Final Days in France

It's official ... I no longer live in France. I've been back in the States for a week and a half now, and am still adjusting to the culture shock. When I drive, I constantly reach for the stick to shift gears (my car's an automatic here), and I have to be careful to remember that my car is muuuuuccchhh longer here, compared to my adorable Smart. I was shocked by the huge portions when we went out for dinner last night, having forgetten just how out of control American portions are. But there are some things that are nice, such as easy-to-control grocery carts, polite shoppers and courteous drivers.

There are things I miss about France ... especially the people. Most notably, Philipp! He needed some extra time to organize his things, sell our cars, etc., and will arrive next Thursday. I know this is a tough time for him, as it's always stressful to move, but this is extreme moving! I wish I could make it easier for him, but I remind him that soon he'll be here and can take some time to relax.

Anyway, this post is supposed to be about my final days in France. They weren't too exciting, as I spent my time packing. As I already wrote, that is stressful. I had to decide what to take immediately, what to pack for shipping in December, and what to get rid of. Philipp's family was a great help in moving furniture and boxes.

On Sunday, May 31st, there was a little event downtown entitled "The Country Comes to the City", and I convinced Philipp that it was a good way to take a break from packing. I packed a picnic, we went to our favorite bakery for a loaf of our favorite bread ("pain au mais"), and we had a picnic along the banks of the Maine River. Then we walked over to check out the fair. I was excited to see some beautiful cows and the most massive bull I've ever seen! Here are some pictures:

The next day, we emptied the castle. The entire family (except Philipp's sister and her family, who live in Normandy) came to Philipp's parents' house for dinner. I appreciated the opportunity to spend time with all of them, as that has been such an important part of life in France. Not surprisingly, the goodbyes were very difficult. But as Philipp's brothers and sisters have said, they see him more when he is in the States (on MSN Messenger) than when he is in France! And they all know that once we are settled and have a guest room, they are more than welcome to come visit.

Is this my last post on this blog? Maybe. I can't promise that I'll add anything else to it, but it can't hurt to check back once in a while. I think Philipp and I are going to begin a bilingual blog about our new life in Charleston, so I will be sure to post that address when it's up and running.

Thank you for checking in with me and for your interest in my French adventure!

Catching Up

I've been meaning to update the blog for several days, but I just haven't seemed to find the time. Between running and dinner parties, sorting papers and teaching those last few classes, there aren't enough hours to accomplish all I'd like to. So this morning, before tackling my sorting / packing, I've sat down with a cup of coffee to let you know what Philipp and I have been up to.

The weather has been nice here, even reaching the mid 80s last Sunday. (more about that later) On Thursday of last week, which was yet another French holiday, Philipp and I had our first lunch outside in the back garden. It made me excited for many more outdoor meals in Cincinnati this summer and --of course -- in Charleston!

That afternoon, Philipp needed to move his truck, which he'd left outside the gate of the castle. And so I got my first driving lesson (for a standard transmission) in the truck! It wasn't too difficult, and I think I'd be able to get the hang of it eventually, but I still prefer my automatic. When the lesson was over, Philipp offered to have me park the truck in front of our place, but I didn't want to take the risk of getting too close to one of the neighbors' cars, so I hopped in the back ... and did a little truck rodeo ridin'!

Sunday, I ran La Course de Timo, a 10K race in nearby Seiches sur le Loir. The weather was hot and muggy ... already over 80 degrees in the morning. I wanted to improve my time from last year's race, and I started with the 50 minute pacing group. The course includes one small loop and three big ones. Here I am after the first of the big loops.

A loop later, my smile wasn't quite so big. Shorter distances mean faster speeds, and my body prefers distance to speed. Still, I wanted to push myself and try to finish in under 50 minutes. One of the pacers stayed with me (the rest of the pace group was a little in front) for the last two loops and coached me all the way. He continually encouraged me and gave me reminders to use my arms on the inclines, catch my breath in the descent, etc. In the third loop, we were joined by another runner who took over the coaching. I was so touched by the fact that these two guys were so supportive ... and they really pushed me to keep going.

In the end, I finished with a new PR (Personal Record) for the 10K, and memories of the kindness of strangers. My time for the course was 49:53, but it seems that the course was just over 10K. According to my Garmin, my 10K time was 48:11. I'll take either one! :)

After the race, Philipp's brother Dominique (who also ran the race ... in 43 minutes!), his wife and their son Maxence -- along with Philipp and I -- were all invited to the home of some friends who live near the town where the race was held. They have a beautiful home along Le Loir river. (not to be confused with La Loire, the more famous river which also goes through the area) After showers for Dominique and me, and a delicious lunch, we piled into a canoe, two kayaks and a row boat for a gentle paddle down the river. The afternoon was absolutely lovely.

So that's been the excitement over the past week or so. Now I'm full-force into sorting papers and my stuff, deciding what comes now, what comes later, what gets given away and what gets recycled. Tuesday morning is the big departure, and I have a feeling it will come too quickly.

So ... back to my boxes!

Pellouailles - Angers 15k

Under gray skies, 513 runners took to the street this afternoon for the 61st edition of Pellouailles-Angers, a 15 kilometer race between the two towns. As always, Philipp was there to support me and cheer me on. As one of his brothers was also running (although much faster than I ran), there were lots of in-laws and nieces and nephews along the way, too. It was fun to see them all.

This is the first time I ran a 15k race, so I knew that no matter how I did, I'd set a new PR (personal record). According to my times in training, I figured I'd finish around 1 hour 20 or 25 minutes. I was sure that I wanted to avoid what happened in the Amsterdam Marathon last year ... pushing myself too hard in the middle of the race, and struggling at the end. That can even happen at a shorter distance. So I paid very close attention to my heart rate, and was careful to slow down a little whenever it got too high (and my GPS started beeping at me).

As a runner, it can sometimes be a real challenge to hold back and not allow the excitement and adrenaline -- and fear of finishing well behind your target time -- to make you push beyond your limits. So not only am I happy with my time -- 1:21:17 -- but I'm also happy with my overall performance. At a certain time, I was running alongside two other women, and although we were all at the same speed, they were both huffing and puffing. I was fine. And after a while, I pulled ahead of them and didn't see them again.

It felt great to push myself and sprint in to the finish. As I wrote above, I was proud of how I regulated my performance, and satisfied with my finishing time. And now that I have a PR for the 15k, I'll have to find another race of the same distance ... and break my own record! :)

Here are a few of the pictures Philipp took:

Joyeux Anniversaire ... to me!

Birds are singing, the sun is shining, the trees are covered in buds ... it must be spring! And what happens in the spring? I get another year older.
~

(just kidding)

~

In fact, I love my birthday! Sure, I felt a twinge of regret at the gym on Friday, as I started my workout on the elliptical machine, and punched in 33 as my age for the last time. But numbers are just numbers. And I don't think 34 is all that bad.

~

I was lucky to have my birthday -- March 21st -- fall on a Saturday this year. And I did have a lovely day, indeed. As soon as I woke up, Philipp wished me a Happy Birthday. After breakfast, I headed to the English Language Library for their annual Big Book Sale. I needed to drop off a cake I'd made to donate, and of course I wanted to look around at all the good books, too! I made it out the door with only 5 books (last year I had 15!) ... I could've taken a lot more, but knowing that we're moving in just over 2 months helped strengthen my self control.
~

From the library, I headed back across the river to PhysicForm (my gym) for the 11:00 BodyBalance class. It's a combination tai chi, pilates and yoga. I love this class. It's great for forcing me to stretch (which I don't do as much as I should), has some cool poses and balance moves, and the last ten minutes is relaxation ... aaaahhh!
~

I changed and swung back by the castle to pick up Philipp (who greeted me with the flowers at the top of this post), and we headed to his parents' house for lunch. As always, there were lots of family members, lots of delicious food, and a lovely time to be had by all. I even had a birthday cake, although my nephews informed me that I'm too old ... there were only 32 candles ... not enough for my 34 years!

I had a relaxing afternoon at home, and around 6:00, I took a bath in my new bathtub! It was lovely. Philipp made fun of me a little, but that's to be expected. :)

~

We went to dinner at a delicious fusion restaurant in Angers called Thai l'Inde. We'd eaten there once before, and I wanted to go back before leaving Angers. We were both very impressed with our meals. So yummy!

~

And that's the story of my birthday! It was a special day with family and friends, and some time for me to step back and relax, too. Oh, and I also benefitted from one of the many advantages of our digital society ... birthday greetings on my Facebook wall! It was fun to read the notes friends left me from all over the world.

Forgive me

I've been a bad blogger. Again. Leaving my readers for more than a month ... without a word ... wondering where I am and what I'm doing ...

OK, I know there are only a handful of people who read my blog, and I know that not having any new posts to read for a while hasn't exactly left you heartbroken. But I do feel a sense of responsibility to you, and have felt bad recently, knowing that I'm letting you down.

So here's a little catch-you-up:

• The first couple weeks of February were exciting, getting ready for our upcoming vacation to the States. There always seems to be a lot to get done just before leaving town. (or country)
• We had an uneventful trip, but for fun (and economics) we decided to leave from London instead of Paris. The airline tickets were half the price, and the train to London (via Paris) was actually less expensive than the train to Paris!
• We flew into Charleston, and my Mom and Dad drove down from Cincinnati to join us. We rented a house on Folly Beach, and although the weather was a bit cooler than usual, we had beautiful sunshine all but one day.
• This was the opportunity to see my parents and to show them our future hometown. They enjoyed it ... the architecture and landscapes, the friendly people ... all the reasons Philipp and I are so eager to move there!
• I also had a few job interviews, and am happy to have made a few contacts there. It's still too early to know what openings will be available, but I've at least got my foot in the door.
• Once we arrived back in Angers, we had a couple busy weeks of getting settled in the castle, house guests, a weekend by the sea ...

So there's a glimpse at what we've been up to lately. And now, we're quickly approaching the end of our time in France. It's hard to believe! But I promise to add some more blog entries before it's time to go.

Joyeux Noël!

It's been a busy few weeks here. As I may have written, we sold our little house several months ago, and the signing date was December 15th. It was sad to say goodbye to our loveley little home, especially knowing Philipp had done so much wonderful work to improve it. The castle isn't quite ready yet (Philipp and a friend bought an apartment in a castle - a ruin - next to the apartment we used to have, and are turning it into an incredible home!) so we're with his parents for a few weeks. I'll post castle pictures when it looks a little less like a work zone.



But for today, I want to share some Christmas photos! We had a lovely time with the entire Cosneau family ... all 26 of us! Here are a few highlights:

getting festive by the Christmas tree

decorations in the dining room

the traditional "bûche de Noël", or Yule Log Cake, for dessert

... and the day after Christmas, we worked off some of those sweets with a little Wii boxing!

catching up: THANKSGIVING

I have good news and bad news:

THE BAD NEWS - my digital camera seems to think that 4.5 years is a good long time to work, and it's now time to go into retirement (a.k.a. ... my camera's dead)

THE GOOD NEWS - I've been lucky enough to get other people to take pictures for me, or lend me their camera, and now I can finally play catch-up on the events of the past couple weeks.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Maybe it's a slight case of homesickness, or maybe it was an excuse to host a dinner party. Whatever our motives, Philipp and I decided to invite his parents, sister and Dad's cousin to our house for Thanksgiving Dinner. They'd experienced a traditional Thanksgiving meal at my parents' house last year (a few weeks early, but just as delicious as always!) This was the first time I cooked Thanksgiving Dinner all on my own. I think it was a success, if I do say so myself.

Philipp and I had a discussion several days before Thanksgiving about the menu. My parents had sent me my Mom's fabulous stuffing recipe that she's used forever, so I was excited to make it (my favorite part of the meal!) and cook a chicken, as it's hard to find a turkey in France. Philipp wanted me to make my "famous" Fruit and Nut Fish, because it's something different and he wanted them to taste it. I told him that you cannot have Fruit and Nut Fish on Thanksgiving ... but as a compromise, I made it as the first course.

first course: Fruit and Nut Fish

main course: Baked Chicken, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes

French "musts": salad and cheese course

dessert: Pecan Pie

A Couple More Anniversary Photos

Now that we've finally transferred the latest photos from the camera, I thought I'd add a couple shots from last Monday, the anniversary of our American wedding:

I finally made Philipp's favorite cake, my Mom's famous almond cake that she makes each time we return to the States. She gave me the recipe last August, but this was the first time I got around to making it. I found that my cake pan was alittle too small, though. As the cake baked, it puffed up and I was afraid it would overflow. So I spooned some of the batter into little cookie forms. They're yummy, too. Mmmmm ... thanks, Mom!!

Kristin comes to visit!

What a wonderful week we had! Kristin came to spend several days with Philipp and me. It was her first trip to France, and we tried to give her a true French experience. She was excited to see the members of Philipp's family who'd come to the States for the American wedding, too. Here are a few highlights of what we did:

• visit Philipp at the castle and see the progress of his work


• visit Antoine's studio ... he even sketched a dress for her!


• tour Sebastien's salon ... it's so beautiful and historic!


• drink some good French wine


• walk through the Saturday market downtown and buy ingredients for lunch


• eat French radishes and escargots


• drive along the Loire River ... catch glimpses of the castles tucked in among the trees


• visit two vineyards ... sample their wines ... stock up on a few cases


• eat dinner in a traditional at Le Caveau, a "troglodyte" cave


• drink some more good French wine


• spend the night in Tancoigne ... the beautiful house in the country


• see the church where Philipp and Kerry were married, and the castle where we had the reception


• meet several other members of the Cosneau family


• have the traditional "Sunday night crepes" at Philipp's parents'


• visit the Chateau d'Angers and historic downtown


• drink even more French wine


• take the TGV to Paris

Kristin's final 24 hours included a whirlwind tour of Paris with Philipp's sister, Laurence. The three of us went EVERYWHERE and saw EVERYTHING. (except the Louvre, because it's closed on Tuesdays!) This is what we did:

• walked through Notre Dame


• toured the amazing Opera Garnier


• took the funicular up to Montmartre, where we ate lunch in the park, walked through Sacre Coeur, looked at the artists in Place du Tertre, ...


• visited the Cimetière de Montmartre, where we saw Nijinsky's grave


• saw the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees, Place de la Concorde, Tuileries Gardens and the Louvre


• finished our day at a beautifully illuminated Eiffel Tower

It was so wonderful to spend time with Kristin, and we agreed that her first trip to France was a full adventure ... and won't be her last!

Summer Vacation - the Final Chapter

It’s now been exactly two weeks since Philipp and I arrived back in Angers. I think it’s high time I wrapped up writing about our vacation. Here goes ...


ROAD TRIP !

A big part of our decision to vacation in the States in August was due to the Hanoum / Farnsworth Reunion in Thetford, Vermont on August 15-17. I attended Camp Farnsworth from 1986 to 2002 (a few years missed due to Up With People) ... a total of 14 summers ... as camper, CIT (counselor-in-training), counselor, Program Director and Assistant Director.

Founded by Madama and Chelebe Farnsworth in 1909, Camp Hanoum (later renamed Camp Farnsworth) was a place for girls to experience the adventure and camaraderie of summer in the country. It’s now a Girl Scout Camp, and considered a second home to many. The camp – and more importantly the girls and women who have made it the magical place that it is – have so much to do with the person I am today, that it was important to me to get to go back and experience that camp magic again ... if only for a weekend.

If you’d like to watch a short video about the camp and the 100th summer celebration produced my WMUR in Manchester, NH, click here. If you attended our American wedding, you may recognize “Corky”, Nancy Frankel.

It was so nice to walk around camp, over the same familiar paths, around the beautiful lake. There wasn’t enough time to reconnect with everyone, but we tried to make the most of it. There were games and activities, campfires, and all the traditions from the camp birthday, which is celebrated every year.

Philipp as Robin Hood (he was really good!)

in front of our cabin

The weekend went by too fast. Philipp and I then headed to Essex, VT to visit some friends, Lauren and Mark. Lauren, also a French teacher, had come to Angers a year or two before I did, and stayed with Philipp’s parents. We had visited them during our New England road trip in 2005, but instead of seeing baby Andrew, this time he was a big brother and the “baby” (nearly 2) was Emilie.

We went to visit Shelburne Farms, a huge working farm and cheese factory. The kids enjoyed seeing the pretty chickens and petting the small animals. The highlight for me was milking a cow! We all enjoyed the cheese samples, too ... (AFTER washing our hands, of course!)

On our way back down to Cincinnati, we had to stop off and visit our good friends Suzi and John in Chillicothe. As always, they were gracious hosts. We enjoyed a delicious dinner, socializing with other friends, and then we spent the entire next day in their beautiful pool! It was heavenly. (So was my chicken taco salad with avocado dressing from Casa del Taco. I get one EVERY TIME I pass through Chillicothe. mmmmm!)

Finally, we headed back to Mom and Dad’s. The final week went quite quickly. First, Philipp and I enjoyed a night at the beautiful Willis Graves Bed and Breakfast in Burlington, KY, an anniversary gift from my parents. We all headed back up to the lake for a day, where Philipp and my Dad sailed, I read my book and went for a run, and Mom did some quilting. We were all very satisfied with our day. Dad, Philipp and I spent an afternoon at Cincinnati Museum Center, where Dad is a dedicated volunteer, to see the Bodies exhibit. It was really interesting, and I’m glad I went. It’s true that although our bodies are the only thing we have with us from birth throughout our lives, we know very little about them and how they work; this exhibit tries to change that.

After a few more trips to Wal-Mart to stock up on necessities, it was time to head back to France. Once again, we traveled on separate flights, but we both arrived in Paris safe and sound. (Unfortunately, although we arrived on Friday morning, my suitcase didn’t make it back into my possession till Tuesday morning. Delta and Air France are famous for doing this to me ... this was the third time!)

And now our vacation is over! :( But we’ll have many more adventures to share with you soon.

Summer Vacation - Part Three

There are some simple pleasures about staying with my parents. One is having breakfast out on the deck. Although the temperatures reached 80+ degrees nearly every day, it was still cool and lovely in the mornings.

But after a relaxing breakfast, there were always ways to fill our days. Philipp usually logged on to MSN to try and chat with family members. We had errands to run, stocking up on essentials (contact lens solution, favorite kinds of toothpaste, deodorant, etc.) essentials-for-Philipp (Reece’s Pieces, Oatmeal Creme Pies), and a few not-to-be-named electronics items. (in case there are any customs officials reading) ;)

Most of all, Philipp and I were excited to spend time with my parents. The first day of our trip, Philipp and my Dad went to see an air show. Apparently it was quite impressive ... especially since the aircraft were all remote controlled! They weren’t dinky little toys, though. Some of them had a wingspan of several feet.

The airfield was on the north side of Cincinnati, not far from the brand new IKEA store. So ... as you can probably guess ... Mom and I opted to do a little browsing instead. She had never been to an IKEA before, and was quite impressed. We especially liked all the kitchen cabinets and drawers that close themselves, and enjoyed testing them throughout the store. (Although the ones without this feature tended to make an awful BANG!)

Before heading back down to Northern Kentucky, we had to visit our favorite international grocery store, Jungle Jim’s. It’s famous around here. And definitely unique. It’s just plain huge, and it carries things you’ve never seen before. And some things you’d never dream of eating!

In our first week, my parents planned a little get-together with friends in the park near their house. On Tuesday nights in the summer, there are free outdoor concerts there. Two years ago, Philipp and I discovered a really fun band, Robin Lacy & DeZydeco, when they performed there. (What’s zydeco music? find out here. I even found this clip on YouTube.) Knowing we were excited to see them again, my parents invited some people for a picnic in the park, the concert, and then dessert back at the house. It was fun to catch up with people, the concert was a blast, and I made my first vacherin. (Philipp’s mother’s famous frozen custard and meringue dessert ... everyone loves it ... only a privileged few have the recipe.)

Dad, Mom, Kerry and Philipp at the concert in the park

Philipp and Robin Lacy

Kerry and the vacherin

It was a fun first week, but before we knew it, it was time to start out on our road trip to Vermont! Check back for the next installment. (coming soon ... promise) :)

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My Summer Vacation - Part Deux (transatlantic adventure)

On August 8, Philipp and I left for our much-anticipated trip to the States. It was a very ... long ... day. The alarms went off at 5:00. Time for showers, breakfast, throwing a few more things into the suitcases, and all those last-minute things like unplugging the TV and taking out the trash.

Philipp's parents took us to the train station for our 6:48 departure. It's about 2.5 hours to the airport by TGV. (Train à Grande Vitesse = high-speed train) We dozed a little, but it was FREEZING in the train, so I was happy when we arrived at Charles de Gaulle.

You know how the rest goes ... go to the check-in counter, answer questions about who packed your bag, whether you have any contraband inside, if you're a terrorist, etc. ... wait in the lengthy line for security ... find your gate and wait ... and wait ... And in my case, try to ignore the American tourists whose voices carry over the more discreet Europeans in the gate area. I like to play "guess the nationality" while waiting for international flights, and trying to spy the passport to see if I'm correct. I usually am.

I had to find ways to amuse myself that day, because - alas - Philipp and I didn't fly together. Security purposes, you know. (Actually, it's a complicated story of where our round-trip tickets originate, fluctuating airline prices, etc. Thanks for not asking.)

My first flight was delayed (always is) so when I arrived in Philadelphia with only 62 minutes until my next plane left, I knew the chances were slim that I'd be on it. (grr ...) I hurried to immigration, through customs, rechecking my bag and another security check, and dashed for the shuttle bus. There were two other women on the shuttle. One was a young French woman who'd been on my first flight. Her connection was supposed to have already left, but she was on the way to the gate, anyway. The driver asked us when our flights were leaving, and I responded with, "Mine's in ten minutes, and hers is leaving right now!" "Right now!?! Well, let's go!!" he responded, closed the door and we were off.

If I made this Paris - Cincinnati flight more often, the airport staff would surely start calling me "the girl who sprints through Terminal F". Because that's what I do every time. And I never make my connection. Once, I even watched them close the airplane door from my place in the shuttle bus. Aargh! Foiled again!

So, instead of arriving in Cincinnati at 7:30, I arrived at 11:40. I spent 4.5 hours sitting in the terminal trying to block out the sounds of CNN ... John Edwards had just admitted to his affair and apparently the entire news world came to an instant standstill except for this incredibly important "breaking news". Barf. I paid $8 for a flour tortilla wrapped around a piece of lukewarm chicken and some wilted lettuce. I treated myself to a bottle of water, since I knew USAirways had started charging for it. (The flight attendant did offer free ice, though. Pretty generous, after all, when you're only paying a cool grand for the ticket.) At least I wasn't on the flight to Milwaukee ... I heard them asking passengers to use the restroom before boarding because the plane's lavatory was out of order. Yikes!

This entry is making me sound like a disgruntled traveller, which I am really not. I am a bit disenfranchised with the airlines who charge extra if you check a bag (and those that charge extra if you don't!), or want $2 for a Dixie cup of water (but the ice is free!) But Air France still gives free wine, and you can catch up on lots of movies on USAirways, so it isn't all bad.


Anyway ... I digress.

I finally arrived in Cincinnati! Philipp (who had arrived at 10:30) and my parents greeted me with hugs, we got my suitcase (which had actually made the first connection and had been hanging out in Cincinnati waiting for me) and we headed home. Sophie was aloof, as always. We had a piece of Mom's famous Almond Cake (Philipp's favorite), opened some gifts from my parents, and eventually headed to bed. With the exception of the limited sleep we each got in the plane, we had been up for 26 hours or so. Bonne nuit!

How I spent my summer vacation - Part 1

What a wonderful month August was!! Philipp and I had such a wonderful time in the States, and were so happy to visit with my family and see some old friends. I want to share our vacation with you, but there's so much to tell, I'm going to do it in several parts.

We begin in the first week of August, before we left for America. Philipp took a couple days to work on a new house for his parents' pigeons. (I asked if there were any special reason they keep pigeons ... but they're just pets.) I was happy to get the chance to help out.

It began with Philipp sketching some plans at the kitchen table. The concrete foundation was poured some time ago, and has just been waiting for the rest.




We went to Leroy Merlin (pronounced le-rwah mer-leh), France's equivalent of Lowe's or Home Depot to pick up some lumber. Then we headed to his parents' house and got started. I helped Philipp measure, held the wood while he cut it, etc. Once the main structure was up, I hammered in all the boards on the three back sections (including the door Philipp built) to give some protection from the wind and cold.




Check out the structure (below)! I am amazed that Philipp just whipped this up in a couple days! His father and nephew, who you can see in the photo, helped a lot, too. Philipp is especially proud of the roof structure; he used a piece of a tree he recently cut down in the yard for the center piece.

While we were gone, Philipp's dad stained the wood a lovely golden color. We still need to put on the roof and enclose the space with metal caging. Then the birds will be able to move into their new digs!

This experience was fun for me because not only did I get to help out on the project, but I got to watch Philipp in action. I am always amazed at his ability to figure things out, solve problems and create amazing things!

Next up: Kerry and Philipp leave for the USA

flowers, bridges and fêtes

I need to catch up on a few posts I've been meaning to do over the past few days. First of all, Happy Month of May to everyone! April went out very rainy this year, but these first few days of May have been full of sunshine. (Well ... OK ... it poured all day on the 1st, but the 2nd and 3rd have been lovely.)

In France, May 1st is a holiday ... it's Labor Day. So -- of course -- no one works. Philipp and I spent the afternoon at his parents' house, having a yummy lunch and visiting with Laurence's friend, Claire, and her family. The tradition on May 1st is to give "muguets" (lily of the valley) to everyone you see that day, because it brings luck. So I went out in the garden to cut some just before we left for Monique and Robert's. Of course, it was only drizzling when I went outside, but in the next minute-and-a-half, the drizzle developed into full-blown pouring rain, so I quickly cut a few more flowers and dashed back into the house. When we got home, we found a bunch of muguets that Philipp's friend Maurice had left in our door for me, so our house smells wonderful.

If you ever come to live and work in France, or if you are ever here and need any kind of administrative thing done on the day before or after a national holiday, here's an important expression to know: "faire le pont". Literally, it means to make the bridge. And it refers to the way the French like to turn a mid-week holiday into a 4-day weekend. And it also prevents them from having to do too much work in the month of May. Because here, we celebrate Labor Day on the 1st of May, and the "Victory in 1945" (you can keep all your sarcastic white flag jokes, merci beaucoup) on the 8th. That makes two Thursday holidays in a row, and therefore two weeks of 4-day weekends. (I don't know if they can manage to pull off the same when the holidays fall on Wednesdays ... I'll have to ask.)

This week, I did not faire le pont. I had a whopping one class ... two hours of work ... on Friday. But next week, if things progress well at the castle, Philipp and I will take our 4-day weekend at Ste. Marie. This is a big couple weeks at the chantier (work zone) ... they've removed half of the old slate roof and beams (I'm not really sure what's holding the other half of the roof in place, but they're hoping for no strong wind!) and next week they'll put up new the beams and roof.

So, we've learned about flowers and bridges, now it's time for me to wish ...

Bonne Fête, Philipp !!!

In France, every day is designated as the day of a certain saint. And when it's the saint you're named after, you get to celebrate your fête! It's kind of like celebrating two birthdays. Basically on your fête, your friends and family wish you a "bonne fête", and if you're lucky, someone will give you flowers. Or if you're Philipp, someone (your wife) will give you some white chocolate candy bars and cook you a yummy dinner. I also have a silicone ice cube tray that makes ice in the shape of little dolphins that I'll give him at dinner. (Yes, folks, this is pretty exciting!!)

One problem with being American ... and having an Irish name ... is that I don't have a fête. :( There's no Sainte Kerry. There is a Sainte Elisabeth (my middle name is Elizabeth), but I've never celebrated it. Hmm ... I'll look at my handy-dandy calendar, and see when it is ... because the calendars all list the saints on them. I think it's in the summer ... hmm ... not in summer ... a-ha! ... found it! ... Sainte Elisabeth is November 17th. If you have a first or middle name that sounds remotely French (or not), let me know, and I'll look it up on the calendar for you. And try to remember to wish you a bonne fête that day.

Artichoke Diversity

There are moments in every woman's life when she realizes -- with vivid clarity -- that she is BECOMING HER MOTHER. I had one of those moments a few years ago (back in my wild single days) during an ordinary telephone call with my Mom, when we realized that we had both ... without any prior planning (obviously!) eaten the same dinner earlier in the week: an artichoke, and then some ice cream.

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Weird, I know.

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I was thinking of that this weekend when I prepared a couple of artichokes for Philipp and me. These were the artichokes that almost weren't. They had to overcome a lot of obstacles. First, they had to make it into our shopping basket and home with us. I wasn't planning on buying any artichokes, but on a trip to the store the other day, Philipp saw them and they looked good, so we picked up a pair. I wanted to cook them the other evening, but we ran out of gas, and Philipp would have to go out and get another canister of it. I'd already prepared most of the dinner, so I let the artichokes go for that night. Then I boiled them last night, but we were too full from our mass quantities of pasta to eat them. And that's when Philipp informed me that in France, "we don't eat artichokes hot".

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No hot artichokes?? That's CRAZY!!

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It turns out that artichokes are just another of the many items that are prepared and/or consumed differently here. In France, they're room temperature, and you dip the leaves in a mixture of crème fraiche (a bit like sour cream) and wine vinegar. In the States, we eat them hot and dip the leaves in a mixture of melted butter and lemon juice.

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Or do we ... ?

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I talk quite a bit about American culture with my students, and sometimes I'm not sure if what is "true" is the case for most Americans, or just true in my experience. Take the primaries, for example. I've been asked by several people to explain just what's going on with our electoral process right now, and I'm trying my best to think of educated -- and hopefully accurate -- answers. (Thanks, Mr. Turner, for all the wisdom you imparted in the 1988-1989 school year!) So I've been explaining the basics, hoping no one asks what the difference is between a primary and a caucus (I have no idea!), and so far I've been pretty confident about my answers. Until this weekend, when I learned that a few states decided to hold their primaries (or maybe their caucuses, I don't know!) on the weekend!! What's up with that?!? I've been telling everyone that elections and primaries are always on a Tuesday, and now I find out that I'm a big fat liar.

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So ... maybe the same is true with our little friends the artichokes. Perhaps what is true for me (hot with lemon butter) is not actually the norm in the States. Heck, maybe normal people don't even eat artichokes unless they're part of the (hot!) creamy goodness that is a steaming bowl of spinach artichoke dip! Who knows?!

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So am I spreading lies or truths about artichoke consumption habits of average American citizens? You tell me. You can weigh in with your vote as a comment at the end of the post. (Enquiring minds want to know!)

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As for the many other differences in food consumption habits of average American versus average French people, I'll have to compile a list when I'm a little less sleepy. I had my last long training run today ... 20 miles in 3 hours 1 minute. And now ... the taper begins!!

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And in other news ... Thank you for the outpouring of support, your thoughts, your prayers, ... it seems the hand is not broken! ;) I didn't go for x-rays, but it's finally starting to feel better. Hmm ... does it still hurt when I press on it? [Kerry pauses to press on it] Ouch! Guess it still hurts a little. But (as Philipp says) I'm a warrior!

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Unfortunately, Warrior Philipp seems to have had a collision between his nose and the door of his truck this week. He's looking a little like a Roman Gladiator (the bump) with a pimple (the redness), and it's just a tad bit crooked, too. But since he's not really interested in going to a doctor to have it rebroken, and I promised he looked cute and I'd still love him even with a (incredibly minutely) crooked nose, he's just going to live with it this way.

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And I promised not to press on it. ;)

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Have a great week, everyone!

Things that make me HAPPY !!!

Today, we'll look at some little things that make me happy. (in no particular order) It's a nice, optimistic way to start the week, I think. :)

1) FUN HAIR. One of my sisters-in-law, Anne, is really good at doing braids. (the one from France, not the one from California ... actually, I don't know about the one from California ... I've never asked) Yesterday, we went to a surprise birthday party for one of my brothers-in-law, Sebastien, and I asked Anne if she would do my hair for me. This is one side of the back of my head. You can't really see, but there are two braids like headbands in the front, then two down the back (with the zigzag in the middle) and a little bun at the back. It should be fun to see what my hair looks like when I take them out. Philipp says I will look like a sheep.



2) HOT POCKETS. Need I say more??? I discovered these in one of the local grocery stores the other day. (AND they were buy one get one free!!) Reminds me of the good old days of Hot Pockets and baby carrots in the CHS teachers' lounge. Good times.

3) NEW RUNNING SHOES!

I've been devoted to Saucony running shoes for years (ever since I started running), but they're pretty much impossible to find in France. So I hit the sales at "Decathlon" (a sports super store) and tried on several pair, hoping to find something to get me through my marathon training and beyond. I fell in love with these ASICS as soon as I tried them on! PLUS they were on sale! I would have preferred a cooler color, but running shoes are one kind of shoe you can't choose based on color. At any rate, as you can see, my first run was muddy enough that soon you won't even be able to see the color!

3 1/2) NPR PODCASTS. OK, I don't have a photo for this one. But did you know that you can download NPR podcasts from the Internet? I found this out a few weeks ago, and now once a week, I download the latest episode of CAR TALK, and listen to it during one of my runs. Philipp can't understand at all why I'm listening to car advice ... some things (like Click and Clack) just don't translate!

4) WHAT'S THAT ... A MOP ?!?!?!? Yes, folks ... I have a real mop! Philipp and I went to a real el cheapo store the other day ... called King Kong! There I spotted what I thought would remain but a dream for the duration of my stay in France ... A mop of my very own. And for just 3 euros (about $4.50) I got not just a mop, but also the bucket and a cool drainer thing ... no more dishpan hands! It's amazing!! (OK, so I haven't actually use it yet, but I will soon ... I swear.) And thanks so much, Beth, for the offer to send me one. You're off the hook! ;)

5) ONE WORD ... FLEXIPAN. I finally feel like a real Cosneau woman, because I am now the proud owner of two Flexipan molds. All the female members of the family have these silicone molds (sold at Tupperware-type parties), and create mouth-watering treats in them. For Christmas, I got to pick out whatever I wanted ... Philipp dropped me off at Anne's (the hair-braiding sister-in-law), who was hosting the party, with his checkbook and free reign to pick out a Christmas present or two. I came away with this lovely flower mold, which I use primarily to make zucchini bread ... and then make the French people guess what the flecks of green are in their cake!

I also got these little molds for making hors-d'oeuvres or sweets. I can now make little appetizers along with the best of 'em. And it's so easy!! So far, I've made these varieties: marinara and cheese, mushroom and thyme, smoked salmon, crab and dill, and pesto and cheese. Yum!

So ... I realize that I am truly becoming an old married woman, because several things that make me happy have to do with cooking, cleaning, etc. But that's fine with me. Mostly, these are things that make my life easier, and who doesn't want that?

And now I must get ready for bed, because I told myself I would get to bed early all this week. I need my energy for a big running week ahead. Still in training for the Barcelona Marathon on March 2nd. I'll try to keep you posted on how things are going. Til then ... Have a great week!

Joyeux Noël !!!

Merry Christmas from France! We had a lovely holiday, and hope that you did, too.

I think that being in France, we're not as inundated with CHRISTMAS everywhere in sight from October on. So it seemed like Christmas was coming, but without all the crazy marketing in your face all the time. So finally, on Saturday, Philipp and I got around to getting a tree. Even though we ere going to be at his parents' for the big celebration, we wanted a little tree of our own. And for those of you who have seen the size of our house, you know why it was so important that it be a little tree! :) We got a box of really old ornaments from Philipp's parents' house, and voilà! Our little tree ...

And at the base, a little crêche.

Here in France, they set up the Nativity scene (crêche) at the base of the tree. They use a thick paper to form a cave around the figures. Our table is small, so ours are a bit squished. Another interesting thing about Christmas trees in France ... they don't put them in bases to keep them watered! Seems silly to me. Philipp's parents' tree is stuck into a big, heavy vase (no water, though) and ours came with two boards nailed into the bottom to keep it upright. Everyone complains about their trees being dry and losing needles, but it doesn't occur to them that they could water them. Weird.

Anyway, on Christmas Eve, we headed over to Philipp's parents' house for the festivities. Philipp didn't want to wear a suit, but I made him. (It's tough being married, eh?) Nonetheless, I think we looked pretty good. (although a bit tired ... this was taken around midnight, I think)

We had a glass (or two) of mousseux aux fruits exotiques (a fruity, yummy "champagne") and some hors d'oeuvres before heading over to the church for mass. I was relieved to know that since my last Christmas mass there (two years ago), they'd installed heaters! (Last time, no one told me French churches weren't heated, and I froze!!) It was nice, although to be honest, I miss the traditions from home: the songs, candles, etc. Still, it was nice. (but a bit long ... 1 hour 40 minutes!)

We headed back to the house, and had a delicious dinner (menu in a moment). Every year, Antoine (Philipp's brother) decorates the house, and every year it's magnificent. There are lights and garlands all over the house, but here's the splendid dining room:

It was a "small" group this year ... only 15 people. Some of Philipp's brothers and sisters were off with their in-laws this year. When everyone's there, I think we're at around 26 people. Anyway, Monique (Philipp's Mom) always outdoes herself. Here was the menu:

• Fois gras on toast (with a 1984 Muscadet)
• Turkey, potatoes and chestnuts (with a bottle of red that Preston - my brother - gave Robert - Philipp's Dad - at our American wedding)
• a cheese plate (although at this point we went to open presents, and were already stuffed, so we never got around to eating the cheese)
• vacharin for dessert - it's a frozen custard with meringue and a raspberry coulis. YUM!! (and Cremant de Loire - the local champagne)
• and ... as we sat around chatting ... Monique passed around chocolate truffles, dates stuffed with almond paste, and other yummy treats

As I said, we took a break from dinner to go open presents. We kept hearing reports from the children that Père Noël was surely delivering presents in the next room. (Note that they dressed up in their outfits from our wedding ... except the two younger boys each had to wear the pants of an older brother, leaving the oldest in "regular" clothes ... they've all grown since April!) Here, Père Noël comes while we are at mass. (This used to work, since Philipp would usually stay home. But now I make him go to church, so we have to find another solution.) We discovered that Père Noël had delivered the gifts in front of the wrong fireplace, and thus got the kids to lug the presents up from Monique and Robert's room, where we'd stashed them all. (pretty smart, eh?) This was the scene in the living room as the presents started to be distributed:

Then, once everyone had all their gifts, we went around and started opening them one by one. In this family, since it's so big, we pick names for the one person that we'll give gifts to. I have trouble limiting myself to gifts for just one person, though, so I also had a secret knitting project going. I started in November, and managed to knit a hat or scarf for each woman and girl in the family. Here they are:

So ... we finally got home around 2:00 in the morning. Very sleepy but happy.

So although yesterday was actually Christmas Day, it didn't seem very much like Christmas. Philipp and I slept in, I went for a little run, and we went to his parents' house for lunch. Then we spent the afternoon playing Trivial Pursuit (in French, of course) with Laurence (Philipp's sister), Aya and Yumi (two Japanese girls living with Philipp's parents for the year while they study French) and Céline and Louis (a Chinese couple also living in Angers for their studies). It was difficult at times - especially the obscure questions about French actors, etc. - but we had fun.

And now, it's December 26th. It's 11:24 am, I'm still in my pajamas, and enjoying my second cup of coffee. This evening, we're going to get together with a group of Philipp's old windsurfing buddies (and their wives and kids), who have been friends for at least 20 years. They're a fun group. I'm waiting for it to be a reasonable hour in the Eastern time zone, to call my Mom for the recipe for a favorite cake of Philipp's, so I can make it to take along tonight.

For now ... I suppose I should get dressed.

Merry Christmas, everyone!!