Another month passed already. It's definitely a different kind of winter for us. Skiing is not part of our daily life. We don't seem to be missing it too much, perhaps because life is still full of new experiences. The ski week concept was new for us and we loved it. I'm not sure if we could live out the rest of our seasons sequestering a whole season's worth of skiing into a couple of trips.
If you're our facebook friends you may have seen glimpses of Star Wars and Conscrits. The Star Wars pictures are from the Star Wars Identities exhibit at a gallery in Lyon. This exhibit is worth checking out if it comes your way http://www.starwarsidentities.com/. There was a lot of SW paraphernalia from the films including costumes, sketch books and explanations of how they came up with ideas. At the same time it is a hands on anthropological exhibit on how people define identity. In the end, you have your own personalized Star Wars identity. I am an Ewok.
Then, arguably more interesting was the whole Conscrits celebration. Because Jasper is turning 10 years old in 2015, he is conscrits this year. That makes him a class of 5. Our dear friends Cécile and Adéle were also conscrits this year along with Tomas, Celine and Maude and many others. Here is likely a ridiculously long-winded explanation of Conscrit (lifted partially from my previous explanation on Facebook).
Conscrit used to be the night/week before the draft. People that were 20 years old that calendar year were eligible. Nobody knew who was going to be drafted and who would not so all the people of that age came together to party. This was a tremendous social bond throughout all the social classes. After the wars and the drafts 'stopped', Conscrit continues to be a tremendous social bond. In France it is only still celebrated in the Beaujolais region (so I am told). It is more than a week of partying with your Conscrit class. The classes are everyone born in the same year who is turning the decade, starting with 10 years old (Jasper). There are lunches, benefits, banquets, balls (dances) and parades. It is a rip-roaring party time, do not doubt it. Each class spends the decade raising money for the event.
The first of two parades is a costume parade with floats on a Friday night. This year's theme was the holidays of the year. Jasper's class (10s) was Carnival, followed by the 20s who were St. Patty's, then Easter, Halloween, Christmas and some others I am unsure of. Jasper's class was just supposed to wear some costume in white. He was the only Elvis. Each class has a color, the 10s are white, 20s green, 30s yellow, 40s orange, 50s red, 60s blue, 70s violet, 80s burgandy, 90s + white, red, blue and gold. The parade floats were all in their colors.
The traditional parade is on a Sunday, it is called The Vague (the Wave). Rows of Conscrits walk arm in arm and do a serpentine march around the town dressed in 'the peasant's best', black and white suits with top hats, white scarves and gloves singing pre-planned songs and chanting. They carry a bouquet of carnations, mimosas, lace and the ribbon of their class color.
The bond among and between classes is really the special part of this tradition. If one is in need, they often can find help among their conscrits. I have heard things like, "The person who xxxx is my conscrit" This relationship transcends the generations, so a person who is 20 might look to a 30 or 50 for a favor.
All in all it's the 20 year olds who are the class that the celebration is about. Jasper is the class of 2025, because that is when he will be 20. Make no mistake, it's the 20 year olds that are most certainly the loudest and craziest of the Conscrits!
So there's that then. More than you ever wanted to know I'm sure. It's a big deal here. We're all still a little hung over from it.
And what does one do when they are hung over? Party more. It was not Bob's birthday but we had a little party for him last weekend. We like to think that it was a success. With some prompting we managed to pull off a small 'apéro' or aperitif with our French chothers. No real feat, but for a couple of Americans, it was not just the casual get together that it really was. The explanation to that convoluted statement is that there is a way that things are done. It's not talked about or decided upon, it's just done that way. In this case, one might start at 7:30 or 8 (before dinner). The drinks might begin with the sparkling wine, maybe some small appetizers, at the appropriate time (which we missed) you would bring out the white and red wine, maybe more appetizers. You make sure everyone's glass is filled, but not too full (like an American) and you continue as such until it is the time to go. (Special thanks to Christophe who played stage manager for me at this event and to Adeline who provided cake, mousse and pizza!). We would like to have tried to introduce a more American fare, but it turns out that there is no kale available for kale chips and our 'American' is usually Mexican, which is not really happening. Another point here is that, especially in this region, people adore the local food, that's what is expected, whether or not it is admitted. My French readers are no doubt shaking their heads and laughing at me, as usual. We, Bob and I, of course, are tightly wound compared to pretty much everyone, and constantly wondering what the hell we are supposed to be doing. I'll tell you what we're supposed to be doing, we're supposed to be relaxing and not worrying about it. Okay. Sure.
I have, once again, gone on and on. I think of all the things I want to put in this blog as I do the laundry, wash the dishes and go for glorious runs in the hills and valleys of the Beaujolais. Only some small fraction makes it in, luckily for you. I hope that all of your lives are as good as they can possibly be. We think of you and miss you all.
Roll the photos...
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| Spring commences, in our bedroom... |
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| Thanks for the Valentine's package Nona! |
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| Just because you are being impaled in the head with a light sabor doesn't mean you're not happy |
Star Wards
Conscrit!
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| Our Conscrit, donning a chocolate top hat. (Thanks Catherine and Aimé) |
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| Petit Elvis Defilé deguisement |
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| Thankyouverymuch |
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| The waiting room before the parade Because Jasper is in the grade level below his normal grade, he didn't have friends with him Did this get him down? Heck no. |
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| No friends except, of course, Adéle, an almost 10 year old girl You think she had time for the dopey American kid dressed like who-knows-what? Heck no. She of course has been waiting for this since she can remember. She and her 20 closest girlfriends. PARTAY!!! |
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| Editors choice |
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| St. Patty's 20s |
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| Chinese New Year (class of 6, next year) |
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| Easter (30s) |
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| Halloween (40s) |
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| Christmas (50s) |
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| Not sure (60s) |
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| Last year's conscrits always dress like angels and participate in the costume parade. |
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| Cécile and Tomas Halloween orange 40 |
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| Kathy and Olivier (41!) |
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| CHRISTOPHE! |
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| Coin Coin (quack quack) |
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| Lionel, Cécile and Adéle |
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| Aaaand Micah |
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| There was a small carnival too |
The Vague
Sunday morning started with 2 hours of pictures. Dedicated mom waiting in the freezing cold.
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| An American at Conscrit |
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| Back in the holding cell |
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| When they released the class of 2025 every single one of them was blowing their whistle in the courtyard..did I mention the whistles? What? Did you say something? |
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| All the classes sans 2025 |
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| Class of 2025 Jasper front row middle right |
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| Our house is on the parade route Thanks Aimé for the drapeau! |
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| aaannd Micah! |
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| Jade and Adéle (and Jasper) |
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| Mimi |
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| These green cars are for the class of 2015 (20s) They have no mufflers They drive around town all night long |
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| Matthieu and Lison |
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| The ceremonial toilet |
The banquet. A quiet affair, 4 or so hours of eating and drinking in the afternoon with people that have been eating and drinking non-stop for a week...
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| Cécile and Janine |
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| The ladeez (and Lionel) |
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| On the way to apéro #2,3 and 4 after the banquet That guy wanted to be in the picture |
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| Apéro #4, George and Janine's cave |
Time for the ball, arrival time ~11pm
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| The one on the right is the mayor. |
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| These pictures aren't blurry, that's how it actually looked... |
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| I'm starting to know the words to French songs from the 80s They're just as bad as English ones |
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| Jean-Luc threatened to go home because he had to work the next day |
| Did I mention the pétards firecrackers thousands of firecrackers |
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| This was taken just after my jacket was burned from a pétard exploding behind me |
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| aaand Micah! |
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| Giant chocolate elephant at the corner patisserie |
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| Bob's tartiflette, Lisa's chocolate chip cookies |
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| Micah having drinks with friends |
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| Running in Anse heights |
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| Frisbee in the jardin |
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| Who doesn't build cereal box forts? |
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| Micah art |
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Moon over MaggieBob's 11.75 |
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| I was all set to make the cake...but then I asked Adeline to do it Good move |
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| My fashion advisor Elodie |
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| The Bocuse cookbook |
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| Bob has been playing some foot I've heard "not bad for an American" (An old American) |
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| Bob is in the kitchen with the umbrella A seemingly tireless joke It is from French lessons that most every French kid from our epoque took Except it's actually Brian is in the kitchen And apparently Jenny has the umbrella Bob likes to play with cars....  |
