les chats française

Madeline belly up - Italian Ice in foreground

I thought it was high time I introduced Genevieve and Madeline. They're not French, but actually chats americain with noms francais. Madeline is 6 years old, fat, likes everyone, and spends most of her time belly up.Genevieve is 5 years old, slim and trim, loves only me and scared of everyone else. She spends most of her time on me when she's not pulling push pins out of the wall. They are both black and white and sweet all over. Madeline is named after the main character (a little French girl) in the book Madeleine. Yes, I spell my Madeline's name without the second 'e" so folks know it's pronounced with a long "i".

Genevieve removing push pin

sweet Genevieve napping on me

Madeleine in the book was once rescued by a very clever dog whom she adopted, and named Saint. Genevieve - Patron Saint of Paris! I've always loved that name, so it was perfect for Madeline's new kitten friend.

5 week old Genevieve

Madeline was not nearly as thrilled as I with new baby Genevieve. In fact she hated her guts. An arduous year passed before they learned to live with each other.

considering coming out

luring Freddie with treats

And then there's Freddie. I inherited Freddie when I moved into my present south Austin abode.

Freddie is an outdoor cat; his idea not mine. I forced him indoors during last winter's ice & snow episode, and he freaked. He was inside two days, and after getting him out from under the dry sink, he couldn't wait to go back outside in the snow. I give up.

Genevieve enjoying some fresh air

I've decided that only Genevieve will make the move to Paris with me. Of course, I'll miss Madeline, but she is quite easy-going and will be happy living with my sister or my friend Nicole (much to her husband's dismay).  Genevieve, on the other hand, would be traumatized beyond belief if I tried to leave her with someone. I would never consider such a thing as I could not bear to be without her. I can just see her, sitting in the window of my Paris apartment taking in all the new sights and sounds.

You may have guessed that Genevieve is my favorite. I can't help it, she just is. I could go on and on about my kittehs, but I shan't bore the non-cat lovers any further.

Nombres Francais
Tonight is the last cours de francais of the first session. It has been fantastique. The second session starts next Saturday!
Last week we learned how to write out numbers. Let me give you an example:
387 = tois-cent-quatre-vingt-sept.  How wild is that? When numbers get up into the thousands and millions, it is crazy! I can spit out my phone number fairly well if I do say so myself.

Goings On
There are all kinds of fab things to do this weekend in Austin and in Paris. Here are just a few.

Austin:
Gypsy Picnic Trailer Food Festival
Austin Film Festival
Texas Book Fair

Paris:
Salon du Chocolat
Le Journal D'une Fille Perdue (The Diary of a Lost Girl)
Exposition (Faux du Logis)

Profiter du week-end!
                                         

Go the Other Way!

80's Skate Party

roller skating 80's style

Changing directions in the middle of a song, couple's only, and racing madly around and around...

When is the last time you slipped into a pair of roller skates? Not only did I lace up a pair for the first time in almost 30 years, but decked out in full-blown 80s attire to boot! My outfit was pretty tame compared to others, but still a tad out of my comfort level. Sorry I don't have pictures of me and my cohorts to share; most are not worthy (or just too embarrassing). It was way fun, and I didn't fall once! Oh yeah, skating rink food hasn't changed a bit - blech.

Check out this 80s makeup tutorial: http://bit.ly/o5paZQ


Friday Night Skating in Paris!

The weekly Pari Roller, which began in 1994, is probably the biggest weekly skating event in the world. The fun begins at 10:00 pm on Friday nights when weather permits. Traffic is stopped, and 150 Pari Roller marshals skate among the masses - they are the ones in the bright yellow shirts. The skate fest lasts three hours, with a break for wine or snacks, and concludes at 1:00 am. The route changes slightly from week to week but covers over 18.5 miles through central Paris and along the Seine. Pari Roller also pays for the Paris "Protection Civile" which follows the skaters in two ambulances, in case a skater topples over and needs medical assistance.

skating through Paris

Get this - You can also become a member of Pari Roller; the membership fee includes an insurance plan adapted to roller skating, which is valid 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, wherever you are in the world!

More from France

"Is it a sign that we are more under the influence of the US, or that we have reached a certain level of maturity when it comes to women's rights, it's hard to tell. The fact is, that French female activists are now demanding that the term Mademoiselle be removed from official papers and forms. They claim that there is no male equivalent,  and that there is no reason to make the distinction between single and married women. They have a point, don't they?" - Paris Daily Photo 

I talked with Sylviane, my French teacher, about this, and she agrees that it is unfair and ridiculous to make the distinction between single and married women. It would be such a shame to see Mademoiselle disappear (in my opinion). I think instead they should ditch Madame and keep Mademoiselle. It sounds so lovely and so French.

In class this week we dove into "negation". The ne and pas surrounding the verb making the sentence negative. You've heard this one:  Je ne sais pas = I don't know. Je ne crois pa = I don't think so.  Here's another example with a bit of a twist: Elle n'est pas français = She is not French. We also learned the days of the week (I already knew them), reviewed numbers a bit more, and danced around the dreaded genders of nouns. This gender business has got to be the MOST difficult thing about learning French. I shall master it if it's the last thing I do. Vive la France! We also conjugated the verbs étre and avoir.  I can't believe there are only two classes left - quelle poisse (what a bummer).

Pets of the Week

Spent the weekend with more cuties belonging to my coworker, Amie. Betty, Maple, Charlie, and Sue were all super sweet and we had a good time. I'm not sure you will be able to grasp the enormity of Betty, but believe me she takes up half of a king size bed if not more.  Maple, Charlie, Sue and myself bunched up on the other half. I believe she is a Mastiff-horse mix.

Sue chilling listen to the rain

Sue kitty and Betty

Maple and Betty

super sweet Charlie

Well, that just about covers my week. I leave you with another random phrase drôlede petit:  tenir la langue = to stick out one's tongue (at someone)


Bonne semaine!

Related articles

• French Feminists Want To Ban The Word 'Mademoiselle' (huffingtonpost.com)
• Outdoor Roller Skating Returns To New York At High Line Park (wcbsfm.radio.com)