Fire Fighting Practice Over the Ocean

Abigail and I have been sick for a few days and therefore trapped indoors, which often means nothing to see or do..but the other day we were treated to quite the show.

There were three planes which simultaneously were practicing thier fire fighting skills over the ocean. Since we live near wooded land and mountains, there are very often fires. Abigail and I have noted we see at least one each Sunday on the way to church!

Being so close to forests and the sea, the choice method for putting out the fires is by plane. The planes will come to the ocean and scoop up the ocean water, take it to the fire and pour it out over the flames. Just as with anything they want to be skilled and to be skilled one must practice. So what better place to pick up and drop off water than over the ocean!

Our little show lasted for about half hour to forty-five minutes and was quite amazing! Enjoy!

Valentine's Weekend 2009

Well, it was not the most romantic weekend ever...maybe for Rick and Lisa as they were off for the Fete de Citron in Menton...but for me it was all for the dogs and kids. (actually only one dog..Maggie)

Yes another year with Nick rolls around and another year we are not together on this holiday. Last year, he decided he needed to be with his brother for the weekend...this year...it's mother Russia.

Oh well, the girls, maggie and I had a good weekend. Not much to write about....they played, Maggie pooed, I was cold and I hate the Browne's oven!! ARGH! It was playing games with me and I don't like being toyed with.

This was the infamous Mommy Baby Pajama today and Irie gladly joined in. Sunday we all went to church and then the weekend was over, just like that.

More dancing

Here Irie is doing her homework

And sweet Abigail doing her dishes

The Job Hunt...

Well...the job search continued....and then I had a bite! I had applied on line with a company here in France that specializes in helping children with their school work as tutors (they also work for adults). The next day I got a call and they wanted to set up an interview!

The interview was in Toulon (53 km away), too far to work but not to interview and as it was the only place they do interviews...I was going. So I got the required mug shots to give them as evidence as to who I was and why they should hire me :)

Then Lisa helped me buy my very first train ticket ever! We had discussed making a girls day out of the day with Lisa and Nathalie but at the last moment Nathalie was called into work so it was just Lisa and I and we made the best of our day together.

Lisa was such an angel to walk me through the steps at my age you'd think I would have done this before, but nope. So here we are at the Saint Raphael gare waiting on our train. Here is a tip for any other newbies out there. I was looking for Saint Raphael - Toulon because that was where I was going...right?...well Lisa informed me no...you want to know where the train is going...in other words its final destination and see if yours should be in that bunch (so NOT like a plane!) All this in 5 minutes I decided to shut up and just follow...

For those lucky ones of you who know Nicholas know quite well there is no such thing as crossing picket lines (I had been worried because the train workers were striking at the time) but was so glad when I saw this sign saying that everything was back to normal. So for Nicholas I took the picture as proof that I did not crush the worker bee!

Arriving in Toulon at the gare, we had hopes for the town as the train station was nice....and off we went to find the building...we found it and in time to get a cup of coffee before the interview. It was so comforting having Lisa there with me to support me all the way. Such an angel!

The time came, I went in....alone....was placed in a small room with two other people filling forms out. Then entered this man who started the interview process with all the legal stuff that goes with every job. Mind you all this was in French, which was spoken at lightening speed. He talked for about 45 minutes and never took another breath! He was very fast, but that wasn't what tripped me up...no it was all the legal words that I had never heard of before...but I was give the booklet to read at home that I hope will explain everything he just said.

He then past me off to another lady who started interviewing me for an English job in French! Bizare but ok. Then she asked me to teach English in French...you do the math, my mind was burning! I explained that what I was taught and believe is that your best chance at learning another language is full emersion and that is how I prefered to teach. But I went on in English answered some grammar questions and fake taught her on the -ing tense. She asked me about my hours and locations that I'd be willing to teach. She saw I had a CELTA certificate and was beside herself at the combination of all three! So I got the job or jobs!

Now....I must wait on two governments! I had to send a request to the French government to ask the American government if I'd committed any crimes...two weeks later I am still waiting. Once I get that in I can start! Yay me!

I found this hole in the plaza in the shape of a heart (which I love finding hearts in 'nature') so I took a quick pick. Though Toulon offered me a job, it wasn't much for a girls day out....we did have a good lunch, it was interesting because Lisa order duck and I was leaning that way too when the waiter was telling about the steak they had, I said sounds interesting but that was it and in that he changed both of our orders to the steak. lol but hey it was good. There was no shopping though we gave it go. We went home late due to train delays of over 1 hour and nothing in hand but a job!

To Date: I was approached by one of my new students that I teach on a volunteer basis to teach one-on-one! God is so good!

A Moment to Reflect on God's Handiwork

Sometimes, we let our lives pass by us so quickly that we miss so many wonderful things that God has for us. Each day he paints the sky so many vivid colors that you could never quite capture in picture or painting. He gives us the oceans and seas and changes thier colors as well with just a change in the lighting.

He is the master artist after all, sadly we will skip right through the day and miss these blessings or we look and just take them forgranted. He put it there for YOU, He wants to make you happy.

Check out the two following pictures, as you can tell the pictures I take are always from the same place, my terrace. So it's the same view just with a touch of different color paints applied by God.

So picture one here is a beautiful sea view, where picture two is the same sea view but a different day and look at the change in water color! These are not altered!! It's God!

We have seen this same view with so much rain water in it that the sea actually turns brown...it's yuky! Also we've seen the sea so angry with huge waves that it has destroyed two restaurants on the beach (broke the back halves off)

And the shocker of all is the sunrise pictures I take...yes folks I did say sunRISE not sunsets...we're up that early to head off to school...or is it the sun comes up that late? Can these colors be believed?! All for you my friend, so today make sure and take the time to appreciate your surroundings no matter where you are and see the beauty that is all around you. Remember God paints in many colors, many shapes and sizes and beauty is in the eye of the beholder....we must only...behold.