Down the Road...

Yesterday I finally think I made some head-way in cleaning up the house.  I did the upstairs salle de bain....doesn't sound like much does it?  Well you must take into account that there a 5 people using the one and only (okay, we do have another toilet that is tucked under that stairs on the ground floor of the house, but about a month ago I deemed it 'the boys bathroom' and have decided that I will never go in there again...evah'...)... so yes, the upper bathroom on the middle floor, which has a ridiculously useless bath tub and another toilet that we installed instead of the bidet (I know--how un-French, right?!)--is used by the five of us, and takes about 3 hours to clean! I usually clean it in combo with our bedroom because they are in close proximity--hence the added labor time...and I am doing all this while Petite Fille naps--so I have to be stealth and careful so as not to wake her and end up with a half cleaned loo for another week....or more.

So after finishing the bathroom and bedroom and taking a tiny dent out of the laundry pile that was on the floor of the bathroom... I felt I had done enough to sustain my title as 'cleaning fairy' for the day ('Hey, who cleaned that up?!'.....'Must have been the cleaning-fairy!') So French Guy and I took a walk in Deauville to window shop and drool (I am sure I left a puddle in front of 'Hermes').... and then on the way home thought we might stop at a 'farm stand' next door in Villerville.  We had seen the sign... 'Ouvre Tous Les Jours 18.30h - 20h. ) which is 6:30 pm to 8 pm which is odd hours for a market--but worked for us!

The problem was is was only 6:15, but we drove up the long drive anyway, and just before parking at the 'chateau' French Guy rolled down his window and tried to convince Monsieur Gentleman Farmer to allow us to shop a bit early ... mais, non. Even with all due charm, French Guy failed....and we returned home, used those spare 15 minutes to put a chicken in the oven, hop in the car and go back.

By the time we returned, at 6:40 pm, there was 5 people in line out the door of the little produce-shop that is run from the cellar of the chateau; they sell carrots, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, chard...(which I learned is called 'bette' here).....fresh milk, eggs....just about everything.  I bought wax-beans, potatoes, and chard...for less than 6 euro.

And, of course.....took some pictures on the way out.  It could easily become a daily venture.  I am evening toying with the idea of attaching a basket to the front of my bike and trekking there from home....sounds kind of Frenchy-quaint, huh?

 But I just adored 'le chateau' and the Gentleman Farmer and his wife who was so kind to me after hearing my attempts to speak French and my negotiations in English when I was speaking to Middle Garcon about which potatoes to chose and 'Please don't touch!' every single vegetable he saw!

The sun was shining, the cows were 'mooooo-ing' and I was head over heels in love with the sunflowers.....

Happy to find another place to be, to fold into our daily French life..... necessary pieces of good and beauty...

Hope you are having a wonderful week--summer is here finally, or summer has returned at last!  

A bientot--mes chers amis!