Fall weather brings homesickness.

Well, autumn is usually a time of turning inward and stoking the home fires, preparing the nest for winter to come. In our case I think it is heightening the sense that France isn't really our home and there's a little heartache going around. I think now that the preliminary installation is over, the newness worn off, and all of our beloved are so far away it feels a bit lonely at the moment for all of us. Miette especially had a hard night tonight. She is especially missing her daddy and needing a friend. I think in part because she has been quite stoic and very resilient about things so far she's been sort of overdue for an emotional spell. After her crying jag the three of us all cuddled together in our pyjamas under the covers in the bottom bunk and read lots and lots of stories. Books are such constant friends!

Aside from that, I did have my first class today which was a piece of cake. I also used the bike that I got this weekend for the first time to get there and back and found it exciting to finally be able to zip around the city. There are hills here which is hard to get used to after biking only in eternally flat Chicago. The streets are about half as wide and though sometimes they have a bike lane, it still feels tight and somewhat intimidating. i also felt i crossed more territory in such a short time that the city seemed to open up to me in a new way. I'll have to use some of my morning free time to do a little vélo-adventuring.

Oh, I forgot to mention that when I posted a request for people to send american "stuff" for me to use in my classes, I also would love to have some photos of everyone to put up in the apartment. I didn't bring any and feel like we need a little altar here to friends and family. It would mean a lot to us!