Happy thanksgiving!

No luck :-(

Just took my drivers test, the guy was so mean. He totally stressed me out, it took me 4 tries to parallel park (normally i get it in 1 try!!!) and then he made a snide comment and another one when I didn't understand what he was saying in French. But the kicker was I had to turn right at a stop sign onto a busy road - looked to me left, nothing, then to the right and finally another check to the left: nada. So I went, then as I was shifting up a big jeep passed me and I failed then and there because I didn't pay attention!?!?! I never saw the guy!!
So at a yield sign I was yelled at for not not pulling out quickly enough and then failed for a car I never fricking saw.
Might not get my license for another 6 weeks now :-(

Big boo.

Sent from my iPhone

Enjoying a hazelnut caramel holiday latte in Paris

My new baby!!!

Just bought my first car ever!!!! Isn't she pretty??? 2001 Volkswagon Bora. I think she needs a name... any thoughts??

Fingers crossed I pass my test on Tuesday...

siding goes up up up!

Just a little house update! The siding is going up!! The west side (above) is done, even all the detail work under the eves and around the windows.

The south side is going up as well and then it will work around to the east and finally the north. Looks great doesn't it???? I love the color! We were worried that it would be too orangey-yellow but it is just the right shade!

In other house news we now have toilets (not installed yet but bought!) and the tile for the downstairs has been ordered - what a headache picking THAT out! The state of the inside really is a construction site, so no photos for now, but it is being drywalled so the heater dude can come in and put in the heated floor downstairs! Yea! No more cold feet for MilkJam! :-)

So that's my micro update for now, got to get back to looking for a car! I pass my driver's test on the 17th now and would like to have a car ready to go if possible, but man do they get snatched up fast!

trick or treat

Happy Halloween!



The first couple years I lived in Caen I tried to spread the Halloween spirit, but like so many others have said France just isn't with the program. Not that they should be, they have Carnival and that's fun too.



But they tried, I saw kids dressed up, even had a kid come trick or treating a few days before. When I asked why he was early he said he couldn't go on Halloween cause they were leaving on vacation so he's doing it early.



Yeah, that and broad day light just doesn't cut it kid.



So I stopped carving pumpkins and having candy ready. This year I was tempted to carve a pumpkin but seeing as how we are still in our appartment we don't have a real front door so I decided to save it for next year.



Late this afternoon as the sun was going down I heard the doorbell ring, thinking it was a late birthday present I scampered down the stairs. By the time I got there and unlocked the front door no one was there. I looked around the corner and saw a Mom and her kid walking away, the little boy was probably 3 or 4 years old and dressed up as a ghost. When I said I was sorry but I didn't have any candy the mom told the kid "make the lady cry" and he yelled "BOO!" It was so cute!



Then later once Mystery Guest got back from work we heard the doorbell ring again. This time there was a group of 5 kids, dressed up as witches, spiderman and monsters. When they asked for bon-bons I had to say I was sorry but no candy. I felt horrible! Here they were in the spirit of Halloween and I didn't have any candy! It didn't even feel like some lackluster imitation, I felt like I was back in the States for a minute. By the time I realized that I had some candy upstairs left over from treats for the lycee kids they had gone and no one else came to ring the doorbell.



Next year kids we'll have a jack-o-lantern and plenty of candy for you!!

Fall leaves

PS what do you guys think of the new header?