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.
