back in the south

Got "home" today. Took a night train from Paris but couldn't sleep so got into Montpellier feeling quite cracked out at 6 a.m. Had very good luck getting to the bus back to Ganges, though, which was awesome. The busses are not that often and I caught the 6:45 with zero minutes to spare (had to take a tram from the train to the bus station) and was sooo happy cuz the next bus was at 11:30 and I would have had to wait out in the cold or head back to central Mont. to kill the time.

Threw up in my water bottle on the bus. Sorry to throw that in but it was kind of sudden and strange. I think maybe the fumes on the bus or the lack if sleep or something. But fortunately I didn't have anything in my stomache because my h2o bottle is tiny....

Was home by 8 and skyped with Blake and my sister who was at our house, then really thought about going to bed but powered through and went on a walk/grocery run. Since then I have been seriously chilling...mostly trying to stay warm in bed and trying to find something on youtube worth watching. I did find "Andy University" clips that are shorts with the brother on Weeds (Justin Kirk, I think). pretty funny...but only 12 of them or so and only 2-3 minutes long. I would love to veg and watch a movie but they take way too long to load and my attempts at fooling Hulu are not working.

Speaking of entertaining things though.....I have been obsessing on podcasts since being here. At home I already had 10 or so that I listened to regularly but out of need for entertainment I have expanded my downloading and am such a fan! Totally hooked on "the sound of young America" and "Jodan, Jessee, Go!" and always try out a few new randoms when on. Props to my girls Becca and Dev for giving me my ipod....I never knew how much I would love using it.

Well, I meant to write more. My last dys in Paris were fabulous. On Sunday the roads on either side of the Seine are closed to cars so I followed Mike and Mary (them running, me biking) from their neighborhood all the way to the Tulleries. We dropped the bike and they took the metro home and I spent my last afternoon in Paris strolling the streets, soaking in the sun at the Tilleries, and walking the Seine home...it was wonderful.

I have to go to bed now. Tomorrow I drive into Montpellier to pick Mary up and tour around a bit. Maybe we will go see the flamingos that are supposedly in the wetlands there, although they might be migrating south now....we will see.....xoxo...t

Christmas eve...

Hi people, sorry it has been so long. I have been wandering the rues of Paris, trying to stay warm and generally haveing a fabulous time. Mary and I are at home making x-mas cookies after running around this morning getting treats for the next couple days because everything will be closed up.
The flea market was a flop. I have been hunting for linens and things for my sister but have not found a single one. Either I am looking in the wrong places or the people who have the french shabby-chic stall at the Alameda flea market have come and taken them all. I am still on the hunt though Jodi, promise.
On Tuesday Mary, a friend of hers and I went on a chocolate shop tour of Paris...mainly just an excuse to walk around with some kind of purpose. One shop had a window display made entirely of chocolate. Most impressive was the birch trees that looked so real I wanted to miniaturize myself and walk around in the little chocolate forest....yum! We saw many other things on our way, a mosque, a roman ampitheater that was excavated not so long ago....and lots of cute boutiques. As our last stop we went food shopping at a big market near Mike's work and I went a bit crazy at the olive bar which was very impressive.
Yesterday I went to the Centre Pompidou (the modern art museum here in Paris) thinking I could go there and then do a few more things in the day. It was amazing! They have a wonderful premanent collection full of artists that I love as well as two floors of special exhibits. One of the highlights was a slideshow of Nan Golding photos of couples set to music by Bjork and an orchestra. I have seen and really enjoyed her photos before but seeing them this was was heartbreakingly beautiful. It was 5 couples in total and each had 25 or so photos of them just doing normal everday things (some a bit x-rated). She has an amazing gift to capture peoples love for eachother. I was at the museum for 6 hours total and got to catch a view of the Tour Eiffel sparkling at 6 p.m. from one of the decks of the museum. Apparently there is another light show that starts on the hour at 8 p.m. so we are going to try to catch it tonight I think.
After the museum I walked around the Marsais. It is the jewish/gay district of town that is hopping with people and full of fun little shops and restaurants. Luckily the weather has eased off a bit so for the first time since I've been here it wasn't painful to walk around. Home by 10 and then a late dinner with Mary and Mike. Went to bed at 1 and started reading my book..."the corrections" by Jonathan Franzen, which I am auctually not enjoying that much but it is the only english book I have up here that is not a guidebook, and somehow it was suddenly 3 a.m. and I forced myself to go to sleep.
Tonight we are going to midnight mass at Notre Dame which I am sure is going to bo quite impressive. Then tomorrow is Christmas and I think our plans are to relax, drink some champgne and probably go for a stroll in the park or something. I am sure I will be missing my family but am lucky to have this extended family here making me feel very much at home. Merry Christmas to everyone. gros bisous!

Staying cozy in Paris

Well, here I am in fabulous Paris. There is snow on the ground and it is freezing but it is beautiful. Spent yesterday strolling around and catching up with Mary and then headed to Mike's work X-mas party. After a few glasses of champagne I was comfortably talking with his very hip co-workers in my little french and their little english. We headed from there out to one bar and then the next with co-workers and the owner of his company, who's wife had talken a special liking to me and Mary. It was a very entertaining night. We missed the last metro so ended up taking a night bus full of very entertaining drunks...two of which were drawing penises in the fog on the window and laughing histerically...have to admit that it was making me laugh quite a bit also.

We were all very happy when we got in the door. I had worn my heels, thinking that we were just getting off and on the train, a was surprisingly not too bad off at the end of the night. At least I didn't bring them for nothing!

Since we all finally hit the pillow at 5 a.m. we slept untill 1, which was wonderful. Then up and a long walk from here to the Chateau du Vincennes and the grounds around it which were beautiful in the snow. Trees full of ravens and the beautiful light at sunset were just some of the gorgeous sites. Then home and Mary made yummy chicken mole.....a perfect day.

Tomorrow I am going solo to the Puces...flea market. Hopefully I find some scores! xoxo

Off to Paris!

Getting ready to pack up and get out the door on my way to Paris! This week has been quiet. Little drives, walks and lots of internet time and reading. I am so lucky to have a friend in Paris who, despite having a tiny place and a husband, has invited me for all of x-mas week. Thank you Mary! I think I thanked her in an earlier blog but I really can't thank her enough.

I have been to Paris before but always with limited time and never staying with someone who lives there so I am really looking forward to this trip. She said that there are free ice skating rinks all over town and tons of holiday things to do. I am most definately not an ice skater now but maybe by the end of the week I won't be falling on my butt every 10 feet.

Also planning on going to the Louvre, of course, and back to the Orangerie. When Blake and I were there he accidently took a pic with a flash and we got many dirty looks. This time, no flash, I promise.

So, for a little while here I will not be S. of France grl....but central France grl...but something tells me my blogs might be a little more interesting.....

see you in Paris!

Sitting here seriously multi-tasking...listening to a podcast, chatting with Becca on g-mail and Chris on FB and now blogging. I remember listening to a "Science Friday" show about multi tasking where the scientist had proven how inefficient it was...but I was prob multi-taking at the time so don't remember all the particulars.
Things are pretty quiet around here. I have been exploring the area with little car tours every day. Today I went to Cirque de Navacelles which is this amazing gorge southwest of here. Drove for a long time thru all these little sleepy towns and then got to the edge which was breathtaking and a little scarry...like being at the Grand Canyon.
Came home and it was only 2 p.m. which means that everything in town is closed so I put on my workout clothes and tennies and went on a run/walk kind of thing exploring some of the roads around here. I think my throat is having a little bit of a reaction to the diesel fuel in the air but maybe I am just sick and looking for something to blame. Auctually it would be better if it was sickness cuz then it will be over...unlike the diesel fuel that I am not going to be able to get away from for the next 2 months.
Talked to Blake for a minute but he was still sleeping (he is sick also) so went back to bed. Sometimes I feel crazy for leaving him for so long. I miss him and our dog and my friends and family and just about everything but need to suck it up and enjoy my time here. I know that I am quite a spoiled girl to be able to come to France for 2 months, or as Blake says (and I hate it when he says..) "you live a charmed life". My life will be there when I get home and hopefully this experience will help me appreciate it even more.
I am off to Paris in 3 days. Cannot wait to walk the streets, go to x-mas faires, do some shopping, kill a day at the Louvre....all of it. Let me know if there are any suggestions out there.
love from Ganges, t

Eating yummy yummy stew that I made tonight. Finally got around to cooking something. I jumped in the car today and drove up to mt. aigouil today. Not that far form here, about 50 km. when i got up there there was snow and serious cold but a beautiful view in all directions...i could see the mediterranean sea from the top- a tiny rose glow. I did a quick walk, (because it was freezing!!), took some pix and then back in the car and drove home a different route, stopping here and there to take a pic of the beautiful landscape.

Stopped at the store on the way home to get a few things and then walked over to a local product shop that I should have gone to first. Because it is Saturday they had all the tastings out. Wine, cheese, crepes with toppings....aparently form 20 different producers. This is my new fav spot.
came home, made stew and chatted with Justin online about all kind of things....he told me it is okay to open a 3rd beer becausr I am on "vaycay"...is it really vaycay if it lasts 2 months?

Anyhow, I have been loading a movie from youtube since 6 so am going to watch it now....going to bed with a good meal under my belt..(and some beer)...until domain! xoxo-t

Dinner over at the somewhat kookie neighbors house. Duck again! I can't seem to get away from it. I don't think that she is readign my blog so feel safe to say that it was not quite as yummy as the duck confit that Mai cooked. By the way, the duck fat is still in the fridge and they said I can use it for "everything"...this might be a cultural thing. Also I cut myself on the can that it is in today when I was moving stuff around in the fridge....maybe I will just leave it there for them to do "everything" with.
Didn't do much today....still not sleeping well. Last night drank a bottle of wine thinking that would help...oh, it sure did, I was in bed by 10 and fast asleep. The only prob was that I woke up at 1:30 and couldn't sleep at all. I was still happy though because I had 3.5 hours of sleep under my belt instead of the normal 2 a.m. when I haven't slept at all....so there is progress. Also, Laura, the neighbor, gave me some tea after dinner when I told her I wasn't sleeping and if I was understanding her correctly as soon as I start reading in bed I will konk out...hope she's right.
To entertain myself in the early hours I have been listening to podcasts and have a new fav..."the sound of young america"...so good, that's all I have to say. Podcasts are def one of my favorite inventions of the last 5 years....infinate amounts of entertainment...and free! "Stuff you should know" is great also and last night I listened (and watched) my first "stuff they don't want you to know" about how flouride in the water in the US is a big conspiracy to dumb us all down, turn us to sheep. We didn't have flouride in the H2O in Canyon, where I grew up....maybe that is all why we are such rebels....thoughts?
Tomorrow is market day and a friend of these guys called asking me to meet her there...that will be fun. I took pics at the market last week of all the great produce and soaps and stuff and somehow erased them on my computer. They are prob still there but I acn't find them...I will just have to go take the same pics tomorrow.
Got invited to Paris for Christmas (thank you Mary!) and I am so excited. On the phone today she was telling me all the fun stuff that goes on that week....free ice skating all around town, x-mas markets, lights, the works! I am going the weekend before x-mas to get some shopping in and mary has lived there for 2 years so I am sure she knows all the good spots. Yes, people, you might not be getting your presents on x-mas but I am working on it...
Okay, for some reason these 2 massive flies are hovering around my screena and it is grossing me out so i am going to take off, go read, and hopefully konk out.
Bisous-t

Well, here I am on my own. Annette left this morning for Bali....well, Paris first, then Bali and I am here getting settled in. I went for a long walk to the neighboring town and up into the hills behind it. It is beautiful around here.

Last night I was skyping w/ my sister and she asked how big Ganges was....so i googled it and aparently there are 3, 358 people living here....3,359 now, ha! It is a small little town surrounded by what looks like limestone hills and a river running thru...only 1 big grocery store and besides that the market day is Friday and there are many little boulangerie (bakery) and charcuterie (butchers) as well as green grocers and cafes. Out my window I have a view of the main church in town and the hills surrounding. Also, I ahve about the cutest little pony you ever did see in the backyard of the neighbor's house. Aparently the daughter had leukemia so they got it for her. Sje is better now, grown and gone, but they still have the pony.

I might be paraniod but I have the feeling I stick out here, prob doesn't help that I am taking pics of cabbage and pigs.

On my way home I did my first shop at Super U. It is pretty awesome because even though it is a (relatively) big store, they stress having locally grown produce, cheese, wine and other stuff. I got 2 types of cheese at the massive cheese counter, some beautiful lettuce, apples, wine and chocolate...all a girl needs.

Tonight the plan is to clean up the kitchen a bit, get it ready for some french-american fusion cooking. Annette showed me how to make yogurt in the yogurt machine so tonight I am going to try to do that solo. How awesome is that, to make your own yogurt? I want to bring a machine home. Also found out last night that I cannot stream netflix or hulu but youtube is working so I can listen to music and rock out.... awesome. okay...I am going to make playlist then clean.

Tomorrow...car adventure. My borther advised me on how to mayke my blog more interesting so just you all watch out....excitement is on the way.....bisous!

Okay...next day and a little more rested. Again, I stayed up reading until around 4 a.m. but slept until 10 so at least I got a bunch of sleep...just not exactly when I wanted it.

We just got home from an adventurous day visiting a flea market in a neighboring town and then to another town that was having open studios. It has been very cold here and since I was trying to downsize the number of shoes i brought I was walking around all day in my rain boots....might have to do some shopping! The town, Sauve, is a mass of small winding stone streets and seems to be a bit of an artist enclave. Many of the studios and other shops are in these amazing stone, cavelike rooms. It reminded me a lot of the Czech Republic.

Now I have to fill you in on the Gite, like I promised. Blake and I visited there when we were last here 3 years ago and we have been talking about it since. A Gite is like a b&b that is accredited by the French gov't to help preserve these amazing old structures in the countryside. This one in particular is way up a tiny road on the side of a mountain and consists of 5 or 6 200+ year old stone buildings. The owners are old friends of my friends and seem to live a very traditional French life, raising and growing much of their food. Their kitchen is amazing with a huge open fire and beautiful dark wood everywhere. This time Joel was busy working with the sheep and had already killed 2 geese for the holidays and was a bit heart broken over it. I know that I am not quite tuff enough to live like them, but it sure is fabulous to visit.

Well, we are about to celebrate our last dinner all together so I should be off. I don't want to speak too soon but it looks like my mom might be coming to meet me in Paris at the end of my trip! I am crossing my fingers...you do the same! xoxo

So...I had already written a lengthy entry about the last couple of days when i was called up to dinner and knew that I had to erase it all and start with this....I just ate duck. I know, Mom and Dad, you are shocked. Some of you might this this a normal thing to do but there are a couple of you out there who know my extreem fondness for our feathered friends (when they ARE feathered) and how I, usually, would never consider eating it. My damn nickname is Puddle Duck!

The problem is, here in France, it is like chicken, meaning that it is everywhere and, i guess, unavoidable.

The last time I ate it, and the only other time, was in this very town with the very same people 3 years ago. However, that time it was a tiny bit of pate that I tried just to humour my hosts. This time it was an entire breast, or leg, or something quite big with bones! And you know what...it was yummy! I feel a little bit like a traitor...but, really, who can refuse any French food? certainly not me.

Okay, now to the rest of the news. I was totally wrong about the jet lag. The night after my post about sailing right thru it I couldn't sleep until 7 a.m. and last night I was so happy to be exhausted at midnight only to be wide awake at 4! Luckily I have a thick, trashy book to pass the early hours...oh, and my trusty headlamp so I don't bother Annette sleeping soundly on the other side of the room.

Besides that, the family is still here. Che, Mai and babies take off Monday and Annette Wednesday. They have been showing me the ropes of the house, town, and surrounding area. Sitting here at 1 a.m. I keep pausing to chat with Annette. She is an amazing woman, having lived all over the world and with so many experiences, she was just giving me parenting advise that I hopefully remember when the time comes. I am sure the house will feel quite lonely when they are gone.

I really wanted to write about our visit today to their friends amazing Gite but it is 1:30 a.m. and don't think my tired writing would give justice to how amazing it is. So, expect that tomorrow....nighty-night!

Well, here I am.... in gorgeous Ganges. Got the computer hooked up and sitting here with Annette eating French chocolates while she works on her Farmville farm on her computer. I am trying it out too and happy/unhappy to find yet another thing on this glowing box to waste my time on...

Today I slept until 1 p.m. which was FABULOUS. I shouldn't speak too soon but I think that I completely avoided jet lag...so to all (3) of you out there next time you come to europe stay up for 40 hours and then sleep like the dead.

This afternoon Annette and I ran around town doing errands and getting me aquainted with my new home (and speaking French, when possible). We went to the second best boulangerie (#1 is en vacances) where we also bought these yummy chocolates, went to a second hand shop, to the Super U (a big supermarket) where we bought 3 types of cheese (yes!) and other yummies for a late lunch. We also picked up fuel tanks for the kitchens (then I learned to hook them up, camping skills coming in handy!)

Back at home we relaxed and played with the babies. Codi is almost 3 and Mimo is 6 months. Their mom is Japanese so Codi can understand French, Japanese and English...it is amazing! If he were sticking around maybe him and I could study french together...

I am sure that I will have many more entertaining entries once the family is gone and I am without interpreters. Off to bed...so I can wake up before noon!!!
xoxo