Happy Easter from France

I went down to the village this week and took some photos of the Easter decorations around town. I thought you might enjoy seeing them.

One of the first things I noticed when I came here was the difference in how we celebrate our holidays. Things are so much simpler here. The commercial aspect is not so in your face. It is here of course, there is no avoiding it, but it is much more subtle and tolerable.

Christmas my first year here was like a breath of fresh air. It was so sweet and calm. Now granted I was a newlywed, that might have had something to do with it. *big grin*

But I look back on my life in the US and when I think of the holidays all I remember was the constant need to buy things. The kid's baskets had to be overloaded with candy and not just candy but now they had to have gifts too! The whole house had to be decorated and a big meal planned. Christmas was ten times worse. I hated how all the holidays were just about how much stuff a person could get.

Here that doesn't hold true as much. People still enjoy the holidays for themselves. I know it gets worse each year. The advertisements get more bold, the children have bigger desires.

 Soon I am sure it will become another retailer's dream but for now I am enjoying the sweet simplicity that is here. It is a magical place.

Where did the time go?

Wow I can't believe I haven't written in my blog in three months! How did that happen? I thought I made posts...did the internet eat them?

I think maybe I am unconsciously avoiding this blog. It needs a complete overhaul and I really need to do that soon.

Anyway. I have been busy. I spent the Christmas season cross stitching away. I made several things:

A few Christmas ornaments,

Good Music, Good Wine & Good Fun

A christmas eve celebration...with much music and wine

and a christmas table full of cheer

but best of all SNOW...SNOW...SNOW!!!

Also here are lil sis's window clingy's sucessfully installed...and the one I made her last year...

and last but not least...the beginnings of my new shoe *^_^*

Hello out there people XD

I'm sure by now everyone thinks I have dropped off the face of the earth. Just wanted you all to know I AM STILL HERE. I have many things I want to tell you about if I can just sit still long enough to write them down. Maybe now is the perfect time as I am currently propped up on the couch on painkillers trying to overcome my most recent bout with maladie.


We recently travelled down to Agen to celebrate D's Grandfather's 80th Birthday with a grand dinner that had been MUCH planned. I think he was more excited to be there then a kid in a candy shop. I just adore this man. He decided to have the dinner in a local restaurant and had spent weeks worrying over the menu, taking many trips there to discuss the different wines and such with the chefs, planned the table seating, etc. Some of the family attending had travelled all the way from Paris! On the momentous day I was sitting at the breakfast table enjoying my cafe au lait when D walked in and informed me that we were leaving in half hour. Oh my! I rushed around and threw my clothes on and off to the restaurant we went.


After all the introductions and many bises we finally had ourselves arranged at the tables. I was seated between D and his father...with D being next to his grandfather on the other side. The dinner started out with a nice punch and different little appetizers. One being a phyllo type dough wrapped around nuts, honey and a soft cheese. Very delicious.

Vins
-------------
Rosé
Gaéc du Sahuc
Sainte-Croix-du-Mont
Vin d' Alsace
Bourgogne
Saint-Emilion
Champagne Alfred RothschildetC
I had many pictures to put on this post but almost all of them are sideways and once again the computer is refusing to listen to me and turn them upright. They look upright in the computer but when I upload them they are sideways >.< onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUOtfYXsY4javCP38uPK-noHNcp8tTA9My-lcUmBpD4mNYLpyVi_O3HaPkEbUPcmj3x4gPSNw5oPxSi7vS4I-oH5MNRmbNNgFnMvTUKwlupQJSacsoIHbhIXcqTVWNoSfyMMqZdz0vJQ/s1600-h/00358.jpg">
Saumon farci

Trou Gascon
Dindon aux marrons

Flageolets
Tomates farcies
Plateau de fromages
Salade
Fruits de saison
Piéce montée


Café- Armagnac
This meal lasted upwards toward five hours. I am a terrible food photographer. I forgot to take every single picture until after I had taken at least one bite >.<

Of Weddings and such....

So...finally the day came. After all the fuss and all the worry, it turned out to be a beautiful day. I woke up to the sun shining...a good sign. Three of D's friends had arrived the night before and we had much fun sampling the pina coloda punch and partaking of the goodies his baker friend brought. He came in with a large pallet loaded down with quiche, pizza, sandwiches, pastries, etc., whatever was left at the shop when he closed up that night. He also brought us a beautiful cake.


Soon after we were ready D's family arrived and gifted me with a beautiful bouquet of roses.


Then we were off to the castle ^^



It was so beautiful inside.




It was a very nice ceremony and everyone was in a good mood.





Audrey had fun winning the bouquet!
And it was really good to see D's grandfather again. He's such a sweet man.


After the wedding we all went back to the house and had a wonderful time. We received some wonderful gifts and good food was had by all!

Time is slipping away

Sorry I haven't blogged much. This last week has been a whirlwind of activity. I've been working my fingers to the bone trying to catch up on this steady stream of work. My birthday was this week and it was very quiet. We did go to a nice hotel as a getaway and I really enjoyed it. We also had a wonderful little get together with several friends. Amanda, my best friend, had it at her house and really went to a lot of effort. Starting with a spread of finger foods. She had a nice baguette sliced and accompanied with boursin, a plate of deviled eggs, some roasted pork tenderloin, crackers, sliced cheese, etc. Then for dinner she made a wonderful salmon with a rub that turned out delicious. Also she had planned on making stuffed mushrooms but they were too small so she put them in a dish covered them with the stuffing and then added dollops of cream cheese on top, interesting but very tasty! She wrapped little sausages with bacon, and yes she is a pork fanatic, I think her favorite food of all time is bacon! She also had a nice fire in the back yard and barbequed chicken that she had soaked in chicken broth, salt and rosemary. It was delicious.Being as I am moving to France very soon she was in a quandry as to what to buy me for my birthday...so she bought me consumables LOL! lottery tickets, a pack of fancy colored cigarettes and a bottle of Jack Daniels. She was sure that they would all be gone before I left for France. I'm not so sure as I really haven't been drinking much but I guess I can save that bottle for a going away party. If I don't drink it all I'm sure my best buddy Jesse will :) We are leaving in three days for California. I'm so excited. I haven't been to California in years and D never has. We are going to spend two nights in San Francisco and then go camping along the coast all the way to Los Angeles. I'm really looking forward to it. I will surely have tons of pictures to post for you when I get back. Until then I guess it's back to working my fingers to the bone ^__^