Monday, November 23, 2009
RIDGE RAMBLING – AUGUST 2009
FAVOURITE THINGS
• My shopping trolley – saves my arms from becoming orangutan limbs
• My coffee bodum – mmm coffee… I get my grounds from Laos.
• Our Canon PowerShot S3 1S digital camera. I have taken 13GB of photos Jan – Aug!
• Public Transport – frequent, comprehensive coverage, clean and safe, local and national
• Gardens – though at first I mostly noticed the doggie-do areas.
• Museums free one Sunday a month
• Friendly – I like the mountain people here, they’re not pretentious.
• La Bastille – I love having a mountain in the middle of my town. Perspiration and inspiration.
• Food: Farmers’ markets, mountain fare and lack of preservatives
• Buzz downtown – love the energy, especially in the spring and early summer. Feels like 10pm when it’s 1am. Vivid colours, music and conversation spiced with laughter.
• Alps – each of the three ranges have such different characters. I’m indulging in them all.
• Tom Tom when we’re travelling (we borrow one). Saves many an argument.
• Rest stops – they’re well thought out, practical and inviting
• Baking – how can you NOT like baking?
• Architecture
• History – around every corner is a discovery
• Latin – this is definitely a Latin country in weather, style, habits and attitude
• Sculpture and art – everywhere, layers of it
EPIPHANIES
LANGUAGE LEARNING
I’ve been struggling with learning French. When I examine “why” it’s so tough, I realize I’m not satisfied with paring my conversation down to a couple of present tense simple sentences that could be spoken and understood by a preschooler, or a French poodle. My thoughts are not simple so I don’t get satisfaction communicating that way. At the same time, I’m not an audio learner and I’m half deaf. I’m not looking for excuses. I still have to learn it, whatever the barriers. It’s funny that for someone who loves language so much and who is a compulsive writer, that I have not been inspired to write while I’ve been here. My inclinations are to paint, to wander through the Alps breathing deeply, to celebrate every festival that the Isere region and its mountain people have to offer. It is to experience with all my senses this profoundly traditional and yet cutting edge of technology producing culture we’ve found ourselves in. I think the writing will come later.
The other funny thing about learning French is that when I get a chance to speak in English I find I can blather on and on about nothing. A friend of mine who’s an author pointed this out to me. There is such a joy in being understood that it’s hard to close the floodgates of conversation.
I find French grammar difficult to remember. When I teach English I try to incorporate people’s different learning styles. I’m not so lucky with my French classes. I’ll have to study in ways that allow me to assimilate the grammar through experiential learning. I think that’s why I excel in accumulating vocabulary, and why I can get around France with not much problem even though I speak like a twat. I remember words through seeing and experiencing them in context.
A friend of mine, Jesse, presented me with an awesome book called, “Talk Dirty French”. It examines the origins of words and the process by which they’ve morphed into how they’re said and what they mean today. It also looks at how words are formally used and written down, as opposed to how they’re spoken. It shows the influence of street speak, texting and slang. It’s a brilliant book. Reading about the context helps me to remember the words and to phrase my speech in a manner that is current to the culture and genuinely understood.
MISSING THE WILD IN WILDERNESS
I love wandering through the Alps here (call me Heidi) but I do miss the wilderness. It’s so manicured here. What’s cool about it is the integration of human culture, including mountain architecture, with the natural features of the land. There are few predators here, but there is a communion of creatures, humans and earth that has been symbiotic for centuries.
LETTERS FROM MY MOM
My mom sends Callum a letter almost every week. He insists I read them at bedtime. We do the challenges from the coffee chat cut-outs that she sends, and I read him the stories that she writes. He puts the stickers she sends onto his table or the fridge, and he sleeps with the little lizards she manages to smuggle through the mail. Although I miss her terribly, I feel like I’m getting to know a whole new side of her as she loves my son from afar.
YOGURT, GRENOBLE and NUTELLA DOUGHNUTS
(Carly, Bob and Owen come to visit)
Highlights of the visit:
• General Itinerary: Annecy, La Bastille, Grenoble, the local lake, Southern France, Carcassonne and the Mediterranean Sea, Pont du Gard and back to Annecy.
• Nutella Doughnuts – Carly bought them so frequently from our local boulangerie/patisserie (bread and pastry shop) that the bakers began to increase their daily output in anticipation of her morning visits.
• Conversation about fish – Callum and Owen had many in-depth philosophical conversations. One of them was about the mortality of fish.
• Cheese platters – we bought a cheese platter and invited some friends who are transplanted here from Canada. Yum. This is something the French do REALLY well.
• En route to the lake there was construction and a subsequent change to the bus schedule. Though my French language skills are sketchy, in about seven minutes I was able to figure out where the bus should be, ask the right questions, get us to where the bus ACTUALLY would be, and we ran several blocks in the process (Carly and I with our two five-year-olds). That I could compute the changes that fast showed me that I have indeed acclimatized to the French culture. Kudos to me.
• Les Chevaliers de Carcassonne – Grand Tournoi de Chevalerie: This was a spectacular jousting show. The horsemanship, the acting, the aesthetics of the presentation from costumes to attitude to body posture: it was an exceptional experience. It harkened the honor of old and the communion between person and horse, hawk and handler.
• Carly and I played Carcassonne in Carcassonne. How could we not!
• Different rhythms of families – It was interesting to live in such a small space (2 bedroom flat) and co-exist harmoniously, especially since we have such different rhythms. The P-K clan is early to rise and early to bed. The Bucknell clan … well, we’re not: we’re the opposite. Also, I suffer from FOMO: fear of missing out, whereas their family is more along the lines of – we don’t have to see everything on the first visit. We’d rather do a few things well and not feel rushed. There’s something to learn from that for sure.
• “Pilgrimage” – Carly put it perfectly. Carcassonne, even though some people might find it touristy, has a powerful effect on me. I feel reverence. She said, “It’s a pilgrimage.” Immediately a piece of intuitive knowledge plunked into place. I’ve always been a doer, not an observer. Here, I often want to “go see”. And it has to do with the pilgrimage: the spiritual adventure. It brings deep satisfaction. Peace.
• At the hotel swimming pool I had a terrible fall. I slipped while turning and banged my left shin on a marble edge. I didn’t have feeling in it for over 6 weeks. I was worried the impact would throw my hips out. Missing three discs makes me a tad more cautious.
• Famous Owen quote: “Callum and I are going to wreck havoc in the city.”
• Annecy – what a wondrous place. It won over Carly and Bob and it’s a place we’d take every visitor without ever tiring of it. Check out the slide show! We particularly had fun renting a pedal boat with a slide on it, and wandering around the medieval part of the city. Magic.
SASSENAGE CAVES
Went to the Sassenage Caves with Sam and Mark. Very cool. At one point we were more than two kilometers under the rock. Also, these caves fill with water for part of the year. They are crucial to the fresh-water supply of the region. All around are walking trails and a river with waterfalls that people enjoy canyoning.
HAIR
I haven’t cut or coloured my hair in five months. When I told Callum I was going to colour it he said, “But mom, you’re beautiful the way you are.”
SOFTENER STORY
Sometimes, despite our best attempts to understand French, we fail. That’s why we have two large bottles of softener. Col went to buy laundry soap, and came back with softener. I returned his bottle, and came back with yet another bottle of softener. Good grief.
TRAVEL vs. LIVING HERE
If we had decided to take a sabbatical and travel for two to six months (like we were originally planning) we would have been better off financially than moving here. I know we are experiencing entirely different things by being “part of the community”, living through the political riots, the strikes, the football celebrations, the seasons, the festivals, the weather, etc. than if we simply travelled here, but financially and emotionally it would have made much more sense to hunker down in Victoria and come PLAY here. One family we met from Vancouver did a house swap for eight weeks – three weeks in Grenoble, two weeks in Paris and three weeks in the south of France. They swapped everything – houses, vehicles, bicycles, maid service, toys, etc. And they were smart enough to rent out a room in their home to a student for eight months during the year, which paid for their flights. They saw and did more in their three weeks in this region than I had done in the previous three months (and I don’t sit on my laurels). The difference was that they had a car at their disposal and they didn’t have to deal with work or the day to day hassles that come with setting up a life here. All they needed to do was ENJOY. In addition to this, I have to add that a friend of ours who moved here for a year and then moved back to Victoria calculated the financial consequences and concluded it equaled taking an ENTIRE YEAR off from work. Imagine that.
LIKE THE AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES – NOT SEEN, NOT NEEDED
When Colin and I were travelling through Australia I noted with dismay that the Australian Aborigines were often not even acknowledged by white-skinned locals. It was almost as if they were ghosts from another time, or in a strange time warp that allowed them to co-exist in the same space but not be seen. I asked one woman the time, and she looked at me as if I had just materialized out of the ether zone. Sometimes in France I feel the same way: I am not seen, I am not needed, I don’t belong. When we first came here I was determined to live in a French neighbourhood, make French friends, to truly integrate (while maintaining my Canadian identity and integrity of course). I thought, “I’m not going to be one of those people who spend time with English-speakers while living in France. I’m going to take FULL advantage of the cultural experience.” Well, ha ha ha. Whatever made me think that the French would care whether I integrate or not? Raised as a Mennonite who desires to live a life of service, having the personal issues of not wanting to put anyone out or ask for help, and recognizing (with the help of Aunt Josie and others) that it will be at least four years before I can have a full-on philosophical/political/spiritual conversation – in other words, talk about anything with substance and meaning beyond the niceties of how to squeeze fresh produce – all these things mean I have come to accept that my neighbourhood, Callum’s school, my work colleagues and my students will be French, but my community will be international.
JOB
I need to find a job here. I need a job that’s flexible – so I can drop off and pick up Callum from school and at least sometimes pick him up for lunch (due to his food sensitivities – they serve bread and cheese at every meal). I can’t work Wednesdays. And in this economy, there is a hiring freeze on in many of the international companies yet I need a position where I do not need to speak French. Minimum wage here is 8 Euros an hour. Babysitting pays 8 – 10, but it’s during the same hours as I have Callum. What kind of job am I going to get? How will I go about hunting for one? Stay tuned.
PHYSICAL GOALS
I am most motivated to get physically fit when I have an event to look forward to as well as a fitness level. Two events I would like to attend in the next year are an Olympic length triathlon (Paris or Annecy) and a March (the one in the Netherlands which occurs over four days and you can choose to march 20, 30, 40, or 50 km per day. I would choose 50 a day.) The Olympic length triathlon is 1.5 km swimming, 40 km biking and 10 km running … though I would walk. I simply need to be fast enough in the first two events to keep from getting disqualified time-wise when walking the third. The Annecy Triathlon would be cool because the lake is stunning, Col and Callum could accompany me there, and the biking part would likely be on some of the same terrain as the Tour de France. Too cool.
COL – NEW BOSS and BUILDING
Colin is unhappy about the move of buildings, longer commute, increased cost of food in the cafeteria and the fact that the air conditioning is broken in his ‘new’ building. Also, there are many communication mess-ups with computers and electrical meters as the building changes residents. However, his new/old boss Melanie is amazing at getting things done and smoothing things out. And Colin is going to Hungary/Budapest on the 13th so he's pretty stoked about that.
CALLUM
Callum is having anxiety about school and his behaviour reflects it. Impulsive behaviour, toilet language, wiggliness, inability to listen, lack of awareness of what his body is doing, increased agitation and vocal volume as well as verbal self-abuse (ie. I'm stupid) have cropped up again in full force. Why did my intelligent, compassionate, socially savvy, witty and physically coordinated boy turn a corner? Owen and Lucas’s visits made a huge difference. Callum looked forward to them for months; the thought soothed him when he felt lonely. But now the visits from friends are done for the year. Overall I think it's a combination of loneliness/depression (the words seem too strong but they capture my meaning), anxiety regarding school and me not being as strict regarding food and Omegas. I know school is stressful for Callum but we met three kids from his class last week and they all greeted him joyously. I know it'll settle down in a few weeks. We just need to get into the routine and learn this French language (damn it)! I had no idea we would find it so difficult.
WEEKEND HIKE
This weekend was awesome. Did a hike that included two mountain peaks on Saturday (with two of our English friends, Samantha and Mark). Callum and Colin joined us for the second peak. It felt great to get out into the wilderness, to explore, to be so physically active. It's very grounding for all of us and wonderful to explore the Alps on our doorstep. On Sunday I planned a secret event to celebrate our anniversary. We took a bus to Bourg d'Oisans (which is at the base of the steep road involving the 21 bends up to Les Deux Alpes that are a compulsory event for the Tour de France). The trip was about 1.5 hours through the magnificent Belledonne Mountain Range. Besides being a beautiful town, Bourg d'Oisans was sponsoring a free Moto Cross event for the day. It was awesome to breathe in 2 stroke oil and dust for an afternoon!
DAY IN EVIAN
Spent an unexpected and delicious day doing a road trip to and exploration of Evian with Melanie. While we were there we drank Evian of course, which you can get free flowing and which many people did – collecting it in Coke and Perrier bottles. While we were there we participated in a typical French conversation. It went something like this:
“Do you have a toilet here?”
“Yes.”
Needing to use the facilities, we chose to buy gelato at this establishment.
“Can we use the toilet?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not for customers.”
Funny that where wonderful water is free, the toilets are not.
This week Callum starts school, I revise my CV and start looking for a job, I'm back on the right exercise track and we celebrate our anniversary. Colin's boss leaves for a month to get married and go on her honeymoon in Iceland. Colin gets ready for his trip to Hungary. And we get all our financial goals under control. Also, my sister is undergoing exploratory surgery. My mom is getting her check-up. And Ang and George get ever-closer to meeting and adopting Murron.
That's enough for now. Life is full.
Bises,
Ramona
• My shopping trolley – saves my arms from becoming orangutan limbs
• My coffee bodum – mmm coffee… I get my grounds from Laos.
• Our Canon PowerShot S3 1S digital camera. I have taken 13GB of photos Jan – Aug!
• Public Transport – frequent, comprehensive coverage, clean and safe, local and national
• Gardens – though at first I mostly noticed the doggie-do areas.
• Museums free one Sunday a month
• Friendly – I like the mountain people here, they’re not pretentious.
• La Bastille – I love having a mountain in the middle of my town. Perspiration and inspiration.
• Food: Farmers’ markets, mountain fare and lack of preservatives
• Buzz downtown – love the energy, especially in the spring and early summer. Feels like 10pm when it’s 1am. Vivid colours, music and conversation spiced with laughter.
• Alps – each of the three ranges have such different characters. I’m indulging in them all.
• Tom Tom when we’re travelling (we borrow one). Saves many an argument.
• Rest stops – they’re well thought out, practical and inviting
• Baking – how can you NOT like baking?
• Architecture
• History – around every corner is a discovery
• Latin – this is definitely a Latin country in weather, style, habits and attitude
• Sculpture and art – everywhere, layers of it
EPIPHANIES
LANGUAGE LEARNING
I’ve been struggling with learning French. When I examine “why” it’s so tough, I realize I’m not satisfied with paring my conversation down to a couple of present tense simple sentences that could be spoken and understood by a preschooler, or a French poodle. My thoughts are not simple so I don’t get satisfaction communicating that way. At the same time, I’m not an audio learner and I’m half deaf. I’m not looking for excuses. I still have to learn it, whatever the barriers. It’s funny that for someone who loves language so much and who is a compulsive writer, that I have not been inspired to write while I’ve been here. My inclinations are to paint, to wander through the Alps breathing deeply, to celebrate every festival that the Isere region and its mountain people have to offer. It is to experience with all my senses this profoundly traditional and yet cutting edge of technology producing culture we’ve found ourselves in. I think the writing will come later.
The other funny thing about learning French is that when I get a chance to speak in English I find I can blather on and on about nothing. A friend of mine who’s an author pointed this out to me. There is such a joy in being understood that it’s hard to close the floodgates of conversation.
I find French grammar difficult to remember. When I teach English I try to incorporate people’s different learning styles. I’m not so lucky with my French classes. I’ll have to study in ways that allow me to assimilate the grammar through experiential learning. I think that’s why I excel in accumulating vocabulary, and why I can get around France with not much problem even though I speak like a twat. I remember words through seeing and experiencing them in context.
A friend of mine, Jesse, presented me with an awesome book called, “Talk Dirty French”. It examines the origins of words and the process by which they’ve morphed into how they’re said and what they mean today. It also looks at how words are formally used and written down, as opposed to how they’re spoken. It shows the influence of street speak, texting and slang. It’s a brilliant book. Reading about the context helps me to remember the words and to phrase my speech in a manner that is current to the culture and genuinely understood.
MISSING THE WILD IN WILDERNESS
I love wandering through the Alps here (call me Heidi) but I do miss the wilderness. It’s so manicured here. What’s cool about it is the integration of human culture, including mountain architecture, with the natural features of the land. There are few predators here, but there is a communion of creatures, humans and earth that has been symbiotic for centuries.
LETTERS FROM MY MOM
My mom sends Callum a letter almost every week. He insists I read them at bedtime. We do the challenges from the coffee chat cut-outs that she sends, and I read him the stories that she writes. He puts the stickers she sends onto his table or the fridge, and he sleeps with the little lizards she manages to smuggle through the mail. Although I miss her terribly, I feel like I’m getting to know a whole new side of her as she loves my son from afar.
YOGURT, GRENOBLE and NUTELLA DOUGHNUTS
(Carly, Bob and Owen come to visit)
Highlights of the visit:
• General Itinerary: Annecy, La Bastille, Grenoble, the local lake, Southern France, Carcassonne and the Mediterranean Sea, Pont du Gard and back to Annecy.
• Nutella Doughnuts – Carly bought them so frequently from our local boulangerie/patisserie (bread and pastry shop) that the bakers began to increase their daily output in anticipation of her morning visits.
• Conversation about fish – Callum and Owen had many in-depth philosophical conversations. One of them was about the mortality of fish.
• Cheese platters – we bought a cheese platter and invited some friends who are transplanted here from Canada. Yum. This is something the French do REALLY well.
• En route to the lake there was construction and a subsequent change to the bus schedule. Though my French language skills are sketchy, in about seven minutes I was able to figure out where the bus should be, ask the right questions, get us to where the bus ACTUALLY would be, and we ran several blocks in the process (Carly and I with our two five-year-olds). That I could compute the changes that fast showed me that I have indeed acclimatized to the French culture. Kudos to me.
• Les Chevaliers de Carcassonne – Grand Tournoi de Chevalerie: This was a spectacular jousting show. The horsemanship, the acting, the aesthetics of the presentation from costumes to attitude to body posture: it was an exceptional experience. It harkened the honor of old and the communion between person and horse, hawk and handler.
• Carly and I played Carcassonne in Carcassonne. How could we not!
• Different rhythms of families – It was interesting to live in such a small space (2 bedroom flat) and co-exist harmoniously, especially since we have such different rhythms. The P-K clan is early to rise and early to bed. The Bucknell clan … well, we’re not: we’re the opposite. Also, I suffer from FOMO: fear of missing out, whereas their family is more along the lines of – we don’t have to see everything on the first visit. We’d rather do a few things well and not feel rushed. There’s something to learn from that for sure.
• “Pilgrimage” – Carly put it perfectly. Carcassonne, even though some people might find it touristy, has a powerful effect on me. I feel reverence. She said, “It’s a pilgrimage.” Immediately a piece of intuitive knowledge plunked into place. I’ve always been a doer, not an observer. Here, I often want to “go see”. And it has to do with the pilgrimage: the spiritual adventure. It brings deep satisfaction. Peace.
• At the hotel swimming pool I had a terrible fall. I slipped while turning and banged my left shin on a marble edge. I didn’t have feeling in it for over 6 weeks. I was worried the impact would throw my hips out. Missing three discs makes me a tad more cautious.
• Famous Owen quote: “Callum and I are going to wreck havoc in the city.”
• Annecy – what a wondrous place. It won over Carly and Bob and it’s a place we’d take every visitor without ever tiring of it. Check out the slide show! We particularly had fun renting a pedal boat with a slide on it, and wandering around the medieval part of the city. Magic.
SASSENAGE CAVES
Went to the Sassenage Caves with Sam and Mark. Very cool. At one point we were more than two kilometers under the rock. Also, these caves fill with water for part of the year. They are crucial to the fresh-water supply of the region. All around are walking trails and a river with waterfalls that people enjoy canyoning.
HAIR
I haven’t cut or coloured my hair in five months. When I told Callum I was going to colour it he said, “But mom, you’re beautiful the way you are.”
SOFTENER STORY
Sometimes, despite our best attempts to understand French, we fail. That’s why we have two large bottles of softener. Col went to buy laundry soap, and came back with softener. I returned his bottle, and came back with yet another bottle of softener. Good grief.
TRAVEL vs. LIVING HERE
If we had decided to take a sabbatical and travel for two to six months (like we were originally planning) we would have been better off financially than moving here. I know we are experiencing entirely different things by being “part of the community”, living through the political riots, the strikes, the football celebrations, the seasons, the festivals, the weather, etc. than if we simply travelled here, but financially and emotionally it would have made much more sense to hunker down in Victoria and come PLAY here. One family we met from Vancouver did a house swap for eight weeks – three weeks in Grenoble, two weeks in Paris and three weeks in the south of France. They swapped everything – houses, vehicles, bicycles, maid service, toys, etc. And they were smart enough to rent out a room in their home to a student for eight months during the year, which paid for their flights. They saw and did more in their three weeks in this region than I had done in the previous three months (and I don’t sit on my laurels). The difference was that they had a car at their disposal and they didn’t have to deal with work or the day to day hassles that come with setting up a life here. All they needed to do was ENJOY. In addition to this, I have to add that a friend of ours who moved here for a year and then moved back to Victoria calculated the financial consequences and concluded it equaled taking an ENTIRE YEAR off from work. Imagine that.
LIKE THE AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES – NOT SEEN, NOT NEEDED
When Colin and I were travelling through Australia I noted with dismay that the Australian Aborigines were often not even acknowledged by white-skinned locals. It was almost as if they were ghosts from another time, or in a strange time warp that allowed them to co-exist in the same space but not be seen. I asked one woman the time, and she looked at me as if I had just materialized out of the ether zone. Sometimes in France I feel the same way: I am not seen, I am not needed, I don’t belong. When we first came here I was determined to live in a French neighbourhood, make French friends, to truly integrate (while maintaining my Canadian identity and integrity of course). I thought, “I’m not going to be one of those people who spend time with English-speakers while living in France. I’m going to take FULL advantage of the cultural experience.” Well, ha ha ha. Whatever made me think that the French would care whether I integrate or not? Raised as a Mennonite who desires to live a life of service, having the personal issues of not wanting to put anyone out or ask for help, and recognizing (with the help of Aunt Josie and others) that it will be at least four years before I can have a full-on philosophical/political/spiritual conversation – in other words, talk about anything with substance and meaning beyond the niceties of how to squeeze fresh produce – all these things mean I have come to accept that my neighbourhood, Callum’s school, my work colleagues and my students will be French, but my community will be international.
JOB
I need to find a job here. I need a job that’s flexible – so I can drop off and pick up Callum from school and at least sometimes pick him up for lunch (due to his food sensitivities – they serve bread and cheese at every meal). I can’t work Wednesdays. And in this economy, there is a hiring freeze on in many of the international companies yet I need a position where I do not need to speak French. Minimum wage here is 8 Euros an hour. Babysitting pays 8 – 10, but it’s during the same hours as I have Callum. What kind of job am I going to get? How will I go about hunting for one? Stay tuned.
PHYSICAL GOALS
I am most motivated to get physically fit when I have an event to look forward to as well as a fitness level. Two events I would like to attend in the next year are an Olympic length triathlon (Paris or Annecy) and a March (the one in the Netherlands which occurs over four days and you can choose to march 20, 30, 40, or 50 km per day. I would choose 50 a day.) The Olympic length triathlon is 1.5 km swimming, 40 km biking and 10 km running … though I would walk. I simply need to be fast enough in the first two events to keep from getting disqualified time-wise when walking the third. The Annecy Triathlon would be cool because the lake is stunning, Col and Callum could accompany me there, and the biking part would likely be on some of the same terrain as the Tour de France. Too cool.
COL – NEW BOSS and BUILDING
Colin is unhappy about the move of buildings, longer commute, increased cost of food in the cafeteria and the fact that the air conditioning is broken in his ‘new’ building. Also, there are many communication mess-ups with computers and electrical meters as the building changes residents. However, his new/old boss Melanie is amazing at getting things done and smoothing things out. And Colin is going to Hungary/Budapest on the 13th so he's pretty stoked about that.
CALLUM
Callum is having anxiety about school and his behaviour reflects it. Impulsive behaviour, toilet language, wiggliness, inability to listen, lack of awareness of what his body is doing, increased agitation and vocal volume as well as verbal self-abuse (ie. I'm stupid) have cropped up again in full force. Why did my intelligent, compassionate, socially savvy, witty and physically coordinated boy turn a corner? Owen and Lucas’s visits made a huge difference. Callum looked forward to them for months; the thought soothed him when he felt lonely. But now the visits from friends are done for the year. Overall I think it's a combination of loneliness/depression (the words seem too strong but they capture my meaning), anxiety regarding school and me not being as strict regarding food and Omegas. I know school is stressful for Callum but we met three kids from his class last week and they all greeted him joyously. I know it'll settle down in a few weeks. We just need to get into the routine and learn this French language (damn it)! I had no idea we would find it so difficult.
WEEKEND HIKE
This weekend was awesome. Did a hike that included two mountain peaks on Saturday (with two of our English friends, Samantha and Mark). Callum and Colin joined us for the second peak. It felt great to get out into the wilderness, to explore, to be so physically active. It's very grounding for all of us and wonderful to explore the Alps on our doorstep. On Sunday I planned a secret event to celebrate our anniversary. We took a bus to Bourg d'Oisans (which is at the base of the steep road involving the 21 bends up to Les Deux Alpes that are a compulsory event for the Tour de France). The trip was about 1.5 hours through the magnificent Belledonne Mountain Range. Besides being a beautiful town, Bourg d'Oisans was sponsoring a free Moto Cross event for the day. It was awesome to breathe in 2 stroke oil and dust for an afternoon!
DAY IN EVIAN
Spent an unexpected and delicious day doing a road trip to and exploration of Evian with Melanie. While we were there we drank Evian of course, which you can get free flowing and which many people did – collecting it in Coke and Perrier bottles. While we were there we participated in a typical French conversation. It went something like this:
“Do you have a toilet here?”
“Yes.”
Needing to use the facilities, we chose to buy gelato at this establishment.
“Can we use the toilet?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not for customers.”
Funny that where wonderful water is free, the toilets are not.
This week Callum starts school, I revise my CV and start looking for a job, I'm back on the right exercise track and we celebrate our anniversary. Colin's boss leaves for a month to get married and go on her honeymoon in Iceland. Colin gets ready for his trip to Hungary. And we get all our financial goals under control. Also, my sister is undergoing exploratory surgery. My mom is getting her check-up. And Ang and George get ever-closer to meeting and adopting Murron.
That's enough for now. Life is full.
Bises,
Ramona
Sunday, November 22, 2009
DAY TRIPS WITH A PANDA and the FLORENCE FIASCO - JULY 2009
Delete, skim or savour as your heart desires …
Impressions on my senses
Lavender and bees
Hummingbird Hawk Moth
Azure glacier lakes
BBQs
Farmers’ Markets
Swimming pools and rock music
Squished into speedos
Fairy-fine soda straw stalactites and underground Olms
Bloody toe and screaming
Hospital bills
Toll fees
17th century wood, paint and imagination
Golden sand and silky blue bathtub-temperature sea
Observations - Fashion
SPEEDOS – pools here, whether they are outdoor or in, will not allow men entrance with “beach” shorts. They need to be encased in a Speedo, also known as a “Banana Hammock” or “Budgie Smuggler.” This is because the guys will wear them all day and then wear them into the swimming pool. Ick. At first I thought this was brilliant. France is self-supporting in terms of the production and consumption of food and it continues to see itself as a world power. Consequently, France is encouraging families to expand. What better way to increase the population than to “show off the wares” during the summer. This was a great “theory” until I saw the bathing caps that are often also required. Very few people have the physique, bone structure and presence to make a speedo AND a bathing cap look sexy, the few that do probably compete in the Olympics. They are not lounging in the pool a block from our apartment. Trust me.
Much to my surprise, as soon as the summer solstice occurred people were wearing colours again. The streets came alive. Women were in heels and slinky to retro to alternative Nepalese. They have no trouble wearing sexy clothes here. They don’t feel they need to divide professional, personal and sensual. Why do we? The “in” colour for the men this summer was hot pink – worn with pride by both homos and heteros. White pants are also popular with the men, and they carry man bags (for all the French paperwork) and ride their kids scooters with equal masculinity and style. It’s refreshing.
Observations - Lifestyle
Mushrooms – all pharmacists in France are trained in mushrooms. You can go collect the fungi in the mountain meadows, bring it in and they will tell you if they’re edible.
We still don’t have our health insurance. It’s taking forever*. Luckily, the trips to the Emergency Room and the subsequent medications have cost much less than we were anticipating. A trip to the Doctor costs 28 Euros for us. A house call costs not much more. Medications tend to be a third to a quarter of the cost, and if they are prescribed then they’re partially refundable. We have a schwack of paperwork to hand in once we get our health insurance. It’ll be such a relief.
*Note: In November we still didn’t have our health insurance. Because I started a job in September, our status changed and the paperwork had to begin again.
School – there is a lot of stigma attached to the early years. Whatever happens is recorded, and follows a child throughout their educational career. So much hangs in the balance – self-confidence, identity, career direction. I’m glad Callum will have a chance to reinvent himself when he returns to Canada, should he so choose.
Banking – it’s very difficult to transfer money to Canada or here to France without being charged a huge amount by the banks. I guess if everyone agrees to charge a minimum of 30 euros per transaction then the bank machines are going to be kept busy!
Reduce, reuse, recycle - Everyone here uses reusable shopping bags. We just carry them around. No big deal. And all bags sold at the shops are inexpensive but hardy. It’s just habit. As for To Go coffee cups, they don’t exist. And lights go off by themselves in most public hallways, bathrooms and stairwells. It just makes sense.
Hot – it’s hot here in summer. I don’t mind it, it feels like it’s marinating my bones. But, I can’t stop sweating. Colin and Callum and I often don’t eat dinner. All we want are fluids. A salad and a popsicle please. The other wonderful thing about the weather is that we get FULL ON thunder and lightning storms. LOVE it! Our two balconies and sun room are perfect places to watch and listen to the spectacle that is nature.
Callum’s Casualty
In the midst of a lovely visit with Mike, Mary Jane and Nicole we went to the park. Callum was running through a fountain and smashed his baby toe (on his right foot) into a metal grating. It split the nail cross-wise and also tore into the flesh between his baby toe and the next one. Bled like Billy-oh.
Mary Jane and Mike drove us to the emergency room (Bless them). We were there for hours. Callum had his toe scrubbed clean three times and screamed so loudly that they gave him laughing gas to calm him down. The twin cylinders of nitrous oxide followed us from room to room. Two doctors looked at the toe and they nearly gave Callum stitches but decided the toenail will probably go black and fall off in about a week's time. I will need to clean, put antibiotics on and dress the toe twice a day ... without the laughing gas. The people above us are going to think I beat our child.
The first nail to grow in will likely be gnarly, but the doctors think Callum will have a normal toenail in about three months or so. In the meantime, we're rethinking our plan to go to the lake Tuesday and to Italy in mid-July. We're wondering how we can keep Callum active and away from screen time without putting too much pressure on his foot. Sheesh.
Poor little fella. He was very brave and patient. And then when we came home at around 11:15 pm I laid him on the couch and he forgot about the toe and fell to the floor. Just rolled off the couch and landed on his toe. Talk about lung power. Did you hear him scream from where you are?
In about 10 minutes I'm going to take off the dressing and see if he ripped off the nail. Are you nauseous yet? I am!
Parenting can be painful, it's growing pains all over again.
Moving In
We have unloaded a heap of boxes and this place is finally starting to feel like a home.
Once I realized my barrier to unpacking the boxes I got over it and have done much better. The barrier was: no cupboards or closets. I'd open a box and put stuff ... where? The floor? Storage takes ingenuity, European space-saving techniques (don't buy it in the first place) and the willingness to TOSS stuff.
Callum got his new bed compliments of some birthday money from each set of grandparents. The bed is raised up and has a play area underneath - very cool and he loves it. Mark your calendars, HE SLEPT IN IT LAST NIGHT.
Colin is better. He had gastroenteritis accompanied by a whopping headache. He was dysfunctional for five days after he returned from England. When he was correctly diagnosed and set up with a football team’s worth of meds he experienced a complete turn-around. It's lovely to have him back. Read: the limp yet willful curmudgeon has been replaced by a strapping Yorkshire lad.
On CANADA DAY we dined at the only Canadian restaurant in town. It's called Ontario, looks like a sugar shack, serves Quebecois beer (and Bud Light –bleh!), maple-syrup lamb, bison, ostrich and salmon. Ostrich? The pecan pie was so flat it looked like someone had sat on it, someone larger than Stephen Harper. We ate sparsely but were with fun people and it felt good to celebrate being Canadian.
Mother in the Hood
My son is driving me ape-shit.
He doesn't want to walk anywhere, get dressed or even wash his hands or wipe his bum.
Everything is a struggle and I'm getting completely worn out over stupid stuff.
Today I simply put on a Ben 10 show for him and am going through emails because I have cramps and I need to get out but I can't do it without losing my temper.
And Callum says "YUCK" to every food item I offer him but will try eating ear plugs and hair and roll around on the floor of a train station. "YUCK".
Colin is having a hard time at work. His hours are self-inflicted and insane. He leaves for work around 8:30 am and returns home 11 or 12 hours later. His metrics are determined by group performance but he is determined to serve each customer with the best he has to offer. This often means communicating with Victoria, B.C. or Laverne (Tennessee) before he shuts his computer off and stops answering his phone for the night. The stress makes him exhausted and edgy.
On top of that my birthday is on Friday and I feel like I've dropped off the planet in terms of health, fitness, creativity and finances. I am way behind on all of that compared to last year.
I know it will pass. Tomorrow I'll probably feel much better.*
*Note: The next day my friend Anna informed me that I was turning 46, not 47. I DID feel much better!
HOLIDAYS!
Colin took three days off on a week where there were two national holidays, so we had 9 days to squander on the wonder that is Europe. With not much cash in hand we rented a car and mostly did day trips:
- visited Pont-en-Royans where the houses overhang the river and are built into the rock
- explored the Grottes de Choranche which contain soda straw stalactites and were introduced to weird creatures called Olms (little lizard type creatures that are blind and colourless and have lived in caves since prehistoric times).
- floated on and swam in periwinkle-blue lac Monteynard (Sam and Mark were with us for the boat trip and then they made us dinner. We had so much fun we stayed overnight!).
- discovered Lac de Laffrey (drove along a load of D roads, tiny worm-like squiggles on the map) flowered mountain meadows and stunning viewpoints.
- played at a waterpark up in Les 7 Laux (a ski resort in winter, it's a rockin' adventure place in the summer for climbing, hiking, biking and exploring).
- ventured to le fort du Saint Eynard (magnificent views of the whole Grenoble valley).
- watched fireworks (celebration de la Fete nationale a Grenoble) in Parc Paul Mistral (thanks Sam. A kebab, a good friend and the buzz of a gazillion people celebrating freedom and the revolution - ACE). I goofed here. We were invited to Jinnie and Seb's for the Monday night fireworks and I thought it was on Tuesday. Missed hanging out with them and Lindy and Ray. It turns out France celebrates for TWO nights. These are people whose company I delight in. Must be the dementia!
- wandered the grounds of Chateaux Vizille, birthplace of the revolution (nice to meander with the earth beneath our bare feet. Much needed).
- took a three day trip to Florence (Italy), the coast of La Spezia and the site of the last winter Olympics. Costly trip but full of epiphanies. For example, learning Italian would be so much easier than French - you say it the way it is spelled, you pronounce every letter, you write it the way you say it, and grammar is laid out the same way it is in English. In addition, most signs are in Italian and English so vocabulary accumulation is rapid. Saw magnificent Renaissance paintings and architecture, realized how much we missed the ocean and B.C. mountains, and the cumulation of our trip was driving through the rain and snow over tiny mountain passes in the dark while listening to Quirks and Quarks (CBC radio program). We’re so nostalgic for "home".
Callum
Callum is doing well. He misses his friends but has had the great fortune to meet a 5 year old boy from Vancouver who is here in Grenoble for a couple of weeks. We're off today to Parc Paul Mistral to play: a free ropes course, rock climbing wall and water area (among other things – all promoting health and physicality). We went to Annecy with them the other day and Callum got a good dose of superhero and lake activities. He's really looking forward to Owen's visit. He needs kid time, to be able to communicate verbally about his interests and ideas with someone his age who can respond with the same focus and passion.
Colin
Colin is missing Canada. We are clear that we will take advantage of being here, but we were not clear that our adventure would drop us down an economic level (our rent alone, not including utilities or household goods you have to buy as a renter [i.e. stove, fridge, lighting fixtures] or the housing taxes you pay as a renter to the city for the land or maintenance fees paid to the building collective, is equivalent to $1,297 Canadian for a two bedroom flat) or that Colin would work such crazy hours (often gets home between 7 and 8 pm). He will have a new boss in a few weeks. We're sad to see Andrew go back to Canada but are happy for him. Melanie, Colin's new boss, used to be his supervisor back in Victoria. Colin has tremendous respect for her and is looking forward to working with her again. They will all be relocating to a new building in September - which looks like it’ll be an hour+ commute rather than a half hour, but other than that there may be unforseen advantages*. We'll see.
*Note: When they moved to the new building Colin started biking along the river to work. It helps recalibrate him and he’s getting fab calves!
Birthday
I had a fantastic birthday. Some friends of ours (Martine and Adam) proposed going overnight to a mountain refuge for my birthday, but it was full and we have to postpone it. Instead, they treated me to Polish alcohol that had real gold in it and a visit to the Chartreuse cellars - the largest cellars in the world - and the St. Bruno Cathedral. Melanie and David made a birthday breakfast for me that included banana and chocolate chip french toast with caramel sauce and fried bananas on top - can you feel your arteries hardening as we speak? It was awesome. Sam and Mark came over to help me celebrate as well, on their new Street Hawk cycle. And I spent the day in Annecy with some new friends from Vancouver - so all in all it was a fabulous 24 hours. Colin was very sweet and bought me something I'd been eyeing for 3 months - a set of lights (not expensive but they add so much warmth to our living room). Thanks for the thoughtful cards, emails and gifts.
Sorry for running on at the mouth. It's been windy and hot which was giving Callum nightmares which led of course to sleepless nights and a subsequent lack of focus and energy. Things are settling out though, and our visitors over the next couple of weeks will be a welcome celebration.
Hope all is well with you and that you're having a summer full of fun, friends, good food and better weather.
With joy,
Ramona
Impressions on my senses
Lavender and bees
Hummingbird Hawk Moth
Azure glacier lakes
BBQs
Farmers’ Markets
Swimming pools and rock music
Squished into speedos
Fairy-fine soda straw stalactites and underground Olms
Bloody toe and screaming
Hospital bills
Toll fees
17th century wood, paint and imagination
Golden sand and silky blue bathtub-temperature sea
Observations - Fashion
SPEEDOS – pools here, whether they are outdoor or in, will not allow men entrance with “beach” shorts. They need to be encased in a Speedo, also known as a “Banana Hammock” or “Budgie Smuggler.” This is because the guys will wear them all day and then wear them into the swimming pool. Ick. At first I thought this was brilliant. France is self-supporting in terms of the production and consumption of food and it continues to see itself as a world power. Consequently, France is encouraging families to expand. What better way to increase the population than to “show off the wares” during the summer. This was a great “theory” until I saw the bathing caps that are often also required. Very few people have the physique, bone structure and presence to make a speedo AND a bathing cap look sexy, the few that do probably compete in the Olympics. They are not lounging in the pool a block from our apartment. Trust me.
Much to my surprise, as soon as the summer solstice occurred people were wearing colours again. The streets came alive. Women were in heels and slinky to retro to alternative Nepalese. They have no trouble wearing sexy clothes here. They don’t feel they need to divide professional, personal and sensual. Why do we? The “in” colour for the men this summer was hot pink – worn with pride by both homos and heteros. White pants are also popular with the men, and they carry man bags (for all the French paperwork) and ride their kids scooters with equal masculinity and style. It’s refreshing.
Observations - Lifestyle
Mushrooms – all pharmacists in France are trained in mushrooms. You can go collect the fungi in the mountain meadows, bring it in and they will tell you if they’re edible.
We still don’t have our health insurance. It’s taking forever*. Luckily, the trips to the Emergency Room and the subsequent medications have cost much less than we were anticipating. A trip to the Doctor costs 28 Euros for us. A house call costs not much more. Medications tend to be a third to a quarter of the cost, and if they are prescribed then they’re partially refundable. We have a schwack of paperwork to hand in once we get our health insurance. It’ll be such a relief.
*Note: In November we still didn’t have our health insurance. Because I started a job in September, our status changed and the paperwork had to begin again.
School – there is a lot of stigma attached to the early years. Whatever happens is recorded, and follows a child throughout their educational career. So much hangs in the balance – self-confidence, identity, career direction. I’m glad Callum will have a chance to reinvent himself when he returns to Canada, should he so choose.
Banking – it’s very difficult to transfer money to Canada or here to France without being charged a huge amount by the banks. I guess if everyone agrees to charge a minimum of 30 euros per transaction then the bank machines are going to be kept busy!
Reduce, reuse, recycle - Everyone here uses reusable shopping bags. We just carry them around. No big deal. And all bags sold at the shops are inexpensive but hardy. It’s just habit. As for To Go coffee cups, they don’t exist. And lights go off by themselves in most public hallways, bathrooms and stairwells. It just makes sense.
Hot – it’s hot here in summer. I don’t mind it, it feels like it’s marinating my bones. But, I can’t stop sweating. Colin and Callum and I often don’t eat dinner. All we want are fluids. A salad and a popsicle please. The other wonderful thing about the weather is that we get FULL ON thunder and lightning storms. LOVE it! Our two balconies and sun room are perfect places to watch and listen to the spectacle that is nature.
Callum’s Casualty
In the midst of a lovely visit with Mike, Mary Jane and Nicole we went to the park. Callum was running through a fountain and smashed his baby toe (on his right foot) into a metal grating. It split the nail cross-wise and also tore into the flesh between his baby toe and the next one. Bled like Billy-oh.
Mary Jane and Mike drove us to the emergency room (Bless them). We were there for hours. Callum had his toe scrubbed clean three times and screamed so loudly that they gave him laughing gas to calm him down. The twin cylinders of nitrous oxide followed us from room to room. Two doctors looked at the toe and they nearly gave Callum stitches but decided the toenail will probably go black and fall off in about a week's time. I will need to clean, put antibiotics on and dress the toe twice a day ... without the laughing gas. The people above us are going to think I beat our child.
The first nail to grow in will likely be gnarly, but the doctors think Callum will have a normal toenail in about three months or so. In the meantime, we're rethinking our plan to go to the lake Tuesday and to Italy in mid-July. We're wondering how we can keep Callum active and away from screen time without putting too much pressure on his foot. Sheesh.
Poor little fella. He was very brave and patient. And then when we came home at around 11:15 pm I laid him on the couch and he forgot about the toe and fell to the floor. Just rolled off the couch and landed on his toe. Talk about lung power. Did you hear him scream from where you are?
In about 10 minutes I'm going to take off the dressing and see if he ripped off the nail. Are you nauseous yet? I am!
Parenting can be painful, it's growing pains all over again.
Moving In
We have unloaded a heap of boxes and this place is finally starting to feel like a home.
Once I realized my barrier to unpacking the boxes I got over it and have done much better. The barrier was: no cupboards or closets. I'd open a box and put stuff ... where? The floor? Storage takes ingenuity, European space-saving techniques (don't buy it in the first place) and the willingness to TOSS stuff.
Callum got his new bed compliments of some birthday money from each set of grandparents. The bed is raised up and has a play area underneath - very cool and he loves it. Mark your calendars, HE SLEPT IN IT LAST NIGHT.
Colin is better. He had gastroenteritis accompanied by a whopping headache. He was dysfunctional for five days after he returned from England. When he was correctly diagnosed and set up with a football team’s worth of meds he experienced a complete turn-around. It's lovely to have him back. Read: the limp yet willful curmudgeon has been replaced by a strapping Yorkshire lad.
On CANADA DAY we dined at the only Canadian restaurant in town. It's called Ontario, looks like a sugar shack, serves Quebecois beer (and Bud Light –bleh!), maple-syrup lamb, bison, ostrich and salmon. Ostrich? The pecan pie was so flat it looked like someone had sat on it, someone larger than Stephen Harper. We ate sparsely but were with fun people and it felt good to celebrate being Canadian.
Mother in the Hood
My son is driving me ape-shit.
He doesn't want to walk anywhere, get dressed or even wash his hands or wipe his bum.
Everything is a struggle and I'm getting completely worn out over stupid stuff.
Today I simply put on a Ben 10 show for him and am going through emails because I have cramps and I need to get out but I can't do it without losing my temper.
And Callum says "YUCK" to every food item I offer him but will try eating ear plugs and hair and roll around on the floor of a train station. "YUCK".
Colin is having a hard time at work. His hours are self-inflicted and insane. He leaves for work around 8:30 am and returns home 11 or 12 hours later. His metrics are determined by group performance but he is determined to serve each customer with the best he has to offer. This often means communicating with Victoria, B.C. or Laverne (Tennessee) before he shuts his computer off and stops answering his phone for the night. The stress makes him exhausted and edgy.
On top of that my birthday is on Friday and I feel like I've dropped off the planet in terms of health, fitness, creativity and finances. I am way behind on all of that compared to last year.
I know it will pass. Tomorrow I'll probably feel much better.*
*Note: The next day my friend Anna informed me that I was turning 46, not 47. I DID feel much better!
HOLIDAYS!
Colin took three days off on a week where there were two national holidays, so we had 9 days to squander on the wonder that is Europe. With not much cash in hand we rented a car and mostly did day trips:
- visited Pont-en-Royans where the houses overhang the river and are built into the rock
- explored the Grottes de Choranche which contain soda straw stalactites and were introduced to weird creatures called Olms (little lizard type creatures that are blind and colourless and have lived in caves since prehistoric times).
- floated on and swam in periwinkle-blue lac Monteynard (Sam and Mark were with us for the boat trip and then they made us dinner. We had so much fun we stayed overnight!).
- discovered Lac de Laffrey (drove along a load of D roads, tiny worm-like squiggles on the map) flowered mountain meadows and stunning viewpoints.
- played at a waterpark up in Les 7 Laux (a ski resort in winter, it's a rockin' adventure place in the summer for climbing, hiking, biking and exploring).
- ventured to le fort du Saint Eynard (magnificent views of the whole Grenoble valley).
- watched fireworks (celebration de la Fete nationale a Grenoble) in Parc Paul Mistral (thanks Sam. A kebab, a good friend and the buzz of a gazillion people celebrating freedom and the revolution - ACE). I goofed here. We were invited to Jinnie and Seb's for the Monday night fireworks and I thought it was on Tuesday. Missed hanging out with them and Lindy and Ray. It turns out France celebrates for TWO nights. These are people whose company I delight in. Must be the dementia!
- wandered the grounds of Chateaux Vizille, birthplace of the revolution (nice to meander with the earth beneath our bare feet. Much needed).
- took a three day trip to Florence (Italy), the coast of La Spezia and the site of the last winter Olympics. Costly trip but full of epiphanies. For example, learning Italian would be so much easier than French - you say it the way it is spelled, you pronounce every letter, you write it the way you say it, and grammar is laid out the same way it is in English. In addition, most signs are in Italian and English so vocabulary accumulation is rapid. Saw magnificent Renaissance paintings and architecture, realized how much we missed the ocean and B.C. mountains, and the cumulation of our trip was driving through the rain and snow over tiny mountain passes in the dark while listening to Quirks and Quarks (CBC radio program). We’re so nostalgic for "home".
Callum
Callum is doing well. He misses his friends but has had the great fortune to meet a 5 year old boy from Vancouver who is here in Grenoble for a couple of weeks. We're off today to Parc Paul Mistral to play: a free ropes course, rock climbing wall and water area (among other things – all promoting health and physicality). We went to Annecy with them the other day and Callum got a good dose of superhero and lake activities. He's really looking forward to Owen's visit. He needs kid time, to be able to communicate verbally about his interests and ideas with someone his age who can respond with the same focus and passion.
Colin
Colin is missing Canada. We are clear that we will take advantage of being here, but we were not clear that our adventure would drop us down an economic level (our rent alone, not including utilities or household goods you have to buy as a renter [i.e. stove, fridge, lighting fixtures] or the housing taxes you pay as a renter to the city for the land or maintenance fees paid to the building collective, is equivalent to $1,297 Canadian for a two bedroom flat) or that Colin would work such crazy hours (often gets home between 7 and 8 pm). He will have a new boss in a few weeks. We're sad to see Andrew go back to Canada but are happy for him. Melanie, Colin's new boss, used to be his supervisor back in Victoria. Colin has tremendous respect for her and is looking forward to working with her again. They will all be relocating to a new building in September - which looks like it’ll be an hour+ commute rather than a half hour, but other than that there may be unforseen advantages*. We'll see.
*Note: When they moved to the new building Colin started biking along the river to work. It helps recalibrate him and he’s getting fab calves!
Birthday
I had a fantastic birthday. Some friends of ours (Martine and Adam) proposed going overnight to a mountain refuge for my birthday, but it was full and we have to postpone it. Instead, they treated me to Polish alcohol that had real gold in it and a visit to the Chartreuse cellars - the largest cellars in the world - and the St. Bruno Cathedral. Melanie and David made a birthday breakfast for me that included banana and chocolate chip french toast with caramel sauce and fried bananas on top - can you feel your arteries hardening as we speak? It was awesome. Sam and Mark came over to help me celebrate as well, on their new Street Hawk cycle. And I spent the day in Annecy with some new friends from Vancouver - so all in all it was a fabulous 24 hours. Colin was very sweet and bought me something I'd been eyeing for 3 months - a set of lights (not expensive but they add so much warmth to our living room). Thanks for the thoughtful cards, emails and gifts.
Sorry for running on at the mouth. It's been windy and hot which was giving Callum nightmares which led of course to sleepless nights and a subsequent lack of focus and energy. Things are settling out though, and our visitors over the next couple of weeks will be a welcome celebration.
Hope all is well with you and that you're having a summer full of fun, friends, good food and better weather.
With joy,
Ramona
JUBILATIONS, REVELATIONS and VACATIONS – JUNE 2009
Spirituality
Callum on June 18, 2009:
“God is hiding in the clouds. Jesus was here and used magic so there would be no more madness. When he was killed by the evil guys God sent a bomb and it went BOOM and the bad guys died in the sky. Now God is everywhere and no where.”
PAUSE
“And I love mommy and I love Daddy and I love myself and my mommy loves me.”
I am continually amazed at my child’s acuity regarding spiritual matters. He is intrigued by the churches and monasteries; he can spend copious amounts of time considering the meaning of a religious painting or sculpture. Callum asks questions that would cause a pope to pause and on bended knee give thanks.
Epiphanies
I am resigned to not being able to thwart all the bad habits my son is determined to acquire. Nail biting, fascination with his penis, mimicking Star Wars characters, all of these I must submit to as being part of childhood. I wonder if snot-eating is universal?
My mother informs me that 4 year olds ask, on average, 437 questions a day.
The culture of some women here is beyond what I can imagine for myself, and yet I wonder if it is sheer jealousy. Part of it is that things cost more here than in Canada. When my Québécoise friend Isabelle came to visit she talked to a local who’s lived here all his life. He said the adoption of the Euro in 2002 caused prices to rise 30%. Other sources have confirmed this spike in living costs. Consequently, people who live here can pay more for things and not cringe like I do. They’ve had time to adjust. For example, 38 Euros for spectacular tea; 27 Pounds for a particularly effective and vibrating mascara. Maybe it’s that I’m not particularly girly or because I struggle specifically and consistently with balancing finances in my life, but I will not be purchasing these items. I have, however, bought in the U.K. (with the loving encouragement of my husband) a fantastic pair of black shoes made by KG (Kurt Geiger). They were 50% off of course, but they are the first sexy pair of heels I have purchased since I met Colin 10.5 years ago and they are fine. Fabulous fit, classic and sensual. They are the first step towards overcoming the dowdiness of motherhood where nothing is sacred and everything is stained. They are the symbol of me taking back womanhood and saying the 40’s are sexy and I’m coming home (to Victoria) with all the style of a French bird but at German prices and in U.K. sizes.
Callum has proclaimed to me that he has become much stronger from climbing the stairs up to our flat two or more times a day.
I asked him, “In what way are you stronger?”
He replied, “My hands are stronger from holding onto the railing.”
Parking, Rules and Rebellion
Mike and Mary Jane (also from Victoria) were over and a conversation about French parking ensued.
Colin talked about how much he hates the French parking – at night time in particular they park on sidewalks, on corners, back to front, up on curbs, wherever and however they can manage to squeak their tiny tin cans in they’ll park them, regardless of how much obstruction it causes for people who are walking by.
Mike countered with how much he loves how the French park. Wherever he can find a space he can park his car, even if it’s with only inches to spare.
I pointed out that it’s the difference in perspective between being a driver and a pieton (pedestrian). Personally, I find the French ingenious. There are all these parking rules but none of them apply at night or at the lake or during festivals or other times of high camaraderie like the first two weeks of August when most people are on vacation and parking is free in our neighbourhood. There are also customs here regarding parking that would make my dad’s hair fall out, or be pulled out. It is not at all unusual for people to bump their car into a parking spot if there isn’t quite enough room. Colin jokes that the “Used Car Lots” here are more accurately termed “Predented Car Lots”. Unspoken rules abound in every culture, and unspoken breakage of rules is allowed too. But in France there are more rules than in most countries so there is more breakage and rebellion, and they not only acknowledge it, they celebrate it.
When Sam (a friend of mine from England) and I attended the national celebrations (Fete Nationale) in Parc Paul Mistral, there were many tweenies and teenagers setting off bottle rockets in the area that was initially built for the 1968 Olympic Speed Skating events. Instead of scoffing, getting annoyed or trying to dissuade these kids, people cheered. “Hip hip hooray!” “You’re rebelling - Vive le France!” That is what the national day is all about.
Doggies Do
For the most part I have avoided stepping in doo-doo of the political, theoretical or literal kind, but there is a lot of dog poo that needs to be avoided here. The shop keepers are magic at cleaning the area directly in front of them and there are many spaces dedicated to dogs on the edge of every official square and park, but there are persistent owners who consistently let their large dogs defecate in public places. My family has, by and large, learned to avoid stepping in these hazard zones; has developed a sixth sense about mounds of brown. We are learning. Maybe we can’t talk in full sentences in the language of our adopted country, but we are able to avoid some of the pitfalls of urban living despite residing in the heart of the city.
Grenoble, Geneva and Freiburg with Friends
We had my friend Stella and her two kids (Lucas - 5; Seelja - 2) visit with us in Grenoble for a few days. They are friends of ours from Victoria. It was wonderful reconnecting with them and Callum loved having Canadian (English-speaking) friends here. They played non-stop. Stella and I talked non-stop. We had long involved anthropological and mothering-type conversations on the balcony every night while listening to crickets and consuming minty lime drinks. Colin was tolerant of the noise level.
Callum was a terrific host, street safety guard and tour guide. On Saturday, June 13th we went to Allevard (a French village) for the sheep festival. 3,000 sheep were herded down the city streets. Sunday we hung out at Du Bois Francais, a swimming lake with a playground and huge green space. It was 31 degrees. Colin reveled in relaxing at the lake, reading his book and getting into great discussions with our friends Mike and Mary Jane (and their daughter Nicole - 6)*. They moved here in October from Victoria. It's a relief and a comfort to talk to people who understand our struggles, adventures and elations so clearly. They also understand my fascination with sheep!
*Mike, Mary Jane and Nicole have since moved back to Victoria. We’re happy for them and we miss them.
On the Monday we took Stella, Lucas and Seelja up La Bastille, through the Mandrin Caves (which was intense without flashlights – they are the caves that the mountain troops hid out in as a back-up in case La Bastille was taken by opposing forces) and down under the streets to the Roman ruins. The next day Callum and I headed to Freiburg, Germany with them. Freiburg is where Stella grew up. Her parents still live there.
Freiburg
We had a great time in Freiburg. Stella’s parents are interesting, intelligent and gracious hosts. Their home and its location (it backs onto the Black Forest) were both intriguing and restful. Stella is game, so we climbed with the kids to the top of the Munster tower, explored Freiburg by foot and discovered amazing playgrounds, wooden toys and cobblestone streets.
I couldn’t believe how at home I felt in Germany. The sizes fit, the colours of the buildings resonated (bright and bold), the prices were reasonable and the quality of everything from shoes to toys to washcloths was prime. I remembered a lot of German language from my teenage years at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate, but also the straightforwardness of the people was a relief after the stylistic and arms length attitude of the French. Stella’s parents were particularly welcoming. Much to the delight of Callum and Lucas, Stella’s dad chain-sawed down a cherry tree in their presence, and Stella’s mom was so knowledgeable about herbs and their effects that she could’ve starred as the fairy queen in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
All in all it was a wonderful visit full of laughter, play, conversation and understanding.
And it was interesting to compare and contrast the French vs. the German attitude. One striking difference was in how they present their homes. According to Stella’s sister, the Germans tend to make the outside look great. It’s important to them to take care of the external presentation. It’s showing respect for the neighbours. For the French, it’s important to present a humble exterior and to invest in the interior. This explains why at times the French buildings look so derelict. Now that I know it relates to humility I can deal with the bleak buildings of our semi-Alpine town.
We returned home to Grenoble by train on Thursday, June 18. It was a quick trip but Callum had a choir performance and his graduation ceremony on the Friday and we couldn’t miss it. A choir performance by 150 3 - 6 year olds - would YOU miss it?
Also, all our earthly belongings were scheduled to and actually did arrive at 8:00 am on Saturday, June 20th. George and Tony delivered it up two flights of stairs. Tony was built like Hercules. He’s in his late 50’s and didn’t even break a sweat or do any heavy breathing until they had to tackle the King-sized mattress.
After six months I learned to live without our “stuff”. What’s in those boxes anyways? Camping equipment, creative supplies, books, journals, snowboarding and ski gear, it’s actually very useful and entirely seasonal or “on a whim” type stuff. I think people of my generation with numerous interests were meant to have garages.*
Note*: We do have CAVES here, but they are very damp and periodically flooded by the melting of the alpine snow and the subsequent convergence of the Dragon and Snake Rivers. People in Grenoble mainly use their CAVES for the storing of wine. Not a pretentious action, just a practical solution to inadequate storage.
Colin was accidentally (read: conveniently ;^)) gone when the boxes arrived from Canada/the Suez Canal/Liverpool. He left for England for 10 days on the Friday. What was unfortunate was that June 20th was also Callum’s birthday. We celebrated in Germany with Lucas and Seelja, celebrated on the day by indulging in his favourite foods – ribs and gelato, and we’ll celebrate again (avec Dad) when Owen comes to visit in July. Callum was aching for a big birthday party but it just wasn’t realistic this year … especially since his desired guest list included his Canadian friends and cousins, his U.K. relatives and their dogs, and all 25 French kids from his Moyen class and the neighbour’s cat (Mimi).
On Sunday, June 21st my French-Canadian friend Isabelle arrived. I was very much looking forward to her visit but not looking forward to speaking French in front of her. I needn’t have worried. She was instructive, patient and even complimented my pronunciation! What surprised me was that people could tell she was Quebecois after two spoken words. Wow.
Time with Isabelle was intense. She is single with an intense community medical career and was dove-tailing her visit in Grenoble with a seminar in Geneva and a bicycle trip through Italy. We’ve known each other for about 20 years and my time with her was precious.
I had a parent - teacher interview with Isabelle as interpreter, and Callum received his first report card. The teacher noted that Callum is particularly brave (speaks out, participates and is a leader), compassionate (helps other kids and rescues bugs), vocal (tells long stories) and well-liked (everyone knows him and he does well on the playground). What he needs to work on is penmanship, following the rules, and French (obviously). He has passed his class (Moyen or Medium) and is moving on to the Grande Section for next year. His teacher and school support people believe he will be bilingual by Christmas 2009.
With Isabelle Callum and I went up to the St. Pierre de Chartreuse Museum of the Carthusian Order of Monks and Nuns (near the Monastery and started by St. Bruno). We were given the wrong information about the bus times and ended up having to hitchhike back down out of the Alps. It was a bit intense, especially since Isabelle needed to catch an early train to Geneva.
Isabelle was exceedingly generous during her time here. She brought dinner in one night and paid babysitting and for dinner another night so that she and I could go out and have adult time. It was such a treat. What a great way to experience Grenoble anew. Colin was sad to miss her visit. She is someone we know will be in our lives all our lives.
Colin had a good time in England. He ate lots of curries, was successful with his installation, enjoyed the folks he worked with and on the weekend reveled in the company of his best English mate Mark while consuming pints and pies. He arrived back home around 11 pm Sunday night. The unfortunate part was that he was ill during his visit with Mark. The great part was that Col was highly commended for his on-site commissioning in Chippenham (sounds like a sandwich!) and he hopes to go on-site again soon.
Tuesday I have my French exam. Wish me luck!
Callum is finished school on July 2nd.
Goals for July
- We'll tackle our load of boxes and really move in.
- We'll likely spend lots of time at the pool and the lake.
- On the week of the 15th Colin is taking holidays. Don't know where we're going yet but it needs to be cheap!
- In a few weeks Callum's best friend Owen comes to visit (with our friends/Owen's parents Carly and Bob).
I especially want to thank all of you for Callum's birthday gifts. He felt well loved and was very happy with his variety of gifts (clothes, books, games, toys, trampoline, the Wii). Everything fit perfectly and has already been well used.
Hope you are well.
We love you loads.
Talk to you soon!
xox,
Ramona
Callum on June 18, 2009:
“God is hiding in the clouds. Jesus was here and used magic so there would be no more madness. When he was killed by the evil guys God sent a bomb and it went BOOM and the bad guys died in the sky. Now God is everywhere and no where.”
PAUSE
“And I love mommy and I love Daddy and I love myself and my mommy loves me.”
I am continually amazed at my child’s acuity regarding spiritual matters. He is intrigued by the churches and monasteries; he can spend copious amounts of time considering the meaning of a religious painting or sculpture. Callum asks questions that would cause a pope to pause and on bended knee give thanks.
Epiphanies
I am resigned to not being able to thwart all the bad habits my son is determined to acquire. Nail biting, fascination with his penis, mimicking Star Wars characters, all of these I must submit to as being part of childhood. I wonder if snot-eating is universal?
My mother informs me that 4 year olds ask, on average, 437 questions a day.
The culture of some women here is beyond what I can imagine for myself, and yet I wonder if it is sheer jealousy. Part of it is that things cost more here than in Canada. When my Québécoise friend Isabelle came to visit she talked to a local who’s lived here all his life. He said the adoption of the Euro in 2002 caused prices to rise 30%. Other sources have confirmed this spike in living costs. Consequently, people who live here can pay more for things and not cringe like I do. They’ve had time to adjust. For example, 38 Euros for spectacular tea; 27 Pounds for a particularly effective and vibrating mascara. Maybe it’s that I’m not particularly girly or because I struggle specifically and consistently with balancing finances in my life, but I will not be purchasing these items. I have, however, bought in the U.K. (with the loving encouragement of my husband) a fantastic pair of black shoes made by KG (Kurt Geiger). They were 50% off of course, but they are the first sexy pair of heels I have purchased since I met Colin 10.5 years ago and they are fine. Fabulous fit, classic and sensual. They are the first step towards overcoming the dowdiness of motherhood where nothing is sacred and everything is stained. They are the symbol of me taking back womanhood and saying the 40’s are sexy and I’m coming home (to Victoria) with all the style of a French bird but at German prices and in U.K. sizes.
Callum has proclaimed to me that he has become much stronger from climbing the stairs up to our flat two or more times a day.
I asked him, “In what way are you stronger?”
He replied, “My hands are stronger from holding onto the railing.”
Parking, Rules and Rebellion
Mike and Mary Jane (also from Victoria) were over and a conversation about French parking ensued.
Colin talked about how much he hates the French parking – at night time in particular they park on sidewalks, on corners, back to front, up on curbs, wherever and however they can manage to squeak their tiny tin cans in they’ll park them, regardless of how much obstruction it causes for people who are walking by.
Mike countered with how much he loves how the French park. Wherever he can find a space he can park his car, even if it’s with only inches to spare.
I pointed out that it’s the difference in perspective between being a driver and a pieton (pedestrian). Personally, I find the French ingenious. There are all these parking rules but none of them apply at night or at the lake or during festivals or other times of high camaraderie like the first two weeks of August when most people are on vacation and parking is free in our neighbourhood. There are also customs here regarding parking that would make my dad’s hair fall out, or be pulled out. It is not at all unusual for people to bump their car into a parking spot if there isn’t quite enough room. Colin jokes that the “Used Car Lots” here are more accurately termed “Predented Car Lots”. Unspoken rules abound in every culture, and unspoken breakage of rules is allowed too. But in France there are more rules than in most countries so there is more breakage and rebellion, and they not only acknowledge it, they celebrate it.
When Sam (a friend of mine from England) and I attended the national celebrations (Fete Nationale) in Parc Paul Mistral, there were many tweenies and teenagers setting off bottle rockets in the area that was initially built for the 1968 Olympic Speed Skating events. Instead of scoffing, getting annoyed or trying to dissuade these kids, people cheered. “Hip hip hooray!” “You’re rebelling - Vive le France!” That is what the national day is all about.
Doggies Do
For the most part I have avoided stepping in doo-doo of the political, theoretical or literal kind, but there is a lot of dog poo that needs to be avoided here. The shop keepers are magic at cleaning the area directly in front of them and there are many spaces dedicated to dogs on the edge of every official square and park, but there are persistent owners who consistently let their large dogs defecate in public places. My family has, by and large, learned to avoid stepping in these hazard zones; has developed a sixth sense about mounds of brown. We are learning. Maybe we can’t talk in full sentences in the language of our adopted country, but we are able to avoid some of the pitfalls of urban living despite residing in the heart of the city.
Grenoble, Geneva and Freiburg with Friends
We had my friend Stella and her two kids (Lucas - 5; Seelja - 2) visit with us in Grenoble for a few days. They are friends of ours from Victoria. It was wonderful reconnecting with them and Callum loved having Canadian (English-speaking) friends here. They played non-stop. Stella and I talked non-stop. We had long involved anthropological and mothering-type conversations on the balcony every night while listening to crickets and consuming minty lime drinks. Colin was tolerant of the noise level.
Callum was a terrific host, street safety guard and tour guide. On Saturday, June 13th we went to Allevard (a French village) for the sheep festival. 3,000 sheep were herded down the city streets. Sunday we hung out at Du Bois Francais, a swimming lake with a playground and huge green space. It was 31 degrees. Colin reveled in relaxing at the lake, reading his book and getting into great discussions with our friends Mike and Mary Jane (and their daughter Nicole - 6)*. They moved here in October from Victoria. It's a relief and a comfort to talk to people who understand our struggles, adventures and elations so clearly. They also understand my fascination with sheep!
*Mike, Mary Jane and Nicole have since moved back to Victoria. We’re happy for them and we miss them.
On the Monday we took Stella, Lucas and Seelja up La Bastille, through the Mandrin Caves (which was intense without flashlights – they are the caves that the mountain troops hid out in as a back-up in case La Bastille was taken by opposing forces) and down under the streets to the Roman ruins. The next day Callum and I headed to Freiburg, Germany with them. Freiburg is where Stella grew up. Her parents still live there.
Freiburg
We had a great time in Freiburg. Stella’s parents are interesting, intelligent and gracious hosts. Their home and its location (it backs onto the Black Forest) were both intriguing and restful. Stella is game, so we climbed with the kids to the top of the Munster tower, explored Freiburg by foot and discovered amazing playgrounds, wooden toys and cobblestone streets.
I couldn’t believe how at home I felt in Germany. The sizes fit, the colours of the buildings resonated (bright and bold), the prices were reasonable and the quality of everything from shoes to toys to washcloths was prime. I remembered a lot of German language from my teenage years at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate, but also the straightforwardness of the people was a relief after the stylistic and arms length attitude of the French. Stella’s parents were particularly welcoming. Much to the delight of Callum and Lucas, Stella’s dad chain-sawed down a cherry tree in their presence, and Stella’s mom was so knowledgeable about herbs and their effects that she could’ve starred as the fairy queen in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
All in all it was a wonderful visit full of laughter, play, conversation and understanding.
And it was interesting to compare and contrast the French vs. the German attitude. One striking difference was in how they present their homes. According to Stella’s sister, the Germans tend to make the outside look great. It’s important to them to take care of the external presentation. It’s showing respect for the neighbours. For the French, it’s important to present a humble exterior and to invest in the interior. This explains why at times the French buildings look so derelict. Now that I know it relates to humility I can deal with the bleak buildings of our semi-Alpine town.
We returned home to Grenoble by train on Thursday, June 18. It was a quick trip but Callum had a choir performance and his graduation ceremony on the Friday and we couldn’t miss it. A choir performance by 150 3 - 6 year olds - would YOU miss it?
Also, all our earthly belongings were scheduled to and actually did arrive at 8:00 am on Saturday, June 20th. George and Tony delivered it up two flights of stairs. Tony was built like Hercules. He’s in his late 50’s and didn’t even break a sweat or do any heavy breathing until they had to tackle the King-sized mattress.
After six months I learned to live without our “stuff”. What’s in those boxes anyways? Camping equipment, creative supplies, books, journals, snowboarding and ski gear, it’s actually very useful and entirely seasonal or “on a whim” type stuff. I think people of my generation with numerous interests were meant to have garages.*
Note*: We do have CAVES here, but they are very damp and periodically flooded by the melting of the alpine snow and the subsequent convergence of the Dragon and Snake Rivers. People in Grenoble mainly use their CAVES for the storing of wine. Not a pretentious action, just a practical solution to inadequate storage.
Colin was accidentally (read: conveniently ;^)) gone when the boxes arrived from Canada/the Suez Canal/Liverpool. He left for England for 10 days on the Friday. What was unfortunate was that June 20th was also Callum’s birthday. We celebrated in Germany with Lucas and Seelja, celebrated on the day by indulging in his favourite foods – ribs and gelato, and we’ll celebrate again (avec Dad) when Owen comes to visit in July. Callum was aching for a big birthday party but it just wasn’t realistic this year … especially since his desired guest list included his Canadian friends and cousins, his U.K. relatives and their dogs, and all 25 French kids from his Moyen class and the neighbour’s cat (Mimi).
On Sunday, June 21st my French-Canadian friend Isabelle arrived. I was very much looking forward to her visit but not looking forward to speaking French in front of her. I needn’t have worried. She was instructive, patient and even complimented my pronunciation! What surprised me was that people could tell she was Quebecois after two spoken words. Wow.
Time with Isabelle was intense. She is single with an intense community medical career and was dove-tailing her visit in Grenoble with a seminar in Geneva and a bicycle trip through Italy. We’ve known each other for about 20 years and my time with her was precious.
I had a parent - teacher interview with Isabelle as interpreter, and Callum received his first report card. The teacher noted that Callum is particularly brave (speaks out, participates and is a leader), compassionate (helps other kids and rescues bugs), vocal (tells long stories) and well-liked (everyone knows him and he does well on the playground). What he needs to work on is penmanship, following the rules, and French (obviously). He has passed his class (Moyen or Medium) and is moving on to the Grande Section for next year. His teacher and school support people believe he will be bilingual by Christmas 2009.
With Isabelle Callum and I went up to the St. Pierre de Chartreuse Museum of the Carthusian Order of Monks and Nuns (near the Monastery and started by St. Bruno). We were given the wrong information about the bus times and ended up having to hitchhike back down out of the Alps. It was a bit intense, especially since Isabelle needed to catch an early train to Geneva.
Isabelle was exceedingly generous during her time here. She brought dinner in one night and paid babysitting and for dinner another night so that she and I could go out and have adult time. It was such a treat. What a great way to experience Grenoble anew. Colin was sad to miss her visit. She is someone we know will be in our lives all our lives.
Colin had a good time in England. He ate lots of curries, was successful with his installation, enjoyed the folks he worked with and on the weekend reveled in the company of his best English mate Mark while consuming pints and pies. He arrived back home around 11 pm Sunday night. The unfortunate part was that he was ill during his visit with Mark. The great part was that Col was highly commended for his on-site commissioning in Chippenham (sounds like a sandwich!) and he hopes to go on-site again soon.
Tuesday I have my French exam. Wish me luck!
Callum is finished school on July 2nd.
Goals for July
- We'll tackle our load of boxes and really move in.
- We'll likely spend lots of time at the pool and the lake.
- On the week of the 15th Colin is taking holidays. Don't know where we're going yet but it needs to be cheap!
- In a few weeks Callum's best friend Owen comes to visit (with our friends/Owen's parents Carly and Bob).
I especially want to thank all of you for Callum's birthday gifts. He felt well loved and was very happy with his variety of gifts (clothes, books, games, toys, trampoline, the Wii). Everything fit perfectly and has already been well used.
Hope you are well.
We love you loads.
Talk to you soon!
xox,
Ramona
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