Monday, November 1, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The French Family Grows
I think it is time to introduce you to my new baby, Charlie. Nico and I adopted him from the SPCA last week (September 17). There is a lot of information we don't really know about him: He is somewhere between one and two years old, he is likely a griffin mixed with something else, and we have no idea what his life was like before the SPCA.
What we do know is this: He is VERY cute, he doesn't like to be alone, he wants to sleep on the humans' bed but is learning to sleep on the doggy bed, he loves licking and he loves petting, he doesn't know how to play with a ball, he sniffs lots of pee. We spent this afternoon getting him groomed, because he had so many mysterious nettles buried in his fur. We've gotten rid of his flees, and after three tries have found dog a food that he will eat. He favorite thing seems to be cheese - no surprise, he is a French dog. He isn't at all interested in the turtles and they aren't at all interested in him. Charlie waits until the alarm clock goes off to start licking me in the morning. He has bad breath.
So, as I start my classes and likely a job as secretary at the University and Nico starts his new job installing computers for a big grocery store chain, we will see how Charlie fares. I hate to think of leaving him alone, but we will have to learn to cope. In the meantime, we will take advantage! We have a big weekend with lots of activities: visiting the sangliers (wild pigs), going to the Bond Pond (it sounds better in French), and working lots more on training.
You'll probably get sick of seeing pictures of him, but check these out. I just took them, right after his trip to the groomers!
What we do know is this: He is VERY cute, he doesn't like to be alone, he wants to sleep on the humans' bed but is learning to sleep on the doggy bed, he loves licking and he loves petting, he doesn't know how to play with a ball, he sniffs lots of pee. We spent this afternoon getting him groomed, because he had so many mysterious nettles buried in his fur. We've gotten rid of his flees, and after three tries have found dog a food that he will eat. He favorite thing seems to be cheese - no surprise, he is a French dog. He isn't at all interested in the turtles and they aren't at all interested in him. Charlie waits until the alarm clock goes off to start licking me in the morning. He has bad breath.
So, as I start my classes and likely a job as secretary at the University and Nico starts his new job installing computers for a big grocery store chain, we will see how Charlie fares. I hate to think of leaving him alone, but we will have to learn to cope. In the meantime, we will take advantage! We have a big weekend with lots of activities: visiting the sangliers (wild pigs), going to the Bond Pond (it sounds better in French), and working lots more on training.
You'll probably get sick of seeing pictures of him, but check these out. I just took them, right after his trip to the groomers!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Relief
Cause for celebration: I turned in my thesis!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday! At 1pm! 2 copies! You can see my enthusiasm.
Actually, is feels really weird to have it done. I'm sure this is typical of people who work on biggish projects like this one. I've spend the last 2 and a half weeks attached to my computer, thinking about Tom and Betsy Rath, and writing and writing and writing. In 15 days I did write 40 of the 50 pages, and I coulda done it in fewer if I'd had to. But that would have been terrible.
Now I kind of miss Tom, and Catherine Jurca, Dale Carnegie, and Suburban discontentment. I miss the dread that I have felt in the pit of my stomach since last March, when I was watching episodes of Castle instead of thinking about the thesis. What am I going to do with all this free time? Actually I have answers to that question: I must find a job. I must start classes at the University. That should be enough to keep me busy.
By the way, Neptune and Fanny are doing very well. They have been joined by Zoe, because Zoe was living all alone. Neptune is a big meany these days (I guess establishing her turtle dominance)and I have to separate Fanny and Zoe from Neptune when I feed them their special turtle nuggets.
Next week I present my thesis to the jury. Wish me luck!
Actually, is feels really weird to have it done. I'm sure this is typical of people who work on biggish projects like this one. I've spend the last 2 and a half weeks attached to my computer, thinking about Tom and Betsy Rath, and writing and writing and writing. In 15 days I did write 40 of the 50 pages, and I coulda done it in fewer if I'd had to. But that would have been terrible.
Now I kind of miss Tom, and Catherine Jurca, Dale Carnegie, and Suburban discontentment. I miss the dread that I have felt in the pit of my stomach since last March, when I was watching episodes of Castle instead of thinking about the thesis. What am I going to do with all this free time? Actually I have answers to that question: I must find a job. I must start classes at the University. That should be enough to keep me busy.
By the way, Neptune and Fanny are doing very well. They have been joined by Zoe, because Zoe was living all alone. Neptune is a big meany these days (I guess establishing her turtle dominance)and I have to separate Fanny and Zoe from Neptune when I feed them their special turtle nuggets.
Next week I present my thesis to the jury. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Return to France
It's 4:45 in the morning. My jet-lag woke me up a little bit ago feeling almost bright-eyed. It's at moments like these - in the dark of the night when I can't sleep - that I have my best (and only, really) writing inspiration. I certainly can't explain this phenomenon. Well, it would be appropriate to call it a phenomenon if I actually acted on my feelings, reached over and picked up a pen to write. Sadly, my laziness and profound desire to sleep overcomes my artistic whims. Just last night I woke up with the idea for song lyrics - I kid you not! I've never written a song in my life, yet the refrain for a love song came to me. Needless to say, the song doesn't exist and never will because I didn't have the will to move.
This morning at 4 am when I awoke, I was inspired to write a blog entry after more than a year of blank blog page. It took me a full 45 minutes of prodding to get myself up, but here I am!
So there is something a little special about this day. It's my third day back in France after a three month absence. First, in May there was a big Tulsa wedding. It was a lovely, emotional, nostalgic weekend in the Oklahoma countryside. Congratulations Micah and Liba.
Second, I left Tulsa after two weeks and flew to the southern hemisphere - Buenos Aires, Argentina - to visit my brother Trevor who has been living there with his girlfriend Tami for almost a year. It was a six week trip during which I was to learn Spanish and finish my 50 page thesis. Uhem. The trip was great anyway, with or without my conquering the Spanish language.
Thirdly, I returned to Tulsa where I was joined by my very sweet and very French copin Nico. We spent two weeks hanging out with my mom, my dad, and ALL five of my little brothers. That may have been a first. Trev came in from Argentina with Tami, Camden and Ben spent the summer in T-Town working their tails off to earn enough money to spend this year woofing (sp?) in South America, and Miles and Max are living at home with parents as they should be. It was over 100 degrees almost every day (over 40 Celsius). There was one extremely moist picnic in Woodward Park, a hilariously long and HOT game of miniature golf, and some wonderful bbq's that we managed despite the heat. And lots of Bud lite. We went sailing too on my dad's catamaran, and Nico commented that he had never been in a lake that was as hot as a bath.
Fourthly, we flew off to California to visit friends and family. It was a whirlwind trip so I'll give a whirlwind description: Hiking around Mount San Jacinto with Brooks, Long Beach, In and Out Burger, Trev and Tami come in from Tulsa, in Bub's hybrid we go to LA, hiked up to Hollywood Sign, the Chinese Theater, the stars, the stars' hand and foot prints, surfing near Seal Beach with the Udwins and the Greers, bike ride along the beach with Tami, two nights in Studio City with Roger and Lizzie, Hollywood Forever, Vietnamese food, shots at the corner dive, bowling, Good-bye Trevor Hello Highway 1, amazing Highway 1 California coast, Santa Cruz, redwood grove with Wes and Judy, off to the Bay Area, Berkeley, Telegraph Ave, UC Berkeley, souvenir shop, Chinese food with Donald and Dava, the Cheeseboard and the best pizza on earth with pistachios and cauliflower, San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, cable car ride, Chinatown, North Beach, Union Square, Oakland A's game (versus the Tampa Bay Rays), hot dogs, beer, Dim Sum in downtown SF BEST MEAL EVER, Ferry Building Farmer's Market, cheese tasting, Peet's coffee, gelato as a late morning snack, jogging in Tilden with Allie, Art and Soul Festival in Oakland to hear Cake!!!!! with Sam and Sarah, wine and hors d'oeuvres at Sarah and Greg's, Sarah has a big belly, drinking coffees with friends, Nordstrom with Dava, Indian on Solano Ave. with the Freeds and David and Ruth, early morning departure to drive back down to Long Beach, stop at Monterrey Bay Aquarium, glass of wine with Bub, and then lunch, and then airport, 36 hours in Tulsa, then airport, then France.
Whew. I don't blame anyone who didn't manage to finish that last paragraph. I guess I've been needing to spill that out.
And now I'm back in Pertuis to get a job and finish my Master's degree. Oh, and finish that damn thesis in the next two weeks. I'll try and stay with the blogging. I think I quit writing because eventually, life in France actually became almost normal. But the job of any decent writer is to make what is normal interesting and readable to others. I'll do my best.
This morning at 4 am when I awoke, I was inspired to write a blog entry after more than a year of blank blog page. It took me a full 45 minutes of prodding to get myself up, but here I am!
So there is something a little special about this day. It's my third day back in France after a three month absence. First, in May there was a big Tulsa wedding. It was a lovely, emotional, nostalgic weekend in the Oklahoma countryside. Congratulations Micah and Liba.
Second, I left Tulsa after two weeks and flew to the southern hemisphere - Buenos Aires, Argentina - to visit my brother Trevor who has been living there with his girlfriend Tami for almost a year. It was a six week trip during which I was to learn Spanish and finish my 50 page thesis. Uhem. The trip was great anyway, with or without my conquering the Spanish language.
Thirdly, I returned to Tulsa where I was joined by my very sweet and very French copin Nico. We spent two weeks hanging out with my mom, my dad, and ALL five of my little brothers. That may have been a first. Trev came in from Argentina with Tami, Camden and Ben spent the summer in T-Town working their tails off to earn enough money to spend this year woofing (sp?) in South America, and Miles and Max are living at home with parents as they should be. It was over 100 degrees almost every day (over 40 Celsius). There was one extremely moist picnic in Woodward Park, a hilariously long and HOT game of miniature golf, and some wonderful bbq's that we managed despite the heat. And lots of Bud lite. We went sailing too on my dad's catamaran, and Nico commented that he had never been in a lake that was as hot as a bath.
Fourthly, we flew off to California to visit friends and family. It was a whirlwind trip so I'll give a whirlwind description: Hiking around Mount San Jacinto with Brooks, Long Beach, In and Out Burger, Trev and Tami come in from Tulsa, in Bub's hybrid we go to LA, hiked up to Hollywood Sign, the Chinese Theater, the stars, the stars' hand and foot prints, surfing near Seal Beach with the Udwins and the Greers, bike ride along the beach with Tami, two nights in Studio City with Roger and Lizzie, Hollywood Forever, Vietnamese food, shots at the corner dive, bowling, Good-bye Trevor Hello Highway 1, amazing Highway 1 California coast, Santa Cruz, redwood grove with Wes and Judy, off to the Bay Area, Berkeley, Telegraph Ave, UC Berkeley, souvenir shop, Chinese food with Donald and Dava, the Cheeseboard and the best pizza on earth with pistachios and cauliflower, San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, cable car ride, Chinatown, North Beach, Union Square, Oakland A's game (versus the Tampa Bay Rays), hot dogs, beer, Dim Sum in downtown SF BEST MEAL EVER, Ferry Building Farmer's Market, cheese tasting, Peet's coffee, gelato as a late morning snack, jogging in Tilden with Allie, Art and Soul Festival in Oakland to hear Cake!!!!! with Sam and Sarah, wine and hors d'oeuvres at Sarah and Greg's, Sarah has a big belly, drinking coffees with friends, Nordstrom with Dava, Indian on Solano Ave. with the Freeds and David and Ruth, early morning departure to drive back down to Long Beach, stop at Monterrey Bay Aquarium, glass of wine with Bub, and then lunch, and then airport, 36 hours in Tulsa, then airport, then France.
Whew. I don't blame anyone who didn't manage to finish that last paragraph. I guess I've been needing to spill that out.
And now I'm back in Pertuis to get a job and finish my Master's degree. Oh, and finish that damn thesis in the next two weeks. I'll try and stay with the blogging. I think I quit writing because eventually, life in France actually became almost normal. But the job of any decent writer is to make what is normal interesting and readable to others. I'll do my best.
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