Salut!

I promised myself a little trip into Paris if I managed to get most of the packing done a day early.  So with this motivation and the stiffling heat locking me in my flat, I got on with it!

So this morning I headed off, for the last time, into Paris.  How blessed I have been to live in this wonderful city for the past year.  I LOVE IT!  I went to the Opera Garnier to join a guided tour.  It was very interesting and deffinetly worth doing if you’re ever there.  

I’ll certainly be back to Paris, as often as I can.  But living 15mins from the centre has really been fantastic.  I’m going to miss all the exhabitions, the beautiful buildings, the beautiful people, the hustle and bustle and laid back atmosphere.  However, I will not miss rush hour, commuting, the pollution, continual noise and bizarre, smelly people on the metro!

   Bye Bye

I cannot believe the parcel woman.  I had taped a big sign on the door saying ‘Collisimo - Please RING THE BELL’.  I just happened to look out of my window and I see the yellow van pull up and the woman get out.  I think, this is it!!  I’ll see what she does.  She rang a bell in the house, I could hear it faintly, but it wasn’t my bell - And then she started to get back in her van!!!!!!!! 

At this point I went running out onto the pavement and called her back.  I could not believe it.  (As Victor would say.)  I asked ‘Why didn’t you ring the bell’?  She replied, ‘I did’.  

I took her over to the door.  There are only 4 bells and each has the occupants name actually on the button itself, so you can’t confuse them.  I pointed out that my bell has my name on it.  ‘Oh, that’s yours is it, I rang the other one.’  ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!  She then continued to insist that she came yesterday and I wasn’t in.  Was she doing it on purpose?  Is she just really really dumb?  Who knows.  But becuase of her of I have lost about 100€ of packages this year.  Crazy.

Usually I love France.  When I need to get something done I dislike it!

So you heard my insurance company moan.  Well, here we go again! 

All year I have not been getting parcels.  It has only just dawned on me what’s happening.  I’m in a house split into 4, so we have a joint postbox.  The post office don’t like this and even though there is a door bell they won’t ring it and say the parcel is un-deliverable.

This all came to light a few weeks ago when UPS were delivering a computer part.  Fortunatly with UPS you can telephone and actually speak to someone.  It was sorted out within 24hrs.

I’ve ordered a satnav so that I don’t waste hours getting lost in Tours.  (I’ve been promising myself one for ages and I’ve finally taken the plunge.)  Anyway, AGAIN the parcel is undeliverable.  Usually they have to come back a 2nd time.  So I’ve emailed them, been to the post office (again) and stuck a big notice on the door saying "Parcel Man, Please Ring The Bell".  We’ll see what happens.  I’ll be very annoyed, not to say very lost, if it doesn’t get to me tomorrow.

We did our last concert of the year yesterday.  The class will start again on 5th Sept and I won’t be joining them.    I’ve handed over my costumes to another girl and sold my shoes.  Time’s up.

I enjoyed the classes and the time spent with the girls.  But I can’t say I particularly like Irish Dancing in itself.  So I’ve decided to get out my rollerbaldes as soon as I get to Tours!  I would like to learn Arabic too…

I’m really getting stuck into the packing now.  I’ve taken down my bathroom fittings and filled the holes, just got to paint over them now.  I had a bit of a disaster with my insurace…I wasn’t able to insure my storage facility if I left the country.  I went to a different compagny and they didn’t ask me, so I didn’t volonteer the information - so all is good!  Although they refused to insure me against theft, which seems rather stupid.  I’ll just have to spend 6 months praying someone doesn’t nick off with my sofa.

ho hum!

This might have been out for ages in the UK…but I just saw it today on French TV and it made me laugh lots.  Sooooo true!!  And if you can understand the french it’s because his accent is AWFUL!!!

http://www.strategies.fr/creations/119306/fred-farid-pour-mcvitie-s.html    (French version)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kefrafx0YZI     (English version)

With a week to go before the big move I’m pottering about and trying to tie up all the loose ends.  I’m not feeling that stressed yet becuase in my head I will really start to pack on Monday!  I have a weekend before me with 2 dance shows coming up.  Oh what fun!

I’m filling in the application form for France Mission.  They ask lots of difficult questions about what I believe about creation and gifts of the spirit etc.  It’s a bit draining having to think of good answers in French!

The best part of each day at the moment is the morning.  YES - you heard me right!!!  I think everyone should grow strawberries then there would be no morning un-happiness ever again.  Each morning when it’s nice and cool, I go down to the garden and see how many lovely, juicy strawberries are ready to be eaten with my muesli.  There’s only usually about 2, but that’s just perfect chopped up in my cereal.  Simple pleasures!

I was in Aberystwyth this weekend for the wedding of my friends Rebecca and Paul.  It was the most picture perfect wedding ever!  I kept expecting Hugh Grant would walk round the corner…

I was at Uni with Rebecca.  We were on the same corridoor in halls for our first year and we lived together during our 2nd.  All 5 of the girls in the house were there for the big event.  It was soooo lovely to be back together again.  I miss them!

The happy couple and assorted uni friends with husbands, babies and bumps.

The 5 of us

The French like to go on stirke at the drop of a hat and march through the streets of Paris in a party like atmosphere.  Apart from messing up the bus routes a bit, it doesn’t bother anyone that much.

But at the moment French farmers are protesting about the price of milk.  (I think they have a fair point!)  But they have blocked the distribution points of major supermarket chains.  So can I get hold of milk or other fresh produce?  No!!  The supermarket shelves are getting emptier and emptier.  Thankfully I’m off to Wales tomorrow for a wedding.  Lets hope by Monday something is sorted out!

After a short night of sleep I hit the road early to make it to Orleans in time for the Sunday service.  It was my good friend Hilary’s 40th birthday. 

We went straight to the Loire after the service and canoed for about 2 hours, stopping for a champagne break on a sand bank! 

After that we munched a big BBQ until well into the evening.  It was a great day. 

We just did our first Irish Dancing concert!!  It was very scary, far too hot, but good fun nevertheless!

Check out our classy costumes and the concentration on my face!

Up early tomorrow to get to Orleans in time for the service and then kayaking on the Loire…I’ll explain more later!