Having a great Christmas......but...

Merry Christmas to all our family.  Moms, dads, sisters and brothers.  We are fortunate to have some of our family here to celebrate our first Christmas here in Paris.  Thank you family for all the gifts and love and support through this holiday season.  We always have a place here for you. We are having a great Christmas.... but we really do wish you were here.

Love to all.

Nope, scratch Cologne

Well, mark Cologne in the book as an "almost". Allie woke up with a pretty feisty fever and complete lethargy this morning, so we cancelled the train and hotel reservations. A little bit of the flu, methinks. Fret not, though. She seems to have kicked the fever and is just tired now. Guess we'll try to check out those Christmas markets next year.

Rats.

To Cologne tomorrow!

Tomorrow we catch the train for Cologne, Germany for a couple of days. We hear the Christmas markets are pretty skippy there, so Jodi, Wayne, Megan and the monkeys will head off.

Usually I try to do some research on new places, but there just hasn't been much time for this one. We know two things:  it's on the Rhine, and there is a magnificent cathedral that survived WW II (barely) when the rest of the city was pretty well flattened.  That will have to do. We'll learn more tomorrow!

Faux amis

I've learned that the English and French languages have more words in common than I might have suspected. For example, words ending in -able  (comfortable, formidable) mean pretty much the same in both languages, although of course the pronunciation is different. And, there are quite a few words that were just plain adopted from French to English (or vice versa. Who knows?) such as rendezvous, avenue, and baton.

But French also has a way of lulling you into complacency with "faux amis", or false friends. These are words that look the same but do not mean the same at all. Try these:

singe:  to lightly burn, perhaps? Nope!  A singe is a monkey! Les Singes à Paris!

introduir:  to introduce? Not really. If you used it that way people would understand. But usually it means to insert. Be sure you presèntez a friend to your female colleague instead!

attendre:  to go to, or attend? Nah, almost the opposite. It means "to wait."

douche:  Troy uses a douche almost every day here, and be glad he does. It's a shower.

There are thousands of these. We may discuss more of these later!

Welcome J.E.B.

Some days I wonder why we choose to move around so much.  I question our choices and places we have lived.  Some days you just wish you were stationary and not a million miles away from the ones you love.  Today is one of those days.

Today my best friend had a beautiful baby boy and all I could do was wait and wait and wait by the phone or computer to get some inkling of what was happening.  

I just received the call from her and her baby arrived safely one hour ago.  I cried.  Happy tears and sad.  Sad because I am not there to pop open some champagne and toast to the new member of her family.  After all, besides my parents she was the one holding the little monkey on day one of her arrival.  

Like I said some days you realize family and friends trump all else and where we are truly the happiest is as close to them as we can be.

We are gearing up for some holiday fun.  The Elmores are coming to town to spend the holiday with the monkeys.  The weather is getting a lot colder.  It snowed a little today!  Nothing like the East coast though.  In fact, I had to hold back the little monkey from running out the door in her snow suit.  

Momma: "No Allie, it is not the kind of snow that will stay on the ground"  

Allie:  "Momma, I want to make snow angels."  

Momma, after making a disgusted face:  "Allie, no snow angels in the city, I think the dogs own the pavement around here!"  Catch my drift.

All in all, it is beginning to look a lot like.....a Parisian Christmas.  More on that later.

The planets have aligned.

It is a great Sunday for the monkeys.  We were so happy to see that our North American Sports Network is showing not one but two of our teams tonight.  The Redskins first and then the mighty Steelers.  They are shown a little later than we are used to in the States but who cares.  The beauty of it all is that Troy is off tomorrow.  So he can watch without the Monday morning regret of staying up too late.  We are ready for some football!

Happy turkey day and other tidbits.

This is filed under the "just when you think you have seen it all" category.

Walking Allie to school this morning, (yes, I know it is Thanksgiving however for the sake of continuity, she went to school. But before you yell at me, she is only going half day, and besides she is still too young to protest going to school on a holiday. Hee hee hee!)  I saw the funniest thing.  A women caught my eye because she was wearing a long fur coat.  However, that is not the unusual thing.  She had a small dog on a leash and that dog was wearing a leather coat!  A true Parisian dog.  What a life.  Just one of the many daily things you may see here in Paris that make you giggle.

The monkeys will be celebrating Thanksgiving with a great group of friends.  We wish everyone a good holiday and remind all to give thanks for the special gifts in our lives as well as think of those less fortunate and do something for them today.

As for our families, we miss you and you are all in our thoughts today.  Gobble Gobble!  

Oslo!

First, sorry for being so delinquent in our postings. Life is fun. Sometimes we forget our obligations! :)

We got back from Oslo, Norway on Thursday night. What a fine city it is. It's extremely clean, the people are very friendly and for the most part speak flawless English, and it never seems crowded.  It's quite expensive, especially food, but still well worth it.

Troy was there for a conference, but we all still managed to squeeze in a visit to the Viking ship museum on the edge of the city. Here they have 3 Viking ships that were used as burial vessels. They were recovered in excellent condition with most of the burial accoutrements (minus the valuables, which were looted hundreds of years ago). The ships were rebuilt, and give you an appreciation for the ingenuity of these folks who sailed thousands of miles over open ocean to North America without instruments. Very impressive.

Dana and Allie went to the International Children's Art Museum and saw lots of pieces from kids everywhere. At the end they give the kids a chance to draw their own works, albeit on an etch-a-sketch kind of thing. Maybe someday Allie will send them one of her masterpieces. 

The rest of our leisure time was spent wandering the streets and shops, and of course eating.  Because of the latitude the sun set at about 3:30, meaning most of Troy's visit was spent in the dark or in a building.  Still, we are already planning a Scandanavian cruise for summer of 2010 where we can revisit Oslo, but also see Denmark, Sweden and hopefully Finland. 

Wine of the weekend

What a great find!

Chateau de Nages 2006, from the Costieres de Nimes region.  The chances of finding this particular one in your U.S. wine shop are probably infinitesimal, but try something from the region at least. Nice rich dark fruit flavors with a woody undertone and hints of smoke. Dry but not puckering, this one's made from a blend of grenache and syrah grapes. Would work great with beef kabobs or even some sort of beef dish with a light cream sauce. All this for less than 8 euros (or about $10.50), better than some at twice the price.

Stuff that's hard to find here

Don't get me wrong. Paris is a pretty good place to live. Great food, nice sights, plenty of culture, always something to do, the works.  But you have a very hard time finding certain items here, and given the vast numbers of expatriates from every conceivable country here, you'd think you could get just about anything.  Not so. For example, I celebrate when I am able to find:

red onions -  One would think that the sweetly subtle flavor of red onions would make them desirable in a place known for its culinary temptations. Instead, I am lucky to find half a dozen small, scraggly depressed-looking specimens tucked away in a remote corner of a store. I've never seen them at a veggie stand, but maybe they exist in the Latin Quarter. Yet I can't even sneeze without getting leeks wet. What the hell do you do with leeks? OK, soup. Then what?

inexpensive childrens' shoes - All clothes in Paris are expensive, it seems, but even by Parisian standards little kids shoes are ridiculous. Eighty euros for something the kid will outgrow in 6 months? At today's exchange rates that's about $100. I wonder if kid shoe salespeople are like real estate agents in the States, making a commission and ecstatic to sell a couple pairs a week. "Felicitations, Jacques," the manager might say, "you've just hit the 1,000,000 euro mark. Welcome to the Golden Sole Club!"

spicy peppers - any kind:  C'mon mes amis!  I know most French cooking doesn't do spicy, but you've got people here from Thailand, India, Morocco, the Phillipines, you name it. And Cajuns were French once weren't they? I occasionally see serranos, which are pretty mild. I've never seen a fresh jalapeno here. And a habanero?  Mon Dieu!  That word is never even whispered for fear of angering the ghosts of long-dead French chefs.  Instead I get generic pimientos that I think I could cut open and rub in my eye without even wincing a wee bit.

churchgoers - France has tons (literally!) of beautiful churches and renowned cathedrals. Perhaps you've heard of Notre Dame?  We have a modest little Chez God around the circle from us, complete with happy bells that toll on the hour. But if you go there on Sunday, they might ask you to sing in the choir. "Ah, oui, you see, we are a beet short on altos tooday...."  Even accounting for the fact the French don't like to get up too early, especially on weekends, I think their church-to-churchgoers ratio is tops in Europe.  They're good places to find other Americans, however.

mailboxes - Wanna mail a letter? Haul your rump over to the post office. There are very few of those little metal drop boxes you see elsewhere. The boxes here are very small and you need a treasure map to find them in the city.  You never leave mail for the post man at your residence. Fortunately there are many post offices scattered around and you are seldom more than a 5 minute walk from one, so it's no big deal. 

I'll keep looking. Does anyone know if you can freeze jalapenos?

For those who sacrifice

Did you thank a veteran today? Or any member of our armed forces?  When all else seems to be going down the drain day after day young men and women are signing up to begin a service or continue to serve their country and honor the values and democracy we all hold dear.  

Do you want to live in a tent in the middle of nowhere memorizing your foot prints outside your door as to know who has come and gone while you slept?  Do you want to live on an aircraft carrier for 6 months plus and miss the changing of the leaves or the spring flowers growing up randomly on the sidewalks?  Do you want to fly over a very very dark and foreign soil to rescue wounded and bring them out of harm's way?  Well, these are few of the many reasons we stop and honor all military at home and abroad today and everyday.

Regardless of the changing political offices, people and action we must thank those who turned their lives upside down or lost their lives for the freedom we have today.  We must thank those who are actively fighting that fight today as well, along with those who have done and are doing the same worldwide.

A snap shot of Virginia

Can't say I didn't think about it...a few times.  I thought wouldn't it be nice to be back in our cozy little town home with our great friends and clean, friendly neighborhood.  Access to a cute little preschool, gym for free (well, free with the homeowners dues).  Special dinners for Allie, Mexican food galore and of course fresh sushi.  I did think about not getting on that plane back.  But when reality set in and I thought of the opportunity handed to us of living in PARIS and the diamond in the rough not yet explored by me, well, I got on the plane happily.  Not just because our cats were probably tearing up our apartment but because of the things I have yet to experience, explore, take advantage of and teach Allie about.  The beautiful Eiffel Tower twinkling from our bedroom window, the Rodin museum without the tourists, the Luxembourg gardens with the boats and the new ducklings floating peacefully together.  Life is good and it is time to take advantage of it and not look to the past for greener pastures.  My mantra this month.

One more week of travel.   We are tired monkeys but looking forward to the next trip.  Oslo, Norway beckons. 

The U.S. election

As you know by now, the elections are over and Barack Obama is the president-elect of the United States.  We were actually in the States on Election Day, so we got to see the election from the perspective of both sides of the Atlantic. The French were unabashed in their support for Obama, believing he will put a warmer and more consensus-oriented face on U.S./world relations. Even the extpatriate community here supported him by at least 4 to 1 over McCain (according to my unofficial tally).  The Economist magazine did an online "election" of sorts where 53,000 people worldwide voted and the candidates received faux Electoral College votes based on the proportion of population in the countries. In this experiment, Obama wins the popular vote by about 44,000 to 9,000.  The electoral college vote is even more lopsided:  9,115 to 203, with McCain taking only Cuba, Congo, Algeria and Iraq (?). See The Economist, Nov 8-14, page 23 or www.economist.com/vote2008 

This isn't a political column, but congratulations to Mr Obama just the same. I don't envy him. There is really no way he can live up to the enormous expectations with which he has been saddled.  He inherits record debt, a broken U.S. economy bobbing in a global recession, an unpopular war with no obvious exit route, Iran cranking away on a nuclear weapon and Russia starting to get feisty again. Meanwhile, he arrives on the scene as the biggest celebrity politician we have ever had, with scads of endorsements from that most intellectual and sage of political policy think-tanks, Hollywood, and everyone who is anyone from inside the beltway scurrying to touch the hem of his garment. I even heard he laid hands on a blind man and made him see. Or maybe he made a deaf man blind, I can't remember. Regardless, despite his talents and the enthusiasm he generates he could very well go down in the books as a miserable president simply from the hand he was dealt.

Anyway, as an American you can't help but be proud that we've gotten to the point where an African American can be president. Whether you voted for him or not, you can't escape the magnitude of history made this week. And pause too to remember that we take for granted the orderly change of power that occurs (except for a brief bit of snippiness in 2000) after our elections. Not all countries can count on that. So even if the world is going to hell in a shopping cart (it won't fit in a handbasket), we can at least take pride in our nation and have a bit of optimism for a little while.

Edinburgh and back

We're back from Edinburgh.  Actually we're already gone again, to Washington DC for a little while, but we're so delinquent in our postings that let's put aside that inconvenient truth for now.

Allie kicked her fever and runny nose on our 3rd or 4th day in Edinburgh, so the trip could be salvaged. However, the weather was unrelentingly...well, Scottish. It rained at least some everyday, usually accompanied by winds that the local weatherpeople referred to as "a bit blustery."  We were soon to learn that "a bit blustery" is the Scottish (or is it Scotch?) euphemism for "gale force winds."  You know, the kind where you have to lean into them just to stop from being blown over? I expected to see old women blowing by like tumbleweeds in a Western, but I didn't. Maybe they got rolled into the bus stop shelters and piled up.

Anyway, my conference successfully concluded, we walked up to Edinburgh Castle during a break in the rain. We lured Allie there by telling her we could look for the King and the Queen, but of course they weren't there that day. However, we did get some nice views of the city and a little bit of Scotland's history.  Kind of neat to be in a place where people have lived, worked and fought for the better part of 2,000 years. Most of the castle only dates back to the 16th century, if I remember correctly, but it's still pretty nifty.

After that we walked the Royal Mile (the stretch between the Castle and Holyrood Palace where the royal family still stays when they come to Edinburgh) and back again, ducking into pubs to warm up and have a pint. That was where we discovered a horrible law in the U.K. that requires "kid licenses" in establishments where alcohol is served or children can't come in. How ridiculous is that? Few places have knuckled under to this asinine government scheme, so as a result we got turned away from more places than we got in. This would never happen in Ireland.

Later, Allie was well enough to go in the hotel pool with Papa, her first swim in nearly 6 months. Magic! as the French like to say in English.  Pretty sweet hotel, if we haven't already mentioned. The Roxburghe in Charlotte Square. It's especially sweet at the government rate.

So our Scotland adventure is over, and not a single sheep. If we come back (and we'd like to) we'll hit the highlands. Plenty of 'em there!

It is always something... but make lemonade

We have begun our travels this month as a family.  We had to remember that the reason we moved to Paris was not only because it is a great place to live but the travel opportunities abound.  So, I write this blog from an awesome four star hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Why would anyone be writing a blog at 7:30 p.m. in a hotel room in Scotland where pubs and great restaurants are everywhere.  Well, the little monkey, as they all tend to do, got sick just in time for our planned leisure trip (although Troy is working some of the time).  

So, I did the wifely thing and sent Troy out with his work mates for drinks and food.  I don't mind. My job is a momma right now and I take it seriously.  I am just grateful to be out of the crazy Parisian city for awhile.  

Little monkey and parents in tow spent a couple of hours with the socialized medicine folks at the all around, treat anything, treat anyone doctor and got the right medicine to help Allie begin to see a future in enjoying Scotland, or at least the awesome indoor pool at the hotel!

By the way, Edinburgh is great.  I am hopeful that Allie will be ready to explore in a day or two and Troy can have great success with his conference.  

Then we can relax and celebrate 10 years of a great married life together with a healthy little girl by our side.

Adaptable monkey

Many of you have most kindly and gently asked how the little monkey is doing at l'ecole maternelle.  At last blog on this issue we were struggling and mom was ready to pull the plug, bite the bullet, cash in the mutual funds and suck up the cost (9,000 U.S. greenbacks at least) for an "American" or private school for preschoolers.  Well, like we have been told over and over again give it a chance and some time and the kids do fine.

Speed forward to present day, almost two months since the day Allie started and she is doing just fine.  No more crying before school.  No more pleading to stay home.  No more weekend discussion on why she has to go back.  We skipped to school this morning. No, really, my four year old and her 30 something mom skipped to school and played "I Spy" on the way, and it is Monday.  I didn't have to carry her, I didn't have to tout the benefits of learning and meeting the French.  She accepts the schedule and the French!  Not to say there aren't moments of "I don't want to go to school" but I am sure that would happen anywhere.

She likes to go now.  She even goes to an extra tutoring session provided by the school for non French speaking kids.  Per her report, because parents are absolutely not involved, they get to do obstacle courses, dance, listen to music, paint, use scissors, today she said they actually used a candle with the teacher's help to decorate a picture!  She likes it. 

Now things seem good however not to say things aren't a little off.  She did say to me, "Momma, sometimes I talk to myself at school" and who is to blame her!  Also, it turns out the French kids play a lot rougher so she comes home with some bruises from "wrestling with the kids, momma."  All in all, my tears and fears of scarring my child have subsided.  We are settling in and she is getting used to the routine.  

Fortunately, but kinda unfortunately we are starting our travel blitz.  In the coming weeks the little monkey will miss many days of school to take advantage of Papa's traveling work schedule.  We are going with him on three trips because it is a chance of of lifetime.

The question is will she assimilate back in to school upon returning or will I have to begin the process all over again at l'ecole maternalle?

NFL in a foreign land

Those who know the Monkeys know that we LOVE football. Not what the rest of the world calls football, where people run and run and run, not scoring goals and flopping melodramatically to the field at the slightest hint of contact, screaming in "agony" until it becomes clear no one is going to get a yellow card.  No, I'm talking NFL football. The real deal.

It's a little difficult to keep up here in France, but we're managing. Keep in mind we had DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket when we lived in the U.S. - which meant we could watch any game being played that we wanted to. Hard to beat that.  

However, we are lucky enough to have NASN here (North American Sports Network) that shows football, baseball, basketball, NHL hockey, etc. Even NASCAR.  They have the good sense to not show other sports while football games are in progress, and they simply retransmit the broadcast going on at home...no French commentators struggling gamely to interpret what's going on on the field like I've seen in some French broadcasts of baseball.  And we also have Slingbox access to whatever is being shown in Los Angeles, although the resolution isn't great and it cuts off on us every 5-7 minutes.

But the time change is killing us. What's a 1:00 game on the east coast doesn't start until 7:00 here. Not bad, but unless you're committed, you won't see much of the 4:00 games, and forget about the late Sunday game or Monday Night Football. NASN will, however, replay some games on Monday, and MNF on Tuesday.  Which leads to the Monkeys conducting a football news blackout every Monday and Tuesday morning. 

Oh, woe to us when we are innocently perusing one of the online news channels and we accidentally see a headline ("Reggie Bush Excels in Losing Effort" comes to mind) that ruins the outcome for us. We almost have to remain willfully ignorant about any news for fear of spoiling our post-dinner entertainment.

So, lesson to y'all:  We'll happily talk football anytime you want...Tuesday night through Sunday!

From a grateful daughter

Today is a very quiet day.  It is the first day in a long time I am on my own again.  Allie is safely tucked away at school and Troy is at work making me some money!

Now that my parents are safe and sound at home in California I can look back on the last four weeks of our great visit together.  That's right folks, my parents were here in Paris for four weeks. Troy had three weeks worth of travel so it worked out perfect.

Some of you might cringe or head for the hills when thinking of your parents visiting that long but not me. I had a great time and apart from a couple illnesses I think they did too. 

We went to several parks, several museums, which by the way I had not gone to any as of four weeks ago.  We strolled along the river, we saw awesome cathedrals in the pouring rain.  We dodged the fast paced Parisians around town, as I also introduced them to the poop dodge too.  My parents made several trips to the Eiffel Tower and window shopped down Victor Hugo.  I took them to see the great sparkling site of the Eiffel Tower at night.  We visited the Champs Elysees several times and dad and I even visited the famous street after 10:00 p.m. because we had to go to the 24 hour pharmacy there.  We ate at some restaurants but more so enjoyed each others company with some good home cooked meals.  We built a great routine of cocktail hour at the Brasserie right next to my house while we people watched and waited to pick up the little monkey from school.  We were able to get the apartment in better shape by hanging all the pictures, with much thought and detail, thanks dad.  They went along with me as I wheeled my trolley to the grocery store and they even got used to going to the stores on their own. It was great weather, great company and memories that will last.  Allie had a special time with her grandparents, I even got to go out on my first girls night and Troy was able to travel for work more confidently knowing I wasn't getting on the next plane home.

So again, as I hang out at home today getting stuff done and trying to fold the fitted sheets as well as my mom can I feel grateful for every opportunity I have and thankful to be able to share it with my mom and pops. Thanks for a great four weeks!

  

Coming Soon

Blog coming soon.  I promise.  Lots going on to report.  Soon.  I promise.

Happy Birthday little monkey!

The perfect kids birthday party.  Two four year olds!  Allie had a great time with her fun friend.  We kept it low key given all the hoopla going on in Allie's life right now.  Our neighbors from downstairs came over and greeted Allie with the best rendition of Bon anniversaire.  She loved it.  She may have even understood some of the words. 

Allie was fortunate to have been given lots of great gifts from friends near and far. Thank you.  She also picked up some French puzzles and crafts.

All in all, with the help of my mom and dad it turned out to be a great day and Allie slept very soundly after her first birthday party in Paris.  I get the feeling next year's birthday party won't be so calm. :)

Troy's short visit to the U.S.

I managed to slip back into the country this week, spending 3 nights in Arlington, VA.  I was back doing some work for the Godfather, for whom I worked the last 3 years, and I still work for now, in the sense that he writes my performance appraisal.  It started off shaky, as I greeted the girl at the Asian food place in Logan airport (for my layover) with a friendly "bonjour". Oh, wait.  Not in France anymore.

Dana and Allie couldn't go, since Dana's folks are here now and Allie still has to get settled at school.  I managed to have fun anyway, having a great dinner with our friends Luigi and Kim and catching a visit from friends Jake and Jackye as well. Plus it was nice to see my old co-workers.

Although I've only been away from the states for 4 months, there were still some things that stood out.  Those who have spent significant time in Europe probably won't find any surprises in these observations, but they were noteworthy to me.

1) I took for granted the space in the U.S.  The streets are a little wider. The buildings stand a little farther apart. It's as though objects decided not to be hurried and crowded, and all took a step or two back from you.

2) Burritos at Chipotle are good. Really good.

3) We live in a bubble of Babel as we walk the streets of Paris, since our French is not yet good enough to catch most of what the passersby are saying to each other. This week I learned that sometimes it's good when we can't understand the conversations of others.  Often they are irritating and inane.  

4) What a fabulous array of beers the U.S. has once you push past the Bud, Coors, Miller, etc.  Our variety and quality of beer is an overlooked national treasure.

5) Cheeeeaaap. Very cheap. Shoes, clothes, food. I spent like a drunken sailor, picking up 3 pairs of pants, new shoes, 2 new shirts, ties and various other items.

6)  Chipotle burritos are good. Did I mention that already? No, mean it.  Deeelicious.

Overall it was a good visit back home. But without the rest of the family, I had no desire to stay.  

Tomorrow, off to Bucharest, Romania.

C'est la Vie

We haven't blogged in awhile.  Suffice it to say real life got in the way.  We may live in Paris but we still have the every day drama and hurtles we had in the States.  Allie is having a tough time at school.  I am on the fence about what to do.  There are many choices and many opinions but for now we will stay with the Ecole Maternelle and take it day by day for a week or so.

Traveling season has started and there are a lot of trips away from home for T.  Nothing new from what we are used to except we are in a foreign country.  Thankfully, there has been plenty of time to build a good and reliable network of friends. (Thanks Kris, Sarah, Heidi and Liz)

Lots of visitors in the past month or so.  It is nice to have the parents here for support. The visitors help to pass the time between school hours and to get us out and see the sights.

All in all, everyday trials and tribulations occurring just like all of you.  It just happens to be in Paris.  

(More upbeat blog to come....don't give up on us!)

In our thoughts

Today, our thoughts are of course with our home country as well as with our troops in harms way.  We proudly put our mini American flags in the planters outside our window today.

The monkeys observe a moment of silence for all victims of September 11, 2001.

Random events on a random day in Paris

Interesting things that happened to me today in Paris.

1)  We have been put on notice that our elevator will be brought up to date (yikes, I have been riding that coffin upstairs for the last 4 months).  The work was supposed to start on 8 September but nothing has happened yet.  Except now there is a man who stands in our foyer all day.  Yep, stands there.  Not sure if he is watching for the elevator's demise or counting the amount of people coming and going in the elevator.  Who knows?  He just hangs out.  All day.  I would ask him why but I wouldn't be able to understand his response.  (Again, need to learn French)

2) The monkeys got a great haircut in our own apartment today.  Great price, English speaking woman, such a totally easy transaction.  This has been one of my greatest fears, going to a French hairdresser and asking for a haircut. Again, it is the lack of French language thing.  I have watched as Troy attempts this and comes out on the losing side of the scissors.  Sorry, I will try and assimilate as much as I can but my hair is a different matter.  

3) Took Allie to her favorite park today.  Maybe a mile away.  We brought the stroller.  The weather was great.  We strolled to the Bois de Boulogne.  Now, I know this one might sound weird but it was a particularly busy time for the...um...call girls..no...hookers...well those people.  They hang out on the edge of the Bois and even were creeping in on Allie's favorite play park today.  This is not a bad area at all...in the day.  To the French these women are part of the area.  They're accepted, I guess.  Anyway, it just seemed strange to see them doing so much business today but then again it was a sunny, warm day.  Of course, Allie is none the wiser and hasn't asked any questions yet, thank goodness.  Also, thankfully they do their business in white vans around the park so nothing to see folks. Yuck.

4)  I actually got to see a game of petanque on our way back from the park.  A bunch of old guys get together and play this game on the dirt.  It's kind of like bocci, where you roll/throw several heavy balls trying to get position or knock the other guy's out of contention. They looked like they were having a great time.  Cool game so we watched a bit, Allie and I.  Then one 70 year old looking guy decided it was time to relieve himself.  So he did.  Right up against the wall next to the game.  He proceeded to try and create a Picasso, waving his dried arrangement here and there, and that is when we hightailed out of there.  

5) Came home and elevator guy was still there.

6) Excited to watch Monday night football on TV which we can get the day after it airs on North American Sports Network, but alas our cable went out for a smoke. Drank some of our new Bordeaux wine instead.

All in a Parisian day.

French wine (part one of many)

A while back we mentioned several things that the French do very well, and contrary to the expectation of some, did not include wine.  We said that we would explain later.  Well, later is now!

Unquestionably, there are some great French wines.  I'd go as far as to say there are a lot of great French wines.  But you know what?  There are a lot of crappy ones too.  While that's probably true of just about every wine producing region, French wines seem to take an especially perverse pleasure out of living off of their prior body of work rather than on their individual goodness.  The legend of French wine has led in some cases to eyebrow-raising prices for some pretty mediocre product.  

I can't wax poetic about the virtues of Château Lafite or any of the other monster premier growths, because I wouldn't be willing to pay the going rate for a glass of it, much less a bottle.  We did splurge on a case of St. Emilion (Bordeaux) 2000 that is fabulous.  Not cheap, but well-balanced, rich and with lots of identifiable flavors and a beautiful complexity.  We have also gotten pretty good at experimenting with the low- to mid-priced wines here, however, and the quality is all over the map in this range.  As is probably no surprise, price is not a great indicator of quality.  We've had bottles for 4 euros that were nice and we bought again (particularly rosés in the summer) and 20 euro bottles that were watery and totally without character.

Please don't feel bad for us though.  France is still a pretty good place to have wine, on balance.  You easily get a wonderfully drinkable dinner wine for 3 euros, or about $4.75 at today's exchange rate.  You have a big selection of wines at your supermarket.  And where in the U.S. can you order a bottle of wine with your delivered pizza?

I'm sure there will be more on this topic, as it is such a pervasive part of life here. 

Ecole Maternelle

Boy, what a week! My life and Allie's life has been turned upside down. School started. French school started. Allie cried both morning and afternoon. She says she misses her momma. She doesn't say that she is scared or that she doesn't understand the teacher or the kids. Just that she misses me. I have to say I too miss her a lot. It is lonely without my little sidekick but I don't let her in on that. I am so proud of her for this endeavor. Right now we are taking it one day at a time and giving her encouragement and a bit of tough love. And although I have walked by her school a couple times this week and peeked in the window, she will be fine. That is the mantra for the next couple weeks.

Now, what to do with my free time is a whole different subject! Number one on the list: LEARN SOME FRENCH.

A long, long day

As you may know, yesterday was Allie's first day of school. I will leave the detailed story to Dana, but suffice it to say it was a very trying experience for both mother and daughter. There were tears. Lots of them, but D&A survived it.  I'm impressed with Dana's aplomb and grit under some tough circumstances, and with the way Allie bounced back after a long, sad afternoon.  Don't underestimate these monkeys!  They're scrappers! I'm proud of them.

Thanks too for the phone calls and emails of support. Yeesh, this is starting to sound like we lost a loved one or had major surgery or something, but really, launching your only child, not even 4 years old yet, into a foreign school system when you don't know the language and parents can't even enter the building is pretty stressful.  They done good. 

No Joke

I paid seven euros for two chicken breasts today.  On average that is about what they cost here. That works out to about eleven dollars.  

Wow.  Thank heavens for cost of living allowance.

So, I did the French thing.  I went to the pharmacist on the corner of the Place.  I handed my form from Allie's doctor and I was asked my name, number, and address.  Luckily, I brought my neighbor who speaks French and was able to function, and we left with what I needed.  Anyone who has ever tried to look, pronounce and generate numbers in French knows my pain.  

(ACTIVITY) Everyone, quickly look up how to say 91 in French and you will see what I'm talking about when I have to give my address.  It's kind of like saying "four twenties and an eleven."  It just does not make sense!  Don't even get me started on phone numbers.  Anyway, I digress.

I was filling the little monkey's prescription for her four year old shots.  You take it to the local pharmacy, buy it... they put it in a great stay cool bag... you bring it home, put it in your fridge and when it is time for your appointment you take it out, put in in the bag and take it to the doc who then injects it into your child's arm or leg.  The visit is five minutes, no chatting about the health or well being of the child.  The visit is strictly 5 minutes for shots and if you drag it on you pay for a full visit.  No appointments necessary, no hoopla, just the shots.  Sounds sterile and stand-offish but it works.  Seems strange that I bring dead viruses with me in my well-traveled backpack but hey it seems to work.

Addendum:  Allie received shots, got fever and threw up in span of 2 days.  This has never happened before.  Could be 1) Because the Monkeys have a planned trip to Bordeaux with good friends.  2) She's picking up on nervous vibes of mom regarding school and shock that awaits her.  

Addendum number two:  As of night before fun wine country trip, Allie tucked in bed, no fever and looking forward to the swimming pool that awaits her at the chateau.  Wish us luck once again as well as luck with round number 2 of four year old shots.

School is a coming!

Countdown to school!  

Anybody who has talked to me in the past year knows that my main concern moving here was what to do with the little monkey as far as schooling.  She is a quiet little girl around strangers and an all time queen talker at home.  I like to think she is the brighter one in the family. She loves to play, she loves friends, she loves to be in her own home with her family. So, come Sept. 2nd,  9:30 sharp she will be dropped off at the door of the Ecole Maternelle.  Dropped off at the door simply because her momma with the tight grasp on her only daughter is not allowed in to the building!  Welcome to France!  She starts the Moyenne section with the other 4 years olds in the French Public school system.  And she goes all day!

My point in all this is, this will be a true test of the strength and courage of Allie who does not know a lick of French.  A test for the nervous stomach of her mother who although has so much faith in her little girl has to bear the next few weeks as she navigates and eventually takes on the French language and school for all it is worth.  If we make it, sorry, if I can make it through what other expats say is the rough first month, then she will be enriched with another language, she will be able to participate in after school activities since they are all taught in French. Allie will broaden her horizons at the ripe young age of four.  

So, I will keep you posted.   I will keep a strong and united Monkey front and stand behind her. (Ok, maybe across the street from her school at the cafe, waiting with bated breath and my English to French dictionary.)  After all, at age four the fact that they can use scissors in the class room now is more important to them than saying Merci .  

Say a special "you go girl prayer for me...I mean Allie on Tuesday" .   Much Appreciated!

We are the Monkeys

I allowed it.  I actually pushed the enter button to order it online.  We are the Monkeys in Paris.  We have been one form of monkey for the past 12 years either as email or other good stuff.  So, I threw caution to the wind.  I figured who would judge us by our shower curtain.  The other part of our house is calm, cool, I like to think somewhat fashionable. So to be truthful to the blog and let you in on an otherwise secretive room.  Here it is.  Monkeys in Paris do exist.  Hopefully, the reading of the blog is as good as the fun we are having here.....and the fun we are having ordering online!

Ook Ook.

Good things in France

There are lots of good things here.  The French are pretty damn good at quite a few things.  Here's just four:

1) Bread.  Very important here. It's taken seriously and purchased daily.  There are lots of varieties to choose from, and the baguettes and loaves have a nutty freshness with a crisp outside and a just-chewy-enough inside. When Marie Antoinette supposedly said to "let them eat cake" when told the peasants had no bread, the biggest example of total cluelessness and out-of-touchness was born. And she got to look at her own neck without the help of a mirror as a result.

2)  Cheese.  Charles deGaulle is said to have claimed that a country with --- 200+, or 350+ or 246---take your pick--- variety of cheeses is ungovernable.  Don't know about that, but we definitely enjoy the various cheese, whether from goat or cow or sheep or opossum or giraffe.  OK, I made up the last two.

3) Ice cream.  Didn't expect that one, did you?  You'll have a hard time finding that sissified "light" ice cream, made with bizarro skim milk product. The French don't pull any punches with ice cream. Full fat, full flavor, and real vanilla.  Vanilla ice cream isn't the basic flavor that serves as the point of departure for other varieties here, it's it's own taste with a proud and vibrant tradition. To me, going to Haagen Daaz and ordering vanilla ice cream was like going to a bar with 200 beers on tap and ordering Budweiser. I've revised that stance in my 3 months here.

4) The metro.  Relatively clean, on time, and most importantly, it goes almost everywhere you want to go. One flat fee.  

Note that contrary to the expectations of some, wine is not on this list.  That, of course, is a story for another day.

I live here now!

It is funny how lost you can feel and then have an encounter that makes you feel that you are doing just fine.  I welcomed our new neighbors and Troy's new co worker today.  Saw the same scared and lost look in the wife's eyes that I saw in the mirror when I first arrived here.  She has just the same amount of questions I had and still do.  She was worn out and nervous about her young kids and how they were going to take the move as I did.  I answered some questions for her.  Some I still can't answer being still fresh in the country but now have many more resources to help in the process.  As I left her empty new apartment she thanked me profusely, as I did my sponsor, Cheryl.  

Bottom line is, we all still need friends and a bit of attentiveness. Some one who cares how we are feeling even though we as military move a lot.  Be it Boston, California, Virgina, or France, just a friend, maybe not for life but someone with a commonality, someone who can help us get our feet wet in a new place without stumbling to much.  Someone who knows what we are going through and will face.  I had other plans today with Allie but explained to her that this is important to welcome and help a new friend as someone did for us.

As we left, I thought I might actually LIVE IN PARIS now.  I knew way more than I thought and I even new a little more French than I thought as well. All in all a rewarding day.

Tomorrow......the monkey family goes shopping in Belgium!!!!

Some things you and your kids take for granted.  How many folks have seen a swing in the past day or so?  A swing to learn how to pump and work yourself.  A swing that teaches you the science of gravity, push and pull.  Being rewarded by going sky high.  Learning that hard concept and reaching your feet up to the sky.  Well, that accomplishment for Allie has gone unlearned. Being only three when we left Virginia, she was just beginning to get the concept of swinging.  

However, PARIS DOES NOT HAVE SWINGS!  Accept for one measly little odd swing right out side of Notre Dame Cathedral.  I have accepted this but have learned something else.

Again, present day.  I take Allie to a park that is close by.  We live in the sixteenth arrondissemont.  They aren't hip to kids' play areas, just diamond watch stores.  I park myself on a bench like either the nannies or the grandparents do.  I watch Allie play in the sand then I watch her some paces away at the jungle gym...no swings of course.  All of a sudden I see her hopping in a fashion kind of weird yet familiar to me. I watch some more.  What the heck is she tossing?  What is she doing hopping to silhouettes in the sand?  It dawned on me.  She is trying to play hopscotch on her own.  Now, we in America know the good ol' game of hop scotch!  My baby girl was trying to show the French kids how to play hopscotch even though she barely learned the game to begin with.  I think back and realize I have not yet seen a hopscotch grid on the ground.

You can take the girl out of America but can't take the America out of the girl.

God bless hopscotch and those who pursue it!

Laundry DAY!

Laundry day today. And when I mean day I mean DAY. Three loads of laundry will take no less than 5 hours. I have five loads today. Because of space saving, we have a tiny little washer and a tiny little dryer. It may be the answer as to why some Europeans tend to have a ripe smell to them.

So you at home with all your sparkling fresh clean new GE super washers and dryers don't worry about me. I will be just fine. I get a great workout trying to stuff king size bedding in to that sucker.

Lazy day at the monkey house.

Supporting her papa!

Proud day for our family and thank you to our NATO friends for such great support.

Lack of postings - editor's note

Some have wondered what happened to our pace of postings. We have indeed flagged a little, but with very good reason. Please see the letter from our editor below.

Greetings. For those unfamiliar with French life, the month of August is the designated vacation month when Paris becomes a ghost town and the villages empty toward the coast. As editor, I too am entitled to go "en vacances."  Therefore, I will not be editing Monkeys in Paris posts for a while. Maybe a long while. I am entitled to 30 days of vacation, and I intend to use all of it. You Americans are jealous, aren't you?  Yes, I can see it in your shiny little eyes and your pouting, moist McDonald's-"freedom-fry" eating lips.  Well, "HA" I say to you. HA! I will come back rested in a way you will never know with your piddly two weeks a year. And when I do come back, the posts will be superior. They will put Voltaire to shame. Victor Hugo himself will wish he had written them. Not that I have much to work with, mind you, these Monkeys, but I am a professional.

I have written too much. I am tired. I must return to my holidays now. Au revoir!

Sorry for the delay in postings. We will have something out soon, and maybe a new editor to boot.

 

Crab update

The Truck of goodies came.  All three hundred boxes and furniture to boot.  Allie spent the day with her friend, came home and two days later is not asking for any sort of hermit crab.  Thank heavens.  Do you think she will bring it up again?  Nah.......

You go girl

So Funny.  I tell you.  Living in a whole new world here.  I took EIGHT years of Spanish yet we choose to live in France.  I digress.  

We named my darling daughter right out of the womb.  We named her Alexandra Rae.  What a wonderful name we thought.  We loved Alexandra because it wasn't in the top names for 2004 and we just loved it.  We decided on her middle name because it is Troy's father's name.  Then gave it a feminine twist, Ray turned into  Rae.  We knew we would shorten her name, we would give her a nickname.  I always wanted to call her Allie.  So we did and we do.

Now, present day.  I have an almost four year old only knowing quiet suburban streets.  I move her to the big city.  All the things she used to do to explore the suburban streets come in to question and is chastised here in Paris.  No, Allie don't pick up that dirt clod, it is poop.  No, Allie, don't pick up the feather that the icky scrap eating pigeon just left.  No, Allie don't go in to that tree well to climb it, that is where the dogs go poop.  She has had to learn all sorts of city living.  In the meantime,  I just constantly yell her name.  "Allie, Allie, Allie, Allie"  NO NO NO NO.  Stop Allie, Stop Allie the light is red, look for the L'homme vert to cross the street.  She has probably heard here name more in the past two months than ever.  All the while I yell her name in the city streets of Paris I get looks.  I didn't understand the looks at first.  I chalked it up to me being an American mom and concerned for child. Maybe yelling a bit to loud for fear that she might touch some poop or get run over by the constant traffic.  I received a lot of looks directed at me when I yelled her name.  It wasn't until one man indignatly looked at me and started to hustle away from me when I yelled, "Allie, Allie", that I decided to look in to it.  He gave me such a look that something was off as he picked up the pace a ran from me.

The kicker is, are you ready....Allie is my daughter's name.  "Aller" in French means to go.  If you say Allie in such a french accent type way it is a command ...Go Go Go Hurry Hurry.  That last man was so irritated with me for telling him to hurry when I was actually telling my daughter to stop picking up sticks with pigeon poop on it.  How funny is that.  I asked a French friend and sure enough the French think I am using "Allie" as a command to hurry up.

I have now been teaching Allie her true first name, Alexandra.  It makes life a bit more bearable for all involved.

Proud

As I finally got a chance to breathe and relax a bit from all the unpacking there is one thing I realized.  It is August first and Troy has now achieved a goal he has had since I met him.  An almost 17 year old goal.  August first is quite a day for him.

I am so proud of Troy and to be an Air Force wife.  (Kind of ironic given the fact that I spent over 12 hours unpacking reluctantly today thanks to another AF move!) 

Congratulations to my hubby, the new lieutenant colonel.

A Good Lift

Today was a great but tiresome day.  Our household goods have arrived via the fine work of our Belgian moving company.  When possible here in Paris, they move everything with a giant lift that towers over the sidewalk but no longer even draws a glance from the Parisians. Ours stood in front of the Italian restaurant on our ground floor and reached all the way to our living room window (four stories high). The restaurant was less than pleased, but tant pis for them. Everything came through that window except our bed, which was carried up the stairs with some negotiation and then with smiles to our new room.  With the help of my mother in law and father in law, Troy and I managed to find a place for over three hundred boxes and furniture galore.  Luckily, the little monkey was able to go to a friend's house most of the day only to return with great pleasure to see she can actually move in her new room and play...much different than her 9 x 8 room in Virginia (also, happy her favorite tu tu made it).

We are very thankful that (most) everything made it OK but can't believe we will be doing this all again in under three years.  Alas, can't think of that.  Time to hunker down, unpack and enjoy Paris.

Sweet dreams tonight.

La musique de Paris

Living in the city brings a lot of new sounds to the ears.  We have the Catholic church right around the corner ringing its bells hourly and most importantly for some reason ringing for a full minute at 8 p.m. Which happens to be the bedtime for the tiniest monkey in our house. She hears the bells ring in sucession, she knows it is bed time.  Generally it works, usually it doesn't.  Anyway,  Allie has heard a lot of sounds living on a very busy street.  One sound is more prominent than the bells.  The fire station is right around the corner.  It drives me nuts to hear the sound of sirens and wakes me up at times.  I curse the city at those times. I long for the quiet suburbs.

Now, think of Allie and her mom on a bus which we use a lot.  Driving through one of the most feared and congested areas of Paris to yet another park.  We hear the sounds of a fire engine or two.  Allie states, "listen momma the music of Paris."  I stop in my tracks.  I think of this young child not thinking of doom and gloom but of pretty sounds and cool lights.  She is enjoying the "noise."

I take notice and learn from my three year old yet again.  

Crab Hunting

Well, I have really done it now.  Let me set it up for you.  Take a young girl maybe 3 or so.  Take a mom who is so stressed out about an overseas move and the guilt she is harboring from taking this young child from her loving preschool, her first-ever best friends and convenient and fun babysitters.  Put that all together and you get a promise.  

Before embarking on this journey we had a ton of items to get just to bring our two cats to Paris.  We spent a  lot of time shopping for items to send and a lot of time spent in the pet stores looking for the perfect litter box, the perfect litter liners, beds, kennels.....on and on.  The ever-patient three-year old could only take so much, so some bribery came in to play to get done what was necessary.  (I am sure you all understand this form of errand completion) So, after poor said three-year old finds out she can't take her Sea Monkeys with her she poses one simple question.  "What can I have in Paris as a pet that was like my Sea Monkeys?"  Guilty, stressed out mom with child who does not want to go to the pet store for the 100th time states, "if you are a good girl maybe we can find something, I PROMISE".

Child enters pet store sees what she wants and declares she now wants a....hermit crab!  Mom giggles to herself and thinks how cute is that.  Do people really keep those things in a cage in their homes?  What a sweet little girl to want a crab.  "Ok, sweet pea, WE WILL SEE".  I'm thinking in the back of my head, "Once we get to Paris there is no way this three-year old will remember."  Everyone, quit laughing now.  Remember, she is our only child we do not have much practice in this.

So here we are present day.  Allie asks, "Will my hermit crab be in the big moving truck bringing our furniture on Thursday?" 

The hermit crab hunt is on in the city that has only dog stores.  Ideas anyone?

Gas pains

Today we took our first trip in our car that we just received after it spent two months traveling from the States. Since we are still living with borrowed furniture and haven't picked up the odds and ends necessary to make a house a home (like bathmats, light shades, shower curtains, etc), we made a run to chez Ikea and Carrefour in Franconville.  It's always good to get out of the city, even if it's just to a suburb.

Now, I understand gas prices are high. I understand an SUV may not be the wisest choice for those not interested in buying lots of gas.  And I understand that the dollar is pretty weak against the euro these days.  Still, I didn't anticipate spending nearly as much to fill up the car as we would spend at the stores.   The cost of one tank of gas for a Toyota Highlander:  $155.  

Still want to complain about the cost of fuel in America?

Finally!

Et, voila!  We've been here exactly two months now, and we finally got motivated enough to set up some semblance of a blog.  Will we post every day? No!  Will we dazzle you with wit, brilliance and the kind of insight you've always longed for into a foreign country? Well, hopefully sometimes, but I guarantee not always.

First, who are we?  We are expatriates (despite the fact we hate that term) living in Paris for 3 years as part of a NATO assignment. Troy is in the military, Dana is a occupational therapist, and Allie...well, she's an almost-4-year old about to enter the French public school despite only  knowing about a dozen words or so of French.  Bonne chance, ma fille!  

Soooo, while we've been a tad lazy about getting this whole endeavor going, it has given us time to reflect and sort the wrong initial impressions from the possibly wrong "findings".  First, let's work on some common misunderstandings about the French.

The French are rude and hate Americans.   

Some French people are rude.  Some American people are rude. Some Brazilian people are rude, some Malaysian people are rude, etc etc.  You get the idea. On the whole, our experience with the French has been largely positive.  If you make an effort, they will usually be patient with you and try to help. Usually.  If you respond to their non-comprehension of English by tipping back your cowboy hat, tightening the laces on your white sneakers, pulling up your shorts and speaking English louder and slower, well....you deserve what comes to you, mon ami.  quick footnote:  Old women here can be mean. One of them kicked Allie out of a seat simply because it was forward facing, despite the fact there were plenty of designated crotchety-old-bitch seats.  Another reason Dana comes home wishing she knew more French, just to tell that old bitty off.

As far as hating Americans, Troy doesn't see much of that. He works in an international office with a significant American presence. Therefore, most negative stereotypes that other nations hold about U.S. citizens have already been dispelled.  That said, there is some evident antipathy in the French press not only about the U.S. government, which is widely abhorred, but also by proxy to American people, who by the principles of a democratic republic must have been stupid enough to elect it.  Oh well. C'est la vie.

French people wear silly berets and smoke constantly.

Troy has seen one beret since arriving, and it's not certain whether that was a tourist being ironic or an actual Frenchman. But yes, there is a lot of tobacco being burned here. There are special shops, called tabacs, that specialize in cigarettes, cigars, and pipe products. Oh, and also lottery tickets, mobile phone cards and sometimes coffee, draft beer and light snacks.  Go figure.  You can't walk 100m without encountering a tabac. 

French people say "Ooh la la!!"

Yeah, they totally do.  And then there is the superlative "Ooh la LA la LA LA LA!"

French women have hairy armpits.

No, not really. At least not in Paris.  In fact, for the most part Parisian women take a great deal of care in their appearance.  You won't see a Parisian woman cruising the supermarket in her sweatpants and her hair pulled up in a scrunchy, even when the store opens in the morning.  Looking good is a huge concern here. (Again, for the most part...)

French people eat lots of cheese and stroll around with baguettes under their arms.

Holy crap, I've never seen so many different kinds of cheese. Some is great, some is OK. Some smells like a bad diaper (a soiled nappy for our UK readers). There is a heap of cheese

here. And yes, it is very common to see folks coming back from the boulangerie with a baguette

under their arm. But guess what? Baguettes don't fit comfortably in bags, and after your first

couple efforts to carry one in your hand in a non-French manner, you realize it's just plain

easier to tuck it under your arm and go.

So this the start of the Monkeys in Paris blog. Next, we may (or may not) go through some 

quick retrospectives from our time here so far.  It's best to commit thoughts while they're fresh,

oui?

It is now 25 July 2008, and our belongings arrive on the 31st. Then, we may actually feel like 

we live here.