tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58890946984826868332024-03-19T03:52:50.194+01:00My French LifeAprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-53435198324839151622011-04-03T21:23:00.003+02:002011-04-03T21:54:16.678+02:00Au Revoir la Belle France<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L38ObxCewfEUNgw6EvxXY06acXjtr0sEQvvW1bE-zQBgfhFL-qKkAL43GnU2nV4udxq8jOcASvMGkm1PbULIimF9nxStI34wfcRL5nF-Gt44S2sQbywdH_oG0nd8rceuz6EjSrIKUhM/s1600/IMG_7778.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-L38ObxCewfEUNgw6EvxXY06acXjtr0sEQvvW1bE-zQBgfhFL-qKkAL43GnU2nV4udxq8jOcASvMGkm1PbULIimF9nxStI34wfcRL5nF-Gt44S2sQbywdH_oG0nd8rceuz6EjSrIKUhM/s320/IMG_7778.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591448008286637890" /></a><br />The movers arrive in one week, Gilles is away, and once he returns he still has to make a trip to Geneva to sign his new contract. Nothing like leaving things to the last minute! Meanwhile, Xavier and I have been visiting our old haunts and saying our good byes. We've delivered ice wine or maple syrup to our tailor, traiteur, pizza guy, and wine ladies. In doing so, it's made us realize how much this place has come to feel like home. How much our frequent visits to the marche, pizzeria, wine shop, etc have become just as much of a social visit as a running-of-errands visit.<br /><br />To make the pending departure even more challenging, Mother Nature has been treating us to an unusually dry and hot Spring. It's as though she is saying "how dare you leave Southern France?! You'll miss this weather in the North!". And the fact that we refer to the Netherlands as 'The North' just shows how accustomed we have become to our current lifestyle. We've already been feasting on local strawberries and asparagus. But does that make up for the fact that we'll miss the melons, courgettes, peaches, etc? Pretty sure we won't be buying our meat from the actual farmer anymore. Or have a boulangerie on every corner. Sigh. Those tulips better be worth it!<br /><br />It's always hard to say good bye, but we are really excited to start our next adventure in The Hague. In a few years, we may be having an equally hard time saying good bye to our bikes, fresh flowers, and our neighbourhood herring street vendor. And who knows...if we stick with this life long enough, maybe we'll end up back in Pau some day. So maybe we'll not say "au revoir", but "a bientot".<br /><br />PS. In case you are wondering about the picture, the name of the little town we actually live in is Idron. Pau is the bigger, adjoining city.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-49896001532766946222011-01-17T10:32:00.004+01:002011-01-17T11:02:40.873+01:00The Cow Down the Road<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1oVHSgYMaFRmMKo_vB6G1Dz_xOr_9sPi4UrBDLqbxVrp3dxAHvWXzunbck2l41AU14fPJ5p1_wPFPVGiDn4scBznbRs_cnyb2MV54dkzs6mnPOZWTD6YanQBcNdNLOHO1eFNkHfRoTU/s1600/Getting+unpasturized+milk+from+machine+Jan+5%252C2011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1oVHSgYMaFRmMKo_vB6G1Dz_xOr_9sPi4UrBDLqbxVrp3dxAHvWXzunbck2l41AU14fPJ5p1_wPFPVGiDn4scBznbRs_cnyb2MV54dkzs6mnPOZWTD6YanQBcNdNLOHO1eFNkHfRoTU/s320/Getting+unpasturized+milk+from+machine+Jan+5%252C2011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563091995657905922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdcOLv-OK7b3qQqNxiuCDvrV9eviZ3WEcKHvjyQPAnbTbHdCcoQierwSjEYqbCrqpDRaQxNN2zxTULmGfxrSLhgYVbkg2UymThrDdhsZP6oKs75-taNIyMBGCIZBQkHcM_OFO4KMcx6g/s1600/Milk+from+machine+Jan+5%252C2011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdcOLv-OK7b3qQqNxiuCDvrV9eviZ3WEcKHvjyQPAnbTbHdCcoQierwSjEYqbCrqpDRaQxNN2zxTULmGfxrSLhgYVbkg2UymThrDdhsZP6oKs75-taNIyMBGCIZBQkHcM_OFO4KMcx6g/s320/Milk+from+machine+Jan+5%252C2011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563091992853789842" /></a><br />A short walk from our home, in the parking lot of the boulangerie and traiteur, is a big green milk machine. It's filled frequently with unpasteurized, untreated cow's milk from a local farm. It's quite an advanced system: the milk is stirred in it's chilled holding container to guarantee even fat distribution. The temperature is digitally displayed on the outside. It sells glass and plastic bottles. You can buy either 500 mls or 1 liter of milk, for 0,50 euro or 1 euro, respectively. When you are ready to fill your bottle, you place it in a drawer with a glass door that locks when in use. The bottle gets filled, the door unlocks, then the drawer is washed down with a javex solution before another bottle can be filled.<br /><br />The green machine displays pictures of the cows that provide the milk, and descriptions of the novel collection process: the cows themselves decide when they want to be milked. Apparently, when they feel like being relieved of milk, the cow walks over to an automatic milker, stands in the stall while the machine does its thing, then walks away when finished.<br /><br />We have only recently started buying milk from the machine, usually on weekends when we feel like a treat. It's safe to drink for 24 hours from the time of purchase, or several days if boiled. It's creamy, tasty, and likely filled with lots of good things that are removed by the pasteurization and homogenization processes. <br /><br />The sale of unpasteurized milk is very illegal in Canada, so it's interesting that we can simply walk down the street and fill our bottles. It seems to be quite popular, as there is usually someone buying milk when we are there. In fact, over the holidays we were denied a bottle of the good stuff as the lady in front of us drained the machine dry with her four bottles.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-9585107748377356662011-01-10T21:41:00.005+01:002011-01-10T22:11:33.407+01:00Another Christmas in Pau<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghI9R6q03Om3OzeOzFX7TQtysNJoHc5p6ekIQ3F2hkI2A-Xmr_BEhMVCp39d3zdzsjSBEEnoyk2F9q58qUAVPg1tdn5s0VPlJqGcX7r113uTvUM7XTCPCT72OYNw1oTThZorILRUBrcqM/s1600/IMG_7991.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghI9R6q03Om3OzeOzFX7TQtysNJoHc5p6ekIQ3F2hkI2A-Xmr_BEhMVCp39d3zdzsjSBEEnoyk2F9q58qUAVPg1tdn5s0VPlJqGcX7r113uTvUM7XTCPCT72OYNw1oTThZorILRUBrcqM/s320/IMG_7991.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560667373172808498" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BNYsanEmLo4GTmKwEX65FPMRNJ6fSbzUtyvTUgoTyAojtaW6Y9LUhGjihtywdmCAtC7a1jBaYOmg_6Z7A6l68PmzN54dUASj88Z1YBtRJK18NOAJXAv6RGzxUFRBUCu8FXLsyJsCMSM/s1600/DSC01021.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BNYsanEmLo4GTmKwEX65FPMRNJ6fSbzUtyvTUgoTyAojtaW6Y9LUhGjihtywdmCAtC7a1jBaYOmg_6Z7A6l68PmzN54dUASj88Z1YBtRJK18NOAJXAv6RGzxUFRBUCu8FXLsyJsCMSM/s320/DSC01021.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560665788113194290" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqyEL7wnwe2meFP_wIsBdE16wKu1nNVevNjlhGUOyLgVMwchZdCSifJ_uSFzon0QtrY7T4tfsxhi8sTaFAB5D2aDtcM9Ivgy2Ta1oKw7spAU6w8JUUuhk1s8xa_Txpousqd5XHL-AnCI/s1600/100_5110.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqyEL7wnwe2meFP_wIsBdE16wKu1nNVevNjlhGUOyLgVMwchZdCSifJ_uSFzon0QtrY7T4tfsxhi8sTaFAB5D2aDtcM9Ivgy2Ta1oKw7spAU6w8JUUuhk1s8xa_Txpousqd5XHL-AnCI/s320/100_5110.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560665784261892562" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKWUKiDV1KLJO946OBcHv23xruEymHm73s8cZ8OosXqBFuUHf3Ce2Vk9z6bQmNmejnmRmUP858ht-TW7mprj7UpfNvvNLA-4_XFYjhjhOwcU1fB2w8e57ooGbc2IY-2AAl8drIm2Lf0k/s1600/IMG_8033.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKWUKiDV1KLJO946OBcHv23xruEymHm73s8cZ8OosXqBFuUHf3Ce2Vk9z6bQmNmejnmRmUP858ht-TW7mprj7UpfNvvNLA-4_XFYjhjhOwcU1fB2w8e57ooGbc2IY-2AAl8drIm2Lf0k/s320/IMG_8033.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560665780672550978" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQf8wWmee6oC4iC3iRQgOa1CYjkYGl1fjjQpDgh3OdmrmClNZU2Icr5hM148boUA-7WlYeg8zbaaI7K9G8AlfUNHL4FL2ZCHHaOSUV9c62J2nj50avZS1aUcxIFY5OaGdQxHoppy2eDlg/s1600/DSC04350.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQf8wWmee6oC4iC3iRQgOa1CYjkYGl1fjjQpDgh3OdmrmClNZU2Icr5hM148boUA-7WlYeg8zbaaI7K9G8AlfUNHL4FL2ZCHHaOSUV9c62J2nj50avZS1aUcxIFY5OaGdQxHoppy2eDlg/s320/DSC04350.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560665761200200962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEhBNsPDBXcAU3RJyzGYujuxGUL3nxd_Vauz1GaiY1OiI8bcute2OvvamxsRsDrPa9Ic6F1azkWaqTZ7c_Z6U0dxiTTWw3K5CJhTbaYuSdi2mCasRPkBeZYV1Y1ay0wkNs3Xfb5hpbmw/s1600/IMG_8028.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuEhBNsPDBXcAU3RJyzGYujuxGUL3nxd_Vauz1GaiY1OiI8bcute2OvvamxsRsDrPa9Ic6F1azkWaqTZ7c_Z6U0dxiTTWw3K5CJhTbaYuSdi2mCasRPkBeZYV1Y1ay0wkNs3Xfb5hpbmw/s320/IMG_8028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560665758302294818" /></a><br />Our fourth Christmas in Pau, and for the fourth time we were lucky to have family join us for the holidays. My parents were with us for almost three weeks, and my sister and her boyfriend came down from England for five days. We had beautiful weather, which allowed for some warm lunches in the backyard, and sunny strolls both downtown and at the beach. The weather wasn't very 'Christmas-y', but it's hard to complain when you're basking in the sun on a warm afternoon! <br /><br />It was a very fun Christmas with a fourteen month old. Xavier didn't quite understand the opening of gifts part, but sure enjoyed pulling the ornaments off the tree, playing with his new toys, and having many more people to play with and spoil him with attention. I am sure he found it quite boring last Thursday when Gilles returned to work and the last of our guests left.<br /><br />You're probably wondering what's the deal with the picture of the sandwich. My parents ordered a chicken sandwich from a take-out stand at the beach. They assumed fries came on the side, but to all our amazement, when the sandwich arrived the fries were inside the bread, along with the other ingredients. Funny, eh?Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-42059802982451768642011-01-08T12:01:00.005+01:002011-01-08T21:12:16.876+01:00Snowy Paris<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BITVZdVkR2WqQih8Wq3Jlv38gOQ4s5DxkTtOhnryOV1Mghpgl8nz8J8vTLcjMmRpO8cNUVMtAoUBY45YWlKOqZkyilXR8w9oazEniWoocMrZYnlXUPQOgskUQXhSioFPtw2AHuzHAes/s1600/IMG_7950.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BITVZdVkR2WqQih8Wq3Jlv38gOQ4s5DxkTtOhnryOV1Mghpgl8nz8J8vTLcjMmRpO8cNUVMtAoUBY45YWlKOqZkyilXR8w9oazEniWoocMrZYnlXUPQOgskUQXhSioFPtw2AHuzHAes/s320/IMG_7950.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559910460170745506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0tk_4cvXjv2PvL6Rfg4LTZSbVkeFw7IJP6BRq1pMGPvcj6-EcB1qU7kxfhSXHZoqhmSvj6bu1_97JciC7NYh41FBz1-B-wL-rAN_Emw1f6h-1WZ9OBSc2depx5nVfODcU0VXNkBygUk/s1600/IMG_7958.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0tk_4cvXjv2PvL6Rfg4LTZSbVkeFw7IJP6BRq1pMGPvcj6-EcB1qU7kxfhSXHZoqhmSvj6bu1_97JciC7NYh41FBz1-B-wL-rAN_Emw1f6h-1WZ9OBSc2depx5nVfODcU0VXNkBygUk/s320/IMG_7958.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559909920076195138" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPmHgEX9x5vhpfHRwebsZ7RKZCGrlulUxAaGSDhya8_34caaYDXQjG24QoVdaWYCmVCqHUCrOGTOC7URHO5Sb-814rWMexJpDl_as2qHsEvb7MgTLDGFJ3Kc5AyqfBS4kUAojCLcNkEU/s1600/IMG_7959.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPmHgEX9x5vhpfHRwebsZ7RKZCGrlulUxAaGSDhya8_34caaYDXQjG24QoVdaWYCmVCqHUCrOGTOC7URHO5Sb-814rWMexJpDl_as2qHsEvb7MgTLDGFJ3Kc5AyqfBS4kUAojCLcNkEU/s320/IMG_7959.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559909915158457234" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb3yaRUFcQjT-DmIk18wkZijQiWBCn6WTpBq2ZhZ3-bni1GyvDQ_y5CrNF7WCnq5zW0J7qOikFxZx8u7BPfM_rT6eEGkMjN5UqjQl14taeRvGK-2I8jqlx3c59s-C51uOSikGZwtEBWDg/s1600/100_4950.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb3yaRUFcQjT-DmIk18wkZijQiWBCn6WTpBq2ZhZ3-bni1GyvDQ_y5CrNF7WCnq5zW0J7qOikFxZx8u7BPfM_rT6eEGkMjN5UqjQl14taeRvGK-2I8jqlx3c59s-C51uOSikGZwtEBWDg/s320/100_4950.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559771090634300482" /></a><br />We spent the week before Christmas in Paris with my parents. It was our third pre-Christmas trip to the city of lights, but the first time we had considerable snow. It's a wonderful time of year to be in Paris, but the snow made it extra festive. And fortunately, we only experienced minor flight delays, which considering the large number of cancellations during that time made for a real Festivus miracle.<br /><br />The Christmas window displays at the famous Parisian stores are worth battling the crowds to get a glimpse of them. This year's theme at Galeries Lafayette was famous musicals, and Xavier was enthralled by the lights and moving teddy bears and dolls. This year my favourite window display was at Hermes, featuring our favourite macarons maker, Pierre Hermes' beautiful creations in the form of decorated Christmas trees.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-22076315786494714642011-01-08T11:42:00.003+01:002011-01-08T12:00:12.359+01:00Tuareg Gilles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PvyqltW2JEId3peyUHdgojoFAvi5Jp51vYkhcQy4X4CbUwxD8INLrveTOxSHTdBLu3IKxXvewwpeptPvee3l935LN8ohbspGBMK58kl0lv1vnAq-mKWr4qye7bdO1PEX5JEb39cvB4I/s1600/driving.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PvyqltW2JEId3peyUHdgojoFAvi5Jp51vYkhcQy4X4CbUwxD8INLrveTOxSHTdBLu3IKxXvewwpeptPvee3l935LN8ohbspGBMK58kl0lv1vnAq-mKWr4qye7bdO1PEX5JEb39cvB4I/s320/driving.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559767998527114466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IQdNQIdpcLkC6ckLVBdmAPd4ICQjHwz0mXru4HIyXfTsQ_W6K4R3MkoJ6GD1rO8_OhF3Dv0GYA8yyeolkUG8TaKHnF84lKnAlqUOqMPg228a6gfveDDXlt797J1MWOjNpRtqikJgFr4/s1600/IMG_7792.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IQdNQIdpcLkC6ckLVBdmAPd4ICQjHwz0mXru4HIyXfTsQ_W6K4R3MkoJ6GD1rO8_OhF3Dv0GYA8yyeolkUG8TaKHnF84lKnAlqUOqMPg228a6gfveDDXlt797J1MWOjNpRtqikJgFr4/s320/IMG_7792.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559767994401219090" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtS4Xo0TIWB9CVPdz7FbW3hSKZYsEl38Me18u6gCQcnkxFKiZjvI-BVwcQeKp4QX3mufAnBij72zYfiw5_zSOhOwuM8o7R7FpUTazuwyU5gR463UFkpmVdJeBfH1VSVAUVZbD2_1VEpM/s1600/IMG_7814.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtS4Xo0TIWB9CVPdz7FbW3hSKZYsEl38Me18u6gCQcnkxFKiZjvI-BVwcQeKp4QX3mufAnBij72zYfiw5_zSOhOwuM8o7R7FpUTazuwyU5gR463UFkpmVdJeBfH1VSVAUVZbD2_1VEpM/s320/IMG_7814.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559767987532460626" /></a><br />Before Christmas, Gilles spent a couple of working on a well situated in the Sahara desert in Algeria. He had been in Algeria previously, but spent his time in a village. This time he was transported to seemingly the middle of nowhere. The photos of the drive through the desert to location are quite amazing. It's incredible that the drivers can find their way, with no real roads, and the endless sand making everything look the same. But without navigation aids, they always manage to arrive at their destination. <br /><br />There were sandstorms his first few days there, so one of the locals provided him with a traditional headscarf to protect his face from the blowing sand. The pictures he took of himself are quite tragic-he looks like a sad hostage. But thankfully there were no such kidnapping incidents, and he returned home safe, with a kilo of dates, and in time for Christmas.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-65002561800906813542010-10-27T21:39:00.002+02:002010-10-27T21:45:06.635+02:00Baguettes are Yummy!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGk5-C22x-1gISq01ukiSKgcI-Urz78zwr8NdEinHdhve2XxGPGSQJP5SYF0fRYpeP8232dA93Gcj28PdxUrEjPXTmK83YIGgYyrRixbYfwmhVxqnrdMV32QOqbwoE3UsMOoQZeaaUbU/s1600/IMG_7673.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGk5-C22x-1gISq01ukiSKgcI-Urz78zwr8NdEinHdhve2XxGPGSQJP5SYF0fRYpeP8232dA93Gcj28PdxUrEjPXTmK83YIGgYyrRixbYfwmhVxqnrdMV32QOqbwoE3UsMOoQZeaaUbU/s320/IMG_7673.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532814174212361202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivraBO35myagqna69pUmJENbWdA9SBF1L1UQIios0CO4qfaiQvuF6pdnaLOj6hJUcBCxNgwqOqi71-sZUa4fTasNhnD5wYH9UpV5AORQ2FHS8W4xCEL9PlBr8VCXgw6ZVyQ8Zc0YB7brc/s1600/IMG_7674.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivraBO35myagqna69pUmJENbWdA9SBF1L1UQIios0CO4qfaiQvuF6pdnaLOj6hJUcBCxNgwqOqi71-sZUa4fTasNhnD5wYH9UpV5AORQ2FHS8W4xCEL9PlBr8VCXgw6ZVyQ8Zc0YB7brc/s320/IMG_7674.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532814157680909202" /></a><br />Without me knowing it, Xavier pulled a baguette out of the grocery bag this morning. I caught him walking around the house, chowing down on the still warm loaf. He's well on his way to being a true frenchman!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-61498798323830638342010-10-27T21:20:00.003+02:002010-10-27T21:36:24.763+02:00Birthday Boy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSbavTqEfJizVyRVArolC2aTU1zYgbwNezPj9VEcnMivc5_5LtfpQ5Unp1qFLwdmecX5t1PWrlRedaCsPKccpqhoQ5hp3tIf2DgacfLTjOGsExfIwA6fhlOQmS1us3iiYt2w6LZe9Szg/s1600/IMG_7618.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSbavTqEfJizVyRVArolC2aTU1zYgbwNezPj9VEcnMivc5_5LtfpQ5Unp1qFLwdmecX5t1PWrlRedaCsPKccpqhoQ5hp3tIf2DgacfLTjOGsExfIwA6fhlOQmS1us3iiYt2w6LZe9Szg/s320/IMG_7618.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532811376155967522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrHMIRYDRWK9FdaVYcDhhUTCMMpaNMD805xEwiJptY0GN5NT_udqLYXOFM265DMpA0DTHnqYmlSlj3p0HXpOWCneBVWwSWBDK-BM0nJ9AEYCaDPAa5t59XrU9ob29bPBgGLMBEANa16s/s1600/IMG_7630.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrHMIRYDRWK9FdaVYcDhhUTCMMpaNMD805xEwiJptY0GN5NT_udqLYXOFM265DMpA0DTHnqYmlSlj3p0HXpOWCneBVWwSWBDK-BM0nJ9AEYCaDPAa5t59XrU9ob29bPBgGLMBEANa16s/s320/IMG_7630.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532811371790261618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALbOazN2jtlDq88ZwI0fvxxhu0l7xQnZf3Kjhcb_ttJxAKMk4S9w1tRpDk1xyhqpJE0tuja2sK74t3zw0NnvrncQS4GvWkkspoYasaDXLl1BQOLBZaAG6hrquibZAITO5kXShAwtaGD0/s1600/IMG_7643.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALbOazN2jtlDq88ZwI0fvxxhu0l7xQnZf3Kjhcb_ttJxAKMk4S9w1tRpDk1xyhqpJE0tuja2sK74t3zw0NnvrncQS4GvWkkspoYasaDXLl1BQOLBZaAG6hrquibZAITO5kXShAwtaGD0/s320/IMG_7643.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532811359352251346" /></a><br />We celebrated Xavier's first birthday this week. We turned the weekly anglophone playgroup into a birthday party, and all his little english speaking friends spoiled him with gifts. We gave him the ceremonial first piece of cake, in this case it was a cupcake, and he managed to smear it into a wet paste. I am not sure any made it into his mouth, but he had a great time regardless. We had fun too-Monday night, we celebrated his birthday with Champagne, and reflected on the past year. <br /><br />Speaking of reflection, this is my 100th post!! It will be interesting to see how many more posts I get in before we have to pack up and move away.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-78509511428855682732010-10-09T10:45:00.003+02:002010-10-09T11:59:36.654+02:00Culinary Jackpot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwU7Yhcr3wh8KDgtE6YCkHDpSSuM8CEGRP4moFUAnkXuMzfylh-fsuEC2Zy-srR8LnjOgYGWokrnp8j63b9tsB1oaKEl_CLTKgn5a2IaIoMMOvyOZyS7Z9JNil8DCZo_34EoOC6zhe2pc/s1600/IMG_7555.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwU7Yhcr3wh8KDgtE6YCkHDpSSuM8CEGRP4moFUAnkXuMzfylh-fsuEC2Zy-srR8LnjOgYGWokrnp8j63b9tsB1oaKEl_CLTKgn5a2IaIoMMOvyOZyS7Z9JNil8DCZo_34EoOC6zhe2pc/s320/IMG_7555.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525972376102869410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRG9-WgzvfsYPM5q8ng2tR7Y-Evm_rDvgzJy25mSPcwEBRvBhJC39jSEfAox21Gnpk4fg36NHow2HNFnMiOyEzmq73snZAj4LugIoZgmUDsC-vdoYIJNhVo8lTLX7780ozEZnb5nmT6M/s1600/IMG_7556.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRG9-WgzvfsYPM5q8ng2tR7Y-Evm_rDvgzJy25mSPcwEBRvBhJC39jSEfAox21Gnpk4fg36NHow2HNFnMiOyEzmq73snZAj4LugIoZgmUDsC-vdoYIJNhVo8lTLX7780ozEZnb5nmT6M/s320/IMG_7556.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525972374787186690" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBRVHgH082MUHZ03bbOchxc7yhOlL6eF-igFfUPDoE-ojc7oNiwsnhSIdj1tFHzKugV7sblLfZ9qFU9_XQ8iFwGaOqg5nJoA_CnjuUpARwAi6USvLGm2XN73WtdFGKrdKkMjglmLOtgw/s1600/IMG_7561.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBRVHgH082MUHZ03bbOchxc7yhOlL6eF-igFfUPDoE-ojc7oNiwsnhSIdj1tFHzKugV7sblLfZ9qFU9_XQ8iFwGaOqg5nJoA_CnjuUpARwAi6USvLGm2XN73WtdFGKrdKkMjglmLOtgw/s320/IMG_7561.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525972367694307010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4SOBX6Uu3ythGesgGkvuxe8StukaaovgIOz8hHCjAtRG6lnM5qTFUHaF6KU0cYE5zd97f4QvxdCKVdUnAIa4yB8ntquqHQ4OIlc-IBd4r0VWpO8XuCOJVTdQ9vsWNr8VH1lZscE2uUs/s1600/IMG_7567.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4SOBX6Uu3ythGesgGkvuxe8StukaaovgIOz8hHCjAtRG6lnM5qTFUHaF6KU0cYE5zd97f4QvxdCKVdUnAIa4yB8ntquqHQ4OIlc-IBd4r0VWpO8XuCOJVTdQ9vsWNr8VH1lZscE2uUs/s320/IMG_7567.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525972361183948786" /></a><br />Gilles took part in his second vendanges (grape harvest) yesterday. It was the first pick of the grapes that go into making the dry Jurancon wine from our region. In a few weeks they will pick the grapes for the sweet Jurancon. After the picking was done, the group gathered for a snack and some wine. Gilles and one of the vineyard owners decided to skip out on the food and wine, and go foraging in the adjacent forest for cepes. <br /><br />First, a little background on cepes. The Fall is mushroom season, and the French love to go foraging for mushrooms in their free time. The king of all mushrooms is the cepe. You are likely more familiar with the Italian variety called porcini, which are essentially the same thing, although would be a bit different because of terroir. Cepes do not travel well, and must be eaten soon after picked. They are not successfully cultivated, so must be found in the wild. Once the season begins, some people take holidays to go on a cepe hunt, selling their finds to restauranteurs and shops. Cepes are very expensive, and a fruitful forager stands to make a lot of money. <br /><br />Cepes are found under acorn, chestnut, and beech trees. Apparently, the cepes found under beech trees have an even superior flavour an already sumptious fungus. Our region is well-known for cepes, and the most popular French way of eating them is cepes a la bordelaise (cepes made in the way from Bordeaux): simply sauteed in oil with garlic and parsley added at the end.<br /><br />As you can see from the photos, Gilles and his co-forager were successful, each finding one cepe. When they returned to the group, everyone was shocked at their find, and started cheering. Several of the men instantly dropped their drinks, and headed out on their own search. Gilles was ecstatic-he wanted to call everyone that would appreciate his find, and share the news with them. <br /><br />Gilles returned home with both of the large cepes, and now we have to figure out what to go with them. I am not concerned about the cooking, but the cleaning. They have bugs crawling in and out of their caps, and the spongy underside is a little intimidating with pieces of leaves and branches sticking out of it. But the collective enthusiasm of a nation of millions tells me it must be worth it. We shall see tonight.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-54496837128616952322010-10-03T20:16:00.003+02:002010-10-03T21:33:38.911+02:00A Weekend in Provence (Fourth Visit!)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFub7E82dBuOyqW74b3ZYHDC6haSlLxkcNLabypZifVwL-YXoMFF6TO0jDoF55Oq2ofvHfoNnmN1GaDeEoUfdkLOcpLkcb7jGG4Jn74Qd9-jcmFKEBFTddYLnN0P2eZQJJQVHoFqgdrsk/s1600/IMG_7437.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFub7E82dBuOyqW74b3ZYHDC6haSlLxkcNLabypZifVwL-YXoMFF6TO0jDoF55Oq2ofvHfoNnmN1GaDeEoUfdkLOcpLkcb7jGG4Jn74Qd9-jcmFKEBFTddYLnN0P2eZQJJQVHoFqgdrsk/s320/IMG_7437.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523904838626727426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVf0wVkBg0NSUunKkzxLPjqYdz_riQAFw8y2q0WDpOn5W82gXX1ZTJclublFx7VKFJE0HLaBy31r8igTdJImS81tS7MNI1RsRpsYiyWZbnch3r02XkEjmMMDrMub6K4Y5Z22LgCmK-bc/s1600/IMG_7494.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVf0wVkBg0NSUunKkzxLPjqYdz_riQAFw8y2q0WDpOn5W82gXX1ZTJclublFx7VKFJE0HLaBy31r8igTdJImS81tS7MNI1RsRpsYiyWZbnch3r02XkEjmMMDrMub6K4Y5Z22LgCmK-bc/s320/IMG_7494.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523904835294165074" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iC1jdI_g78r6zVqd46cS0YG1Zwnk43O1HEG8B6SAWqyScKn0lL1FLPbdivOhZVSRrnCZ_rG23tdwjPa-6pksCj8WPXwhpive6efyuHniAbckQug4yg-jRJQ_UIDFZJ4tS3lfZM9byfg/s1600/IMG_7507.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iC1jdI_g78r6zVqd46cS0YG1Zwnk43O1HEG8B6SAWqyScKn0lL1FLPbdivOhZVSRrnCZ_rG23tdwjPa-6pksCj8WPXwhpive6efyuHniAbckQug4yg-jRJQ_UIDFZJ4tS3lfZM9byfg/s320/IMG_7507.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523904830932584306" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52JIVWXg5skreYMHepXVqPh9rR4C5Vbp6X1q_C-z42Hf0mE_Q82TpM7bpzYjbi3gupz1Uw69nu4Wm5uD344mtsV9sZOhuQw5HKrro5nzk9qoVS7J1AITNfWdcXP4Zu81vZaTYbLfhnsQ/s1600/IMG_7525.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52JIVWXg5skreYMHepXVqPh9rR4C5Vbp6X1q_C-z42Hf0mE_Q82TpM7bpzYjbi3gupz1Uw69nu4Wm5uD344mtsV9sZOhuQw5HKrro5nzk9qoVS7J1AITNfWdcXP4Zu81vZaTYbLfhnsQ/s320/IMG_7525.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523904821700373506" /></a><br />Oh, how we love Provence. We spent three days there last weekend, and fell in love with it all over again. The region is very fertile, and each period of the year offers different products in season at the colorful markets, and different sights and scents as you drive around the region. In the Fall, the olive trees are brimming with olives and the grapes are just ready to be picked. I bought a bag of the first of this year's fresh olives. They are not stored in a brine, so are fresh and buttery rather than salty. A real treat from the region. We noticed for the first time pomegranates and kiwis on their trees-the region can grow almost anything.<br /><br />Provence is home to perhaps Gilles' favourite wine area: the reds from the lower Cotes du Rhone (Gigondas, Vacqueyras, etc). We lucked out, and were there during les vendanges, or the grape harvest. There were people picking grapes in the vineyards, and small tractors pulling trailers overflowing with grapes. The morning we left, we visited the wine cooperative of Rasteau, and at the production facility there was a back-up of tractors overflowing into the road, all full of beautiful, juicy grapes. <br /><br />Our bed and breakfast was nestled between a vineyard and an apricot orchard. Gilles and Xavier took a stroll through the vineyard, and Xavier sampled grapes right from the vines. They were sweet, with not a hint of sour, likely the grenache grape which is the workhorse for the red wines of the region. <br /><br />Southern France also boasts some of the best Roman sites anywhere. This time we made the trek to a 2,000 year old bridge called Pont Julien. This amazing structure remained a car bridge until 2005! Now Pont Julien is enjoyed by pedestrians and bikers, and Xavier who crawled over and under his first Roman site. <br /><br />Knowing this will be our last visit to Provence for quite some time, we returned home with four cases of wine, three liters of olive oil, and many other regional goodies.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-58903201878553650952010-09-20T08:11:00.003+02:002010-09-20T13:32:46.674+02:00Sundays in the Country<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XQFVNaDhePEsG04LqT70W9MXmIjz4DlAm7PXSntXhZjqSrxJBPmCMgrkNxCJnyUYarxgPbWsByaeOY4dOiFTdXg0smEc8nqiA7hoR1S73zbFee5R2GzYJRRt53IUcyKtGxjBohMunSQ/s1600/IMG_7344.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XQFVNaDhePEsG04LqT70W9MXmIjz4DlAm7PXSntXhZjqSrxJBPmCMgrkNxCJnyUYarxgPbWsByaeOY4dOiFTdXg0smEc8nqiA7hoR1S73zbFee5R2GzYJRRt53IUcyKtGxjBohMunSQ/s320/IMG_7344.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518956039047466066" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7yTN6QasXYL_k9VdH8apH339LB-2oQqaTU2yaIg3aJbHolc3zbJ9V2sLuSJ8KSNn2_ruR1gOPvhctsyddqA57V2VH0LGuLIih5STeqwclX3LOxWwPOTG7tZRNsT2LXRCewZJDnFMv0w/s1600/IMG_7343.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7yTN6QasXYL_k9VdH8apH339LB-2oQqaTU2yaIg3aJbHolc3zbJ9V2sLuSJ8KSNn2_ruR1gOPvhctsyddqA57V2VH0LGuLIih5STeqwclX3LOxWwPOTG7tZRNsT2LXRCewZJDnFMv0w/s320/IMG_7343.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518956026982855746" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIiXiNuKLlK_kJWLsRVdWvGsgapdbh8_p-cT2gr6058z3HwSU4dQiQMOdlfau_R7b5HMs-hBKf6oUmKRSehIpDPZ8iFpNIcjjbf0rcmmJTZgwz0gOzDp-UrgcVmcNQqob-Z6rQRK9uHM/s1600/IMG_7369.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIiXiNuKLlK_kJWLsRVdWvGsgapdbh8_p-cT2gr6058z3HwSU4dQiQMOdlfau_R7b5HMs-hBKf6oUmKRSehIpDPZ8iFpNIcjjbf0rcmmJTZgwz0gOzDp-UrgcVmcNQqob-Z6rQRK9uHM/s320/IMG_7369.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518956024243008418" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCj7czA_WC8eKnCXYutEgReHvwNxEovglzAVfIlTqu3nyQdkQVvHkHGCcP00cjh3dlJPwD2V6T0h_AM1vC0Zwphic-EmQx_XoByWWM8fFfO_jkZXEuu1fLICBC9JZlhMKPOadfN9Jfoc/s1600/IMG_7374.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCj7czA_WC8eKnCXYutEgReHvwNxEovglzAVfIlTqu3nyQdkQVvHkHGCcP00cjh3dlJPwD2V6T0h_AM1vC0Zwphic-EmQx_XoByWWM8fFfO_jkZXEuu1fLICBC9JZlhMKPOadfN9Jfoc/s320/IMG_7374.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518956017226973234" /></a><br />We have been filling our weekends with French country experiences since our return from Canada. I suspect it's partly because we know our days here are numbered, so want to fill them with the best of what the region has to offer. The weather has been spectacular, and we have enjoyed driving through small French villages and the lush, green pastures that lead up to the Pyrenees mountains. <br /><br />Last Sunday we headed deep into Basque Country to pick up some pork. We have purchased customized pork packages from this family before with our friends, and this time it was our turn to make the trek to the farm. They raise an ancient breed of pig that is unique to the area. It is mostly black, and has huge ears that hang in its face. They roam freely, and this time of year they munch on the acorns and chestnuts that fall from the trees. They are fairly active, so don't grow very large, but do have a very high fat content, making it ideal for making cured legs with. It leads to a product less like a prosciutto, and more like a good jamon iberico/pata negra-if you are lucky enough to have tried this Spanish delicacy, then you know what the fuss is about. Anyway, this time we filled our freezer with fresh cuts, sausages, and the best boudin we have ever tasted. The pork is delicious, and well worth the two hour drive to pick it up. <br /><br />We were given a tour of the beautiful and ancient farm. The farmhouse is almost as rustic today as it was 250 years ago. We were welcomed in for coffee, and it was humbling to imagine such a simple life. But the young gentleman that runs the farm loves the life, and is so passionate about his animals and land. This is not factory produced meat, and you just know that the product he sells benefits from the love and attention that he devotes to it. <br /><br />Yesterday we attended a festival in a small village closer to home. The highlight of the weekend's festivities was a sheep herding competition. There were several thousand people in attendance to see which shepherd and dog would prove to be the best herding team. The shepherd stood in one spot, and directed his dog to herd the sheep through gates and around a huge field, often just by whistling. It was very fun to watch!<br /><br />Next weekend, Provence to stock up on fresh olives, olive oil, and wine.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-67180932426626594642010-09-12T21:47:00.003+02:002010-09-12T22:45:51.678+02:00Transhumance<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygtLUov5AbcDzIouwz63O6jnZfPAkG0jXakCYT7V-vSln8gGgjKPLkr6YD1xScaZCVM8DlOH_H4FPhneWlPDS9c9oaE5V5Sy71y8FzI8l9ZtzyfMRhmi93-IdYZzWnx5i8viHbn9ZsVk/s1600/IMG_7313.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygtLUov5AbcDzIouwz63O6jnZfPAkG0jXakCYT7V-vSln8gGgjKPLkr6YD1xScaZCVM8DlOH_H4FPhneWlPDS9c9oaE5V5Sy71y8FzI8l9ZtzyfMRhmi93-IdYZzWnx5i8viHbn9ZsVk/s320/IMG_7313.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516130503436856002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwf-10mfRbJceO7KZ-rtbgcbxr0pHSKVRsQKHVgh163qJmCUP9rZN_qNjh1mQ4HTjvi9B3pDI8pqyI1OJvy6qTmnqt2Tfi1a7pEFgQQW6Ha_yIZCvcfbT-pZ4tVdHJQcufD6JK6GwjfSI/s1600/IMG_7316.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwf-10mfRbJceO7KZ-rtbgcbxr0pHSKVRsQKHVgh163qJmCUP9rZN_qNjh1mQ4HTjvi9B3pDI8pqyI1OJvy6qTmnqt2Tfi1a7pEFgQQW6Ha_yIZCvcfbT-pZ4tVdHJQcufD6JK6GwjfSI/s320/IMG_7316.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516130491094209730" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiae4aAW-kbcFzE8NGjznU6iHXj7xMmxCxW7BuXv_oHQ9fKG8xx0XzN7HGAYBWMLyCZEYrQyK4xeLk2eOrzfQHCrNdI5N65TvE2ZbvuwdcvJrqPamIVxkr-h1wJ1aTMqwQb7BFbdLsQpj8/s1600/IMG_7325.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiae4aAW-kbcFzE8NGjznU6iHXj7xMmxCxW7BuXv_oHQ9fKG8xx0XzN7HGAYBWMLyCZEYrQyK4xeLk2eOrzfQHCrNdI5N65TvE2ZbvuwdcvJrqPamIVxkr-h1wJ1aTMqwQb7BFbdLsQpj8/s320/IMG_7325.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516130475526006226" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyoWTWFMmRS6Y0XzAfMIIE753k3SXE8X8T0mCYBRn5z7MaueA4601Xo7nm1h8aIguA3IgPg-SFnbbdaQokrowYQDiuPZNr6EXOJ3TGVu7DsSNUvnwe6PeU9eUHG0a739sFPHWPi7E-1w/s1600/IMG_7326.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyoWTWFMmRS6Y0XzAfMIIE753k3SXE8X8T0mCYBRn5z7MaueA4601Xo7nm1h8aIguA3IgPg-SFnbbdaQokrowYQDiuPZNr6EXOJ3TGVu7DsSNUvnwe6PeU9eUHG0a739sFPHWPi7E-1w/s320/IMG_7326.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516130466830092050" /></a><br />Now here is a word not found in most people's vocabulary: transhumance. It means the seasonal movement of people with their livestock. A historical practice in many places, it still occurs annually in the Pyrenees Mountains. Shepherds bring their animals, most often sheep but also cows and horses, into the high mountain pastures in the spring. There, the animals roam freely and munch all summer long on fresh fields of grass and alpine flowers. The shepherd usually stays with them, residing in a very rustic hut where he makes cheese from the collected milk. This summer cheese is coveted because the milk produced while the animals feed on the high altitude grass and flowers has a superior taste to that produced from a diet of hay. In the fall the shepherd and his flock return to civilization and the farm for the winter.<br /><br />This ancient practice has been modernized a bit, and the majority of the animals are transported by truck into the mountains, and back down again. But in our region, there is a shepherd that still makes the trek on foot. He, his herding dogs, donkey, and flock of sheep make the 300 km trip between mountain pasture and farm...on foot! Because this traditional practice is a rarity, the trip has become a bit of a celebration. The shepherd and his crew end each day in a different village that celebrates his arrival with a bit of a party: kids' games, and the French version of a BBQ. The animals spend the night in a village field, and rest up for the next leg of the journey.<br /><br />On Friday we attended this celebration in a neighbouring village. We met the group on the outskirts of the village, and stood aside as the sheep streamed by us. Then we walked behind the flock as it entered the village and their rest stop for the night. They use the regular roads, which makes things interesting when cars meet the traveling group! There is no warning truck signaling their arrival, just one dog at the front of the pack, followed closely by the shepherd. It was quite a sight! And as you can see from the photos, the shepherd certainly looks like someone that spent the entire summer in a mountain hut!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-14416348725801714832010-09-06T21:22:00.004+02:002010-09-06T21:49:39.147+02:00Back to Real Life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ohbzMbrXOsOnu03ekrqTX-JrHgMbrhDSxbr9mYLYeNAlgXyjssapUsdcORjGerS1aVp1_mqvvZr60TiR79BBLXn6eBkz9oVyhhrR_PAXVPrww9VTotRV2o01DTDTIsOmzcvZjkqgMlk/s1600/IMG_7299.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ohbzMbrXOsOnu03ekrqTX-JrHgMbrhDSxbr9mYLYeNAlgXyjssapUsdcORjGerS1aVp1_mqvvZr60TiR79BBLXn6eBkz9oVyhhrR_PAXVPrww9VTotRV2o01DTDTIsOmzcvZjkqgMlk/s320/IMG_7299.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513889428012188530" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-XgqtoG4ewhchjx_cX45j95RAwl9J2TUhyleg5LBjxPNZli1LdSoQvds3wMasEV9g_OU5sziKhkiXV73eqYdgYS50jPeT_Nayn9InrChFIYRNlO0UQV9iz78zqlP5Vge2g_gTulTEVU/s1600/IMG_7225.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-XgqtoG4ewhchjx_cX45j95RAwl9J2TUhyleg5LBjxPNZli1LdSoQvds3wMasEV9g_OU5sziKhkiXV73eqYdgYS50jPeT_Nayn9InrChFIYRNlO0UQV9iz78zqlP5Vge2g_gTulTEVU/s320/IMG_7225.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513889416997412338" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45vdyT57-zMzlNSY8nd9QSIb58bLmaj_iuh6In3yqMqo92DtR2iW4c9Sq0TPB0p2yYlidUQ2_PnnEDuhyphenhyphen_6wXwgbqMCkQMGdccxNEgvLJAJtel6erBJmzuyXwnAeKij4vuAITeSpe4_M/s1600/IMG_7188.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45vdyT57-zMzlNSY8nd9QSIb58bLmaj_iuh6In3yqMqo92DtR2iW4c9Sq0TPB0p2yYlidUQ2_PnnEDuhyphenhyphen_6wXwgbqMCkQMGdccxNEgvLJAJtel6erBJmzuyXwnAeKij4vuAITeSpe4_M/s320/IMG_7188.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513889405972316306" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiib9chpYB4FmqE7aXjUdAIi-cTn4dRgNcbaHJinlEaETqN5yVaQvyhSjuq-Hc2yN2snrCR_PzdqtMikA6KbXq8cji-1G1qhyphenhyphenrE7ogZgFzaXr4UppWyQ8oTFZdVm1syl47OsopmVfFlxwo/s1600/100_4610.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiib9chpYB4FmqE7aXjUdAIi-cTn4dRgNcbaHJinlEaETqN5yVaQvyhSjuq-Hc2yN2snrCR_PzdqtMikA6KbXq8cji-1G1qhyphenhyphenrE7ogZgFzaXr4UppWyQ8oTFZdVm1syl47OsopmVfFlxwo/s320/100_4610.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513889398250172658" /></a><br />Wow, where did the past two months go? When we returned to our home in France last Thursday, it sure didn't seem like two months had passed since we packed up the family and headed to Canada. But here we are, home again. Gilles returned to work today, and for the first time in many weeks, it was just Xavier and I, playing and reading books. Surely he must be bored of me already, after weeks of receiving constant attention from grandparents, cousins, friends, aunts, uncles, and anyone else that could shower him with affection.<br /><br />We had a wonderful two months, and lucked out with fabulous weather. It was a hot and humid summer in the maritimes, and we took full advantage of it and enjoyed the beach, the outdoor pool, and the little kid pool. We spent August hanging out in several coastal areas, where we ate seafood, had beach fires, combed beaches for sea glass (an obsession I share with several other family members!), fished, watched whales, and enjoyed the salt air. <br /><br />But summer vacation must come to an end, and it was inevitable that I would have to give up my babysitters. But it's not all bad: we visited the marche on Saturday and filled our bags with food that can only be had in France. And as we picked fresh figs from the tree down the street, we mused that it is good to be back.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-20128945185040732582010-08-23T02:48:00.003+02:002010-08-23T02:56:31.940+02:00Giant Lobster<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Hh9whAHCpQsjwkm460cSmocnWE3CFFd1-x74HSLTJ3hKRCTjTeUWvNIMDhVlQ9CT_U__Jr2QpIERfL1O549tc5Qgz3umcrpc8evyhPjXqY4FxFEUhAa61mAalRoymXPtJAaTLKOg6Ow/s1600/IMG_7195.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Hh9whAHCpQsjwkm460cSmocnWE3CFFd1-x74HSLTJ3hKRCTjTeUWvNIMDhVlQ9CT_U__Jr2QpIERfL1O549tc5Qgz3umcrpc8evyhPjXqY4FxFEUhAa61mAalRoymXPtJAaTLKOg6Ow/s320/IMG_7195.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508402842825322450" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uQmEfRFJQLvcCOrPj-_LARD6jqqF_TOdgtDna4o2YKp0UXlJUFlgKU_huiFjcxy5T2zpLc9MW2rucGCgYxkOnLFJ6W0mhuKQXT3OBzphxa_npKMi4QGiigYPz5Y82_E6N3B2Q87cxU4/s1600/IMG_7200.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uQmEfRFJQLvcCOrPj-_LARD6jqqF_TOdgtDna4o2YKp0UXlJUFlgKU_huiFjcxy5T2zpLc9MW2rucGCgYxkOnLFJ6W0mhuKQXT3OBzphxa_npKMi4QGiigYPz5Y82_E6N3B2Q87cxU4/s320/IMG_7200.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508402828946340610" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUcpdXalX9KMfr0uX9VSHwDG8lOBw6ZV_yV2NQJU4-OVMuvYZyK9Etiapg_VInYu1C0-sWbuYJYi_DnfCl0ZqV20YWl45D8sn_S2-_gblYtfWK0bTe4fJlcwz_MSjNl7Sudw-DzwT7KA/s1600/IMG_7198.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUcpdXalX9KMfr0uX9VSHwDG8lOBw6ZV_yV2NQJU4-OVMuvYZyK9Etiapg_VInYu1C0-sWbuYJYi_DnfCl0ZqV20YWl45D8sn_S2-_gblYtfWK0bTe4fJlcwz_MSjNl7Sudw-DzwT7KA/s320/IMG_7198.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508402804704494866" /></a><br />We are finishing up our time in Campobello Island, and during our week here we have tried to squeeze in as much island fun as possible. We had a beach cook-out one night, and feasted on lobster and scallops cooked on the fire. Xavier had fun playing in the sand and trying to eat rocks, until we put him to sleep in his stroller under the mosquito net. While there, a local fisherman came to show us the fifteen pound lobster they caught in their nets that day. We took pictures, then he threw it back into the ocean.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-59742380140971026282010-08-23T02:17:00.004+02:002010-08-23T02:41:55.137+02:00Screeched-In!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpi7o-SwVUAeEUPjQaybPyT8tkQxvNd2qJf-ZUnz9PUyLeEsejRGINPtuPKl524R6BIQ_Re4_0gy8rCFOAbhs7dlDju0E_AB6XD4-b-wWQ5RZFi3u7M534pzpg8OPE7IgaXClVWlSfQQ/s1600/Screeched.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpi7o-SwVUAeEUPjQaybPyT8tkQxvNd2qJf-ZUnz9PUyLeEsejRGINPtuPKl524R6BIQ_Re4_0gy8rCFOAbhs7dlDju0E_AB6XD4-b-wWQ5RZFi3u7M534pzpg8OPE7IgaXClVWlSfQQ/s320/Screeched.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508397756266876514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8eW_tDL4U-ub124zq3xndR_7ZoPJ90d8a9O2UG0tgjBLUwfjI4WIWll65onMWjP23qzGiTMWyGNk38l-A32AWsAWieYcNGPuyCRFux3YeZBR-ckw_mB61wyqurpOHSJ7moP7VJtzDss/s1600/IMG_7066.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8eW_tDL4U-ub124zq3xndR_7ZoPJ90d8a9O2UG0tgjBLUwfjI4WIWll65onMWjP23qzGiTMWyGNk38l-A32AWsAWieYcNGPuyCRFux3YeZBR-ckw_mB61wyqurpOHSJ7moP7VJtzDss/s320/IMG_7066.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508397750431454930" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGj4Mr-tbVf4nCSlB_J553fsrRo54lTEKmx02ktHQ7wzEGm24hMg1p0bDiydbcjo66hKeiN7C1QQkkuoh6e2Ad4LMYT1GzFNGv5xuAT7xE3mEMN16TvP06kXxa_jdj9F-z0htMakTE5RQ/s1600/long's+hill.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGj4Mr-tbVf4nCSlB_J553fsrRo54lTEKmx02ktHQ7wzEGm24hMg1p0bDiydbcjo66hKeiN7C1QQkkuoh6e2Ad4LMYT1GzFNGv5xuAT7xE3mEMN16TvP06kXxa_jdj9F-z0htMakTE5RQ/s320/long's+hill.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508397740317024322" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9pyh-0yTdz01YF1qH-aCKscT6af1FAdUhj_kEw0Lqr4NojXBYCRCfVn8Lj08tNO8C2hfUqbsDI4y64HYVlz-axhWFDF82xng2aYpUIFH6AWb4aM4rV0X5nIktshVQiA3S6NKemNrKU4/s1600/Cape+Spear.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9pyh-0yTdz01YF1qH-aCKscT6af1FAdUhj_kEw0Lqr4NojXBYCRCfVn8Lj08tNO8C2hfUqbsDI4y64HYVlz-axhWFDF82xng2aYpUIFH6AWb4aM4rV0X5nIktshVQiA3S6NKemNrKU4/s320/Cape+Spear.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508397733536394194" /></a><br />Our whirlwind tour of the Atlantic provinces (minus PEI) included a recent trip to St. John's for the wedding of Gilles' cousin. My first visit to Newfoundland was made official by being screeched-in along with other friends and family members. The bride's parents hosted the rehearsal party, and the father of the bride was the officiant of the screech-in. I performed the 'ceremony' with my brother-in-law, and we didn't fumble once on the tongue twister test saying. We kissed the cod, downed the screech, then certified honorary Newfoundlanders. Good fun! <br /><br />We enjoyed some other Newfoundland experiences: visited Cape Spear, ate cod heads, stayed in a colourful house, and walked up and down the steep St. John's streets over and over again. We really enjoyed our visit, and hope to return soon to visit the soon to be opened restaurant of Gilles' sister and her boyfriend.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-64127519317748457972010-08-06T02:36:00.003+02:002010-08-06T02:43:59.804+02:00Hot & Humid in Miramichi<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Af4qxzGzTMI0vipCbTXKMF0G60F__PShNvPjPjBy8KjFGMxJKN95DRMTOIvtSwp3KIcaiO8tcJ70cNbCRsM75wANhdHucoir4cKru371PPp1iD93yJ_xmkN-QEWUW9GreWr2IcZsuhU/s1600/IMG_6887.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Af4qxzGzTMI0vipCbTXKMF0G60F__PShNvPjPjBy8KjFGMxJKN95DRMTOIvtSwp3KIcaiO8tcJ70cNbCRsM75wANhdHucoir4cKru371PPp1iD93yJ_xmkN-QEWUW9GreWr2IcZsuhU/s320/IMG_6887.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502090897569011410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumZ1n6E3D4UbAS2GLQIzZihiXxT4cUeJeg_VdyeRxsVKQgV0CT6lnO38gKjdqhO8J8csae7LggZA84j_8yZg8-cDzhKfkEzt6JW54oBrZ9tcxAO8I7L2lVrKQSu3uXZ7QKC75_XfVnns/s1600/IMG_6896.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumZ1n6E3D4UbAS2GLQIzZihiXxT4cUeJeg_VdyeRxsVKQgV0CT6lnO38gKjdqhO8J8csae7LggZA84j_8yZg8-cDzhKfkEzt6JW54oBrZ9tcxAO8I7L2lVrKQSu3uXZ7QKC75_XfVnns/s320/IMG_6896.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502090889498787410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmvUfPjkd4he8X26XX-Yxv4XmvDZhqdtoFmMq6mL-NkkoqxHp4eicJ7Y3NW27Tuz3WmFX9n_1GXWf9pXVTgQW0lktyj-EfseoAXljWFzLYO03q28hRxS3eIOtSuE1lfm1RTZwxz-o_nE/s1600/IMG_6864.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmvUfPjkd4he8X26XX-Yxv4XmvDZhqdtoFmMq6mL-NkkoqxHp4eicJ7Y3NW27Tuz3WmFX9n_1GXWf9pXVTgQW0lktyj-EfseoAXljWFzLYO03q28hRxS3eIOtSuE1lfm1RTZwxz-o_nE/s320/IMG_6864.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502090888399639106" /></a><br />Our time in Miramichi is drawing to an end. It's hard to believe we have been here for five weeks! Gilles arrives on the weekend, and then we'll commence the nomadic part of our vacation: Halifax, St. John's, Campobello Island, and Cape Breton. We'll soon see how Xavier handles long car rides!<br /><br />We have had a great time here, enjoying the warm days...although today was uncomfortably humid. We were all tempted to jump into the kid pool with Xavier in the backyard. <br /><br />Here's a couple of pictures, including one of Xavier's visit to the barber.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-82083771047560409412010-07-19T02:37:00.005+02:002010-07-19T03:03:08.481+02:00Canadian Summer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_RwmTBbeYbb45shB-T3U7Z0GKhP0DwEyKIF6Mcg9quY1QeSsKT8ib_wZJmXWTqlvBCmQuCRTyWYJiqVudqs9dDzWQnL7WqqLIa3KBBi5AJxhi8pW_yjXj2nFgUqRtUpL7FwCpo_bQc8/s1600/IMG_6740.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_RwmTBbeYbb45shB-T3U7Z0GKhP0DwEyKIF6Mcg9quY1QeSsKT8ib_wZJmXWTqlvBCmQuCRTyWYJiqVudqs9dDzWQnL7WqqLIa3KBBi5AJxhi8pW_yjXj2nFgUqRtUpL7FwCpo_bQc8/s320/IMG_6740.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495416021968302786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxFBHW-H7lU-X92KBgpIrmpH_ibgaiCjqAD-9_vIfYC_G1j81GY1iMyqen2Zkw1LnBkSXzhW-OIcIRFDWHKJzqr18ybj5FMVzd8VXQs21aSU2KapmXMdlOr4llKIaVNV1MyFUOiz4kMo/s1600/IMG_6749.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxFBHW-H7lU-X92KBgpIrmpH_ibgaiCjqAD-9_vIfYC_G1j81GY1iMyqen2Zkw1LnBkSXzhW-OIcIRFDWHKJzqr18ybj5FMVzd8VXQs21aSU2KapmXMdlOr4llKIaVNV1MyFUOiz4kMo/s320/IMG_6749.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495416015722245538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMxiif-LUlSX9Y0049xWokkf1cYxTnYWHLH7eeI1UJAyme-78keSPBR9wwgqgpzrT5F3bA2XC5DnKmw3PpC6qN35b_4i8vW8VteJW9bjYS-rbB6kpPUzz4s8XZT-KiZ2oz5RVo9eHWho/s1600/100_4212.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMxiif-LUlSX9Y0049xWokkf1cYxTnYWHLH7eeI1UJAyme-78keSPBR9wwgqgpzrT5F3bA2XC5DnKmw3PpC6qN35b_4i8vW8VteJW9bjYS-rbB6kpPUzz4s8XZT-KiZ2oz5RVo9eHWho/s320/100_4212.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495416012068253378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFxeBdNfFLaBosJDw712gJJzY0IJDmWD4oyVVeM9TOSgn6FvDbRWn_nV3035C0iIOlSptRVTqQWE9dbcN89uXl5yx7UENE1SdstK3PgoEGvmHFxhkGdYYzwgaGFxhBv3asJVOi2QQfeY/s1600/100_4369.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFxeBdNfFLaBosJDw712gJJzY0IJDmWD4oyVVeM9TOSgn6FvDbRWn_nV3035C0iIOlSptRVTqQWE9dbcN89uXl5yx7UENE1SdstK3PgoEGvmHFxhkGdYYzwgaGFxhBv3asJVOi2QQfeY/s320/100_4369.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495416015285838050" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZGcZoCqyD3H-0N5Fdb1lRX7M0wqq6E_8lfPP86CI1nvpRbnYtmQCQJves-OXaKHH1-4gUz-IwHVtdWagrv4jlFE7m552WxLhXt95vQ7klF0nHLPOxy7zZDhoRDN0JBjDmtfQNBvSXWo/s1600/100_4303.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZGcZoCqyD3H-0N5Fdb1lRX7M0wqq6E_8lfPP86CI1nvpRbnYtmQCQJves-OXaKHH1-4gUz-IwHVtdWagrv4jlFE7m552WxLhXt95vQ7klF0nHLPOxy7zZDhoRDN0JBjDmtfQNBvSXWo/s320/100_4303.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495416006927421714" /></a><br />It's been awhile since I have posted, and I guess quite a bit is new since that Bordeaux trip in May. For one, I am not in France: I am in my old bedroom in my parents' house in Miramichi. On June 30, we packed up the whole family (including our two cats), and headed to Canada. Gilles returned a few days later for a month's work in Holland, and Xavier, Sherpa, Alamo, and myself have settled into hot and humid Miramichi.<br /><br />It was a long, 24-hour trip to get here. After what seemed like an already long day, we arrived in Quebec City with a seven hour drive ahead of us to get to Miramichi. Thankfully, my parents greeted us at the airport, so we were not the ones behind the wheel. And in true New Brunswick fashion, two moose crossed our path on the road not long after we entered the province; a greeting of sorts, I suppose.<br /><br />I did not make it 'home' last year, so it is a nice treat to be able to enjoy the summer here. It's a win-win situation for all: the grandparents get to spend quality time with Xavier (Gilles' parents have been up for two visits), Xavier gets the royal treatment, and I have plenty of help. I have actually started running again with my dad, while my mom takes over babysitting duties. Xavier's favourite new activity is swimming, and with the endless hot days, he has had ample opportunity to practice his doggy-paddle. <br /><br />I know Gilles finds it hard being away for so long, especially since Xavier changes almost every day, but he joins us in early August for a month of traveling and visiting family and friends. And I have a feeling the summer will be over before we know it, and we'll be making that long return trip back to France.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-88598793196420130082010-05-18T11:03:00.004+02:002010-05-19T21:51:13.122+02:00Beautiful Bordeaux & Sand in Our Shoes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjeaIVQ1F8cg_PqV_ACyOUuMBiltxlgcMohMdw7NPRP8axrJlJkjkOua4tGgjKMYqVl_8lZhiuU3RfaP2ejfpDTTd_4p27tfhhTDwVlIJT4YSFt5RjBumxVp2z9GHQ_rU8eG9AgzaknA/s1600/IMG_6445.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjeaIVQ1F8cg_PqV_ACyOUuMBiltxlgcMohMdw7NPRP8axrJlJkjkOua4tGgjKMYqVl_8lZhiuU3RfaP2ejfpDTTd_4p27tfhhTDwVlIJT4YSFt5RjBumxVp2z9GHQ_rU8eG9AgzaknA/s320/IMG_6445.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472692593043779074" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90xs8Dm-m2fMk-FSwdikywY6AwSYcXKCbEj9i49dqeEUTg9npZye7_v7UeoDsB60Ckbaz4CM2FmyJGbCy-aH49-25W1IZZGJh0R8fuCJYEAHUznvHILLFp14zF46_Ifzt8Vgf8OlKibI/s1600/IMG_6453.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90xs8Dm-m2fMk-FSwdikywY6AwSYcXKCbEj9i49dqeEUTg9npZye7_v7UeoDsB60Ckbaz4CM2FmyJGbCy-aH49-25W1IZZGJh0R8fuCJYEAHUznvHILLFp14zF46_Ifzt8Vgf8OlKibI/s320/IMG_6453.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472692580981170546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9WoFysALmZtEX9rV4JCc9Gto5-B3q8XoJE4PLD3b37GgEO7QU_fj1eH8U3hAx798A3vC5LAL0tEhWhTuF4TCqpn_14oO_C_XAcRQDwoXIJYdNBs1dtvwWp5lZsDhbmhz0_Ldk52pSTM/s1600/IMG_6482.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9WoFysALmZtEX9rV4JCc9Gto5-B3q8XoJE4PLD3b37GgEO7QU_fj1eH8U3hAx798A3vC5LAL0tEhWhTuF4TCqpn_14oO_C_XAcRQDwoXIJYdNBs1dtvwWp5lZsDhbmhz0_Ldk52pSTM/s320/IMG_6482.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472692577557320786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5ewThEru611YFReL_Cx57w59ePx_tSWDvkybBfsSMVv5u1xUapTcPNIs3fx47wGCUX6TKQn1I1SpIvicdeMWzvs7BAvCrCPx0YFlgRqDtOsRXSz3kh2IQJDPDq0s6VD2H8Cq0YXpXoI/s1600/IMG_6487.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5ewThEru611YFReL_Cx57w59ePx_tSWDvkybBfsSMVv5u1xUapTcPNIs3fx47wGCUX6TKQn1I1SpIvicdeMWzvs7BAvCrCPx0YFlgRqDtOsRXSz3kh2IQJDPDq0s6VD2H8Cq0YXpXoI/s320/IMG_6487.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472692565781459170" /></a><br />Last weekend we took advantage of one of the many French holidays in May, and visited the beautiful city of Bordeaux. Bordeaux has about one million residents, making it one of the largest cities in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, which is the region in which we reside. But most famously it is known for its surrounding area, that produces some of the world's best and most well-known wines.<br /><br />The tourist area of the city is almost squeaky clean. The sandstone buildings have all been cleaned, there is an impressive amount of pedestrian streets, and amazingly, there is next to no dog poop on the streets (a rarity in most of France). There is a wide and long walkway along the river, with walking and cycling lanes. Also on this walkway is the miroir d'eau, or water mirror. It is a large concrete area covered with about an inch of water. It is a bustling area, attracting both locals and tourists. Unfortunately it was a bit breezy the afternoon we checked it out, so it didn't exactly resemble a mirror.<br /><br />On the drive home we stopped at the Dune de Pyla, the largest sand dunes in Europe. They are about 110 m high and three kilometers long. They fall into the Arcachon Bay, which is famous in France for its oyster production. We climbed the dunes, walked along them for a bit, then let Xavier play in the sand. They are very impressive! And we are still emptying the sand out of our shoes, pockets, diaper bag,....Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-49118474835552194352010-05-11T13:28:00.001+02:002010-05-11T13:28:31.609+02:00Free-Range, Farm FreshKramer had Little Jerry Seinfeld, now we have our own rooster, I mean chicken. Well, we don’t exactly have a chicken running around in our backyard, but we do have the next best thing: eggs from a friend’s chickens. <br /><br />The egg industry is a sad one in most industrialized countries. Hundreds of chickens are crammed into cages, forced to stand on little pegs, see little or no sunlight, and just lay eggs. This results in unhealthy chickens laying unhealthy eggs. Just look at the colour of the yolks. In Calgary, the yolks of the eggs I bought were a dull straw colour. I tried different eggs claiming to be high in omega fats, with little improvement. It’s unfortunate, because there are free-range eggs out there, but not usually in the grocery stores, and most people are unwilling to pay the much higher price for them. <br /><br />In France, the situation is much better. There are very affordable free-range eggs available at the grocery store. I am often skeptical of labels such as ‘organic’ and ‘free-range’, knowing it can be easy to make these claims, regardless of the actual farming technique, but the eggs I buy here are significantly better than what I bought in Calgary. <br /><br />Many chickens do run freely here. All I need to do is walk five minutes down my street to find a home with a few chickens in the yard. The owners are not farmers, just own a couple of chickens for their use. I do not notice a foul smell coming from their yard; I only hear the occasional cockadoodledoo early on a summer morning when our windows are open. <br /><br />Urban foodies in Canadian cities are now fighting for the right to raise chickens in their yards. Currently, there is a trial being run in Calgary and Edmonton to see if it is manageable, and Vancouver is close to passing a by-law allowing the practice. Hopefully the trials will be successful, and those wanting to keep chickens will be able to do so. <br /><br />Now back to our eggs. Gilles and I have made friends with a French couple that live in our town. They have a virtual zoo in their yard, and amongst the dog, pigeons, geese, rooster, and bunnies, they have several egg-laying chickens running around. When I arrived at her house yesterday, three chickens strutted in front of my car. They roam freely, eating grass, oats, and corn. The yolks are so yellow that scrambled eggs look fluorescent. And now I am buying half a dozen eggs from her every week. Healthy chickens, healthy eggs!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-13578264158050523802010-05-03T20:40:00.002+02:002010-05-03T20:55:04.725+02:00Have Baby, Will Travel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvlAHNFFnR-7SKybYkfYHXmePACjQFoPYv_N2Jon394OgG4LVp32NK-JUNlBIVx1n2eIF0bqZ5_sQJFGPV6iCRfEcocfvqogP03BjpLTxhIeNa8ttayRz0Bp9Nt3Ls4M0KS6N6LplpYI/s1600/IMG_6387.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvlAHNFFnR-7SKybYkfYHXmePACjQFoPYv_N2Jon394OgG4LVp32NK-JUNlBIVx1n2eIF0bqZ5_sQJFGPV6iCRfEcocfvqogP03BjpLTxhIeNa8ttayRz0Bp9Nt3Ls4M0KS6N6LplpYI/s320/IMG_6387.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467117497964798642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgnuv-a3IsXpKuSz4oLYTl68pkxQRsEVoHz3-INzG-sWdfgQnY4JVg5l9WK6NErbUqGD1EuGmgEDGccsZ88Cwp8VfrKhs80spSYTgAI9qWYTobA0UUx_giqTZQDqsl0bRanQLMw7afs4/s1600/IMG_6372.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgnuv-a3IsXpKuSz4oLYTl68pkxQRsEVoHz3-INzG-sWdfgQnY4JVg5l9WK6NErbUqGD1EuGmgEDGccsZ88Cwp8VfrKhs80spSYTgAI9qWYTobA0UUx_giqTZQDqsl0bRanQLMw7afs4/s320/IMG_6372.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467117487861969266" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EDkrpbPeJii9fCFuNoRVOTGoAgUaTUovG8PXUxT117w_vCqcq426C90B5zVIshWDC2Bg2MYm4E6HL5fSVUuJDeKeTxrJfUCCEdCYIRaKbiZwawJJF4DSxIkJN3J6IOOqpUTkAhDwF0U/s1600/IMG_6340.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EDkrpbPeJii9fCFuNoRVOTGoAgUaTUovG8PXUxT117w_vCqcq426C90B5zVIshWDC2Bg2MYm4E6HL5fSVUuJDeKeTxrJfUCCEdCYIRaKbiZwawJJF4DSxIkJN3J6IOOqpUTkAhDwF0U/s320/IMG_6340.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467117473946050786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_3PnFs28zj6KNmsHpkps2oJulUXgDXFiUZ8U9j8EpbdrR8VCBIzLy_ucn9tCB1pUIoX-Jo-pyVxupahyphenhyphen0Z0Nq8D0I3fWMl5qcihLmUtGdeRSVQGLCq1XemnTv0Mw0zMYeQHXq2GAToU/s1600/IMG_6336.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_3PnFs28zj6KNmsHpkps2oJulUXgDXFiUZ8U9j8EpbdrR8VCBIzLy_ucn9tCB1pUIoX-Jo-pyVxupahyphenhyphen0Z0Nq8D0I3fWMl5qcihLmUtGdeRSVQGLCq1XemnTv0Mw0zMYeQHXq2GAToU/s320/IMG_6336.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467117459825350098" /></a><br />I was 22 years old when I boarded my first airplane. My son, Xavier, was four months old. When I was eleven years old, my family spent a few days in St John, New Brunswick to visit my grandfather in the hospital. One night my parents took us to the shopping mall just so that my brother, sister, and I could ride the escalator. I had likely never been on an escalator before this, so it was a fun-filled family activity! In contrast to his Mom's early sheltered life, Xavier has been on city buses, Seabuses, escalators, subways, and many flights. <br /><br />Last weekend we went to London, for round two of travel with baby. Babies are constantly changing, so this trip posed different challenges than the Vancouver trip. Xavier is now older and more alert, and doesn't just fall asleep anywhere and at anytime. We had to plan around naptimes and make sure to give him some playtime throughout the day. But in general, the trip went really well. Thankfully, the weather cooperated, and we only had to seek refuge from rain the last afternoon we were there.<br /><br />The most challenging part of traveling with baby this trip was riding London’s Underground system, or ‘The Tube’. Most stations do not have elevators, meaning that we had to get the stroller up and down using escalators and stairs, all while fighting crowds of people. We quickly realized that making transfers was incredibly cumbersome, doubling the amount of ups and downs we had to make with the stroller. We could no longer come and go as freely as before, and chose to plan our trips to avoid transfers and the most touristy Tube stations. <br /><br />Just like our London trip last year, we spent our first couple of days shopping, preferring London to Paris for this. Then, my sister and her boyfriend, who now live in Northern England, joined us for a few days. It was their first time in London, so we did some more touristy activities: we visited the sights on a hop on-hop off bus tour, and saw changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. And Saturday night, Auntie Julie babysat Xavier while we went to a lovely Indian restaurant for supper. It was our first time out alone since Xavier was born! A real treat, indeed!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-71286547434813801462010-04-26T13:33:00.003+02:002010-04-26T13:42:36.138+02:00Half Birthday!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6MDZRVpXSfufkgpWiKzov5gFAMOxWTw9thhZuut72Px7pMFEwi1zcVgGfdD4aKWYsc1eXCvL7WVWNuUYxx-VwnPbob2I4LAJ4S8WCgMQ1btXSEZStRv4wGHg-KcN-brJXfdPqNQYQZo/s1600/IMG_6315.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL6MDZRVpXSfufkgpWiKzov5gFAMOxWTw9thhZuut72Px7pMFEwi1zcVgGfdD4aKWYsc1eXCvL7WVWNuUYxx-VwnPbob2I4LAJ4S8WCgMQ1btXSEZStRv4wGHg-KcN-brJXfdPqNQYQZo/s320/IMG_6315.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464409205297838226" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-vJH0b91fC-pw13v4Vm7IsczNEasgWxKTHd8btcIzleb-C2pssoWbnJrE860tqSUYDC1oszsWF3k-eG6T_caYRtkZi4WfZE655x7pGiTZMttjbQkWuKfASEb2YKb41j9KZNby0iBrR0/s1600/IMG_6310.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-vJH0b91fC-pw13v4Vm7IsczNEasgWxKTHd8btcIzleb-C2pssoWbnJrE860tqSUYDC1oszsWF3k-eG6T_caYRtkZi4WfZE655x7pGiTZMttjbQkWuKfASEb2YKb41j9KZNby0iBrR0/s320/IMG_6310.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464409196585501186" /></a><br />Our little man turned six months old yesterday. Where did the time go? When I look at pictures of him from the early days, I hardly remember that time. Now I understand why everyone told us to cherish every moment, because it really does pass by so fast! Here are some pictures from yesterday.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-20325731532330919702010-04-25T09:47:00.003+02:002010-04-25T10:48:40.788+02:00Home Sweet Home!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9l6IgP4tb2Q_NUCUihTCA_d-YhMPbPyVuqXjPYBrXnruBhREZ5V3AtwNksPf6c8mDkAfeKKL6oYmAMXli0HonKEM1zVwzyx1R_XjwLckNLN36Z2PjpaYpb0o14yD3RNQRqVV4uh1d88/s1600/DSC01555.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9l6IgP4tb2Q_NUCUihTCA_d-YhMPbPyVuqXjPYBrXnruBhREZ5V3AtwNksPf6c8mDkAfeKKL6oYmAMXli0HonKEM1zVwzyx1R_XjwLckNLN36Z2PjpaYpb0o14yD3RNQRqVV4uh1d88/s320/DSC01555.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463994281729519490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1BpaUHnY3OAfI5WSiV330nhz-aCuiHsqohGhKMT2OCDitZQg8jQxafuJtip5WyDnMH2U-pHuJpgksnDVovYrchmubwc1x71Hz_EOLwpG9fSNztGWE22vR4JjCWsAM4aKiZRZi_QNjrQ/s1600/DSC00683.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1BpaUHnY3OAfI5WSiV330nhz-aCuiHsqohGhKMT2OCDitZQg8jQxafuJtip5WyDnMH2U-pHuJpgksnDVovYrchmubwc1x71Hz_EOLwpG9fSNztGWE22vR4JjCWsAM4aKiZRZi_QNjrQ/s320/DSC00683.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463994271713575506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayBf-aGAQcV2m4oRs5yBYi6MxGxwdSYdl0eNyIJWisqr4VRL-KtFcAkDGxtWPSNoV6LTHg4h2ZqeAB_N8Cd1_PKniYhjFsQSrPlLrw_iPXDkqQu7fJ3qQ2l67V8_zCHLMq_eWF8vlgg0/s1600/DSC00681.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayBf-aGAQcV2m4oRs5yBYi6MxGxwdSYdl0eNyIJWisqr4VRL-KtFcAkDGxtWPSNoV6LTHg4h2ZqeAB_N8Cd1_PKniYhjFsQSrPlLrw_iPXDkqQu7fJ3qQ2l67V8_zCHLMq_eWF8vlgg0/s320/DSC00681.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463994263051294802" /></a><br />Gilles and I are pretty close to modern day nomads. Since leaving home for University in 1995, between the two of us we have lived in Sackville, Medicine Hat, Halifax, Edmonton, Denver, Red Deer, Calgary, Pau, and the roaming home of the Bluenose. We have a file on our computer listing addresses we need to change in lieu of a move, and we have paid Canada Post plenty of money to temporarily redirect our mail. But perhaps we are slowing down a bit? We have now lived in Pau longer than we have lived anywhere (at one given time) since we flew our parents' coops. Ironic, since living an expat life with Total guarantees each posting is temporary. But here we are, almost exactly two years and seven months since leaving Calgary, still in our home away from home in Pau. <br /><br />We do love our life here. It is very relaxing and simple, far from the super-charged life we led in Calgary. We are so laid back that chores seem to go by the wayside. Gilles has been meaning to sand and stain our teak patio furniture for weeks, and he has now decided that he needs to take our vehicles in for an interior/exterior cleaning, knowing he won't get to them himself. Lazy Saturdays involve a walk to the local market followed by a trip downtown for strolling and cafe time...that is pretty much it. We often marvel at how we accomplished a big home reno while working full time jobs in Calgary. Could we ever revert back to that lifestyle?<br /><br />But despite our comfortable life here, it will never truly feel like 'home'. We will always be outsiders living in this, or any other country. We speak the language, but with noticeable accents. We have friends here, French and other, but we are culturally very different. The French bureaucracy will never seem acceptable, and carrying a cheque book around (and using it frequently!) will never feel normal. Part of this failure to assimilate is our fault. We watch Canadian television. I watch the news from Calgary and read the online Calgary Herald daily. Gilles' most frequented website is CBC news. We watch hockey, the Rick Mercer report, and still donate and listen to our favourite radio station-CKUA. But we are ok with this. I don't think we would have been happy expats in an era before internet, long-distance phone plans, and Skype. We are proud Canadians, and despite loving living abroad, we have to keep one foot entrenched in Canadian soil. And hopefully this way, Xavier will learn what it means to be Canadian, no matter where in the world he is living.<br /><br />I have included some photos from around our home here in Pau. The red paper crowns were in the Christmas crackers my sister brought from the UK.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-70975254699391943012010-04-13T22:01:00.003+02:002010-04-13T22:17:10.144+02:00Beach Day!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMOLO554QQ9L3Xef-mvTT5YYayb-MjlvwXuHtwyHcHgWzwLf6cUYhz45Tkydnnyb73gZfklfettHrt-vXs-NHLFBrqqMSIcUkZjJ-DLCglTajLJYSZIs421P4Vlaba0eprkoF4xeA-hc/s1600/Sling.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMOLO554QQ9L3Xef-mvTT5YYayb-MjlvwXuHtwyHcHgWzwLf6cUYhz45Tkydnnyb73gZfklfettHrt-vXs-NHLFBrqqMSIcUkZjJ-DLCglTajLJYSZIs421P4Vlaba0eprkoF4xeA-hc/s320/Sling.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459718681670971762" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHA1RMvrXNb4t4kCNzdomynEdRhHDx9T-NNhv2Tg4tbG-WrlE7Q-zjMbuK2CqtrRcRZ2xS8Xrt7LCxv2Gslf0p8XTNZRIy036Yf9hsbE2GyqmVLlGpliCGzHds_uiN_GnA-0-QZPuQ7o/s1600/sand.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHA1RMvrXNb4t4kCNzdomynEdRhHDx9T-NNhv2Tg4tbG-WrlE7Q-zjMbuK2CqtrRcRZ2xS8Xrt7LCxv2Gslf0p8XTNZRIy036Yf9hsbE2GyqmVLlGpliCGzHds_uiN_GnA-0-QZPuQ7o/s320/sand.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459718673074249138" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlp3AjvkAVFAptlmk1C1xGj6ficTZdHYP4K7CJ0Mqsu99h8lr4BeIsbr_9ZIakijIQnzsBcOqfBjy8bLEi_jkYO-4V2Owjcr2ZCERqbIBdU7LnLPoKAQEf81UQyZUOlHpFNK8ouq4bCI/s1600/IMG_6257.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlp3AjvkAVFAptlmk1C1xGj6ficTZdHYP4K7CJ0Mqsu99h8lr4BeIsbr_9ZIakijIQnzsBcOqfBjy8bLEi_jkYO-4V2Owjcr2ZCERqbIBdU7LnLPoKAQEf81UQyZUOlHpFNK8ouq4bCI/s320/IMG_6257.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459718665226515474" /></a><br />We took advantage of the sunny weather last weekend, and headed to the beach Sunday afternoon. We went to Biarritz, probably the most well-known beach on the French South Atlantic Coast (Basque Coast). It is the closest beach to us, but we rarely go there because it is more of a surfing beach than a swimming beach. But since it is still too cool to swim, we thought we would pay it a visit.<br /><br />It may have been too cool to swim, but apparently it was not too cool to sunbathe...at least according to the many people soaking up the rays in skimpy bathing suits. It was a comfortable fifteen degrees, cool enough for a sweater, but not if you are a die-hard tanner. Most Southern Europeans have not received the message about skin cancer!<br /><br />Xavier practiced his new skill of sitting while playing in the sand. After awhile his legs and feet were buried in sand, helping stabilize the still wobbly sitter. Thankfully, his grasping skills are not fine-tuned enough to succeed in getting sand into his mouth!<br /><br />Oh, and Gilles couldn't stop laughing about the quintuple-moon we received on the way there!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-54329786042259990762010-03-20T12:17:00.004+01:002010-03-21T12:37:23.279+01:00Baby Growth!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6QOb5bnZMgLndOuYqCvndTF_7TtD26bkufqlCrrOc_atsHYS-zkbxRzMEOpGn847Yw5P5HJWYeFmqj7ihbHjZNfJ8gWVaGMHMp-hzGoJNAR3eUPJ-MSEmE3hnbNA_oqhjbsIJi4a0nE/s1600-h/IMG_6170.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6QOb5bnZMgLndOuYqCvndTF_7TtD26bkufqlCrrOc_atsHYS-zkbxRzMEOpGn847Yw5P5HJWYeFmqj7ihbHjZNfJ8gWVaGMHMp-hzGoJNAR3eUPJ-MSEmE3hnbNA_oqhjbsIJi4a0nE/s320/IMG_6170.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450677299051440610" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcDMbZq1wa_JnF7vYRR6oReXJ39djl15TRCe6FeKaxnOnxddpyO6XWIWB9fwO6Hmi7gARAdC18sOgIvOYLuLSZ76_Mrx4HinKu42KWxza-0CiuHyGUMHE5W7m8WN2egF_8UmvRqogQFc/s1600-h/IMG_5474.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcDMbZq1wa_JnF7vYRR6oReXJ39djl15TRCe6FeKaxnOnxddpyO6XWIWB9fwO6Hmi7gARAdC18sOgIvOYLuLSZ76_Mrx4HinKu42KWxza-0CiuHyGUMHE5W7m8WN2egF_8UmvRqogQFc/s320/IMG_5474.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450677287788252978" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTY34l9LgWORUFJ8S4qo7veeZQsdsPQiTXyTjYdOGV3RdQQbddJQoXYm9DxtOhSmyWkMlzNeZK_wdSlt31SY4epcpPIPTlRUQtlSAQ20KB7D96xa2XPdxZw56SCYn9bxtQ6hAaYN-L94/s1600-h/IMG_6166.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTY34l9LgWORUFJ8S4qo7veeZQsdsPQiTXyTjYdOGV3RdQQbddJQoXYm9DxtOhSmyWkMlzNeZK_wdSlt31SY4epcpPIPTlRUQtlSAQ20KB7D96xa2XPdxZw56SCYn9bxtQ6hAaYN-L94/s320/IMG_6166.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450677280131381378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEztNSpdLd3_2roWUsx_w_skofdOueleyiGB_nZ5K1pKxz0vE_WqulKcjkTgIhSUS4bvYNogv6ZElhw9b0iqrG71Q7z-x5aWFGBuJ6RerBAaHqOVxRw-8AGVWq6NfaVSp3s8hpMDwxPk/s1600-h/IMG_5519.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEztNSpdLd3_2roWUsx_w_skofdOueleyiGB_nZ5K1pKxz0vE_WqulKcjkTgIhSUS4bvYNogv6ZElhw9b0iqrG71Q7z-x5aWFGBuJ6RerBAaHqOVxRw-8AGVWq6NfaVSp3s8hpMDwxPk/s320/IMG_5519.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450677276084825506" /></a><br />I find it hard to notice Xavier's growth, seeing as I spend every day with him. I see that he grows out of his clothes fairly regularly, but otherwise it is hard to put it into perspective. That is, until I look at photos of him from when he was younger. Or until last week when I put him in the stroller bassinet for the first time in several weeks, and noticed that he is as long as it is! Guess it is time to change to the seat attachment for the stroller!<br /><br />Here are some before and after photos of the X-Man to show his growth.Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-53609184260775207112010-03-17T12:51:00.003+01:002010-03-21T12:38:55.966+01:00Leaving Friends<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVO49_zrQR1qaFSOza6I7g8CKMkD2ZKTRWQ3O-tKjgLoeqQCjzahaJKnc79EHpUgApjnGLxOuG_v7A4kSAyjt-YIbkpa3fsNInbCO-idB5pZw7J0RLRbTgtGYUrf32TLwTanQw0av_H8/s1600-h/darcygilles.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVO49_zrQR1qaFSOza6I7g8CKMkD2ZKTRWQ3O-tKjgLoeqQCjzahaJKnc79EHpUgApjnGLxOuG_v7A4kSAyjt-YIbkpa3fsNInbCO-idB5pZw7J0RLRbTgtGYUrf32TLwTanQw0av_H8/s320/darcygilles.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449571760168873378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ish7WWC5WjrqIm8tFoi1v8ngFxPLyvBiAr0P2W8GWiJoiK1shz0IABo998re593GBuybtwFVzRvoQ9sb0ODQgCsEt8XBntS6OQU2urdkpmsDM6cHYLBbscE2aLBqg6vAcGeQALHYuCs/s1600-h/IMG_6141.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ish7WWC5WjrqIm8tFoi1v8ngFxPLyvBiAr0P2W8GWiJoiK1shz0IABo998re593GBuybtwFVzRvoQ9sb0ODQgCsEt8XBntS6OQU2urdkpmsDM6cHYLBbscE2aLBqg6vAcGeQALHYuCs/s320/IMG_6141.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449571752744195794" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncX-1iqnS5eADi_23KwFSTvkRo2DuGUQERerID2GETZkrVcd8FOv1hBkb9z6AL7w7aICJHWlO9Iauwic_JvJdjpvWygEHiZbSfaov2mRdrWw_LoAjkLJrP30zOhpZCbzpBHO55q77CYg/s1600-h/IMG_6066.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncX-1iqnS5eADi_23KwFSTvkRo2DuGUQERerID2GETZkrVcd8FOv1hBkb9z6AL7w7aICJHWlO9Iauwic_JvJdjpvWygEHiZbSfaov2mRdrWw_LoAjkLJrP30zOhpZCbzpBHO55q77CYg/s320/IMG_6066.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449571739102258546" /></a><br />After leaving Calgary a couple of weeks ago, we returned to France with heavy hearts. As with our visit there almost two years ago, we were reminded that seeing our friends makes us realize how much we miss them. We always have a wonderful time with them during our stay, but inevitably we have to leave. This time it hit Gilles harder than after our first visit. He said he does not miss his Calgary work life, but really does miss our friends. I told him to give it a week and he would feel at home in France again. Sure enough, he went to the market last Saturday and returned saying that he didn’t know how we could ever leave France. But wine, bread, and cheese may not satisfy us forever….<br /><br />A heartfelt thank-you to everyone that welcomed us into their home while we were in Canada. The Schultzs cooked for us while we were in Vancouver, and we weren’t even staying in their house! But a trip home would never be complete without Darcy’s wings and ribs! Thanks to the Duncans for welcoming us into their home in Calgary. It was great to finally meet Liam, who shared all his toys with Xavier. And thanks to the Jupps for throwing us a great party. We wouldn’t have been able to see many of our friends had it not been for them. And it was also great to finally meet little Eric Jupp. There will be lots of friends for Xavier if/when we move back to Calgary!Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5889094698482686833.post-81795758986004011872010-03-11T13:05:00.000+01:002010-03-11T13:09:00.350+01:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECRfsrblU6SmYZ-m_C69Y-AIP4jiO-wmzJXCTHx3LMHb8S44gIWyp5XUYjkmcm5L9URllr4Sw49P1jUClW0xYagl-0Kl1ClFQZljJophBv108oQ_QaCMbWvN6ef3W0C2wjKE9aFEunFc/s1600-h/IMG_6126.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECRfsrblU6SmYZ-m_C69Y-AIP4jiO-wmzJXCTHx3LMHb8S44gIWyp5XUYjkmcm5L9URllr4Sw49P1jUClW0xYagl-0Kl1ClFQZljJophBv108oQ_QaCMbWvN6ef3W0C2wjKE9aFEunFc/s320/IMG_6126.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447347060923126002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FKS5jl2FNI3-0b-wlwGRvd1gT2NzQ9IM5hUJfv7EaiASo58rGHrSYNtzQOXEG4xlX9WRXdEKMdjb3h1wVkmsHNl3BazER8gpaBHCGIO99t9QzjLEtwRCeeRscfImGbJuM_Objf5cXnA/s1600-h/IMG_6057.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_FKS5jl2FNI3-0b-wlwGRvd1gT2NzQ9IM5hUJfv7EaiASo58rGHrSYNtzQOXEG4xlX9WRXdEKMdjb3h1wVkmsHNl3BazER8gpaBHCGIO99t9QzjLEtwRCeeRscfImGbJuM_Objf5cXnA/s320/IMG_6057.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447347052458575970" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJnFnIvQQXkUb8WoRXIv9WBUp0IIg4SvujDSoD8OH43HgAUI_R_ukaqNkg4ILlO3bdvRyPyCwK3Fe6noy9H7XJdppCEY1ZNnC92PfUwU7QM0ioS1fPocHXb2A7O-j7qVgMNWC_UMw2s8/s1600-h/IMG_5905.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJnFnIvQQXkUb8WoRXIv9WBUp0IIg4SvujDSoD8OH43HgAUI_R_ukaqNkg4ILlO3bdvRyPyCwK3Fe6noy9H7XJdppCEY1ZNnC92PfUwU7QM0ioS1fPocHXb2A7O-j7qVgMNWC_UMw2s8/s320/IMG_5905.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447347043853204994" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcvAppHFtYf6J7U4ErNVg4p7lXAGrte8xkdxeUVDfe2pPp3rfOS_qoJt-2xmjMD5rGYWHNqa5cqT8f7H56bsf6naaDsWnn_nCXCxaq6lz3pbDyMwzrt35EQD3B77wIL2Uy3ewbGcK85L8/s1600-h/IMG_5897.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcvAppHFtYf6J7U4ErNVg4p7lXAGrte8xkdxeUVDfe2pPp3rfOS_qoJt-2xmjMD5rGYWHNqa5cqT8f7H56bsf6naaDsWnn_nCXCxaq6lz3pbDyMwzrt35EQD3B77wIL2Uy3ewbGcK85L8/s320/IMG_5897.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447347038677520738" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWj3luu6BTCH1XqpsGoQ4zk87Fecg8A9wrxDg9VVacCcdqolFlAvVNiqN1I3rYnzYabbNxBX6GTgFIVjAjxLWugWVJiBJ6WvYFVVE8jiPZwYoMuek3nBUXb6sTyFxfbu8pw-ekFZIkXI/s1600-h/IMG_5880.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWj3luu6BTCH1XqpsGoQ4zk87Fecg8A9wrxDg9VVacCcdqolFlAvVNiqN1I3rYnzYabbNxBX6GTgFIVjAjxLWugWVJiBJ6WvYFVVE8jiPZwYoMuek3nBUXb6sTyFxfbu8pw-ekFZIkXI/s320/IMG_5880.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447347032132428738" /></a>Aprilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256343456622262135noreply@blogger.com0