Paris Adventures: Versailles

As you may have seen from my other blog, we have returned from Paris, thoroughly tenderized, mellowed and marinated in good French living. We ate, we drank (and drank some more - after all, it's really hard to find 1664 on draft here in the US!), we strolled, we walked, we gazed, we lingered and most of all, we just enjoyed ourselves. Of course, I have to share my stories with all of you since the next best thing to going yourself is hearing about someone else's trip, right? No, I never believed that either, but stick around anyway for some good stories.

For my first story, I'll start with what we did on our last full day in Paris. We actually left the city and headed to Versailles, home of France's kings. Now, boys and girls, think back to your World History class in high school when your teacher talked about the French Revolution or when you read A Tale of Two Cities with Madame Defarge and her knitting needles. Versailles is where the perceived villains of the Revolution let them eat cake.

We were supposed to go on Thursday, not Friday. On Thursday, after we had trekked to Gare d'Austerlitz ('gare' meaning station) and found our way to the correct area, we found ourselves trying to buy train tickets. At that moment, a helpful transit worker asked us where we were going and we told her Versailles. She told us in her deliciously accented English that the chateau (that's what they call it over there, so quaint - it always makes me think that it's some little cottage, not a ginormous building with enough gold to cap teeth to kingdom come) was closed. "Greve", she said. Greve? Between the two of us, Sweetie and I had a lot of years of French language education, but neither of us knew what 'greve' meant. Our confused faces must have said it all, so she said, "Strike." Ahh.

One thing I did remember from my classes in college about Europe was that the French have a penchant for striking. Normally, I don't partake in global characterizations, but frankly, it seems like every other day there is a strike somewhere in Paris or France, or both. Unfortunately for us, this time it was Versailles. Thankfully she saved us the pain of getting there only to be turned away. Not to be undaunted (and frankly because I really wanted to see it), we headed back to Gare d'Austerlitz the next day. This time, no greve was in our way.

We found the right train - we knew this by the bevy of the different tourists milling around the platform - and hopped on. Forty-five minutes later we arrived at Versailles Gare Rive Gauche and after some difficulties getting out of the station (our tickets were only good inside of Paris - oops!) we emerged with the rest of the throng of fanny packs and water bottles and headed towards the Chateau....

In the next installment, the Gardens! They just kept going and going and going.

Hurry Up and Wait (*updated!*)

Isn't it funny that once you finally decide to do something and you take that first step, you immediately have to wait?
image: SkyWideDesign
Yesterday, I officially completed and sent in an application to adopt a Golden Retriever! But, now, we wait. The next step is for them to contact us to make an appointment for a phone interview. Assuming I don't put my foot (or is it paw?) in my mouth, they will then come out for a home visit. I think I have managed to convince Sweetie that it would not be a good idea for him to wear a wife-beater, throw beer cans around and deck the kitties in stud collars during said visit.

If we pass the home inspection, then, and only then, are we deemed worthy to be able to meet an actual dog. All waggy tailed, and drooling.

As I've mentioned before, one of the main reasons we chose this particular group was because they do such a thorough job researching potential adopters and matching dog/human temperments. But, that requires time. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. My canine biological clock has begun to tick people! Now that I have decided to get one, I want it NOW!

I am not without other distractions, however. I'm still sorting through the pictures from Paris, the quilt won't machine quilt itself (and she's due in June!), I need to do the scrapbook of the quiltmaking process, and I'm fishing around for a new cross-stitch project since, frankly, I've grown bored with my current one. There are only so many leaf veins one can do before it's time to take a break!

But still, sometimes it's more fun to complain about the wait, n'est pas?

*Update* I got an email today (5/26) from a volunteer with the rescue organization to set up a phone interview for some time this week! I usually do really well over the phone - I spend about half of my work hours on the phone talking to people - so I think I'll do really well. But, how do you prepare for a phone interview about adopting a dog?!

Progress Report

It occurred to me the other day that it's been a while since I had made my list of goals to accomplish during my sabbatical from infertility treatment. I haven't blogged much about my progress, other than on the pooch hunt front. I thought it was time to take stock on how I've done so far.

I'll list them this time from easiest to hardest:

* Learn some new distracting skills. I think I want to learn jewelry making and how to play bridge. Luckily, our local school district offers classes in both.

I have looked into these options. Unfortunately, the bridge lessons through the local school district this summer are offered at the senior citizen time of 1-3pm on Mondays. Not an option. The American Contract Bridge League has listing of master teachings all over the country and I have talked with my friend to see if she's still interested. The jewelry making classes through the school didn't look that interesting, but I'll keep looking, probably at local bead stores.

* Limber up.

I've been walking like it's going out of style, but I haven't started yoga since my ovaries are still not back to their usual selves. Friday was an excellent reminder of this.

* Read, read, read. I'm seriously behind in my magazine reading (I subscribe to the Atlantic which I love, but I'm still on October 2007's edition - and it's a monthly!) and I'm still on a quest to enhance my literature repertoire. For example, Great Expectations has been sitting in my nightstand drawer for years and I still haven't read it.

I'm slowly catching up! I'm almost finished with my March editions of New York magazine and I finished the October 2007 Atlantic. Unfortunately, the 11 books I bought at a used book sale a few weeks ago have been added to the pile, thus increasing my overall reading deficit. I anticipate clearing out a huge magazine backlog on the flights to and from Paris.

* Get a pooch. We have two of the most adorable kitties on the planet (seriously, mine are way cuter than yours. Really.), but I've always wanted a dog. We have gone to the shelter twice now in search of The One and so far, no luck. But we are in no hurry and we know that we'll find The One eventually.

I have narrowed down the choices of where I want to adopt from to organizations that do a lot of background on the prospective adopter and matching the dog with the person and vice versa. My friend also found a dog who is available through another rescue organization who she thinks would be perfect for us - I looked at his pics online and he is absolutely precious. If he's still available for adoption after we get back from Paris, we'll go meet him and see if he is the One for us. If not, we'll go to the Golden Retriever rescue organization.

Oh, and my kitties are still way cuter than yours. Really. Although I have to admit that Tigger is awfully cute, jp.

*Reconnect with Sweetie in areas other than infertility. Without a doubt, infertility has strengthened our marriage, but so many of our conversations these past few years have been about the trials and tribulations. We are starting to talk more about non-infertility plans and futures. I want to continue with that.

I think we've been making great progress on this one. We've been taking almost daily walks together in the evenings and just talking about work, life, kitties, etc. And it's been wonderful. We have also talked about infertility, our losses and the path forward. But those conversations are not the only ones we have these days. They are just a few of many.

* Learn how to be happy with what I have, not what I want. I have no problem with this with respect to material things like cars, houses, etc. I don't covet my neighbor's Yukon (particularly not with these gas prices) and I don't want the giant house down the street (its disproportionate). But, when it comes to pregnancy and babies, I can't seem to get past the envy and WANT.

This one's been a hard one. I won't lie. And, I can't say that I have found the answer on how to achieve this for me. But, I've been working on it. Part of it has been focusing on living in the now which helps me focus on what I have, as opposed to what I don't. I've also been able to step back and realize how lucky I am in other areas of my life. It's not just lip service to say that I have a wonderful marriage, a beautiful home and a good job. I am learning to appreciate those things for what they are. If for whatever reason we don't end up having children, this will be a particularly important skill.

This question also fits in with my last goal:

*Be more comfortable with pregnant women. I know this sounds strange and strangely infertility-related, but I have to do this. It's the only way that I will be able to make it through however much longer we have before we get the two-legged non-furry child that we want. I can't keep avoiding them and getting depressed.

I've spent a lot of time questioning myself about why I get so envious of women who are pregnant and mostly it is because it is something I haven't managed to do. So, it really is about me, not them. When I remind myself of this, I can at least understand the feeling even though I can't eliminate it. Some days, though, I am just too raw around the edges that no matter what I tell myself, it still hurts. I'm also coming to understand that I am jealous of the experience that they are having not necessarily the final outcome. I haven't figured out how to get through that, but recognizing it is still an important step.

So, there you have it. The progress report as of now. I can't check any of these goals off the list, but I've made strides on each one. Onward and upward!
images from top to bottom: Copleys, CarbonNYC, Sugar Pond, *S4N7Y* !, 9-lives