Home?

What a perfect night.

Cocktails chez moi went better than I ever could have imagined; I can’t explain how warm and comfortable my apartment felt with family gathered around the tiny blue table in my living room, eating saucison and olives and sipping red wine. I can’t explain how grateful I was to see all of them fighting so hard to put Julien’s night table into a place where I never thought it’d fit; and while they struggled, they wouldn’t let me help. They’re too good. With a little help from all of them—including their presence tonight—my apartment is complete.

We dined at a little Italian restaurant not far from the house. Julien, Laurence, Ludo, Sarah, Lucas and me. Perfect.

But I think Laurence is starting to catch on. To me, that is. We were talking about the differences between the French and American school systems and Laurence kept asking how I did what I did. Sarah simply said, “She’s her own case.” I couldn’t add much more.

Finally Laurence announced, “Yes, I’m beginning to see that when you want something, you find a way to get it.”

I’m not sure if it’s a compliment or criticism, but I fear it’s undeniable.

(And beforehand, as I walked down the stairs behind her, she turned to me and made a face: “Have you lost weight?”

“Thank you!” I responded. How typically American.

“What?” she asked, “You want to lose weight?”

“Well, yes.” Doesn’t every woman?

“But why? You’re beautiful!”

I just love her.)


Ludo parked his scooter outside my apartment, so while Julien walked home and Laurence drove Sarah and Lucas back to her place, Ludo and I walked back to mine. We kissed goodbye and he said, “I’ll see you very soon, and Bravo – you made a nice apartment.”

I’m really happy to call this home.


So what does this elusive apartment look like? Regardes...

This is my building:


After entering a super secret code, you walk into this hallway:


where you need a fancy buzzing key chain to unlock the door and enter our lobby. This is (obviously) where I get my mail:


Trash and such is behind the elevator; walk up one flight of stairs...


...and you arrive at my door:


Enter, and this is what you see:


(This is the door you enter... a "door" to my "closet" to the right of the fridge will come as soon as I acquire a pressure rod for the curtain...)


To the left is the bathroom...


To the right, my bedroom...



This is what you see if standing on my newly acquired night table:


And this is where my TV lives:


Et voila: Home!