Thursday, March 7,2013

Well, since I’ve written, not much exciting has happened.  What used to be the funny quirks here have just become part of my daily life and I don’t see them as new and unique at all anymore.  Things like unisex bathrooms, driving with priority to the right, and getting groceries every few days…….It has made me realize how very easy I had it in my “old” life.  Without even trying I became used to the luxuries of the American lifestyle, I think it took a move to a foreign culture to give me the appreciation I should have had all along. Don’t get me wrong, I knew we were blessed in our lives and we’d seen God’s hand in it…..but now, living a simple lifestyle we appreciate the little things just a bit more.

Ross arrived home from China very tired but has gotten back into our daily routine.  While he was away I found an island at Ikea that would help me have some more counter space.  That has been one thing that has been driving me crazy.  I have one small section of counter by the sink and two very little ones on each side of the cooktop.  It has been difficult to cook especially if there was more than one person in the kitchen. So, Ross and I went Saturday and got the island which has a countertop of 50” x 30”.  I was able to take the two shelves and put them in the back room and use them for food storage.  So, every other day I am seasoning the countertop of the island with this special oil/paste…..in just a week, it has started to really bring out the beauty of the oak and protect it from water.  They said I need to do this every few days for two months……I am loving having the workspace….it just makes the daily life easier.

I also bought a simple, small, plastic picnic table to put by my clothesline. I bought a small table last year but the rain ruined it since it was not meant for outside.  This one I can put my clothes basket on when doing laundry, saving my back from all the bending.  It also keeps the basket from sitting on the muddy ground……see, it’s the simple pleasures….more counter space and a table for laundry…….

I was actually able to hang the sheets and towels out on the line Monday.  It was in the low 50’s and sunny so I wanted to take advantage of it.  My next door neighbor has been hanging out all winter, in all the miserable weather.  I just can’t quite bring myself to do that and use my dryer and hanging racks. BUT…..as the weather gets nicer (oh I hope soon), I’ll be back to hanging out laundry and watching for rain clouds….again thoughts of my Grammy Aldridge and her laundry watching for signs of rain….too funny!

While we’re hitting the 50’s in temperature now, it’s a drizzly, cloudy week.  Crocuses are blooming and the daffodils are coming up, so I know spring is on its way. I am ready!!!

Ross and I went to dinner one night before he left for China to a restaurant that specializes in cheese.  No cooked food, just cheeses. It was called L’Affine and we enjoyed it. The cheeses were served with a salad, bread and fruit….the waitress explained the order in which you eat the cheeses, from mildest to strongest.  You start at twelve o’clock and eat around clockwise. It was really good and by the time we finished it was a filling meal. The funniest part to us was that it is located on a little alley street full of restaurants. Their bar/café was outside across the alley; so all night we watched the waiters and waitresses bringing food and drink back and forth across the alley from one to another.  Then they’d bring the dishes back across…..too funny.

On our way we noticed a guy riding his bike on the street.  At first I thought it was a Rastafarian guy with dread locks on his head….which would be unusual here; but as we got close we realized it was just a guy with his cat riding on his shoulders…..standing up so it looked like crazy hair.

I went to see Mama Mia with a friend all in French and it was a fun night. The toilets were quite a shock as they were Turkish….basically squatty potties. Amazing……all the while Ross was in China with a remote control toilet with music, water spray, heaters and massage…..go figure!

 

Friday night we are going to a professional volleyball match.  The Tours team is number one in France and we are looking forward to it.  I met an American lady in the grocery store over Christmas and her husband plays for the team. He also played for the US volleyball team at the Olympics this past summer which is awesome!   I went last week for a visit and met their cute little boy.  I loved that he was friendly and wanted to sit on my lap and play! This Nana needs some snuggles sometimes!

I am posting some photos of a meal we had over Christmas…the appetizer was celery root puree with scallops and tart apples and the main dish shrimp wrapped pork….yummy!

 

The schools have been on a two week break here and today I am headed back to St Paternne to work with the classes.  I’ll only be there two weeks and then it’s time for my trip back to the US.

I was able to easily renew my carte de sejour and I am legal for another year.  The driving school thing isn’t going as smoothly.  I’ve been to two places, the first the guy smelled so bad of smoke I couldn’t use him.  Then I went to another and the lady was rude and basically said in a sarcastic voice “bon courage” which means good luck!  I just need a place that will work with me and help with vocabulary.  Ross has the secretary at work calling around for me but so far not much progress.  I’m working on the practice tests myself at home but it’s crazy hard and with trick questions.  It’s very frustrating and has caused some teary moments but I’m plugging along.

It’s funny how the more language I learn and the more comfortable I am with conversations; the more I realize I don’t know and it gets frustrating some times.  It’s hard to feel like a child and know your knowledge and learning resembles one.  Good thing I taught kindergarten, that’s what I feel like many days, a kindergartener; and my level is right there!!! I’m hoping by next year I get up to first grade level!

I head to the US on the 19^th and am looking forward to seeing my family and friends.  I’m bringing Lindsay back with me for a week over her spring break.  It will be a fast trip but fun.  Once here, she and I are doing three days at euro Disney which is super exciting for both of us.  I’ve wanted to go there since it’s only an hour train ride away.  Even though it will be a fast trip, I’m really looking forward to some one on one time with her.  

Then in early May, Calum arrives for his eight week internship at SKF. I’m excited for him to get some work experience before his LAST semester of college this fall; plus I get to have him here each night and weekends.  Then I’m back to the US for Teen Camp and then Ross will join me and we’ll visit with family and friends….especially get in some Liam time!!!  He changes so much so quickly and we want to absorb as much of it as we can.

Also bought a raclette maker, which we've tried once. I'm looking forward to using it with company

 

I’m off for now….more after my trip…..