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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Not much happening

Still not much going on here.  I had a friend visiting this weekend.  She lives in Angers and was in Paris for a job interview last week and decided to stay for the weekend.  We were able to have a nice weekend, despite the less-than-nice weather and went out to Bercy Village for some wine, had other friends over for a barbecue and just relaxed and visited the city some.

I'm still not working much at the moment because of the vacation season, but I can't complain too much about that since I hate my job so much.

Other than that, I'm trying to survive the completely ridiculous weather this summer...it was relatively warm for a few days and now it's back to pretty cold weather.  This has to be one of the most miserable summers I have ever experienced!

Anyway, I've got some projects in the works and hope to have some more exciting posts coming soon!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Rien

Not much going on at the moment, so here's an adorable picture of little Rasteau sleeping the other day, cuddling one of his little stuffed mouse:

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Miracle at the bureau des étrangers

I went to the sous-prefécture yesterday to pick up my carte de séjour and a true miracle happened...it was fast!  I arrived at 9:44 am (later than I had been planning, but I just couldn't drag myself out of bed much earlier on an unexpected day off just to go to the sous-préfecture) and at 9:53 I was walking out those doors with my carte de séjour in my hands and a shocked expression on my smiling face.

Yep, you read that right...only 9 minutes at the bureau des étrangers at my sous-préfecture and I was finished!  It's gotta be some kinda record.  Do French people even manage to get in and out that quickly???

In fact, I think it's because it's August.  There were still a lot of people of people waiting in line (no less than usual) but when I walked into the bureau des étrangers to try my chances at guichet 2 I was shocked and surprised to see that 1. guichet 2 was actually open and there was no one waiting at it and 2. that I only recognized one of the fonctionnaires there.  Which makes me think that all the normal fonctionnaires are on vacation and they had to be replaced for partial hours (they are only open from 9-12 for the month of August) by people who perhaps, might actually know how to work and be semi-efficient.  I mean clearly, just the fact that guichet 2 was open is an indication that some sort of efficiency was introduced into that office, though I am sure it is only temporary!

So here's to the best sous-préfecture trip of my life, wish they could all take only 9 minutes!

Monday, August 8, 2011

A few photos from vacation

Not much going on right now, so here are a few photos from our vacation:

view of La Dordogne from Domme

Biarritz

port of St. Jean de Luz

St. Jean de Luz

cliffs along the Atlantic in St. Jean de Luz

Spain as seen from Hendaye

Lionel and I in Biarritz

Cap Ferret

Bassin d'Arcachon

La Dordogne from the Cingle de Montfort (a hairpin curve in the river)

La Roque Gageac

Rocamadour

Sarlat

Chateau de Beynac

Chateau de Castelnau

Chateau de Montfort