Sunday, December 18, 2005
Tuesday 13 December 2005
An eventful day. Just before going to bed last night I checked the e-mails and finally there was a message from Mme V, with apologies for the delay, but she had not been at her computer much lately. Anyway, she was not planning to leave any beds or sofas, so that meant there was no point or need in taking any bedding, and we would have to find hotel accommodation for the night of the 20th, and possibly 21st too. Still no message from Abels, so this morning I decided it was time to phone them. As I suspected they were still trying to work something out for us, but it transpired that there was no possibility of delivery before Christmas, or even between Christmas and New Year, as there was just no-one available, so we have settled for the first possible exclusive delivery, on Wednesday 4 January, as it seemed we could be waiting indefinitely for a part load. A part load costs 10% less, so we (I!) will be paying a little more, but it will be worth it. At last we now know what is happening when. The next task was to find some accommodation, so I called the only local number I had, and booked a room for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I don't think it's quite as local as I had hoped, and not sure if it's a hotel or what; we shall see! Then rang to arrange a fuel delivery - as suggested by Mme V - for soon after our arrival, in fact Wednesday morning; fortunately this went quite well, as I know nothing about this kind of fuel – in any language – and was relieved when the lady at the other end said "oui, comme d'habitude". I tried to arrange a delivery of firewood too; but so far there has been no reply.
Then other main event of the morning was the arrival of my computer. N had been keenly following on screen the progress of its journey, and was pleased when it arrived as expected. The first I knew of it was when he came into the bathroom to ask for help in carrying a huge box up the stairs; this was in addition to a smaller one he had already brought up. Inside the bigger box were two smaller boxes, so we got rid of the larger one and lots of paper packing. The three boxes contain the computer itself (the heavy one) the screen and the printer. It is a wonderfully up-to-date machine which claims to act as a TV and radio too, as well as scanning and photocopying. We rested the temptation to open any more boxes as we thought we should never get everything back inside. They are now all sitting on the spare room bed, and have been added to the list of Things to Go into The Van (9 January) as opposed to Things to Go into The Car (20 December).
All this meant that I never got to the "mardi musical" at the Eglise Saint-Roch, but I didn't mind too much as I have discovered three other free concerts I could go to this week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday! This is courtesy of a free monthly newspaper called Cadences, which is handed out in front of the opera and has listings of all concerts, ballet, theatre, and opera.
My shopping trip in the afternoon was quite ordinary really, but nicer than usual. There are more and more Christmassy things to see, in particular a Christmas market by the Hôtel de Ville, with about 20 little wooden chalets selling lots of nice things I don't really need; stained glass, foie gras, Indian bedspreads, incense, handbags, hand-drawn portraits (not in pencil) Christmas tablecloths, candles, toys and so on. The only thing I did buy was some local honey. There are also some animals to look at: cows, donkeys, sheep, goats, rabbits, geese and chickens – I'm not quite sure why, N says it is "for local colour", and because they are in the Bible! (Not sure about the last three….) There are a lot of external decorations on buildings too, in particular several copies of a back view of a plastic Father Christmas hung on quite a few balconies, so that he appears to be climbing up. The man at the vegetable stall was chatty, and asked if I were going back to England for Christmas, and the girl in the boulangerie smiled at me and let me have one of the fresh hot baguettes instead of those already out.
Thursday 15 December 2005
After several more attempts I eventually got through to the provider of firewood at La Neuve-Lyre; he is coming to see us about the delivery next Tuesday at 6 pm, as this is not his main job and he delivers outside working hours. N thinks we should offer him a glass of wine; we have a case of wine in the car already, and shall only have three glasses, so perhaps we will. (N also thinks his name ought to be M Dubois, which it isn't, and could be confusing.)
Today I have been to a free lunchtime concert (except that the programme cost 5 euros) at the Salle Cortot, near the Boulevard Malesherbes. An unusual programme: "The Art of Fugue", J S Bach, in an arrangement for brass, wind and organ. An interesting auditorium too, very low and tiered and wood panelled. It went on for the best part of two hours, and towards the end after every movement a few people tiptoed out, presumably because their lunch hours had ended. There was nothing interesting at all to look at by metro Malesherbes, so I came straight back. I could have gone by RER if I had wanted as the "movement social" of ten days ago which turned into a strike finally finished yesterday. I was very surprised to hear on the news that to make up for all the inconvenience, time and money lost, all trains on our line are free this weekend (so that people can finish their Christmas shopping!) and that monthly rail cards for January will be 40% less than usual!
Saturday 17 December 2005
The final chorale before Christmas last Thursday evening was very enjoyable, with vast amounts of food and drink, including some interesting spicy things made by ladies from the Antilles, and two thermos jugs of hot wine, punch, fruit tarts, cider, cheeses, champagne, biscuits and many more. (I think I drank at least five different things). One of the men gave an amusing recitation, and I said to the chef that I would not be there when they began again on 5 January, and perhaps not so often after that, and he said that was fine, come when I could and I would be very welcome. I asked when the next concert was, and he laughed and said he didn't know, we would do some more rehearsing and then see. Again, very unlike Cambridge! I also spoke to one or two of the women, who were obviously intrigued by my reading in English the week before, and wondered what une anglaise could be doing in Saint-Denis.
Yesterday, Friday, was busy with three completely different activities and a lot of walking. In the morning I went to see the newly refurbished covered market, finally open - after about nine months - in its improved home. (N was busy interviewing one of the long time residents of Les Ursulines for his project) Unfortunately it was raining, and a lot of the stalls outside were suffering with wet produce. Inside there was a band playing very loudly something between traditional jazz and bal musette, and just as I arrived they started walking up and down between the stalls, some of them on stilts. What with trying to avoid the musicians, the crowds and the snail stall, I didn't get very much bought. I like the way the French blend music with shopping – when I was with Gill in the outdoor markets near Carcassonne last year people were sitting at tables with all their fruit & veg, having a drink and listening to jazz.
In the afternoon I went to the local insurance office, to insure my new house. I had written a week or so before to the head office, at N's prompting; I could see it had to be done just in case it all burned down next week. We had been waiting for a reply which eventually came yesterday, suggesting we go to the office in Saint-Denis. N – who was also having a very busy time too - was going to the dentist for his final appointment; Friday this week as he was at a reception at the Sorbonne on Thursday, so I went my own. It was in an area of Saint-Denis I hadn't visited much, and still raining, but all went well; I saw a helpful young woman who arranged everything, including the address of an office at Verneuil sur Avre where I can go once in situ, and I paid to be covered from 11 am next Tuesday morning (the signature!) until 1 April; from whence I will pay in 6 monthly instalments. This involved writing my very first cheque in euros; with which she was very helpful. And good practice for when I have to write the Very Large cheque next Tuesday. Reading through the literature later I was pleased to discover I kept being referred to as "chef de famille", (possibly in charge of N and perhaps a future cat?) and that I am covered against all manner of things, but not civil war, so let us hope we aren't invaded by Brittany.
I came home and then set out again for a free 6.30 pm Mozart concert at the Maison de Radio France, in the south-west of Paris. It seemed best to go by metro, to Ranelagh which was the local station the very first time I came to Paris on a school trip in 1962, and hadn't changed that much. There was a very long walk down the rue de Ranelagh, full of very smart apartment buildings, each of which had a Christmas tree in the hall-way. Eventually I reached the Maison de la Radio, very large and impressive, with large queues of people inside and out, only to find that all the places were taken; it seems you have to get there very early indeed for a good programme. However, I decided it had all been worth it just for the view over the river of the Eiffel Tower covered from head to foot in twinkling golden sparkly Christmas lights. It was a similar moment to the one almost exactly 36 years ago when I was sitting in a metro train which came out of a tunnel to cross the river and there was Notre Dame all covered in snow.
I decided not to walk all the way back to metro Ranelagh as there was an RER station right there, a large modern high up one. Indeed the train was high up too, and crossed the river over a bridge – more spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower, other beautifully lit buildings and river boats full of people having dinner – and then for some while went along the quai as far as Invalides, where I changed to the metro. At least I was home in time to have dinner with N (pizzas from the market that morning) and to catch up with news of the house insurance, the dentist and my exciting evening.
Sunday 18 December 2005
Yesterday morning we took the last few things to the car ready for Tuesday – except for our overnight bags – and then moved it to its temporary home in the Parking Municipal. We will have to leave very early in order to get to Evreux for the appointment at 11 am, getting up and setting off in the dark. I have also put all my papers together in order (with the help of some folders from Carrefour) On the way back from the parking we called in at a superior frozen food store and bought some good things to eat at Christmas, ready for when we come back from Normandy on Thursday. The other event was the arrival of a Christmas parcel from Madeleine, containing a very small white Christmas tree and some appropriate decorations; she thought we ought not to be without one! It didn't take as long to set up and dress as usual, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. I put together the Angel Chimes too, for the dining table, and N found tinsel and a large paper ball and put those up, and continued to find ways to display more than twice the usual number of Christmas cards - his and mine - all mingled together in a great intimacy.
An eventful day. Just before going to bed last night I checked the e-mails and finally there was a message from Mme V, with apologies for the delay, but she had not been at her computer much lately. Anyway, she was not planning to leave any beds or sofas, so that meant there was no point or need in taking any bedding, and we would have to find hotel accommodation for the night of the 20th, and possibly 21st too. Still no message from Abels, so this morning I decided it was time to phone them. As I suspected they were still trying to work something out for us, but it transpired that there was no possibility of delivery before Christmas, or even between Christmas and New Year, as there was just no-one available, so we have settled for the first possible exclusive delivery, on Wednesday 4 January, as it seemed we could be waiting indefinitely for a part load. A part load costs 10% less, so we (I!) will be paying a little more, but it will be worth it. At last we now know what is happening when. The next task was to find some accommodation, so I called the only local number I had, and booked a room for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I don't think it's quite as local as I had hoped, and not sure if it's a hotel or what; we shall see! Then rang to arrange a fuel delivery - as suggested by Mme V - for soon after our arrival, in fact Wednesday morning; fortunately this went quite well, as I know nothing about this kind of fuel – in any language – and was relieved when the lady at the other end said "oui, comme d'habitude". I tried to arrange a delivery of firewood too; but so far there has been no reply.
Then other main event of the morning was the arrival of my computer. N had been keenly following on screen the progress of its journey, and was pleased when it arrived as expected. The first I knew of it was when he came into the bathroom to ask for help in carrying a huge box up the stairs; this was in addition to a smaller one he had already brought up. Inside the bigger box were two smaller boxes, so we got rid of the larger one and lots of paper packing. The three boxes contain the computer itself (the heavy one) the screen and the printer. It is a wonderfully up-to-date machine which claims to act as a TV and radio too, as well as scanning and photocopying. We rested the temptation to open any more boxes as we thought we should never get everything back inside. They are now all sitting on the spare room bed, and have been added to the list of Things to Go into The Van (9 January) as opposed to Things to Go into The Car (20 December).
All this meant that I never got to the "mardi musical" at the Eglise Saint-Roch, but I didn't mind too much as I have discovered three other free concerts I could go to this week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday! This is courtesy of a free monthly newspaper called Cadences, which is handed out in front of the opera and has listings of all concerts, ballet, theatre, and opera.
My shopping trip in the afternoon was quite ordinary really, but nicer than usual. There are more and more Christmassy things to see, in particular a Christmas market by the Hôtel de Ville, with about 20 little wooden chalets selling lots of nice things I don't really need; stained glass, foie gras, Indian bedspreads, incense, handbags, hand-drawn portraits (not in pencil) Christmas tablecloths, candles, toys and so on. The only thing I did buy was some local honey. There are also some animals to look at: cows, donkeys, sheep, goats, rabbits, geese and chickens – I'm not quite sure why, N says it is "for local colour", and because they are in the Bible! (Not sure about the last three….) There are a lot of external decorations on buildings too, in particular several copies of a back view of a plastic Father Christmas hung on quite a few balconies, so that he appears to be climbing up. The man at the vegetable stall was chatty, and asked if I were going back to England for Christmas, and the girl in the boulangerie smiled at me and let me have one of the fresh hot baguettes instead of those already out.
Thursday 15 December 2005
After several more attempts I eventually got through to the provider of firewood at La Neuve-Lyre; he is coming to see us about the delivery next Tuesday at 6 pm, as this is not his main job and he delivers outside working hours. N thinks we should offer him a glass of wine; we have a case of wine in the car already, and shall only have three glasses, so perhaps we will. (N also thinks his name ought to be M Dubois, which it isn't, and could be confusing.)
Today I have been to a free lunchtime concert (except that the programme cost 5 euros) at the Salle Cortot, near the Boulevard Malesherbes. An unusual programme: "The Art of Fugue", J S Bach, in an arrangement for brass, wind and organ. An interesting auditorium too, very low and tiered and wood panelled. It went on for the best part of two hours, and towards the end after every movement a few people tiptoed out, presumably because their lunch hours had ended. There was nothing interesting at all to look at by metro Malesherbes, so I came straight back. I could have gone by RER if I had wanted as the "movement social" of ten days ago which turned into a strike finally finished yesterday. I was very surprised to hear on the news that to make up for all the inconvenience, time and money lost, all trains on our line are free this weekend (so that people can finish their Christmas shopping!) and that monthly rail cards for January will be 40% less than usual!
Saturday 17 December 2005
The final chorale before Christmas last Thursday evening was very enjoyable, with vast amounts of food and drink, including some interesting spicy things made by ladies from the Antilles, and two thermos jugs of hot wine, punch, fruit tarts, cider, cheeses, champagne, biscuits and many more. (I think I drank at least five different things). One of the men gave an amusing recitation, and I said to the chef that I would not be there when they began again on 5 January, and perhaps not so often after that, and he said that was fine, come when I could and I would be very welcome. I asked when the next concert was, and he laughed and said he didn't know, we would do some more rehearsing and then see. Again, very unlike Cambridge! I also spoke to one or two of the women, who were obviously intrigued by my reading in English the week before, and wondered what une anglaise could be doing in Saint-Denis.
Yesterday, Friday, was busy with three completely different activities and a lot of walking. In the morning I went to see the newly refurbished covered market, finally open - after about nine months - in its improved home. (N was busy interviewing one of the long time residents of Les Ursulines for his project) Unfortunately it was raining, and a lot of the stalls outside were suffering with wet produce. Inside there was a band playing very loudly something between traditional jazz and bal musette, and just as I arrived they started walking up and down between the stalls, some of them on stilts. What with trying to avoid the musicians, the crowds and the snail stall, I didn't get very much bought. I like the way the French blend music with shopping – when I was with Gill in the outdoor markets near Carcassonne last year people were sitting at tables with all their fruit & veg, having a drink and listening to jazz.
In the afternoon I went to the local insurance office, to insure my new house. I had written a week or so before to the head office, at N's prompting; I could see it had to be done just in case it all burned down next week. We had been waiting for a reply which eventually came yesterday, suggesting we go to the office in Saint-Denis. N – who was also having a very busy time too - was going to the dentist for his final appointment; Friday this week as he was at a reception at the Sorbonne on Thursday, so I went my own. It was in an area of Saint-Denis I hadn't visited much, and still raining, but all went well; I saw a helpful young woman who arranged everything, including the address of an office at Verneuil sur Avre where I can go once in situ, and I paid to be covered from 11 am next Tuesday morning (the signature!) until 1 April; from whence I will pay in 6 monthly instalments. This involved writing my very first cheque in euros; with which she was very helpful. And good practice for when I have to write the Very Large cheque next Tuesday. Reading through the literature later I was pleased to discover I kept being referred to as "chef de famille", (possibly in charge of N and perhaps a future cat?) and that I am covered against all manner of things, but not civil war, so let us hope we aren't invaded by Brittany.
I came home and then set out again for a free 6.30 pm Mozart concert at the Maison de Radio France, in the south-west of Paris. It seemed best to go by metro, to Ranelagh which was the local station the very first time I came to Paris on a school trip in 1962, and hadn't changed that much. There was a very long walk down the rue de Ranelagh, full of very smart apartment buildings, each of which had a Christmas tree in the hall-way. Eventually I reached the Maison de la Radio, very large and impressive, with large queues of people inside and out, only to find that all the places were taken; it seems you have to get there very early indeed for a good programme. However, I decided it had all been worth it just for the view over the river of the Eiffel Tower covered from head to foot in twinkling golden sparkly Christmas lights. It was a similar moment to the one almost exactly 36 years ago when I was sitting in a metro train which came out of a tunnel to cross the river and there was Notre Dame all covered in snow.
I decided not to walk all the way back to metro Ranelagh as there was an RER station right there, a large modern high up one. Indeed the train was high up too, and crossed the river over a bridge – more spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower, other beautifully lit buildings and river boats full of people having dinner – and then for some while went along the quai as far as Invalides, where I changed to the metro. At least I was home in time to have dinner with N (pizzas from the market that morning) and to catch up with news of the house insurance, the dentist and my exciting evening.
Sunday 18 December 2005
Yesterday morning we took the last few things to the car ready for Tuesday – except for our overnight bags – and then moved it to its temporary home in the Parking Municipal. We will have to leave very early in order to get to Evreux for the appointment at 11 am, getting up and setting off in the dark. I have also put all my papers together in order (with the help of some folders from Carrefour) On the way back from the parking we called in at a superior frozen food store and bought some good things to eat at Christmas, ready for when we come back from Normandy on Thursday. The other event was the arrival of a Christmas parcel from Madeleine, containing a very small white Christmas tree and some appropriate decorations; she thought we ought not to be without one! It didn't take as long to set up and dress as usual, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. I put together the Angel Chimes too, for the dining table, and N found tinsel and a large paper ball and put those up, and continued to find ways to display more than twice the usual number of Christmas cards - his and mine - all mingled together in a great intimacy.
# posted by Chez Katherine @ 6:15 AM 
