All Settled

It’s been an eventful week in these parts. Our shipment arrived Monday without incident. The movers were super efficient and had our entire shipping container unloaded into our apartment within two hours. Nate was allowed a day off for moving purposes (another fabulous benefit vis-a-vis French employment laws) and Candice had arrived back in Paris from her Morocco trip, so the two of them oversaw it all. They spent the better part of the day unpacking a great deal of boxes and at least opening the rest. By the time I got home from work, the entire kitchen was unpacked, our furniture was set up, and the rest of our apartment was in box-world chaos…it felt great to come home to this scene, even if it was a minor train wreck.

Throughout the week, we unpacked the rest, organized where everything goes, and enjoyed having our belongings back. We’ve eaten dinner at our dining table (my first ever, such a treat to not eat dinner sitting on the floor!) and have done a couple loads of laundry in our washer and dryer (the ultimate luxury). At this point, we only have to hang artwork and take care of a couple more minor touches and we’re there!

I’ve provided a little tour of our building for your viewing pleasure. We have a classic Parisian apartment building – you enter onto a plant-filled courtyard, which feeds into a long corridor granting access to four separate buildings as well as three office spaces (art dealer, architect, gallery). Our building is all the way at the back of the corridor. After you pass through the second door, you can walk upstairs or take the tiny elevator – a rarity for us not only because we live on the third floor (really the fourth, as the French don’t count the ground floor), but also because it really, truly is tiny. In the photo, I’ve put my messenger bag inside for a little spatial perspective. We’ve had an interesting time getting all the cardboard refuse out of our apartment and into the garbage room, cramming as much as we can into the elevator and then racing it down the stairs, only to do it over and over and over again…yes, we’ve done it lots and lots of times.

Aside from all the household activity, we also had a nice, solid week of family time. Candice stayed in town for a few days and provided an invaluable amount of help with the unpacking process. Her presence also ratcheted up the hominess factor, as we cooked our first meals in the apartment and enjoyed cozy evenings just hangin’ out. Yesterday Nate and I visited his aunt, uncle, cousin, and grandmother, who live on a gorgeous farm about an hour outside the city. I hadn’t yet met his aunt and uncle, who are just lovely, warm people. It was heavenly to breathe in the sweet country air, eat a relaxed lunch, and visit the local golf course, really to see N’s aunt’s paintings (they’re on display in the club house) – but we wound up with vouchers for a free round due to the hospitality of the staff. Score! I also made it through the afternoon barely speaking any English – which is not to say that I was able to communicate perfectly, but I was pleased with my ability to follow conversations and contribute.

N’s parents will be in town in a couple days. More hosting! More family goodness! More reconnecting! And more blogging soon, now that things have calmed down a bit.