Done Worse

I should step back and mention that we are staying in Paris with my French parents, Michele and Gilbert. Set the Way Back Machine to a time of big hair and big shoulder pads (1987), and you will smell chlorine and see a young Kirsten on a swimming exchange program to France through Sports For Understanding. Michele, Gilbert and their two sons, Yves and Gilles, were my host family. Despite our language challenges (SFU was supposed to supply an official translator — but for unknown reasons, our group never got one. Out of all the Americans, I was the most experienced French speaker with my oh-so-impressive two years of high school French. I accepted the challenge and happily slaughtered the intricate grammar and hacked my way through complex conversations. Did I mention I had not yet learned future tense? Live in the moment I say. Winning!) we all bonded and a lifelong friendship between our families began.

Today AJ and I decided to go a different route and visit a museum and not a monument (a short discussion quickly clarified that we were not up for another billion flights of stairs. Who knew calves could hold such a grudge?) Accompanied by Michele, we went to the Musée Rodin — a favorite of mine that also has a big and kid-friendly garden. I have been trying to balance getting AJ to see Paris and learn some culture with the fact that the attention span and interests of a 5 3/4 year old are not that of an adult. So, if we go to a sculpture garden and I get him to look at two sculptures and hear a little bit about them, I’m considering that a win. If he then wants to find sticks, chase pigeons and look at bugs, so be it.

While I toured the museum, AJ and Michele hung out in the garden and he conned her into getting him a chocolate muffin and some juice from the très cher museum cafe. What can I say? Charm is a language of its own.

From the museum, we went to a communal restaurant in the 14e for a quick lunch, a playground where AJ showed off his mad climbing skills, and then we stopped by Michele’s studio (she does fused glass work).