Let Me Entertain You

It's the beginning of the social season here in Angers. Time to invite all our friends and family over to see the castle and sit around the dinner table for a meal and one last chance to see each other. For months, Philipp and I have been saying we need to invite people over before we leave for America. But we're running out of time. So let the party begin!

Last weekend, we had people over Friday and Saturday nights. This week, it was Tuesday night. I'm enjoying the cooking and entertaining, but the cleaning is already getting a bit tiresome. It's a constant battle against the dust ... and the dust is winning! Fortunately, Philipp has now finished the grout of the tiled great room (major dust!) so things aren't quite as bad as they have been. Plus, we have wonderful friends who don't mind the mess ... they're so amazed by Philipp's amazing work on the castle!

So if my postings continue to be few and far between for the next month and a half, it's because I'm too busy cleaning, cooking, baking, doing dishes, ... and eventually sorting, packing, etc. But it's so nice for us to spend time with friends and family while we can. June 2nd -- departure for America -- is coming soon!

BIG LEAPS AND KARATE CHOPS (Kerry breaks a bone)

When I was 18 years old, I broke my first bone. It was my big toe ... I think it was the right one, but now I don't remember. I was in rehearsal with the ballet company I danced with, and we were preparing to perform "Coppelia". In it, there is "The Dance of the Hours", with twelve dancers. That's a lot of people, and we had limited rehearsal space. We had to do a grand jeté (a big leap) ... my right leg went forward ... Justyn's left leg went backward ... POW! She went down hard, but was fine. I broke my toe. I don't know why we weren't wearing our pointe shoes for that reahearsal; they would've protected my tender little toes.

My parents have always been grateful for my broken toe, because a week later I was due to fly down to Baltimore to audition for a dance scholarship at Goucher. I was also up for an academic / leadership scholarship. I didn't get the dance scholarship, but did get the other, which was much bigger and renewable for four years. Anything to help out. :)

I, too, have always been happy to have this as the story of the only time I broke a bone: "I kicked a girl."




So how's this for another (possibly) broken bone story: "I karate chopped a tile window sill." ?

Yes, I do realize that this requires an explanation ...

So, yesterday, I was getting ready to go out for a 16-mile training run. I got into my running clothes, and went downstairs to put on my cardio belt (a strap that measures my heartrate and sends the data to my Garmin GPS). I took my new fleece top down to the bathroom with me to put on after the belt, and then I would put my hair up and be ready to go. Maybe I was in a hurry ... or maybe I was already mentally outside, because I forgot to take into account the small size of the bathroom. I put the top over my head, brought my arms down and ... SMACK! I heard a really gross sound as my right hand karate chopped the window sill. I shouted, "AIE!" (the French version of 'ow'), followed by a French word that I definitely didn't learn in Madame Ravenelle's class. I ran my hand under cold water and watched the beginning of a bruise develop. But there was nothing else I could do, so I went out for my run. (The bruise never really developed ... if it had, I'd put a picture up for you.)

Philipp thinks it's probably broken, but I'm not sure, because it only hurts when I press on it. We'll see how it is in a day or two, and see if I go in for an x-ray. I don't know what they can do for me, and I have no desire to have a cast on my hand. Mainly because I don't want to run with it. I'm sure I'd get lots of comments on it at the marathon!

So that's the story of my second (possibly) broken bone. I'll keep you posted if there are any updates. Incidentally, the tile window sill made out fine ... just like Justyn.



One other note ... thanks to Ariana, I'm now hooked on NPR's "This American Life", and look forward to runs of over an hour so that I can listen to it (I download the podcasts). I also discovered a podcast called "The Final Sprint", and listened to an interesting interview with Mike Huckabee.

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!

There's GOT to be a better way!!

Raise your hand if you like to mop.

... I thought so.

When people ask me what I miss about the States, I have a hard time answering. Because my biggest reason (beyond missing family and friends and my cat) is difficult to explain. Life is just easier there. I usually explain this with examples such as, "I can do my grocery shopping after 8:00 pm or on a Sunday", or "I never have to look too hard for a parking spot."

But it goes deeper than this. For example: at the grocery store. Did you know that French grocery stores are only open until 8 or 9 o'clock? And the government prevents them from opening on Sundays? These are inconveniences, for sure. But there are others ... I HATE the shopping carts. If you don't have a 1 euro coin or a token, forget about using a cart at all, because this is what you need to detach the cart from the pack. And they're only outside, so if I go to the Géant (somewhat like Wal-Mart) at "Espace Anjou" (shopping center) and want to look around at some other stores before doing my grocery shopping, I have to go back outside to get a cart. (Or leave my cart -- with my token in it -- in the hall of the shopping center, and leave one eye on it at all times, for fear that someone will walk away with it.) Driving a cart is the worst, because the back wheels turn, in addition to the front ones; it's a simple difference, but makes driving such a hassle! I do my shopping, and I'm ready to check out. Better hope the lines aren't too long. Because here, if they open a new register, the French will push by you to be the first person served ... none of this "Can I help the next person in line?". This is a notion that the French do not have. Grrr ... Finally, I prefer to do my big shopping trips with Philipp because otherwise, it's too stressful. I've brought my own bags (they don't provide them, as in the States), but I also have to bag all the groceries myself! So I must empty my cart onto the conveyor belt, go down to the other end to catch all the items and put them in bags, and get my money ready so that I'll be ready when the cashier asks me for it. Whew! It's exhausting just thinking about it.

So ... in a lot of ways ... life is just easier in the States.

But let me get back to my original inspiration for this entry: mopping. I'm sure that for most of you out there, mopping is not high on your list of favorite activities. I've never been much of a fan. But now that I live in France, I honestly miss my lovely -- and practical! -- little American mop. Because here in France, we don't mop. We "passe la serpière". Basically, we take a rag, hold it with a broom, and mop the floors. This is what it looks like:

Seems simple enough, but I think you must be truly French to be able to do this easily. You have to press really hard on the mop, or you leave the rag behind. And there's no "easy squeeze" lever, so you have to wring the rag out with your hands. Now mine are really dry and smell like dirt and apples. Over the months, I've gotten better at it, but it's still something I don't look forward to.

I miss my real mop ...

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!!

Working Weekend

Today I want to share some photos of our working weekend. We returned to Ste. Marie, where Philipp's parents have a house. Actually, they're in the process of moving to a new house, so Philipp spent the weekend building a new bedroom in the (huge) garage of the new house. At various points of the weekend, some of the family members also worked very hard helping out. Here's a "before" picture:



You can see that there is an existing bedroom to the right. Our mission ... to close off the space on the left, insulate, create a two-sided closet, and install a door. A lot of work for one weekend, but we got a good start.

Philipp began with the electricity. He ran wires around the periphery of the space to install outlets and switch plates later on. Then we prepared the drywall. Here in France, since most homes are build with concrete block, rather than wood, you glue the sheets right to the walls. Philipp had bought drywall backed with Styrofoam to serve as insulation. It looked like snow whenever we cut the drywall or shaved off parts of the Styrofoam! My job was to mix the MAP (the glue, although it seems more like plaster) and put the globs up on the walls. I had a fun job. We put up most of the ceiling before a pause for lunch, and were very happy to see that it was still stuck up there when we returned. (For ceilings, you use screws in addition to the glue.)

Next there was the wall to build, including the two-sided closet. Philipp let me use some of his power tools, which was exciting. I used the drill, the electric screwdriver, and a saw. Here I am sawing a piece of wood. Please ignore the fact that I'm wearing flip-flops. A true Girl Scout would not wear open-toed shoes when working with power tools. :(



Because the space is now enclosed, it was very difficult to take a picture of the room as of Sunday evening. Here you see that the drywall is up. We used the left-over pieces for the section under the window.



There remains a lot of work to be done. The joints, painting the walls and ceiling, prepping the floor and installing the linoleum, baseboards, outlets, ... There certainly is a lot of work involved!



This is a picture of Philipp mixing one of the first batches of MAP, before I learned how to do it.


As I said, I had fun using Philipp's power tools, but my favorite part of the weekend was watching Philipp work. I am in awe of his ability to completely transform a space. He knows each step and what needs to be done at what point. The rest of us who helped simply took instruction from Philipp, because he was truly the leader of the project. I am excited to work alongside with him someday in our own home!


So that's all for now. I'll share more photos when the project is done. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Work Hard Play Hard

Philipp had a very busy day last Sunday. He spent a good part of the day working on some projects for our little house. Fist, he took a piece of furniture he'd bought for 5 euros (a rack to display counter-top samples), took it apart and used the wood to construct a desk for me. I had no place to work and prepare my lessons, and I'm so happy to finally have a desk!





Then, he finished the shelves in our closet, which he built a couple months ago. He was so cute sitting in there as he put in the shelves that I had to take a picture. His response ... "I'm cute no matter where I am!" Alas, he's right.





Philipp isn't someone to just work, though. He enjoys having fun, too. The other day, he had to go to Carrefour (like a French Wal-Mart), and he came home with an extra item. He's very proud of his new toy, and is working on his skills. Check it out ...