Le Poste Ennuyeux

I think I have reached the point that my posts may just bore you to tears.  Life continues as it does on all continents, as we have crafted it in the decisions we make.  Here we are plunging deeper into the local customs which we like to refer to as The Many Rules of France.  

The predominant concern at present is signing up for stuff in Septembre.  One must inscribe oneself (and pay) in whatever activities one would like to do for the entire year in the month of Septembre.  This sort of all or nothing mentality makes for long lines, empty banque accounts and a lot of scrambling.  Unfortunately we missed the climbing class for Jasper but managed to get Bob inscribed for the climbing gym.  Jasper is has been successfully signed up for tennis after much miscommunication and stress pour moi and the young man whom resembled strongly Sacha Baron Cohen (especially when trying to speak english (which mind you was leagues above my trying to speak french, which I probably reminded him of Flo of Mel's diner)). 

I managed to sign myself up for a gym, a first for me.  Of course I need to find some appropriate gym wear because frumpy really doesn't go well here.  I have also pseudo signed up for African dance, art and French lessons.  I'm not sure how we are going to pay for it or how I am going to keep up with lunch, dishes and laundry.  Did I mention that we have no dryer.  Zero.  Doesn't sound like that big of a deal right....try it sometime.  Ps, it has started raining with frequency.

Other not so exciting to you, but to us news is that Micah has started swimming lessons on Wednesdays at school.  My quiches are improving. We have finally long term rented a car that will start in the next couple of weeks.  (I am slightly saddened in the prospect of not walking as much hither and yon.  I am gladdened at not having to shop EVERY day and carry heavy bags through town because I don't want to buy the little cart thing.)  Jasper is signed up for a Minecraft course in Lyon in a couple of weeks.  Bob is running a marathon in Lyon this Sunday.  

Bored yet?

Let's get to the pictures.  We visited our local castle which we can see from our dinner table.  We also visited a close by town called Villefranche.  Lovely sight seeing.  Fun shopping.  Nice people, nice weather.  We also got invited to our neighbors' house whom live on the same property, the brother and sister-in-law of our landlords.  They are very locally active folks and spend much of their time running a non-profit organization that provides aid for Haiti.  They lived in Haiti for 6 years have also spent years living in Cameroon and he (and our landlord) were born in Algiers.  These folks have an AMAZING collection of Haitian, Cameroonian, and Algerian art in their basement.  I had to take some photos of that as well.

A prochaine semaine!

Top of the local castle pointing at our house

Anse 

One of the cozier rooms in the castle

Treats from the local bakery that we pass every day to and from school

Delicious creation by Bob.  There's a name for it...

Local honey from the local Friday market.  Shout out to Dr. Strange et al

The cage known as l'ecole

Waiting for the stupid bus, not knowing if we are in the right place.  We were and we weren't, it came, but it was a long wait.

Can you see the invisible wall?

Villefranche

Shout out to Andy the beer drinking viking

Cuz if there's one thing that spells fun, it's public toilettes.

Villefranche.  This pic doesn't quite catch how cool this street is.  It's full of shops and people and food.

The church in Villefranche. We are in Europe, we do have to check out the churches.

Train trumps bus, hands down.  

Paul and Maguey's basement studio

Haitian metal work, made from old oil drums.

La quiche de resistance