Week One

It has been a week since we arrived in Lille. I don't have anything particularly profound to say about that mini-milestone, but it's been a good week. We haven't done any tourist stuff yet because we've been busy finding our way around, getting things set up in our new place, figuring out where to shop, and setting up computers, phones, and internet connections, and of course making sure that Bailey's needs are met. She gets walks 5-6 times per day and her body has established a nice, regular elimination schedule. I've been getting her out for at least one and usually two substantial walks each day as well. She is still a bit spooked by a lot of city sights and sounds. The fact that I can't communicate with other people has meant that we stay away from other people as much as possible, and that's feeding her fear and suspicion of strangers so I need to work on that.  I may see if I can find a trainer and a class that would be good for her. 

This pile of stones was a great place to do "ups." 

Stork? heron? on one of the canals at the Citadel. 

The grounds crew, hard at work. 

Today he didn't even react when we walked past him and his herd.

There is so much physical, audio, and olfactory stimulation on the walks that she is always ready for a nap afterwards. I find that I am too, although I've never been one to sleep in the middle of the day. We are always in bed by 21:00. 

City walks

On Wednesday morning we got notice that the eight pieces of luggage we had shipped from Virginia had arrived in Lille and were out for delivery with DHL. Our doorway down an alley doesn't really have an actual address and weren't at all sure that a driver would find us so we took turns hanging out in the Place du Lion d'Or looking out for a confused delivery driver. Clay spotted him about 3:00 p.m.; he was in the right place but with no nowhere to park and he had come up a one-way street in the wrong direction. We eventually just off-loaded the bags and we wheeled them down the alley. 

We unpacked a few of them but it soon became clear that we didn't need or have room for everything we had brought. Some will remain packed away for now and probably go to a storage unit until we've rented a bigger place. Wednesday was our 29th anniversary so we went out for dinner at an estaminet, which is a restaurant featuring local cuisine. I couldn't read the menu of course, but I saw andouille sausage which I love and ordered that. However, the French take on andouille is a bit different from the Cajun version that I knew. It was locally and recently made, I'm sure, and they don't bother to spice it or grind it so fine as to disguise what it is made from. Let's just say that it was a bit advanced for my American palette. The cheese tart that we started with was delicious and also typically French. It was a good experience but I have a lot of learn. 

With the luggage delivered we had Thursday morning free so I took Bailey on another hike around the Citadel and Clay went off to look at apartment locations. This is definitely going to be our primary walking area. They take a minimalist approach to maintenance, so there's a lot of natural growth around the canals that encircle the citadel. We saw baby ducks, lots of wildflowers, and sheep that were brought in to graze in lieu of mowing. The sheep were contained in a fenced area that could be adjusted and moved as needed. Most of them were sleeping as we walked by but one jumped up and proved to be a livestock guardian dog rather than one of the sheep. The dog ran over the fence and gave a small growl as we passed to make it clear to Bailey that the sheep were under protection. Message received and we continued on our way.

Bailey, laying next to rather than on her new bed, but she does use it.

Waiting for DHL driver in the Place du Lion d'Or on Wednesday

Pretty bridge over canal 

View from said bridge

I've gone to just using a slip lead and not the gentle leader on some of our walks.

One of these sheep is actually a dog.

He gave a polite but firm warning, which we heeded.

People without dogs were just ignored.

Duckling making its way back to the nest.

Some of the wildflowers are familiar like this Queen Anne's Lace,

although it probably has a different name here, I don't know.

After crossing the canal again as we left the Citadel we stopped to sit on a park bench for a bit before heading back through the city streets.

Bailey settles in

It's only been a couple of days but I'm happy to say that Bailey has established good bathroom habits, both defecating and urinating on leash on our first walk in the morning. I've been pretty good about remembering to carry poop bags with me every time we go out, which has been about six times per day. The one time that I forgot was, fortunately, not a time that I needed one. There are two different green spaces within a couple minutes from us so it's very convenient. We've been crating her when we leave the apartment and she seems fine with that. 

On Sunday we took Bailey to a large weekly market. The market takes place three days a week but Sunday is the biggest and busiest. It was too crowded for her and for me. She did quite well really but I felt it was overwhelming for her and I was so overwhelmed worrying about her that I couldn't really shop. We found a relatively quiet spot against the back wall of a church where she and I hung out while sending Clay off to shop.

We had a vet appointment on Monday. That was required in order to get her registered with the local government. She did very well with the vet and the appointment, particularly after I suggested that the vet start by offering her treats. It wasn't required but the vet did recommend a lepto vaccine so we had that done and have the appointment for the second shot at the end of August. They seem to recommend routine de-worming every three months here with something like Drontal. I didn't get anything for that and will look into it further.

On Tuesday Clay went back to the market on his own and Bailey and I went on a hike around the Citadel. It's an old, star-shaped fortress surrounded by river and canals. It's still an active military base and the surrounding green space is open to the public and is laced with many trails. We got in a good five miles and saw a lot of people, bikes, runners, and quite a few dogs. She is having a nap next to me as I write this.

Everything is going well. I had an appointment with a physical therapist on Monday after Bailey's vet visit and I'll be seeing him again on Thursday and probably a couple times a week for a while thereafter. We're doing a lot of walking and I've been sleeping better than I ever have.

The next chapter begins

We are here in Lille, feeling massive relief and having zero regrets. I didn't sleep on the flight over and I don't think Bailey did either, but we made it. We had an airtag in her crate and the crate was also tagged as luggage so we could tell that she was onboard the plane. Unfortunately she couldn't know that we were only a few feet away from her the entire time. She was happy to see us when we picked her up after the flight, of course, but she was calm in her crate and she's been handling everything new like it was old hat. 

The thing about this move that few people know at this point is that we are being filmed by a French television program. Its focus is new immigrants to France and Clay got connected with them through one of many Facebook groups he's been involved in since starting this process. He's been corresponding with the producer and has sent videos showing aspects of the life we left behind. We were met at the airport by this producer and an English-speaking cameraman who accompanied us from the airport in Paris to Lille, interviewing us along the way. We spent most of the afternoon with them as well, as we got to our apartment and then went out to introduce Bailey to nearby green space. They also want to film us doing a few other things over the next month. There are other people who are being profiled as well, of course, so at this point we don't know when it will air. I just hope it doesn't come out like some bad remake of "Real Housewives." 

When the television folks left to catch a train back to Paris we were finally on our own. We went out for a couple of drinks and some bar food and managed to stay up until 9:00 p.m. before we crashed. I didn't get up until nearly 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning, feeling great and really appreciating the restorative power of good sleep. After a quick cup of coffee, I took Bailey out to a nearby grassy area. She's never learned to tell us when she needs to go out because we've always just been able to open the door and let her go. She's also never had to do her business while on leash. She had fasted for over 24 hours so getting her system going and learning her schedule is now my main priority. 

Our second walk of the day was to a local dog store where we bought a very pricey but very nice dog bed for her. Then she got some crate time once again while we went to a big store for a fan, pillows, and some other necessary and unnecessary items. Then it was another dog walk to some green space followed by some down time for all of us. After I finish this, I'll take her out again before we go out for a couple of beers this evening. 

I've seen lots of dogs in town, including people with dogs in bars and restaurants, but I'm not ready for that just yet. She's doing great, walking nicely, non-reactive, but I want to introduce her to city life slowly. I also want to get her accustomed and comfortable being crated so we can leave her in the crate when we necessary. 

After the increasing anxiety and pressure to get everything ready before we left, I now feel that's all behind me and we both feel happy and relaxed, free of many things that had been weighing us down. I've already pulled some things out of my bag and said "why did I think I needed this?" 

Lille is nice and the temperature is wonderful. Best of all, no one here voted for Trump. 

The opera house in Lille

Bailey, pre-flight

On the drive from the airport in Paris to Lille, Bailey climbed up and sprawled across Clay's and my laps and tried to nap. I don't think she slept on the flight any more than I did.

Climbing the stairs in our new apartment.

She didn't pee, but she did roll on the grass in the green space near our place.

Trying to assimilate the local scents?

This building is just outside our window on the other side of the alley.

Waiting for me just outside the bathroom door, with toy in her mouth.

Our apartment is down this alleyway.

Bailey has never really had dog-friendly furniture to get up on. 

She didn't hesitate to hop up here.

We took shelter in an alcove when caught in a rain shower on Saturday's walk.

Bailey still loves to do an "up" on command.

We got her a nice new bed on Saturday.

Our home for the next 90 days is an AirB&B in an old building that has been modernized.

It's two floors, bedroom down below, and seems very functional.

We went shopping on Saturday for a little bit of food and some other things we'll need, but it is well equipped and furnished.