The first Meetup

Today at 10.30 the Sociable Senior Ex-Pats in Paris had their first meeting in the Chambre aux Oiseaux, a little café a metro ride away.  

I had no idea who would turn up as I've heard that people are quite unreliable, not letting you know they aren't coming or turning up without warning.  As it happens I met one person outside the café and we went in together and then gradually people rolled up.  There were five of us, all women.  A French woman who has only recently come back to live in France after growing up abroad, a German married to a Frenchman, a single Canadian who worked for the Canadian Foreign Service all over the world, an American formerly married to a Frenchman.   We talked non-stop for 1.5 hours and it seemed to be very sociable. It was certainly enjoyable.  

At 12.00 we broke up (the café were probably glad to see us go as we had only had one drink each) and I went with the Brigitte (G) and Dolores (C) to find a German deli that Dolores thought Brigitte might like. Then we split up and I went with Brigitte to find the German shop she did want to go to and she made some purchases.  Actually, I was rather surprised that she bought a lot of packaged dessert type stuff.  I thought people had grown out of Angel Delight years ago.  But then I'm a food snob!  Brigitte and I walked for a long way south to the Seine and had lunch in a café on the busy Place du Châtelet.  Just a sandwich and a panaché and chatting about families.  And then I walked over the road and caught the bus back.  

A quick check of the emails and then off with my trusty poussette to do the shopping for the weekend.  And tonight it's dinner at La Maison Courtine which has a dreadful website but a good write up in the Michelin Guide.  Fingers crossed.