The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly...

My week in review.

I figure I should get the Ugly out of the way so we can end on a good note.

THE UGLY…

Tuesday I took Charlie out for his super quick nite-time walk and ended up in a cat and mouse chase with a man who seemed to find me irresistible.  The first time he passed me I instantly felt there was trouble.  But as we always do, I kept figuring I was being silly.  Telling myself, "this isn't REALLY what I think it is".  The roads were people-less and dark, but the main road was a constant hum of cars passing so I kept veering back to it as much as possible.  Problem was, I couldn't head back to my apartment building he kept hanging around the street leading to it and then, he would know where I lived.  

As it kept playing out, now about 45 minutes of it, I was eventually proved right and LONG story short I was finally put in the position of grabbing Charlie under my arm and running around a corner to hide between a car and its building in a little nook that seemed the best hiding place I could find in this desperate moment.  I was now freaking out.  Stupid me didn't even know the number for the police!  He slowly came down the street perpendicular to my hiding place and I think he eventually figured I went into a building and gave up his search.  I stayed there for about 10 minutes not knowing if he was still around or lurking yet again near my apartment.  Finally, a "normal" person appeared.  I pounced on this poor man taking out his garbage from the building I was hiding near.  and in my broken French I tried to explain that a man was following me and I needed his help.  Another couple was coming out as well and the woman spoke some English.  They ended up giving me a ride up my hill to my apartment.  Thankfully no sign of the man.  

Ladies….when you get that first inkling that there may be trouble, trust your instincts.  Thinking back, when I thought about calling Grandpa somewhere in the middle of it all to come meet me, I should have!  Even if in the end it would have been nothing, I'm sure Grandpa would have been fine with a false alarm call rather than a call from the police.

THE BAD…

Wednesday I had one of those meetings with a French worker that just makes me so frustrated and annoyed.  In all the French I know I attempted to get information on a round trip train schedule to Lyon.  The second I opened my mouth this man clocked out. I don't think he looked me in the face once and I couldn't even count the times he sighed.  Lost track at around 100.  He was like a Rite Aid worker.  Even though this was his job and I wasn't taking him away from his coffee break, he just didn't want to do anything in the way of his actual job.  

I finally said, "Roland, I'm trying my best here and you're not being very nice at all." Not that it helped a whole lot, but the second round of train departure times I was requesting came just a wee bit more complete.  He still didn't look at me.  So, I just went home and bought my ticket on-line.  The Internet was much more polite and even gave me a discount on a first class ticket!

THE GOOD…

Thursday I reconnected with the babysitter and joined my California Expat girlfriend out for an evening of listening to some music. We sat in the window seat of a lovely Cour Selaya restaurant listening to a Jazz guitarist and drinking yummy cocktails.  We chatted away and had a lovely time.  Another reminder to make sure I do these kids of things more regularly. A friend she'd met joined us and ended up giving us a ride home to our apartments. I must say, I fell in love with Nice that night while riding along the Promenade Des Anglais in the backseat of his convertible Porsche Carrera.

And on Friday I got my internet, Phone, and Cable to work by following the photo directions and setting up the boxes and cables myself.  No need to wait for a service person to eventually come out to do it. Yeah!!

We invite you on our journey, the door is always open!!

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