your questions answered

I've been wanting to do a post like this for over a month, and am only just now getting to it...


Jill: Is it weird for you to be reading an actual book again after reading on your iTouch??
A: Not at all! I go back and forth and love reading both ways.

Esther: Love the red and pink one...do you think that you'll ever sell them???? If you did, I would buy one.
A: I actually bought the red one. I kind of doubt I would sell scarves, they are kind of a labor of love. The pink ruffly one took me forever to finish!

Miranda: Is that pink ruffly one the "just enough ruffles" pattern?
A: That's the one! I love it. It was a bit challenging for me with my relatively beginner skills, however. (Emily helped me out, she has made one, too.)

Patsy: I can't help but wonder if you wonder who all these people from my hometown are? (if you check your site meter)
A: HA! I don't actually check my site meter. But this made me smile, Patsy. I can't even get my own husband to read my blog!

Natasha: I realize this shows my ignorance but do they "do" Halloween there? I am assuming All Saints Day is observed though, right?
A: All Saints Day is definitely observed. November 1 is one of the main holidays here. There didn't used to be anything Halloween at all in years past. This year, Marc discovered a zombie parade that he was pretty excited about. I saw two pumpkins at one of our local produce stands. And we found out (too late) that there was a trick-or-treat party in the Champ de Mars for anglophiles.

Jill: The flower shop people didn't yell at you to stop taking pictures eh?
A: I have completely changed my Paris picture-taking philosophy (Marc has, too). We used to be much more careful, much more wary of shopkeepers and the like. Now we just shoot until they tell us to stop (they quite often do). At least we can squeeze in some photos before they notice!

Dad: I am curious which camera you use for walking around...the big one, or the point 'n shoot??
A: Last time I hardly used my big camera at all, I didn't like carrying my camera bag around. This time, I just put the big camera in my purse. It makes my purse really heavy, but I like the convenience of being able to pull it out quickly. I like my photos so much better when I use the 30D. Sometimes I wish I had the small camera, though, for self-portraits or video... so, I have taken it out a couple of times.

Barb: Do people kiss when they greet?
A: I still see bises, but it seems like they are a little less predominant than in the past. I read somewhere that they were discouraging them due to H1N1 risks.

Jane: IF you could stay in the apartment tomorrow, what would you read?
A: Jane asked this quite awhile ago, so I can't remember what I was reading at the time. Now, it would be either A Tale of Two Cities (yes, I'm trying Dickens again!) or The Zookeeper's Wife.

Shannon: Regarding the high heels...is it possible that your mom is part french? I don't know how she manages to stay on feet all day in her heels...
A: Seriously! I do not know how she does it. I have a pair of boots with chunky, mid-heels and even those kill my feet after awhile.

Kim Sue: This made me wonder if max speaks some French?
A: Max has had two years of jr. high French. He does pretty well! He can understand a decent amount of what people say if they don't speak too fast, he can read signs, and he can go to the bakery or the grocery store and buy stuff by himself.

(Before we had kids, we thought we would raise them bilingually. I think it is so great when kids can learn multiple languages when they are young and it is so much easier for them. The thing is, it was so much harder than we thought. It's a lot easier when you have a native-speaker. Experts recommend that one parent speaks that language exclusively, and neither of us wanted to do it! It didn't feel natural. I do have pangs of regret, however.)

Melanie: Since we're awake when you're sleeping, is it nice to wake up to comments and emails?
A: Yes! Checking my email when I wake up is one of my favorite parts of each day. However, Blogger has taken to emailing me only a small percentage of my comments, and that is really annoying me.

Amy: How does the apartment look with all of the work that's been done to it? Did some of that work include new furniture? ;)
A: I'm working on an apartment tour post. Sadly, no, the furniture is largely the same.

Lara: seriously- where do you find the time? (for reading)
A: Now that I have my iTouch, I get more reading done. I carry it with me in my purse, so I can read on a long metro ride (there's a good argument for using public transport rather than driving) or while sitting in a park. Also, I read every night in bed for 1/2 hour or so. If I have a book I really love, I try to read snatches of it whenever I can!

Natasha: Are the students Americans who are studying abroad for a semester or are they French?
A: The students are Americans from BYU, the university where Marc teaches at home. There are 28 of them, and they live with French host families. This batch of students is great, but it still surprises us each time how much work is involved for Marc. Last night, he spent over 5 hours with one of the students in the emergency room and didn't get home until 4:00 a.m.!

Lelly: i must have the pattern for that scarf!
A: I got the pattern from Ravelry. I adjusted it to make it fit Eva better -- I made it narrower, shorter, and I only did two ruffles on each end instead of three. I love it!

Jane: That is a lot of walking. Do you enjoy it or does it take its toll on you?
A: Most of the time I enjoy it. It takes a toll when I have blisters or I am hot or when the kids are whining or when I need a bathroom and can't find one... otherwise, I enjoy it!

Rebekah: Will you please write a greatest hits list for Paris?
A: Good idea, Rebekah! I might have to work on that. Marc is actually working on a Blurb book of all of his Paris favorites, with photos.

Erin: Are you still scared of me after the weird Christmas drop in?
A: Absolutely not! I only wish you had had the time to come in and chat longer!

Miranda: I wonder if I think other pictures are better than mine because I don't have expectations for their pictures? I never looked through their viewfinder...would I think the picture was less spectacular if I had? Does that make any sense?
A: I love this perspective. I have never thought of it that way before, and it does help to ease photo jealousy.

Melinda: Wow, do you know french well enough to teach sharing time?
A: Actually, when Marc and I did sharing time, I spoke in English and he spoke in French. They try to do everything bilingually in Primary here since there are even more anglophone children than not. If I had to, I could do it in French, but I would be a little stressed about it...

Natasha: Are those ashtrays all over the last cafe tables? I always wonder if "everyone" in Paris smokes.
A: Yes! to both questions. I couldn't even begin to count the number of people I see each day who exit the metro with a cigarette in hand, all ready to light up as soon as they get outside. (I am so grateful that smoking is banned on the metro.) Countless, too, the number of cigarette butts on the ground everywhere.

April: I liked imagining what you were talking about on that bench...do you talk about the same things halfway across the world as you do around your table at home? I imagined you did. And the thought made me happy.
A: This is one of my favorite blog comments ever! And yes, our conversations were much like the ones we have at home. We talked about our families and mutual friends and blogging and smotherhood. But we also talked about Paris and museums and art. It was great to be able to share all of that.

Crystal: And what lipstick are you wearing? MAC Twig? It's perrrfect.
A: I went back and checked the photo in question. I think I was wearing Revlon Beige that day. Lately, it's either that or L'Oreal Mica. But thanks for reminding me of MAC Twig! I used to wear that color and loved it!

Amie: Marc's parents sound fabulous. Maybe they could give lessons on great, supportive parenting?
A: I know, right? You are not the first person to suggest that they give pointers to other grandparents! They are fabulous.

Jenn: Why did we not get crepes when we were there?!!
A: What? I didn't realize! That is a serious oversight. Maybe Marc will have to make us crêpes sometime (I have resisted learning how to make them because if I do, he won't make them anymore)...

Jill: What is up with Marc being unaffected by Ambien?
A: I know, scary. It works, kind of. But he has to take a whole one now, and it still takes about an hour to take effect! If anyone has any great insomnia cures, let me know.

Rebekah: Wait, is this Cosi the chain? It has to be, I'd know that bread anywhere. We have them all over DC! I had no idea they actually had a real French connection!
A: I do believe the chain in the U.S. is related to the Cosi here. Here, there is only one. Marc has gone to a couple in the States while on business trips. He said that is was good, but not as good as the shop in Paris.

Robyn: The food looks AWESOME! Why do Americans have such pathetic cuisine (to use the term loosely?!)
A: I ask myself this question constantly. Some of the brands are even the same here, but with much different products. Dannon and Yoplait have wonderful yogurt here that is nothing like the yogurt in the States. Nestle has some amazing chocolate that we don't have at home.

The only answer I have for this is that the French demand quality. They wouldn't tolerate gelatin in their yogurt or many of the other additives we have that affect taste and longevity. They would rather shop more frequently than have foods that are full of preservatives.

It's really interesting, because even the lower-cost foods in discount grocery stores are still good quality. They might have low-end packaging and/or fever options, but the food is still good. Don't even get Max started on the food here vs. home! He tells me probably every day that everything is better here...