Aventures du petit poisson rouge

Hello!

Been a while since I last updated my blog.

We moved in our new home end of October 2007, in a small village about 45 kms from Bordeaux.  Loupiac is more reknowned for its white wine, the smallest bordelaise appellation.

The country side is great, quiet and peaceful.  Our subdivision consists of 15 houses with lots ranging between 750 to 850 sqm.

Since we moved in here, I resigned from my job in Mérignac and am currently searching for a job near here.

Will post photos as soon as I get some inspiration…I’m kind of not in shape these past few days, its because of the weather…been raining everyday…

Back from a long weekend in Spain where Gilles and I checked out the tiles for our new home.  The prices there are three times less expensive than the tiles here in France, mainly because most of the tiles sold here are made in Spain.

We’re both exhausted from the 8-hour drive but the change in climate and time spent Gilles’ family was worth the trip.

We drove back with our little Titou who was in pension with his papy since Gilles arrived with him from the Philippines two years ago.  The stay with Papy was tough but it did him a lot of good.  He’s less "makulit" na.  Gilles and I are both happy to have him with us here in Mérignac.  He will soon have his own garden to play in after the construction.

8 years old and still a big baby…

Thanks Ylang for bringing me warm sunshine and lots of love from the Philippines.

Being the "turista" in Bordeaux with you was one great adventure.

Hope to be with you soon!

Its been a while since I last updated my blog…the past few months have been hyper busy.  So here’s the latest from my side of the world:

1/ I finally signed a contract with Arhelec and working full-time (40 hours a week).  Negociations were tough, workmates are still assholes but at least I now have a real job. 

2/ Kathie and Elinor dropped by Bordeaux last November.  We went on a day trip to Lourdes and shopped in Bordeaux’s rue Sainte-Catherine.  Thanks so much girls for the visit…twas like a breath of Philippine fresh air (I know its very rare)

3/ Gillou passed his BAC and I’m so proud of him!  He’s into trainings, exams, etc at work and so far he passed all the tests he took. Très très fort mon mari d’amour!

4/ For those who keep on asking, I am officially announcing that I am NOT yet pregnant.  Yes, we have a user’s manual to make a baby and yes we follow the right instructions…however, we got a notice saying that the baby we ordered is "out of stock"

5/ We’re into the plans of constructing our very own chez nous.  After looking around the CUB for a small townhouse and finding out that we can’t afford one, we’ve decided to have a house constructed instead.  We’re moving 45 kms outside of Bordeaux.  A long drive to work for both of us but a house with a big garden (and maybe a swimming pool in the future) would be worth it.

Voilà…voilà that’s the latest from the Largeais.

I miss all of you and wish we could be together for Christmas but hélas I’m 11,000 kms away.

Have a happy holidays and keep warm!

In French, the word "maille" is slang for money…it could also mean work.

As of the moment, I’m in "pas assez de maille" mode.  July and August are slow months in France, almost everyone is on vacation…companies even close down for 2 or 3 weeks.  At work, there isn’t much to do, especially since I started the week today.  We were on holiday August 14-15.

Since March, I’ve been working for an EDF sub-contractor.  EDF is the French counterpart of Meralco here in France.  My company does all the connections for the Libourne sector.  My job is mainly to computerize all technical studies fro future electricity connections before submitting to EDF.  On the side, I do the classic secretarial tasks.

Its a small office, just 3 kilometers from home.  Its an annexe of the mother company based in Marmade (about 150km south of Bordeaux).  I’m usually alone in the office otherwise there are 2 others, I work with the manager and the technician, who are mostly into field work.

In a sense, I’m happy with this job because the location is ideal.  However, I’m still looking for something better…maybe as a bilingual secretary…where?  I don’t know yet…Its quite tough getting a stable job in France.

Gillou and I were finally able to push through our hot air balloon ride in the Perigord.

Twas intended as a surprise birthday gift for him June 24 but unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate.

The experience was fantastic.  We both loved the calm of being up in the sky without hearing loud motors.  The take off was so smooth, we felt like balloons flying…the touch down wasn’t bad either (unlike all the video gags we’ve been seeing on t.v.)

This is something to do with the love of your life.

France is renowned for its perfumes, cheese, wines and fine dining.  A traditional French dinner begins with the "apéritif"…to whet the appetite, so to speak…  Drinks (like champagne, pastis, whiskey, vodka or Cola for non-alcoholic drinkers) are served with "pica-pica" (sausages, olives, nuts and dried fruits, canapés, etc).

I found this dried fruits mix at Carrefour…with dried coconuts from the Philippines! (0.50 euros)

A little sentimental pleasure that Gilles and I enjoy once in a while…

"Bonjour, je suis agent recenseur de la Mairie de Mérignac…"

I was engaged by the City Hall for a month and a half mission to collect the population statistics of the city. 

January 19, I started knocking on people’s doors or ringing on their interphones with Gilles, my forever "partner" in everything, who drove me around my sector.  I have been generally well-accommodated by people, cats and dogs save for a few assholes who exist in all corners of the world.

Not an easy job, especially during winter…I would prefer to be in a warm office in front of the PC playing secretary but job-hunting isn’t so easy as well.

8% of the population of cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants will be counted for a span of 5 years.  The statistical report will be edited in 2008.  Each address is chosen through a sort of lottery and the residents are obliged by the law to cooperate.

Woke up Sunday morning with this view from our bedroom window…

Time flies amazingly fast.  When I first arrived here end of May 2005, the view from our bedroom window was bright and green…                                       

(Summer 2005)

Even the little kitties that wait for us to feed them every morning from the bedroom window are all grown up…

When my friend, Crystal, came over to visit, Gilles and I decided to take her to Lourdes.

A work anecdote suddenly came into my mind : one afternoon, my boss, the Consul was examining visa appilications.  She asked me, "Leslie, you’re a 29-year-old single woman, would you go on a pilgrimage to Lourdes?"  I answered, "If I were to go to France, I’d go to Paris or to Nice…what would I do in Lourdes?  I’m not at all religious…"

Result:  She denied two 20-something singles their visas

Its true that I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit Lourdes, one of France’s greatest "tourist attraction", but when Gilles told me that it was only a 2 and a half hour drive from our place, I excitedly said YES!  I’m sure my mom would be excited to see some photos and it would be a nice place to take Crystal (considering the weather : not enough snow to go skiing and too much rain to go to the Dune of Pyla).

Twas raining quite hard on the way…it even came to a point that it snowed.  I made a declaration in the car, "If it stops raining, then I’d believe in miracles…"

There is something divine and mystic about Lourdes.  Off season, its almost deserted, but I could imagine the hoards of people from all over the world who come here to be "cured."

I may not be religious but I have a certain admiration for those who have great faith, great enough, to be cured from their sorrows…and for this, I have a great respect for Lourdes.

By the way, the rain changed into a mild drizzle when we arrived…Gilles asked if I am now a believer…I don’t know…all I know is that I believe in universal "goodness" and in love…and at that very moment, I felt so happy and so loved… if miracles do exist, then my Gillou is my own private miracle…