Start work tomorrow...

My apron and my tablecloth arrived yesterday from Cath Kidston. I only ordered them on Sunday night, so I wasn't expecting them for another week! There was a bit of confusion, but the delivery person left it with number 1, but it took us ages to read his writing, and then we couldn't find number 1 (we only live at number 4!). The kitchen looks better with my tablecloth covering up the horrible table, and my apron hanging up, but those net curtains still need replacing.

Last night we went to Le Mans with the Nixes, to watch Lyon playing football in the Irish bar we went in last time. Then we wandered out, and found the tacky part of Le Mans, where the takeaways with their neon signs were. We also saw an automated pizza machine - but they were 9 Euros, so we didn't test it out.

Up ealy this morning, got what we needed off Julie, so the bank is sorted. I tried to sort out housing benefit, but I need a social security number first, so I'll have to leave it for a week until my health card gets here.

This afternoon, Jordan has done my nails as she's doing a course at home on acrylic nails. Now I'm sneezing my head off like mad because of the dust from the nails. But at least my nails look much better for tomorrow.

Tomrrow I'm starting work at 8.15 am (7.15 am UK time, send me positive thoughts if you're awake!). So I'm going to go to sleep at about 9 tonight, because I need to be as alert as possible tomorrow. I don't really have much to say, but I'll post back tomorrow with how work went on. Wish me luck!

La Banque

Today I had a meeting at half 10 at the bank to open up my bank account. To cut a long story short, the bank account is open, but he needs proof of address within a month, or it will be closed. So we need a rental agreement off Julie, the estate agent, so she's going to do one for us, and we're going to meet her in town tomorrow at half 9.

So, because I have a bank account that has money in it, the phone line and Internet will now be under way tomorrow, and within a week or 10 days I think, we should have a phone and Internet! I can't wait, I hate not being able to use the Internet when we're in our house.

After that, we went in and paid our house insurance for the year as well. £100 and that covers everything in the house, and also covers us if we get sued for knocking someone off a ladder or something.

So I now have bank account details, I just need my European Health Card to come through, then I can sort out my sécurité sociale (health care) with the school. And I need to ask them to help me find the housing benefit forms on the Internet, because the government website is like a bloody maze! You can't find anything.

Tonight I think there's some sort of football match on, so me and Dave might be going into Le Mans with Adam, Danny and Jordan to the Irish bar to watch it.

Oh dear, I think I wanna quit French : P (Only kidding!)

Today I went to the lycee at 10 to meet with my responsable, I met with the headteacher, the people in the office, and some of the other teachers. I got my own whiteboard pen, and a key which I think is for the photocopying room (I say I think, because the second time she explained it in French, I still didn't understand so I didn't dare ask again!) I also have my own pigeon hole, and the English teacher chuckles every time she says it - it sounds normal to us, but it must sound like a strange thing to call it.

I've been shown a timetable, but I had it taken off me so that they could find out the room numbers and give it to me on Thursday when I start work. It looks like I will have Monday and Wednesdays off work, and Tuesday, Thursday and Friday I will be in from 8 until 5 (only 4 or so hours teaching, but with gaps in between which means I'm there for the full day)

They said most of the classes are very good, but there is one class who have caused problems in the past for other assistants. They have said if this happens, don't try to deal with it, just walk into the room next door and get the teacher to sort it out.

There is a picture of me in front of the lycee looking grumpy and nervous, but I've left my camera at home so I can't put it on yet. I'll update with the picture tomorrow. (Here we go, I have now added this picture. My hair was being awful and wouldn't look normal, so I had to tie it back, AND a massive spot appeared, which magically disappeared as soon as I got home)



My Mum has requested more pictures of the house from different angles, so I'll put some more of those up tomorrow.

Bank appointment tomorrow at half 10, then we have do drop off the bank details to Julie so she can get the Internet and phone line set up, and then nip in the insurance place and give them the bank details and fill in a form for house insurance (it's compulsary, and it covers you for public liability as well - I think that's the right word!)

More of the house

Last night we nipped to my Grandma's to use the Internet, so I could post my blog. We haven't done much since.

We ate at at unusual times yesterday, because we were busy tidying and buying things for the house, so it was half 10 by the time we were ready for our tea. So Dave made us a pizza! Dave's half had cheese, mushrooms and chorizo on, my half was four cheese. I think it looks great, and it tasted even better! The only problem was, we only realised we didn't have a rolling pin after he had made the dough, so he had to use a pot of parmesan instead!



 Dave enjoyed watching Match of the Day last night as we have some English TV channels in our house. This morning we watched the Simpsons in French.

I had really bad allergies yesterday, my eyes were red raw, and I was sneezing every 15-20 seconds! So we put the feather pillows from the living room into the basement, but the allergies continued. This morning we realised the other pillows were also feathers. Now we've moved them, I think everything's fine.

I have a few more pictures of the house to put up. Please excuse the kitchen, we've done our best, but there really isn't much else we could do. We can't change the horrible floor, the horrible wallpaper or the horrible units. I'm hoping to find some cheap curtains, because the net curtains that are up all over the house make me feel slightly ill. And I've just ordered a Cath Kidston polka dot oilcloth to cover up the horrible table. And at least that old person kitchen smell seems to be leaving now - either that, or I'm just getting used to it!





But as you can see from yesterday's pictures, the living room and the dining room are really lovely. And I really enjoy having a balcony. It's a really relaxing place to sit.

Tomorrow I'm going to the lycee at 10 O'clock. I'm a little worried about the fact that I only have one pair of trousers and that one pair are much too small for me, but I think I'll be OK in jeans as long as they're not scruffy jeans.

Our new house

Yesterday morning we moved into our new house. We spent all yesterday sorting everything out, and then last night we went to the races! It was in Laval which is 50 minutes ago, and they have a massive racetrack. The only difference is, the riders aren't on the horses backs, the horses are pulling carts with the riders in!



We put a few Euro bets on, but unfortunatly we didn't win anything. For us, it was a laugh, but there were loads of old men taking it really seriously.

When we got back, we opened our bottle of Moet and our cards that everybody gave us before we left. Thanks everyone! We've put them up to remind us of you all.



But anyway, back to the new house. We've put some of the ugly stuff downstairs in the basement, but some stuff we can't change, like the wallpaper etc. There are lace curtains up at all the windows, which I really want to change because they are ugly, they let loads of light in, and everyone can see through them.

I really need a Cath Kidston oilcloth to brighten up the kitchen, because the kitchen is quite depressing me at the minute!

But here are a few pictures of the house.

Moving into our house tomorrow morning!

Again, we didn't do much today. We played on the Internet for a few hours, and then I signed a few forms and we nipped to the post office to send them. In the Post Office, there were phones for sale, that included a Pay As You Go Sim Card with 15 Euros worth of credit on, for 35 Euros. We are considering this, but we haven't decided whether we need one phone or two.

We could probably share one for contacting friends and family. And when I'm working, I can take it with me, in case of an emergency, in which case I can ring Dave's English phone.

Then we nipped to a place where they sell house stuff, but we came out almost empty handed, with just a recycling bag. They recycle everything here, and you have to drive to the recycling banks and drop it off yourself.

The only mildly interesting that happened was that I found and bought a massive Babybel.





So sorry for another boring day, but tomorrow we'll have moved into our house, so I'll take loads of pictures to put up (then sneak back to Grandma's to use their Internet!)