Saturday already. The days seem to fly by here, and soon I'll be on a plane to go back home. I lose track of time and the day easily here, and because there isn't much to do, sometimes I find myself doing nothing. While it's all relaxing, I'm determined to get out more next week and finally explore Vaison's medieval town. I went up for awhile after walking the market on Tuesday, but I hadn't come prepared for that much more walking and eventually turned back to Crestet.
Sometimes I wonder if I'll feel like I haven't done enough or seen enough while I was here. Having been for so long means I should have done it all right? However, I must also remember that doing everything wouldn't be that much fun either. I like that I can be here and have days where I don't go anywhere. I feel more like I'm a part of the place rather than just visiting.
It's been a busy week, and I'm especially tired right now because Friday and Saturday are cleaning days. While it's hard work, it isn't stressful work. And after I can fall asleep for awhile (which I did today) or go to the pool (which I did yesterday).
My two favourite parts of the week remain market day and the table d'hôte which landed on the same day this week. So Tuesday I spent my morning roaming the market place and wandering a bit in the old town and my evening setting the table and helping to eat and serve another amazing meal. Dessert this week included another mousse, this time in apricot, only convincing me more that I must have the recipe to bring home. I've also been trying to take stock of what we've been eating on an everyday basis--hoping that when I get home I can be more inventive with my own cooking. While I love chicken, sweet potatoes and green beans, I eat them A LOT. Maybe that's what I should buy for myself here, a cookbook.
Miriam is leaving on Monday to go back to Holland to be with her sister, who is very ill. It's important that she goes, but I'll be sad to see her leave for an undetermined amount of time.
Welcome drink for the people arriving this week. There's a family from England here with a daughter named Hannah who, I think, is just a few years younger than me. I always get excited when there are people who speak English as their first language. It is much easier to flow into a conversation with them. The Dutch and Germans also all speak very good English, and I've had good conversations. However, so many Dutch and German people stay here, I often feel left out because, of course they'll want to (rightfully so) converse in their own language. Add in that I speak absolutely no Dutch or German (and frankly have a hard time distinguishing the two), and I'm sitting silently quite a lot. I like the welcome drink for one of the same reasons I love the table d'hôte; I get to meet the people staying in the houses.
This last week there have been lots of families with young kids staying. I guess schools have just let out for vacation. During the table d'hôte, the kids took to making paper airplanes and throwing them through the air to watch them glide for a second and fall. After helping to switch the courses, I became a terrifying monster. Planes flew past me until, finally, I was struck in the chest and fell to the ground dead and supposedly defeated. I lay on the ground until something within me stirred. I rose, arms out and advanced toward one of the Belgian boys.
"Zombie! Zombie!" he cried as he smiled and backed off. I gave chase as they attempted once again to kill me with their airplanes. We kept at the game for at least another seven minutes until I decided it was time for me to try some cheese. I glad though because even though there was no way I could understand what those kids said to me, some concepts are universal.
It was great fun.
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