In Orthodox Christian tradition children are named after a Saint. During the year on a particular date each Saint is celebrated by the Church. That date is also known as the childs Name Day and is, these days, celebrated in the home in much the same way as a birthday. Jim’s “proper” name is Dimitrios and today is his Name Day.

Chronia Polla Dimitrios xxxx

The church encourages the contemplation, of the Saints life you were named after and to emulate their Christian qualities.

St Dimitrios was the son of a military commander of Thessalonica in the early 14th century.

The only son, he was most carefully cherished and educated. When his father died the Emperor ordered Dimitrios to take his fathers place. The Emperor later imprisoned and killed Dimitrios for preaching Christianity and defying the Emperors orders to have Christians killed.

It is said Dimitrios has appeared many times and saved the city in times of trouble. St Dimitrios is regarded as the defender and protector of Thessalonica. Jim has many family in Thessalonica and it’s region, as this is where his parents originate from.

Happy Name Day to all Dimitrios’s

Saturday morning was abit overcast and drizzly so we had a lesiurely breakfast and watched our wedding video….as you do. We thoroughly enjoyed it, bringing back lots of wonderful memories, I even managed to watch my speech with out cringing (though I did feel empathy for that tearful girl). I could watch the church service over and over again, though it amazes me to see me being so still on the outside when my memory is of all these wonderful emotions dancing joyously inside me, I do not know how they didn’t spill over. A big thank you to cousin Moreno for doing such a great job with the video!!

When the sun came out we put the mountain bikes in the car and drove to Belgium heading for a large forest just south of Brussels. Being Autumn the trees were glorious in colour and the air was so clean and crisp, though it wasnt at all cold. Then from out of nowhere the rain came and came and came, mon dieu and we didnt think it was ever going to stop. The above photo was taken after we had stopped for shelter under a huge Elm tree, and it seemed to lessen for a moment. That photo is so misleading 30sec after that photo was taken the skys opened up and it felt like monsoon weather, we were drowned and as well the tracks are used by horses so it was tough going through the bog. To make matters worse or should I say amusing, we had decided earlier on in the day to purposely get ourselves lost!?! I should never of given Jim Phil Keoghan’s, the kiwi adventurers book on getting the most out of every activity. I have to say we laughed and had a smile on our face the whole time as we tried to find our way back to car, not once passing another sole I might add. The French say the Belgiums are crazy, just maybe not as crazy as aussies.

On the way home we stopped at a frites van, I can never resist Belgium frites with their fab mayo and they seemed to taste even better when you are wet and exhausted.

Sunday was far more civilised, after spending the morning at the local market we headed to a Croix, a suburb just out of Lille to have lunch with one of Jim’s work collegues and his family. Steve, who is orginally from Liverpool, his wife Babeth and their children Sophie and Yan, oh and their gorgeous Cocker Spaniel Nella. They made us feel very welcome in their lovely home and I couldn’t believe when we made tracks it was as late as it was. A perfect way to spend a Sunday, good company, wonderful food and kir royal.

No such thing as a Hawiian or a Supreme or the need to order Meat Lovers hold the salami here. Pizza restuarants and take aways in Lille offer you a pen and a menu with a list of all available ingredients, just tick the boxes. Its make up your own, one price, as many ingredients as you like and as well a choice of crusts. C’est bon!

The great part is the best pizza place in town is directly across the road from our place (we’re marked with an x on the map above) .

Bon appetit

Getting into this blog is a bit like getting into a cold pool on a hot day. You know you want to and you know it will be fine and you should just dive in, but I’m a toe first, inch by inch kinda girl. So if anyone has passed by and wondered what if anything is happening here just hang on abit we’re getting there! I, like all wannabe good hostesses, want the place to look just right before we have guests. It’s like we’ve moved into this great place but we’ve got people over before we’ve unpacked. But hopefully very shortly we’ll have some pictures up, including some of our wedding and a few other bits and pieces. But enough with the analogies.

Update:

I arrived home to beautiful Autumn weather and a fabulous new apartment, (We look back with wonderment on how we survived as well as we did in our last one). Jim was in Sweden on a conference and wasnt getting back until late that night, but he left me a note titled “Chores”. First on the list was to make myself a cup of tea, he left out my favourite french ceramic cup and my snazzy one cup tea strainer. Second was to sit in the comfy chair and third press play on the CD, he put in a special song to listen to. He’d also left a fresh pot of flowers on the table and Belgium chocolate in the fridge……if your reading this Jim dont stop doing all the good stuff I promise I wont divulge all!!!

The next few days were spent unpacking and getting the apartment sorted. What is it about blokes, left alone they can make any home look like across between an office, adolescent boys room and a work room? The weekend was spent relaxing in domesticity, the most pleasurable of our weekly routines is the Sunday market, all the fabulous fresh produce and everyone out with their dogs buying flowers and gorgeous cakes to take visiting. I took some photos and will try and post them soon once I get a handle on it. The most promising of purchases was a melange de champignon, you have never seen so many varities, all different shapes, colours and textures. But best of all was the taste, I sauted them with garlic, butter and a lemon infused olive oil (a gift from Montalto winery in Red Hill South, thanks mum!). Served simply, so as not to disturb the flavour of the mushrooms, just with pasta, sea salt, cracked pepper and a small amount of grated vieux comte and a squeeze of fresh lemon, it was superbe!

I warn you don’t drop by if you dont like reading about food.

I have also been chasing up job leeds, which involve me practising my blurb in french on my mini recorder and then ringing Jim at work and playing it down the phone so he can confirm its ok before I leave it on someones voicemail! Meanwhile my husband is giving tutorials and running prac classes in French…….what is there to say!!!! Il est exceptionalle. I’m also trying to find a french class I can enroll in but it is proving difficult as Lille is not typically a place English speakers come to learn French. We are having lunch on Sunday with the English teacher from Jims uni, and his wife, he may have some work for me and as well maybe able to point me in the right direction with lessons. My preference would be to learn in a group so I can interact with people. In the meantime my French amie, Christina is coming for lunch on Friday so I will be forced to interact in as much French as possible.

Other than that there is always paper chasing here, my visa, drivers licease, health cover, translation of documents etc etc. We only just got the phone on, Jim has being trying since his return in early September. Each person would come, claim they could not find the cables and then leave, one guy did find them but said he could do nothing with them? Jim screamed what could be expected when they rock up with nothing but a bum bag. Frenchmen love a bum bag!?!

a bientot

Well I have been home a week and all is good….except my body clock.

I’ve never been good at getting over jetlag, Jim will testify to that all to readily! So last night after fighting to stay up to a reasonable hour, sans daytime nap, I gave in at 9pm. Waking at some later stage I noted keenly a darkish sky, but we are heading into a European winter and with a neighbours light on (long past allocated wee time), I think there is a good chance I might of slept through finally. Not wanting to disturb the employed half of this partnership I need to make the call without light for a time check. Should I roll over and cling to the tail end of sleep and beg it to take me back or can I spring up for a cuppa and read The Age online? Surely the neighbour is getting ready for work; quitely I’m up, door shut and slowly I turn to the clock. Noooo 4:30!! Bollocks! I know why I’m up……I wonder why my neighbour is?