Move in day!

Like I mentioned in my last post, I got the keys to my new and first ever apartment two nights ago! :D

On Tuesday, I packed up half of my things to take with me and left the Dumas house. I knew it was going to be tough because I had a 15 minute walk to the metro and then a hike up 5 flights of stairs with a heavy suitcase and tote, but I did it. I huffed and I puffed for just about the entirety of the ordeal, but at least my apartment is only about 2 minutes from the metro stop I got off at. The next bad part? My apartment is on the 5th and final floor without elevator. Ughh! I almost died having to haul my suitcase and bag up there. It didn't help that I knew I had to do it all again the next day when I brought my second suitcase. (Plus, while the staircase is a while one, it's super polished, and a bit slippery in certain shoes...) Well, after arriving to my new ( if strongly smelling of something like Pinesol) apartment, I took pictures of all of the imperfections I could see . Here's to hoping I don't get screwed over with my deposit at the end of my rental.

Anyways, once that was done, I unpacked and then was able to take some real pictures of the actual place. Here they are!!! (If a little out of order)

View down the street and from my window. Aren't those sunset colors beautiful!?

Kitchen! I actually kinda like it more than Mom's..I have a double sink!

Entering the main room. I don't know how they got the armoire up the stairs with no elevator, but's it been here a while and probably not going anywhere...

Once I'd done that, I decided to look around for a grocery shop. To my plesant surprise, as soon as I Googled that, Franprix (a common grocery store in France, though not as big as like say, a Safeway) was literally two storefronts down from my building. How had I missed it?? I went downstairs and sure enough, after the boucherie (butcher shop) next door, there was the Franprix. Yay! It's nice to know that in the dead of winter, I won't have to go far to get food and little necessities. I got my food and a few kitchen food essentials (salt, pepper, butter, cooking oil, etc) and prepared a dinner of green beans with chicken breast marinated in garlic and onion. Tasty :) And it's so nice being able to leave my dishes in the sink if I want to, or to have a clean sink if I want to.

After eating, I went to check out the hidden park I'd passed a few times already around the block from my place. I took my camera walked the minute to Hector Malot Park. It's not the kind of park we have back home. There were trees and shrubbery yes, but no grass. Anywhere. But the park was split into two levels always, and after 2 joggers passed me and headed up one set of stairs, I followed then, curious as to how big the park could actually be for jogging. But actually, the top level of the park had another set of stairs that led up to the brick bridge that I pass under to get to my apartment. Turns out that this bridge spans quite a few streets and, whatever it's orginal purpose, is now a charming, English-style running path, complete with roses, and ivy archways (I'll post some pictures in my next post). I just walked and took pictures, and admired the view of the streets in the twilight, but there were quite a few joggers, both men and women, and a few couples out for a stroll. Now I know where I can go on my runs nearby! Though it does make me miss Luna ...:((

The next day, I found angel hair pasta for the Papa's Sopa de Fideo and eagerly made it, despite not having a blender to blend the tomatoes, garlic and onions in. I ended up boiling the tomatoes so that they were softer, then mashing/attempting to mix them with an old-fashioned hand-held egg beater. It got a little messy and the the skins never really dissolved, but hey, the soup turned out good! :) I took some in a container to the Dumas house when I went to pick up my second suitcase. Concerning that, it was basically the same ordeal as the day before, if just a little bit easier from less weight. (No giant tote this time.) I left my carry-on suitcase there with the things I know I won't need soon, so it's at least a relief that when I do bring it, it won't be like the dreaded Climb of Death from the first two.

When I got back home and unpacked again, Theo and PH stopped by to see/congratulate me on my new place, along with a housewarming gift of wine. Haha, so French. Later, I treated myself to steak this time as it wasn't that expensive. I got the thin cut, which reminded me of carne asada. Now to find some beans...

Well, that's it for this post! I may post another with pictures and what my day was like today, we'll see.

Rachael