Packing Up

Today is d-day. As is my habit, I've left everything for the last minute and as usual, I'm scrambling. Tomorrow morning I leave for the United States to watch (with my own 2 eyes) and celebrate the college graduation of my two boys. They both have taken their time, just like their mom, and I will be so proud and pleased to see them finally walk down that aisle in their silly, flat hats. Okay, I'm also pretty excited about no more tuition payments but mostly it's about their graduation!

What to pack....what not to pack? This ain't easy when you're going to a place where it last saw snow...last Monday....but where it's trying to be spring. It could be below freezing, it could be 80 degrees. So sweaters, shorts, or both?

Then there's the issue of french wardrobe versus American (midwest) wardrobe.  A friend of mine and I were laughing about this as I was pinning her older, American dresses closer to her body before making alterations. Our french clothes are different than our American clothes. The tops are lower, the skirts are shorter and everything is tighter. And as I was trying things on to make decisions, I realized everything of mine is tighter...and not because I want it that way! Ugh! Red wine and camembert. A couple of weeks ago, while my friends and I were shopping, I tried on a shirt that I fell in love with. It's a wee bit transparent and I asked them what I should wear under it. My friends and the saleslady dropped their jaws a bit and said "just a pretty bra of course". I replied I couldn't possibly get by with wearing this shirt "with just a pretty bra" in Minnesota...particularly not at my age. Two rolled their eyes and one gave the usual response as she shook her head: "You Americans are such puritans". So shear chemise and pretty bra are going to Minnesota for a test run!

Maurice, the dancing fish, has been deposited at the home of a pretty little girl who is so excited to take care of him. In fact, I just received word that she's trying to make him a little house for the bottom of his bowl. And Arthur, the roof cat, is going to visit a friend as a test....to see if her boyfriend would put up with having an animal. I neglected to tell her that if Arthur doesn't like him, her sweetheart will have the scars to prove it. My cat isn't missing half an ear for nothing!

My lists are made of things I need to bring back for people. For me, foam paint brushes and Skippy. For others: Blistex, Citrucel, and Murine. It's always so odd what people miss here.

So now it's time to put it all together, finish the laundry and clean the apartment. I will try to stay in touch but, as usual, I've got a schedule in the states that leaves me exhausted before it even begins.  Nonetheless, I can't wait. Minnesota is so beautiful in the spring (or whatever season it is there). And I haven't seen it in it's green glory since the summer of 2008.

À bienôt mes amis,