Jewels from Jan: 25 Days!


Chateau de Chambord

14/09/2012

Hi Sweet Family and Friends!

Well, today is the 25th day since we left Dallas, Texas, for our wonderful adventure here in the Loire Valley, in Orleans, France. You'll have to bear with me as I learn how to do a blog (just as you had to bear with me while I learned how to use Facebook). I hope to write more information in this blog than I have been doing on Facebook. People tell me I write a pretty good letter, and since we want to remember as much as we can about this awesome year ahead (Wow! We're almost down to 11 months already!), it will be nice to have it in print.

We are living in a 3 bedroom apartment, provided to us by an Association here. Mr. Jewel is working together with them, however, his main work is associated with a Marie Curie Fellowship Award he received. It is an awesome reward for all his hard work, and we are thankful to God for this opportunity, PLUS, I'm really proud of him! He's a really smart guy, as most of you know...he's also a "wise guy"...enough said!!

Life in France is quite different than we're used to in Texas. Let me just mention a few things...

...Jewel Jr. is attending a Private, Catholic High School here, and he walks to School every day. It's awesome. Who walks to School anymore...?

...and, I'm cooking mostly from scratch in my simple little kitchen, with no mixer, no crockpot, and no breadmaker...

...and, I've been known to do something like this...

...and you are probably all wondering why in the world I have such a weird date above my greeting in this blog. Well, this is how Europeans write the date out. First the day, then the month, then the year. Okay. Finally getting used to that.

...then, there's my current lack of opportunity to decorate (which you all know I LOVE to do), but then I found one thing to make me very happy...a flowering plant and setting a pretty table. I've also been crocheting some little accent items...baskets, coasters, etc.