Pinot, Bretzels, and Cathedrals

On the weekend I had the luxury of going shopping on my own.  Anton was glued to the couch after hernia surgery, and I left the girls at home to keep him company while I went to the supermarket to buy a few groceries.

On the way home as I walked up the last street before ours, there was a young woman walking in the opposite direction.  She might have been in her early 20’s, she was dressed in a typical casual French manner- leggings, loose boots on her feet, an array of scarves haphazardly draped around her neck, a bag over her shoulder.  Her gaze was focused on her hands, in which she was clutching an envelope. I saw a flash of blue on the envelope- possibly an air-mail stamp, and across her face, a look of such blissful delight that my own mind skipped back to the years when I would be that young girl, rushing off to catch a bus, while my nose is buried in the recent missive from you!  Sometimes I would wait, to test my patience, but mostly I would rip that envelope open to see your beautiful writing, to hear about the latest goings on, wherever you were.  And then I would eagerly wait until I could return home, to a cup of coffee, or wine, to my own pad of light blue airmail paper, and blue and red striped envelopes and begin penning out what I had recently written in my mind.

When did it stop?  Did work or marriage and children get in the way? Or was it the accessibility of the internet?  Mostly, I don’t object to the latter, because everything is so much quicker, and I can Whatsapp or iMessage you, I can be on the bus going somewhere and mail you, and I can even sit and write my blog posts that way (which I don’t actually do, because I love having my kitchen close by to make coffee, and trying to type missives on an iPhone keyboard is just pointless.)

But still, doesn’t the idea of receiving an airmail letter sound so serendipitous?  I can’t wait for the day when Alex can write more than the words that I have to spell out for her, and I really hope she gets bitten by the post-bug.  Sadly, for me, for you, this ship has sailed, but luckily, we have Microsoft!

Today I’m going to dabble in a few thoughts.  Post, stamps and envelopes was my first.

My second thought- a question perhaps, has to do with weight, and clothing.  It’s not great secret that I currently weigh the most I ever have in my life- more that I was in London in 2002/3, even more that when I was pregnant. I am very aware of it, and every  evening when I am home after the last school trip, I strip off of my jeans, and slip into pyjama pants- flannel, drawstrings pants that are unflattering and comfortable.  Why do I do this?  Because tailored pants just feel so uncomfortable around my waist. I use the word tailored very loosely, because I have not gone to any expense whatsoever to make my jeans fit every curve of my dis-proportionate body.  I use the word because whatever I do wear outside does not have an elastic waist, or baggy legs.

Yes, I know.  Exercise is the answer, and quite possibly Banting.  Banting- any dieting in fact, I just cannot do.  I have never had the determination to diet.  I barely have enough will-power to say no to a crusty baguette after lunch, so don’t even consider asking me to give up a glass of wine, or German weisbier. so yes, I am trying to get in a bit of exercise.

It’s not enough.  My clothes feel appallingly uncomfortable on me, so much so that on Saturday (when I noticed that my SARS refunded has finally landed), I went to H&M to have a look- no kids around remember ;-).  I have decided that maybe I need to move away from my standard ‘uniform’ of jean-pant and t-shirts.  It is all I have ever worn.  I don’t even accessorise with bags, scarves or jewellery, but that’s just me.  In my mind, I wonder if I need to move towards leggings and tunics?  Leggings means no uncomfortable waist-bands, no fussy detail to cover with a trim t-shirt.  And tunics are long enough to cover the bulging thighs, possibly putting my dressed shape in a different ‘ratio’ (you know, the whole 5:8;3:8’s thing…?)

But, and this is quite a significant but– if I resort to comfortable clothes, will I eventually lose interest in trying to lose weight?  If I don’t have a reminder that I can feel, because I don’t have a proper mirror here, do you think I may just find a reason to stop bothering to keep my weight in check?

While on the topic of re-inventing myself, I am re-considering the idea of cutting off my hair.  And not just a short smooth ‘bob’ either.  I’m talking short, shaved neck, whispy layers on the top, maybe even somewhat messy.  There are 2 reasons for this- I suspect that the 20 months that have passed since my hair saw the fingers of a real professional stylist has left my hair in a really sad state.  It doesn’t actually help matters that I took scissors to my own head in July, out of frustration at the crass waves tucked behind my ears.  The other reason, however, is the amount of hair that is routinely found in bed, on the carpets, the couches, the washing machine, the drains, the vacumn cleaner.  Its appalling, and probably ‘stress-related’, and I’m wondering if an entire make-over would suffice?

On the other-news front, Anton is recovering nicely from a hernia operation.  We are left suitably un-perturbed about doctors and hospitals in foreign countries after a day in a private hospital, and I’m pretty sure that the public Hautpierre Hospital would have performed just as well had we been referred to a state doctor.  Having him at home initially was difficult- meals and cleaning, ironing and solo mothering  all the while having his presence on the couch was frustrating.  But after I saw the 10cm scar, tied up with staples, I realised he was due 3 days ‘hospital’ rest at home, after which he should be ready to help make my coffee in the morning and wash some dishes.

Alex and Beth are meme-chose: Beth continues to covert conversations, time, her sisters’ belongings, and my sanity.  Alex has started to realise how Beth does it, and you can see how it is starting to upset her.  She (Alex) had 2 birthday party events this last weekend.  Yesterday we went to the ice rink for one, and she did really well skating circles around the perimeter.  Unfortunately she succumbed to motion sickness.  She doesn’t always cope very well in the car, so I can say with conviction that the vomit that appeared off the ice was motion sickness, and not gastro.  (She also finished off a very large plate of lasagne later in the evening…)

Every week that goes by you can see a difference in her writing and reading, so my earlier frustrations are decreasing.  At least her teacher has realised that she was copying the work of her friend and now her work is not perfect, and she’s learning more.

Beth’s birthday is coming up soon. And mine I guess ;-).  Gone are the days of having a outdoors party where we can invite 10 families and enjoy the sun and warm evenings while sipping on sangria and tapas, and now my biggest challenge is to decide what to do, and who to celebrate with.  Could this be considered a #firstworldproblems scenario?

Aside from that, life goes on here in Strasbourg.  The countdown is on to #holidayathome2014– less than 7 weeks!  I can’t wait to see friends, spend time with family, and meet my new nephews, and all the other little babas that have popped out in the last 16 months.

This morning, when I started this, it was wet out- a perfect opportunity to sit and scribble.  But now it’s evening, and I should make a start on heating up leftover lasagne and making a salad.  Before I bid you farewell, I have two apologies: firstly for the debacle of last weeks’ post when I posted a draft, and reblogged it, clogging up your inbox, no doubt frustrating you.  This happens sometimes when you’re not exactly tech-savvy, and the girls are home from school.

Secondly, this post might be somewhat random to some, but to my very dearest friends, haven’t you missed this?  I really do miss you so much, think about you often- like when I see a random stranger smiling at a letter in her hand!  SEND NEWS!!!

And that’s a wrap!  In an old style, cheers, to steaming mugs of 5 Roses Tea, chocolate peanut-butter cookies (do you want me to post the recipe?) and new running shoes. Hugs and kisses to you all,

Love

Me,

xxx