Jane Anne's Birthday Feb 26th

Don't forget it's Jane's Birthday. In French one says "Joyeux Anniversaire" or Happy Birthday:

Bonne Fete A Toi
Bonne Fete A Toi
Bonne Fete A JaneAnne
Bonne Fete A Toi

That's from us frenchies Pace & moi
Nick can translate if you have a problem Jane

We love you

The loveseat, Noname and me

Thanks everyone for writing comments. Now when I go to France, I won't feel so far from you.

This week has been rather boring that's why I haven't written. The Salvation Army came today. I was going to give them all the furniture, but I spent 2 days on the cold living room floor and decided to keep the loveseat. So now I have room to clean and pack. I mailed a small package to France today. You would not believe all the paperwork I had to fill out and sign. And the cost.....fugetaboutit! Anyway I've been a little depressed without my partner in crime so I've been sleeping a lot. For a Barklie girl with a hypothyroid this means about 12 hours a day. I get up in the morning do things nap call Pace at around 5pm (midnight his time). Then I fool around watching TV and stuff until about 1 or 2 am when I wake Pace up. C'est tres bizarre.

I didn't do that well in improv this week. I'm not playing and thinking too much. So Sat I practice with my 3-girl team "Tabula Rasa" (which is Latin for clean slate). We are performing for Emily's Girl Scout Gold Award on March 11, which is a variety show for a food drive. Then we perform Sunday 12,19,26 for Improv A-Go-Go, which is a big deal here in Minneapolis. I also continue to perform on Tuesday nights with my 5-man group. I'll miss improv in France, so I've written to a Parisian improv team that studies in Paris in English & French to see if I can play with them.

The movie this week is a continuation of my Paul Walker interest, since he was good in "8 Below"(both in acting and looks). I watched "Running Scared". It was okay. I'd wait for the video on this one or if you’re hanging out with nothin' to do, then okay see the flick.

I'm trying to get a little social, but it's hard, knowing I'm leaving soon. I dread making relationships only to say good-bye, but I'm trying to overcome this. So on Tuesday night's I go out with my improv group to the Green Mill for pizza. On Wed I'm out with my women over 30's group, we do dinner. Thursday will be my last French class. They start up again on the 23rd, which I might ask to take for a week or 2.

Everything is moving fast now. Once I get into March I have to start closing down accounts and stuff. But it should be interesting

Pace is doing well in France. He walks to work each day. It's about a 30 minute walk. Whew,just saying that makes me feel spent. He is finding little secret places where he can get the food he likes. He is meeting all sorts of people at the bureau. I believe the more Pace is himself, the better he will be. That's what he is doing right now: just being Pace and dazzling them with his thoughts and insights. He told me once I get there we might be going to Rio de Janeiro this summer, and then maybe Warsaw. He continues the saga of finding an apartment. Today he met an agent who did not speak English and they communicated well. Bravo Pace

I'm off to rest. And continue my saga of figuring out what we will or will not take to Lyon

A semaine prochaine (until next week)
Maria

Watching 8 Below while it -8 F

Oh my god!! Jane Anne has sent me a comment. Hip Hip Hooray!!!! Aviva would have been first, but she couldn't get through. So kudos to Miss Aviva also for an honorable attempt.
In honor of it being 8 below zero here (minus 33 with wind chill), I went to see the movie "8 Below". It was probably one of those moods I was in, but I cried through most of the movie. The movie is about a pack of sled dogs getting stranded in the Antartica. Either a dog was hurt or it was struggling to survive. I wa sin an emotional place and I guess I just needed a good cry. It's a good movie to rent.

Jenna and Emily are coming tomorrow for Improv practice so I'm off to clean.

Thursday Nite French class

Well I had not been in my French class in 2 weeks and it showed tonight. The teacher was talking about an area called Barritz and I thought someone went to the Ritz. At least I make the class laugh. I'm so used to Pace talking about French and how this verb does this and another does that,that I have't done any French on my own. Now I have to get cracking with the books and tapes.
I received an email from Aviva today. She pointed out that I hadn't opened the commenting up to everyone. Now anyone can comment on my site without registering. It should be a lot easier.
Some of the girls maybe coming over this weekend to the apartment. We will be practicing our improv . They think the apartment is empty, but the Salvation Army isn't coming until next Friday. So I now must clean the whole downstairs. It needs it, so I'm not too unhappy about the situation.
Pace looked at 3 apartments today. He didn't get that "this is the one" feeling about any of them. I trust his judgment, but if it begins to take too long (say middle of March) then maybe we'll just get something almost perfect.
He is working hard, and still getting into the swing of things at work. I really admire the courage he has to jump into a situation where he doesn't know the language well, the culture at work and home.And yet he still has the confidence and knowledge that he'll be okay. I'm such a scaredy cat. It would be too overwhelming to me. That's one of the reasons I'm glad he's out there getting settled before I get there.
So off I go to clean, pack some more and see my Friday movie this weekend.

Enjoy yourself this weekend
Amusez-vous bien cette weekend

Maria

Tuesday's

Well I've come to realize that it's too difficult to post everyday. I'll post at least once a week to keep you updated on the important stuff. Today I sent 4 more boxes to Georgia. My improv show went well. It was my turn to be criticed by the teachers. I've still got to work on my stiffness and tension when I first start out, but they said my characters were great and my listening has improved. Next week I'll go out after with the guys for pizza. I'm not up to socializing yet.
Pace has moved into a temporary office. He seems to be doing rather well. Some people have spoken to talk to him in French and he understands most of it. Well,.... I'm impressed. He also says that the weather is so nice there that you don't really need a coat.
I say baa hum bug since I'm getting snow on Thursday and temperatures are going down to the single digits.
Oh I had a very interesting situation today. My gym trainer (Doug) who I've been with for 6 years told me his last day at the gym will be March 1. I was very upset, then remember that I was going to leave him anyway. He will still train with me from a different location, but not until March 14th. Holy Moly!!! No Pace. No Doug. What am I to do???? I'll figure it out. In the meantime I'm making lists to start cleaning room by room.

Hey you guys do know if you click on the comment box you can write back to me
I enjoy the responses

Until we see each other again : au revoir
Maria

My first blog ever

Bienvenue mes amisWelcome to my first blog post. Pace left for France yesterday. I decided to rest today, but not until the guys came to pick up his car. They finished around 12 noon, so I couldn't help Jenna (one of the rare friends I have) with her stuff. I then had a glich with the money order, but we got that fixed.
It hard to be here alone now. Reality is sinking in that (1) I'm leaving this place for France and (2) there's a shitload of boxes and stuff that I need to pack and send.
Not much else I gave myself a reprieve from fighting ED, for awhile after Pace left, but I'm getting back on track.
Pace is already working hard in Lyon. He is staying in a quaint (ie small) apartment that overlooks the Seine. But it was 4 am his time and he was still working. "Do it when you can" is his motto. I'll make sure he doesn't kill himself out there.
Until tomorrow or jusqu'a demain as the french say
Maria