Other happenings during the American holidays

It’s been snowing here a s#!+load but doesn’t stay on the ground. In my opinion, that’s the best kind because driving in it is something we don’t quite know how to do yet.

After the Thanksgiving feast, our French friends who have children about the same age as ours invited us over to their house on Saturday so the young’uns could meet. We were invited at 5pm and Harry had a train to catch at 7:45. Our friends said they would serve some simple light food so we figured we could pull it off in about 2 hours. We drove over (5 people in an itty-bitty car with Harry’s luggage) and arrived at 5:00. It was a very nice visit, their kids spoke really good English, and all got along really well.

We started eating... and we quickly realized that at the pace things were going, there would be no way Harry would make the 7:45 train. No matter that the ‘simple’ food was only a salad, some cheese, and a tart for dessert. Each course involves passing around the plate, discussing the food, waiting until everyone is served... then finally eating the course. Before we could begin the process with the cheese tray, we got a lesson on each kind of cheese, where it was from, how it was made, yada yada yada... then we could pass it around... and eventually eat. Before the meal ended, it was decided that the French kids would have to leave and drive Harry to the train station and our kids would go along too. The adults would finish the ‘small simple light food’.

I think/hope Harry made it in time. Kate got dropped off at home to work on a school project and Jeff went out with the French kids to a sports bar where a soccer game was being shown in French (of course). He said he didn’t really watch it until everyone started cheering... then he would check out the screen, see what happened, and maybe give a cheer too.

We stayed pretty late and it was a very nice visit. They had a fire going in the fireplace and we talked about life, politics, the french riots, the trials and tribulations of learning a new language, and we even helped them with some new English words. They are very patient with us and our French... the conversations would switch back and forth between the languages. We determined that the best way to have good conversation was to talk in our own language... and listen in the other.

We are so blessed to have these good friends!