Hi there – welcome to 2008!
Quite quiet on the blog as we’ve been busy with Dennis and Peggie (who sadly returned to Vancouver a few days ago), and more attacks from that evil GI (stomach) bug that is sweeping the UK and France. I spent a lovely New Years eve having chicken soup while everyone else feasted on oysters – boo hoo!
More market discovery expeditions (one pic above), including an excellent one near Tour Montparnasse and the Montparnasse Cemetery.
An interesting Sunday 6 January when all of Paris seemed to be on the lookout for Galette des Rois which is eaten in association with the French tradition of celebrating l'Epiphanie. We’re not religious but “when in Rome”…lovely cake (+ see Liam and Anya and their crowns) and series of activities for children that keeps them under a dining room table for a while!
School has started again, as have a wild buildup to the “sales” in Paris where every shop (wine merchants included) seems to have most things offered at a major discount, with massive line-ups yesterday. On the school front the boys now have another intense six week period of study before a two week break. The school year here seems to be on/off with an intense work/break/intense work/break pattern. It makes sense in many ways from a learning perspective. Tom is in a geometry phase now in Math, and in French, and his homework looks frightening (don’t ask me…I’m not the scientist in the family!).
Jan was just accepted into a local Marie (city hall) French course that meets twice per week in the evening. No news on a possible day-time course she also applied to for admission. Alliance Française is great but très cher. She'll be there with plenty of recent immigrants to the country so it should be a fascinating experience. Jan is also likely to be working with a few other people from the boys' school who want to improve their French...so a busy Spring of learning coming up.
Hope all is well in your respective homes...
