Getting ready for the movers

5 Weeks.  35 Days until we leave Los Angeles.  Let the countdown begin.  We are starting to get ready for the movers, who come in 2 weeks.  We are using Rainier Overseas Movers.  We had California Relocation services come to the house to do a survey of the things we were taking.  They work with both of the companies we looked at, so they both had the same information.  We decided on Rainier because they were a bit (not much) cheaper and No Regrets for Me also used them when she moved to Brantome.

We are looking at what we have, how much it's worth and if we should pay for it to be shipped or could we buy a replacement in France.  Things like the old couch won't go, we'll get another at Ikea.  Things like my cookware and such will definitely be going.  It's not cheap to ship your stuff and since we are paying for it ourselves, we have to smart about what we'll be taking.  I'm not a hoarder and really have no sentimental ties to my "stuff",  so getting rid of things is no big deal to me.  There are a couple things, like these etchings my mom got in New Orleans about 50 years ago, an antique dresser and a few other things that I would never give away, but that's about it.  I don't like clutter and believe in less in more.

Once the movers pack us up, we won't see our stuff for 75-90 days.  Luckily the village house we are renting in St. Antonin will come furnished until our stuff comes.  The hardest thing is that we will be  without our bikes for 2-3 months.  We'll have to run, rock climb, do yoga and join the "club du musculation" the local gym in Villefranche so we can stay fit.

We'll leave Los Angeles and head east to Michigan to see my family for a few days and then we'll drive down to Chicago.  When we left on our sabbatical in 08 we drove to Chicago and left from there, because it's only 7.5 hours to Paris, 12 hours from Los Angeles.  We have the dogs and 12 hours is a long time.  7.5 isn't too bad.  They have done the trip before and they were fine.  We are flying United again, since they took such good care of them last time.  We have decided to fly to Brussels instead of Paris this time.  We are going to spend 2 days there looking for a used car.  The used cars in France are very expensive and they are not so in Belgium.  We are looking for a good reliable car, a bit newer than Claude (our 1985 Peugeot station wagon we had last time we lived there).  We are thinking of a Peugeot 305 estate (station wagon) or a Skoda estate.  We had great luck with Claude and all the french mechanics know how to work on Peugeots.  We want a wagon, so we can pack up the bikes or the dogs and still have a bit of room.  Once we find a car, we'll drive down to St. Antonin.  I have heard that the Brussels airport is so nice and easy, CDG in Paris is a nightmare!

Claude our 1985 305 estate

A new 307 estate

I'm also going to start throwing pottery again.  I haven't thrown in almost 2 years.  I couldn't find a place to throw when we were living in France last time and then when we came back to the states last October, we didn't move back into our house (my studio was in the garage) and I had no place for my kiln.  I sold my wheel and just sold my kiln and slab roller.  We'd like to find a small space to rent in the village where we can have our studios.  I'll throw and Bruce will paint.  We are also going to offer some art classes on Wednesday and Saturday for local kids during the school year.  We'll focus on our art in the winter/spring and hopefully get it into some galleries/shops.

some of my pottery

For late spring/summer we'll focus on Raison d'Art  our new business.  We'll have women's retreats in May & September and Summer art camps for tweens/teens June-August.  Our first trip this July was a huge success and we know that we can offer kids a very unique experience, something they will never forget.  We'll take kids from all over the world, but the focus next year will be on the US and England.

Right now I'm a bit nervous but super excited.  Our one year sabbatical was amazing and life-changing and we knew we wanted to go back for good, but when it's only 5 weeks away it's a bit scary.  No turning back.  The business has been sold, the movers are coming, the one-way tickets have been purchased...we are so ready for our new life!

10 Random Things....

Stella 

Dashell

about me?  Nope.  Megan at An American in Provence  tagged me for "10 random things".  I was tagged a few months ago and you can check it out here if you are at all interested.  I decided to have our dogs do 10 random things about themselves, you know, mix things up a bit.  I have had a few requests to do a post or so including them, so here you go.  All you need to know about our kids.  Since Dashell is older, I'll let him go first.

DASHELL - 4 years old, Golden Retriever

1.  I was born in Storrs, Connecticut

2.  I have flown on a plane twice.  The first time I was 4 months old and flew in my "first" mom's (Patty) arms.  The second was in September when I flew to France.

3.  I am a Northstar Foundation dog

4.  I'm a big scardey cat (say for instance a door is 1/2 closed, instead of using my huge schnoz to open it, I'll just cry until you let me in)

5.  I'm a talker...yes, just like my grandfather who they called "the whirler", I sound like Chewbacca (you know the Wookie from Star Wars). I always have to have something in my mouth when you come home so I can "whirl" away

6.  I love kids and I'm a really nice guy (i know that's two but oh well)

7.  My favorite thing to chew is an empty toilet paper roll (I actually eat it)

8.  My favorite toy is my yellow ice cream cone,  Lorette (who is Sophie's mom) actually introduce me to the cone and it's the only toy that I'll play with.  I'm so happy Mom and Dad brought (4) to france with us

9.  I can do many tricks - shake (with left and right), sit, lay down, high five and turn-around

10. I'm a counter-surfer, great trick (i've scored many goodies), although my mom and dad don't think so!

STELLA - 2 1/2, Terrier Mix

1.  I was dumped at a park on/around Thanksgiving Day 2006 by my first owner (when I was only 4 months old)

2.  I was found by my new parents that day (my mom said to my Dad..."I can't leave her" and he said "Do what you have to do")

3.  I look like a drowned rat when I get a bath

4.  I have many nicknames:  Stella V, Stella Vaughn, Vixon, Vicki, Mitzi, ViVi and Venus

5.  I can almost do a flip - I'd be a great circus dog

6.  I am a girl but look like a boy (I have a beard)

7.  I resemble "The Unibomber" Ted Kaczynski  

8.  I really don't like Maillot kitty, especially when she sleeps by Dashell, argh!

9.  I won't eat my kibble unless mom puts in some pasta, rice or scrambled egg (so spoiled)

10. I have a beautiful under bite!

11. I know we were only to do 10...but we had to put this in. We both miss Augie.

Augie - January 1, 1992 - June 27, 2008

A visit to Montauban

cool statue made from scraps

Last week it was raining so we hopped in the car and took a trip to Montauban, it's about 50 minutes southwest of where we live. It's always hard driving into a new city, you have no idea where to go, where to park, but we have found that it's best to head for the Office of Tourism, there are signs for it everywhere and once you find it, there's ample parking. Then you can pick up a map of the city/village and you are off.

We really liked this city. Can't call it a village, it's too big, I think (52,000). But it was beautiful. Actually the building that housed the office de tourism was amazing. Bruce wanted to go to visit the Musée Ingres as Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres is one of his favorites and Bruce and many others consider him on of great draftsman (drawer). His pencil drawings were unbelievable.  I was more amazed with the building. The museum is located in a building that once served as the residence of the bishops of Montauban. The structure belongs chiefly to the 17th century, but some portions are much older, notably an underground chamber known as the Hall of the Black Prince (Salle du Prince Noir). It was where people were tortured, getting down to it was creepy and once you reached it it took your breath away. In the back were cells where people where held and there were some of the old torture devices down there.  A renovation carried out between 1951–1958 made Musée Ingres a modern institution according to the designs of the time, equipped with additional inventories.

The museum had some amazing pieces of art in it but the lighting was horrible, just horrible. Nothing like having a piece on the wall with so many lights facing directly on it that you can't even see it because of the glare. Not sure why nobody has ever noticed this before. Maybe it was just us and Bruce's picky eye.

We wandered around Place National, which is an arcade with a big open square in the middle and arches all around with shops in them.  Then went to lunch at an Indian restaurant at the corner of the Place National. Oh my it was so good. We haven't had indian since we left Los Angeles, on a cold wet day it was the perfect choice. Then we were for a bit of clothes/shoe shopping, although we didn't buy anything. I'm a horrible shopper, I much better internet shopper, where I can take my time. We then went for coffee at a really cool place called Le Cozy. The space was great and we met the owner and his daughter (it was Wednesday so she was not in school), we would love to go back for dinner.  Very warm and cozy!

On the way out we stopped at a bike shop (of course) and purchased some winter booties to cover our biking shoes, because when we were riding our feet were freezing. We also stopped at a store called Decathalon, which is a sporting goods store, great prices on sweaters, layering stuff and fleece. We purchased some good there to help keep us warm.

Montauban is the capital of Tarn-et-Garonne département in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France, it is located about 30 mi (50 km) by road north of Toulouse. It lies on the banks of the River Tarn, 53km from Toulouse, close to its junction with the Aveyron. Its history goes back to 1144 when the count of Toulouse decided to create a bastide here as a bulwark against English and French royal power. In fact, it's generally regarded as the first bastide, the model for those rationally laid-out medieval new towns, and that plan is still clearly evident in the beautiful town centre.

Montauban has enjoyed various periods of great prosperity, as one can guess from the proliferation of fine town houses. The first followed the suppression of the Cathar heresy and the final submission of the counts of Toulouse in 1229 and was greatly enhanced by the building of the Pont-Vieux in 1335, making it the best crossing-point on the Tarn for miles around. The Hundred Years War did its share of damage, as did Montauban's opting for the Protestant cause in the Wars of Religion, but by the time of the Revolution it had become once more one of the richest cities in the southwest, particularly successful in the manufacture of cloth.The early 14th-century Pont-Vieux still bridges the Tarn. Next to it on the right bank stands the 17th-century episcopal palace that, in the mid-19th century, became the Musée Ingres, housing 4,000 drawings and several paintings of the 18th–19th-century French painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, born at Montauban in 1780, as well as other contemporary works. The “Vow of Louis XIII,” by Ingres, hangs in the cathedral. The church of Saint-Jacques, a fortified church dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, dominates the town. Montauban, was founded by the counts of Toulouse in the 12th century and was a principal bastion of Protestantism in southwest France during the 16th and 17th centuries.

It was a great day in a new city. Fun to explore and see new things and to just go for it. We never have a set plan, just wander around and see what you see. Here are a whole bunch of shots from the day. If you are around this area, it's a nice place to visit.

the courtyard inside the musée Ingres

statue in courtyard

me heading down to the tourture chamber

the tourture chamber

Bruce heading down

Pont Vieux (old bridge)

place national

columns all around the place national

a notre maison, the chicken came first.

me and Rhoda (she pooped in my pocket during the shot)

Fanny

Rhoda

well, it's official...we are now proud owners of 3 chickens.  2 hens (Fanny and Rhoda) and 1 cock (Dickie).  I have always wanted chickens, but living in Los Angeles it just wasn't possible.  Well, it's possible, but if your neighbors complain then you have to give them away.  We also didn't have the space with the dogs and all.  I wanted to get chickens when I moved to france, but kept putting it off because I really didn't know where to get them, how to take care of them, what to do, etc...

Last Saturday our dear friends Ben and Anke came over for our version of thanksgiving...a mexican fiesta.  We made homemade guacamole, salsa and chicken/beef fajitas.  We also had nachos.  Alan (another friend) made these amazing peppers stuffed with Cantal cheese.  I'm not sure what it is about the french and dressing up.  Not sure if you read this post, where our friends Jacques and Fabrice came over the day after the election dressed as soldiers, with a bottle of champagne so we could toast an Obama victory,  that was our first taste of french humor.

So, on Saturday we had Indians over for dinner.  Yes, Ben and Anke dressed as Indians so that we could celebrate thanksgiving.  We told them that we normally don't dress up for thanksgiving, but we liked their creativity.  Crazy french.  They came with NO shoes and it's freezing outside.  On their faces, soot from the stove.  

our crazy freinds Ben & Anke

During dinner I told Ben that I really wanted chickens.  Not to eat, but to lay eggs.  He told me he'd bring me some.  "Sure, he's going to bring me chickens", I thought.  Well, on Monday Ben had to come and fix a leak around the shower...he comes in, we have some tea/coffee and we are talking and he says "oh, your chickens are in the car".  What!  Yes, 2 hens that are "almost ready to start laying eggs".  I know there is a technical term for that, so help me out if you know it.    We also have a cock, with a limp.  Yes, our cock has a limp!  great.

So, ben pulls them out of the car - the cock is in the carrier they use for his kids rabbit and the hens are in their "laundry basket".  What a great guy - he uses his laundry basket to bring over our hens.  We have a shed about 30 feet from our house and that will be their new home.  Ben told us to put them in for the day/night with food and water and bedding (straw) and then they'll know it's where they live and roost.  We went up to the farmers house to get some straw for their bedding and he also gave us some more food for them and wished us "bonne chance". Huh?

So, they were in the shed all day on Monday (to get used to their home) and the next morning we went to let them out for the day.  We just opened the door and they came out.  During the day they wandered around the meadow, the woods and just clucked around.  Then came dusk and Ben told us just to shoo them into the shed at night.  Well, how do you do that?  About 1/2 hour before it got dark we went to the shed and they were just hanging out.  I even got Rhoda to eat from my hand, damn her beak is sharp, ouch!  But they wouldn't go into the shed.  We were thinking we'd be outside chasing these chickens around all night.  

So what do you do when you don't know what to do....you google your question.  Damn, I love the internet.  We found out that what we did, putting them in the shed for a day was smart, because it's got them used to where they will roost and that at dusk they will just go into the shed on their own.  So we kept watching out the door and then all of a sudden I saw Dickie jump into the shed and then the hens followed.  Bruce went up to see them and they were all in bed, so cute.  So he shut the door to lock them in so that they don't get eaten by a fox or something.

I'm a farmer, well sort of.  I guess just a chicken owner.  I always read the blog Apiferafarm and so love her life (farm, chickens, goats, donkeys, art, lavender).  I emailed her with tons of questions about chickens and she emailed me back with so much information,  thank you!  Now I'm a bit closer with my chickens, we are friends.  I have held all of them and they are very sweet.  Yesterday I spent about 20 minutes in the coop cleaning it out, putting their nests where they roost up higher and talking to them, clucking around, getting them comfortable.  We can't wait until we go out and see our first eggs. We were told that during the winter they don't lay as many eggs and we are not sure when they will start laying, but we'll keep checking. 

Fresh eggs every morning, how great....how organic, how healthy....love it!

Franglish

Have you ever seen the movie "spanglish"? It came out in 2004 and has Adam Sandler, Téa Leoni and Paz Vega. It's about a woman from Mexico who moves to Los Angeles and is the housekeeper for Adam & Téa. She doesn't speak any english, but tries to help the dysfunctional family in other ways. She then learns english and well I don't need to go into the whole movie. If you haven't seen it, it's cute, funny and entertaining. The title is what I'm looking at anyway.

What does that have to do with me. Well....it's been 2 months here in the Aveyron. 5 week of my french class in the village (2x a week - 3 hours per class). I also took french in the states for 2 1/2 years (1 day a week for 1 hour), but it was really hard to practice in Los Angeles.

When I first arrived here I was a bit shy about speaking. But now I just go for it. I love being corrected, it's a great way to learn and the french are so nice to me even though I fumble with their language. But one thing I have noticed lately is that I'm starting to speak "franglais". I'll be rattling off a sentence and then not remember 1 word and so I throw in the English word. Now it's cool when I'm speaking to someone who also speaks English, but most of the time they don't and they just look at me like I'm nuts and sometimes I really don't even notice I'm doing it. It just flows out so easily.  I think I'm fluent in Franglish!

So, Franglish is a portmanteau combining the French words "français" ("French") and "anglais" ("English"), and it is a slang term for an interlanguage, although the word has different overtones in French and English.

In English, (Franglish) usually consists of either filling in gaps in one's knowledge of French with English words, using false cognates with their incorrect meaning or speaking French in such a manner that (although ostensibly "French") would be incomprehensible to a French-speaker who does not also have a knowledge of English (for example, by using a literal translation of English idiomatic phrases).

Some examples of Franglish are:
Longtemps, pas voir. – Long time, no see.
Je vais driver downtown. – I'm going to drive downtown.
Je suis tired. – I am tired.
Je ne care pas. – I don't care.
J'agree. – I agree.

I have never used the examples above. But I would do something like this:

"demain, vous descendons au village pour voir si nous pouvons trouver quelques RUGS pour le FLOOR"
I didn't know the word for RUGS - couvertures or the word for FLOORS - le plancher

the sentence reads: "tomorrow, we are going to the village to see if we can find some rugs for the floors"

Now if you knew french and english you'd get what I'm saying, but if you were french you would have NO idea what the hell RUG or le FLOOR (like if I put a "le" in front of the english word they will magically know what I mean) is. So then I have to describe with my hands what I'm trying to say. I'm not sure this is normal for someone in a foreign country learning the language, but it is for me, I'm embarrassed to say.  

My new favorite soup

When we were in Figeac last week we had lunch at a lovely restaurant called Le Sphinx.  I had this amazing potage légumes d'hiver (winter vegetable soup) and from the first taste I knew I had to make it at home.  Did that yesterday and it's my new favorite.  Thought I'd pass on the recipe.  This isn't for all my Southern California friends, because I think it's like 75 and sunny there right, but when it gets chilly (like it is here in France) this is the perfect soup.  Enjoy.

Potage légumes d'hiver

1/2 cup butter unsalted,
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
1 each leek trimmed, split lengthwise, chopped and well washed
3 each celery stalks, chopped
3 each garlic cloves, crushed
1 small jalapeno pepper split lengthwise, seeded, and chopped
2 large carrots peeled, chopped
1/2 medium cabbage head, savoy, cored, coarsely chopped
2 medium potatoes baking, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 medium turnip white, peeled and chopped
1 medium fennel bulb bulb, chopped
1 medium celery root, (celeriac) pared, coarsely chopped
3 each broccoli florets stalks, coarsely cut up
12 sprigs parsley leaves 
10 cups chicken broth
3 cups heavy whipping cream (whipping cream)
1 x salt to taste
1 x black pepper to taste
1 x sour cream garnish
1 x chives fresh, chopped, garnish

Directions
In a large saucepan or casserole, heat up the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion, leek, celery, garlic and jalapeno pepper chili. Cook, covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the carrots, cabbage, potatoes, turnips, fennel, kohlrabi, celery root, broccoli, parsley, and enough stock to nearly cover.

Bring the contents to a boil; lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until very tender.

Puree the soup, working in batches as necessary, in a processor or blender. Rinse out the pan, pour the soup back into the saucepan, and bring the soup to a simmer.

Add cream and salt and pepper to taste; heat back up to simmer. Serve with garnish of sour cream and chives.

Aveyron Update

a beautiful old ruin

This week has flown by.  It's now November, we have been here for 1 month and we have a new president!  The longest we have ever stayed in France is 1 month.   I still feel like I'm on vacation, I don't think about home or worry about the business, because things are going great there.  But I also haven't gotten into a groove yet.  I'm sure that will come soon enough.

It's fall holiday here in France for the schools, so I don't have french class for almost 2 weeks.  I am sad about that, because I'm really enjoying the class.  I go Tuesday from 9-12 and Friday from 9-12, I have 12 other people in the class and we can't speak english, can't bring dictionaries or verb books and our teacher doesn't speak a hint of english.  There is alot that I miss, but it's great. I'm excited to go back on November 7th.

We turned the clocks back here in Europe on Saturday the 25th and I'm happy about that.  It wasn't getting light out until almost 8:30 am.  I'd much rather have it dark earlier in the evening and lighter in the morning.  

On Sunday the 26th, Bruce and I road from Cordes-sur-Ciel to Albi and back.  It's was about 65 degrees and beautiful and sunny and warm and we had a lovely ride.  About 2 hours and we took the backroads so there wasn't much traffic and beautiful views.   We then spent about a hour sitting outside at a café in Cordes...soaking up the sun.  Cordes "on the sky" - so called officially since the twentieth century, because of the way it rises above low lying mists on winter mornings.

The town was founded in 1222 by Raimon VII, Count of Toulouse, during the Occitan re-conquest after the death of Simon de Monfort. Cordes was the first and most important «bastide», built to welcome refugees after the Cathar wars. The town was encircled by two fortification lines closed by powerful fortified gates. Cordes remained the first stronghold of the Albi region for a long time. It became one of the major Cathar centres, and consequently would experience the cruelty of the Papal Inquisition. Following the Cathar period, Cordes experienced exceptional growth. The early bastide spread out beyond its early ramparts and new suburbs were built requiring new fortification lines (5 in all). Within three generations Cordes became a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants. Its prosperity sprang from the textile and leather industries, trading and finance.  Today Cordes is renowned for its luxurious houses and small palaces built by prosperous merchants and noble families between 1280 and 1350. Gothic decorations can be found in the architecture and some façades are decorated with high relief sculptures.

If you like being a tourist, this is the place for you. It is chock-full of people living in chocolate-box picture houses, over 50 resident artists, numerous restaurants, three museums and its own heritage industry. There are also numerous theatrical plays and seasonal festivals (including ones for the asparagus and truffle seasons).  It's a really beautiful village.  Last year Bruce and I bought these etchings from a man in Cordes, his wife draws the pictures (usually small line drawings of the village) and the husband prints them.

beautiful view

Looking up toward Cordes

It rained on Monday...all day and it was cold.  Tuesday we decided to venture out and drive up to Rodez so Bruce could look for another bike.  Yes, he needs another bike, one that he can ride in the rain, in the winter, to the village and not worry about it. Our road bikes are pretty expensive and it's just not practical to use them as commuter bikes.  I bought my commuter bike a couple weeks ago and it's been great.  We also met up with Betty from Cuisine Quotidienne  who lives just outside of Rodez.  It was great to meet her and she took us to a lovely restaurant called Chez Marie.  It's a fomagerie and also a restaurant (lunch only), all of the dishes are built around cheese, how can you go wrong with that.  Lunch was fantastic and Betty is lovely.  It rained all day in Rodez so we actually spent most of the time sitting in the workroom of the local bikeshop, because Bruce bought a Cyclocross bike (which means it's for road and mountain), he's pretty excited.  We also went to the local art supply store and he bought canvas, oil paint, acrylic paint, brushes, etc...so get ready for some pictures of his paintings.  We didn't walk around Rodez much, we'll have to go back when it's not freezing and raining.

On Wednesday it rained again in the morning and was nice in the afternoon, so we jumped on our commuter bikes and road into Villefrance.  We went to the market and had a café at our local hangout called Le Globe and then I wandered into this upscale kitchen supply shop that I've been eyeing since last year.  I spent a good hour just wandering around.  I just love kitchen supply stores.  Then on Thursday morning we woke up to SNOW.  Yes, snow.  Holy crap, it snowed in October.  Bruce hasn't seen snow in about 20 years, I haven't seen snow in maybe 7 or 8.  The flakes were huge and our jaws dropped when we woke up and saw it.  The dogs have never seen snow before.  Dashell loved it, Stella...not too much.  We had to get some vegetables and such so we bundled up and headed over to the Thursday morning market in Villefrance.  By the time we left we were soaked (even with hats, rain jackets) and very cold.  But we figured that we can't just sit here in the house and fester!   

SNOW!

On Friday we saw a break in the clouds and jumped on the bikes and went on  a ride, about 30 miles and it was actually quite warm (well, let me re-phrase that) quite warm for here...i'd say it was around 60.  I cant' believe I'm saying that's warm.  We headed north to an area we had never biked to before, it was of course stunning scenery.  Everywhere we go it's like a painting.

When we got home we decided it was time to go out to dinner, since we haven't been out to dinner since we arrived.  We went into the little village of La Fouillade (about 3 miles from here) and went to "le vieux chene" - translated  "the old oak".  We walked in and it was about 6:45...there wasn't anyone there, except the owner, his wife, his daughter and her little girl.  Of course, we were too early, they don't start serving until 7:15.  So we sat and had some wine and started to talk to them.  Then all of a sudden we start hearing "Paul Weller"....our favorite musician.  We both had to laugh and knew this would be a good place.  The owners Paul and Linda have lived here for about 4 years and they just took over the restaurant/bar/b&b.  They are from Cambridge England and are so nice.  On Friday they have a set "themed" menu and tonight was Italian.  We had soup, pasta with bolagnaise sauce, garlic bread and tiramasu, yummy.  Next Friday is Fish and Chips and the friday after that Curry night.  We stayed until about 10:30 and met some other people who were really nice and ended up at the bar talking with everyone.  Great place and great people.  We were so happy we went out.

Last Saturday was "All Saints Day" here in France, so everything was closed...but that didn't matter because it rained...again!  We had friends over for dinner last night - Jacques and Fabiane.  Lovely night with good friends, good food, good wine and a warm fire.  Perfect.

Sunday it, you guessed it, rained again.  The forecast calls for a couple more day of rain, with clearing here and there and then nice.  Oh please stop raining.  Coming from Los Angeles, where it rains maybe 5 days a year, this is really difficult for us.  On Monday we went shopping for rain boots, because leather boots don't do well in the wet.   These boots ROCK, they were 8 euros and they are dark green farmers boots, so we can put them on and head out with the dogs and our feet don't get soaked.   We have had to have a fire almost every day it's been so cold and if we keep going like that, we'll run out of firewood 1/2 way through the winter.  Everyone has told us that the farmers are saying it's going to be a very cold winter.  Help me!

Tuesday it rained again.  We did venture out because it's only water.  Yesterday was a long day, because we got up at 4:30 am to see the elections unfold and we were so happy that America did the right thing and voted Obama as our new president.  It was a cold and rainy (big surprise) day, so we just stayed in and napped.  Our friends Jacques and Fabrice came over with champagne in their army hats and streamers congratulating us on our victory.  Yes, the french do have a sense of humor.

Jacques and Fabrice

Today, it's freaking raining again.  OMG.  But we are heading out to the open market because we need cheese, veggies, wine, spices, etc...on with the rain boots, rain jackets.  We hope that life here in the Aveyron won't be all rain or we will be bummed out for the winter.  It sure makes you realize how spoiled we are in Los Angeles, you take the no rain and warm weather for granted.