Posts by Yvonne:
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Learning to Speak French with a Mask
I moved to France three years ago, speaking rusty high-school French and ready to live large. By the beginning of 2020, I was getting the hang of it. One thing I couldn’t do, though, was talk on the phone. Then Covid-19 happened. Now, we live in masks. And it’s like talking on the phone all the time.
Paris Restaurants Are Taking It to the Streets
I can’t speak for everyone in Paris, but all I really want to do now that the quarantine is slowly lifting is go outside. Eat outside, drink outside, walk outside.
End of Lockdown: Freedom (Sort of) in Paris
There was nothing magical about May 11 in France. But, it felt magical. It felt magical because we no longer need the attestation.
Walking in Paris is Different Now
Since I moved to Paris three years ago, I’ve loved walking here. Now, we’re confined to a one kilometer radius of our homes. We can only go out for exercise before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m., for one hour.
Who’s Making My Paris Life Bearable Right Now? My Petits Commerçants
I love living in my quartier. There is a wonderful shopping street just around the corner, Rue de Levis, where I’ve gotten to know my merchants, and my food shopping is often a highlight of my day. Now, we have coronavirus restrictions.
Paris Under Lockdown
I’ve lived in Paris for three years. This lockdown is the most intense thing I’ve experienced. We’ve been given greater and greater restrictions over the past few days, and now as of Tuesday March 17 we all had to stay home.
SOS Medecins: French House Calls 24/7
Americans may not have done house calls since Little House on the Prairie, but if you’re sick in France, SOS Médecins will give you 24/7 access to a doctor at home.
The Art of the “Bonjour”
What’s the most important word in the French language? Bonjour. In France, it’s the key to a pleasant encounter.
Paris Cats Part 4: Finding a Pet Sitter in Paris
The hardest part of cat care in Paris, in my opinion, is finding a sitter while you’re on vacation. Our Paris neighbors are aloof and sophisticated, unlikely candidates for dealing with poop. The first time we went on vacation in France, Sam asked the vet about sitters, and he recommended several cat hotels.
Paris Cats Part 3: Taking Paris Cats to the Vet
Moving to Paris is already an adventure, but we decided to make it more exciting by adopting kittens. I had to utilize my high school French skills and even lie a little bit, as described in Parts 1 and 2 of Paris Cats. Today, we discuss cat care in the city of light. We adopted two skinny kittens, and my husband and son promised to do 100% of the care because I was suffering from Pet Fatigue.
Paris Cats Part 2: How to Adopt Parisian Kitties (Lie)
I didn’t want cats when we got to Paris, but my husband, Sam, and the last remaining kid at home, Caleb, talked me into it. I was tired of fur and destroyed furniture and paw prints on the kitchen counter, but in a moment of weakness, I caved. Sam and Caleb called me from the cat adoption agency. Between them they didn’t speak enough French to satisfy the cat adoption people.
Paris Cats Part 1: Picking a French Kitty, or Two
By the time we moved to Paris, I was tired of pets. That’s why I put my foot down when we got to Paris. No pets. Caleb was the only kid left at home, and he’s going to college in four years, so there was no use getting pets. However, it soon became clear that the entire future happiness and wellbeing of two-thirds of the family was in jeopardy unless we got a cat.
