December in France 2006

It's that time a year again and the holidays are upon us. Thanksgiving passed by quickly but we got to celebrate with two different families on two different days. What more could you want!

Thanksgiving at the Tills in St. Quentin-la-Poterie (a part English/ part American) family and another couple from the US who have started a winery nearby.
Zoe and Lara Till

Thanksgiving at the Tills
Thankgiving at the Faigles After Thankgiving the Joyeuses Fetes started in Avignon, Nimes, Uzes and every small village in between. The streets are decorated with lights, christmas concerts are staged and the holidays are here. The difference we see is that people do not go all out in decorating their homes (inside or outside) for the holidays and if they buy a sapin it is smaller. Rarely do you see a large tree for sale.

December has been a beautiful month and not as cold as last year. As a result the fall seems to have continued through to now when I am just beginning to have to wear a winter coat and eat lunch inside.

Shopping in Avignon

Walking outside our village

AN ALL FRENCH DINNER

After a good year of being here we decided to invite two french couples (one with kids) over for a Sunday Holiday lunch. All in French they kept the conversation going with Jean with me chipping in here and there. The meal was fabulous; a starter of salmon with avocado, my signature dish of roasted lamb with grape and raisin sauce with wine, haricort verte, riz, homemade chocloate saltine cookies (recipe available) lemon tarte, cheese and cafe. From 1pm to 4:30 we sat and drank and ate and conversed (I mostly listened) in French. Even with weekly lessons my French is far from perfect as I struggle to hear all the different innuendos and to understand everthing I hear (something I shouldn't worry about). Then on the other hand I have no fear now of saying "parle lentement sil vous plait." Speak slowy please. Then my accent is also on the horrible side and sometimes I get so frustrated that others don't understand me even though I feel I am saying the words perfectly. Languages is something that should be learned at a young age - there is no doubt about that in my mind.

in spite of it all I felt great that I could participate some and could host such a lunch and Jean was very proud of me as well!.

Anne and Gide

Beatrice and Denys    

Zoe, Mia, and Lou

ZOE-PASCALE'S FIRST TRIMESTER REPORT CARD

We are thrilled to say that Zoe-Pascale received her first trimester report card for CE1 (second grade) and got straight A's

The teacher's remarks were as follows: "Excellent resultats! Tres gentille et agreeable, C'est parfait, continue. Overall A+

Basically that says. Excellent results, She is very kind and agreeable. It is perfect. Continue. A+

AND LAST ZOE DECIDED TO DRESS JEAN AND PANTOUFLE UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS... THE POOR DOG