our weekend excursion

Country Music Festival

check out the max temperature 

folding shutters help keep the heat out 

Hot Hot Hot

The weather here is interesting. The way it works, as best I can figure, is ..... it's pretty cool, like in the low 70's and then the temperature builds for about a week or 10 days. Yesterday it got up to 98 degrees. Then a storm blows through and the cycle starts all over again.

We don't have air conditioning. When it is 98 degrees outside, there is no way to escape the heat. The best plan of attack is to close all the windows, draw the blinds, and stay really still. The windows of our apartment have these really heavy blinds on all of the windows. They are so heavy that it takes some tricky maneuvers to lower and raise them. I got a rope burn the other day as I was trying to lower them. ouch, it still hurts .... and on the window of the "point" there are some strange folding shutters. They work pretty well at blocking the sun too. We have lots of big windows and we live in an open area..... that's really nice.... we don't stare at the other apartment building walls... we look out over a park... but it has a downside - the sun glares into the apartment bringing in lots of heat. The stairwell to the apartment building stays surprisingly cool. Opening the door into the stairwell helps, but you can't really leave the door open for very long.

So... we drink lots of water... and laze around all day... and wait for the next storm.

blocking the sun on a hot summer day 

our latest excursion 

paris 

to Paris for the day

We didn't question why we had to go to the French consolate in Geneva to get our French visa and we haven't yet adopted the French way of questioning everything, so when we were told that we would have to travel to Paris to get our physical exam, we obediently set off for Paris. The company made the train reservations for today and so we made the trip. It was on the TGV, the super-fast train that takes only 2 hours to get to Paris. I don't know how fast it travels but, every now and then, the train parallels the highway and we pass cars like they are standing still. It was a beautiful drive through the center of France. I've not seen the country in the other seasons but I can't imagine that it can be more stunning than it is in the summer. Some fields were harvested and were golden with bales of hay scattered about the land. The fields of sunflowers were in full bloom and were a beautiful bright yellow. In some places, we saw neatly rowed vineyards scattered along the hillsides. And there were many, many bright green fields of corn. Cows and sheep were everywhere and the villages were quite distinctive with their terra cotta buildings and red tiled roofs. As we approached Paris, it was dissappointing to see so much graffiti.

The company arranged for a chauffer to drive us for the day. We got off the train and I wondered how we would know who was picking us up. Is it like in America where they hold up signs with your name on them? Should we try to act American just in case we didn't look American? I was thinking this when I saw a smartly dressed man in a suit holding the company logo. (These French have so much class!) He took us to the car - a big Renault (didn't know they made them that big) with a fine leather interior. It was pretty cool. The driver dropped us off at the building where we were to get our physical. We opened the outside door and we both had a rush of memories from when we were in Geneva and got scolded for walking in the door without permission - so we stopped dead in our tracks and looked at each other with panic. We decided that we would just stand and observe others before making any moves. There was a buzzer and the all-too-familiar intercom.... what would we say? what should we do? Just then, a group of Germans walked up. They sized us up and then abruptly waltzed into the door. Aha, I thought... here comes the scolding! But non.... they walked up to the desk, presented their papers, and went to the next station. Hmmm.... ok, so we will do the same. Bingo. We got in.

As we were sitting and waiting for the next thing to happen, a German guy asked Paul if he spoke English. He didn't get the joke when Paul said, in French, that he could only speak a little English. The guy apologized for cutting in front of us. (A true German.... no apologies from a Frenchman).

When it was my turn... they began the basic medical routine.... pee in the cup, weigh, measure, give blood, take a chest-xray. No problem. But then came the EYE test! I didn't bring my glasses. Oh no.... I will be deported for sure. When I had to cover one eye, I peeked through my fingers..... I think I passed. They sent me on to the next step - an interview. I was asked all kinds of questions about my health then another scare..... did I bring my immunization record?
What? The one from my childhood?? Are they serious?? I had my third grade report card, my high school diploma, my Rice University Intermediate French certificate.... and they wanted my immunization records? Oh dear... I will have to return home. But then I told her that all my shots were current. That I had taken them all. I'm really OK. She let me slide.

At the end of this process, I was given my chest x-rays to keep, and a letter stating:
Remplit les conditions sanitaires pour etre autorisee a resider en France.
That means I can stay.

So Paul and I set out to expore Paris, chest x-rays in hand. We ate, had coffee and dessert and then headed back home. I snapped this shot in the train station.

only in Paris.... 

our guests, minus one who left early 

Dinner at our place

Last night Jeffrey invited his American friends from West Virginia over for dinner. These are the students who are studying in France this summer at the university that Jeff is attending. They had complained that they were longing for good ole American food so Paul and I set out to find something that we would consider American. We first thought of fixing hamburgers, but we weren't sure about the mustard, ketchup, and fixins that go along with that, and besides, they HAD eaten already at McDonalds here. Then we thought about Tex-Mex but dismissed that idea since they were from West Virginia. Barbeque was out since we have no pit and no place to cook. So we finally settled upon a roast, mashed potatoes, green beans, SOFT rolls, and a salad made from iceburg lettuce (not very common here) with Hidden Valley Ranch dressing. The dressing was compliments of Kate's friend Melanie from New Orleans who sent us a package that arrived on the day of our big dinner! Dessert was brownies with vanilla ice-cream.

They arrived at the planned time as Americans do. We all enjoyed good conversation and a good meal. They did thank us for providing comfort food at a time when they are ending their summer stay and longing for the familiar things of home. Each student is staying with a different French host family and the discussion at dinner centered around the different experiences each student was having. One student was staying in the suburbs with a family who had a really nice house, a nice "mom" who cooked delicious meals and was very welcoming to the American student. Another student was staying in a small apartment with a family that had 7 kids and it appeared they were struggling to make ends meet. In her case, the "mom" didn't cook very often and the student was left to find food on her own. In another case, the student had good accomodations but was expected to do chores like cleaning up after dinner.

They all complained about how hard the bread was... and how stinky the cheese was.... and how difficult things can be when you don't know the language very well. Two girls told the story of how their plane was delayed on the trip over here and so they arrived late. The host family was not there to greet them and they didn't really know what to do. It was a very uncomfortable situation for them. I wished I could have known about the problems and helped them in some way.

The dinner party ended late and everyone was not looking forward to getting up for class in the morning. But it was a very nice evening with good food, good company, and good conversation!

sidewalk cafe on a Sunday morning 

sunday outing

We all got up early Sunday morning and metroed over to the old part of town. We had coffee and croissants at a sidewalk cafe then went on to church in the cathedral. After that, we walked along the river and went through the market of arts and crafts. We found a really nice place to have lunch and ate outside and watched the world go by.

Enjoy the photos!

a view from the market along the river 

a view along the river 

a closer look

a night out 

us 

the friday routine

Every Friday night we go to Mass then out to eat pizza at the same place. The waitress knows us and knows our order because we always order the same thing. Paul started this long before I arrived so it's been going on for quite a while. This time we had Kate with us for church but not Jeffrey. Jeff was playing soccer with some of his international friends from the college he is attending this summer. Six years on the soccer team at school and a year refereeing on Saturdays kept him from being a stupid american who only knew basketball, baseball, and football. He did join us for pizza after his soccer game but then had to leave for another dinner with another of his school friends. As we were eating outside under the canopy, we heard American-speak. There was a family from Pennsylvania sitting at the table behind us. They were living in France for the summer while the wife was on a teaching assignment in Geneva. It was nice to chat with them for a while. After dinner, Paul, Kate, and I then went down to the river and had a few drinks at a place on the water. It was very crowded and lively and nice place to just sit and visit.

an engineering marvel 

every day is laundry day

Washers here are a fascinating work of engineering. So are dryers - or washer/dryers - or whatever we have. We have an appliance (in the bathroom) that functions as both a washer and a dryer. You put the clothes (just a few) in the machine, press a few buttons, turn a few knobs (without a clue as to what they mean or what they do), then put in about a thimble full of soap and start it up. Then presto-wizzo... in about 3-4 hours, the clothes are washed AND dried. They go into one hole dirty and come out the same hole washed and dried. Pretty nifty.

What's even more amazing than that is that the magic box doesn't even fill up with water. A few drops spritz into the clothes and they tumble to the left. Then a few more drops spritz in and they tumble to the right. It sometimes can be more entertaining than French TV.

But here's the catch....
It doesn't IRON the clothes! Perma-press turns into perma-wrinkle.

We are still experimenting though.
There are 10 choices for fabric type.
There are 4 buttons with funny pictures (not sure what they mean).
There are 4 more buttons with French words.
There are 3 knobs with different choices that can be selected by turning them.
Even without a degree in statistics, you could figure out that there are a ton of choices! or as we say in Texas... a sh#tload.

hmmmm... 

too many choices 

sampling the gourmet food 

cooking, part deux

I repeat, the food here is exceptional! But every now and then we have longings for good Tex-Mex food. I've been "collecting" all the pieces as I find them.... nacho chips..... flour tortillas... avacados.... and some bright orange cheese named Mimolette (almost cheddar, close but no cigar). Refried beans is another matter. I would be sadly disappointed, however, to learn that the French would stoop so low as to eat refried beans. I thought they were pretty bad when we first moved to Texas but have since acquired a taste for them. So we found a can one day in an awesome marked called Les Halles. They have the best of the best food you can imagine (and cans of refried beans priced at around 5 bucks a can). So we were at a market on Sunday and spotted dried pinto beans. We bought them and then I spent the day today cooking them to make refried beans. I've never done that before, not when you can buy them at 3 cans for a buck on sale! It sure was a lot of work, and the kitchen turned into one big mess. But the true test came when Kate and Jeff got to eat a plate of nachos and said, "not too bad!".

not too bad 

The food thing

Food here is incredibly good. (No surpise!) Everything is fresh and so tasty. And when we first got here we ate out a lot because our kitchen had no cooking staples – you know, the flour, the sugar, the spices, the baking soda, etc. etc. With the kiddos here, eating out can be pricey and since I now have a nice kitchen, cooking can be fun, if not challenging.

We have been invited to ?somewhere? at the end of the month to attend a “Country Music Festival”. We were told that the lady who is the consulate here is from Texas (are you surprised with W as president?). I had this hair-brained idea to bake some of my “famous” Texas cookies to bring along. I used to make and sell them at the Brooks Bazaar, a neighborhood Christmas bazaar in Clear Lake and they were usually a big hit.

So I took out the recipe. Hmmm, Crisco…. No, they don’t have that here, or so I am told. Baking soda…. Ok, I will have to get some of that. Baking powder… hmmm what’s that called? You get the picture.

So I searched the net and found 3 recipes without shortening; they use butter. I went to buy butter, simple enough. They had butter doux. What’s that? Is that regular butter? Doux (sweet?)… is that the same as unsalted…. Arghhhh…. Help! Can I open the package and taste it… or at least look at it???? Ahhhh … whatever… I buy 2.

Baking soda…. Hmmm – nowhere to be found. I came home, searched the web only to learn that you buy that at the pharmacie – packaged in a clear jar with a red top. (Haven’t tried that one yet!)

Baking powder… the web said it was sold in sugar sized packets. I saw some of those in the store but I got the feeling from the “Levuer de Boulangerie” writing on the package that is was yeast, not baking powder… is there a difference? Surely there is! I think I need to find Levure Chimique. Didn’t see that at the store… oh wait, there actually is some in the cabinet – the movers must have missed it, and packed it!

“Nothing is simple anymore.”

So I bought a box of something. I got home and discovered it was cornstarch. Well, I needed some of that anyway, but not for the cookies.

OK… well, the strategy changes… find a recipe that will use what you DO have. Bingo!

Hooray for the internet.

Voila! Sugar cookies! With butter, baking powder, vanilla, and flour. No shortening, no baking soda. And they taste good!

Jeff's "field trip"  

Les Enfants

We now have 2/3rds of our kiddos “home” with us. Katherine arrived Saturday after a harrowing departure – but those who know her well will not be surprised to learn that she thought her flight was one day later than it actually was. She called me from Baton Rouge only 2 hours before her flight was to leave from New Orleans to discuss the list of things she was to bring with her from home. After some screaming and yelling from our end of the line, she raced to New Orleans to discover that her plane was running about an hour and a half late. (Where does she get that kind of luck?) Without all of the details, she arrived here late Saturday evening. Her French classes started on Monday, today is Tuesday, and she has already found the mall and bought a few French chic clothes!

Jeff has been here since mid-June and is attending French classes at a different school. He has made some friends in his class who are students from West Virginia and Michigan. He is working hard on his French and making good progress. The course includes a field trip each week- and last week’s trip was to Annecy. They swam and rented boats and had a really nice time. Jeff is also having (making) the opportunity to discuss his favorite subject (politics) with the French. At school the other day, someone was selling magazines and Jeff decided to seize the moment to engage the poor guy in a discussion about French political views. Sunday night he got together with his school friends and a new French-friend that they made and he explained Libertarianism to the French friend (who thought it was just a little too much over the edge for France!)

one of the exterior walls of the monastery

through the town, to the wedding 

reserved for the horses

the wedding

One of the guys at work invited us to his wedding. It was held in a small country town about 30-45 minutes southwest of here. It was pretty exciting to have the opportunity to attend a French wedding. We had no idea what to expect, didn't really know the customs or ettiquette, but were really interested in learning. So with the help of Mappy, we struck out on our journey. The drive to the town was absolutely beautiful. We rode through country and hills, then up into some mountains with really narrow roads and breathtaking views. We arrived at the town and saw a sign posted there that said it was "one of the most beautiful towns in France" (en francais, of course) and we certainly agreed. The wedding was held in an old, old monastery from the Middle Ages that is now the city hall for the town. There was a courtyard inside the monastary and the 'event' was celebrated in the courtyard.

Everyone gathered and anxiously awaited the arrival of the couple. They showed up..... driving an old antique car through the archway into the courtyard, tooting the horn and waving to us all. The car was beautiful and decorated with flowers. The bride was exquisitely dressed, as was the groom. Flowers were everywhere, even on her shoes! They exited the car and then each personally greeted (with kissy-kissy) everyone there. After a while, they walked over to the Maire (mayor) and did the wedding. The room was tiny and crowded so not everyone fit into it. Those who couldn't fit just sat under the trees and waited for it to end. It was a pretty warm day but I stood outside on the steps where I could peek inside. As the photographer and I stood on the steps, he commented that I was the only one brave enough to stand in the sun. He remarked that since I was from Houston, I could probably take it! So true!

The ceremony sounded to me like the reading of a lot of formality stuff, with lots of numbers being said. My French isn't quite good enough yet! But at some particular moment, as though they were playing the old-fashioned game of "gossip", one person said to the next, and then to the next, and so on.... "they said 'OUI'". So they don't say "I do", they say "yes".

Then, after the official part, everyone just visited out in the couryard. We were there for 3 hours when we finally decided to leave. I was surprised that everyone was so content to just sit around, very content, for hours and hours. Paul remarked to a co-worker that the wedding didn't seem very lively, didn't have a party feel. We were told that the parties start much later and can go into the wee hours of the morning. Since Kate was arriving for her stay with us this summer, we really had to head back home. Who knows what we missed!

typical of scenes along the way 

driving home - from the mountains, overlooking the fields 

The trip to get the visas....... a window in Carouge