Cheeseburger in Paradise

This blog will be a summary of food.

Since arriving in Dijon on Thursday, Mandy and I have had the most wonderful meals together.  If I learn one thing from the French, it will be to treat the meal as an event.  This is really basic and even biblical.  The food we have had is ranked near the top of all I have had in my life, and coming from Louisiana that means a lot.

We had provencial French at Dijon cafes.  The fish I had at Mandy's favorite cafe in Dijon is still my favorite meal of this trip.  Escargot and chocolate mousse was fantastic.  While in Paris, we've had traditional French (another fish dish on leeks was my 2nd favorite and croque monsieur a close 3rd), Japanese sushi, Italian pasta and pizza, Tex Mex in Versailles (but not really), Indian (Mandy loves curry and I had lamb with coconut and cashew sauce - wonderful), and .... American - a cheeseburger, fries and a coke at Euro Disneyland!

And of course, I have become accustomed to wine with every meal... the kind of wine that doesn't give you a headache the next day.  Does this have to do with the lack of sulfites?

Disney was fun.  There are two parks - Disneyland and Disney Studios.  We were selective on our choice of rides and attractions at both.  Absolutely NO lines today.  We walked on Space Mountain and screamed our whole way through.  It was a wonderful, relaxed day of American excess.

Mandy had her first night with the Cahns.  She got along great with their current day-time babysitter/cook Josephine who is an older woman from Africa.  The kids are very normal and the parents are very nice and similar to Scott and me.  Mandy is very comfortable with her new arrangement and they are excited to pick up her stuff on Saturday and for her to arrive to live there on Sunday.  Mandy's duties will be primarily getting the children ready for the day in the mornings since Josephine has an established routine in the evening.  Josephine was happy to have Mandy to help do the kids' laundry and ironing - although I'm afraid Mandy has not had much experience with the latter.  Mandy will live on the bottom floor of the 3-story home with the children.  She has a separate bath and external entrance to her bedroom, but it's not like the apartment she had in Dijon.  That's just fine with her.  She will take a 3-month French course beginning next month, and she'll return to Texas at the end of July.  I think this will work out just fine, but if not, we have an escape plan.  The de Rostolans already let the Cahns know that Mandy is welcome to go to their home if she needs a break.   We are so happy with this arrangement.

I fly back to reality on Sunday.  Tomorrow will be a laid-back sort of day for us.  They gave her a cell phone so we will pre-pay service on it at a cell store and then perhaps go to Galleries Lafayette which is a skyscraper sort of mall.

Mandy will post pictures from today on her FB.  I hope we are not boring you.  Please post a comment to let us know America is still alive and well.  CNN and BBC give us skewed views of news.  They cover the world - what's up with that?  I stare at the French TV stations and pretend to understand.  Oh The Bachelor, where art thou?

Love to all from Par-ee!
Lisa

rain, rain, go AWAY

All it seems to do in Dijon is rain. I've been here for 11 days now, and it has rained probably 7 of those days. It's miserable walking in the rain. I am cold and wet, and all I want to do is sleep. I guess on the bright side, it's better than snow.

O.K. so today I woke up. Took a shower. Made oatmeal with strawberry jam for breakfast. Then attempted to wash some clothes. I loaded it, put in soap, and could not for the life of me figure out to turn it on. I guess I'll just have to wait for the twins to get home to assist me in turning on the damn thing. Then I went of a hunt for my umbrella. I could not find it anywhere, and I sure as hell wasn't going to venture out in the rain without it. After a 20 minute search, I found it. It was in the pocket of the last jacket I wore. Should have looked there first. Blah. Then I walked to school. I wasn't suppose to go in today, but I'll be damned if I don't learn enough french to at least communicate on a kindergarden level in the next month. I stopped by a local bakery on the way and got a salmon tomato sandwich thing and a chocolate croissant. I stayed at school a while and did some worksheets. Then I went to a cafe for a coffee. I was so cold I just held it for a while. Then I went to Sephora to get some nail polish and coconut scented lotion and a loofa. Then I walked into H&M, yes they have one here! I got a sweater dress because I was cold, I felt like it was a good investment. Then I went to another cafe and got a vin chaud (hot wine). It tastes like christmas, I think I'm in love. Then I bought a present for my parents and went to the post office and mailed it to them. So, mum and dad, let me know when you get it. Then I went to the flower shop and bought my weeks flowers for my flat. I guess I needed some retail therapy to combat the loneliness, cold and exhaustion. I walked home and now I'm sitting here bored and tired, about to go get the kids.

List of things I hate:

• rain
• walking
• not speaking french
• the cold
• huge lunches and small dinners
• rain
• blisters
• hurt feet
• bathtubs with hoses
• being poor

List of things I love:

• my job
• being in france
• wine
• coffee
• living in france
• french food
• being alive

Love and miss you all!