Getting Straight

And so, after a fair bit of moving around we are finally settling into our new apartment. I'll try and describe it for you:
It is located in the 15eme arrondissement close to Montparnasse. The building is old-sadly not cute old, but sad seventies old-but the apartment itself is great: huge, bright rooms with a fantastic view from the 11th floor. We both had to adjust to living at this height; at first, Greg would only skirt the edge of the balconey, and I was having nightmares about falling off the building during an earthquake!
We have a complete bathroom (unusual in Paris-most toilets are separate from the shower) with pretty pink and grey tile. The kitchen is a long galley style which gives me lots of exercise while I make dinner; but the landlord installed all brand new appliances before we moved in, which is a real bonus as we expected to have to buy our own. In fact, it would not have been unusual for us to have had to actually install kitchen cabinetry as most people take their cabinets with them when they move. Why you ask? We have no idea. Its just one of those many mysteries of life in a different country. (Our kitchen came with cabinets:)
We also have a cozy separate bedroom for guests, with a comfy Queen sized bed (yes, we want you to come and visit:)
Best of all, we can lay in our own comfy Queen sized bed and watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night...it's really something.
Of course, there are a few drawbacks as with any home. There is only one closet-a good sized closet, but still, only one. There is a mysterious drip under the kitchen sink, and the wiring is too delicate for us to install proper light fixtures (instead we have student-like paper shades over all the naked lightbulbs!). We're finding that we are a good distance from our social club in the 16eme arrondissement....its a good 45 mins away by Metro. However, when we are laying back in bed looking at the Eiffel Tower, its all worth it!
The neighborhood is really nice. As a friend who used to live in Paris told me 'it's where the real people live' (Phew! what a relief to be real! Puts me in mind of the Toy Horse from 'The Velveteen Rabbit"). There is a daycare in the lower floor of our building where darling babies wave from the window; there is also an elementary school directly below the apartment, so I hear the children play during the day. These children also do a geat deal of chanting, so I've labelled them 'the Little Revolutionaries" who are possibly in training for the next big public uprising! There is also a very modern looking church nearby, and we love listening to the bell toll. We're getting to know our local shopkeepers who are very patient with my stumbling French. Once I can speak a little better I want to do my daily shopping at the market held on nearby rue Convention twice per week. There we can buy rugs and clothes and seafood (oh my!) to name just a few of the available items.
And so, as my British friend says we are 'getting straight' ie. settling in, getting organized (not getting off drugs as I originally thought when I heard this expression:) It's good to be home.