A torch relay of our own

The excitement level due to the Olympics is growing in this household! Possibly because we have been in London and can imagine the setting, partly because this is the first Olympics in the lives of the boys, but I can't wait for the opening ceremony! I don't know how I'll manage to cheer for France, the United States and Latvia, although I'm particularly excited about the basketball and Lithuania's team after the Beijing games.

Passing the torch

As the torch relay brings the Olympic flame to light the cauldron in London today, I'm writing to you from South Carolina, where I feel that we have finished our own relay. I mentioned in a previous post that an Air France strike kept us in Clermont-Ferrand three days longer than intended; I hadn't yet mentioned that when we finally got a flight out, we missed our connecting flight in Paris and therefore spent an extra day there. Two adults, a toddler, an infant, two cats and hotels for a week - comedy ensues!

I consider it pretty impressive that we checked a total of 9 pieces of luggage. Suitcases, duffels, carseats, and then our carry on stroller, suitcase, diaper bag, and two cats. Yet during our sojourn in Paris we still had to purchase toothpaste! But then yesterday after a very long week and two days of travel we arrived, and probably due a large part to jetlag it feels almost as if we never left. France seems like a distant dream, but then suddenly I will clearly feel the difference; in no particular order the top five things that remind me I'm not in France anymore.
1. I washed and dried three loads of laundry in under 3 hours.
2. Target (the store) : bagels, dark chocolate Reeses, colby jack cheese, Goldfish crackers crossed off the grocery list, and total bill half the cost of a similar trip to Geant Casino.
3. TV in English! For that matter, everyone speaks English!
4. We were in Atlanta for four hours on layover, and during this time three different people shared with me, a complete stranger, their life stories.
5. Lauris is asking for his friends Ba-Ba, Maël and Stephanos hourly – how do I explain to a two-year old?

Our time in Greece, Rocamadour, at the Tour de France: I still have so much more to share about our time in France. It will take me some time as we attempt to get settled in here, and I have yet to decide in what direction to take Femme au Foyer, but I value each and every visit and comment. Wishing you a fantastic Olympic experience, whether it be watching an event in London or in France or in the United States, good luck to the athletes and let the Games begin!