yesterday I got up, did my usual morning routine while marvelling at how dark it still is in the morning. went downstairs and built a fire, prepped the coffee, toasted some bread in the oven, and then hung around muttering as I eyed the clock.
9:15 passed. 9:30 came and went. At 9:45 I was thinking that a phone call would be nice. See, JY hadn't yet arrived for the day and I was befuddled.
10:00 and I see the orange v.w. roll by. I had just finished my first coffee and was toasting by the fire. We have our usual morning and he heads on in to begin his day.
I decide to head to the market and the bank. While in the market, I look at my watch and realize it is now 11:30. So no bank (it is in Thiviers and would be closed by the time I arrive).
I return home, and tell JY that I decided it was too late to go to the bank. He says why? what time IS it? I reply 'midi'. He eyes me quizzically... "midi?! mais, non Kim". "Oui, midi".
Then a rapid fire collection of sentences wherein I deduce something about the clock and the season and ... I ask him, "Tu arrive a quelle heure ce matin?" "Neuf heures!!"
Zut. They DO have daylight savings time in France. hahaha~ I have to remember I'm in a different country vs. planet.
Well, that's okay because sometimes I worry about JY too. harumph.
For example, yesterday afternoon I decided to try again for the bank. I wait until 2:00 and bid my farewells, dashing off. I drive to Thiviers and the bank is closed. Wha-a-a-aaaa???
I walk over to Marjo's agency for a visit and an inquiry? Does she know why the bank is closed? is it a holiday?
"No Kim, the banks are closed every Monday!!" "Tous les lundis?", I proclaim. "Oui, tous les lundis". Merde.
I can't wait to get back to the house and give it to JY. "JY, tu ne me dit pas les banques sont fermé TOUS les lundis", I triumphantly remark.
He calmly regards me. "Oui? hmmm. C'est pas grave".
We both crack up.
On with the day.
Monday, October 27, 2008
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10 comments:
hurrumph. someone did not read my blog on sunday morning! LOL
More evidence that you simply cannot trust the French with their closings and strange clocks!
KS-uh oh. merde et je suis desolée
rg-j'ai beaucoup de confiance dans le Francais ... c'etait moi !
Your morning routine sounds very cozy--waking early, prepping the fire and the coffee, contemplating the dark.
Not arranging a business outfit, imagining meetings about ways to increase efficiency or make a profit, rushing through a shower, doing make-up and hair, eating on the fly.
Gawd! What I would not give to be done. It's OK because all the usual "points de repere" have long since started disintegrating all around me. I have to work to be as anal retentive about all the "things that should be accomplished" in this reality.
So, in your new reality:
--we are now on daylight savings time
--we now have 10 hours of decalage horarires with CA and the rest of the Left Coast
--no banking on Mondays--that's like getting 2 Sundays per week! What a cool country is France!
Have a great week, Chérie!
we were so looking forward to changing the clocks back - i hated waking up to dark, now it's light at 7:30! It's hard when it gets dark at 6pm though. Monday - was a holiday in france, all saints day (so I was told).....who knows, it wouldn't surprise me if the banks would be closed on Monday, since they sometimes work on Saturday...oh so french.
yep, at least in small towns, most banks are closed on mondays (along with a lot of other stores).
OJL-you were one ahead of me. Actually, I like it dark in the morning, like sleeping in late and lighter evenings. sigh.
ksam-oh, you are still talking to me? phew...and I also don't mind a bit that banks are closed on Monday, except when I drive 27km to find out! lol.
of course i'm still talking to you! i'm not *that* egotistical to imagine that y'all have nothing better to do than sit around and read my blog all day!! lol
How interesting. We in Utah are making a similar experiment with the four day work week for State employees--only they get friday off--but no driver's licensing or registering of cars, etc, etc. Takes a small bit of getting used to as I seem to put things off as long as possible. But I am happy for all the savings to the state in miles driven, gas used, utilities to keep offices open and staffed, etc. Not to mention the nice three day weekend for State employees.
Dark when I arrive at work, nearly dark when I leave. It's lovely. Until we have to swing the arms back. Bastards.
Four day work week for state employees? Who knew that Utah was cooler than Ohio. I'd love to work four 10-hour days. But I'd settle for 35 over 40. I hope you've got room for us all, Brantôme lady.
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