- After apartment hunting for a few days, we signed on the bottom floor of a house to live in that is perfect for us. We live under our land lady, and her son and his family live on the top floor. They are awesome. We have felt very welcomed and cared for by them. It has everything Addy prayed for: a bathtub, a potty, and a place to play outside. It's surprisingly very cold and pretty empty right now, but we're glad to be here.
- We bought "frashes" (bed-like couches) for our living room and had them delivered. We had arms made for the ends of them, and the carpenters are supposed to come and attach them later today when he delivers a table. I doubt that's going to happen because it is raining. Sigh. I still need to find some fabric and a seamstresses to make covers for the mattresses. It's quite a process.
- We also bought a washer, stove, fridge, and microwave. They're all up and running fine. Yay!
- There's been a water heater saga that is still unresolved. We have yet to have hot water in our apartment except from our electric kettle. We have to turn off our one space heater when we run it, because otherwise we flip a fuse... like I said, it's cold.
- With the cold, we have discovered the beauty of old fashioned hot water bottles. Magic, I tell you.
- Conversations with our neighbors and community have involved everything from the recent attacks in Paris, why we should not have gone shopping for things on Friday, why kung-foo is preferable to soccer, local rap artists, the prison system, what local nursery schools we should avoid, what language God speaks, and more. Our days would not be nearly as interesting or productive without the ability to use french with people!
- I had our house helper teach me to cook a local dish. Delicious beef meatballs in a tomato sauce, topped with eggs. Mmmm.
- I made my first friend at the park. I watched Addy talk to and play with her son in broken french and was so proud. Then he threw Addy's baby doll in the mud, and she would have nothing to do with him. You win some, you lose some.
- We bought "frashes" (bed-like couches) for our living room and had them delivered. We had arms made for the ends of them, and the carpenters are supposed to come and attach them later today when he delivers a table. I doubt that's going to happen because it is raining. Sigh. I still need to find some fabric and a seamstresses to make covers for the mattresses. It's quite a process.
- We also bought a washer, stove, fridge, and microwave. They're all up and running fine. Yay!
- There's been a water heater saga that is still unresolved. We have yet to have hot water in our apartment except from our electric kettle. We have to turn off our one space heater when we run it, because otherwise we flip a fuse... like I said, it's cold.
- With the cold, we have discovered the beauty of old fashioned hot water bottles. Magic, I tell you.
- Conversations with our neighbors and community have involved everything from the recent attacks in Paris, why we should not have gone shopping for things on Friday, why kung-foo is preferable to soccer, local rap artists, the prison system, what local nursery schools we should avoid, what language God speaks, and more. Our days would not be nearly as interesting or productive without the ability to use french with people!
- I had our house helper teach me to cook a local dish. Delicious beef meatballs in a tomato sauce, topped with eggs. Mmmm.
- I made my first friend at the park. I watched Addy talk to and play with her son in broken french and was so proud. Then he threw Addy's baby doll in the mud, and she would have nothing to do with him. You win some, you lose some.
It's so good to hear an update. I'm sorry for the complexities but am so happy for the many wonderful gifts and wonderful people you have met. Keep these updates coming. We love them and share with our group.
ReplyDelete