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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Worked weekends, and peanut butter stealing aside, my family redeemed themselves today.

Yesterday was Antoines birthday, and since I cant compete with Normandy, I settled for an outdoors picnic and cake.

I was nervous about asking to have dinner there, but S asked me if thats what I wanted, and everyone was so nice about it! I went to get Antoine from the train after 8, and the three oldest kids came along with me. We had aperatif (peanuts) on the porch followed by a trampoline lesson for the enfants. While I was gone, S put cherry blossoms, candles, and a table cloth on the table I had strategically placed in the side yard, out of view from the house. We had roasted red pepper, onion, and goat cheese pizza, bread, and tabuleh, and chocolate cake strawberries and champagne for dessert. There was a slight hiccup with the trains (that were, of course cancelled from Poissy to Mantes la Jolie) but I was able to drive Antoine to Poissy where he caught a train to Saint Lazare.

Nostalgia (Possibly number 2)

I cant believe Im about to type this, but I miss Yellowstone. I know, I know, I was stark raving mad to get the hell out of there, but now looking at everyone whos getting ready to go back, Im feeling a little nostalgic.

France is pretty amazing now, the sun is shining, the trees are green, everyone is happy. Its not even like Im stuck in a city (worse, the suburbs) but I miss the idea of going off into the woods for a few hours and seeing no one at all (except maybe some tiny squirrels, or elk, or bears). I cant decide what I need. In Wyoming, I would have killed for a city, here, I would kill for miles of nothing. I guess Washington is a good compromise for me. I still would have the chaos of Metropolitan DC, but only a short drive from the Shenandoah.

Its really hard to be here now that Summer is coming, I miss things like my backyard, country music, cheap beer, and Americans. Two days a week really is not sufficient at all.

The kids go back to school next week, and I guess I do too. I almost prefer to be at home all day because I can actually get things done. By the time I get back from SG usually, Im so hungry and lazy to do anything. But fortunately, London is coming soon (I need to book a place to stay) and after that, hopefully Kelly (if I can find a place to stay......)

Sunday, April 25, 2010

1) Im old now

2) I went to Normandy (Etretat) with Anotine yesterday. I suck, and I wouldnt go with him on his "surprise" trip for my birthday, and found out it would have been South of France....dont want to talk about it. Still, Etretat was really nice, I got to see the ocean, and we almost got to stay there. Unfortunately, we had to reservations, and it was a Saturday during vacations.

3) Vacations over, back to the grind (x 10, kids still on vacay) Im feeling a little depressed about it.

4) I woke up at Peters on Friday (not feeling pleasant) and went back to Chatelet to buy myself something for my birthday, which turned out to be this amazing dress (Im currently penniless) I went back to O-town, tried to nap, failed, then went back into Paris and ended up at Kates. People came over and we went out...Again, I suck, and it wasnt all that fun.

Monday, April 19, 2010

This weekend was AMAZING.

Friday
1) It was Ailies birthday celebration, so we went to a kareoke bar. I ordered shots of Scottish whiskey (Ailie being Scottish is my favorite topic of conversation). They were eleven euros. EACH. But whatever, she was the birthday girl, and I wanted them, haha.

2) Dennis and Jon both came out, after several texts/phone calls, and I left promptly at 1:30, because I was exhausted.

Saturday

1) Woke up at Jons, hung around for a while, and went over to Peter's (Swedish). After creepily sitting at a cafe across the street, waiting for them to come back, I looked up to see sunshine, and Ailie and Callie waving at me.

2) I ate a baguette and brie, and was ready to start the day. Julie (Masshole) and Amanda (Canadian) wandered over with a mini keg of Heiniken, and then Disa and Tessa came around. A really sweet Danish (uhh, Denmark? right adjective?) and another Swede were there. Charlie (Canada) showed up with a Spaniard, and two Brits, we had Tatiana (Spain, too), and an Irish girl, Tory that Ailie picked up at TGC, last weekend. She brought a Mexican and another Irish guy.

3) Note that we were almost completely women, and it was really, well, fantastic.

We were very international.

4) Tatiana and I (again) picked up some guys and went along the Banana, the gay bar down the street, and drank vodka and watched men grind on eachother. The went to bed at 6 am, and woke up at 8.

Sunday
1) Ailie came over and we made pizza, drove around looking for an open shop to buy dinner supplies, trampolined, and ended our evening watching Beauty and the Beast (again) and I was in bed by 10:30, it was fabulous.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

I just literally messaged everyone I know that may or not be in England, most of whom, I havent talked to in years.

God bless facebook.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

I learned yesterday why Mom's and other experience childcarers always seem to carry tissues. Its in case their children start bleeding.

Yup, one of mine bled yesterday. I picked up L from daycare, and went over to T's friends' house to retrieve him. On the way back, L was apparently leaning out of the stroller, and when we hit a bump,

BAM, faceplant.

I literally looked down to see her facedown on the cement sidewalk, little legs and arms spread. I screamed, T screamed, and L started shrieking hysterically. I grabbed her, and SPRINTED back to the daycare, and started speaking in broken French that she was injured. Anyway, she was okay, just a cut on her lip and chin, but overall okay. (The blood really scared T, so he started crying and told me later he was afraid that she was dead.....I dont even know how to respond to that one....)

Worst part, this made me late getting back to the house, so the oldest two left and went to the neighbors, blah blah blah, I looked completely inept/irresponsible.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Aux Printemps

So granted, it was cold yesterday, and the day before, but Saturday was beautiful! Antoine and I went to Versailles and had a picnic. We kind of ran into some other Au Paris, Dawn, Kate, and Becca, to find that after 3 weeks, Dawn got "released" and is heading back to the United States.

Hm.

I dont really have a ton of stuff to say right now, I just felt like I should update. I have next week off, and I might try and go to "Vichy" avec la family, but I'm having trouble finding a ticket. Also, the house is apparently in the middle of nowhere....But really, I have nothing to do next week, at all.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Quality of life has improved for the following reasons-

1) I bought (what I didnt realise at the time) jalapenos and fire roasted those suckers. I then wrapped them up in a chicken breast with some cheese to create (I think) a spin off of chiles rellenos. I will presumably eat it for lunch tomorrow, lets all cross our fingers together

2) The sun came back to France. It was about mid 60s today, and there are FLOWERS. Things are starting to get greener, and I like it.

3) I become a legal (at least recognized) resident tomorrow.

4) But, most importantly, I realized that I can BIKE to V Sur Seine in less than 10 minutes! I went to Paris last night to see Antoine. I knew I didnt have to be back until noon today, so I was brainstorming ideas, and it occured to me, why not just bike it? Its all downhill, so you can cruise pretty fast. I kind of had to take my life into my hands on the roundabout, but I survived. I had a pretty sweet head lamp, and a light for the back.

5) I'm listening to the beach boys.

6) I realize that I need to blog in itemized format, versus actual paragraphs.

7) Antoine brought back approximately 5 kilos of cheese from the mountains :D

What kind of sucks-

1) There was a freaking greve last night/today, so while I got to the train station at 9 something, the next train didnt come until 10:10!! Also, the next morning the train didnt come at 10:23 as the greve scheduled promised but 10:53.

2) These delays combined with the fact that Im out of shape, and the way back from Villenes is all uphill, and the nurse came earlier than expected, which made me late for my appointment today.

3) Ailie already bought a train ticket, and her ticket from Milan to Glasgow

4) I have to work Friday night

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

This may come as a surprise to some, but the boob surgery saga has taken a turn for the worst. Mainly, I was supposed to go to Italy next weekend, as a birthday present to myself. I asked the nurse today, and she informed me that were waiting for my hole to close up, which will take AT LEAST A MONTH.

What does this mean? The ten or so days that Im supposed to have off, have to be spent in O-town, because I have to be here EVERY SINGLE DAY for bandage changing!

I'm so mad!!!!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Breasts

You know how I was supposed to have this whole weekend off? Well, things got complicated. Mainly because, on Thursday, I had surgery on my right breast. As some may recall, I went to the doctor last week because of breast pain, several days and prescriptions later, it turned out I had an abcess that needed to be taken care of.

I went in on Thursday around 10 am, and was in surgery by 3 or 4. I had to get general anesthesia, which is more complicated than local. It was exactly like in the movies, I was hooked up to an IV, looking at the nurse, than she put the mask on, and I blacked out promptly. I woke up a few hours later in the recovery room feeling groggy and in a lot of breast pain. Its strange because as I think back on it, I get uncomfortable. It was really unpleasant and painful. I couldnt think and I couldnt sleep because of the pain.

I should point out that Ive never been under the knife before. Ive had minor procedures, but never anything involving being CUT open, let alone in a different country. I will go ahead and say this though-everyone was so kind (except the anesthesiologist). I was so grateful to have people willing to speak to my in English. This could have been a really awful situation, but it wasnt, because the nurses in doctors spoke English well enough to communicate what would happen and they understood my questions.

I must comment though, in the examining room, the (really cute possibly North African) attending doctor told me to "Show him my titties," which was kind of uncomfortable, but funny I guess.

But, S, A, and F came to visit me, bringing a ton of chocolate, and flowers, it was really sweet. Antoine came to visit to. He didnt get there until after 8, and I asked the nurses when visiting hours were, but they told me they would make an exception, and he got to stay until almost 10. He told me when he came up he asked where my room was, and I was someone who had just gotten breast surgery, as soon as he said breasts, they apparently told him what room I was in and that I was waiting for him...

Anyway, now I have to have a nurse come to the house, which sucks because it requires me to be here in the mornings. Shes going to come and change my bandages and deal with all that stuff.

I stayed at Antoines last night, we didnt really do much, we were both really tired. He went to Geneva, so I wanted to see him before he left. Anyway, his train left at 9, so I got back to the house at like 930, and came upstairs because I accidentally set off the alarm. T was already eating breakfast. He gave me the five year old once over and said "You were where?" Guess I looked like I had a rough night....