The perils of food shopping in the rain

This is quite possibily my least favourite activity and one in which I have just gone through, with predictable outcomes. I'm soaked, clammy, have sore arms and am rather cheesed off.

You see, the formula goes like this: heavy bags x waiting for bus + attempting to maintain balance with said heavy bags whilst on bus = no fun at all. Added to this is the fact that the buses become saturated with people when it's raining and the floors get slippery and aggghhhh. Has anyone noticed how people smell worse in the rain too? It's like wet dog syndrome. As well as being up close and personal with people you'd much rather not be, you get to smell their wet cigarette smokey coats or damp leather jackets, or worse. yuck.

I'm just thankful it's not a permament occurence. It's just it's happening a lot recently as J is away all week long with work and will be for weeks to come.

One consolation today - at least I now have something nice to eat for tea!! Just got to dry out beforehand to enjoy it!

One of those (good) days...

At the weekend, J's brother, girlfriend and 17 month old baby C came to visit for the holidays. It was a big event considering they live the other end of France now and only come back for holidays. C got baptised in the summer and as a lot of the family couldn't go (too far) J's mum decided to celebrate their arrival this time around.

So, on Sunday, 32 of us piled into the dining room for 4.30pm precise and we ate 'navettes' (long sandwich rolls - ham, cheese and paté bien sur) and had yummy cake and champagne. I used to get overwhelmed at family events but I cope great now following conversations and chatting away to my neighbour. And I didn't even think about having to bise 31 people.....haha

I am still amazed at how big J's family is. 32 was just the close family - and J's mum is an only child! If I had the same party in the UK, we would be 14 - including aunts, uncles, cousins and babies (and me and J!)

I was also amazed to see how baby C is developing. I last saw him two months ago and he's now started to talk - he knows me and calls me 'tata' (auntie). Coming from a tiny family, I've never had the experience of babies that know who you are and it really touched me. Much more so as it's in French, in France, in my new life that I'm creating for myself. If ever there was a moment where I realised that I'm here, that I'm doing it in France, it was the moment I heard C call me tata. *grin*

When did you realise you were 'doing it' in France?

My next knitting project begins...

Here is the start of what will be a very long knitting project. It will become a bedspread or a blanket one day. It'll probably take me until winter 2010-2011 to complete! eep.

A labour of love is born.

PSBs - Personal space bubbles

I was once queueing with my best friend Rachie to go up the Eiffel Tower and I exclaimed that my bubble in which I don't like people to enter had well and truly popped. We were squashed in the queue and as I remember, a short dude (shorter than me!) behind me might as well have been sharing my own trouser legs - he was that close. Rachel laughed loads at the time and I have had problems with this ever since.

Everyone has a different shape bubble that they choose to claim as their own personal space. That day at the Eifffel Tower I decided mine was very large behind me, smaller at the sides, and larger again at the front. Confused?

What I'm trying to say is that I get very uncomfotable when people enter into this space that I choose to claim but it's obvious that some people have large bubbles, like me, others are walking around in shrink wrap. You know what I mean?

I'm talking about this as someone who has entered my life recently is a shrink wrap type and frankly, the more time I spend with this person, the more my bubble expands. Unfortunately, each time I step away from Shrink Wrap, they move closer and the other day I had to hide in another room briefly to regain my composure - I was on the brink of shouting, or crying., or both.

Do you have any coping mechanisms I should be aware of, or am I alone in this PSB problem? Although quite funny, it's becoming quite an issue!! Please share your own PSB experiences too.

Moving on up...in heels.

Well, it was about bloody time that things got a bit better for me right?!

My French lessons are starting on Monday officially! I can't wait although I'm sure I'm going to be a bad pupil. 4 years teaching English gives a person an insight into how language lessons are and/or should be. I'm so happy though I'm finally going to get some help I know for sure I'll hand in my homework on time!

I got myself a little job too!! and it's not teaching!! yay! Working part time in the British shop in the town centre. It's cool I get to be surrounded by Hobnobs, Dr Pepper (and Irn bru for princesse) and peanut butter all day long! And I get to taste everything too in order to be able to help the customers better! I have to work all day on Saturday but I figure that's ok too. Sundays are all the more special with J!

After months of looking, we finally found a bike for me on the now legendary leboncoin.fr that was cheap AND in good condition and we're picking it up tomorrow. Shame it's been raining like cats and dogs for days.... I want to have a bit more independance from the bus service and it means that on nice Sundays I can partake in J's favourite sport....although somehow I think I'll be the one lagging behind!!

In celebration of these three great things, I went out and bought some ankle boots today. Totally impractical - they have heels! Ha, Rachel, you are probably laughing right now. I don't 'do' heels ever (since a leg op) but I love these boots! I know J won't understand my reasonings but hey! I wanted to buy something for me! And it's never too late to learn how to walk in heels right?!

Did anyone go to the American Library in Paris yesterday?

I just saw on petite anglaise's website that there was an evening with a few well known ex-pat authors last night at the American Library of Paris. Did anyone go?

Esperanto? ne. singing? jes. French lessons, oui oui oui!

So, like a lot of things in my life at the mo, Esperanto is going on the back burner as it turns out that I am the only person interested to start lessons and they can't do a lesson with just me there. grrr. There is already one class but they are too advanced for me to join considering I'm a total beginner. I have been on lernu.net though so I can learn a bit on my own! Mi ne Komprenas!! It's refreshing to start a new language and maybe I'll get to go to a lesson sooner rather than later.

On a better note, I go to my first choir rehersal tonight. They started two weeks ago but wasn't able to go as I was in the UK. That's something to be happy about!

I start my long awaited French lessons on Monday too. We're getting tested and then the lessons will start later in the week. Unfortunately I won't be getting 20 hours a week like I thought, but 5 hours a week. The lessons will last all year and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I kind of wanted to be out of here after Christmas. Being only 5 hours a week means I will have to find something else to do also. A job would be nice, but I won't hold my breathe.