This blog is for Kellie, my beautiful, almost Parisian friend, partner in all-things-creative, amazing woman of God that inspired me to come to Paris

I was on a mission today. I have decided that my trips at the beginning of my vacation will be focused on finding the locations of scenes in popular movies that were filmed in Paris. Today's movie, The Devil Wears Prada. I can remember Kellie mentioning that a scene from the movie was near the apartment she lived in near Notre Dame.

I started off the day around noon walking from my place into a bicycle. Yes, you read that right. I opened up my Paris Plan to see which way to start off. I had no concept of where I was apparently because I walked right into a bicycle...just completely straddled the front wheel. There were so many people out for lunch and everyone saw. I tried to be suave, but I am not sure if it worked. I just backed off, with my eyes still on the Plan. Oh Lordy. Anyway, I walk down Rue de Bourgogne and pass the Assemblee Nationale across the Pont de la Concorde to see the fountain that Anne Hathaway through her cell phone in at the end of the movie. I walked to La Madeleine, because it's La Madeleine, my favorite cafe back home. Just seeing the name made me think of the chicken caesar sandwich with pesto pasta and tomato basil soup. Oh goodness. Onward, I walked down Rue d'Amsterdam to Montmartre. I wanted to see the Moulin Rouge, but somehow took a wrong turn and ended up at the Montmartre Cemetary. Amazing. I took pictures but will post the rest of them later when I get better ones.
My intention for walking down there was to buy fabric at the markets for some pillows and sewing projects to keep me entertained during my holiday. I didn't buy anything, just walked around. I saw Sacre Coeur above the rooftops and was amazed. It's amazing. No other word. I thought about going to see it, but I couldn't make myself. I couldn't do it alone. It won't be as memorable. I decided to wait till later.

Time to go visit Kellie's neck of the woods. I thought I should give my legs a rest and take the metro from Pigalle to Maubert. I hopped off and found Kellie's place...Do you miss this Kel?

This is the view that you will find in The Devil Wears Prada
And here is the still photo from the movie
The lightpost is where they smoochie smoochie
I walked down the street on my way to Cafe Panis, Kellie's old hangout where she spent hours reading. The windows overlook the bridge and Notre Dame.
Here's your table and window Kellie! I love you friend! I wish we could sit there now and have a good chat...
While I was over there I noticed a lot of comotion on the bridge. I walked over and noticed they were filming a movie. Bizarre because there were three women, dressed alike, and pushing baby strollers and doing a syncronized French musical number. I tried to take a picture and was hounded down not to. You don't have to speak French to understand that they don't want you to take any photos.

I walked down Saint Germain back home. Nice walk. I got home around 5:30. Now that's what I call a great day in Paris!

I love IKEA

Yesterday had been planned for a while. Isabelle, Verena and I took a trip to IKEA to get things to furnish my studio. OH I was so excited. I met up with them at 11:30 and we were off in the Espace. I never expected to fill it up with so much. We went and it is so hard to get started there. There is so much to see and it's so hard to make a decision. Isabelle found something before me - two cowskin footstools. I ended up finding a coffee table, desk/table with chairs, things for the kitchen and bathroom, a mattress, duvet, duvet cover, sheets, pillows, etc. Isabelle asked if my bed was a 90, which is a single. Well the matress I had was not a single. I told her it was bigger, but I didn't measure because I didn't know I was getting a new mattress. She said, "Okay we'll get a 140 since they don't have a 120." I went along with it. With our three carts, we go check out. It was quite a steep bill. We waited for them to bring out the mattress and footstools. I saw the mattress and thought, "Eh, that's kind of big." Well we can't fit everything in the car. A sweet man from IKEA came and helped us for an hour. Yes, an hour. The mattress went onto the top of the car. During the drive it was flying up, but didn't fly off thank goodness.
Barthelemy, Balthazar, and Basile meet us outside with Pierre, who is standing in the street with his camera ready. He is always taking pictures. We all start loading things up. I take down the old mattress and say a few curses in my head because once I saw the space where the mattress goes, I KNEW it wouldn't fit. Oh my gosh. They bring it up. We hoist it, push it, grunt a few time, and there you have it. A good 6 inches is hanging off. Good Lord, I will roll off the top and break my neck on the stairs! Basile asked if I measured. I said no. He said "That would have been smart to do." I wanted to cry because he was frustrated because they were leaving in a matter of hours to Greece and there was so much to do. I wanted to apologize profusely and explain that I didn't know I was going to get a new mattress or I would have measured. Whaaaaaaaaa!

Notice the mattress is WAY to bigThe "before" pictureThey leave, I mope. Isabelle calls to say that Barthelemy has been telling her for months that he's had dreams that he had a big bed. He would trade with me. I would get his single and he would get my queen. Byebye comfy over-sized bed. I love you. We made the switch. I now have a nice bed that will save me from a plumet to the floor in the middle of the night.

I spent all last night using a manual Phillips screwdriver putting my furniture together. It was horrible. Men in France are not like American men. I miss my dad's workbench that I could go to and grab whatever I needed (and usually not return). They don't take pride in the size of their tool boxes or their contents. No drills here. No fancy tools. Just the basic set you would find a single girl or grandmothers utility closet. As a matter of fact I think my grandmother has a better tool set than the French men. I finally got it all together. And here you will find the pics of my studio finally...

That's a little makeshift bed for when Sammies and Braggs come to see me in a couple of weeks. Also, it's nice to read there

From the window above my bed you can see the Eiffel Tower and Dome of Invalides if you stick your head out


Once again, no shower curtain
I miss American closets. Emily and Ash, you wouldn't survive.

Sundays aren't the same...

I've gone five weeks without seeing these girls on Sunday morning. I can remember over four years ago when I first met them all. They were so tiny and giggly. They didn't know who I was and I am sure they all thought I was a little strange. They've been a part of my life for this long and now they are about to go into fifth grade. I am so proud of each and every one of them. They've changed my life and have been patient enough to listen to me on Sundays.
Grace R., every time I open up my Bible I still read your note from four years ago that says "Me sit in your lap. -Grace" I miss your hugs and laughs and look forward to web chats! I will never ever in my life forget your rendition of Jack Black's song in School of Rock while wearing your perfectly proper pink Polo dress. Classic.
Ellie, goodness. Words cannot express how much I miss you and your family. You guys were a part of this whole decision and walked me through it and gave me wisdom all along the way. Gosh I can't even think of one favorite memory with you, because there are so many...just driving in the car and annoying you, at the dinner table chatting, trampoline, calling you by your birth name constantly, and most of all you screaming at me before we knew much of each other "WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BABYSIT ME???" By the way, how's the journaling going? Michelle and Scot - Thanks for encouraging and challenging me over the last four years!
Julia, my little creative counterpart. I think we have the best pic of all time, even though I forced you to get in it! I miss you so much. I hope to hear you play me a song soon on that amazing guitar. We never painted pictures for each other. Let's make something else and send them. Sound like a plan? Alexis, my friend that is soon to be a six footer lacrosse pro. I am so proud of you! I miss being goofy with you. Both of you, I miss the times on the couch watching movies and chatting...Melissa and Scott - thank you for EVERYTHING!
Addie and Dominique, I hope you are keeping Chaundra and Sarah on their toes. I miss you two and the way you never ceased to amazing me with your knowledge of the Word. Go Providence!

Grace B., I am sure you are taller than me now. It's no large feat, but remember you are not even in fifth grade yet. Gosh isn't it amazing how well we got to know each other during that one week a couple summers ago? Fruit salad, cartoons, the magazine we made for your parents, the mice out back, swim instructors, slurpees...I miss you!
All the rest of you, I want to hear from you. Tell me about what you are learning. I hear the Watermark building is coming along nicely. Enjoy the building without me!

Chaundra and Sarah, you two are amazing! I am so thankful for you now and I was so blessed to serve with you while at Watermark. I will miss sitting on the floor with you getting cramps in our hands while our booties fall asleep. Be blessed!

"I Got Worms."

I don't have worms, but I do have Poux. I just wanted an excuse to quote from Dumb and Dumber.

I questioned and debated whether I should blog about this, but I owe it to you. It is my duty to report the real things that go on here. Well I had read it before, but didn't believe it. Lice is a common thing in France, it is. Zac's scratching began about a week ago. When Isabelle left the Val Richer on Sunday night, she mentioned he might have it. That made me nervous. However, I can't keep the kid away from me. He's a cuddler. He loves to hang on me.

When we were on the train, it was constant. Scratch scratch. I couldn't help but get paranoid. He was laying on my lap asleep for half the time. Scratch scratch, both hands, scratch scratch. I've got the heeby jeebies and I am wondering if the other five people on the train are noticing that Zac is having some head issues. I begin to itch. I don't know if it's just the thought of it or if I really have it too. Oh dear, please no.

We get back to the house. Isabelle gets home and we comb through his hair. He definitely has poux. We do the long treatment. She checks me. Yep, test results are positive. So here I am laying in bed with a wrap around my head. I went through 17 years of school without a single lice incident and on my first month in Paris, I get it. I feel pretty disgusting. I took two pills that are supposed to kill them within 24 hours also. Fingers crossed.

There you have it. The absolute truth.

Poux is lice in French.

Goodbye Val Richer, Hello Paris!

It was my last day at the Val Richer, for at least a month. We had most of the day to chill out before our taxi picked us up at 4:30. Zac and I slept in till 9:30, then watched Dumb and Dumber in French. I've got the child hooked on the movie. It's my favorite comedy and he has passed the test with flying colors.

Verena went outside to the playground with the other girls. They are so illusive. I never know where they are half of the time. Sometimes I will see them carrying a tray of cups and a pot of tea upstairs. I guess they are having a tea time. Being ten years old was so long ago. I am sure I was the same way.

Verena and Ines
Ophelie and Alix. Obviously, Ophelie didn't want me to take the picture
The steps from the playground to the house
The taxi came and got us. Nice man. We get on the train. It wasn't as nice as the one I took to come to Normandy. I had my own little luxury seat. This time the three of us were crammed into this little room with eight seats, four on each side. Two were empty on one side, one on the other. Verena already said that if there was one empty seat, then she would take it. Then Zac and I would sit together. I made her promise, no take backs. She did. Well poor gal got in between a French woman that looks like she loves croissants and a man that looks and smells like he is a connoseiur of beef and cheese. Sidenote: I laughed out loud because a movie quote came into my head when I saw him. It was from Elf when Will Ferrell said "You're not Santa, you smell like beef and cheese. Anyway, Verena was in pain. She was so squeezed in between the two of them. Out loud she said "Connie, he stinks." I am assuming no one else spoke English. I hope not. The kind lady that probably loves croissants asked if Verena would like to switch places with her daughter. Verena moved seats before the lady could finish her question. Everyone was happy.

We hauled all of our luggage through the station, to the metro, hopped on line 13 to the Varenna stop. We were home!

Family Cemetary

I've been wanting to walk around the estate, but haven't had the opportunity with all the rain that's been coming down. Dara, one of the Irish relatives said that they were taking a walk to the family cemetary. It's about a mile walk if you take the main roads and a little shorter if you go the back way. Leaving the house I was able to finally take a picture of the entrance. There were some great pictures that came of it, but as we arrived to the cemetary, the rain came down again. We quickly headed back to the house and arrived just in time for goutee.




The church in the center of the cemetary

Basile's great great grandfather


Just walking up to the house

Monopoly, Schmonopoly

Last night I stayed up late talking to Marla on IM. We had a good ole time laughing on different continents. We were thinking of named for her next child if it's a boy. I came up with Landon Shore, and of course, there is an inside joke regarding the name. What fun! Then around 1:30am I figured it was time to go to bed. I was the last one up, meaning all the lights were out. I had the itty bitty light from my phone to guide me through the large mansion during a massive thunderstorm. I was quite freaked out, but I made it up three and a half flights of creaky stairs.

Today the weather has been less than perfect and all the boys in the house are crying, screaming, fighting, etc. They need to be outside. Zacharie cannot get enough of Monopoly. This kid is SMART. He is only six but can count money like he has a past in banking. I guess a long family history in banking might explain it. I can already see his future. He reads constantly and is fluent in two languages. It blows my mind. Anyway he wanted to play this morning and I am just Monopoly'd out. He grabbed Manus, the ole Irish bloak from Dublin to play with him. Manus plays like my sister used to. He is always the banker and always wins. Zac and him are fighting at the moment because Zac just caught him. Also, notice the tissue in Zac's nose. Another nose bleed today. One of the Community Chest cards, "Drunk In Charge". The Irish aren't stereotyped at all.
Alright, the bell is ringing for lunch, must go!

Bienvenue a Val Richer

I stayed in Paris for a day and a half before heading off to the family estate Val Richer in Normandy. I've seen pictures and knew that they wouldn't do it justice. I was right. Pierre, Isabelle's father, drove Zac and I there on Thursday morning. It was a drive of about two hours, not too bad. I was sweating the whole time but chalked it up to being spoiled by blasting American air conditioners in cars. I tried not to complain. Once we took our exit, it didn't take too long to get there. We passed old Middle Age farm houses on the way and it blew my mind. We have homes in Dallas that don't last 50 years and then you look at these buildings that are over 400 years old and still going strong.

We drove down beautiful roads and Pierre said that we were on Val Richer property. We passed a wood factory which chopped all the wood for the estate. We went up the windy road which was through forests and with cows grazing nearby. We pull up to the estate and my jaw dropped. It's beautiful. I didn't take pictures of the entrance, but that will come next week when I go back.
The main house is three and a half stories. I stay in the attic which has all sorts of crawl spaces and plenty of beds and two restrooms. The main entrance from the stairsLooking towards the back of the house near the dining area and playroom. This wood was chopped at the estate's wood factory.Looking into the dining room and also where we get on the internet.The view from my attic window
That's just on the "Maurice" wing, who was Basile's grandfather. On the second floor are more rooms and a library which is all through the hallway and adorned with painting of ancestors dating back to the 1600s and sculptures and journals from relatives. The library included many books from family members. The railing of the staircase was hand carved by a family member; she was quite the renaissance woman.
This is looking from the staircase down to the second floor
From the third floor
There is a sitting room that includes another library. I will say that this house is straight from a movie. The next room includes a grand piano and painting of George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and two relatives that were former Prime Ministers of France. Seriously, the family line is phenomenal. I don't even know the names of all of my great grandparents, much less the ancestors from the 1600s.

Pierre wanted to take me to see Deauville. It's a beach just west of the Val Richer. We had the top down and on the way Zac complained of it being too cold. Pierre stopped the car, went to the trunk and pulled out a trashbag. This confused me. Once I looked back, I had to laugh. This is not a normal response to the compaint of a young kid that's cold. The French are strange.
We arrived in Deauville. I was awestruck by the beauty and colors and history of it all.
We didn't have much time to spend, because we had to be back to the Val Richer by 4:30 for goutee. So we literally walked onto the beach, took a picture, then hopped back into the car and left.
Zac had an urgent matter to take care of. I can't tell you how many times I have seen this view of him. I've lost count. Once he looked back and saw that I took a picture of him, he threatened to not love me anymore. Whatever.
Zac and I had a blast. He knows the place so well, as he is there quite a bit. The cooks love him. We played soccer for hours in the course of two days and tennis a little as well.
Just a glimpse of our soccer field


There is other family staying there from Dublin. It was quite nice have other English speakers. I am convinced I will never be motivated to learn French. One of the Irish is married to a woman from Maryland. She had two friends with her, so there was a crowd of us Americans.

I went through today and took pictures of the flower, fruit, and veggie gardens.
There is a playground for the kiddos adjacent to it, which is also next to an original farmhouse from way back when. There is a large side house, and I haven't found out what is in there yet.
A children's house is on the other side. It is full of toys and little stations for them to play, along with a sandbox outside.
Lovely roses are everywhere
I haven't yet seen half of what's there. I came back to Paris tonight for the weekend. I am very excited to have some time to myself. I have one more week with the family until they leave for Greece for a month, while I stay in Paris for the month of August off. I will be back at the Val Richer on Sunday night, so I will have a few days more to discover all it has. Stay tuned for more pics.