Awkward conversation

Yesterday I stopped by a friends house (we were on our way to go do something)...we're in her living room talking when she casually walks to the back of the house - keeps talking - no worries, it's a tiny place.

So there we are, I'm sitting on the couch, she's somewhere just down the hall in the back of the place and we're holding a conversation. Not yelling or anything, just talking normal tones, because it is a tiny place...

After about 7 minutes of the conversation like this I start to wonder what she's doing back there...is she looking for something, is she fixing her hair or makeup again?

We keep talking...

A few more minutes pass as we're still talking and I start to think, dear God please don't let her be talking to me from the toilet.

Peek down the hall...can't really tell...conversation continues...

Eww, she can't really be in there is she? Ok, I get up and look down the hall...yup, the door is closed and the light is on in that room...

Ewww, I've now had a 10 minute conversation with someone sitting on the toilet.

French Siesta

When am I going to get it through my thick head...S I E S T A
For the love of god, I've lived here a year now and still can't get it through my head that stores are closed from 12:30-3 and Sundays.

So many times I've gotten all ready, headed out of the house thinking "ok, I gotta go here and get this, then here and get that... shouldn't take too long" only to realize, again, once I get there that I've arrived during that siesta closing hours.

When not living in a country that practices these siestas it's easy to think...geeze, what a wonderful way of life...but in reality you can't get anything done. I couldn't imagine actually working in a siesta country. Go to work in the morning, break for lunch - can't run errands because everything is closed - go back to work, get off at 6 - can't run errands because things close early. That only leaves Saturdays to get things done - which is a nightmare because that's the only time everyone else has to get things done. Stay away from stores in France on Saturdays - especially at holiday shopping season.

Ironically, when I traveled back to the states recently I found I was cautious of doing anything because I would get there during the siesta time - then had to remind myself that the US doesn't do siestas. Though I did find myself asking myself (yes, I said that) "is that store open Sundays?"

Must know when moving to the Riviera

1. AngloInfo.com - What's on, phone directory, cinema guide, all in English. Plus, most important, the forum where you can connect with English speaking people.
2. Riviera Radio 106.1 - BBC news and English speaking radio
3. www.networkthatworks.com - great gathering place, find groups with your interests
4. Publications in English - "Let's Go Riviera" published each Thursdays, "Riviera Reporter" published every other month, there's also a monthly magazine that I think is called the Cote d'Azure. Available at most grocery stores.
5. English grocery stores - Britain's in Mougins/Valbonne and Geoffrey's in Antibes.
6. English book stores - there are several around, the one I go to (where you can rent videos) is The English bookstore in Valbonne Village.

What I'm left with...

Thanks to you...you had to go and move away so suddenly...now I'm left with the two "bickering, no longer really friends, but we'll try to be polite around each other in groups" ladies. Who, by the way, immediately feel the need to corner or call me after group get togethers to discuss the others rude behavior and implied snippy comments. Not that I'm ever active in these after group calls. I generally try to get off the phone, or try to make excuses to walk away quickly but it's like they don't care they follow or call back when I hang up on them (and blame it on my phone). Why have I become the one they feel the need to validate themselves to?

Where are you now? Where is the person I can look at an roll my eyes with when one walks into class in the bright blue full body spandex (because she had a workout class 8 hours before and just never changed because she thinks she looks SO HOT). Or when she feels the need to stop a conversation and tell us she dated that balding, 80s, everyone thought was a joke singer - not that we were even talking about him, the 80s or music in any way? Could have used you there.

Nobody to dress up with at Halloween, so I was forced to put on my husbands underwear, create a superhero logo and cape and run around the house with the dogs (in their capes too of course).

Oh sure, you have a really good excuse for leaving so quickly, I'll give you that...but I really could use you during the holidays, what if they try to throw a holiday get together!!??

French car mechanic

Friday
OK, I've called the car mechanic on your behalf, you need to drop the car off Tuesday at 8AM and they will be able to fix all of the 5 problems your car is having.

Great.

Tuesday
Hi here is my Scenic per my appointment. It's 8AM now, will I be able to pick the car up at 3PM today?
No, you pick the car up at 6PM.
Um, OK, but I really need to see if I can get it at 3PM today.
No, you pick the car up at 6PM
No way it might be done earlier?
Maybe 5:30.
Um, OK

Fastforward now to 5:37PM
Hi, I'm here to pick up my Scenic.
Here is your key
OK, is everything fixed on the car?
Oh, we were not able to fix this problem with the car.
Um, OK, what about the other 4 problems?
No, since we couldn't fix that problem we did not do anything on the car.
Hua?
Since we couldn't fix that problem we did not do anything on the car.
Right, Ok, so then where is my car, I dont' see it here or in the shop?
It's out back (with a point to the end of the building)
Yeah, no, Mr Mechanic, you wait here, I'll go get my own car - and hey, thanks for the great service!
(Picture him going back to his cigarette and talking to the clerk about that stupid americaine)

Let the strikes begin!

French people are back from vacation, fall is in full swing and winter is peeking in the door...time for strikes!

It's Monday, November 6th and there are already 2 strikes planned for this week:

Train and bus employees are striking for some reason...which probably means the goverment workers will join in...just because...

All French smokers are protesting the new no smoking ban that will go into effect next year. From what I understand there has been a ban in place that says no smoking in public places, but nobody pays attention to it...so I guess their revising it...nobody is going to pay attention to it when it does go into effect next year - everybody knows that - but they're striking anyway.

The love their strikes here...

The most disgusting lunch ever

OK, I'll admit it, although I try not to be, I'm a little bit of a picky eater.
I just don't like a fish to be staring at me as I'm eating it, don't like most meat, especially meat with bones still on it, and the thought of sausages makes me completely nauseous.

So what a shock it was today at lunch. We went to a some-country-close-to-the-German-border place (can't remember the name of the country, but some tiny country)...anyway, the menu was loaded with sauerkraut and sausage plates so I did what I thought was the most rational - ordered spaghetti Bolonaise. 2 of the 3 plates that were delivered to the rest of my table were so disgusting I seriously had to force myself to not look at them because every time I did I felt my stomach get nauseous.

My friend across from me (from Slovakia) had 4 different kinds of sausages, huge chunks of fatty boiled bacon, and the piece de resistance - the pigs leg. It looked like they literally cut the leg off the pig, threw it in a pot of boiling water then threw it on the plate (on top of a mound of sauerkraut). I could see the little hairs in the pigs leg.

I couldn't look to the right of me, because my friend on that side had a plate of various sausages (on top of a mound of sauerkraut). One of them was blood sausage - almost black, made of blood - by far the most disgusting thing I have ever seen (even next to the hair on the pigs leg). Why would anyone in their right mind eat anything made with any kind of blood??? Oh, and in one of the other sausages you could see what looked like a vein of blood running through the center of it.

The other girl had a normal dish, various faceless fish on top of a mound of sauerkraut. Thank god.

But the hairy pigs leg and blood sausage made me seriously nauseous. And they loved it. I need to rethink my friends maybe...

French breath

So this morning I had such a pleasant workout center experience...I jump on the treadmill on the very end (there's like 10 in a row) - I figured this would ensure that if someone else came along and decided to use one they'd do, at least, that 1 treadmill in between courtesy.

Nope, this guy decides to jump on the one right next to me. Ok, whatever.

So, there I am jogging along - feeling really good about it - then I realize all I'm breathing is his nasty morning coffee breath mix. Lovely.

But I don't wanna stop my jogging so I continue.

Until he farted.

That's it, I'm outta here.

Oh, and by 8:30 this morning I had seen 2 people on the side of the road, in plain view, peeing. Ahhh France...