Hey ya'all. Our DSL line is down and after my husband spent a heroic, but ultimately futile amount of time trying to resolve the issue (mainly in French), France Telecomm is sending someone around on Tuesday. I will spare you my sobbing and woe about being cut off from the world and unable to communicate with anyone who could fix it. I am not a happy camper, but dining out last night at a local cafe did help. Duck ala Orange and a side of Macaroni and Cheese (not the bright orange American stuff out of a box, but some kind of crunchy parmesan like topping) followed by Chocolate Mousse.
I spent yesterday being mad at Paris. Made me realize I never had a honeymoon. Let me explain. There are supposedly four emotional stages that you go through when you move to a new country. The first is the honeymoon where everything is marvelous and you love the new country. The next one is misery where homesickness takes over and everything is better/easier back at home. I never got a honeymoon. Usually we move to a new spot and have time to explore and adapt before my husband has settled into the new job and the household goods have arrived and none of our cookware is here so might as well eat out a whole lot... Nope I got here and the husband was already working lots of hours and there was an overwhelming amount of sorting to do. Sigh.
Other than that, things are going fine. The little girl cats actually groomed each other and slept in a kitty puddle on Tuesday. That does my heart good, although I've just seen whacking and hissing since...
Don't worry if you don't hear from me for awhile. Doing fine, just no computer. Sigh again.
16 comments:
I hope your internet problems are soon solved. I know how frustrating that can be, having gone through it here several times. I'm sure you will get to love Paris once you have time to get out and explore. There are some amazing sights to visit.
Hope you get a "belated honeymoon" and can fall in love with your new surroundings, but whatever happends knowing its "normal" and understanding what's going on can help. Be as kind to yourself as you're able and like the cats, enjoy the good along with getting through the bad :-)
Hope the internet being down frees you for some good american movie/tv watching or other relaxing activity this weekend...
Remember that the "honeymoon" period is what you make of it. Think of it as a blessing that your husband did all the unpacking, the real work. Make it an excuse to enjoy yourself and take it easy. Loving where you live is important. Spend a few days on enjoying the adjustment. :)
About the kitties, ignoring the hissing helps - the episodes get shorter. Use caution if they are actually fighting.
I hope you get some time away from the drudgery fo unpacking and organizing and get a chance to spend some time just relaxing in your new surroundings. If you get too homesick, we can send you some boxes of cheezy-mac!
Sometimes you have to wait awhile for the Honeymoon.
You all have had to make so many changes and deal with so much and I think you are doing a great job!
In the first year I lived in France--on the Riviera, not in Paris--all kinds of bad things happened to me ... having my passport stolen (while on business in Amsterdam) and a break-in at home were the two biggies. Still, I came to think of France as home and loved living there. I'm sure you will come to love it, too.
Oh Tonya - I do so feel for you - we had our rented house for about six weeks before moving into it as DH was working out there Monday to Friday but living in a hotel. In this time he was at the house most evenings putting up curtain rails etc so it would be just ready to move straight into - imagine our dismay when we arrived there to find the electric and gas mysteriously cut off - we never did find out why - and it took three whole days to get them back on again - we couldn't even make the removal men a cup of coffee they had to go to the nearest McDonalds to get a take-away each time they wanted a hot drink. The sheer frustration of limited language skills over the telephone whilst dealing with the intransigent french utilities suppliers nearly finished me off. I can only say 'things can only get better' and they will :o) Chin Up!
Maybe you were meant to do things backwards? I think the honeymoon phase will come but maybe in another order. Some day you will get it all done and go out and finally discover the real Paris and all the wonderful little places that you will find so cool and interesting, and you will decide the city really is magical. Until then it just sometimes sucks to not speak the language.
Wow your dinner sounds wonderful! The honeymoon is over baby!
Condolences on the computer issues. It's really hard when you're looking forward to doing something and then can't do it because of someone else's actions or inaction. Hope you can find something else fun to do!
Sorry to hear about the computer problems. And the lack of honeymoon. I know what you mean though, it would have been wonderful to take the time to explore together. Hopefully you will get a belated honeymoon. I only got to spend three days in Paris much too long ago -- but I fell in love quickly.
What they all said. This may sound lame, but maybe listen to some French learning tapes, take a class? I know it isn't everything, but i think speaking the language makes a big difference in how happy one feels being in France.
hope the honeymoon comes later.
I think you need some retail therapy. Go and have a coffee in the restaurant on the top floor at Galleries Lafayette (it's self service so you don't have to say a word!), gawp at the view and then go and visit Le Rouvray.
Or get the Metro to St Michel and go for a wander round the back streets of the Rive Gauche.
Hey Ton, if Paris is throwing lemons, best make some lemonade. You may not like it, but you get to chop up something with a sharp knife!
Sorry for the DSL woes..more time for quilting, threadies and sudako. Keep the faith. Hugs, Finn
I hope things settle down to some normalcy soon. In the meantime I have been enjoying all the pictures of Paris and your home! Thanks for sharing.
We went through internet issues when we moved...came to find out the comuter will only work from one phone outlet and the computer cannot be more than 10 feet away. So much for planning where to put furniture!
Glad to hear the kitties are doing better! You will be too soon.
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