Day 1: I bought this {moustache scarf}

And I'm back in the game! I know, I know, I know. It's been a while. I've had nothing of significance happen lately and I've been very busy settling back into full-time work, sorting out childcare arrangements to do so, and having the Frenchman away on business for weeks. So excuses made: it's back to photo a day for the month of May (rhyming unintentional)...

I bought this moustache infinity (tube) scarf. It made me smile. It's such a fresh spring green with little highlighter yellow moustaches all over it. It's something light to wear in this never ending limbo of winter and spring in Paris.

As always, thanks to Fat Mum Slim for her Photo A Day concept: follow on Twitter & Instagram #FMSphotoaday

February update

Things are slowly coming together into a routine. I've begun work, five days a week, which is a new and slightly daunting process for me as I've not been in work for a while and all this in an international environment.

Our new nanny has started taking care of the Little Sausage, as well as another little girl from her afternoon childcare. The nanny takes care of them in the morning and then brings them both to the childcare centre in the afternoons. I'm off work in time to pick up the Little Sausage at 5pm.

The Frenchman has a new role at work and will be travelling to the U.S. in April for two weeks and then to London throughout the year after that. It's exciting for him, as he is itching to do more than what his current role involves.

I still have a love/hate relationship with Paris (and France in general) but I do seem a bit more zen about it these days. I think having a second income will allow us to enjoy our city a little more, and now that we have a nanny it allows the Little Sausage to experience more outside of our current boring routine.

Our upstairs neighbours are horribly inconsiderate and most of their neighbours are pretty mad at them, including us. They are noisy, must be the clumsiest people I've ever come across (considering how often they drop things and bang around up there!) and generally play their music too loud, for the whole building to hear. Apparently you can even hear them on the ground floor (they live on the 5th) - which tells you something about just how loud and obnoxious they are. They have frequent parties on the weekends. Yesterday they starting singing (very badly!) and it just drives me nuts. We've tried asking them nicely; exasperated, I've yelled at them a couple of times; the gardienne (building caretaker) has had words with them and still they piss everyone off. They can't be kicked out (thanks to the liberal tenancy laws), and they don't seem to care that so many people hate them for it. And I'll just add that they're in their 40s - so they definitely should know better. For now, we just have to deal with it, as much as it stresses me out to do so.

I will be trying to take part in the FMS Photo a Day for March again, so hopefully you'll see a lot more updates around here. I've been too busy this last month to keep up to date as much as I've wanted to but hopefully with things settling down more around here, things like this blog will return to normal.

January update

I've been lazy. I've been stressed. I've also been uninspired and unmotivated. Not just on the blog but at home in general. 

A lot has happened since my last post. I've had interviews and have been offered a job(!) here in Paris, working for a tour company run by Americans. I can't say how happy I am to not have the added pressure of returning to full-time work and having to stumble by with my less-than-stellar French. Most staff and customers are from English-speaking backgrounds and I'll get to do my job in my own language. Very happy about that!

The Frenchman and I celebrated out fourth anniversary in Copenhagen. My first impression of the city was less than impressed but it sure grew on me. By the time we left, after five days, I'd fallen in love. Those Danes sure know how to live (and eat!). The Little Sausage spent the week with her grandparents, getting spoilt and running them in circles around their much bigger house. On our return to Paris, we were greeting by a city under a lot of snow. 

The Little Sausage has expanded her mixed-language vocabulary and now says: "acco" (encore: again/more); "Mamma"; "Gagga" (Pappa); "Bravo" (hooray);"Assis" (sit down) and "Coucou" (Hello). She's also becoming more and more cheeky by the day and waving and blowing kisses. 

So that's the latest news. I hope to update more frequently and get back on the proverbial horse. 

Day 18: Makes you merry [Christmas window display]

One of the more odd and funny Christmas window displays I've come across. It brought a smaile to my face as I discovered it, walking past. It's in the window of my favourite garden store, Truffaut, on the Quai de la Gare along the Seine in the 13th arrondissement.


And as always, thanks to #FMSphotoaday @FatMumSlim for creating the Photo-a-day concept.

Day 15: Outdoors {the urban jungle of Paris}

The only outdoors I'm getting at the moment in the urban jungle of Paris. Most trees on the street are surrounded by these iron gratings - it's both artful and a reminder you're not in nature anymore, Toto.

And as always, thanks to #FMSphotoaday @FatMumSlim for creating the Photo-a-day concept.

Day 14: Something green {Green man at traffic lights}

Green man at the traffic lights. Ten points to the crazy-woman taking a photo of a traffic light!

And as always, thanks to #FMSphotoaday @FatMumSlim for creating the Photo-a-day concept.

Day 13: Lights {Christmas on Rue Mouffetard}

The festive christmas lights strung across Rue Mouffetard on my way through to pick up the Frenchman from work.  

And as always, thanks to #FMSphotoaday @FatMumSlim for creating the Photo-a-day concept.

Day 12: Hat [Cloche]

On my recent trip to London, I bought a new hat. I tried on every beanie, beret, knit-hat you can imagine and it wasn't until I tried on this Cloche that I found "the one". Paired with my new plum lipstick, it's perfectly contemporary-vintage. That's my kinda thing.

And as always, thanks to #FMSphotoaday @FatMumSlim for creating the Photo-a-day concept.

Day 11: Sweet {Escargot Pistache}

An Escargot Pistache from 'Le Boulanger de Monge' on Avenue de Gobelin / Rue Monge (75005) in Paris.

And as always, thanks to #FMSphotoaday @FatMumSlim for creating the Photo-a-day concept.

Pondering and wondering

I am conflicted with living in France. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to have the chance of living here when so many who wish for it more aren't able to, but it's still not the easiest place to live.

As many expats and bloggers have said before me, France is not always the magical and romantic place that many people think that it is. The people can be rude. Administration is time-consuming and you're constantly running around in circles. No is the answer to everything.

But there are many good things too. And I'm very much aware of them.

But I can't help but feel that Paris is not the place for us. The Frenchman agrees. But where do we go? We can't keep moving around forever. As I've briefly mentioned before, Strasbourg (where we once lived about two years ago) is in our minds as our ideal place to settle down. But work commitments for The Frenchman mean that that's not going to happen for a while. But what until then? I'm bored. I'm frustrated. I'm going stir-crazy and I need to go back to work before my brain turns to mush. That's not going to happen any time soon with my lack of fluency in French and current day-care situation for the Little Sausage. The Frenchman is unhappy because I'm unhappy. Unintentionally, I've given up a career/family/language/friends/lifestyle to be here in France with him and although I would gladly do it because he's my love, it's still not conducive to a happy life outside of the home.

Ideas and possible solutions are being tossed about, and we are doing some serious hypothetical thinking. Another move in our near future may be on the cards.

Again.

Maybe.

It will involve serious paper work, fees, new passports and visas so the process will be long and expensive, yet temporary. We plan to go abroad, earn more money faster. We plan to return to France refreshed, with savings, to try to continue our lives here. Hopefully with me being able to start the business I so very much want to start. Living there permanently doesn't appeal to me, but being able to function independently (even for just a short time) does.

The where, when, and how will come later. For now, our brains are working overtime trying to come to a solution to our quandaries. Will this work? We think so, but then one can never be sure in life. We've always tried. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But have they been mistakes? I don't look at it like that. From every move, from every city, we've come away with something. Lessons learned, places seen, experiences had. This (potential) move will be no different. As to whether it's the right decision, who knows?

For now, we will try to do what we can here in Paris and try to get on with things.

Day 10: Under [Footbridge - Simone-de-Beauvoir, Paris]

Known as the Passerelle Simone-de-Beauvoir, this footbridge crossing the Seine at the Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand links the 13th and 12th arrondissements. It's our preferred bridge to cross when we go this way, as it's completely vehicle-free and fun to walk across. Not to mention the awesome view, all the way to Notre Dame in the centre of Paris.


And as always, thanks to #FMSphotoaday @FatMumSlim for creating the Photo-a-day concept.

Frankfurt Christmas Market

At the end of December, just after the official opening, we took the four hour ICE train to Frankfurt for two days of Christmas Market happiness. I love going to Christmas markets. There's something magical about all the twinkling lights, the wood smoke from the bratwurst stands, and the delicious smells wafting at you from every direction.

There are so many yummy things to eat, that I wished I had more stomach space to be able to fit it all in. Candied nuts, potato latkes with apple sauce (or garlic sour cream, your choice), bratwurst, lebkuchen (spiced gingerbread), mulled wine and so many more delicious things that taste better in the atmosphere of the season.

Many booths sold traditional lebkuchen hearts, piped in royal icing with various designs. Some even let you personalise them if you desire and have time to wait. I even saw one woman requesting the writing in Chinese characters for someone back home. One of my favourite stands is the handmade pottery shop where you can buy personalised mugs with names or expressions glazed on them. The Frenchman's name was there, so was mine and the Little Sausage's. I'm not sure if they do them to order if you have an unusual name, but they had plenty of generic expressions like: Grandma, Mum, Rock Star, etc., in case you can't find your own name.

It wasn't too cold and luckily the rain held off even though the weather forecast said it would be wet both days. There were already so many tourists, especially from the Asian countries, and they looked just as excited as we were. The locals clung to the Punch and mulled wine booths and everyone crowded around the pretty handcrafted decorations on display.

Back home, the French christmas markets have nothing on the German ones. Sadly, the lack of good food and traditional handcrafts is the main reason, I think. Somehow African animal statues or beaded necklaces they sell there don't scream "Christmas" to me.

If you can make it to Germany in December you must go to a Christmas market. All cities and most smaller towns have them, located right in the centre - they'd be hard to miss. It's our aim to go every year if we can. Next time, we've planned to go to the one in Munich - a different one each year!

Frankfurt Christmas Market

26 November – 23 December 2012

Location

Römerberg, Paulsplatz und Mainkai (Main quay)

Opening times

Monday-Saturday 10:00-21:00 hours

Sunday 11:00-21:00 hours

Official Opening Ceremony 

Monday, Nov. 26, 2012

Day 9: Out & About [In the park]

Our little family, out and about in the park on a cold Paris day.


And as always, thanks to #FMSphotoaday @FatMumSlim for creating the Photo-a-day concept.

Day 8: Someone you love [my family]

No explanation needed. And yes, I used the hearts filter.  Don't judge.



And as always, thanks to #FMSphotoaday @FatMumSlim for creating the Photo-a-day concept.

Day 7: Stars [star shapes Christmas tree installation]

The starry Christmas tree installation in front of the Mairie du 13éme (Town hall of the 13th arrondissement). At certain angles, the triangles interlocking look like stars. Very modernly festive!


And as always, thanks to #FMSphotoaday @FatMumSlim for creating the Photo-a-day concept.