Needle in a.......

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house......So whilst sneaking around in the dark, arranging presents under the tree on Christmas Eve --- Ho! Ho! Ho!....fa-la-la.....yeeeee----oooowww---ouuuuch!  Something stuck me in my foot!  I think I leaped in the air higher than Dasher or Dancer and probably howled loud enough to be heard at the North Pole.... and then I went to bed....with not quite sugar plums dancing in my head.

The next morning woke up feeling pretty bad--but hey! It was Christmas and watching 'les enfants' open presents and especially watching 'Petite Fille' in 'French Guy's arms take in all of the excitement for her very first Christmas--distracted me from thinking too much about anything aside from the joy of Christmas morning.  Later in the day as I limped around the kitchen--I was mostly feeling stupid for stepping on something that I was guessing was a pin or needle left from the multiple sewing projects that were in the works for the prior few days... in the late afternoon I took a rest with my foot up feeling more foolish than anything else that I had managed to find the one AWOL pin that was embedded in the carpet with my bare-foot.  I should of been wearing slippers or something--but I am a bare-foot girl--even in the dead of winter--so are 'les garcons'---especially California born-'Oldest Garcon'--you can take the kid out of California--but you can't take California (and the tendency to prefer bare-feet) out of the kid.

Fast forward to that evening and I was no longer able to ignore that I was suffering more than a little poke in 'le pied' ... and when French Guy found a broken piece of less than half a sewing needle under the bench in our dining room it was time to go to get some x-rays in search of the other part....which was...yes, cringe....embedded now quite snuggly in my heel-bone... about an inch of sewing needle.  Lovely.

I am not good with blood, injury, etc.  I have been in the hospital three times in my entire life--for the birth of my children--that was enough.  I am not especially fond of being in a hospital here in France...no offense intended.  I cannot speak or understand French well enough to keep up with the dialog about my condition or what is happening next--that is upsetting to me.  I like having some control or at least knowledge about my well-being, what can I say?  So finding out that surgery was required to free the needle from my foot was bad news on the day after Christmas.....a definite memory-maker for the festive season--non?

I'll spare the details--but I lucked out to have a Brit for an anesthesiologist and a young French intern for a surgeon who spoke excellent English and enjoyed 'showing off' both how well he could speak and also thrilled to brag about how difficult it was to remove the needle--the surgery was supposed to be 10 minutes and it took more than an hour to get it out.....but my absolute favorite part of the day was the bright minty green drink I got to have before they drove my bed down to the operating room to 'relax' me--I read two pages of my magazine and listened to 3 songs from the new Coldplay album I put on my Ipod for the occasion--and the music sounded MAGICAL--in fact it is the best music I have ever listened to.....ever.

Well enough said--I am hanging out in our bedroom--able to get around only to hop on one foot to use the bathroom for a few days--desperately in search of good movies to download or interesting blogs to read...'French Guy' is serving meals to me in bed--taking care of 'les enfants'  and being an all around-Super Daddy.  (He is also, less than 24 hours into my very limited mobility, become very, very appreciative of what I can accomplish when on two feet....) and 'moi'? I already miss picking up the Monkey out of her crib, crawling around the floor playing with her....standing in the kitchen to cook for my family...and am kinda stressing about the growing piles of laundry.....  I am not a very patient-patient....

I hope your Christmas was much more joy-filled, pain-free and uneventful.....  and if anyone happens to know where I can get just a tiny bit more of that little green drink......... I hope to be up to dancing on the table top for New Years....

'Bleu' Christmas

I woke up today, determined to re-board the 'Christmas Spirit Train'.....how did I do?  Good enough...and tomorrow will be even better.  It was a hard few days between the news of loss of a friend and the tragedy that is around the situation and then the absurd debacle of Chronopost-France sending the parcel of Christmas gifts sent so generously and thoughtfully from my sister and her husband in Boston---BACK to them in a confusing, extortive, and downright evil GRINCH-like act of unkindness.....

So to top that mood--I forced the family to watch 'A Year Without a Santa Claus' last night--because I was deeply feeling like blue-Christmas girl......Les garcons enjoyed it, I think.  Middle Garcon who is 8 is right on the brink of 'believe' or 'don't believe' thing....and he believes enough that the thought of no-Santa makes him a bit anxious.  In fact--I have never heard of such power as that one simple word can hold---C-O-A-L....  Just the mere mention and he straightens up and apologies and kind words flow magically from his mouth.... for a few minutes...okay maybe an hour.

I am done being 'bleu'...although let it not be said that holidays are not really, really hard on the ex-pat.  Read my post from last Christmas to see--I was so homesick in 1000 different ways.  This year....better.  Still miss my family (mais bien sur!)  It is now Winter and that means there will be no visits at least for 3 or 4 more months--Normandy is downright nasty from now until late Spring--much like the PNW.  There is no joy in being packed into our little home with guests while the winds gale and the rain (sleet or hail) pounds outside.  So right now, not having a visit from Mom and Dad or loved ones on the calendar makes the distance feel greater--if the holiday didn't already enough.

Tomorrow it's back to the kitchen.  I am in the midst of finishing up some food-gift baskets.  A lot of work but I a would be lying if I said I didn't love doing it!  Being in the kitchen, creating---is my therapy.  Cookies baking in the oven heals the soul. I think forcing the family to watch a few more 'heirloom' Christmas specials will work wonders too!

We shall see.  You hang in there too!  We have almost made it to Christmas 2011--it's going to be wonderful!

Interlude from joy....

You can count on me for honesty.  You know that, right?  Because of this, I can not always post cheery, inspirational posts as much as I would love to, there are things that happen that derail the happiness, thought-filled pauses...revelations, brief interludes away from joy... grief.

Yesterday afternoon we were visited by a friend, who came bearing an unthinkable message--he came to tell us that a mutual friend had taken her life a few days ago... on this, one week before Christmas.  The news fell heavy on an already grey and cold Monday.  We spoke for a while, standing in my kitchen. I heard myself asking questions, maybe hoping the details would add some sense to it.

Our friend was troubled, to say the least.  She was weathering an extremely nasty divorce, struggling to care for two children, and had recently made the decision to move to Paris--we were hoping...to have a new start.  Not to be.

Of course looking back--there were the 'signs'...she bumped up her move by several weeks and vacated her house (next door to us) in a matter of hours.  Prior to that, a few months ago, she gave away the family dog.  I remember thinking--'Who gives away the family pet?'  ....someone that plans not to be around to take care of it.  Her two kids, 7 and 9 years old were around a lot--at our house and other neighbors, at odd hours...we knew that our friend was taking several prescriptions to 'cope' and suspected that she might be napping or resting, so the kids were bored and on their own.  But none of this was RED flag-ish enough--we sent emails and messages, our friend did not answer her door or phone but would occasionally respond to a text message.  We sent messages of support, invitations to come over just to sit if she wanted to....most messages were also unanswered and after a while we just let the distance grow as we knew what she was dealing with we didn't have first-hand experience with.

We saw her two weeks ago. I wish I could say we exchanged farewells and well-wishes.  But we were annoyed that she had broken her word to us about an arrangement--so instead all that was spoken was irritation and 'tough love' about what friendship should be....

I am sad for her, but more so I have to say my heart aches for her children, who have a broken relationship with their father, and do not have a support network of family members.  They were not with her when she died, thankfully, but will forever be marked by the choice their mother made to leave them.  For this reason I cannot write a touching 'tribute' about her.  Right now I am angry at her, how could she not think of them?...they have a very long life ahead.  I pray for a miracle for them to be able to continue and have a life with some happiness or a day of 'normal' even after this loss.

That's all I am going to say here.  I am compelled to remind everyone within ear-shot that this is the time of year that those who are suffering sometimes make a choice to leave this world in this tragic way.  If there is anyone you can think of--it may prove to be life changing to extend a prayer for them.  Take a pause from the holiday busyness and building anticipation of the 'happiest time of year' and think of those who need a hand... send a prayer and know that God is listening.... pick up the phone, text a message... knock on a door.

Pause.....   .

December Sunday

One week until Christmas! Can your believe it?!  For us this weekend has been 'the storm before the calm'... A little hurricane named 'Joachim' has been hanging around and we have had bellowing, violent winds, chilly temps. and about 5" of ..... hail.  No, not snow (sadly).  Just on-going hail storms--loud, hard pellets of various sizes, from pea size to large marble size--that pound down--'Petite Fille' is not to happy about the noise--on the glass windows and the metal veranda roof....she crawls for cover under the closest table.

So you can imagine--when Sunday morning broke with rays of sun and calmer winds--we jumped at the opportunity to go back to the Sunday marche in Trouville Sur Mer, to see our old friends. It has been months since we have been able to go.

When I say 'friends' I mean the merchants at the market that we have come to know and who know us from the regular Sunday trips to the market....

 

I hadn't realized how much I missed their faces, they seem always friendly, smiling maybe because they too appreciate the small break in the storms... and when there is sun on a winter day in Normandy--what's not to smile about?

I am transfixed by the 'new' fish market.  It rivals the amazing market at (dare I say it out loud!?) the fish merchants at ..... yes, my beloved Pike Place Market.  Since the renovation, the market is so shiny and bright and up-scale--yet the merchants are still the same hard-working and proud 'mongers' of their treasures from the sea.....

I have my hopes set on some oysters from the market for Christmas or New Year's--I have a set of gorgeous vintage oyster plates just begging to be filled up!

One of the many things I am looking forward to.  Until then, back to the preparations!

Bonne semaine mes amis!  

Let it snow!

A short post -- I am eager to jump into 'baking/creating' day!  It's a blustery, rainy, grey day here and I have to get moving on creating some 'food-gifts'....which I LOVE to do--so I am almost giddy to get started. 

I had to get the decorating of the house finished (or almost) to clear the way and switch gears--and now I have only a couple of days to cook up some little gifts for the teachers before school closes for the holidays.

I won't be waylaid by Petite Fille's snotty cold -- I have miraculously avoided 'catching' it so far---nor will I let myself be slowed down by the pain in my shoulder that I just managed to re-activate when getting out of the shower this morning---merde! Just a little nerve-pinch--no biggie.... (waaaaahhhh!)

I'll post the pics and recipes on 365 French Days when I am done--but so far it is looking like: Nougat Chocolat, Italian Almond Cookies, Clementine Marmalade, Pignolis, and just to mix it up a bit some whole grain herbed mustards.....

Wow, I better get started!  Have a wonderful day too!  Don't you just love these kind of days? Now if only it would S-N-O-W!

A bientot!

Bon Week-end

Time is going so fast.  Here it is Saturday morning and I am sitting in bed having coffee and trying to arrange in my head the order of the priorities for the weekend.  We have just nixed going to 'Middle Garcon's' holiday thingy at school this morning--he didn't want to and we didn't feel like forcing it.  Besides---'someone' --- ahem---got to sleep in until about 10 this morning......much needed let me tell you....and maybe more needed than standing in the cold with a wiggly 'Petite Fille' to go to a bake sale and to watch the second graders croon French Christmas Carols.....priorities.....sleep, coffee in bed, blogging......check!

Yesterday I had a luxurious hour to myself to walk around downtown Trouville Sur Mer with my camera-- luxurious-hour-to MYSELF-walk-camera----if that doesn't say it all, I don't know what else would!  Except that I should mention (maybe I shouldn't) that before that I had an appointment with my amazing 'Belle-Niece" who spent an hour working on my shoulder-pain...so I left her osteopath office almost floating down the street--pain free after about a month of tension (yes! she is THAT good!) So in the bliss department----over-filled!

A little 'window-shopping'.....

My plan was to go to the notorious 'Marché aux poissons' which is less than a ten minute walk from my appointment.  The historic building from 1936 was just re-opened this year after going through an intensive reconstruction that resulted from fire-damage in 2006---in fact, it is said that it took longer to rebuild it (2006-2011) than it took to originally build it.

So I wandered and took a few pictures---not the best ones--but I think the fact that I was on my own just shooting for fun--made it a perfect afternoon....which is leading (already) into a perfect weekend.

Bon week-end mes amis!

Faites briller l'argenterie....

Decking the halls is taking longer than expected.  I wish it was just as simple as opening a few bins and putting things out, buying a tree, stringing some lights and then vacuuming up a few stray needles.  But instead so far it's gone more like this---take a few things out--put them back away---start a few crafty projects---finish half of what needs to be done----l--o--n--g---p--a--u--s--e----and then after cleaning up the kitchen, doing a bit of laundry, playing with 'Petite Fille'  going to French class.....I resume and do a bit more decorating---and here I am, about a week later with only a little to show for all that effort.  Don't get me wrong--I am enjoying it, but wow, I don't remember when it ever took so long.

So today the little tree came into the house, it's really small but 'live' so we can plant it later---somewhere---maybe at the neighbors house, or some night after dark we could sneak into a local park and plant it there.... we don't really have a yard, or a place for a tree.....it was the right size (to go on a table top safe from the curious almost 1 year old) and not too 'Charlie Brown-ish', it actually has a cute shape-and small enough not to need a load of balls or stuff on it, so I am happy.

Aside from the slow decorating (which I am not stressing about at all) there is a strange 'ease' to the holiday season so far.  Today I actually played hooky from my class to stay at home to decorate, do some holiday shopping on Etsy, and make cookies while 'Middle Garcon' convinced me to sit for a while and watch his current favorite movie.... We, so far, are not overbooked with plans for the holidays, have most of our gift lists for 'les enfants' sorted out, haven't had snow yet, and I have to say---Life is good.  France continues to grow on me.  Again---less stress this holiday season than last, on many levels, but there is also this sweet calm in our home--which is feeling more like 'home' each day.

I wish there was a way to wrap up some of this rare peacefulness and share it with all of you.  It's good to be in a good place and be able to enjoy what you have, and not become overly focused on what you think you want....during a season that forcefully promotes 'want' over 'HAVE'......

I have everything on my list already--to be perfectly honest.  Now if I could only just finish putting out the decorations...or not...I know it will get done, sometime.  It's all about priorities--and I think I am doing just fine.

Hope you are having a 'bonne semaine' too mes amis!

Thank-Full.

From this point onward to the end of 2011, we shall all be lost in the holiday buzz and endless preparations....even though today is only the first of December.  I have not found one person who has said that the Christmas season has not been rushed-into, forced too early and we all, despite best efforts get sucked into to pre-holiday stress of it thanks to the likes of 'Black Friday' which is almost now 'Black-Thursday-right-after-your-last-swallow-of-turkey' with everyone heading over to Walmart, Best Buy or Circuit-City to catch the best deals of the season.

Well....not so here in France.  I can only speak from my own perspective noting that Normandy is a bit remote, it's not Paris--so we might just be lucky that way.  Stores most certainly have had the decorations up for weeks now--there is no Thanksgiving--and very little Halloween, so we go straight into Christmas trees and lights with only a brief prelude of the harvest decor.

I am okay with it.  I plan on embracing every bit of the Christmas spirit.  It's a time when my creative mind runs rampant and I don't feel like such a geek for making homemade things, spending hours in the kitchen is less selfish, and I can pour over holiday magazines without guilt--for days or at least late into the night.

Thanksgiving came and went in a flash.  This year we didn't take the boys out of school but instead planned our 'feast' for Saturday.  Reflecting back on last year when I was 8 months pregnant, very, very hormonal and even more so very, very homesick--Thanksgiving was tainted with that low dull ache in my heart for friends and family.  This year, not as much--which speaks volumes to the adjustment factor--and our table was filled not just with our family, but dear friends as well....not to mention the presence of 'Petite Fille'  who tried duck for the first time. (Yes it was a turkey-less thanksgiving due to the fact that I wasn't going to special order a 'cher-turkey' when we don't love it anyway.)  Even so, on Thanksgiving Thursday we exchanged messages with loved-ones, Skype'd with mom and dad, and I could honestly feel the warmth of this special day all the way across the miles....making me think that Thanksgiving is in your heart--not on your table.

 

I am excited to get moving on the holiday busyness.  I think we are going to drag out the decoration bins this weekend.  It will be a table-top tree for us--less danger (and fun!) for 'Petite Fille' and the kitties and doggies--and as long as there are plenty of sparkly lights--it will be perfect. 

I am filled with thankfulness--for the life we have, for the love we are surrounded with--and already full of thanks for what is yet to come....'blessings not yet seen'..... 

Hope you had a Thanksgiving full of love, laughter and rest.... who needs turkey? --really.

A bientot mes amis!