Rain, Rain, Gone Away

It started raining last night with thunder and lighting. The forecast calls for more gray skies, but I am optimistically putting on sun screen any way ;-)

We started the morning with a walk to the bakery for fresh croissant. One nice thing about the rain is that it clears the air of all the pollen that the plane trees are putting out! It also washes down the sidewalk which is the favorite place for people to have their dogs poop!

This morning I am off to the market Victor Hugo for some eggs and cheese. This town loves both Woodrow Wilson and Victor Hugo many streets and fountains dedicated to both. Wilson because he brought the US into WWI and Hugo because of his writing.

It is a busily metropolis so different than the states in that all the old buildings are very much a part of present day Toulouse they are not the past they are the present history. So a 700 year old house is just a house and for us a 100 year house is a historic sight!

Back in the "Saddle" Again!

And by "Saddle" I mean Classroom and this time as a Student! I have just registered as a student with Alliance Francaise where the placement test consisted of them saying, 'Do you speak French?" and me saying back to them in my version of French, "No I don't speak French!" Apparently no further testing was required!

I am very excited because for the next four weeks I will get to go off to class from 9 am to 12:45 pm Monday through Friday in a group with 7 other beginners. I hope they truly are beginners, and not people who took 4 years of French in High school and are just feeling a little insecure. ;-)

My next task is to find a gym with indoor cycling and weights and maybe a yoga class. I know what about outdoor cycling? Well there is that but it is more of the commuter variety where it is all about stopping for lights and dodging pedestrians. Plus I would love to teach if possible.

Of course I have my housewifery activities (cleaned the salle de bain today and did the wash) then apt is now jauntily decorated with Billy's under ware and socks.

None of my things could be washed because my bag got here yesterday and I retrieved it this morning from our Toulousen friends.
To be more exact I started out this morning but tea led to chatting, chatting led to lunch and lunch led to the most exquisite dessert! A moist dark chocolate cake that was made with figs and nuts. It was so good. Usually those deserts are so intense with chocolate that it is over whelming but the fig jam (the chef made it on site!) made the chocolate so accessible! It was heaven!

I think I'm really going to like France!!

In Toulouse!!

Yeah I made it!!! It is quite beautiful here! Totally worth the 28 hours it took to get here. The weather is beautiful clear skies sunny and warm, with no hint on it turning on you the way the weather does in Seattle.

Everyone rides bikes here which is great. However one our first purchases was to go out and buy humongous bike locks because Toulouse is apparently a prime target for bike thieves which steal them and ship them out to Eastern Europe!

The place we are staying is right in the city. The actual apartment is deep within the inner court yard so it is very quiet even though the gate to it is right off a busy street.

I rode to work with Billy today along the Canal du Midi which is suppose to go all the way to the Mediterranean. It was very nice and all the leaves have come out in the last two weeks so it is shady and currently highly pollinated-looked like a "snow storm" of pollen!

In DC!

First leg of the trip "check"! bought some wireless! But hearing a disturbing second hand conversation of some woman relating the entire content of some war movie in detail!!!! Enough!

"Wait Just One Moment..Where Do YOU Think You're Going?"

OK Here I am at Seatac giving it one more try! Yesterday I got on the plane for Chicago and first we were delayed because of Chicago weather, a stuck fuel valve,then they had to replace the valve. I missed my connection before the airplane left the gate!

They offered me overnight in Stormy Chi Town but I opted to return home. The weather was gorgeous so got in some more home tarting and went for a run!

Well wish me luck!

Ready to Roll

OK literally I have a rolling bag. The house is cleaner then it has been for a while. We have been just straightening things on top of the dirt, yikes! Some friends gave me a stuffed Monkey to take pictures with so I am tempted to rename the Blog Monkey Bidness but that takes me pass, way pass my blogging abilities so here we go!

Now we are going...At least I think we are!

As of today a solution has been reached, the renters from Chile have been reassured, the bikes have been packed and we have even closed up our fireplaces as a safety gesture to the one year old that will be visiting this summer.
Now all I have to do is teach an 8 hour class for Heart Zones this Saturday, clean the house, get packed myself and then travel!!
Now I really wish I'd made time to study French ;-D

"How can we miss you if you won't leave?"

First we are going, then oops the two governments can't find a way to pay Billy, then we are NOT going! But wait after many outraged emails from French scientists and after we emailed our potential renters from Chile MAYBE we are going? This is giving me a headache!