Day 93

Happiness is a comfortable pair of man panties, fresh pits, and promise of visitors from a foreign land.

Sunday was spent at home.  Home for now, anyway.  We realize that we have much to do in preparation for the big move, but didn't make the slightest dent in the list this fine day.  As has become our tradition, we hosted one of the eldest's friends for an afternoon of play here at Madame Chabou's Reform School for Girls.  It was a pleasant afternoon spent for the boys while the wife and I sorted out the domestic affairs.  In the afternoon, the parents of our son's friend joined us for a coffee and a nice long chat on our patio.  This is another Australian family.  One that we hadn't had a chance to spend any time with as the Husband of the pair spends as much time working away from home as my wife.  We were finally able to all get together in the same country at the same time and for this we were glad.  They are a very nice crew with a story as fascinating as our own.  That tends to be the way of things with ex-pats . . . none of them are boring.  We find that we have a great deal in common with the Aussies.  Their lifestyles are similar to ours in the States and their view of child rearing make for a natural  fit.  Free spirited and easy to make fast friends with, I find myself not at all hesitant in saying that Australia will be at the top of our list of travel destinations.  The gentleman is a cool cat with a cool gig.  He is away even more than my wife and does so for a longer period of time.  6 to 8 weeks at a time to be exact.  This alone gives me a great deal of respect for their family and what they must endure.  The same sort of pressures that make our life challenging at times.  His job?  Mining. Location?  Africa.  A tremendously interesting vocation that made for very interesting conversation

There were some hearty laughter shared at some of the common experiences we have shared.  Deodorant was one such commonality.  It would seem that he too finds the products here in France inadequate in just one pit.  The opposite of mine, but the same ailment nonetheless.  I however, have finally found a temporary solution to the problem.  I hit my pits with a melange of products that in tandem seem to do the job.  It is a tiring process that takes up most of my morning routine, but is well worth it in the end.  We also shared stories of products missed from home.  We shared a desire to have a good steak.  Not easily found here.  The American's miss their grape jelly and peanut butter while the Aussies missed their Vegimite.  Never had it, but being a product of the 80s, I couldn't help but hear Men at Work in my head as the conversation carried on.  They departed later in the evening than either party had realized.  I believe that is the sign of good conversation and we made tentative plans to get a sitter for the gents so that we could go out and have a nice adult evening out.  I will be looking forward to that.

The brightest spot in my day was the chance to break in the man panties I had recently purchased.  I have to grudgingly admit that there are perhaps the most comfortable underpants I have ever worn.  The wild patterns still get a comment from the wife (superheroes, dinosaurs etc), but the comfortable state of the family jewels makes the wry comments easy to ignore.  Truthfully I make them sound a lot more risque than they actually are.  They are "shortys" . . . read as boxer briefs, but they are a bit on the silky side with wild colors and patterns.  Looks like something a porn star would wear, but I like them all the same.

Finally, our first visitors from the States will be arriving in France this coming week and we will be seeing them the week after.  We are very excited for their arrival and have a very long list of experiences that we would like for them to share in.  The visitors are Family.  I am probably looking forward to the visit the most as these are kin from my side and having them here will make this feel more like home for me than it has since we have been here.  I have a full dance card this evening, so I am not going to post a new musical selection till later, so bear with me.  Looking forward to coming weeks, I will talk to you all again very soon.