An earful of wishes and who needs some Vitamin D

Can we fast forward through January, please?

It took me a week or so to realize that the standard, "Happy New Year!" does just not cut it here.  It goes something like this: "Happy New Year, best wishes, good health, I hope you receive lots of money, best to your children (re-inhale), best wishes to your great aunt Fifi, may you win the lottery, stay young and love life.  The first few times I entered into conversation with a good ol' Bonne Annee I was not expecting the long list of well wishing and was in transit, probably running late to pick up Luke from school.  I tried to politely cut it short.  Once I clued into the tradition I allowed an extra ten minutes for the inevitable run-in with the gardienne or neighbors.  That only lasted a week or so, I'll have to remember that for next year.

Unfortunately blogging has taken a back seat while I try to accomplish all the "foreigner living in France" paperwork fun that I have put off.  I've made progress but still have to renew my titre de sejour in the next few weeks.  I have procrastinated the most with that because it requires me to have the highest level of interaction in French.  Really procrastinating.  I polished my shoes the other day after organizing my socks if that's any indication.

Feeling a little bummed out lately, not gonna lie.  This city is cold, gray, and rainy, and there is still a sh*t load of dog sh*t on the streets and this really bothers me.  I really miss nature.  I booked us a trip to Barcelona in February.  That will be a nice break.

Since we have returned from Christmas, our main living space pictured on the left has been transformed into Theo's train den, and when you approach, you best be ready to play!  He's very demanding!  I always get to be James, the red train.  Red and pink are MY colors.  Every time we walk to Luke's ecole there is a pink scooter parked on the street and Theo will stop every time like he's never seen it and claim it as "mommy's scooter."  Such a thoughtful little guy :-)