FrenchWards: January 2015

Salut encore!

It has been a while. You can blame my dad, he failed to send me the guilt email that I was overdue for my blog. Some of you may know what was going on with those first photos. I will say that it has to do with the CFP championship game. (I don't actually even know what that means myself)

So here we are in the milieu of winter. Dare I say that we are approaching the midpoint of our adventure. I try not to think too much about time. As Aimé has reminded me: ici, maintenant.

Our main event for this post was our most excellent ski weekend. We went with 3 other families from La Rue de Ramparts (our street...sort of) to an area called Praz Sur Arly. We drove and arrived in a complete downpour which changed to snow some time in the early evening. What was once dirt, grass and pavement became that winter wonderland we so love. It turned out to be a fabulous weekend all around.

In other news, I treated myself to a girlz shopping day in Lyon to shop the SOLDES. Soldes are the governement sanctioned SALES that happen in January in every store. I was keen to check out Desigual, a Spanish clothing company, where I bought some things that will assist in my transformation into dressing like a female. I was also treated to my first Rognons flambé au cognac (flaming veal kidney in cognac(sounds better in french)) at a vraiment Lyonnaise bouchon. Good stuff.

We also witnessed the Conscrit "Vague" in the neighboring town of Villefranche. This is the premier town for conscrit in the Beaujolais. This year is the 5s, which means it's every age of people whose birth year ends in 5. Jasper is a conscrit this year as he was born in 2005. He will participate in Anse's conscrit celebration at the end of February. The Vague (the wave) is the parade where all the conscrits walk arm in arm and sing as they walk in sigmoidally along the street. Each year is separated by a marching band playing their chosen tune. It was quite chilly and we missed the money shot, which is looking down the street from atop the hill. Oh well. Perhaps I can find one to post for your viewing pleasure. Google "conscrit villefranche" if you so desire.

Bob and I also attended SIRHA. A conference for the food and hotel industry. This was an overwhelmingly HUGE conference with anything and everything food that you can think of. I'm not sure we had fun, but it was interesting. http://www.sirha.com/en

I seem to have 1000 pictures of the ski weekend, I will only post 500. I will put some other photos up of la vie Ward before I bore you with perhaps my favorite weekend yet in France.

Love to all.

I had to get a photo of this before they all disappeared.
This was by far the most popular xmas decoration.
It most often looked like Santa hanging himself.

Last day of swim class, they're just so cute.
Micah is front front row, red cap.

Appropriately named

My ear

Rognons flambé....I ate the whole thing.

CASTILLE!!!

How many French does it take to build an Ikea chair?

Biking along the Saône to Trevoux

A colorfully painted utility shed by Micah (and Castille's) school

Jasper made this in his intermural class
(Mostly this picture seems to be a flash forward to Jasper at 13)

Jasper's FBFF gave Micah and him a disco ball for Noël.
Good times on a Wednesday afternoon

Cute cat interlude

Conscrit Villefranche

The Vague
(The Wave)

The 20s (green)

30s (yellow)

40s (orange)

50s (red)

60s (blue)

70s (purple)

80s (maroon)

There were 90s and at least one walking 100 year old! Well done.

This velo is in the window of the corner
patissierie. It is made of entirely chocolate.
It was made by the Colombian team.
Not sure what kind of team.
The chocolate team perhaps.
which leads to...