Addicted To My Fitbit

I have been using a Fitbit since 2014.  I received my first one as a birthday gift.   At the time, it was hard to set up and I wasn't sure I would use it. 

Suddenly my phone would light up with a walking achievement -- 20,000 steps in one day, 35 floors climbed in one day.  It started to take hold.  Cumulative weekly achievements and daily goals now are my everyday thoughts. 

I should add that I'm on my 3rd Fitbit.  

Yesterday before going to the airport to fly, I took off my Fitbit and I thought I carefully put it away in my purse.  On arrival, I couldn't find it.  I searched and searched.  About half way through the day, I gave up and ordered a new one, scheduling the arrival for the same day because I can't miss too many days.

Then, I was tinkering on my computer and realized that my Fitbit had synced.  I don't think it can sync from far away.  So, back to the search.  I tore everything up again and finally found it, tucked safely in my coin purse.  Yeah!

But, now I have to return the new one that I ordered.  I guess that's a good problem to have.

Test

French Dog Park

Our preferred dog park is the Luxembourg Gardens. 

Dogs are allowed to go in about 1/6 of the garden.  It's not the nicest part of the garden, not many flowers, not much grass.  A lot of dust at this time of year.  A large area has old horse chestnut trees that provide a beautiful green canopy in the Spring and Summer.  In the Fall, they provide mounds of dead, brown, fallen leaves that the dogs love to sniff, jump in, roll in and play.  Dogs walk home from the garden with dead leaves hanging from their mouths, bellies, ears, feet.  Once in awhile, there is a dead bird that can be sniffed by all the dogs before it is cleaned up by one of the gardeners.

There are guards that patrol all areas of the garden.  They don't have much power, they don't have guns, but they have whistles.   There is a little grass in the dog area.  But neither dogs nor people are allowed to step on the grass.  It's really hard to keep a dog off a patch of grass.  If the dog takes one step onto the grass, there is an immediate and persistent sound -- the whistle blowing from a distance by one of the guards. 

If you break a rule, you can get a ticket and will have to pay a fine.  Some of the guards are relaxed and lenient.  A few are filled with importance at the sound of their whistle.  These guys also seem to have eyes in the back of their head.  Whistle blowing, I've got to quickly think up an excuse, in French, when he approaches to tell me that dogs are not allowed on the grass.  He never believes my story, but I've been spared the ticket so far.

Imagine, you can't go on the grass!  It's just not fair. 

Found Pumpkins, Early This Year

It was easy this year. 

Normally, I spend several weeks running around town trying to find a pumpkin or two to help celebrate the Fall.  In the past, I've found them in weird places like a little shop on Avenue du Maine and in normal places like the Marche aux Fleurs.  The marche doesn't have them until mid-to-late October.

Yesterday morning, I was at the outdoor market at the metro stop, Corentin Celton near the end of the Line 12.  It is a great little market and the travel is easy for me.  I had a list of things to get because we are having guests over this week.  As I rounded the corner with a bag already heavy from the stop at the poultry butcher, heading toward the produce stand that I prefer (there are about 7 or 8 at this market), lo, pumpkins.  At first I only saw the typical little orange ones but as I looked around, I saw these beautiful squash too.  I asked the man for these three.  He looked at me like I was nuts.   Why would this woman want three of these?  These are Fall decorations in our household, not food!

I am so happy that I found them so easily this year.  They will grace our apartment until after Thanksgiving and, maybe, if they're still fresh enough, they might become dinner.  

By the way, I had a very heavy load on the metro after this shopping excursion. 

Kinda Depressing Here...

Everyone I meet that lives here in Paris is complaining about the bad things that are happening right now. 

Strikes
Demonstrations
Terrorist Attacks
Bad Weather

When will it end? 

This isn't just friends talking, it's complete strangers.  I was in the vet's office with Emma today.  A woman came out with the same breed and we talked for a few minutes. At the end of the conversation she reminded me that Paris isn't always like this, we'll have to live through it.  I agreed. 

Then the vet said basically the same thing, almost apologetic.  

It's pouring rain right now.  Pouring, not just rain.  It's June 16. Isn't it supposed to be getting sunny?  It's not even really warm.  At least when it rains, the demonstrations aren't as big.  Who wants to run around demonstrating in the driving rain. 

When there's a strike the buses don't run as often, so we have to take the metro.  Now, on the metro, I look at every person in the car.  As the train is pulling up, I look into each car and do a quick assessment of terrorist threats.  If someone looks a bit odd and has a big backpack or suitcase, I pass on that car.  I haven't sunken so far into the fear zone that I let that metro train go by and take the next one, although I've considered it. 

OK, now it's sunny.  What's that all about?  Now I have to take my sunglasses, my umbrella and wear sensible shoes just to go out.

Trash Strike

In addition to rolling transportation strikes and demonstrations, higher levels of security and the normal bureaucracy here, we are now having a trash strike in my neighborhood.  This is on rue Vaugirard at rue Cassette.  The street was blocked for repair work.  Immediately homeless immigrants set up shop (maybe 7 of them) on the sidewalk.  Now everyone must be dumping their trash here.  There's plenty of trash on the sidewalk too.  It's starting to get warm here and the trash has been out for days.  The inevitable leaks are starting and making the sidewalk pretty gross. 

I hope it's over soon.  It is really hard to walk a dog in this kind of mess and I'm afraid to open my windows on the street side of the apartment. 

Shortage Of Fresh Food

I've been the the local G20 twice this week, both Monday and today, Wednesday and both times, I've left almost empty-handed. 

I'm glad that I went to the outdoor market at Corentin Celton last weekend or we'd have been in trouble by now.

As I was checking out today, I asked the cashier why there was such a limited supply of fresh food.  She replied that they get their shipments on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.  I guess they have sold out of the good stuff by the next day.

I guess I have to adjust my shopping days but I'll also have to adjust the hours that I shop I guess.  Probably the shipment doesn't come first thing in the morning and if it does, no one will put it all out on the shelves right away, so I will have to consider a T/Th/Sat afternoon trip I guess.

The flower market has the same schedule, so maybe this is something French?  No idea.  I'll have to ask around.

Waiting For Godot

Here in France, it's almost a hopeless exercise to assume that a package will be delivered properly.  On time, in good condition, the right product is my definition of "properly". 

This morning, we're waiting for our UPS package of mail.  UPS is our preferred carrier for this kind of thing.  DHL is horrible and Fed Ex is more expensive.

We get emails that tell us exactly when the package will arrive.  By 10:30 today.  But, it's 10 AM and no package yet. 

Sometimes the guy that delivers it is in a hurry and he doesn't even buzz our door.  Hours later, after we've been waiting all morning, we get an email that we weren't home when he came so we need to deal with it. 

Once we really weren't home and the guy left it with our guardienne who gave it to one of our neighbors in error.  That had to be recovered too. 

Well, I'm wrong. Today, he came within the time window.  I've only waited for about three hours, but it was all worth it. 

Happy Birthday

Emma is one today.  I think back one year ago to realize how hard it was to get her.

The first breeder fell through and I scrambled to try to find another puppy.  I didn't know for sure that I'd get her until I got to the breeders and fell in love with the little girl that has now chewed up the furniture, requires walks when I'm tired and has generally changed the pattern of my life for the better.

She's traveled with me, shopped with me, slept with me.

It's been a wonderful, invigorating year.

We Survived The Windstorm

An El Nino storm blew through town yesterday.  First we had rain.  It was nice, not too hard, didn't last too long.  Then the wind whipped up.  Howling, growling wind.  Things were banging outside and the house was shaking.  The lights were flickering on and off.  I lit candles and charged all my electronics, just in case. But, the lights stayed on and we enjoyed staying inside.

Emma is little.  I tried to get her to go outside.  She got to the door, the wind gusted in and she decided to wait.  Afraid that she'd blow away, I finally had to put her on a leash to take her out.  We all survived.

And the best part of a big storm is that when it's over, we get to go outside on a nice sunny day.

Here's Emma enjoying her morning walk in the park.