Even the French can be thankful

After 9 long days it seems that the strike is starting to come to a close. If Thanksgiving were a French holiday, there would be a lot of champagne being opened with the turkey. But it's not, mainly because they're not American, but I've always thought the real reason is because they just don't like turkey. After all, they tried importing Halloween, right?

Even the IRS is on strike here

Day 5 of the strike and things are starting to get fun. The three branches of public-sector unions have called for a 24-hour strike tomorrow (Tuesday) out of solidarity with the SNCF. Half of all schools will be closed tomorrow; the IRS, post offices, France Telecom, Banque de France, EDF and GDF, the air controllers, Air France employees and hospital workers will all be on strike. All of this started out because of the retirement reforms that Sarkozy's government is trying to impose. Now it seems that everyone and their dog will go on strike because they feel that their pouvoir d'achat, or how far a salary goes today, is in decline.

It seems like this is going to get a lot worse before it gets any better.

Once

On really good days, there's a movie that starts at the Utopia just after I drop Mia off at the Maison des Enfants on Thursdays. Today it was "Once", which just came out in France. If you have it playing in a theater near you, go see it. If not, make sure to put it on your list of films to rent. It's simple and touching, with great music.

All I want for Christmas

If I didn't have a 21 month old toddler at home, I would ask Santa (aka Thomas) for this.

But of course I do so he will have to do his own shopping.

For the time being, he could just call to let us know that he got to Asia in one piece.

New vocab

Tonight when we got home from our weekend at the Marina, as I was getting out of the shower, I heard Thomas upstairs with Mia. They were looking at the pictures above the fireplace, repeating everyone's names. But there was one name I couldn't make out very well. It turns out that they were looking at the statue of Lenin. So now in addition to saying "Amie" (Mamie), "Osfie" (Sophie) and "Lalotte" (Charlotte), she can also point to and say "Lenin".

Friday night, date night

Not normally but today is an exception. We were supposed to go to the beach house for the weekend but neither Thomas nor I had the courage to prepare for the expedition. So instead we went to see his parents, who are currently babysitting Sophie's two girls Charlotte and Maelis. Mia was so excited to see Nano and Bomp but we did have a few speed bumps between her and her 2 1/2 year old cousin Charlotte. Any time Nano had Charlotte in her lap Mia would try and push her off. The opposite was true too. But when Charlotte was on my lap, the stakes were that much higher. Mia actually head-butted her cousin. Not once, but twice, because she missed the first time. I suppose she is learning all sorts of useful stuff at school.

So since all of our friends were busy and I knew that our babysitter was free, we decided to go to the movies. Now we're just waiting for the pasta to be done...

Novembre noir and Toussaint

Today is a holiday in France - All Saint's Day - and the first day of another difficult month for President Sarkozy. Some people spent the day visiting the tombs of departed friends and relatives, we went shopping, and still others are canceling travel plans for mid-November. Air France stewards just ended their strike but the SNCF has announced yet another greve reconductible (renewable strike) for the 13th of November. Their aim is to hold out until the 20th when the fonctionnaires, federal employees, begin their strike. Then the legal system goes on strike on the 25th. Should make for a fun month!