Monday, May 07, 2007

A Bit of Order in this Chaos

I started another thready before leaving Florida, very similar to the first one although this time I covered almost every bit of the foundation. And I did cheat- I had to use some real scraps and not just bits bound for the trash (actually the bag of stuffing I'll use for making Santas and things like that). This is roughly 8.5" square.

And this is what it looked like before we departed. I've worked on it quite a bit more, but have been very neglectful at taking photos.

My bookshelves are in order. My husband's bookshelves are completely and totally off limits to all my decorations (that little problem of letting him get here first and get settled) so I've had to put what I can here. The framed pieces are threadies, the metalwork and alabaster is all Egyptian, and a wee bit of Britain has snuck in (the phrenology head and most of the printers' stamps).

These are my husband's Harry Potter books. He's a huge fan and rereads the books and rewatches the films seemingly constantly. July is going to be a big month at our house with the new book and new movie coming out.


And a tiny bit of America: a switchplate featuring a girl riding a cat. I haven't had a switch that fits ever since I bought it, but love it anyway.

The cats are doing reasonably well. It's heartbreaking, but the girls are still hissing and swatting at each other. The boys are still jumpy and have a tendency to slink off quick if they think they being rounded up - calling them to come get treats has the opposite effect.

On Saturday I rode the metro for the first time. We went to the big mall at La Defense (pronounced something like la dee fonce) to get supplies to hang my quilts and pictures. Of course we were idiots and forgot the dictionary. Does this mean plaster? This probably means brick...

Yesterday we got quite a few quilts hung up on the walls. I've run out of hanging rods - so couldn't get them all up. I haven't yet tried your suggestions for getting the crumples out of the quilts, so they don't look fabulous up on the walls, but they will. I also want to hang my framed Egyptian embroideries, but I'm a bit intimidated about arranging them. It was easy in our last place - they went up on the walls as I bought them one at a time. I'm going to lay them out on the floor and arrange them that way.

It still doesn't feel like home yet. Making progress though. The things I'm finding hardest to adjust to: lack of tv programming in the English language (there's loads of American and UK tv on, but they're all dubbed into French and only the rare show has the option of listening to it in the original) and food stores closed on Sundays as well as holidays. I'll get better at thinking ahead. In fact, tomorrow is a holiday and I already have our yummy baguette and salad items purchased. I did have two "pain au chocolate" (croissants with chocolate) for tomorrow but I was very very bad and ate them both for lunch.

Lily managed to wipe me out today - classic kitty manuever of crossing over right in front of my feet. She squealed horrifically when I stepped down on her but is okay now. My knee (the bad one with arthritis) hurts but I've been icing and elevating and wrapping... At least it's a good excuse for not cleaning the bathrooms. My husband will of course be all sympathy for the baby and blame me - "you have to watch where you're going." harrumph.

17 comments:

Judy said...

Noodles famous move is to lay out on the floor and after you tell him to stay still to set OVER him, he moves to exactly where you carefully chose to place your foot and of course your body is already going there! So squish! I can see being scared but why are the girls "AT" each other?

Your hubby and I agree about Harry! I've got my book on order already and the movie date set for vacation so we can see it the first day! Has he ever listened to the books on CD? They are what I "read/listen" to while quilting. Really fabulous to hear them read aloud. He does all the voices!

atet said...

Making a place feel like home takes a lot out of you. We've been in our house for five years and there are STILL things I need to get on walls -- then again, it could just be that I'm lazy.

I have to agree about the Harry Potter books. I have my American editions, my British editions, and my copy of the new one on order (though I have to find a way to get the British edition as well). I even managed to convince a professor to let me write a lengthy paper about Harry Potter for one of my classes -- I'm hooked!

AmysBabies said...

Your shelves are beautiful. I love the blue pottery! I love your new thready too. I can't wait to see it done.

I agree with Harry Potter being super cool. July is going to be such an exciting month this year.

Elaine Adair said...

So glad you see you settling in - how awful to be, as you said, "in limbo" -- you are a trooper!

quiltpixie said...

hard work making a new place home. If the Harry Potter books are hubby's though, why not make a deal -- his books in your bookcase in exchange for some shelf space for display purposes in his? :-)

His Office, My Studio said...

Your bookcases are so much fun to look at. Wish I could see them in person. Sometimes it is good have your own space.

The furry kids are just like human kids they need time to adjust.

McIrish Annie said...

Was feeling a sense of chaos and hurriedness today at work and opened to your blog to see your recent Threadie. It captured my feelings perfectly. the faster I go, the more behind I get.LOL.

pass the pain au chocolat!!

Cathi said...

I was going to ask you what you do with your threadies....now I know! I had two kitties a long time ago & had them spayed at the same time. They hissed & carried on to each other also. The vet says they blame each other for their predicament. So, yours probably blame each other for the move across the world. Cathi

Anonymous said...

There's no need to eat stale baguette and chocolatine on Sunday or a holiday, there's bound to be a bakery in your neighbourhood that's open on Sunday (I think it may be the law). Also, pretty well every district has a food market that's open on Sunday. Here's a link to a list of all the food markets in Paris, by arrondissement:
http://www.v1.paris.fr/EN/Living/markets/markets.asp

Good luck! I hate to think of anyone starving in Paris.

Candy Schultz said...

The blue vases are gorgeous. I would be happy to find dvds of programs and send them to you if there is not enough on. July will be a month of celebrating here as well when Harry Potter comes out then I will be sad because it is the last one.

Unknown said...

Phrenology head envy--oh man, I would LOVE to find one of those.

Joyce said...

Your place is looking fantastic. One thing I learned is that there is absolutely no use trying to stock up on Pain au chocolate. They are irrisistible.

Magpie Sue said...

Is there an earlier post where you explain how a threadie is made or where it originated? I seem to have a very vague recollection of reading about the process but would like to know more...

Unknown said...

Tonya - MamaLu is right, even on Sundays and holidays the bakers open up in the morning probably until about 10.30 or 11am - stale baguette is bleaaauuchh!

Have you booked a trip to the UK to see the new HP film - I suppose in Paris you might find a cinema showing it in English but don't take it for granted - when we moved to France we saw the first film in the UK just before we left - our kids were overawed to see it advertised in French.

The French are very very strict about how much non French they put on the tv and radio - there are laws governing it they take it so seriously which explains why everything is dubbed into French - on the other hand the Dutch and Belgians tend to just subtitle English speaking stuff with their own language which explains why they learn English so much more easily albeit often with a bit of a US accent from the films

Clare said...

Down here most of the shops are open Sunday morning (local supermarkets too, but not the big hypermarkets). The boulangerie's are open every day, bread being a staple part of the French diet. However, on Monday's most shops are closed in the morning, sometimes all day, but the big shops/supermarkets are open. Lorries are not allowed to drive on Sunday's, except refrigerated ones, so that is why most shops are closed on Monday. If you are worried about running out of baguettes, Monoprix should have in the bakery section half cooked baguettes in thermatically sealed bags. Pop in the oven for the required time and they are delish! You can freeze them too.

DH loves your Egyptian stuff - reminds him of his time in Cairo many moons ago.

I have been told there is a English bookshop, Shakespeare & Company, somewhere in the centre. It will be in the Pages Jaunes.

Have you got satellite or cable to receive the American channels, or at least the BBC? We get the BBC down here - couldn't live without it.

Juliann in WA said...

I really love those threadies that you are making. Could you give some details about how to get started? It looks like a spontaneous process and I don't mean to overthink but for instance are the first pieces machine sewn or fuses? I love how they look in frames.

Evelyn aka Starfishy said...

My husband's 1st language is German and he loves to watch TV in German. And - when I am in Austria, I like to watch my American shows in English (not that I watch TONS of TV mind you, but it sure is nice to hear something in your own language when you are surrounded by a different language). How do we do this? Go to www.ossat.com and our friend Peter can help you out. I hope it works for you as well as it does for us, because it does help me when I am so far away from home/my own language.

Cheers!

Evelyn