4th of July

Happy 4th of July everyone!  While everyone in the States is barbequing up a storm and watching fireworks, today is a normal day in France. 

I finished a walk I started last week.  The final part of the path diverges from the road in a secluded spot, and last week I was unable to find it and didn't want to get lost.  But this week I did, and I got to take a nice walk through the woods.  I have my phone set up now, so I should be able to venture out more on my own.

My French got a little practice this weekend.  It was a big weekend here in Crestet, as Miriam's birthday was on Friday. There were many get togethers and lots of food.  We had two six hour dinners this weekend.  Saturday, we drove to Avignon to have dinner at Paul and Miriam's daughter, Tami's house.  This family loves to barbeque, and Saturday was Tami's boyfriend's first time cooking for a large amount of people.  I spoke some French to Tami's neighbor, who speaks less English than I can manage in French and also spoke a little to Fabienne's boyfriend, who I'd met for the first time.

We had brunch yesterday, with me once again making scrambled eggs. Fabienne and I went into town to buy bread and bought croissants from a chocolate shop I'd only seen from the outside.  We had ice cream there during the Fete de la musique, which was fantastic, but I've determined that I never should have set foot in the shop.

Everything looks AMAZING, which frankly does nothing for the idea of not gaining a ridiculous amount of weight while here in France. I decided that I would come back on my final week and buy sweets to bring home.

We attended yet another dinner on Sunday at the summer house of some of Paul and Miriam's good friends.  No French need be spoken there, which was nice, but then I have a worse time of it when they switch over to Dutch.  I at least understand some words of French that's spoken.  Dutch just sounds like gibberish to me.

I also made a carrot cake this weekend. Well not as perfect as I would like it to be, considering the lack of some of my normal ingredients and being unable to properly juice the carrots (I had to grate them). It turned out delicous.  Everyone liked it and both Fabienne and Miriam and Paul's friend asked me for the recipe. I'm glad something I've worked on and fiddled with is well accepted by people who aren't my family.

One of the things I love about being here is that meals always seem to be eaten together.  The emphasis is put on food and company and being together.  I know that is why these dinners last so long. However, I'm not used to to so many long dinners. I love it, but it goes so late into the evening.

I'm used to being in bed by midnight and waking up at seven, but it is quite different here.  The main dinner often isn't served until eight in the evening, and add the multiple courses and talking means that dinner continues until midnight or later.  The combination of staying up and trying to decipher French tires me more quickly than usual.  However, the slowness of time here relaxes me, and I hope it is something I can take home with me.

There are still things I'm not used to.