Checking in

My last blog post was 15 days ago. I haven't gone that long without posting something probably since the first year of my blog. Everything is fine but we've been busy. It hasn't all been fun stuff, much of it not worthy of mention, but it's all been mostly good. 

The language class, five days a week, three hours a day is kicking my butt. I haven't had that much time of a scheduled, must-do activity in many years. Even when I was working my schedule was very flexible and I flexed the hell out of it. Now I have to be somewhere at 9:30 a.m. every morning. And before that I have to get Bailey out for a morning walk and make breakfast. It has me yearning for the weekend in a way I haven't done in years. The class is necessary and we're almost at the halfway point. I won't be more than a very beginner even when it's over, but I'm going to pursue less structured learning for the next stage.

We've moved to our new apartment effective a couple days ago. There's still some things at our old place that we need to move, but most things are here and we are getting settled, stocking the refrigerator, and that sort of thing. There's still stuff we need to get but we have enough to be a functioning household now. This move has been accomplished by Clay almost exclusively. In addition to finding the place he has dealt with getting utilities turned on, moving our stuff, waiting for furniture and appliance deliveries, and assembling the same. Everything is working now and we moved in shortly after the Wi-fi was functioning. 

Our house in Virginia has sold! The final closing happened either Monday or Tuesday, and it's no longer ours. There were problems that kept popping up right up to the end (inspection, septic, failed water test, etc.) but thankfully it's all been resolved. It's nice to not be a home owner.

Just as I was beginning to recover from my cold, Clay came down with it. It has also made the rounds of my language class. I don't know that they all got it from me, but I'm sure Clay did. Clay and I are both better now, but some in my class are still dealing with it. 

Bailey is doing well. She handled the move very well, although we still haven't left her home alone at the new place. We are closer to the park now but further from a nearby green space for early morning and late night outings. She's still freakishly scared of normal city things like cars, trucks, bikes, motorcycles, scooters, and e-bikes. It is a lot and it often seems like things are coming from all directions, mostly because they are. And yet the city is full of happy, confident, seemingly fearless dogs, including an alarming number of them being walked off leash. Bailey has recovered from the traumatic experience that was the Braderie, but she still has a long way to go. For now the Citadelle remains her favorite walking place (and mine too) and she really enjoys the dog park. She's great with all the dogs in the dog park, most of which seem to be smaller and aren't deemed to be worthy playmates. But she's found some who can give her a good run and she's been good with all we've encountered, both in the dog park and on walks, even those who are off-leash.

The front of our new residence, from the courtyard inside the front entry gate. Our rooms are on the left half of the building, on the second floor. 

Some fun dog park pics.

Bailey will "up" on anything I ask of her and she now makes a habit of jumping up and walking along the many downed trees that line many of the paths at the Citadelle. 

A narrow alleyway that we pass on our walk to the park. I love these and some are actually streets.

There's been quite a few crocuses in bloom. I'm sure they will be many more in the spring.

A couple weeks ago was the heritage weekend in France, where a lot of historic places, but public and private, are open to the public for tours. We took in three of them, including the Chamber of Commerce building in Lille, where these pictures were taken. 

I had to look at this closely to determine that it was a tapestry, not a painting.

The white fleur-de-lys on a red background is the symbol of Lille.

Bailey has one on her collar. 

We saw this red marble in several places on the tour, and there's some in our new place too.

More from the dog park.

On point for a squirrel on the other side of that fence.

Leading the chase at the Cani Parc.

Queen of the hill.

She comes and lays down near me when there's nothing fun happening.

This is the view of the upper part of the front gate at our new place, from inside the courtyard.

This is the Quai de Wault. It's a remanent of the canal system that was once quite extensive throughout Lille. There is still the main canal but the small bits that went into the neighborhoods are mostly gone, having become silted in heavy polluted and finally just filled in and paved over. This bit remains and it's on our four block walk to the park from our new place. This shot was yesterday evening and the picture below was from this morning. The water is clean enough to swim in although it's not generally allowed.

History walk in Lille

Sunday morning I walked over 10 km with Bailey at the Citadel, including two stops at the dog park. By the time we got back home she was ready for a nap. I was too, probably, but Clay and I had signed up for a guided history walk in vieux Lille (old town), and I didn't want to miss it. It was led by a guy who works at Lille University; we had met him at an anglophone gathering a couple weeks ago. It was very interesting. We went part many sites that we see every day but didn't really know anything about. 

I'm going to post a lot of pictures here but not much of the history because I have come down with a cold and feel like crap. It's just a cold, but it's a man cold, so things will be touch and go for a few days. Send chants and incantations.

But first, here's Bailey playing at one of the dog park stops yesterday. Anyone know what breed of dog that may be? There were two of them there. The look like setters of some sort, longish fur, black with bits of silver or gray. Really pretty.

This wasn't on the tour, this is the view across the street from the park where Bailey poops and pees at night and early in the morning.

This is a bit of 15th century pavement that still exists on the Grand Place.

This statue was originally intended to be on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to represent the north (Nord). Instead they just sent it to Lille.

Chamber of Commerce and belfry.

Typical Flemish facades. There are cannon balls lodged in some of these from some old war. Apparently Lille is the most beseiged city in France.

L'Opera

Inside the courtyard of the old stock exchange.

Cast iron downspout.

Water fountain

Old city gate, Port de Rubais

Aux Merveilleux de Fred

This isn't quite an original Lille creation because apparently the founder took his Austrian employer's best recipe and set up his own shop in Lille. They are amazing. 

Back to the new normal

Sunday was the final day of the Braderie and it was much quieter in comparison to Saturday. Sellers were packing up by late in the afternoon and there was none of the late night partying and madness that occurred on Saturday. Although I stand by my criticism of the city's handling of some aspects of the event, I was impressed and amazed by how quickly and efficiently they cleaned everything up when it was over. The street cleaners had most of the garbage picked up before sunrise on Monday and the clean up continued throughout the day. Loose litter was picked up from the green space where we walk and even from our alley way. Everything was back to normal on Monday but everything was a bit subdued because a lot of places are closed on Monday anyway. 

I think that Bailey was a bit traumatized by the event. The massive influx of people and the constant bass beat of music that reverberated throughout the old city was too much. She refused to use the nearby green spaces entirely for several days, which meant I had to get her over to the park to do her business. I had anticipated the problem to some extent and was only feeding her once a day since she was only able to poop and pee once a day for a while. On Wednesday evening she finally consented to using the nearby green space. The scents were beginning to fade a bit perhaps, and at least the people were gone. Thursday morning she pooped and peed at the time and place we had established as habit, so I hope she is back to normal. She had also been just irrationally frantic and spooky when walking the streets in the city since the Braderie. Yesterday she was at least a bit calmer and I really hope that trend continues. If she's not a bomb-proof city dweller by this time next year I may consider boarding her someplace quiet during this annual event. 

My language class began Monday and is occupying my weekday mornings, three hours per day, five days per week. That has brought on its own stress, as my brain hasn't been tasked with anything like that for many years. But it's got to be done because I'd really like to be able to communicate. The problem for me is that the language seems to be composed of nothing but vowel sounds with ever so slight nuances in the pronunciation that give distinct meaning to the words. I think I'll learn to read it before I learn to hear and understand someone speaking. 

I'm still seeing a physical therapist for my shoulder twice a week, mostly because I'm not sufficiently self-disciplined to be left on my own to do the exercises. I think I'll go down to once a week starting next week, however. 

Clay has been gradually moving our things over to the new apartment and working on getting the internet service, electric, mail, and banking services established. We now have French phone numbers but our prior U.S. numbers still work at least for getting messages. Email remains the same and is the best way to reach us. The "WhatsApp" app works and costs nothing. 

I've been walking at least 10 miles a day since we arrived in France. I hope I'm losing some weight but I haven't found a scale where I can weigh myself to be sure. May have to buy one. 

Bailey at the dog park sitting next to me waiting for a fun dog to come along.

I've noticed that a lot of dogs who visit the dog park just sit with their owners, rather anti-social. 

Bailey is always ready to play if anyone shows the slightest inclination to do so.

Bailey on an evening walk.

This is a distance marker along the canal where we walk. I hadn't noticed them until yesterday.

This is the house where Charles de Gaulle was born. We walked by it on the way home from the park.

This is the staircase in the building where my language classes are held. 

It doesn't look like much from the outside but some of the interior features are really nice. 

Bailey and I got caught in the rain on today's walk but were rewarded with this rainbow over the carnival afterwards.