Day 192: The Day of Many Last Times

I didn't get in until quite late last night, so this morning was a little rough. The Kid slept in a bit but got up earlier than he has been. I was a walking zombie and knew it was going to be a rough day. The middle kids came home around noon and the loads of laundry began. They have been in the state now for 2 months and are leaving in 2 days for the rest of the summer. That means everything has to be washed and repacked today. Since there is no dryer, this complicates matters for me. Also, we only do laundry at specific times of day when the electricity costs are at their lowest. That leaves a 3 hour window to do as much laundry as possible. Not to mention it’s my last day so I was hoping to wash sheets and towels and what not. I also had to finish packing and clean my room and bathroom. Since it was a gorgeous day, I also had to take the Kid to the pool one last time.  Hectic, to say the least.

The Kid started drawing and painting class today, which gave me a short break to take care of some of my chores. Since the older kids were all home though, I wasn’t as productive as I’d hoped to be. The 15 year old helped me with the laundry, which was great, but I was still falling behind. I had to pack so my room would be empty enough to clean and vacuum, but there were just so many little things, or things I might need in the next 24 hours. I got the Kid and let him be entertained with his brother for awhile before dragging him to the pool. For some reason, he just did not want to go. The Mom told me that all day yesterday however, he kept asking to go with me. He makes no sense. I compromised by going after dinner, so we could overlap with his Mom. I did my last set of dishes and read to him one last time. We all made sure we knew the plan for the morning, and off to bed I went.

Day 191: The Day We Did Paris Right

We decided to spend my last day doing very Parisian things. We got a bit of a late start but headed into Paris for the afternoon and evening.  We first made our way to Place Madeline for macarons at Laduree. I was told many times by many people that it was a must and that they were the best macarons in Paris. The line was surprisingly manageable since they have 2 gifts hops next to their tea room. The one connected to the tea room sells all sorts of tea sets and serving items. The other shop is a clean, efficient, macarons selling machine. Well, it’s not that efficient, but the line moves fast at least. I got a variety of 8 to try later. I was thinking of taking some home, with a nice box, but the reality set in that the expensive box is just one more unneeded thing. Without the box, the macarons won’t survive the journey. My apologies.

Sara had wanted to ride the “Velib” bikes at least once before she left. They are the city bikes and are free for 30 minutes and 1 euro an hour after that. There are stations all over Paris and they are really handy, but like all things French, a little intimidating. We braved the crazy streets and rode our “new” bikes down by the Seine to the Eiffel Tower. Sara’s bike somehow got a flat, so the trip was a little less enjoyable for her, but I had a great time. Wish I’d figured this out sooner.

We had a picnic under the Eiffel Tower of pasta salad, quiche, banana bread and a bit of wine. The sun came out and it turned into a great day. We sat there for a couple of hours, just enjoying the people watching, which there was plenty of, and fighting the birds that wouldn’t leave us alone. You can really tell its tourist season because everything is more crowded and it seems everywhere I go, I hear English all around me. We packed up our stuff and headed back to the bike stand to pick up 2 new bikes, preferably without flat tires, to ride to our next location.

We met Linn at Chatelet and walked to the Thistle for the Sunday night Pub Trivia. I’d love to tell you that we placed high again, but alas, you can’t win them all. The first 2 questions were NASA related however, and I believe I was the only one to name Columbia and Atlantis as the 1^st and last shuttles. At the same time, I blanked on a couple of ones I should have known. But we had a really good night and ended up beating the table of obnoxious Englishmen, so at least there’s that. We headed back to Saint Germain and I said my last goodbyes. I will be spending tomorrow packing and with the family, so this was my last day with the other au pairs. It was a really good day and the perfect way to say goodbye to the city.

Day 190: or The Last Saturday

My last Saturday in France. I knew I was going to be busy this weekend because there was no time for laziness. I woke up at Sara’s and we headed into Paris after a light lunch of leftover pasta salad, which was delicious. We were going in to do another walking tour, our 3^rd and last. Since we had over an hour to burn, we headed to the Champs Elysees for some light shopping. I am really trying to avoid adding anything to my already stuffed bag, but with the sales being on, it seems everyone I’m with is searching for something in particular; therefore, I end up in the stores.

I bought some new sunglasses, which I needed but are still small enough that they shouldn’t do too much damage. I find the key to fighting the shopping bug, is to give into little wants, like sunglasses or some cheap jewelry. They’re small and inexpensive and you still leave the store with a bag. After the shopping, we headed to Le Parc Monceau. When we got there, I realized that this was the park I just happened upon my first weekend in Paris when I decided just to walk in an unknown direction. It’s much nicer than it was in January, when it looked cold and dead. The walk we were taking was Paris and the Impressionists. We walked through places they painted and lived and saw the neighborhoods of their patrons and friends. The guide was very knowledgeable, but after three tours, we may have been pushing our interest. It was also one of those situations that I’m very interested in the subject, but the speaker tries to take an original approach and loses me somewhere along the way. After the walk we headed home for a little break.

There was a possibility of babysitting, which I was not pleased with. I’ve babysat a total of maybe 3 times. I really lucked out with my weekend schedule. But it just so happens that the Mom was going into Paris to have dinner and the 17 year old might be going with her. That left me. I didn’t find out until 5pm that I wasn’t working and my future brightened noticeably. I headed home anyway to help with the Kid and have dinner, but after I read to him, I headed back out for one last night at the pub. Many people were there and it was a nice time. Since I’m not leaving for 3 days, I didn’t have to say goodbye, even though I probably won’t see most of them. I prefer saying “see you soon”, less chance of water works.

Day 189: or The Day The 17 Year Old Helped Me Out

Because I've had to work 12 hour days this week, the Mom said it was ok if the 17 year old helped me so I could go into town. I woke up and got the Kid his breakfast and set out all his stuff he would need for the day. When it was time to go, I set him up with a movie and told him to make sure his sister woke up so he wouldn't miss pottery. I headed out the door and met Sara at the train station and we made our way to Paris.


We had signed up for another walking tour, this one being "Taste of Paris". It focused on the old market and streets around it. We went to the oldest patisserie in Paris, a cheese shop, and a chocolate shop. We tried duck saucisse, not a fan, and chile pepper chocolate, big fan. We just walked around and the guide told us all about how it used to be when the market was open and everyone from all over the city would come to get there produce. We both decided we would like to open up our own Fromagerie. I know super markets are convenient., but going to little, specialty shops for the perfect cheese or bread is a pretty great thing.


After the tour we stopped for lunch and walked around a bit more before heading back home. I only had a couple hours off and needed to make sure I was there for the Kid when he was done this afternoon. When I got home, I expected the cleaning man to be there, finishing up. Instead, the hosue was exactly the same as when I left it. Odd. When I left this morning, I swear I saw him at the entrance to the neighborhood, on his motorcycle. I called the Mom and she said he called in sick and was surprised to here he was so close to the house. Oops, I guess I kind of told on him. I was hoping to be off tonight, early, but with a dirty house, it always takes a bit longer to take care of the kitchen.


I made some pasta and veggies but didn't worry too much about dinner because no one was hungry. I cooked the same amount for the 4 of us as I usually do for only 2 people. I wish I'd had more of these simple nights. After dinner I read to the Kid and then tried to make it out the door at a reasonable time. I was one of the last ones to show up at the potluck dinner we were having, but I still made it in time for the food. I brought a Greek pasta salad, which was a pretty big success. I think I'll be making this as my go to dish for awhile. We had a great dinner and then headed out to the pub. It was pretty relaxed and even though I was reluctant to go, the bartender gave us a free round, so it made it all very worth it. We headed back to Sara's at a decent hour and called it a night.

Day 188: or The Day of Scooby Doo

I got a little extra sleep this morning, since the Kid has been going to sleep a bit later. It's amazing what 30 extra minutes will do for you. He's on a really big Scooby Doo kick right now, so I let him watch an episode before his pottery class. In class today, he made another pirate ship. Slightly less useful than the vase from yesterday.

The afternoon was spent at home and I gave in to a little more Scooby Doo. It was a little chilly for the pool and he didn't have a play date set up so when I ran out of entertainment and the cat got tired of being harassed, I gave in. I did manage to go to the tennis courts for a bit, but the wind made any good shots go bad and he got frustrated pretty quickly. He always wants me to be very precise with my hits. I have to explain to him that I'm not that good and that even I make mistakes. He told me today I should take lessons.

The Mom came home early, so I was able to catch some of the Harry Potter London premiere on the computer. I also packed up half my room tonight. I obviously can't pack everything because I'll still be here for 5 more days, but it was a good start. It also made me a bit nervous that some of my stuff isn't going to make it home. It will be a good weeding out process, but painful none the less.

Day 187: The Day I Told a Princess Jeremina Story

The chill returned today, and brought with it a bit of rain. Without the outdoors to entertain him, I was at a loss with how to spend my afternoon. Luckily, after his morning pottery class, I ran into one of the other moms and she invited him over for a play date. It was one of those odd days with lots of sun and then out of nowhere, rain. I had to grab all the laundry from outside, not 10 minutes after I'd put it out.


The Kid's pottery class is possibly his favorite activity I've seen him do in these last 6 months. He is usually very reserved with his teachers, but he gets along very well with her and is always very proud of his work. Today he made a vase for his mom and he wants to make something for me next. I keep telling him that would be lovely, but it probably won't be ready by the time I leave. He knows I'm leaving, but I don't think he truly grasps how soon, and how permanently.


He had a great time at Rebecca's and I got a lovely afternoon off. I made dinner and started the evening ritual. I've read him all of his stories countless times, so I started making some up for him. I'm not very good off with the whole off the top of my head thing, but I make it work. It's about a Princess named Jeremina (a play on his name, hint hint). Pretty soon after I got here, when he was still very much in his knight and prince phase, I would "accidentally" call him princess. He would explain that he is a boy so therefore can't be a princess. But for months now, I've called him Princess. He laughs and acts exasperated with me. Now he loves Princess Jeremina stories, so he can't hate the nickname too much.

Day 186: or The Day I Hit The One Week Mark

The Kid slept in again today, woohoo, so I got up and hung the laundry, and then went to rest my eyes until he made his morning debut. He was very excited to go to pottery and finish his cat and kept asking me if I wanted him to make him something. I told him maybe a drawing instead, from next week's class. I can't imagine trying to pack some chunky piece of clay and then putting it on a shelf somewhere. Because I wouldn't be able to throw it out. I've gotten a lot better about getting rid of things that I don't need anymore, but when it's a gift, I hold on to it much longer than necessary.


The Kid had Rebecca over today. She is a little English girl from down the street and I know her better than any of the other kids. They play really well together and after a little while at home, we headed to the pool. Her mom was there with her other kids and we sat and talked and she offered to take the Kid a couple of afternoons this week. Very much appreciated. After a couple of hours, we headed back for snack time and Rebecca biked home. Since I escort the Kid everywhere, I'm not used to kids just riding off, but then I think about when I was that age and I'm pretty sure I roamed the streets of Timber Cove. When I say roam, I mean a bee line to one of 3 houses or the pool. I of course could be wrong about this, maybe I was a bit older, but not much. The Kid is small for his age and I think being so much younger than his siblings, he gets treated more like a baby. I believe he is capable of much more than he actually does. I think it will be one of those situations where he goes from crawling to running because he was scared to try for too long. 




On a different note, Darcy Dog would have been 14 years old today. Since I haven't been home since we lost her, it still doesn't feel real. 

Day 185: or The Day America Turned 235

I love the 4th of July. It's just a great day in the middle of summer, where everyone really tries to make the most of it. With grill outs and boats, it's a combination of my favorite things. So in France, I missed it all. The good thing was, I felt so removed from it, I almost didn't feel like I was missing anything, because in no way was my day "4th like". 

The Kid was home all day, save a couple hours for a pottery class. He took the same class in the spring and he really likes it, so there is never a fight to get out the door. When his class was over, the little girl from across the street came over for a play date. She only speaks French, so it's practice for me, but stresses me out a bit. We all headed to the pool and there were a couple other kids from their class there as well. It was a good way to spend the afternoon and I had to work at convincing them it was time to go home. I coaxed them with pastries and juice. Works every time.

After Chloe left, the house got quite again and I made dinner. Everything I do, I think about the fact that it might be the last time. Maybe tonight was the last time I'll have to deal with rolling out pizza dough. Or hanging laundry. Or walking to school. It's all really ending, but I just can't rap my head around it.

Day 184: or The Day I Prepared Myself for a 60 Hour Work Week

I woke up today and was pretty beat from all the walking the day before. I decided to stay around the house and prep for the whirlwind week ahead. The Kid is out of school now, meaning I will be working 12 hour days. I had attempted to pack a bit before this week, because I knew I wouldn't have a lot of free time, but I only got as far as planning and sorting. Nothing has made it into the bags so far. Oops.


I had lunch with the family and we talked a bit about the logistics of getting me to the airport. I can't take the train because I can't manage with my bags. I had hoped for a ride, but apparently my date and flight time are pretty inconvenient. I may end up with a ride into Paris and then a cab to the airport. As long as it's a low stress travel day, I don't care how I get there.


The 17 year old made it home for dinner and we had soft boiled eggs. I like them, but I still haven't perfected eating them. It always takes me a bit longer to get the shell off or I end up leaving too much egg. It's an art I tell you. I felt a little bad not going into Paris on one of my last days, but the day was nice and now I can focus on making the most of my 8 days left.

Day 183: or The Day of The Shoe Search

Being my second to last weekend, I decided to go into town and spend the day with Zoe. I might see her next weekend too, but just in case, I made sure to see her before I leave. I got in a little after 12pm and we just decided to walk without a destination in mind. She was in need of a new pair of flats, so we walked into countless shoe stores looking for a pair of plain, brown flats. Simple right? Wrong. I find this is always the case. Whenever I am searching for plain shoes, they always come with some terrible embellishment. And when you do find the right ones, they are the wrong size or 8x what I'm willing to pay. The sales are back on in France, but we had no luck when it came to flats.

We stopped for lunch and both got big salads paired with cold beers. After 2 hours of walking, and more to come, it was the perfect lunch. After lunch, we walked a bit more until we found a store and both bought Cokes and went to sit on a bench in a park. Much smarter than paying the 4 euros in the restaurant. After the Coke stop, we found our way to a couple more shoes stores, and there they were. No, not plain, brown flats. Royal blue, suede, heels. It was love at first sight, for me that is. Top it off with a 60% off sticker and the decision was made. I can think of one person in particular who is rolling their eyes at this moment, thinking I don't need new shoes. But as Zoe pointed out, they are a functional souvenir of my time in France. No buyers remorse for me. A couple of stores later and Zoe had herself a new pair of flats as well. Very successful 10 minutes of shoes shopping. We sat on a bench and put our new shoes on for the rest of the afternoon.

View from the bench

We got on the Metro and parted ways. I headed to the movies to see if there was anything showing at a convenient time. Transformers 3 it is. I'm obviously pretty into movies in general, but big action movies, in the theater, are hard to beat. Just reminds me that in less than 2 weeks, I get to sit in a theater in Houston, Texas, watching the final installment of the greatest series ever. I totally own my dorkyness*.


*For the record, nothing about HP is dorky. But I have found there are some in the world, who incorrectly disagree with me. Just covering my bases. 

Day 182: or The Last Day of School

The last early morning of the year, not that it made it any easier. I got the Kid to school on time and without forgetting the cookies for the afternoon party. It's still feels so weird knowing that I'll be home in less than 2 weeks and that this was my last time to walk him to school. I made my self breakfast and waited for the cleaning man to come. A very routine day. I picked the 17 year old up from the train station and made myself a sandwich before heading back to school to get him, one last time.


I made dinner, which if I do say so myself, was awesome. It was just pasta in a carbonara sauce, but it turned out great. Usually, I don't make enough sauce, because I have to make a lot of pasta for the 5 of us and it just seems wasteful when the kids don't always like it. Since it was just the 2 of us, there was plenty and I was pretty pleased to not be sharing. The Kid could go either way, so I don't depend on his opinion to make me feel good about my cooking. The planer the better for him.


After dinner, I went out to the Irish pub to say goodbye to some of the girls. I know I should be sadder, because I am sad to leave them all, but because I'm not leaving, I don't feel it yet. I've always been that way though. If someone is leaving me, I don't get that emotional. But if I have to drive away, I lose it. It was a good night out and I got to see a lot of people, but I came home at a decent hour so I wouldn't be inclined to sleep late and waste one of my last days in Paris.

Day 181: or The Day I Started Packing

The Kid had to be at school early for a field trip, so I got up and got him ready. The Dad had no idea about this, so for once, I looked on top of my game in the morning. The Kid was pretty easy because he was excited to go, and the Dad drove us on his way into town. They were going to the Louvre and I was invited, but declined due to the fact that 100 French 6 year olds are not my chosen company. I went back home and took a little nap, because I could.


Because I was unable to get gas last night, I braved the roads and made the journey the couple of miles to the nearest gas station. At worst, the car would die, and I'd have to hoof it all the way. Then explain in French that I needed gas and a container, and then hoof it back. Luckily for me, I made it all the way. Most nerve racking drive I've taken in awhile. While pumping, the gas is in liters, and it's a very small car, so I put in 10 euros and thought I would go from there. It was about 1/3 of a tank, perfect. No way I'm going to fill it up. It would cost half a week's pay. Since I was in town, I stopped by the bigger grocery store and grabbed cheese and bread. I've been craving it lately I think because I know it will be short lived.


I spent the afternoon going through my things and trying to figure out where to start. I didn't buy all that many things, but I didn't leave much space on the flight over either. I will make it work somehow or another. The Kid and I went on the trampoline and played outside for most of the evening. It was an easy day, which was nice because starting Monday, it's going to be all 12 hour days. Super excited.

Day 180: or The Day I Couldn't Find A Gas Station

I made sure to get the Kid to school nice and early today to make up for my minor gaff yesterday. He has different teachers on Tuesdays than he does Wednesdays, but I figured it couldn't hurt. I said goodbye to some of the other moms that I sat on the playground with through the Spring and realized out of everyone, I knew I would never see them again. Most people I have some sort of communication that I can keep up with. Granted, I might not be very good at it, but there's always the option. With these women, that isn't the case.


After school, the Kid had a birthday party to go t, I was given a few precious hours off. I was planning on going out tonight so I showered and got ready while I was free. The 17 year old was having a friend over, so she made crepes and we all sat down and made our own concoctions. I got the Kid to finally settle down as I bribed him with 10 minutes of Scooby Doo. He went to bed fairly easy, and I left him in the capable hands of his sister.


I left a bit early to go and look for a gas station. The only ones I knew of were far out of the way so I decided to explore some of the streets I don't use much. I ended up going much farther out of my way than I intended. I found 2 gas stations. 1 was closed completely and the 2nd was only open to cards with chips in them. As this was happening, I was obviously losing gas. By the time I reached my friends house, the light had turned orange. Ordinarily I wouldn't worry, but the Parents had just given me a warning that when it hits orange, it could stop any time. Great. So I drive into Saint Germain, willing the car along. I got to the Pub for my one drink and worried the whole time that I wouldn't make it home. I had a nice night with 2 of the au pairs and said goodbye to one of them. I managed to make it all the way home, coasting as much as possible, and prayed that tomorrow, I'll have just enough to make it to the station.

Day 179: or The Day I Was Finally Late For School

It was bound to happen eventually. On his 3rd to last day of school, I royally screwed up. I woke up on time, but since this was a later morning, and he didn't have to be at school until 9:00, I checked to see if he was still sleeping and decided to give him 15 more minutes. 2 hours later, I shot up and realized it was past 9:30am, and we were definitely late. I ran out of my room, yelling "oh my Gods" and the Kid thought I was joking. He hadn't had breakfast yet, so I threw him a cookie and he got dressed right there in the kitchen. At this point, he started crying because he realized I wasn't joking, and that he might be in trouble. I convinced him it was all my fault, and off we ran. I drove him to save time and knocked tentatively on the door. If it was French school, there'd be no chance of getting him in because they lock the gates and you have to wait until lunch when they open them again. This was English class, so I knocked but got no answer. Finally, I convinced him to just open the door and sneak in. Whew, that was close. I wasn't sure if I'd hear about it when I picked him up, but at least he was in the room.


I went home and ate and when I went back to get him, I got no dirty looks or criticisms. Appears as if I got off scot-free. We went home and he ate lunch and then we headed out the door again. I was supposed to drop him at a friend's house so his mom could take him to school. I had to leave early to drive the 17 year old to her big exam. Only thing was, I took him to the wrong house. The Mom told me one friend when she meant another. I even asked her to confirm and she must not have been listening. The 17 year old heard what I heard though, so I know I'm not crazy. The friend's mom was nice enough to take him anyway and called the other mom to let her know not to expect him. What a mess. I got the 17 year old to her exam, with plenty of time to spare. The car has no a.c. and it was 1pm, so I was ready to be home. She asked me to pick her up, but an hour round trip didn't sound all that fun so I met her halfway at a closer station.


It started raining and was a welcome relief to the heat. Both parents are out of town tonight, so it's just me and the 2 kids. I put the Kid to sleep and then I watched "She's All That" with the 17 year old. This movie was a pretty big deal in middle school, at least we watched it more times than I can remember. I haven't seen it in years though, and it was fun to introduce it to someone from a whole other generation. Some things just don't translate.

Day 178: or The Day I Finally Took a Walking Tour

One of the other au pairs and I have decided to start doing things we thought we would do while hear, but never got around to. Today we decided to do a walking tour in Paris. To make this possible, I had to catch the bus into Saint Germain after dropping the Kid off at school. I'd never caught this bus and wasn't sure if I'd make it, but everything worked out fine and Sara and I made it into Paris in great time. We stopped off at a small cafe for a coffee before taking our tour of the Ile de la Cite. 


We both had heard of this company on our own but never managed to actually take a tour. We spent 2 hours walking around the island and learning about the history of the founding of Paris. We spent a good while at Notre Dame and also on much smaller buildings and monuments. It was a really well done tour and before we knew it, we were on the other island eating gelato and enjoying the extremely warm day. By 1pm, we were ready to head back home and try and avoid the extreme heat that is late afternoon in Paris.


My use of public transportation on the way home did not go as smoothly. The next bus was in over an hour and a half, so I hoofed it across town to catch the train. For some reason, the 2 trains to Saint Germain don't connect so I'm all too familiar with the 25 minute walk between them. I missed that train by 5 minutes, so I went to the local bar and bought a sparkling water for too much money, but it was worth it. Refreshing. I managed to grab the free shuttle from the train however, and I was very thankful to not make the climb up the hill. I got the Kid from school and took him to the pool. It was the place to be. Everyone was there enjoying some relief and I was happy to get him out of the house for a bit. It also makes the Mom happy when I get him up and moving. She will be out of town all week, so the rest of the night was just getting ready to be on my own all week and making sure I knew what was happening what day. No day this week is normal so it will be interesting to see if I can keep it all straight.

Day 177: or The Day of Le Parc des Butte Chaumont

I woke up at Sarah's and we got ready to go into Paris. We stopped by the store for some cheese and ham and other picnic items. We stopped at the boulangerie for baquettes. I know I miss a lot of food items from home, but I will miss this French bread. I've been eating a little more of it than usual, trying to stock up. We made it to the train and settled in for a long haul across town. We were headed to Butte Chaumont, a park in the 19th. It took as a good amount of time to get there, but it was worth it. There were people everywhere, enjoying the sunny day. Most of the people were packed into the shady parts, so we sat down in the middle of the sun, near a stream. We ate our picnic, stuck our feet in the water, and enjoyed the sun for as long as we could stand it. After awhile of that we strolled around the park and eventually found a shady spot with some interesting people watching. There were many English speaking groups and a woman with a very odd sunbathing ritual. She was very organized and precise. She was just odd.

After awhile, we headed out of the park and grabbed and ice cream and some water. We made our way along the streets until we hit the Canal St. Martin. They were having a music festival of groups of a capella singers. We would stop and listen to a group and then make our way to the next one. At this point it was later than we realized and we made our way to the Metro and home again. It was a good day in Paris and I hope to have a couple more like it. I only have 2 more weekends left in France and I need to take advantage. I got on my bike when we got back to Saint Germain and made my short trek back to Saint Nom. The family thought I was crazy for going into Paris on a hot day like today, but it was only 92', so it wasn't so bad.