Since Tuesday

-hopped on the ferry to Portsmouth with a bookbag for me and a bag of presents for the family hosting me. the bottle of wine takes priority over another set of clothes for me, right?

-got headache, faceplanted into plushy seat, and napped for really not long enough.

-was welcomed to England by a gruff security guard who wanted to know who I was, why I was here, how long I was staying, why on earth I was living in France, why I left the USA, and how much money I had in my bank accounts.

-was really welcomed to England with big kisses by Lizzi and the fam! I can't believe I'm really back here sometimes! She's exactly the same =)

-Spent Wednesday morning doing a big British grocery shop in Waitrose, which is apparantly the place to shop.

-Spent Wednesday evening decorating the tree and getting into a British soap called Gavin & Stacey. The title characters are boring, but it's worth a check-out for the alternative friends and their families.

-Funny thing: English trees look just like American trees:

-Closed the night with a drive out to some lit-up Christmas houses. This is not such a big to-do in England as it is in the USA, but there are some areas that do it. Felt closer to home. Now if only I could see a giant inflatable Santa.

-Thursday was Portsmouth. A great little harbor town full of shops, and a really cool structure called the Spinnaker tower. It's high and from the top you can stand on a glass plane and look down all 170 metres to your bloody death if the pane didn't hold. Good stuff. It even blows in the wind.

-Shopping in Portsmouth: New Years cards (which is code for late Christmas cards), dress for Christmas day, and super cheap lady garment in my size! Take that, France.

-Lunch in Portsmouth was yummy pizza. But let's talk about dessert:

-Southampton was Friday. Did shopping, found my New Year's dress (the theme is class). Crap weather though, so we didn't bother to go find the Tudor houses. They were probably closed anyway.

-Fish & chips minus the fish.

-Tea, tea, tea

Will catch up later. For now, I'm off to see Winchester and the round table. Little bit of history for my Christmas Eve!

finally caught that holiday bug!

The last few days have been Christmas on lock.
-Home Alone plays on YouTube while I make crafty presents in my kitchen.
-My voice laces the beads of water under the shower. I'm singing The Drifters' version of "White Christmas."
-I buy all of my families' presents on Amazon this year so they will arrive on time. Bank card information is entered while I listen to my GrooveShark holidayzzzz mix.
-Buying more Xmas presents today - Normandy specialties for my English family!
-SCORE: Danny Elfman's "Ice Dance" from Edward Scissorhands just started playing. Spooky Christmas rock.
-Saving the Christmas soap that Erin gave me for England. Why just be excited for Christmas when you can smell like Christmas?
-Oh damn - "This Christmas" by the Temptations just came on. Mmm. Hang low the mistletoe - I'm gonna get to know you better, baby.
-There is an ice skating rink in Centre Ville. How many times do you think I will fall?


Merry Christmas! Now, let me hear you make some holy ghost crazy noise right now.

charlie chaplin helps me out of a funk

So it's Christmas time and I've let myself get a little depressed. Homesick to the 100th power. Haven't got a tree yet, haven't listened to any music yet, STILL haven't started my craft presents. But you know, life is still good. I spent the weekend in Brittany with dear friends of mine and the new addition to their family. I'm going to a holiday dinner party on Thursday and a birthday party on Saturday. And in a week, I will be in England with an amazing friend, laughing and enjoying the holiday spirit.

This video made me feel a lot more hopeful today:

Also, thinking of starting a blog in French.

The glowing review you have been waiting for

So I had to go to the doctor and get a prescription.

My appointment was at 19h15. Me being me, I got lost on the way. For about an hour, I walked around Calvaire Saint Pierre, which happens to be the same neighborhood I work in, and still I couldn't find it. Man, am I nulle at orientation.

In the space between getting lost and finally getting there, I called the doctor's office three times for directions. The receptionist was never frustrated with me or even hurried. He continually told me to take my time. And the third time I called, he non-sarcastically asked if I would like him to come and get me in his car.

Finally I arrived and quickly realized I had not been talking to a receptionist, but the doctor himself! Because doctors answer their own phones in France! What? We sat down, he asked me what's up, and I told him what prescription I needed.

Silly me, I didn't bring the box with me. BUT, not to worry, there's an app for that! Doc whips out his iPhone, types in the American name, finds the French equivalent, and BAM! I have a prescription in my hands.

As Doc is signing the prescription, he frowns and apologizes to me. He says, I'm sorry mademoiselle, but this prescription isn't covered by insurance here. You will have to pay.

In the USA, with insurance, my prescription is $60 a month. In France, without insurance, it is $5 a month. Again I say, what?!

All in all I was only there 10 minutes, and the last three weren't even necessary - we were just talking about insurance in the USA. OK France, major points for you.