Appliances

Our apartment has a well equipped kitchen as well as a washer/dryer. the only problem is learning how to use them. Last nite we cooked a nice dinner and invited one of Joe's colleagues who has been here for the past year. She has been giving us advice and explanations about living in Paris. She flies home Monday and we will be sad to see her go. Meanwhile, French appliances have pictures on them so we are never sure what we are to do. The oven we did get to work. It is a small oven with 3 gas burners and one electric burner. Nice idea.

Today is Sunday and I am washing clothes. But the clothes never seem to dry well and the washer doesn't take alot of clothes so it takes hours to do laundry that in the usa would take me a couple of hours. sigh!!! Joe and I finally sat down with a french/english dictionary and read the manual. I hope it helps.

We have been emailing a family who has children at Janine Manuel (abby's school). Abby and their daughter have been emailing for months now. It has really helped Abby feel more comfortable about school and the social norms. It is still Middle school!!! Anyway, we are invited to their home this evening for "wine and cheese". So we are happy to meet another american family who has been here for a year now. They are from Portland.

Yesterday (Saturday), Abby and I took our caddy and explored the mouffetard open air markets. I helped myself to some cheeries and was severly reprimanded by the vendor - oops - it had to happen sooner or later. We went to a wonderfu cheese shop where the woman finally spoke to me in english after i was struggling with french. what a relief. finally we went to the boulingerie on rue to monge a really yummy bread/pastry shop. No english spoken so abby to the rescue. Happily we all start french lessons tomorrow at a local school. They have these intensive french lessons for 4 hours/ day for 5 days. You can sign up weekly. I have a long way to do before I can function in french so I plan on taking classes for a while but perhaps closer to our apt.

That is what is happening here. Hope you all are well. Let us hear from you.

Sydelle