School Supplies

*I know many want to know the progress/update about the kids going to school, how we made the decision and the enrollment process - but in all honesty it isn't over yet and I would like to be able to post the complete picture - from soup to nuts. Stay tuned. I am sure I will be able to share the exhaustive/ing experience soon-ish (like, before the end of the school-year maybe).

With that being said, and with one week to go until the first day of school, on Monday the kids and I went school supply shopping. Even though we still aren't 100% certain they will start next week, I was getting nervous that the stores will have put away all the school supplies by the time we know what's going on.

Regardless, we had a lot of fun. As homeschoolers, this was a new-ish experience in that someone else supplied our shopping lists this year. I'm curious to know how this list compares to schools in the U.S. (post a comment and let me know). As Americans in France, it was a pretty impressive new vocabulary lesson. Here's what the schools expect each child to have with him/her;

• Une trousse A pencil case - The only reason I knew what this was is because the teacher drew a picture of it on my list.
  
• Une pochette de crayons de couleur A packet of colored pencils
  
• Une pochette de feutres A packet of markers
  
• Un stylo bille bleu, un stylo bille vert A ball-point pen in blue and one in green - Bohdan also needed black and red pens. I guess the teachers get bored looking at the same colors day in and day out. I can't wait to see what the real reason is for this rainbow ink-selection.
  
• Un taille-crayon A pencil sharpener - I had to "borrow" a dictionary in the store to figure this one out.
  
• Un bâton de colle A glue stick - Luckily the packages were clearly labeled for this, otherwise I wouldn't have known what it was either.
  
• Une paire de ciseaux A pair of scissors
  
• Une petite boîte pour mettre des étiquettes de mots A little box for putting word cards in. - I had, and still have, no idea what this is. I asked a store employee who told me it is a little box for putting word cards in. He said they didn't carry them. I asked him where I could get one. He said, "look around your house for a little box. You must have one somewhere." I guess I better start looking. I sure hope it isn't next to the phone or I'll never find it.
• Une chemise à rabats pour mettre des feuilles A4 (21*29,7) A folder - I asked the man on this one as well. He didn't know the word in English so he led me to the folders. I was so confused. "Isn't 'chemise' a 'shirt'," I asked. He said yes, but it is also this. Okay then. We now have a shirt for papers. It said "A4" on it, so I am pretty sure it will fit.
  
• Une ardoise blanche avec le feutre A personal-sized white dry-erase board with marker / Une ardoise avec chiffon et une boite qui se ferme pour y ranger sa craie. A personal-sized chalkboard slate with erasure and box that closes with chalk. - I had no idea what these were and when the teacher showed us a little gray slate board I laughed out loud. She and my "translator" (a friend who speaks both French and English and agreed to tag along to my meeting with the teacher) both looked at me funny. I had to explain that these were something from our "olden days" when children went to one-room schoolhouses in the 1800's. They explained they are used for drilling the class on various subjects where all the children write down the answer and hold up the board for the teacher to check all at once. I dare say that is downright efficient! My mom later told me they have begun to adopt this same method in American schools (but with the more modern white dry-erase boards of course). I'd say that's just brilliant.
  
• Une photo (type identité) An identifying photo - aka "a head-shot." - I am hoping to figure out a way to print out a photo before next week, but my luck, they actually mean a passport-type photo.
  
• Une blouse de peinture A painting smock
• Un cahier des textes A notebook/agenda for writing down homework assignments

There you have it. 50 euro later and the kids have full backpacks and have been playing school everyday since! In fact, they have passed up a couple excursions with me because they "had school." I've tried telling them they will have plenty of "playing school" very soon, but they don't care. I guess they'll figure that truth out soon enough!

These are the "people" in our neighborhood

These are images from our almost daily bike-rides through our "neighborhood."

Bo & Vivi inspect the harvest

For some reason, I seem to always take up the rear.

A MAJOR intersection near our house.

Those aren't pastures off in the distance.
They're vineyards.
As far as the eye can see.

If you stare at this one hard enough, you may hear the angels singing.

Hard to think of anything that could top these family outings. Sure will miss them when colder weather sets in and school starts (in one week)!

Language Mishaps - Part One

Humorous moments in French, brought to you by Dave & Erin. Please note these are entitled "Part One" because I fully expect this to be an ongoing series throughout the year. Tune in regularly for updates.

I.
David: What's "rien" mean again?
Erin: Nothing.
David: Nothing, as in I've made up another word that doesn't actually exist or nothing, as in,it literally means "nothing?"
Erin: (Unable to answer due to laughing uncontrollably.)

(Rien does actually mean "nothing" in French and I was able to eventually explain that to David.)

II.
David: What's "quelque chose?"
Erin: Something.
David: Could you be more specific?
Erin: (Unable to answer due to more laughter.)

(Again, "quelque chose" does actually mean "something" in French and I was able once again to set David straight on that.)

III.
We were discussing the process of making wine with a french couple. In the course of the conversation we discovered wines are not stored in oak casks here - they put the wine they import to England and the US in oak because I guess we prefer our wines a little oaky. To make sure I was understanding correctly I asked,

"Alors, le vin ici n'a pas la gout de chien, pas de tout?"

The couples eyes shot open wide and then they both busted out laughing, while the husband managed to retort between snorts,

"Non. Bien sur. Il n'y a pas la gout de chien dans le vin, pas de tout!"

That was when I realized I had asked if the wine had the flavor of dogs here in France. What I meant to say was chene (oak) but I said chien (dog). Oops. Luckily I wasn't at a degustation (wine tasting) - which by the way, is something I have YET to attend for pete's sake!

Playing at the Chateau du Rivau

We had a marvelous time today at the Chateau du Rivau a mere 15 km away. We spent over 3 hours there and could have stayed longer. Luckily we think we will get to return with friends visiting soon!

In the courtyard of the castle is a little restaurant - serving salads made with produce from their own extensive gardens. My salad consisted of lettuce, roasted red and yellow peppers, their own goat cheese (which was a lot like a creamier version of feta), and this scrumptious honey-drenched, roasted almond with sesame loveliness. David and I also learned that 50cl of wine is WAY more than what two people need to accompany such a light lunch. Needless to say we grinned our way through the rest of the tour!

The Trophy Room

I just thought the fresco above this mantle was amazing. I should have taken a closer picture.

The music room (see photo below for a larger view) was FULL of instruments you could touch and play! We were the only one's in the castle for quite some time, so we had an outright jam session. It was a blast!

What I wouldn't give to take a bubble bath in this room! It was round - enclosed in a castle turret. Isn't it divine?

Yes, here we are sitting on the furniture in the Joan of Arc Room! How cool is that?! I just loved the way we had access to so much hands-on stuff.

The gardens were simply amazing and incredibly extensive. Here are some shots from the flora and fauna:

A Peahen and her young.

Bo & Vivi inside the labyrinthe

A view of the labyrinthe from the belvedere tower with me waving up from the center. The kids ran through this while we shouted out directions from the tower. They would have done this all afternoon had we let them!

Spelling in French

As soon as I start to think I'm totally getting this French thing down, the phone rings. For anyone who doesn't believe that 80% of communication is non-verbal, try talking on the phone in a language you apparently barely know.

The most hilarious part is when someone asks me for my email address. I've had the same email address now since Bo was born (over 8 years) and I've always had trouble spelling it for people because to anyone else it doesn't make sense and therefore is difficult to comprehend. It is "rinboduffy" (the nicknames of me, my son, and my husband). But now I may finally be convinced to change it soon so as to make this year a whole lot easier.

Imagine you're me:

Person on Phone: "Avez-vous un mel?" Do you have email?

Me: "Ehhhh.... oui." Ummm....yes. (Oh great, here it comes.)

Person on Phone: "Votre address?" Your address?

Me: "Ehhhh...oh la la.... Airgrgrgh.... ehhhh.... Eeeee...Ehnnn, comme N-n-n Non... Bay, comme B-b-b Baguette...Oohh...Day, comme D-d-d-d-d (derierre? no. I can't say that!) comme D-d-d Deja vu... Eeewww... Ehhfff, Ehhfff comme...ehhh... comme.... egh, je ne sais pas."

Ummm...oh boy...R....ummmm....I....N, as in No...B, as in B-b-b Bread...O...D, as in D-d-d-d (butt? no I can't say that!) as in Deja vu...U... F-F, as in...ummm... as in.... ugh, I don't know."

And there you have it. I can't spell in French. My brain gets all worked up trying to come up with the "as in" examples that I get all flustered and start stuttering like machine gun. And sadly, the only thing I can think of when I get to the "F-F" part of my address is "French Fry." And I just don't think anyone in France will find the humor in that.

B&B Bliss

We've hosted four different clients (2 French parties, 1 Italian & 1 British), at the B&B so far. Each one has made me a little more comfortable and consequently has received a little better service. I supposed I should feel poorly for that first French couple, but they didn't seem to care.

The most recent reservation when off swimmingly. Of course, the fact they were from London and had three children may have helped a tad bit. This lovely family of five were touring the Loire Valley by bicycle. They had arrangements with the bike-rental company for their luggage to be taken by delivery service to each subsequent overnight stop along their way. They've traveled something like 15-20km a day with a 12, 10 and 6 year old on bikes! I was seriously impressed given our own fear of being run down while simply crossing our street to get the car port. But of course, now that I know another 6 yr old can hack it, I am ready to do our own touring via velo.

Anyway, this family helped me stay mindful of why I wanted to try out this whole B&B management thing. They got in (by bike, mind you) around 5pm and straight away wanted to know about nearby restaurants. I tried to keep a straight face as I considered how this question would sound to someone like my friends Peg & Stacy, who live in East Nowheresville, NH (aka Strafford). However, there actually is a restaurant just down the road in the center of Cravant les Coteaux (think "downtown" Melvin Village or Lee, NH to get the idea), but their hours are like eeeeverybody else's; "open when we feel like it." Apparently they didn't.

I felt poorly for these folks, car-less, tired from having already biked 15+ kilometers, hungry, and unrealistically hoping to return home before dark. So I did what you would expect: invited them for dinner. They hesitatingly agreed, "But we're five. That's so many. Are you sure you'll have enough?" I insisted it wasn't a problem and then rushed to the kitchen to lay hands on the beef stew ingredients and pray for what I like to call a "loaves & fishes anointing." It so worked. It always does. We had such a lovely evening with enough leftovers for another meal. Bo, Vivi & the little boy played "football" until it was too dark to see the ball, while the grown-ups sat sipping wine and chatting away like old friends.

After two days of the kids playing together every chance they got and lovely conversation sprinkled throughout, at the end of their visit we promised should we make it to London this year (which we so hope to do) we would let them know so we can be sure to visit together again.

And that it precisely why I think running a B&B is totally the coolest. (The cool factor certainly has NOTHING to do ironing sheets.)

My Successful Afternoon

It is the little successes which seem to make all the difference when you find yourself immersed in a different culture with a different language. Yesterday I had so many of these glorious seconds they added up to an entire afternoon where I felt almost at-home.

After lunch (which pretty consistently is comprised of baguette, Nutella, fruit, sliced tomato, mouse de canard and a Fresca-like drink called Jean's Citron), the children and I headed into Chinon to meet up with a "fellow" B&B manager.

The first little success of the outing was simply in the drive there. Given the expert training in how to drive offensively by my dad, I am finding it very comfortable on French roads (so long as I'm in a car and there are no big trucks nearby). I feel so much less the "rude speed demon" next to french drivers I might finally be willing to put a Christian fish emblem on my car (if it were my car). It's fun being surrounded by crazier drivers than myself for a change!

We parked the car in a lot and walked to my friend's B&B a few blocks into the center of town. If you recall my photos of Chinon, you will understand why I didn't attempt to drive directly to her home. The roads in the center of the towns are akin to our sidewalks back home. On the walk over I made a spectacular discovery: the GRETA office - which is where David and I will register for French classes. They have virtually no on-line presence (other than a site entirely in French, which as I'm sure you can imagine is utterly useless to someone looking to register for beginner French). We were beginning to worry we would never be able to find them in time for the Fall semester as not many French people know GRETA's whereabouts, being they don't typically require French language lessons. I vowed I would stop by on my way back to the car and get us registered.

Once we successfully navigated the alleys (or maybe major thoroughfares, you truly can't tell them apart) to Helene's house - we enjoyed a sublime visit in the most lovely ancient stone-wall-enclosed garden (I really should have taken my camera). It seemed straight out of "Secret Garden." Her B&B is situated in the heart of Chinon and the house is completely dreamy with a spiral staircase enclosed in a honest-to-God castle-like turret and vibrant kitchen with mismatched cabinets and hardware. It was an eclectic explosion of red, orange, yellow, green and blue. Her decorating taste was so fun and elegant - how she successfully combines these seemingly opposed elements is beyond me, but it works!

Helene offered me un petit cafe - akin to an espresso - served in an adorable chartreuse demitasse with a built-in spoon holder in the handle. (Again, I wish I could have taken a photo.) With one sugar cube, it was deee-lish. (I fear I may finally develop a taste for this addictive beverage while here.) Helene's English is about as good as my French - which means we went back and forth between the two languages with a humorous blend of comprehension and patience. But we managed to discuss a great deal; including running a B&B, the differences with the clientele, raising children to appreciate diversity, and life in Chinon. In the end, I left her magical courtyard with quite the sense of accomplishment and contentment.

The children and I then stopped by the now closed Greta office where I noted their office hours, which more than likely mean absolutely nothing as I find most businesses take an "open when we feel like it" approach to their schedules. (Something that makes me think my father is more French than he lets on - unless this is typical of the Irish as well.)

When we arrived at the park (the reward for such well-behaved children at a boring Frenglish coffee date), it was so quintessentially "Summer in France" I spun round searching for the Hollywood film crew. In the courtyard an impressively numerous group of retired men were playing Petanque, a little family played in the playground (actually the mom was playing with the children while that dad reclined on a bench enjoying his cigarette), while a group of raucous teenagers invaded the playground equipment, consequently scaring the family away. I savored it all with the most ridiculous Cheshire grin that the old men gave me strange looks and, while I didn't comprehend what the teenagers were saying about me, I am sure it was colorfully critical. I chatted a bit with a little girl desperate to play with Bo & Vivi, who were too busy noticing the language barrier to see the playmate potential. We made do with my French (what is the word for "swing?") and managed alright.

After a bit we headed off to Leclerc to pick up a few necessities (baguette, some baguette and then a little baguette. And also a light bulb). I laughed out loud at my recognition of our checkout clerk. Imagine! I'm in a store the size of a super Wal-mart, I've only been here for two weeks and I already recognize the check-out lady?! That tells you how often I'm making the mad dash for - you guessed it - more baguette!!

Oh, how I hope these successes are a sign that I've turned the corner from a rather terrifying last-week into comfortably settling in for our year en francais!

Visit to Amboise

Last Saturday we drove a little over an hour to visit the town of Amboise. It ended up being BLAZIN hot, so we didn't tour around as much as we had hoped to. But we did get to go inside our first Chateau! At one time the castle was the largest in all of France - but at some point a large section of it was destroyed. What remains is still rather impressive, so it is hard to imagine how much grander it must have been.

Here are some highlights-

Entering the city on the bridge over the Loire River

The Promenade along the Loire (which is to the left, but you can't see it here).

Inside an old church in the town.

The sign reads, "1469 - Construction of the church commences at the request of King Louis XI"

The street leading up to the Chateau.

The main castle, taken from the outermost "turret" which is just a large circle now as the column walls were destroyed long ago.

Above the "little" chapel entryway. The larger church inside the castle walls was destroyed.

Inside the castle.

The Prince's bedchamber.

Part of the castle was renovated in the 1700's. I WANT this bed!

View of the Loire River from inside the castle.

The Music Room

View of the castle wall & gargoyles.

Me and my tour guides.

The little chapel is the burial grounds for this famous man!

Another part of the city