Daycare Daddy Alert

So one of the lovely bonuses of having a baby in my care this year is that he goes to daycare all day. Yes, I literally drop him off at 9 in the morning and pick him up between 5 and 6 at night. My life is difficult. So tonight I go as usual but a little late because of the regular homework drawbacks of my older two, and who do I see as I open the door to the wonderful world of little ones?? Only McDaddy Dreamboat. his man was a god, only instead of being half naked in a toga he was wearing a perfectly tailored suit (which in some ways is a little better). 6'2", a little scruff, buzzed head or dark hair, smouldering eyes. This man was perfect in every sense of the world. That and he would have a sexiest accent when he whispered sweet nothings into my ear. I could even overlook the ridiculous pink shoe covers that he was wearing because he was the kind of man that could make them fashionable. Oh and a gentleman (this because he held the door for me as a bustled in with my hands full of diapers and extra outfits to store in Owen's cubby).

So please for a minute just imagine my utter heartbreak when he heads into the main room to pick up, not one, but two of the little babies there. Twins. My perfect, godly, dreamy, steamy man... has twins.

Sick

Like the stuffy only in one nostril, constantly running nose, sore throat, dirty old man cough and losing hearing in my right ear kind of way.

Terrific Days and Bad Dreams

Yesterday was incredible! Well for living in France it was incredible (there is a different scale here).
I crashed at Christina's on Friday night and we actually woke up at a respectful time Saturday morning... 10:30. Considering the amount of gin I drank the night before it was nothing short of a miracle. We then went to our little market and bought the best mangoes, brocoflower (Romanesque cabbage?), fresh baguette, and fresh goat cheese. All of which we quickly consumed while watching "The Sweetest Thing" (which everyone should rent and watch this week because you really do forget how funny that movie really is).
Then we headed into Paris. I had a tea date with a girl I had met my first couple weeks here, so Christina and I went to Pere La Chaise Cemetery to wonder for a little bit then we split up so I could meet Aurore for tea at her place.
I must say the young French are so hospitable and welcoming! It is unbelievable. That afternoon was probably the best one since I had gotten here three months ago. I felt so at ease sitting and talking with Aurore and her fiance. Its a strange feeling being in a foreign country without knowing anyone, and to be able to make a friend when asking for directions is unheard of in Ottawa. I was invited back anytime for tea or dinner or to crash there if I wanted and I cannot wait to take her up on her offer again.
Christina and I met back by the Sacre Coeur and did want any North American would do for dinner... McDonald's. It is my first time eating it here, so no one is allowed to give me any grief, but frankly I just didn't want to feel like a tourist that night and McDicks is similar enough in each country that you know what to do. And they had Marky Mark videos playing on the TVs so how could I pass that up?
After dinner we hit up the Moulin Rouge and the lovely red light district of Paris. We officially have a new record to beat for creepers: In a ten minute span we got eight cat calls... EIGHT. Oh French men, how do you not see the errors in your ways? And no you may not follow us down the strip, that is just scary.
So after confirming again that we are the most beautiful people in this country (8 times!) we decided that we would walk along the Seine because it is so beautiful at night. We got off the metro by the Louvre and the Roue de Paris (similar to the London Eye) and walked along the Christmas market that is starting to be set up in the Champs Elysee area. I personally cannot wait until they light up all the Christmas lights in the trees the first of December.
To complete our wonderful night we headed home and watched "Crossroads". Oh Britney you still rock my world.
Everything seemed perfect until I woke up this morning for a terrible dream (not a nightmare, but it set me off), and now I feel homesick and so far away... And for some reason I feel like I am in trouble. Its a terrible feeling that I would typically just sleep off but because of the dreams I've been having all too frequently now, it doesn't seem like a viable option. Maybe "The Wonder Years" will make me feel awesome again? Its worth a shot at least.

Naps...

Sometimes it blows my mind that I am so close to Paris, living in France, and yet the only thing I want to do with an afternoon off is to watch Cat in the Hat with Christina and take a nap. We are just that exciting.

Four bottles of wine

That is what Christina and I polished off between getting to my place and going to bed. We also went to the convenience store four times to pick up "supplies"... these are better known as: Nutella, pretzels, baguette, and additional wine for tomorrow. Multiple trips were required because somehow we kept forgetting things (it might have had something to do with the wine?). AND we finally found spicy peppers!! This resulted in some epic fajitas!
Tonight we are having another delicious dinner with an au pair from California, Carly. We're going to make ratatouille and veal with onions. Be excited. I am! Oh and blueberry pie and chocolate torte for dessert.
Apart from writing about what I will be eating I don't have too much to say. I have been hanging out and doing mundane things, but tomorrow is Paris for the day :)

Serenade at the Marketplace

One of my favorite things of living in France are the marketplaces. They are everywhere and you can buy practically anything there. Where I live, in Maisons Laffitte, there is one that is open every Wednesday and Saturday and it is where I usually go to buy a thing of strawberries then instantly consume them while I check out the other booths. And they are always perfect strawberries... its amazing. Think of the best strawberries you had this summer, then multiply that deliciousness by a thousand and you are nearing how amazing these berries actually are.
But anyways, today I went to the market with Christina because we both had the morning off and my family is going out of town this weekend so we are going to cook wonderful dinners and stay in for one of the days just cooking... I am stoked. We decided on Mexican (when you are in France, clearly the best choice is something South of the Border). Fajitas it is. We got everything from the market all fresh and delicious: chicken; peppers; onion; tomatoes; cilantro; lime... and mangoes because the man that we buy veggies from always makes us taste something too good to pass up. As we are looking for cheese, which shouldn't be that had considering where we are: France and in a market... there is this man that heard us talking in English to each other so he keeps saying "hello" to the air. Maybe ten times, "Hello. Hello. Hello, hello, hello," and so on. We are right next to the cheese vendor and he breaks out into song (no dance thank God, but I would have enjoyed this as well I am sure)... but he's a clever little French man, and he sings to Tom Jones' "She's a lady" but changing the lyrics just for us, "Cheesy lady, wooo woooo wooo Cheese a lady..." Needless to say some effective marketing only if it doesn't creep your patrons out. Christina and I got cheese from another vendor and tomorrow will enjoy the most wonderful french version of Mexican food imaginable.

Jet Lag and Love

So I haven't updated in a while because I had to to a whirlwind trip back to Canada to get my official visa to stay in France. Now I know most people would have done this before initially leaving (I honestly did try) but when all else fails and you are living and working illegally on an emergency passport, nothing is better than a trip to the motherland.
Oh Canada. How I have missed you. Less than I had anticipated, but missed all the same. I'm confident that if I could just round up my family and friends, my kitty cat, a Dollarama, and cheesecake I would be completely satisfied anywhere in the world... but something has to be said for actually understanding the customs of a place too.  I love that I know how to order at a restaurant, pump gas, and make small talk without sounding like I am struggling that people legitimately stop to watch you.
And Halloween!! You don't get to be older and wear a costume in France! Whoever made that rule has some serious explaining to doing my books, because they have single-handedly just destroyed my 3rd favorite holiday (right after St. Paddy's Day, and Xmas #1). I was Dorothy not only because I already had the costume, although that was awesome, but also because I got to spend the entire night repeating, "There's no place like home," to anyone within earshot.
I must say, I am happy to be back. It feels strangely like home here. And although I am as awkward as ever, I have this re energized feeling about being here. That and it always smells like campfire here at night which is just perfect. Oh and I have a visa :)