a rest when I returned…but no…..just a few days later our friends Roy and Dodie from Canada arrived.  They were visiting us in France before leaving this morning to head to Barcelona where they’ll do a cruise for their 50^th anniversary.  We had a good week, Ross only saw them one day as he left the next for China. We spent a lot of time reminiscing about our Camp Li Lo Li days and mutual friends.  So fun!

They arrived late Saturday but their luggage didn’t (for three days) and of course here shops are closed on Sunday!!! So we headed to the Auchon in St Cyr. Normally I don’t shop there much but knew they had a good section for inexpensive clothing so we headed there. When we first moved here, I went there all the time since it was up the road for SKF and we shared a car. I could shop and then get Ross from work….but after I got a car I prefer the Casino for groceries. 

So, we’re walking down an aisle chatting away when behind me I hear a voice say “Are you American?” I whipped my head around to see a nice young lady who stopped when she heard us speaking English. (side note…….Now if you remember form an earlier blog, I met my friend Kelli in the grocery store a year ago because she heard me talking in English to Calum) Anyway, we explained that they were my Canadian guests but I was American living here. And being American in a foreign country and finding another American, you just spill your life story and suddenly share info.  She had just moved here this summer and plays volleyball here. (second side note…if you remember from a previous blog post, Kelli’s husband is here playing professional volleyball). So I chime in and say I know a guy on the men’s team. We chat and doesn’t she already know Kelli and David and we both had been invited to David and Kelli’s house for a Thanksgiving meal. Next morning I woke up to a Facebook friend request and I’m hoping it is the start of another new friendship.  Okay, this sounds creepy to so many back home and kind of stalker like to become friends after  one random meet in the soap and deodorant aisle…..but that is just the way it goes for me here and I love it!

It’s so funny here that I make friends in the oddest places and our common bond is that we are Americans living here.  David and Kelli are Tristan’s age and I’m assuming Amy (the girl I met)is right around there.  So I’m probably their mother’s age; yet we form a friendship out of similar life experiences and common language.  I LOVE THIS…in fact our other French husband/American wife couple friends are Jean-Pierre and Helene (probably around 65-70) and Nicolas and Esther (probably mid to late 30’s). None are in our age bracket and yet that doesn’t matter one bit, we’ve become friends and enjoy time together. I have another friend Bennie that I met online (no not like that) but through the Loire Connexion sight on Facebook which is a get together social group for English speakers in our area. We’ve only been to one of their events but I met her through a thread. We’ve been to lunch and are trying to get together for lunch before the holidays. So, so weird that the majority of my friends are English speakers…I have French friends but somehow English speakers keep coming in my path.  Even at church my closest friend now is Joy who is fluent in French but from the Philippines and speaks English.  She helps me understand everything!!!!

 It is SUCH a change from even a year ago when my calendar was pretty empty and I spent a lot of days alone. Now I’m back to being excited if I have some down time! Guess I’m really at home here and settled,  which is a nice feeling anywhere.  The newness is gone, I know how to get around, and have a life here…..amazing!!

So, that in a nutshell is my busy summer and fall. A few other crazy moments long the way and if I think of them I’ll let you know.  A few I can think of:

Tristan found out upon returning to Alabama that he was being pulled off his job site in Birmingham to do an emergency four month project in Atlanta at Turner Field (where the Atlanta Braves play). It’s a parking lot they need to dig up and then put in retaining walls and a giant water storage tank.  It’s a city block sized parking lot so it’s a huge project.  So, he is living in our Georgia house with Lindsay while Katie and Liam are in Birmingham. He works 7pm-7am and Lindsay is gone 6am-6pm…they really rarely overlap…he sleeps all day, she sleeps all night…it’s kind of funny. Calum is only home three nights a week so they’ve got a wild household going on.  

The question is whether Tristan will go back to Alabama when finished as his next job is starting in August in Atlanta.  It’s a multi-year project off 75  and we’ll all be so excited to have them close again. So it’s an up in the air time for them, and Liam hates not seeing his daddy L

This week Tristan visited over the weekend and brought Liam back with him to spend a few days with Lindsay as she is off school.  They’ve had a blast and I loved all the funny skype dates. Katie arrived yesterday and as I type Lindsay is knee deep in thanksgiving dinner prep for quite a crowd. I’m sure they’ll all have fun with each other and the guests Lindsay’s invited. Love knowing my kitchen is full and being used for a crowd.

One funny thing here is that I keep seeing odd shaped fruits and vegetables.  Some look quite naughty or at least that’s what I see.  So of course I take a photo….can’t resist!  Posting a couple and if they offend I’m sorry…..but they got me giggling! Plus a ladies dress at the train station…..oh my!!! I’m sick, really sick!!!!

Ordered my turkey from the butcher, it’s a huge production as turkeys  are not available here except at Christmas. Monday night we’re having a belated Thanksgiving with friends since Ross will be home.  Okay, it will be fresh…and I mean fresh as in probably killed that day.  He knows I want no feet or head!!!  But he got me one and it’s 5 kilos which is roughly 12lbs. No biggie except it will be over 100 euros!!!  They don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here, but I miss that so we Americans are sticking together!!!  So I’ll get two!!!  Lucky me, I have one tonight with one group and one Monday at my house with another….YAHOO!

Last thing…it’s an odd one and then I’m off. This has ended up being way too long, so if you stuck it out I’m really proud of you!

I get a note from Lindsay to call Living Proof ministries and the ladies name. So I call and it was about an order using my American credit card but my French shipping address. I love that they were checking for fraud. I had indeed ordered some Bible study stuff and had it sent here….. BUT…when I call she tells me she figured it all out already.  I ask how and she said from my blog…WHAT….anyway she had decided to do some research, googled me and found my blog and read it and understands now why I am billing in the US but shipping in France. We had a lovely twenty minute chat and it was like talking to a friend.  She had gone back to the start and read it all (brave woman)….so now she knows way lots about me!!!  She said she had shared the blog with a few friends at the office…does this make me Beth Moore’s best friend now?? Too funny….it’s just such a small world!

  So, I’m really off this time…so sorry for the delay, I’ll try to blog sooner so it’s much less to read J Happy Thanksgiving to all

August 22, 2013

Suddenly it’s nearly the end of August and I realize I haven’t written in ages. So, to backtrack…..let’s see …..June- Calum’s visit….he kept busy at work and made some friends while dealing with the language barrier. I think he has a new appreciation for how difficult this really is. He really struggled with homesickness, especially once camp started and he wasn’t there. It’s his first summer not being there the whole time since he was 13 years old. Alas, real life creeps in.  He finished his project and presented it and it was received well. 

The zoo trip was a bust as when we arrived it started raining, not just a drizzle but that absolutely drenching, cold pouring rain.  We tried umbrellas but after a few minutes, shoes, coats, and everything was soaked. We gave up and headed out. Home for dry clothing and hot drinks!

One weekend we were planning a meal out and suddenly found ourselves too close to the end of lunch time.  Restaurants usually open from 12-2 and then 7-midnight.  We found a little place along the river road in Fondettes. Entering we knew it was a bit more classy than planned, but with the time, we couldn’t get somewhere else. So, we enjoyed one of our best meals ever….several courses, fabulous food…..mind you it was 150 euro for the three of us-yikes! But it was a nice experience!

In the middle of June our nephew Craig arrived for a visit.  What fun we all had exploring and laughing.  On weekends Ross and Calum joined us, but during the week Craig and I explored and ate. The four of us spent a day and Disneyland Paris which was so much fun.  We visited Villandry together which was great and enjoyed a wonderful outdoor meal.  Craig and I also explored a vineyard, with our own private tour; went to Amboise Chateau and Clos Luce; found a spice shop with exotic spices and extracts and generally just had fun!  Being a pastry chef, he enjoyed every meal experience and we made sure to try several!!

One Sunday the funniest thing happened at church.  We have a sweet lady in an electric wheelchair.  It goes up and down so when singing she can raise and be higher as we stand.  Well, Calum nudges me during the sermon as we hear the quiet motor at the end of our row…..she had dozed a bit with her hand on the lever so as she relaxed, her hand must have bumped the lever and she was raising up as the speaker was talking.  The lady next to her quickly woke her and she went back down….but Calum had a good chuckle-us too.

Then on the 24^th I left for the US.  I took a whirlwind trip to Birmingham for two days and brought Liam back with me to Georgia.  He was with Lindsay and me Thursday through Saturday which was awesome!  We had so much fun….I was exhausted, but wouldn’t trade one minute!   We were also packing for camp and getting ready for that.  Calum arrived in the US the next weekend and we were off to Teen Camp. A great two weeks as always and even though as I pack I think “why am I doing this?”; once I’m there I know why!

After camp Ross arrived in the US and we did a bunch of visiting family and friends. Ross soon realized a trip to the US isn’t vacation.  He hadn’t been in a year, so he was struck with his first “I’m a visitor in my own home” moment.  Lindsay and I had already worked through those issues and we both just kind of let go and enjoy each other rather than stress over the different way we do things in the house.  We had a great time, but it was busy and crazy, so it was nice to return home to our quiet life.

One funny story after returning that Calum said “oh please do not share that”….so I have been having issues with this tooth abcess. They’ve done four procedures and hoped that would take care of it, but alas, nothing easy and I’ll have surgery on it September 3. Nothing happens here in August-it’s vacation month…literally-people take the month off.  Ross got sent home from work last week since he was the only one in the building….safety rules and all.

So, back to the story…..sorry for the personal info if it bothers you!  Anyway, with this tooth, it’s been a several month problem so over the past 5 months they’ve had me do four rounds of antibiotics. Well, never have I had so much and my lower stomach didn’t like it one bit.  I managed, and as long as I know where toilets are; life goes on.  So, we arrive home and Monday
Ross goes to work and I head to pick up Sophie. On the way I realize I am going to need a toilet, so I look everywhere. This isn’t the US where gas stations or restaurants are usually close by. So, I get there and get Sophie and asked if they had a bathroom I could use……um no, of course not.  So, as I drive home I realize this is going to be ugly and I’m in a panic praying for anything…when voila…a little dirt road into a woods is right there.  I pull into it, scope the area, grab my Mr Clean wet wipes from the car and found a nice tree hidden from the road.  You know I was desperate if I’m using a tree!!  All my Camp Li Lo Li overnight camping badge information came back to me and I’m now really using and outdoor latrine!  My kids were like “oh no you did not?” and I said the alternative in my car was worse!!  So, that’s my mortifying story of the year!!  I kept hoping it wasn’t a driveway or that some farmer would come walking through the woods. ARGH!

Since I’ve had this problem for five weeks, I’ve visited my doctor here this week. He’s pretty sure it’s from the antibiotics and has given me two meds to use.  Plus I had to go to a lab and get a cup for a specimen sample.  I won’t go into details of collecting that, but I was quite impressed with myself I must say!  Results aren’t back yet, but he’ll know it is something we need to treat more aggressively by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, these two medicines.  The first is a probiotic powder you mix with water twice a day.  I had gotten some acidophilus in the US and had been taking it, but it hadn’t helped. Plus I’ve been eating yogurt like crazy. This is the big guns probiotic.  He was pretty impressed I could buy probiotics OTC in the US.  

The other is also a powder you mix with water before each meal. It’s a mineral/clay mixture that is supposed to coat the stomach and intestines.  The product has only two main uses…this one for  Colitis type stuff in the medical field…..the other is on the oil rigs for keeping the drill bits cool and the sludge off the drill. Oh I was thrilled to find that out. Since it’s in French I have to Google the info to make sure what I am getting.  I don’t think they use this in the US. Ross says they have a similar product they use called mud to lubricate a certain bearing. And it really is kind of like a cup of thin mud I’m drinking.  It has a vanilla flavoring in it so it’s not gross, but the other day I splashed a little on my chin and chest  and I didn’t realize it.  It had dried and later Ross thought I had dirt flecks on me. It has no bad side effects so I continue to drink my sludge!!

He also had me do an xray series just to make sure the abscess hadn’t hit my sinuses.  It hasn’t which is good. The process was great though. I got an paper and made an appointment for the next morning at the radiology center. Got a series of intensive x-rays of teeth and sinus…several views.  They then had me sit in the waiting room, I was confused a bit but waited about ten minutes.  Then I got called in and met with the radiologist who read the xrays right in front of me and gave me the results.  She also gave me a copy of the films and her report and she’d send one to my doctor later. So, in less than an hour all this, plus results. And the kicker is the total bill was 55 euro or about $70 US dollars.  No separate bill for reading them, no waiting….that’s it. I must say I am impressed with the health care system here as well as the regulated costs. People pay into it and they call it semi-socialist…..I’m not sure exactly how it all works, but we pay in full everywhere and get reimbursed, so I see the costs. I so wish the US could figure this out.  The costs here are determined in advance, so there is no mark up. Prescriptions are especially cheap.

So anyway, We did take last week and go for four days to Switzerland for a little get away vacation. We needed it after our US vacation J  Switzerland was amazing and gorgeous.  The Alps are hard to describe and one day we drove to the top over zig zag roads…it was amazing….. needed a car sick pill but it was worth it.  We took Sophie and she did great…dogs are so welcome here and it amazes me how they can go almost everywhere.

We swam in the hotel’s natural pool which was totally balanced with algae etc.  Pretty amazing. It’s a pretty expensive country and we planned for that, but I think living there would be difficult.

We went to the Swiss Riviera one day and walked the pier….gorgeous! We ate outside one day at a lovely restaurant and watched as birds came right onto tables looking for bread.  We laughed as a big old bird sat on a pile of plates at the side. Five minutes later the waiter used that plate to put someone’s bread on.  We just have to laugh at the relaxed food rules here, yet it works.

While sitting on a bench relaxing on the shores of Lake Geneva we watched families on boats and these really cool rental paddle boats with slides on them.  Suddenly one boy about ten decided to change his swimsuit and put on undies and shorts.  I think he didn’t realize how close they were to shore…but we got a bum view! We just laughed.

We took a three hour boat ride on the lake and it was spectacular.  The views just amazing. Sophie was a huge hit but I have to be careful as she gets nippy when nervous and kids swarming her make her nervous. I gave my -she tends to bite- speech over and over and you’d be shocked at the adults who say “oh I don’t care, dogs love me” and they stick their hand right in her face.  They pull back if she growls, but really…..

Food in Switzerland was okay, but I think we’ve been spoiled.  We just love the food here and nothing can quite compare. Saturday we went to Villandry to walk the gardens and have a nice patio meal…..it was great!

So this week, back to normal…the weather is spectacular so I’m hanging laundry out and enjoying the sunshine. I know once fall arrives I won’t see sun for months and it will be cold and rainy…so I’m trying to enjoy every bit.  I have a chair that I take out and sit and read most afternoons….trying to get just a bit of color on these legs that haven’t seen sun in three years!! I had to avoid it for a bit before we arrived here as I was in the process of my laser hair removal and then last summer it was super hot and sunny then went cool quickly.  I’ve not been this white since I was 12 and maybe never!

Calum used to comment that people here talk about weather a lot when it’s nice.  I think it’s because we get so few fabulous days that everyone appreciates them when they come.  This year August has been perfect.  It maybe hits 80 in the day but 60’s at night and it cools off quickly.  No A/C here so we manipulate the shutters and awnings to keep the sun out of the house.  It works pretty well.

So, now our fall approaches. It’s a busy one….September 5^th our friends Asia and Charles and their little boy arrive as well as a young guy named Madison.  They’ll be with us a month as they study the language before departing to Niger, Africa where they’ll work as missionaries. We’re kind of excited that we have a house we can use this way. I’ll enjoy playing with the little boy while they study…kids are my thing, so I’m looking forward to it.  I’m working on meal plans and such.

Then after they go, Tristan, Katie and Liam come for a visit.  It will be Tristan and Katie’s fifth anniversary so they’re going off to Paris for a couple days and I’ll get to keep Liam J

Then I return to the US Oct. 31^st for two weeks for a little visit.

When I put it all on the calendar it looks crazy….but I love it. Quite different from when I first arrived and spent hours alone at home.  I still love my quiet alone time at home but it’s nice to have “normal” lives here.

Next week is our annual “Fete de Rue” or street party.  They close the road and neighbors gather for a meal outside.  We went last year but were so limited with language. I’m looking forward to being able to converse more freely this year.  Sometimes when I think my language is still so limited, I look and realize how much better I communicate now.  Listening and comprehending is still my slow part, but the more I do, the better it gets.  I’m like a little kid scrunching my eyebrows and processing what’s being said…there’s a slight delay and then I get it.

So, I’m off…..not really that much interesting anymore…just life!