Our first Atlantic trip

Although we left with crapy rainy weather on friday we were lucky enough to catch the sun when we arrived in La Palmyre, a small beach resort on the Atlantic coast not far from Royan. The beach there is widely spread out, not as wild as the Pacific ocean coast of course but not as developed as the Mediteranean which is appreciable. We walked on the muddy san at sunset on friday night, it was still warm out and beautiful!. Around us a few people, many families with young children were taking advantage of the low tide to so some fishing, i guessing for clams...? Saturday we woke up to a hot sunny day and in our eagerness we over did it and spent the entire day at the beach...by the end we were nicely baked and red hot which made the beach a less interesting proposition on Sunday. Nevertheless we left the hotel and on our way back stopped in Saint-Palais sur Mer, a very cute little town full a shops and nice beach terrasses. We tried the beach only to find out we could not stay for long given we were both baking. The afternoon was spent lazily at a restaurant eating and watching formula one for Lucian, while I continued reading my book, and listened to nearby conversations:)

Decoltes

I've noticed (and Lucian has too of course:) the decoltes plongeants (deep dive) of many women around here. It's quite noticeable in fact. And not necessarily younger women, women well past their prime have no trouble sharing their skin and advantages with the rest of the world. I've never really seen that in the US, or not as much of it at least. Starting with the notary presiding over our house purchase, many of the shop keepers i've come across, and just yesterday someone i was seeing at the Chambre de Commerce (government office) to advise on my social status nightmare...I wonder how she manages to advise men, they must leave with no memory of the conversation, hum but maybe that's her strategy? a charming older lady btw, and very helpful. In general I'm seeing more women nicely put together than what I was used to in SF, as i expected, even though we are in Province (as opposed to Paris). But it's just on average as, if i recall correctly, the women who dress nicely in SF, although there are less of them, are more striking overall, if that makes any sense. Ok, well that was my fashion observation of the day.

Mirabelle & Crumble

The whole house smells like plum crumble right now... first thing I bake in our new house, bake is a big word really given i cooked it in the microwave but that's all i could do given we don't have a proper oven yet. We had tons of these little plums, called Mirabelles in the garden, very sweet, growing in an abandonned tree that was making the joys of the birds and bees, until we got here dammed! and reclaimed the fruits:) I've made a few jars of compotes with my mom last weekend and put some more in the freezer. Our big plan is to plant several fruit trees, to make a little orchard which sounds really nice, but also promises a load of work. I already got 2 big blisters on each sides of my thumbs just after working for 2 hours on shoveling the fallen plums from under the tree, hum...not sure what that says about the future of that orchard of ours, oh well, in the meantime i'll have no problem enjoying that crumble.

All or nothing

When I was in the US I felt like people were working all the time! always connected, reachable by cell phone, IM, even in vacation which blew my mind-- and vacations, of course were inexistent. At my last work place, people had to be incented to take their vacation so it wouldn't accumulate on the company's balance sheet-- crazy concept! i'm sure people around here would fall of their chairs hearing about that!...because here it's quite the opposite, amazing in fact! I knew france was more relaxed and more about quality of life- which is a big reason why i moved back- but i think it's gotten way worse over the past few years...my god! first of all people don't call you back, it's like they don't want to work or have enough work! and i'm talking about bankers, insurances, laywers...people you want to employ...you leave messages and they don't call back! I won't even mention email because they have not heard of the concept! and in stores, all the employees are avoiding you, or joking around together, but no one volunteers to come help you -- and i used to be bothered by the customary "can i help you?" in US stores. Oh and of course there's the 2 hour break for lunch, all stores are closed on Sundays, and sometimes on Mondays, and in August, forget about it! everyone's at the beach. Is it really all or nothing? a happy middle is too much to ask I guess...

My hang out

Several people have asked me for pics of the house inside but the thing is that it doesn't look very good inside... yet! It's very much in need of renovation and empty but here's one of me in my "office", in my slippers of course:) and with the flowery wall paper that's going to go when we attack the renovation of the upstairs area. That's pretty much where I spend most of my time on the large wood board that Lucian varnished a greenish color and where I can spread all my stuff -- I did clean it up for the picture:). The other side of the room is rather empty with the exception of a white armchair in a corner, and I like it that way! I just need to add an small side table next to the armchair and i'll be all set for a while. I enjoy the empty space which allows me to do yoga without having to move the furniture around.

Escape in Paris

I met up with Nadia in Paris for a day on Friday. We celebrated her "big news!" with a glass of champagne in the Bistrot Marguerite by the quais de Seine near Notre Dame. Sorry can't share the big news here as I don't think it's quite ready for public release...It was hot! and we watched the tourists in their swimsuits laying on their beach towels on the river bank!...Paris Plage as Nadia observed. We first sat down at the cafe 'la madeleine de proust" in the famous rue Mouffetard, deserted on this August day - all the parisians having fled the city for the summer. We then deambulated in the streets, heading to the Marrais where we enjoyed another glass of wine and dinner. Nadia's now back in the US and i'll miss her, but she promised to stop by our house in October when she comes back around here. I'll also be back to beautiful Paris soon I hope, next time with Lucian.

On the terrasse

Hum, now that i look at it i'm not sure I should have posted this picture of me in my awfully matched striped top and bottom and my big boots but oh well, we're in the countryside right!:) the boots were because we had high grass in the garden around the house but we just got someone to cut it today and it already looks a lot better, pweh! so now i can safely re-turn to my little sandals! ok, next time i take a picture i will make an effort to look at little more fashionable.