Even though we only got back on Friday, our trip to Minnesota already seems ages ago - though I will admit to not missing the snow!This blog will likely be very quiet for most of April - work is busier than ever and I will be home a grand total of 4 days in the entire month (weekends included). But considering the never-ending construction is still going on next door, that might not be a bad thing...

This is something I constantly struggle with - the balance between my professional and personal life. How to juggle everything - keeping my employer and my customers happy yet still having enough "quality" time with C. Four days is just not enough. For now we are lucky that he is a fonctionnaire with oodles of vacation, so he is taking a week off in the middle of the month to accompany me on a trip down South. But it probably won't always be that way. It's a work in progress I guess. :/

Life with a colorblind man

Me: Do you know where the GPS is?
C: I think it's in my brown bag in the back.
Me: ?? Your brown bag (thinking he was talking about his backpack) is at your feet...
C: No, I'm talking about my army bag.
Me: Your army bag is green.
C: No it's not, it's brown.
Me: Um, sorry dear, it's green.
C: How did I not know that??

(ten minutes later)

C: Wait, what color is my backpack then???
Me: Brown
C: What?? But I've had it for like five years now.
Me: What color did you think it was?
C: Black
Me: Black??
C: You know, like a "light" black.
Me: Lolllllll
C: Wait, are you lying to me?
Me: Lolllll
C: Seriously, what color is it??

What's wrong with this picture?

I had to laugh tonight when C got his (oh-so-delicious, I might add) cheeseburger and immediately started eating it with a knife and a fork. Along with everything else on the plate, including the lettuce and tomato. (and of course sans sauce)

He also very gingerly held up the pickle and said "What's this??". I answered "It's a pickle. You eat it." To which he replied "Even the stick??". Lolllllll

I then told him he was in the US, so he should eat it with his hands. He tried, but after about two bites, it was deemed too messy and the knife and the fork came right back out.

Apparently you can take the Frenchman out of France....


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Sent using BlackBerry

So remember when I mentioned a Valentine's surprise? And then I promptly forgot to write about it?

C told me he'd planned my surprise for the day before we were leaving for the US. I was so busy running around like a chicken with my head cut off in the days beforehand that I barely had time to think about what it was until the day of. All I knew is that it was near Bastille, so I wasn't surprised when late that afternoon, we took the subway over there and then started walking along the quay. Just as I started wondering why we were walking into a homeless camp, we came upon a small dock. At the end of a dock was a boat. As a little background - every time we see any sort of large body of water, I go on and on about how I miss having a boat. Lakes play such a large part of life in Minnesota (they don't call it the Land of 10,000 Lakes for nothing!), and it is one of the things I miss most about the state.

I also love the Seine. It's the closest I can get to the water, and there's something about the light down there that makes it an extraordinarily magical place. So C managed to convince the Seine Authorities to lend him a boat and give me a private boat ride down the river. How awesome is that? After years of being with someone who rarely bought me gifts, I feel so lucky to be with someone who puts so much thought into what he gets me.

So off we went in our little boat - cruising down the Seine. We had the river almost completely to ourselves. How may people can say that??We drove past l'Hôtel de Ville:The Conciergerie:Until we finally reached my favorite Parisian monument, the good ol' Eiffel Tower. I've always had a special penchant for the Eiffel Tower - the Iron Lady kept me company many a night, sparkling outside of my shoebox window. Whenever I was feeling down or wondering what I was still doing in France, I'd only have to look outside and remember how many people would kill to be in my shoes.

We sat there admiring her for a while, but it was getting chilly and technically you're not supposed to stop your boat on the Seine, so we finally turned around and headed back down the other side of the Seine.

Going past all the lovers on Ile de la Cité:
Notre Dame:And arriving back at Bastille just after the sunset:Le Sigh. How did I end up with such an amazing man??

More C-isms

Sorry for the lack of posts - work was insane for the past few weeks, and now C and I have been in the US since last Friday. We have agreed to try to speak only in English while we are here, making it "English Sunday" every day. And hilarity ensues....

Me to C: Mmm, you smell nice.
C: Thank you, it's my natural flavor.

While watching HIYM the other night:
Robyn: Oh come on, you know "Baking cookies" is really a synonym for a booty call.
C: Attends....C'est quoi un "booby call??".

Upon coming home from work:
C: It was so hot today that I was bare-bellied.
Me: lollll
C: Naked bellied??
Me: Bare-chested!!!

While driving around town:
C: What are you eating?
Me: A tootsie roll.
C: You're eating candy??
Me: So what?
C: But candy is for kids!!
Me: Not here it isn't.
C: Do other adults eat candy?
Me: Of course.
C: Do your co-workers eat candy?
Me: I'm sure they do.
C: Does your mom eat candy?
Me: Um, probably.
C: That's so strange!!

And lastly, at the Green Mill for supper:
C: Why would they serve ice cream with the bread??