American Family In France

Some family members mentioned to me that they hadn’t read anything new on the blog since … August ???  Is that right?  Wow, time flies when you’re having fun, eating too many French pastries, and writing a book.

Seriously, I’ve been writing a book.  That’s really not an excuse because I should also have been writing a blog.  But here I am, hoping you’ll forgive me anyway.

How about, before I shamelessly plug my book and beg you to buy it, that I give you an update?  Okay good.  So here it is:

• Teaching at two universities in Paris now, even though I live outside of Montpellier in the cutest village in France that is not also a tourist trap.  That means a round trip on the TGV each week.  Not yippee.
• The kids have all moved up a grade.  They are all mostly happy although still struggling with the French, especially the conjugation of verbs.  (Also the bane of my existence.)  I have decided to speak always using the infinitive.  The French can figure out what I mean from there.  It will sound like this in English:  “I to go to the market yesterday.  I to buy the apples yesterday also.  I to think to go to the store today later.”  You get the picture.
• My husband’s French has reached critical mass.  He now can not only slaughter the verbs, he can massacre the nous and adjectives as well. Many French people seem to enjoy listening to him speak.  They always seem to be smiling.  Our children try not to cringe, but it has proven to be impossible.
• Our now 9 year old is the expert pronunciationist.  And we always pronounce every word wrong.  Even some of the English ones.
• We have rats.  The domesticated pet ones.  We wanted only 2.  Only females.  Then one of them grew balls overnight and impregnated our female who gave birth to 285 baby rats. No, just kidding.  It was only 14.  See how I made 14 baby rats seem like no big deal?
• American Mom in Paris left to go live in Seattle.  Now she has a new blog, I recommend you go read it.  She’s the funniest blogger I know, even though I’ve never met her.  http://www.seattlemoxie.blogspot.com/  There, the address in case you don’t like hyperlinks.  I’m sure there are people out there who don’t like them.  Sometimes they make me suspicious.
• I have no plans to move back to the U.S., although I want my kids to go there for college.  We love it here!
• The health care continues to surprise and amaze us.  We’ve been for stitches (rugby injury) and that was an absolute pleasure.  We continue to experience excellent care, top quality drugs, and low, low prices.  Three cheers for socialized medicine!
• We live in a bigger house now.  Still renting.  It was built in 1640 something.  Our landlord is prone to stopping by at odd hours, any day of the week.  Kind of annoying, but the guy is nice.  Plus he sometimes brings cheap wine to share.
• Did I mention I wrote a book?  I’d really like it if you’d buy it, read it and leave a really nice review on Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Goodreads (or all of them if you want my undying gratitude).  The book is WRECKED and the author Elle Casey.  Click that link and it will take you to Amazon where you can buy it.  It’s only 99 cents for the Kindle.  If you’re a Nook person, you can get it here.    It’s  young adult action adventure novel.  Here’s a link to the book page.

I’m working on my next book.  It’s called WAR OF THE FAE: Book 1 (The Changelings).  It’s a young adult fantasy novel, book 1 of hopefully 4.  That’s the plan anyway.  I’ve finished the first draft and should have it up on Amazon and Barnes and Noble by February 11th.

So that’s my update.  I hope you are still around and haven’t abandoned me, although no one would blame you if you did – I have been a bad, bad girl.  Please forgive me! 

Gros bisous mes amies!