Another week

We are still settling in to life here – Paul had to go away for work again this week so Isabelle and I were left to our own devices. And not much happened – school, errands, more unpacking…

A few important things did happen – I managed to make a doctor’s appointment for Isabelle so we could get the certificate to allow her to continue swimming and we went to the appointment – I understood most of it but at times wished I had a friend with me – a friend with medical knowledge since I stupidly brought only our South Carolina Certificate of Vaccination which is full of abbreviations which don’t correspond with the French ones, so the next day I found all the equivalents on the internet and have put that with the certificate.

And, just as importantly, Isabelle and I got library cards – she will probably use hers more than I will but the library, which is just around the corner from us, is absolutely gorgeous – out of the picture books really. Here are pictures from the city’s website and the local newspaper.

I went to the upholstery group again this week – I don’t have anything to work on yet but I am going to keep looking at the brocantes for a little project – maybe something like one of these:

 

Wednesday, I wanted to find something for Isabelle to do or for the two of us to do together. It turns out we have lots of choices from movies to activities at the museums and art galleries. This week she chose an ‘atelier cadre’ at the Musee Denon (also right around the corner – beside the children’s library – this living in Centre-Ville has lots of advantages!). In the end it was just Isabelle and another little girl, who is in CP in the same school, and the instructor. They looked at the frames on the paintings in the museum – what they were made of, how they looked and then then did a painting where the frame was in the middle and picture was on the outside. I think she enjoyed it and she certainly loved at the archaeological objects in the museum’s collection. It certainly was a good way to spend two hours.

Friday was a miserable weather day – rain, hail, sun, wind and more rain – but Isabelle had a half-day at school and was invited to a friend’s house for lunch and a playdate. It all seemed to go very well and I got a lot done at the apartment tidying up paperwork and pulling together the packing stuff since we were planning on taking everything to the dechetterie first thing Saturday morning.

This morning we got rid of all the packing stuff – we have to clean up the guest room for an upcoming arrival. We also went to the huge Carrefour for some groceries and electronics and to Darty for a dishwasher (being delivered on Tuesday, yippee!). Carrefour and Darty are on the south side of the river Saone and as we were coming back across the bridge we could see a lot of people along the river – there was a river boat in but there was also a brocante (a flea market) along the sidewalk and there was a large group of people in different coloured hats. So, Paul dropped us with the groceries in front of the apartment and found a parking spot. By the time he came back the street was closed off and there was a parade right on our street – the second since Paul has been here. We are still not sure what it was about but it was very festive!

So, there it is – another week in France and for the next two weeks Isabelle is on vacation. Next week she is going to a swim camp each morning and the week after is up in the air but definitely a few days in Clermont to visit with friends and to find some truffade.

One Week

Well, we have been here one week, one full action packed week!

Isabelle has had a swim meet and is signed up for a week of swim camp for the first week of vacances. She also started school - an easy week since Monday was a holiday and she won't have school on Wednesdays at all. It seems to be going well - not much homework and what there is is mostly review for her. She has made friends but I think she is missing her old classmates - one of the boys was teasing her on the first day and she is not used to boys teasing her.

The walk to school seems to be doing us both good - not quite 15 minutes one way with a couple of busy intersections. Isabelle has really progressed this week in terms of streets smarts. She is much better about paying attention to her surroundings and traffic. It probably helps that they are also working on it in school - some sort of 'permis pietons' which has grabbed her.

I managed to fill the week unpacking boxes, rearranging drawers and bookshelves, and wandering around our neighborhood just discovering what there is to see. I am back to cooking for just two this week - which was hard enough to motivate myself to do in Greenville for two meals a day but now having lunch too - it is an adjustment. I will have to get Isabelle to give me some suggestions - I keep coming back to eggs.

I think I am already missing the half-day on Wednesdays, we aren't used to spending the whole day together! This week there was a big swim meet for teenagers so we went to watch - it was really interesting to see the differences from the meets in SC.

This weekend we are planning a little drive to Macon just south of us - there happens to be a stamp show! We will probably stop at a few shops - it is interesting, there is not much that we brought that I think 'oh, we didn't need to bring that' (except for some things which were meant for storage but came anyway!) but there are a couple of things I think would have been useful - the second blanket chest (would be great storage in Isabelle's room) and the piano stool. Why the piano stool you ask - well, the first thing I was invited to was a group who gets together once a week to learn to re-upholster furniture. Now I need a little project.

So, that is the week it was - bring on the weekend!