This is a ‘5 blazes’ blog entry without any tales of struggles or sadness. Read on!

Some may have gathered from the title of this entry that I’m pretty grateful for the time I’ve spent with my friends over the past few weeks. Before I arrived here, I thought I’d be fine to flit about on my own in Paris for the year, just minding my own business and chatting to people here and there. Maybe this is true, but I’ve felt so much happiness over the past few weeks and I am giving a lot of the credit to my friends, both old and new.

Melissa, my friend from French class in Melbourne, was in Paris with her husband and one of her two sons a few weeks ago and I had the pleasure of catching up with them. It was fun to hear stories of their travels whilst devouring hotdogs down the road from the apartment! A few days later, they came over to our apartment and shared some cake and tea with me and mum which was lovely. Larni, I have shown Melissa your picture and she will look out for you in Mitcham- she lives around the corner from you and goes to the same coffee shops!

A few weeks ago, whilst shopping in the ‘Franprix’ supermarket across the road from my apartment, I heard an Australian accent and noticed that it was coming from a very young (same age as me) girl with a friendly face. I tried to spark up a conversation with something like, “Oh, it’s nice to hear an Australian accent,” and it worked! Charisse is the gorgeous name of my new Canberran friend. She’s someone who I feel like I have known for so much longer than just a few weeks. Since our first meeting at the supermarket, we’ve had coffee (with my mum too) at her favourite local cafe “Woodies”, we ate crepes with her delightful family- husband Thomas and children Millie (8) and Sam (6)- and Charisse also joined me, mum and Richard for lunch a few days ago. Charisse and her family live less than a minute’s walk from us and they are here in Paris for a couple of years. It is always a delight to spend time with her and I look forward  to doing much more of this while we are both in Paris.

We had a lovely dinner at a local restaurant with Richard’s work colleagues Zina and Guru who were in Paris for a few days. Richard used to live with Zina so they know each other really well. They are very similar to each other in their intolerance of many things yet strangely they tolerate each other (and in fact enjoy one another’s company!).

Our French/American friends Fred and Lee welcomed us to their apartment again, this time for dinner and Lee prepared a delicious meal whilst Fred was in charge of the “ambiance”- table setting, lighting, music- and totally nailed it! Last weekend we went on a cruise along the Seine with my mum and their family in the early evening which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Richard and Fred especially liked the soothing and sultry tones of the tour guide Naomé. Fred, Lee, Pauly and Charlotte are coming over for lunch tomorrow and since Macron was elected as the new president of France today, it might be the right day to stay at home and avoid the excitement or potential riots on the streets.

I have also met some lovely parents from École Chabrol (where my kids go to school). There is Pascal who I first met on an excursion when while we were trying to stop Solomon’s classmates from climbing the poles in the Metro or falling all over the other passengers. [I found it hard when I needed to put on my teacher voice and keep the kids in line, but alas- I speak the wrong language! Repeating a child’s name over and over again without saying much else doesn’t cut it.] I have been on three excursions with Solomon’s class in three weeks which has not only been enjoyable, but also good for my socialisation with other parents.  Also, I have spent some time with Nathalie who is the mum of Violette- a school friend of Bessie’s. Bessie and I went to their apartment last week and we both had a great time! Nathalie is a painter (like you Beck) and her apartment is bright and homely like your home in St Andrews. Today I went with Kitty to her friend Eliot’s apartment for a play date. Eliot’s parents Virginie and Roland have the coolest jobs- they are both designers; Virginie works in children’s clothing and toys whilst Roland designs menswear. They are not only cool cats, but they are also very friendly and I appreciated their thoughtful gesture of including Kitty in the play date with their son and another friend. I’ve met many other lovely mums and dads outside the school or on excursions and I hereby reject the theory that French people are unfriendly.

Above all, what a delight it has been to have my mum stay with us. Those who know her would understand what a “light” presence she is in any household. She is great company for the kids and equally for us. She has talked a lot of things through with each one of us and helped us find the best butchers, grocers and suppliers of Lebanese spices, breads, Asian foods and more. It’s like she is a genie who has sorted us all out, filled our tummies and freezer, done the ironing and now she will go back to her bottle in Australia. She’ll be back to visit us later in the year with my dad.

I’m excited about the arrival of my school friends Jackie, Tanya, Jacki, Kate and Julia in a few days who are coming to France to celebrate their 40th birthdays. I am not looking forward to my mum’s departure in a few days…. But this is a purely positive blog entry, so let’s just leave it there!

Ah, it’s all been about me this time- sorry! How boring for you. The kids are well and are getting into the groove at school. Their understanding of French is improving and their speaking will follow suit. Richard has stopped his lessons for the time being but he will resume night classes twice a week later this month, I hope. He is getting busier at the hospital and I think they are starting to realise that he could be a useful resource. Richard has been quiet at meetings and consultations until recently, mainly because he can not contribute in French, but also because he isn’t one to blow his own trumpet. I think he waits until someone asks for his opinion before he gives it, and they have started asking! He enjoyed helping edit a colleague’s journal article submission last week and he may soon be involved in another interesting study at the hospital related to dystonia.

I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Stay tuned! The rest of May looks like it’s going to be fun! Thanks for sending emails and comments. Love to you all and your families.

P.S. Spot the old lady’s foot in last blog’s picture of Notre Dame… quite weird. The perils of panoramic photography!

xxxooo

 

First dinner date with Richard. We chose not to befriend the loud and foul mouthed Australians sitting right next to us! We are way too classy for that…. Or are we?

Bessie adorned with nannie’s accessories

Practicing their duet

Solomon’s excursion to Grand Palais

 

This picture shows two canteen ladies- the one who checks off their names as they enter and one of the chefs

Mum on her way to her favourite shopping street- Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis

This one is like “Where’s Wally” but it’s Sollie instead. Look near the collar of the boy in the front right. The lady on the left is Madame Monziols, Solomon’s classroom teacher. On the right is Alain Saey (that name makes me sing “Say, Say, Say EVERY time).

Karel Appel exhibition at Musée d’Art Moderne

Walking home from school

Kitty and her friend Emna showing me their “Carambar” lolly- I give one to everyone in her class each Friday after swimming. I walk with them to and from the pool.

The chandelier (thinking of you, Richard Peppard) at the Folies Bergére theatre. Mum treated us with tickets to the musical “Les Choristes” which was nowhere near as good as the equivalent show in Australia.

This time, spot Richard in the line. We were outside “Supersonic” club waiting to see our bass player neighbour Henrique play Beatles covers. It was really fun!

On the way home in the metro after too many beers

Neo the robot, Violette, Bessie and Nathalie

Dress ups

Solomon at Luxor cinema with his class

Our cruise along the Seine- me, Richard and Fred

Pauly, Solomon, Charlotte

At our “disco” in the bedroom which the kids put on to raise money for the Good Friday Appeal at home.

Admiring the architecture

A celebration lunch for Kitty for her wonderful improvement at swimming (note the goggles and swimming cap centrepiece)