Honorary citizens of Serres

The small village of Serres was having their annual city-wide "get to know each other" festival. The population of the village is about 90. We had a special invitation to go and have drinks at this festival. Pierre sings in the choir at church with a lady who is the equivalent of a US senator. She is the representative for the area, lives in Serres, and invited us over. It was a really special invitation. We arrived at the farm of this lady in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. It had all the charm of a French farmhouse. All the people of the village were standing around visiting and enjoying a few drinks. There was the mayor (in a wheelchair; paralyzed from falling off a chair as he was attempting to change a lightbulb) and a Dominican nun. We told her that our church in Houston was a Dominican parish (en francais, of course). Only a few people knew a few words of English, so we were really put to the test. I had the opportunity to drink my first pastis! I was so excited to try it. Anyone who has read "A year in Provence" knows about pastis! Inside a converted barn, tables were set for the dinner and there were fresh flowers all along the tables - brought from the gardens of all the townspeople. A music area was set up in the corner with an electric keyboard-thingy and an accordian! I was amazed to learn that our weekend hosts and the other American had no idea what the accordian was! Just before we left, they decided to take a picture for the local paper. We were invited to stand in the picture so that they could say that the festival was truly "international". They had a fun time with that joke. Then as were were standing, I told Paul to run and take a picture for us. They all cheered and laughed and were very excited to think that maybe their picture would be published in the Texas papers!!

The people were so welcoming and friendly and so full of joy and it didn't seem all that different from family get-togethers in south Louisiana. I wanted to stay for the music but we had to leave so that they could begin their meal. What an experience!