Sick...so sad

Hello there…it’s me, checking in for my weekly blog. I am sad to report that I have been sick and out of commission for the last few days, so don’t have a weekend of excitement to write about. And for the record...I do have pics, but the internet won't let me upload them...so I'll try again later...argh.

Last week we were visited by the kids Grandma Ya-Ya. She was scheduled for a visit mid-September, but everyone decided we just couldn’t wait that long to see her again. She got in on Saturday morning and spent as much time as she could possibly fit in with the kiddos. Sadly, Rob got sick early in the week (a bug that has been passed around the whole house now) so he wasn’t able to join in most of their activities. My schedule is always a bit up in the air when we have visitors in town…so I am just kind of around, for when I’m needed. I did end up with most of Monday and Wednesday off.

To be honest, I don’t remember what I did on Monday…I’m sure it was lovely and delicious though. On Tuesday, I found a track-a running track. It is a bit of a commute on the train from the apartment, but well worth taking for a good track workout…which I did, and was totally sore the next day. Fantastic.

Wednesday I went to visit the Montmarte neighborhood…with my trusty walking cards. (the neighborhood is all built on a hill and after the Tuesday evening workout, the walks were slightly painful!) This is the area where my mom was suckered into buying a friendship bracelet for 15 euros when we were here together…and on my way away from Sacre Coeur, another fellow tried the friendship bracelet thing on me- I stopped him before he had a chance to put it on my hand…and told him I already had one….this is the part where they get you- they act all offended that you are interrupting them and not listening to what they have to say- because surely, it is important. And being the polite girl that I am, I feel a little guilty and start to let him talk…but the trick is- as they talk, they start to put the bracelet on your hand…as he tried to start his spiel over and put the bracelet on my hand, I said, “no, I already have one…I know, I know- make a wish…hakuna matata…” and he stopped and said “oh…sorry” and left. He knew I had already paid the tourist price.

Montmarte is a cool artsy neighborhood…it is the neighborhood that used to be where all the poor artists lived- until that became known and it is now too expensive- and touristy for that matter- for the poor artists to live. It is the area where several scenes from Amelie were filmed…I got a pic of one of the cafes from the movie.

Grandma Ya-Ya went home early Thursday morning and we were back into our usual routine of playing pretend and hitting the local playgrounds. Thursday night, the sickness hit and I went to bed at 6pm-woke up to my alarm at 7am the next morning. The kids and I had a mellow day on Friday and I was asleep shortly after my workday again.

I thought I was feeling a bit better Saturday morning, so got up and took a book with me to sit in the park at Notre Dame. Ugh…soooo many tourists. Everywhere. Some advice for you- if you are ever planning on visiting Europe, don’t do it in August. The cities are full of tourists and all the locals have left for holiday. I didn’t feel great and spent the rest of the day in bed. This morning I woke up, felt better…had a couple of pancakes and went out to catch noon Mass. I did a bit of window shopping on the Champs-Elysees and started not feeling great. Decided to take a little break in the Virgin Megastore…spent a good hour at their listening stations, checking out some new tunes. I realized how out of touch I have been with my normal life when artists I like came out with an album in May, and I not only haven’t heard it, but didn’t even know it existed. I started picking out albums to buy, only to return them to their shelves, realizing that it doesn’t make sense to buy them at 1.5 of their price (darn exchange rate) and have to pay to ship them home…I ought to just stick with itunes. Boo. After my vacation in music, I went and saw The Dark Knight…which finally came out here. I’m not a big fan of dark, scary movies, but figured I should see it, as it has gotten such great reviews. And it was exactly what everyone said- dark and scary and a well made movie. I can’t say it was enjoyable…because I’ll probably have nightmares, but it was good.

Now I’m back at the apartment…fighting with our internet, yet again…why can’t it ever just WORK?! And waiting for the “kids story before bed time” to go down and make myself some comfort food- top ramen. (Word on the street is there is a pho place in our neighborhood…if I find it, I’m staying in Paris forever!)

I’m reading a book right now, called Paris to the Moon. It is about a guy from NYC that decided to move his family (wife and baby son) to Paris for 5 years…and all he learned and observed. It is fun to read, as he has gone through many of the obstacles we have…I just read a part about how he was surprised about the things he missed from home…it isn’t the usual things you would think of- not the restaurants you enjoyed at home or your favorite stores…it is the little everyday things that you have always taken for granted- the way people have exchanges, the way you fit in to the routine…and it is so true. It is nice to read about someone else having those same thoughts. I really can’t wait to return home…as amazing an experience as this is, and I want to make sure I appreciate the whole thing, I still find myself counting the weeks and days. I know that shortly after I return home- within a couple of months, I’ll be searching for my next adventure…but I find it interesting that none of them are ever as good as home.

That’s all for now…I do miss you terribly, even though I heart Paris.

A week into Paris...

Okay, I know I said I would write after last weekend, but I just didn't have a spare moment...there is far too much to do in Paris to sit in my room on my computer. But, here I am...(this is a picture of our courtyard looking out my bedroom window....

First of all- I love Paris. I didn't want to...I really tried hard to fight it- it is such a cliche to love Paris...and the people are supposed to be rude and arrogant and I don't speak the language and it is so expensive, etc, etc. But...it got me...I love it. The city is beautiful, the food is yummy, the people are very helpful and friendly...and I can walk for hours and hours.

I already gave you the rundown of the trip here...a bit of a nightmare, but we made it. Saturday I watched the kids for awhile so the dads could do some of the "new in town" errands- get groceries, check out the neighborhood, etc. Then Saturday night I jumped right into an activity...I joined a running club. We met up in a park and went for an hour long run (I'm not quite in hour-long run shape...but survived). Then we stayed at the park to watch the open air movie...this park shows movies on a big blow up screen a few times a week during the summer. So we drank wine, ate cheese and bread and watched O Brother Where Art Thou. It was a lot of fun and a great first night in the city.

I had all day off on Sunday and spent the whole day wandering around. First I visited the Picasso Museum- it is in our neighborhood, and many of the cities museums are free on the first Sunday of every month. After, I went to a really good patisserie in our neighborhood (and a spot I have visited several times since) for quiche, cafe au lait (no more cafe con leche!) and a chocolate croissant to go. And then literally spent the entire day walking. I went all over the city. I stopped every once in a while to sit in a park and read a bit or at a cafe for a little snack. Some guy saw me looking at a map in one of the parks (just to figure out where I should go next) and came over to ask if I was lost or needed help...and then proceeded to start up a whole conversation with me, and followed me out of the park, talking...and then asked if we could meet again...luckily, I didn't have my Paris phone yet, so I couldn't give him my number (because I am awful at just telling someone no)...he asked if he could continue walking with me and I finally lied and said I had to get going because I was meeting someone in a bit. Very persistent...which I have now found out, is pretty common....sigh. I found the English speaking Catholic church and went to the evening mass...just off the Champs-Elysees.

Monday I worked a half day- we were waiting for some of our boxes to be delivered, so we had to stay in the house...the kids were great- we have done a lot of playing in the house- which we really couldn't do in the Barcelona apartment. The boxes never arrived...and then we called and apparently one of the boxes was sent back to Barcelona and one of the boxes was lost at their central office, so they couldn't deliver the other ones...it was a big mess....long story short, we got 5 of the boxes on Tuesday and the other set was being re-sent from Barcelona.

The rest of the week was pretty normal. On Thursday, after the kids' nap, Matt took Addy to the Louvre (with a little activity sheet that he created, for her to find things) and I took Cory to the Science museum...which was great. They had a whole playground area that looked like a construction zone...the kids had to wear little hard hats and red vests...Cory could have stayed there for hours. But, I pushed him along through some more of the kids area...he loved every section...it was awesome for him.

Friday night I met up with another meetup group and went to another open air movie. They were showing the Godfather trilogy..and there was free Ben & Jerry's...yeah, no joke. This group was kind of an odd group of people...but we all made conversation until the movie started. I only stayed for the first movie- because it didn't get over until 1:15 am and the last train stops at 1:30am...I suppose if I had stayed for all 3, the train would have opened back up for the next day....but that is a lot of killing for one evening!

Saturday I slept in...the kids' grandma Ya-Ya was flying in, so they left to go get her at the airport...so I slept!! My goal for the day was to get a haircut...it had been over 3 months and I was in desperate need of a trim. I looked up some places...everything seemed pretty expensive...but I decided to go for it anyway. As I was walking through the neighborhood, I found a place on the street, went in and got an appointment. The guy that cut my hair didn't speak any English, so I just kind of showed him what I wanted...and he cut it. Without scissors. He had some special little razor tool thing that he cut with...and did all this fun layering with...my hair is quite a bit shorter, but it is fun and I like it a lot. Then I decided to do a bit more of my Paris walking...and somehow, some guy started a conversation with me on the street and then kept following me along...and when I have no particular place in mind to go, it is hard to shake a person. He was very nice...but I was just in the mood for some wandering on my own. Finally, he headed off...last night I went out to dinner at this cute little family pizza place near our apartment...very nice people there.

And today I met up with a walking group. Every weekend they meet for a themed walk and today was an Olympic theme...which basically just meant that we ended up in Chinatown for some Chinese food...hehe. Another interesting group of people...mostly older, although the one younger-ish guy hung with me and chatted. For 2+ hours. Then on the train ride home, this Creepy McCreeperson guy came and sat next to me, waaaay too close. I was clearly reading a book and not interested in talking, but he started whispering to me...weird. He spoke a little English and got really close so I could hear his whispering. I tried to be polite and answer his questions, but also tried to make it obvious that I was going right back to reading...Then he followed me off the train, and waited to see which exit I was going out of. Outside he asked me if I wanted to go have coffee...I told him I had to go meet my family (I also previously told him that I was on vacation for a couple of days with my family), but he didn't seem to think that was a good excuse and asked me several more times (persistent, I tell you)...finally I just said no- 3 times and he walked away....good grief.

Now I am home and about to head out to church....more soon.

We made it to Paris

Well, yesterday's day of travel was not exactly smooth- but we all survived and made it safely to Paris, to our apartment, and me to a croque monsier.

Our flight was leaving at 2:20 in the afternoon, and we had to be out of our apartment by 11am. Which gave us just about the right amount of time to load ALL of our stuff (oh jeez, you have never seen 3 adults and 2 kids travel with so much stuff) into two cabs and head to the airport to check in 2 hours ahead of time. Well, we arrived at the airport, unloaded the bags on the curb, tried really hard to keep the kids entertained while all this was happening...and then the guys realized they didn't have their backpack...you know, the very important backpack that carries travel stuff...like their passports. We weren't sure if it was left at the apartment, left in the cab, disappeared never to be found again? So Rob jumped into a cab and went back to the apartment- Matt called the cab company to see if they could get a hold of our cabs...and I said a prayer to St. Anthony...the saint of lost things....who, I might add, has never let me down. AND, what do you know, Rob got to the apartment, and there was the backpack, propping the front door wide open....he raced back to the airport and joined us in line (oh yes, did I mention that Matt and I managed to get all of our luggage- plus two gigantic car seats, and the kids all inside into the check in line all by ourselves, in one trip...it was an amazing sight.) So we got all checked in and found our gate...sort of...our gate was changed about 3 different times. And then the flight was delayed 2 hours. And the airline we flew was open seating...so when they opened the gate to let us off the bus, up to the plane, there was pushing and elbows flying. BUT, we made it. The flight was easy, our luggage all came through and we hopped in another couple of cabs to meet the lady at our new apartment.

The apartment is ADORABLE. It is a little rough around the edges, but comfortable. The ceilings are really low...we keep feeling like we need to duck- but don't actually...my dad definitely would! It has a terrace outside with a lovely garden (I feel like it is important to say lovely when describing the gardens here...) The apartment is small, but the living room has massive floor to ceiling windows that look out into our lovely garden. The neighborhood is definitely a neighborhood- we aren't in the center of Paris...the metro is pretty easy to use, but will need to be used often to get anywhere. And there aren't elevators or escalators, so I am trying to brainstorm how to do the metro with the kids...we are thinking perhaps leashes...

So we were finally settled in about 8:30...Rob ran out to the grocery store to get some dinner and breakfast food, Matt put on a video for the kids, and I decided to do a little exploring...nothing big, as I was exhausted...and really didn't feel like bringing a map or a phrase book. So I wandered around (trying VERY hard to remember which way I came from, so as not to get lost or sucked into an alternate universe, like I did Barcelona). I found a cafe and had some salad and a croque monsier- even in our non-touristy little neighborhood, the waitress spoke English, and was completely pleasant about doing so. I only got lost twice on my way home...took one wrong turn, realized it and went back the other way...and then thought I was totally lost, had a quick moment of panic, only to realize I was actually ON our street and had already passed our entrance. Pretty proud of myself. :) Got home, chatted for a bit, and went to bed.

The dads took the kids out to breakfast this morning, and haven't yet returned...I am taking them out for a few hours so they can start unpacking and run the necessary "new city" errands. We found a park with a PLAYGROUND....phew, right by our house...less than a 5 min walk...which is SUCH a relief. Although, it is currently raining...so I have been frantically looking up indoor activities for kids. I am absolutely not complaining about the rain or the soo comfortable 60-something degree weather...so much more comfortable than the 95 degree, 500% humidity we just left in Barcelona. I do have a few fun souvenirs from Barcelona...about 30 mosquito bites that I got in the last 2 days. Yeah...the whole time we were in Barcelona we commented on how few bugs there were, and were never bothered by any...and literally, the last two days...I don't know where they came from...but I am covered. My arms have about 25 on them...I look like I have chicken pox. And they itch like crazy! Grrrr...soo annoying.

I know there aren't pictures, but we just got here...so I'll give you an update after the weekend, with some pics.
Later...E