It's already February!

Bonjour mes amis!

I can hardly believe that we have been in Paris for nearly 6 weeks! Although, we do feel like we are at home here---and we love being here!

We spent most of January organizing the necessities of life--cell phones, internet and cable access, bank accounts and paperwork for the apartment and David's position at Ecole des Mines. Since it was all compressed into this one month, it felt bureaucratic--and many said "it's France, there's paperwork!" but the reality is that at home, we have not moved since 1985--so we added things like cell phones and internet over a much longer period of time.

Everyone we interacted with was most helpful and we have great service from all. Our bank, however, is worth mentioning. It is one of the 6 private banks remaining in France, and their service is impeccable! For example, if you go to the bank to cash a check or ask a question, your banker speaks to you in a private office and takes care of the transactions for you! We chat, she gave me some suggestions of places to visit in the winter months and I emailed her about ground hog day! That is not my experience with our personal banks at home! But they have Euros, they can afford to be nice!

I have been taking French at Alliance Francaise and it has been great fun--and I am re-learning French. The class is very diverse--students of all ages, nationalities, and reasons for studying. I have become friendly with several students and I look forward to going. The format is 3 hours a day, 3 days per week--the 3 hour format seems formidable, but you really need it to get your brain in "french mode". I have been surprised at the number of students from Central and South America. Of our class of 14, 7 were from places like Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela. I have become friendly with a woman from Tehran and a young woman and young man from Damascus.

Prior to coming, a friend in Boston put me in touch with her friend David Witter who gives classes about French wines here in Paris. We met David and attended a "class" with 3 other Americans and we had the most enjoyable evening. We are planning to go again-he pairs a number of wines with small dishes and we discuss them and lots of other things! We are also going to attend a couple of wine salons --tastings- with him. And I promised an evening of Italian food which I need to schedule!

Our weekends have been busy! We celebrated New Year in Lyon with our friends--almost family!-Jacqueline and Philippe. They are the couple with whom Timothy lived in Lyon the semester he studied here. And as those of you who have heard us speak about them, you know that we ate extremely well! Philippe is one of the best chefs we know! Jacqueline always loves it when Philippe and I cook! She makes the most wonderful confiture and ratatouille--we had a great time a few summers ago cooking for days!

Other weekends in Paris, we have been taking advantage of the city. We have visited several museums--the Musee d'Orsay, Musee du Louvre des Arts Decoratifs, Musee Rodin, and the new anthropology museum, Museede Quai Branly. Last Saturday we attended a wonderful concert at the church of the Madeliene close to our apartment. The orchestra was "Les Violons de France et Les Trompettes de Versailles" along with a soprano, Cecile Besnard. The program was Vivaldi, Handel, and Mozart--Cecile Bernard sang Ave Maria. The church has wonderful acoustics and is just beautiful.

And the shopping! Everything is just so exquisite! As many of you know, there are small shops everywhere and each one is different. And of course there are the "grands magasins" of Galleries Lafayette and Au Printemps as well le Bon Marche on the rive gauche. The middle of January through next week are the big winter sales "soldes" and we have done a bit of shopping! The real fun is just looking!

France has survived the trauma of no smoking in restaurants, bars, and cafes. Smoking is allowed outside at the tables, but not inside--we love it! Although it is amazing to see people sitting outside in the cold with a cafe just to smoke!

This is a long winded start--but I wanted to create the setting for you to know how much we are enjoying being here. The weather is mostly in the 40's to 50's and quite cloudy--although this is a beautiful sunny morning. Spring is already starting, the hellebores and primroses are blooming and I have seen my first daffodil!