tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65486019472236025912024-03-06T08:51:43.965+01:00new family old cityOur new family has moved to Paris. Let the adventure begin!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-43993739577880035362013-03-29T11:15:00.001+01:002013-03-29T11:15:26.211+01:00Lawn CareI've traveled a bit in our world, but before this morning I have never in my life seen anyone, anywhere, combing their lawn. But this man was out there whistling and combing his lawn with a tool that looked like hairdresser's razor comb, on a stick, like a rake. There were big piles of brown grass to one side. The lawn he'd finished did look better!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-2715089110216816162013-03-22T12:44:00.001+01:002013-03-22T12:44:32.332+01:00Mail DeliveryMy sister and I have a running joke about how bad La Poste is. Our address is 1 Rue de l'Église, which is immediately adjacent to 1 Place de l'Église and this has caused no end of problems. I've practically taken to running naked in the street in an attempt to get the postman's attention so as to alert them to the difference in these addresses. There are too many postmen and the weather has been too cold...<br />
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Anyway, found a video that explains it all:<br />
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<a href="http://www.culturepub.fr/videos/dhl-france?hd=1" target="_blank">http://www.culturepub.fr/videos/dhl-france?hd=1</a>Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-52697271430908591272013-02-27T13:48:00.002+01:002013-02-27T13:48:46.506+01:00New Old ArmoireThere is a flea market in Paris that is legendary, but no one would call it affordable. We have been stunned at the prices they've invented. We were just certain that there are more affordable options patronized by the locals and last week Tata took me to the REAL flea market.<br />
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I was charmed by this antique armoire. This is not our usual style; <a href="http://news.instyle.com/2012/07/30/game-of-thrones-fashion-helmut-lang-fall-2012/" target="_blank">like Helmut Lang</a> I think I might have been influenced by our watching of Game of Thrones. </div>
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I don't know if we'll bring it home with us or not. We are lucky that we get to try it out before committing like that. And if we sell, <a href="http://cgi.ebay.fr/ARMOIRE-EPOQUE-XVIIIeme-SIECLE-/111008174133?pt=FR_JG_Art_Meubles_Rangements&hash=item19d89a5035#ht_600wt_1106" target="_blank">armoires of this era</a> go for a lot more on eBay so it's basically a risk-free trial.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeEnm0Rq_KrQX_b4SGr5kIkbqsbO63-gDo_wWk30C-fdviBQ__0pivHffj2gi1iWekAzuo8tfLbFZBVnheQFU4bugWyz4Z-KhM5I6oNGCLVathT67IrzLO0W3LZ9tCTpqmpQ1HVx15k5X/s1600/IMG_7375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeEnm0Rq_KrQX_b4SGr5kIkbqsbO63-gDo_wWk30C-fdviBQ__0pivHffj2gi1iWekAzuo8tfLbFZBVnheQFU4bugWyz4Z-KhM5I6oNGCLVathT67IrzLO0W3LZ9tCTpqmpQ1HVx15k5X/s320/IMG_7375.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy says this armoire is like another house - it has doors, windows, curtains....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRVcX8H4JTNTakKzOA5ueHEaD3yc6gMWC0WdYPBWsavc_D4sixztYsx7AbuVRjBkKVHCtSvadsiNqhuJ18Hz2zzFHYl-mFbfdzItPBrMOJ660-t6KCDT0tRaLJxadCYaF1fwzxWfwoyJF/s1600/IMG_7374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRVcX8H4JTNTakKzOA5ueHEaD3yc6gMWC0WdYPBWsavc_D4sixztYsx7AbuVRjBkKVHCtSvadsiNqhuJ18Hz2zzFHYl-mFbfdzItPBrMOJ660-t6KCDT0tRaLJxadCYaF1fwzxWfwoyJF/s320/IMG_7374.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anno 1719 - that's pretty old</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiqGZ_KoSsbG8rhJdJc5cMYQwJtT9AAgcYSaJ-W9LBVb8VsC2srhGORt1OPNbHsmMDFKzSxk0bPx5xzIy4mnpbiL7mUtYDd_SUcR-r4ILOqRAcZw7BujTZBu9uLLSSlxKrS2IVr6wddbr/s1600/IMG_7376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiiqGZ_KoSsbG8rhJdJc5cMYQwJtT9AAgcYSaJ-W9LBVb8VsC2srhGORt1OPNbHsmMDFKzSxk0bPx5xzIy4mnpbiL7mUtYDd_SUcR-r4ILOqRAcZw7BujTZBu9uLLSSlxKrS2IVr6wddbr/s400/IMG_7376.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As wood carvings go I think these are pretty. They remind me a little bit of our work. Note the pegs holding the joints together.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAkOFq31hqEvhhyphenhyphenzW2O7ww9MJHX0_Gcrw4F9LcCzBNiPbzoanzV6YpWAQXrBts9mWHkVXHPfpLfVtKdi4IbeAbv9LgCe_S4PCh2tsJAEOpcXfiXFiYJ6tFkv8BZ46rDrQaGBO_65mm-O_/s1600/IMG_7377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEAkOFq31hqEvhhyphenhyphenzW2O7ww9MJHX0_Gcrw4F9LcCzBNiPbzoanzV6YpWAQXrBts9mWHkVXHPfpLfVtKdi4IbeAbv9LgCe_S4PCh2tsJAEOpcXfiXFiYJ6tFkv8BZ46rDrQaGBO_65mm-O_/s400/IMG_7377.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a close up of how the pegs work to join the pieces of the cabinet together.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoDZP2FmgD1ETKbfWYMh_qAhJj6z1ALpyYrRhhJGp1zFXaMkjkTzrhKxsLEzGUxmQK3esSorji3LW-VMX3ADQVXBUtRqyEVxHP9tFaEbwTm2xE9JFJ56JmkzgX8n-JlwH8ZShQeSnesnL/s1600/IMG_7378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoDZP2FmgD1ETKbfWYMh_qAhJj6z1ALpyYrRhhJGp1zFXaMkjkTzrhKxsLEzGUxmQK3esSorji3LW-VMX3ADQVXBUtRqyEVxHP9tFaEbwTm2xE9JFJ56JmkzgX8n-JlwH8ZShQeSnesnL/s400/IMG_7378.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How to know if this is real? I don't know.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiNAfILIwO4Z3eQN_8c_8qoiGY7NRUFXRncDpOxAB2PVClEld_Dbc0kKQuttL1Bz229mXWDUmirmogXnQGVVi8qge-s4yD-PjaEXXvxV3feJ15Mz726k7PaHrsg7jOyPo9JzItGu8g2ei/s1600/IMG_7379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiNAfILIwO4Z3eQN_8c_8qoiGY7NRUFXRncDpOxAB2PVClEld_Dbc0kKQuttL1Bz229mXWDUmirmogXnQGVVi8qge-s4yD-PjaEXXvxV3feJ15Mz726k7PaHrsg7jOyPo9JzItGu8g2ei/s640/IMG_7379.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More pegs holding it all together.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrphEDwzxM0Hhg0P0qmN8OkvEWzBR0yfkhHLnxYLi5iSF8_yn7BR2_cbD3BQOHd5v2aM8FP7YAij2rJekvWD1sxrXY7ss6GKuCZQ7zPODcDkLcbeskrolt0ZnG3bYQRcNgKDv_bbjwmqh/s1600/IMG_7380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrphEDwzxM0Hhg0P0qmN8OkvEWzBR0yfkhHLnxYLi5iSF8_yn7BR2_cbD3BQOHd5v2aM8FP7YAij2rJekvWD1sxrXY7ss6GKuCZQ7zPODcDkLcbeskrolt0ZnG3bYQRcNgKDv_bbjwmqh/s320/IMG_7380.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the inside of the lock. I don't have a key so I can't know if it works. It seems <a href="http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/keys-to-antique-furniture-locks" target="_blank">a key can be made</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFBwASI5tWCftX7LGv7MZdWcK1uCjD7GjXbRlr-dlOQE5LSx3ubvk_6TMugVNs2nu5pQxb1jBw0ojnfl-5ohPQcb0F_Ruui3LEQEVygm9-siJf2WpC-2sgoS1p7d5V0lY_yd-ILabj3q6/s1600/IMG_7381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFBwASI5tWCftX7LGv7MZdWcK1uCjD7GjXbRlr-dlOQE5LSx3ubvk_6TMugVNs2nu5pQxb1jBw0ojnfl-5ohPQcb0F_Ruui3LEQEVygm9-siJf2WpC-2sgoS1p7d5V0lY_yd-ILabj3q6/s320/IMG_7381.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the outside of the lock. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAlKlB_hZuQ5OLV-_obX1dPpPy-5FlfbUMfvex6S1IeQLUYbvXZ7mRpGh3_Q_1wvjzkaxNQ-YDaSVyyzzT-MHmgQqgJhByHn3xqrZP6AerdPAIOBvckwESWuPaYt0AhzSj7_tuibNCa-t/s1600/IMG_7382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAlKlB_hZuQ5OLV-_obX1dPpPy-5FlfbUMfvex6S1IeQLUYbvXZ7mRpGh3_Q_1wvjzkaxNQ-YDaSVyyzzT-MHmgQqgJhByHn3xqrZP6AerdPAIOBvckwESWuPaYt0AhzSj7_tuibNCa-t/s640/IMG_7382.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are places where it is in poor condition. That's why it was so inexpensive.</td></tr>
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-65543405405742057822013-02-15T09:37:00.001+01:002013-02-15T09:37:24.464+01:00Garlic in your belly buttonLots of friends are talking about ways to <a href="http://newenglandmommy.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">beat the flu</a>. But our nanny has it all figured out. All you need to do is take an unpeeled clove of garlic and put it in your belly button. Put a band aid over it so it can't fall out. Leave it there three days. Works for her every time!<br />
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NO PHOTOS! :)Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-12500405125356568122013-02-01T11:13:00.003+01:002013-02-01T11:14:14.148+01:00Snowy Days: Scary for Everyone<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzrAuTnXBr1p5QOaFlNsGhTG0cc51rIgLJnCKENo0Onom9PQAe6Q3fSRNc76I0ryRUM-yzPmopFvqgOZN3tlk8RJt-k2GC_62jo1LM2UAqLTaSGDxdpnix6Fwp5Cy6rnPba5wcJVQjVtI/s1600/8386726882_51a46c37a0_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzrAuTnXBr1p5QOaFlNsGhTG0cc51rIgLJnCKENo0Onom9PQAe6Q3fSRNc76I0ryRUM-yzPmopFvqgOZN3tlk8RJt-k2GC_62jo1LM2UAqLTaSGDxdpnix6Fwp5Cy6rnPba5wcJVQjVtI/s640/8386726882_51a46c37a0_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actual French Driver, do not try this at home</td></tr>
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The French like to joke about how unprepared they are for snow, and how when it snows everything stops. After watching this driver wind her terrified way down a fully passable street, I have a single simple suggestion for road safety. She's cleared herself a 2" by 5" peephole on her windshield, perhaps a bit more snow removal would go a long way for safety?<br />
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That said, I'm happy that the local expectation is that everything stops. If these drivers are on the road I most certainly want to stay home.Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-17300493157992080582013-01-30T09:16:00.002+01:002013-01-30T09:16:35.218+01:00Oh Happy Day!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVnqFsrHT6XvBmeJCsoh5ygxGE4k3pgkxclG4O7DHsblVDkrlx6xG2f0s9ytNtuVp8EZUNDySZSnWJVhh1CMaqFDr_Ow9L7SqTj1mmB8BeC7-HA5Bmw5yVuQSCaXva2oe_m1cIx_zX8OG/s1600/IMG_20130130_081416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVnqFsrHT6XvBmeJCsoh5ygxGE4k3pgkxclG4O7DHsblVDkrlx6xG2f0s9ytNtuVp8EZUNDySZSnWJVhh1CMaqFDr_Ow9L7SqTj1mmB8BeC7-HA5Bmw5yVuQSCaXva2oe_m1cIx_zX8OG/s320/IMG_20130130_081416.jpg" width="238" /></a>The cold has ended. This morning we threw open the windows and they're still open.<br />
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That is all. Hurray!!!<br />
<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-90147823256834304312013-01-26T12:39:00.000+01:002013-01-26T12:39:50.154+01:00How cold is your apartment?This sounds like a 'Yo Mama' game. How cold is our apartment? The olive oil went solid in the pantry...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Primroses are the only organisms happy at this temperature</td></tr>
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-18846923420524278422013-01-25T11:54:00.003+01:002013-01-25T11:55:22.254+01:00Rave of the Day: Pre-made garlic and herbs in butter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today's rave is for a convenience food I never knew I was missing. What you see here is a log of pretty good butter, already infused with a healthy dose of garlic and parsley.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1WB3X0yA9dkeSGJPt-wxcguRQfIcEc17YsadjbSojeQ4K2W0jI4Z7x8kGiImWTdoU1QZHTAdTBgrkZ0LINHqb0FFNPlu19e5C85Ei26hRETQ0zQFcjPlENxlpMpc0u-9zk-v7EMLs-yH/s1600/photo+(14).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1WB3X0yA9dkeSGJPt-wxcguRQfIcEc17YsadjbSojeQ4K2W0jI4Z7x8kGiImWTdoU1QZHTAdTBgrkZ0LINHqb0FFNPlu19e5C85Ei26hRETQ0zQFcjPlENxlpMpc0u-9zk-v7EMLs-yH/s320/photo+(14).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cell phone photo was terrible so why not add a filter?</td></tr>
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This <a href="http://www.ooshop.com/courses-en-ligne/WebForms/Catalogue/RechercheResult.aspx?MS=beurre%20ail" target="_blank">product</a> is meant to live in your freezer. You take it out and cut off a slice whenever you need to sauté something, for grilling, or prepare a few snails as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escargot" target="_blank">Escargot de Bourgogne</a>. Certainly, it is something <a href="http://www.recettes-cuisine-economique.com/recettes.php?id_recette=1152" target="_blank">you could make yourself</a>, but that defeats a little bit of the purpose here. This is a convenience to make daily life more tasty. If I'm spending an afternoon cooking up something special I don't mind peeling garlic and chopping herbs. It's when I'm rushing to make some kind of food item after a day of work and with a toddler commanding one arm and hip, that is when this product rocks my world.Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-59458494369878360822013-01-24T11:28:00.002+01:002013-01-24T11:28:38.653+01:0025 Ways to Wear a Scarf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
When in France, don't forget to wear a scarf!</div>
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Here's a fun video to perfect your scarf tying. I find I tend to the Bunny Ear and the European Loop. But I want to remember to try the Infinity!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-78381680777425069352013-01-23T11:14:00.004+01:002013-01-23T11:14:28.588+01:00Quick Foie Gras BurgerPerhaps all I really need to do for this post is translate the text of the ad. The rest of it sorta speaks for itself...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhge9RxQs5C6-_Nu66anu5tovJHzwh-mIsgQOBt2mHAd-SnYNNfPEu2H8q5-CtgLporkEPByz4AyfRea3FnNybZvQmjpIOmQpB0R0fCa6h9gvWGa-442sxbsnx6cwtdPz_pk0LJmBoAxlHF/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-01-22+at+5.23.13+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhge9RxQs5C6-_Nu66anu5tovJHzwh-mIsgQOBt2mHAd-SnYNNfPEu2H8q5-CtgLporkEPByz4AyfRea3FnNybZvQmjpIOmQpB0R0fCa6h9gvWGa-442sxbsnx6cwtdPz_pk0LJmBoAxlHF/s640/Screen+shot+2013-01-22+at+5.23.13+PM.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Quick Foie Gras burger</td></tr>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Quick'n Foie Gras</span></b><br />Block of Foie Gras from France<br /> <br /><b>GOOD RESOLUTIONS CAN WAIT</b><br /> <br />With the Quick'n Foie Gras good resolutions can wait!<br />A real slab of French foie gras delicately pan fried on a pure beef burger with onion sauce and lettuce on a whole wheat bun with split wheat. Here is a good way to prolong the pleasure of the holidays, at a low price!</i><blockquote class="tr_bq">
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Indeed 2<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 10.666666984558105px;">€</span>90 converts today to $3.86. I would worry about any steak and foie gras that cheap.</div>
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-19717540524407169492013-01-22T11:31:00.000+01:002013-01-22T11:31:13.778+01:00Checking things off the listMy New Year's resolution is to have a more positive attitude about life, and specifically this adventure in France. I know that things are what we make of them, and I know I don't want to look back on this time with regret. So I just have to buckle down and do the things I'd hoped to do. Easier said than done but here's a start.<br />
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One thing I've wanted to do for a while is make another set of<a href="http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2012/02/diy_napkins.php" target="_blank"> Clotilde's Napkins</a>. I say 'another' because I made an orange-themed set and immediately gave them away to Michele, the mother of Eric's best guy-friend Malo. So I ordered some more fabric and my sister brought it when she visited in September and then it sat for four months. Let's say it was marinating.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWK8oI7BxBagbyCezjQp_KYpMJe5lRlwBfg8p-dcd0hthswFJNuUqim6ejBvD91y7gx92d16iZKWl7fTjfbjrjcF91v8qS12PZA6omgRMr7_8yACUX3fg5DVUkOAAX9vdkRbY88HeKeUiV/s1600/IMG_7162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWK8oI7BxBagbyCezjQp_KYpMJe5lRlwBfg8p-dcd0hthswFJNuUqim6ejBvD91y7gx92d16iZKWl7fTjfbjrjcF91v8qS12PZA6omgRMr7_8yACUX3fg5DVUkOAAX9vdkRbY88HeKeUiV/s320/IMG_7162.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished product</td></tr>
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What finally brought the project to fruition was an antiques market in the Marais. I always hunt down the antique linen stall and continue my quest for white-on-white bed linens with my own monogram (have to keep it challenging or I'd bring home too many beautiful pillowcases and linen sheets...) In that stall was an alphabetical box of labels that had been manufactured to mark one's clothes back when garments were sent to a communal laundry. Here is my set of "CT" initials:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Md9XqagvSVgtYo3TT_vgmXbeM5IO7cl50ngtjnxcPi6ES1_eP9tBfPt1DpQAx0ValI7v-oD9hLjsNtsajlXV8Apsk5KLTSUMug_s5c6ItpCyl8ZLWlRQr42XjZc1Se7IUma-Pr1dD30P/s1600/IMG_7164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Md9XqagvSVgtYo3TT_vgmXbeM5IO7cl50ngtjnxcPi6ES1_eP9tBfPt1DpQAx0ValI7v-oD9hLjsNtsajlXV8Apsk5KLTSUMug_s5c6ItpCyl8ZLWlRQr42XjZc1Se7IUma-Pr1dD30P/s320/IMG_7164.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antique garment labels</td></tr>
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They just happen to be the perfect size to 'label' my napkins. It makes me happy to mark them as my work, since <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Anonymous-Was-Woman-Celebration-Traditional/dp/0312134304" target="_blank">Anonymous was a Woman</a>. (note, I do not consider these to be masterpieces of American art, just my own pretty napkins).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4z-AIhjytO00_lU4hv8HjriqpYzDTr4MZl_1VBHArA-gQUmR9umjqj8TVZi5jEGIPXCPs9CzoDb-dCVPB-c-TTluaFbxSC2XGd2da11nVwfcmxEaODNLHmP1UiTqUJgCjMBxwQh5bZ7wd/s1600/IMG_7165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4z-AIhjytO00_lU4hv8HjriqpYzDTr4MZl_1VBHArA-gQUmR9umjqj8TVZi5jEGIPXCPs9CzoDb-dCVPB-c-TTluaFbxSC2XGd2da11nVwfcmxEaODNLHmP1UiTqUJgCjMBxwQh5bZ7wd/s320/IMG_7165.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Napkin labels are sewn into the existing seam. Doubled over there is no raw edge.</td></tr>
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To add to our lovely tablescape we have these pretty napkin rings. They should be redundant since the point of the mismatched napkins is to ensure that each person has his or her own print, but since we already had 'Madame' and 'Monsieur' rings I include them in the photo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4_1pRcTGl0kxJC_Qy2PWrzP04XsZSueG3m4ylfiJqKmJreUwVB33dadkl8FMoPgI7c1_-toQ_0_cnhQDLc0h5PDTkSv_RiVnqKaqzkMMGd-B6dbH6jtbhfrGCq2RUexNmsFRssZMvqjt/s1600/IMG_7163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4_1pRcTGl0kxJC_Qy2PWrzP04XsZSueG3m4ylfiJqKmJreUwVB33dadkl8FMoPgI7c1_-toQ_0_cnhQDLc0h5PDTkSv_RiVnqKaqzkMMGd-B6dbH6jtbhfrGCq2RUexNmsFRssZMvqjt/s320/IMG_7163.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The labels came in a gross (144 labels, what was happening with the metric system back then?) so I have plenty more for plenty more napkins. But that will be a much later project.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUp7ob8RNhgLIYy6hSsB_5cH4eKUPOcHEf-u2PMxep5z-dpcxcZddWvNW4VgbkWRPAwfrMuRIm-m_JVkV4eSIiAOxUyVW-poIsVez7M3j0f0qfNxE9fKVZZ6GTBXj8RgScR0EReTudeKb/s1600/IMG_7166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUp7ob8RNhgLIYy6hSsB_5cH4eKUPOcHEf-u2PMxep5z-dpcxcZddWvNW4VgbkWRPAwfrMuRIm-m_JVkV4eSIiAOxUyVW-poIsVez7M3j0f0qfNxE9fKVZZ6GTBXj8RgScR0EReTudeKb/s320/IMG_7166.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty more labels!</td></tr>
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While I was sitting here sewing these, on Sunday January 13, 2013, I got a text message from my sister. Her water had broken and she was sitting in a hospital bed awaiting the arrival of my nephew Edward. I finished the sewing thinking of her labor and chatting with her when she was available. Now I can't look at these napkins without thinking of him. Edward's birthday napkins. I suspect this is another set I will be giving away....Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-49721226949856576922012-11-05T12:11:00.002+01:002012-11-05T12:11:22.024+01:00Happy Halloween!Eric's nanny told me on no uncertain terms that she is NOT a fan of Halloween and will not be celebrating it at her house. As an American I thought that was a spoil-sport position but didn't tell her so, just tried to tell her about why I personally like the holiday.<br />
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Then we saw how it is celebrated in France and came to understand her position a bit better. We went for a walk and saw a few groups of children out trick or treating. They seemed happy and it seemed just like home. We got home and had one pair of trick or treaters, a witch and Spiderman. When we opened the door these two 6 year olds exclaimed<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Bonbons ou le souffle de la mort!"</blockquote>
Wait, what??? They translate 'trick or treat' as "Candy or the breath of Death"??? I see why she thinks it's morbid.<br />
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The next morning I took Eric over to her house as usual. There was a lot of vandalism in this tiny town of few inhabitants. I have just looked and can't find a good link but in the time we've been here (before and this sojourn) we have noticed that it does seem like there is more vandalism and car burning in France than we're accustomed to in America. It seems that Halloween is simply used as an excuse for even more vandalism, which is really too bad because for me it was never that, it was always dressing up and eating candy and bobbing for apples and carving pumpkins and hay rides and autumn fun.<br />
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Some of the joy of our holiday was lost in its translation across the Atlantic, and that's really too bad.Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-41860369111600752482012-10-11T23:45:00.001+02:002012-10-11T23:45:34.965+02:00A Sign<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqrzvkAt8XdzRrSKgWLDXo2kfKyzECpUAZgC7BXOpFhYOxt9mrMrhuHH3RshHT9eVaCcAsvlz1_0WM0oFZSDas2r9UdMZ8VV0ueyZT7vn21V3g1IFsBjyGGOD40SaIc2a_v4Zf310Ym7P/s1600/IMG_20120903_195926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqrzvkAt8XdzRrSKgWLDXo2kfKyzECpUAZgC7BXOpFhYOxt9mrMrhuHH3RshHT9eVaCcAsvlz1_0WM0oFZSDas2r9UdMZ8VV0ueyZT7vn21V3g1IFsBjyGGOD40SaIc2a_v4Zf310Ym7P/s320/IMG_20120903_195926.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is a Pedestrian Crossing sign warning drivers to be aware of pedestrians exiting the train station. After getting the photo home and really looking at it I guess that figure has an identifiable gender but just glancing at it I got some very conflicting gender cues. I'm not sure why a pedestrian sign needs a gender at all?Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-2053300437577198452012-10-04T13:12:00.001+02:002012-10-04T13:12:40.973+02:00JargonDaddy just forwarded me an email I could hardly decipher, having something to do with the astounding mountain of paperwork he has to complete.<br />
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I responded that it looked like a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy3rjQGc6lA" target="_blank">TPS report</a> to me.<br />
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His response: "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Not at all. This is a TIS of my EdT for L2 in the SFA of the UFR. Not kidding."</span><br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-46903361498452281992012-09-26T14:22:00.000+02:002012-09-26T14:22:45.858+02:00Daily Life with Poetry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh141DqNlSy2vdH8ptqBdX-ane8hlsMCcnwQjPMy0GO-DB6n2HXVt4g4p1_P4mgWZMBD7Y5ZFKaQfexIlrimgd6GLfT_ewq-j2GROwQ6h-X05mOIJws57XHIpJ7J_eho4OrsWECvvBQUKDe/s1600/IMG_20120514_214300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh141DqNlSy2vdH8ptqBdX-ane8hlsMCcnwQjPMy0GO-DB6n2HXVt4g4p1_P4mgWZMBD7Y5ZFKaQfexIlrimgd6GLfT_ewq-j2GROwQ6h-X05mOIJws57XHIpJ7J_eho4OrsWECvvBQUKDe/s320/IMG_20120514_214300.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This photo was taken on a Metro train somewhere beneath Paris. I took it because in the front of the car on the right hand side we had a standard subway advertisement. However on the left hand side we see a white panel with a blue field. Sadly my phone did not have to resolution to capture the words, which were a poem describing a person's need for poetry like a daily vitamin.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGh6sWmxwSYWg3IkZ9wz8it6QzhDUJJ8ymqeqlj-41ZlhBc_Le1nlv5rjU9dAnKeteqJaey_FBGnp9DHn-hv0kINfE6w_X07LwPJOXdGZgQmT3JzLF3-IN6cqI2lQmklzRGdP_h1-uuxH/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-09-26+at+2.03.31+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGh6sWmxwSYWg3IkZ9wz8it6QzhDUJJ8ymqeqlj-41ZlhBc_Le1nlv5rjU9dAnKeteqJaey_FBGnp9DHn-hv0kINfE6w_X07LwPJOXdGZgQmT3JzLF3-IN6cqI2lQmklzRGdP_h1-uuxH/s320/Screen+shot+2012-09-26+at+2.03.31+PM.png" width="265" /></a></div>
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Here is another poem, this time on the platform. I took this photo for Eric, but it illustrates my point here today.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"></span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Je suis un enfant de partout</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">un enfant de Paris, de Cotonou,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">un enfant des montagnes</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">des plis rouges d’un pagne.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Je suis un enfant des nids de moineaux,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">de Mulhouse, de Baltimore,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">des petits bateaux de la baie de Rio</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">et pire encore</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">je suis un enfant de quelque part</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">né de l’amour entre la chance</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">et le hasard.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Un enfant avec un nom,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">un prénom,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">mais un enfant qu’on appelle Terrien</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">parce que, sans moi,</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">cette planète n’est rien.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have different photos to show the incredible flowers in public places, but I think these things - public poetry, flowered towns - are the real genius of French urban dwelling. We have good baguettes in America now, but we haven't yet made as much of an effort to add art in our lives. I wish we'd do more of it.</span></div>
Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-64538621410734950452012-08-31T12:31:00.003+02:002012-08-31T12:32:45.375+02:00And we're back...It's the "rentrée" here in France, or well, technically Tuesday will be. It's the time when everyone, young and old, comes back from 1,000 weeks of summer holiday and gets back to work. There's still a festive feeling to it, as people greet friends and neighbors they haven't seen in a very long time. Think 'Back to School' with all the outfit planning and excitement, except everyone goes back on the same day and the grownups are doing it all too.<br />
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It's particularly nice for me now because the nannies and shopkeepers are back. Living in the countryside is often delightful, but when the only real grocery store within 10 miles is closed and you don't have a car, well, it starts to get complicated. Today I was finally able to pick up some food easily. It was light and wonderful, the new spring in my step makes me feel like I've lost 5 pounds. Actually, come to think of it, I probably have.Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-83929296536762452812012-08-25T18:40:00.001+02:002012-08-25T18:40:52.692+02:00Wedding CarsA beautiful Saturday afternoon in August is the perfect time for a wedding. We live in the shadow of a church so we weren't surprised to exit our apartment today and see these cars parked. <div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipC3Jq9W5JEHk9DB-7V-5cj5fwo-GgEL8cyv8_FkyV-_NHZcBPx27YDqQ-w44YM65BGmIPDqSrtFp4DpFNsDXkGT_yHgZ_4Sv7weo99bkcFjyRbmSK2yDbmEtgqVTRBBfrNd4pxZ3odCuz/s1600/IMG_5931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipC3Jq9W5JEHk9DB-7V-5cj5fwo-GgEL8cyv8_FkyV-_NHZcBPx27YDqQ-w44YM65BGmIPDqSrtFp4DpFNsDXkGT_yHgZ_4Sv7weo99bkcFjyRbmSK2yDbmEtgqVTRBBfrNd4pxZ3odCuz/s320/IMG_5931.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two cars were parked in the Place in front of the church</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKRdv9Q5GklQ_v86hDdHTVfOiHY0X24wE5M5LgGh5PRZ_s8aGNt0WKfon8qXuZx4mZw7poEYGD_6wEVbxtLRy72L3WPhDO4s8W7eFXTa0tTsBIqMu-UxxwVRdcC1B8k5EQCDah9r61qX8/s1600/IMG_5932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKRdv9Q5GklQ_v86hDdHTVfOiHY0X24wE5M5LgGh5PRZ_s8aGNt0WKfon8qXuZx4mZw7poEYGD_6wEVbxtLRy72L3WPhDO4s8W7eFXTa0tTsBIqMu-UxxwVRdcC1B8k5EQCDah9r61qX8/s320/IMG_5932.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One looked like you'd expect for a wedding, I assume the bride and groom arrived in this car festooned with ribbons and white flowers</td></tr>
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There are many wedding customs here that are familiar to me (I'm still charmed when I see the wedding guests following the bride and groom and honking, like I remember doing when I was young, now weddings rarely move venues in the USA so I haven't seen that in years). Sometimes it's just the execution of the custom that makes it strange. Take for example this getaway car. I've seen getaway cars decorated, but never like this. I've heard of brooms used at weddings, but never like this.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKMRhnEKDGfFRNFU4IoVe8EGLPyFkYr8ly4qkCnydpVbPR65qle5OdjeNj58jzWynpB_8nn04k4utEc1dshU-0VHgiM05uaqKCoOvCQMBxt_uQYJV5Hw8DssQIFc1Jy6V6ouD0xNK8Wny/s1600/IMG_5933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKMRhnEKDGfFRNFU4IoVe8EGLPyFkYr8ly4qkCnydpVbPR65qle5OdjeNj58jzWynpB_8nn04k4utEc1dshU-0VHgiM05uaqKCoOvCQMBxt_uQYJV5Hw8DssQIFc1Jy6V6ouD0xNK8Wny/s320/IMG_5933.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The getaway car was a lot more festive. I don't yet understand the significance of the various items included in the decoration.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRp0Y50ohL80orRnXjQxdk78YkZHOcD2HV3Q7Wy_qiU616GiKeRQwXjOhc6QUeSsma8Q0hS2T8QkXX_8DFdLGhbgWdTAD-J7ilsdSgQuGIDPZSl2OCg7ZVPt4yfarQuIj3bsWJuGlWQCL/s1600/IMG_5934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRp0Y50ohL80orRnXjQxdk78YkZHOcD2HV3Q7Wy_qiU616GiKeRQwXjOhc6QUeSsma8Q0hS2T8QkXX_8DFdLGhbgWdTAD-J7ilsdSgQuGIDPZSl2OCg7ZVPt4yfarQuIj3bsWJuGlWQCL/s320/IMG_5934.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They have two brooms, one with the bride's photo and one with the groom's. There are many different stickers used in road work, and additional photos of the bride and groom, all funny and/or compromising.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxXqBis8CzXoH_60sAjcycD4H74XncDqLDS1Sg18nr3P8AQhu6gZd5NyKHOeACIowbNGZnN6LLJ0oFejRW3R5EP_PuNMdeNUtvIGBbbjLAhC94rviuiOnrtLXiBCsWPm-gN5IPPie7J5w/s1600/IMG_5935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxXqBis8CzXoH_60sAjcycD4H74XncDqLDS1Sg18nr3P8AQhu6gZd5NyKHOeACIowbNGZnN6LLJ0oFejRW3R5EP_PuNMdeNUtvIGBbbjLAhC94rviuiOnrtLXiBCsWPm-gN5IPPie7J5w/s320/IMG_5935.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Each day surprises us in its own way!</div>
Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-24514958995953359782012-07-23T15:01:00.003+02:002012-07-23T15:01:52.690+02:00A "Triple"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
French apartments come unfurnished. And by 'unfurnished' I mean there is NOTHING there, I think that even the door knobs are optional. We used to wonder why all the apartment listings had photos of the toilet. Now we know - that is, sadly, an optional feature! Our current apartment has no lights, and certainly no appliances (but it does have a toilet). </div>
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I have gotten a fridge, and a washing machine, but we're still living without a stove or oven. That's ok, it's summer, right? Time to eat lots of salads.... It's amazing how often one actually uses the stove.</div>
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So I'm shopping for stoves and discovered this crazy contraption - a stove, oven, and dishwasher all-in-one. They are never cheap, even second-hand, so I don't think I'm going to live my new dream of washing my dishes in the compartment underneath my oven, but I do think that would be a crazy-Euro brand of awesome.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcGNo5cTRBZpNQMAnjh9tOlLOWtLzkCaGB9sjhA_W495YkuQyZwLtbDFGbXQfxvyPNqaZdwV682J_JIlDPhH81hH6ueMR3JcSj0U2AfZlCn5LqWIOSnlIGGF78hzhW2_wIzeLgrl_xNaS/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-05-31+at+2.17.29+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcGNo5cTRBZpNQMAnjh9tOlLOWtLzkCaGB9sjhA_W495YkuQyZwLtbDFGbXQfxvyPNqaZdwV682J_JIlDPhH81hH6ueMR3JcSj0U2AfZlCn5LqWIOSnlIGGF78hzhW2_wIzeLgrl_xNaS/s320/Screen+shot+2012-05-31+at+2.17.29+PM.png" width="263" /></a></div>
<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-78291519272329557612012-07-20T09:48:00.001+02:002012-07-20T13:25:13.755+02:00A Bizarre Turn of Events<br />
We don't know what to make of this one. Daddy got called into a meeting first thing in the morning yesterday with the Chair of his department. It didn't have a good feeling so we were prepared for bad news, probably some other big project they were going to make him take on and we were preparing our arguments for why he couldn't possibly take on even more work right now.<br />
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When he arrived Daddy saw that the Chair was very unhappy. It seems he had received a letter from the President of the University which declared the processing of a decree sent down from the Central Atomic Agency giving Daddy a "Delegation". The Chair demanded to know why Daddy hadn't told him about this; Daddy countered with 'What the hell is a "Delegation"?'<br />
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It seems that this Delegation relieves Daddy of any and all work expectations for a period of 5 years. He has to do absolutely nothing, and if they want him to, for example, teach the classes they had planned for him then they have to pay him an exorbitant sum per hour for this work. Not only that but they have to give him back-pay at that same ridiculous rate for all the teaching they had him do last year. They had him teaching two semester's worth crammed in one semester, starting the very day he arrived on the airplane (no glorious first night of jet-lagged sleep for him!) so this ends up being a lot of money. The Chair was furious that they have to pay this money and also hire someone else to do Daddy's job while Daddy has his Delegation.<br />
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This Delegation must be in error, and we imagine it will be reversed. It is certainly not something we were petitioning to get, having never dreamed such a thing could exist!<br />
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The University has already begun the processing of his back-pay. This letter is, for the moment, worth a lot more than the paper it's printed on. How completely bizarre!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-62597185111583125042012-06-07T13:15:00.001+02:002012-06-07T13:15:13.561+02:00Politics and Obama<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNWXVfTdu_5Jc4jjKihjx-BI5xRXprtFYpBQmVtoCYZmmD-sWzh7mjLC2UtAZioKwuhyxqDK35XXjb4yNoe1JpqohNvC8EnbBjcEHFhjOdZDwnBginc0roq7zA1tvUx9m0Er3Lj802bCB/s1600/IMG_20120607_100302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyNWXVfTdu_5Jc4jjKihjx-BI5xRXprtFYpBQmVtoCYZmmD-sWzh7mjLC2UtAZioKwuhyxqDK35XXjb4yNoe1JpqohNvC8EnbBjcEHFhjOdZDwnBginc0roq7zA1tvUx9m0Er3Lj802bCB/s320/IMG_20120607_100302.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I don't know what this Obama's politics might be, but it seems it's still a name worth having associated with one's candidature. The candidate himself, Julien Delamorte, has an unfortunate last name. Daddy said that if it were his last name he couldn't keep himself from naming his child "Ange" because then the child's name would be Angel of Death. I think it's safe to say we're lucky that's not our last name.Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-51480607560029724992012-06-05T22:08:00.000+02:002012-06-05T22:08:08.344+02:00We didn't pay no stinkin' taxes!I've tried to get Eric enrolled in the crèche (daycare) but unlike America you can't just roll up and sign up. I gave up a while ago and just decided to focus on nannies because it was just too complicated to even get on the waiting list.<br />
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First you have to have a lease that is an original, not a print out. Well, if you completed your lease internationally it's tough to have any original. This is 2012 people.<br />
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Then you have to have an electricity bill. Those things are solid gold over here. I don't really know why they love them so much.<br />
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Then you need pay stubs. OK, I can sorta understand that one, though in America we'd say that you only need to provide them if you're looking to get a subsidized spot.<br />
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There are a bunch of random other things I've forgotten but the one we were laughing about tonight was their requirement of your last tax statement. Ours was, of course, filed in the USA. They don't want that one, so what they want us to do is go to the Trésorie and get a statement that because we were not living in France last year we didn't pay taxes in France last year. Daddy was suggesting that we could get a bunch of other statements too, just for the fun of it. We were also not living in Chile, Sweden, Latvia, and Kenya last year. We could just make ourselves a new hobby of collecting statements from foreign governments which assert that because we had nothing to do with them during the calendar year we paid no taxes there.<br />
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THAT would make a dossier that would impress even the crèche lady!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-69370463785503560292012-05-14T23:25:00.000+02:002012-05-14T23:25:18.436+02:00SuperBadThis evening we were walking home from looking at yet another apartment when we saw the most amazing thing. We heard them before we saw them and so we turned to see 4 drunk policemen driving their squad car in the bus lane with the lights flashing. They were giggling and one of them was singing Star Wars music over the crowd control mic, but collapsing into fits of giggles as he passed.<br />
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If they hadn't been wearing their uniforms I'd have sworn that cop car was stolen but they looked the part, even if they weren't acting it.Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-69392030379466311842012-05-11T08:42:00.004+02:002012-05-11T08:42:55.128+02:00A "Decent" DwellingI'm not sure what it says about the French real estate market that they had to recently pass a law to establish what the smallest dwelling entails that can reasonably be considered <a href="http://www.pap.fr/conseils/location/louer-une-petite-surface/louer-une-petite-surface-a9522" target="_blank">'decent' and legal</a>.<br />
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They break it out for you in one line "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Decent housing = not less than 9m ²". (</span>This is less than 100 square feet).<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;">But wait, you can get around that:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">However, the decree allows the rental of a dwelling under 9m</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">²</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> if its volume is at least 20m3</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span title="Le calcul du volume se fait en multipliant la surface par la hauteur sous plafond.">The volume calculation is done by multiplying the area by the ceiling height. </span><span title="Par exemple, si vous avez 3m de hauteur sous plafond pour une surface de 8m², le logement a un volume de 24 m3.">For example, if you have a ceiling height of 3m for an area of 8m ², the housing has a volume of 24 m3. </span><span title="Il est donc décent e t peut être loué.">It is decent and can be rented.</span>"</span></blockquote>
This sounds ok, if you're a giraffe!<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-75234455787545112782012-04-06T12:30:00.003+02:002012-04-06T12:30:58.169+02:00We Are Official!After a day spent at <a href="http://www.ofii.fr/" target="_blank">OFII</a> we are now in possession of our Titres de Sejours. If it had been a slightly less painful experience I'd even be ready to celebrate! We did walk ourselves home from Bastille like this <a href="http://americanmominparis.blogspot.fr/2009/01/for-those-who-wonder-either-with-morbid.html" target="_blank">American Mom in Paris</a>. There are a few things to celebrate - my French is good enough that they waived the required French language course and also the all-day "Life in France" class, which had me laughing because it is intended to teach us things like how to find housing. There were 40 people in the room, what do they think we've been doing for the last 4 months, sleeping in the street?<br />
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There was a problem because, while I had Eric with me for the first check-in lady, Daddy was giving him food while I checked in with the second check-in lady so she did not mark "Prioritaire" next to my name. I was the last of the 40 people to check in. I waited all afternoon for my private interview and Eric got pretty fidgety (though of the three of us by the end of the day he won the prize for best-behaved). Finally one of the medical staff noticed that we were still waiting at 4:10pm and the office closes at 5pm. She raised hell to get me seen, which caused my caseworker to cry and tell me that it was all my fault, that she's never had a problem with that colleague before, etc. It was pretty bad.<br />
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But in the end all that time waiting worked out for us because Daddy had to go back to the Tabac several times to get all the stamps we needed. In the end we had to pay over $1000 in lick-and-stick stamps for these Titre de Sejour cards. Turns out the <a href="http://www.prefecturedepolice.interieur.gouv.fr/Pied-de-page/English/The-Prefecture-de-Police/The-Prefecture-de-Police" target="_blank">big Prefecture</a> where everyone has to go is completely incompetent and, among the other problems, quoted us the rate for a Titre renewal, not a first application. It counts as a first application every time you let your previous Titre lapse, so even though Daddy had done this before, and gotten the chest x-ray before, if you let it lapse you have to start again from zero. One thing we're sure of, that's our last state-mandated chest x-ray! Daddy asked what they're looking for, it's TB, enormous lung cancers, and to confirm we have hearts. Seriously, that's what he said. Anyway, the lady at the register takes our $1000 in simple individual stamps, sticks them on an index card, runs her pen in squiggly lines all over them and gives us our cartes de sejours. These cartes are seriously like 1980s driver's licenses - low res black and white photograph, hand laminated, etc.<br />
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Now we get to start on the process for Eric! Yippee!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548601947223602591.post-27484187571729787122012-04-04T14:42:00.001+02:002012-04-04T14:43:04.896+02:00Timbres Fiscaux<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9s803tLNOpnx7tsFB5byQBxv8weJsPP4crb9eae_G6dUZLu9YfutC8R8tyIklR2kj4ZTm5URTn0yUidZRhUtFsYwPNkJdC-4Nk17AKCkVxHnrxSnJbJbrb4-FeEi6om2s0_mirwUIFd7/s1600/photo+(8).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9s803tLNOpnx7tsFB5byQBxv8weJsPP4crb9eae_G6dUZLu9YfutC8R8tyIklR2kj4ZTm5URTn0yUidZRhUtFsYwPNkJdC-4Nk17AKCkVxHnrxSnJbJbrb4-FeEi6om2s0_mirwUIFd7/s320/photo+(8).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Well, here you can see what $280 looks like in timbre fiscal. These are not-so-very-special stamps you can <a href="http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/F21258.xhtml" target="_blank">buy at the Tabac</a> to pay for administrative services in France. Ours will pay for our French green cards, the Carte de Séjour.<br />
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Luckily <a href="http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F2687.xhtml" target="_blank">the baby doesn't have to</a> go through all this!<br />
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One funny thing - they're just ordinary lick-it and stick-it stamps, but even for $280 they don't give you those <a href="http://www.stampcommunity.org/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18329" target="_blank">little glassine bags</a> that the USPS gives people to keep the stamps from sticking to your hands as you race home. These things were flying all over the Tabac as I tried to gather them into a little makeshift pile. So if you're going to buy some, bring your own envelope!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08036691849337099909noreply@blogger.com2